At least 20 reported killed near Gaza aid distribution point
Gaza's civil defence agency has said that Israeli troops have killed at least 20 people in the south of the Palestinian territory.
The Israeli military said it fired shots at individuals about half a kilometre from the aid distribution site of US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Fund in Gaza in the Rafah area.
It said the individuals were moving towards forces in a way that "posed a threat to them".
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RTÉ News
18 minutes ago
- RTÉ News
US vetoes UN Security Council demand for Gaza ceasefire
UN Security Council members criticised the United States after it vetoed a resolution calling for a ceasefire and unrestricted humanitarian access in Gaza, which the US said undermined ongoing diplomacy. It was the 15-member body's first vote on the situation since November, when the United States - a key Israeli ally - also blocked a text calling for an end to fighting. "This resolution would undermine diplomatic efforts to reach a ceasefire that reflects the realities on the ground and emboldens Hamas," the US United Nations envoy Dorothy Shea said ahead of yesterday's 14 to 1 vote, with the US casting the lone vote against. "This resolution also draws false equivalence between Israel and Hamas," she added. The draft resolution had demanded "an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza respected by all parties." It also called for the "immediate, dignified and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas and other groups." Underlining a "catastrophic humanitarian situation" in the Palestinian territory, the resolution, had it passed, would have demanded the lifting of all restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza. "This will remain not only a moral stain on the conscience of this council, but a fateful moment of political application that will reverberate for generations," said Pakistan's ambassador to the UN Asim Ahmad. China's ambassador to the UN Fu Cong said "today's vote result once again exposes that the root cause of the council's inability to quell the conflict in Gaza is the repeated obstruction by the US." The veto marks the United States first such action since US President Donald Trump took office in January. Israel has faced growing international pressure to end its war in Gaza, which was triggered by the unprecedented 7 October 2023 attack by Hamas on Israeli soil. That scrutiny has increased over flailing aid distribution in Gaza, which Israel blocked for more than two months before allowing a small number of UN vehicles to enter in mid-May. The United Nations said that was not enough to meet the humanitarian needs. Halt to aid distribution A US-backed relief effort called the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) has also faced criticism for going against long-standing humanitarian principles by coordinating relief efforts with a military belligerent. It comes as the group, operating aid sites in Gaza, shut its facilities yesterday as the Israeli army warned that roads leading to distribution centres were "considered combat zones". The move by the GHF followed a string of deadly incidents near distribution sites it operates that drew sharp condemnation from the United Nations. Israeli bombardment killed at least 48 people across the Gaza Strip, including 14 in a single strike on a tent sheltering displaced people, the civil defence agency said. A day earlier, the civil defence and the International Committee of the Red Cross said 27 people were killed when Israeli troops opened fire near a GHF site in southern Gaza. The military said the incident was under investigation. Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian ambassador to the UN, said after the vote he would now seek a vote on the resolution calling for a ceasefire at the General Assembly. "We are grateful for your demonstrations and tenacity in the Security Council demanding action, and we also support you in continuing to knock on the door of the Security Council to shoulder its responsibility," he said, thanking the 14 countries that backed the resolution. Israel's ambassador to the UN Danny Danon said that the Palestinian plan to put the resolution to a vote at the General Assembly, where no country can veto it, was pointless, telling countries "don't waste more of your energy." "This resolution doesn't advance humanitarian relief and undermines it. It ignores a working system in favour of political agendas," he added.
