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In Israel, France’s New FM Presses for Ceasefire to End Gaza ‘Tragedy’

French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne (C) attends a meeting with Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki (not in picture) during his visit to the West Bank town of Ramallah, 05 February 2024. (EPA)
French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne (C) attends a meeting with Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki (not in picture) during his visit to the West Bank town of Ramallah, 05 February 2024. (EPA)
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In Israel, France’s New FM Presses for Ceasefire to End Gaza ‘Tragedy’

French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne (C) attends a meeting with Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki (not in picture) during his visit to the West Bank town of Ramallah, 05 February 2024. (EPA)
French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne (C) attends a meeting with Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki (not in picture) during his visit to the West Bank town of Ramallah, 05 February 2024. (EPA)

France’s new foreign minister on Monday used his first visit to Israel to urge the government to allow an “immediate ceasefire” and a “massive influx” of humanitarian aid in Gaza.

Foreign Minister Stéphane Sejourne, who became France's top diplomat last month, met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem during his trip.

Speaking later at a news conference, Sejourne said it was France’s role as a “friend” to tell Israeli leaders some truths they “may have difficulties hearing.”

“For four months now, the people of Gaza have been living under bombs and an almost full siege. They are being deprived of the minimum aid they need to treat their wounds, protect against epidemics and feed themselves,” he said.

Sejourne stressed that France “strongly supported Israel’s right to defend itself” after the Hamas-orchestrated attack in southern Israel that triggered the war in Gaza. At the same time, he called the death and destruction in the Palestinian territory a tragedy.

“The tragedy in Gaza must end,” he said. “We call for international humanitarian law to be respected by all and for an immediate and lasting ceasefire and a massive influx of humanitarian aid.”

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday for a Mideast trip that also will take him to Egypt, Qatar, Israel and the West Bank this week. Blinken hopes to make progress on a potential ceasefire deal.

Sejourne also called for the “immediate and unconditional release” of all the remaining hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. Three French nationals are believed to be among them, he said.

France and Qatar last month mediated the first agreement between Israel and the militant group since a weeklong ceasefire in November. The deal authorized supplying medicines for both hostages and for use by Palestinian civilians.

As he greeted the visiting foreign minister, Netanyahu praised France's “stalwart and consistent support from Day 1” and said they planned to discuss issues related to Lebanon, from where the militant group Hezbollah has fired at targets in northern Israel during the Israel-Hamas war.

Lebanon is a former French protectorate. Sejourne said France is committed to preventing any escalation of regional hostilities.

The minister's first trip to the Middle East since his appointment started with stops in Egypt on Saturday and Jordan on Sunday.

Sejourne was scheduled to meet later Monday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank city of Ramallah and to travel to Lebanon on Tuesday.

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Arab World

Civilian Death Toll in Sudan War More than Doubled in 2025, UN Says

A displaced Sudanese woman who left El-Fasher after its fall with others, walks amid the remains of a fire that broke out at a camp in Tawila on February 11, 2026. (Photo by AFP)
A displaced Sudanese woman who left El-Fasher after its fall with others, walks amid the remains of a fire that broke out at a camp in Tawila on February 11, 2026. (Photo by AFP)
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Civilian Death Toll in Sudan War More than Doubled in 2025, UN Says

A displaced Sudanese woman who left El-Fasher after its fall with others, walks amid the remains of a fire that broke out at a camp in Tawila on February 11, 2026. (Photo by AFP)
A displaced Sudanese woman who left El-Fasher after its fall with others, walks amid the remains of a fire that broke out at a camp in Tawila on February 11, 2026. (Photo by AFP)

Killings of civilians in Sudan's war more than doubled in 2025 compared with the previous year, the United Nations rights chief said Thursday, warning that thousands more dead are unidentified or remain missing.

Since April 2023, Sudan has been engulfed in a conflict between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) that has killed tens of thousands, displaced 11 million people and triggered one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.

"This war is ugly. It's bloody and it's senseless," Volker Turk told the UN Human Rights Council, blaming both warring sides, which have so far rejected any form of humanitarian truce. He also blamed foreign sponsors funding what he called a "high-tech" conflict.

"In 2025, my office's documentation points to an over two and a half times increase in killings of civilians compared with the previous year. Many thousands are still missing or unidentified," Turk said.

There have been no official figures on the overall death toll in the conflict.

Turk condemned what he called the "heinous and ruthless" brutalities committed, including sexual violence, summary executions and arbitrary detentions, AFP reported.

He highlighted "carnage" inflicted by the RSF during an attack on the Zamzam displacement camp in April, and again in October in El-Fasher, which was the army's last foothold in western Darfur.

Sexual violence, including rape, gang rape, sexual torture and slavery, has also surged, Turk said, with more than 500 victims documented in 2025. "The bodies of Sudanese women and girls have been weaponised to terrorise communities."

He added that he is "extremely worried these crimes may be repeated".

Since January, escalating drone attacks in the southern Kordofan region and beyond have "killed or injured nearly 600 civilians", Turk said, including in attacks on humanitarian aid convoys.

