Hamas to allow hostages aid if Israel meets conditions
It comes Sunday (local time), after a video it released showing an emaciated captive drew sharp criticism from Western powers.
Hamas said any coordination with the Red Cross is contingent upon Israel permanently opening humanitarian corridors and halting airstrikes during the distribution of aid.
According to Israeli officials, 50 hostages now remain in Gaza, only 20 of whom are believed to be alive. Hamas, thus far, has barred humanitarian organizations from having any kind of access to the hostages and families have little or no details of their conditions.
On Saturday, Hamas released its second video in two days of Israeli hostage Evyatar David. In it, David, skeletally thin, is shown digging a hole that, he says in the video, is for his own grave. The arm of the individual holding the camera, which can be seen in the frame, is a regular width.
The video of David drew criticism from Western powers and horrified Israelis. France, Germany, the UK and the US were among countries to express outrage and Israel's foreign ministry announced that the UN Security Council will hold a special session on Tuesday morning on the issue of the situation of the hostages in Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday he had asked the Red Cross to give humanitarian assistance to the hostages during a conversation with the head of the Swiss-based ICRC's local delegation.
A statement from The Hostages Families Forum, which represents relatives of those being held in Gaza, said Hamas' comments about the hostages cannot hide that it "has been holding innocent people in impossible conditions for over 660 days," and demanded their immediate release.
"Until their release," said the statement.
"Hamas has the obligation to provide them with everything they need. Hamas kidnapped them and they must care for them. Every hostage who dies will be on Hamas's hands."
Six more people died of starvation or malnutrition in Gaza over the past 24 hours, its health ministry said on Sunday as Israel said it allowed a delivery of fuel to the enclave, in the throes of a humanitarian disaster after almost two years of war.
The new deaths raised the toll of those dying from what international humanitarian agencies say may be an unfolding famine to 175, including 93 children, since the war began, the ministry said.
Egypt's state-affiliated Al Qahera News TV said two trucks carrying 107 tons of diesel were set to enter Gaza, months after Israel severely restricted aid access to the enclave before easing it somewhat as starvation began to spread.
COGAT, the Israeli military agency that coordinates aid, said later in the day that four tankers of UN fuel had entered to help in operations of hospitals, bakeries, public kitchens and other essential services.
There was no immediate confirmation whether the two diesel fuel trucks had entered Gaza from Egypt.
Gaza's health ministry has said fuel shortages have severely impaired hospital services, forcing doctors to focus on treating only critically ill or injured patients.
Fuel shipments have been rare since March, when Israel restricted the flow of aid into the enclave in what it said was pressure on Hamas militants to free the remaining hostages they took in their October 2023 attack on Israel.
Israel blames Hamas for the suffering in Gaza but, in response to a rising international uproar, it announced steps last week to let more aid reach the population, including pausing fighting for part of the day in some areas, approving air drops and announcing protected routes for aid convoys.
UN agencies say airdrops are insufficient and that Israel must let in far more aid by land and open up access to the territory to prevent starvation among its 2.2 million people, most of whom are displaced amidst vast swathes of rubble.
COGAT said that during the past week over 23,000 tons of humanitarian aid in 1,200 trucks had entered Gaza but that hundreds of the trucks had yet to be driven to aid distribution hubs by UN and other international organisations.
Meanwhile, Belgium's air force dropped the first in a series of its aid packages into Gaza on Sunday in a joint operation with Jordan, the Belgian defence ministry said.
France on Friday started to air-drop 40 tons of humanitarian aid. LOOTED AID TRUCKS
The Hamas-run Gaza government media office said on Sunday that nearly 1600 aid trucks had arrived since Israel eased restrictions late in July. However, witnesses and Hamas sources said many of those trucks have been looted by desperate displaced people and armed gangs.
More than 700 trucks of fuel entered the Gaza Strip in January and February during a ceasefire before Israel broke it in March in a dispute over terms for extending it and resumed its major offensive.
Palestinian local health authorities said at least 80 people had been killed by Israeli gunfire and airstrikes across the coastal enclave on Sunday. Deaths included persons trying to make their way to aid distribution points in southern and central areas of Gaza, Palestinian medics said.
Among those killed was a staff member of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, which said an Israeli strike at its headquarters in Khan Younis in southern Gaza ignited a fire on the first floor of the building.
