From our new issue:

As the Gaza war deepens, divides within the Israeli Jewish population threaten to split the state, writes Alona Ferber

newhumanist.org.uk/articles/6276

One thing is clear: the fact that the IDF has had to go back into Jabalya, Zeitoun, and soon Khan Younis is a reminder that no plan existed for what would replace Hamas. Yes, Hamas is weakened but without an alternative to it, it will fill the vacuum. And Israel needs an answer.

At the end of this difficult day, a gentle reminder that the groups ‘midwives’ and ‘mothers’ aren’t mutually exclusive.

Many midwives, like me, entered the profession because of our own traumatic birth experiences, and a desire to make change.

Let’s hope that change comes.

It's publication day for the pamphlet I've been working on with Gordon Brown

Nice write-up of the rescue plan for 'austerity's children' from Patrick Butler here. I'll post the full doc and my own take on Prospect when they're live later
theguardian.com/business/artic…

Israel took over the Rafah crossing without a clear plan for who would operate it. Now it wants the PA to send people, but in disguise: they can't call themselves the PA (presumably so Netanyahu can pretend he hasn't done a very predictable about-face). axios.com/2024/05/13/isr…

Today’s Birth Trauma Inquiry report couldn’t come a day too soon. Shameful to have such inequity in the most precious, important, vulnerable time of human life - mother & baby. Well done Rosie Duffield MP Theo Clarke MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP. Hoping it’s a new chapter for birth in UK.

ממליץ לצפות בטקס כיבוי המשואות שייערך היום על ידי משפחות החטופים ויועבר בשידור ישיר על ידי Or-ly Barlev 🎗 אור-לי ברלב
אין טעם לצפות בשידור המוקלט של צפון ביביסטאן. כמו שקרא לזה
Ran Harnevo
ניצחון מוקלט

I think it is important for those who do not understand Arabic to have the ability to read from the Hamas telegram account. If we want the Israeli hostages to come home and for the war to end, it is important to know what Hamas is saying. This is their latest message:
“The…

On radio this morning re #BirthTraumaInquiry , I was asked (fair enough) if women’s expectations are too high, or pregnancies too complex.

We have to meet women where they are. End of story. We do need more staff and resources, but there’s no excuse for rudeness and inhumanity.

I don't know how anyone could watch this video of Hersh's mom until the very end & not cry. My god, what the families of hostages, & all innocents being hurt & killed in Gaza, are suffering.

Hostage deal now. Ceasefire now. The pain of civilians in 🇮🇱-🇵🇸 is linked. Let life win.

More on the UK’s maternity services crisis: Birth Trauma Inquiry finds care is postcode lottery bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…

'They're coming to rob us.'
My heart breaks for the residents of Vovchansk facing this for the second time. Remember their relief when they were finally liberated. They've gone through hell, and now they leave in anticipation of the Russian advance.

Thousands of Georgians gathered in front of the parliament in Tbilisi late on May 12 to protest against the so-called 'foreign agent' bill, which opponents say would stifle free media and civil society.

💥Joe Biden is calling Netanyahu's bluff: 'American officials believe that Israeli intelligence agencies have as good, or better, information on Mr. Sinwar’s location but insisted that the United States shares with Israel everything it knows.'

💥 #Breaking : US officials say Israeli intel agrees with the US assessment that Sinwar & other Hamas leaders are not hiding in Rafah, in southern Gaza. Both countries’ spy agencies believe Sinwar most likely never left the tunnel network under Khan Younis, the next major city to…

This also puts Egypt in the awkward position of alleging that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza whilst keeping its border closed to Gazan refugees.

Egypt has political & security concerns about allowing more Gazans. It also fears doing so could facilitate ethnic cleansing.

South Africa has returned to the ICJ to seek an urgent order for the protection of Palestinian people in Gaza from grave and irreparable violations of their rights under the Genocide Convention, as a result of Israel’s ongoing military assault on Rafah. shorturl.at/asALQ

לפני כמה שבועות רץ פה איזה רעיון שאיחוד האמירויות תשלוט בעזה ביום שאחרי. ובכן הלילה שר החוץ של האמירויות גינה את 'הקריאה של נתניהו (לאמירויות) להשתתף בניהול האזרחי של עזה תחת הכיבוש הישראלי' והוסיף שיגישו את כל צורות התמיכה בעזה 'כשתוקם ממשלה פלסטינית שתתאפיין בהגינות ועצמאות'