Latest news with #Israeli-militarized
Daily Tribune
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Tribune
UN chief denounces ‘cruellest phase' of Gaza conflict
United Nations chief António Guterres yesterday said Palestinians in Gaza are enduring "what may be the cruellest phase of this cruel conflict" as Israel ramps up its military offensive. 'For nearly 80 days, Israel blocked the entry of life-saving international aid,' he said in a statement. 'The entire population of Gaza is facing the risk of famine. 'The Israeli military offensive is intensifying with atrocious levels of death and destruction. 'Today, 80% of Gaza has been either designated an Israeli-militarized zone or an area where people have been ordered to leave.' Israel resumed major operations in Gaza on March 18, ending a two-month ceasefire. Aid also began trickling into the Gaza Strip on Monday for the first time in more than two months, amid condemnation of the Israeli blockade that sparked severe shortages of food and medicine. 'Israel has clear obligations under international humanitarian law,' Guterres said. 'As the occupying power, it must agree to allow and facilitate the aid that is needed.'
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Israel turns tables on UN official claiming 'genocide' in Gaza with basic questions
EXCLUSIVE — Israeli U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon condemned a United Nations official over remarks that he said "shattered any notion of neutrality." On Tuesday, U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher accused Israel of committing genocide in his remarks before the U.N. Security Council. "Israel is deliberately and unashamedly imposing inhumane conditions on civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory," Fletcher told the Security Council on Tuesday. He went on to say that most of Gaza "is either within Israeli-militarized zones or under displacement orders." Israeli Foreign Minister Slams Un, Calls It 'Rotten, Anti-israel, And Antisemitic Body' Fletcher, who heads the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), also described how Gazans are struggling due to a lack of supplies, as aid trucks have not been allowed to enter the Gaza Strip for 10 weeks. Hospitals are "overwhelmed," and people are facing famine and starvation, according to Fletcher. "So, for those killed and those whose voices are silenced: what more evidence do you need now? Will you act – decisively – to prevent genocide and to ensure respect for international humanitarian law? Or will you say instead that 'we did all we could?'," Fletcher said. Read On The Fox News App READ THE LETTER – App Users, Click Here: Trump's Doj Says Un Agency Can Be Sued For Oct. 7 Attacks, Reversing Biden-era Position While much of Fletcher's remarks focused on Gaza, he also condemned the "appalling violence" increasing in the West Bank. The next day, May 14, a pregnant Israeli woman was killed in a shooting attack while on her way to the hospital to give birth. Tzeela Gez lost her life, but doctors were able to save her baby, who, according to The Associated Press, is "in serious but stable condition." Un Cash App For Gazans Exploited By Hamas As Terror Group Steals Aid Money Meant For Civilians In his response, Danon said Fletcher's remarks "shocked and disturbed" him, accusing the U.N. official of making an "utterly inappropriate and deeply irresponsible" statement that "shattered any notion of neutrality." "You had the audacity, in your capacity as a senior U.N. official, to stand before the Security Council and invoke the charge of genocide without evidence, mandate, or restraint," Danon wrote in his response. "As a senior representative of the United Nations, you are obligated to refrain from prejudging complex international matters. Yet, this is precisely what you did before the Council. You did not brief the Council; you delivered a political sermon." In response to a Fox News Digital request for comment, OCHA spokesperson Eri Kaneko said that "As Mr. Fletcher made clear in his Security Council remarks, it is for legal bodies to consider whether a genocide is taking place - Mr. Fletcher's point is that the world must take decisive action to prevent genocide and ensure respect for international humanitarian law." When asked whether Fletcher was accusing Israel of deliberately killing and harming civilians, Kaneko said that the official's words speak for themselves, as "not a single civilian in Gaza - teachers, artists, merchants, aid workers, hostages - has been spared." Danon questioned under whose authority Fletcher issued the accusation and said the U.N. official's use of the word "genocide" was a "desecration and subversion of a term with unique force and weight." He went on to say that what made Fletcher's remarks "far worse" was the fact that Israel had "engaged with you and your office in good faith at the highest levels." The Israeli ambassador concluded his letter by turning the questions around on Fletcher, telling the OCHA chief to ask himself whether he had done enough to prevent Oct. 7, accelerate the release of the hostages and hold Hamas accountable. Kaneko told Fox News Digital that "Mr. Fletcher has repeatedly and publicly spoken out against what he calls the horrendous Hamas-led attacks and called for the release of the hostages. Mr. Fletcher was deeply moved by his visit in February to the kibbutz of Nir Oz, where one in four people were killed or taken hostage."Original article source: Israel turns tables on UN official claiming 'genocide' in Gaza with basic questions
