Latest news with #humanitarianpause
ABC News
a day ago
- Politics
- ABC News
Israel announces daily 'pause' in Gaza
Andy Park: Israel has announced a daily pause in the fighting in three areas of Gaza to allow more food to get into the Strip. The move has been welcomed by aid groups and Palestinians. Israel is also allowing limited airdrops in Gaza. But critics ask if it will make any real difference to the more than two million people suffering from severe shortages of food. Nicole Johnston has more. Nicole Johnston: Black parachutes drift through the sky above Gaza and land with crates of food. Israel, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates are airdropping aid. Israel has also announced a pause in its fighting for 10 hours a day in three areas, al-Mawassi, Deir al-Bala and Gaza City, to allow aid to be delivered. Jodie Clark: In the short term it will not make a difference. Nicole Johnston: Jodie Clark spent 20 years in the Australian military and another 20 in the UN. Until recently she ran the UN's logistics in Gaza. Jodie Clark: The only way to make a difference is to open all of the borders and saturate the market so that you're taking away the black market, the need for people to buy food. If everybody receives aid then we start to squash the need for people to attack the trucks, the market for the armed gangs to be able to steal the truck. You need at least 500 trucks a day to be feeding two million people. Nicole Johnston: The ABC has been told that on Sunday 180 trucks were looted by crowds of hungry Palestinians in central Gaza. The aid process has collapsed into chaos. It's been run by a US and Israeli-backed organisation called the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation where armed security contractors guard four caged areas. The UN says more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed at these sites. Now trucks from Jordan and Egypt are on their way to Gaza's borders. In a statement on X, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said we will be forced to allow the entry of aid. Benjamin Netanyahu: Israel has presented as though we are applying a campaign of starvation in Gaza. What a bold-faced lie. There is no policy of starvation in Gaza and there is no starvation in Gaza. Nicole Johnston: More than 100 aid groups disagree. They've warned of mass starvation in the strip. On the ground, Gaza journalist Ghada Kord is relieved there'll be a daily pause in the war. Ghada Kord: This is a good indicator or a good sign for the people here. And we noticed this morning the military actions. Like there is no drones. Israeli warplanes, they are not flying around us. I hope this will last for more weeks and both Hamas and Israel, they can reach a ceasefire agreement as soon as possible. Nicole Johnston: But there are no talks underway or signs of a deal. In Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on the weekend, in his view, Israel was likely breaching international law by withholding aid from Gaza. The government also says it will not follow France and recognise a state of Palestine. However, former Labor Foreign Minister Bob Carr says stronger action is needed. Bob Carr: What are we going to do? Wait another month? Witnessing pictures of babies with their rib cages and vertebrae showing. Nicole Johnston: But the shadow minister for energy and emissions reduction, Dan Tehan, defended Israel's actions, saying it was trying to keep Hamas from taking the aid. Dan Tehan: Well, Israel has been trying to provide humanitarian relief into Gaza, but has been trying to do it in a way that Hamas does not capitalise on that and use that aid for its purposes. Nicole Johnston: But Jodie Clark insists unless you've been to Gaza, you can't comprehend the difficulty of delivering aid in a war zone. Jodie Clark: People that are not in Gaza don't understand the implications. Like an airdrop is a touch in the ocean. It's not doing anything that's impactful, but they're just doing it to take the focus on what the real problem is there. And that's that people are starving. Andy Park: That's Jodie Clark, a former senior UN logistics coordinator, ending that report by Nicole Johnston.
