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Irish Examiner
5 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Israeli cabinet may order complete Gaza takeover, despite international pressure for ceasefire
Israel's cabinet could authorise on Tuesday a complete military takeover of Gaza for the first time in two decades, media reported, despite international pressure for a ceasefire to ease appalling conditions in the besieged Palestinian territory. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is leaning towards an expanded offensive and taking control of the entire enclave after 22 months of war against militant group Hamas, Israeli Channel 12 reported. A senior Israeli source told Reuters on Monday that more force was an option following the collapse of indirect ceasefire talks with Hamas. Seizing the entire territory would reverse a 2005 decision by Israel to pull settlers and military out of Gaza while retaining control over its borders - a move right-wing parties blame for Hamas gaining power there. It was unclear, however, whether a potential full takeover of Gaza would entail a prolonged occupation or a short-term operation aimed at dismantling Hamas and freeing hostages. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. File Picture: AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta Israel's coalition government is regarded as one of the most right-wing in its history, with the cabinet including parties that seek to annex both Gaza and the West Bank and encourage Palestinians to leave their homeland. The country's military has throughout the war pushed back against the idea of Israel trying to fully occupy Gaza and establish military rule there, which would require it to take over long-term governance. The military has also struggled with manpower issues as the war has dragged on, with reservists being repeatedly called up and putting a strain on capabilities. The conflict was triggered by a Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, when gunmen stormed the border from Gaza, killing more than 1,200 people and seizing around 250 hostages according to Israeli tallies. Palestinians ride on a truck loaded with food and humanitarian aid as it moves along the Morag corridor near Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, Picture: AP/Mariam Dagga) Israel's military campaign has devastated the tiny, crowded enclave, killing more than 60,000 people according to Palestinian health authorities. It has forced nearly all of Gaza's over 2 million people from their homes and caused what a global hunger monitor called last week an unfolding famine. That has caused widespread international anger and prompted several European countries to say they would recognise a Palestinian state next month if there was no ceasefire. Inside Gaza on Tuesday, Israeli gunfire and strikes killed at least 13 Palestinians, local health authorities said, including five people in a tent in Khan Younis and three aid seekers near Rafah in the south. Tank push Israeli tanks pushed into central Gaza earlier on Tuesday but it was not clear if the move was part of a larger ground offensive. Palestinians living in the last fifth of the territory where Israel has not yet taken military control via ground incursions or orders for civilians to leave said any new move to occupy the area would be catastrophic. "If the tanks pushed through, where would we go, into the sea? This will be like a death sentence to the entire population," said Abu Jehad, a Gaza wood merchant, who asked not to be named in full. A Palestinian official close to the talks and mediation said Israeli threats could be a way to pressure Hamas to make concessions at the negotiation table. "It will only complicate the negotiation further, at the end, the resistance factions will not accept less than an end to the war, and a full withdrawal from Gaza," he told Reuters, asking not to be named. A Palestinian carries a bag containing aid near a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation distribution center operated by the US-backed organization, in Netzarim, central Gaza Strip. Picture: AP/Abdel Kareem Hana Israel said it would allow merchants to import goods. A source in Gaza told Reuters some trucks had already entered carrying chocolates and biscuits for a merchant. It is hoped that essential items such as children's milk, fresh meat and fruits, sugar, and rice could be allowed in, which would alleviate scarcity and drive down prices of what is available in the markets. US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said last week he was working with the Israeli government on a plan that would effectively end the war in Gaza. But Israeli officials have also floated ideas including expanding the offensive and annexing parts of Gaza. The failed ceasefire talks in Doha had aimed to clinch agreements on a U.S.-backed proposal for a 60-day truce, during which aid would be flown into Gaza and half of the hostages Hamas is holding would be freed in exchange for Palestinian prisoners jailed in Israel. The Israeli military was expected on Tuesday to present alternatives that include extending into areas of Gaza where it has not yet operated, according to two defence officials. - Reuters
