For besieged Gazans, famine overshadows new Zionist threat
GAZA: The Zionist entity's plan for the 'conquest' of Gaza has sparked renewed fears, but for many of the territory's residents, the most immediate threat to their lives remains the specter of famine amid a months-long Zionist entity blockade. The plan to expand military attacks, approved by the entity's security cabinet overnight, includes holding territories in the besieged Gaza Strip and moving the population south 'for their protection', a Zionist official said. But Gaza residents told AFP that they did not expect the new offensive would make any significant changes to the already dire humanitarian situation in the small coastal territory. '(The Zionist entity) has not stopped the war, the killing, the bombing, the destruction, the siege, and the starvation — every day — so how can they talk about expanding military operations?' Awni Awad, 39, told AFP.
Awad, who lives in a tent in the southern Gaza city of Khan Yunis after being displaced by Zionist evacuation orders, said that his situation was already 'catastrophic and tragic'. 'I call on the world to witness the famine that grows and spreads every day,' he said. The UN's World Food Program (WFP) in late April said it had depleted all its foods stocks in Gaza due to Zionist blockade on all supplies since March 2.
Aya Al-Skafy, a resident of Gaza City, told AFP her baby died because of malnutrition and medicine shortages last week. 'She was four months old and weighed 2.8 kilograms (6.2 pounds), which is very little. Medicine was not available,' she said. 'Due to severe malnutrition, she suffered from blood acidity, liver and kidney failure, and many other complications. Her hair and nails also fell out due to malnutrition.'
Umm Hashem al-Saqqa, another Gaza City resident, fears her five-year-old son might face a similar fate, but is powerless to do anything about it. 'Hashem suffers from iron deficiency anemia. He is constantly pale and lacks balance, and is unable to walk due to malnutrition,' she told AFP. 'There is no food, no medicine, and no nutritional supplements. The markets are empty of food, and the government clinics and pharmacies have nothing.'
'Distract the world'
Gaza City resident Mohammed Al-Shawa, 65, said that the entity's new military roadmap changes little as it already controls most of Gaza. 'The (Zionist) announcement about expanding military operations in Gaza is just talk for the media, because the entire Gaza Strip is occupied, and there is no safe area in Gaza,' he said.
The UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimates that 69 percent of Gaza has now been either incorporated into one of the entity's buffer zones, or is subject to evacuation orders. That number rises to 100 percent in the southern governorate of Rafah, where over 230,000 people lived before the war but which has now been entirely declared a no-go zone. 'There is no food, no medicine, and the announcement of an aid distribution plan is just to distract the world and mislead global public opinion,' Shawa said, referring to reports of a new Zionist entity plan for humanitarian aid delivery that has yet to be implemented. 'The reality is that the entity is killing Palestinians in Gaza by bombing, shooting, or through starvation and denial of medical treatment,' he said. — AFP
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Kuwait Times
10 hours ago
- Kuwait Times
Outrage over more Zionist carnage as Gazans seek food
GAZA: Rescuers said the Zionist military killed at least 27 people near a US-backed aid center in Gaza on Tuesday, with the army reporting it had fired on 'suspects who advanced toward the troops'. United Nations chief Antonio Guterres on Tuesday slammed as 'unacceptable' the deaths of Palestinians seeking food aid in Gaza, a spokesman said, calling the loss of life in the territory 'unthinkable'. The White House said it is aware of reports of Zionist troops firing on Palestinian aid seekers. The UN human rights chief condemned such attacks on civilians as 'a war crime' after a similar shooting in the same area on Sunday killed and wounded scores of Palestinians seeking aid, according to the civil defense agency. 'We are witnessing unthinkable loss of life in Gaza (and) the secretary-general condemns the loss of lives and injuries of Palestinians seeking aid. It is unacceptable civilians are risking and in several instances losing their lives just trying to get food,' UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. 'We're going to look into reports before we confirm them from this podium or before we take action,' said White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt at a press briefing. Tuesday's deaths in the southern city of Rafah came as rescuers reported 19 people killed in other Zionist attacks in the territory, and as the Zionist army announced three soldiers had been killed in northern Gaza. 