A UN expert has said some young soldiers in the Israeli Defence Forces are being left “psychologically broken” after “confront[ing] the reality among the rubble” when serving in Gaza.
Francesca Albanese, the UN Human Rights Council’s special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, was responding to a Sky News interview with an Israeli solider who described arbitrary killing of civilians in Gaza.
She told The World with Yalda Hakim that “many” of the young people fighting in Gaza are “haunted by what they have seen, what they have done”.
“It doesn’t make sense,” Ms Albanese said. “This is not a war, this is an assault against civilians and this is producing a fracture in many of them.
“As that soldier’s testimony reveals, especially the youngest among the soldiers have been convinced this is a form of patriotism, of defending Israel and Israeli society against this opaque but very hard felt enemy, which is Hamas.
“But the thing is that they’ve come to confront the reality among the rubble of Gaza.”
Image: An Israeli soldier directs a tank near the border with the Gaza Strip, in southern Israel. Pic: AP
Being in Gaza is “probably this is the first time the Israeli soldiers are awakening to this,” she added. “And they don’t make sense of this because their attachment to being part of the IDF, which is embedded in their national ideology, is too strong.
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“This is why they are psychologically broken.”
Jonathan Conricus, a former IDF spokesman who is now a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defence of Democracies, said he believes the Sky News interview with the former IDF solider “reflects one part of how ugly, difficult and horrible fighting in a densely populated, urban terrain is”.
“I think [the ex-soldier] is reflecting on how difficult it is to fight in such an area and what the challenges are on the battlefield,” he said.
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10:42
Ex-IDF spokesperson: ‘No distinction between military and civilians’
‘An economy of genocide’
Ms Albanese, one of dozens of independent UN-mandated experts, also said her most recent report for the human rights council has identified “an economy of genocide” in Israel.
The system, she told Hakim, is made up of more than 60 private sector companies “that have become enmeshed in the economy of occupation […] that have Israel displace the Palestinians and replace them with settlers, settlements and infrastructure Israel runs.”
Israel has rejected allegations of genocide in Gaza, citing its right to defend itself after Hamas’s attack on 7 October 2023.
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2:36
‘Israel has shifted towards economy of genocide’
The companies named in Ms Albanese’s report are in, but not limited to, the financial sector, big tech and the military industry.
“These companies can be held responsible for being directed linked to, or contributing, or causing human rights impacts,” she said. “We’re not talking of human rights violations, we are talking of crimes.”
“Some of the companies have engaged in good faith, others have not,” Ms Albanese said.
The companies she has named include American technology giant Palantir, which has issued a statement to Sky News.
It said it is “not true” that Palantir “is the (or a) developer of the ‘Gospel’ – the AI-assisted targeting software allegedly used by the IDF in Gaza, and that we are involved with the ‘Lavender’ database used by the IDF for targeting cross-referencing”.
“Both capabilities are independent of and pre-ate Palantir’s announced partnership with the Israeli Defence Ministry,” the statement added.
Fashion giant Shein has opened an investigation after a shirt was advertised on its site, modelled by a man bearing a striking resemblance to Luigi Mangione, who is accused of murdering a US healthcare chief executive.
The image with Mangione’slikeness, wearing a white, short-sleeved shirt, has since been taken down.
Shein, one of the world’s biggest fast fashion retailers, told Sky News: “The image in question was provided by a third-party vendor and was removed immediately upon discovery.
“We have stringent standards for all listings on our platform. We are conducting a thorough investigation, strengthening our monitoring processes, and will take appropriate action against the vendor in line with our policies.”
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The listing was taken down on Wednesday afternoon, according to reports.
As news of the image spread across social media on Tuesday, and ‘Luigi Mangione Shein’ reportedly began trending, many speculated that the picture had been created by AI or photo-shopped.
Some supporters of Mangione accused Shein of using his likeness, while his critics have also described using the photo as a new low.
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Mangione, 27, is facing trial for fatally shooting UnitedHealth’s insurance CEO, Brian Thompson, outside a New York City hotel in December.
Image: UnitedHealthcare chief executive officer Brian Thompson.
Pic: UnitedHealth Group/AP
Mr Thompson, 50, was shot dead as he walked to a Manhattan hotel where the company, the largest private health insurance firm in the US, was hosting an investor conference.
Mangione denies the state and federal charges against him, including first-degree murder “in furtherance of an act of terrorism”, two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of stalking and a firearms offence.
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty if he is convicted, saying Mangione targeted Mr Thompson and that he “presents a future danger because he expressed an intent to target an entire industry, and rally political and social opposition to that industry, by engaging in an act of lethal violence”.
After the killing, Mangione was portrayed as a folk hero by some of those opposed to the US healthcare system.
Rallies took place outside court during his appearances and some supporters pledged funds to his defence.
Shein, founded in China in 2012, has built its global reputation on inexpensive, fast-moving fashion trends that attract Gen Z and younger millennials. Its products are shipped to more than 100 countries.
In January, a senior company lawyer was unable to say if the company sells products containing cotton from Xinjiang, the region of China where it’s alleged members of the Uyghur ethnic group are forced to work against their will, accusations China denies.
At least 15 people have been killed and 18 are injured after the iconic Gloria funicular in Lisbon derailed and crashed, emergency services have said.
Five of the injured are in a serious condition, the National Institute for Medical Emergencies said in a statement.
Footage from the site showed the tram-like funicular, which is popular with tourists, practically destroyed and emergency workers pulling people out of the wreckage.
Authorities would not identify the victims or disclose their nationalities, but said some foreign nationals were among the dead.
The UK Foreign Office has said it is in touch with authorities in Lisbon and is ready to “provide consular assistance if there are any affected British nationals”.