Scoop
15-05-2025
- General
- Scoop
Gaza: New Displacement Orders Force Thousands To Flee As Famine Looms
Intensified hostilities continue in the Gaza Strip, bringing further death, displacement and destruction as the weeks-long aid blockade grinds on, the UN humanitarian affairs office (OCHA) said on Thursday. 15 May 2025 In addition to ongoing bombardment, Israel issued another three displacement orders over the past two days, covering seven per cent of the total area of the territory. Overall, some 71 per cent of the Gaza Strip is under displacement orders or in Israeli-militarized zones, where the Israeli authorities require humanitarian teams to coordinate their movements. ' These displacement orders come as populations across Gaza are at risk of famine and one in every five people faces starvation,' the agency said. Thousands uprooted Evacuation orders announced on Thursday have impacted thousands of residents in 10 neighbourhoods in Deir Al-Balah and Khan Younis, OCHA reported. Initial assessment indicates that the affected area includes eight wells, five reservoirs, seven humanitarian warehouses, three health clinics and other critical facilities. Furthermore, displacement orders issued on Wednesday for six neighbourhoods in North Gaza governorate overlap with parts of zones covered under orders issued the previous day. 'According to preliminary estimates, the newly impacted area is home to approximately 100,000 people,' OCHA said. Some 30 sites for internally displaced people, six temporary learning spaces serving approximately 700 students, and several water and sanitation facilities have been affected. Fleeing families return Humanitarian partners report that several hundred families fled parts of the designated areas on Wednesday, however dozens have since returned due to lack of space and shelter. Another displacement order was also issued that same day for parts of the Rimal area of Gaza City. OCHA further reported that on Wednesday Israeli forces hit another school-turned-shelter run by the UN agency that assists Palestine refugees, UNRWA, in the Nuseirat area of Deir Al-Balah on Wednesday. No injuries were reported. Humanitarians committed to deliver Meanwhile, the UN and partners on the ground are committed to stay and deliver in the Gaza Strip despite the mounting challenges. On Wednesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) evacuated 284 patients and their companions from the European Gaza Hospital in Khan Younis to Europe and the United Arab Emirates. Israeli forces hit the hospital premises twice one day prior to the scheduled evacuation. European Gaza Hospital is no longer functional following the attack, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a tweet on Thursday. 'The hospital's closure has cut off vital services including neurosurgery, cardiac care, and cancer treatment—all unavailable elsewhere in Gaza,' he said. He added that another strike near the Indonesian Hospital 'spread fear, disrupted access, and raised the risk of closure.' Tedros underlined that 'hospitals must be protected', saying 'they must never be militarized or targeted.' Time is of the essence More than two months have passed since Israel implemented a full blanket ban on the entry of cargo into the Gaza Strip, including aid and other life-saving supplies, which continues to drive hunger and deprivation. UN teams report that the number of hot meals provided by community kitchens has fallen from one million to just 249,000 a day. OCHA Spokesperson Olga Cherevko told UN News that the situation will continue to worsen as supplies run down, forcing more kitchens to close. ' People are terrified and are telling me every day that they don't know how they will survive,' she said. 'I have passed several kitchens in the past few days where crowds of people were standing with empty pots and despair in their faces, and these people were being told to go home because all the food had run out for that day.' The UN and partners have 9,000 truckloads of vital supplies ready to move into Gaza, including food assistance to feed millions for months. Thousands more trucks full of aid are on standby. OCHA reiterated that as long as the full blockade is not immediately lifted, the already limited assistance available will shrink even further, warning ' time is of essence to prevent further death.'
