Latest news with #PALESTINIAN
The Sun
2 days ago
- Health
- The Sun
Medical NGO blames new US aid group for deadly Gaza chaos
RAFAH, PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES: Medical charity Doctors Without Borders said Sunday that people it treated at a Gaza aid site run by a new US-backed organisation reported being 'shot from all sides' by Israeli forces. The NGO, known by its French name MSF, blamed the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation's aid distribution system for chaos at the scene in the southern Gaza town of Rafah. Gaza's civil defence agency said Israeli fire killed 31 Palestinians at the site. Witnesses told AFP the Israeli military had opened fire. The GHF and Israeli authorities denied any such incident took place but MSF and other medics reported treating crowds of locals with gunshot wounds at the Nasser hospital in the nearby town of Khan Younis. 'Patients told MSF they were shot from all sides by drones, helicopters, boats, tanks and Israeli soldiers on the ground,' MSF said in a statement. MSF emergency coordinator Claire Manera in the statement called the GHF's system of aid delivery 'dehumanising, dangerous and severely ineffective'. 'It has resulted in deaths and injuries of civilians that could have been prevented. Humanitarian aid must be provided only by humanitarian organisations who have the competence and determination to do it safely and effectively.' MSF communications officer Nour Alsaqa in the statement reported hospital corridors filled with patients, mostly men, with 'visible gunshot wounds in their limbs'. MSF quoted one injured man, Mansour Sami Abdi, as describing people fighting over just five pallets of aid. 'They told us to take food -- then they fired from every direction,' he said. 'This isn't aid. It's a lie.' The Israeli military said an initial inquiry found its troops 'did not fire at civilians while they were near or within the humanitarian aid distribution site'. A GHF spokesperson said: 'These fake reports have been actively fomented by Hamas,' the Islamic militant group that Israel has vowed to destroy in Gaza.
Eyewitness News
3 days ago
- Health
- Eyewitness News
Gaza rescuers say Israeli fire kills 10 near aid site as ceasefire push stalls
PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES - Gaza rescuers said Israeli gunfire killed at least 10 Palestinians near a US-backed aid distribution site on Sunday, shortly after Washington rejected a Hamas ceasefire proposal as "totally unacceptable". "At least 10 Palestinians were killed and more than 100 others... were wounded due to gunfire from Israeli vehicles towards thousands of citizens" approaching the US aid site west of Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP. The casualties were taken to Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, he said. Israel has faced mounting international criticism over the humanitarian crisis in war-ravaged Gaza, where the United Nations has warned the entire population faces famine. Nearly 20 months into the war, negotiations remain deadlocked. A brief truce collapsed in March, and Israel has since intensified operations to destroy Hamas. In the Gaza Strip, aid is only trickling in after Israel partially lifted a more than two-month total blockade, and the United Nations reported looting of its trucks and warehouses last month. 'DEATH TRAPS, NOT AID POINTS' The UN's World Food Programme has called on Israel "to get far greater volumes of food assistance into Gaza faster", saying desperation was "contributing to rising insecurity". The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which is administered by contracted US security with support from Israeli troops, began distributing food in the Gaza Strip on 26 May. The United Nations and other major aid groups have refused to cooperate with the organisation, saying it violated basic humanitarian principles and appeared crafted to cater to Israeli military objectives. Officially a private effort, GHF said it had distributed 2.1 million meals as of Friday. In a statement on Sunday, Hamas accused Israeli forces operating in Rafah of committing "a new massacre against hungry civilians who had gathered at the so-called 'humanitarian aid' distribution sites", calling them "mass death traps, not humanitarian relief points". TRUCE TALKS The Palestinian militant group said Saturday that it had responded positively to a US-backed ceasefire proposal, but Washington's main negotiator criticised Hamas's reply as "totally unacceptable". Hamas said it had emphasised the need for a permanent ceasefire, long a sticking point for Israel. And a source within the Palestinian group's political bureau added that it had also pushed for a "full Israeli withdrawal" from the Gaza Strip. On Friday, Israel had warned Hamas to either accept the deal and free the hostages held in Gaza, "or be annihilated". US envoy Steve Witkoff called Hamas's response to its truce offer on Saturday "totally unacceptable' and urged it to "accept the framework proposal we put forward". "That is the only way we can close a 60-day ceasefire deal in the coming days in which half of the living hostages and half of those who are deceased will come home to their families and in which we can have... substantive negotiations in good-faith to try to reach a permanent ceasefire," he added in a post on X. Of the 251 hostages taken during Hamas's 7 October 2023 attack, 57 remain in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead. The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said on Saturday that at least 4,117 people have been killed in the territory since Israel resumed its offensive on 18 March, taking the war's overall toll to 54,381, mostly civilians. Hamas's attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.
