The UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, has emphasised the urgent need for political and security frameworks to tackle the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
In a recent briefing he expressed deep concern over escalating tensions in the region, highlighted by recent explosions in Lebanon and rocket fire towards Israel.
Wennesland called on all parties to refrain from actions that could further escalate the situation, urging immediate steps for de-escalation.
He stressed that frameworks are essential to address the humanitarian catastrophe, initiate recovery efforts, rebuild Gaza, and lay the groundwork for a political process aimed at ending the occupation and establishing a two-State solution.
He highlighted the importance of facilitating a legitimate Palestinian government capable of reuniting Gaza and the West Bank politically and administratively.
Wennesland pointed out that Palestinian unity is crucial for achieving a just and lasting peace, urging the international community to provide significant support to the Palestinian Authority.
Wennesland also reaffirmed that any progress toward peace must fully recognise the rights of Palestinians to self-determination and sovereignty over the Occupied Palestinian Territory while also addressing Israel’s legitimate security concerns.
Russia and Ukraine each exchanged 307 of their service personnel on Saturday on the second day of a prisoner exchange that, when completed, is set to be the largest such swap in the three-year war between the two countries.
U.S. President Donald Trump has suggested the prisoner swap - which should see 1,000 prisoners released on each side over three days - could herald a new phase in stop-start efforts to negotiate a peace deal between Moscow and Kyiv.
Saturday's swap was announced by Russia's defence ministry, and separately by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in a post on social
French police were investigating a possible arson attack as being the main cause for a power outage which hit the Alpes-Maritimes region in southern France on Saturday, including Cannes which is hosting its world-famous annual film festival.
Russia launched dozens of attack drones and ballistic missiles at Kyiv overnight in one of the biggest combined aerial attacks on the Ukrainian capital of the three-year war, damaging several apartment buildings and injuring at least 15 people.
Rescuers on Friday pulled out all 260 mine workers who had been stuck for more than 24 hours in an underground shaft in South Africa, the mine's operator said.
Dubai Press Club has unveiled the full agenda for the Arab Media Summit 2025, which will bring together the region’s most influential voices in journalism, digital content, and communication to chart a new future for the region’s media.
His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai's Crown Prince and the UAE's Deputy Prime Minster and Defence Minister, has emphasised that empowering young Emiratis with future-ready skills is key to building a sustainable, knowledge-driven economy.