Latest news with #GazaMinistryofHealth
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Former Israeli PM Ehud Olmert condemns Gaza war as humanitarian crisis deepens
Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said he believes the war in Gaza no longer has a clear goal, and it has gone too far. Olmert made the comments in an interview with ABC News' Alex Presha Wednesday. Olmert's public criticism of his country's war comes as thousands of Palestinians are suffering from malnutrition and conditions of famine across the Gaza Strip after an 11-week blockade of humanitarian aid by the Israeli government. The distribution of aid entering the strip this week has led to chaotic scenes of people desperate for food fighting to get what they need, leaving two dead and several injured. "We have destroyed Gaza," Olmert told ABC News about the crisis. On Tuesday, chaos broke out at a new food distribution site in Rafah as families fought through crowds to get basic food supplies, the United Nations said. At least one person died and 47 others were hurt when shots were reportedly fired into the crowd of desperate Palestinians who were trying to get food, the UN said. The Israeli Defense Forces fired "warning shots" in the area of the distribution site as people flooded in. The cause of death for the person who was killed is unknown. Olmert said that while Israel had every right to fight back after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack that killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages, he believes the war has gone too far. He said that while some of the thousands of people who have died in Gaza since the conflict began were terrorists who needed to be stopped, many were innocent people. "We are now almost 18 or 19 months after the beginning of that war." Olmert said. "We have destroyed Gaza. We have killed perhaps more than 50,000 people, of which there were few with. There were terrorists, and that should have been punished by so many who were not to carry on the war." Watch Olmert's full interview with ABC News in the video above. Over 53,000 people have been killed in Gaza since Oct. 7, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health. While statistics do not distinguish between military and non-military casualties, women and children make up tens of thousands of this number, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health. MORE: Israeli airstrikes target Yemen airport as Netanyahu warns Houthis, Iran "Yes, there was shooting. It's food dipped in blood," Mazen Yunis, a Gazan from Khan Younis, told ABC News outside the distribution site Tuesday. He added, "I have a 10-member family and only came back with a can of peas." Olmert told ABC News he is angry about what some Israeli leaders have been saying about the worsening crisis. He described their comments about "starving Gaza" and treating all Palestinians like terrorists as "war crime statements." He warned that this approach puts both Palestinian civilians and the 20 Israeli hostages still in Gaza in danger. While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said military pressure will help free the hostages, Olmert disagrees. He calls Netanyahu's claims "ridiculous" and says they don't match what is really happening. "I think that the feeling is that Trump getting tired of the rhetoric and manipulation of Netanyahu. He should call him to Washington, as he did a few months ago, summoned him to the White House, to the Oval Office, beautiful office there, and in front of the whole world, you will tell him, Mr. Netanyahu, enough is enough," Olmert said. Prime Minister Netanyahu quickly fired back in a video response on Wednesday, calling Olmert's statements "horrible" words that he said feed into lies about Israel and the Israel Defense Forces. Former Israeli PM Ehud Olmert condemns Gaza war as humanitarian crisis deepens originally appeared on
3 days ago
- Health
Former Israeli PM Ehud Olmert condemns Gaza war as humanitarian crisis deepens
Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said he believes the war in Gaza no longer has a clear goal, and it has gone too far. Olmert made the comments in an interview with ABC News' Alex Presha Wednesday. Olmert's public criticism of his country's war comes as thousands of Palestinians are suffering from malnutrition and conditions of famine across the Gaza Strip after an 11-week blockade of humanitarian aid by the Israeli government. The distribution of aid entering the strip this week has led to chaotic scenes of people desperate for food fighting to get what they need, leaving two dead and several injured. "We have destroyed Gaza," Olmert told ABC News about the crisis. On Tuesday, chaos broke out at a new food distribution site in Rafah as families fought through crowds to get basic food supplies, the United Nations said. At least one person died and 47 others were hurt when shots were reportedly fired into the crowd of desperate Palestinians who were trying to get food, the UN said. The Israeli Defense Forces fired "warning shots" in the area of the distribution site as people flooded in. The cause of death for the person who was killed is unknown. Olmert said that while Israel had every right to fight back after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack that killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages, he believes the war has gone too far. He said that while some of the thousands of people who have died in Gaza since the conflict began were terrorists who needed to be stopped, many were innocent people. "We are now almost 18 or 19 months after the beginning of that war." Olmert said. "We have destroyed Gaza. We have killed perhaps more than 50,000 people, of which there were few with. There were terrorists, and that should have been punished by so many who were not to carry on the war." Watch Olmert's full interview with ABC News in the video above. Over 53,000 people have been killed in Gaza since Oct. 7, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health. While statistics do not distinguish between military and non-military casualties, women and children make up tens of thousands of this number, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health. "Yes, there was shooting. It's food dipped in blood," Mazen Yunis, a Gazan from Khan Younis, told ABC News outside the distribution site Tuesday. He added, "I have a 10-member family and only came back with a can of peas." Olmert told ABC News he is angry about what some Israeli leaders have been saying about the worsening crisis. He described their comments about "starving Gaza" and treating all Palestinians like terrorists as "war crime statements." He warned that this approach puts both Palestinian civilians and the 20 Israeli hostages still in Gaza in danger. While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said military pressure will help free the hostages, Olmert disagrees. He calls Netanyahu's claims "ridiculous" and says they don't match what is really happening. "I think that the feeling is that Trump getting tired of the rhetoric and manipulation of Netanyahu. He should call him to Washington, as he did a few months ago, summoned him to the White House, to the Oval Office, beautiful office there, and in front of the whole world, you will tell him, Mr. Netanyahu, enough is enough," Olmert said. Prime Minister Netanyahu quickly fired back in a video response on Wednesday, calling Olmert's statements "horrible" words that he said feed into lies about Israel and the Israel Defense Forces.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Former Israeli PM Ehud Olmert condemns Gaza war as humanitarian crisis deepens
Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said he believes the war in Gaza no longer has a clear goal, and it has gone too far. Olmert made the comments in an interview with ABC News' Alex Presha Wednesday. Olmert's public criticism of his country's war comes as thousands of Palestinians are suffering from malnutrition and conditions of famine across the Gaza Strip after an 11-week blockade of humanitarian aid by the Israeli government. The distribution of aid entering the strip this week has led to chaotic scenes of people desperate for food fighting to get what they need, leaving two dead and several injured. "We have destroyed Gaza," Olmert told ABC News about the crisis. On Tuesday, chaos broke out at a new food distribution site in Rafah as families fought through crowds to get basic food supplies, the United Nations said. At least one person died and 47 others were hurt when shots were reportedly fired into the crowd of desperate Palestinians who were trying to get food, the UN said. The Israeli Defense Forces fired "warning shots" in the area of the distribution site as people flooded in. The cause of death for the person who was killed is unknown. Olmert said that while Israel had every right to fight back after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack that killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages, he believes the war has gone too far. He said that while some of the thousands of people who have died in Gaza since the conflict began were terrorists who needed to be stopped, many were innocent people. "We are now almost 18 or 19 months after the beginning of that war." Olmert said. "We have destroyed Gaza. We have killed perhaps more than 50,000 people, of which there were few with. There were terrorists, and that should have been punished by so many who were not to carry on the war." Watch Olmert's full interview with ABC News in the video above. Over 53,000 people have been killed in Gaza since Oct. 7, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health. While statistics do not distinguish between military and non-military casualties, women and children make up tens of thousands of this number, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health. MORE: Israeli airstrikes target Yemen airport as Netanyahu warns Houthis, Iran "Yes, there was shooting. It's food dipped in blood," Mazen Yunis, a Gazan from Khan Younis, told ABC News outside the distribution site Tuesday. He added, "I have a 10-member family and only came back with a can of peas." Olmert told ABC News he is angry about what some Israeli leaders have been saying about the worsening crisis. He described their comments about "starving Gaza" and treating all Palestinians like terrorists as "war crime statements." He warned that this approach puts both Palestinian civilians and the 20 Israeli hostages still in Gaza in danger. While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said military pressure will help free the hostages, Olmert disagrees. He calls Netanyahu's claims "ridiculous" and says they don't match what is really happening. "I think that the feeling is that Trump getting tired of the rhetoric and manipulation of Netanyahu. He should call him to Washington, as he did a few months ago, summoned him to the White House, to the Oval Office, beautiful office there, and in front of the whole world, you will tell him, Mr. Netanyahu, enough is enough," Olmert said. Prime Minister Netanyahu quickly fired back in a video response on Wednesday, calling Olmert's statements "horrible" words that he said feed into lies about Israel and the Israel Defense Forces. Former Israeli PM Ehud Olmert condemns Gaza war as humanitarian crisis deepens originally appeared on
