Palestinian official on Gaza and statehood

President Trump has said he'll announce a new humanitarian plan to improve food supplies in Gaza, after US Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff's visit to a controversial US Israeli-backed aid site in the territory. The UN has described Gaza Humanitarian Foundation's aid system as "a death trap". Salah Abdel-Shafi, Palestinian Authority's Permanent Observer to the United Nations agencies, joins us.

Also in the programme: Ukraine's soldiers are experiencing a new kind of PTSD - one caused specifically by sounds of the drones. A leading military psychiatrist says the condition is affecting thousands of troops; and, in the world of literature, US writer Gary Shteyngart speaks to Weekend's Julian Worricker about his latest book, "Vera, or Faith".

Presenter Rebecca Kesby is joined by Olga Oliker, Programme Director for Europe and Central Asia at the International Crisis Group and Eric Albert, a French journalist and European Economic Correspondent for the French daily, Le Monde.

Photo: Spain air drops 12 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Gaza. 1 August 2025/ Spanish Defence Ministry