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Despite a supposed ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, thousands of families are still unable to bury their loved ones six months into the agreement. The conflict, which began in October 2023, has left about 10,000 Palestinians missing and believed to be buried under collapsed buildings.An internationally mediated agreement was signed between Israel and Hamas on October 10, 2023, aiming to end the conflict. However, for many, the war has not ended. The United Nations reports that Israeli bombardment has generated over 61 million tonnes of rubble in the besieged Gaza Strip.Al Jazeera's Hind Khoudary spoke to a Palestinian father, Abu Mohammed, who survived an Israeli attack but lost four of his children. He has been trying to retrieve their bodies for three years but faces significant challenges due to the massive concrete slabs and lack of heavy equipment.The ceasefire has not allowed heavy machinery into Gaza to begin recovery efforts and reunite families. According to Mahmoud Basal, Gaza's civil defence spokesperson, nothing has entered Gaza except limited equipment for retrieving Israeli captives. Across Gaza, thousands remain buried, with at least 50 bodies trapped beneath the rubble in one apartment block in Bureij.Conditions on the ground have barely shifted six months into the ceasefire. Families continue to wait as bodies are not yet recovered, and Israeli attacks persist. Since the ceasefire took effect, at least 738 people have been killed and 2,036 wounded. Authorities have recovered 759 bodies from the rubble.Israel's actions in Gaza have resulted in over 72,317 Palestinian deaths and 172,158 wounded. Despite the ceasefire, Israel still occupies more than half of the Gaza Strip, having levelled most buildings in these areas and forced residents out.

It's been six months since a ceasefire agreement was brokered between Israel and Hamas, but the reality on the ground in Gaza remains dire. The agreement, which was intended to mark a turning point towards ending the war and initiating a recovery phase for Gaza's population, has failed to deliver tangible improvements in humanitarian or security conditions for Palestinian civilians.The ceasefire has been plagued by ongoing Israeli attacks, with over 700 Palestinians killed since the agreement came into effect. The Israeli army has continued its military operations, raising questions about the fragility of the ceasefire and the role of mediators in enforcing its terms.The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains critical, with food and aid supplies below minimum requirements. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that only 4,999 aid trucks entered Gaza out of 23,400 planned, and only 625 people out of 7,800 were allowed to travel through crossings. This has led to widespread malnutrition and famine-like conditions in the region.The ceasefire has also failed to address the issue of Israeli control over Gaza. The Israeli army has established a so-called 'Yellow Line' as a separation boundary, dividing Gaza into zones of control. Israel maintains effective control over roughly 50-55% of the Strip, including large areas of Rafah, Khan Younis, and northern Gaza.In conclusion, six months on, the ceasefire in Gaza has not produced a sustainable transformation and remains closer to a temporary truce than a final settlement. The situation on the ground is one of 'neither war nor peace,' with over two million people continuing to face deep uncertainty and a lack of meaningful political or humanitarian stabilization.

During the Jewish festival of Passover, thousands of Israeli settlers converged on natural springs in the occupied West Bank, areas that were previously used by Palestinian communities. Videos circulating on settler chat groups show settlers wading and splashing in the same natural pools where Palestinian children once swam. Their parents barbecued nearby, expressing elation and crediting the 'hilltop youth' – young settlers carrying out systematic violence against Palestinians – for making this possible.The celebrations come as 1,727 Palestinians from 36 communities in the West Bank were displaced in the first three months of 2026 due to settler violence and access restrictions, according to the United Nations' Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). This already exceeds the highest annual figure recorded in any of the previous three years.For Palestinians like Haitham al-Zayed, 24, who was forcibly displaced from Shallal al-Auja by Jewish settlers, watching the videos was 'very hard to see' but unsurprising. He described the escalating violence and intimidation his community faced, including armed settlers on all-terrain vehicles funded by the Israeli government, chasing livestock and children, and raiding homes to interrogate or detain residents.Allegra Pacheco, chief of party of the West Bank Protection Consortium, described the videos as more than provocation, potentially evidence of the celebration of the intentional use of violence by Israeli settlers to forcibly displace Palestinians – a serious violation of international law. 'The praising of ethnic cleansing carried out by these settler youth,' she said, 'it’s really showing both the impunity and the lack of accountability we are seeing right now.'The displacement and violence have left many Palestinians, like Muhammad from Hammam al-Maleh, refusing to leave their homes despite the danger. 'I was born here. I was raised here. I am not willing to leave. Even if I die here – I will die happy, because I stayed on my land,' he said.

