##  Assad Cleared of War Crime Charges: French Court Cites Immunity Despite Ouster

**Paris, France:**  France’s highest court, the Court of Cassation, has overturned an arrest warrant issued against former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad in connection with deadly 2013 chemical attacks. 

The ruling stated that presidential immunity remains absolute even when accusations involve alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. However, presiding judge Christophe Soulard clarified that as Assad is no longer president following his removal by an Islamist-led group in December,  "new arrest warrants can have been, or can be, issued against him." This suggests the investigation into the case could proceed.


**New Legal Groundwork?**

The court's decision raises questions about the legal framework surrounding former heads of state accused of international crimes. While Assad's immunity shielded him from French prosecution while in office, his current status outside government power presents a potentially new avenue for pursuing justice. 


##  Assad Cleared of War Crime Charges: French Court Cites Immunity Despite Ouster

**Paris, France:**  France’s highest court, the Court of Cassation, has over

France's top court annuls arrest warrant against Syria's Ass

France's top court annuls arrest warrant against Syria's Assad

## France Vows to Recognize Palestinian State, Sparking International Debate

**Macron's Announcement Sets Stage for Diplomatic Showdown**

French President Emmanuel Macron announced Thursday that France would formally recognize a Palestinian state during an upcoming UN meeting in September. This declaration makes France the most powerful European nation to take such a step, escalating international tensions surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 

Over 142 countries now recognize or plan to recognize Palestinian statehood, according to an AFP tally, despite strong opposition from Israel and the United States. 

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned Macron's decision as “a reckless decision (that) only serves Hamas propaganda.” He further criticized the move on X, stating it "is a slap in the face to the victims of October 7th," referring to the Hamas attack on Israel in 2023 that triggered the ongoing war in Gaza.

**Israel Expresses Fury, Hamas Welcomes Move**

Macron's announcement immediately drew sharp criticism from Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it "a reward for terror" and asserted it poses an "existential threat" to Israel. He warned the decision “risks creating another Iranian proxy, just as Gaza became,” claiming it would be "a launch pad to annihilate Israel — not to live in peace beside it.”

Palestinian Authority official Hussein al-Sheikh welcomed France's pledge, stating it "reflects France’s commitment to international law and its support for the Palestinian people’s rights to self-determination and the establishment of our independent state.”  Hamas also hailed Macron’s pledge as a “positive step” and called on other countries to follow suit.


**Gaza Crisis Deepens, Humanitarian Concerns Grow**

The escalating conflict has brought about a dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with over two million Palestinians facing an increasingly dire situation. Israel denies responsibility for the deepening hunger crisis in Gaza, which the World Health Organization has labeled “man-made” and France blames on an Israeli "blockade." 

Macron stressed that the "urgent priority today is to end the war in Gaza and rescue the civilian population.” He called for a viable Palestinian state, demilitarized and recognizing Israel, contributing to the security of all in the Middle East.

On the streets of the occupied West Bank, Palestinians expressed hope that other countries would follow France's lead. They view the recognition as a "moral commitment" and a "political victory" for the Palestinian people.


**Path Forward Uncertain, Global Response Evolves**

Macron intends to make his announcement at the UN General Assembly in September. While France would be the most significant European power to recognize a Palestinian state, others have hinted they could follow suit. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that he would discuss efforts to stop the fighting with French and German counterparts on Friday, adding that a ceasefire would “put us on a path to the recognition of a Palestinian state.”


Norway, Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia have already recognized Palestinian statehood since the outbreak of the Gaza conflict.  Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who has previously expressed strong criticism of Israel's offensive in Gaza, hailed Macron's announcement as "historic" and stressed that "Together, we must protect what Netanyahu is trying to destroy. The two-state solution is the only solution."


Saudi Arabia also welcomed France's move, urging other countries to follow suit. Irish Foreign Minister Simon Harris called France’s action “the only lasting basis for peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike.”

The conflict has taken a heavy toll on both sides: 59,587 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been killed in Israel's military campaign in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.  Hamas’s October 2023 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.


Macron's announcement sets the stage for a complex diplomatic dance with potential ramifications for the Middle East and beyond. 


## France Vows to Recognize Palestinian State, Sparking International Debate

**Macron's Announcement Sets Stage for Diplomatic Showdown**

French President Emm

Macron says France will recognise State of Palestine, angeri

Macron says France will recognise State of Palestine, angering Israel

## Relief on the Horizon: Gaza Aid Drops to Resume Soon

**Israeli Official Announces Resumption, Citing UAE and Jordan Management.** 

An Israeli official confirmed Friday that crucial humanitarian aid drops over the Gaza Strip will soon resume, offering a glimmer of hope amidst a deepening crisis in the territory.  The Palestinian region has been grappling with immense suffering following more than 21 months of ongoing conflict.


“Humanitarian aid air drops on the Gaza Strip will resume in the upcoming days. They will be managed by the UAE and Jordan,” the official stated to AFP.  


## Relief on the Horizon: Gaza Aid Drops to Resume Soon

**Israeli Official Announces Resumption, Citing UAE and Jordan Management.** 

An Israeli official conf

Israeli official tells AFP Gaza air drops of aid to resume

##  Gaza Faces "Astonishing Levels of Desperation" as Hunger Grips the Strip

**Near Third of Population Skipping Meals; 90,000 Children and Women in Urgent Need of Nutritional Support**


The United Nations food aid agency has sounded the alarm on a deepening hunger crisis in Gaza, revealing that nearly one-third of the population is going days without eating.  

"Nearly one person in three is not eating for days. Malnutrition is surging with 90,000 women and children in urgent need of treatment," a statement from the Rome-based World Food Programme (WFP) declared on Friday. The agency previously warned of a "critical risk of famine" in the war-ravaged territory where international condemnation of Israel’s actions is mounting.

The situation is dire, with the WFP predicting that 470,000 people will face “catastrophic hunger” – the most critical category under the UN’s Integrated Food Security Phase classification – between May and September this year.

"Food aid is the only way for people to access any food as food prices are through the roof," the WFP emphasized. "People are dying from lack of humanitarian assistance.”


Aid groups have reported a surge in malnourished children in Gaza since Israel imposed an aid blockade on the territory in March amidst its ongoing conflict with Hamas. 


##  Gaza Faces "Astonishing Levels of Desperation" as Hunger Grips the Strip

**Near Third of Population Skipping Meals; 90,000 Children and Women in Urgent Nee

Mena News

France's top court annuls arrest warrant against Syria's Assad

Macron says France will recognise State of Palestine, angering Israel

Israeli official tells AFP Gaza air drops of aid to resume

Almost a third of Gazans 'not eating for days': UN agency