Eighty-five United Nations member states have jointly condemned Israel’s plan to expand its occupation and register land in the occupied West Bank. On February 17, Palestinian Ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour issued a joint statement on behalf of the countries, calling Israel’s unilateral decision a violation of international law and demanding its immediate cancellation. The plan involves registering land in Area C, which covers about 60 percent of the West Bank, marking the first such move since 1967.

Countries signing the condemnation include Australia, Canada, China, France, Pakistan, Russia, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates, with the European Union and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation also expressing support. UN Secretary-General António Guterres voiced deep concern, warning that the plan could increase the risk of Palestinian displacement and further destabilize the region. He recalled the 2024 International Court of Justice ruling that declared Israel’s presence and settlements in the West Bank illegal.

The report also noted that a 13-year-old Palestinian boy was killed and two others injured by an explosion from leftover Israeli military ordnance in the Jordan Valley. Observers warned that Israel’s expansion plan could endanger the comprehensive peace initiative aimed at halting the Gaza war.

Israel has decided to resume land registration in the occupied West Bank for the first time since 1967, a move that several Israeli NGOs say could effectively expand the boundaries of occupied Jerusalem. The decision, taken under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, has raised concerns among rights groups that it marks a significant shift in territorial control.

According to Israeli NGO Ir Amim researcher Aviv Tatarsky, the process amounts to a practical expansion of Jerusalem, as new settlements would bring residents under Jerusalem’s jurisdiction. Human rights organizations argue that the legal process is designed to displace Palestinians from ancestral lands and formally integrate parts of the West Bank into Israel. The registration process, suspended since 1984, could make it easier for Israel to claim ownership of lands where Palestinians lack official documentation.

The housing rights group Bimkom reports that about 70 percent of West Bank land remains unregistered. Many Palestinians, displaced by war or lacking formal papers, may lose ownership claims, leaving large areas to default to Israeli state control.

Ukrainian and Russian delegations are set to resume their second round of peace talks in Geneva on Wednesday, mediated by the United States. Despite renewed diplomatic efforts, neither side has indicated progress toward ending what has become Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II. The war, now nearing its fourth year, has killed hundreds of thousands, displaced millions, and devastated large parts of eastern and southern Ukraine.

Previous rounds of talks in Abu Dhabi failed to yield results, and sources close to the Russian delegation described the latest Geneva session as tense, lasting six hours. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he is ready to move toward an “honorable agreement” but questioned Russia’s sincerity, accusing Moscow of prioritizing missile strikes over real diplomacy. Russia, which launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, currently controls about one-fifth of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea, and demands full control of Donetsk.

Kyiv has rejected Moscow’s territorial demands and insists on security guarantees before signing any deal. Analysts note that while Russia faces growing economic strain, Ukrainian forces recently regained 201 square kilometers in their fastest advance in over two years.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated on Tuesday that Israel’s recognition of Somaliland is not beneficial for either Africa or Somaliland. Speaking at a press conference in Addis Ababa, he emphasized Turkey’s commitment to protecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries in the region and warned against the emergence of new conflicts.

Erdogan recalled that in December he had described Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, which declared independence in 1991, as illegal and unacceptable. He accused Israel of attempting to create instability in the Horn of Africa. Erdogan reiterated that regional nations should resolve their own issues and that the Horn of Africa should not become a field for competition among foreign powers.

He stressed that Israel’s recognition of Somaliland would not bring any advantage to Somaliland or the Horn of Africa, underscoring Turkey’s opposition to actions that could heighten regional tensions.

A Pakistani national has been released after nearly 18 years in an Indian prison, according to a post by the Pakistan High Commission in India on social media platform X. The freed individual, identified as Muhammad Shahid Iqbal Bhatti from Kasur, has already returned to Pakistan. He was welcomed by Pakistani officials upon arrival at the Wagah-Attari border. Bhatti had entered India through Nepal in 2005 and was detained in 2008.

The Pakistan High Commission stated that Bhatti’s release and repatriation were achieved through its sustained efforts. Security officials mentioned that he would undergo routine checks before being handed over to his family. The mission reaffirmed its commitment to continue working for the release and return of other Pakistani prisoners held abroad.

The case underscores ongoing diplomatic efforts between India and Pakistan concerning the status and repatriation of detained nationals, as highlighted by the High Commission’s statement.

