Smalls, who was born and raised in Hackensack, garnered national attention after founding the Amazon Labor Union and organizing labor strikes to call attention to working conditions at Amazon. He departed Siracusa, Italy, on July 13, on the Handala boat bound for Gaza, organized by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition.

At least 95 people have been killed in attacks across the Gaza Strip as Israel pounds Gaza City’s Zeitoun neighbourhood.

At least 31 Palestinians were fatally shot on their way to an aid distribution site in the Gaza Strip on Saturday, while Israeli airstrikes killed at least 28 Palestinians, including four children, Palestinian hospital officials and witnesses said.

Fact-checking becomes impossible in war zones, and unverified casualty figures are often published uncritically. Headlines blame Israel for bombings before investigations can conclude.

Netanyahu's close adviser, Jonatan Urich, has denied any wrongdoing in the case which legal authorities began investigating in late 2024. The prime minister has described probes against Urich and other aides as a witch-hunt.

An independent U.N. investigator and outspoken critic of Israel’s actions in Gaza said “it was shocking” to learn that the Trump administration had imposed sanctions on her.

Conservative leader says Israel's latest actions in Gaza ‘unacceptable,' emphasizes that Palestinians have a right to a place where they can live

The decision followed discussions with the European Union, which has pressed Israel to ease the dire humanitarian conditions for Palestinians in the territory.

As Israel and Hamas move closer to a ceasefire agreement, Israel says it wants to maintain troops in a southern corridor of the Gaza Strip — a condition that could derail the talks.

Israel’s defense minister said he told the military to advance plans for what he called a “humanitarian city” built on the ruins of Rafah in southern Gaza, according to reports in Israeli media.