Today's Gaza update: 'Gaza’s health ministry said in its latest update that the bodies of 57 people were brought to hospitals across the territory in the last 24 hours. It said 158 people had been injured.' (Guardian)

Today’s Gaza update: ‘Gaza’s civil defence agency and hospitals said a series of Israeli airstrikes across the territory killed at least 45 people on Sunday, updating an earlier toll of 33, according to AFP.’ (Guardian)

Today's Gaza update: 'The Hamas-run civil defence says 11 people were killed, all from the same family, after the bus they were in was hit by an Israeli tank shell in northern Gaza. It was the deadliest single incident involving Israeli soldiers since the start of the ceasefire eight days ago. (BBC)

Not sure what to think about Trump and the Gaza deal? Maybe the philosophers can help. See comments below.

The Gaza deal: why now? And what next? My thoughts in the comments below.

Latest Daily on Monocle Radio, first broadcast yesterday but ageing well. @alexvont.bsky.social and @robinlustig.bsky.social on two years since October 7th and other matters, plus Lieutenant General Sir Barney White-Spunner on his fine new book "Nations In Arms". monocle.com/radio/shows/...

SOME PERSONAL NEWS: I've signed a book deal. Can't say more just yet, but watch this space. Publication date May/June next year.

Mon dieu ! Liz Truss has been out-Trussed! www.bbc.com/news/article...

Today's Gaza update: 'The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says that 66 people have been killed by Israeli military operations in the past 24 hours, bringing the total since the war began to 67,074.' (BBC)

Truly awful.

My first thoughts after the Manchester synagogue attack. See comments below.

Everyone should read this.

Trump's latest Gaza peace plan? Why I'm not impressed, in the comments below.

Good to hear Starmer taking the fight to Farage. The man whose heroes are Putin and Trump? The man who brought us Brexit? And who thought Liz Truss's economic policies were brilliant? So yes, Starmer could have gone much further. But a good start.

Very sad news. Ming Campbell was one of the very few politicians whom I genuinely admired and liked. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Today’s Gaza update: ‘Israel intensified its assault on Gaza City on Monday, with reports of 37 Palestinians killed across the territory, including 30 in Gaza City.’ (Guardian)

Today's Gaza update: 'The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry said 71 people were killed and 304 injured in Israeli attacks in the past 24 hours.' (BBC)

How Trump/Vance/Hegseth's blithe boasts about the Caribbean "drug-boat" bombings signals America's devolution into a lawless state. slate.com/news-and-pol...

Donald Trump is on his way home. It's time to stop pussy-footing about. We should be ashamed of ourselves. My reasons why in comments below.

I think it was when Trump literally patted Starmer on the back during their news conference that I finally lost the will to live.

Today’s Gaza update: ‘Palestinian media outlets in the Gaza Strip have reported that 13 people were killed in an attack near the entry of Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. According to the reports, the people were leaving the hospital and on their way to Gaza's humanitarian zone.’ (Ha’aretz)

Today’s Gaza update: ‘The UN relief agency, Unrwa, said 10 of its buildings had been hit by Israeli strikes in the past four days, including seven schools and two clinics.’ (Guardian)

Who is going to organise Progressive Britain’s popular response to Tommy Robinson? Surely it’s time for a mass demonstration of what genuinely unites the Kingdom - a belief in a plural, diverse, confident future in which fairness and equality rise above division, fear and hate.

Why did Starmer appoint Mandelson in the first place? Because of his proven ability to ... well, my explanation is in the comments below.

My emergency alarm alert was 13 minutes late. Good thing I didn’t have a train to catch.

Today’s Gaza update: ‘Israeli fire has killed 62 Palestinians in Gaza since Saturday morning, including 15 aid seekers, local health officials told Ha’aretz. According to the officials, most of the fatalities were killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza City.’ (Ha’aretz)

Where the Rayner resignation leaves a hapless Keir Starmer. My thoughts on a Westminster earthquake in the comments below.

