Nonprofit ship sets sail for Gaza after drone attack setback
CATANIA, June 1 (Reuters) - International nonprofit organisation Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) said one of its vessels left the Italian port of Catania on Sunday, heading for Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid, after a previous attempt failed due to a drone attack on a separate ship in the Mediterranean.
The crew of volunteers, including climate activist Greta Thunberg and Irish actor Liam Cunningham, set sail on the Madleen, carrying barrels of what the group called "limited amounts, though symbolic", of relief supplies.
Another vessel operated by the group, the Conscience, was hit by two drones just outside Maltese territorial waters in early May. FFC said Israel was to blame for the incident. Israel has not responded to requests for comment.
"We are doing this because no matter what odds we are against, we have to keep trying, because the moment we stop trying is when we lose our humanity," Thunberg told reporters at a conference before the departure.
She added that "no matter how dangerous this mission is, it is nowhere near as dangerous as the silence of the entire world in the face of the lives being genocised".
FFC said the trip "is not charity. This is a non-violent, direct action to challenge Israel's illegal siege and escalating war crimes".
The situation in Gaza is the worst since the war between Israel and Hamas militants began 19 months ago, the United Nations said on Friday, despite a resumption of limited aid deliveries in the Palestinian enclave.
Under growing global pressure, Israel ended an 11-week blockade on Gaza, allowing limited U.N.-led operations to resume.
On Monday, a new avenue for aid distribution was also launched - the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation - backed by the United States and Israel, but with which the U.N. and international aid groups have refused to work, saying it is not neutral and has a distribution model that forces the displacement of Palestinians.
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The Guardian
10 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Tuesday briefing: Is Britain's move to ‘war-fighting' readiness enough to ensure its security?
Good morning. The government's strategic defence review was launched on Monday and billed as a blueprint to modernise the military so that, in the words of Keir Starmer, the UK is 'safer and stronger, a battle-ready, armour-clad nation with the strongest alliances and the most advanced capabilities'. Reviews like this one come along every decade or so – but the context now appears more urgent than at any time since the end of the cold war. In the place of the old consensus that the UK simply needed to be ready for (deeply questionable) deployments to places such as Iraq and Afghanistan is a view that the threats now are much closer to home, and much closer to existential. 'UK armed forces have begun the necessary process of change in response to this new reality,' the review said. 'But progress has not been fast or radical enough.' Even within its carefully conceived terms of reference – which insisted on maintaining a role in the Indo-Pacific region and the Middle East, and did not allow for proposals to increase overall spending beyond what Starmer has already set out – the review amounts to a severe critique of the state of the armed forces. Today's newsletter explains the problems, the proposed solutions and the views of those who suggest that all of this is answering the wrong question. Here are the headlines. Israel-Gaza war | A series of recent deadly airstrikes on school buildings sheltering displaced people in Gaza were part of a deliberate Israeli military bombing strategy, the Guardian has learned. The strikes followed a loosening of controls on actions targeting Hamas operatives at sites with large numbers of civilians present, sources said. Health | The proportion of people surviving cancer in the UK has doubled since the 1970s amid a 'golden age' of progress in diagnosis and treatment, a report says. Half of those diagnosed will now survive for 10 years or more, up from 24%, according to the first study of 50 years of data on cancer mortality and cases. US news | Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, has been charged with a federal hate crime and multiple other offences after he allegedly used a makeshift flamethrower and incendiary devices to burn people in Boulder, Colorado who were raising awareness about Israeli hostages in Gaza. Iran | Tehran is on the brink of rejecting US proposals on the future of its nuclear programme after a US draft insisted on the suspension of enrichment of uranium inside the country. The US proposal also offered no clear route map for lifting sanctions. Scotland | A Scottish Labour councillor has defected to Reform UK on the eve of a pivotal Holyrood byelection, as the rightwing populist party's leader, Nigel Farage, defended a controversial advert attacking Anas Sarwar that has prompted accusations of racism. The review published yesterday is the first since 