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Miami Herald
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Netanyahu says Israel to take over all Gaza, start aid flows
Israel will take over the entire Gaza Strip, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday, as the military announced it would carry out an "unprecedented attack" on Hamas. Netanyahu said that, alongside the increased attacks, Israel would start allowing aid into Gaza again after stopping it in early March in a bid to make Hamas release hostages and surrender. International pressure has mounted on Israel to restart aid. The United Nations says malnutrition is worsening and last week France's President Emmanuel Macron accused Netanyahu of "shameful" behavior in blocking aid. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, head of the Religious Zionism party, who had in the past opposed restarting the aid, said on Monday there was no choice, "otherwise, the world will force us to stop the war." He also said that the military is now operating with much greater intensity. "This time, the operational method is completely different: not raids, but rather occupation, cleansing and holding the territory until Hamas is destroyed," Smotrich said. "Along the way, we are destroying everything that is left of the Gaza Strip, because everything there is one big city of terror." According to the Integrated Food Security Classification, whose assessments are used for planning by the UN and international aid organizations, around 1.6 million of Gaza's 2 million people are now facing an emergency regarding the availability of food. Israel denies there are significant shortages of food. But Netanyahu said he needed to allow in aid to stop the onset of hunger, adding that U.S. senators who support Israel had urged him to do so. Netanyahu's decision to resume aid flows isn't universally popular in Israel, especially among far-right members of his coalition. They believe aid should stay blocked to prevent Hamas using supplies of food and medicine to fund and bolster its war effort. Netanyahu said the Israel Defense Forces recommended he make the move. Israel had originally said it would restart aid once it could establish secured distribution areas that would prevent Hamas from stealing the supplies. However, this mechanism will only begin around May 25, until when an interim arrangement would be put in place, Caroline Glick, international affairs adviser to the prime minister, said in a telephone interview. "We have a stopgap measure for a week because while there is no starvation or critical shortage, it is getting close and we don't want to reach a red line," Glick said. "We are going to make sure no one goes hungry in Gaza. There will be mobile kitchens." The Israeli foreign ministry said at a Jerusalem press conference that the first items headed in are baby food, medical supplies and flour for the bakeries run by international organizations. The IDF is asking Palestinians in Khan Younis, one of Gaza's biggest cities, and two other nearby areas to leave immediately, ahead of an attack. On Sunday, the IDF said it was poised to order tanks and troops into unconquered parts of the Gaza Strip in an all-out bid to destroy Hamas, which still holds 58 hostages. The operation involves tens of thousands of soldiers. International anger The decision to step up operations has angered many Arab states and European countries. They fear it will increase the death toll in Gaza significantly and prolong the war, now almost 20 months old. Hamas, designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. and European Union, triggered the conflict when it attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, from Gaza. It killed 1,200 people and took 250 hostage. Israel's offensive has killed more than 53,000 people in Gaza, according to the Palestinian territory's Hamas-run health ministry. Israel and Hamas continue to negotiate via mediators such as the U.S., Qatar and Egypt. Israel has signaled it might accept a proposal from Steve Witkoff, U.S. President Donald Trump's main Middle East envoy, that would free about 10 hostages in return for a truce of roughly six weeks to two months. --------- -With assistance from Dan Williams. Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Netanyahu Says Israel to Take Over All Gaza, Start Aid Flows
(Bloomberg) -- Israel will take over the entire Gaza Strip, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday, as the military announced it would carry out an 'unprecedented attack' on Hamas. How a Highway Became San Francisco's Newest Park America, 'Nation of Porches' Maryland's Credit Rating Gets Downgraded as Governor Blames Trump NJ Transit Train Engineers Strike, Disrupting Travel to NYC NYC Commuters Brace for Chaos as NJ Transit Strike Looms Netanyahu said that, alongside the increased attacks, Israel would start allowing aid into Gaza again after stopping it in early March in a bid to make Hamas release hostages and surrender. International pressure has mounted on Israel to restart aid. The United Nations says malnutrition is worsening and last week France's President Emmanuel Macron accused Netanyahu of 'shameful' behavior in blocking aid. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, head of the Religious Zionism party, who had in the past opposed restarting the aid, said on Monday there was no choice, 'otherwise, the world will force us to stop the war.' He also said that the military is now operating with much greater intensity. 'This time, the operational method is completely different: not raids, but rather occupation, cleansing and holding the territory until Hamas is destroyed,' Smotrich said. 