Seven key Muslim-majority countries, including Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, have jointly condemned Israel’s decision to designate parts of the occupied West Bank as “state land” and expand settlements. The condemnation came on Tuesday, just before a Gaza peace summit led by U.S. President Donald Trump.

In a joint statement released through Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the foreign ministers of the eight nations described Israel’s move as “illegal” and “highly provocative.” The statement said the unilateral action aims to expand illegal settlements, seize land, and strengthen Israeli control in occupied territories, undermining the legitimate rights of Palestinians. It also cited violations of the Fourth Geneva Convention and United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334.

The statement further warned that such actions alter the legal, historical, and demographic character of the West Bank, disregard Israel’s obligation to end the occupation, and breach the prohibition on acquiring land by force. It added that unilateral measures threaten the two-state solution, reduce prospects for an independent Palestinian state, and endanger efforts to achieve lasting peace in the region.

Thousands of worshippers gathered at Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem to perform the first Taraweeh prayers of the holy month of Ramadan. Witnesses said that due to limited space inside the mosque, many prayed outside. Sheikh Yusuf Abu Sneinah led the prayers, while Israeli police were stationed in the mosque compound, as seen in online footage showing officers moving among the worshippers.

The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and Palestine, Sheikh Mohammad Hussein, had earlier announced that Wednesday would mark the first day of Ramadan. The event took place amid rising tensions in occupied East Jerusalem, particularly around the Old City and the Al-Aqsa compound. Israeli authorities have recently intensified security measures, including arrests and temporary bans on religious figures and activists.

According to the Jerusalem Governorate, more than 250 orders restricting Palestinian access to Al-Aqsa have been issued since the beginning of 2026. Earlier in the week, Israeli police arrested Al-Aqsa Imam Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abbasi. The International Court of Justice had previously ruled Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories illegal in July 2024, calling for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declared on Tuesday that Israel will not withdraw even a millimeter from Gaza’s so-called ‘Yellow Line’ until Hamas is completely disarmed. The statement came during a conference, where Katz emphasized that Israel would not allow Hamas to retain weapons or tunnels. The ‘Yellow Line’ refers to the area in eastern Gaza where Israeli forces have been stationed under the first phase of former U.S. President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan.

According to the plan’s second phase, which began last month, Israel was expected to gradually withdraw from that line. However, Katz’s remarks indicate a firm stance against any withdrawal before Hamas’s disarmament. On Monday, Israeli Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs said the government would give Hamas 60 days to disarm, warning that failure to comply could lead to renewed warfare.

The report also stated that since October 8, 2023, Israel, with U.S. support, has conducted a campaign in Gaza that has killed over 72,000 Palestinians and injured more than 171,000, mostly women and children, while destroying about 90 percent of Gaza’s civilian infrastructure.

Iran has summoned Germany’s ambassador in Tehran following a large protest in Munich that Iranian authorities described as anti-Iran activity. The state news agency IRNA reported on Tuesday that Ambassador Axel Dittmann was called to the Foreign Ministry, where officials lodged a strong protest over what they called destructive actions against the Islamic Republic and violations of international law. The protest in Munich last Saturday drew about 250,000 participants, according to police sources, and featured a speech by Reza Pahlavi, son of the deposed Shah and a critic of Iran’s current leadership.

The IRNA report stated that Dittmann promised to convey Iran’s strong protest and deep dissatisfaction to Berlin. The Munich demonstration came amid ongoing unrest in Iran that began over rising living costs and has evolved into broader anti-government protests. Iranian authorities claim the unrest was fueled by foreign provocation, blaming the United States and Israel.

Tehran has acknowledged that more than 3,000 people, including security personnel and civilians, were killed during the unrest, while international organizations estimate the death toll to exceed 7,000, most of them protesters.

The United States Navy carried out coordinated operations against three suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the eastern Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea on Monday night, resulting in the deaths of 11 men. According to a BBC report, eight people were killed on two vessels in the eastern Pacific and three on one vessel in the Caribbean. The U.S. Southern Command confirmed on Tuesday that the operations were based on intelligence information and that no American personnel were killed or injured.

The report noted that in August 2025, Donald Trump had alleged a sharp rise in drug flows into the United States through the eastern Pacific and Caribbean routes. Following those claims, the U.S. Southern Command began naval operations in both regions in September of that year. Since then, the U.S. Navy has conducted more than 40 similar missions in the two maritime zones.

