Latest news with #Ahmedal-Farah
Middle East
16-04-2025
- Health
- Middle East
834 cases of amputation recorded among children since Israel resumed war on Gaza
GAZA CITY, April 15 (MENA) - Head of the Pediatrics and Maternity Department at Nasser Medical Hospital in Gaza Dr. Ahmed al-Farah said Tuesday that there has been a significant increase in the number of victims among children and women since Israel resumed its genocidal war on the Gaza Strip. In a statement reported by Al-Arabiya Al-Hadath news channel, the head of the pediatrics department said, 'the Palestinian Health Ministry has recorded 834 cases of amputation among children since Israel resumed the war on the Gaza Strip,' noting that more than 40% of the victims of the war on Gaza are children. The Palestinian pediatrician strongly denounced the Israeli atrocities committed against children and women. He said that the number of children killed since Israel broke the ceasefire and resumed its onslaught, has reached 500 so far. About one million children in the Gaza Strip lack all basic necessities to survive, as a result of Israel hindering the delivery of humanitarian aid and food supplies into the Strip, according to the United Nations. (MENA) S A S/R E E
Jordan Times
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Jordan Times
Israeli demands hostage release for Gaza ceasefire
GAZA CITY, Palestinian Territories — Hamas said Monday that Israel has offered a 45-day ceasefire if it releases half of the remaining hostages held in Gaza, that the United Nations said is now in the grip of its worst humanitarian crisis since the start of the war. A Hamas official told AFP that Israel had also demanded that the Palestinian militants disarm to secure an end to the Gaza war but that this crossed a "red line". Egyptian mediators passed on an Israeli proposal that "includes the release of half the hostages in the first week of the agreement, an extension of the truce for at least 45 days, and the entry of aid," the official said. Militants took 251 hostages during the October 7, 2023 attacks that set off the war. Some 58 are still held in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead. "The proposal includes the disarmament of Hamas and all Palestinian armed factions in the Gaza Strip as a condition for a permanent end to the war," the official added. Hamas leaders were reviewing the ceasefire proposal but the official said "Hamas and the resistance factions' position is that the resistance's weapons are a red line and non-negotiable," the official said. The official said Hamas negotiators were going to Qatar, where the group has an office and the main mediation talks with Israel have been held. Israel did not immediately comment on the Hamas statement. "Hamas informed the mediators that it is willing to agree to any proposal that includes a permanent ceasefire, a full Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and the entry of aid," the official said. Earlier, the United Nation warned that Gaza's humanitarian crisis was spiralling out of control with no aid entering the territory for weeks and conditions rapidly deteriorating. Israel, fighting in Gaza since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks, resumed operations in the Palestinian territory in March after the collapse of a two-month old ceasefire amidst differences over the next phase. Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced, with Israel blocking humanitarian aid since March 2, before the truce disintegrated. Medical supplies, fuel, water and other essentials are in short supply, the UN says. "The humanitarian situation is now likely the worst it has been in the 18 months since the outbreak of hostilities," said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Aid workers had been forced "to ration and reduce deliveries to make the most of the remaining stocks," OCHA said. At Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Yunis, a doctor, Ahmed al-Farah said the medical team was working non-stop despite "a shortage in everything". 'Urgent need' Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas and French President Emmanuel Macron called for an "urgent" ceasefire in Gaza. In a phone call, Macron and Abbas "emphasised the urgent need for a ceasefire, the acceleration of humanitarian aid delivery [and] the rejection of the displacement of the Palestinian people from their land", the official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported. Macron said on X that "France is fully mobilised" to free hostages and halt the fighting. He also advocated "reform" of the Palestinian Authority as part of moves to let the body govern a post-war Gaza without Hamas. Senior Hamas official Taher Al Nunu indicated that the group was willing to release all hostages in exchange for a "serious prisoner swap" and guarantees that Israel would end the war. "The issue is not the number of captives," Nunu said, "but rather that the occupation is reneging on its commitments, blocking the implementation of the ceasefire agreement and continuing the war". Speaking after talks with Egyptian and Qatari mediators, he insisted Hamas would not relinquish its arms. Israeli news website Ynet reported that under a new ceasefire proposal, Hamas would release 10 living hostages in exchange for US guarantees that Israel would enter negotiations for a second phase of the ceasefire. France hopes others follow The first ceasefire, which began on January 19, included multiple hostage-prisoner exchanges before it unravelled. Israel had sought to extend the first phase, while Hamas insisted that negotiations be held for the second phase under the deal, as outlined by former US president Joe Biden. Macron has announced that France could recognise a Palestinian state within months, leading to sharp criticism in Israel. On Monday he said he hoped French recognition would "trigger" other countries to follow suit, and that countries which do not recognise Israel should do so. Israel insists recognition moves are premature. "President Macron is gravely mistaken in continuing to promote the idea of a Palestinian state in the heart of our land -- a state whose sole aspiration is the destruction of Israel," Netanyahu said in a statement.
