Latest news with #Hidaya
NZ Herald
6 hours ago
- Politics
- NZ Herald
New Zealand beginning to look like an outlier on Gaza
Hidaya, a 31-year-old Palestinian mother, carries her sick 18-month-old son at the Al-Shati refugee camp, west of Gaza City, on July 24, 2025. Photo / AFP This is a transcript of the Premium Politics newsletter. To sign up, click here, select 'Inside Politics with Audrey Young', and save your preferences. Welcome to Inside Politics. This week has seen a turning point in the Gaza catastrophe, at least in shifting sentiment, if not
Newsweek
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
Arab World Tells Hamas to End Gaza Rule, Lay Down Weapons
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Arab world has condemned Hamas, telling the group to end its rule in Gaza and hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority. Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Egypt joined 14 other countries in signing a declaration at a U.N. conference that condemned the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel and gave "unwavering support" to a two-state solution. "In the context of ending the war in Gaza, Hamas must end its rule in Gaza and hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority," the declaration said. "In line with the objective of a sovereign and independent Palestinian State." Why It Matters The declaration marks the first condemnation of Hamas by Arab nations. Hamas launched an attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023 that killed about 1,200, mainly Israeli civilians. Militants took about 250 people hostage, around 50 of whom are still being held. The declaration also condemns Israel's attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure in Gaza, citing Israel's "siege and starvation, which have produced a devastating humanitarian catastrophe and protection crisis." Israel's offensive against Hamas has killed over 60,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which doesn't distinguish between civilians and combatants. What to Know The "New York Declaration" has laid out a phased strategy to resolve the nearly eight-decade-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the ongoing war in Gaza. The plan envisions the creation of an independent, demilitarized Palestine, coexisting peacefully alongside Israel. The declaration called for all hostages to be released: "Only by ending the war in Gaza, releasing all hostages, ending occupation, rejecting violence and terror, realizing an independent, sovereign, and democratic Palestinian State, ending the occupation of all Arab territories and providing solid security guarantees for Israel and Palestine, can normal relations and coexistence among the region's peoples and States be achieved." The declaration comes amid reports of widespread starvation and famine in Gaza, fueling global outrage over Israeli policies that have limited food access to Palestinians. Israel has denied these allegations and says it has begun a series of measures to address the humanitarian crisis. Hidaya, a 31-year-old Palestinian mother, carries her sick 18-month-old son Mohammed al-Mutawaq, who is also displaying signs of malnutrition, inside their tent at the Al-Shati refugee camp, west of Gaza City, on July 24, 2025.... Hidaya, a 31-year-old Palestinian mother, carries her sick 18-month-old son Mohammed al-Mutawaq, who is also displaying signs of malnutrition, inside their tent at the Al-Shati refugee camp, west of Gaza City, on July 24, 2025. More than 100 aid organizations and human rights groups warned on July 23, that "mass starvation" was spreading in Gaza, as the United States said its top envoy was heading to Europe for talks on a possible ceasefire and aid corridor. More OMAR AL-QATTAA/AFP via Getty Images Initially scheduled for two days, the meeting has been extended into Wednesday as representatives from around 50 nations have yet to deliver their statements. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opposes a two-state solution. He rejected the U.N. meeting on both nationalistic and security grounds. What People Are Saying Jean-Noel Barrot, France's foreign minister, praised what he described was a "historic and unprecedented" declaration. "For the first time, Arab countries and those in the Middle East condemn Hamas, condemn Oct. 7, call for the disarmament of Hamas, call for its exclusion from Palestinian governance, and clearly express their intention to normalize relations with Israel in the future," he said. Tammy Bruce, the U.S. State Department spokesperson, said: "This week, the U.N. will serve as host to an unproductive and ill-timed conference on the two-state solution in New York City. This is a publicity stunt that comes in the middle of delicate diplomatic efforts to end the conflict. Far from promoting peace, the conference will prolong the war, embolden Hamas, and reward its obstruction and undermine real-world efforts to achieve peace." Israel's U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon criticized the some 125 countries participating in the conference, saying: "There are those in the world who fight terrorists and extremist forces and then there are those who turn a blind eye to them or resort to appeasement." This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Health
