Latest news with #AlMawasi
Asharq Al-Awsat
2 days ago
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Deir al-Balah Ordered to Evacuate: Is Israel Carving a New Military Corridor?
Israeli forces have issued evacuation orders for parts of Deir al-Balah, a central Gaza area previously designated as a 'safe humanitarian zone.' Residents, many of whom had fled there under Israeli direction earlier in the war, were told to vacate the southwestern parts of the city amid claims of militant activity in the area. This marks the first Israeli military operation in Deir al-Balah since the war began, with officials citing efforts to 'intensify operations to dismantle enemy capabilities and terrorist infrastructure.' The Israeli army's directive included the evacuation of displaced persons living in makeshift tents. Leaflets were dropped and electronic notices distributed, requesting residents to head south toward Al-Mawasi, an already overcrowded strip. The region under evacuation lies between central Deir al-Balah and southern Khan Younis. It houses nearly 100,000 people, many displaced multiple times, and includes Gaza's largest EU-funded desalination plant, which has been out of service for months due to Israeli power cuts. If Israel advances on the ground here, it could mean the loss of another stretch of critical farmland, deepening the already catastrophic famine in the Strip. A New Military Corridor in the Making? Sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that Israel may be seeking to carve out a new military corridor, effectively separating Khan Younis from Gaza's central region. Similar divisions were previously enacted when Rafah was isolated from Khan Younis. Observers now anticipate the same pattern could unfold between Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah. Reports suggest Israeli troops might approach from northern Khan Younis to storm the southwestern flank of Deir al-Balah, thereby severing the area from the rest of the city. A comparable strategy was previously employed in the east-west split of Khan Younis through the so-called 'Magin Oz Axis.' Sources further warned that, blocking a ceasefire agreement, Israeli forces may attempt full control of the Netzarim Corridor, effectively dividing northern Gaza from the center. Currently, Israel controls the corridor's eastern flank but has left the western side, Al-Rashid Street, accessible since the last ceasefire ended on March 18. Such fragmentation of the Gaza Strip into isolated zones would grant Israel near-total operational control while pushing civilians into ever-smaller, overcrowded pockets, primarily along the coastline. From Israel's perspective, these military pressures are aimed at squeezing Hamas into more concessions in the ongoing indirect negotiations hosted by Qatar. Sunday saw one of the deadliest days in recent weeks. Over 70 Palestinians were killed in northern Gaza as they gathered near the Zikim military zone, hoping to receive flour from a rare delivery of eight trucks, allowed in for the first time in over a week. Witnesses say Israeli drone fire and artillery struck the crowd, leaving more than 150 injured, many of them children, teenagers, and women. The Gaza Health Ministry confirmed 73 deaths, 67 of them in the north, and warned that many injuries were critical. The tragedy came just a day after 30 others were killed in southern Gaza on Saturday. The incident brings the total number of civilians killed at or near aid distribution points - many of them backed by US humanitarian programs - to more than 1,000 since the end of May. Hamas described the attacks as 'escalation in the genocidal war,' accusing Israel of using food and aid as bait to target vulnerable civilians. 'What's happening in Gaza is a deliberate strategy of ethnic cleansing through hunger, thirst, and violence,' the group stated, urging immediate international intervention. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to spiral. In recent days, at least seven children have died from malnutrition. The Health Ministry reported 18 famine-related deaths within just the past 24 hours.