New Straits Times
3 days ago
- Health
- New Straits Times
Gaza rescuers say Israeli fire kills 10 near aid site as ceasefire push stalls
PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES: Gaza rescuers said Israeli gunfire killed at least 10 Palestinians near a US-backed aid distribution site today, shortly after Washington rejected a Hamas ceasefire proposal as "totally unacceptable." "At least 10 Palestinians were killed and more than 100 others... were wounded due to gunfire from Israeli vehicles towards thousands of citizens" approaching the US aid site west of Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP. The casualties were taken to Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, he said. Israel has faced mounting international criticism over the humanitarian crisis in war-ravaged Gaza, where the United Nations has warned the entire population faces famine. Nearly 20 months into the war, negotiations remain deadlocked. A brief truce collapsed in March, and Israel has since intensified operations to destroy Hamas. In the Gaza Strip, aid is only trickling in after Israel partially lifted a more than two-month total blockade, and the United Nations reported looting of its trucks and warehouses last month. The UN's World Food Programme has called on Israel "to get far greater volumes of food assistance into Gaza faster", saying desperation was "contributing to rising insecurity." The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which is administered by contracted US security with support from Israeli troops, began distributing food in the Gaza Strip on May 26. The United Nations and other major aid groups have refused to cooperate with the organisation, saying it violated basic humanitarian principles, and appeared crafted to cater to Israeli military objectives. Officially a private effort, GHF said it had distributed 2.1 million meals as of Friday. In a statement today, Hamas accused Israeli forces operating in Rafah of committing "a new massacre against hungry civilians who had gathered at the so-called 'humanitarian aid' distribution sites", calling them "mass death traps, not humanitarian relief points." The Palestinian fighter group said Saturday that it had responded positively to a US-backed ceasefire proposal, but Washington's main negotiator criticised Hamas's reply as "totally unacceptable." Hamas said it had emphasised the need for a permanent ceasefire – long a sticking point for Israel. And a source within the Palestinian group's political bureau added that it had also pushed for a "full Israeli withdrawal" from the Gaza Strip. On Friday, Israel had warned Hamas to either accept the deal and free the hostages held in Gaza "or be annihilated." US envoy Steve Witkoff called Hamas's response to its truce offer on Saturday "totally unacceptable", and urged it to "accept the framework proposal we put forward."
The Sun
3 days ago
- Health
- The Sun
Gaza rescuers say Israeli fire kills 10 near aid site as ceasefire push stalls
PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES: Gaza rescuers said Israeli gunfire killed at least 10 Palestinians near a US-backed aid distribution site on Sunday, shortly after Washington rejected a Hamas ceasefire proposal as 'totally unacceptable'. 'At least 10 Palestinians were killed and more than 100 others... were wounded due to gunfire from Israeli vehicles towards thousands of citizens' approaching the US aid site west of Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP. The casualties were taken to Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, he said. Israel has faced mounting international criticism over the humanitarian crisis in war-ravaged Gaza, where the United Nations has warned the entire population faces famine. Nearly 20 months into the war, negotiations remain deadlocked. A brief truce collapsed in March, and Israel has since intensified operations to destroy Hamas. In the Gaza Strip, aid is only trickling in after Israel partially lifted a more than two-month total blockade, and the United Nations reported looting of its trucks and warehouses last month. - 'Death traps, not aid points' - The UN's World Food Programme has called on Israel 'to get far greater volumes of food assistance into Gaza faster', saying desperation was 'contributing to rising insecurity'. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which is administered by contracted US security with support from Israeli troops, began distributing food in the Gaza Strip on May 26. The United Nations and other major aid groups have refused to cooperate with the organisation, saying it violated basic humanitarian principles, and appeared crafted to cater to Israeli military objectives. Officially a private effort, GHF said it had distributed 2.1 million meals as of Friday. In a statement on Sunday, Hamas accused Israeli forces operating in Rafah of committing 'a new massacre against hungry civilians who had gathered at the so-called 'humanitarian aid' distribution sites', calling them 'mass death traps, not humanitarian relief points'. - Truce talks - The Palestinian militant group said Saturday that it had responded positively to a US-backed ceasefire proposal, but Washington's main negotiator criticised Hamas's reply as 'totally unacceptable'. Hamas said it had emphasised the need for a permanent ceasefire -- long a sticking point for Israel. And a source within the Palestinian group's political bureau added that it had also pushed for a 'full Israeli withdrawal' from the Gaza Strip. On Friday, Israel had warned Hamas to either accept the deal and free the hostages held in Gaza 'or be annihilated'. US envoy Steve Witkoff called Hamas's response to its truce offer on Saturday 'totally unacceptable', and urged it to 'accept the framework proposal we put forward'. 