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Al Jazeera
20-07-2025
- Al Jazeera
Teen boys shot at Gaza aid sites almost like 'game'
Teen boys shot at Gaza aid sites almost like 'game' Quotable Video Duration 01 minutes 07 seconds 01:07 Video Duration 01 minutes 39 seconds 01:39 Video Duration 01 minutes 11 seconds 01:11 Video Duration 01 minutes 39 seconds 01:39 Video Duration 01 minutes 00 seconds 01:00 Video Duration 01 minutes 05 seconds 01:05 Video Duration 01 minutes 14 seconds 01:14
The Guardian
16-07-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Kids, don't look to me for career inspiration. Look to your electrician instead
Life. Work out what you want to do with it, what kind of job you want. And then find that job. Hopefully, it won't be something that it's thought AI will do better. And, hopefully, it's a job with meaning, with a point to it. It must be great to be a doctor. What do you do? Oh, I'm a doctor. And what's the point of that? Well, I try to keep people alive. And with that the question of the point of your life is answered. Nobody, I suggest, ever expresses doubt about the purpose of doctoring. Just like nobody asks a broadcaster and writer what the point of their work is. They should. We get too much credit for what we do. Not long after I started presenting television programmes, I was invited back to my old school's speech day to give a talk. This was barely 10 years after I'd left the place, and so many of my teachers were still there. That evening remains one of the proudest days of my life. As I shook hands with the students collecting their prizes, I thought about what they'd go on to do with their lives. And then I thought about some of the wonderful things many of my own cohort were achieving. And then I thought about what I was doing here rather than any of them. Medics, engineers, aid workers, lawyers, builders and so on. Yet I was the one who'd got the nod. Don't get me wrong, I was proud of where I'd got to in my life, yet even then it felt as if my line of work conferred upon me an elevated status it didn't quite warrant. As I said, a bit too much credit. Here's why I feel this way: I'm often recognised on the street, in a pub, at a football match or wherever, and asked about my work, in the most generous of tones. I blather on for – I hope – not very long, before returning fire and asking the person what they do for a living. Their response is as interesting as it is disappointing. First, they doubt my sincerity in asking the question. They think I'm just being polite, but they are quite wrong. I am always genuinely interested. Occasionally, by the way, there's even a bit of mind-your-own-business in their response, which is a bit rich given they started the conversation. Anyway, on we go. I'm all ears. And when I do get my answer – and this is the disappointing bit – I would say that nine times out of 10 I get an apologetic shrug and a sentence that typically begins with something like, 'Oh, I'm just a …' Accountants, bless them, are particularly apologetic about their work. But, whatever the person does, it's as if it couldn't possibly compare to what I do. Nothing, in my estimation anyway, could be further from the truth. I've had some extraordinarily high-status jobs shared with me in that dot-dot-dot slot. Doctor, barrister, airline pilot etc. This is daft. But nowhere near as daft – and sad – as teachers and nurses, who don't seem noticeably proud of what they do. And then there's all the trades, the people who do useful – actually, crucial – things with their hands, such as plumbers, scaffolders, carpenters, bricklayers, electricians, heating engineers and so on. When I get to observe them at work, it's akin to seeing something like closeup magic performed. I look on in wonder, seriously. And I think the status of jobs is going to change, thanks to AI. It looks as though white-collar jobs are vulnerable. Recruiters of graduates are holding back from hiring. Even the likes of doctors, broadcasters, barristers and airline pilots could find some of their work being done for them. But, as far as I can see, no form of AI is going to fix your toilet, wire your house or build you a wall. Plumbers, electricians, bricklayers – I wish more than ever that I had your skill sets rather than my own. Adrian Chiles is a broadcaster, writer and Guardian columnist Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.