'Along the way, we are destroying everything that is left of the Gaza Strip, because everything there is one big city of terror.' According to the Integrated Food Security Classification, whose assessments are used for planning by the UN and international aid organizations, around 1.6 million of Gaza's 2 million people are now facing an emergency regarding the availability of food. Israel denies there are significant shortages of food. But Netanyahu said he needed to allow in aid to stop the onset of hunger, adding that US senators who support Israel had urged him to do so. Netanyahu's decision to resume aid flows isn't universally popular in Israel, especially among far-right members of his coalition. They believe aid should stay blocked to prevent Hamas using supplies of food and medicine to fund and bolster its war effort. Netanyahu said the Israel Defense Forces recommended he make the move. Israel had originally said it would restart aid once it could establish secured distribution areas that would prevent Hamas from stealing the aid. However, this aid mechanism will only begin around May 25, and until then, an interim arrangement would be put in place immediately, Caroline Glick, international affairs adviser to the prime minister, said in a telephone interview. 'We have a stopgap measure for a week because while there is no starvation or critical shortage, it is getting close and we don't want to reach a red line,' Glick said. 'We are going to make sure no one goes hungry in Gaza. There will be mobile kitchens.' The IDF is asking Palestinians in Khan Younis, one of Gaza's biggest cities, and two other nearby areas to leave immediately, ahead of an attack. On Sunday, the IDF said it was poised to order tanks and troops into unconquered parts of the Gaza Strip in an all-out bid to destroy Hamas, which still holds 58 hostages. The operation involves tens of thousands of soldiers. International Anger The decision to step up operations has also angered many Arab states and European countries. They fear it will increase the death toll in Gaza significantly and prolong the war, now almost 20 months old. Hamas, designated a terrorist organization by the US and European Union, triggered the conflict when it attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, from Gaza. It killed 1,200 people and took 250 hostage. Israel's offensive has killed more than 53,000 people in Gaza, according to the Palestinian territory's Hamas-run health ministry. Israel and Hamas continue to negotiate via mediators such as the US, Qatar and Egypt. Israel has signaled it might accept a proposal from Steve Witkoff, US President Donald Trump's main Middle East envoy, that would free about 10 hostages in return for a truce of roughly six weeks to two months. (Updates with comments by minister, adviser from 4th paragraph) Why Apple Still Hasn't Cracked AI Microsoft's CEO on How AI Will Remake Every Company, Including His Cartoon Network's Last Gasp DeepSeek's 'Tech Madman' Founder Is Threatening US Dominance in AI Race As Nuclear Power Makes a Comeback, South Korea Emerges a Winner ©2025 Bloomberg L.P. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Netanyahu Says Israel to Take Over All Gaza, Start Aid Flows
(Bloomberg) -- Israel will take over the entire Gaza Strip, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday, as the military announced it would carry out an 'unprecedented attack' on Hamas. How a Highway Became San Francisco's Newest Park America, 'Nation of Porches' Maryland's Credit Rating Gets Downgraded as Governor Blames Trump NJ Transit Train Engineers Strike, Disrupting Travel to NYC NYC Commuters Brace for Chaos as NJ Transit Strike Looms Netanyahu said that, alongside the increased attacks, Israel would start allowing aid into Gaza again after stopping it in early March in a bid to make Hamas release hostages and surrender. International pressure has mounted on Israel to restart aid. The United Nations says malnutrition is worsening and last week France's President Emmanuel Macron accused Netanyahu of 'shameful' behavior in blocking aid. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, head of the Religious Zionism party, who had in the past opposed restarting the aid, said on Monday there was no choice, 'otherwise, the world will force us to stop the war.' He also said that the military is now operating with much greater intensity. 'This time, the operational method is completely different: not raids, but rather occupation, cleansing and holding the territory until Hamas is destroyed,' Smotrich said. 'Along the way, we are destroying everything that is left of the Gaza Strip, because everything there is one big city of terror.' According to the Integrated Food Security Classification, whose assessments are used for planning by the UN and international aid organizations, around 1.6 million of Gaza's 2 million people are now facing an emergency regarding the availability of food. Israel denies there are significant shortages of food. But Netanyahu said he needed to allow in aid to stop the onset of hunger, adding that US senators who support Israel had urged him to do so. Netanyahu's decision to resume aid flows isn't universally popular in Israel, especially among far-right members of his coalition. They believe aid should stay blocked to prevent Hamas using supplies of food and medicine to fund and bolster its war effort. Netanyahu said the Israel Defense Forces recommended he make the move. Israel had originally said it would restart aid once it could establish secured distribution areas that would prevent Hamas from stealing the aid. However, this aid mechanism will only begin around May 25, and until then, an interim arrangement would be put in place immediately, Caroline Glick, international affairs adviser to the prime minister, said in a telephone interview. 'We have a stopgap measure for a week because while there is no starvation or critical shortage, it is getting close and we don't want to reach a red line,' Glick said. 'We are going to make sure no one goes hungry in Gaza. There will be mobile kitchens.' The IDF is asking Palestinians in Khan Younis, one of Gaza's biggest cities, and two other nearby areas to leave immediately, ahead of an attack. On Sunday, the IDF said it was poised to order tanks and troops into unconquered parts of the Gaza Strip in an all-out bid to destroy Hamas, which still holds 58 hostages. The operation involves tens of thousands of soldiers. International Anger The decision to step up operations has also angered many Arab states and European countries. They fear it will increase the death toll in Gaza significantly and prolong the war, now almost 20 months old. Hamas, designated a terrorist organization by the US and European Union, triggered the conflict when it attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, from Gaza. It killed 1,200 people and took 250 hostage. Israel's offensive has killed more than 53,000 people in Gaza, according to the Palestinian territory's Hamas-run health ministry. Israel and Hamas continue to negotiate via mediators such as the US, Qatar and Egypt. Israel has signaled it might accept a proposal from Steve Witkoff, US President Donald Trump's main Middle East envoy, that would free about 10 hostages in return for a truce of roughly six weeks to two months. (Updates with comments by minister, adviser from 4th paragraph) Why Apple Still Hasn't Cracked AI Microsoft's CEO on How AI Will Remake Every Company, Including His Cartoon Network's Last Gasp DeepSeek's 'Tech Madman' Founder Is Threatening US Dominance in AI Race As Nuclear Power Makes a Comeback, South Korea Emerges a Winner ©2025 Bloomberg L.P. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
