“This week, the leaders of France, Britain, Australia, Canada, and other countries unconditionally recognised a Palestinian state. They did so after the horrors committed by Hamas on October 7,  horrors praised on that day by nearly 90 percent of the Palestinian population. Nearly 90% supported the attack. They celebrated it. They danced on rooftops. They threw candies in Gaza and in Judea, Samaria, the West Bank, as you call it. Just like they celebrated 9/11,” Netanyahu said.

He warned that granting Palestinians a state after such attacks would be akin to giving al-Qaeda a country near New York City after the September 11 attacks.

“Giving the Palestinians a state one mile from Jerusalem after October 7 is like giving al-Qaeda a state one mile from New York City after September 11,” Netanyahu declared. “This is sheer madness. It’s insane. And we won’t do it,” he emphasised.

Adding that, “Israel will not allow you to shove a terrorist state down our throats,” he said. “We will not commit national suicide because you don’t have the guts to face down a hostile media and anti-Semitic mobs demanding Israel’s blood.”

Earlier, dozens of leaders and diplomats staged a walkout before Netanyahu began to deliver his speech.

Starmer warned of the escalating toll in Gaza, where “tens of thousands” have been killed amid Israel ’s “relentless and increasing” bombardment.

The UK joins over 140 UN member states that already recognise Palestinian statehood, marking a significant diplomatic shift as international pressure grows to revive stalled peace efforts.

The foreign minister underscored that Tokyo expects “measures” if Israel seeks to obstruct the implementation of a two-state framework. “Japan will continue to urge the United States , which has great influence on this matter, to further strengthen its efforts to bring about an end to Israel’s unilateral actions in order to improve the situation,” Iwaya said.

The announcement followed phone discussions with Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

While the findings are the strongest yet by an international body, the panel does not speak for the U.N. itself. The commissioners are independent investigators appointed by the Human Rights Council, not U.N. staff. The U.N. has yet to describe the war as genocide.

Here are the four acts the commission said constituted genocide:

1. Killing Palestinians

The report said Israeli forces had intentionally killed unprecedented numbers of Palestinians using wide-impact munitions, despite knowing they would cause mass civilian deaths. Proving there was “willful killing,” it cited examples of civilians, journalists, healthcare workers and humanitarian staff being directly targeted in homes, hospitals, schools and even designated safe zones. In one case, the commission said Israeli security forces killed 5-year-old Hind Rajab and her relatives along an evacuation route despite having “clear knowledge” of their presence.

“The Commission therefore finds that the Israeli authorities intended to kill as many Palestinians as possible through its military operations in Gaza since 7 October 2023 and knew that the means and methods of warfare employed would cause mass deaths of Palestinians, including children,” the report concluded.

2. Causing serious bodily or mental harm

Investigators found that Israeli operations had caused severe physical and psychological harm to Palestinians — 146,269 of them to be exact. The commission cited direct attacks on civilians, mistreatment of detainees, forced displacement, environmental destruction and sexual and gender-based violence.It said repeated cycles of displacement had inflicted “irreparable” harm that robbed Palestinians of the ability to live a normal life.

“The Commission finds that the Israeli security forces have intentionally created an atmosphere of panic and terror and instilled extreme fear in the Palestinians in Gaza since 7 October 2023,” a part of the report read.

3. Deliberately inflicting conditions of life meant to destroy the group

The commission accused Israel of using starvation as a “method of warfare” and imposing inhumane living conditions on Gaza’s population by blocking food, water, electricity and fuel. It documented the destruction of essential infrastructure, including homes, schools, medical facilities and farmland, and said these measures had brought Gaza’s health, water, education and sanitation systems to collapse. According to U.N. aid agencies, famine has been confirmed in Gaza City, where nearly one million residents remain under bombardment and face “compromised access to means of survival.”

“The Commission finds that the Israeli authorities have deliberately created conditions of life that are resulting in the destruction of generations of Palestinians and are leading to the destruction of the Palestinian people in Gaza as a group,” it said.

