Aug 24, 2026, 10:30 AM UTC

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has officially rejected a 15-point Gaza peace plan presented by the United States, insisting that troops will not withdraw until Hamas undergoes total disarmament.

In televised remarks to his cabinet, Netanyahu stated that the Israeli military "will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed and will continue to thwart threats against our forces." The framework had previously gained acceptance from Hamas following diplomatic efforts promoted by US President Donald Trump.

The decision underscores rising diplomatic friction between Tel Aviv and Washington, even as Israeli military strikes have slowed amid American pressure. Netanyahu faces complex domestic political calculations ahead of Israel's national election on October 27, balancing demands from right-wing coalition partners with pressure from the United States.

Sources: Cyprus Mail, France24, STV News, The Guardian, The Herald.

Cross-border strikes and intense frontline fighting have caused severe casualties across Ukraine and several Russian regions.

In Ukraine, Russian aerial attacks killed at least ten people in Kharkiv and nine in Kyiv, leaving dozens wounded as residential and commercial infrastructure sustained direct hits. Along the front line, Russian forces achieved tactical gains near Artilne, while Ukrainian troops continued advancing toward Uspenivka. Additionally, Belarus announced the formation of a new air assault brigade along the Ukrainian border.

Simultaneously, extensive Ukrainian drone operations targeted multiple Russian regions. In Moscow Oblast, strikes killed five people, wounded ten, and ignited a warehouse fire. Another drone attack damaged a logistics facility in Leningrad Oblast, while a crash on a Black Sea beach in Krasnodar Krai left seven people dead and roughly 40 injured.

Sources: Mediazona, Point, Sweden Herald, The Insider, Радіо Свобода

Ukraine's parliament is preparing to vote on President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's nomination of former intelligence chief Yevhen Khmara as the country's new defence minister, alongside the confirmation of Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.

The political transition follows the dismissal of former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who subsequently criticised governance practices, warned against corruption risks, and called for wartime elections.

At the same time, newly appointed commander-in-chief Mykhailo Drapatyj is moving forward with a broad overhaul of the military leadership. Drapatyj, known for his frontline command since 2014, has begun dismantling entrenched legacy networks in the command structure to advance tested combat officers into senior operational posts.

Sources: Ekonomický deník, Hospodářské noviny, iROZHLAS, Respect, Seznam Zprávy

The Croatian parliament resumed an extraordinary session summoned by President Zoran Milanović to address the illegal dumping of hazardous waste in the Lika region. The scandal surrounding the site near Gospić prompted the opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP) to announce a vote of no confidence against the ruling coalition of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and Homeland Movement following hours of contentious debate.

In Valletta, jurors at the trial of businessman Yorgen Fenech heard testimony regarding the 2017 car bomb assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, who was probing corruption involving high-ranking officials and Fenech before her death.

Separately, findings from the Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2026 showed that 63 percent of Croatian respondents avoid news coverage regularly or occasionally, placing Croatia alongside Bulgaria, Greece, and Turkey with some of the highest news avoidance rates globally.

Sources: HRT Vijesti, Index, Klix, Poslovni dnevnik, Tanjug

US President Donald Trump has threatened military action against Oman should the Gulf nation interfere with American diplomatic efforts surrounding the Strait of Hormuz. Speaking to Fox News, Trump stated that Washington would strike Oman if it "gets in the way" of negotiations, while urging Iranian authorities to "put up the white flag" of surrender.

The warning follows announcements from Tehran that Iran and Muscat were finalising a separate bilateral agreement to regulate commercial passage through the vital waterway. During the interview, Trump also claimed US officials were in direct contact with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, though the Iranian force subsequently denied any such dialogue. Washington further warned third nations against offering economic support to Tehran, as maritime tracking data showed shipping through the strait remained stable.

Sources: BBC News, Cyprus Mail, France24, Sweden Herald, The Guardian.