LONDON (AP) — Oxford Street in London's West End, one of the world's most famous shopping destinations, is getting a makeover with the creation of a new pedestrianized zone that the city's mayor hopes will revitalize its fortunes following struggles over recent decades.
In a statement Thursday, Sadiq Khan said all forms of traffic, including cyclists, will be banned from a key 0.7-mile (1.1-km) stretch of the thoroughfare, between Oxford Circus in the middle and Marble Arch to the west.
Works to pedestrianize this stretch of the 1.2-mile (1.9-km) street are expected to start in the summer, with the first traffic-free section introduced by the end of the year.
“I am delighted to be moving forward with my bold vision to transform Oxford Street into a world-leading urban space for shopping, leisure and outdoor events," Khan said.
Oxford Street boasts around half a million visitors each day and is home to flagship stores of leading retailers Marks & Spencer and John Lewis, as well standalone destinations such as the Selfridge's department store.
But the area — once a London must-visit for tourists like the Champs-Élysées in Paris — has declined in popularity in recent years with the rise of online shopping and new large retail complexes in and around the capital.
Rising business costs, particularly rents and taxes, haven't helped, especially in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, which had already forced many stores to shut up shop. Previous traffic-free days have shown how the street can become more than just a shopping destination, with a fluid mix of live music, exhibits and food stands complementing — and for many surpassing — the retail experience.
Ultimately the changes are all about increasingly footfall and spending, and the mayor’s office said the plans received “extensive support from the business community” during a consultation by Transport for London, the body that oversees the capital's public transport.
The changes will be a challenge, though, for those involved in rerouting buses and taxis that already go along Oxford Street or just cross it.
“In densely developed and historic cities like London there will always be keen competition for the limited road space available, resulting in contentious political decisions as to who gets priority,” said Steve Gooding, director of motoring research at the RAC Foundation.
It’s been a long time coming for Labour mayor Khan, who tried to pedestrianize part of Oxford Street in 2018. He was thwarted by the Conservative-run local authority.
To succeed with his latest plan, he obtained permission from the Labour government to establish a new Mayoral Development Corporation, which provides planning powers, while TfL took over control of the road from the council.
FILE - Shoppers walk along London's most famous shopping Street, Oxford Street, ahead of Christmas in London, Monday, Dec. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — An Israeli strike on Thursday killed at least two Palestinians, who were identified by relatives as members of Hamas, and wounded five others east of Gaza City, a hospital director said.
The Israeli military had no immediate comment.
The deaths and injuries were confirmed by Fadel Naeem, director of Al-Ahli Hospital, where the casualties arrived. Family members identified the men who died in the strike as Muhammad Abu Jabal and Ali al-Burdini, and said both were members of Hamas.
Deadly Israeli strikes have repeatedly disrupted the truce since it took effect on Oct. 10. The escalating Palestinian toll has prompted many in Gaza to say it feels like the war has continued unabated.
Separately, Israel’s military said Thursday that soldiers in southern Gaza had killed a Palestinian who had crossed the line dividing the Israeli-held area of the strip from the area most Palestinians are crammed into. Such shootings have become a common occurrence in the territory since the ceasefire took hold.
The military said the person they killed was a militant and had posed a threat to troops. It maintains that claim when describing most cases of Palestinians shot down in the vicinity of the line, even though some civilians have been killed, including young children, said a military official who spoke to AP on the condition of anonymity in line with military rules.
On Wednesday, the Committee to Protect Journalists released a report saying that more journalists and media workers were killed in 2025 than in any other year since the organization began collecting data more than three decades ago. At least 129 journalists and media workers were killed, two-thirds of them by Israel.
Mariam Dagga, a 33-year-old who freelanced for The Associated Press, was among the war’s victims. She and four other reporters were killed last year when Israeli forces struck Nasser Hospital in the Gaza town of Khan Younis, along with 17 other people.
Gaza’s Health Ministry on Wednesday reported 618 Palestinians had been killed since the start of the ceasefire, bringing the cumulative toll to 72,082 killed since the start of Israel’s offensive. The ministry, which is part of the Hamas-led government, maintains detailed casualty records that are seen as generally reliable by U.N. agencies and independent experts. But it does not not give a breakdown of civilians and militants.
It comes as last year’s ceasefire sees some progress but appears to be largely stalled on key points. After its chaotic opening weeks, officials say more Palestinians are entering and leaving Gaza for Egypt via the reopened Rafah crossing. The Palestinian technocratic committee that is supposed to oversee the territory’s daily affairs still has not been allowed to enter Gaza. Plans for an international peacekeeping force meant to provide security in Gaza are also beginning to take shape but no troops have been deployed.
Israel and Hamas remain divided over the timeline and scope of Israel’s withdrawal and the demilitarization of the enclave after nearly two decades of Hamas rule.
The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel and killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, on Oct. 7, 2023. The 251 hostages taken in the attack were returned to Israel in various ceasefire agreements, with the remains of Israeli police officer Ran Gvili — the final body in Gaza — were found and returned in January, paving the way for the advance of the ceasefire agreement. The war has sparked worldwide protests and brought allegations of genocide that Israel denies.
Ezzidin reported from Cairo. Julia Frankel contributed from Jerusalem.
Find more of AP’s coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war
Mourners carry the bodies of two members of Hamas, Muhammad Abu Jabal, and Fadl Al-Burdini who were killed in an Israeli military strike, at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
Mourners carry the bodies of two members of Hamas, Muhammad Abu Jabal, and Fadl Al-Burdini who were killed in an Israeli military strike, at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
Mourners carry the bodies of two members of Hamas, Muhammad Abu Jabal, and Fadl Al-Burdini who were killed in an Israeli military strike, at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
Palestinians mourn over the bodies of two members of Hamas, Muhammad Abu Jabal, and Fadl Al-Burdini who were killed in an Israeli military strike, at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