Korea Herald
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Israel demands hostage release for Gaza ceasefire: Hamas
Hamas said Monday that Israel has offered a 45-day ceasefire if it releases half of the remaining hostages held in Gaza, which the United Nations said is now in the grip of its worst humanitarian crisis since the start of the war. A Hamas official told Agence France-Presse that Israel had also demanded that the Palestinian militants disarm to secure an end to the Gaza war but that this crossed a "red line." Egyptian mediators passed on an Israeli proposal that "includes the release of half the hostages in the first week of the agreement, an extension of the truce for at least 45 days, and the entry of aid," the official said. Militants took 251 hostages during the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks that set off the war. Some 58 are still held in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead. "The proposal includes the disarmament of Hamas and all Palestinian armed factions in the Gaza Strip as a condition for a permanent end to the war," the official added. Hamas leaders were reviewing the ceasefire proposal but the official said, "Hamas and the resistance factions' position is that the resistance's weapons are a red line and non-negotiable," the official said. The official said Hamas negotiators were going to Qatar, where the group has an office and the main mediation talks with Israel have been held. Israel did not immediately comment on the Hamas statement. "Hamas informed the mediators that it is willing to agree to any proposal that includes a permanent ceasefire, a full Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and the entry of aid," the official said. Earlier, the UN warned that Gaza's humanitarian crisis was spiralling out of control with no aid entering the territory for weeks and conditions rapidly deteriorating. Israel, fighting in Gaza since the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks, resumed operations in the Palestinian territory in March after the collapse of a two-month-old ceasefire amid differences over the next phase. Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced, with Israel blocking humanitarian aid since March 2, before the truce disintegrated. Medical supplies, fuel, water and other essentials are in short supply, the UN says. "The humanitarian situation is now likely the worst it has been in the 18 months since the outbreak of hostilities," said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Aid workers had been forced "to ration and reduce deliveries to make the most of the remaining stocks," OCHA said. At Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis, a doctor, Ahmed al-Farah said the medical team was working non-stop despite "a shortage in everything." Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas and French President Emmanuel Macron called for an "urgent" ceasefire in Gaza. In a phone call, Macron and Abbas "emphasised the urgent need for a ceasefire, the acceleration of humanitarian aid delivery (and) the rejection of the displacement of the Palestinian people from their land," the official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported. Macron said on X that "France is fully mobilised" to free hostages and halt the fighting. He also advocated "reform" of the Palestinian Authority as part of moves to let the body govern a post-war Gaza without Hamas. Senior Hamas official Taher al-Nunu indicated that the group was willing to release all hostages in exchange for a "serious prisoner swap" and guarantees that Israel would end the war. "The issue is not the number of captives," Nunu said, "but rather that the occupation is reneging on its commitments, blocking the implementation of the ceasefire agreement and continuing the war." Speaking after talks with Egyptian and Qatari mediators, he insisted Hamas would not relinquish its arms. Israeli news website Ynet reported that under a new ceasefire proposal, Hamas would release 10 living hostages in exchange for United States guarantees that Israel would enter negotiations for a second phase of the ceasefire. The first ceasefire, which began on Jan. 19, included multiple hostage-prisoner exchanges before it unravelled. Israel had sought to extend the first phase, while Hamas insisted that negotiations be held for the second phase under the deal, as outlined by former US president Joe Biden. Macron has announced that France could recognise a Palestinian state within months, leading to sharp criticism in Israel. On Monday he said he hoped French recognition would "trigger" other countries to follow suit, and that countries which do not recognise Israel should do so. Israel insists recognition moves are premature.
