Israel-Iran conflict: At least 47 injured in Iranian airstrikes on civilian areas
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CNA
5 hours ago
- CNA
UN chief blasts 'lack of compassion' for people in Gaza as starvation cases surge
The trickle of aid since then has been controlled by the Israeli- and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, replacing the longstanding UN-led distribution system. International Committee of the Red Cross President Mirjana Spoljaric said Friday "there is no excuse for what is happening in Gaza". "The scale of human suffering and the stripping of human dignity have long exceeded every acceptable standard - both legal and moral." Spoljaric said the ICRC has more than 350 staff in Gaza, "many of whom are also struggling to find enough food and clean water". Aid groups and the United Nations have refused to work with the GHF, accusing it of aiding Israeli military goals. Guterres said while he had repeatedly condemned the Oct 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on southern Israel, which triggered the war in the Palestinian territory, "nothing can justify the explosion of death and destruction since". "The scale and scope is beyond anything we have seen in recent times," he said. "Children speak of wanting to go to heaven, because at least, they say, there is food there. We hold video calls with our own humanitarians who are starving before our eyes ... But words don't feed hungry children." Guterres also condemned the killing of more than 1,000 Palestinians trying to access food aid supplies since May 27, when the GHF began operations. "We need action - an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, immediate and unimpeded humanitarian access," Guterres said.
CNA
7 hours ago
- CNA
Commentary: Gaza ceasefire talks collapse – what does that mean for the humanitarian catastrophe?
SYDNEY: Efforts to end the relentless siege of Gaza have been set back by the abrupt end to peace talks in Qatar. Both the United States and Israel have withdrawn their negotiating teams, accusing Hamas of a 'lack of desire to reach a ceasefire'. US President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff says it would appear Hamas never wanted a deal: 'While the mediators have made a great effort, Hamas does not appear to be coordinated or acting in good faith. We will now consider alternative options to bring the hostages home and try to create a more stable environment for the people in Gaza.' The disappointing development coincides with mounting fears of a widespread famine in Gaza and a historic decision by France to formally recognise a Palestinian state. French President Emmanuel Macron says there is no alternative for the sake of security of the Middle East: 'True to its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognise the State of Palestine.' What will these developments mean for the conflict in Gaza and the broader security of the Middle East? HUMANITARIAN CATASTROPHE The failure to reach a truce means there is no end in sight to the Israeli siege of Gaza which has devastated the territory for more than 21 months. Amid mounting fears of mass starvation, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says Gaza is in the grip of a 'humanitarian catastrophe'. He is urging Israel to comply immediately with its obligations under international law: 'Israel's denial of aid and the killing of civilians, including children, seeking access to water and food cannot be defended or ignored.' According to the United Nations Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA, more than 100 people – most of them children – have died of hunger. One in five children in Gaza City is malnourished, with the number of cases rising every day. Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini says with little food aid entering Gaza, people are 'neither dead nor alive, they are walking corpses … most children our teams are seeing are emaciated, weak and at high risk of dying if they don't get the treatment they urgently need'. The UN and more than 100 aid groups blame Israel's blockade of almost all aid into the territory for the lack of food. Lazzarini says UNRWA has 6,000 trucks of emergency supplies waiting in Jordan and Egypt. He is urging Israel – which continues to blame Hamas for cases of malnutrition – to allow the humanitarian assistance into Gaza. PROPOSED CEASEFIRE DEAL The latest ceasefire proposal was reportedly close to being agreed by both parties. It included a 60-day truce, during which time Hamas would release 10 living Israeli hostages and the remains of 18 others. In exchange, Israel would release a number of Palestinian prisoners, and humanitarian aid to Gaza would be significantly increased. During the ceasefire, both sides would engage in negotiations toward a lasting truce. While specific details of the current sticking points remain unclear, previous statements from both parties suggest the disagreement centres on what would follow any temporary ceasefire. Israel is reportedly seeking to maintain a permanent military presence in Gaza to allow for a rapid resumption of operations if needed. In contrast, Hamas is demanding a pathway toward a complete end to hostilities. A lack of mutual trust has dramatically clouded the negotiations. From Israel's perspective, any ceasefire must not result in Hamas regaining control of Gaza, as this would allow the group to rebuild its power and potentially launch another cross-border attack. However, Hamas has repeatedly said it is willing to hand over power to any other Palestinian group in pursuit of a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders. This could include the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), which governs the West Bank and has long recognised Israel. SUPPORT FOR A PALESTINIAN STATE Israeli leaders have occasionally paid lip service to a Palestinian state. But they have described such an entity as 'less than a state' or a 'state-minus' – a formulation that falls short of both Palestinian aspirations and international legal standards. In response to the worsening humanitarian situation, some Western countries have moved to fully recognise a Palestinian state, viewing it as a step toward a permanent resolution of one of the longest-running conflicts in the Middle East. Macron's announcement France will officially recognise a full Palestinian state in September is a major development. France is now the most prominent Western power to take this position. It follows more than 140 countries – including more than a dozen in Europe – that have already recognised statehood. While largely symbolic, the move adds diplomatic pressure on Israel amid the ongoing war and aid crisis in Gaza. However, the announcement was immediately condemned by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who claimed recognition 'rewards terror' and 'risks creating another Iranian proxy, just as Gaza became. A Palestinian state in these conditions would be a launch pad to annihilate Israel – not to live in peace beside it.' ANNEXING GAZA? A Palestinian state is unacceptable to Israel. Further evidence was recently presented in a revealing TV interview by former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak who stated Netanyahu had deliberately empowered Hamas in order to block a two-state solution. Instead there is mounting evidence Israel is seeking to annex the entirety of Palestinian land and relocate Palestinians to neighbouring countries. Given the current uncertainty, it appears unlikely a new ceasefire will be reached in the near future, especially as it remains unclear whether the US withdrawal from the negotiations was a genuine policy shift or merely a strategic negotiating tactic.