The UN's resident and humanitarian coordinator for Sudan, Denise Brown, said on Thursday that access to the cities of Kadugli and Dilling in South Kordofan -- long cut off by an RSF siege until the army recently lifted it -- had been effectively impossible.

"We were not able to get supplies in. We had to remove our staff for their own safety," she said, after stepping off the first UN flight to Khartoum since the war began on Thursday.

Humanitarian deliveries resumed only last week, with more than 50 trucks carrying essential supplies for frontline Sudanese responders.

According to AFP, Brown echoed growing UN alarm over escalating hunger, saying that available data suggested there were currently famine conditions in Dilling, which has not been officially confirmed.

In El-Fasher and Kadugli, famine has already been confirmed by a UN-backed assessment.

"It's essential that the world understands the consequences of war," she said, urging global leaders to "put their heads together to find a solution".

Turk said both the army and the RSF continued to use "explosive weapons in densely populated areas, often without warning -- showing utter disregard for human life".

Turk highlighted the "increased use of advanced long-range drones", which has "expanded harm to civilians in areas far from the front lines that were previously peaceful".

Turk also voiced concern over "the growing militarization of society", including the recruitment of children and young people into the fighting.

Arab World

UN Expert on Palestinian Territories Denounces 'Toxic' Attacks against Her

United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory, Francesca Albanese, attends a press conference at the European headquarters of the UN in Geneva, Switzerland, September 15, 2025. REUTERS/Pierre Albouy/File Photo
United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory, Francesca Albanese, attends a press conference at the European headquarters of the UN in Geneva, Switzerland, September 15, 2025. REUTERS/Pierre Albouy/File Photo
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UN Expert on Palestinian Territories Denounces 'Toxic' Attacks against Her

United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory, Francesca Albanese, attends a press conference at the European headquarters of the UN in Geneva, Switzerland, September 15, 2025. REUTERS/Pierre Albouy/File Photo
United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory, Francesca Albanese, attends a press conference at the European headquarters of the UN in Geneva, Switzerland, September 15, 2025. REUTERS/Pierre Albouy/File Photo

The UN expert on the Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, denounced on Thursday what she described as "toxic" attacks impacting her personal life and work, after a number of European states called for her resignation.

In recent weeks Germany, France, Italy and others have called for Albanese to step down over her criticism of Israel. Albanese, an Italian lawyer, said the remarks were taken out of context and misconstrued.

"I can tell you how toxic and personally damaging for me and for my family these past days, weeks and months have been," Albanese, Special Rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, told reporters via video link from Jordan.

A letter seen by Reuters, sent by the permanent mission of Israel in Geneva to the Council's president on 15 February, stated that she had flagrantly violated the UN's code of conduct.

"As long as she holds a UN mandate, she fundamentally undermines the credibility and moral authority of the United Nations," the letter stated, adding that Albanese had repeatedly shared antisemitic tropes - allegations that Albanese has previously denied.

On Tuesday the ambassador to the French mission to the UN in Geneva reiterated concerns by the French foreign minister of "extremely problematic statements" by a United Nations Special Rapporteur - in an apparent reference to Albanese, without mentioning her by name.

"All those who speak under the auspices of the United Nations - including Special Rapporteurs - must exercise the restraint, moderation, and discretion required by their mandate," Céline Jurgensen told delegates at the UN Human Rights Council.

Albanese described sanctions imposed on her by the United States in July as being part of a broader strategy by the current US administration to weaken international accountability mechanisms.

The US sanctioned Albanese for what it described as "illegitimate and shameful efforts to prompt (International Criminal Court) action against US and Israeli officials, companies, and executives" in a report to the Human Rights Council.

"These smears, the sanctions, the continuous attacks from all over, from those very states who should use that energy as stamina to go after those who are accused by the highest court in the world of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide," Albanese stated.

The president of the UN Human Rights Council, Sidharto Reza Suryodipuro, on Monday expressed concern and regret at personal attacks directed "against certain mandate holders" at the Council and reiterated his support for them.

"Their independence and protection remains essential to the effectiveness, credibility and legitimacy of the council's collective action."

Arab World

Syrian Government Forces and Druze Factions Exchange Prisoners in Sweida

A delegation from the Sweida Governorate inspects the service situation in the villages of the western countryside (SANA)
A delegation from the Sweida Governorate inspects the service situation in the villages of the western countryside (SANA)
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Syrian Government Forces and Druze Factions Exchange Prisoners in Sweida

A delegation from the Sweida Governorate inspects the service situation in the villages of the western countryside (SANA)
A delegation from the Sweida Governorate inspects the service situation in the villages of the western countryside (SANA)

The Syrian government and Druze factions controlling the southern city of Sweida on Thursday carried out ‌their first ‌prisoner exchange ‌since ⁠deadly clashes in the ⁠predominantly Druze city last summer, according to the Syrian ⁠government's Sweida media office.

The ‌swap ‌involved Damascus ‌releasing 61 ‌prisoners from the Druze factions detained in Adra ‌Central Prison near the capital, in ⁠return ⁠for the Druze's National Guard Forces freeing 25 Syrian government personnel, the media office said.