2010; John Healey, the defence secretary, says it is a departure from past iterations because it is externally led. When the review was launched, the government said it would 'consider the threats Britain faces, the capabilities needed to meet them, the state of UK armed forces and the resources available'. Led by Lord Robertson – a former defence secretary and Nato secretary general who conducted Labour's last defence review in 1998 – it has consulted 150 external experts, received 8,000 submissions to a call for evidence, and runs to 48,000 words. What is the current state of Britain's armed forces? Most judges of the UK's military readiness paint a dire picture of the armed forces as not being fit for purpose, and the review's call for a 'truly transformational' approach implicitly adopts the same view. In a report on the lessons from the Ukraine war published last year, the House of Lords' international relations and defence committee said that the armed forces 'lack the mass, resilience and internal coherence necessary to maintain a deterrent effect and sustain prolonged conflict'. Philip Stephens of the Financial Times wrote that (£) those conclusions 'are viewed within Whitehall as wholly uncontroversial'. There are plenty of numbers pointing to that conclusion. In 2010, the regular army was 110,000; now it is short of its target of 73,000, the smallest since the Napoleonic wars. Across all the armed forces, the number is down from 192,000 in 2010 to 136,000 today. Even before the war in Ukraine, ammunition stockpiles were in decline, and in 2023, Gen Sir Richard Barrons – who has been working alongside former US presidential adviser Fiona Hill on Robertson's review team – said the UK would probably use up its existing supplies in a 'busy afternoon' . RAF aircraft numbers fell from 724 in 2016 to 564 in 2023, a reduction of 22%. And the Royal Navy has two aircraft carriers that have had serious mechanical problems, without enough sailors to crew the ships needed to protect and supply them – or enough fighter jets to fill them. What does the defence review say is necessary? The review suggests that a military 'optimised for conflicts primarily fought against non-state actors' needs to be drastically rethought to contend with the prospect of 'state-on-state war' through ''whole-of-society' preparations'. It presents Russia as an 'immediate and pressing' danger to the UK, and China as a 'sophisticated and persistent challenge', while Iran and North Korea are termed 'regional disruptors'. To be ready to meet those challenges, the review lists 62 recommendations; the government has accepted every one in principle. The most eyecatching measures were trailed beforehand, from £6bn in spending on six 'always on' munitions factories to a new cyber command unit coordinating offensive digital operations. There will be a £15bn investment in modernising the production of nuclear weapons, and a pledge to build 'up to' 12 new attack submarines. And through the force multiplying effects of artificial intelligence and a £2bn investment in drones, the review promises a 'ten times more lethal British Army'. Ben Quinn has a more detailed breakdown. More conventionally, Healey had reportedly hoped to increase the size of the army by a few thousand. But he appears to have lost that fight with the Treasury, at least for now. And of the £350bn the UK is expected to spend on defence over this parliament, only £10bn is thought to be new spending committed through the strategic defence review. When will the new capacity come online? Part of the explanation of the disconnect between major announcements and new spending is the length of time that much of what is proposed will take to be enacted. The new submarines will not launch until the late 2030s. There is no timeline on the new munitions factories, while Healey said there would be no increase in the number of troops until after the next election. And on the fundamental question of how much the UK will spend on defence, Keir Starmer has promised 2.5% of GDP by 2027-28 but described 3% as an 'ambition' to be pursued at some point during the next parliament – that is, by 2034, if it materialises at all. As one source familiar with the budget process quoted by the Economist puts it: 'Basically, all their investment is for an era when Putin will be dead.' The UK's 2.5% pledge may soon start to look behind the pace against its European allies: defence ministers meeting in Brussels this week are expected to agree a 3.5% target, with the main question whether that should be scheduled for the early 2030s or later in the decade, the Economist reports. The review says that a rapid move to 2.5% and subsequent lift to 3% should make what is proposed affordable in the end – but warns that 'it may be necessary to go faster'. So is the plan enough to ensure the UK's security? The government pointed out that this is the first defence review since the end of the cold war that has not resulted in cuts. And it is important to note that, while the armed forces are undoubtedly weaker than they once were, the UK retains the world's sixth-largest