Tens of Thousands Protest in The Hague Against Gaza War

Thousands of people, some waving the Palestinian flag, gather against the Dutch government's Israel policy, as they protest on Malieveld, in The Hague on May 18, 2025. (AFP)
Thousands of people, some waving the Palestinian flag, gather against the Dutch government's Israel policy, as they protest on Malieveld, in The Hague on May 18, 2025. (AFP)
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Tens of Thousands Protest in The Hague Against Gaza War

Thousands of people, some waving the Palestinian flag, gather against the Dutch government's Israel policy, as they protest on Malieveld, in The Hague on May 18, 2025. (AFP)
Thousands of people, some waving the Palestinian flag, gather against the Dutch government's Israel policy, as they protest on Malieveld, in The Hague on May 18, 2025. (AFP)

Tens of thousands of protesters marched through The Hague on Sunday demanding a tougher stance from the Dutch government against Israel's war in Gaza.

Organizer Oxfam Novib said around 100,000 protesters had joined the march, most dressed in red expressing their desire for a "red line" against Israel's siege on Gaza, where it has cut off medical, food and fuel supplies.

The march also passed the seat of the International Court of Justice, which is hearing a case brought by South Africa accusing Israel of genocide and last year ordered Israel to halt a military assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah.

Israel dismisses accusations of genocide as baseless and has argued in court that its operations in Gaza are self defense and targeted at Hamas fighters who attacked Israel on Oct. 7.

Oxfam Novib said the Dutch government had ignored what it said were war crimes committed by Israel in Gaza, and urged protesters to demand a tougher line.

Dutch Foreign Affairs minister Caspar Veldkamp earlier this month said he wanted the EU to reconsider cooperation agreements it has with Israel.

But the Dutch government has so far refrained from harsher criticism, and the leader of the largest party in the government coalition, anti-Muslim populist Geert Wilders, has repeatedly voiced unwavering support for Israel.

Wilders called Sunday's protesters "confused" and accused them in a post on X of supporting Hamas.



Israel PM Says Trump Agreed Any Final Iran Deal Must End ‘Nuclear Threat Entirely’

US President Donald Trump points his finger towards Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a press conference after meeting at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, US, December 29, 2025. (Reuters)
US President Donald Trump points his finger towards Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a press conference after meeting at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, US, December 29, 2025. (Reuters)
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Israel PM Says Trump Agreed Any Final Iran Deal Must End ‘Nuclear Threat Entirely’

US President Donald Trump points his finger towards Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a press conference after meeting at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, US, December 29, 2025. (Reuters)
US President Donald Trump points his finger towards Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a press conference after meeting at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, US, December 29, 2025. (Reuters)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday he and US President Donald Trump had agreed that any final deal with Iran must fully end the Islamic republic's "nuclear threat".

Netanyahu was referring to a conversation between the two leaders on Saturday night, which Trump had earlier said "went very well".

"President Trump and I agreed that any final agreement with Iran must eliminate the nuclear threat entirely. This means dismantling Iran's uranium enrichment facilities and removing enriched nuclear material from its territory," Netanyahu said in a statement.

"My policy, like that of President Trump, remains unchanged: Iran will not obtain nuclear weapons," he added.

Netanyahu said the two also discussed the memorandum of understanding on the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

"The partnership between our two nations has been proven on the battlefield, and it has never been stronger," the Israeli leader said, adding that Trump had reaffirmed his support for Israel's right to defend itself against threats on all fronts, "including in Lebanon".


Protesters in Spain Condemn Police Handling of Gaza Flotilla Activists

People hold Palestinian flags during a press conference organized by Basque Delegation within the Global Sumud Flotilla, in Bilbao, northern Spain, 24 May 2026. (EPA)
People hold Palestinian flags during a press conference organized by Basque Delegation within the Global Sumud Flotilla, in Bilbao, northern Spain, 24 May 2026. (EPA)
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Protesters in Spain Condemn Police Handling of Gaza Flotilla Activists

People hold Palestinian flags during a press conference organized by Basque Delegation within the Global Sumud Flotilla, in Bilbao, northern Spain, 24 May 2026. (EPA)
People hold Palestinian flags during a press conference organized by Basque Delegation within the Global Sumud Flotilla, in Bilbao, northern Spain, 24 May 2026. (EPA)

Around two thousand protesters ‌took to the streets of the Spanish city of Bilbao on Sunday to condemn the Basque police's treatment of activists from a Gaza aid flotilla on their return from detention in Israel.

