The European Parliament stopped short of calling for an unconditional ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, saying this should happen only if hostages held in the besieged Palestinian enclave were released and Hamas dismantled, Reuters reports.

Three groups of EU lawmakers — the socialists, centrists and greens — had sought a resolution calling for a permanent ceasefire and the restart of efforts towards a political solution.

The resolution called for a permanent ceasefire and the restart of efforts for a political solution “provided that” hostages were released and Hamas dismantled.

The resolution as a whole was cleared by a wide majority.

Editorial

31 Jul, 2026

Expanding conflict

WITH neither of the belligerents willing to back down, and the theatre of conflict expanding geographically, the...
31 Jul, 2026

Spoils and spats

A FIGHT over assembly seats in Azad Jammu and Kashmir has laid bare what seem to be some deep resentments between ...
31 Jul, 2026

Unfair tax system

THE disclosure that the FBR collected nearly Rs1.9tr in sales and income taxes through electricity bills over the...
30 Jul, 2026

Debt that stays

THE power sector’s circular debt grew by Rs61bn in the last fiscal year, taking the total to roughly Rs1.67tr from...
30 Jul, 2026

HIV warning

THE HIV infections detected around two SESSI-run hospitals in Karachi demand far more than another hurried committee...
30 Jul, 2026

End trafficking

MODERN slavery, in the form of human trafficking, is among the state’s gravest failures. Scores of Pakistanis are...