Guterres says Gaza ‘beyond any other conflict in my years’ as UN chief

Addressing the UNGA’s 80th session, Guterres gave particular emphasis to the war in Gaza, which is set to define this year’s General Debate.

“In Gaza, the horrors are approaching a third monstrous year. They are the result of decisions that defy basic humanity. The scale of death and destruction are beyond any other conflict in my years as secretary-general,” he said.

He also referenced the ICJ which has delivered several orders on Gaza, including calling on Israel to take steps to prevent genocide, allow for investigation and boost humanitarian aid.

“We know what is needed: Permanent ceasefire now. All the hostages released now. Full humanitarian access now. And we must not relent in the only viable answer to sustainable Middle East peace: a two-state solution,” he said.

Spain approves ‘total’ arms embargo against Israel

Spain’s government has approved a “total” arms embargo on Israel as part of a package of measures aimed at halting what Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez says is the genocide in Gaza.

At a news conference, Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo said the decree prohibits all exports of defence material and dual-use products or technologies to Israel and the import of such equipment to Spain.

It also blocks requests for the transit of aircraft fuel with potential military applications and bans imports of products originating from Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory, including their advertising.

The decree will come into force immediately, but it must still be approved at a later date by parliament, where Sanchez’s left-wing government lacks a majority and has struggled to pass legislation.

‘We have to stop the war in Gaza immediately’: Trump

The US president, Israel’s staunchest military and political backer, says at the UN General Assembly that he has been “deeply engaged” in seeking a ceasefire in Gaza.

“We have to stop the war in Gaza immediately. We have to stop it,” Trump said. “We have to get it done. We have to negotiate peace. We have to get the hostages back. We want all 20 back.”

Trump also said Hamas “has repeatedly rejected reasonable offers to make peace” – a claim rejected by the Palestinian group, which has accused Israel of blocking a ceasefire.

The US president also reiterated his claim that the recognition of a Palestinian state by a number of Western countries over the past few days was a “reward” for Hamas.

Bullshit lies, right after vetoing a ceasefire resolution for the 6th time and seeking approval for another $6 billion in weapons for Israel.

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/us-vetoes-un-demand-ceasefire-aid-access-gaza-2025-09-18/
https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/white-house-seeking-congress-approval-sell-israel-6-bln-weapons-wsj-reports-2025-09-19/

Absolutely nothing justifies ongoing genocide in Gaza: Lula

At the UN General Assembly, Brazil’s president says the October 7 attacks are indefensible from any angle, but nothing justifies the ongoing genocide in Gaza. He added that:

Israel ‘rogue’ state seeking to delude its population: Qatar’s emir

At the UN General Assembly, Qatar’s emir has highlighted the “treacherous attack” on September 9 that targeted Hamas’s negotiating delegation in the capital Doha, “in a residential neighborhood that includes schools and diplomatic missions”.

He called the attack a political assassination that “undermines any diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the genocide against the people in Gaza”, saying it underscores that Israel has become a “rogue” state.

“They [Israel] negotiate with delegations and plot to assassinate the members of the negotiation teams. It is difficult to cooperate with such a mentality that does not respect the most minimum standards of cooperation,” he said.

“They consider negotiations a continuation of war in other means and a way to delude the Israeli public opinion. Their goal is to destroy Gaza so that is unlivable and where no one can study or receive treatment.”

Gaza has become graveyard for humanity: Pakistan FM

Mohammad Ishaq Dar has urged the international community to take concrete action to end the suffering of Palestinians, stressing that the time for words has passed.

“Gaza has become a graveyard for humanity as well as for the global conscience,” he told the Security Council. “We call upon the Security Council and the international community to act decisively to uphold human dignity, to ensure accountability and to deliver justice.”

Ending the genocide in Gaza utmost priority: Palestinian envoy to UN

Palestinian envoy Riyad Mansour urged the UN Security Council to take “resolute action” to end the war in Gaza.

“Ending the genocide in Gaza is the utmost priority. One that can suffer no delay, one that requires resolute action,” Mansour said during a council session on the Middle East.

He said the Gaza Strip must be reunified with the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority and stressed that Palestinians remain committed to peace “in words and deeds”.

“Nothing justifies delaying such a ceasefire that is the only way to stop the bloodshed, release the hostages and prisoners and human remains, and allow unhindered humanitarian access,” he said.

Israeli forces, settlers carry out raids in occupied West Bank

The Palestinian Wafa news agency is reporting that several raids have been carried out by Israeli forces and settlers in the occupied West Bank:

Israeli forces raid towns around Nablus

The Israeli army has raided several towns around the West Bank city of Nablus, the Palestinian news agency Wafa reports.

Military raids took place in Bazariya, Qusra, Kafr Qallil, Burin, Duma, Surra, Sebastia and Beit Furik, it said.

Separately, Israeli settlers stormed the outskirts of Burin village, south of Nablus, leading to clashes. The settlers fired live ammunition, but no injuries were reported.

