UK, France and 23 other countries say the war in Gaza ‘must end now'
The foreign ministers of countries including Australia, Canada and Japan have condemned 'the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians' seeking food.
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USA Today
43 minutes ago
- USA Today
US envoy Witkoff visits Gaza aid operation that the UN calls unsafe
Steve Witkoff visited a site run by the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in what he said was an effort to create a new aid plan. CAIRO − President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy became the first high-profile U.S. official to visit Gaza since the war began, touring a U.S.-backed aid operation on Friday that the United Nations says is partly to blame for deadly conditions in the enclave. Steve Witkoff visited a site run by the U.S. and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in Rafah in what he said was an effort to create a new aid plan for the war-shattered Palestinian territory, where Israel has been fighting the militant group Hamas. Humanitarian organizations and many foreign governments have been strongly critical of the GHF, which began operations in late May. A global hunger monitor warned this week that famine is unfolding in Gaza. More: 'Every ounce of food': Trump presses Israel on starvation in Gaza; 'children look very hungry' Hours after Witkoff's visit, Palestinian medics reported Israeli forces had shot dead three Palestinians near one of the group's sites in the city on Gaza's southern edge. Reuters could not immediately verify whether it was the same location. The Israeli military said it was still looking into the incident in which soldiers had fired warning shots at what it described as a "gathering of suspects" approaching its troops, hundreds of meters from the aid site. The United Nations says more than 1,000 people have been killed trying to receive aid in Gaza since the GHF began operating there, most of them shot by Israeli forces operating near GHF sites. The Israeli military has acknowledged that its forces have killed some Palestinians seeking aid and says it has given its troops new orders to improve their response. The U.N. has declined to work with the GHF, which it says distributes aid in ways that are inherently dangerous and violate humanitarian neutrality principles, contributing to the hunger crisis across the territory. The GHF says nobody has been killed at its distribution points, and that it is doing a better job of protecting aid deliveries than the U.N. More: Gaza death toll hits 60,000 as global monitor demands action to avert famine Israel blames Hamas and the U.N. for the failure of food to get to desperate Palestinians in Gaza and introduced the GHF distribution system saying it would prevent aid supplies being seized by Hamas. Hamas denies stealing aid. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, who traveled with Witkoff to Gaza on Friday, posted on X a picture showing hungry Gazans behind razor wire with a GHF poster with a big American flag that read "100,000,000 meals delivered". "President Trump understands the stakes in Gaza and that feeding civilians, not Hamas, must be the priority," GHF spokesperson Chapin Fay said in a statement, accompanied by images of Witkoff in a grey camouflage top, flak jacket and "Make America Great Again" baseball cap with Trump's name stitched on the back. "We were honored to brief his delegation, share our operations, and demonstrate the impact of delivering 100 million meals to those who need them most," Fay said. Witkoff said on X that he had also met with other agencies. "The purpose of the visit was to give @POTUS (Trump) a clear understanding of the humanitarian situation and help craft a plan to deliver food and medical aid to the people of Gaza," Witkoff said. He visited Gaza a day after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel is under mounting international pressure over the devastation of Gaza since the start of the war in October 2023 and growing starvation among its 2.2 million inhabitants. Starving to death Gaza medics say dozens have died of malnutrition in recent days as hunger sets in, after Israel cut off all supplies to the enclave for nearly three months from March-May. Israel says it is taking steps to let in more aid, including pausing fighting for part of the day in some areas and announcing protected routes for aid convoys. The worsening humanitarian crisis has prompted France, Britain and Canada to announce plans to potentially recognize a Palestinian state, a move already taken by most countries but not by major Western powers. The Israeli military's statistics show that an average of around 140 aid trucks have entered Gaza daily during the course of the war, about a quarter of what international humanitarian agencies say is required. On Friday, the Israeli military said that 200 trucks of aid were distributed by the U.N. and other organizations on Thursday, with hundreds more waiting to be picked up from border crossings inside Gaza. The United Nations says it has thousands of trucks still waiting, if Israel would let them in without the stringent security measures that aid groups say have prevented the entry of much-needed humanitarian assistance throughout the war. Israel has begun allowing food air drops this week, but U.N. agencies say these are a poor alternative to letting in more trucks. On Friday, the Israeli military said that 126 food packages were airdropped by six countries, including for the first time France, Spain, and Germany. "If there is political will to allow airdrops − which are highly costly, insufficient & inefficient, there should be similar political will to open the road crossings," U.N. Palestinian aid agency chief Philippe Lazzarini wrote on X. In addition to the three shot near a GHF site, medics said at least 12 other Palestinians were killed in air strikes across the Gaza Strip on Friday. The Israeli military did not immediately comment. The Gaza war, which began after Hamas killed more than 1,200 people and took 251 hostage in an attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, has killed more than 60,000 Palestinians, most of them in Israeli airstrikes. Ceasefire talks in Qatar ended last week in deadlock.
