Latest news with #Palestinians'
UPI
a day ago
- Politics
- UPI
U.N. meeting looks at 2-state solution for Israel, Palestine
1 of 5 | Dignitaries attend a high-level international conference examining two states of Israel and Palestine in the Middle East. It took place at the United Nations headquarters in New York City on Monday. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo July 28 (UPI) -- Government ministers from more than 100 countries on Monday gathered at the United Nations to consider a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict. The two-day conference, which is called the "Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the two-State Solution" was delayed from June because of the war between Israel and Iran. In remarks, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said separate Israel and Palestine nations "remains the only framework rooted in international law, endorsed by this assembly, and supported by the international community." In December 2024, the U.N. General Assembly adopted a resolution backing two states. Israel has been a U.N. member since May 11, 1949. Palestinians' bid for full U.N. membership was vetoed by the United States in the 15-member Security Council in 2024. Ultimately, the 193-member General Assembly overwhelmingly upgraded Palestine's rights as an observer state. Israel and the United States are boycotting the two-day meeting hosted by France and Saudi Arabia. Israel, which was recognized as an independent state in 1948, has opposed separate states, and the United States sees no benefit in the summit The issue is more pronounced since the war between Israel and Hamas when the militants invaded on Oct. 7, 2023. But the debate has been going on for decades. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot opened the conference and agreed with French President Emmanuel Macron's commitment last week urging a "decisive step" toward resolving the conflict with separate nations. "We must move from the end of the war in Gaza to the end of the entire conflict, which threatens regional stability," Barrot said. "Only the two-state solution will meet the legitimate aspirations of both peoples. There is no alternative." Barrot said "concrete steps" include the official recognition of Palestine, normalized relations with Israel, Palestinian institutions reforms and Hamas disarmament. Antonio Guterres then addressed the group. "We are here today with our eyes wide open -- fully aware of the challenges before us," he said. "We know that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has endured for generations -- defying hopes ... defying diplomacy ... defying countless resolutions and defying international law. We know that the conflict continues to take lives, destroy futures, and destabilize the region and our world." But he said it can be resolved. "That demands political will and courageous leadership," he said. "And it demands truth. The truth is: We are at a breaking point. The two-state solution is farther than ever before." He noted the terror attacks by Hamas, Israeli hostages taken, the killing of tens of thousands of citizens and starvation in Gaza. Guterres also described Israel's "relentless expansion of settlements," including in the West Bank and Israel's Knesset declaration last week to annex the territory. "They are part of a systemic reality that is dismantling the building blocks of peace in the Middle East," he said. "And yet, precisely because of the grim realities, we must do even more to realize the two-state solution. "Today's conference is a rare and indispensable opportunity." He said it "it is the only credible path to a just and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians." Guterres added: "Specifically -- Israel and Palestine -- living side-by-side in peace and security, within secure and recognized borders, on the basis of the pre-1967 lines, with Jerusalem as the capital of both States -- in line with international law, UN resolutions and other relevant agreements." During an address on April 25, Guterres warned "the promise of a two-state solution is at risk of vanishing altogether." Bob Rae, Canada's ambassador to the U.N., said it is "not a peace conference." Before the summit, he told U.N. News: "It's a way of trying to maintain the debate and get beyond the sticking points to the solutions. We hope there'll be some listening, and we hope there'll be some learning on the basis of what we hear." Israel, with a population of 9.8 million, including 7.2 million Jews, is surrounded by Arab nations: Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Saudi Arabia. And Palestinians include 2.2 million people on the Gaza Strip, and 3 million in the West Bank. The idea for two states predates the U.N. founding in 1945. In 1947, Britain's mandate over Palestine ended with a U.N. partition plan in 1947 to divide the territory into Jewish and Arab states. Israel accepted the plan but Arab nations declared war without the two-state solution implemented. Jordan took control of the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and Egypt had oversight of Gaza. In the 1967 Mideast war, Israel captured those territories. Palestinians receive aid in Gaza Palestinians carry sacks of flour after trucks with humanitarian aid entered through the Zikim crossing in northern Gaza on July 27, 2025. Photo by Mahmoud Issa/UPI | License Photo
