UN report accuses over 60 companies of backing Israeli settlements and Gaza offensive
Israeli strikes in Gaza have killed at least 51 people, including 24 civilians at a coastal rest area, Gaza’s civil defence agency said, as international calls for a ceasefire gain urgency.
The toll comes amid renewed hope for a truce following the recent conclusion of Israel’s 12-day conflict with Iran. Over 20 months of war in Gaza have left more than two million residents in a state of severe humanitarian crisis.
A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to visit the White House on July 7. Talks are expected to focus on Gaza, Iran, and broader regional security.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces carried out pre-dawn raids across the occupied West Bank, arresting at least 21 Palestinians from cities including Hebron, Ramallah, Nablus, Jenin, and Bethlehem.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that President Donald Trump remains in close contact with Israeli leadership and is committed to ending the violence.
“It’s heartbreaking to see the images coming out of Israel and Gaza… the president wants to see an end to this. He wants to save lives,” she said.
Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, a key Netanyahu aide, is currently in Washington for high-level meetings on the Gaza conflict and the fallout from the Iran war.
Earlier this week, nearly 40 people were killed in the deadliest airstrike so far, when Israeli forces bombed the al-Baqa café — a popular gathering spot on Gaza City’s seafront. Children were reportedly attending a birthday party at the time, and journalist Ismail Abu Hatab was among those killed.
An Israeli military spokesperson confirmed to AFP that the strike is under review and stated that precautions were taken using aerial surveillance to reduce civilian casualties.
In a damning new report, the United Nations named over 60 companies allegedly complicit in Israel’s military operations and settlement expansion. UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, who compiled the report after analyzing more than 200 submissions, accused these firms of profiting from what she described as a “genocidal campaign.”
“Life in Gaza is being erased, and this report reveals one of the reasons the genocide persists — it’s profitable for many,” Albanese said. The report demands legal accountability for corporate executives and urges an immediate end to all business dealings tied to the conflict.
Since the start of Israel’s offensive in October 2023, more than 56,500 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip, according to local health authorities.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, citing alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. Israel also faces a separate genocide case at the International Court of Justice.