Irish Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Irish Times
Israeli PM Binyamin Netanyahu may be running out of ideas
Israel 's education minister Yoav Kish, in an interview with the Kan public broadcaster on Monday morning, said there was 'zero chance' of freeing the hostages via a ceasefire with Hamas. His comments sent the families of the 50 hostages, particularly those of the 20 still believed to be alive, now in captivity for 661 days, into despair. The revelation also marked the clearest indication that the government of prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu has failed to bring about the release of the hostages through a combination of military pressure on Hamas and limiting the humanitarian aid entering Gaza. Having chosen to renew the war back in March for domestic political considerations when a ceasefire looked possible, it now seems Netanyahu has run out of ideas. Hamas has shown little willingness, despite the pressure, to reach a deal during talks in Doha and appears to have entrenched its negotiating position. READ MORE Almost 150 people, including 88 children, have reportedly died in Gaza due to starvation. The Israeli government first denied that there was famine and then tried to blame the UN and aid agencies in an attempt to deflect responsibility for the catastrophe. With international outrage mounting by the day, Israel was fast becoming a pariah state. Intense pressure from the US and the European Union forced Netanyahu, finally, to act. On Sunday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced a 10-hour 'humanitarian pause' in the fighting each day until further notice, in the approximately 25 per cent of the enclave where the IDF is not operating (mainly due to concern that hostages are being held in these areas). This allows UN convoys to pass through designated corridors. In parallel, airlifts were undertaken by the Israeli air force, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, and lorries were allowed to cross overland from Egypt. 'Why are there no pro-Israel voices in the Dáil?' Listener questions answered Listen | 33:43 Netanyahu decided on the U-turn over the weekend without consulting the leaders of the two far-right parties in his coalition, who have always argued that agreeing to allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza undermines the war effort and strengthens Hamas, which has been accused of stealing supplies in the past to feed its fighters and to sell for money which is used to pay the militants. 'This is a capitulation to Hamas's deceitful campaign,' Itamar Ben-Gvir, the head of Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Strength), said in a statement, repeating his call to stop all aid, conquer the entire territory and encourage Palestinians to leave. However, he stopped short of threatening to quit the government. Despite the surge in humanitarian assistance entering Gaza, the fighting continues. Defence minister Yisrael Katz issued a threatening message, echoing past statements. 'If Hamas doesn't release the hostages, the gates of hell will open in Gaza,' he warned. Knesset member Moshe Saada, also from Netanyahu's Likud party, said on Monday morning: 'There's no choice now but to occupy the entire Gaza Strip from end to end.' He claimed that Israel has received approval from US president Donald Trump for such a move. It could be that the bellicose noises from Israeli officials are designed to exert more pressure on Hamas. Israel aims to create a credible threat, backed by Trump, in the hope of clinching the 60-day ceasefire on the table. But if the strategy fails, a devastating military escalation remains a possibility, inflicting more death and destruction on the residents of Gaza. Hamas has also threatened to kill the captives it holds in the tunnels if IDF forces approach.
The Guardian
2 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
Israel's new 10-hour military pause in parts of Gaza starts but UN says it is not enough to stave off famine – Middle East crisis live
Update: Date: 2025-07-28T07:40:18.000Z Title: Israel's new 10-hour military pause in parts of Gaza begins but UN warns measures are not enough to 'stave off famine' Content: We are continuing our live coverage of Israel's war on Gaza. Stick with us throughout the day as we provide the latest updates. Responding to a global outcry provoked by reports and images of widespread starvation and malnutrition in Gaza, the Israeli military said yesterday that it had began a 'tactical pause' in the densely populated areas of Gaza City, Deir al-Balah and Muwasi to 'increase the scale of humanitarian aid' into the strip. It said the pause would be repeated every day from 10am to 8pm local time until further notice. Today is due to bring the second of these pauses. Soon after the first humanitarian pause began yesterday, Israel carried out an airstrike on a building in Gaza City, killing a woman and her four children. Israel allowed a limited amount of airdrops into Gaza to resume over the weekend but charities have warned the amount is totally inadequate for the population's needs. Israel, Jordan and the UAE all parachuted aid into the territory that has been devasted by relentless Israeli bombardments. Israel has said humanitarian corridors would be established to facilitate the entry of UN aid trucks into Gaza, though the number of trucks that will be allowed in was not specified. UN aid chief Tom Fletcher welcomed Israel's pledge to start daily humanitarian pauses, but said much more has to be done to alleviate the health crisis engulfing the territory. In a statement published yesterday, he said: We welcome Israel's decision to support a one-week scale-up of aid, including lifting customs barriers on food, medicine and fuel from Egypt and the reported designation of secure routes for UN humanitarian convoys. Some movement restrictions appear to have been eased today, with initial reports indicating that over 100 truckloads were collected. This is progress, but vast amounts of aid are needed to stave off famine and a catastrophic health crisis.