Al-Ahram Weekly
a day ago
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Egypt pushes for Gaza reconstruction on sidelines of UN Palestine conference - Foreign Affairs
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty has outlined Cairo's plans to host an international conference on Gaza's early recovery and reconstruction, once a ceasefire is secured in the war-devastated territory. Abdelatty's announcement came during diplomatic meetings on the sidelines of the United Nations (UN) High-Level International Conference on the Peaceful Settlement of the Palestinian Question and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, co-organized by France and Saudi Arabia, currently underway in New York. In a meeting with Haoliang Xu, Acting Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Abdelatty stressed the urgent need for coordinated regional and international efforts to rebuild Gaza's devastated infrastructure. He also shared details of an Arab-Islamic reconstruction plan, approved during the Arab summit held in Cairo in March, which Egypt aims to implement through the proposed conference. According to a statement by Egypt's Foreign Ministry, Abdelatty emphasized the importance of linking reconstruction to a clear political framework that affirms Palestinians' right to self-determination and statehood. He reiterated Egypt's ongoing mediation efforts to achieve a ceasefire and facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, while firmly rejecting any forced displacement of Palestinians. He also noted continuing coordination between Egypt and the United States to secure a deal that could help alleviate Gaza's deepening humanitarian catastrophe. In a separate meeting with Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira, Abdelatty briefed him on Egypt's upcoming reconstruction conference and urged closer bilateral coordination to rally global support for an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Both ministers agreed on the urgent need for a comprehensive and immediate truce to halt civilian casualties and ensure unrestricted humanitarian access to Gaza. The New York gathering aims to revive the long-stalled two-state solution. It comes amid worsening conditions in Gaza, where Israel continues to restrict vital humanitarian supplies — including food, water, and medicine — while expanding settlements in the occupied West Bank. Currently, 142 of the 193 UN member states officially recognize the State of Palestine. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Shafaq News
2 days ago
- Health
- Shafaq News
Gaza famine toll reaches 147
Shafaq News – Gaza Gaza hospitals recorded 14 new starvation-related deaths in the past 24 hours, raising the total to 147, including 88 children, according to the Health Ministry on Monday. The Gaza Government Media Office warned that over 40,000 infants are at risk of fatal hunger as Israel maintains a five-month blockade on baby formula shipments. Labeling the crisis a 'silent genocide,' the office demanded the immediate and unconditional opening of border crossings to allow critical humanitarian supplies. The statement also highlighted that infants under one are facing 'slow death' due to a total ban on formula, placing full blame on Israel, its allies, and international bodies for failing to intervene. Human rights groups condemned recent food airdrops as both inadequate and degrading, with Euro-Med Monitor calling them 'an act of humiliation' and accusing Israel of weaponizing hunger through blockades and attacks near aid sites. The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) dismissed the airdrops as a 'false humanitarian cover,' arguing they violate International Court of Justice rulings that require safe, unobstructed aid delivery. PCHR Director Raji Sourani denounced the effort, saying it 'wastes the humanity of starving Palestinians' while citing over 1,100 deaths and thousands of injuries during chaotic aid scrambles since May. With 2.3 million Palestinians displaced into less than 15% of the #Gaza Strip due to Israeli control and forced evacuation orders, airdropped aid poses a serious risk to civilian lives amid severe overcrowding and the absence of safe areas #GazaStarving — Euro-Med Monitor (@EuroMedHR) July 28, 2025 These developments unfold as British Prime Minister Keir Starmer prepares to press US President Donald Trump on the crisis, with The Times reporting Starmer is 'horrified' by the images of famine and plans to push for a ceasefire and recognition of Palestinian statehood. Trump confirmed Gaza will be a central topic during their upcoming talks, noting the UK's active role in current diplomatic efforts.
