Latest news with #US-Israel-backed
The National
15-07-2025
- Health
- The National
90 killed as UN say attacks on Gaza have 'intensified'
Gaza's Health Ministry said in a daily report on Tuesday afternoon that the bodies of 93 people killed by Israeli strikes had been brought to hospitals over the past 24 hours, along with 278 wounded. One strike in the northern Shati refugee camp killed three adults and six children who were sheltering in a building, according to reports from Shifa Hospital. A further strike hit a house in Gaza City's Tel al-Hawa district on Monday evening and killed 19 members of the family living inside. Eight women and six children were among the dead. READ MORE: Three arrested under Terrorism Act after van breaches Edinburgh arms factory A strike on a tent housing displaced people in the same district killed a man, a woman and their two children. Residents were told to evacuate to the west of Gaza City despite the area also being under fire. Al Jazeera reported that Israeli military forces targeted the vicinity of the Wadi Gaza bridge in central Gaza with artillery shelling. During a raid of another refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, the Qalandia camp north of Jerusalem, IDF soldiers reportedly attacked and destroyed residents' private property and arrested at least 32 Palestinians across the area. The latest strikes come as UN officials say there has been an increase in deaths as military forces continue to open-fire on Palestinians accessing food at US-Israel-backed aid sites. "Israeli settlers and security forces have intensified their killings, attacks and harassment of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in the past weeks," Thameen Al-Kheetan, a spokesperson for the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OCHCR), told reporters in Geneva. '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.' READ MORE: BBC Gaza documentary review could give bosses 'cover' on Palestine, expert says Additionally, new data from the UNRWA shows that malnutrition rates in the enclave are increasing, with one in 10 children screened showing serious signs of malnourishment. Israel was also criticised by Qatar leaders amidst ceasefire negotiations after strikes were carried out overnight in Syria. Around 30 people were killed and over 100 injured, with 12 refugees in Bekka Valley dead following an air strike on a camp. Since the beginning of the genocide, Israeli strikes have killed 58,386 Palestinians and wounded 139,077.
Indian Express
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
The biggest obstacle to a ceasefire in Gaza is Netanyahu himself
After 21 months of conflict, yet another ceasefire in Gaza appears imminent. Over the weekend, talks were underway in Qatar between Israel and Hamas, mediated by Qatar and Egypt, though there was no breakthrough at the end of the first round. The optimism around a successful deal, however, stems from PM Benjamin Netanyahu's ongoing trip to the US, and because President Donald Trump has been pushing for an end to Israel's bombing campaign. If a new ceasefire is agreed upon, it will be the third one so far. The first , in November 2023, lasted for a week. The second was discarded by Israel before negotiations moved to the next phase. The urgency cannot be overstated. Israel's military response to Hamas's 2023 terror attack has, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, killed more than 57,000 Palestinians and displaced almost the entire 2 million-strong population. A UN body has said that more than 600 have been killed near aid sites run by a US-Israel-backed group. The UN's humanitarian chief has said people in Gaza are being subjected to forced starvation. Amid this continuing catastrophe, that Netanyahu nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize Monday would look less like a cruel joke if it could nudge Israel towards a cessation of hostilities first. In Israel, there is growing opposition to the war. Ending the war now and getting the hostages back could even allow Netanyahu to sell Gaza and Iran as his victories. International opinion has turned as well. Israel's allies are either suspending or reviewing existing agreements with it. Ultimately, the biggest obstacle to a ceasefire remains Netanyahu himself. The war arguably keeps him in power. His government has been propped up by right-wing hawks and his corruption trial continues to be delayed on security grounds. Netanyahu's stated goal of wiping out Hamas from Gaza is at odds with the aim of the militant group's leaders, who seek to retain some presence in the strip, even if it's a significantly weakened one. The one person, however, who can coerce the Israeli PM into a definitive ceasefire is Donald Trump. The US President should ensure the peace before coveting the prize for it.
Qatar Tribune
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Qatar Tribune
UN rights rapporteur accuses Israel of apartheid, genocide
dpa Geneva A UN official tasked with monitoring the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip on Tuesday accused Israel of using companies to pursue a 'settler-colonial' displacement project aimed at apartheid and genocide. Francesca Albanese, an Italian legal and human rights academic, said that while political leaders and governments shirked their obligations, 'far too many corporate entities have profited from the Israeli economy of illegal occupation, apartheid and now genocide.' Albanese, who was appointed UN special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian Territories in 2022, has published a report entitled 'From economy of occupation to economy of genocide.' Israel has long accused Albanese of lacking fairness, neutrality and impartiality. The Israeli government rejects cooperation with the UN Human Rights Council and its organs. The Israeli diplomatic representation in Geneva described her report as being 'motivated by her obsessive hate-driven agenda to delegitimize the existence of the State of Israel' and as a flagrant abuse of her office. Albanese's report investigates what it terms 'the corporate machinery sustaining the Israeli settler-colonial project of displacement and replacement of the Palestinians in the occupied territory.' It goes on to describe 'the role of corporate entities in sustaining the illegal Israeli occupation and its ongoing genocidal campaign in Gaza' and says that corporate interests underpin the Israeli settler-colonial logic of the displacement, replacement and dispossession of Palestinians. It adds that corporate actors have contributed to the acceleration of this displacement-replacement process since the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel mounted from the Gaza Strip that has led to the current war. On Tuesday, at least 95 Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks throughout Gaza, including more than a dozen desperate people seeking food at US-Israel-backed aid distribution sites.
