&w=3840&q=100)
Germany calls Gaza aid ‘very insufficient', pressures Israel for more access
Despite some progress, the amount of aid entering Gaza remains 'very insufficient,' according to the German government, which met on Saturday to consider ways to put further pressure on Israel.
The criticism came after Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul visited the region on Thursday and Friday, when the German military conducted its first food airdrops into Gaza, where humanitarian agencies estimate that more than two million Palestinians are starving.
Germany 'notes limited initial progress in the delivery of humanitarian aid to the population of the Gaza Strip, which, however, remains very insufficient to alleviate the emergency situation,' government spokesman Stefan Kornelius said in a statement.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
'Israel remains obligated to ensure the full delivery of aid,' Kornelius stated.
Faced with rising worldwide criticism for its military actions in Gaza, Israel has permitted more trucks to enter the border and some foreign nations to conduct airdrops of food and medication.
According to international groups, the amount of aid entering Gaza remains dangerously low.
According to the United Nations, 6,000 vehicles are awaiting permission from Israel to enter the occupied Palestinian territories.
The German government, a long-time supporter of Israel, has expressed 'concern regarding reports that large quantities of humanitarian aid are being withheld by Hamas and criminal organisations.'
Israel claims that Hamas, which controls Gaza, siphons off much of the aid that arrives in the region.
The Israeli army is accused of having equipped Palestinian criminal networks in its fight against Hamas and of allowing them to plunder aid deliveries.
'The real theft of aid since the beginning of the war has been carried out by criminal gangs, under the watch of Israeli forces,' Jonathan Whittall of OCHA, the United Nations agency for coordinating humanitarian affairs, told reporters in May.
A German government source told AFP it had noted that Israel has 'considerably' increased the number of aid trucks allowed into Gaza to about 220 a day.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Berlin has taken a tougher line against Israel's actions in Gaza and the occupied West Bank in recent weeks.
The source said that a German security cabinet meeting on Saturday discussed 'the different options' for putting pressure on Israel, but no decision was taken.
A partial suspension of arms deliveries to Israel is one option that has been raised.
Hamas militants launched an attack in Israel on October 7, 2023, that resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.
Israel's military offensive on Gaza since then has killed at least 60,249 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health ministry. The UN considers the ministry's figures reliable.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Bibi 'promises' to brief army on Gaza war plan
. Israel's PM Benjamin Netanyahu promised Monday to update Israel's Gaza war plan, a day before a UN Security Council meeting on the fate of hostages still held in the Palestinian territory. Addressing a cabinet meeting , Netanyahu told ministers that later in the week he would instruct the military on how "to achieve the three war objectives we have set". Netanyahu's announcement comes as he faces pressure to return the remaining hostages in Gaza, as well as mounting calls to address the dire food situation in the Gaza Strip. Israel is preparing to convene a UN Security Council meeting on Tuesday to highlight the fate of the hostages. At the weekly meeting, Netanyahu reiterated that Israel's three war goals remain "the defeat of the enemy, the release of our hostages and the promise that Gaza will no longer pose a threat". AFP
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
New US visa rule to include $15,000 bond: What it means, who's affected
The United States will soon begin requiring some foreign nationals to pay visa bonds of up to $15,000 as part of a pilot program aimed at reducing visa overstays, the State Department announced on Monday. A new US visa rule will require some tourist visa applicants to post bonds of up to $15,000 to discourage overstays. The move is part of US President Donald Trump's continued push to tighten immigration controls since returning to office in January. The 12-month program, which starts August 20, will apply to certain applicants for B-1 business and B-2 tourist visas from countries deemed high-risk for visa overstays, reported news agency AFP. What is the new US Visa program? According to a US state department notice set to be published in the Federal Register on Tuesday, 'consular officers may require covered nonimmigrant visa applicants to post a bond of up to $15,000 as a condition of visa issuance.' The minimum bond amount is $5,000, and the money will be returned if the traveler adheres to visa terms. Those who remain in the US beyond the permitted duration will forfeit the full bond. The program also restricts entry and exit to a list of pre-selected airports in the United States for those required to pay the bond. Who all will be affected? The country's state department said the measure targets nationals from countries with "high visa overstay rates" as identified in a 2023 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) report. Additionally, applicants from countries 'where screening and vetting information is deemed deficient' or where citizenship can be acquired by investment without a residency requirement may also be required to post a bond. 