The online edition of the Times reports fierce fighting in Syria along a key supply route to the city of Aleppo as President Bashar Assad’s forces look to regain control of the strategic route. The same report also quotes Baroness Amos, who oversees the United Nations’ (UN) humanitarian efforts in Syria, warning that aid operations in Syria may have to be scaled back due to worsening conditions and inadequate funding. Striking a similar tone, the Independent online reports that the heads of five UN humanitarian agencies have issued a rare joint statement, calling for the international community to find a political solution to the bloody conflict in Syria. Meanwhile, the Telegraph online says that President Assad has marked a national holiday by granting an early release for some prisoners affiliated with opposition groups. Opposition leaders have said that this would only be a positive move if the release includes imprisoned women and children.

The online edition of the Independent reports that a French rail workers union has claimed that the country’s major rail company, SNCF, banned Muslim employees from meeting Israel’s President Shimon Peres during his recent visit to Paris. The article clarifies that the Israeli embassy in France made no request to SNCF for help with security.

The BBC online provides a preview to the programme “Israel: Facing the Future” hosted by veteran reported John Ware, which will air on BBC 2 this evening, analysing some of the challenges ahead for Israel. The BBC preview online includes quotes from Likud MK Tzipi Hotovely and former Mossad head Ephraim Halevy, who are both featured in the programme. The programme is also recommended and previewed briefly in the television guides of the Daily Mail, Independent i, Telegraph, Independent and Times which bills it as a “balanced and informed look at what Israel’s future holds.”

In the Israeli media this morning, Maariv includes an interview with Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc, who said that he is keen for relations between his country and Israel to be fully normalised. Arinc confirmed that he would lead Turkey’s delegation in talks with Israel over compensation for the families of the nine Turkish citizens killed on board a Gaza-protest vessel in 2010 and said that he expects the issue to be resolved in just one meeting. Maariv also claims that Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected a proposal by the United States that its troops lead an international force to patrol the borders of a future Palestinian state. Netanyahu has reportedly insisted that Israeli soldiers be allowed to retain their presence in the Jordan Valley for a forty-year period, in order to effectively prevent arms smuggling.

Both Yediot Ahronot and Haaretz highlight comments made by IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz during an interview yesterday. Yediot Ahronot focuses on Gantz’s warning that forty years of quiet on the Golan Heights, which borders Syria, has ended. Meanwhile, Haaretz focuses on Gantz’s claim that Israel can attack Iran’s nuclear facilities alone if necessary. Makor Rishon notes similar comments made yesterday by Defence Minister Moshe Ya’alon who said that the international community should lead efforts to stop Iran’s nuclear development, but that Israel is ready to act alone. Meanwhile, Israel Radio news reports that the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations yesterday passed a resolution declaring United States’ support for Israel should such action become necessary.