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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
World
Helen Livingstone (now), Léonie Chao-Fong, Martin Belam, Rachel Hall and Reged Ahmad (earlier)

Belgium summons Israeli ambassador over bombing of Gaza development office building – as it happened

 Palestinians at a makeshift camp set up on the beach for people who fled to Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on 1 February.
Palestinians at a makeshift camp set up on the beach for people who fled to Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on 1 February. Photograph: Mohammed Abed/AFP/Getty Images

This blog is now closing. You can read all our coverage of the Middle East and the Israel-Gaza war here.

In Australia, New South Wales police say an independent analysis of audio and video files from a pro-Palestine protest at the Sydney Opera House last year found no evidence for claims that anyone had chanted “gas the Jews”.

People reported hearing the comments at the protest in October last year, and the reports are being investigated by Strike Force Mealing.

In a statement this morning, police said they would continue their investigation and urged anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers. Police said:

Strike Force Mealing was established to investigate reported unlawful activity committed during an unauthorised protest at the Sydney Opera House on 9 October 2023.

Police received reports following the protest suggesting that an offensive antisemitic phrase was chanted during the event.

As a result of independent forensic analysis of audio-video files of the demonstration provided to investigators, police have no evidence that this phrase was used.

Police also obtained statements from several individuals who attended the protest indicating they heard the phrase however these statements have not attributed the phrase to any specific individual.

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