Israel deliberately starving Gaza's Palestinians, says Amnesty
Israel, while heavily restricting aid allowed into Gaza, has repeatedly rejected claims of deliberate starvation in the 22-month-old war. Contacted by AFP, the military and foreign ministry did not immediately comment on Amnesty's findings.
According to the group's report, "Israel is carrying out a deliberate campaign of starvation in the occupied Gaza Strip, systematically destroying the health, well-being and social fabric of Palestinian life".
Meanwhile in Tel Aviv, tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered last night to call for an end to the war in Gaza and the release of hostages, one of the largest demonstrations in Israel since the start of the fighting in October 2023.
The rally was the culmination of a day of nationwide protests and a general strike to pressure the government to halt the military campaign.
"Bring them all home! Stop the war!" shouted the vast crowd which had converged on the so-called 'Hostage Square' in Tel Aviv plaza - a focal point for protesters throughout the war.
The Hostage and Missing Families Forum, the initiator of the day of protest, estimated that about 500,000 people joined the evening demonstration in Tel Aviv - a figure not confirmed by the police.
"We demand a comprehensive and achievable agreement and an end to the war. We demand what is rightfully ours - our children," said Einav Zangauker, mother of hostage Matan and a leading figure of the protest movement.
"The Israeli government has transformed a just war into a pointless war," she told the crowd.
National media published a video message by Matan Zangauker yesterday, in which the hostage, weak and emaciated, addressed his family and told them he missed them. The video was filmed by Hamas and found in Gaza by the army, the family said.
The protests come more than a week after Israel's security cabinet approved plans to capture Gaza City.
Egypt said in recent days mediators were leading a renewed push to secure a 60-day truce deal that includes hostages being released, after the last round of talks in Qatar ended without a breakthrough.
The Israeli plan to expand the war into Gaza City and nearby refugee camps has sparked an international outcry as well as domestic opposition.
Yesterday, Israeli military chief of staff Lieutenant General Eya Zamir said the army was moving ahead with a plan "focusing on Gaza City".
Hamas warned it would result in "a new wave of extermination and mass displacement".
Army Radio said residents would be evacuated before troops encircled and seized Gaza City in the coming weeks, with tens of thousands of reservists called up.
Gaza's civil defence agency said Israeli fire yesterday killed over 60 Palestinians, including at least 37 waiting to collect food aid near two sites.
The conflict began when Palestinian militant group Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October 2023 during which 251 people were taken hostage. Forty-nine captives remain in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead.
Hamas' assault resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.
Israel's offensive has killed more than 61,944 Palestinians, most of them civilians, according to figures from the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza which the United Nations considers reliable.
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Irish Times
an hour ago
- Irish Times
Some Palestinians already fleeing Gaza City out of fear of Israeli offensive
Fearing an Israeli onslaught could come soon, some Palestinian families began leaving eastern areas of Gaza City , now under constant Israeli bombardment , for points to the west and some explored evacuating farther south. Israel's plan to seize control of Gaza City has stirred alarm abroad and at home, where tens of thousands of Israelis held some of the largest protests seen since the war began, urging a deal to end the fighting and free the remaining 50 hostages held by Palestinian militants in Gaza. The planned offensive has spurred Egyptian and Qatari ceasefire mediators to step up efforts in what a source familiar with the talks with Hamas militants in Cairo said could be 'the last-ditch attempt'. Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu has described Gaza City as Hamas's last bastion. But, with Israel already holding 75 per cent of Gaza, the military has warned that expanding the offensive could endanger hostages still alive and draw troops into protracted and deadly guerrilla warfare. READ MORE In Gaza City, many Palestinians have also been calling for protests soon to demand an end to a war that has demolished much of the territory and wrought a humanitarian disaster, and for Hamas to intensify talks to avert the Israeli ground offensive. An Israeli armoured incursion into Gaza City could see the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people, many of whom have been uprooted multiple times earlier in the war. 'The people of Gaza City are like someone who received a death sentence and is awaiting execution,' said Tamer Burai, a Gaza City businessman. 'I am moving my parents and my family to the south today or tomorrow. I can't risk losing any of them should there be a surprising invasion,' he told Reuters via a chat app. A protest is scheduled for Thursday in Gaza City by different unions, and people took to social media platforms vowing to participate, which will raise pressure on Hamas. The last round of indirect ceasefire talks ended in late July in deadlock with the sides trading blame for its collapse. Sources close to the Cairo talks said Egyptian and Qatari mediators had met with leaders of Hamas, allied militant group Islamic Jihad and other factions, with little progress reported. Talks will continue on Monday, the sources added. Hamas told mediators it was ready to resume talks about a US-proposed 60-day truce and release of half the hostages, one official, who asked not to be named, told Reuters, but also for a wider deal that would end the war. Israel says it will agree to cease hostilities if all the hostages are released and Hamas lays down its arms – the latter demand publicly rejected by the Islamist group until a Palestinian state is established. Gaps also appear to linger regarding the extent of an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and how humanitarian aid will be delivered around the enclave, where malnutrition is rife and aid groups warn of unfolding famine. On Saturday, the Israeli military said it was preparing to help equip Gazans with tents and other shelter equipment in advance of relocating them from combat zones to the south of the enclave. It did not provide further details on quantities or how long it would take to get the equipment into the enclave. Palestinian economist Mohammad Abu Jayyab said at least 100,000 new tents would be needed to house those heading to central and southern areas of the coastal strip should Israel begin its offensive or the army orders Gaza City's entire population to evacuate. 