Middle East: UN says Gazans 'deserve more than survival'

US President Donald Trump said he had told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to hold off on striking Iran in order to give his administration more time to negotiate a new nuclear deal with Tehran.

When asked if he had issued such a warning in a phone call last week, Trump responded at the White House: "Well, I'd like to be honest, yes, I did."

Trump told reporters that he had told Netanyahu that a strike "would be inappropriate right now because we're very close to a solution."

He added that this could change at any moment, but he currently believed that Iran wanted a deal.

The US wants to restrict Iran's nuclear program because it fears that the Islamic Republic could develop nuclear weapons. Tehran denies this and insists on its right to use nuclear energy for civilian purposes.

The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) said "hordes of hungry people" had broken into one of its warehouses in central Gaza.

At least two people died and several more were injured, according to initial reports.

In a statement published on social media platform X, WFP said that the incident had occurred in Deir al-Balah, and that supplies in the warehouse had been pre-positioned for distribution. The agency said it is still confirming details of the incident.

"Humanitarian needs have spiralled out of control after 80 days of complete blockade of all food assistance and other aid into Gaza," WFP said.

"Gaza needs an immediate scale-up of food assistance. This is the only way to reassure people that they will not starve," it added.

The agency also called for unimpeded humanitarian access in order to enable the orderly distribution of food across Gaza with immediate effect.

A day earlier, security forces fired shots as a crowd of hungry people stormed an aid distribution site set up by the Israeli- and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.

The UN has rejected the new aid system, stating that it is unable to meet the needs of Gaza's population of over two million.

Until last week, Israel had prevented food and other supplies from entering Gaza for almost three months.

As Israel intensifies its military offensive in Gaza, Sigrid Kaag, the United Nations envoy for the Middle East told the Security Council that Palestinians living in the war-torn enclave "deserve more than survival."

Since the collapse of the ceasefire in March, "the already horrific existence of civilians has only sunk further into the abyss," she said, calling the crisis "manmade."

"Israel must halt its devastating strikes on civilian life and infrastructure," Kaag said.

She said that civilians in Gaza have lost hope. "Death is their companion," Kaag continued. "It's not life, it's not hope. The people of Gaza deserve more than survival. They deserve a future."

The UN envoy warned that there could be no "sustainable peace" in the Middle East without a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, adding that the West Bank also is on a "dangerous trajectory."

She called for collective action to revive the two-state solution, emphasizing that the high-level international conference in June presents a "critical opportunity."

"Let us not be remembered as the generation that let the two-state solution disappear... Let us be part of the generation that can make this happen," Kaag said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel had killed Mohammed Sinwar, a senior Hamas leader in Gaza and the younger brother of the group's slain leader, Yahya Sinwar.

Speaking before parliament on Wednesday, Netanyahu included Sinwar on a list of Hamas leaders killed in Israeli strikes, apparently confirming earlier reports of his death in a recent airstrike on a hospital in the Gaza Strip.

The strikes on the hospital in mid-May killed over 25 people and injured dozens more, according to local authorities, although at the time Israeli military did not confirm Sinwar as being among the dead. 

Last year Mohammed Sinwar was elevated to the top ranks of the Palestinian militant group. This happened after Israel killed his brother Yahya in combat during the ongoing war in Gaza.

Yahya Sinwar was allegedly one of the masterminds behind the October 2023 attack on Israel that triggered the current conflict in Gaza. He was later named the group's overall leader after Israel killed his predecessor, Ismail Haniyeh, in Iran.

At least one Palestinian was killed and 48 others were wounded when forces opened fire at crowds of Palestinians that broke through the fences around the aid distribution site set up by an Israeli and US-backed foundation, authorities in Gaza said.

It was not yet known whether the death and injuries were caused by Israeli forces, private contractors or others. 

The foundation said its contractors had not opened fire on the crowd but "fell back" before resuming aid operations.

The UN and other humanitarian organizations have rejected the new Israeli-backed aid system, saying it won't be able to meet the needs of Gaza's over 2 million people and allows Israel to use food as a weapon.

Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Israel's assault on Gazahas become unacceptable and must stop immediately.

"The legitimate reaction of the Israeli government to a terrible and senseless act of terrorism is unfortunately taking absolutely dramatic and unacceptable forms, which we call on Israel to stop immediately," Tajani told parliament.

Tajani also said the expulsion of Palestiniansout of Gaza "is not and will never be an acceptable option."

