Latest news with #Philippe
Kuwait Times
16 hours ago
- Politics
- Kuwait Times
West demands end to Gaza war
Gaza martyrs top 59,000 • Belgian king slams abuses • Pope speaks with Abbas GAZA: More than two dozen Western countries called for an immediate end to the war in Gaza on Monday, saying that suffering there had 'reached new depths' as the Zionist military expanded its operations to the central city of Deir el-Balah. Zionist occupying forces killed 134 Palestinians and injured 1,155 others in the Gaza over the past 24 hours amid the nonstop aggression on the enclave, according to Gaza health authorities. The Zionist military offensive in Gaza has killed 59,029 Palestinians, mostly civilians. After more than 21 months of fighting that have triggered catastrophic humanitarian conditions for Gaza's more than two million people, Zionist allies Britain, France, Australia, Canada and 21 other countries, plus the EU, said in a joint statement that the war 'must end now'. 'The suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths,' the signatories added, urging a negotiated ceasefire, the release of hostages held by Palestinian militants and the free flow of much-needed aid. The plea came as Deir el-Balah came under intense shelling on Monday, after the Zionist military a day earlier had ordered those in the central Gaza area to leave immediately as it was expanding operations, including 'in an area where it has not operated before'. Between 50,000 and 80,000 people were in the area when the evacuation order was issued, according to initial estimates from the UN's humanitarian agency OCHA. In their statement, the Western countries also denounced the Zionist aid delivery model in Gaza, saying it was 'dangerous, fuels instability and deprives Gazans of human dignity'. 'We condemn the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic needs of water and food,' the statement said. UNRWA, the UN refugee agency dedicated to Palestinians, said on X it was receiving desperate messages from Gaza warning of starvation, including from its own staff, as food prices have soared. 'Meanwhile, just outside Gaza, stockpiled in warehouses UNRWA has enough food for the entire population for over three months. Lift the siege and let aid in safely and at scale,' it said. Belgium's King Philippe described abuses in Gaza as a 'disgrace to humanity' in a speech on the eve of Monday's national day, unusually direct remarks on international affairs from a monarch who traditionally avoids public politics. 'I add my voice to all those who denounce the serious humanitarian abuses in Gaza, where innocent people are dying of hunger and being killed by bombs while trapped in their enclaves,' he said speaking at his palace in Brussels. 'The current situation has gone on for far too long. It is a disgrace to all of humanity. We support the call by the United Nations Secretary-General to immediately end this unbearable crisis.' It was the first time Philippe has spoken out so strongly and unambiguously about a conflict in public. Belgium's federal government has been more reserved in its criticism of the conflict in Gaza. Pope Leo spoke by phone on Monday to the president of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas about the conflict in Gaza and violence in the West Bank, the Vatican said. It was the first official conversation between the two men since Leo's papacy began. 'The Holy Father repeated his appeal for international humanitarian law to be fully respected, emphasizing in particular the obligation to protect civilians and sacred places, the prohibition of the indiscriminate use of force and of the forced transfer of the population,' the Vatican wrote. The pope emphasized 'the urgent need to provide assistance to those most vulnerable to the consequences of the conflict and to allow the adequate entry of humanitarian aid', it said. Since the start of the war, nearly all of Gaza's population has been displaced at least once by repeated Zionist evacuation orders. According to OCHA, the latest order means that 87.8 percent of the territory is now under evacuation orders or within Zionist militarized zones. Mai Elawawda, communications officer in Gaza for the UK-based charity Medical Aid for Palestinians, said the situation was 'extremely critical', describing shelling 'all around our office, and military vehicles are just 400 metres away from our colleagues and their families'. Deir el-Balah resident Abdullah Abu Saleem, 48, told AFP on Monday that 'during the night, we heard huge and powerful explosions shaking the area as if it were an earthquake'. He said this was 'due to artillery shelling in the south-central part of Deir el-Balah and the southeastern area'. 'We are extremely worried and fearful that the army is planning a ground operation in Deir el-Balah and the central camps where hundreds of thousands of displaced people are sheltering,' he added. In Deir el-Balah, AFP images showed plumes of dark smoke billowing into the sky. The spokesman for Gaza's civil defense agency, Mahmud Bassal, told AFP that 'we received calls from several families trapped in the Al-Baraka area of Deir el-Balah due to shelling by (Zionist) tanks'. Hamdi Abu Mughseeb, 50, told AFP that he and his family had fled northwards from their tent south of Deir el-Balah at dawn following a night of intense shelling. 'There is no safe place anywhere in the Gaza Strip,' he said. 'I don't know where we can go.' - Agencies
