logo
Israeli undercover force detains senior Gaza health official, ministry says

Israeli undercover force detains senior Gaza health official, ministry says

Straits Times4 days ago
CAIRO - An Israeli undercover force detained Marwan Al-Hams, a senior Gaza Health Ministry official, outside the field hospital of the International Committee of the Red Cross in the southern Gaza Strip on Monday, the health ministry said.
Hams, in charge of field hospitals in the enclave, was on his way to visit the ICRC field hospital in northern Rafah when an Israeli force "abducted" him after opening fire, killing one person and wounding another civilian nearby, according to the ministry.
Medics said the person killed was a local journalist who was filming an interview with Hams when the incident happened.
The Israeli military and the Red Cross did not immediately respond following separate requests by Reuters for comment.
Israel has raided and attacked hospitals across the Gaza Strip during the 21-month war in Gaza, accusing Hamas of using them for military purposes, an accusation the group denies. But sending undercover forces to carry out arrests has been rare. REUTERS
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

UN aid chief demands evidence after Israel accuses staff of links to Hamas
UN aid chief demands evidence after Israel accuses staff of links to Hamas

Straits Times

time4 hours ago

  • Straits Times

UN aid chief demands evidence after Israel accuses staff of links to Hamas

FILE PHOTO: Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher speaks to delegates about the situation in Gaza during a United Nations Security Council meeting at U.N. headquarters, in New York City, U.S., July 16, 2025. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon/File Photo UNITED NATIONS - United Nations aid chief Tom Fletcher has demanded that Israel provide evidence for its accusations that staff with the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs were affiliated with Palestinian militants Hamas, according to a letter seen by Reuters on Friday. At a U.N. Security Council meeting on Wednesday, Israel's U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon declared that Fletcher and OCHA were no longer neutral and that hundreds of OCHA employees would undergo security vetting. Israel would also restrict OCHA visas to one month, he said. "Israel has uncovered clear evidence of Hamas affiliation within OCHA's ranks," Danon told the 15-member council without providing evidence. In a letter to the Security Council on Thursday, Fletcher said Danon's remarks were the first time any such concern had been raised and that the accusations were "extremely serious and have security implications for our staff." "I expect the Israeli authorities to immediately share any evidence that led them to make such claims to the council," Fletcher said. He noted that around the world OCHA engages with all parties to armed conflict to secure humanitarian access, press for the protection of civilians and promote respect for humanitarian principles, adding: "As Israeli authorities know, our contacts with Hamas have also supported hostage releases." Israel is committed to helping civilians and getting aid to those in need, Danon said, though he warned: "We will not work with organizations that have chosen politics over principles." 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 Asia 'Nothing like this has happened before': At least 16 dead as Thai-Cambodian conflict enters second day 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 Kopi, care and conversation: How this 20-year-old helps improve the well-being of the elderly The war in Gaza was triggered on October 7, 2023, when Hamas killed 1,200 people in southern Israel and took some 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Since then, Israel's military campaign has killed nearly 60,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities, and reduced much of the enclave to ruins. "We must hold all parties to the standards of international law in this conflict," Fletcher wrote in his letter. "We do not choose between demanding the end to the starvation of civilians in Gaza and demanding the unconditional release of all the hostages." Israel, which controls all supplies entering Gaza, denies it is responsible for shortages of food. REUTERS

UN chief blasts ‘lack of compassion' for Palestinians in Gaza
UN chief blasts ‘lack of compassion' for Palestinians in Gaza

Straits Times

time8 hours ago

  • Straits Times

UN chief blasts ‘lack of compassion' for Palestinians in Gaza

Find out what's new on ST website and app. Aid groups have warned of surging numbers of malnourished children in war-ravaged Gaza. NEW YORK - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on July 25 slammed the international community for turning a blind eye to the suffering of Palestinians starving in the Gaza Strip, calling it a 'moral crisis that challenges the global conscience'. 'I cannot explain the level of indifference and inaction we see by too many in the international community – the lack of compassion, the lack of truth, the lack of humanity,' Mr Guterres told Amnesty International's global assembly via video link. 'This is not just a humanitarian crisis. It is a moral crisis that challenges the global conscience. We will continue to speak out at every opportunity.' Aid groups have warned of surging numbers of malnourished children in war-ravaged Gaza, which Israel placed under an aid blockade in March amid its ongoing war with Hamas. That blockade was partially eased two months later. 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. Aid groups and the United Nations have refused to work with the GHF, accusing it of aiding Israeli military goals. 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 Asia Live: Thailand-Cambodia border clashes continue for second day 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 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 Mr 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.' Mr 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,' Mr Guterres said. He added that the United Nations was ready to 'dramatically scale up humanitarian operations' in Gaza should Israel and Hamas reach a ceasefire deal. AFP

Netanyahu says Israel considering ‘alternative' means to achieve Gaza goals
Netanyahu says Israel considering ‘alternative' means to achieve Gaza goals

Straits Times

time9 hours ago

  • Straits Times

Netanyahu says Israel considering ‘alternative' means to achieve Gaza goals

Hamas has disputed Mr Witkoff's characterisation of the talks and said the negotiators were making progress. JERUSALEM - Israel and its US allies are now considering 'alternative' options to bring their hostages home from Gaza and end the rule of Hamas in the territory, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on July 25 , apparently calling an end to ceasefire talks. The remarks echoed statements made overnight by US envoy Steve Witkoff after Israel and the United States pulled their delegations out of the talks in Doha, mediated by Egypt and Qatar. Mr Witkoff said Hamas was to blame for an impasse. Mr Netanyahu said Mr Witkoff had got it right, and that Hamas was the obstacle to a deal. Hamas, which had given its response to a US-backed ceasefire proposal on July 24 , has disputed Mr Witkoff's characterisation of the talks and said the negotiators were making progress. The proposed ceasefire would have lasted 60 days during which additional aid would be allowed into Gaza, and some of the remaining 50 hostages held by militants there would be freed in return for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. REUTERS

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store