NYU said it is withholding the diploma of a student who delivered an unapproved commencement speech to address what he called the "atrocities currently happening in Palestine" during the Israel-Hamas war.

Undergraduate Logan Rozos told the crowd on Wednesday that he condemned the "atrocities currently happening in Palestine", drawing cheers and some boos. An NYU spokesperson accused Mr Rozos of lying about what he had planned to say in the address in order to "express his personal and one-sided political views".

Israel said Saturday it had launched a major operation in the Gaza Strip to pressure Hamas to release remaining hostages.

For decades, Israel has leveraged its special relationship with the United States to serve as a gatekeeper to Washington