Israel says fighting in Gaza could last a year; the fear of spreading the war in the region grows
Israeli defense officials and former senior intelligence officers have said they expect fighting in Gaza to continue for at least a year, raising the possibility of thousands more civilian casualties and a serious ongoing threat to regional stability.
At a briefing, R Adm Daniel Hagari, a spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), said that central and southern Gaza, where military fighting is now concentrated, was "full of terrorists" with "an underground city of tunnels ".
It will take three months to clear the area and the fighting will "continue throughout 2024," Hagari said.
Middle East crisis live: Blinken continues with meetings
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is continuing his tour of the Middle East. He will visit the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia on Monday, where he will hold talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. He will then go to Israel where he will hold talks on Tuesday.
"Palestinian civilians must be able to return home as soon as conditions allow... They cannot, must not be forced to leave Gaza," he said during a visit to Doha, Qatar.
England: Health inequalities have caused 1 million premature deaths in the last decade
More than 1 million people in England died prematurely in the decade after 2011 due to poverty, austerity and Covid, according to shocking new research from one of the UK's leading public health experts.
The figures were revealed in a study by the Institute of Health Equity at University College London, led by Sir Michael Marmot. They demonstrate the extent to which marked economic and social inequalities are leading to early deaths of people affected by cancer, heart problems and other diseases.
Russia-Ukraine War: Situation Update
- The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, said at a conference in Sweden via video: "Even Russia can return within the framework of international law. Her aggression can be tamed.”
- Charles Michel has announced that he will leave the post of president of the European Council early after running in the European Parliament elections in June. The surprise move means EU leaders will have to quickly agree on a successor to take over and could pave the way for Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to exert more influence over EU policy making. Orbán is known for his pro-Russia stance.
