Amnesty International released a report claiming that there is “strong evidence” Israel committed war crimes during an offensive launched in Gaza last year.

Following the capture of Israeli soldier Lieutenant Hadar Goldin, Israeli security forces launched an offensive into Gaza, which reportedly saw at least 135 Palestinians killed. Most of the deaths are said to have taken place in the first few hours after his capture. More than 1,000 artillery shells in Rafah and dropped more than 40 bombs were dropped on the town of Rafah during the operation.

“There is overwhelming evidence that Israeli forces committed disproportionate, or otherwise indiscriminate, attacks which killed scores of civilians in their homes, on the streets and in vehicles and injured many more,” said Amnesty International.

The report, based on joint research with the group Forensic Architecture, went on to say “public statements by Israeli army commanders and soldiers after the conflict provide compelling reasons to conclude that some attacks that killed civilians and destroyed homes and property were intentionally carried out and motivated by a desire for revenge – to teach a lesson to, or punish, the population of Rafah for the capture of Lieutenant Goldin”.

Russia has exercised its veto at the UN Security Council to block a move to set up an international criminal tribunal into the MH17 disaster.

Russia was the only country in the council to veto the resolution, which had 11 countries vote in favour of the move. Angola, China and Venezuela abstained.

Responding to the veto, US Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power said, “It is tragic that Russia has used the privilege entrusted to it in order to advance international peace and security ... to frustrate international peace and security”.

“But let us be clear,” she added, “today’s veto cannot and will not deny the victims and their families justice”.

Records suggest that the United Nations spent half a billion dollars on contracts with a Russian aviation company after discovering one of its helicopter crews working in the Democratic Republic of Congo drugged and raped a teenage girl.

Turkey launched its heaviest offensive on Kurdish militants in northern Iraq, since the start of their military campaign in the region.

The strikes hit shelters and depots belonging to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), reports Reuters.

Iraq condemned the air strikes as an “escalation and an assault on Iraqi sovereignty.”

Israel approved plans to build 300 new homes in Jewish settlements within the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, reports Reuters.

 A statement issued by the Israeli Prime Minister’s office said, “immediate construction of 300 housing units has been approved.”

Speaking to Turkish TV, prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu said that the aim was to provide air cover for moderate Syrian rebels fighting Islamic State militants, adding,

Outlining details of a meeting to be held in Addis Ababa, a US official travelling with the US president on Air Force One said,