At least 1,760 killed while seeking aid in Gaza since late May, says UN
Marwan Barghouti seen in video as Israeli minister Ben Gvir threatens him
Israeli army carries out raids across occupied West Bank
'No life' for Lebanon if government confronts us, Hezbollah chief warns
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed and UK PM Starmer discuss Gaza
At least 61,776 Palestinians killed and 154,906 wounded in Gaza since war began
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
an hour ago
- The National
Netanyahu is a 'problem', Danish PM says in comments criticising Gaza war
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen described Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a 'problem', in a rare direct criticism of the Israeli leader over the continuing war in Gaza. "Netanyahu is now a problem in himself," Ms Frederiksen told the Jyllands-Posten daily in an interview published on Saturday, and added that his government was going "too far". Ms Frederiksen said she would try to put pressure on Israel over the 'absolutely appalling and catastrophic' humanitarian situation in Gaza as her country currently holds the EU presidency. 'We are one of the countries that wants to increase pressure on Israel, but we have not yet obtained the support of EU members,' she said. Israel's government has drawn increasing condemnation over the war, including from its allies, but Ms Frederiksen's comments are a rare instance of a world leader directly blaming Mr Netanyahu. Health authorities in the Palestinian enclave have reported more than 61,800 people killed over more than 22 months, most of them civilian, and Israeli restrictions on the entry of aid have led to widespread hunger and more than 1,800 deaths among desperate crowds trying to collect food. The Danish Prime Minister also criticised an Israeli decision this week to proceed with a controversial plan to build settlements in area of the occupied West Bank known as "E1", which would effectively divide the Palestinian territory. Switzerland also criticised the decision on Saturday, saying the move would violate international law and undermines the prospects for a two-state solution. The Israeli government last week approved plans for the military, which currently controls about 75 per cent of Gaza, to launch an assault on Gaza city that would force about one million residents, about half the population, to move south into an area already packed with people displaced from their homes. Residents have reported heavy bombardment in the Al Zeitoun area in the city's south in recent days. The Israeli army said it was conducting a range of operations on the outskirts of Gaza city, leaving thousands of residents trapped with no escape. The Israeli military continues to carry out attacks across the entire coastal strip, with heavy bombardment early on Saturday that targeted densely populated residential areas in the north and south, the Palestinian state news agency Wafa reported. Dozens were killed including children and women and others injured in central and southern Gaza, where the Israeli army targeted several areas housing displaced Palestinians, Wafa said. Civilians seeking aid were also targeted, with at least two killed near a food distribution site in the southern Rafah area that is run by a US and Israel-backed group called Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). At least 16 people seeking aid were killed on Friday, many of them were near GHF sites, which the UN has described as "death traps". According to the UN human rights office, 994 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid near GHF sites between May 27, when it began operations, and August 13, while another 766 were killed along the routes of supply convoys. "Most of these killings were committed by the Israeli military," the agency's office for the Palestinian territories said. Wafa reported that another Palestinian child starved to death in Gaza on Friday, increasing the number of deaths from hunger and malnutrition to 240, including 107 children, according to Gaza's health ministry said. At least 112 children are admitted for treatment of malnutrition every day in Gaza, the UN children's agency, Unicef, said on Saturday. The war began with an attack by Palestinian militants from Gaza, led by the Islamist group Hamas, on October 7, 2023. About 1,200 people were killed in the raids on southern Israel, and about 250 others taken back to Gaza as hostages. Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas and is demanding that the group disarm and hand over about 50 hostages still in captivity, of whom 20 are believed to be still alive, in exchange for a ceasefire. Israel insists that Hamas have no role in the postwar governance of Gaza, while also refusing to allow it to be administered by the internationally recognised Palestinian Authority based in the West Bank. Far right members of Mr Netanyahu's government are calling for the territory to be taken over by Israel, 20 years after Israel pulled out.
The National
2 hours ago
- The National
Gaza mother's poetic plea to end the war sparks global response
'I'm a mother just like you, I dream only to see my children grow,' Munira Al Najjar says in a plea for an end to Israel's war in Gaza, addressed to mothers around the world. The poem, which has been widely shared on social media, reflects the desperation and heartbreak that mothers in Gaza endure daily – living mostly in tents, trying to feed their children amid a blockade on aid and trying to keep them safe from Israeli attacks. Ms Al Najjar, an English teacher, wrote the poem in her tent in Nuseirat camp in central Gaza, where she now lives with her four young children after her family was displaced by the war. It invokes 'the voice of every mother who endured, grieved and who still dares to dream of peace'. 'I ask mothers around the world to stand with us, to understand our struggles, and to help raise their voices for peace and justice in Gaza and beyond,' Ms Al Najjar, 40, told The National. 'We urge the world to stop the war so our children can continue their normal life and education and build a future filled with hope and opportunity,' she says. She hopes for enough food to feed her children, for clean water and daily essentials, for a life without fear of being torn to pieces by Israeli bombs and gunfire. 'We do not ask for pity but for witness, we do not ask for silence but for a voice beside ours so that your children, when they grow up, will know that we had children too,' she writes in her poem. Rachel Accurso, the creator of a YouTube channel of songs for toddlers under the name Ms Rachel, which has more than 16 million subscribers, shared Ms Al Najjar's poem on social media. 'This is a call to all mothers, please show the mothers in Gaza that they are not alone. The only difference between you and Munira is geographical luck,' Ms Accurso said in an Instagram post. The poem was then shared and read out publicly by US Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib and other influential figures, triggering an array of emotional responses. Ms Al Najjar said her poem had received 15 million views on Instagram after Ms Accurso shared it. Out of nearly 62,000 people killed and more than 150,000 injured in Gaza since the war began in October 2023, more than 50,000 are children, according to a Unicef estimate. Earlier this month, the UN agency said that on average at least 28 children have been killed every day. Hunger has reached starvation levels as Israeli restrictions continue to make aid inaccessible, while plans for a military offensive into Gaza city threaten to displace a million people, or half the population of the Gaza Strip. Newborns and young children are reported to be dying from malnutrition. 'My message to mothers everywhere is, although our circumstances may be different, the love we have for our children unites us all. Mothers everywhere want nothing more than safety, peace and opportunities for their children to grow and thrive,' Ms Al Najjar says. Displaced with her family at least seven times already, Ms Al Najjar says the war has taught Gazans how to 'hold on to each other more tightly', and adds: 'We will emerge from this war stronger, seeking life.'
The National
4 hours ago
- The National
Netanyahu has become a 'problem', says Danish PM in rare personal criticism
'Malfunction' caused army intelligence drone to crash in Gaza, says Israel UAE carries out 72nd aid airdrop At least 1,890 people killed while seeking aid in Gaza since late May Palestinian UN envoy appeals to ICRC to protect detainees Hamas condemns Ben-Gvir's threatening visit to Barghouti's cell At least 61,827 Palestinians killed and 155,275 wounded in Gaza since war began
