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The Independent
13 minutes ago
- The Independent
Amnesty International says Israel and aid system use starvation to commit Gaza genocide
Amnesty International issued a report Thursday claiming a controversial Israel i- and U.S.-backed system to distribute aid in Gaza uses starvation tactics against Palestinians to continue to commit genocide in the Gaza Strip during Israel's war with Hamas. The U.K.-based human rights group condemned Israel and the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which the U.S. and Israel have backed to take over aid distribution in Gaza from a network led by the United Nations. Israel's foreign minister denounced the Amnesty report, saying the organization has 'joined forces with Hamas and fully adopted all of its propaganda lies.' Gaza's Health Ministry says more than 500 Palestinians have been killed at or near GHF distribution centers over the past month. The centers are guarded by private security contractors and located near Israeli military positions. Palestinian officials and witnesses have accused Israeli forces of opening fire at crowds of people moving near the sites. The Amnesty report said Israel has 'turned aid-seeking into a booby trap for desperate starved Palestinians' through GHF's militarized hubs. The conditions have created "a deadly mix of hunger and disease pushing the population past breaking point.' 'This devastating daily loss of life as desperate Palestinians try to collect aid is the consequence of their deliberate targeting by Israeli forces and the foreseeable consequence of irresponsible and lethal methods of distribution,' said Agnès Callamard, Amnesty's secretary general. Israel rejects claims The Israeli army says it has fired warning shots to control crowds and only fires at people it says are acting suspiciously. The Foreign Ministry and COGAT, the Israeli defense body in charge of coordinating aid to Gaza, said Israel has facilitated the entry of over 3,000 aid trucks into the Gaza Strip since May 19 and GHF has delivered boxes of food with the equivalent of 56 million meals. Humanitarian organizations say that amount is not nearly enough to meet overwhelming need in Gaza. GHF did not immediately return requests for comment. The World Food Programme says despite the new Israel-backed initiative, food consumption reached a critical low last month, with food diversity reaching its worst level since the conflict began. 'The continued closure of crossings, intensified violence since March, soaring food prices, and extremely limited humanitarian and commercial supplies have severely restricted access to even basic food items,' the WFP said in a June report. GHF hubs are close to Israeli military positions Amnesty's report follows a statement earlier this week from more than 165 major international charities and non-governmental organizations calling for an immediate end to the foundation. They say the new mechanism allows Israel to use food as a weapon, violates humanitarian principles and is ineffective. It's the latest sign of trouble for the GHF, a secretive initiative headed by an evangelical leader who is a close ally of President Donald Trump. Last month, the U.S. government pledged $30 million for the group to continue operation, the first known U.S. donation to the group, whose other funding sources remain opaque. GHF started distributing aid May 26 following a nearly three-month Israeli blockade that pushed Gaza's population of more than 2 million to the brink of famine. Palestinian witnesses have describe scenes of chaos around the distribution sites, and two contractors in the operation have told The Associated Press that colleagues fired live ammunition and stun grenades toward crowds of people. Palestinians often must travel long distances to reach the sites. In a statement Tuesday, GHF rejected criticism of its operations and claimed it has delivered more than 52 million meals to hungry Palestinians. 'Instead of bickering and throwing insults from the sidelines, we would welcome other humanitarian groups to join us and feed the people in Gaza,' GHF said. GHF has called for Israel's military to investigate the allegations from Gaza's Health Ministry, but last month the organization said there has been no violence in or around its centers and its personnel have not opened fire. Israel demanded the alternative plan because it accuses Hamas of siphoning off aid. The U.N. and aid groups deny there is significant diversion. Amnesty's allegations of genocide Amnesty accused Israel last year of committing genocide in the Gaza Strip during its war with Hamas, saying it has sought to deliberately destroy Palestinians by mounting deadly attacks, demolishing vital infrastructure, and preventing the delivery of food, medicine and other aid. Israel, which was founded in the aftermath of the Holocaust, has adamantly rejected genocide allegations against it as an antisemitic 'blood libel.' It is challenging such allegations filed by South Africa at the International Court of Justice and has rejected the International Criminal Court's accusations that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister committed war crimes in Gaza. ___ Dazio reported from Berlin. ___