Palestinian youth killed in settler attack near Ramallah

A young Palestinian man has been shot and killed in a settler attack in the West Bank town of al-Mughayyir, north of Ramallah, our colleagues at Al Jazeera Arabic are reporting.

Local news outlets identified the victim as Saeed Murad al-Nasan without specifying his age.

عاجل | مصادر محلية: استشهاد الشاب سعيد مراد النعسان برصاص مستوطنين خلال تصديه للهجوم على بلدة المغير شمال شرق رام الله pic.twitter.com/ksEnUa9TsH

— القسطل الإخباري (@AlQastalps) September 23, 2025

As Western nations recognise statehood, Palestinians doubt its impact

Palestinians across Gaza and the occupied West Bank welcomed news that a flurry of Western countries have recognised a Palestinian state, while expressing doubt the move will improve their dire circumstances.

The recognitions “have strengthened the Palestinian legitimacy by recognising the rights of the Palestinian people”, said Saeed Abu Elaish, a medic from the Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza who has lost more than two dozen family members, including his wife and their two daughters.

Others downplayed the impact of the recognitions.

Huda Masawabi called them “worthless” as she joined a long line of fellow displaced people and overstuffed trucks heading south from Gaza City.

“We just hope to God that someone outside would acknowledge us or even deal with us as mere human beings,” she said.

“What matters to us is that the war stops,” Adeeb Abu Khalid, a displaced Palestinian from Gaza City, said as he walked in a Deir el-Balah market.

“Today, we are living in a famine. People are in misery.


_{Smoke rises from an Israeli attack, as displaced Palestinians, fleeing northern Gaza due to an Israeli military operation, move southward after Israeli forces ordered residents of Gaza City to evacuate to the south, in the central Gaza Strip, September 22}

Trump meeting with Arab leaders to discuss Gaza

President Trump has started a meeting with Arab leaders on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly, saying it was of the utmost importance to negotiate the release of captives in Israel.

“I think we’ll be able to do it. This is the group that can do it,” Trump said as he sat with several Arab leaders.

“This is my most important meeting.”

UN human rights office says Israel ‘inflicting terror’ on people of Gaza City

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has warned that Israel’s military actions are “inflicting terror on the Palestinian population of Gaza City and forcing tens of thousands to flee”.

In a statement, the OHCHR cited a sharp increase in the number of civilians killed in Gaza City and warned that the destruction of people’s homes makes it likely that their displacement would be permanent.

The office said its partners estimated that as of Monday, more than 20,500 people had been displaced from the northern part of Gaza to the south, raising the overall number since mid-August to more than 321,200.

UN inquiry finds Israel seeking permanent control in Gaza

A newly released UN report found that the Israeli government has shown a clear intent to establish permanent control over Gaza and ensure a Jewish majority in the occupied West Bank.

The United Nations Commission of Inquiry detailed the Israeli authorities’ extensive, systematic demolition of civilian infrastructure in Gaza’s corridors and buffer zone, which resulted in Israel expanding control to 75 percent of Gaza by July this year.

At least 1,723 healthcare workers killed in Gaza by Israeli attacks

At least 1,723 healthcare workers have been killed in Gaza by Israeli attacks on since October 2023, according to Munir al-Bursh, the director general of Gaza’s Health Ministry.

He told Al Jazeera that Israeli forces have attacked 38 hospitals since the start of the war, adding that the St John Eye Hospital, the al-Rantisi Children’s Hospital and the Sheikh Hamad Hospital in Gaza City are now out of service.

He warned that Israel’s blockade on aid entering the Strip, including fuel, will cause a “major disaster”, with hospitals at risk of shutting down in 48 hours if no petrol is allowed in.

UN experts call for suspension of Israel from international football

UN experts have called on football’s world governing body FIFA and the European body UEFA to suspend Israel from international football in response to the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

Independent human rights experts appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council concluded that “sports must reject the perception that it is business as usual”.

“Sporting bodies must not turn a blind eye to grave human rights violations, especially when their platforms are used to normalise injustices,” they said.

They cited the International Court of Justice’s ruling on January 26, 2024, which said that all countries have an obligation to prevent and punish genocide.

⚽️BREAKING⚽️Together with fellow UN Independent Experts, I call on @FIFAWorldCup and @UEFA to suspend Israel from int'l football over the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people.
Reinstatement can come only when genocide is over, occupation is over, apartheid is over. https://t.co/vINGzK1BcK

— Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur oPt (@FranceskAlbs) September 23, 2025

Israel’s TERRIFYING Threat Against Flotilla

Loud explosions reported near Gaza aid flotilla

Our reporter on board one of the vessels that is part of the Global Sumud Flotilla is reporting an explosion near the fleet while drones fly overhead.

The Marine VHF radios that the ships use are also jammed, our reporter said.