Telegraph
5 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
First town to be twinned with Gaza in solidarity ‘against genocide'
A council has become the first in Britain to twin with Gaza in solidarity with Palestinians in the territory. Hastings borough council, which is controlled by the Green Party, voted to twin with Al-Mawasi, a town in Gaza near Rafah in a move criticised by Jewish groups for its anti-Semitic tone. At the meeting where the decision was made, several councillors drew comparisons between Israeli attacks on Gaza and the Holocaust. This was despite the official International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of anti-Semitism saying that 'drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis' is such an example. Hastings council, which covers an area with high deprivation, adopted the IHRA definition in 2020, despite long-running opposition from some Labour councillors. The resolution by the council means it will enter a partnership – including fundraising, political support and raising awareness of issues in Al-Mawasi. This is despite concerns raised by other councillors over whether Hamas has control of the area. The Hastings motion, proposed by Cllr Yunis Smith of the Greens, passed with 14 votes in favour, three against, and 11 abstentions, the majority of which were Labour councillors. In his speech to the council, Cllr Smith, a Muslim convert, said: 'We all remember the haunting images from the Holocaust, the rise and fall of the Nazi regime, and we ask how the world stood by, I say to you now, don't look away. 'Don't let history repeat itself on our watch. Let never again mean never again.' Cllr Mike Turner, an independent, explicitly referred to the Holocaust, saying: 'This is a very similar situation. It's the same old story. Powerful people make decisions and little kids die.' Cllr John Rankin, a fellow independent, compared the situation in Gaza to the Blitz, urging councillors to 'remember what it's like when children live in fear'. Cllr John Cannan, also an independent, defended the activities of Palestine Action – the group recently proscribed and known for vandalism and abuse targeting Jewish-owned and Israel-linked businesses. Independent Cllr Simon Willis, whose family fled Nazi persecution, also made reference to the Holocaust, telling the chamber: 'This is what genocide looks like.' Some in the meeting warned that the debate risked inflaming community tensions. Cllr Helen Kay said the motion 'goes way beyond the remit of local councillors to serve our residents in such areas as improving housing, bin collections [and] fly tipping'. Dany Louise from Hastings's Jewish community said: 'The meeting was horrifically anti-Semitic and is deeply concerning for Hastings's Jewish community. The area is one of the most deprived in the country and we ought to be focusing on our local community – not wading into divisive political issues.' Alex Hearn, of Labour Against Antisemitism, said: 'Hastings is one of the most deprived areas in the country. But instead of addressing the urgent problems facing constituents, the council chose to obsess about a conflict thousands of miles away. 'Their inflammatory rhetoric was irresponsible and not only fails the very small Jewish community but further isolates and alienates them. Hastings council needs to do better for all its citizens.'
Telegraph
15-07-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
I lost my hair in an Israeli air strike. Now other children are scared of me
A 12-year-old girl whose scalp was ripped off by an Israeli missile has said she fears leaving her tent because the other children are scared of her. Hala Abu Dahleez was playing on a swing in the sprawling Al-Mawasi refugee camp in southern Gaza when she was caught in an Israeli air strike. The impact of the blast ripped the swing's metal structure apart and its heavy iron chains wrapped around her head, tearing parts of her hair and scalp away. Hala spent five days in a coma and her scalp was re-attached to her head using 175 stitches. But she told The Telegraph that she can barely leave her tent in Khan Younis, where she has been living since she was displaced from Al-Mawasi. 'I used to be more beautiful,' she said. 'I want to play with other children again like I used to. When I go out, the children are afraid of me and everyone asks me: 'Why don't you have any hair?'' Her family and doctors are calling for help to get her out of the Strip where she can get skin grafts and plastic surgery procedures that the remaining hospitals in Gaza struggle to carry out. Hala still carries around clumps of her plaited long brown hair that was torn from her head, refusing to throw it away until new hair is able to grow back. Her injuries have left her with severe ulcers and infections. 'I want to get a hair transplant and return to how I was before the bombing,' she said through tears. 'Before the war, I used to go to school, meet my friends, and play with them. Now ... I have no hair and no school to go to.' Hala is one of more than 50,000 children in Gaza who have been killed or injured in Israel's 21-month war against Hamas and nearly every child in Gaza has been displaced. Israel disputes these figures. She was injured on March 26 but her story is only being told now, four months later, as extraordinary pictures emerged showing the extent of her injuries as she held the lock of her hair that she lost. It is not clear what the intended target of the March air strike was. When Hala was injured in the blast, the children she had been playing with told her mother she had died. They had seen her laying bloodied on the ground, her head torn apart. She is the oldest of seven children and her parents – both injured in separate shillings – said they are struggling to find food and medicine. 'Some people help us buy medicine and dressings. She needs an IV bag and sterile gauze daily. We can not provide Hala with good, healthy food,' said Mayada Yousef Dahleez, Hala's mother. 'She needs medical daily care, and hardly a day goes by without crying and remembering her hair,' she added. Ongoing border closures have so far prevented Hala's evacuation. Her family fear she could contract further infections if her health deteriorates. Her story emerged as Israel intensified its bombardment of the Strip over the last two weeks. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said they try to minimise harm to civilians, but there have been mounting casualties in recent days, with accusations that dozens more civilians have been killed while seeking aid. Just last week, six children were among 10 civilians killed in an IDF missile strike while collecting water in Nuseirat refugee camp. The Israeli military claimed a 'technical error' was behind the attack. The escalating strikes over the weekend brought the death toll in Gaza to more than 58,000, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. Women and children make up more than half of those killed, according to the ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, said the war cannot end until Hamas is dismantled and disarmed and the 50 hostages, only 20 of whom are believed to still be alive, are freed. Hamas wants a genuine withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza to end the war. Despite optimism last week, talks are threatening to collapse under the weight of Israel's reported demands to keep its troops in roughly one third of Gaza and retain a buffer zone around Rafah, which Hamas has rejected. Israel's hard-line leadership's plans to create a 'humanitarian city' on the ruins of Rafah, in which the Strip's two million people could be herded in, vetted and prevented from leaving could also torpedo talks.