defence budget. That puts it behind the US, Russia, China, India and South Korea – but the government is likely to observe that its alliance with other European countries means that it will have considerably greater impact. (The review describes a 'Nato first' outlook, and says: 'We will never, in the future, expect to fight a major, 'peer' military power alone.') Even if the threat from Vladimir Putin is far greater than might have been understood a decade ago, Russia's war in Ukraine has so depleted its resources that it is thought to be years away from being able to consider such a conflict. In this analysis, Dan Sabbagh writes that 'Britain is not under direct military threat and is not likely to be any time soon'. But there is still a sense of a military that is fundamentally overstretched. In 2023, David Richards, the former chief of the defence staff, said in the House of Lords: 'This country must stop deluding itself that it can have a global role. We are a medium-sized country with a faltering economy. 'The UK must focus ruthlessly on the Euro-Atlantic theatre, not state that this is our priority but then spread our efforts so thinly that we are strong nowhere.' In contrast, Robertson, Hill and Barrons describe 'the connection between Euro-Atlantic security and that of other regions such as the Middle East and Indo-Pacific'. Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion What is the broader economic context? Others suggest that the plans should be subjected to a much more fundamental critique. Paul Johnson of the Institute for Fiscal Studies noted yesterday that if the UK plans to spend an additional £10-15bn on defence while spending more on other priorities like health and pensions, 'the only choice that is available … is some really quite chunky tax increases'. Meanwhile, claims that military spending can boost the economy may look questionable when compared with the impact that the same money might have if spent on green energy or healthcare, among other priorities. (This Greenpeace analysis makes that case.) Unsurprisingly, others, like the Stop the War Coalition, the Green party and some within Labour, question whether a boost to defence spending can possibly be the right priority at a time when public services are generally agreed to be creaking. They also note that cutting the international aid budget to serve the military may have unintended consequences. Ellie Chowns, the Greens' defence spokesperson in the House of Commons, said yesterday: 'Security is not just based on arms expenditure and threats, but on real leadership that uses diplomacy and development too.' Mark O'Connell's long read about Mr Beast is gimlet-eyed, quietly droll, and utterly convincing that his subject is worth the intention. He is 'some type of genius,' O'Connell writes – 'a prodigy of a form that, as degraded as it is, deserves to be taken seriously as one of the signature artefacts of our time'. Archie They're free to use, refreshing to the mind and body and transcendentally beautiful – so who would want to harm America's national parks? Donald Trump, comes the inevitable reply. Margaret Sullivan explains why his administration is so determined to despoil the things that make life worth living. Alex Needham, acting head of newsletters Henry Hill has an essential column on the Conservative party's impatience with Kemi Badenoch: 'The balance of opinion inside the party seems to be not whether there will be a challenge ... but when.' Archie He wrote Jerusalem, saw angels in his local park and inspired artists ranging from Gilbert and George to Patti Smith. Now the poet William Blake is being celebrated, in an exhilarating piece by Philip Hoare, as a queer icon centuries ahead of his time. Alex From ChatGPT to Google, artificial intelligence is an increasingly inescapable part of our daily lives. Emine Saner speaks to the film-makers, writers and academics who are doing their best to avoid it, given its impact on the environment and even, potentially, on human nature itself. Alex Tennis | Jack Draper missed out on the chance of a place in the French Open quarter-finals, losing in four sets to the inspired world No 62, Alexander Bublik. Draper's compatriot Cameron Norrie was beaten by Novak Djokovic in straight sets. In the women's draw, French wildcard Lois Boisson beat third seed Jessica Pegula to reach the French Open quarter-finals and send shock waves around Roland Garros. Formula One | Max Verstappen has issued a veiled apology for his crash with George Russell by admitting it 'was not right and should have not happened'. The four-time world champion was hit with a 10-second penalty by the stewards for causing a collision with Russell with two laps remaining of Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix. Football | Lisa Nandy has removed herself from the final decision over who will lead the new football regulator, after it emerged the preferred candidate had donated to the culture secretary's Labour leadership campaign. David Kogan revealed last month that he had given money to Nandy during her bid to succeed Jeremy Corbyn in 2020. 