Times
19 minutes ago
- Times
Trump tariffs' explosive problem: 99% of fireworks made in China
The fireworks industry is fretting that President Trump's tariffs on China will dampen their big blowout next year when Americans celebrate 250 years of independence. Ninety-nine per cent of consumer fireworks and 90 per cent of professional display fireworks come from China. Even the most impressive July 4 displays — on the National Mall in Washington and Macy's show in New York — are reliant on Chinese imports. 'These large signature events — probably 75 to 80 per cent of the product for those shows is manufactured in China,' said Julie Heckman, director of the American Pyrotechnics Association. 'The rest is going to come from Spain, Italy, France and Japan.' Heckman said planned displays in Washington and New York may be 'shortened' in 2026 to cut costs if the 30 per cent tariff remains. She said shows in small American towns could be cancelled altogether, especially if tariffs are returned to the 145 per cent rate imposed by Trump earlier this year. 'If the tariffs increase again to triple digits, small towns aren't going to be able to afford a show,' Heckman said. Fireworks for this year's displays were mostly purchased before Trump's tariffs hit, meaning the shows are largely going ahead as planned. But Lauren Collar, 43, a second-generation firework seller from Missouri, said her family business had to absorb the costs of tariffs this year and predicts shortages in 2026. 'We prepare an order 12 to 18 months in advance,' she said. 'We're uncertain what to do. You could see smaller communities not even shooting fireworks, because they just can't afford it.' Collar said it would take US manufacturers 'a decade' to set up pyrotechnics factories like those in China and even then most of the raw material would be imported and subject to tariffs. 'We're hopeful that the administration will understand our special circumstances and maybe we can get a partial exemption,' she said. Firecrackers were invented in the city of Liuyang, central China, during the Tang dynasty. By stuffing a concoction of charcoal, sulphur and saltpetre into hollowed-out bamboo stalks, Chinese artisans discovered that they could create a satisfying bang. More than 1,200 years later, the province of Hunan still makes fireworks for the rest of the world. For defenders of Trump's protectionist agenda, the simple answer would be to scrap the 1970s health and safety laws that effectively ended small-scale manufacturing in the US, allowing America's firework industry to compete once again with China. But even if these protections were weakened, it is not clear whether Americans would be willing to work in factories adopting Chinese health and safety standards. 'Fireworks are all made by hand. Very little automation is involved,' said Heckman. 'You're dealing with explosive compositions that are highly sensitive to heat, high humidity and friction. It's a very dangerous job.' Fireworks manufacturing is a dangerous business, and accidents are common YANG HUAFENG/CHINA NEWS SERVICE/VCG VIA GETTY IMAGES Earlier this month, nine people were killed in Hunan province by an explosion at a fireworks factory and accidents in China are fairly common. America's pyrotechnicians are hoping Trump's trade war with China will end soon. 'The firework industry is the most patriotic industry in the United States and wants nothing more than to be a significant component of helping America celebrate our 250th anniversary in 2026,' Heckman said. 'But the firework industry needs some relief … in these tariffs to make it happen.'
NBC News
20 minutes ago
- NBC News
Live updates: Trump agenda bill is on the brink of passage in the House
What to know today HOUSE ADVANCES GOP BILL: A massive bill for President Donald Trump's agenda cleared a key hurdle in the House after a group of Republican holdouts changed their votes. SELF-IMPOSED DEADLINE APPROACHING: The House is now debating the bill on the floor before proceeding to final passage. Trump has pushed to sign the bill into law by July 4. TRUMP PRESSURES HOLDOUTS: The president and White House officials have been heavily involved in efforts to sway GOP holdouts. Trump warned them 'MAGA IS NOT HAPPY' on Truth Social. TRUMP'S JULY FOURTH PLANS: Trump is heading to Iowa today to commemorate the July Fourth holiday and announce plans for next year's 250th anniversary celebrations.