'The existing tents where people are living have worn out, and they wouldn't protect people against rainwater. There are no new tents in Gaza because of the [Israeli] restrictions on aid at the [border] crossings,' Abu Jayyab told Reuters. He said some families from Gaza City had begun renting property and shelters in the south and moved in their belongings. 'Some people learned from previous experience, and they don't want to be taken by surprise. Also, some think it is better to move earlier to find a space,' Abu Jayyab added. The UN humanitarian office said last week 1.35 million people were already in need of emergency shelter items in Gaza. The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed across the border into southern Israel on October 7th, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages back to Gaza, according to Israeli tallies. More than 61,000 Palestinians have since been killed in Israel's ensuing air and ground war in Gaza, according to local health officials, with most of the 2.2 million population internally displaced. Five more Palestinians have died of malnutrition and starvation in the past 24 hours, the Gaza health ministry said on Monday, raising the number of people who died of those causes to 263, including 112 children, since the war started. Israel disputed the figures provided by the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory. – Reuters
RTÉ News
an hour ago
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PSNI investigating possible offences following pro-Palestine rally in Belfast
The PSNI have said that they are investigating whether any criminal offences were committed following a pro-Palestinian rally in Belfast city centre. Hundreds of people attended the event at Belfast City Hall yesterday, with a small number displaying posters and placards in support of Palestine Action. The PSNI had previously warned that anyone carrying placards or wearing clothing showing support for the proscribed group may be committing an offence. Palestine Action was proscribed by the UK government in July, with the ban meaning that membership of, or support for, the group is a criminal offence under the Terrorism Act 2000. No arrests were made during the "Defend the Right to Protest" rally yesterday. However, police said they attended the event in Donegall Square North area and have launched an investigation. A statement said: "Officers were deployed to the operation, including specially trained evidence gatherers, assisted by the Air Support Unit. "During the demonstration, those involved blocked Chichester Street for a short period of time. "Officers issued a number of warnings in relation to potential offences being committed. "Several individuals in attendance were identified as being suspected of possessing articles indicating support for a proscribed organisation. "Police are reviewing the evidence gathered in order to establish whether any offences have been committed." The PSNI said it also received a report of an assault involving a protester and a member of the public which it was investigating. The force said inquiries are ongoing into this incident and has made an appeal for footage that could assist the investigation. The statement added: "The right to protest, freedom of speech, and freedom of assembly are fundamental human rights. "These are protected in law and allow individuals to engage in peaceful protest, balanced against the rights and protection of others. "We encourage anyone engaging in protest activity or attending demonstrations to do so lawfully and with consideration for other members of the public who wish to go about their daily business. "A full investigation has been launched and police will review all available evidence to establish whether any further offences have been committed." Anyone with information is asked to contact the PSNI. The previous weekend, a 74-year-old woman was arrested for wearing a Palestine Action T-shirt in Belfast at an anti-racism rally. Amnesty International has called on the PSNI to "uphold people's right to protest against the genocide being perpetrated in Gaza".
RTÉ News
an hour ago
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Norway wealth fund excludes six companies linked to Gaza and West Bank
Norway's sovereign wealth fund, the world's largest, said today it had decided to exclude six companies with connections to the West Bank and Gaza from its portfolio, following an ethics review of its Israeli investments. The $2 trillion wealth fund did not name the companies it had decided to exclude, but said these would be made public, along with specific reasons for each company, once the divestment was completed. The announcement follows an urgent review launched this month after reports that the fund had built a stake in an Israeli jet engine group that provides services to Israel's armed forces, including the maintenance of fighter jets. The fund's ethics council watchdog said it would continue to assess Israeli companies every quarter. Exclusions from the fund are based on recommendations from the fund's ethics watchdog. The fund had also separately sold stakes in several other companies that were not part of the ethics review, it said, following a decision last week to only hold stakes in Israeli companies that are part of the fund's benchmark index. As of August 14, the fund had 19 billion crowns ($1.86 billion) invested in 38 companies listed in Israel, it said, noting this was a reduction of 23 companies since June 30. The number of companies will decline further once the six ethics-based divestments are made, it said. The fund announced last Monday that it was terminating contracts with all three of its external asset managers who handled some of its Israeli investments. Norway's parliament in June rejected a proposal for the fund to divest from all companies with activities in the occupied Palestinian territories.
