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Scoop
6 days ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Gaza: Israel Threatens To Ban Major Aid Organizations As Starvation Deepens
Over 100 organisations call for an end to Israel's weaponization of aid Despite claims by Israeli authorities that there is no limit on humanitarian aid entering Gaza, most major international NGOs have been unable to deliver a single truck of lifesaving supplies since 2 March. Instead of clearing the growing backlog of goods, Israeli authorities have rejected requests from dozens of NGOs to bring in lifesaving goods, citing that these organizations are "not authorized to deliver aid." In July alone, over 60 requests were denied under this justification. This obstruction has left millions of dollars' worth of food, medicine, water, and shelter items stranded in warehouses across Jordan and Egypt, while Palestinians are being starved. "Anera has over $7 million worth of lifesaving supplies ready to enter Gaza - including744 tons of rice, enough for six million meals, blocked in Ashdod just kilometres away," said Sean Carroll, President and CEO of Anera. Many of the NGOs now told they are not "authorized" to deliver aid have worked in Gaza for decades, are trusted by communities and experienced in delivering aid safely. Their exclusion has left hospitals without basic supplies, children, people with disabilities, and older people dying from hunger and preventable illnesses, and aid workers themselves going to work hungry. The obstruction is tied to new INGO registration rules introduced in March. Under these new rules, registration can be denied on the basis of vague and politicized criteria, such as alleged "delegitimization" of the state of Israel. INGOs warned the process was designed to control independent organizations, silence advocacy, and censor humanitarian reporting. This new bureaucratic obstruction is inconsistent with established international law as it entrenches Israel's control and annexation of the occupied Palestinian territory. Unless INGOs submit to the full registration requirements, including the mandatory submission of details of private donors, complete Palestinian staff lists and other sensitive information about personnel for so-called "security" vetting to Israeli authorities, many could be forced to halt operations in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and remove all international staff within 60 days. Some organizations have even been issued a seven-day ultimatum to provide Palestinian staff lists. NGOs have made clear that sharing such data is unlawful (including under relevant data protection laws), unsafe, and incompatible with humanitarian principles. In the deadliest context for aid workers worldwide, where 98 percent of those humanitarians killed were Palestinian, NGOs have no guarantees that handing over such information would not put staff at further risk, or be used to advance the government of Israel's stated military and political aims. Today, INGOs' fears have proven true: the registration system is now being used to further block aid and deny food and medicine in the midst of the worst-case scenario of famine. "Since the full siege was imposed on 2 March, CARE has not been able to deliver any of our $1.5 million worth of pre-positioned supplies into Gaza," said Jolien Veldwijk, Country Director of CARE. "This includes critical shipments of food parcels, medical supplies, hygiene kits, dignity kits, and maternal and infant care items. Our mandate is to save lives, but due to the registration restrictions civilians are being left without the food, medicine, and protection they urgently need." "Oxfam has over $2.5 million worth of goods that have been rejected from entering Gaza by Israel, especially WASH and hygiene items as well as food," said Bushra Khalidi, Oxfam Policy Lead. "This registration process signals to INGOs that their ability to operate may come at the cost of their independence and ability to speak out." These restrictions are part of a broader strategy that includes the so-called "GHF" scheme - a militarized distribution mechanism promoted as a humanitarian solution. In reality, it is a deadly tool of control, with at least 859 Palestinians killed around "GHF" sites since it began operating. "The militarized food distribution scheme has weaponized starvation and curated suffering. Distributions at GHF sites have resulted in extreme levels of violence and killings, primarily of young Palestinian men, but also of women and children, who have gone to the sites in the hope of receiving food," according to Aitor Zabalgogeazkoa, MSF emergency coordinator in Gaza. Both the "GHF" scheme and the INGO registration process aim to block impartial aid, exclude Palestinian actors, and replace trusted humanitarian organizations with mechanisms that serve political and military objectives. They come as the government of Israel escalates its military offensive and deepens its occupation in Gaza, making clear these measures are part of a broader strategy to entrench control and erase Palestinian presence. "At this point, everyone knows what the correct, humane answer is, and it's not a floating pier, airdrops or the "GHF." The answer, to save lives, save humanity and save yourselves from complicity in engineered mass starvation, is to open all the borders, at all hours, to the thousands of trucks, millions of meals and medical supplies, ready and waiting nearby," said Sean Carroll of Anera. We call on all states and donors to: Press Israel to end the weaponization of aid, including through bureaucratic obstruction, such as the INGO registration procedures. Insist that INGOs are not forced to share sensitive personal information, in violation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), or compromise staff safety or independence as a condition for delivering aid. Demand the immediate and unconditional opening of all land crossings and conditions for the delivery of lifesaving humanitarian aid.