- Newsweek
How a Viral Image Is Fueling the Fight over Reports of Starvation in Gaza
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Photographs of a young Palestinian child appearing to suffer from severe malnutrition have emerged over the past week as a new symbol of the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, where the war between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement is grinding on amid repeated failed ceasefire initiatives. But the images have also set off a firestorm of controversy, with a number of sources arguing that one-and-a-half-year-old —photographed being cradled by his mother, Hidaya—also suffered from underlying conditions contributing to his emaciated state, and that his "non-emaciated" brother was cropped out of the photos. While few deny that Palestinians in Gaza are faced with dire and deteriorating living conditions, the debate is playing out as Israeli officials and supporters of Israel's war aims contend that reports of mass hunger in the besieged territory are exaggerated and deliberately engineered to fit a narrative backed by Hamas. Hidaya, a 31-year-old Palestinian mother, carries her sick 18-month-old son Mohammed al-Matouq, who is also displaying signs of malnutrition, inside their tent at the Al-Shati refugee camp, west of Gaza City, on July 24, 2025. Hidaya, a 31-year-old Palestinian mother, carries her sick 18-month-old son Mohammed al-Matouq, who is also displaying signs of malnutrition, inside their tent at the Al-Shati refugee camp, west of Gaza City, on July 24, 2025. OMAR AL-QATTAA/AFP/Getty Images "There is no starvation in Gaza, no policy of starvation in Gaza, and I assure you that we have a commitment to achieve our war goals," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Sunday. But as the United Nations and international humanitarian organizations argue otherwise, one of the Israeli premier's closest allies, President Donald Trump also cast doubt on Netanyahu's claim when asked by a reporter if he agreed with it. "I don't know. I mean, based on television, I would say not particularly because those children look very hungry," Trump said Monday, adding that there is "real starvation in Gaza" and "you can't fake that." A New Flashpoint Photographs of the young Matouq first appeared in a July 23 front-page article by the Daily Express, a right-leaning British tabloid. They were quickly featured on a number of international outlets, including BBC, CNN, The Guardian, NBC News, The New York Times and The Washington Post. Photographs of Mohammed al-Matouq were printed on the front pages of newspapers around the world. Photographs of Mohammed al-Matouq were printed on the front pages of newspapers around the world. NEW YORK TIMES, DAILY EXPRESS Most coverage included Matouq's image to reinforce reporting about the humanitarian situation in Gaza, with many including additional visuals and sources, such as local and international aid workers. Yet the majority of the articles did not reference that Matouq also suffered from other ailments, as alleged by investigative journalist Michael Collier, who is supportive of Israel's war efforts. In a series of X posts, Collier accused mainstream media outlets on Sunday of manipulating Matouq's plight without highlighting that he had cerebral palsy, hypoxia and a "serious genetic disorder," citing what he said was a May 2025 medical report issued in Gaza. "You exploited the image of a child with cerebral palsy to push a lie about famine," Collier wrote in a follow-up post Monday directed toward several major outlets who featured Matouq's image. "You did this because you are all running campaigns to demonise Israel. You did not care anything about the truth. You saw an image you could use - or abuse - and ran with it." "In doing so, you ignored the real story: Mohammed is medically vulnerable," Collier added. "He needs specialised formula and medication." Collier's reporting was backed up by the pro-Israel monitor Honest Reporting, which further accused major news outlets of failing to reveal Matouq's reported preexisting diseases. "Every outlet that promoted this false narrative must update their coverage to reflect the full truth: Muhammad has a medical condition," the organization wrote Sunday. "He is not simply a victim of starvation, and the image has been presented in a misleading and incomplete way." Getty Images, which hosts several photos of Matouq and his mother taken by a photographer from the Turkish news agency Anadolu, described the child as "sick" and "also displaying signs of malnutrition" in accompanying captions. A Newsweek search of Getty's database found numerous photos of other Palestinians, both children and adults, also displaying signs of malnutrition in recent imagery taken from Gaza. Newsweek has reached out to Collier, the Israeli Consulate General in New York, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the U.N. World Food Program for comment on this story. People walk with sacks of flour delivered after trucks carrying humanitarian aid entered northern Gaza on July 27, 2025, coming from the Zikim border crossing. People walk with sacks of flour delivered