The Journal
5 hours ago
- The Journal
Tourist ‘ate' passport biometric data and attacked airport official, court hears
A TOURIST TORE out and devoured the biometric data page of his passport after assaulting a Dublin Airport official verifying his identity, a court was told. Palestinian national Hasan Alshaer, 27, with no stated address, was charged with assaulting a customs official at Terminal 1 and an offence under the Immigration Act for failing to produce a passport or document establishing his identity. He appeared at Dublin District Court today following his arrest at 5pm on Tuesday. Court Garda Sergeant Niall Murphy told Judge John King that the allegation was Mr Alshaer presented to an immigration control officer. 'He tried to run away from her taking his passport with him; when she chased after him, judge, it is alleged he struck at her, causing her to fall, he tore out a page of the travel document he was carrying and then ate the page with the biometric data on it.' The sergeant contended that the accused was a flight risk and objected to his bail. Defence barrister Paddy Flynn said his client had money and could stay in a hotel. Mr Flynn said the accused came to Ireland as a tourist and gardaí had his Palestinian passport. Advertisement The sergeant countered that the passport was 'no use' because it cannot be verified properly now. The defence said the man had a second Greek passport, but the State contended that compounded his problem because gardai could not verify who he was. The defence said Mr Alsher had lived in Germany and Greece for five years. Judge King said, 'There is a serious problem here. He arrives in this country, sees immigration, runs, and then tears a page out of his passport, and this page has his biometric data on it, it is alleged. That is a huge problem for him'. Mr Flynn said he was instructed that the man had a residential permit. However, the judge suggested a fingerprint check with Interpol could assist but noted that it could take some time. Sergeant Murphy said that would not be resolved that day, and it was unlikely that the State would now accept any documentary evidence provided by the accused. He added that he did not present a visa or any authority to enter the country on top of allegedly destroying the travel document he initially presented to customs officers. Mr Alsher, who has yet to enter a plea, listened to the proceedings with the aid of an interpreter and remained silent during the hearing, He postponed his bail application. Judge King remanded him in custody to appear again on Friday.
Irish Daily Mirror
5 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Trinity College Dublin to divest from links with Israeli universities and firms
Trinity College Dublin is to divest from new arrangements with Israeli universities, firms and institutions. The board of the prestigious Dublin university, home to over 20,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students, made the decision to divest from Israeli links on Wednesday. Pro-Palestinian activists have called on other Irish universities to follow suit. Last May, students formed an encampment at Trinity in protest against a €214,285 fine imposed on the students' union after a series of demonstrations about fees and rent, and the university's ties to Israel. Following engagement with the protesters, the college dropped the fine and said it would complete a divestment from Israeli companies that have activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and appear on the UN blacklist. The students dismantled the camp after Trinity said it would "endeavour" to divest in other Israeli companies, noting that its supplier list contains just one Israeli company which remained in place until March this year for contractual reasons. On Wednesday, Trinity's board received a report from a taskforce set up last October to examine academic and institutional links, including with Israel. Although the report is to return to the board later this year for its final consideration, based on "the strength of the evidence shared", the board accepted the report's recommendations in relation to links with Israel. This included recommendations that the college enter into no Erasmus, collaborative research or supply agreements with Israeli universities, institutions or firms. The college has two current Erasmus+ exchange agreements, on an inbound basis only since September 2023, with Israeli universities: the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, which ends in July 2025, and Bar Ilan University, which ends in July 2026. The taskforce also found that the college is engaged in a number of EU-funded research consortia which include Israeli partners, and – although none of these were found to be breaching international humanitarian law or human rights – the taskforce said Trinity should not seek to participate in any new institutional research agreements involving Israeli participation. It also said that Trinity should look to "align itself" with like-minded universities and bodies in an effort to influence EU policy concerning Israel's participation in such collaborations. The taskforce noted that Trinity had divested from Israeli companies on the UN blacklist and has no current supply contracts with Israeli companies. But it recommended that the college should fully divest from all companies headquartered in Israel and that it should not enter into any future supply contracts with Israeli firms. The taskforce accepted that the college's existing intellectual property-related contracts are acceptable as they are not collaborative, but said no new commercial relationships with Israeli entities should be set up. Chairwoman of the Irish Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) Zoe Lawlor said the decision by Trinity was a "landmark step in academic rejection of apartheid Israel's regime". She called on more Irish universities to do the same and paid tribute to students, academics and staff who campaigned for this outcome. "Trinity will now stand on the right side of history, as it did with South African apartheid in the past, but it is nevertheless disappointing that it took so long to get to this position," she said. "We echo the view of TCD Students' Union that it remains disappointing that Trinity has not withdrawn from ongoing projects involving Israeli partners who provide military technology and training that will run until 2029. "Nonetheless, we celebrate each and every step towards de-normalising relations with the genocidal, apartheid state of Israel. We call on the Irish Government and the EU to pay heed to the changing climate, and to act to bring an end to all Irish state complicity with the apartheid regime." The taskforce, chaired by former president of the High Court Mary Irvine, met on 14 occasions and received 77 submissions in total.
