The Point of No Return

I don’t love X (a/k/a Twitter)

In addition to being nefariously steered by Elon Musk, X is a cesspool of narcissism and smugness. But it’s the closest thing to a real-time pulse on what the media and political elite are clamoring over—unfortunately, the same forces shaping the news cycle and public conversation. It’s as if all of life is a highway, and the Twitterverse decides which exits we all get off to look around and talk about.

For the past 20 months, there’s been a sharp divide between genocide deniers, genocide apologists, and genocide whistleblowers on X. But this week, the tone shifted—suggesting a long-overdue reckoning may be on the horizon. Politicians and journalists who have either ignored, defended, or supported the genocide are changing their tune—either to protect their reputations or because, for one reason or another, they are suddenly enlightened.

This week, I began to feel a sense of hope—that perhaps now—now—the rest of the world would finally open its eyes to the horrors unfolding in Gaza. That maybe some good had come from the unrelenting pressure on the powerful to admit what they were doing and to stop it.

But I realized this is the nature of society. When something becomes too big to ignore—when the reality is so gruesome—those same perpetrators scatter like rats from a sinking ship. Once content to dwell in the shadows—whether as a nuisance or a full-blown infestation—they’ll scramble for higher ground the moment they sense the flood coming.

This Week’s Turning Points

These are the events that I think have contributed to this shift:

MONDAY, JULY 21: The foreign ministers of 25 countries—including the UK and France—along with the EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness, and Crisis Management, issued a joint statement calling for an immediate end to the war in Gaza. All agreed that the “suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths” and described Israel’s aid model as “dangerous” and strips Palestinians of “dignity.” (Statement)

WEDNESDAY, JULY 23: A group of 115 aid organizations—including Save the Children, Oxfam, and Doctors Without Borders—signed a public letter calling on Israel to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza. “As the Israeli government’s siege starves the people of Gaza, aid workers are now joining the same food lines, risking being shot just to feed their families.” (Amnesty International)

THURSDAY, JULY 24: The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse (AFP), BBC, and Reuters issued a joint statement saying they were “desperately concerned” and “deeply alarmed” for their journalists in Gaza who are starving and unable to find food. (Statement)

• One AFP reporter, who has worked for the agency since 2010, has lost 35 pounds and can no longer carry his work equipment because he is “weak and dizzy every day.” (TIME)

Also on Thursday, in a major diplomatic development, France said it will recognize an independent Palestinian state. President Emmanuel Macron—who made the announcement in an X post—said he would formalize the recognition at the UN General Assembly in September. “Given its historic commitment to a just and sustainable peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognize the state of Palestine. Peace is possible.” France will be the largest and first G7 country to do so. (Le Monde) | @EmmanuelMacron | X)

• France will hold preliminary meetings at the UN this week with Saudi Arabia. “The aim is the urgent adoption of concrete measures that will lead to the implementation of a two-state solution and end decades of conflict…” The summit, which was originally scheduled for June, had been delayed after Israel’s attack on Iran. (Arab News | Axios)
• Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Macron’s decision “reckless.” (@SecRubio | X)
• Netanyahu said it “rewards terror and risks creating another Iranian proxy.” (@ netanyahu | X)

FRIDAY, JULY 25: Reuters reported that a recent U.S. government analysis of aid-related theft in Gaza found no evidence Hamas was systematically stealing aid—the basis Israel used to justify replacing UN agencies with the GHF. Of 156 reported theft incidents between October 2023 and June 2025, 44 were the result of direct or indirect Israeli military action. (Reuters)

SATURDAY, JULY 26: Four Israeli sources told the New York Times they never had evidence that Hamas was stealing aid from the UN. “In fact,” they said, “the U.N. aid delivery system, which Israel derided and undermined, was largely effective in providing food to Gaza’s desperate and hungry population.” (NYT)

• CNN’s Jeremy Diamond filed what may be the most honest and unflinching mainstream report on Gaza to date. (CNN)

And finally, a photo. There’s one photo I believe will become the face of this genocide—a single image we’ll recognize instantly, like The Afghan Girl on the cover of National Geographic. It will serve as a symbol, a reminder, and a warning of the cost of silence. The image is deeply disturbing, so I’ve placed it at the very bottom for those who choose to view it.