after trucks carrying humanitarian aid entered northern Gaza on July 27, 2025, coming from the Zikim border crossing. BASHAR TALEB/AFP/Getty Images 'Starvation Is Widespread' Many international humanitarian organizations, including U.N. agencies, have accused Israel of blocking a sufficient amount of aid from reaching Gaza, exacerbating desperate conditions for the territory's approximately two million people. The Gaza-based Palestinian Health Ministry, which is overseen by the territory's Hamas-led government, reported Saturday that five more people had died of starvation, bringing the total number of deaths due to hunger in Gaza since the war began on October 7, 2023, to 127, including 85 children. Israel announced in March it would block the flow of aid into Gaza, arguing that such shipments were being diverted by Hamas for the group's benefit. Israel later authorized one organization, the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, to operate in select distribution points. The U.N. has rejected offers to coordinate with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, arguing that the group's system put Palestinian lives at risk amid repeated reports of violence emerging at aid distribution sites. Israel has accused the U.N. of failing to facilitate the entry of aid convoys into Gaza due to its lack of cooperation. Amid growing international pressure, Israel announced last week that it would begin to allow Arab countries such as Jordan and the United Arab Emirates to resume airdropping aid packages into Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) then announced Sunday that its forces would begin a daily "tactical pause" for humanitarian purposes in three areas: Gaza City, Deir al-Balah and Musawi. The announcement was welcomed by U.N. agencies, including the World Food Program, which noted in its statement Sunday that "some 470,000 people are enduring famine-like conditions" and "people are dying due to a lack of humanitarian assistance." Tess Ingram, Middle East and North Africa spokesperson for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), argued the situation remained critical. "The evidence from the Gaza Strip is clear – malnutrition is rising, fast, due to the lack of food, safe water and nutrition treatments," Ingram told Newsweek. "Starvation is widespread and it is killing people, especially children." She testified that colleagues in Gaza had spoken with mothers "who are watching their babies waste away in front of them, and medics who are despairing about their inability to save them." She said UNICEF has also conducted interviews with children "who were injured in the desperate search for food, or watched a parent be killed in front of them while trying to get a little bit of aid." "This crisis is manmade and entirely preventable," Ingram said. "Aid of all types must be allowed to enter the Gaza Strip at scale, immediately. UN agencies, including UNICEF, and our humanitarian partners must be able to safely collect that aid from crossings and distribute it to families in need, wherever they are." An Israeli soldier stands guard next to humanitarian aid at the Kerem Shalom crossing between southern Israel and the Gaza Strip on July 27, 2025. An Israeli soldier stands guard next to humanitarian aid at the Kerem Shalom crossing between southern Israel and the Gaza Strip on July 27, 2025. CARLOS REYES/AFP/Getty Images Information Warfare As charged narratives continue to swirl over the war in Gaza, the constant stream of visuals emerging from the conflict continue to prove influential in shaping the perceptions of observers, including officials. Trump's recent reference to televised footage as the basis for his skepticism over Netanyahu's claim that starvation was non-existent in Gaza was not the first time the president has cited media coverage in his comments on the conflict. In a March 2024 interview with the Israel Hayom newspaper, Trump asserted that "Israel made a very big mistake" in releasing footage of its offensive in Gaza. "These photos and shots—I mean, moving shots of bombs being dropped into buildings in Gaza—and I said, 'Oh, that's a terrible portrait,'" Trump said at the time. "It's a very bad picture for the world. The world is seeing this." W.J.T. Mitchell, a noted media theorist and professor at the University of Chicago, argued that the role of "visual images is crucial" in the information war currently raging against the backdrop of the conflict between Israel and Hamas. "They have an immediate impact on the viewer, and make it much harder to deny what is going on," as does "the testimony of objective observers and humanitarian workers (who are also suffering—and fainting while they work—from malnutrition)," Mitchell told Newsweek. Mitchell also said it was important to distinguish between "misinformation, which is simply incorrect or doubtful," and "disinformation, which is the deliberate attempt to mislead and deceive." "It is the essential feature of propaganda," he added. "And then there is 'gaslighting,' which is the systematic attempt to confuse viewers and sow distrust in media. This strategy is effective in making people doubt what they see, or — even worse — refuse to look at the evidence because it is upsetting."
