Qatar and Egypt say there has been "some progress" in the latest round of ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas, seemingly contradicting the downbeat message from the US and Israel today.

In a joint statement, the mediating countries say that a suspension of talks is a natural part of the process to allow for consultations.

It comes after US envoy Steve Witkoff announced his delegation would be leaving Qatar and accused Hamas of not "acting in good faith".

In a social media post earlier today, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Witkoff "got it right" and that he was "considering alternative options" to rescue the remaining hostages in Gaza.

But earlier a senior Hamas official insisted to the BBC that ceasefire talks have not collapsed. According to the official, mediators conveyed that the Israeli delegation is expected to return to Doha next week.

James Landale
Diplomatic correspondent

Keir Starmer has declined to follow France in recognising Palestinian statehood, saying it should be part of a wider plan that results in a two-state solution.

The announcement by President Macron that France will recognise Palestinian statehood in September prompted unsurprising reactions: Palestinians and Arab nations welcomed the move, Israel and the US did not.

But what does matter is how other western nations respond, including the UK. The French want to generate diplomatic momentum towards talks about a political settlement and they need partners to do this.

For now, the UK government remains unmoved.

In a statement released after he spoke with his French and German counterparts, Starmer said recognising a Palestinian state had to be a “tool of maximum utility”, part of a wider peace plan that ultimately resulted in a two state solution.

The problem for the prime minister is this decision is becoming less about diplomacy and more about politics. He is coming under growing pressure from his MPs and ministers to follow France’s lead.

Emir Nader
Reporting from Jerusalem

Image source, Reuters

A long-time humanitarian official in the Biden and Obama administrations and current head of NGO Refugees International says he believes there will be a "famine declaration in parts of Gaza, if not all of it".

Speaking to the BBC, Jeremy Konyndyk says he believes starvation has hit a tipping point with "large numbers of people dying now every single day". He adds these deaths are "outright starvation or disease that would not be killing them if they weren’t starving”.

Without a "radical change" in Israel’s policy on aid entering and being allowed to move freely throughout the Gaza Strip, there is “little standing in the way of total collapse,” Konyndyk says.

“If we continue to see the trends that we're seeing, I believe there will be a famine declaration in parts of Gaza, if not all of it, but of course that [declaration] comes only after all the data can be collected,” Konyndyk says.

“A formal famine declaration tends to be a lagging indicator,” says Konyndyk. “What we know from long experience of seeing how these things play out is the kind of signals we're seeing now, the kind of reports we're seeing now, are the proxy indicators that a famine is occurring.”

Formal famine declarations are typically issued by the UN or governments on the basis of studies by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).

A famine declaration has not been issued for Gaza but in the IPC’s last assessment of Gaza released in May 2025 it found a risk of famine with 470,000 people facing catastrophic hunger levels.

Keir Starmer has signalled the UK government will not imminently recognise a Palestinian state.

It comes after he held talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, who has said France will recognise Palestinian statehood later this year, and more than 200 MPs signed a letter calling on him to do so.

Starmer says he and allies are "working on a pathway to peace in the region" and "the concrete steps needed to turn the ceasefire so desperately needed into a lasting peace".

He says that he is "unequivocal" that “recognition of a Palestinian state has to be one of those steps", but that it "must be part of a wider plan which ultimately results in a two-state solution and lasting security for Palestinians and Israelis".

He continues: "This is the way to ensure it is a tool of maximum utility to improve the lives of those who are suffering – which of course, will always be our ultimate goal."

As a reminder, it has long been the UK's position that a Palestinian state should co-exist alongside Israel, but successive governments have stopped short of formal recognition.

A joint letter calling on the UK government to formally recognise a Palestinian state has been signed by 221 MPs from across the political spectrum.

The letter reads: "Whilst we appreciate the UK does not have in its power to bring about a free and independent Palestine, UK recognition would have a significant impact...so we urge you to take this step.