The Wire
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Wire
Food to Gaza: 'No Further Delays,' Says World Food Programme; WHO Warns of 'Dangerous' Malnutrition
Government The Wire Staff Of 74 malnutrition-related deaths in 2025, 63 occurred in July—including 24 children under five, a child over five, and 38 adults, the WHO said. New Delhi: As Israel announced a halt in its attacks on Gaza for 10 hours, the United Nations World Food Programme urged Tel Aviv to increase "without further delays" food assistance to Gaza. The first food trucks are understood to have rolled into Gaza through Egypt on July 28. The WFP said it has enough food to feed the 2.1 million starving population for three months. "Food aid is the only real way for most people inside Gaza to eat," it said in the statement. Israel's enforced starvation of Gaza has led to global outrage – even from parties otherwise thought to be unsympathetic to Palestinians' suffering. The full text of the WFP's note is as follows: WFP welcomes the news that Israel is prepared to implement humanitarian pauses, and that designated humanitarian corridors will be created, to facilitate the safe movement of UN convoys delivering emergency food supplies and other aid to people in Gaza. WFP has enough food in - or on its way to - the region to feed the entire population of 2.1 million people for almost three months. These new commitments to improve operating conditions come on top of earlier assurances from Israel to strengthen facilitation of humanitarian assistance. This includes allowing more trucks to enter Gaza with quicker clearances and approvals, use of alternative roads and routes inside Gaza, assurances of no armed forces or shootings near convoys, and the ability for humanitarian organizations to import and use the communications equipment needed to coordinate aid deliveries. Together, we hope these measures will allow for a surge in urgently needed food assistance to reach hungry people without further delays. WFP teams delivered 350 truckloads of food aid into Gaza last week under extremely challenging circumstances that put civilians and aid workers at tremendous risk. This represents just over half the number of convoys WFP requested permission to send in. Since the May 21st reopening of border crossings, WFP has delivered 22,000 tons of food aid into Gaza. More than 62,000 tons of food assistance is needed monthly to cover the entire 2.1 million population. Food aid is the only real way for most people inside Gaza to eat. A third of the population is not eating for days. Some 470,000 people are enduring famine-like conditions. 90,000 women and children need urgent nutrition treatment. People are dying due to a lack of humanitarian assistance. An agreed ceasefire is the only way for humanitarian assistance to reach the entire civilian population in Gaza with critical food supplies in a consistent, predictable, orderly and safe manner – wherever they are across the Gaza Strip. The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that malnutrition is on "a dangerous trajectory" in Gaza. "Deliberate blocking and delay of large-scale food, health, and humanitarian aid has cost many lives," WHO said in a statement posted on X. Its statement is as follows: Malnutrition is on a dangerous trajectory in the Gaza Strip, marked by a spike in deaths in July. Of 74 malnutrition-related deaths in 2025, 63 occurred in July—including 24 children under five, a child over five, and 38 adults. Most of these people were declared dead on arrival at health facilities or died shortly after, their bodies showing clear signs of severe wasting. The crisis remains entirely preventable. Deliberate blocking and delay of large-scale food, health, and humanitarian aid has cost many lives. Nearly one in five children under five in #Gaza City is now acutely malnourished, as reported by Nutrition Cluster partners. Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM), which measures the percentage of children aged 6–59 months suffering from acute malnutrition, has tripled since June, making it the worst-hit area in the Gaza Strip. In Khan Younis and the Middle Area, rates have doubled in less than one month. These figures are likely an underestimation due to the severe access and security constraints preventing many families from reaching health facilities. So far in July, over 5000 children under five have already been admitted for outpatient treatment of malnutrition in just the first two weeks, 18% of them with Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM), the most life-threatening form. This continues a significant rising trend since May, with 6500 children admitted for treatment in June, which is the highest number recorded since October 2023. An additional 73 children with SAM and medical complications were hospitalized in July, compared to 39 in June, bringing total inpatient admissions in 2025 to 263. This surge in cases is overwhelming the only four