Newsweek
3 days ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
US Must Recognize Palestine Amid Gaza Starvation Horror, Says Jill Stein
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The U.S. must immediately follow French President Emmanuel Macron's lead and recognize a Palestinian state as a "famine-made-in-Israel" sweeps Gaza, Jill Stein has said. The humanitarian situation in Gaza has deteriorated in recent months, with mounting international pressure on Israel and warnings of mass starvation. Images released last week of emaciated children have shocked the world. "Of course Palestine deserves statehood, as long declared by the United Nations," Stein told Newsweek. "But this is not the first order of business as famine-made-in-Israel sweeps the Gaza Strip. Israel is conducting the fastest starvation campaign in modern history, according to the U.N. Rapporteur on Food. Over 2 million lives are in immediate peril, over half of them children." Hidaya, a 31-year-old Palestinian mother, carries her sick 18-month-old son Mohammed al-Mutawaq, who is also displaying signs of malnutrition, inside their tent at the Al-Shati refugee camp, west of Gaza City, on July 24, 2025.... Hidaya, a 31-year-old Palestinian mother, carries her sick 18-month-old son Mohammed al-Mutawaq, who is also displaying signs of malnutrition, inside their tent at the Al-Shati refugee camp, west of Gaza City, on July 24, 2025. More than 100 aid organizations and human rights groups warned on July 23, that "mass starvation" was spreading in Gaza, as the United States said its top envoy was heading to Europe for talks on a possible ceasefire and aid corridor. More OMAR AL-QATTAA/AFP via Getty Images The Green Party 2024 presidential candidate said the crisis "is the intended consequence of Israel's genocidal ban blocking food, water, electricity and fuel from reaching the 'human animals' of Gaza, as announced by then Defense Minister Gallant in October 2023 and ramped up 80 days ago." The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has denied what it called "the false claim of deliberate starvation" in Gaza. On Sunday, the Israeli military began a limited pause in fighting in three parts of Gaza for 10 hours a day as part of a series of measures announced to address the humanitarian crisis. Israel said the military carried out several aid airdrops into Gaza over the weekend and would establish humanitarian corridors. Naeema, a 30-year-old Palestinian mother, carries her malnourished 2-year-old son Yazan as they stand in their damaged home in the Al-Shati refugee camp, west of Gaza City, on July 23, 2025. More than 100 aid... Naeema, a 30-year-old Palestinian mother, carries her malnourished 2-year-old son Yazan as they stand in their damaged home in the Al-Shati refugee camp, west of Gaza City, on July 23, 2025. More than 100 aid organizations and human rights groups warned on Wednesday that "mass starvation" was spreading in Gaza, as the United States said its top envoy was heading to Europe for talks on a possible ceasefire and aid corridor. More OMAR AL-QATTAA/AFP via Getty Images Why It Matters Palestinians have long campaigned for an independent state comprising the occupied West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza. Israel has occupied these territories since the 1967 Six-Day War. Israel is largely opposed to the creation of a Palestinian state, and even more so after the Oct. 7, 2023 terror attack by Hamas militants, which left around 1,200 people dead and 251 taken hostage. Israel's subsequent war against Hamas in Gaza has killed more than 59,000 Palestinians, over half of them women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Israel has restricted aid into Gaza, stating, without evidence, that Hamas was using shipments to bolster its position. It has also accused the U.N. of failing to cooperate on the distribution of aid. The World Food Program warned in a statement that a third of Gaza's population of around 2 million were not eating for days. It said that nearly half a million people were enduring famine-like conditions. Mohammed al-Mutawaq, an 18-month-old Palestinian boy suffering from medical issues and displaying signs of malnutrition, lies on a mattress inside a tent in the Al-Shati refugee camp, west of Gaza City, on July 24, 2025.... Mohammed al-Mutawaq, an 18-month-old Palestinian boy suffering from medical issues and displaying signs of malnutrition, lies on a mattress inside a tent in the Al-Shati refugee camp, west of Gaza City, on July 24, 2025. More than 100 aid organizations and human rights groups warned on July 23, that "mass starvation" was spreading in Gaza, as the United States said its top envoy was heading to Europe for talks on a possible ceasefire and aid corridor. More OMAR AL-QATTAA/AFP via Getty Images What to Know Macron announced Thursday that France will recognize Palestine as a state, expressing outrage at the Palestinian death toll and starvation in Gaza. It was a bold, but largely symbolic, diplomatic move. Once formalized at the U.N. General Assembly in September, France will become the biggest Western power to call for a Palestinian state. More than 140 countries recognize Palestine as a state. Stein, who placed the war in Gaza at the forefront of her 2024 presidential election campaign, said the U.S. must immediately follow suit. "Having provided 80% of weapons, funding and diplomatic cover for this genocidal assault, the US fully shares responsibility with Israel," she said. "We must stop blocking Palestinian statehood, which is supported by at least 75% of U.N. members. But for Palestinians to survive to populate this state, we must first adopt an immediate ban on military and economic aid to Israel until it complies with international law, ends its siege, allows aid to flow, and agrees to a cease fire and an end to genocide and occupation." Israel denies it is committing genocide in Gaza. It says it is prepared to end the war if Hamas