France 24
09-07-2025
- Politics
- France 24
Gaza civil defence says 22 killed in Israeli strikes
Agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal said one strike killed 10 members of the same family sheltering in the Al-Mawasi area west of Khan Yunis, while another on the Al-Shati camp near Gaza City left 10 dead and more than 30 wounded. The victims in Al-Shati were from two families, he added. Asked for comment, the Israeli military said it was looking into the reports. "The explosion was massive, like an earthquake," said Zuhair Judeh, 40, who saw the Al-Shati air strike. "The bodies and remains of the martyrs were scattered." The bombings came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met US President Donald Trump in Washington to discuss the ongoing campaign to defeat Hamas in Gaza. "You can't predict when or why they'll bomb you," 36-year-old Abeer al-Sharbasi said after the Al-Shati strike. "We have nothing left but to surrender ourselves to God." 'Extremely tired' Sobbing crowds of mourners gathered at Gaza City's Al-Shifa Hospital. The director of the medical complex, Mohammad Abu Salmiya, told journalists on Wednesday morning that it would "be completely out of service due to the fuel shortage" within hours. Israel's offensive and restrictions on supplies entering Gaza have taken a heavy toll on its medical system. AFP footage from Al-Mawasi showed makeshift tents torn to shreds by the strike there, with a child's stuffed toy lying among the wreckage. "We are extremely tired. Every day they say there is a ceasefire, but there are massacres," said displaced Palestinian Umm Ahmed. In Khan Yunis, mourners gave a final embrace to loved ones whose bodies were laid out on the floor. Bassal later reported two other people killed in separate strikes in central Gaza and in Gaza City. Due to restrictions imposed on media in the Gaza Strip and difficulties accessing the area, AFP is unable to independently verify the death tolls and details shared by the parties involved. Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures. Of 251 hostages seized during the attack, 49 are still held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead. Israel's retaliatory campaign has killed at least 57,680 people in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry. The UN considers the figures reliable. The medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said on Wednesday that a recent mortality survey conducted among its staff and their families in Gaza corroborated figures provided by the territory's health ministry. It said the mortality rate had increased tenfold for children under five compared to estimates before October 7, 2023.