Israel's Pivot

Forced to acknowledge the brutal reality on the ground in Gaza—as seen in photos of starving children, their ribs poking through thin, malnourished skin—Israel and the U.S. doubled down on two lies in an attempt to deflect blame:

1. The UN Is to Blame for Starvation
Israel claimed that 950 aid trucks were stuck outside Gaza because the UN wasn’t picking them up—accusing the agency of laziness, as if we're to believe that humanitarian aid groups were choosing not to do their jobs. The goal: blame starvation on the UN.

• On Friday, the UN reported, “Out of 15 attempts to coordinate humanitarian movements inside Gaza on Thursday, four were outright denied, three were impeded, one was postponed, and two others had to be cancelled by the organisers, with only five missions facilitated” by the Israeli military. (UN)
• The Israeli military has set up a convoluted system—a gauntlet—that requires multiple approvals at various checkpoints. Aid trucks must be unloaded and reloaded at seemingly arbitrary points and often sit waiting for weeks due to delayed Israeli responses. It's a deliberate design that makes it difficult to deliver aid and provides multiple opportunities to slow it down.

2. Hamas Is to Blame for the Ceasefire Breakdown
The Trump Administration says ceasefire talks failed because Hamas isn’t negotiating in good faith. Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff claims Hamas doesn’t want peace—but few details of the proposed deal have been released.

• Hamas says the deal lets Israel resume the war at any time and proposes placing two million Palestinians in camps. If true, it’s not a peace offer—it’s a surrender. (Politico)
• Trump agreed with Witkoff: “I think they want to die, and it’s very, very bad. It got to be to a point where you’re gonna have to finish the job.” (CNN)
• Hamas responded: “We are surprised by the statements made by U.S. President Trump, and earlier by U.S. Special Envoy Mr. Witkoff, which contradict the assessment of the mediators… and do not align with the actual progress that had been made.” (CNN)

On the Ground in Gaza

• At least 127 people—including 85 children—have died from starvation since October 2023. Nearly half died this week—a sign that famine and its effects are at a breaking point that may not be reversible. (+972 Magazine | Al Jazeera)
• Rather than allow aid trucks in, Israel is approving countries to airdrop aid into Gaza. The IDF began its own airdrops on Saturday night—which have already killed six people after aid pallets landed on a home. The IDF now says it will also allow “designated humanitarian corridors” for UN convoys. (Times of Israel)
  • “Why use airdrops when you can drive hundreds of trucks through the borders?” asked Juliette Touma, spokesperson for UNRWA. “It’s much easier, more effective, faster, cheaper.” (New York Times)
• The Handala, a second Freedom Flotilla ship, was intercepted by the Israeli military while attempting to break the blockade and deliver aid. The ship carried 19 volunteers and two journalists. The previous flotilla, the Madleen, was seized and its passengers, including Greta Thunberg, were jailed. (Freedom Flotilla)
• Anthony Aguilar, a former Green Beret and GHF worker, told the BBC he resigned after witnessing “war crimes by the Israeli Defense Forces, without a doubt. Using artillery rounds, mortar rounds, firing tank rounds into unarmed civilians is a war crime.” He described GHF as “amateur, inexperienced, and untrained.” (Middle East Eye | BBC)
• Another whistleblower told Sky News that GHF contractors opened fire and sprayed pepper spray on civilians. The company dismissed him as a “disgruntled employee.” (Sky News)
• The WHO says Israeli forces stormed staff housing and destroyed a warehouse in Deir al-Balah, making it impossible to deliver vital medical supplies. “Israeli military entered the premises, forcing women and children to evacuate on foot amid active conflict. Male staff were handcuffed, stripped, and interrogated at gunpoint.” Four were detained; one remains in custody. (WHO)