Jordan News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Jordan News
King of Belgium: What Is Happening in Gaza Is "A Shame on Humanity" - Jordan News
King Philippe of Belgium described the current situation in the Gaza Strip as 'a shame on humanity.' In his speech on the eve of Belgium's National Day, as reported by Euronews on Monday, King Philippe stated: اضافة اعلان "Civilians in Gaza are dying from hunger and bombardment, and this situation has persisted for far too long. This is a shame on humanity." He added, "I call on UN Secretary-General António Guterres to immediately end this unbearable crisis," emphasizing the need for Europe to protect human dignity by upholding international law and human rights.
News18
2 days ago
- Politics
- News18
'Disgrace To Humanity': Belgian King Denounces 'Humanitarian Abuses' In Gaza
Last Updated: Belgium's King Philippe termed the Gaza bombings as a "disgrace to humanity." His rare political statement supports the UN's call to end the crisis. Belgium's King Philippe reacted strongly to the bombings in Gaza. He described it as a 'disgrace to humanity" in a speech on the eve of Monday's national day. Philippe's statement is gaining a lot of attention on social media as it is quite unusual to hear such direct statements from a monarch who avoids public politics. 'I add my voice to all those who denounce the serious humanitarian abuses in Gaza, where innocent people are dying of hunger and being killed by bombs while trapped in their enclaves," his statement at his palace in Brussels was quoted by Reuters. 'The current situation has gone on for far too long. It is a disgrace to all of humanity. We support the call by the United Nations Secretary-General to immediately end this unbearable crisis," he added. Philippe's strong and clear public statement marked his first outspoken stance on a conflict. Belgium's federal government has been more reserved in its criticism regarding the Gaza conflict. The king's role in Belgium is limited to offering advice, support, and warnings to the government, without engaging in political decision-making. Israel began its attack on Gaza after an October 2023 attack by Hamas-led fighters on Israeli towns, which resulted in 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages being taken. Since then, Israeli forces have killed over 59,000 people in Gaza, according to health officials. Much of the area has been devastated, and Israel has restricted food and other supplies. view comments First Published: July 21, 2025, 22:24 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Canada News.Net
2 days ago
- Politics
- Canada News.Net
Allies of Israel outraged, Call for Immediate Gaza Ceasefire
A chorus of condemnation echoed across the international community on Monday as Britain and more than 20 other countries—including some of Israel's closest allies—called for an immediate end to the war in Gaza, denouncing Israel's controversial aid delivery model after hundreds of Palestinians were killed near food distribution points. In a joint statement, foreign ministers from France, Italy, Japan, Australia, Canada, Denmark and others criticized what they described as the "drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians." The statement cited the deaths of more than 800 Palestinians who were reportedly killed while seeking humanitarian assistance, the majority of them near distribution sites run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF)—a US- and Israeli-backed body that has largely taken over aid operations from a UN-led system. "The Israeli government's aid delivery model is dangerous, fuels instability and deprives Gazans of human dignity," the joint statement read. The sharp rebuke was particularly striking given that several of the signatories are traditional allies of Israel and close partners of the United States, which has strongly supported and financed Israel's military campaign since it began in October 2023 in response to a deadly Hamas-led assault that left 1,138 Israelis dead and 251 hostages taken. Since then, more than 59,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza health officials, as Israeli forces continue their offensive, and well over 100,000 have suffered injuries, in most cases life-changing injuries. Large swathes of the Gaza