Lisbon’s mayor Carlos Moedas has said there will be three days of mourning for the victims of the “tragic accident”.
He added: “I extend my heartfelt condolences to all the families and friends of the victims. Lisbon is in mourning.”
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It is not immediately clear what caused the crash which happened at around 6pm – the start of evening rush hour.
Eyewitnesses told local media that the funicular careered down the hill, apparently out of control.
Images show how the yellow and white carriage fell apart as a result of the crash.
Image: Pic: AP
Image: Pic: AP
The Gloria, which can carry more than 40 people, is one of three funiculars in the Portuguese capital and is classified as a national monument.
It connects downtown Lisbon with the neighbourhood of Bairro Alto and is commonly used by both residents and tourists.
Two carriages attached to the same haulage cable run parallel to each other as they shuttle up and down the hill for a few hundred metres.
The second carriage was apparently undamaged, but footage aired by CNN Portugal showed it jolting violently, with several passengers jumping out of its windows, when the other one derailed.
Image: Emergency services at the scene. Pic: AP
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Mr Moedas told the Portuguese news site Diario de Noticia: “It is a tragedy that has never happened in our city. The moment is for action and help. I thank you all for the response in a few minutes. The only thing I can say is that it is a very tragic day.”
It comes as Portugal’s President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has offered his condolences to families affected by the tragedy.
Meanwhile EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has written on X: “It is with sadness that I learned of the derailment of the famous ‘Elevador da Glória’. My condolences to the families of the victims.”
Portugal’s defence minister Nuno Melo said: “The accident in Lisbon with the Gloria elevator was a tragedy that caused strong commotion and consternation in Portugal and in the world… I express all my solidarity and offer heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims, wishing a speedy recovery to the injured.”
An investigation into the cause will begin once the rescue operation is over, the Portuguese government said in a statement.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.
China’s status as a military superpower was on full display as Beijing marked the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.
Tens of thousands of troops, tanks and armoured vehicles moved through Tiananmen Square on Wednesday, along with a fearsome array of missiles. Fighter jets soared overhead.
“They want to advertise to the world that they’re doing old and new,” military analyst Michael Clarke told Sky News. “So they were showing the enormity of what they’ve got in in traditional terms, but also some of the new things.”
Indeed, the event featured many weapons and equipment that had never been seen in public before.
In this story, Sky News looks at what units and military hardware were on display in the Chinese capital.
Image: Flags flutter as soldiers participate in a military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. Pic: Reuters
Land forces
Huge numbers of soldiers from various wings of China’s armed forces made up the bulk of the parade, marching in perfect lockstep in neat rows.
As well as the traditional elements from the army and navy, the procession also featured newer pieces like the cyberspace unit.
The new unit is in charge of cybersecurity defence measures, the Xinhua state news agency says, and also took part in live-fire drills.
Another new unit was the information support force, which was created in 2024 to build network information systems to support military combat readiness.
Image: Tanks as part of the military parade
Nuclear triad on display for the first time
Also rolling through the square were an array of missiles, including those that form China’s strategic nuclear capability.
For the first time, Beijing unveiled its nuclear triad of air, land and sea-based missiles.
This included the JL-1 air-based long-range missile, JL-3 submarine-launched intercontinental missile, DF-61 land-based intercontinental missile, and the new type DF-31 land-based intercontinental missile.
The weapons are China’s strategic “ace” power to safeguard the country’s sovereignty and nation’s dignity, according to Xinhua.
China is one of four countries known to possess a nuclear triad, along with the US, Russia and India.
Other missiles on display included hypersonic anti-ship missiles that China has previously tested against mockups of US aircraft carriers, such as the Yingji-19, Yingji-17 and Yingji-20.
“These are designed to frighten the United States,” Mr Clarke says, with reference to the Pacific Ocean where US warships patrol from their 7th Fleet headquarters in Japan.
China also put a number of its unmanned weapon systems on display, evidence of the changing nature of modern warfare.
Arguably the most interesting were the so-called ‘robot wolves’.
Image: ‘Robot wolves’ carried on vehicles
There were also underwater drones such as the AJX002, a long, black tube-shaped craft that looks like a narrow submarine with a rear propeller.
The military also showed off unmanned helicopters that are designed to be launched from ships.
Image: Air-defence laser weapons that have been recently developed. Pic: Reuters
Like other militaries, China has also been developing laser weapons to defend against drone attacks – one of which was on display today as well.
As attack drones get more advanced – and numerous – a counter drive to develop cheaper ways of shooting them down is ongoing.
“The one that they kept under wraps was this laser gun,” Mr Clarke said. “It was all under tarpaulin in the rehearsals – and suddenly there it was. It was like a big searchlight on a vehicle.
“Laser guns, despite James Bond films, are not quite as ground-breaking as people think, but there it was: a new laser gun.”
Air force
Beijing has developed a number of advanced aircraft in recent years, and several of them were on display on Wednesday.
Soaring above the parade were China’s two fifth-generation fighter jets, the Chengdu J-20 and Shenyang J-35A.
Image: J-16D, J-20, and J-35A fighter jets fly over Tiananmen Square. Pic: Reuters
Both have stealth capabilities and are designed to try to rival the US air force’s F-35 jet.
China has two of the five fifth-generation fighter jets currently known to operate globally. The others are the American F-35 (also operated by the UK and other allies) and F-22, as well as the Russian Su-57.
China showing off its range – and numbers
“What they’re showing here is that they’ve got a full panoply of weapons systems,” Mr Clarke says, pointing to the various land, sea and air assets.
“Whether they can link them together in combined arms warfare, we don’t know, because they haven’t fought a major war since the 1950s… but on paper it’s extremely impressive.”
He added: “It’s not as big as the American military yet, but it certainly rivals it. And it certainly worries American military planners.”