Irish Examiner
20-07-2025
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
More than 70 killed trying to reach aid in Gaza, health ministry says
At least 73 people have been killed while attempting to access aid at locations across Gaza, the health ministry in the Palestinian territory has said. It said 67 Palestinians were killed while trying to reach aid entering northern Gaza through the Zikim crossing with Israel. More than 150 people were injured, with some of them in a critical condition, hospitals said. It was not immediately clear whether they were killed by the Israeli army or armed gangs, or both. But some witnesses said the Israeli military shot at the crowd. The killings in northern Gaza did not take place near aid distribution points associated with the Gaza Humanitarian Fund, or GHF, a US and Israel-backed group that hands out food packages to Palestinians. Witnesses and health workers say hundreds of people have been killed by Israeli fire while trying to access the group's distribution sites. The Israeli military did not immediately make any comment on Sunday's killings. It came as the military published new evacuation warnings for parts of central Gaza, in one of the few areas the military has rarely operated with ground troops. The evacuation cuts access between the city of Deir al-Balah and the southern cities of Rafah and Khan Younis in the narrow enclave. The announcement comes as Israel and Hamas have been holding ceasefire talks in Qatar, but international mediators say there have been no breakthroughs. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly stressed expanding military operations in Gaza will pressure Hamas to negotiate (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly stressed that expanding military operations in Gaza will pressure Hamas to negotiate, though negotiations have been stalled for months. Earlier this month, the Israeli military said it controlled more than 65% of the Gaza Strip. The area of Gaza under the evacuation order is where many international organisations attempting to distribute aid are located. The United Nations has been in contact with Israeli authorities to clarify whether its facilities in south-western Deir al-Balah are included in the evacuation order, an official said. They said that in previous instances, UN facilities were spared from evacuation orders. The evacuation announcement covers an area stretching from a previously evacuated area all the way to the coast and will severely hamper movement for aid groups and civilians in Gaza, they added. On Sunday morning, ambulances in front of three major hospitals in Gaza sounded their alarms simultaneously in an urgent appeal to shed light on the hunger crisis in the territory. The health ministry posted pictures on social media of doctors holding paper signs about malnourished children and the lack of medication. Zaher al-Wahidi, one of the spokesmen at the health ministry, said at least nine children under five have died of malnutrition as of Sunday since Israel imposed the aid entry blockade in March. He explained that tracking the number of people dying of starvation is hard because some could be suffering from other medical conditions that could be worsened when compounded with severe hunger. In northern Gaza, Shifa Hospital director Abu Selmiyah said the facility recorded 79 people who died of malnutrition in the past month. On the new evacuation order, Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee warned the military will attack 'with intensity' against militants. He called for residents, including those sheltering in tents, to head to the Muwasi area, a desolate tent camp on Gaza's southern shore that the Israeli military has designated a humanitarian zone. Gaza's population of more than two million Palestinians are in a catastrophic humanitarian crisis. Hamas triggered the 21-month war when militants stormed into southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 others hostage. Fifty hostages remain, but fewer than half are thought to be alive.