Scoop
15-05-2025
- Health
- Scoop
Gaza: New Displacement Orders Force Thousands To Flee As Famine Looms
15 May 2025 In addition to ongoing bombardment, Israel issued another three displacement orders over the past two days, covering seven per cent of the total area of the territory. Overall, some 71 per cent of the Gaza Strip is under displacement orders or in Israeli-militarized zones, where the Israeli authorities require humanitarian teams to coordinate their movements. ' These displacement orders come as populations across Gaza are at risk of famine and one in every five people faces starvation,' the agency said. Thousands uprooted Evacuation orders announced on Thursday have impacted thousands of residents in 10 neighbourhoods in Deir Al-Balah and Khan Younis, OCHA reported. Initial assessment indicates that the affected area includes eight wells, five reservoirs, seven humanitarian warehouses, three health clinics and other critical facilities. Furthermore, displacement orders issued on Wednesday for six neighbourhoods in North Gaza governorate overlap with parts of zones covered under orders issued the previous day. 'According to preliminary estimates, the newly impacted area is home to approximately 100,000 people,' OCHA said. Some 30 sites for internally displaced people, six temporary learning spaces serving approximately 700 students, and several water and sanitation facilities have been affected. Fleeing families return Humanitarian partners report that several hundred families fled parts of the designated areas on Wednesday, however dozens have since returned due to lack of space and shelter. Another displacement order was also issued that same day for parts of the Rimal area of Gaza City. OCHA further reported that on Wednesday Israeli forces hit another school-turned-shelter run by the UN agency that assists Palestine refugees, UNRWA, in the Nuseirat area of Deir Al-Balah on Wednesday. No injuries were reported. Humanitarians committed to deliver Meanwhile, the UN and partners on the ground are committed to stay and deliver in the Gaza Strip despite the mounting challenges. On Wednesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) evacuated 284 patients and their companions from the European Gaza Hospital in Khan Younis to Europe and the United Arab Emirates. Israeli forces hit the hospital premises twice one day prior to the scheduled evacuation. European Gaza Hospital is no longer functional following the attack, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a tweet on Thursday. 'The hospital's closure has cut off vital services including neurosurgery, cardiac care, and cancer treatment—all unavailable elsewhere in Gaza,' he said. He added that another strike near the Indonesian Hospital 'spread fear, disrupted access, and raised the risk of closure.' Tedros underlined that 'hospitals must be protected', saying 'they must never be militarized or targeted.' Time is of the essence More than two months have passed since Israel implemented a full blanket ban on the entry of cargo into the Gaza Strip, including aid and other life-saving supplies, which continues to drive hunger and deprivation. UN teams report that the number of hot meals provided by community kitchens has fallen from one million to just 249,000 a day. OCHA Spokesperson Olga Cherevko told UN News that the situation will continue to worsen as supplies run down, forcing more kitchens to close. ' People are terrified and are telling me every day that they don't know how they will survive,' she said. 'I have passed several kitchens in the past few days where crowds of people were standing with empty pots and despair in their faces, and these people were being told to go home because all the food had run out for that day.' The UN and partners have 9,000 truckloads of vital supplies ready to move into Gaza, including food assistance to feed millions for months. Thousands more trucks full of aid are on standby. OCHA reiterated that as long as the full blockade is not immediately lifted, the already limited assistance available will shrink even further, warning ' time is of essence to prevent further death.'