Politics of Genocide

• Macron tried — and failed — to get the UK and Canada to join France in recognizing a Palestinian state, Reuters reports. “Three diplomats said London did not want to face the wrath of the United States, and Ottawa took a similar stance, leaving Macron to go it alone.” (Reuters)
  • “Some analysts say Macron has used the carrot of recognition to extract concessions from Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority — a moderate rival to Hamas — and other regional players… Others say while recognition has symbolic value, there will still be no functioning Palestinian state whenever the war in Gaza comes to an end.”
  • “French officials point to months of intense Israeli lobbying to try to prevent Macron’s move — and Netanyahu’s fierce criticism of it — as evidence that it matters a lot to Israeli leaders. Sources familiar with the matter say Israel’s warnings to France ranged from scaling back intelligence-sharing to complicating Paris’ regional initiatives — even hinting at possible annexation of parts of the West Bank. But French officials concluded that Netanyahu would do whatever he thought was in his interests in the West Bank anyway, regardless of what France did on recognition.” (Reuters)
  • When asked about Macron’s declaration, Trump said he likes the guy but that his statement carries no weight. (Reuters)
  • More than 200 members of Parliament are urging UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to join France in recognizing a Palestinian state. He is also facing backlash after a recent report “found that UK firms have continued to export military items to Israel despite a government suspension in September amid allegations that the UK Parliament has been deliberately ‘misled.’” (Al Jazeera)
  • Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney said his country will attend next week’s UN conference in New York to discuss a two-state solution. (X)

Journalists continue to face grave danger inside Gaza. Israel has killed more than 188 journalists since October 7.

• Al Jazeera’s Anas Al-Sharif says he is being targeted by the Israeli military and fears for his life and that of his family. Al-Sharif has been covering the war since the beginning. While reporting on the dire conditions in Gaza, he recently broke down on air. An IDF spokesperson accused him of staging a “Hollywood production” with “crocodile tears” and, without evidence, claimed he was affiliated with Hamas. The Committee to Protect Journalists called Al-Sharif a “key source of news from Gaza” and said he was being targeted simply because he “cried on air while reporting on starvation.” (Committee to Protect Journalists)
• Belgian authorities arrested two Israelis attending a local music festival — including one IDF soldier — to question them about potential war crimes committed in Gaza. Both were later released, but the incident marks a promising sign that those accused of war crimes may not find refuge once they leave Israel. (Hind Rajab Foundation)

Headlines

• The Trump Administration has withdrawn the U.S. from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), which promotes science and culture worldwide. Trump first pulled out in 2017, and the U.S. rejoined under Biden. The administration claimed UNESCO had become “woke” for focusing on poverty, hunger, and gender inequality — values it said conflicted with “America First” foreign policy. It also opposed the organization’s recognition of Palestine as a member. (NPR)
• The DOJ is pressuring states to end in-state tuition for undocumented students and has already convinced Texas to reverse its 24-year-old policy. (Politico | NBC News)
• Trump says he’s threatening stiff tariffs on Thailand and Cambodia unless they halt renewed border violence that’s killed at least 33 people this week. The latest flare-up follows landmine injuries to Thai soldiers in a disputed zone. (AP | Al Jazeera)
• Planning to visit the U.S. on an immigrant visa? A new provision in Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” requires a $250 “visa integrity fee,” refundable only if visitors don’t overstay or violate visa terms. Asylum seekers may face an additional $100 fee, which advocates warn could prevent people in crisis from applying. (ABC News)
• The federal government denied Maryland Gov. Wes Moore’s request for $16 million in disaster relief after May’s floods — just a day after Trump approved aid for West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, and Michigan. All four states voted for Trump in 2024. (Washington Post)
• Columbia University has agreed to pay a $200 million fine and meet several conditions to restore federal funding and avoid investigation into last year’s anti-genocide protests. Under the agreement, Columbia will:
  • Eliminate DEI-based admissions and hiring
  • Hire more Jewish faculty
  • Reduce international student enrollment
  • Submit to oversight by an “independent” monitor (AP)
• Harvard, meanwhile, is fighting back. It’s suing the Trump Administration over funding cuts tied to accusations of failing to address antisemitism, arguing the decision violates the First Amendment. “Freedom of speech is on trial,” said Peter McDonough of the American Council on Education. (Washington Post)
• Remember when Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared intel about a U.S. strike on the Houthis in a group chat — and claimed it wasn’t a big deal? It was. The shared email was classified “SECRET,” meaning unauthorized disclosure could cause serious damage to national security. (Washington Post)
• Detainees at three immigrant detention centers in Florida say they were forced to eat “like dogs,” with their hands cuffed behind their backs. (Human Rights Watch)
• Biden has reportedly sold his memoir for $10 million. No release date has been announced. (Wall Street Journal)
• Celebrity deaths often come in threes. This week, we lost three Gen X figures:
  • Malcolm-Jamal Warner (Theo from The Cosby Show) (People)
  • Ozzy Osbourne, heavy metal legend (AP)
  • Hulk Hogan, controversial pro wrestling icon (ESPN)
• UPDATE: A judge sentenced the officer involved in the deadly raid on Breonna Taylor’s home to 33 months in prison — far exceeding the DOJ’s recommendation of just one day. (CNN)
• Did You Know? You can Venmo the U.S. government to help pay off the national debt. But with the debt growing by $55,000 per second, every American — newborns included — would need to donate about $100,000 to pay it off. (Axios)

