The WHO says Gaza City is the area worst-hit by malnutrition
The World Health Organization says Gaza City is the area worst-hit by malnutrition
Legislation for cheaper medicines to come before the parliament
Tadej Pogacar wins the Tour de France for the fourth time The World Health Organization says malnutrition is worsening in Gaza, with Gaza City the worst-hit area. The UN agency says nearly one in five children under five are now acutely malnourished. Meanwhile, Israel has announced it would halt military operations for 10 hours a day in parts of Gaza, and also allow aid corridors, to refute the claim of intentional starvation. The World Food Programme says they have been able to bring in 80 aid trucks in the last 24 hours. The agency's Antoine Renard says a lot more aid is needed to address the level of starvation in Gaza. "We've been advocating for many of the different, let's say, assurances that we have now related to bringing more aid into Gaza. This is long overdue, and we need still to reiterate how important is the ceasefire. So now we see this as a proper way for us to increase the assistance into Gaza, but it will not be within one single day that we can actually change the current level of starvation that you have currently in Gaza." Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles has re-affirmed Australia's commitment to a two-state solution in the Middle East, following Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's remarks that Australia won't join France in recognising Palestinian statehood immediately. Mr Marles says Australia's support is conditional. "So we've made it clear that we support a two-state solution. But we also make it clear that conditions about what that would be from an Australian point of view. Obviously, any Palestinian state can't have a role for Hamas within them, the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister have made it clear." Mr Albanese has said Australia will engage in constructive discussions about whether it will recognise Palestinian sovereignty. The United States and European Union have struck a deal on tariffs, which will see a blanket tariff of 15 per cent imposed on EU goods imported to the US. The negotiations were concluded in Scotland at meeting between US President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The new deal is set to start on Friday and is seen as an improvement on the threatened import charges of 30 per cent. Some had been hoping for a tariff-free agreement but Ms von der Leyen says she is happy with the outcome. "We have a deal. We have a trade deal between the two largest economies in the world and it's a big deal, it's a huge deal. It will bring stability, it will bring predictability, that's very important for our businesses on both sides of the Atlantic." The federal government is introducing legislation this week to bring down costs for prescription on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. If the bill is passed, prescriptions on the PBS will cost no more than $25 from January next year. The Albanese Government says the change would effectively bring PBS medicines to the same price threshold as they were in 2004. For pensioners and concession card-holders, PBS medicines would stay at the level of $7.70 until 2030. All medicines that pharmacies can discount can continue to be discounted once the co-payment is cut to $25. Victoria's Premier Jacinta Allan has dismissed a new report claiming the Labor government has invested almost $400 million on Treaty negotiation since 2016. The analysis was published by conservative analysis centre the Institute of Public Affairs. The report also warns the cost of the issue could rise, with Victoria expected to introduce a Treaty bill to parliament later this year. Ms Allan has dismissed the claim, denying the expense was only to pay for Treaty negotiations. "It would be incorrect, indeed completely false, to characterise the investment that's being made today as just being on the negotiations. We've been in a long and steady journey here in Victoria for the past 8 years. That it's involved legislation going to the parliament, two pieces of legislation to set up this framework. It's involved extensive, intensive engagement with Indigenous Victorians, but also the entire community." In cycling, Tadej Pogacar has claimed his fourth Tour de France title , cementing his status as the most dominant rider of his generation. Wout van Aert won stage 21 after taking the lead from Pogacar with six kilometres to go. Pogacar is the sixth rider to win four Tour de France titles. The world champion effectively sealed his victory in the Pyrenees, with a brutal attack on the climb to Hautacam and a commanding victory in the uphill individual time trial, leaving chief rival Jonas Vingegaard more than four minutes behind. He says he is overjoyed with the win.
"I'm speechless to win the four Tour de France six series in a row on a podium. And this one feels especially amazing. And I am super proud that I can wear this yellow jersey. Now it is time to celebrate. Everyone thinks differently how they want to celebrate. I want to celebrate with peace, have a nice weather, just enjoy some quiet days at home."