Fox News
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Hamas attack on aid workers leaves eight dead as org fears some were 'taken hostage'
An unprovoked Hamas attack on Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) workers left at least eight people dead and many others injured, as the U.S.-backed organization fears some team members may have been taken hostage. "We carefully considered closing our sites today given the heightened security risks and safety concerns, but we decided that the best response to Hamas' cowardly murderers was to keep delivering food for the people of Gaza who are counting on us. We will not be deterred from our mission towards providing food security for the Palestinian people in Gaza," GHF interim Executive Director John Acree said in a statement. "Last night's ambush was a ruthless assault on those who represent the very best of humanity. These were local aid workers – our colleagues – risking their lives to bring food to those who are starving. They weren't combatants. They had no political affiliations. They were there to serve their own people, and they were hunted down by Hamas," GHF Executive Chairman Rev. Johnnie Moore told Fox News Digital. "We are heartbroken, but we're not backing down. We call on the international community to condemn this unprovoked, barbaric attack and start standing with those of us who are doing the work on the ground. We cannot do it alone. All we want to do is feed people. That's all." In an earlier statement on the attack, GHF said that "for days" Hamas had been threatening its team and aid workers, as well as civilians who receive aid from the organization. In the same statement, GHF called on the international community to condemn Hamas. "Tonight, the world must see this for what it is: an attack on humanity. We call on the international community to immediately condemn Hamas for this unprovoked attack and continued threat against our people simply trying to feed the Palestinian people," GHF's statement read. Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Oren Marmorstein posted about the attack on X and asked whether the United Nations would condemn it. The United Nations and GHF have been at odds as the international body criticized the U.S.- and Israeli-backed organization and doubted its ability to bring aid to the people of Gaza. In May, Israeli U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon accused the U.N. of removing NGOs from a shared aid database after the groups defied a call by the international body to boycott GHF. Moore also slammed the U.N. for its silence in the face of Hamas' threats of violence against aid workers and questioned the organization's absence following the deadly attack. "The UN – worse, much worse, than silence they continue their vicious slander against our mission. A mission with one goal: FEED GAZA! The principle of impartiality does not mean neutrality. There is good and evil in this world. What we are doing is good and what Hamas did to these Gazans is absolute evil," Moore wrote in a post on X. "I am sorry it has come to this but again we extend our hand to UN, the WFP, the ICRC, the EU, the GCC, and the world – join us. We can do this together. Or for God's sake, for the sake of humanity, if you're not going to join us at least have the courage to boycott HAMAS, not us." Since the launch of its operations late last month, GHF has reportedly distributed approximately 18,647,662 meals via roughly 316,320 boxes. Moore recently told Fox News Digital that Palestinians who have received aid from GHF have been thanking the U.S. and President Donald Trump for the assistance. Neither the spokesperson for U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres nor the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) responded to Fox News Digital's request for comment in time for publication.
National Post
12-06-2025
- Politics
- National Post
At least five Gaza aid workers dead in 'heinous attack' by Hamas, some possibly taken hostage
Hamas attacked a bus carrying about two-dozen members of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation team at about 10 p.m. in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, with 'at least five fatalities, multiple injuries and fear that some of our team members may have been taken hostage,' the aid group stated. Article content The 'local Palestinians,' who were 'working side-by-side with the U.S. GHF team,' were on the way to one of the U.S.-backed aid group's distribution centers west of Khan Younis, the foundation said. Article content Article content Article content 'We condemn this heinous and deliberate attack in the strongest possible terms,' it stated. 'These were aid workers. Humanitarians. Fathers, brothers, sons and friends, who were risking their lives every day to help others.' Article content Article content 'Our hearts are broken and our thoughts and prayers are with every victim, every family and every person still unaccounted for,' the foundation said. Article content The group, which vowed to continue its mission 'to provide critical aid to the people of Gaza' despite the 'heinous attack,' stated that 'tonight, the world must see this for what it is: an attack on humanity.' Article content 'We call on the international community to immediately condemn Hamas for this unprovoked attack and continued threat against our people simply trying to feed the Palestinian people,' it said. Article content The group, which is independent of the United Nations and tries to deliver aid to Palestinians without Hamas stealing the supplies, has endured threats from the terror group before, it said. Article content Article content 'This attack did not happen in a vacuum,' it said. 'For days, Hamas has openly threatened our team, our aid workers, and the civilians who receive aid from us. These threats were met with silence.' Article content 'The GHF holds Hamas fully responsible for taking the lives of our dedicated workers, who have been distributing humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people at the foundation's sites in central and southern Gaza,' it said. Article content Article content Danny Danon, the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, told JNS that 'we are monitoring closely concerning reports of Hamas once again doing whatever it can to thwart humanitarian distribution efforts.' Article content 'The Hamas terrorist regime has zero care for Israelis and, as we continue to see, has zero care for the people of Gaza,' the ambassador told JNS. 'It's why they launch terrorist attacks from urban settings and civilian infrastructure.'