No injuries have been reported yet.

Explosions, unidentified drones and communications jamming. We are witnessing these psychological operations firsthand, right now, but we will not be intimidated.

The lengths to which Israel and its allies will go to prolong the horrors of starvation an… https://t.co/2aKYjo8GWt

— Global Sumud Flotilla (@gbsumudflotilla) September 23, 2025

Main events on September 23rd

• Israeli attacks continued across Gaza, with at least 36 Palestinians killed.
• World leaders have attended the annual United Nations General Assembly meeting, where Israel’s war on Gaza has taken centre stage.
• President Trump held a meeting with Arab leaders on the sidelines of the UNGA, saying it is of the utmost importance to negotiate the release of captives held in Gaza.
• As Israel continues its military assault on Gaza City, the OHCHR has warned that its actions are “inflicting terror on the Palestinian population of Gaza City and forcing tens of thousands to flee”.
• Israel has issued another threat against the Gaza Sumud Flotilla, saying it will “take the necessary measures to prevent its entry into the combat zone and to stop any violation of a lawful naval blockade”.
• Israeli authorities have indefinitely closed the King Hussein Bridge, also known as the Allenby Bridge, blocking the only gateway between the occupied West Bank and Jordan.

Israel’s Ground Invasion Of Gaza City Continues

How Activists Forced Ohio to Divest Millions from Israel

Carley Riggins, a Community organizer with the Akron Palestine Solidarity Collective and the Ohio Divest Coalition, joins the show to discuss the “No New Bonds” campaign, a statewide push to force Ohio to stop funneling hundreds of millions into Israel bonds that bankroll occupation, settlement expansion, and the genocide in Gaza. Ohio had more money invested in Israeli bonds than any other state in the country before October 2023. That all changed with the 2024 launch of the campaign, which has won over $11 million in divestments across five counties and counting.

A Floating Hospital Just Joined the Gaza Flotilla — And Israel Is Losing Its Mind

Israel is panicking at the sight of a floating hospital because nothing exposes the fragility of their siege quite like a ship full of bandages.

Israel wants us to believe that a fishing boat loaded with flour is the equivalent of an aircraft carrier, that a Libyan hospital ship is somehow a battleship in disguise, and that medics with bandages are Hamas commandos in scrubs.

Only in Tel Aviv’s fever dreams can drones circling over solidarity yachts be described as “self-defence.” And yet that’s where we are: the Sumud Flotilla sails into the drone filled yellow zone, and the skies above it hum with surveillance craft, some Israeli, some apparently American, all treating bread and bandages like weapons of mass destruction.

If you want to understand the paranoia behind Israel’s blockade of Gaza, look no further than this absurd spectacle. A nuclear-armed state and its patron superpower panicking at the prospect of a single boat breaking their carefully stage-managed siege.

A question that has come up a few times in comments on my previous flotilla videos has been to what end does it matter if one ship breaks the siege of Gaza? It’s just one boat, what difference does that make? So let’s start with a picture, because pictures matter. Picture the scene: a fleet of small boats — fishing vessels, solidarity yachts, and even a hospital ship flying the Libyan flag now — making their way across the Mediterranean. They carry sacks of flour, medical supplies, activists, trade unionists, clergy, musicians, students.

In any sane world, this is not the stuff of geopolitics. In any sane world, the sight of fishing boats crossing open water would interest only local harbour masters and curious onlookers. Yet here, over these boats, drones circle. Their shadows crawl across the decks. The buzzing is audible in the stillness of the sea. Activists look up and say, yes, those are drones.

Carsie Blanton, the American musician aboard one ship, told social media that she believes they are American drones. Others insist they are Israeli. Does it matter? The flotilla’s spokespeople confirm that at least three were circling at once. It doesn’t really matter whose insignia sits on the wings, because the meaning is the same: the baby milk, the bandages, and the civilians are being treated as threats requiring unmanned military surveillance.

Slovenian President’s extraordinary attack on Trump, Netanyahu for Gaza complicity

Nataša Pirc Musar, the president of Slovenia, stunned everyone with her bravery as she singled out the US and Israel for the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. Without naming Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu, she repeatedly highlighted how international law was being flouted by these two with impunity. While delivering her bold speech at the UN General Assembly, Musar also slammed the UN for failing the people of Gaza amidst widespread starvation and famine. She ended her speech by asking the global fraternity to immediately act in Gaza.

Recognition of Palestine 'distracting attention' from Gaza war, UN's Albanese says

The UN's Special Rapporteur on Palestine has told FRANCE 24 that France's recognition of a Palestinian state marks a real shift in European policy. Francesca Albanese points out that only a few European countries have now not recognised the state. However, she also said she is concerned that the recognition distracts attention "from what is needed" amid the ongoing genocide in Gaza. Albanese adds that "we cannot use Hamas as an excuse to hijack the Palestinians' self-determination". She spoke to us in Perspective.