Straits Times
11 hours ago
- Straits Times
Iran says it held ‘frank' nuclear talks with European powers
Find out what's new on ST website and app. A European delegation leaving the Iranian Consulate in Istanbul, following nuclear talks on July 25. ISTANBUL - Iranian diplomats said they held 'frank and detailed' nuclear talks on July 25 with counterparts from Germany, Britain and France, who have threatened to trigger sanctions if Tehran fails to agree a deal on uranium enrichment and cooperation with UN inspectors. The meeting in Istanbul was the first since Israel launched an attack on Iran in June targeting key nuclear and military sites, sparking a 12-day war and leading Tehran to pull away from working with the UN watchdog. The European diplomats were seen leaving the Iranian consulate shortly before 1100 GMT (7pm in Singapore) after spending several hours inside. Israel's offensive – which killed top commanders, nuclear scientists and hundreds of others and in which residential areas and military sites were struck – also derailed US-Iran nuclear talks that began in April. Since then, the European powers, known as the E3, have threatened to trigger a so-called 'snapback mechanism' under a moribund 2015 nuclear deal that would reinstate UN sanctions on Iran by the end of August. The sanctions trigger expires in October, and Tehran has warned of consequences should the E3 opt to activate it. Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, Mr Kazem Gharibabadi, who attended the talks alongside senior Iranian diplomat Majid Mr Takht-Ravanchi, wrote on X that he had used the meeting to criticise the European stance on the 12-day conflict with Israel. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore SMRT to pay lower fine of $2.4m for EWL disruption; must invest at least $600k to boost reliability Singapore MRT service changes needed to modify 3 East-West Line stations on Changi Airport stretch: LTA Singapore S'pore could have nuclear energy 'within a few years', if it decides on it: UN nuclear watchdog chief Life 'Do you kill children?': Even before independence, S'pore has always loved its over-the-top campaigns Singapore Lung damage, poor brain development, addiction: What vaping does to the body Singapore Tipsy Collective sues former directors, HR head; alleges $14m lost from misconduct, poor decisions Singapore Fine for couple whose catering companies owed $432,000 in salaries to 103 employees Singapore Kopi, care and conversation: How this 20-year-old helps improve the well-being of the elderly He said the snapback mechanism had also been discussed, adding: 'It was agreed that consultations on this matter will continue.' Mr Takht-Ravanchi told state news agency IRNA the Iranian side had demanded 'punitive sanctions' be lifted 'as soon as possible'. Before the talks, a European source said the three countries were preparing to trigger the mechanism 'in the absence of a negotiated solution'. The source urged Iran to make 'clear gestures' on uranium enrichment and resuming cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog. 'Common ground' Mr Gharibabadi warned earlier in the week that triggering sanctions – which would deepen Iran's international isolation and place further pressure on its already strained economy – would be 'completely illegal'. He accused European powers of 'halting their commitments' under the 2015 deal, which the United States unilaterally withdrew from in 2018 during President Donald Trump's first term. 'We have warned them of the risks, but we are still seeking common ground to manage the situation,' said Mr Gharibabadi. Iranian diplomats have previously warned that Tehran could withdraw from the global nuclear non-proliferation treaty if sanctions were reimposed. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has urged European powers to trigger the mechanism. Israel's June 13 attack on Iran came two days before Tehran and Washington were scheduled to meet for a sixth round of nuclear negotiations. On June 22, the US joined Israel's offensive by striking Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordo, Isfahan, and Natanz. Before the war, the US and Iran were divided over uranium enrichment – with Tehran describing it as a 'non-negotiable' right, while Washington called it a 'red line'. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says Iran is enriching uranium to 60 per cent purity – far above the 3.67 per cent cap under the 2015 deal and close to weapons-grade levels. Tehran has said it is open to discussing the rate and level of enrichment, but not the right to enrich uranium. A year after the US withdrew from the nuclear deal, Iran began rolling back its commitments, which had placed restrictions on its nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. Israel and Western powers accuse Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons, a charge Tehran has repeatedly denied. 'New form' Iran insists it will not abandon its nuclear programme, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi describing the position as 'unshakable'. Though he claimed enrichment had come to a halt because of 'serious and severe' damage to nuclear sites caused by US and Israeli strikes, the full extent of the damage sustained in the US bombing remains unclear. Mr Trump claimed at the time the sites had been 'completely destroyed', but US media reports based on Pentagon assessments cast doubt on the scale of destruction . Since the 12-day war, Iran has suspended cooperation with the IAEA, accusing it of bias and failing to condemn the attacks. Inspectors have since left the country but a technical team is expected to return in the coming weeks after Iran said future cooperation would take a 'new form'. Israel has warned it may resume strikes if Iran rebuilds facilities or moves toward weapons capability. Iran has pledged a 'harsh response' to any future attacks. AFP