The strategic Strait of Hormuz, linking the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, has become the focal point of the Israel‑U.S. war on Iran that began in February. In peacetime the narrow waterway handled about 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments without any tolls, but the conflict has turned it into a contested zone. After a series of Israeli and U.S. strikes, Iran retaliated by targeting merchant vessels it deemed hostile, effectively shutting the passage and triggering one of the most severe energy‑distribution crises in recent memory. While a two‑week ceasefire, brokered by Pakistan, was declared on Tuesday, Tehran has issued a set of official terms that would govern the strait moving forward. According to Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghi, safe passage will be allowed in coordination with the Iranian armed forces and subject to technical limitations. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has even published a new navigation map that pushes traffic farther north, away from the traditional route near Oman’s coast, citing the risk of anti‑ship mines. Central to Tehran’s 10‑point peace proposal is the idea of charging fees for strait usage. Iranian media report that the plan could levy up to $2 million per vessel—a sum to be shared with Oman—or a charge of $1 per barrel of oil shipped. The revenue would allegedly fund reconstruction of military and civilian infrastructure damaged by the U.S.–Israeli campaign. Oman has publicly rejected any toll scheme, with Transport Minister Said Al‑Maawali reminding that the country has already signed all relevant international maritime transport agreements that prohibit such fees. International law adds another layer of complexity. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) prohibits levying charges for mere passage through international straits, allowing fees only for services like navigation assistance or port use. Neither the United States nor Iran have ratified UNCLOS, but the principle remains a benchmark for maritime norms. Analysts suggest a possible workaround: charging for de‑mining and safety services rather than for passage itself, which could be permissible under existing legal frameworks. The proposal has sparked diplomatic pushback. At the United Nations Security Council, Bahrain led a resolution urging coordinated reopening of the strait, backed by Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Jordan. The resolution passed with 11 of 15 votes, but was vetoed by Russia and China, who argued it unfairly targeted Iran and ignored the initial strikes. Beyond the region, the United States is unlikely to accept indefinite tolls. Former President Donald Trump, who announced the ceasefire, warned that U.S. forces would remain in the area and threatened to resume attacks if negotiations faltered. American troops are reportedly “hanging around” to assist with traffic buildup, though the extent of their operational control remains unclear. Maritime analyst C. Uday Bhaskar notes that only three to five ships have traversed the strait since the ceasefire began, underscoring the lingering uncertainty for global shippers. He adds that ship owners facing multi‑million‑dollar losses each day may ultimately acquiesce to Iran’s terms, at least temporarily. Should Iran implement a toll regime, the immediate impact would fall on Gulf oil‑producing nations, but the ripple effects could destabilize global energy markets, already strained by supply shocks. Major powers such as the United Kingdom have been coordinating with a coalition of 40 countries to explore alternative mechanisms for reopening the waterway without conceding to tolls. In sum, Iran’s proposed protocol for the Strait of Hormuz introduces a contentious new variable into an already volatile geopolitical landscape, pitting national security interests against established maritime law and the broader stability of world energy supplies.

The Al‑Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem reopened after a 40‑day closure imposed by Israeli authorities.Verified video footage released by Al Jazeera shows crowds streaming through the gates early Thursday, with approximately 3,000 worshippers attending the morning prayers.The ban had been total—or limited to a few dozen faithful—at Christian, Jewish and Muslim sites since the US‑Israeli war on Iran began on February 28. Israel frequently imposes restrictions, especially on Palestinian worshippers.The Islamic Waqf Department in occupied Jerusalem confirmed that the doors of Al‑Aqsa would be opened to all worshippers from dawn; the Jordanian‑affiliated authority managing the site offered no further details.Volunteers and caretakers were seen preparing courtyards and prayer areas to receive the faithful, while Israeli officials announced the simultaneous opening of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Wednesday evening.Israeli police attributed the decision to “updated instructions from the Israeli Home Front Command” and highlighted a massive security deployment, with hundreds of police officers and border guards stationed throughout the Old City and surrounding roads to “secure visitors.”Jerusalem’s holy sites have endured strict security measures and repeated closures during the six‑week regional war, curtailing celebrations of Lent, Passover, Ramadan and, for the first time since Israel’s 1967 occupation, Eid al‑Fitr prayers at Al‑Aqsa.The lifting of the ban arrives just in time for Orthodox Christians, who observe Easter on Sunday, a week after Catholic and Protestant celebrations.Continued Raids in the Occupied West BankIsraeli forces continued operations across the occupied West Bank. In Nablus, a woman was detained and a man assaulted during an early‑morning raid, according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa.The Ramallah‑based Palestinian Health Ministry reported that Israeli forces fatally shot 28‑year‑old Alaa Khaled Mohammed Sbeih near the village of Tayasir on Wednesday night; the Israeli military said an off‑duty soldier fired at a stone‑thrower.Wafa added that six young men were detained in Tayasir, while troops stormed homes in Ya’bad, south of Jenin, destroying the contents of three houses. Additional raids hit the villages of Qusra and Awarta, though no arrests were reported there.The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimates that more than 1,100 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank since 2023, with at least 10,000 people forcibly displaced.

