Latest news with #HumanitarianAid
National Post
2 days ago
- Politics
- National Post
'Disconnected from reality': Israel rejects Gaza statement from Canada, 24 other nations
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand and 24 of her counterparts abroad have signed a joint statement saying 'the war in Gaza must end now,' while calling on Israel to stop displacing Palestinians. Article content The signatories — who include the foreign ministers of France, Japan and the U.K. — called Israel's aid distribution system 'dangerous.' Article content Article content The ministers also condemned Hamas for continuing to hold hostages captured from Israel in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack and called for their immediate release. Article content Article content They said it's 'horrifying that over 800 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid.' That death toll is based on figures released by the UN human rights office and the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza. Article content Article content Oren Marmorstein, spokesman for Israel's foreign affairs ministry, said Israel rejects the joint statement, calling it 'disconnected from reality' and saying it 'sends the wrong message to Hamas.' Article content 'The statement fails to focus the pressure on Hamas and fails to recognize Hamas's role and responsibility for the situation. Hamas is the sole party responsible for the continuation of the war and the suffering on both sides,' Marmorstein wrote in a social media statement. Article content 'At these sensitive moments in the ongoing negotiations, it is better to avoid statements of this kind.' Article content Marmorstein said that Hamas is solely to blame for the lack of movement on a ceasefire and on releasing the hostages. He accused Hamas of 'deliberately' increasing tensions and civilian harm at humanitarian aid stations. Article content Article content The ministers who signed the statement are calling on the Israeli government to lift all restrictions on aid delivery and to 'enable the UN and humanitarian NGOs' to do their work safely and effectively. Article content Article content 'The suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths. The Israeli government's aid delivery model is dangerous, fuels instability and deprives Gazans of human dignity. We condemn the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic needs of water and food,' the ministers wrote. Article content The ministers decry proposals by Israeli officials to concentrate Palestinians in Gaza into one city. It also takes aim at the Israeli government's proposed expansion of settlements in the Palestinian territories it occupies, particularly as it seeks to divide the West Bank from East Jerusalem. Article content This would 'critically undermine the two-state solution,' the statement said, noting an increase in the building of settlements that Canada deems illegal, at a time when 'settler violence against Palestinians has soared.'
Al Bawaba
2 days ago
- Politics
- Al Bawaba
UK among 25 countries demand immediate ceasefire as Gaza faces famine and systematic aid killings
ALBAWABA- In a joint statement, the United Kingdom and 25 other nations have called for an immediate end to the war in Gaza, warning that the scale of civilian suffering has become 'unprecedented.' The joint statement by 26 countries including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Spain, and the UK, calls for an immediate end to the Gaza war, a ceasefire, lifting aid restrictions, and Israel's compliance with international law to protect civilians and enable humanitarian access. The declaration condemned Israel's handling of humanitarian aid, describing its model of distribution as 'dangerous' and a source of further instability. The statement sharply criticized Israel's denial of basic humanitarian assistance, labeling it unacceptable and in violation of international humanitarian law. It also rejected any proposal to relocate Palestinians to so-called 'humanitarian cities,' warning that any permanent forced displacement would constitute a grave breach of international legal standards. Of particular outrage was the killing of more than 800 Palestinians while attempting to access aid, which the signatories called 'appalling.' The statement reflects growing global condemnation of the Israeli military's conduct in Gaza and its impact on the civilian population. Hamas welcomed the statement, saying it confirms international recognition of Israel's "widespread violations" and denounced the aid distribution system jointly overseen by the United States and Israel as brutal and criminal. Hamas also urged the signatories to translate their words into concrete action to end the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. Israel's Foreign Ministry swiftly rejected the joint statement, claiming it was "disconnected from reality" and would embolden Hamas. Israel rejects the joint statement published by a group of countries, as it is disconnected from reality and sends the wrong message to Hamas. All statements and all claims should be directed at the only party responsible for the lack of a deal for the release of hostages and a…
Sky News
2 days ago
- Health
- Sky News
Middle East latest: Israeli military launches ground assault on central Gaza city of Deir al Balah
