Israel will let foreign countries drop aid into Gaza, Israel army radio says
An Israeli military spokesperson did not immediately reply to a Reuters request for comment on the report.
The Gaza health ministry says more than 100 people have died from starvation in Gaza since Israel cut off supplies to the territory in March.
Israel, which has been at war with Hamas in Gaza since October 2023, lifted that blockade in May but has restrictions in place that it says are needed to prevent aid from being diverted to other groups.
In the first two weeks of July, the UN children's agency UNICEF treated 5,000 children facing acute malnutrition in Gaza.
World Health Organisation chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday Gaza was suffering man-made mass starvation caused by a blockade on aid into the enclave.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Zawya
33 minutes ago
- Zawya
Mounting civilian casualties in Sudan as fighting intensifies
As conflict intensifies between rival militaries in Sudan, the UN humanitarian wing (OCHA) expressed alarm on Monday over mounting civilian casualties and worsening humanitarian conditions across the country. It has now been 842 days since conflict between troops from the military government and their former allies-turned-rivals in the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces erupted in Sudan, turning the country into the world's largest humanitarian crisis. Heavy fighting continues in North Darfur State, with multiple civilian casualties reported in recent days – most notably during clashes in the state capital, El Fasher, on 1 and 2 August – following earlier violence between armed groups near the Abu Shouk camp for displaced people, which currently hosts 25,000 residents. Starvation threat One year after famine was confirmed in Zamzam camp on the outskirts of El Fasher, the city remains under siege, with no food aid deliveries entering by road, leaving residents of the regional capital increasingly facing starvation. Prices of food items such as sorghum and wheat are more than four times higher than elsewhere in the country, while many families are unable to afford even the most basic items. 'Limited cash assistance continues, but it is nowhere near enough to meet rising needs,' said Deputy UN Spokesperson Farhan Haq on Monday during the daily briefing in New York. Cholera menace continues Meanwhile, cholera continues to spread across Darfur, with nearly 1,200 cases reported – around 300 of them children – in the locality of Tawila since late June. In South Darfur, health authorities have reported more than 1,100 suspected cases and 64 deaths since late May, as 'shortages of medical supplies, clean water and sanitation services are severely hampering the humanitarian response,' said Mr. Haq. The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) warns that the lives of more than 640,000 under-fives are at heightened risk of violence, disease and hunger in the region. Compounded crisis In Blue Nile State, floods in Ed Damazine displaced more than 100 people and destroyed at least 200 tents at Al-Karama camp on 1 August, further compounding the challenges facing people who fled their homes due to conflict. Meanwhile, in Khartoum State, the presence of deadly landmines in multiple locations adds a dangerous new layer to the threats already faced daily by civilians. As OCHA's Director of Operations, Edem Wosornu, visits Sudan this week to assess the humanitarian situation, the agency has called for sustained and expanded humanitarian access along with greater international support for the most vulnerable. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN News.
Gulf Today
4 hours ago
- Gulf Today
Japan's aging atomic bomb survivors speak out against nuclear weapons
Eighty years after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, many of the remaining Japanese survivors are increasingly frustrated by growing nuclear threats and the acceptance of nuclear weapons by global leaders. The US attacks on Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945, and three days later on Nagasaki killed more than 200,000 people by the end of that year. Others survived but with radiation illness. About 100,000 survivors are still alive. Many hid their experiences to protect themselves and their families from discrimination that still exists. Others couldn't talk about what happened because of the trauma they suffered. Some of the aging survivors have begun to speak out late in their lives, hoping to encourage others to push for the end of nuclear weapons. Despite numerous health issues, survivor Kunihiko Iida, 83, has devoted his retirement years to telling his story as a way to advocate for nuclear disarmament. Katsumi Takahashi, a Hiroshima Peace Volunteer at Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation, waits for visitors at Peace Memorial Museum on July 10, 2025, in Hiroshima, western Japan. File/AP He volunteers as a guide at Hiroshima's Peace Memorial Park. He wants to raise awareness among foreigners because he feels their understanding of the bombings is lacking. It took him 60 years to be able to talk about his ordeal in public. When the US dropped a uranium bomb on Hiroshima, Iida was 900 meters (yards) away from the hypocenter, at a house where his mother grew up. He was 3 years old. He remembers the intensity of the blast. It was as if he was thrown out of a building. He found himself alone underneath the debris, bleeding from shards of broken glass all over his body. "Mommy, help!' he tried to scream, but his voice didn't come out. Eventually he was rescued by his grandfather. Within a month, his 25-year-old mother and 4-year-old sister died after developing nosebleeds, skin problems and fatigue. Iida had similar radiation effects through elementary school, though he gradually regained his health. People pray for victims of the World War Two atomic bombing a day ahead of the 80th anniversary in Hiroshima, western Japan, on Tuesday. Reuters He was almost 60 when he finally visited the peace park at the hypocenter, the first time since the bombing, asked by his aging aunt to keep her company. After he decided to start telling his story, it wasn't easy. Overwhelmed by emotion, it took him a few years before he could speak in public. In June, he met with students in Paris, London and Warsaw on a government-commissioned peace program. Despite his worries about how his calls for nuclear abolishment would be perceived in nuclear-armed states like Britain and France, he received applause and handshakes. Iida says he tries to get students to imagine the aftermath of a nuclear attack, how it would destroy both sides and leave behind highly radioactive contamination. "The only path to peace is nuclear weapons' abolishment. There is no other way,' Iida said. Fumiko Doi, 86, would not have survived the atomic bombing on Nagasaki if a train she was on had been on time. The train was scheduled to arrive at Urakami station around 11 a.m., just when the bomb was dropped above a nearby cathedral. With the delay, the train was 5 kilometers (3 miles) away. Through the windows, Doi, then 6, saw the flash. She covered her eyes and bent over as shards of broken