Rush Hour: UN says Israel committed genocide in Gaza, SC deadline for Maharashtra local polls & more

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Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, according to the United Nations. A commission of inquiry set up by the global intergovernmental organisation stated that Israel’s intent was “to destroy the Palestinians in Gaza through acts that meet the criteria set forth in the Genocide Convention”.

The acts were killing members of a group, causing them serious bodily and mental harm, deliberately inflicting conditions calculated to destroy the group, and preventing births. The commission recommended that member nations of the UN must stop the export of weapons and other equipment to Israel.

Israel’s foreign ministry rejected the report, describing it as “distored and false”. This came on the same day that the Israeli military launched a new ground offensive in Gaza City. In August, the UN formally declared a famine in northern Gaza, warning that it could spread. Read more.

The chilling parallels between famine in Palestine and colonial Bengal

The Supreme Court has directed the Maharashtra State Election Commission to hold local body elections in the state by January 31, 2026. The bench also criticised the state poll panel for its failure to adhere to...

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