When the bombs in Gaza stop, the true pain starts

On Thursday morning, President Donald Trump announced that the United States, working with Egypt, Turkiye and Qatar, had finally reached a ceasefire deal for Gaza. For a moment, it seemed as if Gaza’s long nightmare was coming to an end.

But the ceasefire didn’t bring peace; it only shifted the suffering into a quieter, more insidious form, where the real damage from the rubble began to settle into Gaza’s weary soul. Years of relentless shelling had built up fear and heartbreak that no outsider could erase.

During those two brutal years of bombing and near-total destruction, everyone in Gaza was focused on one thing: Staying alive. We were fighting for every minute, trying not to break down, starve, or get killed. Life became an endless loop of terror and waiting for the next strike. No one had the luxury to dream about tomorrow or even to mourn the people we’d lost. If there was any kind of shelter, and that was a big if, the goal was simply to move from one shattered refuge to another, holding on by a thread. That constant awareness that death could come at any moment turned every day into an act of survival.

Then, when the explosions finally eased, a quieter kind of pain crept in: All the grief we had buried to get through the chaos. Almost everyone had someone torn away, and those pushed-aside memories came rushing back with a force that took the breath out of us. As soon as the rockets fell quiet, another fight began inside people’s chests, one full of mourning, flashbacks and relentless mental anguish. On the surface, it looked like the war was over, but it wasn’t. It was far messier than that. Even when the shelling eased, the emotional wounds kept bleeding.

When the noise finally faded, people began to ask the questions they had forced themselves to ignore. They already knew the answers – who was gone, who would not be coming back – but saying the words out loud made it real. The silence that followed was heavier than any explosion they had survived. That silence made the truth impossible to avoid. It revealed the permanence of loss and the scale of what had vanished. There were holes everywhere, in homes, in streets, in hearts, and there was no way to fill them.

People in Gaza breathed a fragile sigh of relief when the news of a ceasefire arrived, but they knew the days ahead could hurt even more than the fighting itself. After 733 days of feeling erased from the map, the tears locked behind their eyes finally began to fall, carrying with them every ounce of buried pain. Each tear was proof of what they had endured. It was a reminder that a ceasefire does not end suffering; it only opens the door to a different kind of torment.
As the guns fell quiet, people in Gaza were left to confront the full scale of the devastation. You could see it in their faces – the shock, the fury, the grief – the weight of years under fire.

Roads that once hummed with life had fallen silent. Homes that had sheltered families were reduced to dust, and children wandered through the ruins, trying to recognise the streets they had grown up on. The whole place felt like a void that seemed to swallow everything, as bottled-up grief burst open and left everyone floundering in powerlessness. During the onslaught, the occupiers had made sure Palestinians could not even stop to mourn. But with the ceasefire came the unbearable realisation of how much had truly been lost, how ordinary life had been erased. Coming face to face with the absence of loved ones left scars that would not fade, and the tears finally came. Those tears ran down exhausted faces and broken hearts, carrying the full weight of everything remembered.

It was not only the mind that suffered. The physical and social world of Palestinians lay in ruins. When the bombing eased, people crawled out of their makeshift tents to find their homes and towns reduced to rubble. Places that had once meant comfort were gone, and streets that had once been full of life were now heaps of debris.

Families dug desperately through the rubble for traces of their old lives, for roads and signs that had vanished, for relatives still trapped beneath the debris. Amid the wreckage, the questions came: How do we rebuild from this? Where can we find any spark of hope? When an entire world has been destroyed, where does one even begin? Israel’s strategy was clear, and its results unmistakable. This was not chaos; it was a deliberate effort to turn Gaza into a wasteland. By striking hospitals, schools and water systems – the foundations of survival – the aim was to shatter what makes life itself possible. Those strikes sowed a despair that seeps into everything, fraying the bonds of community, eroding trust and forcing families to wonder whether they can endure a system built to erase them.

The destruction went deeper than bricks and bodies. The constant shadow of death, the bombs that could fall anywhere, and the psychological toll made fear feel ordinary, hope seem foolish, and society begin to unravel. Children stopped learning, money disappeared, health collapsed, and the fragile glue holding communities together came undone. Palestinians were not only struggling to survive each day; they were also fighting the slow decay of their future, a damage etched into minds and spirits that will last for generations.

When the fighting subsided, new forms of pain emerged. Surrounded by ruins and with no clear path forward, people in Gaza faced an impossible choice: Leave their homeland and risk never returning, or stay in a place without roads, schools, doctors or roofs. Either choice ensured the same outcome – the continuation of suffering by making Gaza unlivable. Endless negotiations and bureaucratic deadlocks only deepened the despair, allowing the wounds to fester even as the world spoke of “peace”.

