The Israel-Gaza war is creating deep divisions within the Democratic party, influencing primary races nationwide. Progressives are leveraging anti-war sentiment and Israel's declining popularity, while moderate candidates face pressure from pro-Israel groups and a growing segment of the electorate concerned about foreign policy and campaign finance.
The Israel-Gaza war is creating deep divisions within the Democratic Party, impacting elections and fueling a progressive movement ahead of the November midterms. Candidates face a "litmus test" on their stance regarding Israel, with polls showing growing Democratic concern over US support for the country.
Progressive candidates, including those backed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani, secured key victories in New York primary elections, signaling a leftward shift within the Democratic Party. Incumbent Dan Goldman lost his seat, highlighting divisions over the Israel-Gaza war.
Gaza's health ministry reported nearly 1,000 deaths since the start of the ceasefire, with five Israeli soldiers also killed. The total death toll since October 7, 2023, has reached 73,001, with over 173,200 wounded. The ministry's records are considered reliable by UN agencies and experts, though they do not differentiate between civilians and militants.
The British Foreign Office has closed a unit tracking international law breaches by Israel in Gaza, cutting funding to a project maintaining a database of 26,000 verified violations. The IHL cell's closure follows UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper's April speech endorsing international law as a core British value. Critics say the move enables the government to obscure violations while sustaining arms sales, as data shows UK-made munitions imports to Israel doubled in 2025.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has closed its international humanitarian law cell that tracked potential breaches by Israel in Gaza and Lebanon, following cuts and a restructuring led by dismissed permanent secretary Olly Robbins. The decision comes just two weeks after Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper pledged international law would be a linchpin of her department's policy. The closure also ends funding for the Centre for Information Resilience's Conflict and Security Monitoring Project, which maintained a database of 26,000 verified incidents in the Middle East dating back to October 7, 2023.