Israel's wave of air attacks on Lebanon has resulted in a significant escalation of violence, with over 250 people killed and 1,165 wounded. The attacks, which occurred just hours after the announcement of a two-week US-Iran ceasefire, have raised concerns about the fragility of the agreement.The Israeli military claimed it was targeting Hezbollah's military infrastructure, but Lebanese officials and aid groups reported that entire neighborhoods were devastated, with hospitals overwhelmed and emergency services struggling to cope. The United Nations described the casualty figures as 'appalling', with its human rights chief Volker Turk calling the destruction 'horrific'.The attacks have exposed major disagreements over the scope of the ceasefire, with the US and Israel claiming it excludes Lebanon, while Iran and Pakistan argue it includes the country. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose government helped broker the deal, stated that the ceasefire deal included the halting of attacks on all fronts, specifically mentioning Lebanon.The continuation of Israeli attacks in Lebanon poses a significant threat to the prospects for the ceasefire between the US and Iran. Analysts warn that if Hezbollah continues to be targeted while attacks on Iran remain paused, Tehran could lose both its leverage and credibility within its network of resistance groups.International reaction has largely focused on condemning the scale of the Israeli attacks on Lebanon and calling for Lebanon's inclusion in the ceasefire. Several countries, including Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, described the attacks as a 'dangerous escalation' and urged the international community to act.

Israeli forces have carried out a devastating bombardment across Lebanon, killing at least 254 people and wounding 1,165 others in air strikes that targeted areas in Beirut, the Bekaa Valley, Mount Lebanon, Sidon, and several villages in southern Lebanon.The Israeli military said that the attack was its largest coordinated assault on Lebanon since it started a new military operation in the country on March 2, “targeting more than 100 Hezbollah command centres and military sites”.The attacks have sparked widespread international condemnation, with leaders from around the world calling for an end to the violence. Lebanon’s Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri called the attacks a “full-fledged war crime,” while Hezbollah said it had a “right” to respond to the attacks.International Reactions:• Iran: The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned that it will respond to the attacks on Lebanon if Israel does not stop the assault.• US: President Donald Trump said Lebanon was not part of the ceasefire deal with Iran due to Hezbollah.• Qatar: The foreign ministry condemned the “brutal series” of Israeli attacks on Lebanon, calling them a “dangerous escalation and a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the sister Lebanese Republic.”• Egypt: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs called Israel’s attacks on Lebanon had a “premeditated intent” to undermine regional and international efforts to reduce escalation.• UN: The United Nations strongly condemned the strikes by Israel across Lebanon that resulted in significant civilian casualties.

In a shocking escalation of violence, civilians in Gaza's Maghazi camp were caught in the crossfire as rival armed groups clashed, leaving 10 people dead and 44 injured. The incident occurred on Monday, with eyewitnesses describing scenes of panic and chaos as armed men stormed homes and a school run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).The violence began when armed groups approached from the direction of the "yellow line" that separates Palestinian and Israeli-controlled areas of Gaza. The groups, allegedly backed by Israeli forces, moved towards civilian homes and the Al-Maghazi Preparatory Boys School, which is sheltering large numbers of displaced people.Residents reported that the armed men, who identified themselves as the "Popular Forces combating terrorism", a rival group to Hamas, broke into homes, detained family members, and used the houses as cover during the battle. The family of Asaad Nteel, who was caught up in the violence, described being ordered to gather in one room and not move, fearing harm to themselves and their children.The clashes, which lasted for over an hour and a half, caused extreme distress to residents, who do not support these groups. Local people claim the armed men were provided with cover and support by Israeli forces, with some eyewitnesses reporting the use of armed drones to aid the armed men's withdrawal.The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights has documented previous violence by these groups, including looting of aid convoys, kidnappings, torture, and killings, with cover or support from the Israeli army. The centre has called for an urgent independent investigation, accountability for those responsible, and effective protection for civilians.The incident has sparked widespread outrage on social media, with activists sharing videos documenting victims being transported to hospitals. The violence has also raised concerns about the emerging armed groups in Gaza, which appear to operate near areas along the "yellow line".Since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas supposedly began on October 11, 733 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, and 2,034 injured, in addition to 759 bodies recovered. The situation remains dire, with civilians continuing to bear the brunt of the conflict.

The United States and Iran have agreed to a two-week ceasefire, with talks to finalize a peace deal set to begin in Pakistan's Islamabad on Friday. The truce, announced by US President Donald Trump, will see Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital maritime corridor through which a fifth of the world's oil supply passes.Countries around the world have welcomed the development, with many urging a lasting peace in the region. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu supported Trump's decision, while also noting that the ceasefire does not include Lebanon, where Israeli forces have launched a ground invasion and are fighting with the Iran-aligned Hezbollah.Iraq's Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the news of the ceasefire but stressed the need for full commitment to the deal to achieve a lasting resolution. Egypt's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the ceasefire represents a very important opportunity for negotiations, diplomacy, and constructive dialogue.The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the announcement and called on all parties to abide by the terms of the ceasefire. Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said Tokyo welcomes the news of a two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran as a positive move.Indonesia's Foreign Ministry called on Iran and the US to respect the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and diplomacy of each side. Malaysia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the ceasefire marks a significant development and serves as a crucial step towards de-escalating tensions and restoring peace and stability to the Middle East.Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong issued a joint statement welcoming the news and expressing their hopes that the deal will lead to a long-lasting resolution. New Zealand's Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters said his government welcomes the news of a ceasefire, although many concerns remain.