It calls on the government to outline "when and how it will act on its long-standing commitment on a two-state solution" at the UN conference in New York next week.

While the UK government has long supported the principle of a Palestinian state co-existing with Israel, it has not yet formally recognised one. Earlier today, France said it would do so later this year.

James Landale
Diplomatic correspondent

Image source, PA Media

The announcement by President Emmanuel Macron of his intention to recognise Palestinian statehood puts huge pressure on Sir Keir Starmer to follow suit.

The French have been itching to take this step for some time. They were planning to make an announcement some weeks ago but were forced to delay after Israel and the US attacked Iran's nuclear facilities.

Crucially, France is not recognising a Palestinian state now - it will do so, says Macron, at the United Nations General Assembly in September.

What the French hope is that their announcement will in the meantime generate diplomatic momentum and encourage other nations to join them.

Read more on what this means for Starmer.

Lyse Doucet
Chief international correspondent

A senior official in Jordan has told the BBC that the Jordanian military has still not received permission from Israel to carry out airdrops of aid into Gaza.

He says Jordan was still sending some food into Gaza on trucks - 50 trucks yesterday, 36 the day before.

He says they were sending as much as they were allowed and emphasises the widely-held view that this was a far more effective way to deliver aid than airdrops.

Earlier today, there were reports that Israel would allow airdrops - possibly by Jordan and the UAE .

We can now bring you more from the joint statement just released by the UK, France and Germany, which states the "time has come to end the war in Gaza".

The countries "urge all parties to bring an end to the conflict by reaching an immediate ceasefire" before calling for the "unconditional release of all hostages" held captive by Hamas since 7 October 2023.

"The most basic needs of the civilian population, including access to water and food, must be met without any further delay," they say.

The countries urge Israel to "urgently allow the UN and humanitarian NGOs to carry out their work in order to take action against starvation. Israel must uphold its obligations under international humanitarian law".

"The disarmament of Hamas is imperative, and Hamas must have no role in the future of Gaza," the statement adds.

"Threats of annexation, settlements and acts of settler violence against Palestinians undermine the prospects for a negotiated two-state solution," the statement continues.

The countries reaffirm that they are committed to working towards a "plan for the next phase of Gaza" which will accompany the withdrawal of Israeli forces and removal of Hamas leadership.

Germany, France and the UK have issued a statement calling for Israel to "immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid".

"The humanitarian catastrophe that we are witnessing in Gaza must end now," a new joint statement from the three countries reads.

"Withholding essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable," they add.

We will bring you more from the statement - stick with us.

How aid airdrops in Gaza have gone wrong in the pastpublished at 16:45 British Summer Time 25 July

16:45 BST 25 July

By Merlyn Thomas

Israeli army radio is reporting that foreign countries could carry out airdrops to Gaza in the coming days.

The Times of Israel says that Jordan and the UAE will conduct this latest round of airdrops, though the BBC has not confirmed this.

BBC Verify has previously investigated airdrops in 2024, which reportedly killed civilians on the ground. The Hamas-run health ministry said several people were killed in one aid drop incident in northern Gaza.

Footage of the incident in March 2024 - which we geolocated to near al-Shati camp in the north of the Strip - showed aid dropping from a plane. In the clip, a large group of parachutes with parcels attached could be seen falling from the sky.

However, one parachute failed to open correctly and other boxes fell quickly when their parachutes appeared to become twisted, plummeting to the ground and landing with impact.

As is often the case with aid drops, people run towards the delivery - which creates crowded and dangerous situations, leaving people to fight over food.

Back then, aid agencies already warned of their deadliness and inefficiency in delivery. The International Crisis Group's UN director, Richard Gowan, said: "Humanitarian workers always complain that airdrops are good photo opportunities but a lousy way to deliver aid".

Image source, Reuters

Almost a third of Gazans are "not eating for days", the United Nations food aid agency tells the AFP news agency.