The Gaza war began when Hamas killed more than 1200 people and took 251 hostage in a cross-border attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, according to Israeli figures. Israel's air and ground war in densely populated Gaza has since killed more than 60,000 Palestinians, according to enclave health officials.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NZ Herald
an hour ago
- NZ Herald
US ties with India trampled as Trump hunts goal of ending Russia's war in Ukraine
This week, Trump seemed ready to ditch that relationship. He doubled already hefty tariffs on Indian exports to the US for its steadfast refusal to stop buying oil from Russia, in an effort to pressure Russia to end the war. Trump has accused India of helping Russia finance its war on Ukraine through oil purchases; India has said it needs cheap oil to meet the energy needs of its fast-growing economy. India called the additional tariffs 'unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable', pointing out that it was being punished for doing something — buying Russian oil at a discounted price — that other nations have done, although it didn't mention names. China is the largest buyer of Russian oil, and Turkey has also deepened its energy links with Russia since the start of the war in Ukraine, without incurring similar penalties. Analysts said Trump's pressure tactics could damage the long-standing ties between India and the US. 'We are better off together than apart,' said Atul Keshap, a retired US diplomat and president of the US-India Business Council. 'The partnership forged by our elected leaders over the past 25 years is worth preserving and has achieved considerable mutual prosperity and advanced our shared strategic interests.' It's difficult to quantify what exactly America would lose if its relationship with India cools. India is a valuable strategic partner for the US, acting as a counterweight to China. It is also important to many American companies, including Apple, which has shifted some manufacturing of its products to India from China. Ajay Srivastava, a former trade official at the Global Trade Research Initiative, a New Delhi-based think-tank, said the US action 'will push India to reconsider its strategic alignment, deepening ties with Russia, China, and many other countries'. India and the US, with Japan and Australia, are part of a diplomatic partnership called the Quad, set up largely to counter China's growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region. India is planning to host the Quad Leaders' Summit later this year. Trump was expected to attend, although it's now unclear if he will. For India, the costs of a damaged relationship may prove to be higher. Trump's move puts Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a bind. Russia is the source of 45% of its oil imports. If India stops buying Russian oil, accepting higher prices for consumers and domestic manufacturing, it would be politically damaging for Modi's Government. If it ignores Trump's threat and continues buying Russian oil, the hit to India's economy will be far costlier. The higher tariffs could cut India's more than US$86 billion in exports to the US by half, according to the Global Trade Research Initiative, an Indian research group. The US is India's biggest trading partner, and exports account for nearly 20% of India's economy. India ranks only 10th among American trade partners in goods. India has also come to value American backing for its bid to be recognised as a global superpower. Modi has touted his relationship with Trump, courting the US President during his first term in office and calling him a 'true friend'. But that friendship, as many American allies have learned, may mean little when Trump's own priorities are at stake. US President Donald Trump is open to meeting Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the White House said yesterday. Photo / Olga Maltseva, Brendan Smialowski, Frederick Florin / AFP In recent weeks, Trump announced that he had struck deals with Japan, South Korea and the European Union, but even after months of negotiation, India had not reached an agreement. India was reluctant to make concessions on politically sensitive sectors like dairy and agriculture. India also publicly denied Trump's repeated claims that he helped broker a ceasefire between India and Pakistan after a brief, four-day conflict between the two neighbours in May. India has maintained that the ceasefire was negotiated bilaterally with Pakistan, and Indian leaders bristled at Trump's willingness to insert himself into that bitter rivalry. It is not yet clear whether the punitive tariffs Trump has threatened will ever take effect. In the executive order he issued, Trump said the tariffs would be implemented within a month, but he could modify the order if circumstances changed. The order included a provision that the US would look at other countries' purchases of Russian oil as well. So far, there is no indication that Trump intends to take a similar approach to China. Chinese and US officials are in the middle of sensitive negotiations about potential trade agreements after an initial round of retaliatory tariffs threatened to destabilise the global economy. With his tariff moves against India, Trump is keeping his eye on big strategic goals — a deal with China and keeping the pressure on Moscow before a potential meeting with the leaders of Russia and Ukraine, which he disclosed yesterday. Far from being 'a dead economy', as Trump called it, India is the fastest-growing large economy in the world. But its place on the President's list of priorities may be much less certain. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Written by: Anupreeta Das Photograph by: Saumya Khandelwal ©2025 THE NEW YORK TIMES
NZ Herald
2 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Opinion: Palestinian recognition isn't a reward. It's a rescue plan – British High Commissioner Iona Thomas