windows rained down. Nearby passengers covered her for protection. Visitors pray following a remembrance ceremony for Korean victims at the "Monument in Memory of the Korean Victims of the A-bomb", near the Peace Park Memorial in the city of Hiroshima, Hiroshima prefecture on Tuesday, a day ahead of the 80th anniversary of the world's first atomic bombing. AFP People on the street had their hair burnt. Their faces were charcoal black and their clothes were in pieces, she said. Doi told her children of the experience in writing, but long hid her status as a survivor because of fear of discrimination. Doi married another survivor. She worried their four children would suffer from radiation effects. Her mother and two of her three brothers died of cancer, and two sisters have struggled with their health. Her father, a local official, was mobilized to collect bodies and soon developed radiation symptoms. He later became a teacher and described what he'd seen, his sorrow and pain in poetry, a teary Doi explained. Doi began speaking out after seeing the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster following a strong earthquake and tsunami, which caused radioactive contamination. She travels from her home in Fukuoka to join anti-war rallies, and speaks out against atomic weapons. "Some people have forgotten about the atomic bombings ... That's sad," she said, noting that some countries still possess and develop nuclear weapons more powerful than those used 80 years ago. "If one hits Japan, we will be destroyed. If more are used around the world, that's the end of the Earth,' she said. 'That's why I grab every chance to speak out.' After the 2023 Hiroshima G7 meeting of global leaders and the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to the grassroots survivors' group Nihon Hidankyo last year, visitors to Hiroshima and Nagasaki peace museums have soared, with about one third of them coming from abroad. On a recent day, most of the visitors at the Hiroshima peace park were non-Japanese. Samantha Anne, an American, said she wanted her children to understand the bombing. "It's a reminder of how much devastation one decision can make,' Anne said. Katsumi Takahashi, a 74-year-old volunteer specializing in guided walks of the area, welcomes foreign visitors but worries about Japanese youth ignoring their own history. On his way home, Iida, the survivor and guide, stopped by a monument dedicated to the children killed. Millions of colorful paper cranes, known as the symbol of peace, hung nearby, sent from around the world. Even a brief encounter with a survivor made the tragedy more real, Melanie Gringoire, a French visitor, said after Iida's visit. "It's like sharing a little piece of history.' Associated Press
Gulf Today
13 hours ago
- Gulf Today
14th edition of IGCF to host 22 interactive platforms in Sharjah
Sharjah is set to host the 14th edition of the International Government Communication Forum (IGCF) on Sept.10–11, 2025, under the theme 'Communication for Quality of Life.' The forum will take place at Expo Centre Sharjah, featuring over 22 interactive platforms designed to position communication as a cornerstone in addressing future societal challenges. Organised by the Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB), this global platform will explore the evolving role of communication in driving impact across five vital areas: food security, public health, education, environmental sustainability, and the green economy, all essential pillars for enhancing human well-being. This year's edition will place particular focus on food security as a key pillar of social and economic stability. It will examine how government communication can help raise awareness around sustainable food systems, promote smart agricultural practices, and support biodiversity conservation. According to UN reports, more than 670 million people could face undernourishment by 2030, with 258 million already experiencing severe food insecurity. These figures reinforce the need for responsive, awareness-driven communication that bridges communities and policy. IGCF 2025 will also highlight the role of communication in turning health crises into opportunities for building more informed and resilient societies. It will explore how targeted campaigns can address the effects of food insecurity while closing socio-economic gaps. This is especially significant given that 45% of deaths among children under five are linked to malnutrition, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). COMMUNICATION AS A STRATEGIC LEVER: Alia Al Suwaidi, Director of SGMB, said this year's forum continues to reinforce communication as a vital tool in designing forward-thinking strategies and achieving lasting societal impact. 'Communication is a development driver and a key element in shaping quality of life. This year, we are calling for a broader view of communication, one that addresses environmental, economic, and social challenges with a focus on sustainability and the well-being of future generations,' she said. Al Suwaidi noted that since its launch in 2012, IGCF has established itself as a regional and global thought leadership platform, uniting policymakers, experts, and innovators in a multidisciplinary dialogue rooted in knowledge and practice. The forum will highlight education as a long-term enabler of generational empowerment. It will showcase curriculum development models aligned with future-focused skills such as sustainable agriculture and emerging technologies, enabling young people to offer real-world solutions to climate and food security challenges. In parallel, IGCF 2025 will explore the role of government communication in influencing urban behaviour and lifestyle patterns in the cities of the future—through public campaigns that inspire people to reduce waste, consume responsibly, and adopt sustainable living habits. Data shows that 1.3 billion tonnes of food are wasted globally each year — about 31 per cent of total production — even as millions suffer from hunger. This stark contrast underscores the importance of adopting government narratives that go beyond delivering facts and instead reshape public behaviour. The forum will delve into the power of government storytelling, an approach that does not merely convey information but actively shapes public consciousness. By using relatable, human-centred messaging, governments can build trust and forge stronger engagement with communities. Whether tackling issues like food waste or climate change, effective storytelling becomes a persuasive tool, one that motivates, inspires, and drives behavioural change at the societal level. GREEN ECONOMY AND THE PATH FORWARD: IGCF 2025 will also examine how green economy initiatives can support food sustainability and enhance quality of life. It will explore the role of public policies and private-sector partnerships in adopting low-emission agricultural technologies, potentially reducing carbon emissions by 30 per cent by 2050. UN studies indicate that every dollar invested in sustainable agriculture yields a return of 2.5 times in economic and social value. Additionally, the green economy is expected to generate over 24 million jobs worldwide by 2030.
