Starvation 'knocking on every door' in Gaza 'horror show,' UN chief says
'Around the world, we see an utter disregard for, if not (an) outright violation of, international law,' Guterres told the United Nations Security Council.
'We need look no further than the horror show in Gaza. In the level of death and destruction without parallel in recent times. Malnourishment is soaring. Starvation is knocking on every door. Now we are seeing the last gasp of a humanitarian system built on humanitarian principles,' he said.
The UN's humanitarian system is being 'denied the conditions to function' in Gaza, including the space to deliver aid and the safety to help people in need, Guterres said.
The Israeli military's new operation in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza has meant that 'devastation is being layered upon devastation.'
Guterres also said that he is 'appalled' by the striking of UN premises inside Gaza, including the facilities of the United Nations Office for Project Services and warehouses and residences belonging to the World Health Organization.
'These premises are inviolable and must be protected under international humanitarian law without exception,' he said.
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Egypt Independent
21 minutes ago
- Egypt Independent
Israeli hostage families hold emergency protest after Gaza militants release videos showing emaciated captives
Protestors gathered in Tel Aviv's 'Hostage Square' on Saturday to stage an emergency protest following the release of propaganda videos showing emaciated Israeli hostages still held in Gaza. Videos released by militant groups Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad this week showed Israeli hostages Evyatar David and Rom Braslavski in a visibly fragile state. In one video posted, the undated footage of David is juxtaposed with images of starving Palestinian children. They are among fifty hostages that remain in the territory, at least 20 of whom are believed to be alive. The militant groups released the videos with ceasefire talks stalled and as Palestinians face a mounting starvation crisis in the enclave. This photo of Israeli hostage Evyatar David is a screengrab from an undated propaganda video published by Hamas on August 1. Hamas/Hostages and Missing Families Forum Steve Witkoff, the United States' special envoy to the Middle East, attended the public plaza on Saturday amid the protests, one day after he visited a controversial US-backed aid distribution site in the Gaza Strip. Witkoff later held a 'very emotional meeting' that lasted nearly three hours with around 40 representatives of the hostage families, a source who was in attendance at the meeting told CNN. During the meeting, Witkoff said ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas should be 'all or nothing,' with all 50 hostages in Gaza being returned to Israel in one go, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum cited him as saying. 'The plan is not to expand the war, but to end it. We think the negotiations should be changed to all or nothing. End the war and bring all 50 hostages home at the same time – that's the only way,' Witkoff reportedly said. 'Someone will be to blame' if the remaining living hostages do not return to Israel still alive, Witkoff said, according to the forum. White House special envoy Steve Witkoff arrives to meet families of hostages at 'Hostage Square' in Tel Aviv, Israel, on August 2. Ariel Schalit/AP According to the forum, Witkoff said that the US will 'get your children home and hold Hamas responsible for any bad acts on their part' and 'do what's right for the Gazan people.' 'We have a plan to end the war and bring everyone home,' he reportedly added. Reached for comment, Witkoff's team did not offer any further information on the special envoy's comments. The hostage families – who have frequently said that ongoing fighting in Gaza endangers their loved ones – on Saturday called for an end to the war in the territory and a 'comprehensive deal' that would see the remaining hostages freed. Tens of thousands of people took to the streets on Saturday to call for the release of the hostages. 'Against the backdrop of horrifying footage and harsh reports about the hostages' condition – hostage families will cry out this morning in the heart of Tel Aviv,' a statement from Israel's hostage families said. 'We appeal to the Israeli government and the US administration – look our loved ones – and us – in the eyes.' Ofir Braslavski, the father of Rom, said that he did not recognize his son when he first saw him in the video. 'My Rom is hungry for bread, thirsty for water, sick, physically broken and mentally shattered. My child is dying!' he said. 'I address you, (Israeli) Prime Minister (Benjamin Netanyahu): Enough! The phased approach to deals has failed,' he said. 'Make the decision already – end the war and bring everyone here. The hostages, the fallen soldiers, the fighters, the reservists, and those displaced from their homes. We want to rehabilitate, to return to life, to breathe,' he continued. David's brother, Ilay, said that the treatment of his sibling is 'a brutal, barbaric assault on every shred of basic human decency. It's an act so vile, it scars the very soul of humanity.' He called on the Israeli government and US President Donald Trump to do 'everything in your power, by any means necessary,' to save the hostages. Netanyahu spoke with the families of the hostages on Saturday evening and expressed 'profound shock' over the harrowing images released by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. 'The cruelty of Hamas has no boundaries. While the State of Israel is allowing the entry of humanitarian aid to the residents of Gaza, the terrorists of Hamas are deliberately starving our hostages and document them in a cynical and evil manner,' Netanyahu said. Netanyahu told the families that the 'efforts to return all our hostages are ongoing, and will continue constantly and relentlessly,' according to the Israeli Prime Minister's Office. Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said on Friday that fighting will continue 'without rest' in Gaza if there is no hostage deal. 'I estimate that in the coming days we will know whether we will succeed in reaching a partial deal for the release of our captives. If not, the fighting will continue without rest,' he said. 'He has simply been forgotten there' On Friday, the armed wing of Hamas released an undated video showing 24-year-old David – who was taken hostage at the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023 – being held in a narrow cell. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum Headquarters initially cautioned against using imagery from the video, but later said that David's family had authorized the publication of a still image. On Saturday, Hamas released a new video featuring David which appears to be a longer version of the video released on Friday. A similar propaganda video was published by Palestinian Islamic Jihad on Thursday showing Braslavski also in a frail state. Islamic Jihad said it was the last video taken of the hostage before the group lost contact in July with the militants holding him. Earlier this week, a UN-backed food security agency warned that 'the worst case scenario of famine' is unfolding in Gaza, its starkest alert yet as Israel faces growing international pressure to allow more food into the territory. Hospitals across the Gaza Strip are overwhelmed, with bed occupancy reaching more than 200% at several facilities, according to the enclave's health ministry. Beds are being placed in corridors and on floors to accommodate increasing numbers of patients and casualties, it said. Seven people have died from malnutrition in the past 24 hours, the health ministry said Saturday, including one child, bringing the total death toll from starvation since the conflict began in 2023 to 169. In addition, at least 39 people were killed and more than 800 injured in the same period while waiting for aid in different parts of the territory, the ministry added.