Italy has long been one of Israel's most vocal supporters in Europe but criticism against the Israeli offensive in Gaza has been growing across the continent, including in countries that are traditionally close to Israel, such as Germany.

Israel carried out an attack on Houthi targets located at the Sanaa International Airport in Yemen, a statement by the country's defense ministry said.

According to the statement, the Israeli Air Forces' attack destroyed the Houthis' "last usable aircraft."

This comes after the Iran-backed militant group launched missiles towards Israel on Tuesday.

Washington believes Israel could strike Iran without letting the United States know in advance, the New York Times reported, citing US intelligence.

According to the report, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) need seven hours from the moment Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gives the order to attack until it takes place.

The New York Times said that officials had told Washington such an attack could still take place even if an agreement with Iran on a nuclear deal is reached.

The threat to attack Iran despite the ongoing negotiations with the US resulted in a tense conversation between Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump, the New York Times reported.

The Israeli Prime Minister's office replied to the report by saying it is "fake news," without elaborating on which parts of the reports are not true, according to Israeli media.

Former Israeli Ambassador to Berlin, Shimon Stein said that Israel's actions in Gaza would leave no choice for Germany but to rethink its support for Israel.

When asked about the shift in German chancellor Friedrich Merz's recent shift in tone toward Israel, Stein said, "The Chancellor has been trying to be extremely cautious and restrained." 

"It is true, from Germany you would expect a bit more restraint, but we have reached a point when German interests are not being upheld the way it understands its interest with respect to whatever Israel does," he told DW in an interview.

Speaking of the wavering support for Israel, Stein said,"it is something which has to do solely at this stage with the (Israeli) Prime Minister who has taken that step, and I can only hope that there will be a rethinking in view of the increasing isolation that Israel is already finding itself in."

Iran executed a man accused of spying for Israeli intelligence agency Mossad, the judiciary said on Wednesday.

The man was identified by the judiciary as Pedram Madani.

Madani "was spying in favour of the Zionist regime," the judiciary said via its official news agency, Mizan Online.

"Following the complete process of criminal procedure and the final confirmation and upholding of the verdict by the Supreme Court, he was brought to justice and executed," the report said.

As per the report, Madani held meetings with Mossad officers abroad, including in Brussels and shared classified information with them.

Madani was ultimately found guilty of "espionage on behalf of the Zionist regime's intelligence service (Mossad)" under charges of waging war against God and "corruption on earth", and sentenced to death, according to Mizan report.

On Tuesday, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said that Tehran was carrying out a "horrific execution spree."

According to the Iran Human Rights group,  Madani's conviction was overturned three times by the Supreme Court, but his case was then "referred to a court of equal standing which resentenced him to death."

France and Indonesia have urged for "mutual recognition" between Israel and the Palestinians at a key meeting to be held next month.

Macron reiterated his wish to see a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict and said there were no double standards in French policy towards the Middle East.

"Only a political solution will make it possible to restore peace and build for the long term," Macron said.

"Together with Saudi Arabia, we will soon be organising a conference on Gaza in New York to give fresh impetus to the recognition of a Palestinian state and the recognition of the State of Israel and its right to live in peace and security in this region," he said.

Macron and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto issued a joint statement condemning Israeli plans to take control of Gaza and any moves to "forcibly remove the Palestinian population from their homeland."

The call for the progress on the Israel-Palestine conflict came during French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to Jakarta as he solidified his diplomatic relations with the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation.

Prabowo also voiced support for a two-state solution.

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto in a rare statement on Wednesday said that he would be willing to establish diplomatic relations with Israel if it recognized a Palestinian state.

"Indonesia has stated that once Israel recognizes Palestine, Indonesia is ready to recognize Israel and open the diplomatic relationship," he told a news conference.

 "On various occasions, I have said that Indonesia sees that two-state solution and the freedom of Palestine is the only way to achieve the true peace."

"I also emphasized that we must acknowledge and guarantee Israel's rights as a sovereign country that must be paid attention to and guaranteed safety."

Prabowo's statement came as he held talks with French President Emmanuel Macron during the latter's visit to Jakarta.

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has said that he is willing to establish diplomatic relations with Israel provided an independent Palestinian state gets recognition.

Meanwhile, Israel faces growing isolation as world leaders continue to denounce its actions in Gaza.

You can read more here as developments unfold across the Middle East region at a time of massive political turbulence.