Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Sunday that his government is considering suing the New York Times for defamation, accusing the paper of publishing a front-page photo that falsely claimed to depict a starving Palestinian child in Gaza. Netanyahu said the child, Muhammad Zakariya Ayyoub, actually suffers from cerebral palsy, and that his family members shown in the image appeared healthy and well-fed.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a stark warning Wednesday, August 7, stressing that global attention on Gaza’s humanitarian situation is dangerously eclipsing the urgent need to rescue hostages held by Hamas.
France has suspended its Gaza evacuation programme following revelations that a Gazan student admitted to a prestigious French university shared antisemitic content online. The decision halts further arrivals and triggers a full review of the vetting process after the 25-year-old woman was found to have posted pro-Hitler images and content calling for the death of Jews.
President Trump has sent Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee to the southern Gaza Strip to review food distribution centers as civilian casualties mount near aid sites.