'Starmer pledges to make Britain 'battle-ready' with drones and AI' says the Guardian, while the Times has 'Tax rises loom to put Britain on war footing'. The i paper leads with an interesting angle: 'British over-18s offered taste of military life with 'gap year' in army, navy and RAF'. The Express naturally finds cause to criticise: 'Budget delay won't 'cut the mustard' as Russia threaten'. 'Police in major new hunt for Madeleine' – that's the Telegraph and the Mirror also covers that with 'New Maddie search'. The Mail goes with 'Tory warnings over 'backdoor blasphemy law''. The Financial Times splashes on 'Musk launches $300mn share offer for xAI in bid to refocus on business'. A terrible case from an inquest leads Metro: ''Bullied' soldier dead 3 weeks in bed at barracks'. Keir Starmer needs you: Britain readies for war Former Guardian security editor Richard Norton-Taylor talks through the strategic defence review and Britain's new plans to be ready for war A bit of good news to remind you that the world's not all bad In Indonesia, the architecture firm Shau created the Microlibrary Project to promote literacy but its inventive, ecologically minded structures offer much more, including respite from the heat. The Hanging Gardens microlibrary, completed in 2019, has a rooftop garden, while another, Bima, has a facade of 2,000 discarded ice-cream buckets providing natural lighting and cross-ventilation. Shau co-founders Daliana Suryawinata and Florian Heinzelmann, who have built eight libraries since 2012, call the spaces 'laboratories for experimentation', and they are popular with young people who come to read, learn, garden and play. Their goal is to increase the number of libraries to 100 by 2045. And finally, the Guardian's puzzles are here to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow. Quick crossword Cryptic crossword Wordiply
BBC News
13 minutes ago
- BBC News
Gaza civil defence says many killed while waiting for aid in Rafah
Update: Date: 06:46 BST Title: Fatalities after crowd fired upon near Gaza aid hub - reports Content: Barbara Plett UsherCorrespondent In the past few minutes, reports have started to emerge of another fatal incident near a distribution centre in Hamas-controlled Gaza. Civil Defense Agency spokesman Mahmoud Bassal says Israeli troops killed 19 people, including a woman, about 1km (0.6 miles) away from the site located in the southern part of the enclave. He says the Israelis opened fire with tanks and drones on thousands of Palestinians who had gathered near the al-Alam roundabout waiting to be granted access to the aid hub. It's roughly the same location as the shootings that occurred on Sunday, when the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza said 31 people were killed and nearly 200 injured by Israeli fire. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) denied shooting Palestinians in that incident, but a military official acknowledged soldiers had fired warning shots at what he called suspects who were approaching them. The IDF has not commented on today's reported incident, but the BBC has requested a response.
The Guardian
15 minutes ago
- The Guardian
At least 15 Palestinians killed by Israeli fire at aid point, Gaza officials say
At least 15 people were killed by Israeli fire as they waited for aid distribution in Gaza, local officials and some media reported on Tuesday. 'At least 15 people were killed and dozens wounded … when Israeli forces opened fire with tanks and drones on thousands of civilians who had gathered since dawn near the Al-Alam roundabout in the Al-Mawasi area, northwest of Rafah,' civil defence spokesperson Mahmoud Bassal told AFP. Gaza's health ministry put the death toll higher, saying 24 people were killed early on Tuesday. Hamas-affiliated media also carried the reports. In a statement, the Israeli military said troops fired shots near an aid distribution complex after noticing 'a number of suspects moving towards them.' 'The forces fired evasive shots, and after they did not move away, additional shots were fired near the individual suspects who were advancing towards the forces.' The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the incident was under investigation, adding: 'IDF forces are not preventing Gaza residents from reaching the aid distribution sites. The shooting was carried out about half a kilometre from the distribution site.' The reported shooting comes after similar incidents earlier in the week of Palestinians being killed and injured by Israeli fire as they sought to receive aid at newly established distribution points. On Monday, at least three people were killed and dozens more injured at a shooting at an aid point, health officials and a witness said. The Israeli military said it fired warning shots at 'suspects' who approached its forces. More than 30 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire on Sunday as they went to receive food at an aid distribution point set up by an Israeli-backed foundation in Gaza, according to witnesses, and a hospital run by the Red Cross. Reuters and Agence France-Presse contributed to this report
