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Metro
4 days ago
- General
- Metro
Gaza becomes 'most expensive place to eat in the world'
'Where in the world is food more expensive than London, Dubai, and New York?' It sounds like a setup to a cheap joke but the harrowing answer is Gaza. Under a suffocating Israeli blockade, food, fuel and humanitarian aid have become luxuries for Palestinians. The result? People are starving. Not metaphorically, not gradually – literally. What little food remains has been pushed to black-market extremities, as shown by prices shared with Metro by Christian Aid workers on the ground. A 25kg sack of flour is now more expensive than a Michelin-star dinner in Paris, costing as much as £414, compared to £8.80 before the start of the war. A kilogram of sugar is £88, in stark contrast with the price of £0.60 less than two years ago. Staples like oil, bread and eggs – when available – have all become entirely out of reach for Palestinians. Speaking of the impact of the unfolding famine, Ranin Awad who works for Christian Aid's local partner in Gaza, Women's Affairs Centre (WAC), said: 'My colleagues and I only eat one meal a day, depending on what we can afford and what is available. We are dealing with fatigue, dizziness, and overwhelming weakness. 'Recent months have been filled with death, fear and displacement. It is like a nightmare that has devastated our hopes, memories, and houses. 'Our home was destroyed and we were forced to flee many times. All of our memories have been obliterated. 'My son was just a month old when the war began. He had a new, lovely room with pretty furniture and toys. There is nothing left for him now, all is ash.' Gaza's Health Ministry has recorded six more deaths in the past 24 hours due to famine and malnutrition, including two children. This brings the total number of starvation deaths to 133, which included 87 children. Philippe Lazzarini, the commissioner-general for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), said: 'People in Gaza are neither dead nor alive, they are walking corpses.' He said that one in five children in Gaza City is malnourished – a number increasing every day that unhindered humanitarian aid is denied. In a post on X, Lazzarini warned: 'When child malnutrition surges, coping mechanisms fail, access to food and care disappears, and famine silently begins to unfold. 'Most children our teams are seeing are emaciated, weak and at high risk of dying if they do not get the treatment they urgently need.' Amid the starvation, Egyptians have launched an initiative called 'From sea to sea – a bottle of hope for Gaza'. Plastic bottles are being filled with grains, rice and lentils and hurled into the Mediterranean Sea in the hope that they will reach the enclave – even though the Israeli Defence Forces have banned Palestinians from entering the water. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video While largely symbolic – aimed at highlighting Israel's purposeful starvation of civilians, several bottles appear to have reached Gaza. A video shared on TikTok by creator Saqer Abu Saqr, from the north of the enclave, shows him thanking Egyptians for sending him a bottle filled with yellow lentils. Waving the gift, he says: 'This came by the sea from the young people in Egypt. Thank you, may Allah bless you.' Another Palestinian creator with some 2.5 million followers on Instagram, Mohamed Al Khalidi, shared a video titled 'The most expensive city in the world.' Walking through Gaza City's crumbling streets, Mohamed highlights some of the prices of basic goods – £37 for a kilogram of flour, £66 for a kilogram of sugar, and £22 for a kilogram of lentils. He says: 'The famine is intensifying significantly. Even the simplest items now cost 10 times their normal price, and only a few things are available. Everything is scarce. I keep thinking about those who have no money at all.' Israel has been facing growing criticism over the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza as indirect ceasefire talks in Doha between Israel and Hamas have broken off with no deal in sight. Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu lashed out at the United Nations over the weekend to stop blaming his government for what the WHO chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, described as 'man-made mass starvation'. This came hours after the military said it would pause operations for 10 hours a day in three areas – Al Mawasi, Deir al-Balah and Gaza City – and permit new aid corridors. Jordan and the United Arab Emirates airdropped 25 tonnes of food and supplies to the enclave – which is still less than what one of the hundreds of humanitarian aid trucks stuck outside of Gaza could bring in if allowed. But Lazzarini stressed that aid airdrops will not reverse the starvation and added: 'They are expensive, inefficient and can even kill starving civilians. It is a distraction and screensmoke. More Trending 'A manmade hunger can only be addressed by political will. Lift the siege, open the gates and guarantee safe movements and dignified access to people in need. 'Allow the UN including UNRWA and our partners to operate at scale and without bureaucratic or political hurdles. 'At UNRWA, we have the equivalent of 6,000 trucks in Jordan and Egypt waiting for the green light to get into Gaza. 'Driving aid through is much easier, more effective, faster, cheaper and safer. It's more dignified for the people of Gaza.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: What's stopping Keir Starmer from recognising Palestine as a state? MORE: Keir Starmer says state is 'inalienable' right of Palestinian people MORE: Pro-Palestine protesters block Israeli cruise ship from docking on Greek island
The National
11-07-2025
- Health
- The National
Scots support highlighted by aid charity as over £4m raised
