logo
#

Latest news with #Gazans'

Gaza airdrops a 'distraction' from Israel's aid blockade, charity boss says
Gaza airdrops a 'distraction' from Israel's aid blockade, charity boss says

Egypt Independent

time3 days ago

  • Politics
  • Egypt Independent

Gaza airdrops a 'distraction' from Israel's aid blockade, charity boss says

We've been reporting Saturday on the UK's vow to support aid airdrop efforts in Gaza. Israel's decision to let foreign countries drop supplies into the besieged Palestinian territory is also facing mounting criticism – the process has previously been seen as costly and unsafe. These airdrops are expected to take place 'in the coming days' according to an Israeli security official. 'Airdrops are not a solution to starvation in Gaza; they're a distraction,' Steve Cutts, interim CEO of UK-based charity Medical Aid for Palestinians said in a statement Friday. 'Palestinians in Gaza are starving not because of a lack of available food, but because Israel is deliberately blocking it,' Cutts said. 'Dropping aid from the sky cannot meet the colossal needs of 2.3 million people or replace the safe, coordinated aid delivery that only open land crossings can provide.' Juliette Touma, the director of communications for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), says airdropping aid into Gaza is both costly and dangerous. Israel has banned UNRWA from operating in Gaza after accusing it of having staff involved in the October 7 attack. 'In general, in humanitarian settings, airdrops are used as a last resort. They are very, very expensive and can be quite dangerous,' Touma previously told CNN, adding that 'in the context of Gaza, we know that airdrops were not very helpful and in some cases there were fatalities.' The last airdrops into Gaza took place in October 2024 and were condemned at the time for being dangerous and not meeting Gazans' needs. In March 2024, CNN reported at least five people were killed when airdropped aid packages fell on them.

Middle East unrest: On the supply of aid to Gaza, Australia sides with Hamas over Israel
Middle East unrest: On the supply of aid to Gaza, Australia sides with Hamas over Israel

West Australian

time22-07-2025

  • Politics
  • West Australian

Middle East unrest: On the supply of aid to Gaza, Australia sides with Hamas over Israel

Overnight, Penny Wong and 27 other foreign ministers condemned Israel over shortages of food and water in the Gaza Strip so severe that Palestinians brave gunfire to save themselves and their families from starvation. The Gazans' plight is an outrage against humanity. But it might be fair to ask whether Ms Wong and her counterparts are playing into a analysis of the conflict between Israel and its Muslim opponents that ignores a truth so obvious it should not need to be stated: Hamas can end a war it started at any time. The lopsided approach is not only due to the enormous public pressure generated by haunting images of malnourished children. It acknowledges the reality of diplomatic influence. Hamas, a terrorist organisation that celebrates the murder of Jews, is almost immune to international public opinion. Israel would struggle to survive without US military aid and relies on less-visible support from the rest of the Western world. Hamas, fighting a last-ditch effort to survive in Gaza, was delighted by the Western gesture of support against what it calls the 'fascist occupation government'. Israel's 'criminal goal' it said, was 'killing and humiliating Palestinians'. That characterisation of Israel is shared by hundreds of protesters who gathered on the Parliament House forecourt in Canberra on Tuesday. The Australian government's rhetorical support did not satisfy them. They want a full break in diplomatic ties with Israel and sanctions against its leading ministers, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Some held signs that said: 'Albo - Wong Accessories to Genocide'. Israel's failure to provide the basics of life to Gaza is one of the terrible consequences of a war it did not start. The Israeli government decided it would no longer work with the United Nations food distribution network because the aid, it said, was falling under Hamas's control. Israel set up its own system, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which isn't functioning properly. A Wall Street Journal reporter last Tuesday watched food being issued at Khan Younis in the south of the strip. Thousands of Palestinians surged forward when a barbed-wire fence was opened to an aid centre. American security contractors tried to keep control but couldn't hold back the crowd. As gunshots rang out, the food was looted in 15 minutes of chaos. The reporter couldn't work out who was shooting, but wrote that the aid workers rely on Israeli soldiers for protection. That places hungry Palestinian men in proximity of nervous armed Israeli soldiers, who don't have non-lethal arms to protect themselves against perceived threats. Ms Wong and the other foreign ministers wrote that over 800 Palestinians have died seeking aid. The figure comes from Hamas officials and is disputed by Israel. The situation is exacerbated by the refusal of Mr Netanyahu's right-wing government to allow a new government to emerge in Gaza. With their agreement, the Palestinian Authority could return from the West Bank or non-Hamas Gazans could take power. Instead, the territory is left in anarchy while Israel tries to eradicate Hamas and find the 20 hostages estimated to have survived 715 days in captivity. 'We control Gaza,' former prime minister Ehud Olmert told the New York Times. 'It's incumbent upon us to make sure that the proper arrangements are made.' While disappointed in Ms Wong's position, Australian Jewish leaders also expressed concerns about the lack of food in Gaza. At the same time, they believe Hamas has to lose its control over the strip's food supply to be properly defeated. 'I share the government's concern about the delivery of aid and humanitarian suffering in Gaza,' Zionist Federation of Australia president Jeremy Leibler said on Tuesday. 'The practical reality is that Hamas hijacks aid and uses it to extort its own people. Hamas intentionally interferes with alternative aid delivery mechanism for this very reason – it is their last remaining leverage.' Israel deserves criticism. But too many critics in Australia and elsewhere refuse to acknowledge the Jewish state has rights too, including to defend itself. By emphasising the actions of one side, the critics oversimplify a complex conflict and contribute to an environment in which self-righteous activists feel emboldened to harass Jews, including some of those leaders willing to accept their opponents' arguments.