The devastation in Gaza is undeniable and unrelenting. In the words of Starmer, 'the starvation and denial of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people, the increasing violence from extremist settler groups and Israel's disproportionate military escalation in Gaza are all indefensible'. UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has suspended arms exports to Israel and increased humanitarian aid. Photo / Getty Images This is not to deny the horrific nature of the October 7 attack by Hamas. And the UK is clear that Hamas must never be rewarded. We call on Hamas to immediately release all the hostages, commit to disarmament and accept it will play no part in the Government of Gaza. The UK's support for Israel's right to exist and defend itself is unwavering. But Israel has an obligation to uphold the rights and dignity of Palestinians. There is no contradiction between support for Israel's security and support for Palestinian statehood. Recognition of a Palestinian state, in this context, is not about blame or rewarding one side over another. It's about restoring balance. It's about ensuring that any path forward includes the rights, futures and dignity of both peoples. In practical terms, the UK has taken action to address the current crisis: we have suspended arms exports to Israel, sanctioned Israeli ministers and violent settlers, frozen trade talks and increased humanitarian aid. Now, recognition of Palestine joins that list, as part of a wider strategy, not a moment in isolation. For decades, the international community, including New Zealand, has reiterated its commitment to two states living side by side. UN resolutions, from 242 (1967) to 2334 (2016), are the accumulated conviction of a world that wants peace but sees it slipping further away. Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, said plainly that the Israeli Government's outright rejection of a two-state solution is 'morally and strategically wrong'. Shutting down the only path that can deliver both peace and legitimacy, it both harms Palestinians and undermines the long-term interests of Israelis. Recognition alone won't resolve the crisis. But it signals a shift: away from waiting for perfect conditions and toward using diplomacy as an active lever. It puts pressure on all parties, Israel, Hamas and others, to return to the negotiating table. The UK has made clear that no party can hold a veto over our recognition. Both Hamas and the Israeli Government will be judged on whether they meet clear conditions: ceasefire, humanitarian access, a political horizon. It's a firm but balanced approach, one aimed at preserving the viability of the only solution that offers dignity, peace and security, not only today but for a future that is different from the last years. New Zealand and the UK have long supported a rules-based international order. We speak often about justice, peace and multilateralism. We have backed UN resolutions affirming Palestinian self-determination, supported UNRWA, and consistently called for aid access and de-escalation. New Zealand and the UK have consistently supported international law, justice and peace through backing UN resolutions, aid access and multilateral efforts. Photo / RNZ The UK's position now invites others to reflect. As the conflict deepens and the humanitarian crisis worsens, how can countries like ours use our voice, reputation and diplomacy to stop this war from extinguishing the last chance for peace? There are no simple answers. But there is a clear direction: towards action that supports civilian life, international law and the promise of a two-state future. In closing his address to the UN, the Foreign Secretary said: 'The hand of history is on our shoulders.' These words were not poetic hyperbole, but a reminder of responsibility. The two-state solution is not dead yet but finds itself in critical condition. What happens now will decide whether it survives. Recognition won't fix everything. But alongside co-ordinated efforts, aid delivery, a ceasefire, diplomacy and accountability, it can help shift the balance towards justice and survival. This is not about choosing sides. It's about people, hostages still held, children starving and trust eroded on all sides. Diplomacy in these times of instability is when our principles as diplomats are put to the test. The UK is determined to work towards a lasting peace. Staying engaged, clear-eyed and committed to a peaceful outcome may be the most important contribution we can make.
Scoop
3 hours ago
- Scoop
Wellington Rally To Oppose Genocide And Protect Protest
From: Justice for Palestine and Peace Action Wellington Justice for Palestine and Peace Action Wellington are hosting a joint rally and march on Friday 8 August at 12:30 starting at the UK High Commission on Hill Street going to Police National HQ to oppose the ongoing genocide in Gaza and to uphold our rights to protest. 'At the UK High Commission, we are gathering in solidarity with UK-based Palestine Action. The UK government has labelled the peaceful protest group Palestine Action as 'terrorists' and are arresting anyone who says that they support them. They are determined to shut down opposition to Israel's genocide using extreme repression. Police have already arrested over 100 ordinary people including elderly clergy, teachers and parents for doing nothing more than carrying a sign or holding a banner,' said Nadia Abu-Shanab, member of Justice for Palestine At least 500 demonstrators are preparing to sit in London for 60 minutes or 'until arrest' on August 9 while holding signs which state: 'I oppose Genocide. I support Palestine Action.' 'Here in Aotearoa NZ the Ministry of Justice is engaged in a behind-the-scenes consultation of the Terrorism Suppression Act to significantly expand the law and to follow the UK approach. Their so-called 'consultation' closes on 8 August,' said Valerie Morse, member of Peace Action Wellington. 'On top of that, just last week, the government announced the US FBI will be opening an office here. FBI director Kash Patel indicated anti-terrorism is an area of key collaboration between the US and NZ. Taken together, these are both terrifying developments for freedom of speech and peaceful protest. Both the UK and US government have recently shown their willingness to use extreme repression to shut down dissenting opinions on Israel.' 'We will not sit by while preparations for attacks on our rights to freedom of expression and peaceful protest are made. We are taking our message to Police HQ as they administer the Terrorism Suppression Act and are the most likely domestic partner for the FBI.' Our actions will not cease until the people of Palestine are free.