That amount is part of a UK-wide £46m total that the charity has said is 'keeping hopes alive' in the region. 'The generosity and the support of the public in Scotland and beyond for our partners and people in the occupied Palestinian territory, particularly in the Gaza strip, can't be understated,' Katie Roxburgh, Christian Aid's programme manager for the Middle East, said. 'I've been told by our partners that it's keeping them alive and keeping their hope alive.' READ MORE: Scotland's NHS ready to treat injured Gaza children, First Minister says With extremely limited supplies entering Gaza, DEC charities and their local partners are working tirelessly to meet some basic needs in the ways they are still able to. During the first 6 months of the DEC funded response, between October 2024 and April 2025: More than 440 000 ready to eat meals were distributed Over 390 000 people benefitted from improved access to drinking water Over 109 000 people gained improved access to healthcare, including the distribution of medicine and provision of primary healthcare services More than 22 000 people were reached with cash assistance Roxburgh added that the charity's partners are 'really thankful and would encourage you to give more support if you can. With more funds we are able to do more, that is clear.' She added: 'We'll be able to secure more stock, more food, more medical equipment, and we'll be able to reach more people for a longer period of time. So, we definitely still welcome donations and would be very grateful for further support.' To donate to the DEC's appeal, visit
The Herald Scotland
11-07-2025
- Health
- The Herald Scotland
Palestine aid worker details impact of Scots donations
Christian Aid is one of those charities and their Glasgow-based programme manager Katie Roxburgh insists it is vital for those working in the region. Christian Aid works with a host of local partners to provide aid and support to those suffering in Palestine. As well as the bombardment of attacks from Israel, the population is struggling for food and there are regular outbreaks of dangerous diseases among those who still live there. A recent polio outbreak was halted in its tracks by a new vaccination programme but there are fears over measles currently. Ms Roxburgh says the situation remains at breaking point as she revealed life is 'unbearable' for many people who are struggling. Read More Focus more on Gaza 'catastrophe' and not Kneecap comments - John Swinney She said: 'The generosity and the support of the public in Scotland and beyond for our partners and people in the occupied Palestinian territory, particularly in the Gaza strip, can't be understated. 'I've been told by our partners, that it's keeping them alive and keeping their hope alive. They are really thankful and would encourage you to give more support if you can. With more funds we can do more, that is clear. 'We'll be able to secure more stock, more food, more medical equipment, and we'll be able to reach more people for a longer period. We definitely welcome donations still and would be very grateful for further support. 'The situation is still beyond catastrophic. We're seeing horror after horror and Palestinians are in desperate need of respite. People are living in overcrowded shelters and are regularly forced to move to smaller plots of land. 'Diseases are spreading quickly and meeting basic needs is almost impossible. Palestinians in Gaza are under attack in multiple ways. While there is the threat to life by constant aerial bombardment and sniper, people are also being starved due to the limited aid that is permitted to enter. 'Or they are getting really sick because of diseases and infections with little hope of access to health services. These multiple critical threats make daily life completely unbearable. 'The availability of aid in Gaza isn't ever guaranteed and the situation is changing all the time. Stocks diminish quickly, and the amount of aid that is entering is never enough to sustain people, which is leading to severe hunger.' The partners on the ground play a big part in helping those who are suffering but they face their own issues too. Many lose contact with friends and family and Ms Roxburgh insists they are 'heroes' who go above and beyond. She continued: 'Our medical partner has tripled the number of teams they have in Gaza. 'They run mobile health clinics - medical teams which are made-up of doctors, nurses, counsellors, midwives. 'They're providing primary healthcare services across Gaza, including services like changing wound dressings, sending midwives to displacement camps or makeshift shelters in schools, supporting pregnant women and also giving advice to women who've recently given birth. 'They're a lifeline to thousands of people in Gaza, and they're - remarkably - still able to operate, and in fact have grown the number of teams they have, reaching people by bicycle or by foot, because the roads are destroyed. They're using anything in their means to reach people. 'They are incredible, they are heroes. What they are going through is beyond imaginable, yet they continue to work to try and alleviate the suffering of thousands, while they themselves suffer immensely too. 'A staff member, working for one of our medical partners, recently recounted a story about when he was going back home after work and there was a bombing right next to him and he jumped out of the car and went to help an injured boy on the street and the young boy told him that he'd rather die than live through the agony that is Gaza in the moment. 'It's a completely devastating story that is indicative of how people feel. But the heroism of this partner staff member, who, even outside of his work he's still helping people. Basically trying to support the injured, give hope, give life to people who are so desperately in need. 'We're hearing regularly about partners who are losing contact with staff members for days at a time because of the continuous evacuation orders. Many staff have lost family members. Some partner staff have been killed. It's incredible that they're able to keep going. 'I asked one colleague recently if they could describe what it is that that keeps them going and they said it's steadfastness. They also said the support from the international community is keeping hope alive, it's showing people in Gaza, Palestinians, that the rest of the world cares about them and wants to help and wants to do something to change their situation.'