14:27:30 UK and other nations call for immediate end to Gaza war The UK and more than 20 other countries have called for an immediate end to the war in Gaza and said the Israeli government's aid delivery model is "dangerous, fuels instability and deprives Gazans of human dignity". In a joint statement the countries said the "suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths". They have called for a "negotiated ceasefire", saying that it offers the best hope of bringing the hostages held captive by Hamas home. "The Israeli government's aid delivery model is dangerous, fuels instability and deprives Gazans of human dignity," the joint statement reads. "We condemn the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic needs of water and food." The countries have called on the Israeli government to "immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid" and to "urgently enable the UN and humanitarian NGOs to do their life saving work safely and effectively". "We are prepared to take further action to support an immediate ceasefire and a political pathway to security and peace for Israelis, Palestinians and the entire region," the joint statement adds. The statement has been signed by the foreign ministers of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK. 14:11:00 Number killed in Gaza rises to 59,000, health ministry says Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry says that over 59,000 people have now been killed in the enclave since the war began. In a statement on Telegram, the ministry says 59,029 people have been killed and over 142,135 injured since 7 October 2023, when Hamas carried out their terrorist attack. It should be noted that the ministry does not differentiate between civilian and Hamas fighter deaths. Earlier, Gaza medics said at least three Palestinians had been killed and several wounded by Israeli tank shelling that hit three mosques and eight houses in Deir al Balah today. It came as Israeli tanks pushed into southern and eastern districts of the central Gazan city o for the first time. 13:45:01 Who are the Bedouins and the Druze? The conflict between the Bedouin armed tribes and the Druze militia in Syria's southern district of Sweida has led to hundreds of deaths. But who are the two factions? Bedouins The Bedouins are traditionally nomadic, Arabic-speaking tribes who live in the deserts of the Middle East and North Africa. In Syria, Bedouins have primarily lived in the al-Badia desert, which covers much of the country's south and east, including provinces like Sweida. Bedouin tribes in Syria follow Sunni Islam and have clashed with the Druze sect for a long time. Druze The Druze religious sect is an offshoot of Ismailism, a branch of Shiite Islam. About half of the roughly one million Druze worldwide live in Syria, with most others in Lebanon and Israel, including the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. The Druze largely celebrated the downfall of Bashar al Assad in December after an almost 14-year civil war, but were divided over interim president Ahmad al-Sharaa, a former militant linked to al Qaeda who led Islamist rebels to overthrow the Syrian autocrat. A few months after the transition, government forces clashed with pro-Assad armed groups on Syria's coast, spurring sectarian attacks killed hundreds of civilians from the Alawite religious minority to which the former president belongs. The violence left other minority groups, including the Druze in the south, and the Kurds in the northeast, increasingly mistrustful of the new Sharaa government and worried whether it would protect them. Multiple Druze militias have existed for years, originally set up to protect their communities against ISIS and drug smugglers - and they have been reluctant to lay down their arms. 13:22:48 Gaza doctor 'abducted by Israeli special forces', health ministry says The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry says the director of a hospital in the south of the enclave has been abducted by Israeli forces. It said Dr Marwan Al Hams, director of Abu Youssef Al Najjar Hospital in southern Gaza and a spokesperson for the health ministry, was taken by an Israeli special forces unit this afternoon. The ministry called Dr Al Hams "one of the most prominent humanitarian and medical voices" and said his abduction "represents a direct targeting of the voice of the sick, the hungry and the suffering" in Gaza. "We hold the occupation fully responsible for Dr Al Hams's safety and demand his immediate and unconditional release," a statement said. Israel has not yet publicly commented on this story. 12:56:09 Israeli action in central Gaza 'makes no sense at all' Israel's latest action in central Gaza "makes no sense at all", military analyst Michael Clarke has said. Earlier, Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) said an Israeli ground assault had begun in Deir al Balah in central Gaza - an area that has been left relatively untouched. "By and large in other parts of Gaza they are bombing the rubble but in this part of Gaza they haven't conducted so many operations," Clarke said. "They are moving into an area now that has been left relatively untouched until now. "They have said they think some of the Israeli hostages are there but by the time they move in they won't be there. "At least 40% of the tunnel network that Hamas had is still sufficiently intact for Hamas to move around and the hostages will be moved." Clarke said the move by Israel is a "process of trying to drive the Gazan population to a strip on the coast". He added: "What will happen to the rest of Gaza? Who knows. "Elements in the Israeli government say they will retake the Gaza Strip - they will re-colonise it again. "But Netanyahu isn't exactly saying that - and it is not clear what he thinks because they don't seem to have a plan they are prepared to share with the rest of the world for what happens next." 12:28:56 Pope warns against 'indiscriminate use of force' on Gaza civilians Pope Leo has warned against the "indiscriminate use of force" and the "forced mass displacement" of people in the Gaza strip in a phone call with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas today, the Vatican has said. During the call, the pope also renewed an appeal for respect of international and humanitarian law. The Vatican also said that the pontiff had taken a call with Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday during which he urged a "renewed push" for an end to the conflict. "We insisted on the need to protect the sacred places of all religions," Pope Leo said, "and to respect people and sacred places and try to leave behind all the violence and the hatred". 