The latest operations underscore Washington’s continued focus on maritime drug interdiction efforts across key trafficking routes in the Pacific and Caribbean regions.

Five Bangladeshi fishermen were reportedly taken away along with their trawler by Myanmar’s Arakan Army from the Naf River near Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar on Tuesday night. The incident occurred in the Naikhyangdia area, where the Naf River meets the Bay of Bengal, adjacent to Shah Porir Island. The detained fishermen were identified as residents of Jaliapara in Shah Porir Island, aged between 18 and 40.

Trawler owner Mohammad Ullah confirmed the incident, stating that his vessel was returning from a fishing trip near Saint Martin’s Island when it anchored at Naikhyangdia after nightfall. Shortly afterward, armed members of the Arakan Army reportedly arrived by speedboat and took the fishermen and trawler away. Families of the detained fishermen are said to be deeply anxious following the incident.

When contacted, Coast Guard officer Lt. Commander Rifat said he had no information about the matter but would look into it and take necessary action.

A senior US official has claimed that China secretly carried out an underground nuclear explosion in June 2020. According to the report, the US government has released new intelligence suggesting that a seismic event detected on June 22, 2020, near China’s Lop Nur test site may have been caused by a nuclear detonation. The information was disclosed by Christopher Yao, Assistant Secretary at the US State Department, during an event in Washington.

Yao stated that a remote seismic monitoring station in Kazakhstan recorded a 2.75-magnitude tremor approximately 720 kilometers from the Lop Nur site. He argued that the data did not match mining explosions or natural earthquakes and was consistent with signals expected from a nuclear test. However, the international organization responsible for detecting nuclear explosions said it lacked sufficient data to confirm Yao’s claim.

Responding to the allegation, Chinese Embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu in Washington dismissed the accusation as baseless, calling it an attempt by the United States to justify resuming its own nuclear testing program.

The Vatican City will not participate in the ‘Peace Board’ announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, its foreign minister confirmed on Tuesday. The board, led by Trump, was initially formed to oversee the ceasefire and reconstruction efforts in Gaza following the Hamas-Israel war. It was later expanded to address broader international conflicts, a move critics say could be seen as an attempt to create an alternative to the United Nations.

Vatican Foreign Minister Cardinal Pietro Parolin stated that the United Nations should remain the primary body for managing global crises, emphasizing the importance of its role in international conflict resolution. The ‘Peace Board’ was first announced by Trump at the World Economic Forum in Davos last January, and at least 19 countries have reportedly signed its founding charter.

According to the report, countries seeking permanent membership were asked to contribute one billion U.S. dollars. The decision to invite Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose country invaded Ukraine in 2022, has also drawn criticism.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced significant progress in indirect negotiations with the United States over Tehran’s nuclear program. The talks, held on Tuesday in Geneva under Omani mediation, aimed to prevent potential U.S. military intervention by reaching an understanding on nuclear restrictions. Araghchi said both sides had agreed on key guiding principles to resolve the long-standing nuclear dispute and would now begin drafting a possible agreement.

Araghchi described the latest round as more productive than the first phase held earlier this month in Oman, noting that a clear and positive path forward had emerged. He added that both parties would prepare draft texts and exchange them before setting a date for a third round of discussions.

Meanwhile, U.S. Vice President JD Vance told Fox News that President Trump had set certain “red lines” that Iran was still unwilling to accept, indicating that some core disagreements remain despite the reported progress.

A video recently released on social media shows an Israeli soldier admitting to killings and sexual violence in Gaza during a conversation with American YouTuber Jeff Davidson. The footage, recorded on a short video-sharing platform, captures the soldier openly discussing the destruction of civilian areas and acts of violence committed during Israel’s assault on Gaza. When confronted by Davidson about the killing of women and children, the soldier confirmed the accusations and stated that they had also committed sexual assaults.

The video spread rapidly online, sparking widespread outrage as the soldier appeared to confess to grave crimes against civilians. During the exchange, the soldier identified himself as a member of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and claimed to be broadcasting from inside Gaza. He showed scenes of widespread devastation, saying that all buildings had been leveled. The footage emerged amid growing concern from international and human rights organizations about the high civilian death toll in Gaza, particularly among women and children.

The timing of the video’s release has intensified scrutiny of the ongoing conflict and the conduct of Israeli forces in Gaza.