Israel launches air and ground offensive on Deir al-Balah in central Gaza
The latest assault comes a day after the highest death toll in 21 months inflicted by the Israeli military on desperate Palestinians seeking food aid, with at least 85 killed on Sunday in what has become an almost daily slaughter.
The UN food agency, the World Food Programme, said the majority of those killed on Sunday had gathered near the border fence with Israel, in the hope of getting flour from a UN aid convoy, when they were fired on by Israeli tanks and snipers.
On Monday the UK and 24 other countries issued a sharply critical letter condemning the Israeli military's killing of hundreds of Palestinians seeking food in recent weeks and calling for an immediate end to the conflict.
'It is horrifying that over 800 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid. 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 said.
Witnesses described massive airstrikes overnight in Deir al-Balah, the last remaining area of Gaza that has not suffered significant war damage and which is packed with Palestinians displaced from elsewhere in Gaza.
Israeli sources had said the reason the army had previously stayed out was that they suspect Hamas might be holding hostages there. At least 20 of the remaining 50 hostages in captivity in Gaza are believed to be still alive.
Israel launched its renewed assault despite reports in the Hebrew media that Israeli officials believed Hamas was close to agreeing to a ceasefire.
The latest Israeli assault followed forced evacuation orders for 50,000-80,000 people in Deir al-Balah, in the centre of the Gaza Strip, leaving almost 88% of the territory under such orders.
'With this latest order, the area of Gaza under displacement orders or within Israeli-militarised zones has risen to 87.8%, leaving 2.1 million civilians squeezed into a fragmented 12% of the strip, where essential services have collapsed,' the UN said in a statement released by its Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha).
With the growing threat of widespread starvation, Ocha emphasised the importance of Deir al-Balah for what remained of the struggling international aid effort. Warehouses, health clinics and a key desalination plant serving southern Gaza are located there. 'Any damage to this infrastructure will have life-threatening consequences,' the agency added.
Amid increasing concern over the potential impact of the latest assaults, Ocha said the agency's local head in Gaza had decided to remain in Deir al-Balah.
'Just spoken to Jonathan Whittall,' Tom Fletcher, the UN's undersecretary for humanitarian affairs wrote on X late on Sunday night. 'He's in Deir el Balah, Gaza, with Israeli airstrikes intensifying … They are best of UN. And all of us.'
The Israeli military said it had not entered the districts of Deir al-Balah subject to the evacuation order during the current conflict and that it was continuing 'to operate with great force to destroy the enemy's capabilities and terrorist infrastructure in the area'.
Deep concern over the humanitarian situation in Gaza was underlined by claims from doctors that more than a dozen Palestinians had died from hunger in the past 24 hours.
'Nineteen people, including children, have died of hunger,' Khalil al-Daqran, a spokesperson for al-Aqsa hospital in Deir al-Balah told the BBC. 'Hospitals can no longer provide food for patients or staff, many of whom are physically unable to continue working due to extreme hunger.
'Hospitals cannot provide a single bottle of milk to children suffering from hunger, because all baby formula has run out from the market.'
According to the World Food Programme, the killing of dozens of Palestinians who had gathered to get flour came after a convoy of 25 trucks carrying food assistance crossed into Gaza.
'Shortly after passing the final checkpoint … the convoy encountered large crowds of civilians anxiously waiting to access desperately needed food supplies,' the agency said. 'As the convoy approached, the surrounding crowd came under fire from Israeli tanks, snipers and other gunfire.
'These people were simply trying to access food to feed themselves and their families on the brink of starvation,' it said, adding that the incident occurred despite assurances from Israeli authorities that aid delivery would improve. 'Shootings near humanitarian missions, convoys and food distributions must stop immediately.'
Israel's military acknowledged the shooting but said it had fired 'warning shots to remove an immediate threat posed to the troops'. It said initial findings suggested the reported casualty figures were inflated, and it 'certainly does not intentionally target humanitarian aid trucks'.
The World Food Programme added: 'Gaza's hunger crisis has reached new levels of desperation. People are dying from lack of humanitarian assistance. Malnutrition is surging, with 90,000 women and children in urgent need of treatment. Nearly one person in three is not eating for days.'
The latest Israeli attacks in Gaza took place as a security official for Yemen's Houthi group said Israel had struck Hodeidah port on Monday, destroying a dock that had been rebuilt after it was damaged in earlier attacks.