The Herald Scotland
20-07-2025
- Health
- The Herald Scotland
More than 70 killed trying to reach aid in Gaza, health ministry says
It was not immediately clear whether they were killed by the Israeli army or armed gangs, or both. But some witnesses said the Israeli military shot at the crowd. The killings in northern Gaza did not take place near aid distribution points associated with the Gaza Humanitarian Fund, or GHF, a US and Israel-backed group that hands out food packages to Palestinians. Witnesses and health workers say hundreds of people have been killed by Israeli fire while trying to access the group's distribution sites. The Israeli military did not immediately make any comment on Sunday's killings. It came as the military published new evacuation warnings for parts of central Gaza, in one of the few areas the military has rarely operated with ground troops. The evacuation cuts access between the city of Deir al-Balah and the southern cities of Rafah and Khan Younis in the narrow enclave. The announcement comes as Israel and Hamas have been holding ceasefire talks in Qatar, but international mediators say there have been no breakthroughs. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly stressed expanding military operations in Gaza will pressure Hamas to negotiate (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly stressed that expanding military operations in Gaza will pressure Hamas to negotiate, though negotiations have been stalled for months. Earlier this month, the Israeli military said it controlled more than 65% of the Gaza Strip. The area of Gaza under the evacuation order is where many international organisations attempting to distribute aid are located. The United Nations has been in contact with Israeli authorities to clarify whether its facilities in south-western Deir al-Balah are included in the evacuation order, an official said. They said that in previous instances, UN facilities were spared from evacuation orders. The evacuation announcement covers an area stretching from a previously evacuated area all the way to the coast and will severely hamper movement for aid groups and civilians in Gaza, they added. On Sunday morning, ambulances in front of three major hospitals in Gaza sounded their alarms simultaneously in an urgent appeal to shed light on the hunger crisis in the territory. The health ministry posted pictures on social media of doctors holding paper signs about malnourished children and the lack of medication. Zaher al-Wahidi, one of the spokesmen at the health ministry, said at least nine children under five have died of malnutrition as of Sunday since Israel imposed the aid entry blockade in March. He explained that tracking the number of people dying of starvation is hard because some could be suffering from other medical conditions that could be worsened when compounded with severe hunger. In northern Gaza, Shifa Hospital director Abu Selmiyah said the facility recorded 79 people who died of malnutrition in the past month. On the new evacuation order, Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee warned the military will attack 'with intensity' against militants. He called for residents, including those sheltering in tents, to head to the Muwasi area, a desolate tent camp on Gaza's southern shore that the Israeli military has designated a humanitarian zone. Gaza's population of more than two million Palestinians are in a catastrophic humanitarian crisis. Hamas triggered the 21-month war when militants stormed into southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 others hostage. Fifty hostages remain, but fewer than half are thought to be alive.
Glasgow Times
20-07-2025
- Politics
- Glasgow Times
More than 70 killed trying to reach aid in Gaza, health ministry says
It said 67 Palestinians were killed while trying to reach aid entering northern Gaza through the Zikim crossing with Israel. More than 150 people were injured, with some of them in a critical condition, hospitals said. It was not immediately clear whether they were killed by the Israeli army or armed gangs, or both. But some witnesses said the Israeli military shot at the crowd. The killings in northern Gaza did not take place near aid distribution points associated with the Gaza Humanitarian Fund, or GHF, a US and Israel-backed group that hands out food packages to Palestinians. Witnesses and health workers say hundreds of people have been killed by Israeli fire while trying to access the group's distribution sites. The Israeli military did not immediately make any comment on Sunday's killings. It came as the military published new evacuation warnings for parts of central Gaza, in one of the few areas the military has rarely operated with ground troops. The evacuation cuts access between the city of Deir al-Balah and the southern cities of Rafah and Khan Younis in the narrow enclave. The announcement comes as Israel and Hamas have been holding ceasefire talks in Qatar, but international mediators say there have been no breakthroughs. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly stressed expanding military operations in Gaza will pressure Hamas to negotiate (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly stressed that expanding military operations in Gaza will pressure Hamas to negotiate, though negotiations have been stalled for months. Earlier this month, the Israeli military said it controlled more than 65% of the Gaza Strip. The area of Gaza under the evacuation order is where many international organisations attempting to distribute aid are located. The United Nations has been in contact with Israeli authorities to clarify whether its facilities in south-western Deir al-Balah are included in the evacuation order, an official said. They said that in previous instances, UN facilities were spared from evacuation orders. The evacuation announcement covers an area stretching from a previously evacuated area all the way to the coast and will severely hamper movement for aid groups and civilians in Gaza, they added. On Sunday morning, ambulances in front of three major hospitals in Gaza sounded their alarms simultaneously in an urgent appeal to shed light on the hunger crisis in the territory. The health ministry posted pictures on social media of doctors holding paper signs about malnourished children and the lack of medication. Zaher al-Wahidi, one of the spokesmen at the health ministry, said at least nine children under five have died of malnutrition as of Sunday since Israel imposed the aid entry blockade in March. He explained that tracking the number of people dying of starvation is hard because some could be suffering from other medical conditions that could be worsened when compounded with severe hunger. In northern Gaza, Shifa Hospital director Abu Selmiyah said the facility recorded 79 people who died of malnutrition in the past month. On the new evacuation order, Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee warned the military will attack 'with intensity' against militants. He called for residents, including those sheltering in tents, to head to the Muwasi area, a desolate tent camp on Gaza's southern shore that the Israeli military has designated a humanitarian zone. Gaza's population of more than two million Palestinians are in a catastrophic humanitarian crisis. Hamas triggered the 21-month war when militants stormed into southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 others hostage. Fifty hostages remain, but fewer than half are thought to be alive.