'That is the only way we can close a 60-day ceasefire deal in the coming days in which half of the living hostages and half of those who are deceased will come home to their families and in which we can have... substantive negotiations in good-faith to try to reach a permanent ceasefire,' he added in a post on X. Of the 251 hostages taken during Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack, 57 remain in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead. The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said on Saturday that at least 4,117 people have been killed in the territory since Israel resumed its offensive on March 18, taking the war's overall toll to 54,381, mostly civilians. Hamas's attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.
The Sun
3 days ago
- Health
- The Sun
Gaza rescuers say Israeli fire kills 10 near aid site
PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES: Gaza rescuers said Israeli gunfire killed at least 10 Palestinians near a US-backed aid distribution site on Sunday, shortly after Washington rejected a Hamas ceasefire proposal as 'totally unacceptable'. 'At least 10 Palestinians were killed and more than 100 others... were wounded due to gunfire from Israeli vehicles towards thousands of citizens' approaching the US aid site west of Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP. The casualties were taken to Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, he said. Israel has faced mounting international criticism over the humanitarian crisis in war-ravaged Gaza, where the United Nations has warned the entire population faces famine. Nearly 20 months into the war, negotiations remain deadlocked. A brief truce collapsed in March, and Israel has since intensified operations to destroy Hamas. In the Gaza Strip, aid is only trickling in after Israel partially lifted a more than two-month total blockade, and the United Nations reported looting of its trucks and warehouses last month. - 'Death traps, not aid points' - The UN's World Food Programme has called on Israel 'to get far greater volumes of food assistance into Gaza faster', saying desperation was 'contributing to rising insecurity'. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which is administered by contracted US security with support from Israeli troops, began distributing food in the Gaza Strip on May 26. The United Nations and other major aid groups have refused to cooperate with the organisation, saying it violated basic humanitarian principles, and appeared crafted to cater to Israeli military objectives. Officially a private effort, GHF said it had distributed 2.1 million meals as of Friday. In a statement on Sunday, Hamas accused Israeli forces operating in Rafah of committing 'a new massacre against hungry civilians who had gathered at the so-called 'humanitarian aid' distribution sites', calling them 'mass death traps, not humanitarian relief points'. - Truce talks - The Palestinian militant group said Saturday that it had responded positively to a US-backed ceasefire proposal, but Washington's main negotiator criticised Hamas's reply as 'totally unacceptable'. Hamas said it had emphasised the need for a permanent ceasefire -- long a sticking point for Israel. And a source within the Palestinian group's political bureau added that it had also pushed for a 'full Israeli withdrawal' from the Gaza Strip. On Friday, Israel had warned Hamas to either accept the deal and free the hostages held in Gaza 'or be annihilated'. US envoy Steve Witkoff called Hamas's response to its truce offer on Saturday 'totally unacceptable', and urged it to 'accept the framework proposal we put forward'. 'That is the only way we can close a 60-day ceasefire deal in the coming days in which half of the living hostages and half of those who are deceased will come home to their families and in which we can have... substantive negotiations in good-faith to try to reach a permanent ceasefire,' he added in a post on X. Of the 251 hostages taken during Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack, 57 remain in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead. The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said on Saturday that at least 4,117 people have been killed in the territory since Israel resumed its offensive on March 18, taking the war's overall toll to 54,381, mostly civilians. Hamas's attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.