Daily Mirror
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Most Brits want UK supplies for Israeli warplanes to be halted over Gaza war
Most Brits want UK-made spare part supplies being shipped to Israel for their F35 warplanes to be stopped because of Israel's involvement in deadly airstrikes on Palestinians in Gaza Most Brits believe the government should not approve the supply of spare parts for Israeli F-35 jets because of the Gaza war. Polling shows 55% are against supplies for the F-35, according to Save the Children, Christian Aid, Oxfam and Medical Aid for Palestinians, who commissioned the survey. The YouGov study reveals 69% of Labour voters as well as 64% of Liberal Democrat voters say the UK should stop supplies. More than a third - 38% - of Tory supporters who voted conservative in the last election believe the supplies should end. And one in three Reform UK (34%) and 83% of Greens voters also support halting these exports to Israel. The High Court ruled on June 30 that the decision lies with the government and not the courts.. Judges decided it was a decision for ministers accountable to Parliament and the public. The High Court acknowledged UK arms are at risk of being used in violations of international humanitarian law in Gaza. Save the Children says lethal F-35 fighter jets are being used in attacks on Gaza where it is believed more than 57,000 Palestinians have been killed. That includes 17,000 children. Now, with the responsibility lying with the government Save the Children, Christian Aid, Oxfam and Medical Aid for Palestinians want the UK to stop being an ally to further killings in Gaza. Save the Children stated: 'The message from voters is clear: the British public does not support the continued export of UK-made F-35 fighter jet parts to the Government of Israel.' Alison Griffin, Director of Campaigns at Save the Children UK, said: "The UK Government's stance on Gaza is not just contradictory — it's morally indefensible. 'Ministers say they want an end to the war, yet they continue to license the export of parts for F-35 fighter jets used to bomb densely populated areas. 'You cannot call for peace while fuelling war. Children in Gaza are being killed and live in unthinkable conditions. This is not a distant tragedy — this is the reality right now, and it is happening with the UK's support. Gaza is the most dangerous place in the world to be a child. "We are calling on the government to act. Listen to the public. End the hypocrisy. Stop arming the Government of Israel and help end this horror for innocent children and their families." Save the Children has been in Gaza since 1953 and has a permanent presence there where it delivers lifesaving health, nutrition, and protection support. Rohan Talbot, Director of Advocacy and Campaigns at Medical Aid for Palestinians, said: 'The British public have spoken: they do not want the UK arming Israel. 'Yet the government continues to supply parts for F-35 fighter jets that are being used to destroy Gaza's health system, and to drop the bombs that are tearing through shelters, families, and the bodies of Palestinians every day. 'The public wants this to stop. So do we. The UK must end all arms transfers to Israel – immediately – and finally cease being an ally to Israel's atrocities.' Polling was commissioned by Save the Children and conducted by YouGov. The total sample size was 2,338 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between July 1 - 2, 2025. Respondents were asked whether they think the UK government should or should not continue to license the export of parts for F-35 fighter jets to the Government of Israel. Israeli airstrikes killed at least 40 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, including ten members of a family sheltering in a tent, hospital officials said on Wednesday. The strikes came as US President Donald Trump pushed for a ceasefire that might end the war and free dozens of Israeli hostages. Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the second time in two days at the White House on Tuesday evening, but there was no sign of a breakthrough. Netanyahu has vowed to continue the 21-month war until Hamas is destroyed, while the militant group has said it will only release the remaining hostages in return for a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
Int'l Business Times
27-06-2025
- Business
- Int'l Business Times
'Shocking' COP30 Lodging Costs Heap Pressure On Brazil