Today’s Gaza update: ‘The Gaza Health Ministry said on Wednesday that 113 people were killed and 304 wounded in the past day, including 33 people who were killed and 141 who were hurt while trying to obtain humanitarian aid.’ (Ha’aretz)

So who will you vote for -- the 'eco populism' of the Greens' new leader, Zack Polanski, or the Sultana-Corbyn party? Difficult choices ahead for the anti-Starmer Left. A link to my thoughts in the comments below.

Dignified, candid, contrite. Exactly what was called for. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Today's Gaza update: 'Tens of thousands of starving Palestinians were fleeing Israeli bombardment on the ruins of Gaza City, with dozens of people killed ahead of an anticipated full-scale invasion. Municipal officials said as many as 60,000 people had arrived at shelters since Friday.' (FT)

Funny old world: in 2001, we joined the US and others to go to war in Afghanistan to overthrow the Taliban. Now, we're offering to pay them bribes to take back desperate Afghans trying to flee their brutal rule. (Not so funny if you're an Afghan, of course.)

Whipping up fear of foreigners has been the go-to tactic of populist demagogues since time immemorial. My thoughts on the Nigel Farage 'Deport the lot of them' anti-immigration plan in comments below.

Surely the best tactic in response to the sudden enthusiasm for Union Flag and St George's flag flying is for minority community leaders to do the same in areas with high minority populations, thus neutralising and confusing the flags' implied subliminal message.

The White House Ukraine summit? It was theatre, make believe, an illusion. My verdict in the comments below.

Real, on-the-ground, eye-witness reporting. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Today’s Gaza update: ‘The Israeli military will begin preparing for the forcible displacement of Palestinians from Gaza City, it said on Saturday, as health officials said it had killed at least 40 people including a baby in a tent and people seeking aid in its latest attacks.’ (The Guardian)

Today's Gaza update: 'The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry said on Friday that 51 people were killed in IDF strikes over the past 24 hours, including 17 while waiting for humanitarian aid.' (Ha'aretz)

Today's Gaza update: 'Israel is in discussions with South Sudan about the possibility of resettling Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, part of a wider effort to facilitate mass emigration from the territory left in ruins by its 22-month offensive against Hamas.' (Associated Press)

Today’s Gaza update: ‘Gaza Health Ministry Says 89 Killed, 513 Wounded by Israeli Fire in Past Day.’ (Ha’aretz)

Letter of the day (in the Times)

Today’s Gaza update: ‘The Hamas-run Health Ministry reported that 38 people killed in Israeli strikes reached hospitals over the past 24 hours.’ (Ha’aretz)

What next for Gaza? Nothing good. My latest thoughts in the comments below.

Today’s Gaza update: ‘Twenty people have been killed and more than 30 injured in central Gaza after four trucks overturned on a crowd, the Hamas-run civil defence agency says.’ (BBC)

What does a green light look like? Trump’s response to reports of Israeli plans to extend military operations in Gaza: it’s ‘going to be pretty much up to Israel.’

Today’s Gaza update: ‘The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry announced that 79 people were killed and 644 were wounded in Israeli attacks in the last 24 hours. It said 52 people were killed and more than 352 were wounded while waiting for humanitarian aid.’ (Ha’aretz)

Two men have appeared in court charged in connection with the rape of a 12-year-old girl. But should the police say whether or not the suspects are Afghan asylum-seekers? My thoughts in the link below.

Today's must read by the UN's humanitarian aid chief in Gaza: 'What is unfolding is not complicated. It is not inevitable. It is the result of deliberate political choices by those who create these conditions and those who enable them.' www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Today’s Gaza update: ‘Israeli attacks have killed at least 69 people so far today, including 37 aid seekers, medical sources tell Al Jazeera.’

Today's Gaza update: 'In the last 24 hours, 104 people have been killed in Gaza and a further 399 injured, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The death toll since 7 October 2023 has now risen to 60,138, the ministry says.' (BBC)