The World Food Programme (WFP) adds the crisis has reached "new and astonishing levels of desperation".

This comes as the UN's Palestinian refugee agency (Unwra) says acute malnutrition in children under the age of five has "more than doubled since" March. The agency warns over half of its essential medicines are now "out of stock".

In a previous statement, the WFP warned 470,000 people in Gaza are expected to face catastrophic hunger between May and September this year, while the entire population faces "acute levels of food insecurity".

The WFP also said 71,000 children and more than 17,000 mothers will need urgent treatment for acute malnutrition.

Image source, Reuters

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has criticised the international community for "inaction" in its response to the suffering of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

Speaking via video link, he says it is a "moral crisis that challenges the global conscience" in a statement to the Amnesty International global assembly.

He adds more than 1,000 Palestinians were killed while trying to access food since 27 May, according to UN records.

The world is "in a global battle for human dignity for human rights and justice," he says.

"I cannot explain the level of indifference and inaction we see by too many in the international community -- the lack of compassion, the lack of truth, the lack of humanity," he adds.

Lord Darroch, a former senior British diplomat, says that the UK recognising a Palestinian state would not necessarily improve the chances of a peace settlement in the Middle East.

Speaking after France said it would recognise a Palestinian state later this year, he told BBC Radio 4's World at One programme: "The problem is the day after you recognise.

"You will get jubilant scenes in Ramallah, on the West Bank and in Gaza, you will get a hostile and negative reaction from the United States, and you will certainly get condemnation by Prime Minister Netanyahu.

"What has changed on the ground the day after you have recognised Palestine? And how has that contributed to the - at the moment - non-existent peace process?

"My view has been you play this card when it is going to make a difference, and it is not going to make a difference if you do it now - but I have full respect for those who take a different view."

A cross-party group of MPs will publish a letter later today calling on UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to recognise a Palestinian state, the BBC understands.

Starmer is coming under increasing pressure over the issue, after President Emmanuel Macron announced France will officially recognise a Palestinian state in September.

Labour and Lib Dem MPs on the foreign affairs committee urged Starmer to recognise Palestinian statehood in a report published today. Earlier this month, 60 MPs reportedly made the same call in a letter.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan added his voice to the call on Wednesday and reiterated his position in response to Macron's announcement.

The government's long-standing position has been to recognise a Palestinian state as part of a peace process for a two-state solution.

Cabinet minister Peter Kyle said earlier it would need to ensure sovereignty can be "exercised at the moment of attaining statehood".

Germany rules out Palestinian recognition - for nowpublished at 15:37 British Summer Time 25 July

15:37 BST 25 July

Damien McGuinness
Berlin correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

President Macron’s announcement that France would recognise a Palestinian state has added pressure on Germany to follow suit. 


But, on Friday, a German government spokesman ruled out recognition anytime soon. Berlin instead argues that this should be the final stage of a negotiated two-state solution.

Because of historical guilt for the Holocaust, German politicians usually avoid criticising Israel. 



Friedrich Merz has gone further than is usual for a German chancellor in condemning Benjamin Netanyahu’s actions in Gaza - describing the situation in Gaza as “unacceptable” and telling Netanyahu "explicitly that we do not share the Israeli government’s policy on Gaza".


But Merz appears reluctant to back up his words with action, ruling out sanctions or arms embargoes. The German government argues that such actions would undermine Berlin’s influence over Netanyahu.

The flaw in that argument is that German influence appears non-existent anyway.

Meanwhile the public mood has shifted in Germany - a country which traditionally sees support for Israel as non-negotiable.

Calls are increasing within Merz’s own government, and even within the diplomatic service, for Berlin to change course.

After the 7 October Hamas attacks, around 50% of Germans believed Israel’s actions in Gaza were justified. Today, just 12% believe that.

Smitha Mundasad
Health reporter

As we've just reported in an earlier post, malnutrition can have a devastating range of effects, particularly for children.