surrenders, disarms and goes into exile. Hamas has rejected these demands. People gather as a C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft drops humanitarian aid on the northern Gaza Strip on July 27, 2025. Two Jordanian and one Emirati plane on dropped 25 tonnes of humanitarian aid over... People gather as a C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft drops humanitarian aid on the northern Gaza Strip on July 27, 2025. Two Jordanian and one Emirati plane on dropped 25 tonnes of humanitarian aid over the Gaza Strip, Jordanian state television reported on July 27. More BASHAR TALEB/AFP via Getty Images What People Are Saying Stein told Newsweek: "In short, the world is recoiling in horror as we witness the utter dismantling of international law, human rights and basic decency. This is a threat not just to Palestine, but also to the people of Israel, whose future in a full-blown apartheid authoritarian state is bleak, as noted by Holocaust scholar Omer Bartov. It is also a threat to people of the world including Americans, whose position as top dog in the global order is shakier by the day. We too will be vulnerable in a world ruled by the law of the jungle, rather than the law of nations currently under attack." Macron wrote in his statement on X on Thursday: "The urgent thing today is that the war in Gaza stops and the civilian population is saved." Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, condemned Macron's decision, saying in a statement: "Such a move rewards terror and risks creating another Iranian proxy, just as Gaza became. A Palestinian state in these conditions would be a launchpad to annihilate Israel—not to live in peace beside it." President Donald Trump, responding to Macron's announcement on Friday said: "What he says doesn't matter. He's a very good guy. I like him, but that statement doesn't carry weight." Palestinian children shove to receive a meal at a charity kitchen in the Mawasi area of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on July 22, 2025. The head of Gaza's largest hospital said 21... Palestinian children shove to receive a meal at a charity kitchen in the Mawasi area of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on July 22, 2025. The head of Gaza's largest hospital said 21 children have died due to malnutrition and starvation in the Palestinian territory in the past three days, amid a devastating assault by Israeli forces. More AFP via Getty Images Israeli Permanent Representative to the U.N. Danny Danon said in a statement shared with Newsweek: "Neither international conferences disconnected from reality nor unilateral statements at the U.N. will lead to peace. "Macron's decision to recognize a Palestinian state after the massacre of Oct. 7 and precisely at a time when Hamas is still holding hostages is a disgraceful reward for terrorism. Anyone who ignores the reality on the ground—that Israel has no partner for peace—harms not only Israel but the stability of the entire region." Tom Cotton, a Republican Senator from Arkansas, responded to Macron's statement by saying on X: "This is a shameful endorsement of terrorists. The best way for this conflict to end is to back Israel in its righteous mission of rescuing the hostages and defeating Hamas." Palestinian walk carrying sacks of flour near Jabalia, in the northern Gaza Strip, on July 27, 2025, after trucks carrying humanitarian aid entered into northern Gaza coming from the Zikim border crossing. Jordanian and Emirati... Palestinian walk carrying sacks of flour near Jabalia, in the northern Gaza Strip, on July 27, 2025, after trucks carrying humanitarian aid entered into northern Gaza coming from the Zikim border crossing. Jordanian and Emirati planes dropped food into Gaza on July 27, as Israel began a limited "tactical pause" in military operations to allow the UN and aid agencies to tackle a deepening hunger crisis. More BASHAR TALEB/AFP via Getty Images What Happens Next Israel said the "tactical pause" in the heavily-populated areas of Gaza City, Deir al-Balah and Muwasi will run from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily and will increase humanitarian aid to Gaza. However, wider ceasefire efforts remain in doubt. Israel and the U.S. on Thursday withdrew negotiating teams from Qatar, where talks had been taking place. They blamed Hamas for the breakdown, with Israel saying "alternative options" were being considered to talks.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Famine's toll on the children of Gaza: The world shouldn't look away
These images are part of a series highlighting the suffering of children in Gaza, where a humanitarian disaster is escalating and civilians are starving. Palestinians gather to receive meals in Gaza, July 23, 2025. A weak and malnourished child is seen along with his mother at the Abdulaziz er-Rantisi Children's Hospital in Gaza City on July 24, 2025. Hidaya, a 31-year-old Palestinian mother, carries her 18-month-old son Mohammed al-Mutawaq, who is showing signs of malnutrition, inside their tent at the Al-Shati refugee camp, west of Gaza City, on July 24, 2025. Muhammad Zakariya Ayyoub al-Matouq, an 18-month-old child, faces life-threatening malnutrition as the humanitarian situation worsens in Gaza City, Gaza, on July 21, 2025. Naeema, a 30-year-old Palestinian mother, carries her malnourished 2-year-old son Yazan as they stand in their damaged home in the Al-Shati refugee camp, west of Gaza City, on July 23, 2025. A Palestinian boy waits for a meal at a charity kitchen in the Mawasi area of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on July 22, 2025. A Palestinian girl suffers from malnutrition and is measured while receiving treatment at the Patient Friends Assn. Hospital in Gaza City on July 22, 2025. If it's in the news right now, the L.A. Times' Opinion section covers it. Sign up for our weekly opinion newsletter. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Solve the daily Crossword