Scoop
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
‘Stop The 21st Century Atrocity' In Gaza, Fletcher Urges UN Security Council
13 May 2025 Mr. Fletcher began his remarks by asking the international community to reflect on what it will tell future generations about action taken 'to stop the 21st century atrocity to which we bear daily witness in Gaza.' He wondered, for example, if 'we will use those empty words: 'We did all we could,'' and urged the Council to act decisively to prevent genocide from happening. Shrinking spaces, overwhelmed hospitals In addition to the aid blockade, civilians in Gaza have again been forcibly displaced and confined into ever-shrinking spaces, he said, as 70 per cent of the territory is either within Israeli-militarized zones or under displacement orders. Furthermore, the few remaining hospitals are overwhelmed, medics cannot stem the trauma and the spread of disease. ' I can tell you from having visited what's left of Gaza's medical system that death on this scale has a sound and a smell that does not leave you,' he said. 'As one hospital worker described it, 'children scream as we peel burnt fabric from their skin.'' We can save lives Mr. Fletcher stressed that the UN and partners are desperate to resume humanitarian aid across Gaza, and the recent ceasefire showed that they can deliver. Meanwhile, lifesaving supplies are waiting to enter the enclave. 'We can save hundreds of thousands of survivors. We have rigorous mechanisms to ensure our aid gets to civilians, and not to Hamas,' he insisted. 'But Israel denies us access, placing the objective of depopulating Gaza before the lives of civilians,' he said. 'It is bad enough that the blockade continues. How do you react when Israeli Ministers boast about it? Or when attacks on humanitarian workers and violations of the UN's privileges and immunities continue, along with restrictions on international and non-governmental organizations.' Reject 'cynical' US-Israeli aid alternative Mr. Fletcher recalled that Israel has clear obligations under international humanitarian law, and as the occupying power must agree to aid and facilitate it. 'For anyone still pretending to be in any doubt, the Israeli-designed distribution modality is not the answer,' he stated, noting that among other things, the plan 'makes starvation a bargaining chip.' ' It is cynical sideshow. A deliberate distraction. A fig leaf for further violence and displacement,' he told ambassadors. 'If any of that still matters, have no part in it.' He also addressed the increasing violence in the West Bank, where the situation is the worst in decades, with entire communities destroyed and refugee camps depopulated. Insist on accountability Mr. Fletcher noted that international humanitarian workers have been the only international civilian presence in Gaza over the past 19 months, and they have briefed the Council on what they witness daily. ' We have described the deliberate obstruction of aid operations and the systematic dismantling of Palestinian life, and that which sustains it, in Gaza,' he said. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is now considering whether a genocide is taking place there and 'will weigh the testimony we have shared. But it will be too late,' he warned. He said the ICJ has recognized the urgency and indicated clear provisional measures that should have been acted on – but Israel has failed to do so. Moreover, previous reviews of the UN's conduct in cases of large-scale violations of international human rights and humanitarian law have pointed to the collective failure to speak to the scale of violations while they were being committed. 'For those killed and those whose voices are silenced: what more evidence do you need now?' he asked. ' Will you act – decisively - to prevent genocide and to ensure respect for international humanitarian law? Or will you say instead, 'we did all we could?' '. He told the Council that the degradation of international law is corrosive and infectious, and it is undermining decades of progress on civilian protection. ' Humanity, the law, and reason must prevail,' he said. 'This Council must prevail. Demand this ends. Stop arming it. Insist on accountability.' Fear future judgement Mr. Fletcher called for Israel to stop killing and injuring civilians, and to lift the brutal blockade so that humanitarians can save lives. He urged Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups to release all hostages immediately and unconditionally, and to stop putting civilians at risk during military operations. 'And for those who will not survive what we fear is coming - in plain sight - it will be no consolation to know that future generations will hold us in this chamber to account. But they will,' he said. 'And, if we have not seriously done 'all we could', we should fear that judgement.'
