Palestinians storm US-backed aid centre despite concerns over checks
In New York, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters the UN and its partners have a sound plan 'to get aid to a desperate population' and Israel was allowing it to deliver some relief, but with a lot of obstacles.
The Israeli military said 400 humanitarian aid trucks were waiting in Gaza for distribution but the UN was refusing to 'do its job'.
In a statement late on Tuesday, US-based World Central Kitchen said while Israel has allowed some of its trucks into the Kerem Shalom crossing with Gaza, the aid was being held at the border.
Last week, Israel eased its blockade, allowing a trickle of aid trucks from international agencies into Gaza.
However, the amount of aid that has entered the densely populated coastal enclave has been a fraction of the 500 to 600 trucks UN agencies estimate are needed every day.
'Before the war, my fridge used to be full of meat, chicken, dairy, soft drinks, everything, and today I am begging for a loaf of bread,' Abu Ahmed told Reuters via a chat app.
As a small aid flow has resumed, Israeli forces, which are in control of large parts of Gaza, have kept up attacks on targets around the enclave, killing 3,901 Palestinians since a two-month ceasefire collapsed in mid-March, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
More than 54,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's air and ground war, Gaza health authorities said. It was launched after a cross-border Hamas-led attack on October 7 2023, that killed 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage into Gaza, according to Israeli tallies.
Reuters
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mail & Guardian
an hour ago
- Mail & Guardian
There is no genocide in South Africa – but there is billionaire disinformation
US President Donald Trump. What unfolded recently in the Oval Office — a meeting between US President Donald Trump, President Cyril Ramaphosa, Elon Musk, Johann Rupert, and DA leader John Steenhuisen — was a shameful display of misinformation, disinformation, elite self-preservation and racial scapegoating. It was a calculated act of fear-mongering and a spectacle of national chauvinism of the US state. Trump's tirade about a genocide against white people, or more specifically white farmers, in South Africa is not only factually wrong, it is morally grotesque. Especially in the context of the real genocide taking place in Gaza and which is being televised live around the world. According to reports by the Kopanang Africa Against Xenophobia (KAAX) champions a pan-African agenda. Race is a social construct, not a biological reality; it is shaped by history, politics and culture rather than rooted in genetics. There is only one race and that is the human race. By referring to a section of the population in South Africa who happen to have a white skin as refugees, especially a section of the population who benefited unfairly under the apartheid regime, is disingenuous at best. One apartheid-era example is job reservation where all white collar work was reserved exclusively for 'whites only'. It also makes a mockery of the plight of human beings fleeing war, conflict and persecution based on their political beliefs, sexual orientation and so forth; fleeing for their lives. Trump's fear-based rhetoric is echoed by US officials such as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who are leveraging disinformation to justify racist immigration policies. It also informs the practice of many European countries and others such as Australia, which are embedded in repressive measures taken against people fleeing countries including Afghanistan, Bangladesh and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. These can only be seen as racially informed policies to keep refugees out, based on a racist trope of 'cultural difference'. Rupert's presence in the White House was a masterclass in elite deflection. He spoke about building homes for his grandchildren while ignoring the millions of children growing up in South Africa's informal settlements, excluded from land and opportunity by the very class Rupert belongs to. Rupert accumulated his wealth through the unfair privilege that he enjoyed simply because of the colour of his skin. So to talk about transformation and redress is to talk about how apartheid's systemic construction of inequality remains a reality. Rupert also referred to undocumented migrants as 'aliens' — a term that reeks of apartheid-era violence, recalling the Aliens Control Act, which dehumanised African workers while Rupert's empire was fattened by the exploitation that was the legal framework of apartheid. Today, that legacy continues. But words such as equality and science are anathema to Trump. It is no surprise that Trump uses false and unsubstantiated information, because it is Google, Microsoft, Facebook and Amazon that are vehicles for the spreading of misinformation and toxic hatred. Big Tech firms increasingly operate above the regulatory grasp of governments. And the more toxic and divisive the information that is shared such as the claim of 'white genocide in South Africa', the more profits these companies make. Those US-based tech corporates own the vast majority of the world's digital nervous system and they use this to spread misinformation, lies and unsubstantiated statements. What we saw in the Oval Office was global apartheid in action. The apartheid of the rich and the poor. The apartheid of the excessively rich. This wealth distribution and inequality is informed by an era of the existence of a global empire shaped by multi-tech companies that have a monopoly and domination of global markets and are economic powerhouses. These multi-tech companies are the ones who have coined the phrase 'precarious work', which has impoverished and stripped the dignity of hundreds of millions of workers. There are serious problems in South Africa, but they are not unique to us. Around the world, and very much including Trump's US, it is the greed, cowardice, corruption and inhumanity of those who hold political power and who hoard wealth and dodge taxes, that drives systemic poverty, unemployment and crime, not the poor and not migrants. The Trump-led US state, like most of the states in the Global North, is choosing to ignore the real global crises — climate refugees, displaced people, economic migrants and the genocide in Gaza. Thousands of Palestinians are being killed. Whole neighbourhoods flattened. Hospitals bombed. Journalists assassinated. You don't get to preach about justice and peddle lies about 'white genocide' when you not only ignore but support actual crimes against humanity. We call on every worker, activist, migrant, and citizen to reject the myth of the 'invading alien' and stand firm against the real threat: a global billionaire elite desperate to protect its position and power at any cost. Stand in solidarity with the struggle for equality and justice in the world. Kopanang Africa Against Xenophobia is a coalition of organisations united against xenophobia.