So, how can the condition be treated?

Humanitarian agencies tend to use something called ready-to-eat therapeutic food to help treat malnutrition. It is pre-packaged, doesn’t need refrigeration and can last a long time. Crucially it doesn’t rely on water to be made up – helping to reduce the risk of waterborne illness. It includes all the nutrients children need to grow and helps address deficiencies.

But in severe cases where people are so malnourished they no longer have an appetite or are unable to swallow for example, they need to stay in a hospital or clinic. They may need specially formulated nutrition and other treatment for infections or other potential complications. In some cases feeding someone too quickly or with the wrong food can be dangerous.

The answer then isn’t just getting food – it’s getting the right food - and having a functioning healthcare system to support this.

Smitha Mundasad
Health reporter

Image source, Reuters

Lack of access to food, clean water and healthcare is a toxic combination. Conflict, displacement, natural disasters and blockages of humanitarian aid can all lead to malnutrition.

When the body doesn’t get enough food or the right mix of nutrients it requires to function properly, or can’t absorb the food that is available - it can have a devastating range of effects.

Children under five, adolescents, pregnant or breastfeeding women, older people and those with chronic health conditions are all at risk. In particular, children tend to become undernourished faster than adults.

The immune system, for example, will stop working as well when food isn’t available, leaving malnourished people very vulnerable to common infections that would normally be a minor inconvenience.

A common cold or a bout of diarrhoea can kill a malnourished child. That’s why malnutrition is linked to almost half of all deaths in children under five.

The signs may seem obvious - weight loss for example. Added to that will be a lack of strength and energy. But then come issues that may be more hidden - anaemia can set in, leading to breathlessness.

For young children and babies malnutrition can lead to stunted growth. And in severe, acute cases as in Gaza, people’s faces, stomachs, and legs can swell, despite their bodies being painfully thin - a condition known as Kwashiorkor.

Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from the White House

During his remarks at the White House earlier, Donald Trump suggested the apparent breakdown of talks on Gaza is a result of Hamas being reluctant to release the remaining hostages.

"We're down to the last hostages," Trump said. He added that Hamas "knows what happens when they don't have any bargaining chips" and they would be left "with no protection".

Trump added that he has long believed that "those last 10 or 20 are going to be the toughest".

"They're going to have to fight," Trump said of Israel. "They're going to have to get them out of there."

As a reminder, a short while ago Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was "considering alternative options" to free the remaining hostages.

Image source, Reuters

Nine more people in Gaza have died of malnutrition in the last 24 hours, which brings the total number of deaths to 122, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

If you are just joining us, here's a quick recap of what's been happening today:

• Israel is expected to allow foreign aid drops into Gaza over the next few days - but humanitarian organisations have previously warned they don't get nearly enough supplies to people
• US President Donald Trump has said that Hamas does not want to make a deal to release hostages and agree a ceasefire
• Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel is "considering alternative options" to bring hostages back from Gaza
• Earlier, a senior Hamas official insisted to the BBC that ceasefire talks have not collapsed

• Keir Starmer is due to speak to German and French leaders today after Emmanuel Macron said France would recognise a Palestinian state - a step the UK has not taken yet

Stay with as we continue to bring you the latest key lines and updates.

Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from the White House

Image source, Getty Images

I'm currently at the White House, where President Donald Trump has just taken off on his helicopter, bound for nearby Joint Base Andrews and then to Scotland for the next several days.

Before leaving, Trump came and answered questions from reporters on a number of topics - including Gaza.

In his remarks, the US president briefly addressed the breakdown of ceasefire negotiations in Qatar, saying that Hamas "did not want a deal" and "want to die" and that "Israel needs to finish it".

He adds that he believes Hamas will "be hunted down".

Additionally, he downplayed the importance of France's decision to recognise a Palestinian state.

"That statement doesn't carry weight," he says, adding that Macron is a "good guy" and a "team player".