Australia ignores glaring reality in siding with Hamas
Australia ignores glaring reality in siding with Hamas

Perth Now

time22-07-2025

  • Politics
  • Perth Now

Australia ignores glaring reality in siding with Hamas

Overnight, Penny Wong and 27 other foreign ministers condemned Israel over shortages of food and water in the Gaza Strip so severe that Palestinians brave gunfire to save themselves and their families from starvation. The Gazans' plight is an outrage against humanity. But it might be fair to ask whether Ms Wong and her counterparts are playing into a analysis of the conflict between Israel and its Muslim opponents that ignores a truth so obvious it should not need to be stated: Hamas can end a war it started at any time. The lopsided approach is not only due to the enormous public pressure generated by haunting images of malnourished children. It acknowledges the reality of diplomatic influence. Hamas, a terrorist organisation that celebrates the murder of Jews, is almost immune to international public opinion. Israel would struggle to survive without US military aid and relies on less-visible support from the rest of the Western world. Hamas, fighting a last-ditch effort to survive in Gaza, was delighted by the Western gesture of support against what it calls the 'fascist occupation government'. Israel's 'criminal goal' it said, was 'killing and humiliating Palestinians'. That characterisation of Israel is shared by hundreds of protesters who gathered on the Parliament House forecourt in Canberra on Tuesday. The Australian government's rhetorical support did not satisfy them. They want a full break in diplomatic ties with Israel and sanctions against its leading ministers, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Some held signs that said: 'Albo - Wong Accessories to Genocide'. Israel's failure to provide the basics of life to Gaza is one of the terrible consequences of a war it did not start. The Israeli government decided it would no longer work with the United Nations food distribution network because the aid, it said, was falling under Hamas's control. Hundreds of pro-Palestine protesters have gathered on the lawns of Paliament House. Credit: Martin Ollman / News Corp Australia Israel set up its own system, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which isn't functioning properly. A Wall Street Journal reporter last Tuesday watched food being issued at Khan Younis in the south of the strip. Thousands of Palestinians surged forward when a barbed-wire fence was opened to an aid centre. American security contractors tried to keep control but couldn't hold back the crowd. As gunshots rang out, the food was looted in 15 minutes of chaos. The reporter couldn't work out who was shooting, but wrote that the aid workers rely on Israeli soldiers for protection. That places hungry Palestinian men in proximity of nervous armed Israeli soldiers, who don't have non-lethal arms to protect themselves against perceived threats. Ms Wong and the other foreign ministers wrote that over 800 Palestinians have died seeking aid. The figure comes from Hamas officials and is disputed by Israel. Gazan health officials says an Israeli military campaign has killed more than 59,000 people. Credit: AAP The situation is exacerbated by the refusal of Mr Netanyahu's right-wing government to allow a new government to emerge in Gaza. With their agreement, the Palestinian Authority could return from the West Bank or non-Hamas Gazans could take power. Instead, the territory is left in anarchy while Israel tries to eradicate Hamas and find the 20 hostages estimated to have survived 715 days in captivity. 'We control Gaza,' former prime minister Ehud Olmert told the New York Times. 'It's incumbent upon us to make sure that the proper arrangements are made.' While disappointed in Ms Wong's position, Australian Jewish leaders also expressed concerns about the lack of food in Gaza. At the same time, they believe Hamas has to lose its control over the strip's food supply to be properly defeated. 'I share the government's concern about the delivery of aid and humanitarian suffering in Gaza,' Zionist Federation of Australia president Jeremy Leibler said on Tuesday. 'The practical reality is that Hamas hijacks aid and uses it to extort its own people. Hamas intentionally interferes with alternative aid delivery mechanism for this very reason – it is their last remaining leverage.' Israel deserves criticism. But too many critics in Australia and elsewhere refuse to acknowledge the Jewish state has rights too, including to defend itself. By emphasising the actions of one side, the critics oversimplify a complex conflict and contribute to an environment in which self-righteous activists feel emboldened to harass Jews, including some of those leaders willing to accept their opponents' arguments.