4. Preventing births

The report cited the December 2023 attack on Gaza’s largest fertility clinic, which reportedly destroyed some 4,000 embryos and 1,000 sperm samples and eggs, as an act of genocide intended to prevent births among Palestinians. Reproductive violence and attacks on pregnant women were also documented as part of what the panel called a broader effort to hamper the population’s ability to reproduce.

“According to the expert physician, the attack on the IVF clinic will ‘have repercussions for generations to come. Children who were meant to be born from these 5,000 reproductive specimens will never exist. Families will be forever changed and bloodlines may end because of a loss of these reproductive tissues,’” it said. 

Israel has categorically denied the accusations, calling the report “distorted and false.” Its foreign ministry accused three experts on the panel to be “Hamas proxies” and relied on claims that had been “thoroughly debunked.” 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly defended the military campaign, saying it is carried out in accordance with international law and that Israel takes steps to limit harm to civilians. He has acknowledged that Israel faces “a kind of isolation” that could last for years.

The commission said that Israeli political and military leaders’ words — including Mr. Netanyahu’s pledge to inflict “mighty vengeance” on Gaza and his description of Gaza City as a “wicked city” — were part of the evidence pointing to genocidal intent.

The panel also warned that other nations have an obligation under the 1948 Genocide Convention to prevent and punish the crime of genocide. Failure to act, Pillay said, “amounts to complicity.”

Israel is in talks with South Sudan about resettling Palestinians from Gaza, part of its push for mass emigration after a 22-month offensive against Hamas. Six sources confirmed the discussions to the Associated Press, though it’s unclear how advanced they are. If enacted, the plan would move people from one war-torn, famine-threatened region to another, raising human rights concerns. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has framed the idea as “voluntary migration,” in line with former U.S. President Donald Trump’s vision, and has floated similar proposals with other African nations. Netanyahu told i24 TV that allowing civilians to leave would let Israel strike Hamas harder, though he did not mention South Sudan specifically.

AU calls for a permanent ceasefire

The African Union (AU) has urged South Sudan to uphold a permanent ceasefire and fully implement the revitalised peace agreement. Following a three-day mission to Juba, AU Peace and Security Council members met with President Salva Kiir and other leaders to discuss the accord’s progress and preparations for the December 2026 elections, which will end the transition period. The AU commended political leaders’ commitment to peace, called for inclusive dialogue, and pledged continued support to ensure stability and successful elections. The visit coincided with renewed regional efforts to reinforce South Sudan’s fragile peace deal, which has faced setbacks since independence in 2011.

3,000 Ugandans receive cholera vaccine from South Sudan

At least 3,500 Ugandans from Elegu Town Council in Amuru district have received cholera vaccines in South Sudan’s Nimule Town amid efforts to contain an outbreak that has killed five since July 2. The cross-border campaign, coordinated by Amuru health authorities and Nimule Hospital, aimed to curb transmission across the border. Officials said the initiative followed limited government support and resources in Amuru. Patrick Louis Lamot, Elegu’s Port Health focal person, said both sides agreed on joint strategies to combat public health threats, with vaccination as a key measure. He noted a recent drop in cholera cases but said it is unclear if it was directly linked to the vaccines.

Central Banks of the UAE and South Sudan sign MoU on payment

The Central Bank of the UAE and the Bank of South Sudan have signed an MoU to boost cooperation in security printing, payment systems, and capacity building. The agreement, witnessed by UAE Minister Sheikh Shakhbout bin Nahyan Al Nahyan and South Sudan’s Vice President Benjamin Bol Mel, was signed by officials from both banks. Under the deal, the UAE will support South Sudan in banknote security printing through its subsidiary Omlat, and develop a two-phase payment card system via Al Etihad Payments. The MoU also covers knowledge exchange, technical support, and staff training through the Emirates Institute of Finance.