When a relative of one of the six returning activists tried to approach them at Bilbao airport on Saturday, a police officer forcefully prevented him from doing so, leading to scuffles between both sides, images from state broadcaster TVE showed.

Images showed police striking people ‌with batons and ‌pinning others to the ground while being ‌jeered ⁠by onlookers. Before this, ⁠activists appeared to have blocked the exit for other passengers and police tried to move them.

The Basque regional police force said in a statement on Sunday it had launched an investigation to determine if officers complied with procedures. Reuters has reached out to the Spanish government for ⁠comment.

On Sunday's march, pro-Palestinian demonstrators carried banners ‌criticizing the Basque police force ‌and accusing the local government of being complicit with Zionism.

The ‌activists were released from Israeli custody after being detained ‌on a flotilla trying to bring aid to Gaza. Organizers alleged on Friday that the activists were subjected to abuse while in Israeli detention, with several hospitalized with injuries and at least ‌15 reporting sexual assaults, including rape.

Israel's prison service denied the allegations, and Reuters was not ⁠able to ⁠verify the activists' claims independently.

Spain was among a series of Western governments on Thursday which expressed their anger after Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted a video of himself mocking the activists as they were pinned to the ground in a prison.

Francesca Albanese, a UN expert on the Palestinian territories, has called for those responsible for events at Bilbao airport to be held responsible, while Amnesty International has demanded a thorough investigation.

The Israeli Embassy in Spain has demanded an "explanation" from the Spanish government over the events at Bilbao airport.


Report: Macron Warns Belarus Against Involvement in Ukraine War

France's President Emmanuel Macron (C) speaks with Lens' French head coach Pierre Sage (L) ahead of the French Cup final football match between RC Lens and OGC Nice at the Stade de France stadium, in Saint-Denis, on the outskirts of Paris, on May 22, 2026. (AFP)
France's President Emmanuel Macron (C) speaks with Lens' French head coach Pierre Sage (L) ahead of the French Cup final football match between RC Lens and OGC Nice at the Stade de France stadium, in Saint-Denis, on the outskirts of Paris, on May 22, 2026. (AFP)
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Report: Macron Warns Belarus Against Involvement in Ukraine War

France's President Emmanuel Macron (C) speaks with Lens' French head coach Pierre Sage (L) ahead of the French Cup final football match between RC Lens and OGC Nice at the Stade de France stadium, in Saint-Denis, on the outskirts of Paris, on May 22, 2026. (AFP)
France's President Emmanuel Macron (C) speaks with Lens' French head coach Pierre Sage (L) ahead of the French Cup final football match between RC Lens and OGC Nice at the Stade de France stadium, in Saint-Denis, on the outskirts of Paris, on May 22, 2026. (AFP)

French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday warned Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, a key Russian ally, against an involvement in Moscow's war against Ukraine, a source close to Macron said.

The warning was made during the first reported phone call between the two leaders since the early days of Russia's invasion in February 2022, partly launched from Belarusian territory.

Macron "stressed the risks for Belarus of allowing itself to be drawn into Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine," the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.

"He also urged Alexander Lukashenko to take the necessary steps to improve relations between Belarus and Europe," the source added.

A brief readout on the Belarusian presidency's website said that "the heads of state discussed regional issues and Belarus' relations with the EU and with France in particular."

The conversation took place "at the initiative of the French side", the readout added.

Earlier in May, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky ordered troops to reinforce the border with Belarus in the north, claiming Moscow was preparing a new offensive from there. The Kremlin denied that.

Russia and its smaller ally Belarus held nuclear drills days ago, on May 18, as Kyiv escalated its drone attacks on Russia.

Belarus, which borders NATO's eastern flank, hosts Russia's latest nuclear-capable missile, the Oreshnik.

On Sunday, Russia used the ballistic hypersonic missile for the third time in the war against Ukraine, as part of a massive drone and missile barrage that caused widespread destruction across Kyiv.