Devastating stampede at Gaza aid hub ‘sees 19 Palestinians trampled to death'
Devastating stampede at Gaza aid hub ‘sees 19 Palestinians trampled to death'

Daily Mirror

time16-07-2025

  • Health
  • Daily Mirror

Devastating stampede at Gaza aid hub ‘sees 19 Palestinians trampled to death'

As many as 19 people were trampled on Wednesday with another fatally stabbed in violence at the site, according to the so-called Gaza Humanitarian Foundation A devastating stampede at an aid hub in war-torn Gaza is said to have left 19 Palestinians trampled to death. ‌ The tragedy came after the UN earlier recorded almost 900 'desperate and hungry Gazans' have been killed in the stricken enclave seeking food in recent weeks. As many as 19 people were trampled on Wednesday with another fatally stabbed in violence at the site, according to the so-called Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). ‌ It comes as Israeli strikes killed 41 others, including 11 kids, according to hospital officials. GHF, whose operations have stoked controversy with over 170 charities and other NGOs calling for it to be shut, accused militant group Hamas of fomenting panic and spreading misinformation leading to the violence. ‌ It marks the first time the Israeli-backed US group has acknowledged deadly violence at its operations. GHF workers used tear gas against the crowd, inciting a panic, Gaza's Health Ministry and witnesses claimed. The incident occurred at a distribution hub in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis. The crowd panicked after receiving messages that no aid would be distributed or would only be given out later, some witnesses said. And others said people became trapped while trying to move through a turnstile system, which creates a bottleneck. ‌ A resident of the nearby city of Rafah said people were gasping for air, possibly from tear gas. The injuries were "not from gunfire, but from people clustering and pushing against each other," Omar Al-Najjar said as he carried, with three other men, an injured stranger to a hospital. He said the chaos at the sites is forcing Palestinians to "march towards death." "They used stun grenades and pepper spray against us," Abdullah Aleyat, who was at the GHF site on Wednesday morning, said. "When they saw people killing each other, they opened the gate and people stepped over each other and suffocated," Aleyat explained, standing in a hospital room with some of the injured. ‌ Meanwhile, Israeli strikes killed 22 people in Gaza City, including 11 children and three women, and 19 others in Khan Younis. The Israeli military said it had struck over 120 targets in the past 24 hours across the Gaza Strip, including Hamas military infrastructure of tunnels and weapons storage facilities. On Tuesday, the UN disclosed figures showing its recorded death toll for Palestinians seeking food since May. 'As of 13 July, we have recorded 875 people killed in Gaza while trying to get food; 674 of them were killed in the vicinity of GHF sites,' Thameen Al-Kheetan, a spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said. And the other 201 were killed seeking food 'on the routes of aid convoys or near aid convoys' run by the UN or its partners still operating in Gaza, the spokesperson explained. Claims emerged last month that Israeli troops deliberately fired at Palestinians near aid sites in Gaza. It was alleged troops were ordered to shoot at crowds despite posing no threat. But Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and defence minister, Israel Katz, rejected respected Israeli newspaper Haaretz's report. On Wednesday, the Israeli military announced the opening of a fourth corridor – bisecting the city of Khan Younis – where troops have seized land in what they said is a pressure tactic against Hamas. Last week, US President Donald Trump and Netanyahu held two days of talks ending with no sign of a breakthrough in negotiations over a ceasefire and hostage release. The war was sparked by Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel in 2023, which killed about 1,200 people – with 251 hostages taken. Israel's offensive has killed over 58,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.