CNN
44 minutes ago
- CNN
Germany will provide 2 more Patriot defense systems to Ukraine, US will backfill stockpiles
Germany announced on Friday that it will provide two additional Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine in the coming days, and several more in the coming months, after the Pentagon agreed to quickly replenish Berlin's stockpiles. The statement, issued by Germany's Ministry of Defense, also said Germany would be paying for the new Patriot systems provided by the US. 'The prerequisite was that the US manufacturer would deliver new Patriot systems as quickly as possible in return so that we could continue to meet our NATO obligations,' German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said in a statement. 'This commitment from the US side has been made.' Germany has provided three Patriots to Ukraine since Russia's 2022 invasion, and had been reluctant to send more until they could ensure that the systems would be replenished by the US. But under a new plan unveiled by President Donald Trump last month, European nations agreed to transfer weapons to Ukraine while purchasing new ones from the US to backfill their stockpiles. The plan, which would see Europe shoulder more of the burden in supplying Ukraine, has been under discussion ever since Trump won last year's election and European officials quickly began deliberating on ways to sustain US weapons shipments to Ukraine under a leader who had vowed to pull back American support, CNN has reported. Col. Martin L. O'Donnell, a spokesperson for NATO's Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, told CNN in a statement that NATO is prepared to coordinate the weapons' 'urgent delivery' to Ukraine. 'NATO is delivering on the initiative President Trump and Secretary General Rutte announced last month to boost support for Ukraine by opening additional assets to Ukraine through investment by Allies in Europe and Canada. Germany has shown its leadership in this regard,' O'Donnell said. 'We look forward to additional voluntary contributions from other European nations. Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe and NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine, and others, stand ready to coordinate them for urgent delivery.' NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also said in a post on X on Friday that he 'welcomes' Germany's decision. 'This is great news and I welcome Germany's leadership! This will help ensure Ukraine is able to defend its skies, protect its people, and deter Russian aggression,' he wrote.
CNN
an hour ago
- CNN
28 lives lost in Kyiv in ‘one single destructive moment'
28 lives lost in Kyiv in 'one single destructive moment' The death toll from Russia's heavy bombardment of Ukraine's capital this week marks the deadliest single attack on Kyiv in a year, Ukrainian officials said. The vast majority were killed in a single strike on an apartment block. CNN's Nick Paton Walsh reports from Kyiv, where rescue workers have now recovered the bodies of at least 28 people from the destroyed apartment block, according to the State Emergency Service (SES). At least 159 people were also wounded in the blast. 04:53 - Source: CNN Vertical World News 17 videos 28 lives lost in Kyiv in 'one single destructive moment' The death toll from Russia's heavy bombardment of Ukraine's capital this week marks the deadliest single attack on Kyiv in a year, Ukrainian officials said. The vast majority were killed in a single strike on an apartment block. CNN's Nick Paton Walsh reports from Kyiv, where rescue workers have now recovered the bodies of at least 28 people from the destroyed apartment block, according to the State Emergency Service (SES). At least 159 people were also wounded in the blast. 04:53 - Source: CNN Witkoff visits controversial Gaza aid site US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff spent over five hours in Gaza, and visited the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation aid site. He said the purpose of the visit was to give Trump 'a clear understanding of the humanitarian situation and help craft a plan to deliver food and medical aid to the people of Gaza.' CNN's Jeremy Diamond reports. 