'Twenty-seven people were killed and more than 90 injured in the massacre targeting civilians who were waiting for American aid in the Al-Alam area of Rafah,' said civil defense spokesman Mahmud Bassal, who earlier told AFP the deaths occurred 'when (Zionist) forces opened fire with tanks and drones'. The International Committee of the Red Cross said its field hospital in Gaza's Rafah city recorded 27 deaths on Tuesday, matching the toll given by rescuers. 'Early this morning, the 60-bed Red Cross Field Hospital in Rafah received a mass casualty influx of 184 patients. This includes 19 cases who were declared dead upon arrival and eight more who died due to their wounds shortly after,' the ICRC said. The organization added in a statement that survivors of the early morning incident said they had been 'trying to reach an assistance distribution site'. The ICRC said Tuesday's shooting caused 'the highest number of weapon-wounded patients received in a single incident' since the field hospital opened more than a year ago. 'The unprecedented scale and frequency of recent mass casualty incidents treated at the field hospital is deeply worrying and illustrates the harrowing reality that civilians in Gaza are being forced to endure,' it added. The Al-Alam roundabout is about a kilometer from a center run by the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a recently formed group that the Zionist entity has worked with to implement a new aid distribution mechanism in the territory. The United Nations and major aid groups have refused to cooperate with the group over concerns it was designed to cater to Zionist military objectives. At Nasser Hospital, the husband and children of Reem Al-Akhras, who was killed at Al-Alam, were beside themselves with grief. 'How can I let you go, mum?' her son Zain Zidan said through tears as he cradled her white-shrouded head outside the hospital. 'She went to bring us some food, and this is what happened to her.' Akhras's husband, Mohamed Zidan, said 'every day, unarmed people' were being killed. 'They carry no weapons or knives — just bags to collect aid. 'This is not humanitarian aid; it's a trap,' he said. Rania Al-Astal, 30, said she had gone to Al-Alam with her husband to try to get food. 'The shooting began intermittently around 5:00 am. Every time people approached Al-Alam roundabout, they were fired upon,' she told AFP. 'But people didn't care and rushed forward all at once — that's when the army began firing heavily.' Fellow witness Mohammed al-Shaer, 44, said at first 'the (Zionist) army fired shots into the air, then began shooting directly at the people'. In the end, he said, 'I didn't reach the center, and we didn't get any food.' The previous shooting on Sunday killed at least 31 people at the Al-Alam roundabout as they congregated before heading to the aid center, rescuers said. 'Deadly attacks on distraught civilians trying to access the paltry amounts of food aid in Gaza are unconscionable,' UN human rights chief Volker Turk said after Tuesday's deaths. 'Attacks directed against civilians constitute a grave breach of international law and a war crime.' GHF on Tuesday named an evangelical Christian leader as its new chairman. The appointment of Reverend Johnnie Moore 'underscores GHF's determination to pair operational excellence with experienced, service-oriented leadership,' the group's acting executive director John Acree said in a statement. 'His insight will be invaluable as we build on our early success.' Moore has had a confrontational approach to the United Nations. After Guterres expressed revulsion at 'reports of Palestinians killed and injured while seeking aid in Gaza' on Sunday, Moore responded angrily. 'Mr Secretary General, it was a lie,' the reverend posted to Guterres on X, 'spread by terrorists & you're still spreading it. Correct this.' On Tuesday a leading US management consulting firm that helped create the GHF said it has terminated its contract with the organization and placed the partner leading the project on leave. Boston Consulting Group helped establish the GHF in Oct 2024. 'Unapproved follow-on work relating to Gaza lacked buy-in from multilateral stakeholders and was stopped on May 30. BCG has not and will not be paid for any of this work,' the group said in a statement. BCG said a formal review of the work has begun, and 'the partner who led this work has been placed on administrative leave.' The Zionist entity has come under mounting pressure to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza, where people are facing severe shortages after the Zionist entity imposed a more than two-month blockade on supplies. The health ministry in Gaza said at least 4,240 people have been killed in the territory since the Zionist entity resumed its offensive on March 18, taking the war's overall toll to 54,510, mostly civilians. – Agencies
Kuwait Times