Western Telegraph
20-07-2025
- Politics
- Western Telegraph
More than 70 killed trying to reach aid in Gaza, health ministry says
It said 67 Palestinians were killed while trying to reach aid entering northern Gaza through the Zikim crossing with Israel. More than 150 people were injured, with some of them in a critical condition, hospitals said. It was not immediately clear whether they were killed by the Israeli army or armed gangs, or both. But some witnesses said the Israeli military shot at the crowd. The killings in northern Gaza did not take place near aid distribution points associated with the Gaza Humanitarian Fund, or GHF, a US and Israel-backed group that hands out food packages to Palestinians. Witnesses and health workers say hundreds of people have been killed by Israeli fire while trying to access the group's distribution sites. The Israeli military did not immediately make any comment on Sunday's killings. It came as the military published new evacuation warnings for parts of central Gaza, in one of the few areas the military has rarely operated with ground troops. The evacuation cuts access between the city of Deir al-Balah and the southern cities of Rafah and Khan Younis in the narrow enclave. The announcement comes as Israel and Hamas have been holding ceasefire talks in Qatar, but international mediators say there have been no breakthroughs. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly stressed expanding military operations in Gaza will pressure Hamas to negotiate (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly stressed that expanding military operations in Gaza will pressure Hamas to negotiate, though negotiations have been stalled for months. Earlier this month, the Israeli military said it controlled more than 65% of the Gaza Strip. The area of Gaza under the evacuation order is where many international organisations attempting to distribute aid are located. The United Nations has been in contact with Israeli authorities to clarify whether its facilities in south-western Deir al-Balah are included in the evacuation order, an official said. They said that in previous instances, UN facilities were spared from evacuation orders. The evacuation announcement covers an area stretching from a previously evacuated area all the way to the coast and will severely hamper movement for aid groups and civilians in Gaza, they added. On Sunday morning, ambulances in front of three major hospitals in Gaza sounded their alarms simultaneously in an urgent appeal to shed light on the hunger crisis in the territory. The health ministry posted pictures on social media of doctors holding paper signs about malnourished children and the lack of medication. Zaher al-Wahidi, one of the spokesmen at the health ministry, said at least nine children under five have died of malnutrition as of Sunday since Israel imposed the aid entry blockade in March. He explained that tracking the number of people dying of starvation is hard because some could be suffering from other medical conditions that could be worsened when compounded with severe hunger. In northern Gaza, Shifa Hospital director Abu Selmiyah said the facility recorded 79 people who died of malnutrition in the past month. On the new evacuation order, Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee warned the military will attack 'with intensity' against militants. He called for residents, including those sheltering in tents, to head to the Muwasi area, a desolate tent camp on Gaza's southern shore that the Israeli military has designated a humanitarian zone. Gaza's population of more than two million Palestinians are in a catastrophic humanitarian crisis. Hamas triggered the 21-month war when militants stormed into southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 others hostage. Fifty hostages remain, but fewer than half are thought to be alive.