Epstein Latest

• In what is a clear effort to distract MAGA from the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard claimed there is “new evidence” proving former President Barack Obama lied when he said Russia interfered in the 2016 election to help then-candidate Trump. Gabbard alleges Obama lied “in order to undermine the legitimacy of President Trump, essentially enacting a years-long coup against him.” (X)
• But at least five investigations concluded that Russia did try to influence the 2016 election. None of the assessments claimed the efforts were successful, however. In 2018, then-Senator Marco Rubio said the intelligence assessments were “100% accurate. The Russians interfered in our elections.” A Senate Intelligence Committee report “concluded that Russia had ‘engaged in an aggressive, multi-faceted effort to influence, or attempt to influence, the outcome of the 2016 presidential election.’” (CNN)
• In a rare rebuke, Obama's office issued this statement:

“Out of respect for the office of the presidency, our office does not normally dignify the constant nonsense and misinformation flowing out of this White House with a response. But these claims are outrageous enough to merit one. These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction. Nothing in the document issued last week undercuts the widely accepted conclusion that Russia worked to influence the 2016 presidential election but did not successfully manipulate any votes. These findings were affirmed in a 2020 report by the bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee, led by then-Chairman Marco Rubio.”

• Meanwhile, the DOJ met with convicted child sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell this week. Maxwell sat down with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche for nine hours over two days, answering questions under a “proffer” agreement — which grants limited immunity if answers are truthful, a standard practice. (ABC News)
• Blanche, now #2 at the DOJ, was formerly Trump’s personal criminal defense lawyer — making it highly unusual that he led the Maxwell meeting himself. “Several aspects of the Blanche decision appear to break with longstanding Justice Department practices,” CBS reports. "Most concerning, former officials say, was Blanche conducting the interview instead of the line prosecutors who helped convict Maxwell and are still handling her appeal."(CBS News)
• Was he alone? Experts told CBS News that meetings of this nature “almost always include an FBI agent who can memorialize the discussion in formal interview notes that could later have evidentiary value, if needed.”
• Also raising eyebrows: the DOJ fired Maurene Comey, lead prosecutor on the Epstein case, just last week. “That does not seem coincidental. It seems like they wanted Maurene not to be present in the Department of Justice. To be able to say, ‘What the heck, you can’t go talk to my client or my defendant,’” said Mimi Rocah, a former federal prosecutor in New York.
• When asked whether he would pardon Maxwell or commute her sentence, Trump said: “I’m allowed to do it, but it’s something I have not thought about.” Sure, Donald. (NBC News)
• Maxwell’s attorney — a personal friend of Blanche — said she was asked about 100 people and answered all questions.

• The House Oversight Committee voted to subpoena Maxwell to testify on August 11. Her lawyer says she hasn’t yet decided whether she’ll comply. (Politico)
• Related: Former President Bill Clinton also contributed a note to Epstein’s now-infamous birthday book. (WSJ)