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ABC News
an hour ago
- ABC News
Donald Trump says Gaza is a 'mess' as Israel denies starvation crisis
US President Donald Trump has labelled Gaza "a mess" and says Israel would have to "make a decision" about its next steps in the strip, hours after aid restrictions were eased. Speaking at his golf course in Scotland, the president suggested Hamas had changed its stance on negotiations to release the 50 Israeli hostages the group still held captive, in exchange for a ceasefire in the war-ravaged strip. "They had a routine discussion the other day and all of a sudden [Hamas] hardened up," he said. "They don't want to give them back, and so Israel's going to have to make a decision." Mr Trump said the situation in Gaza had deteriorated dramatically. More than 100 humanitarian agencies had warned the strip was facing mass starvation, as Israeli restrictions on aid fuelled shortages of food and other supplies. Israel denied its actions had caused a starvation crisis, instead blaming Hamas for creating the situation. Palestinian health authorities said 133 people had died from starvation in the last week, with 87 of them children. "You know, when I see the children and when I see, especially over the last couple of weeks, and people are stealing the food, they're stealing the money, they're stealing the money for the food, they're stealing weapons, they're stealing everything," Mr Trump said. "It's a mess. That whole place is a mess." He suggested it was a mistake by then Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon to withdraw from Gaza, although he could not name which Israeli leader had been responsible for the move. "The Gaza Strip, you know, was given many years ago so that they could have peace — that didn't work out too well," he said. "When Israel gave that up, whoever was the prime minister at the time, who I know who it was — but it was not exactly a very clever thing to do, because that was given so that they finally have peace. "And it's actually made the situation worse." Ceasefire and hostage negotiations between Israel and Hamas have collapsed, with the White House's special envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff saying the militant group displayed a "lack of desire to reach" a deal. "There is no point in continuing negotiations under blockade, extermination and starvation of our children, women and people in the Gaza Strip," Hamas chief Khalil al-Hayya said on Sunday night. "The immediate and dignified entry of food and medications to our people is the real and serious expression of the viability of continuing negotiations." Despite the stalemate, Israel has bowed to international pressure over the humanitarian crisis which has developed in Gaza. The Netanyahu Government ordered a partial easing of the aid restrictions in the strip, with the changes coming into force on Sunday local time. Pallets of aid were dropped across Gaza by the Israeli, Jordanian and United Arab Emirates air forces, while the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it had established "secure corridors" for the United Nations and other agencies to distribute aid. There are reports that as many as 11 Palestinians were injured as the pallets fell on their tents. Even with more supplies entering Gaza, it remains a dangerous situation for Palestinians trying to secure supplies. The ABC found Alaa Abu Muteer, 47, lying on a thin mattress in the Al-Shifa hospital in a corridor full of injured Palestinians. "Currently, I am unemployed. I went to bring food for my children. I reached the location, and saw there Israeli tanks that began opening fire on the people, and I was shot in my back," he said. "I have [10] children. They are all hungry, and I am also hungry. "I am looking for a mouthful of bread. I now need treatment for the wounds that I have." The IDF told the ABC it was not aware of any shootings in the area. Marwari Al-Barari, 39, said she feared the aid situation in Gaza had fuelled a dangerous culture. "This has taught our children to use knives, things like that," she said. "I saw a 10-year-old boy carrying a knife. Where is he going to? He said he is going to the aid distribution." She said the airdrops were the wrong approach. "I fully reject it, because I was in the south and it happened in front of my eyes. The people were living next to me, and the parachutes came down," she said. "There was a boy, 12 years old, that was killed on the spot from a parachute. "Also, these parachutes cause the barbarism and killing and bullying and stabbing and so forth. I reject it in full." Israel has accused humanitarian organisations of refusing to pick up supplies which have been dropped on the Gaza side of the border fence. In response, Israel has been accused of making it too difficult and too dangerous to collect the supplies. "We have hundreds of trucks that are waiting on the Gazan side of the Kerem Shalom crossing," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. "We've just announced that formally — here are safe corridors. "And the UN has no excuses left. No excuses left, stop lying. Stop finding excuses, do what you have to do, and stop accusing Israel deliberately of this egregious falsehood." The prime minister again denied there was a starvation crisis in Gaza, despite changing his government's policy in the strip and the international consensus on the situation. "Israel is presented as though we are applying a campaign of starvation in Gaza — what a bold-faced lie," Mr Netanyahu said. "There is no policy of starvation in Gaza, and there is no starvation in Gaza. "Hamas rob, steals this humanitarian aid and then accuses Israel of not supplying it." Aid agencies have repeatedly denied that there is any evidence of Hamas stealing food and other items. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, urged the international community to continue pressuring Israel to allow more aid in. "When we think it can't get worse, it gets worse," he said. "Children are starving and dying in front of our eyes. "Gaza is a dystopian landscape of deadly attacks and total destruction."
