Latest news with #AjithSunghay
Daily News Egypt
a day ago
- Politics
- Daily News Egypt
Israeli strikes intensify in Gaza as humanitarian system nears collapse
Israeli offensive in Gaza intensified Saturday, targeting multiple areas across the besieged enclave, further straining a humanitarian system already on the brink of collapse. The escalation comes amid stalled ceasefire negotiations and mounting international concern over deteriorating living conditions. Heavy bombardment was reported in eastern Gaza City and the north of the Strip, with local officials warning of an unprecedented breakdown in critical infrastructure. In the south, Israeli forces struck civilian sites, including the Martyr Jamal Abu Hamad Mosque in Abasan al-Kabira, east of Khan Younis, according to local sources. The municipality of Khaza'a declared the town 'a completely devastated disaster zone,' citing relentless shelling and widespread destruction of civilian life. Gaza City's municipality warned of a total collapse in public services, citing mass displacement and the paralysis of waste management and water systems. 'More than 250,000 tonnes of waste have accumulated in central Gaza, while clean water is becoming nearly unavailable,' the municipality said in a statement. Officials added that key services—including sewage treatment and garbage collection—are nearing total shutdown due to fuel and equipment shortages. UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini warned that famine in Gaza can only be averted through urgent political action. 'The current trickle of aid mocks the scale of this collective tragedy,' he said. UN agencies and NGOs have been sounding alarms over severe shortages of food, fuel, water, and medical supplies, as access to Gaza remains heavily restricted. Ajith Sunghay, head of the UN Human Rights Office in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, sharply criticized the joint U.S.-Israeli aid delivery mechanism, calling it 'humiliating,' 'unsustainable,' and devoid of 'neutrality, fairness, and independence.' In an interview with Anadolu Agency, he warned that the current model hinders rather than helps the humanitarian response. In northern Gaza, Hamas' Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades claimed it had ambushed an Israeli ground unit in Atatra, near Beit Lahia, reporting close-range combat and casualties among Israeli troops. The al-Quds Brigades, affiliated with Islamic Jihad, said it shelled an Israeli troop and vehicle concentration near the Customs Authority compound east of Khan Younis using 60mm mortars. Gaza's Ministry of Health reported that hospitals are operating under 'limited and depleted technical options' amid growing power outages. Dozens of generators have reportedly been destroyed in Israeli strikes, including three high-capacity units recently hit. Officials warned that the collapse of the healthcare system is imminent without immediate fuel and medical equipment resupply. As the crisis deepens, diplomatic efforts continue with few signs of breakthrough. Former U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that a ceasefire deal 'is very close,' hinting that an announcement could come 'today or tomorrow.' According to reports, Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff presented a proposal that includes a 60-day truce, during which Hamas would release 28 Israeli captives—both living and deceased—in exchange for the release of 125 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences and the return of 180 Palestinian bodies. A second phase would involve additional exchanges, a permanent ceasefire, and large-scale humanitarian aid deliveries. Hamas confirmed in a brief statement on Friday that it is studying the proposal and consulting with other Palestinian factions before issuing an official response. Meanwhile, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty reaffirmed Egypt's central role in mediation efforts during a meeting with former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Abdelatty emphasized Cairo's continued coordination with the U.S. and Qatar to broker a ceasefire and ensure the safe entry of aid. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tamim Khalaf said Abdelatty condemned Israeli actions as 'flagrant violations of international law and humanitarian principles,' while reiterating Egypt's demand for uninterrupted humanitarian access and protection of civilians.
