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More than two years into Israel's war on Gaza, thousands of families remain in limbo, torn between unverified deaths and secret detentions.In a partially destroyed home in Khan Younis, Tahrir Abu Mady clings to the charred walls that echo the memory of her missing children.Her 20‑year‑old daughter, Malak, a university student and volunteer nurse at Nasser Hospital, vanished after briefly returning home with her 18‑year‑old brother Yousef when Israeli ground forces entered the city in 2024.Forensic teams later recovered human remains in the ruined house, prompting Gaza’s Ministry of Health to issue a death certificate for Malak, while Yousef’s fate stayed unknown.The story took a painful turn when a list of Palestinian detainees released by former prisoners included Malak’s name, marked only with “No information available,” reigniting Tahrir’s anguish.Seeking answers, Tahrir tried to hire a lawyer in Umm al‑Fahm to trace her daughter within the Israeli prison system, but prohibitive legal fees made the effort impossible.Human‑rights groups warn that Malak’s case is far from unique. Israeli forces have detained thousands of Gazans in undisclosed locations, often without charge or legal representation.Euro‑Med Human Rights Monitor researcher Maha al‑Husseini estimates around 3,000 people have been forcibly disappeared, many of whom may be dead or imprisoned, with Israeli authorities refusing to provide any information.Families are left in a state of suspended grief, unable to properly mourn or advocate for their loved ones.Today, Tahrir lives between an official death certificate and a name on a smuggled prisoner list, writing on the scarred walls: “We are still waiting for you, Malak … our white coat girl.”

In a recent editorial, the Guardian highlighted the danger of Israel applying the same brutal tactics used in Gaza to Lebanon, and Medical Aid for Palestinians echoes that warning.Field reports from Lebanon describe a climate of terror fueled by mass forced‑displacement orders and relentless military strikes, including assaults on healthcare workers. Aid groups are scrambling to assist Palestinian refugees who have fled their homes, while many others remain trapped, deepening panic in already overcrowded camps plagued by poverty and scarce services.The Israeli military appears to be mirroring Gaza’s playbook: terrorising civilians, imposing forced displacement, and targeting humanitarian and medical infrastructure. Despite a declared cease‑fire in Gaza, Israeli attacks have killed more than 690 Palestinians since October, and restrictions on aid are creating lethal shortages of medicines and equipment.Meanwhile, the West Bank endures escalating settler violence and an Israeli annexation agenda that now threatens to extend into Lebanon, further destabilising the region.Medical Aid for Palestinians stresses that impunity for attacks on civilians and health services endangers both the populations they serve and the organisation’s staff across Gaza, the occupied West Bank and Lebanon.According to the statement, the UK government must not cherry‑pick when to uphold international law. It calls for decisive action to hold all perpetrators accountable, warning that inaction will lead to catastrophic human costs. The world, it asserts, cannot allow the horrors witnessed in Gaza to be replayed in Lebanon, and governments should not become complicit allies of such atrocities.

The United States and Israel have launched a war against Iran that many observers label a monumental breach of international law, echoing the illegal aggression that began with Israel’s campaign in Gaza.According to recent reports, the Pentagon is ready to commit thousands of ground troops to the region, signaling a potential escalation that could last for weeks.Analysts warn that the conflict is poorly planned, especially given Iran’s capacity to disrupt shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. The resulting choke‑choke on energy and essential commodities is already pushing the global economy toward a precarious edge, with Asian and African nations bearing the brunt of the fallout.History offers a stark warning. In 2003, the United States invaded Iraq on the premise of a swift campaign, a promise later proved hollow. The war extended for nearly nine years, costing $1.92 trillion in U.S. taxpayer money, claiming over 4,500 American lives, and contributing to more than half a million Iraqi deaths by 2006.Back then, the coalition assembled roughly 250,000 troops—including 150,000 from the United States and 46,000 from the United Kingdom—to invade a country far smaller than Iran. Today, the U.S. maintains about 50,000 troops in the Middle East, a modest increase of 10,000 over its usual presence, yet the objectives being discussed—occupying Iranian territory, seizing uranium stockpiles, and controlling key islands—appear overly ambitious.Israel’s role is also intensifying. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced an expansion of Israel’s security buffer in southern Lebanon, a region Israel occupied from 1982 to 2000. Since the 2024 cease‑fire with Hezbollah, Israel has reportedly violated the agreement around 10,000 times in its first year, suggesting that a weakened Iran could serve as a strategic boon for Israeli ambitions in Lebanon.For the United States, the war risks becoming a “Venezuela‑style” takeover that is far more complex than anticipated. As the conflict drags on and the prospect of U.S. ground combat looms, public support—already low—could erode further, potentially jeopardizing the political standing of President Trump ahead of the mid‑term elections.Critics argue that repeating the Iraq‑war playbook may not only fail to achieve its stated goals but could also hand strategic advantage to rival powers such as Russia or China, reshaping the balance of power in the Middle East.

A Palestinian man has recounted the distressing experience of his brother's arrest at the Rafah crossing, a critical border point between Gaza and Egypt. The incident has brought attention to the ongoing security measures and tensions in the region.The Rafah crossing is a vital lifeline for Palestinians, serving as a primary entry and exit point to and from Gaza. Frequent security checks and arrests have been a recurring theme, reflecting the complex dynamics at play.The man's account sheds light on the human impact of the conflict, emphasizing the need for continued dialogue and understanding in the pursuit of peace and stability.