12:08:37 Smoke rises from Deir al Balah as Israeli tanks begin ground assault Here are the latest scenes in central Gaza, where smoke has been seen rising above the city of Deir al Balah. The Israeli military earlier issued an evacuation order for the area, which is densely populated and full of displaced families living in tents. Israel has not previously targeted the city, Gaza medics have since said at least three Palestinians have been killed and several wounded by Israeli tank shelling that hit three mosques and eight houses. A number of the Israeli hostages still being held captive by Hamas are assumed to be in the Deir al Balah area. Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) said it had suspended shipments to the city because of an Israeli ground assault It said that thousands of displaced people are living in this area, including MAP staff, and the latest orders by Israel "directly endanger vital humanitarian and primary healthcare sites". 11:43:31 Erdogan praises Syrian leader's 'very positive' step Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has praised his Syrian counterpart Ahmed al Sharaa for showing a strong stance and not compromising in Syria's conflict with Israel. In comments to Turkish media, Erdogan said Syria's government had established some control in Sweida and the country's south with around 2,500 soldiers, with all but one Druze faction agreeing to respect the ceasefire during talks in Amman. He also told reporters on his flight returning from northern Cyprus that al Sharaa took a "very positive" step by reaching an understanding with the Druze. And when it came to the US, Erdogan said Washington now understood it needed to "own" the issue more, warning that Israel using the fighting as an excuse to invade Syrian lands. 11:18:54 Hundreds of Bedouins being evacuated from Sweida Hundreds of Bedouin civilians are being evacuated from Syria's predominantly Druze city of Sweida today as part of a US-backed truce meant to end fighting that has killed hundreds of people. Shoaib Asfour, a member of the Syrian security forces overseeing the evacuation, told Reuters that the initial batch included some 300 Bedouins and a second group of about 550 civilians will be evacuated within the next 24 hours if the situation remains calm. The next phase would see the evacuation of Bedouin fighters detained by Druze militias and the transfer of bodies of Bedouins killed in the fighting, Asfour said. Syria's state news agency said a total of 1,500 Bedouins would be evacuated from Sweida city. With hundreds reported killed, the violence in the southern province of Sweida has posed a major test for interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa. A ceasefire took hold on Sunday as interior ministry security forces deployed on Sweida's outskirts. And interior minister Anas Khattab said the truce would allow for the release of hostages and detainees held by the warring sides. You can watch our special correspondent Alex Crawford reporting on the fragile ceasefire here... 10:53:22 Netanyahu court appearance delayed after food poisoning Over in Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu has had his upcoming hearings in his corruption trial postponed after getting food poisoning. The Israeli leader has been ordered by doctors to conduct state affairs from home for the next three days after being diagnosed with intestinal inflammation and dehydration. The next court appearance will not come before September now. Netanyahu's office said: "In accordance with his doctors' instructions, the prime minister will rest at home for the next three days and will manage state affairs from there." Why is Netanyahu on trial? Netanyahu was indicted in 2019 on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust - all of which Netanyahu denies. The trial began in 2020 and involves three criminal cases. He denies the charges and has pleaded not guilty. Case 4000 Prosecutors allege Netanyahu granted regulatory favours worth around $500m to Bezeq Telecom Israel. In return, prosecutors say, he sought positive coverage of himself and his wife Sara on a news website controlled by the company's former chairman, Shaul Elovitch. Case 1000 Netanyahu has been charged with fraud and breach of trust over allegations that he and his wife wrongfully received almost $210,000 in gifts from Arnon Milchan, a Hollywood producer and an Israeli citizen, and Australian billionaire businessman James Packer. Prosecutors said gifts included champagne and cigars and that Netanyahu helped Milchan with his business interests. Packer and Milchan face no charges. Case 2000 Netanyahu allegedly negotiated a deal with Arnon Mozes, owner of Israel's Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, for better coverage in return for legislation to slow the growth of a rival newspaper.