The National
14-02-2025
- Politics
- The National
UAE pledges another $200 million in humanitarian funding for Sudan
The UAE on Friday pledged another $200 million in humanitarian funding for Sudan, with Minister of State Sheikh Shakhbout bin Nahyan saying the crisis in the country demands "our immediate and collective action". The UAE, Ethiopia, the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development are hosting a high-level humanitarian conference in Addis Ababa to mobilise urgent support for the Sudanese people, as war rages between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. Representatives of countries including France, Canada and the US have joined the UAE, the UN and African partners in calling for a Ramadan ceasefire – a call previously rejected by the Sudanese army. About 190 people are set to attend the conference, including representatives from at least 50 countries and international organisations. "The situation in Sudan must be addressed and we must all address it together," Sheikh Shakhbout said during a media conference in Addis Ababa. Sudan's civil war, which started in April 2023, has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced millions and devastated the country. Famine has been detected in at least five areas of Sudan, including three camps for displaced people in Darfur, the Integrated Food Security Classification has said. The Sudanese army and the RSF have been accused of obstructing the delivery of aid during the conflict. Humanitarian groups say they have struggled to reach the most vulnerable people, especially in the western region of Darfur. 'Since April 2023, the UAE has provided over $400 million to support the Sudanese people in Sudan and neighbouring countries who have so generously welcomed Sudanese refugees," Sheikh Shakhbout said. "Today, we reaffirm our commitment to the people of Sudan by announcing an additional $200 million in humanitarian funding. This support reflects our unwavering solidarity since, in the last decade alone, we have stood by our brothers and sisters in Sudan with $3.5 billion. 'We reiterate our call on all parties to the conflict to immediately guarantee safe and unhindered humanitarian access throughout Sudan, to protect aid workers and humanitarian facilities, and to cease attacks on humanitarian operations. The urgency of this moment cannot be overstated. The UAE stands firm in its support of the Sudanese people.' Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said his country would continue to stand with Sudan in its time of need. It will offer refuge to Sudanese fleeing the conflict, he added.
The National
13-02-2025
- Politics
- The National
UAE and African partners to host high-level humanitarian conference for Sudan
The dire humanitarian situation in Sudan is not drawing enough attention from the world, a senior UAE official told The National on Thursday. 'While conflicts are taking place in the Middle East and Europe – and these are important – there is a humanitarian crisis of unprecedented proportion in Sudan that is overlooked,' said Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Co-operation. The UAE, Ethiopia, the African Union (AU) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) are set to jointly host a high-level humanitarian conference in Addis Ababa on Friday, aiming to mobilise urgent support for the Sudanese people as the conflict in the country nears its two-year mark. The conference, held on the sidelines of the AU Summit, seeks to raise international attention to the humanitarian crisis in Sudan and ensure aid reaches those in need despite increasing restrictions to access, Ms Al Hashimy said. Sudan's civil war, which started in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced millions and devastated the country. Famine has been detected in at least five areas, including three camps for displaced people in Darfur, the Integrated Food Security Classification has said. Both the Sudanese government and the RSF have been implicated in obstructing the delivery of humanitarian aid during the conflict. Aid groups say they struggle to reach the most vulnerable as warring parties limit access, especially in Darfur. The UAE is expected to announce a $200 million aid package in Friday's summit, senior officials told The National, bringing its total humanitarian assistance for Sudan since the outbreak of war to $600 million. The funds will be channelled through UN agencies and other humanitarian organisations. 'The global community should focus on Sudan and take concrete steps to alleviate the suffering of its people,' Sheikh Shakhbout bin Nahyan, Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told The National. 'Relief assistance should not be politicised. It is essential to underscore that no entity should have the right to arbitrarily challenge lifesaving assistance.' Ms Al Hashimy noted that 'the initiative comes ahead of the Holy Month of Ramadan", a time when humanitarian efforts traditionally intensify. The UAE also called for a ceasefire during holy month, a call rejected by the Sudanese army. The Emirates has been a key responder to global humanitarian crises, having provided more than $3.4 billion in aid over the past decade. This conference marks the first major international effort this year dedicated to the humanitarian situation in Sudan, with organisers hoping to push the international community to step up support.