18 hours ago
- Kuwait Times
Kyiv exhibition helps relieve stress of war
Virtual sunrises, a giant sculpture of a purring cat and a soundproof booth you can scream into -- the installations at Kyiv's "Third Wind" exhibition may seem like a bit of light-hearted fun. But for the show's organizers, among them leading psychologists and mental health experts, the art has a very serious purpose: to help Ukrainians de-stress and explore their emotions after three years of war. Russia's invasion has triggered a mental health crisis in Ukraine, with more than half of respondents to a recent survey feeling "anxiety and tension". If only for a brief moment, the installations offer visitors a much-needed mental break from the war and help them "release tension, cry or smile a little", said curator Yulia Solovey. "Above all, it's about giving people the strength to keep moving forward," she told AFP. The exhibition has proven wildly popular, with nearly 100,000 people visiting within the space of a month. Among them was 41-year-old resident Inna Purgan, who came seeking a "return to childhood" after a weekend of Russian strikes. "It was very stressful, I couldn't sleep because of the drones and explosions," she told AFP. After letting out a high-pitched scream in a soundproof booth, one of the interactive experiences, she said she felt a little better. "It makes you feel lighter!" she said with a smile. The exhibition's name is a play on "second wind", a burst of energy experienced during moments of exhaustion. It is a feeling many Ukrainians relate to in their fourth year of war, with the exhibition inviting visitors to answer the question "What helps me move forward?", said Solovey. People visit the "Third Wind. Emotions and Feelings" interactive exhibition in Kyiv. A visitor walks behind boards featuring US psychologist Paul Ekman and German philosopher Carl Gustav Jung during a visit at the "Third Wind." A family jumps in an artificial puddle during a visit at the "Third Wind. Emotions and Feelings" interactive exhibition. Visitors listen to stories in phone handsets during a visit at the "Third Wind. Emotions and Feelings" interactive exhibition . Children play during a visit at the "Third Wind. Emotions and Feelings" interactive exhibition. 'Shut down emotionally' According to state-backed mental health organization "Ti Yak", which means "How are you?", Russia's war and its challenges remain the number one source of psychological stress for Ukrainians. Theatre worker Anastasia Storozhenko and her husband Viktor, a soldier in the military, are no exception. "It's really hard if you don't try to escape to another reality," said 31-year-old Anastasia. The couple were actors, and much of their work before the war revolved around emotions. Wearing a virtual reality headset transporting them to the Himalayas, she and her husband smiled ear to ear at the exhibit. The young mother said she reminded herself she had to keep living, if not for herself, then for her child. But Viktor has struggled to express his emotions since he joined the military. "I've shut down emotionally," he said. Surrounded by colorful decor, laughter and music, he started smiling. "It helps a lot, life continues... emotions... And no more boom boom," he tried to explain, imitating missile blasts. Nearby, other visitors were learning dance moves, while others embraced in front of a screen displaying a sunrise -- meant to symbolize hope. Half of the proceeds from the tickets will go to an NGO making prosthetics for veterans who have amputations, the organizers said. Once the exhibition ends, its installations will be moved to rehabilitation centers for soldiers and civilians recovering from trauma. Youth paint and draw on a giant wall during a visit at the "Third Wind. Emotions and Feelings" interactive exhibition. Youth write on a giant blackboard as they visit the "Third Wind. Emotions and Feelings" interactive exhibition. A visitor takes pictures during a visit at the "Third Wind. Emotions and Feelings" interactive exhibition. A child jumps in an artificial puddle during a visit at the "Third Wind. Emotions and Feelings" interactive exhibition. A visitor takes pictures during a visit at the "Third Wind. Emotions and Feelings" interactive exhibition. 'Childish state' On a black wall, visitors were invited to draw colorful chalk messages. "I'm alive", "I feel my heart beating", "Welcome to Ukraine-controlled territory" and a few swear words scribbled by children were among them. Wearing rubber boots, army rehabilitation worker Natalya Novikova and her husband Vadym splashed around in puddles of water in one of the rooms. "You can stop feeling the pressure of being an adult for a moment," said Vadym, catching his breath before reverting to seriousness to scold children who splashed him. Both come from Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine -- Vadym is from Sevastopol in the annexed Crimean peninsula, Natalya from the eastern Donetsk region. Natalya left her native Donetsk region in 2014, when Moscow-backed separatists fomented an uprising in the area. She had resettled in Bucha, where Russian troops were accused of committing war crimes in early 2022. The heavy emotional toll of the war was lifted, albeit briefly, by the exhibition, she said. She said it brought her into "an animal, childish state." "I didn't expect it to do much to me, but actually it's amazing." — AFP