RNZ News
3 days ago
- Politics
- RNZ News
Israeli fire kills 67 people seeking aid in Gaza, health ministry says
By Nidal al-Mughrabi , Reuters Mourners pray by the bodies of victims who were killed the previous day by Israeli bombardment outside a medical complex in Gaza. Photo: AFP At least 67 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire as they waited for UN aid trucks in northern Gaza on Sunday, the Gaza health ministry said, as Israel issued new evacuation orders for areas packed with displaced people. The ministry said dozens of people were also wounded in the incident in northern Gaza. It was one of the highest reported death tolls among repeated recent cases in which aid seekers have been killed, including 36 on Saturday. Another six people were killed near another aid site in the south, it said. Israel's military said its troops had fired warning shots towards a crowd of thousands of people in northern Gaza on Sunday to remove what it said was "an immediate threat". It said initial findings suggested reported casualty figures were inflated, and it "certainly does not intentionally target humanitarian aid trucks". It did not immediately comment on the incident in the south. The UN World Food Programme (WFP) said that shortly after entering Gaza, a WFP convoy of 25 trucks carrying food aid encountered "massive crowds of hungry civilians" who then came under gunfire. "WFP reiterates that any violence involving civilians seeking humanitarian aid is completely unacceptable," it said in a statement. A Hamas official told Reuters that the militant group was angered over the mounting deaths and the hunger crisis in the enclave, and that this could badly affect ceasefire talks underway in Qatar. In total, health authorities said 90 people had been killed by Israeli gunfire and airstrikes across the enclave on Sunday. After Israel's military dropped leaflets urging people to evacuate from neighbourhoods in central Gaza's Deir al-Balah, residents said Israeli planes struck three houses in the area. Dozens of families began leaving their homes, carrying some of their belongings. Hundreds of thousands of displaced Gazans have been sheltering in the Deir al-Balah area. Israel's military said it had not entered the districts subject to the evacuation order during the current conflict and that it was continuing "to operate with great force to destroy the enemy's capabilities and terrorist infrastructure in the area". Israeli sources have said the reason the army has so far stayed out is because they suspect Hamas might be holding hostages there. At least 20 of the remaining 50 hostages in captivity in Gaza are believed to still be alive. Hostage families demanded an explanation from the army. "Can anyone (promise) to us that this decision will not come at the cost of losing our loved ones?" the families said in a statement. Much of Gaza has been reduced to a wasteland during more than 21 months of war and there are fears of accelerating starvation. Palestinian health officials said hundreds of people could soon die as hospitals were inundated with patients suffering from dizziness and exhaustion due to the scarcity of food and a collapse in aid deliveries. "We warn that hundreds of people whose bodies have wasted away are at risk of imminent death due to hunger," said the health ministry, which is controlled by Hamas. The United Nations also said on Sunday that civilians were starving and needed an urgent influx of aid. Pope Leo called for an end to the "barbarity of war" as he spoke of his profound pain over an Israeli strike on the sole Catholic church in Gaza that killed three people on Thursday. Gaza residents said it was becoming impossible to find essential food such as flour. The health ministry said at least 71 children had died of malnutrition during the war, and 60,000 others were suffering from symptoms of malnutrition. Later on Sunday, it said 18 people have died of hunger in the past 24 hours. Food prices have increased well beyond what most of the population of more than two million can afford. Several people who spoke to Reuters via chat apps said they either had one meal or no meal in the past 24 hours. "As a father, I wake up in the early morning to look for food, for even a loaf of bread for my five children, but all in vain," said Ziad, a nurse. "People who didn't die of bombs will die of hunger. We want an end to this war now, a truce, even for two months," he told Reuters. Others said they felt dizzy walking in the streets and that many fainted as they walked. Fathers leave tents to avoid questions by their children about what to eat. UNRWA, the UN refugee agency dedicated to Palestinians, demanded Israel allow more aid trucks into Gaza, saying it had enough food for the entire population for over three months which was not allowed in. Israel's military said that it "views the transfer of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip as a matter of utmost importance, and works to enable and facilitate its entry in coordination with the international community". Some Palestinians suggested the move on Deir al-Balah might be an attempt to put pressure on Hamas to make more concessions in long-running ceasefire negotiations. Israel and Hamas are engaged in indirect talks in Doha aimed at reaching a 60-day truce and hostage deal, although there has been no sign of breakthrough. The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel on 7 October 2023 killing 1200 people and taking 251 hostages back to Gaza. The Israeli military campaign against Hamas in Gaza has since killed more than 58,000 Palestinians, according to health officials, displaced almost the entire population and plunged the enclave into a humanitarian crisis. -Reuters