South Sudan denies Israel talks over forced transfer of Palestinians

South Sudan has denied reports it is in talks with Israel to resettle Palestinians from Gaza, calling the claims “baseless” and not reflective of its policy. The Associated Press had reported discussions on an Israeli proposal to transfer Palestinians to South Sudan. The foreign ministry’s statement follows international criticism that such transfers would amount to forcible expulsion and violate international law. Critics fear the plan could block Palestinians’ return to Gaza and enable Israeli annexation. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has promoted “voluntary migration” for Gaza’s population, and similar proposals have reportedly been floated with other African nations. Egypt has rejected any forced transfers, while South Sudan—still recovering from civil war—already hosts large refugee populations.

In general, the recommended daily intake can range from 2,100 to 4,800 calories for adult men and from 1,750 to 3,400 calories for women. In food terms, that ranges from the equivalent of 35 McDonald's chicken nuggets per day at the low end to 96 at the top end. 

In 2022, the average American consumed the calorie equivalent of 10.6 McNuggets a day. In contrast, the average person in Burundi, Somalia, Lesotho, and Yemen consumed only around five nuggets' worth of calories each day. 

Over time, the amount of food available to most people, and therefore the amount they eat, has been rising. This is a result of poverty reduction as well as improvements in the way we produce and transport food. In most cases, this is a benefit, although in some wealthy countries, a surplus of food has led to serious health problems.

The inequality across the globe is not a recent trend, but a long-term challenge. According to the FAO's 2023 State of Food Security and Nutrition report , over 3.1 billion people, which is nearly 40% of the global population, cannot afford a healthy diet. Even more concerning is that this number has risen by 134 million since 2019, driven by overlapping crises: COVID-19 pandemic fallout, climate-induced harvest failures, inflation, and economic slowdowns.

These figures expose a multi-layered nutritional inequality, where calories are not just unequally distributed, but also increasingly inaccessible for the low-income group. A 2023 World Bank analysis revealed that in some low-income countries, households allocate up to 60% of their income to food.  

However, progress in some parts of the world has been rapid. The chart comparing calorie intake in 1980 vs. 2022 shows Vietnam and Ghana making significant gains, with Ghana's per-person calorie consumption more than doubling. This success is rooted in long-term agricultural investment, better food distribution, and poverty reduction strategies. Ghana, for example, has expanded public agricultural extension services and promoted farmer cooperatives.

Kenya saw a 10.2% decrease in average calorie intake, despite GDP growth and urbanisation. This reflects deeper structural problems, including rising food import dependency, regional inequality, and stagnant rural incomes. According to the report , rural communities have seen stagnation in dietary diversity and food availability.

Meanwhile, another graph shows China's dramatic rise in calorie intake over the past four decades, which closely aligns with its GDP growth. In the 1980s, China implemented market-oriented agricultural reforms, lifting millions out of hunger. Today, China also strategically uses international trade agreements and grain reserves to stabilise food prices. Other countries, including Mali, which has suffered from widespread violent conflict, and Indonesia, have seen less dramatic progress. Today, Indonesia is rolling out the world’s most ambitious free meals programme to close its nutritional gap. More than 80 million people are expected to benefit by 2029.

While undernutrition remains a critical issue in parts of the Global South, a different concern arises in high-income countries: overnutrition and obesity. The WHO warns that the worldwide prevalence of obesity more than doubled between 1990 and 2022. In the UK, for example, over one-third of adults are obese, driven in part by ultra-processed diets.

However, despite the concerns of unhealthy overeating, the biggest problem currently facing the world remains undernourishment. The success stories of the past thirty years demonstrate that it is a problem that can be conquered, but the failures indicate that its demise is far from guaranteed.

*Obviously consuming all your calories in the form of chicken nuggets does not represent a healthy diet. McDonald’s nuggets are used only as an example, other brands have similar nutritional profiles.