primarily viewed Iran as the greatest threat. Netanyahu remained strongly opposed to Hamas but also permitted Qatar to send money to Gaza, giving him some space to prioritize other issues such as tackling Iran and normalizing relations with Saudi Arabia. In Washington, the United States believed that an agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel was imminent, but this proved to be an illusion.

Netanyahu refuses to investigate errors that may have facilitated Hamas’s attack on October 7, 2023. The conflict between Jews and Arabs in the region remains unresolved and threatens to escalate into a new, large-scale war. Since October 7, the situation in Gaza has drastically changed. Journalists have been heavily affected: after the attack, entry to Gaza was restricted for international journalists, while nearly 200 Palestinian journalists have lost their colleagues.

Hamas committed war crimes by killing 1,200 people on October 7, mainly Israeli civilians, and taking 251 hostages (of whom about 20 may still be alive). At the same time, Israel is accused of war crimes, including starving the population, failing to protect civilians during military operations, and destroying entire cities without military justification. Netanyahu and his former defense minister are under investigation by the International Criminal Court for war crimes; they deny these allegations.

Israel is losing increasing support. Even loyal allies like the US and the UK have expressed concerns about the way Gaza is being bombed and the poor humanitarian aid. A recent joint statement condemned the humanitarian situation in Gaza and called on Israel to adhere to international humanitarian law. (BBC)