conflict escalation

Ukrainian authorities have accused Russian forces of targeting a civilian passenger bus in the country’s north-eastern Sumy region, killing at least nine people and injuring four others. The attack, reportedly carried out by a Russian reconnaissance-and-attack drone, occurred on Saturday morning near the city of Bilopillya. It came just hours after Moscow and Kyiv held their first direct peace talks in more than two years, underscoring the fragility of any diplomatic progress.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza reports that more than 50,000 people have been killed by Israel’s ongoing bombardment and invasion of the Gaza Strip—an unprecedented figure that has alarmed international observers and provoked renewed scrutiny of the conflict. According to the ministry, the death toll, which had slowed during a two-month ceasefire, has surged dramatically since Israeli forces resumed their offensive on March 18.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to make Hamas "pay the full price" after the militant group failed to return the body of Shiri Bibas during a highly anticipated hostage handover on Thursday. The latest development in the already fragile ceasefire negotiations has sparked outrage in Israel and further deepened tensions in the region.