Strip lie in ruins, and severe restrictions on food and essential supplies have deepened the humanitarian crisis. The GHF, which uses private U.S. security and logistics firms to deliver supplies, operates outside the traditional United Nations framework. Israel has accused the UN-led aid system of allowing Hamas to loot convoys—an allegation Hamas denies. The United Nations, in turn, has condemned the GHF model as unsafe and in violation of impartial humanitarian standards, a charge GHF rejects. Amid the growing criticism, King Philippe of Belgium delivered a rare and blunt condemnation of the situation in Gaza during a speech on the eve of Belgium's national day. Breaking with royal convention, Philippe called the humanitarian crisis a "disgrace to all of humanity." "I add my voice to all those who denounce the serious humanitarian abuses in Gaza, where innocent people are dying of hunger and being killed by bombs while trapped in their enclaves," he said from his palace in Brussels. "The current situation has gone on for far too long. It is a disgrace to all of humanity. We support the call by the United Nations Secretary-General to immediately end this unbearable crisis." Although the Belgian monarch holds no political power, his unusually forceful remarks stood in contrast to the more cautious stance of the country's federal government. Adding to the international tensions, Belgium's Foreign Ministry confirmed that two Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers were arrested and questioned by Belgian authorities following a complaint filed by the Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF), a Brussels-based legal group focused on pursuing war crimes charges against Israeli military personnel. The soldiers are being investigated over alleged war crimes, though no formal charges have been announced. Israel continues to deny allegations of abuse and insists its supply restrictions are necessary to prevent aid from being seized by militant groups. As humanitarian conditions worsen and political pressure mounts, the joint statement from over 20 nations represents a significant escalation in international calls for accountability, ceasefire, and a reassessment of how aid is delivered in one of the world's most devastated war zones.
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Belgian king denounces Gaza abuses in unusually direct remarks
FILE PHOTO: Belgium's King Philippe reacts while visiting Brandenburg Gate in Pariser Platz, during his state visit in Berlin, Germany, December 5, 2023. REUTERS/Liesa Johannssen/File Photo BRUSSELS - Belgium's King Philippe described abuses in Gaza as a "disgrace to humanity" in a speech on the eve of Monday's national day, unusually direct remarks on international affairs from a monarch who traditionally avoids public politics. "I add my voice to all those who denounce the serious humanitarian abuses in Gaza, where innocent people are dying of hunger and being killed by bombs while trapped in their enclaves," he said speaking at his palace in Brussels. "The current situation has gone on for far too long. It is a disgrace to all of humanity. We support the call by the United Nations Secretary-General to immediately end this unbearable crisis." It was the first time Philippe has spoken out so strongly and unambiguously about a conflict in public. Belgium's federal government has been more reserved in its criticism of the conflict in Gaza. The king's role in Belgium is limited to giving advice, support, and warnings to the government without making any political decisions. Israel launched its assault on Gaza following an October 2023 attack on Israeli towns by Hamas-led fighters who killed 1,200 people and captured 251 hostages. Since then, Israeli forces have killed more than 59,000 people in Gaza, according to health officials there. Much of the territory has been laid to waste and Israel has restricted food and other supplies. Israel denies that its forces commit abuses in Gaza and says restrictions on supplies are needed to prevent aid from being diverted by militants. REUTERS Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Asia At least 19 killed as Bangladesh air force plane crashes into college campus Singapore Subsidies and grants for some 20,000 people miscalculated due to processing issue: MOH Singapore 2 workers stranded on gondola dangling outside Raffles City Tower rescued by SCDF Business Why Singapore and its businesses stand to lose with US tariffs on the region Singapore NTU introduces compulsory cadaver dissection classes for medical students from 2026 Singapore Fine, driving ban for bus driver who hit lorry in BKE crash, causing fractures to passenger Singapore Jail for man who conspired with another to bribe MOH agency employee with $18k Paris trip Singapore New research institute will grow S'pore's talent in nuclear energy, safety