Eyewitness News
3 days ago
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
UN blasts new US-backed aid distribution system in Gaza
GAZA CITY, Palestinian Territories - The UN on Wednesday condemned a US-backed aid system in Gaza after 47 people were injured during a chaotic food distribution, where the Israeli military said it did not open fire at crowds. The issue of aid has come sharply into focus amid a hunger crisis coupled with intense criticism of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a shadowy group that has bypassed the longstanding UN-led system in the territory. According to the UN, 47 people were injured in the mayhem that erupted on Tuesday when thousands of Palestinians desperate for food rushed into a GHF aid distribution site, while a Palestinian medical source said at least one had died. Ajith Sunghay, the head of the UN Human Rights Office in the Palestinian territories, said most of the wounded had been hurt by gunfire, and based on the information he had, "it was shooting from the IDF" - the Israeli military. The Israeli military rejected the accusation, with Colonel Olivier Rafowicz telling AFP that Israeli soldiers "fired warning shots into the air, in the area outside" the centre managed by the GHF, and "in no case towards the people." With the war sparked by Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel entering its 600th day on Wednesday, Palestinians in Gaza felt there was no reason to hope for a better future. In Israel, the relatives of people held hostage in Gaza since the 7 October attack longed for the return of their loved ones, with hundreds gathering in their name in Tel Aviv. "Six hundred days have passed and nothing has changed. Death continues, and Israeli bombing does not stop," said Bassam Daloul, 40, adding that "even hoping for a ceasefire feels like a dream and a nightmare." 'WASTE OF RESOURCES' The UN has repeatedly hit out against the GHF, which faces accusations of failing to fulfil the principles of humanitarian work, and Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, on Wednesday reiterated the criticism. "I believe it is a waste of resources and a distraction from atrocities. We already have an aid distribution system that is fit for purpose," he said during a visit in Japan. In Gaza, the civil defence agency said Israeli air strikes killed 16 people since dawn Wednesday. Heba Jabr, 29, who sleeps in a tent in southern Gaza with her husband and their two children, was struggling to find food. "Dying by bombing is much better than dying from the humiliation of hunger and being unable to provide bread and water for your children", she told AFP. Israel imposed a full blockade on Gaza for over two months, before allowing supplies in at a trickle last week. A medical source in southern Gaza told AFP that after Tuesday's stampede at the GHF site "more than 40 injured people arrived at Nasser Hospital, the majority of them wounded by Israeli gunfire", adding that at least one had died since. The source added that "a number of other civilians also arrived at the hospital with various bruises". HOSTAGE FAMILIES' ANGUISH On Tuesday, the GHF said around "8,000 food boxes have been distributed so far... totalling 462,000 meals". UN agencies and aid groups have argued that the GHF's designation of so-called secure distribution sites contravenes the principle of humanity because it would force already displaced people to move again in order to stay alive. Israel stepped up its military offensive in Gaza earlier this month, while mediators push for a ceasefire that remains elusive. In Israel, hundreds of people gathered to call for a ceasefire that would allow for the release of hostages held by militants in Gaza since their 2023 attack. Protesters gathered along the country's roads and on the main highway running through the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv at 6:29 am, the exact time the unprecedented 7 October attack began. Most Israeli media headlines read "600 days", and focused on the hostage families' struggle to get their relatives home. Other events were planned across Israel to make the 600th day of captivity for the 57 remaining hostages still in Gaza. Some 1,218 people were killed in Hamas' 7 October, 2023, attack, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said on Wednesday that at least 3,924 people had been killed in the territory since Israel ended a ceasefire on 18 March, taking the war's overall toll to 54,084, mostly civilians.
Daily Tribune
4 days ago
- Health
- Daily Tribune
Around 47 injured in chaos, shooting at Gaza aid centre
Around 47 people were injured, largely due to gunshots fired by the Israeli military, during chaotic scenes at a new aid distribution centre in Gaza, a senior UN official said yesterday. Thousands of Palestinians rushed into the centre run by the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) on Tuesday, AFP journalists reported, as Israel implemented a new distribution system that bypasses the United Nations. The incident in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip came days after the partial easing of a total aid blockade on the Palestinian territory that Israel imposed on March 2, leading to severe shortages of food and medicine. 'From the information we have, there are about 47 people who have been injured' in Tuesday's incident, Ajith Sunghay, the head of the UN Human Rights Office in the Palestinian territories, told the UN correspondents' association in Geneva. He added that 'most of those injured are due to gunshots' and based on the information he has, 'it was shooting from the IDF' -- the Israel Defence Forces. Sunghay stressed that his office was still assessing and gathering information on the full picture of events. 'The numbers could go up. We are trying to confirm what has happened to them,' in terms of how seriously people were injured, Sunghay added. Sunghay also expressed concern about the possible medical aid injured people would be able to access. 'Getting medical aid has never been easy in Gaza or in the West Bank because hospitals have been attacked, ambulances have been attacked, health workers have been attacked,' he said. The Israeli military said its troops 'fired warning shots in the area outside' the distribution compound on Tuesday, and that it had re-established 'control over the situation'. A senior military official said the distribution was nonetheless 'a success'.