The Citizen
5 hours ago
- The Citizen
The political struggles and aspirations of disabled youth in South Africa
SEDIBENG.- June, despite its winterisation in South Africa, remains a month of reflection and action, dedicated to the youth who have historically shaped the nation's political and social landscape. The definition of youth remains contested both globally and locally. While the United Nations generally defines youth as individuals between the ages of 15 and 24, South Africa's National Youth Policy broadly defines youth as persons between the ages of 14 and 35. These differences often stem from varying socio-economic contexts and developmental priorities. The UN's definition is often linked to global demographic trends and the transition from adolescence to early adulthood, while South Africa's broader age range acknowledges the extended period many young people face in terms of education, employment, and economic independence, often due to historical disadvantages. These differences also highlight the complex intersection of developmental, political, and cultural factors influencing the concept of youth in South Africa. Looking back, the youth of 1976 in South Africa, facing oppressive apartheid policies, fought for the right to express themselves freely, particularly through language and education. The Soweto Uprising, driven by student protests against the enforcement of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction, epitomized their quest for liberation and cultural affirmation. These courageous youths defied systemic barriers, risking their lives for the fundamental right to learn and speak in their own languages. The protest escalated into a nationwide movement for freedom. Many young people were killed, and some were maimed, permanently disabled by the state's violence. This group of politically conscious survivors laid the groundwork for the South African disability rights movement of 1984. Far from passive victims, these youth transformed their personal trauma into political action. They understood that disability was not just a medical condition but a consequence of structural violence and systemic exclusion. Their activism reflected a growing awareness that the fight for liberation could not ignore those disabled by the very system it sought to overthrow. These youth redefined disability as both a political and social issue, demanding recognition not only of physical access but also of voice, representation, and dignity. Within the disabled youth, however, there exists a significant divide, not just between those who attend special schools versus mainstream schools, but also in perceptions of identity and community. Special schools often promote a sense of community rooted in shared experiences of disability, whereas mainstream schools can foster integration but also feelings of marginalization. This concealed disunity undermines the collective strength needed for advocacy, potentially leading disabled youth to realize, in adulthood, that being labeled 'disabled' is more than a health condition, it is an identity rooted in social barriers and societal perceptions. Recognizing this, the fight for a barrier-free society must encompass both educational and societal reforms that unite all disabled youth under common goals. The disabled youth of today must seize both educational and vocational opportunities to empower themselves and shape their future. Examples of educational opportunities include pursuing higher education in various fields such as law, science, arts, or technology, often with the support of disability units in universities and colleges. Vocational opportunities encompass skills training in areas like IT, graphic design, entrepreneurship, trades, and various forms of self-employment. Furthermore, there is an urgent need to expand the 'disability intelligentsia', a body of knowledge and thought leadership driven by disabled individuals themselves. This means fostering critical thinking and research among disabled youth, enabling them to contribute to the development of new models of disability. While the medical model views disability as an individual deficit to be 'fixed,' and the social model frames disability as a result of societal barriers, there is a clear need for a synthesis. This hybrid model would acknowledge the diverse lived experiences of disabled individuals, recognizing both the biological realities of impairment and the profound impact of societal structures. In conclusion, youth remains a dynamic, flexible stage of life, capable of leaving lasting legacies for future generations. The resilience, activism, and innovation of disabled youth will significantly shape South Africa's journey toward an inclusive society. Their collective efforts can dismantle barriers, both physical and societal, and redefine what it means to have a disability in a free and equitable environment. As history has shown, when empowered, youth can be the catalysts for profound social transformation, an inheritance that continues to inspire generations to come. (Lucky Tumahole is a Disability Advocate, this is his opinion) At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Mail & Guardian
7 hours ago
- Mail & Guardian
In the face of Gaza's open wound the EU's fractured conscience is finally emerging