ABC News
2 hours ago
- ABC News
Dan Tehan challenges Anthony Albanese's assertion Israel is breaching international law
The Coalition is demanding Prime Minister Anthony Albanese "produce the facts", challenging his assertion that Israel has "clearly" breached international law by blocking aid into Gaza. Speaking on ABC Radio National, Coalition frontbencher Dan Tehan said the prime minister had made a heavy accusation. "That allegation should not be made lightly," Mr Tehan said. "Obviously, Israel are trying to provide humanitarian relief into Gaza, Hamas keeps on trying to disrupt those efforts. Now what the prime minister has said takes this whole situation to a new level." Yesterday, Mr Albanese said it was "quite clearly" a breach of international law to stop food from being delivered, a decision he said Israel made in March. Israel imposed a total blockade on humanitarian aid in March that ran for several months, as it tried to pressure Hamas to release Israeli hostages. That blockade was partially eased as Israel instead developed its own private aid delivery model, bypassing established UN channels. But last week more than 100 international humanitarian organisations, including Médecins Sans Frontières, Oxfam and Save the Children jointly warned Gaza was on the brink of "mass starvation", with not enough aid getting to Palestinians. Israel has consistently rejected allegations it has fuelled a hunger crisis in Gaza, instead blaming Hamas and claiming the listed terror group has weaponised humanitarian aid to supply its fighters. Under intense global pressure, Israel announced overnight it would pause fighting in some densely populated areas to allow more aid drops. Mr Tehan said Israel had been trying to provide relief in a way that Hamas could not capitalise on. "They have been attempting to do that for months because they know and understand [that] while Hamas is in control in Gaza, it will not lead to the humanitarian situation we all want to see, which is aid flowing there and ultimately the people of Gaza being able to determine who governs them in a free and fair way," Mr Tehan said. "The problem all along has been an internationally listed terrorist organisation, Hamas. If Hamas removed themselves from this process, we would not be in the situation we are in today." Mr Tehan said he wanted to see humanitarian aid flowing into Gaza, but until Hamas was removed, "unfortunately" the use of aid would be weaponised and that was not in anyone's interest. "If Hamas had not acted like they did on October 7 [2023], we wouldn't have this situation. They stand condemned and, in my view, they are the sole responsible actor here for the situation we find ourselves in," Mr Tehan said. Yesterday, Mr Albanese stopped short of saying whether Australia would take further action to pressure Israel to end what he said were breaches of international law. The prime minister confirmed Australia would not follow France to immediately recognise a Palestinian state, with Foreign Minister Penny Wong telling the ABC that there were still several hurdles to a two-state solution. The senator said Hamas must be de-militarised and Israeli hostages released before discussions to recognise Palestine could be progressed. Former foreign minister and Labor luminary Bob Carr told ABC Radio National it was clear from the prime minister's comments that recognition from Australia was "a matter of time". But he said the prime minister should not wait for the United Kingdom to move before acting. "I think that is very unfortunate if we see ourselves as a strong, creative middle power," Mr Carr said. "It would strengthen the impression of Australia as a country that can do things big and important ... I just think Australians are ready for our country to show a flash of independence, strength and maturity by moving with the French, and not huddling and waiting for the sanction that Britain would give us when Downing Street finally gets around to it." Twenty-eight nations, including Australia, last week demanded an immediate end to the war in Gaza and for Israel to lift aid restrictions. Shadow Foreign Minister Michaelia Cash said last week the Coalition had "strong concerns" about the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza, but was disappointed that the prime minister had failed to place blame on Hamas for the delays in aid reaching Gaza. "Hamas could end the suffering of the people of Gaza by freeing the remaining Israeli hostages and laying down their weapons," Senator Cash said.
News.com.au
2 hours ago
- News.com.au
Pro-Palestine protesters plan first-ever march across Sydney Harbour Bridge
Pro-Palestine protesters will march across Sydney Harbour Bridge for the first time in nearly two years of rallies, setting the stage for a potential confrontation with police. In a statement, the Palestine Action Group said on Sunday it had filed a Form 1 notifying NSW Police of the 'March for Humanity' set to take place at 1pm on August 3. The group called on NSW authorities to 'facilitate' the march, which is in response to the 'extraordinary situation' in Gaza, including mass civilian starvation. 'As Australia's most iconic symbol, a mass march across the Harbour Bridge will send a powerful message to the world,' the Palestine Action Group said. That message, the group said, would be to 'Gaza, to Israel, and to our own government, that we are determined to stand up for humanity'. The protest is likely to face stiff opposition, with then-NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb previously applying to the Supreme Court to stop a pro-Palestine event. The vigil, held on the one-year anniversary of the October 7 attacks, was ultimately given the green light after a court hearing and 11th-hour discussions with protesters. In NSW, protesters do not need formal approval from police to hold a legal rally following the filing of a Form 1 – but police can oppose it through the court system. The Harbour Bridge is a major thoroughfare in Sydney, but has been closed several times in recent years, including for the filming of the movie Fall Guy. The bridge was also shuttered in 2023 for a World Pride Month march attended by Anthony Albanese. In 2000, the bridge was the site of the Walk For Reconciliation, a rally showing support for Indigenous and non-Indigenous reconciliation attended by 250,000 people. 'It can certainly be closed to stop a genocide,'organisers said. The Palestine Action Group said protesters planned on meeting at Lang Park, near Wynyard station, at 1pm before marching to the bridge. The event marks almost two years of protests following Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel and the subsequent war on Gaza. Last week, the Prime Minister accused Israel of 'clearly' breaching international law, but fell short of joining ally France in recognising a Palestinian state.