"Belem is ready," Brazilian officials have insisted ahead of the COP30 gathering in November -- but eye-watering lodging costs in the northern city have panicked many would-be attendees. President President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has personally championed the symbolic choice of holding the major UN climate conference in the Amazon. And with months to go before the November 10-21 meeting, work is in full swing, AFP journalists witnessed recently. But members of national delegations, civil society, and the media have been faced with a major dilemma: how to find a room at a decent price? "I've never seen anything quite like the situation unfolding in Belem. The soaring accommodation prices, which mean it will now cost thousands of dollars a night for even basic rooms," Mariana Paoli, with the NGO Christian Aid, told AFP. The steep rates are "not just shocking, it is exclusionary," said Paoli, a Brazilian who has attended several UN climate summits before. "Delegates from across the Global South, particularly grassroots activists, Indigenous leaders, and civil society groups, already face immense barriers to participation... Now, they're being priced out entirely." In recent months, AFP has seen hotels offering rooms at $1,200 a night. On short-term rental platform Airbnb, some rates were even higher. With a total of 50,000 people expected to attend, Claudio Angelo of the Brazilian Climate Observatory collective warned that delegations are mulling cutting back on the number of attendees. "Everybody's concerned because at this point, five months to the date, everybody should have hotels and no one has," he told AFP in Bonn, Germany, where technical negotiations have been held over the past two weeks. Brazil is no stranger to hosting major events, particularly in Rio de Janeiro. After the 2016 Olympic Games and last year's G20 summit, Rio will host a summit of the BRICS group of emerging economies next month. Some have speculated about a possible last-minute move to a large city, maybe Rio. COP30 chief Ana Toni, while sharing concerns over the lodging, ruled out any last-minute relocation to a larger city. "Let's be very very clear, it's all happening in Belem," she told AFP in Bonn. Toni, who also serves as Brazil's national secretary for climate change, said that the government was aware and working on solutions. In response to the emergency, Brazilian authorities are trying to put pressure on the hotel sector. The National Consumer Rights Bureau (Senacon) has summoned the main hotels in Belem for an inquiry into "possible abusive pricing practices," leading to accusations from the sector of "threats." A negotiator from the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) said she had received assurances from the COP30 presidency that they would receive assistance with their accommodation. "But we have not received any communication or proposal on how this might work," she said with concern. Several months behind schedule, an official platform offering a total of "29,000 rooms and 55,000 beds" is supposed to go online at the end of June. Nearly half will be short-term rentals (25,000 beds), and participants will even be able to stay "on two cruise ships, with a total of 3,882 cabins and 6,000 beds." Organizers have already sought to ease pressure on Belem by organizing this year's heads of state summit before the actual COP, on November 6 and 7. But Lula, who is seeking to position himself as a climate champion, did not hesitate to respond sarcastically to critics. "If there are no five-star hotels, sleep in a four-star hotel. If there are no four-star hotels, sleep in a three-star hotel. And if not, sleep under the stars," Lula said sarcastically in February during a visit to Belem. As at last year's UN biodiversity summit in Cali, Colombia, delegates will at least be able to enjoy an unusual option: more than 1,600 beds are available in "motels," establishments usually reserved for romantic trysts and rooms rented by the hour. "We are adapting our establishments to accommodate visitors for overnight stays," said Ricardo Teixeira of the Brazilian Association of Motels for the State of Para. Adapted, but not altered: some rooms will retain pole dancing bars, indoor pools or jacuzzis. In recent months, AFP has seen hotels offering rooms at $1,200 a night AFP With 50,000 people expected to attend, some warn that delegations are mulling cutting back on the number of attendees AFP In response to the emergency, Brazilian authorities are trying to put pressure on the hotel sector AFP