Children among 700 Palestinians killed waiting to get water in Gaza
Children among 700 Palestinians killed waiting to get water in Gaza

Gulf Today

time14-07-2025

  • Health
  • Gulf Today

Children among 700 Palestinians killed waiting to get water in Gaza

The government media office in Gaza says attacks on people waiting in line for water have killed more than 700 Palestinians as part of a 'systematic thirst war,' a media outlet reported on Monday. The Israeli army has targeted 112 freshwater filling points and destroyed 720 water wells, putting them out of service. This has deprived more than 1.25 million people of access to clean water, the office said in a statement. 'We affirm that this racist policy constitutes a full-fledged war crime under the Geneva Conventions, and a grave violation of international humanitarian law and human rights law.' A boy draws water into a jerrycan from the tank of a destroyed mobile water cistern that was hit by Israeli bombardment in the Nuseirat camp. AFP The office said Israel has prevented the entry of 12 million litres of fuel monthly, the amount necessary to operate the minimum number of water wells, sewage treatment plants, garbage collection vehicles and other vital services. This ban has 'caused near-total paralysis of water and sewage networks and worsened the spread of diseases, especially among children,' the office said. Gazans' daily struggle for water after deadly strike The Al Manasra family rarely get enough water for both drinking and washing after their daily trudge to a Gaza distribution point like the one where eight people were killed on Sunday in a strike that Israel's military said had missed its target. Displaced Palestinian man Akram Al Manasra and his children make their way to collect water from a distribution point amid shortages in Gaza City on Monday. Reuters Living in a tent camp by the ruins of a smashed concrete building in Gaza City, the family say their children are already suffering from diarrhoea and skin maladies and from the lack of clean water, and they fear worse to come. "There's no water, our children have been infected with scabies, there are no hospitals to go to and no medications," said Akram Manasra, 51. A boy carries on his back a jerrycan filled with water drawn from the tank of a destroyed mobile water cistern. AFP He had set off on Monday for a local water tap with three of his daughters, each of them carrying two heavy plastic containers in Gaza's blazing summer heat, but they only managed to fill two - barely enough for the family of 10. Gaza's lack of clean water after 21 months of war and four months of Israeli blockade is already having "devastating impacts on public health" the United Nations humanitarian agency OCHA said in a report this month. For people queuing at a water distribution point on Sunday it was fatal. A missile that Israel said had targeted militants but malfunctioned hit a queue of people waiting to collect water at the Nuseirat refugee camp. Israel's blockade of fuel along with the difficulty in accessing wells and desalination plants in zones controlled by the Israeli military is severely constraining water, sanitation and hygiene services according to OCHA. Children queue with pots to receive meals from a charity kitchen in Gaza City. AFP Fuel shortages have also hit waste and sewage services, risking more contamination of the tiny, crowded territory's dwindling water supply, and diseases causing diarrhoea and jaundice are spreading among people crammed into shelters and weakened by hunger. "If electricity was allowed to desalination plants the problem of a lethal lack of water, which is what's becoming the situation now in Gaza, would be changed within 24 hours," said James Elder, the spokesperson for the U.N.'s children's agency UNICEF. A boy stands near a destroyed mobile water cistern that was hit by Israeli bombardment. AFP "What possible reason can there be for denying of a legitimate amount of water that a family needs?" he added. COGAT, the Israeli military aid coordination agency, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Last week, an Israeli military official said that Israel was allowing sufficient fuel into Gaza but that its distribution around the enclave was not under Israel's purview. THIRSTY AND DIRTY For the Manasra family, like others in Gaza, the daily toil of finding water is exhausting and often fruitless. Inside their tent the family tries to maintain hygiene by sweeping. But there is no water for proper cleaning and sometimes they are unable to wash dishes from their meagre meals for several days at a time. Manasra sat in the tent and showed how one of his young daughters had angry red marks across her back from what he said a doctor had told them was a skin infection caused by the lack of clean water. They maintain a strict regimen of water use by priority. After pouring their two containers of water from the distribution point into a broken plastic water butt by their tent, they use it to clean themselves from the tap, using their hands to spoon it over their heads and bodies. Water that runs off into the basin underneath is then used for dishes and after that - now grey and dirty - for clothes. "How is this going to be enough for 10 people? For the showering, washing, dish washing, and the washing of the covers. It's been three months we haven't washed the covers, and the weather is hot," Manasra said. His wife, Umm Khaled, sat washing clothes in a tiny puddle of water at the bottom of a bucket - all that was left after the more urgent requirements of drinking and cooking. "My daughter was very sick from the heat rash and the scabies. I went to several doctors for her and they prescribed many medications. Two of my children yesterday, one had diarrhoea and vomiting and the other had fever and infections from the dirty water," she said. Reuters / Agencies

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