The ceasefire may have stopped the shooting, but it ignited new battles: Restoring power and water, reopening schools, rebuilding healthcare, and trying to reclaim a sense of dignity. Yet the larger question remains: Will the world settle for symbolic aid and empty speeches, or finally commit to helping Palestinians rebuild their lives? Wars carve deep wounds, and healing them takes more than talk. It demands sustained, tangible support.

After two years under siege, Gaza is crying out for more than quiet guns. It needs courage, vision and real action to restore dignity and a sense of future. The ceasefire is not a finish line. It marks the start of a harder struggle against heartbreak, memory and pain that refuses to fade. If the world does not act decisively, Palestinian life itself could collapse. Rebuilding communities, routines and a measure of normalcy will be slow and difficult, but it has to happen if Gaza is to keep going. Outwardly, the war may have paused, but here it has only changed shape. What comes next will demand everything we have left: Endurance, stubborn hope, the will to stay standing.

Gregg Wallace suing the BBC over ‘distress and harassment’ after MasterChef axe

Former MasterChef host Gregg Wallace is suing the BBC for up to £10,000 following his axe from MasterChef as he claims they allegedly caused him ‘distress and harassment’

Gregg Wallace is claiming up to £10,000 in damages from the BBC and one of its subsidiaries following his axe from MasterChef. The TV presenter has claimed they allegedly caused him “distress and harassment” by failing to disclose to him his personal data.

He is suing the BBC and BBC Studios Distribution Limited after he was sacked in July. In November last year, it was announced that Wallace would step away from his role on the BBC cooking show while historical allegations of misconduct were investigated.

This summer a statement from production company Banijay UK and the BBC said they had agreed “Mr Wallace’s return to MasterChef is untenable”. The BBC and BBC Studios have not yet filed a defence to the claim.

READ MORE: MasterChef judge John Torode brushes off axe as he gets cooking while final airsREAD MORE: Penny Lancaster says MasterChef team ‘didn’t support her’ during Gregg Wallace fallout

In court documents, seen by the PA news agency, barrister Lawrence Power said that Wallace had requested “personal data” from the BBC and BBC Studios related to “his work, contractual relations and conduct”. Mr Power continued that Wallace made subject access requests (SARs) to both the BBC and BBC Studios on March 6.

Requests for access to personal data should be processed within a month, but this deadline can be extended if the information is complex, Mr Power said.

The barrister continued that on August 7, the BBC emailed Mr Wallace to apologise for the delay and stated they were “taking all reasonable steps” to process the request in “a timely manner as possible going forward”, but he has still not received a response.

BBC Studios is claimed to have told Wallace that it was withholding parts of his personal data due to “freedom of expression”. Mr Power said that the body had “wrongly redacted” information and had “unlawfully failed to supply all of the claimant’s personal data”.

He said: “By reason of the defendants failing to fully comply with the SARs made by the claimant for his own personal data, the defendants acted in breach of their statutory duty and in doing so caused distress and harassment to the claimant.”

Mr Power said that Wallace was seeking damages for “distress, harassment and loss of amenity not exceeding £10,000”, damages under the UK General Data Protection Regulation, and interest. He is also seeking a court order that the BBC and BBC Studios comply with the subject access requests.

Wallace began co-presenting MasterChef in 2005, but it was announced in November 2024 that he would step away from his role while the misconduct allegations were investigated. A review by law firm Lewis Silkin later upheld 45 of the 83 allegations against him, including one of “unwelcome physical contact”.

The report found that the “majority of the allegations against Wallace (94%) related to behaviour which is said to have occurred between 2005 and 2018”, with only one allegation substantiated after that year.

It also concluded that the “majority of the substantiated allegations against Mr Wallace related to inappropriate sexual language and humour”, adding that “a smaller number of allegations of other inappropriate language and being in a state of undress were also substantiated”.

The report noted that during the course of the investigation, which was over a seven-month period, Wallace was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, and said that the findings should be viewed in the context of his neurodiversity.

In July, the BBC said in a statement that Wallace’s “behaviour falls below the values of the BBC and the expectations we have for anyone who works with or for us”.

It said: “Although the full extent of these issues were not known at the relevant time, opportunities were missed to address this behaviour, both by the production companies running MasterChef and the BBC. We accept more could and should have been done sooner.”