Al-Ahram Weekly
27-05-2025
- General
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Israeli gunfire, tanks heard as Palestinians rush toward US-backed aid site in Gaza - War on Gaza
Israeli gunfire and tanks were heard on Tuesday as hundreds of Palestinians rushed toward the shadowy US-backed group, supposed to distribute aid to famine-stricken residents in the Gaza Strip. According to AP, guns were fired as thousands of Gazans broke down the barricades guarding the aid distribution point operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) in the Tel al-Sultan neighbourhood in Rafah. Smoke billowed from tank fire impacts near the distribution site, AP added. In a statement reported by AFP, the GHF said the 'volume of people at the SDS (distribution centre) was such that the GHF team fell back to allow a small number of Gazans to take aid safely and dissipate.' Al Jazeera noted that the GHF's employees withdrew from the distribution site after thousands of Rafah residents flooded the area, a scene that reflects the extent of popular anger over the mismanagement of the distribution process. A video released by the network showed residents running towards the distribution site, scrambling for what little food they can, while the threat of famine remains very real for the 2.1 million people in Gaza. Earlier on Tuesday, the Israeli army said two aid distribution sites run by the GHF, 'located in Tel al-Sultan and the Morag Corridor in the Rafah area, began operating.' Who are the GHF? The GHF is a US-backed attempt to bypass UN aid distribution systems in the Strip, excluding cooperation with any Palestinian institutions and relying on coordination with Israeli security forces. Although the GHF said it began aid deliveries on Monday, the UN said Tuesday it could not verify whether the deliveries had taken place. Operating as an International nongovernmental organization (INGO) registered in Geneva just this past February, the GHF still lacks official headquarters, offices, or even representatives in Switzerland. Critics of the INGO centre on its plan to distribute aid only at secure distribution sites, a tactic that may force many already displaced Gazans to evacuate once more. These distribution sites may also draw Gazans to zones already designated to host the strip's population amidst the recently announced plan for the 'conquest of Gaza.' The GHF was 'conceived and largely developed by Israelis as a way to undermine Hamas,' according to the New York Times. Only the US is currently supporting the GHF. The Deputy Spokesperson of the UN Secretary General said the INGO's plan 'does not accord with our basic principles, including those of impartiality, neutrality, and independence.' Famine in Gaza The Gaza Strip is currently facing the worst threat of famine since the start of the war in October 2023, caused by an Israeli blockade imposed on 2 March. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification initiative says almost half a million people are at risk of starvation. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) says that 500-600 trucks are needed daily to quell the threat of famine in the Strip. Last week, UN Secretary-General António Guterres described the trickle of aid entering Gaza as 'a teaspoon of relief,' reiterating calls for a full ceasefire and unimpeded humanitarian access. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Campaign ME
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Campaign ME
Coca-Cola's new global campaign bridges language gaps
Coca-Cola has launched a new global campaign titled 'We All Understand Coca-Cola', with a rollout that includes the UAE alongside markets such as Mexico, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Pakistan. The campaign uses its most recognisable brand asset – the contour bottle – to spotlight real-life stories of connection that transcend language. At the heart of the creative is a visual device that brings two languages together: one written left to right, the other right to left. The words meet in the middle to form the silhouette of Coca-Cola's signature bottle, reinforcing the idea that sharing a Coke is a universal gesture – no matter the language or background. In the UAE, where multilingualism is the norm and cultural intersections are part of everyday life, the message resonates particularly strongly. The campaign's use of languages including Urdu and Sindhi (written right to left), paired with European languages like Spanish, French and German, reflects the global nature of Coca-Cola's audience – and the multicultural makeup of the city. 'Coca-Cola is a timeless brand, and bringing people together encompasses everything we do,' said Santiago Cony, Coca-Cola's Creative Strategy Sr. Director. 'This work is a testament to the fact that we may not speak the same language, but we all understand Coca-Cola.' Created by WPP Open X and led by INGO, Grey and Ogilvy, the campaign features stories pulled from real life: two athletes sharing a moment after an international swim meet; a foreign exchange student in a parking mishap turned friendly exchange; a group of gamers overcoming language barriers to play together. In addition to OOH, print and digital executions, the campaign extends to where users can read stories in English or submit their own Coke-fuelled moments of connection.