Daily News Egypt
3 days ago
- Health
- Daily News Egypt
Chaos, bloodshed in Rafah as Gaza's humanitarian crisis worsens, global outcry intensifies
The humanitarian and security crisis in Rafah, southern Gaza, has escalated sharply following a deadly breakdown in a US- and Israeli-backed aid distribution initiative, further exposing the collapse of ceasefire efforts and deepening the territory's descent into famine and lawlessness. Eyewitnesses described scenes of desperation and violence on Tuesday as thousands of Palestinians gathered at an aid center in western Rafah. Israeli forces reportedly opened fire during the chaotic distribution process, killing and injuring civilians. Several young men were detained under what witnesses called humiliating conditions, including forced iris scans and strip searches. On Wednesday, the Gaza Ministry of Health reported 28 new deaths and 179 injuries in the preceding 24 hours, bringing the total death toll since the conflict began on October 7, 2023, to over 54,000, with more than 123,000 wounded. The Ministry also confirmed that at least 60 children have died from hunger-related causes in the past week alone. Of Gaza's 38 hospitals, only 16 remain partially functional, and medical supplies are nearing complete depletion. UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric called the situation 'heartbreaking' and reiterated demands for all border crossings to be opened immediately to allow the unrestricted flow of humanitarian aid and commercial goods. 'The United Nations and our partners are ready to scale up relief operations, but we are being blocked by restrictions that make that impossible,' he said. UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini, speaking from Japan, criticized the US-backed aid system currently operating in Gaza, describing it as a 'waste of resources and a distraction from ongoing atrocities.' He stressed that established humanitarian agencies have the expertise to manage distribution effectively and must be allowed to resume their life-saving operations. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights also condemned the shootings at the aid center, describing Tuesday's events as 'cruel and shocking.' According to the commission, 47 civilians were injured by Israeli gunfire while attempting to collect food from a facility operated by the US- and Israeli-supported Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu provoked widespread international backlash after denying the existence of famine in Gaza. Speaking at the International Conference on Combating Antisemitism in West Jerusalem, he cited the physical condition of Palestinian detainees as evidence. 'Thousands of prisoners have removed their shirts, and not one of them appears emaciated—quite the opposite,' he claimed, suggesting this disproved reports of widespread starvation. Hamas condemned the remarks as 'criminal' and 'a confession of mass humiliation,' accusing Israel of war crimes and calling for Netanyahu's statements to be documented by international courts. 'These words reflect a detachment from humanity and a contempt for the suffering of two million displaced Palestinians, many of whom have died from hunger and disease,' the group said in a statement. Meanwhile, ceasefire talks remain deadlocked. According to Haaretz, indirect negotiations are ongoing but have made little progress. Israel's current proposal reportedly does not include a binding commitment to end the war—an impasse that has prevented a breakthrough. Hamas, via US envoy Steve Weitecov, has submitted a counter-proposal calling for a permanent ceasefire, a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and the formation of a professional body to oversee post-war governance in Gaza. The group says it is awaiting a formal response from mediators. In a significant diplomatic development, Ireland on Wednesday became the first European Union country to pass legislation banning imports from companies operating in Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories. The measure is intended to signal disapproval of Israeli settlement policy and could encourage similar actions across the EU, raising fears in Israel of growing economic isolation. As the war enters its 600th day, international pressure on Israel is mounting. Humanitarian organizations continue to warn of a 'slow genocide' unfolding in Gaza, as aid remains blocked, hospitals collapse, and diplomatic channels fail to deliver relief. The situation, observers say, is becoming increasingly untenable with each passing day.