Reuters
3 days ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Israeli fire kills 67 people seeking aid in Gaza, medics say, as hunger worsens
CAIRO, July 20 (Reuters) - At least 67 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire as they waited for U.N. aid trucks in northern Gaza on Sunday, the Gaza health ministry said, as Israel issued new evacuation orders for areas packed with displaced people. The ministry said dozens of people were also wounded in the incident in northern Gaza. It was one of the highest reported death tolls among repeated recent cases in which aid seekers have been killed, including 36 on Saturday. Another six people were killed near another aid site in the south, it said. Israel's military said its troops had fired warning shots towards a crowd of thousands of people in northern Gaza on Sunday to remove what it said was "an immediate threat". It said initial findings suggested reported casualty figures were inflated, and it "certainly does not intentionally target humanitarian aid trucks". It did not immediately comment on the incident in the south. The U.N. World Food Programme (WFP) said that shortly after entering Gaza, a WFP convoy of 25 trucks carrying food aid encountered "massive crowds of hungry civilians" who then came under gunfire. "WFP reiterates that any violence involving civilians seeking humanitarian aid is completely unacceptable," it said in a statement. A Hamas official told Reuters that the militant group was angered over the mounting deaths and the hunger crisis in the enclave, and that this could badly affect ceasefire talks underway in Qatar. In total, health authorities said 90 people had been killed by Israeli gunfire and airstrikes across the enclave on Sunday. After Israel's military dropped leaflets urging people to evacuate from neighbourhoods in central Gaza's Deir al-Balah, residents said Israeli planes struck three houses in the area. Dozens of families began leaving their homes, carrying some of their belongings. Hundreds of thousands of displaced Gazans have been sheltering in the Deir al-Balah area. Israel's military said it had not entered the districts subject to the evacuation order during the current conflict and that it was continuing "to operate with great force to destroy the enemy's capabilities and terrorist infrastructure in the area". Israeli sources have said the reason the army has so far stayed out is because they suspect Hamas might be holding hostages there. At least 20 of the remaining 50 hostages in captivity in Gaza are believed to still be alive. Hostage families demanded an explanation from the army. "Can anyone (promise) to us that this decision will not come at the cost of losing our loved ones?" the families said in a statement. Much of Gaza has been reduced to a wasteland during more than 21 months of war and there are fears of accelerating starvation. Palestinian health officials said hundreds of people could soon die as hospitals were inundated with patients suffering from dizziness and exhaustion due to the scarcity of food and a collapse in aid deliveries. "We warn that hundreds of people whose bodies have wasted away are at risk of imminent death due to hunger," said the health ministry, which is controlled by Hamas. The United Nations also said on Sunday that civilians were starving and needed an urgent influx of aid. Pope Leo called for an end to the "barbarity of war" as he spoke of his profound pain over an Israeli strike on the sole Catholic church in Gaza that killed three people on Thursday. Gaza residents said it was becoming impossible to find essential food such as flour. The health ministry said at least 71 children had died of malnutrition during the war, and 60,000 others were suffering from symptoms of malnutrition. Later on Sunday, it said 18 people have died of hunger in the past 24 hours. Food prices have increased well beyond what most of the population of more than two million can afford. Several people who spoke to Reuters via chat apps said they either had one meal or no meal in the past 24 hours. "As a father, I wake up in the early morning to look for food, for even a loaf of bread for my five children, but all in vain," said Ziad, a nurse. "People who didn't die of bombs will die of hunger. We want an end to this war now, a truce, even for two months," he told Reuters. Others said they felt dizzy walking in the streets and that many fainted as they walked. Fathers leave tents to avoid questions by their children about what to eat. UNRWA, the U.N. refugee agency dedicated to Palestinians, demanded Israel allow more aid trucks into Gaza, saying it had enough food for the entire population for over three months which was not allowed in. Israel's military said that it "views the transfer of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip as a matter of utmost importance, and works to enable and facilitate its entry in coordination with the international community". Some Palestinians suggested the move on Deir al-Balah might be an attempt to put pressure on Hamas to make more concessions in long-running ceasefire negotiations. Israel and Hamas are engaged in indirect talks in Doha aimed at reaching a 60-day truce and hostage deal, although there has been no sign of breakthrough. The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages back to Gaza. The Israeli military campaign against Hamas in Gaza has since killed more than 58,000 Palestinians, according to health officials, displaced almost the entire population and plunged the enclave into a humanitarian crisis.