'Countries will be identified based on high overstay rates, screening and vetting deficiencies, concerns regarding acquisition of citizenship by investment without a residency requirement, and foreign policy considerations,' a State Department spokesperson said in response to an AFP query. However, neither the spokesperson nor the notice listed the countries that will be immediately affected. According to DHS and US Customs and Border Protection data cited by news agency Reuters, nations such as Chad, Eritrea, Haiti, Myanmar, Yemen, Burundi, Djibouti and Togo have shown high overstay rates. How will it work? The bonds are intended as a financial deterrent. If visa holders leave the country on time, the amount will be refunded in full. If they overstay, the money will be retained by the government. The pilot will apply only to B-1 and B-2 visa applicants and will require them to travel in and out of designated airports. The state department said it cannot estimate how many people will be affected, but a spokesperson noted the criteria and country list may be updated over time. What is the Trump administeration saying? "The pilot reinforces the Trump administration's commitment to enforcing US immigration laws and safeguarding US national security," a state department spokesperson said. The notice describes the program as 'a key pillar of the Trump Administration's foreign policy to protect the United States from the clear national security threat posed by visa overstays.' A similar pilot was introduced in November 2020 during Trump's first term but was never fully implemented due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on global travel. New program may have narrow effect The US Travel Association estimated the scope of the program to be relatively narrow, likely affecting only about 2,000 applicants from countries with low travel volume, according to Reuters. However, the group raised concerns that the new requirement could hurt inbound tourism. "If implemented, the US will have one of, if not the highest, visitor visa fees in the world," the association said. The association also pointed to signs of waning international interest in US travel, noting that transatlantic airfares had dropped to pre-pandemic levels, and that travel from Canada and Mexico had declined by 20% year-on-year. (With AFP, Reuters inputs)
News18
an hour ago
- News18
Will Hasina Catch A Breather? Bangladesh Lawyers Move To Scrap Charges In War Crimes Case
Hasina faces five charges, including failure to prevent mass murder, which under Bangladeshi law amount to crimes against humanity The defence lawyers of Bangladesh's convicted ex-prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday sought to have the charges against her dismissed in her crimes against humanity trial. State-appointed defence lawyer Md Amir Hossain told reporters the allegations appeared 'false, fabricated and politically motivated". He added that he had not been able to speak to Hasina directly. According to the United Nations, up to 1,400 people were killed between July and August last year when Hasina's government ordered a crackdown on protesters in a failed attempt to retain power. Hasina, 77, fled to India following a student-led uprising in August 2024 and has ignored orders to return to Dhaka, where her trial in absentia began on June 1. Prosecutors say Hasina held overall command responsibility for the violence. She faces five charges, including failure to prevent mass murder, which under Bangladeshi law amount to crimes against humanity. The trial is due to resume on July 10. 'She will serve the sentence the day she arrives in Bangladesh or surrenders to the court," chief prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam said after the verdict. The contempt case centred on comments Hasina reportedly made after her ousting, which prosecutors claim intimidated witnesses in ongoing hearings. 'The prosecution team believes her comment created an aura of fear among those who filed the cases and among the witnesses," Islam added. Most leaders of the Awami League, ministers, and several officials from the former regime have been arrested or remain fugitives as the interim government launched trials over the brutal crackdown that quelled last year's uprising. This crackdown led to the fall of the nearly 16-year Awami League rule on 5 August and forced Hasina to flee to India. (With inputs from agencies) view comments 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.
