Trump's envoy arrives in Israel as Gaza criticism mounts
Gaza's civil defence agency reported dozens of Palestinians killed late Wednesday when Israeli forces opened fire on a crowd attempting to block an aid convoy – the latest in a spate of near-daily incidents of desperate aid seekers being shot.
The Israeli military confirmed having fired 'warning shots' as Gazans gathered around aid trucks, but said it had no knowledge of casualties in the incident. An AFP correspondent saw the bullet-riddled corpses of Palestinians in Gaza's al-Shifa hospital.
Jameel Ashour, who lost a relative in the shooting, told AFP at the overflowing morgue that Israel troops had opened fire after a crowd surged towards the convoy.
'When people saw thieves stealing and dropping food, the hungry crowd rushed in hopes of getting some,' he said.
With indirect ceasefire and hostage release negotiations between Hamas and Israel at an impasse, Witkoff will meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss humanitarian aid and the 'next steps' on Gaza.
Trump envoy Witkoff to travel to Europe and discuss Gaza, US official says
He may also visit a US-backed humanitarian group distributing food in Gaza, according to Israeli reports.
Witkoff has been the top US representative in indirect ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas, but the discussions broke down last week when Israel and the United States recalled their delegations from Doha.
Israel is under mounting international pressure to agree a ceasefire and allow the world to flood a hungry Gaza with food, with Canada the latest Western country to announce plans to recognise a Palestinian state.
MAGA doubts
Trump has been Israel's staunchest international defender at a time when concerns about the campaign in Gaza have left Netanyahu increasingly isolated on the world stage, but the two leaders have occasionally found themselves at odds of late.
Earlier this week Trump promised to get more humanitarian aid into Gaza, warning that the territory faces 'real starvation' – directly contradicting Netanyahu's insistence that reports of hunger were exaggerated.
Gaza death toll hits 60,000 as global monitor demands action to avert famine
UN-backed experts, meanwhile, have reported 'famine is now unfolding' in Gaza, with news images of sick and emaciated children drawing outrage and powers like France, the UK and now Canada lining up to support Palestinian statehood.
Trump is now reportedly concerned that his most fervent domestic US supporters, the so-called 'MAGA base', are turning against Israel.
Israel is also under pressure to resolve the crisis from other traditional supporters.
Germany's top diplomat Johann Wadephul was expected in Jerusalem on Thursday for talks with Netanyahu and Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar.
'Warning shots'
In Canada, Prime Minister Mark Carney warned that the worsening suffering of civilians in Gaza left 'no room for delay in coordinated international action to support peace'.
Israel blasted Canada's announcement as part of a 'distorted campaign of international pressure', while Trump warned that trade negotiations with Ottawa could be hurt by what Washington regards as a premature bid to back Palestine.
Gaza civil defence says 30 killed by Israeli fire
The fighting in Gaza has lasted for almost 22 months which left 1,219 people dead, according to a tally based on official figures.
Of the 251 Israelis kidnapped that day, 49 are still held in Gaza, 27 of them declared dead by the Israeli military.
The Israeli campaign has since killed 60,249 Palestinians, according to a tally from the Hamas government's health ministry, and this week UN aid agencies warned that deaths from starvation had begun.
In the incident Wednesday night, Gaza's civil defence agency said gunfire killed at least 58 people in a crowd gathered around a humanitarian aid convoy in the north of the territory.
According to an AFP correspondent and witnesses, the trucks had entered Gaza through the Israeli military checkpoint at Zikim, on their way to World Central Kitchen and the World Food Programme warehouses in Gaza City.
Thousands of people rushed to stop the trucks before they continued to the warehouses, and shooting erupted.
Separately, the Hamas-led Gaza government's health ministry issued a statement Thursday begging Palestinians not to loot a new aid convoy, warning that it contained no food but instead medical supplies for the territory's hard-pressed hospitals.
Another 32 people were reported killed by the civil defence on Thursday in Israeli attacks across Gaza.
Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties accessing many areas mean AFP cannot independently verify tolls and details provided by the civil defence and other parties.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Recorder
2 hours ago
- Business Recorder
India: chickens have finally come home to roost
In an interesting but important development, US President Donald Trump has said he 'will substantially raise tariffs on India' over its purchases of Russian oil. In his new post, the US President assailed New Delhi for buying Russian oil and then selling it. Over the weekend the Indian government had said that India would keep purchasing oil from Russia despite Trump threats, prompting White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller to officially accuse India of effectively financing Russia's war in Ukraine by purchasing oil from Moscow. The Indian diaspora or NRIs (non-resident Indians) in North America in particular are being chastised for Modi government's policy of funding the Russian war to kill innocent men and women in Ukraine. India deserved it because it had been trying to appease both the US and Russia simultaneously by pursuing the policy of running with the hares and hunting with the hounds. Now for the Sangh Parivar chickens have finally come home to roost. The consequences of India's bad actions are therefore unpleasant and unavoidable. Sudhir Chaudhry (Chicago, Illinois, US) Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
3 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Israel to decide next steps in Gaza after ceasefire talks collapse
OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: Benjamin Netanyahu will convene his security cabinet this week to decide on Israel's next steps in Gaza following the collapse of indirect ceasefire talks with Hamas, with one senior Israeli source suggesting more force could be an option. Last Saturday, during a visit to the country, U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff had said he was working with the Israeli government on a plan that would effectively end the war in Gaza. But Israeli officials have also floated ideas including expanding the military offensive in Gaza and annexing parts of the shattered enclave. The failed ceasefire talks in Doha had aimed to clinch agreements on a U.S.-backed proposal for a 60-day truce, during which aid would be flown into Gaza and half of the hostages Hamas is holding would be freed in exchange for Palestinian prisoners jailed in Israel. Pakistan, Saudi Arabia condemn Israeli govt officials' provocative actions against Al-Aqsa Mosque After Netanyahu met Witkoff last Thursday, a senior Israeli official said that 'an understanding was emerging between Washington and Israel,' of a need to shift from a truce to a comprehensive deal that would 'release all the hostages, disarm Hamas, and demilitarize the Gaza Strip,' - Israel's key conditions for ending the war. A source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Sunday that the envoy's visit was seen in Israel as 'very significant.' But later on Sunday, the Israeli official signalled that pursuit of a deal would be pointless, threatening more force: 'An understanding is emerging that Hamas is not interested in a deal and therefore the prime minister is pushing to release the hostages while pressing for military defeat. Israel's Channel 12 on Monday cited an official from his office as saying that Netanyahu was inclining towards expanding the offensive and seizing the entire Palestinian enclave. 'Strategic clarity' What a 'military defeat' might mean, however, is up for debate within the Israeli leadership. Some Israeli officials have suggested that Israel might declare it was annexing parts of Gaza as a means to pressure the Hamas group. Others, like Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir want to see Israel impose military rule in Gaza before annexing it and re-establishing the Jewish settlements Israel evicted 20 years ago. The Israeli military, which has pushed back at such ideas throughout the war, was expected on Tuesday to present alternatives that include extending into areas of Gaza where it has not yet operated, according to two defence officials. Benjamin Netanyahu pledges 'safe passage' for Rafah civilians While some in the political leadership are pushing for expanding the offensive, the military is concerned that doing so will endanger the 20 hostages who are still alive, the officials said. Israeli Army Radio reported on Monday that military chief Eyal Zamir has become increasingly frustrated with what he describes as a lack of strategic clarity by the political leadership, concerned about being dragged into a war of attrition with Hamas. A spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) declined to comment on the report but said that the military has plans in store. 'We have different ways to fight the terror organization, and that's what the army does,' Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani said. On Tuesday, Qatar and Egypt endorsed a declaration by France and Saudi Arabia outlining steps toward a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which included a call on Hamas to hand over its arms to the Western-backed Palestinian Authority. Hamas has repeatedly said it won't lay down arms. But it has told mediators it was willing to quit governance in Gaza for a non-partisan ruling body, according to three Hamas officials. It insists that the post-war Gaza arrangement must be agreed upon among the Palestinians themselves and not dictated by foreign powers. Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar suggested on Monday that the gaps were still too wide to bridge. 'We would like to have all our hostages back. We would like to see the end of this war. We always prefer to get there by diplomatic means, if possible. But of course, the big question is, what will be the conditions for the end of the war?' he told journalists in Jerusalem.
Business Recorder
3 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Trump again threatens India with harsh tariffs over Russian oil purchases
WASHINGTON: U.S. President Donald Trump again threatened on Monday to raise tariffs on goods from India over its Russian oil purchases, while New Delhi called his attack 'unjustified' and vowed to protect its economic interests, deepening the trade rift between the two countries. In a social media post, Trump wrote, 'India is not only buying massive amounts of Russian Oil, they are then, for much of the Oil purchased, selling it on the Open Market for big profits. They don't care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine.' 'Because of this, I will be substantially raising the Tariff paid by India to the USA,' he added. A spokesperson for India's foreign ministry said in response that India will 'take all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security.' 'The targeting of India is unjustified and unreasonable,' the spokesperson added. Trump has said that from Friday he will impose new sanctions on Russia as well as on countries that buy its energy exports, unless Moscow takes steps to end its 3-1/2 year war with Ukraine, opens new tab. Russian President Vladimir Putin has shown no public sign of altering his stance despite the deadline. Over the weekend, two Indian government sources told Reuters that India will keep purchasing oil from Russia despite Trump's threats. India has faced pressure from the West to distance itself from Moscow since Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022. New Delhi has resisted, citing its longstanding ties with Russia and economic needs, opens new tab. Trump had already in July announced 25% tariffs on Indian imports, and U.S. officials have cited a range of geopolitical issues standing in the way of a U.S.-India trade accord. Trump has also cast the wider BRICS group of developing nations as hostile to the United States. India's biggest refiner buys US, Middle East crude as Trump slams Russia purchases Those nations have dismissed his accusation, saying the group promotes the interests of its members and of developing countries at large. Crude buyer India is the biggest buyer of seaborne crude from Russia, importing about 1.75 million barrels per day of Russian oil from January to June this year, up 1% from a year ago, according to data provided to Reuters by trade sources. India began importing oil from Russia because traditional supplies were diverted to Europe after the outbreak of the Ukraine conflict, the Indian spokesperson said, calling it a 'necessity compelled by global market situation.' The spokesperson also noted the West's, particularly the European Union's, bilateral trade with Russia: 'It is revealing that the very nations criticizing India are themselves indulging in trade with Russia.' Despite the Indian government's defiance, the country's main refiners paused buying Russian oil last week, sources told Reuters. Discounts to other suppliers narrowed after Trump threatened hefty tariffs on countries that make any such purchases. Indian government officials denied any policy change. The country's largest refiner, Indian Oil Corp, has bought 7 million barrels of crude from the United States, Canada and the Middle East, four trade sources told Reuters on Monday. India also has been frustrated by Trump repeatedly taking credit for an India-Pakistan ceasefire that he announced on social media in May, which halted days of hostilities between the nuclear-armed neighbors. The unpredictability of the Trump administration creates a challenge for Delhi, said Richard Rossow, head of the India program at Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies. 'India's continued energy and defense purchases from Russia presents a larger challenge, where India does not feel it can predict how the Trump administration will approach Russia from month to month,' he said.