specialized malnutrition treatment centres in the Gaza Strip, pushing an already fragile health system closer to collapse. All four centres are working beyond capacity, running low on fuel, with their supplies expected to run out by mid-next month. Health workers are exhausted, and the breakdown of water and sanitation systems is accelerating the spread of disease, driving a dangerous cycle of illness and death. The crisis is taking a severe toll on pregnant and breastfeeding women. Recent Nutrition Cluster screening data shows that over 40% are severely malnourished. The situation is most critical in the Middle Area, where rates have tripled compared to June, and in Gaza City and Khan Younis, where they have doubled. It is not only hunger that is killing people but also the desperate search for food. Families are being forced to risk their lives for a handful of food, often under dangerous and chaotic conditions. Since 27 May, more than 1060 people have been killed and 7200 injured while trying to access food. ▶️ WHO calls for urgent, sustained efforts to flood the Gaza Strip with diverse, nutritious food and to expedite the delivery of therapeutic supplies for children and vulnerable groups, as well as essential medicines and supplies. This flow must remain consistent and unhindered to support recovery and prevent further deterioration. ▶️WHO reiterates its call for the protection of civilians and health. ▶️WHO also calls for the release of our detained colleague, the release of hostages, and for an immediate #ceasefire. The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.
Al-Ahram Weekly
3 days ago
- Health
- Al-Ahram Weekly
UNRWA chief warns Gaza aid airdrops will not stop 'starvation' - War on Gaza
The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees said Saturday that planned airdrops of aid into the Gaza Strip would not resolve the mass starvation caused by months of Israel's blockade on food and supplies. "Airdrops will not reverse the deepening starvation. They are expensive, inefficient & can even kill starving civilians," UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini wrote on X, stressing that the wave of starvation affecting Gaza was "manmade". An Israeli official told AFP on Friday that aid drops in Gaza would resume soon, adding they would be conducted by the United Arab Emirates and Jordan. The humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territory -- under a four-month Israeli blockade -- has gravely deteriorated in recent days, with international NGOs warning of famine, particularly among children. An infant, Hud Arafat, died Saturday morning due to severe malnutrition and the lack of baby formula, according to the Palestinian WAFA news agency. "Lift the siege, open the gates & guarantee safe movements + dignified access to people in need," Lazzarini said, referring to the various entry points under Israeli control that regulate access into Gaza. Israel imposed a total blockade on the entry of aid into Gaza on 2 March. Two months later, the Israeli- and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation began operating there, where Israeli forces have routinely opened fire on starving Palestinians near aid distribution points. Israeli forces have killed over 1,000 Palestinians trying to get food aid in Gaza since the so-called humanitarian foundation started operations, according to the UN. The UN and NGOs on the ground have decried the severe scarcity facing Gaza's 2.4 million people, with shortages of food, clean water, medicine and fuel. More than 100 aid organisations have already warned that "mass starvation" was spreading across the Palestinian territory. Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said on Friday that a quarter of all young children and pregnant or breastfeeding women screened at its clinics in Gaza last week were malnourished, blaming Israel's "deliberate use of starvation as a weapon". Almost a third of people in Gaza are "not eating for days" and malnutrition is surging, the UN's World Food Programme (WFP) said Friday. The head of Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City on Tuesday said that 21 children had died across the Palestinian territory in the previous 72 hours "due to malnutrition and starvation". The current blockade – Israel's most severe – is not the first imposed on Gaza. Multiple blockades have been enforced during various phases of the war on the territory, which began in October 2023. In 2024, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Egypt, France and other countries carried out airdrops in Gaza to ease Palestinians' suffering under one such blockade. However, many in the humanitarian community view such drops as ineffective and dangerous, citing the small volumes of aid delivered and the risk of people being injured or killed by falling crates -- as has happened previously in Gaza. *This story was edited by Ahram Online. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