See - Sada Elbalad
37 minutes ago
- See - Sada Elbalad
Israeli Strike Kills Red Crescent Staff Member, Injures 3 in Gaza
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Voice of Belady
3 hours ago
- Voice of Belady
Boiling Point in the Red Sea
Written by: Howaida Awad Ahmed The Red Sea has become an unsafe trap for any international ship passing through it on a round trip. A symbolic sign now reads: "Restricted Area", due to the complete control exerted by the Houthis in Yemen—who have come to the forefront of the scene after the temporary end of the war and conflict between Israel and Iran. The Houthis are proving their ability to continue the war independently of Iran, demonstrating their readiness and capability to launch fierce attacks and more strikes on the occupied territories. They are also effectively obstructing ships affiliated with the Israeli entity or the major powers that support it. On June 6, the Houthis attacked the Magic Seas ship, owned by a Greek shipping company and flying the Liberian flag. It was en route from the Chinese city of Zhuhai to the Suez Canal, naturally passing through the Red Sea. The Houthis attacked the ship using a small boat carrying armed pirates equipped with light weapons—rifles and RPGs. Drones and explosive boats later joined the attack, causing severe damage to the ship, bringing it close to sinking. The crew eventually abandoned it and left it stranded at sea. Days later, the Houthis attacked another ship named Eternity Sea, also Greek-owned and headed to Jeddah. Four of its crew members were killed, the ship was completely sunk, and the rest of the crew went missing after the Houthis detained six of them. On June 10, the Houthis launched a ballistic missile targeting Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. This indicates their continued targeting of the enemy's infrastructure, despite the end of the Iran-Israel conflict—where Iran is considered the Houthis' primary backer and motivator in Yemen. Two strikes within a single month on Ben Gurion Airport significantly harmed the Israeli economy, halting air traffic and causing substantial losses in the tourism sector. This forced international airlines to reconsider and adjust their operational plans within Israeli territory. These attacks, both maritime and aerial, have started to affect the global economy as a whole—and several countries, chiefly Egypt, are directly impacted. More than 75% of the Suez Canal's revenue has halted. The estimated loss of $7 billion from canal revenues may prompt the Egyptian state to seek alternative solutions if the canal remains inactive and ships continue to avoid this crucial global shipping route. To understand where things may be heading between the enemy and the Houthis, we must take a strategic analytical view of the escalating danger. The Houthis now have full control over all major Yemeni ports, including Ras Issa, Al-Salif, and the entire western coastline on the Red Sea. Additionally, the Houthis possess a sophisticated arsenal of ballistic missiles and drones. Their launches are systematic and carefully studied, carried out from fortified underground platforms that are difficult to detect even by satellites. They have learned their lessons well from the betrayals and espionage incidents inside Iran and have since changed and developed all of their strategies during the Iran-Israel war. One crucial card the Houthis now hold is the presence of Israeli and allied hostages in their custody. This gives them powerful leverage for negotiation and helps them solidify their presence domestically within Yemen and among the broader resistance axis, attracting more internal support and endorsement. Imposing an economic siege on Israel and pressuring the global economy is now part of the Houthis' broader strategy. These moves are costing the Israeli enemy billions of dollars. The port of Eilat has already declared bankruptcy as a result. This time, the enemy faces a distant and elusive foe, making it impossible to end the confrontation with a few air or naval strikes. A ground war is nearly impossible due to Yemen's rugged terrain—and should the enemy attempt such a move, not a single Israeli soldier would emerge from Yemeni soil. The psychological and material impact of the Houthi strikes on enemy airports and ports has reshaped global perceptions of the Israeli entity. It is now seen as an insecure state, making it an unattractive destination for investment or tourism—since critical targets could be struck at any moment. As a result, the Israeli government is trying to pressure Washington into launching another war on Yemen. However, the United States is adhering to the ceasefire agreement signed with the Houthis—unless American interests or citizens are directly attacked. Thus, Israel finds itself powerless and forced to deal with the Houthis alone—resorting to highly specific, calculated strikes aimed at disrupting Yemeni maritime navigation without engaging in a full-blown war or incurring further financial and military exhaustion. The fragile balance that Israel is attempting to maintain by targeting civilian infrastructure inside Yemen is pushing the Houthis into a state of maximum alert and readiness—likely resulting in further attacks against the entity and its colonial ambitions. The agreements between Israel, Iran, and the U.S. did not include the Houthi movement. Therefore, the Houthis operate with complete freedom—especially since their condition for ceasing attacks is the end of the occupation of Gaza. Israel's arrogance and refusal to include the Houthis in any treaties or negotiations may drag it into a dark tunnel of prolonged conflict with them. The Houthi ideology, which is triggering a painful global economic crisis, may ultimately yield results against Israel and its allies. Although Egypt is suffering from the temporary halt of a major investment—namely the Suez Canal—it appears to be a temporary issue. It may be resolved once the Israeli arrogance is broken, and their consecutive deep losses at the hands of the Houthis compel international pressure to put an end to the tragic situation in Gaza.
