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Middle East live: Iran military chief has 'complete doubts' about Israel ceasefire; 23 killed in strikes on Gaza

Donald Trump posts: "MAKE THE DEAL IN GAZA! GET THE HOSTAGES BACK!!!" But it remains unclear how close a ceasefire is. It comes as Israeli strikes overnight killed at least 23 people, according to medics. Listen to Trump 100 as you scroll.

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Before we go, here's a summary of all the key developments from the past 24 hours:

Donald Trump started the day by once again calling for a peace deal in Gaza.

The US president took to social media to call on both sides to "make the deal in Gaza" and to "get the hostages back".

It marked the second time this weekend he called for peace in the region.

But that's not all we heard from Trump today, as he also posted his support for Benjamin Netanyahu during his corruption trial.

Trump lashed out at prosecutors saying that Washington, having given billions of dollars of aid to Israel, was not going to "stand for this".

His comments came moments before it was revealed Netanyahu's testimony, which was due to take place in the coming week, had been delayed.

Trump says US 'obliterated' Iran's nuclear programme

Meanwhile, Trump continued with his claims that US strikes on Iran last week "obliterated" the country's nuclear programme.

In an interview with Fox News, he said "the bomb went through it like it was butter, like it was absolute butter... the whole place was just destroyed".

But the US obtained intercepted communication between senior Iranian officials claiming that the attack was less devastating than they expected, four people familiar with the intelligence have told the Washington Post.

Over in Israel, Netanyahu gathered ministers, aides and officers for a meeting on Gaza and a hostage deal.

However, reports from Hebrew media suggest the meeting ended without a decision, and further talks have been scheduled for tomorrow.

Israel's prime minister also said the 12-day war against Iran opened "many new opportunities" including "broad regional possibilities".

Those comments came as more than 23 people were killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza today, according to the Hamas-run civil defence agency.

PM condemns 'appalling hate speech' at Glastonbury

Back here in the UK, the fallout continued after rap duo Bob Vylan chanted "death to the IDF" [Israel Defence Forces] at Glastonbury.

The music festival's organiser said she was "appalled" by the the chants which "crossed the line".

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer also gave his reaction, stating "there is no excuse for this kind of appalling hate speech".

"I said that Kneecap should not be given a platform and that goes for any other performers making threats or inciting violence.

"The BBC needs to explain how these scenes came to be broadcast."

Health secretary Wes Streeting told Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips that Israel "needs to get its own house in order".

"I wish they'd take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously," he added.

Watch: What's the Glastonbury controversy?

Israeli cabinet meeting on Gaza ends without decision - reports

An update to bring you on the meeting Benjamin Netanyahu hosted with ministers, aides and officers this evening.

The talks on the war in Gaza and attempt to reach a hostage deal have ended without a decision, Hebrew media reports.

The reports also add that another discussion has been scheduled to take place tomorrow.

Earlier, we told you Netanyahu was holding a meeting to discuss Israel's progress in Gaza as well as a hostage deal (see 19.03 post).

Israel's prime minister also said the 12-day war against Iran opened "many new opportunities" including "broad regional possibilities".

Iranian Jews questioned during 12-day war, human rights group says

Iranian Jews were summoned for questioning in the cities of Tehran and Shiraz during the 12-day war, according to a human rights group.

Human Rights Activists said that at least 35 people were summoned to security centres and questioned from 23 June.

The alleged summonses took place during the height of the recent fighting between Israel and Iran.

"According to a source close to the families, the officers mainly questioned these individuals about their family contacts with relatives in Israel and emphasised that they should refrain from any phone or internet communication abroad for the time being," the US-registered group said.

Iranian officials say US strikes were less devastating than expected in intercepted call - report

Ever since the US carried out strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities last week, the discussion has focused on how effective they were.

The US has obtained intercepted communication between senior Iranian officials claiming that the attack was less devastating than they expected, four people familiar with the intelligence have told the Washington Post.

It marks the latest piece of information offering an insight into the effectiveness of the US strikes, which Donald Trump says "obliterated" Iran's nuclear programme (see 16.33 post).

While the Trump administration did not dispute the intercepted call, it disagreed with what the Iranians are reported to have said.

"The notion that unnamed Iranian officials know what happened under hundreds of feet of rubble is nonsense," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

"Their nuclear weapons programme is over."

The questions hanging over the Middle East as dust settles on 12-day war

Following the 12-day war between Israel and Iran, a number of unanswered questions hang over the Middle East.

How they're answered could define the future of the region.

From peace in Gaza, which so far seems out of reach, to Iran's uranium and the spectre of further US intervention.

Here are four key questions to keep an eye on moving forward:

Peace in Gaza?

Since 7 October 2023, the war between Israel and Hamas has raged in the enclave.

The initial attack claimed around 1,200 Israeli lives and saw around 250 taken hostage - with around 50 still imprisoned.

In Gaza, more than 56,000 people have been killed, with disagreements over how many of these are militants and how many are innocents.

Earlier this year, a temporary peace was achieved in Gaza.

It led to the return of a number of hostages and the release of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

However, Israel broke the ceasefire, launching attacks on Gaza and then implementing a blockade of all aid going in.

The disagreement centred around how best to proceed with the ceasefire.

Israel wanted to speed up the release of hostages during phase one of the then-ceasefire.

Hamas wanted to move on to phase two and negotiate a permanent end to the war.

Now, Hamas has said it is willing to free the remaining hostages in Gaza under any deal to end the war permanently.

Israel has said the war can only end if Hamas is disarmed and dismantled.

