Latest news with #EriKaneko
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Israel will not renew visa of top UN humanitarian official
Eri Kaneko, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said visas for UN staff were recently renewed for shorter periods than usual. Israel has declined to renew the visa for Jonathan Whittall, the senior UN aid official for the Palestinian territories, a UN spokesperson said on Friday, adding there were intensifying threats of reduced access to suffering civilians. Eri Kaneko, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said visas for UN staff were recently renewed for shorter periods than usual and access requests to Gaza were denied for multiple agencies. Kaneko said permits for Palestinian staff to enter east Jerusalem were also withheld. "Last week, it was indicated to us that our current Head of Office, Jonathan Whittall, won't have his visa extended by Israeli authorities beyond August. This came immediately after remarks he made at a press briefing about starving people being killed while trying to reach food," Kaneko said. Israel's mission to the UN did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Israel has previously dismissed UN criticism as being biased. Gaza is in the midst of an Israeli military assault following a deadly October 2023 attack by Hamas terrorists. Terrorists murdered over 1,200 people during their violation of an existing ceasefire and took over 250 hostages - 50 of whom remain in captivity, and less than half of whom are understood to be alive. Tensions between Israel and the UN Released and rescued hostages have testified about experiencing and witnessing abuses in Hamas captivity, including acts of sexual violence and torture. Israel has come under mounting criticism from the UN during its war in the Palestinian enclave, which has internally displaced Gaza's entire population. Solve the daily Crossword
Leaders
5 days ago
- Politics
- Leaders
Israel Declines Visa Extension for Top UN Humanitarian Official
A UN spokesperson unveiled on Friday that Israel has refused to renew the visa for Jonathan Whittall, the senior UN aid official for the occupied Palestinian territories, according to The Washington Post. Eri Kaneko also noted that there were growing threats of reduced access to suffering civilians. 'Last week, it was indicated to us that our current Head of Office, Jonathan Whittall, won't have his visa extended by Israeli authorities beyond August. This came immediately after remarks he made at a press briefing about starving people being killed while trying to reach food,' Kaneko said. He added that Isarel has recently renewed visas for UN staff for shorter periods than usual. Meanwhile, it denied access requests to Gaza for multiple agencies. Moreover, Israel withheld permits for Palestinian staff to enter East Jerusalem. Israel has been under growing criticism from the UN during its war in Gaza that has internally displaced Gaza's entire population and caused one of the worst humanitarian crises worldwide. Call for Abolishing Investigation Body In a response, Israel has urged the UN Human Rights Council to abolish the commission of inquiry into human rights violations in the Palestinian territories and Israel, according to Reuters. It also accused the council of bias and discrimination. In the message sent on Wednesday, Israel's Ambassador to the UN, Daniel Meron, said The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel, discriminated against his country. Israel has repeatedly criticized findings by the UN-mandated commission, that has denounced the Israeli military's actions since it has launched its military campaign in Gaza in October 2023. Council spokesperson Pascal Sim said that Council President Jurg Lauber had already received the letter, but it would be up to the Council's 47 members to abolish the commission. In March, the commission concluded that Israel had carried out 'genocidal acts' against Palestinians during its war in Gaza. Since the beginning of Hamas-Israel War in Gaza in 2023, the Israeli strikes have killed more than 57,000 Palestinians and wounded more than 137,000, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Related Topics: Israel Seeks US Support to Expel Palestinians out of Gaza: Report Syria, Israel Agree on Ceasefire amid Sweida Clashes: US Envoy Slovenia Announces 2 Israeli Ministers Persona Non Grata Short link : Post Views: 100
Reuters
6 days ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Israel will not renew visa of top UN humanitarian official
WASHINGTON, July 18 (Reuters) - Israel has declined to renew the visa for Jonathan Whittall, the senior U.N. aid official for the occupied Palestinian territories, a U.N. spokesperson said on Friday, adding there were intensifying threats of reduced access to suffering civilians. Eri Kaneko, spokesperson for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said visas for U.N. staff were recently renewed for shorter periods than usual and access requests to Gaza were denied for multiple agencies. Kaneko said permits for Palestinian staff to enter East Jerusalem were also withheld. Gaza is in the midst of a devastating Israeli military assault following a deadly October 2023 attack by Palestinian Hamas militants. Israel has come under mounting criticism from the U.N. during its war in the Palestinian enclave, which has internally displaced Gaza's entire population and caused a hunger crisis. "Last week, it was indicated to us that our current Head of Office, Jonathan Whittall, won't have his visa extended by Israeli authorities beyond August. This came immediately after remarks he made at a press briefing about starving people being killed while trying to reach food," Kaneko said. Israel's mission to the U.N. did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Israel has previously dismissed U.N. criticism as being biased. The latest bloodshed in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered in October 2023 when Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 and taking about 250 hostages, Israeli tallies show. Gaza's health ministry says Israel's subsequent military assault has killed over 58,000 Palestinians. It has also prompted accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice and of war crimes at the International Criminal Court. Israel denies the accusations. The U.N. rights office says it recorded nearly 900 killings within the past six weeks near aid distribution sites and aid convoys in Gaza.
