First Thing: ‘Promising signs of progress’ on Gaza hostage deal

Comments by Israel war cabinet member come as Israel continues to threaten ground invasion of Rafah. Plus, how monitoring nature from space could keep Earth healthy

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Good morning.

Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz has said there are “promising early signs of progress” on a new deal to release hostages from Gaza amid regional talks to secure a pause in the war.

What’s happening in Gaza? New fighting and a deepening breakdown in public order in northern Gaza have derailed a humanitarian effort to avert a famine in parts of the battered territory, with senior aid officials describing an “incredible level of desperation” as food supplies run out.

What happened in the UK’s parliament during a vote on a ceasefire in Gaza? The UK parliament had a fractious parliamentary debate on Gaza last night. Dozens of lawmakers stormed out with tempers flaring as the three biggest political parties sought to outmanoeuvre each other over a vote on a ceasefire in Gaza.

What has Dunja Mijatović, commissioner for human rights at the Council of Europe, said about the footage? Mijatović said the abuse that appeared to be happening on the North Macedonian border was indicative of mistreatment of vulnerable people on borders across Europe, calling the widespread phenomenon of illegal pushbacks an “urgent pan-European problem”.