Injured children arrive at Nasser Hospital. in Gaza. Photo:Nearly 19 months into Israel's war on Gaza, the edifice of European moral clarity is beginning to show hairline cracks. What was once whispered in think-tank corridors is now being aired —- cautiously — in parliamentary chambers and diplomatic communiqués. The recent pronouncements by the European Union, United Kingdom, France and Canada mark an inflection point: not quite a reckoning, but certainly an uncomfortable pause. The European Union, Israel's largest trading partner, made waves last week by signalling its intent to review the EU-Israel Association Agreement. Specifically, Article 2 — that lofty clause which predicates the agreement on 'respect for human rights and democratic principles' — has been pulled out of the drawer and dusted off. The sudden interest in legal texts long filed under 'irrelevant' is telling. Europe's political class may not have grown a spine, but it is beginning to sense that complicity comes with a cost. In synchrony, a trilateral statement from the UK, France and Canada condemned the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza as 'intolerable', warning that Israel risked breaching international humanitarian law. The language — typically calibrated to offend no one — was startlingly unambiguous: 'We will not stand by while the Netanyahu government pursues these egregious actions.' The promised 'concrete actions' remain undefined, but the threat was unmistakable. Benjamin Netanyahu responded with familiar belligerence. To question Israeli conduct, he thundered, was to side with 'rapists, baby killers and kidnappers'. To ask for restraint was, in his view, to advocate for Hamas. The rhetorical fusillade was designed to silence dissent — and perhaps to distract from an inconvenient arithmetic: since October 2023, Israeli assaults have killed more than 54,000 Palestinians in Gaza, most of them women and children. The vast majority of hostages taken during Hamas's 7 October — itself a horrific breach of international norms — have either been released or have died. Europe's dalliance with moral high ground found an unusual champion this week in Madrid. At a summit attended by European and Arab states, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares called for an arms embargo against Israel and sanctions on those intent on 'ruining the two-state solution forever'. Gaza, he declared, had become humanity's 'open wound', and silence amounted to complicity. That silence is now being broken not only by politicians but also by civil society. In Britain, more than 800 lawyers, judges, and legal scholars issued a letter condemning what they described as the 'worsening catastrophe' in the occupied territories. They urged their government to fulfill its legal obligation to 'prevent and punish genocide' and ensure adherence to humanitarian law. Among the signatories was Professor Guy Goodwin-Gill of Oxford, who minced no words. Israel's actions, he said, were 'blatantly in disregard of international law' and could no longer be brushed aside. His suggestion — to impose visa restrictions on all Israeli citizens, given the country's system of universal conscription — will doubtless be dismissed in polite circles as too radical. Yet it reflects a growing discomfort with business-as-usual diplomacy. The Israeli government's standard defence — conflating any criticism of its actions with antisemitism — is beginning to wear thin. Even Jewish voices of conscience are now accusing their state of genocidal intent. On Wednesday, a group of 380 artists, musicians and intellectuals issued a searing indictment: 'We refuse to be a public of bystander-approvers,' they wrote, calling for an immediate ceasefire. The weight of their words was echoed by more than 30 United Nations special rapporteurs and human rights experts, who described Israel's actions as 'merciless manifestations of the desecration of human life'. While diplomats in New York quibble over the definition of genocide, Israeli bombs continue to fall. On 18 March alone, 600 Palestinians were reportedly killed — 400 of them children. Euphemisms are no longer an option. What of the British response? Thus far, it has been cautiously symbolic. Sanctions have been imposed on a handful of West Bank settler leaders and a few fringe organisations. Asset freezes and travel bans make for strong headlines but accomplish little when those targeted have no discernible presence in the UK. Michael O'Kane, a sanctions expert, was blunt: 'It is very unlikely that any of those sanctioned actually have assets in the UK.' Still, he insists, these actions serve as a signal — a diplomatic red card, even if not backed by enforcement. More consequential measures may yet follow. There is growing pressure for targeted sanctions on key members of Netanyahu's cabinet — notably National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, both of whom have made incendiary, openly genocidal statements. The UK has also suspended several arms export licenses, though hundreds remain in place. A court case brought by the Palestinian group Al-Haq could force a more thorough review, especially concerning components for F-35 fighter jets used in Gaza. In court, the government's legal defence rests on the argument that 'no evidence has been seen that Israel is deliberately targeting civilian women or children'. Yet, as Al-Haq's counsel Raza Husain KC pointed out, the scale and tone of Israel's onslaught — reinforced by dehumanising rhetoric from senior Israeli officials — tells another story. 'Acts of annihilation', he argued, have been accompanied by 'celebratory statements' at the highest levels of government. Whether any of this leads to a concrete shift in European policy is unknown. But there is momentum behind the push for an international conference, co-sponsored by France and Saudi Arabia, to be held at the UN in June. Its stated goal: to revive the prospect of a Palestinian state and implement 'irreversible steps' toward that end. For decades, Europe has played the part of the conflicted observer — offering rhetorical support for Palestinian rights while arming and trading with the very government that negates them. Now, with Gaza in ruins and Israel increasingly isolated on the world stage, that charade may finally be coming undone. The road ahead is treacherous, and cynicism remains warranted. But for the first time in a long time, the possibility of a principled European response to Israeli impunity — however belated, however incomplete — is on the table. The question is not whether Europe will act. It is whether it can afford not to. Dr Imran Khalid is a freelance columnist on international affairs based in Karachi, Pakistan.