Daily Tribune
4 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Tribune
UN blasts new US-backed aid distribution system in Gaza
AFP | Gaza City, Palestinian Territories The UN on Wednesday condemned a US-backed aid system in Gaza after 47 people were injured during a chaotic food distribution, where the Israeli military said it did not open fire at crowds. The issue of aid has come sharply into focus amid a hunger crisis coupled with intense criticism of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a shadowy group that has bypassed the longstanding UN-led system in the territory. According to the UN, 47 people were injured in the mayhem that erupted on Tuesday when thousands of Palestinians desperate for food rushed into a GHF aid distribution site, while a Palestinian medical source said at least one had died. Ajith Sunghay, the head of the UN Human Rights Office in the Palestinian territories, said most of the wounded had been hurt by gunfire. Based on the information he had, "it was shooting from the IDF" -- the Israeli military. The Israeli military rejected the accusation, with spokesman Colonel Olivier Rafowicz telling AFP that Israeli soldiers "fired warning shots into the air, in the area outside" the centre managed by the GHF, and "in no case towards the people." With the war sparked by Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel entering its 600th day on Wednesday, Palestinians in Gaza felt there was no reason to hope for a better future. "Six hundred days have passed and nothing has changed. Death continues, and Israeli bombing does not stop," said Bassam Daloul, 40, adding that "even hoping for a ceasefire feels like a dream and a nightmare". In Israel, the relatives of people held hostage in Gaza since the October 7 attack longed for the return of their loved ones, with hundreds gathering in their name in Tel Aviv. "I want you to know that when Israel blows up deals, it does so on the heads of the hostages," Arbel Yehud, who was freed from Gaza captivity in January, told a press conference in Tel Aviv. "Their conditions immediately worsen, food diminishes, pressure increases, and bombings and military actions do not save them, they endanger their lives." - 'Waste of resources' - The UN has repeatedly hit out against the GHF, which faces accusations of failing to fulfil the principles of humanitarian work. Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, on Wednesday reiterated the criticism. "I believe it is a waste of resources and a distraction from atrocities. We already have an aid distribution system that is fit for purpose," he said during a visit in Japan. In Gaza, the civil defence agency said Israeli air strikes killed 16 people since dawn Wednesday. Heba Jabr, 29, who sleeps in a tent in southern Gaza with her husband and their two children, was struggling to find food. "Dying by bombing is much better than dying from the humiliation of hunger and being unable to provide bread and water for your children," she told AFP. Israel imposed a full blockade on Gaza for over two months, before allowing supplies in at a trickle last week. A medical source in southern Gaza told AFP that after Tuesday's stampede at the GHF site, "more than 40 injured people arrived at Nasser Hospital, the majority of them wounded by Israeli gunfire", adding that at least one had died since. The source added that "a number of other civilians also arrived at the hospital with various bruises". - Hostage families' anguish - On Tuesday, the GHF said around "8,000 food boxes have been distributed so far... totalling 462,000 meals". UN agencies and aid groups have argued that the GHF's designation of so-called secure distribution sites contravenes the principle of humanity because it would force already displaced people to move again in order to stay alive. Israel stepped up its military offensive in Gaza earlier this month, while mediators push for a ceasefire that remains elusive. In Israel, hundreds of people gathered to call for a ceasefire that would allow for the release of hostages held by militants in Gaza since their 2023 attack. Protesters gathered along the country's roads and on the main highway running through the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv at 6:29 am, the exact time the unprecedented October 7 attack began. Most Israeli media headlines read "600 days", and focused on the hostage families' struggle to get their loved ones home. Other events were planned across Israel to mark the 600th day of captivity for the 57 remaining hostages still in Gaza. Some 1,218 people were killed in Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said on Wednesday that at least 3,924 people had been killed in the territory since Israel ended a ceasefire on March 18, taking the war's overall toll to 54,084, mostly civilians.
Gulf Today
4 days ago
- Health
- Gulf Today
At least 47 Palestinians injured in chaos, shooting at new Gaza aid distribution centre
Around 47 people were injured, largely due to gunshots fired by the Israeli military, during chaotic scenes at a new aid distribution centre in Gaza, a senior UN official said on Wednesday. According to the Associated Press, Gaza's Health Ministry said that at least one Palestinian was killed and 48 were wounded when gunshots were fired on the crowd that overran a new aid distribution site in the war-battered enclave. Thousands of Palestinians rushed into the centre run by the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) on Tuesday, AFP journalists reported, as Israel implemented a new distribution system that bypasses the United Nations. A truck carrying aid arrives at the Kerem Shalom crossing between Israel and Gaza, on its Israeli side. Reuters The incident in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip came days after the partial easing of a total aid blockade on the Palestinian territory that Israel imposed on March 2, leading to severe shortages of food and medicine. "From the information we have, there are about 47 people who have been injured" in Tuesday's incident, Ajith Sunghay, the head of the UN Human Rights Office in the Palestinian territories, told the UN correspondents' association in Geneva. He added that "most of those injured are due to gunshots" and based on the information he has, "it was shooting from the IDF" – the Israel Defence Forces. Sunghay stressed that his office was still assessing and gathering information on the full picture of events. "The numbers could go up. We are trying to confirm what has happened to them," in terms of how seriously people were injured, Sunghay added. Sunghay also expressed concern about the possible medical aid injured people would be able to access. "Getting medical aid has never been easy in Gaza or in the West Bank because hospitals have been attacked, ambulances have been attacked, health workers have been attacked," he said. The Israeli military said its troops "fired warning shots in the area outside" the distribution compound on Tuesday, and that it had re-established "control over the situation". A senior military official said the distribution was nonetheless "a success". Agence France-Presse