Kuwait Times
18 hours ago
- Kuwait Times
‘All I think about is Gaza': War weighs heavy on hajj pilgrims
The is an 'the opportunity of a lifetime' MAKKAH: Away from home in Gaza, Palestinian pilgrim Mohammed Shehade said the rare chance he was given to perform hajj is overshadowed by fears for his family trapped in the war-battered territory. The 38-year-old engineer had been granted a permit to leave as he sought life-saving cancer treatment in Egypt, but Zionist authorities barred his family from accompanying him. He said his departure from the Gaza Strip in February presented him with 'the opportunity of a lifetime' to apply for the annual Muslim pilgrimage, which begins on Wednesday. But even as he visited the holy sites in the Saudi city of Makkah, his heart was heavy with thoughts of his wife and four children stuck in Gaza under relentless bombardment. 'This is life's greatest suffering, to be far away from your family,' Shehade told AFP on a roadside leading to Makkah's Grand Mosque. He is among hundreds of Gazans set to perform Islam's holiest rites alongside more than a million worshippers from across the globe. As pilgrims robed in white filed by, Shehade said he had been praying day and night for the Gaza war to end and to be reunited with his family. 'You could be in the best place in the world but if you are away from your family, you will never be happy,' he said. 'Between two fires' Zionist entity has relentlessly attacked Gaza since militant group Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on October 7, 2023, stopping the blistering military offensive only during two short-lived truces. Leaving Gaza has become practically impossible for most inhabitants, but some like Shehade have been evacuated on medical grounds. 'Here I am preparing to perform hajj but there are things I can't speak about. If I do I will cry,' he said as tears began to form in his eyes. Shehade left Gaza during a truce, but Zionist entity has since renewed its intense bombing campaign and blocked aid deliveries, with the United Nations warning of widespread famine. 'When I left I was caught between two fires,' Shehade said of the choice to travel for an essential surgery and leave his family behind. The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said on Sunday that at least 4,149 people have been killed in the territory since Zionist entity resumed its offensive on March 18, taking the war's overall deaths toll to 54,418, mostly civilians. 2023 attack that triggered the war resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people, also mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. US President Donald Trump said Friday that a new ceasefire deal was 'very close', but the negotiations have appeared to hit another dead end. Disillusioned after over a year and a half of failed talks, Shehade said he has 'grown scared of being optimistic and becoming disappointed once more'. Prayers for peace About 1,350 Gazans mostly residing in Egypt, in addition to another 500 who have been invited as guests of the Saudi king, are set to perform hajj this year, Palestinian officials said. One Gazan pilgrim, Rajaee Rajeh al-Kahlout, 48, fled the Palestinian territory for Egypt with his four children and his wife seven months after war erupted. His home was destroyed and his import-export business shattered. While hajj is normally a source of joy, Kahlout said it was impossible for him to think of celebrations. 'All my family, my sisters and brothers, are still in Gaza... Every waking moment, we fear for our family,' he told AFP, calling on pilgrims to pray for the war to end and loved ones to be reunited once more. 'I wish I could have come here during better times, without war, death and destruction.' The hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, must be completed by all Muslims with the means at least once. Official permits are allocated to countries through a quota system and distributed to individuals via a lottery. In the lobby of the Al-Nuzha Plus hotel in Makkah, where Gazan pilgrims are staying, a widow in her 60s told AFP she had not seen her 10 children since she was evacuated for medical reasons last year. She said she was praying for 'the children of Palestine' suffering from starvation and conflict. 'All I think about is Gaza, my whole life is there: my children, my home... I want to return.' - AFP
