Funeral services were held Wednesday for a young Palestinian woman who died in Italy shortly after being evacuated from Gaza last week, exposing Italians to the desperate plight of Palestinians in the besieged territory.

JERUSALEM (Reuters) -A widely condemned Israeli settlement plan that would cut across land that the Palestinians seek for a state received final approval on Wednesday, according to a statement from Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

The long-stalled project near Jerusalem, known as E1, further fragments lands envisioned as a Palestinian state, advancing a goal of Israeli hard-liners.

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel gave final approval Wednesday for a controversial settlement project in the occupied West Bank that would effectively cut the territory in two, and that Palestinians and rights groups say could destroy hopes for a future Palestinian state.

In leaked audio recordings, the former head of Israeli military intelligence can be heard saying that the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza is “necessary and required for future generations.

The Detroit People's Conference for Palestine announced that Hossam Shaheen, a released Palestinian prisoner, will be speaking at the event.

Israel is studying Hamas' response to a proposal for a 60-day ceasefire and release of half the hostages still held in Gaza, two Israeli officials said, although one source reiterated that all Israeli captives must be freed for the war to end.

In an escalating international dispute, Israel launched a series of diplomatic attacks against several of its Western allies as they prepare to recognize a Palestinian state next month.

A town hall hosted by Democratic U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden was cut short Monday in southern Oregon after pro-Palestinian protesters disrupted the event.

National Security Adviser Ibrahim Dbeibah, a relative of Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, has quietly held talks with Israeli officials over deal that would see US release $30bn in frozen assets, s