World

As Israel wages war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip in retaliation for the deadly October 7 attacks, traumatised Israelis have ostensibly put their differences aside and rallied behind the government. But with Israeli air strikes killing civilians in Gaza and hundreds of hostages still being held by Hamas, Israeli society is more divided than ever on strategy.

French President Emmanuel Macron has wrapped up a trip to Kazakhstan, where he called for the strengthening of France's partnership with the uranium-rich country. On Wednesday, Macron and his Kazakh counterpart signed a series of contracts, including ones involving the minerals and energy sectors. France derives most of its electricity from nuclear power, but geopolitical tensions with one of its top uranium suppliers, Niger, are seemingly prompting a drive for alternatives.

Former Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang passed away less than a year after stepping down from office. Hoards of people have gathered near the state funeral home in Beijing.

As Hezbollah militants in southern Lebanon continue to trade fire with Israeli forces, there are fears the war between Israel and Hamas could spread. Lebanese authorities have scrambled to develop an emergency plan in case the conflict does spill over, though residents and local authorities say the cash-strapped nation is ill prepared. A fire and rescue service operating near the Israeli border says it cannot even afford flak jackets or helmets, despite being one of the first lines of defence.

Hundreds of people have left Gaza for the first time since the war began, mostly foreign nationals but also dozens of wounded Palestinians. Also, in solidarity with the people of Gaza, Tunisia cancels its oldest cinema showcase, the Carthage film festival. And it's day two of King Charles and Queen Camilla's visit to Kenya. Some say his regrets about Britain's brutal colonial past are not enough.

France is not the only European country on full alert regarding mounting violence targeting Jewish communities ... In recent weeks, Germany, which is home to Europe’s third largest Jewish community, is seeing an uptick in anti-Semitic attacks, with some Pro-Palestinian rallies turning violent.

Since the second phase of the war between Israel and Hamas began over the weekend, some social media users have been sharing images purporting to show Israel's ground offensive in Gaza. But these are actually images of the war in Ukraine. We tell you more in this edition of Truth or Fake.

Africa has become a strategic and economic attraction point for Germany. Europe’s biggest economy wants to build stronger ties, and Olaf Scholz's visit to Ghana and Nigeria sought to do just that.

Papers worldwide digest Israeli strikes on Gaza's biggest refugee camp that have left dozens dead. We also take a look at how Iranian-backed proxies are increasing fears of a wider, regional conflict. Meanwhile in Europe, the Israel-Hamas war has led to an uptick in anti-Semitic acts. We finish with an unlikely find in a storage unit that saw a French couple lose out on millions of euros.

Three ethnic armed groups have launched an offensive against the ruling junta. The military has responded with increased airstrikes.

Israel's UN envoy attended a Security Council meeting wearing a yellow star, a symbol of the Nazi persecution of Jews. The head of Israel's Vad Yashem Holocaust Memorial says the act "belittles" victims of the Holocaust.

Over the past few days, Israeli ground troops have pushed deeper and deeper into Gaza in their war against Hamas, with a growing array of units joining the effort. But does what we're seeing in Gaza constitute an invasion proper? To discuss Israel's military tactics and the growing challenge posed by increasingly critical Western public opinion, we speak to General Vincent Desportes. He's a professor of strategy at Sciences Po University and HEC Paris Business School.