'The bombing destroyed the port's dock, which had been rebuilt following previous strikes,' the official told Agence France-Presse, requesting anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.
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The Herald Scotland
39 minutes ago
- The Herald Scotland
Nuclear deterrent is no laughing matter in the era of Putin
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The Independent
40 minutes ago
- The Independent
Afghanistan is starting its fifth year of Taliban rule. Here are 5 things to know
The Taliban seized control of Afghanistan in 2021 for the second time. Since then, the former insurgents have consolidated their grip on power, excluded women and girls from public life, stamped out internal dissent and external challengers, and gained debut recognition as the country's official government from Russia, a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council. The Taliban govern through decrees, but Afghans have aspirations and needs that cannot be fulfilled through edicts and ideology. Climate change, an increasing population, and severe cuts to foreign aid will test the Taliban's ability to lead and not just rule. Here are five things to know about the Taliban as they start their fifth year in power: The supreme leader has cemented his legacy Kandahar-based Hibatullah Akhundzada has led the Taliban from insurgency to authority since his appointment in 2016. But transition and status are peripheral to what he has wanted for the past 20 years: establishing an Islamic system. 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The Taliban's internal differences are buried deep There were pockets within the Taliban that initially advocated lifting bans on women and girls, or at least modifying them, to allow greater global and financial engagement. Akhundzada and his circle withstood such pressure, however, and the Taliban government has emerged from its isolation to develop diplomatic ties and raise several billion dollars every year in tax revenues to keep the lights on. Power brokers, like Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, have been weakened. Since November, Akhundzada has had direct control over Afghanistan's weapons and military equipment, sidelining the Interior Ministry and the Defense Ministry, which is run by Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, whose father founded the Taliban. Haqqani, whose uncle was killed in a high-profile suicide attack last December, used to take swipes at the leadership. Not anymore. 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These women do not believe the regime will change its stance on women's rights.' Regional ties are transactional It's not trust or shared values that define the Taliban's relationships. Afghanistan borders six countries, many of which are trade partners and also balk at being lectured by the West on rights and freedoms. Landlocked Afghanistan is sandwiched between the Middle East, Central Asia, and South Asia, making it strategically located for energy-rich and energy-hungry nations. The Taliban's bilateral relations proceed on common ground: borders, water, transit, and security. Anti-migrant rhetoric, especially in Europe, could increase diplomatic engagement as political parties in the West seek to placate their supporters. The UK-based International Institute for Strategic Studies said the Taliban's broader diplomatic interactions were eroding the 'non-recognition' approach of the West and ushering in 'creeping normalization.' 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The loss of jobs, contracts, and the shrinking humanitarian footprint also equate to a loss in revenue for the Taliban. One U.N. agency said there were 'reputational and staff security risks' where humanitarian agencies were forced to suspend operations due to reduced funding, causing grievances among communities, or after partners couldn't pay suppliers or complete contracts. Aid officials warn that frustration and an increase in tensions will trigger spontaneous violence as people compete for resources and services. The cuts coincide with the mass expulsions of Afghans from neighboring countries, swelling the population and the ranks of the unemployed while also halting the flow of inward remittances. The World Health Organization estimates the population will increase by 85% to 76.88 million by 2050. Afghanistan needs to give people food, shelter, and economic opportunities. Thomas Ruttig, from the Afghanistan Analysts Network, recalled meeting a leading Taliban figure in a 'completely rundown' office during the late 1990s. The Taliban fighter told him they could live under those circumstances, but foreigners couldn't. 'What they also say is that Afghans can live under those circumstances, which, to an extent, is true,' said Ruttig. 'They were forced to live under those circumstances and have learned how to cope." Now their means of coping — houses, land, and some savings — are gone. The Taliban took it for granted that they won the war with the help of Allah and the population, he explained. He added that, although the Taliban were a reflection of Afghans' ambitions, they needed to open up and listen to people's concerns. 'But they know the more they open up, the more they are questioned, and their rule might be undermined.' The Taliban needed to think about whether they wanted to govern the country simply to rule it, said Ruttig. 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The Independent
