Guterres, Erdogan and Lula Condemn Gaza at the UN as US Weighs 40,000 Bombs
September 22, 2026. Gaza dominated the opening of the UN General Assembly in New York, as the Secretary-General and leaders from Jordan, Turkey and Brazil condemned Israel's conduct, and Americans questioned a planned 40,000-bomb arms deal. Here's each story in brief, with links to the original reporting.
Why Is the US Sending Israel 40,000 Bombs?
Al Jazeera asked former US envoy David Hale and the Arms Control Association's Daryl Kimball whether the planned $2.8 billion arms deal is proportionate to the threat Israel says it faces, or whether it risks even more civilian deaths in Gaza.
Sources: Al Jazeera
Guterres Condemns Gaza Destruction
In his last General Assembly address as UN Secretary-General, António Guterres condemned the killing and destruction in Gaza and warned about settlement expansion and displacement in the occupied West Bank.
Sources: Al Jazeera
Leaders From Jordan, Turkey and Brazil Condemn Israel
Jordan's King Abdullah II called West Bank settler incursions forced displacement and a war crime. Turkey's Erdogan said more than 1,300 civilians have been killed since the ceasefire, and the Israeli delegation walked out. Brazil's Lula said Gaza's trauma will last for generations.
Sources: Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera
Gaza Families Turn to Communal Ovens
Displaced families in Gaza are sharing communal ovens to save on costly fuel, and for many, bread has become the main meal, Al Jazeera reports.
Sources: Al Jazeera
Palestinian Club Soccer Is Back
For the first time in nearly three years, Palestinian clubs are playing organized soccer again at the Martyrs' World Cup in the West Bank, with teams like Beit Jala and Dheisheh Youth drawing big crowds.
Sources: Al Jazeera
53 Detained in Biddu Lockdown
At least 53 young men were detained in Biddu after Israeli raids shut schools and businesses in the West Bank town.
Sources: Al Jazeera
Boy, 11, Killed Near Khan Younis
Israeli tank fire on tents near Khan Younis killed 11-year-old Ismail al-Bardawil, one of four killed that day.
Sources: Al Jazeera
Back to School in Tents
Tens of thousands of Gaza's children returned to class in tents, with UNICEF reporting 98 percent of schools damaged or destroyed.
Sources: Al Jazeera
Context: Gaza and the West Bank
A year of ceasefire has brought no rebuilding to Gaza. Strikes continue, entry restrictions remain, and aid agencies say fuel and equipment shortages are now the biggest obstacle. Health officials in Gaza record over 73,900 people killed and more than 174,000 injured since October 2023, figures that include the months since the ceasefire was announced.
Sources: Al Jazeera, OCHA
Across the occupied West Bank, 275 communities have been hit by settler attacks in 2026, a pace that has nearly equaled last year's record with months still to go. Demolitions continue alongside the attacks: over 1,100 structures have come down this year for lacking permits Israel rarely grants, forcing more than 1,500 people from their homes. UNICEF says 98 percent of Gaza's schools were destroyed or damaged during the war, and more than 90 percent of the territory lies in ruins, leaving families sheltering in buildings engineers have called unsafe.
Sources: OCHA
The UN warns that the dangers facing Gaza's civilians grow as winter nears, with flooding expected in areas where families live in tents and damaged buildings and where sanitation has already broken down. Accountability efforts continue in parallel: cases at the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court, national investigations in several countries, and growing calls for arms embargoes.
Sources: OCHA
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