Wallace issued an apology saying he was “deeply sorry for any distress caused” and that he “never set out to harm or humiliate”. In a statement to the PA news agency, the former greengrocer said: “For eight months, my family and I have lived under a cloud. Trial by media, fuelled by rumour and clickbait.

“None of the serious allegations against me were upheld. I challenged the remaining issue of unwanted touching, but have had to accept a difference in perception, and I am deeply sorry for any distress caused. It was never intended.”

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The Mirror has contacted the BBC for comment.

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Loose Women’s Charlene White announces her dad has taken his own life in heartbreaking post

Loose Women star Charlene White has shared the heartbreaking news of her dad’s death, revealing he took his own life two weeks ago. Charlene, 45, shared the devastating news in a heartbreaking Instagram post, sharing a photo of her beloved dad, Denniston, and paying tribute to him.

The photo showed Charlene’s father smiling while standing on a beach at a sunny location. He wore a grey shirt and jeans as he leaned forward for the picture. In the caption, Charlene announced the tragic news, explaining her father was “living with a dark cloud”.

She wrote: “Two weeks ago our lives changed forever. Unbeknownst to us, our dad had been living with a dark cloud he couldn’t lift. So he made the decision to take control of that cloud and take his own life.

“This despite the fact he lived a life full of love. FULL to the brim. Overflowing in fact. But sometimes the darkness is stronger, and heartbreakingly for all of us, he chose to keep what he was going through to himself. Very typical of dad.





Charlene revealed the devastating news about her dad on Instagram today

“So we too have made a choice – his children, step-children, and wife – not to hide the circumstances of our loss. Because hiding emotions and the true depth of our feelings — hurt, pain, shock, grief etc. — helps no-one. Least of all us.”

Charlene continued: “This post will no doubt prompt many of our friends who we haven’t managed to reach out to yet, to contact us. Please don’t be offended by any calls and messages that remain unanswered for now. This kind of grief is new and unexpected and we’re still finding our way.

“Hug your parents close, and always tell them that you love them. Because that’s sort of our job as children, to love them, no matter where the road eventually takes them. Even if they end up taking the hardest most unfathomable path.”






Charlene White


Charlene reminded readers to “hug your parents”
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ITV1)

The star added: “But we have each other, and I don’t know how we’d ever be able to see a sliver of brightness and light in everyday without each other to lean on. And the million extended family members, and tribes of friends who’ve held our hearts and our hands over the past two weeks.

“On Sunday we had the traditional Jamaican nine night, and the ancestors were right – it was the most perfect way to release our grief through food, dancing, drink… and joy, with hundreds of friends and family. All organised by our tribe of friends and family. We’re incredibly blessed.”

She went on to gush about her ‘amazing’ father, writing to fans: “Denniston was an amazing dad, step dad, surrogate dad to many, friend, brother, grandad, uncle, cousin and husband. And we’re all just taking it step by step,” before she and the rest of her family signed off the tribute.

“From Charlene, Liz, Joshua, Carina, Jade, Gemma, Justin, Soriah, Alfie, Florence, Kairo, Elisha and Shaniya.” Charlene also linked to the Samaritans.

Charlene’s Loose Women co-stars and friends rushed to provide their support to the grieving star, with Nadia Sawalha posting: “Charlene .. oh my darling I’m in total shock for you . You have such a wonderfully close and loving family .

“Your adoration for your father always shines so brightly when you talk about him .
The hugest of hugs.” Coleen Nolan posted: “Oh Charlene so so sorry to hear this news… thinking of you and your family! Love you.”

Fred Sirieix commented: “I am so sorry. So sad. All the love,” and Jane Moore added: “So sorry for your loss. Sending love.”

*If you’re struggling and need to talk, the Samaritans operate a free helpline open 24/7 on 116 123. Alternatively, you can email jo@samaritans.org or visit their site to find your local branch.

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How Israel denies the right to play for Palestinian children

We look at Palestinian children’s right to play in war-ravaged Gaza and in the occupied West Bank.

All children – wherever they are in the world – deserve to be children: to explore, laugh and play, especially since play is a vital path to their learning and growth. But what about Palestinian children’s play time – or lack thereof? This is a human right taken from them by Israel.

Presenter: Stefanie Dekker

Guests:
Omar El-Buhaisi – Psychiatrist & field supervisor, Palestine Trauma Centre

Daoud Fawadleh – Programme manager, Right to Play

England aim to go ‘all guns blazing’ in World Cup

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Although fixtures against Sri Lanka and Pakistan should be straightforward for England as they look to continue their winning streak, they could prove decisive with back-to-back matches against India and Australia to come.