Roya News
3 days ago
- Health
- Roya News
600 days of genocide: Gaza's unfolding tragedy
Gaza Strip has endured over 600 days of genocide since October 7, 2023, when 'Israel' began a large-scale military campaign involving airstrikes, ground operations, and a tightened blockade. This followed the October 7 events, when Hamas fighters broke the siege into Palestinian-occupied territories. As of May 28, 2025, the genocide continues, with significant tolls on life, infrastructure, and humanitarian conditions. Human toll: Deaths, injuries According to figures from the Gaza Ministry of Health, more than 54,000 Palestinians have been killed. This represents roughly 1 in every 44 residents of Gaza's pre-war population of 2.3 million. Approximately 70 percent of the deceased are women and children, including an estimated 18,000 children—1,300 of whom were under the age of two. In addition, over 110,265 people have been injured. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that nearly 22,500 of these individuals require rehabilitation for severe injuries, particularly amputations. By the end of 2024, 4,500 amputations had been recorded. UNRWA reported that 10 children are losing one or both legs each day, many undergoing procedures without anesthesia due to shortages. An estimated 10,000 people are missing, presumed buried beneath rubble. A July 2024 analysis published in The Lancet projected that indirect deaths caused by starvation, disease, and lack of medical care could increase the total death toll to as high as 186,000. Humanitarian crisis: Starvation, disease 'Israel's' blockade, in place since 2007 and intensified after October 2023, has severely restricted humanitarian access. By September 2024, around 500,000 Palestinians were experiencing extreme levels of hunger. Acute malnutrition affected over 21,600 children aged six months to five years, and at least 34 Palestinians, mainly children, have died from malnutrition. The blockade has also affected water and sanitation services. The United Nations reported over 995,000 cases of acute respiratory infections, 577,000 cases of acute watery diarrhea, 107,000 cases of jaundice, and 12,000 cases of bloody diarrhea. Water availability remains at just 1.5 to 1.8 liters per person per day—far below the WHO's recommended 100 liters. Infrastructure damage Destruction of infrastructure across the Gaza Strip is widespread. Satellite imagery indicates up to 160,000 buildings have been damaged or destroyed, including 90,000 housing units completely demolished. About 70 percent of Gaza's civilian infrastructure has been impacted. This includes: 320 schools 1,671 industrial facilities 183 health facilities (including 23 hospitals and 59 clinics) 92 ambulances All 12 universities in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed, affecting more than 600,000 students. Cultural, religious sites More than 340 mosques, including the historic Great Omari Mosque, have been damaged or destroyed. At least three churches, including St. Porphyrius Church, were also affected. At least 16 cemeteries have been damaged or desecrated, along with over 200 cultural sites such as libraries and museums. Displacement, detention Nearly 1.9 million Palestinians—about 80 percent of Gaza's population—have been displaced. Many are sheltering in overcrowded tents or makeshift shelters. A siege on northern Gaza in October 2024 displaced large numbers and raised concerns about forced population transfers. 'Israeli' forces have detained more than 5,000 Palestinians from Gaza, including hundreds of women and children. At least 160 healthcare workers are also detained, with reports of torture and deaths in custody. Among those who died while detained are doctors Adnan Al-Bursh and Iyad Al Rantisi. Attacks on aid workers, journalists, and healthcare At least 274 aid workers, including 197 UNRWA staff, have been killed since the genocide began. Another 539 internally displaced people were killed while sheltering in UN facilities. Over 200 journalists have also been killed, according to UNESCO. Additionally, 986 medical workers, including 165 doctors and 260 nurses, have died. Medical facilities such as Al-Shifa Hospital and the Nasser Medical Complex have been targeted, drawing criticism from international health organizations. Legal, international response In December 2023, South Africa filed a case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing 'Israel' of genocide. The court issued provisional measures in January 2024 ordering 'Israel' to prevent genocidal acts and preserve evidence. In May 2024, the International Criminal Court (ICC) requested arrest warrants for 'Israeli' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes, including the use of starvation as a method of warfare. Over 600 days into the genocide, the Gaza Strip faces ongoing devastation. The data shows significant human loss, widespread displacement, and large-scale destruction of infrastructure and cultural heritage. While international legal proceedings continue, the humanitarian situation remains critical, with millions affected by hunger, disease, and lack of shelter.