01:53 - Source: CNN United Nations' Relief Chief: If anyone can shift Israeli Government, 'It's of course, the Americans' UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher tells CNN's Christiane Amanpour that if anyone can shift the Israeli government, it's the US, and addresses reports of how food aid is being intercepted. 02:09 - Source: CNN Amusement park ride splits in half in Saudi Arabia At least 23 people were injured, three of them critically, when a fairground ride buckled in Saudi Arabia, sending passengers crashing to the ground, according to state media. 00:33 - Source: CNN Soldiers in Ukraine battle Russian drones CNN's Nick Paton Walsh reports from the frontlines of Ukraine, where soldiers rush to bring in the wounded as drones constantly look for a target. 01:38 - Source: CNN US diminished a key weapons stockpile fighting Iran The US used about a quarter of its supply of high-end missile interceptors during the Israel-Iran war, exposing a gap in supplies, and raising concerns about US global security posture. CNN's Tamara Qiblawi reports. 01:35 - Source: CNN Carney says Canada will recognize Palestinian state Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has joined France and Britain in announcing plans to recognize a Palestinian state in September at the United Nations, as international pressure builds on Israel over the ongoing war and starvation crisis in Gaza. President Donald Trump reacted to the announcement by threatening to derail trade talks with Canada. 00:30 - Source: CNN Two leading Israeli human rights groups accuse Israel of genocide Two leading Israeli human rights groups have accused Israel of 'committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza,' becoming the first such organizations to make the claim. B'Tselem's Executive Director Yuli Novak and Physicians for Human Rights Israel's Executive Director Guy Shalev tell CNN's Christiane Amanpour what was behind their groups' decisions to use the word genocide. 04:59 - Source: CNN Watch F-18 fighter jet perform evasive maneuvers to avoid crashing into audience at airshow A video verified by Reuters shows the moment when a Spanish F-18 fighter jet was forced to perform "evasive maneuvers" to avoid crashing into attendees during the Gijón Air Festival. The military praised the pilot's actions which ensured the safety of the attendees. 00:35 - Source: CNN Mothers risk their lives to get food in Gaza Palestinian women face an awful choice between risking their own lives, which could deprive their families of their only remaining provider, or watching their children starve. CNN's Paula Hancocks reports. 01:33 - Source: CNN Medics perform surgery during earthquake Video shows medics in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia, continuing a surgery on a patient despite a powerful magnitude 8.8 earthquake that struck off Russia's far eastern coast on July 30. 00:47 - Source: CNN Tsunami warnings triggered after major earthquake The strongest earthquake on the planet since 2011 has triggered tsunami warnings for parts of Russia, Japan, and Alaska, as well as all of Hawaii. CNN's Will Ripley reports on the 8.8-magnitude quake. 00:41 - Source: CNN Israeli settler kills activist who worked on Oscar-winning film Odeh Hathalin, a prominent Palestinian activist who had worked on an Oscar-winning documentary, was killed on Monday during an attack by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, according to local journalists and officials. CNN's Jeremy Diamond explains video circulated on social media that shows the gunman firing a hand gun in the vicinity of where Hathalin was said to be killed. 01:36 - Source: CNN Fans in England celebrate Women's Euro 2025 final win Fans celebrate in London as England has been crowned champion of Europe for the second successive time after defeating Spain 3-1 on penalties in the Women's Euro 2025 final. 00:30 - Source: CNN Breaking down Israel's aid drops into Gaza In the midst of a hunger crisis in Gaza, Israel and other countries have begun dropping aid by plane into the area. CNN's Nic Robertson breaks down how much effect this measure can offer, while the UN calls for substantial relief to come from aid trucks moving in quickly through open corridors. 01:15 - Source: CNN People fight for scraps of food in Gaza CNN's Nic Robertson reports on the scarce food conditions in Gaza, with children and mothers fighting off starvation as soup kitchens face shortages. 01:46 - Source: CNN