England thrashed South Africa in what could have been a tricky opener, avoided a scare against Bangladesh and now have a golden opportunity to make sure they go into those games against the pre-tournament favourites unbeaten.

But they will have to contend with more spin-friendly conditions in Colombo on Saturday, with opener Tammy Beaumont saying the nature of the pitches is reducing the gulf between teams.

“Every game in this World Cup is big. Bangladesh played so well against us and Sri Lanka will be a challenge in home conditions,” she told BBC Sport.

“The conditions are bringing all the teams into it, so it’s important we have to keep playing well.

“It certainly feels like the fixtures have worked quite well for us, so hopefully we can keep building that momentum and it will be all guns blazing by the time we get to Indore.”

The surface in Indore is likely to be the most batter-friendly that England will experience, with Australia’s 326 there against New Zealand the highest total of this World Cup.

While England’s batters struggled against spin against Bangladesh in Guwahati, they are not alone.

Spinners Linsey Smith, Sophie Ecclestone, Charlie Dean and Alice Capsey have been superb, taking 16 wickets between them.

The contest for the top four places in the eight-team group was blown wide open by South Africa’s astonishing comeback against India on Thursday, led by Nadine de Klerk’s unbeaten 84 from number eight.

“I know Nadine quite well, having played with her at the Blaze,” Beaumont said.

“She’s an absolute fighter and a competitor, so it doesn’t surprise me that she pulled that out of the bag.

“It’s great to see that any team in this competition can beat anyone, but I think that kind of batting depth will be the difference between the top four and the rest.”

The International Cricket Council has said India’s fixture against Australia on Sunday will be a sell-out, alongside India v England, although there have been mostly disappointing crowds for games not involving India.

“Indian fans are so passionate about cricket, we know that they’re going to come out to support their team. But it will be amazing to play in front of a sold-out crowd,” said Beaumont.

Beaumont, who has scores of 21 not out and 13 at this World Cup, said overcoming a wobble against Bangladesh will serve England well.

Over the past year they have been criticised for not performing under pressure after T20 World Cup and Ashes defeats, and, had they not got over the line in Guwahati, it would have been one of the biggest shocks in Women’s World Cup history.

“We like to keep it exciting sometimes,” Beaumont said.

“But it’s given us really good belief. We know the blueprint of how we want to play, so we are calm and well prepped.

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Was Tuchel right to criticise England fans?

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Thomas Tuchel has only been England boss for 10 months – but he has again made headlines and ruffled feathers with his answers in an interview.

After Thursday’s 3-0 friendly win over Wales, watched by 78,126 fans at Wembley, Tuchel said: “I love English football and I love English football fans and the support they give, but I think the atmosphere did not match the performance on the field.

“We had excellent support in Serbia, but [here] we were 3-0 up after 20 minutes, we had ball win after ball win after ball win and I felt like why is the roof still on the stadium? That’s just it, it’s nothing big.

“We will do everything again to be infectious, there’s no problem. I’m sure we will get everyone going – it is on us. But tonight I was a little underwhelmed.”

He told ITV that “it’s a big sad” because for half an hour it was “just Wales fans” being heard.

Some fans threw paper aeroplanes on the pitch, an occurrence that has happened in recent years when England fans have been bored.

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What have previous managers said?

Fabio Capello in an England coatGetty Images

This is far from the first time an England manager has talked about an underwhelming Wembley atmosphere.

In fact every permanent England boss since 2008 (who has managed more than one game) has – although only one was anywhere near as vocal as Tuchel

Italian Fabio Capello said in 2008: “I prefer playing away from home. When we play at Wembley, sometimes the first mistake the crowd whistle.

“I think, at this moment, the players play better away from home. They play with more confidence.”

Roy Hodgson was asked about low attendances in 2014 after 40,181 watched a game with Norway.

“We’ll find it hard to bring attendances back because the opponents we’re playing won’t excite the public,” he said.

And Gareth Southagte was asked about paper planes after a friendly against Brazil in March 2024.

“I saw a couple of those after about 10 minutes,” he said. “We’ve had that throughout. I don’t think it always reflects the game. People can do as they please with their paper planes.

Why did Tuchel do this?

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Tuchel is well known for being direct and sometimes confrontational in his quotes.

In August he apologised for describing midfielder Jude Bellingham’s on-field behaviour as “repulsive”, saying he used the word “unintentionally”.

Tuchel has made friends and enemies at many of the previous clubs he has managed: Mainz, Borussia Dortmund, Paris St-Germain, Chelsea and Bayern Munich.

