Middle East

After 10 years, we still don’t know how Shamima Begum’s story ends

The young woman who left London to join the Islamic State may have been under duress. Was she presumed guilty because she was Muslim?

Tears, relief, fresh bruises – Palestinian prisoners return

Celebrations erupted for the gaunt men who were released from Israeli jails as part of the ceasefire deal. But many others remain in detention

A widow’s plea for the return of her husband’s body

The young wife of a kibbutz worker killed fighting Hamas hopes peace will at last give her a chance of closure

Israeli airstrikes rattle Qatar’s image as the region’s peace broker

The attack on Doha last week, which killed five Hamas leaders, has undermined the country’s diplomatic ambitions and sense of security

Israel’s strike on Qatar dispels any belief that it is focused on peace

Netanyahu wanted to kill Hamas leadership. Cratering the ceasefire process may be enough for him

Mass deportations force Afghans into the arms of the Taliban

Millions have settled in Pakistan and Iran over the past 50 years. Now they are being sent back

Israelis find slogans are not enough to end Gaza hell

Latest failure to agree hostage release and ceasefire deal amid mass protests has added to mood of helplessness

Those who cover up famine in Gaza use a familiar playbook

The Israeli government is using the same method as many architects of calamity from the past 100 years

‘In Gaza, $2,000 won’t even buy two weeks’ bread’

Those who can afford food in Gaza – even at dizzying prices – eat just one small meal a day. Others have to go without

Britain’s chance to reclaim and exert its moral authority

We must join Emmanuel Macron in recognising Palestine: it’s the only way to shift the international paralysis on Israel

Why Israel bombed Syria

Netanyahu has appointed himself protector of a religious minority. But more is at play

Saudi takeover of gaming industry leaves little room for dissent

Investment from the Gulf state provides a boost to the games business – and soft power for Mohammed bin Salman

US funding for Gaza aid distribution evades scrutiny

Critics say shadowy $30m operation is ‘turning food into a weapon of war’

Bunker busters were a warning to the world

Trump hates foreign wars – so he opted for a massive show of strength instead

The history of now: Israel and Iran

The two countries are often portrayed as arch-enemies but their shared history stretches back millennia and is marked by periods of cooperation and friendship

The UK needs to prepare for regime change in Tehran

The government’s policy on Iran is not grounded in reality – Britain must come up with a comprehensive plan, and do so fast

After panic and anger, Tehran imagines life without the regime

The failure of air defence and the scale of the Israeli strikes has done what decades of protest could not – hurt Iran’s ruling elite

Israel defies plea to end Gaza aid blockade

Despite fierce criticism from senior Israelis and western leaders, the Netanyahu government still restricts food into the stricken territory