Updates: Israel's war on Gaza continues

Israel has been banned from a prestigious British defence college due to concerns about compliance with international humanitarian law in Gaza, Al Jazeera reported, citing statement. 

The United Kingdom’s government has confirmed that the Royal College of Defence Studies will no longer accept Israelis.

In a statement to The Telegraph newspaper, a spokesperson for the Defence Ministry said “the Israeli government’s decision to further escalate its military operation in Gaza is wrong”.

It added: “There must be a diplomatic solution to end this war now, with an immediate ceasefire, the return of the hostages and a surge in humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.”

Responding to the exclusion, Amir Baram, the director general of Israel’s Ministry of Defence, sent a letter to the college and the UK’s Defence Ministry calling the decision “discriminatory” and saying it breaks with the UK’s tradition of tolerance and decency.

“Israel’s exclusion is a profoundly dishonourable act of disloyalty to an ally at war,” the letter said.

Israel needs to invest heavily in "influence operations" in traditional and social media to counteract economic isolation arising from negative publicity abroad, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday.

Speaking at a Finance Ministry conference, Netanyahu said foreign investment into Israel had held up in the wake of a 12-day war against Iran in June, which he said removed an immediate threat of a nuclear-armed foe.

Iranian President Pezeshkian said leaders should reinforce their “unity and solidarity” to stand up against Israel, Al Jazeera reported.

He noted that Israel had not only “violated” Iran’s sovereignty during a 12-day war in June but also ignored the “dignity of our people”.

“We should stand up to these threats, reiterating that any further crimes cannot be tolerated and shall not remain silent towards what is unfolding now in Gaza or what has taken place in Beirut or Yemen,” he urged.

Pezeshkian said unity must not only be based on their shared religion but also on the “shared tenets of humanity”.

Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has warned that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s vision of turning the Arab region into an Israeli sphere of influence is a “dangerous illusion,” stressing that Israel’s war in Gaza has become a genocide against Palestinians.

He said Qatar, working alongside Egypt and the United States, had helped secure the release of several hostages in negotiations between Israel and Hamas, which he noted were close to yielding further breakthroughs.

The emir reiterated Doha’s commitment to mediation efforts aimed at halting the war in Gaza, which he described as “devastating” and “genocidal.”

UN expert Francesca Albanese on Monday warned that Israel's assault on Gaza City would devastate Palestinians and that the city could be rendered unliveable.

"Israel is bombing using unconventional weapons... it is trying to forcibly evacuate Palestinians. Why? This is the last piece of Gaza that needs to be rendered unliveable," Albanese, the special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, told reporters in Geneva.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel takes full responsibility for attacking Hamas leaders in Qatar, as it was an independent decision, Al Jazeera reported.

Speaking at a joint news conference with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Jerusalem, Netanyahu also said Israel and the United States will continue to act together to protect the two countries.

“Rubio’s visit is a clear message that America stands with Israel in the face of terror,” Netanyahu said.

US President Donald Trump “is the greatest friend that Israel has ever had in the White House,” he added.

The United Nations Human Rights Council will hold an urgent debate in Geneva on Tuesday on Israel's September 9 attack targeting Hamas leaders in Qatar, the Council said on Monday.

The September 9 airstrike, which Hamas says killed five of its members but not its leadership, has prompted US-allied Gulf Arab states to close ranks, adding to strains in ties between the United Arab Emirates and Israel, which normalised relations in 2020.

The debate was requested by Pakistan on behalf of member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and by Kuwait on behalf of the Gulf Cooperation Council.

A flotilla bound for Gaza carrying aid and pro-Palestinian activists set sail Monday from Tunisia after repeated delays, aiming to break Israel's blockade and establish a humanitarian corridor to the Palestinian territory.

"We are also trying to send a message to the people of Gaza that the world has not forgotten about you," Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg said before boarding in the northern port of Bizerte.

"When our governments are failing to step up then we have no choice but to take matters into our own hands," she told AFP.

Around 20 boats that had sailed from Barcelona converged in Bizerte, with the last vessels leaving at dawn, an AFP journalist reported.