Hamas refuses to lay down its arms.

In short, the two remain, and long have been, at loggerheads with neither willing to bend or change their position.

The spectre of US intervention

One of the latest major developments in the Middle East has been the US decision to strike Iran.

Donald Trump's team were quick to stress this was simply a one-off attack and would not lead to another dreaded "forever war".

But they went on the offensive, criticising journalists over alleged "fake news".

Despite this, when asked, Trump said he would strike Iran again if necessary.

The fact that the US is now willing to go as far as to attack Iran openly has raised serious questions about how things might play out.

Will Washington go further in hitting Tehran or will Trump stick to his word?

And could the US be pressured into striking anywhere else in the Middle East in support of its ally Israel?

Where's Iran's uranium?

Following the strikes, there were various claims and counterclaims over the efficacy of the US attack.

While some voices from Washington described Tehran's nuclear facilities as "obliterated," we heard from the nuclear watchdog chief who said Iran could be enriching uranium in a matter of months.

Most of Iran's highly enriched uranium was thought to be at Isfahan - which was hit by US Tomahawk missiles in the attack.

Reports have suggested Iran has around 400kg of highly enriched uranium.

It isn't known if this is buried beneath the rubble in Isfahan, or if it was moved elsewhere ahead of the strikes.

Israel initiated the 12-day war over fears of Tehran getting a nuclear bomb - something it denies.

The fate of the uranium could decide whether the two nations end up fighting further, or not.

Gaza aid

In recent months, Israel supplanted the UN as the central aid provider with a US-backed group called the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).

The group has since come under criticism, but defended its conduct in a warzone.

Watch the aid boss hit out at 'disinformation' in the video below

At its aid distribution points, there have been a number of incidents in which Palestinians have been shot and killed.

This is allegedly by Israeli fire.

The Hamas-run health ministry has said hundreds have been killed in such incidents.

Watch a report on one such incident below

The humanitarian situation in the enclave became dire as well, under the prolonged Israeli aid blockade.

Today, the GHF said it had delivered 50 million meals, but it isn't clear whether this is enough, and whether much-needed aid will get into the enclave to those who need it most.

And will GHF remain in place, or will the UN be restored to its position?

The answer to these questions could be key to the lives and wellbeing of countless Palestinians.

In pictures: Notorious Iran prison office destroyed during 12-day war

Here's an update on a story we brought you earlier.

In our 7.41 post, we brought you the news that 71 people had been killed in an Israeli strike on Tehran's notorious Evin prison.

The attack took place on 23 June, during the 12-day war.

Well now we can bring you some pictures of an office building at the Evin Prison, illustrating some of the damage.

A judiciary spokesperson previously said part of the administrative building had been damaged in the attack, and people had been killed.

Macron's key messages from call with Iranian president

French President Emmanuel Macron has just taken to social media to say he had a phone call with Iran's president today.

Macron broke down his key messages from the call:

  • Release of detained French citizens Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris
  • Protection of French nationals and facilities in Iran, "which must not be subject to any threats"
  • Respect for the ceasefire to help restore peace in the region
  • Return to the negotiating table to address ballistic and nuclear issues
  • Upholding the framework of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and the swift resumption of the International Atomic Energy Agency's work in Iran to ensure full transparency

Macron says he will continue working in the coming days to achieve the goals.

Iran's nuclear programme 'set back several years' after US strikes

Iran's nuclear programme has been set back by "several years" after US strikes, a research director at United Against Nuclear Iran has said.

Speaking to Jonathan Samuels, Daniel Roth explained that "very few sites" in the world would be able to survive what hit the three enrichment centre pieces in Iran's nuclear programme.

Roth said that he agreed with the assessment of the International Atomic Energy Agency chief that Iran could go back to enriching uranium within a few months, but described the statement as "a throwaway comment".

He also said Donald Trump's claim that Iran's nuclear programme has been "obliterated" (see 16.33 post) was "probably not correct".

Instead, Roth said he agrees with the assessment that the Iranian nuclear programme has been "set back by several years".

Asked whether Iran could have moved some of the enriched uranium before the US strikes, Roth suggested that could be a possibility, but warned that there is a danger Iran will continue with its programme.

"The Iranians have not given any signals that they are going to back away from this," he added.

"But for the foreseeable future, it is expensive to maintain this."

Watch the full interview in the video below.

12-day Iran war opened 'broad regional possibilities', Netanyahu says

Before Benjamin Netanyahu began his evening cabinet meeting (see 17.02 post), he visited a Shin Bet facility in southern Israel.

Netanyahu said the 12-day war against Iran opened "many new opportunities" including "broad regional possibilities".

"Of course, we will also have to solve the Gaza issue, to defeat Hamas, but I estimate that we will achieve both tasks, but beyond that, broad regional possibilities open up," he added.

Israel's prime minister is meeting with ministers, aides and officers to discuss his country's progress in Gaza as well as a hostage deal.

Haifa oil refinery resumes operations after Iranian strike

Back to the fallout of the 12-day war between Israel and Iran, and Israel's oil refineries has said it resumed activities at its Haifa facility which was shut down after an Iranian strike two weeks ago.

It said operations were gradually being restored and would likely be fully operational by October.

On 15 June, the company Bazan said its pipelines and transmission lines in Haifa had been damaged by Iranian missile strikes which killed three employees.

Israel's energy minister Eli Cohen said the country's energy system "functioned flawlessly throughout the war, and the swift resolution of the issue is further proof of the strength and resilience of Israel's energy sector."