Teenagers being shot by Israeli soldiers – British surgeon in Gaza
We began by asking him what he can tell us about the shootings near the aid distribution sites this morning.
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STV News
2 hours ago
- STV News
Scots grandmother dies in Spanish airport on way back from 'best holiday'
An 'amazing' North Lanarkshire grandmother died in a Spanish airport while on her way back from holiday. Angela McTier, from Blantyre, was in a taxi heading to Alicante airport when she unknowingly suffered a ruptured varicose vein, causing significant blood loss. The 48-year-old lost consciousness after reaching the departure lounge, and despite resuscitation attempts, she died at the scene. Death from varicose veins is rare, but they can burst spontaneously or after minor trauma. Angela's daughter, Michelle Hilston, told STV News that her mother had been working to improve her health and was looking forward to watching her granddaughters grow up. 'My mum watched the grandkids at least two nights every week and always looked forward to them coming over', the 24-year-old said. 'I'm heartbroken for my two girls who have just lost that special relationship with her. Supplied 'If there's one thing my mum loved, it was going on holiday, she thrived over there and this particular holiday to La Mata she just kept saying how amazing it was, it was her best holiday and she'd felt so well and couldn't wait to bring the grandkids over. 'She was due to go away with me and my two toddlers next month as well.' Michelle believes that without the support of her mum, she wouldn't have been able to study her 'dream degree' to become a midwife. On the day of her death, Angela was sent a video of her 11-month-old granddaughter taking her first steps. Michelle added: 'She helped me out so much to pursue my dream degree after having my kids and always made sure I had all the childcare and financial support I needed. 'Her holidays were a special thing for her, she went multiple times a year, and it was one of the things she loved doing the most. 'But the thing she loved the most was her granddaughters and would ask for pictures of them multiple times a day. 'The day she died, I had sent her a video of my 11-month-old finally walking, and she was in tears over the video, phoning everyone to tell them, and I'm glad that's the last video she saw of the kids.' A GoFundMe has been set up to help with the costs of repatriating Angela and her funeral. A FCDO Spokesperson said: 'We are supporting the family of a British woman who died in Spain.' To visit the GoFundMe click here. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
ITV News
3 hours ago
- ITV News
Israel says it will allow foreign countries to air drop aid into Gaza as humanitarian crisis worsens
Israel has said it will allow foreign countries to airdrop aid into Gaza, but has not given a timeframe, ITV News understands. The Jordanian government confirmed the information to ITV News on Friday. The news will bring relief amid the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where hunger is spreading and children have starved to death, causing alarm even among some of Israel's closest allies. At least nine Palestinians have died from starvation in the past 24 hours, according to the director general of Gaza's health ministry. Two of them were children. While the UN has said more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed while trying to access food aid. An open letter published on Thursday from more than 100 international aid agencies warned of "mass starvation" across Gaza, because Israel had blocked access to tons of food and medical supplies. The letter stated that there were "tons" of food, clean water, medical supplies, shelter items and fuel sitting untouched within Gaza or just outside the region, but that organisations had been blocked from accessing or delivering the stock. "Humanitarian agencies have the capacity and supplies to respond at scale, but with access denied, we are blocked from reaching those in need, including our own exhausted and starved teams," the letter read. But Israel blamed UN agencies for failing to deliver food it had allowed in. It accused NGOs of 'echoing Hamas' propaganda' and said about 4,500 aid trucks had been allowed into Gaza since May, and that more than 700 trucks were waiting to be picked up and distributed by the UN. On Thursday, the UN's relief agency, Unwra, warned that parents in Gaza are "too hungry to care for their children," after the latest findings showed one in five children in Gaza City are now malnourished. Unwra Chief, Philippe Lazzarini, said the organisation has the equivalent of 6,000 loaded trucks of food and medical supplies waiting in Jordan and Egypt. The agency also said that 'people are being starved, while a few kilometres away supermarkets are loaded with food,' highlighting the stark reality between life in Israel and survival in Gaza. Air drops are not the most efficient way to get lifesaving supplies to those in need, as they provide far less aid than truck deliveries, and are usually reserved for remote crises or to help those trapped behind enemy lines. However, in Gaza, this method of delivery could overcome some of the extreme difficulties in getting aid, including political and security concerns. Aid agencies have previously warned against air drops, as they can have unintended deadly consequences. In 2024, a delivery killed five people in Gaza when a package's parachute failed to engage. In March 2024, ITV News was on board a British RAF plane that participated in an aid drop into Gaza, carrying tonnes of desperately needed supplies to Palestinians. Water, rice, cooking oil, flour, tinned food and baby formula were among the goods delivered via an A400M plane with a strategic airlift platform that was flown from Amman, Jordan. This was the first time a British plane had taken part in one of the Gaza airdrops. Those involved told ITV News it had taken weeks of work by 47 Air Despatch Squadron and 30 Squadron to get to this point. The UK has also given thousands of UK-funded blankets, tents and other relief items, as well as the establishment of a full UK-funded field hospital in Gaza run by British charity UK-Med. Gaza was already heavily dependent on aid and commercial shipments of food before Israel launched its war on Hamas. Earlier this week, the UK, along with 25 other nations, accused Israel of " drip feeding" aid into the Gaza Strip. The statement, signed by Foreign Secretary David Lammy, called on the Israeli government to lift restrictions on the flow of aid into the enclave. "The Israeli government's denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable. Israel must comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law," it reads. "We call on the Israeli government to immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid and to urgently enable the UN and humanitarian NGOs to do their life-saving work safely and effectively."
