When bombs are falling, arms industry profits are rising. As war rages in Gaza, we look at how the defence sector is both benefiting from the violence and struggling to keep up. Even before the latest flare-up, global defence spending was rising to Cold War levels – largely due to the war in Ukraine, but also due to a perceived threat from China's growing military prowess. In 2022, military outlays rose for the eighth straight year, hitting $2.24 trillion.

The EU has said it stands in solidarity with Israel after the deadly terror attacks by Hamas. But different messaging by member states has come at the expense of a united EU response. Observers say it's hurting the EU's credibility within the Arab world.

As the conflict between Israel and Hamas escalates, Turkey is witnessing a troubling increase in antisemitic sentiment, exacerbated mainly by media coverage and political discourse.

In an interview with FRANCE 24 on Day 20 of the Israel-Hamas conflict, a spokesman for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas called on the Biden administration "to pressure Israel to stop this war". Nabil Abu Rudeineh also said that the current conflict was "an opportunity for us, for the Israelis, for the Europeans and the Americans" to reach a "two-state" solution in the Middle East.

Germany's foreign minister visited Israel and neighboring countries in an attempt to help mediate between various actors and promote mutual understanding. But Germany wouldn't likely play a prominent role in peace talks.

In this special edition of Middle East Matters, we focus on the regional repercussions of the Israel-Hamas war. The October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel have placed Arab nations which have peace treaties with Israel in the awkward position of trying to honour their commitments under those deals, while they face mounting pro-Palestinian support from their people on the streets.

Even before the unprecedented Hamas attack on Israel, fears of another major conflict between Israelis and Palestinians had been brewing for years. The deadly October 7 assault on southern Israel made those fears a reality. Many are now concerned an Israeli ground invasion of Gaza could turn the war into a wider, regional conflict. Andrew Thomas, an associate lecturer in Middle East Studies at Deakin University in Melbourne, joined us on Perspective to give us his analysis.

African demonstrations in support of the Palestinians caught in the Israel-Hamas war continue. In South Africa, members of the Jewish community say they don't feel much local compassion over the mass killings in Israel that triggered the latest escalation in the Middle East. Also, over six months of war in Sudan have sent more than a million refugees fleeing over the borders looking for safety.

Israel has kept up a steady barrage of airstrikes against the Gaza Strip since the October 7 terrorist attacks by Hamas. In the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Palestinians have taken their despair and anger to the streets.

Experts say both Israel and Hamas have breached international humanitarian law, which dictates what can and cannot be done in times of conflict. But have or will either side be held accountable? For a closer look at the legal situation, Marco Sassoli, an international law professor at the University of Geneva, joined us on Perspective.

Germany's Frankfurt Book Fair is being overshadowed by the conflict in the Middle East, as different publishers from predominantly Muslim countries pull out of the event.

Six months ago, a conflict erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, plunging Sudan into one of the worst humanitarian nightmares in recent history, according to the United Nations. Also, the end of the so-called state of siege in DR Congo comes as a relief for many in North Kivu and Ituri.