Life-saving infrastructure in northern Gaza has been ‘decimated,' charity founder says
Thousands of Palestinians are still waiting to return to their homes in northern Gaza on Sunday following the first week of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. But Israeli forces are blocking the Netzarim corridor, a crucial pathway needed to enter northern Gaza, until an Israeli hostage is returned safely. Arwa Damon, founder of INARA, a humanitarian organization, explains what awaits locals once they cross that corridor.
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Toronto Star
31 minutes ago
- Toronto Star
UK and others sanction 2 far-right Israeli Cabinet ministers over violence in the occupied West Bank
JERUSALEM (AP) — Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway said Tuesday they have imposed sanctions on two far-right Israeli government ministers for allegedly 'inciting extremist violence' against Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The decision by Western governments friendly to Israel was a sharp rebuke of Israel's settlement policies in the West Bank and of settler violence, which has spiked since Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack ignited the war in the Gaza Strip.
Toronto Sun
an hour ago
- Toronto Sun
U.K., Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Norway sanction 2 far-right Israeli Cabinet ministers
Published Jun 10, 2025 • 2 minute read Surrounded by security guards, Israel's far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, center, participates in march marking Jerusalem Day, an Israeli holiday celebrating the capture of east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war, in Damascus Gate of Jerusalem's Old City, Monday, May 26, 2025. Photo by Leo Correa / AP JERUSALEM (AP) — Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway said Tuesday they have imposed sanctions on two far-right Israeli government ministers for allegedly 'inciting extremist violence' against Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich face asset freezes and travel bans from the five countries. The ministers are champions of expanding Israeli settlements in the West Bank. The decision by Western governments friendly to Israel was a sharp rebuke of Israel's settlement policies in the West Bank and of settler violence, which has spiked since Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack ignited the war in the Gaza Strip. The five countries' foreign ministers said in a joint statement that Ben-Gvir and Smotrich 'have incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights. Extremist rhetoric advocating the forced displacement of Palestinians and the creation of new Israeli settlements is appalling and dangerous.' Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Israel's Foreign Ministry said earlier it had been informed of the sanctions. Smotrich, the country's finance minister, wrote on social media that he found out that Britain had decided to sanction him for obstructing the viability of a Palestinian state. 'We are determined to continue building,' he said. 'We overcame Pharoah, we'll overcome Starmer's Wall.' Ben-Gvir, the national security minister, wrote on social media. Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called the move 'outrageous.' He said he had discussed it with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and they would meet next week to discuss Israel's response. The Biden administration took the rare step of sanctioning radical Israeli settlers implicated in violence in the occupied West Bank — sanctions that were then lifted by President Donald Trump. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Eitay Mack, an Israeli human rights lawyer who spent years campaigning for the sanctions on Smotrich and Ben-Gvir — along with violent West Bank settlers — described the move as 'historic.' 'It means the wall of immunity that Israeli politicians had has been broken,' he said. 'It's unbelievable that it took so long for Western governments to sanction Israeli politicians, and the fact that it's being done while Trump is president is quite amazing,' said Mack. 'It is a message to Netanyahu himself that he could be next.' Israel captured the West Bank along with east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians want those territories for their hoped-for future state. Settlement growth and construction have been promoted by successive Israeli governments stretching back decades, but it has exploded under Netanyahu's far-right coalition, which has settlers in key Cabinet posts. There are now well over 100 settlements and 500,000 Israeli settlers sprawling across the territory from north to south — a reality, rights groups say, dimming any hopes for an eventual two-state solution. Toronto Blue Jays World Relationships Editorial Cartoons Olympics
Global News
an hour ago
- Global News
Greta Thunberg deported to France after Gaza-bound aid boat intercepted