Al Arabiya
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Israel offers 45-day ceasefire in exchange for half of remaining hostages, Hamas says
Hamas said Monday that Israel has offered a 45-day ceasefire if it releases half of the remaining hostages held in Gaza, which the United Nations said is now in the grip of its worst humanitarian crisis since the start of the war. A Hamas official told AFP that Israel had also demanded that the Palestinian militants disarm to secure an end to the Gaza war but that this crossed a 'red line.' Egyptian mediators passed on an Israeli proposal that 'includes the release of half the hostages in the first week of the agreement, an extension of the truce for at least 45 days, and the entry of aid,' the official said. Militants took 251 hostages during the October 7, 2023 attacks that set off the war. Some 58 are still held in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead. 'The proposal includes the disarmament of Hamas and all Palestinian armed factions in the Gaza Strip as a condition for a permanent end to the war,' the official added. Hamas leaders were reviewing the ceasefire proposal but the official said: 'Hamas and the resistance factions' position is that the resistance's weapons are a red line and non-negotiable,' the official said. The official said Hamas negotiators were going to Qatar, where the group has an office and the main mediation talks with Israel have been held. Israel did not immediately comment on the Hamas statement. 'Hamas informed the mediators that it is willing to agree to any proposal that includes a permanent ceasefire, a full Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and the entry of aid,' the official said. Earlier, the United Nation warned that Gaza's humanitarian crisis was spiralling out of control with no aid entering the territory for weeks and conditions rapidly deteriorating. Israel, fighting in Gaza since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks, resumed operations in the Palestinian territory in March after the collapse of a two-month-old ceasefire amid differences over the next phase. Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced, with Israel blocking humanitarian aid since March 2, before the truce disintegrated. Medical supplies, fuel, water and other essentials are in short supply, the UN says. 'The humanitarian situation is now likely the worst it has been in the 18 months since the outbreak of hostilities,' said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Aid workers had been forced 'to ration and reduce deliveries to make the most of the remaining stocks,' OCHA said. At Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis, a doctor, Ahmed al-Farah said the medical team was working non-stop despite 'a shortage in everything.' 'Urgent need' Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas and French President Emmanuel Macron called for an 'urgent' ceasefire in Gaza. In a phone call, Macron and Abbas 'emphasised the urgent need for a ceasefire, the acceleration of humanitarian aid delivery (and) the rejection of the displacement of the Palestinian people from their land,' the official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported. Macron said on X that 'France is fully mobilized' to free hostages and halt the fighting. He also advocated 'reform' of the Palestinian Authority as part of moves to let the body govern a post-war Gaza without Hamas. Senior Hamas official Taher al-Nunu indicated that the group was willing to release all hostages in exchange for a 'serious prisoner swap' and guarantees that Israel would end the war. 'The issue is not the number of captives,' Nunu said, 'but rather that the occupation is reneging on its commitments, blocking the implementation of the ceasefire agreement and continuing the war.' Speaking after talks with Egyptian and Qatari mediators, he insisted Hamas would not relinquish its arms. Israeli news website Ynet reported that under a new ceasefire proposal, Hamas would release 10 living hostages in exchange for US guarantees that Israel would enter negotiations for a second phase of the ceasefire. France hopes others follow The first ceasefire, which began on January 19, included multiple hostage-prisoner exchanges before it unravelled. Israel had sought to extend the first phase, while Hamas insisted that negotiations be held for the second phase under the deal, as outlined by former US president Joe Biden. Macron has announced that France could recognize a Palestinian state within months, leading to sharp criticism in Israel. On Monday he said he hoped French recognition would 'trigger' other countries to follow suit, and that countries which do not recognise Israel should do so.
The Independent
26-02-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Six babies died from cold in Gaza over two weeks, doctors say
At least six infants have died from hypothermia in the last two weeks in the Gaza Strip, where hundreds of thousands of people are living in tent camps and war-damaged buildings during a fragile ceasefire, Palestinian medics said Tuesday. Temperatures have plunged in recent days. The coastal territory experiences cold, wet winters, with temperatures dropping below 10C (50F) at night and storms blowing in from the Mediterranean Sea. Dr Ahmed al-Farah, head of the pediatric department at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, told The Associated Press that it received the body of a 2-month-old girl on Tuesday. He said another two infants were treated for frostbite, with one of them discharged later. Saeed Saleh, of the Patient's Friends Hospital in Gaza City, said five infants aged one month or younger have died from the cold over the last two weeks, including a 1-month-old who died on Monday. He said another child has been placed on a ventilator. Zaher al-Wahedi, head of the Gaza Health Ministry's records department, said it has recorded 15 deaths from hypothermia this winter, all of them children. The ceasefire that paused 16 months of war between Israel and Hamas militants has allowed a surge in humanitarian aid, mainly food, but residents say there are still shortages of blankets and warm clothing, and little wood available for fires. There's been no central electricity in Gaza since the first few days of the war, and fuel for generators is scarce. Many families huddle on damp sand or bare concrete. 'It's incredibly cold,' Rosalia Bollen, a spokesperson for the United Nations children's agency, said earlier this month. 'I have no clue how people can sleep at night in their makeshift tents.' Israel's military offensive, launched in response to Hamas' 7 October 2023 attack, was among the deadliest and most destructive in recent history. It pounded large areas of Gaza into rubble. The hundreds of thousands of people who have been able to return to northern Gaza under the ceasefire have settled wherever they can amid the ruins. The ceasefire's first phase will end on Saturday and may not be extended. If fighting resumes, the current flow of humanitarian aid is expected to drop dramatically. Even if the truce endures, it's unclear when anything in Gaza will be rebuilt. The World Bank has estimated the cost of reconstruction at over $50 billion, and it could take years just to clear the rubble. Israel blames the destruction on Hamas because the militants positioned tunnels, rocket launchers and other military infrastructure in residential areas. Hamas has accused Israel of delaying the entry of mobile homes and tents in violation of the ceasefire. Israel denies the allegations and accuses Hamas of violating the agreement. Israel held up the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners last weekend to protest Hamas' practice of parading hostages before crowds in public spectacles during their release. Hamas-led fighters killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in the Oct. 7 attack and abducted around 250 hostages. Over 60 are still held in Gaza, around half believed to be dead. Israel's air and ground war has killed over 48,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. It does not say how many of those killed were militants. Israel says it killed over 17,000 fighters but has not provided evidence.