ABC News
2 days ago
- Politics
- ABC News
Critics wary of Israel's pause in fighting to allow food into Gaza
Israel has announced a daily pause in the fighting in three areas of Gaza to allow more food to get into the strip. The move has been welcomed by aid groups and Palestinians. Israel is also allowing limited airdrops in Gaza. But critics ask if it will make any real difference to the more than 2 million people suffering from severe shortages of food.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Israeli strikes kill 63 in Gaza despite ‘pauses', as hunger crisis deepens
Israeli forces have killed at least 63 people across Gaza, hours after the military announced it would begin 'pausing' attacks for 10 hours daily in some areas to allow humanitarian aid to pass through. On Sunday, the Israeli army said it would temporarily halt military activity each day from 10am to 8pm (07:00-17:00 GMT) in parts of central and northern Gaza, including al-Mawasi, Deir el-Balah and Gaza City. It also pledged to open designated aid corridors for food and medical convoys between 6am and 11pm. But hours into the first day of the 'humanitarian pauses', Israeli air raids resumed. 'There was an air strike on Gaza City, and this is one of the areas that was designated as a safe area, and where the Israeli forces are going to halt their military operations,' Al Jazeera's Hind Khoudary reported from Deir el-Balah. 'According to Palestinians in that area, a bakery was targeted.' The bombardment comes as global outcry grows over the worsening humanitarian disaster in Gaza inflicted by Israel. Famine deaths rise Gaza's Ministry of Health reported that six more Palestinians, including two children, died from hunger-related causes in the past 24 hours, pushing the number of starvation deaths to 133 since October 2023. Among the dead was five-month-old Zainab Abu Haleeb, who succumbed to malnutrition at Nasser Hospital. 'Three months inside the hospital, and this is what I get in return, that she is dead,' said her mother, Israa Abu Haleeb, as the child's father cradled her small body wrapped in a white World Food Programme (WFP) said on Sunday that one in three Gaza residents has gone days without eating, and nearly 500,000 people are suffering from 'famine-like conditions'. The World Health Organization also warned last week that more than 20 percent of pregnant and breastfeeding women are malnourished. Falestine Ahmed, a mother in Gaza, told Al Jazeera she lost one-third of her body weight. 'I used to weigh 57kg [126 pounds], now I weigh 42kg [93 pounds], and both my son and I have been diagnosed with severe malnutrition,' she said. 'We barely have any food at home, and even when it's available, it's far too expensive for us to afford.' Israel has authorised new corridors for aid, while the United Arab Emirates and Jordan have airdropped supplies into the territory. However, deliveries have been fraught with danger and are far too few. Al Jazeera's Hani Mahmoud reported that one aid drop injured nearly a dozen people. 'Eleven people were reported with injuries as one of these pallets fell directly on tents in that displacement site near al-Rasheed Road.' Despite the mounting evidence of extreme hunger, Israel continues to deny that famine exists in Gaza. The Israeli military insists it is working to improve humanitarian access. But scenes of desperation contradict official claims. 'I've come all this way, risking my life for my children. They haven't eaten for a week,' said Smoud Wahdan, a mother searching for flour, speaking to Al Jazeera. 'At the very least, I've been looking for a piece of bread for my children.' Another displaced mother, Tahani, said that her cancer-stricken child was among those suffering. 'I came to get flour, to look for food to feed my children. I wish God's followers would wake up and see all these people. They are dying.' Aid groups overwhelmed Liz Allcock, the head of protection for Medical Aid for Palestinians, told Al Jazeera that she has never seen Gaza in such a state. 'The scale of starvation and the number of people you see walking around who are literally skin and bones [is shocking]… Money really has no value here when there is nothing to buy,' she said. 'All of Gazan society – no matter who they are – is suffering from critical food shortages,' she added, warning that one-quarter of the population is at risk of acute malnutrition. The United Nations says aid deliveries can only succeed if Israel approves the rapid movement of convoys through its checkpoints. UN aid chief Tom Fletcher noted that while some restrictions appeared to have eased, the scale of the crisis required far more action. 'This is progress, but vast amounts of aid are needed to stave off famine and a catastrophic health crisis,' he said. Diplomatic pressure builds French President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday that he discussed the Gaza situation with his Turkish and Egyptian counterparts and plans to co-host a conference in New York City next week focused on securing a two-state solution. 'We cannot accept that people, including large numbers of children, die of hunger,' he said. Macron confirmed that France would soon recognise Palestinian statehood, joining more than 140 UN member states. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in an interview that Israel's blockade of aid amounts to a violation of 'humanity and morality'. 'Quite clearly, it is a breach of international law to stop food being delivered, which was a decision that Israel made in March,' he told ABC News. However, he added that Australia was not ready to recognise Palestinian statehood 'imminently'. In the United States, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that ceasefire talks led by President Donald Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, are making 'a lot of progress'. 'We're optimistic and hopeful that any day now, we will have a ceasefire agreement,' Rubio told Fox News, suggesting that half of the remaining Israeli captives may be released soon. Gaza's Health Ministry said that 88 Palestinians were killed and 374 wounded in Israeli attacks over the past 24 hours alone. Since Israel's war on Gaza began in October, at least 59,821 Palestinians have been killed and more than 144,000 injured. Despite talk of pauses and diplomacy, the violence continues to the daily Crossword
