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Days of Palestine
a day ago
- Politics
- Days of Palestine
Macron Warns of Tougher Stance on Israel if Gaza Blockade Persists
DaysofPal — French President Emmanuel Macron warned on Friday that France may adopt a tougher stance against Israel if the siege on the Gaza Strip is not eased—remarks that triggered a furious response from Israeli officials, who accused him of launching a 'crusade' against the state. Speaking at a joint press conference with Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Macron stated, 'There is an urgent need to provide water, food, and medicine, and to allow the wounded to leave Gaza for treatment abroad.' He called on European countries to adopt a unified, firmer position: 'If there is no adequate response in the coming hours and days that reflects the gravity of the humanitarian catastrophe, we must consider imposing sanctions.' Macron emphasized that the ongoing blockade has created an 'untenable situation on the ground,' adding that he hopes Israel will shift its stance and enable a meaningful humanitarian response. The French president reaffirmed France's commitment to a political solution and reiterated support for the two-state solution as the only viable path to ending the war on Gaza. 'Creating a Palestinian state is not just a moral obligation—it is a political necessity,' he said. Macron did not confirm whether France would recognize a Palestinian state at the upcoming international conference on the two-state solution, to be co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia at the United Nations in New York on June 18. However, he outlined several preconditions for recognition, including: The release of hostages held in Gaza, The disarmament of Hamas, Exclusion of Hamas from any future Palestinian government, Reform of the Palestinian Authority, Recognition of Israel's right to exist and live in security, And the establishment of a regional security framework. Israeli Backlash Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs sharply criticized Macron's remarks, accusing him of 'waging a crusade against Israel' and denouncing France's openness to recognizing Palestinian statehood. In a statement, the ministry accused Macron of rewarding 'terrorist jihadists' instead of exerting pressure on them, claiming such recognition would embolden hostile actors rather than deter them. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot responded via X (formerly Twitter), defending Macron's position: 'The idea of a Palestinian state serves Israeli security interests. It is the only alternative to endless war.' He added that France supports the creation of a 'demilitarized Palestinian state' within a broader regional security framework that includes Israel. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar fired back, writing: 'You will not decide for Israelis what our national interests are,' firmly restating Israel's opposition to a Palestinian state. Tensions between Israel and Western powers have escalated amid mounting pressure. Earlier this week, France, Canada, and the United Kingdom jointly announced their readiness to recognize a Palestinian state as part of broader efforts to achieve a two-state solution, and said they are working with international partners to move forward on that goal. Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza The latest round of Israeli military operations in Gaza resumed on March 18, following Israel's withdrawal from a ceasefire agreement. According to Gaza's Ministry of Health, more than 4,000 Palestinians have been killed and approximately 11,000 injured since then. The United Nations reports that over 200,000 people have been displaced during this period. Since the beginning of the war on October 7, 2023, Gaza's Ministry of Health estimates that around 54,000 Palestinians have been killed. Shortlink for this post:
Days of Palestine
a day ago
- Politics
- Days of Palestine
Hamas consults Palestinian factions on new US ceasefire proposal in Gaza
DaysofPal – Hamas announced Friday that it is engaging in discussions with fellow Palestinian factions about a recent ceasefire proposal concerning Gaza. The Movement issued a concise statement explaining that it 'is consulting with Palestinian forces and factions regarding the ceasefire proposal recently received from US envoy Steve Witkov through mediators.' A day earlier, Hamas had disclosed that its leadership received a proposal from US representative Steve Witkov aimed at halting Israeli military operations in Gaza. The group stated that its leadership is 'studying the proposal responsibly, in a way that serves the interests of our people, provides relief, and achieves a permanent ceasefire.' In related developments, Ali Baraka, Hamas's Head of National Relations Abroad, met with representatives from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, General Command (PFLP-GC). The PFLP-GC delegation was headed by Assistant Secretary-General Abu Emad Ramez and included politburo member and Lebanon representative Abu Kifah Ghazi. Hamas was represented in the meeting by Ayman Shanaa, head of National Relations in Lebanon, and Ziyad Hassan from the National Relations Office. The discussion centered on recent