BreakingNews.ie
18-05-2025
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
Israel to allow limited amount of aid into Gaza to avoid ‘starvation crisis'
Israel has said it will allow a limited amount of humanitarian aid into Gaza after a near three-month blockade, days after global experts on food crises warned of famine. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a 'starvation crisis' would jeopardise Israel's new military offensive in Gaza, and his Cabinet approved a decision to allow a 'basic' amount of food into the territory of more than 2.0 million people. Advertisement It was not immediately clear when aid would enter Gaza, or how. The Israeli military body in charge of overseeing aid did not comment. Israel has been trying to impose a new aid system, despite objections by aid workers. Mr Netanyahu said Israel would work to ensure that aid does not reach militants. Israel imposed a complete blockade on humanitarian aid starting on March 2. Mr Netanyahu said allowing some aid in would enable Israel to expand its new military operation, which began on Saturday. Advertisement Earlier on Sunday, Israel launched 'extensive' new ground operations in Gaza. Airstrikes in its new offensive killed at least 103 people, including dozens of children, overnight and into Sunday, hospitals and medics said. The bombardment forced northern Gaza's main hospital to close as it reported direct strikes. Israel began the offensive – the largest since it shattered a ceasefire in March – with the aim of seizing territory and displacing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians. Israeli soldiers move tanks around staging area near the border with the Gaza Strip, in southern Israel (Ariel Schalit/AP) Israel is pressuring Hamas to agree to a temporary ceasefire that would free hostages from Gaza but not necessarily end the war. Advertisement Hamas says it wants a full withdrawal of Israeli forces and a path to ending the war as part of any deal. 'When the Jews want a truce, Hamas refuses, and when Hamas wants a truce, the Jews refuse it. 'Both sides agree to exterminate the Palestinian people,' said Jabaliya resident Abu Mohammad Yassin, who was among those fleeing the new offensive on foot or in donkey carts. 'For God's sake, have mercy on us. We are tired of displacement.' Israel's military, which recently called up tens of thousands of reservists, said the ground operations are throughout the Palestinian territory's north and south. Advertisement Israel's chief of staff, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, said that plans include 'dissecting' the strip. Before the announcement, airstrikes killed more than 48 people — including 18 children and 13 women — in and around the southern city of Khan Younis, according to Nasser Hospital, which said it struggled to count the dead because of the condition of bodies. In northern Gaza, a strike on a home in Jabaliya killed nine members of a family, according to the Gaza Health Ministry's emergency services. Another strike on a residence there killed 10, including seven children and a woman, according to the civil defence, which operates under the Hamas-run government. Advertisement Israel's military had no immediate comment. Its statement announcing the ground operations said preliminary strikes over the past week killed dozens of militants and struck more than 670 targets. Israel blames civilian casualties on Hamas because the militant group operates from civilian areas. Shortly afterward, Israel's military said that it intercepted a projectile from central Gaza and another fell in an open area, with no injuries reported.
