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Gaza: a turning point?

After Canada, France and the UK made pledges this week on Palestinian statehood, Jeremy Bowen reflects on the significance of these moves through the prism of the region's history

Max Pearson introduces stories from Gaza and Israel, the US, Lesotho and Peru.

This week the British government pledged to recognise a Palestinian state, unless Israel meets certain conditions, including agreeing to a ceasefire in Gaza and reviving the prospect of a two-state solution. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the decision rewarded 'Hamas's monstrous terrorism.' Jeremy Bowen reflects on this latest chapter in Britain’s long-standing influence in the region.

At the UN, Saudi Arabia and France co-hosted a summit to rekindle plans for a two-state solution as a means to find peace between Israel and the Palestinians. Dozens of countries were in attendance - others were notable by their absence. Tom Bateman reports from New York.

Donald Trump once claimed Lesotho was a country ‘nobody has heard of’ – but it has been feeling the pinch of his trade policy. While the White House rowed back on its threat of imposing 50 per cent tariffs, the uncertainty has already led to many job losses, finds Shingai Nyoka.

And finally, many of our staple foods are at risk because of increasingly frequent extreme weather - including the humble potato. But some farmers are tracing the crop’s ancient roots in search of solutions to help mitigate the risks, as Beth Timmins has been finding out in the Peruvian Andes.

Image: Palestinians gather to collect humanitarian aid dropped by parachute in the Al-Zawaida area of Deir al-Balah (Photo by Hassan Jedi/Anadolu via Getty Images)

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23 minutes

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Mon 4 Aug 2025 19:06GMT

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