Days of Palestine
21-06-2025
- Health
- Days of Palestine
UN Official says Israel's Gaza aid system is a lethal trap for starving civilians
DaysofPal – The head of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees has condemned the US-Israel-backed aid delivery system in Gaza as a 'lethal' and 'medieval' mechanism that is contributing to mass deaths among starving civilians in the besieged territory. Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of UNRWA, issued a scathing rebuke of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a US- and Israel-endorsed aid coordination entity, accusing it of militarizing humanitarian relief and deliberately endangering lives. 'It is now the routine to shoot and kill desperate and starving people while they try to collect little food from a company made of mercenaries,' Lazzarini wrote in a post on X. 'A lame, medieval, and lethal system that is deliberately harming people under the camouflage of 'humanitarian aid' with lies, deceit, and cruelty. Inviting starving people to their death is a war crime. Those responsible for this system must be held accountable.' The remarks come amid growing international outcry over Israel's ongoing offensive in Gaza, which has left more than 55,630 people dead since October 7, 2023, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Thousands of those killed were reportedly seeking food or aid at GHF-run distribution sites. Mass killings at aid checkpoints According to UNRWA and media reports, hundreds of Palestinians have been killed at aid distribution points since the GHF launched operations three weeks ago. Gaza-based correspondents reported that at least 420 people were killed and more than 3,000 injured by Israeli fire near three aid sites in central and southern Gaza. 'You go there to get food, but you never know if you'll make it back,' one Palestinian told reporters, calling the sites 'execution grounds.' On Wednesday alone, at least 47 Palestinians were killed, including 14 aid workers, further underscoring the growing dangers of accessing life-saving assistance. Starvation as a Weapon of War Human rights groups and UN officials have accused Israel of using starvation as a weapon of war. Palestinians, including children, have died from malnutrition and dehydration, while Israeli forces have reportedly restricted humanitarian access and blocked essential supplies. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has denounced the repeated killing of civilians at aid sites, calling the pattern 'unacceptable' and demanding an independent investigation. 'The needs of the Palestinian people remain unmet,' said UN spokesperson Farhan Haq at a recent briefing. 'The Secretary-General continues to call for accountability and for Israel to uphold its obligations under international humanitarian law.' UNRWA has warned that Gaza's health system is on the verge of total collapse. Forty-five percent of essential medical supplies are out of stock, and the remaining inventory could be depleted within six weeks. Vital medicines and blood products are nearly exhausted, while fuel shortages have crippled hospitals, which depend entirely on generators to function. 'The amount of fuel in the hospitals is enough for three days only,' Gaza's Health Ministry said, blaming Israeli restrictions that prevent fuel delivery to areas designated as combat zones. WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that for over 100 days, no fuel has entered Gaza, with Israeli forces denying access to fuel reserves in affected areas. 'This is pushing the health system closer to the brink of collapse,' Tedros stated. The recent blackout, according to the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, was brought on by a fresh outage along one of the main routes, which was brought on by ongoing Israeli attacks on landline and internet infrastructure. 'There has been a new outage in the fiber optic line,' said Laith Daraghmeh, executive director of Gaza's Telecommunications Regulatory Authority. 'As a result, there are currently no communications services in southern and central Gaza.' The Government Media Office condemned the blackout, calling it 'a crime aimed at obscuring the truth and deepening the humanitarian catastrophe.' 'The widespread and recurring interruption of communications and the internet cannot be considered a technical or accidental failure,' it said. 'Rather, it is a deliberate and premeditated crime aimed at isolating the Gaza Strip from the outside world, obscuring the truth, and depriving citizens of the most basic necessities of life, safety, communication, and assistance.' In his remarks, Lazzarini called for the immediate reinstatement of humanitarian principles and unimpeded access for aid workers and specialists. 'Humanitarian principles must be reinstated. Experts must be allowed into Gaza to provide assistance,' he urged. Shortlink for this post:
Morocco World
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Morocco World
Israel Reduces Occupation Forces in Gaza Amid Escalating Attacks with Iran
Rabat – Israel has reportedly reduced its occupation forces in Gaza, shifting its focus toward what it now considers its primary 'warfront' against Iran. Israeli occupation officials told local media that this decision aims to strengthen border defenses against infiltration attempts by Iran's proxies in Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria. Although Israeli reports claim no evidence of Hezbollah preparing to join Iran's attacks, they identify groups in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen as significant threats. Despite the reduction of occupation forces, the genocide in Gaza relentlessly continues , even as media attention shifts toward the exchange of attacks between Iran and Israel – mostly emphasizing the 24 casualties in Israel and glossing over 200 killed civilians in Iran. While Israel's humanitarian blockade on Gaza has entered its 106th day, killing Palestinians at the US-Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) distribution points has become a daily occurrence since the foundation's launch. Of the 48 Palestinians Israel killed so far today, 33 were murdered while waiting for aid trucks near GHF sites. Since GHF began operations in Gaza on May 27, Israel has killed more than 330 starving Palestinians attempting to access food distribution centers that have largely delivered death rather than aid. 'GHF is a dirty tool in the hands of the occupation army. It serves as a cover for organized genocide,' stated the Gaza Media Office. At the opening of the latest United Nations Human Rights Council session, UN human rights chief Volker Türk renewed his warnings about Israel's unbated actions in Gaza. He condemned Israel's 'means and methods of warfare' as having inflicted 'horrifying, unconscionable suffering' on Palestinians. 'Israel has weaponized food and blocked lifesaving aid. I urge immediate, impartial investigations into deadly attacks on desperate civilians trying to reach food distribution centres,' Türk said, calling on all those in power to apply pressure to end 'what's happening in Gaza' — notably avoiding the use of the word 'genocide' in his entire speech. Beyond its occupation forces, Israel is also arming militias inside Gaza who have been looting aid supplies and reselling them to Palestinians at extortionate prices, intensifying their psychological torment. These groups — purportedly composed of Palestinians against Hamas — have been executing civilians at aid sites under Israeli protection.