The Guardian
9 hours ago
- The Guardian
The Gaza students with scholarships to UK unable to take up their places
Time is running out for 40 students in Gaza who have been awarded full scholarships to study at some of the UK's leading universities this September, but have been unable to fulfil visa requirements due to the war. Campaigners have called on the British government to intervene to ensure their safe passage. Here are some of the students' stories. Abdallah, 27, has been awarded a Chevening scholarship, part of a UK government-funded global scholarship programme, and has a place to study for an MSc in data science and artificial intelligence (AI) at Queen Mary University of London. 'Just two weeks after earning my medical licence in 2023, the war broke out. I chose not to flee. Instead, I volunteered in local hospitals, treating the wounded while my own family suffered nearby. 'I soon realised that bandages and medicine cannot heal a nation so deeply traumatised. We need more than emergency care – we need innovation. That is why I applied to study data science and AI in the UK. 'I am driven by desperation and hope. Gaza is facing an unprecedented mental health catastrophe. Nearly every child and adult has been exposed to intense trauma, displacement, or loss. Yet Gaza's mental health infrastructure has been completely shattered. 'To fight a crisis this massive, I need world-class training. Once I complete my degree, I will return to Gaza to lead the creation of data-driven health systems that prioritise mental wellbeing.' Israa, 31, is a Palestinian doctor who has been awarded a Medical Research Council doctoral training partnership to do a PhD in sexual and reproductive health at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, where she previously completed a master's in international public health. She said: '[Studying in the UK was] a transformative experience that gave me a global perspective and strengthened my resolve to serve the most vulnerable people. I returned to Gaza by choice to serve, to heal and to uplift. A few months later, the brutal war started. 'I now work supporting women, girls, adolescents and displaced communities. I was supposed to start my [PhD] studies in October 2024, but the award was deferred to this October. I am calling for immediate action to evacuate UK scholars and professionals from Gaza, not only for my safety, but for the future I represent. 'My work, my voice, and my life matter. I am not only a doctor or a student, but I am also a survivor, a woman, a wife, and a human being who has dedicated her life to health equity and justice.' Israa added: 'It is not easy to guarantee we will be alive next week. The more we accelerate the efforts [to evacuate the students] the better for us.' Khulud, 28, is another Chevening scholar with a place at University College London to study for a master's degree in dental health. After completing her dental degree at the University of Palestine in 2020, she worked in clinical dentistry while training others. When the war began, Khulud opened a clinic with her brother, offering free dentistry, general medicine, paediatrics, nutrition, and psycho-social care to over 20,000 displaced people. 'These experiences didn't just shape me – they saved me,' she said. 'Even in the darkest moments, there is light in service, and hope in community. 'The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. There are continuous attacks, mass displacement, and severe shortages of food and medical supplies. Thousands have died, and many more are at risk. I cannot say with certainty that I'll still be alive in 2026. 'Losing this scholarship and the resources I've secured would be devastating. Emotionally, it would extinguish one of the few hopes that keep me resilient. Academically, the programme might not be available again. Most importantly, it would deny Gaza a health professional determined to return and help rebuild.' Majd, 24, a mechanical engineer from Gaza, has a full scholarship to pursue a master's degree in advanced manufacturing systems and technology at the University of Liverpool. He said: 'Life during the war has been extremely difficult. I've been displaced, with no stable electricity, internet, or basic services. Every day is full of uncertainty and worry. 'Most industrial facilities in Gaza have been destroyed, which means there's almost no equipment or resources left to work with. The lack of electricity, fuel, and basic infrastructure has made it nearly impossible to continue any kind of engineering work. 'The UK offers world-class education with excellent research and teaching. Studying there will give me access to resources that will improve my knowledge in advanced technologies. This international experience is vital for me to develop the skills needed to contribute meaningfully to Gaza's future reconstruction. 'I want to use what I learn to create job opportunities, empower youth, and help rebuild infrastructure that supports long-term stability and growth in Gaza after the war. 'I fully understand that the UK has visa systems in place for important reasons, and we are not asking for special treatment. However, this is an extraordinary situation. We ask for consideration and support to enable us to continue our studies, as education will be key to rebuilding Gaza.' Abeer, 28, has a place to study for an MA in data and health science at the University of St Andrews. 'After our home was destroyed in the winter of 2023 we moved into an Unrwa school. After three days there the school was heavily shelled. 'The bombing was violent and horrific. My brother Mohamed was badly injured, his feet caught underneath the falling rubble. He could not walk or move. We had to carry him south to Khan Younis, where we lived in a tent. 'It was here that we lost Mohamed. He never recovered from the injury at the Unrwa school. His loss caused our whole family to collapse. I felt my heart had stopped pumping. I lost my will to live, life lost its meaning. 'It was not long after that my older brother reached out, and reminded me that I had wanted to apply for a scholarship at St Andrews. 'Hardship should not stop you,' he told me. 'This is what you wanted before, you must persist.' 'Coming from Gaza I have seen the need for better health care solutions, and this programme and its modules offer the knowledge I need to make a real impact on health care.' Samah, 25, a medical laboratory specialist at al-Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza, has been accepted to study for an MSc in genomic medicine at the University of Oxford. She did not wish to share any photos of herself. 'From the first day of the ongoing war in Gaza, I have been on the frontline, working under extremely difficult and life-threatening conditions. Our hospital, like many others, faced mass casualties on a daily basis. We lost most of our laboratory equipment due to targeted attacks and destruction, yet we continued to serve patients. 'As the war progressed, I witnessed families resorting to burning hazardous materials just to cook food for their children. This prolonged exposure to potentially carcinogenic agents made me realise the urgent need to understand the long-term biological and genetic impacts of such conditions. 'Motivated by this experience, I decided to pursue advanced study in the field of medical genetics and cancer research. 'This opportunity is not just an academic pursuit for me, it is a mission to bring hope and healing back to a devastated community.' These accounts were compiled with the help of the UK Coalition for Students in Gaza