The National
03-07-2025
- Politics
- The National
Gazans criticise 'weak' Hamas as war drags on and lawlessness rules
Almost 21 months into the war, with Gaza 's cities reduced to rubble and more than a million Palestinians displaced, frustration and despair are spilling over in the voices of those living its daily nightmare. From shattered homes to crowded tents, civilians say they are being sacrificed in a political standoff that shows no sign of resolution. Amid continuing Israeli bombardments, crippling restrictions on aid and the breakdown of law and order, some Gaza residents are now openly criticising the leadership of Hamas, not out of political rivalry but from feelings of anguish, exhaustion and abandonment. One Gazan fled his home in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, with his family of eight and now lives in a tent in the nearby coastal area of Al Mawasi. Like many others, he has watched Gaza descend into what he calls 'a state of collapse'. 'In everything that's happening, Hamas is a weak player,' he told The National. 'It lost its ability to influence events months ago, except for a few isolated operations. And sadly, we − the people − are the ones paying the price. Every day, people are dying in a million different ways.' He describes a daily life consumed by fear and lawlessness, 'It's terrifying to even step outside your shelter. Criminals, armed gangs and hunger surround us. Aid is stolen in broad daylight. And yet Hamas still seems disconnected from the reality we live in,' he said. The man spoke as Hamas said it was studying new truce proposals put forward by mediators. But Gazans have had their hopes raised and dashed many times before, with neither Hamas nor Israel willing to cede ground on demands such as the disarmament of the militant group and the handover of all the hostages it still holds, or a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a permanent ceasefire. '[Hamas] present themselves as victorious, but the truth is, they lost the moment this war began. They should have handed over the hostages to strip Israel of its excuse. Instead, they provoked the world and ignored our suffering,' he said. He says Hamas's messaging, especially from its leaders abroad, rings hollow. 'We hear their statements, but they're not speaking to us. It's as if we don't exist.' A resident of Gaza city's Al Sabra neighbourhood says he has seen the war take a heavy toll on his family. His three brothers are dead, among more than 57,000 Palestinians killed in the conflict. His father has been severely injured, and the family's home is gone. 'Hamas has effectively lost control over the Gaza Strip,' he told The National. 'Militias rule the streets, thieves roam freely and the Sahm unit Hamas formed to fight crime has no authority. Every day, we hear of new crimes and no one is held accountable. 'There's nothing left in Gaza to mourn. Still, Hamas acts like it's winning, when in reality, the people are losing everything.' For him, the final straw is the lack of empathy. 'I've lost everything. What has Hamas done for me? Nothing. Their leaders issue statements and videos that ignore our suffering entirely. 'We just want them to feel what we're feeling. Let them accept the proposal on the table. Let us eat, let us drink, let us live for a moment like human beings,' he said. 'Decisions about our lives are being made by people outside the country who don't suffer like we do. That's unacceptable. We're the ones paying the price.' In Al Shati refugee camp, in northern Gaza, another displaced man lives in a tent, after losing his home, job, car – everything he spent years working for. 'Hamas is treating us like a bargaining chip. Its negotiating stance is disgraceful and gives us no hope,' he said. He recalled a proposal for a ceasefire and hostage exchange put forward by the US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, one that many in Gaza saw as imperfect but a necessary step towards ending the bloodshed. 'Most people supported the deal. We asked Hamas to accept it. It didn't meet all our hopes, but we had no better options. We are not the strong side in this war. We are the ones dying in the streets, in the tents, in the hunger,' he said. 'Hamas's approach to negotiations completely ignores the sacrifices of the people. Tens of thousands of families have lost loved ones. Isn't that reason enough to compromise?' He believes Hamas should not only accept the latest proposals but also begin stepping back from the political stage. 'Let them strip Israel of its pretext. Let them end the bleeding. If they really care about us, they should step aside.' For another resident in a tent in Al Shati camp, the fault lies not solely with Hamas. 'I don't think Hamas is the one refusing to end the war. They're trying to reach a deal that would truly end it. But all the proposals serve only Israeli interests. [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu doesn't want peace, he needs this war to survive politically,' he said. He also sees the dilemma Hamas faces. 'Hamas is trapped. They can't withdraw without losing everything, and they want to achieve something meaningful. But what does it mean to end the war, release the captives, and make no progress on Gaza's future? Thousands have died. Their blood cannot go without a price.' For another man who was displaced with his family of three from Jabalia refugee camp to western Gaza city, while Hamas is to partly to blame for Gazans' current plight, most of it rests with Israel. 'Yes, Hamas bears part of the responsibility as the governing authority in Gaza, but the occupation holds the greater share of the blame,' he said. 'Hamas deserves criticism, especially regarding how it has handled the negotiations and the war, but the occupation is the primary killer,' he added 'Hamas did what it could and accepted many proposals, but it was the Israeli side − and the Americans − who refused and failed to engage with ideas to end the war,' he said. 'Hamas tried to preserve security through several initiatives, such as forming the Sahm security unit, but the occupation targeted every one of its movements.'