Is this a cultural thing – and Germans are more direct than English fans are used to – or just a Tuchel thing?

German journalist Constantin Eckner believes it is the latter.

“That has nothing to do with Tuchel being German,” he said.

“That’s just how Tuchel thinks and acts. He is very direct, blatantly honest and can be annoyed by certain things.

“He rarely holds back, and is in a sense the new Jose Mourinho, who similarly speaks his mind during press conferences and post-game interviews.”

Eckner says some of this comes from Tuchel being used to club football. This is his first international job, starting it at the beginning of 2025.

“It certainly is a deviation from the way Gareth Southgate behaved during his tenure,” the journalist said.

“Also, I think Tuchel is not yet used to home crowds being that reserved, which can happen at international games.

“During his time as a club manager, the home fans were usually buzzing. Even Mainz had a great home game atmosphere.”

After the quotes on Bellingham which were heavily critised, Tuchel said: “I thought I had a little more credit with you guys [media] that I do all this in my second language.”

But this instance is not a case of using the wrong word.

What are the issues?

Tuchel’s comments about a “silent” Wembley have already sparked a debate about how the atmosphere for England matches at the national stadium can be improved.

Inside Wembley on Thursday, it struck me once again how when the second half began thousands of seats remained empty and it wasn’t until some time after the break they were filled.

England matches at Wembley can often be so quiet and the paper-plane throwing there that irked Southgate throughout his time in charge is still very much a thing.

Wembley for England is a changing crowd every time they play. The ‘Club Wembley’ contingent enjoying hospitality packages don’t help in that regard and it’s never a good look when many of their seats behind the tunnel and the dugout are still vacant well into the second half.

The England Supporters Travel Club have long tried to improve the atmosphere at home matches and only last month asked members for suggestions about “improving the visual and vocal atmosphere”.

As Tuchel acknowledged it’s not an issue for away matches, and praised the support in Belgrade last month. It’s to do specifically with the national stadium.

Which is not to say that Wembley is never vibrant for England – think back to the Euros in 2021, and what it sounded like when Germany were beaten, or the explosion of noise when Luke Shaw opened the scoring in the final. It was as loud as anything I’ve heard there.

Is it the lack of jeopardy?

The introduction of the Nations League has meant fewer friendlies that have absolutely nothing riding on them.

England have played about two friendlies a year since 2020, including against Senegal and Wales this year.

But while most of their games are competitive, most still seem to lack the feeling of jeopardy.

Since failing to qualify for Euro 2008 under McClaren, England have lost only two of their 79 World Cup or Euros qualifiers – usually qualifying with games to spare.

And while England have reached the Nations League finals, been relegated and been promoted, the tournament has yet to really capture the imagination in the country.

Wembley crowds have only seen England lose one competitive match since 2018, a 2-1 loss to Greece in the Nations League last year under Lee Carsley.

In this year’s World Cup qualifiers, England have won five out of five and already sit seven points above second-placed Albania.

Former England captain Wayne Rooney recently said on his BBC podcast, The Wayne Rooney Show, that most of these games are “nonsense”.

“Watching England now and some of the games, you know they’re going to win, it can be a bit boring,” he said.

How about other countries?

Alvaro Morata playing against Spain in 2024Getty Images

England play most of their home games at Wembley, only playing games elsewhere for logistical reasons or sometimes in the build-up to a major tournament.

Since 2018, they have also played home matches at Old Trafford, Molineux, the Riverside Stadium, St Mary’s, the King Power Stadium, Elland Road, St James’ Park and the City Ground.

There is a mix of strategy among other leading European football nations.

France and Portugal have fixed home grounds, but others like Spain and the Netherlands move around.

Criticism of fans is not unique to England either. And instances elsewhere show that playing in certain cities can affect how fans react to some players.

Spain boss Luis de la Fuente said he “felt ashamed” when Bernabeu fans booed captain Alvaro Morata, who played for Atletico and Real Madrid, against Brazil last year.

“It pains me to the core that in my country they boo the captain of the national team,” he added.

Are Tuchel’s quotes actually a bad thing?

The other question is whether Tuchel’s quotes should be perceived negatively or not.

Former England defender Stephen Warnock was at the game against Wales as a summariser for BBC Radio 5 Live.

“The performance warranted a good response from the fans. It’s disappointing he’s felt that,” said Warnock.

“Is this a negative? It depends on how you interpret it as a fan, whether you take it the wrong way or whether you think you can back the team more.

“Maybe there needs to be more done behind the scenes to be able to create pockets of fan groups together where you can actually start the atmosphere going and get the songs going.

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