40 minutes ago
- The Independent
A timeline of events in Afghanistan in the four years since the Taliban's takeover
Here is a look at key dates since the Taliban returned to power four years ago, as United States and NATO forces withdrew from the country: ___ 2021 Aug. 15: The Taliban march into Kabul, returning to power after two decades as internationally backed President Ashraf Ghani flees the country. Aug. 26: Islamic State group suicide bombers and gunmen kill over 170 Afghans and 13 U.S. troops in an attack on the crowds trying to be evacuated at Kabul's airport. ___ 2022 March 23: On the day high schools are opening, the Taliban abruptly reverse a promise to allow girls above the sixth grade to attend school. May 7: The Taliban Virtue and Vice Ministry says women in public must wear all-encompassing robes and cover their faces except for their eyes. It advises them to stay home unless they have important work outside the house. Nov. 10: A nationwide ban on women using gyms and parks comes into force. The Taliban say they imposed the ban because women allegedly disobeyed gender segregation rules or didn't cover themselves properly. Nov. 20: The Taliban lash 19 people, including alleged adulterers, in the first public flogging since their return to rule. Dec. 8: The Taliban execute a convicted killer before hundreds of spectators, the first public execution since the takeover. Dec. 21: The Taliban bar female students from attending university. Dec. 24: The Taliban bar Afghan women from working with national and international nongovernmental groups. ___ 2023 July 4: The Taliban order beauty salons to shut down for offering allegedly un-Islamic services like eyebrow shaping. The decision affects as many as 60,000 female entrepreneurs. Sept. 13: The Taliban hail China's new ambassador with fanfare. Months later, the Taliban officially send their new ambassador to Beijing. Oct. 4: Pakistan announces a major crackdown on foreigners living in the country illegally, including millions of Afghans. Oct. 7: A 6.3 magnitude earthquake in western Herat province kills thousands. More quakes follow, bringing further devastation to the area. ___ 2024 Jan. 4: The Taliban arrest women in Kabul for wearing 'bad hijab,' the first official dress code crackdown since they returned to power. May 17: Shooters open fire in Bamiyan, killing six people, including three Spanish vacationers. It's a blow to the Taliban's plans to woo tourists. IS claims the attack. June 4: The leader of the United Arab Emirates meets a Taliban official facing a U.S. bounty over his involvement in deadly assaults. It highlights the growing divide on how to deal with the Taliban. July 30: The Taliban say they no longer recognize Afghan diplomatic missions staffed by diplomats from the former Western-backed government. Aug. 13: The Taliban celebrate the third anniversary of their return to power at a former U.S. air base that was once the center of Washington's war to unseat the Taliban and hunt down the al-Qaida perpetrators of the 9/11 attacks. Aug. 21: The UAE accepts the credentials of the Taliban's ambassador to the Gulf Arab state. Aug. 22: Authorities ban women's voices and bare faces in public under new laws approved by the supreme leader in efforts to combat vice and promote virtue. Sept. 13: IS militants kill 14 people in a Shiite-majority area of central Afghanistan, gunning them down as they returned from visiting shrines in Iraq. Sept. 16: The Taliban suspend polio vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan, one of two countries in which the spread of the potentially fatal, paralyzing disease has never been stopped. Oct. 15: Taliban run-media stop showing images of living beings in some Afghan provinces to comply with morality laws. That same month, the southern province of Helmand bans all media from showing images of living beings. Nov. 10: The Taliban confirm they will attend a U.N. climate conference. The head of the country's national environment agency says Afghanistan needs international support to deal with extreme weather. Dec. 4: There is widespread condemnation after reports that the Taliban's leader has ordered private and public institutions to suspend medical courses for women. Dec. 11: A suicide bombing in the Afghan capital kills the refugee minister. The funeral for Khalil Haqqani, the paternal uncle of acting interior minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, is held the following day. Dec. 24: Airstrikes by Pakistan target suspected Pakistani Taliban hideouts in Afghanistan. Afghan officials say the airstrikes killed 46 people, mostly women and children. ___ 2025 Jan. 22: A prisoner swap with the U.S. frees two Americans in exchange for a Taliban figure imprisoned for life in California on drug trafficking and terrorism charges. The Taliban free more Americans months later. Jan. 24: The International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor requests arrest warrants for two top Taliban officials for the repression of women. Feb. 24: The Taliban confirm the arrest of two elderly British nationals, Peter and Barbie Reynolds. March 5: A suspect in the 2021 suicide bombing at Kabul airport appears in a U.S. court following his capture in Pakistan. March 23: The U.S. lifts bounties on three senior Taliban figures, including the interior minister. June 5: U.S. President Donald Trump bans entry for citizens from 12 countries, including Afghanistan. July 4: Russia becomes the first country to officially recognize the Taliban government.
