Shahed Ghoreishi, who served as a contractor and leading press officer for Israeli-Palestinian affairs at the US State Department, was reportedly dismissed after the US Embassy in Jerusalem raised concerns about his allegiance to President Trump's Middle East directives. The Washington Post revealed that Ghoreishi had drafted a statement that opposed the forced displacement of Palestinians in Gaza, which the State Department ultimately rejected. This incident followed previous disputes regarding a statement for Al Jazeera journalist Anas al Sharif, who was killed in Gaza earlier, and over terminology like "Judea and Samaria," that is often used by right-wing Israeli figures.
In a broader context, the European Union and twenty-one nations condemned Israel's decision to extend the construction of thousands of housing units in the contested E1 area of the occupied West Bank. They deemed this action “unacceptable” and a breach of international laws, urging Israel to reverse its course to avoid splitting occupied East Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank and jeopardizing the two-state solution.
Amid these developments, a famine has been announced in Gaza City, with the UN rights chief attributing it directly to Israeli actions. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification has confirmed that this total blockade on aid has sparked a famine affecting hundreds of thousands in Gaza and warned that it might soon extend to other areas like Deir al Balah and Khan Younis.
On the media front, several current and former journalists at Reuters expressed concerns about what they perceive as a pro-Israel bias in the news agency’s coverage of the Gaza conflict. An internal review highlighted a skewed representation favoring Israeli narratives while downplaying the severe impact on Palestinians. Criticism also arose over the language used by the agency, with some staff resigning in protest over an editorial environment they claim marginalizes Palestinian issues.
In a related political development, Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp resigned after the caretaker government could not reach a consensus on imposing further sanctions against Israel due to its actions in Gaza and settlement expansions. Veldkamp, who advocated for stronger pressure on Israel, announced his resignation amid growing public demand across Europe for more stringent accountability regarding the ongoing situation in Gaza.
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