Israel’s ‘intensified’ plan to seize Gaza, the voters that swung to Labor, Liberals in crisis | The Guardian

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Gazans evacuate as smoke rises from an Israeli strike in Khan Yunis.

06/05/2025

Israel’s ‘intensified’ plan to seize Gaza, the voters that swung to Labor, Liberals in crisis

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Martin Farrer

Morning everyone. Israel has announced a new plan for an “intensified” offensive in Gaza, which officials said was about “conquering” the territory, moving the population and establishing a sustained presence.

At home the fallout from Labor’s spectacular election win continues. We look at key seats where Chinese Australians turned against the Coalition, and the waning power of the Murdoch press. In the US, the White House is dealing with pushback against Donald Trump’s plan to slap tariffs on foreign films.

Australia

Batavia rethink | The story of the Batavia shipwreck has long been accepted as the result of one “madman” wreaking terror with rape and murder. But a Dutch academic now argues that it was more complicated than that.

Chinese factor | Labor was helped towards its election win by huge swings of up to 30% from Chinese Australian voters in key marginal seats, bringing warnings from strategists and analysts that the Liberal party has failed to rebuild trust with the community after the harsh anti-Beijing rhetoric of the Morrison era.

Woman held | A 66-year-old woman is being held in police custody after two children aged six and seven were found dead at a house in Coonabarabran in north-west New South Wales.

Nurses’ fight | The Queensland union movement has warned the state’s conservative government it will be in for a “hell of a bloody fight” if it pursues threats to strip nurses and midwives of back pay if they enact their legal right to strike.

Stellar show | With no moon in the sky this week, Australian stargazers have a good chance to see the annual Eta Aquariids meteor showers as they streak across the sky.

World

Tents of internally displaced Palestinians set up in central Gaza City.

Gaza ‘conquest’ | António Guterres, the United Nations secretary general, says “countless civilians” would be killed if Israel goes ahead with a new “intensified” offensive in Gaza involving seizure of territory and the displacement of a large part of its population. Our correspondent says Benjamin Netanyahu is hopes the plan will squeeze concessions from Hamas and appease his rightwing allies.

Cut! | There is concern in the film industry – including in Australia – that Donald Trump’s threat of tariffs on films not made in America would be devastating. Follow developments live.

Romania ruckus | Romania’s pro-EU prime minister has resigned after his ruling coalition’s candidate crashed out of a presidential election rerun decisively won by a far-right Trump admirer, dramatically deepening the country’s political turmoil and spelling potential trouble for Ukraine.

Border control | The Mexican president, Claudia Sheinbaum, sought to defuse claims by Donald Trump over the weekend that he might push for a military presence in her country to tackle the drugs trade.

London parade | The royal family led the celebrations in London of the 80th anniversaary of VE day with a 1,300-strong military procession. Meanwhile royal watchers are still digesting Harry’s latest interview.

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Full Story

The ‘bloodletting’ and crisis inside the Liberal party

As insiders warn about an existential crisis facing the Liberals after their electoral rout, Nour Haydar talks to our chief political correspondent, Tom McIlroy, about what comes next for the party.

In-depth

We have an excellent selection of analysis about what shaped the election result, and what lessons can be drawn from the outcome. First, our number crunchers have been trying to identify the main demographic groups that swung to Labor – and they include urban voters, women, young people and Australians whose first language is not English. One of the most salient lessons from the election is that Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp press no longer has the power to influence elections, writes Margaret Simons, with nothing to show for full-throated editorial support in papers across the country. Another lesson, our environment editor argues, is that there will never be a better chance to strike ahead with more ambitious plan for renewable energy.