European nations have voiced their deep concern over Israel's plans to expand the use of the death penalty, a move that could have a disproportionate impact on Palestinians. The bill, which is set to be voted on next week, has sparked criticism from foreign ministers of France, Germany, Italy, and the UK.In a statement released by the German Federal Foreign Office on Sunday, the ministers expressed their worries about the discriminatory character of the bill, warning that its adoption could undermine Israel's commitment to democratic principles.The legislation, championed by far-right government figures including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, aims to make the death penalty applicable in more cases. Amnesty International has condemned the proposals, stating that they would make the death penalty "another discriminatory tool in Israel's system of apartheid."The bill's passage would likely face a legal challenge and be taken before the Supreme Court. The development comes as Israel's policies in Gaza and the occupied West Bank have faced international scrutiny.The Council of Europe has also urged Israel to abandon the draft law, with Council chief Alain Berset stating that the organization opposes the death penalty in all circumstances.

The US-Iran conflict, now in its fifth week, has escalated into a war of attrition with no clear strategy or end in sight. The US continues to hit Iranian targets while building up forces in the region, while Iran launches missile and drone attacks on Israel and neighboring Gulf states.The conflict has significant economic implications, with Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz causing oil prices to surge and disrupting global supply chains. The pain is likely to get worse, with shortages already felt across the world, from Asian factories to European diesel markets.The war should never have been started, with the threat not imminent, objectives unclear, and justification falling apart under scrutiny. Responsibility rests with Donald Trump and Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu. The delusion that force can impose a more compliant regime in Tehran has predictably given rise to a conflict that sustains itself.The only plausible exit is negotiation without preconditions. However, Mr. Trump mixes threats of escalation and claims that negotiations are progressing, with little evidence of a meaningful diplomatic track. The conflict cannot be separated from Gaza, where Mr. Netanyahu is gambling that war with Iran will restore his standing.If US ground forces are committed, the dynamic shifts, and American casualties will harden resolve among those who backed the intervention, making withdrawal politically harder. World powers can shift the incentives away from a US ground war by working together to insulate themselves from economic pain and coordinate diplomatic messaging.

The Houthis are a militant group that emerged from a years-long civil war in Yemen as the country’s most powerful political force. Their strategic location at the entrance of the Red Sea allows them to disrupt international trade.The group, which has an estimated 20,000 fighters, represents the Zaidi branch of Shia Islam. The Houthis first began gaining mass support around the turn of the century from Shia Yemenis who were fed up with corruption and authoritarian leaders.In 2014, the Houthis captured the Yemeni capital, Sana’a, and a year later overthrew the western-backed president, Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. Hadi was forced to flee, but his allies in Saudi Arabia and the UAE launched a military campaign, also backed by the west, to drive out the Houthis.The ensuing civil war led to an estimated 377,000 deaths and displaced 4 million people by the end of 2021. The UN brokered a 2022 truce between the warring sides in Yemen that has largely held.As part of Iran’s “axis of resistance”, the Houthis began targeting international shipping in the Red Sea after the 7 October 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas, which triggered the Israeli military campaign in Gaza. The Houthis’ campaign in the Red Sea – a major thoroughfare for world trade – brought chaos to global supply chains.The Houthis ceased their attacks after a US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in October 2025.While the US says Iran has armed, funded, and trained the Houthis, the group denies being an Iranian proxy but says they share a political affinity. On 28 March, the Houthis fired missiles at Israel, vowing to continue military operations until Israel “ceases its attacks and aggression”.

The Houthis, allied with Iran, have stated they are prepared to intervene militarily if new alliances join the US and Israel against Iran or if the Red Sea is used for hostile operations. The group's military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, made the announcement in a televised speech on Friday.Saree emphasized that their 'fingers are on the trigger for direct military intervention' under these conditions. The warning heightens the risk of a broader regional conflict, especially considering the Houthis' capability to strike targets far beyond Yemen and disrupt shipping lanes in the Arabian Peninsula.The Houthis have controlled Yemen's capital, Sanaa, and much of the northwest since 2014. Following Israel's actions in Gaza, the Houthis have targeted vessels in the Red Sea and carried out drone and missile attacks on Israel, citing solidarity with Palestinians.In response to escalating tensions, Saree also called for an immediate halt to US and Israeli attacks on Iran, Palestine, Lebanon, and Iraq. The Houthis have previously agreed to a truce with the US, which included a commitment to cease attacks on US shipping in the Red Sea.

BBC Arabic has faced sustained criticism in recent years for its selection of coverage and for featuring guests who have expressed antisemitic views on social media. However, Fiona Crack, the director of the BBC World Service, has defended the service, stating that it provides a unique and important perspective in the region.Crack argued that without BBC Arabic, the Arab world would lose one of the only independent and impartial outlets reaching nearly 40 million people in the region each week. She highlighted the service's coverage of the Gaza war, where it provided an Israeli perspective and Israeli experience that may not have been reported otherwise.The service has also been praised for reporting on serious incidents in the region that were ignored by other media, such as the big oil refinery fire in Saudi Arabia and jets that were brought down. Crack noted that many countries in BBC Arabic's region feature low down in media freedom rankings compiled by Reporters Without Borders, with Syria ranked 177th, Afghanistan 175th, Egypt 170th, the UAE 164th, and Saudi Arabia 162nd.Crack acknowledged that the service has made mistakes, but emphasized that they have apologized for them and taken steps to strengthen their systems. She also highlighted the importance of public service media in the region, stating that it is under threat and should be protected.