Swedish activist Greta Thunberg departed Israel on a flight to France on Tuesday morning after being detained by Israeli forces, along with 11 other activists. She and the others were on an aid ship — the British-flagged yacht Madleen — headed for Gaza on Monday when they were intercepted. 'Greta Thunberg just departed Israel on a flight to Sweden (via France),' Israel's foreign ministry wrote on X, sharing two photos of Thunberg on a plane. Greta Thunberg just departed Israel on a flight to Sweden (via France). — Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) June 10, 2025 Story continues below advertisement When Thunberg landed at the Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris after being deported from Israel, she accused the country of 'kidnapping us in international waters and against our will bringing us to Israel, keeping us in the bottom of the boat.' 'This is yet another intentional violation of rights that is added to the list of countless other violations that Israel is committing,' Thunberg told reporters at the airport. Thunberg added that her experience was 'nothing compared to what the Palestinians are going through.' She said she wasn't able to 'say goodbye' to the other activists who were detained with her. 'I am very worried about them. We heard many different messages pointing towards that they would not make it easy and there were troubles with being able to see lawyers,' Thunberg told reporters. 'I'm very much calling for their immediate release and calling for everyone who can to mobilize to their government and other ways to demand their immediate release.' 3:11 'We have been intercepted': Greta Thunberg sends message as Gaza aid boat detained by IDF France said five of the six French citizens detained alongside Thunberg had refused to sign their deportation orders and would be subject to judicial proceedings. Story continues below advertisement The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), the activist group operating the yacht, has demanded the immediate release of everyone detained. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Israel's Foreign Ministry referred to the boat as the 'Selfie Yacht,' and said the passengers 'arrived at Ben Gurion Airport to depart from Israel and return to their home countries.' 'Some of the 'Selfie Yacht' passengers are expected to leave within the next few hours. Those who refuse to sign deportation documents and leave Israel will be brought before a judicial authority, in accordance with Israeli law, to authorize their deportation. Consuls from the passengers' home countries met them at the airport,' the ministry added. The passengers of the 'Selfie Yacht' arrived at Ben Gurion Airport to depart from Israel and return to their home countries. Some of the 'Selfie Yacht' passengers are expected to leave within the next few hours. Those who refuse to sign deportation documents and leave Israel will… — Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) June 10, 2025 The boat, accompanied by Israel's navy, arrived in Ashdod on Monday evening, according to Israel's Foreign Ministry. It published a photo on social media of Thunberg after disembarking. Story continues below advertisement The 'Selfie Yacht' docked at Ashdod Port a short while ago. The passengers are currently undergoing medical examinations to ensure they are in good health. — Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) June 9, 2025 The 12 activists underwent medical checks to ensure they were in good health, the ministry said. They were expected to be held at a detention facility in Ramle before being deported, according to Adalah, a legal rights group representing them. The activists had set out to protest Israel's military campaign in Gaza and its restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which organized the voyage, said the activists were 'kidnapped by Israeli forces' while trying to deliver desperately needed aid. 'The ship was unlawfully boarded, its unarmed civilian crew abducted and its life-saving cargo — including baby formula, food and medical supplies — confiscated,' it said in a statement. Story continues below advertisement It said the ship was seized in international waters about 200 kilometres from Gaza, and Adalah asserted that Israel had 'no legal authority' to take it over. Israel's Foreign Ministry portrayed the voyage as a public relations stunt, saying on social media that 'the 'selfie yacht' of the 'celebrities' is safely making its way to the shores of Israel.' Good morning to all our followers 🇮🇱☀️ In case you missed it: 🥪 The 'selfie yacht' is safely making its way to the shores of Israel. The passengers are safe and were provided with sandwiches and water, and are expected to return to their home countries. 🤏 The tiny amount of… — Israel ישראל (@Israel) June 9, 2025 It said the activists would return to their home countries and the aid would be sent to Gaza through established channels. It circulated footage of what appeared to be Israeli military personnel handing out sandwiches and water to the activists, who were wearing life vests. 'This wasn't humanitarian aid. It's Instagram activism,' Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer said. 'Meanwhile, Israel has delivered over 1,200 truckloads in the last two weeks. So who's really feeding Gaza and who's really feeding their own ego? Greta was not bringing aid, she was bringing herself.' Story continues below advertisement The Madleen set sail from Sicily a week ago. Along the way, it stopped on Thursday to rescue four migrants who had jumped overboard to avoid being detained by Libya's coast guard, reports The Associated Press. 2:16 Greta Thunberg, activists set sail to Gaza after earlier aid vessel attacked at sea 'I urge all my friends, family and comrades to put pressure on the Swedish government to release me and the others as soon as possible,' Thunberg said in a prerecorded message released after the ship was halted. Adalah, the rights group, said in a statement that 'the arrest of the unarmed activists, who operated in a civilian manner to provide humanitarian aid, amounts to a serious breach of international law.' — With files from The Associated Press