The Sun
04-07-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
UN reports 613 killed at Gaza aid sites near humanitarian convoys
GENEVA: The U.N. human rights office said on Friday it had recorded at least 613 killings both at aid points run by the U.S.- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) and near humanitarian convoys run by other relief groups including the U.N. The GHF uses private U.S. security and logistics companies to get supplies into Gaza, largely bypassing a U.N.-led system that Israel says had let militants divert aid. The United Nations has called the plan 'inherently unsafe' and a violation of humanitarian impartiality rules. 'We have recorded 613 killings, both at GHF points and near humanitarian convoys - this is a figure as of June 27. Since then ... there have been further incidents,' Ravina Shamdasani, the spokesperson for the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, told reporters in Geneva. The GHF began distributing food packages in Gaza at the end of May and has repeatedly denied that incidents had occurred at its sites. Of the 613 people killed, 509 were killed near the GHF distribution points, the OHCHR said. The OHCHR said its figure is based on a range of sources such as information from hospitals, cemeteries, families, Palestinian health authorities, NGOs, and its partners on the ground. It said it is verifying further reports and cannot yet give a breakdown of where they were killed. The GHF previously told Reuters it has delivered more than 52 million meals to hungry Palestinians in five weeks, and said other humanitarian groups had 'nearly all of their aid looted.' Israel lifted an 11-week aid blockade on Gaza on May 19. The U.N. office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) told Reuters that there have been some instances of violent looting and attacks on truck drivers, which it described as unacceptable. 'Israel, as the occupying power, bears responsibility with regards to public order and safety in Gaza. That should include letting in far more essential supplies, through multiple crossings and routes, to meet humanitarian needs,' OCHA spokesperson Eri Kaneko said in a statement to Reuters. COGAT, the Israeli military aid coordination agency, was not immediately available for comment. The Israeli military acknowledged on Monday that Palestinian civilians have been harmed at aid distribution centres in Gaza, saying that Israeli forces had been issued new instructions following what it called 'lessons learned'. Israel has repeatedly said its forces operate near the centres in order to prevent the aid from falling into the hands of Palestinian Hamas militants. There is an acute shortage of food and other basic supplies after a nearly two-year-old military campaign by Israel against Hamas militants in Gaza that has reduced much of the enclave to rubble and displaced most of its two million inhabitants. - Reuters
Business Recorder
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
613 killed at Gaza aid distribution sites, near humanitarian covoys, says UN
GENEVA: The U.N. human rights office said on Friday it had recorded at least 613 killings both at aid points run by the U.S.- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) and near humanitarian convoys run by other relief groups including the U.N. The GHF uses private U.S. security and logistics companies to get supplies into Gaza, largely bypassing a U.N.-led system that Israel says had let fighters divert aid. The United Nations has called the plan 'inherently unsafe' and a violation of humanitarian impartiality rules. 'We have recorded 613 killings, both at GHF points and near humanitarian convoys - this is a figure as of June 27. Since then … there have been further incidents,' Ravina Shamdasani, the spokesperson for the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, told reporters in Geneva. The GHF began distributing food packages in Gaza at the end of May and has repeatedly denied that incidents had occurred at its sites. Of the 613 people killed, 509 were killed near the GHF distribution points, the OHCHR said. Over 170 charities call for end to deadly new Gaza aid distribution system The OHCHR said its figure is based on a range of sources such as information from hospitals, cemeteries, families, Palestinian health authorities, NGOs, and its partners on the ground. It said it is verifying further reports and cannot yet give a breakdown of where they were killed. The GHF previously told Reuters it has delivered more than 52 million meals to hungry Palestinians in five weeks, and said other humanitarian groups had 'nearly all of their aid looted.' Israel lifted an 11-week aid blockade on Gaza on May 19. The U.N. office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) told Reuters that there have been some instances of violent looting and attacks on truck drivers, which it described as unacceptable. 'Israel, as the occupying power, bears responsibility with regards to public order and safety in Gaza. That should include letting in far more essential supplies, through multiple crossings and routes, to meet humanitarian needs,' OCHA spokesperson Eri Kaneko said in a statement to Reuters. COGAT, the Israeli military aid coordination agency, was not immediately available for comment. Israeli gunfire kills 17 people near Gaza aid site, health officials say The Israeli military acknowledged on Monday that Palestinian civilians have been harmed at aid distribution centres in Gaza, saying that Israeli forces had been issued new instructions following what it called 'lessons learned'. Israel has repeatedly said its forces operate near the centres in order to prevent the aid from falling into the hands of Hamas. There is an acute shortage of food and other basic supplies after a nearly two-year-old military campaign by Israel against Hamas in Gaza that has reduced much of the enclave to rubble and displaced most of its two million inhabitants.
