ICYMI

Renewed Gaza ceasefire talks

This week, negotiations over a potential ceasefire between Hamas and Israel have begun. The proposed deal includes a 60-day pause in fighting and the release of 10 hostages, as well as 18 corpses of hostages who have already been killed. In exchange, Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails would also be released. The first round of talks in Qatar reportedly ended without meaningful progress. Hamas is demanding a guaranteed end to all hostilities and a full withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip – conditions Israel repeatedly rejected. Despite these divisions, US President Donald Trump claimed that a deal could be reached by the end of the week.

Since the last ceasefire ended earlier this year, Israel has resumed its relentless bombing campaign on the Gaza Strip, killing and displacing large numbers of Palestinians. Under the humanitarian blockade imposed on Gaza, all UNRWA humanitarian aid and food distribution centers were banned from operating. They have since been replaced by the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, funded by the US and Israel. UN reports and documentation from Gaza show civilians being targeted and killed while attempting to retrieve aid. Since May, at least 613 people have been killed at humanitarian aid centres. Meanwhile, Israeli forces have continued expanding operations in the West Bank. Just last week, demolition orders for than 100 houses were ordered in the Tulkarem refugee camp, causing more than 400 families to flee their homes.

Huge Budapest Pride Protest despite ban

On 28 May, more than 200.000 people took part in the banned Pride march in Budapest. Despite Hungarian president Viktor Orbán’s official prohibition of this year’s Pride, the city’s mayor, Gregely Karácsony, defied the ban and allowed the protest to go ahead. The ban is part of a broader crackdown on LGBTQIA+ rights led by Orbán’s far-right Fidesz party, which has been in power for the past 15 years. Ahead of the march, Orbán threatened attendees with fines of up to 500€ and authorised the use of facial recognition technology to identify participants. Even though a neo-Nazi counter protest forced the demonstration to change its route, Budapest Pride 2025 proceeded without major incidents and recorded the highest turnout in its history–a powerful statement of resistance against state repression.

Trump signs “Big Beautiful Bill” into law 

In a highly controversial move, US President Donald Trump has signed what he calls the „Big Beautiful Bill” – a sweeping tax and spending package that makes permanent the tax breaks he introduced during his first term. The bill also allocates an additional $350 billion to border enforcement, deportation policies, and increased militarisation. The legislation narrowly passed in Congress with 218 votes in favor and 214 against. It will be financed through deep cuts to the social sectors, most notably the Medicaid health insurance program. According to projections from the Congressional Budget Office, by 2034, an estimated 11.8 million people will have lost access to health insurance as a direct result of the bill. Further cuts include reductions in funding for school food programs – primarily affecting marginalised communities – as well as the rollback of subsidies for renewable energy initiatives.  

Ceasefire agreement in DRC

In late June, a peace agreement was signed by representatives of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda. The deal aims to halt the ongoing conflict between the Rwanda-backed armed militia M23 and the Congolese Army, who have been fighting for control over the mines in the eastern regions of the DRC since 2021. In recent years, the M23 made significant territorial gains, with reports emerging of brutal attacks and the mistreatment of civilians. Thousands have been killed or forcibly displaced. The newly signed agreement calls for a mutual ceasefire along the DRC-Rwanda border. Both governments have pledged to work toward maintaining peace. However, uncertainty remains over whether all armed factions operating in the area will respect the ceasefire. The United Nations has criticised the deal for failing to address the widespread destruction and displacement suffered by civilians in and around the conflict zone, particularly the Goma region. It also remains unclear whether, as Donald Trump claimed, the DRC will grant the United States preferential access to mineral resources as part of the negotiations.

Youth-led Anti-Government protests in Togo

In Togo, youth-led protests have erupted against President Faure Gnassingbé, whose family has ruled the West African nation for over 60 years. The demonstrations in late June were sparked by a proposed constitutional reform that would allow Gnassingbé to remain in power, as well as a sharp increase in electricity prices. The arrest of prominent activist and singer Aamron, who spoke out against this via social media, also fueled the anger. Thousands of people took to the streets in the capital, Lomé, where they were met with repression and violence by the authorities. Dozens were arrested, and rights groups report that several people were killed. In reaction to the growing unrest, the Togolese government restricted public access to several social media platforms, including TikTok, YouTube, and Telegram.  

Anti-Fascist activist Maja T. on hunger strike

Non-binary anti-fascist activist Maja T. was transferred to a prison hospital on the 27th day of their hunger strike due to dangerous weight loss. Maja is a German citizen who is currently facing trial in Hungary and has been imprisoned since last year. They were arrested on charges of participating in an anti-fascist action targeting and injuring people at a neo-Nazi congress held in Budapest in 2023. Despite their German citizenship, Maja was extradited to Hungary, where Maja now faces trial. Since their detention, Maja has been largely held in isolation with minimal access to translation services. In protest against these conditions, Maja went on a hunger strike on 5 June. Human rights advocates and activists have called on the German government to intervene and return Maja to Germany, but the government refuses to act.

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All photos under Creative Commons License.