Palestinian developments, particularly Israel's ongoing assault in Gaza and the war of genocide and starvation waged by the Israeli occupation government for over 600 days, resulting in the killing and injury of more than 170,000 Palestinians, the majority of whom are women and children. Both organizations commended the resilience of Gaza's Palestinian population, who they said 'are facing one of the most horrific genocidal wars in modern history amid international inaction.' Participants in the meeting rejected plans for Judaization, settlement growth, and forced relocation while affirming Palestinian rights to defend their people, territory, and religious sites and to resist occupation. They advocated for Palestinian unity and coordinated efforts to counter 'Zionist and American schemes aiming to liquidate the Palestinian cause in favor of the occupation.' The groups also pressed the international community to denounce the Israeli offensive, actively pursue an end to the genocide in Gaza, and implement concrete measures to halt the military operations. Both sides also called for coordinated Arab and Islamic responses to the ongoing Israeli strikes against Yemen, Syria, and Lebanon. Regarding Palestinian refugees, they identified this as central to the Palestinian issue and fundamentally political. They maintained that a fair resolution requires refugees to return to their homeland while emphasizing the need for dignified living conditions and support for their perseverance toward this objective. The participants concluded by stressing that approaches to Palestinian presence in Lebanon should be holistic rather than solely security-focused, arguing that dialogue between Lebanon's government and the Joint Palestinian Action Committee represents the proper framework for protecting both Lebanese and Palestinian interests. Concurrently, Israeli occupation forces continue to breach the Gaza ceasefire agreement that became effective January 19 and remained in place for approximately two months, following 471 days of genocide. Since October 7, 2023, Israeli forces have continued their offensive in Gaza with full American support, killing and injuring over 178,000 Palestinians, while thousands more are still missing under the rubble. Shortlink for this post:
Days of Palestine
a day ago
- Politics
- Days of Palestine
The Israeli aid mechanism: A deadly trap of killing and displacement
DaysofPal- In a harrowing scene that starkly exposes the humanitarian crisis gripping Gaza, thousands of desperate Palestinians swarmed a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) aid distribution center in Rafah on May 26, triggering chaos that ended in bloodshed. Israeli occupation forces responded to the mass gathering with gunfire, initially into the air, then reportedly at civilians, leaving ten Palestinians dead and at least 62 injured, according to Gaza's Government Media Office. On May 31, the tragedy deepened. Sources at Nasser Medical Complex confirmed that four more Palestinians were killed by Israeli occupation forces while attempting to reach the American company's aid center west of Rafah. These deaths raise further alarm about the conduct and intent behind the militarized aid effort. Israel continued its aerial attacks across the Strip earlier that day. Two Palestinians were killed in an Israeli drone strike targeting the town of Bani Suhaila, east of Khan Yunis. In a separate attack, another was killed and one injured in an airstrike on the al-Sikka area in Gaza City's center. The aid center, backed by the United States and Israel, was established as part of a controversial initiative that bypasses the United Nations and operates under Israeli military supervision. Critics say that in addition to lacking neutrality, the initiative serves as a strategic weapon of war, employing aid as pressure and leverage. 'There was no trace of humanity in what happened,' said Jehad Al-Assar, a Rafah resident who walked for over 90 minutes to reach the center. 'The crowd nearly crushed me. Foreign armed forces stood by and did nothing.' Weaponizing aid: A 'facade for violence and displacement' International condemnation quickly followed. Thomas Fletcher, the UN's top humanitarian official, denounced the program as a 'facade for further violence and displacement,' accusing it of tying aid delivery to Israel's political and security demands. Another UN official bluntly described the plan as 'weaponizing aid.' On May 25, one day before the chaos, GHF Executive Director Jake Wood resigned, citing the impossibility of upholding humanitarian principles under current conditions. 'I will not be part of a plan that entails the forced displacement of Palestinians,' Wood said, urging Israel to open all crossings for unrestricted humanitarian access. Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres, expressed horror at the violence: 'The images and videos from the GHF aid points are heartbreaking, to say the least… We and our partners have a detailed, principled, operationally sound plan supported by member states to get aid to a desperate population.' Mass displacement and a manufactured famine The Gaza Strip has been under Israeli siege for over 600 days. Since October 7, 2023, Israel has methodically blocked aid, destroyed agricultural infrastructure, and bombed food storage facilities, pushing the enclave of 2.4 million people into catastrophic levels of hunger. The GHF initiative has drawn particular ire for forcing civilians to pass through Israeli military checkpoints and identity checks, with food distribution guarded by armed foreign contractors. The Washington Post called the plan a dangerous militarization of aid delivery that 'portends more chaos and shooting.' Amjad Shawa, director of the Gaza NGO Network, told Al Jazeera that only the UN has the capacity and credibility to deliver aid safely and equitably. 'The goal of establishing military aid points is to pressure the residents of northern Gaza to migrate south,' he said. The Israeli military is still pursuing its campaign of annexation and devastation of territory. On May 31, the Hebrew outlet Walla cited Israeli army sources claiming control over large parts of Khan Younis, stating that areas are being deliberately 'emptied of civilians' and infrastructure destroyed to prevent return. A starvation campaign as a tool of war The UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food warned this week that Gaza is entering a new and dangerous phase of its starvation crisis, calling it a 'deliberate campaign of genocide' in flagrant violation of international law. Since early March, Israel has effectively sealed off the Strip, cutting off even basic humanitarian aid, particularly food, to Gaza's north. The Israeli strategy appears designed to engineer mass displacement, using hunger as a lever of control. The Government Media Office in Gaza described the events in Rafah as 'a deliberate massacre and a full-fledged war crime, committed in cold blood against civilians weakened by over 90 days of siege-induced starvation.' Shortlink for this post:
Days of Palestine
a day ago
- Politics
- Days of Palestine
UNRWA: Ending Famine in Gaza Is Not Impossible
DaysofPal- The Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, affirmed that famine in the Gaza Strip can be stopped. 'It requires political will, and we are not asking for the impossible,' he said. In a post on his account on the platform 'X' on Saturday, Lazzarini stated: 'The aid currently reaching Gaza mocks the scale of the collective tragedy unfolding before our eyes.' Describing the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, he said: '900 aid trucks have entered Gaza over the past two weeks—barely over 10 percent of the daily needs of Palestinians in the Strip.' He added, 'We are not asking for the impossible. Let the United Nations do its job—helping those in need in Gaza and preserving their dignity.' Lazzarini emphasized that ending the famine in Gaza requires political will. He noted that during the previous ceasefire in the Strip, the United Nations was able to bring in 600 to 800 aid trucks per day, which at the time prevented a man-made famine. Through a deliberate policy, the Israeli occupation has subjected 2.4 million Palestinians in Gaza to starvation by closing border crossings to humanitarian aid—especially food—since March 2. Shortlink for this post:
Days of Palestine
a day ago
- Health
- Days of Palestine
WHO: Gaza's Children Are Dying from Hunger
DaysofPal – Dr. Hanan Balkhy, Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean at the World Health Organization (WHO), confirmed that children in Gaza are dying of hunger, as famine reaches catastrophic levels under Israel's ongoing blockade. Speaking during the 78th session of the World Health Assembly, Dr. Balkhy addressed the dire humanitarian and health crisis in the Gaza Strip, which has endured more than 20 months of Israeli military aggression and siege. 'The health infrastructure in Gaza is essentially destroyed,' she stated. 'People are living in dangerously unhygienic conditions. Hygiene is the cornerstone of health—and it is simply absent in Gaza.' Dr. Balkhy emphasized that the healthcare system is collapsing. Only a handful of hospitals remain partially operational, while a devastating shortage of medical supplies persists. 'Roughly 41–42% of essential medications are completely unavailable, the same applies to key vaccines. Additionally, around 64% of medical equipment is no longer functioning,' she said. Despite these challenges, she praised the resilience of health workers in Gaza who continue to provide care with minimal resources. Addressing the delivery of humanitarian aid, Dr. Balkhy revealed that 51 WHO aid trucks remain stuck at Gaza's border, unable to enter. 'We're trying to distribute what we can from WHO warehouses, but the incoming food since the eleventh week of this blockade is far from adequate.' 'Hunger and famine levels are now extremely high. People urgently need food and basic nutrition. Children are dying—some from hunger alone,' she warned. 'When people don't eat, they starve. Without food, without medicine or treatment—people die. This is the reality,' she concluded. Since March 2, Israel has maintained a near-total closure of border crossings, blocking humanitarian aid—especially food—into Gaza. This deliberate starvation policy has pushed over 2.4 million Palestinians to the brink of famine, with mounting deaths from hunger and preventable disease. Shortlink for this post:
