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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Wednesday briefing: What three deadly days for civilians in Rafah reveal about the food distribution system backed by Israel
Good morning. On Sunday, at least 31 Palestinians were killed after Israeli forces opened fire at a food distribution centre in Rafah, Gaza. On Monday, another three Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire at the same site. And yesterday, 27 people were killed after Israeli forces opened fire again. If there was any doubt at all about the inadequacy of the new system for distributing supplies in Gaza, run by an Israeli-backed foundation rather than the UN or aid organisations, it has surely been dispelled. Last night, the foundation said that all of its sites would be closed today – and appointed a new executive chairman: an evangelical Christian pastor and loyal ally of Donald Trump. Palestinians – or those who are able to get to the sites – now face an impossible choice, as the UN's human rights chief, Volker Türk, said on Tuesday: 'Die from starvation or risk being killed while trying to access the meagre food that is being made available.' The attacks on civilians, he added, constitute a war crime. Today's newsletter, with Amjad Al-Shawa, director of the Palestinian Non-Governmental Organisations Network in Gaza City, explains what we know about these incidents – and why Palestinians are bound to keep coming back. Here are the headlines. UK politics | Rachel Reeves is announcing £15bn for trams, trains and buses outside London as she launches a charm offensive to persuade fractious Labour MPs that her spending review will not be a return to austerity. The move is part of a strategy to focus on major capital expenditure plans rather than expected cuts to day-to-day spending. US politics | Elon Musk has opened a new rift with Donald Trump by denouncing the US president's tax and spending bill as a 'disgusting abomination'. Musk said of the bill, which is expected to add $2.5-5 trillion to the US budget deficit over the next ten years: 'Congress is making America bankrupt.' Ukraine | Ukraine has detonated a massive underwater blast targeting the Kerch road and rail bridge connecting the Russian-occupied Crimean peninsula to Russia, damaging its underwater supports. The operation follows a sophisticated drone raid on Moscow's strategic bomber fleet on Sunday. Environment | More than 5,000 of England's rare natural habitats are at high risk of being destroyed by development under Labour's new planning bill. The bill, designed to help address the UK's housing affordability crisis, allows developers to pay into a nature restoration fund to sidestep environmental regulations. Netherlands | The Dutch government has collapsed after the far-right leader Geert Wilders pulled his party out of the ruling coalition in a row over immigration and asylum policy. Elections are likely in October. Last week, a food point run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) opened for the first time. As crowds broke through fencing around the site, Israeli forces started firing what were described as 'warning shots'. At least one person died. You can read more about the genesis of the GHF and how it compares with the normal aid model in last Thursday's First Edition. What is now clear is that the chaos on the first day was not an artefact of how new the scheme was – but a warning of much worse to come. *** What do we know about the incidents in recent days? All three incidents unfolded in the same area, near the Al-Alam roundabout, about a kilometre from the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation distribution centre in Rafah. The Israeli military is not present on the GHF site itself – where armed American contractors are in charge – but it controls the surrounding areas. On Sunday, rescuers and witnesses said Israeli forces opened fire as people congregated before going to pick up food parcels. Israel denied firing 'near or within' the site, but an Israeli military source later acknowledged that 'warning shots were fired towards several suspects' about a kilometre away. The GHF denied that there were any 'injuries, fatalities or incidents' during its operations. Gaza's civil defence agency reported that 31 people were killed, with another 176 wounded. On Monday, the military again acknowledged firing warning shots towards 'suspects who advanced toward the troops and posed a threat to them'. Three people were killed, said the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and dozens more injured. On Tuesday, eyewitnesses said that the shooting started at about 4am local time, as crowds started to gather in the hope of getting food before the centre ran out for the day. Mohammed al-Shaer told AFP that 'the Israeli army fired shots into the air, then began shooting directly at the people', with a helicopter and drones present as the crowd approached a barrier separating them from the Israeli forces. Another witness, Neima al-Aaraj, told the Associated Press that the shooting was 'indiscriminate'. The IDF said 'suspects' failed to retreat after warning fire and 'additional shots were directed near a few individual suspects who advanced towards the troops'. A statement claimed that they were not following 'designated access routes' to the GHF site. The GHF says civilians should arrive via a single coastal road, a route that one expert told the BBC was neither 'safe nor effective'. Local health officials put the death toll at 27 so far, including at least three children. Mohammed Saqr, the head of nursing at Nasser hospital, which received the bodies, told the Guardian that they had shrapnel wounds which appeared consistent with being targeted by tanks or artillery. Given the very large numbers of desperate people seeking food, it is not surprising if order breaks down around the centre. But the implication of Israel's stance – that its forces were in serious danger if they did not act – is hard to credit given their authority around the site, Amjad Al-Shawa said. 'This is happening in an area entirely under the control of the Israeli military. They have troops, they have quadcopters, they have intelligence. In these circumstances there is no justification for the killing.' *** What do these events suggest about how the GHF system is working? Accounts from the scene suggest that besides the conduct of the Israeli forces, there are a number of factors exacerbating the situation. Food is reportedly running out very early each day, adding to the chaos as people desperately try to secure supplies for themselves and their families. Even if all of the GHF sites were opened, large numbers of people needing support would be congregating in a very few places; with only one site up and running since Friday and only one access route allowed, that effect is exacerbated. Then there is the sheer physical difficulty of the journey for those living further away. 'It takes three or four hours to reach the distribution point from here,' said Al-Shawa, who is in Gaza City, in the north of Gaza. 'Most people are going on foot, or paying a lot of money to use a donkey cart. And when you get there it is not an easy mission. There are tens of thousands of people waiting to get a very limited amount of food parcels, and so there is a rush. There is no system – they just open the gate and tell people to go. The mechanism excludes older people, women with children, the sick, people with disabilities.' Images from the site show that most of those who have been waiting are young men – perhaps more likely to be deemed 'suspects' by the IDF if the crowd gets out of control. *** Is the amount of food being distributed adequate to the task? GHF says it has distributed just over 7m meals so far. It says that it will continue to ramp up its operations in the days ahead. But last night it said that all of its distribution centres would be closed today for 'update, organisation, and efficiency improvement work'. The Israeli military said that while the sites are closed, the areas leading to them will be considered 'combat zones'. The fact that food is running out so early each day is testament to how badly supply is outstripped by desperate demand. As of 12 May, almost all of the population of about 2.1 million were facing acute hunger, according to Unicef; one in five were facing starvation, and about 71,000 children and 17,000 mothers needed urgent treatment for acute malnutrition. Al-Shawa says he is relatively fortunate, because he can afford the extortionate price of basic provisions, at least for now. 'But I'm part of this community,' he said. 'There is almost nothing available. My wife bought 250g of sugar yesterday for about $18. A kilo of flour, to make some bread, for $16. You need cash to pay for it, and you pay 35 or 40% commission. So for me to eat a salad will cost $40 or $50.' Nor, he emphasised, was Gaza facing a hunger crisis – or even Israel's continuing military onslaught – in isolation. 'It's not just the denial of aid. It's not just sanitation. It's not just the lack of water. It's not just the denial of vaccines. It's not just displacement. It's not just chronic patients without medicine. It's not just 80% of hospitals destroyed. It's all of those things together.' *** Is there any reason to hope that the process will improve? While the GHF has sought to emphasise the amount of food it has distributed so far, there are reasons to be sceptical that it will soon be able to start running the sites in a more orderly way. Its founding executive director, Jake Wood, quit last week, saying that it could not operate in a way that followed 'humanitarian principles'; yesterday, he was replaced by Reverend Dr Johnnie Moore - who was appointed as a commissioner for international religious freedom by Donald Trump, but has no apparent experience of complex aid operations. Meanwhile, the Washington Post reported that Boston Consulting Group, which helped design the programme, had withdrawn its team working in Tel Aviv. Sources close to the operation told the Post that 'it would be difficult for the foundation to continue to function without the consultants who helped create it'. As the situation worsens, Israel is facing growing diplomatic pressure from Europe, the UK, and Canada. But there has not yet been the kind of concrete action that might force Israel to reconsider – while the Trump administration continues to offer its unflagging support, and will likely veto a UN security council resolution demanding unfettered access for aid operations today. In those circumstances, it is difficult to see how the situation on the ground will improve. 'People have no option but to keep coming,' Al-Shawa said. 'They will be back tomorrow in search of food. But they will pay a price to get it, and the price is in lives.' Society is sleepwalking into a nightmare, warns Laura Bates, as AI is used to create virtual 'brothels' featuring underage girls. This is just one of thousands of tech-driven tools re-embedding misogyny deep into the foundations of our future. Aamna Quite a lot of establishment Democrats are now wondering if a Bernie Sanders presidential candidacy would have been such a horrifying thing after all. In this interview with Zoe Williams, he urges them to set out a positive vision for the future: 'They don't have much of a message for working people, other than to say Trump is dangerous. I think that's just not enough.' Archie Video jockeys, who translate and narrate western films for local audiences, have become a cultural staple in rural and low-income Ugandan communities. Carlos Mureithi explores the rise of this booming trade. Aamna Laila Soueif is 247 days into a hunger strike for her jailed activist son Alaa Abd el-Fattah, imprisoned in Egypt for 'spreading false news'. Now very frail, she nonetheless gives Patrick Wintour a remarkable interview: 'My message is: use my death as leverage to get Alaa out. Don't let my death be in vain.' Archie A new point in history has been reached, entomologists say, as trees once teeming with insects now stand eerily still. Tess McClure speaks to experts warning of rapid extinctions in remote regions with little human contact. Aamna Football | Spain demonstrated why they are the favourites to win the Women's European Championship in Switzerland as they came from behind to beat England in Barcelona and top their Nations League group. Alessia Russo gave England the half-time lead before two goals from substitute Claudia Pina (above) took Spain to victory. Cricket | England coasted to victory in the third one-day international against the West Indies, giving them a clean sweep in the series. Three wickets for Adil Rashid and 64 off 28 balls for Jamie Smith led the way for the hosts. Tennis | Iga Swiatek sunk Elina Svitolina to set up a semi-final clash with Aryna Sabalenka, who powered past Jelena Ostapenko in straight sets. In the men's draw, Lorenzo Musetti beat Frances Tiafoe and Carlos Alcaraz cruised past Tommy Paul in straight sets. 'Reeves in £15bn spending pledge to placate fractious Labour MPs' is the Guardian's lead story. The Metro splashes on the 'Maddie search' in Portugal. 'Trump attacks BBC over Hamas coverage' says the Telegraph while the i paper reports 'UK to stockpile military medical supplies for nuclear attacks'. 'The evidence Rwanda plan DID deter small boats' is what the Mail is writing up today and the Express has 'Now it's good weather to blame for boat surge!'. 'Police cuts 'mean some crimes must be ignored'' – that's the Times while there's a plea about benefits in the Mirror: 'I lost my girl … think again on cuts'. Leading the Financial Times is 'Thames Water on brink as KKR scraps £4bn rescue effort amid political fears'. A trip to Musk city Guardian US southern bureau chief Oliver Laughland heads to Starbase, Texas, to visit the home of Elon Musk's company SpaceX as it votes on whether to become its own city. A bit of good news to remind you that the world's not all bad Forest officials in India are enlisting sankirtan mandalis, traditional devotional song-and-dance troupes, to spread awareness about forest fires in Odisha. These groups were once male-only, but that changed two years ago when the women in Murgapahadi village revived the tradition after a record number of men left their rural villages and headed to the cities in search of work. The women now sing climate messages like, 'Don't set fire to the forest. If the forest survives, we survive.' Officials credit their efforts for the minimal forest fires recorded this summer, highlighting the power of cultural traditions in climate action. And finally, the Guardian's puzzles are here to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow. Quick crossword Cryptic crossword Wordiply
Perth Now
22-05-2025
- Health
- Perth Now
Some bread and baby food reach Gazans as blockade eases
Flour and other food aid will start reaching some of Gaza's most vulnerable people after Israel let some trucks through, but nowhere near enough to make up for shortages caused by an 11-week blockade, Palestinian officials say. Israel said it allowed 100 trucks also carrying baby food and medical equipment into the enclave on Wednesday, two days after announcing its first relaxation of the restrictions under mounting international pressure. Israel imposed the blockade on all supplies in March, saying Hamas was seizing deliveries for its fighters - a charge the group denies. The UN said a quarter of Gaza's 2.3 million people were at risk of famine. "Some bakeries will begin receiving flour to produce bread, and we expect the distribution of bread to begin later today," Amjad al-Shawa, director of the Palestinian Non-Governmental Organisations Network in Gaza, told Reuters. He said just 90 trucks had got through. "During the ceasefire, 600 trucks used to enter every day, which means that the current quantity is a drop in the ocean, nothing," he said. Bakeries backed the UN's World Food Programme would produce the bread and the agency's staff would hand it out - a more controlled system than previously when bakers sold it directly to the public at a low cost, he said. "The idea is to try and reach the most needy families, those who are desperate, as it is just the start," Shawa said. As the first aid arrived since the blockade, Israeli military strikes on Gaza killed at least 35 Palestinians across the enclave on Thursday, local health authorities said. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military on the reports. It has repeatedly said it seeks to avoid civilian casualties and targets militants. In Beit Lahiya on the northern edge of the enclave, a tank shell hit a medicine warehouse inside Al-Awda Hospital and set it ablaze, the health ministry said. Rescue workers had been trying to extinguish the fires for hours, it said. Tanks are stationed outside the hospital, medics say, effectively blocking access to the facility. The Gaza healthcare system has been barely functioning, with most of the medical facilities out of order, because of repeated Israeli military strikes, raids and the ban on the entry of medical supplies. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday Israel would be open to a temporary ceasefire to enable the return of hostages taken by Hamas-led fighters. But if they were not returned, he said it would press ahead with a military campaign to gain total control of Gaza. "Netanyahu continues to stall and insist on pursuing the war," senior Hamas official Sami Ab Zuhri said in response to Netanyahu's comments. "There is no value to any agreement that doesn't stop the massacres in Gaza permanently." Israel launched its campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, which killed some 1200 people by Israeli tallies and saw 251 hostages abducted into Gaza. The campaign has since killed more than 53,600 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities, and devastated the coastal strip, where aid groups say signs of severe malnutrition are widespread.
West Australian
22-05-2025
- Health
- West Australian
Some bread and baby food reach Gazans as blockade eases
Flour and other food aid will start reaching some of Gaza's most vulnerable people after Israel let some trucks through, but nowhere near enough to make up for shortages caused by an 11-week blockade, Palestinian officials say. Israel said it allowed 100 trucks also carrying baby food and medical equipment into the enclave on Wednesday, two days after announcing its first relaxation of the restrictions under mounting international pressure. Israel imposed the blockade on all supplies in March, saying Hamas was seizing deliveries for its fighters - a charge the group denies. The UN said a quarter of Gaza's 2.3 million people were at risk of famine. "Some bakeries will begin receiving flour to produce bread, and we expect the distribution of bread to begin later today," Amjad al-Shawa, director of the Palestinian Non-Governmental Organisations Network in Gaza, told Reuters. He said just 90 trucks had got through. "During the ceasefire, 600 trucks used to enter every day, which means that the current quantity is a drop in the ocean, nothing," he said. Bakeries backed the UN's World Food Programme would produce the bread and the agency's staff would hand it out - a more controlled system than previously when bakers sold it directly to the public at a low cost, he said. "The idea is to try and reach the most needy families, those who are desperate, as it is just the start," Shawa said. As the first aid arrived since the blockade, Israeli military strikes on Gaza killed at least 35 Palestinians across the enclave on Thursday, local health authorities said. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military on the reports. It has repeatedly said it seeks to avoid civilian casualties and targets militants. In Beit Lahiya on the northern edge of the enclave, a tank shell hit a medicine warehouse inside Al-Awda Hospital and set it ablaze, the health ministry said. Rescue workers had been trying to extinguish the fires for hours, it said. Tanks are stationed outside the hospital, medics say, effectively blocking access to the facility. The Gaza healthcare system has been barely functioning, with most of the medical facilities out of order, because of repeated Israeli military strikes, raids and the ban on the entry of medical supplies. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday Israel would be open to a temporary ceasefire to enable the return of hostages taken by Hamas-led fighters. But if they were not returned, he said it would press ahead with a military campaign to gain total control of Gaza. "Netanyahu continues to stall and insist on pursuing the war," senior Hamas official Sami Ab Zuhri said in response to Netanyahu's comments. "There is no value to any agreement that doesn't stop the massacres in Gaza permanently." Israel launched its campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, which killed some 1200 people by Israeli tallies and saw 251 hostages abducted into Gaza. The campaign has since killed more than 53,600 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities, and devastated the coastal strip, where aid groups say signs of severe malnutrition are widespread.
RTÉ News
22-05-2025
- Health
- RTÉ News
Some aid reaches Gaza, as Israel issues evacuation orders
Flour and other food aid will start reaching some of Gaza's most vulnerable people after Israel let some trucks through, as the Israeli army issued evacuation orders for 14 neighbourhoods in north Gaza. Palestinian officials said the aid let in so far is nowhere near enough to make up for shortages caused by an 11-week blockade. Israel said it allowed 100 trucks also carrying baby food and medical equipment into the territory yesterday, two days after announcing its first relaxation of the restrictions. Israel imposed the blockade on all supplies in March, saying Hamas was seizing deliveries for its fighters - a charge the group denies. The UN said a quarter of Gaza's 2.3 million people were at risk of famine. "Some bakeries will begin receiving flour to produce bread, and we expect the distribution of bread to begin later today," Amjad al-Shawa, director of the Palestinian Non-Governmental Organisations Network in Gaza, said. He said just 90 trucks had got through. "During the ceasefire, 600 trucks used to enter every day, which means that the current quantity is a drop in the ocean, nothing," he said. Bakeries backed the UN's World Food Programme would produce the bread and the agency's staff would hand it out - a more controlled system than previously when bakers sold it directly to the public at a low cost, he added. "The idea is to try and reach the most needy families, those who are desperate, as it is just the start," Mr Shawa said. As the first aid arrived since the blockade, Israeli military strikes on Gaza killed at least 35 Palestinians across the territory, the Hamas-run health authorities said. In Beit Lahiya on the northern edge of the enclave, a tanks hell hit a medicine warehouse inside Al-Awda Hospital and set it ablaze, the health ministry said. Rescue workers had been trying to extinguish the fires for hours, it added. Tanks are stationed outside the hospital, medics say, effectively blocking access to the facility. The Gaza healthcare system has been barely functioning, with most of the medical facilities out of order, because of repeated Israeli military strikes, raids and the ban on the entry of medical supplies. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday that Israel would be open to a temporary ceasefire to enable the return of hostages taken by Hamas-led fighters. But if they were not returned, he said it would press ahead with a military campaign to gain total control of Gaza. "Netanyahu continues to stall and insist on pursuing the war. There is no value to any agreement that doesn't stop the massacres in Gaza permanently," senior Hamas official Sami Ab Zuhri said in response to Mr Netanyahu's comments. Israel launched its campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas attack on 7 October, 2023, which killed some 1,200 people by Israeli tallies and saw 251 hostages abducted into Gaza. The campaign has since killed more than 53,600 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities, and devastated the coastal strip, where aid groups say signs of severe malnutrition are widespread.
Express Tribune
02-05-2025
- Health
- Express Tribune
Israeli strikes kill 22 Palestinians in Gaza as IDF attacks aid ship off Malta
Listen to article At least 22 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli airstrikes across Gaza in the past 24 hours, health officials said on Friday, as the humanitarian situation in the besieged territory grows increasingly dire under Israel's ongoing blockade. Meanwhile, a ship belonging to the Gaza Freedom Flotilla—carrying 30 pro-Palestinian activists—was reportedly hit by drones in international waters off Malta. No injuries were reported, but the vessel caught fire and lost communication after its electrical systems were damaged. The Maltese government confirmed all 15 crew member and an additional 15 passenger on the vessel were safe, but they refused to board a tug vessel. Total 30 people were on the ship. The vessel was carrying humanitarian supplies bound for Gaza. However the ship cannot move because it is heavily damaged. Israeli officials have not commented on the attack. The flotilla group accused Israel or a close ally of carrying it out. The Gaza Health Ministry said eight members of a single family died in Bureij camp, while strikes in Khan Younis and Abasan al-Kabira killed multiple women and children. The mounting death toll follows weeks of unrelenting bombardment and a near-total ban on aid, now in its third month. Amjad Shawa, director of the Palestinian Non-Governmental Organisations Network, said the besieged enclave has run out of food, medical supplies and nutritional supplements needed to treat vulnerable children. "We have no food supplies or supplementary materials or medications for these children," Shawa . "The cases will become more severe, and there is a serious concern we will see more fatalities in the coming days, the whole Strip is starving, and the majority of children are suffering from malnutrition,' he said. With health infrastructure devastated by months of conflict, he added, medical facilities are ill-equipped to cope. 'Hospitals are largely destroyed and out of service. They simply cannot handle the surge in patients without essential supplies,' he said. The Gaza Health Ministry said eight members of a single family died in Bureij camp, while strikes in Khan Younis and Abasan al-Kabira killed multiple women and children. The mounting death toll follows weeks of unrelenting bombardment and a near-total ban on aid, now in its third month. Israeli airstrikes on two separate houses in Gaza have resulted in the deaths of civilians, including women and children, with several others injured, according to local sources. Media reported that two Palestinians were killed and several others wounded when Israeli warplanes targeted a house in the Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood, located in the northwest of Gaza City. Yemeni rebels have claimed responsibility for a missile strike near Haifa, targeting an Israeli army base in the north of the country. The rebels' military spokesperson announced in a televised statement that they launched a ballistic missile aimed at the Ramat David Airbase, located southeast of Haifa. The Israeli military confirmed that hostile aircraft sirens were triggered in Haifa and surrounding areas at around 5:30am, but added that the missile, launched from Yemen, was intercepted before it could reach its target. Palestinian child was killed in an Israeli drone strike on the Qizan an-Najjar area in southern Gaza's Khan Younis, according to reports from Al Jazeera Arabic. The outlet also reported that another Palestinian died from wounds sustained in an earlier Israeli attack, which targeted tents housing displaced people in the al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis. Austria has called for an end to the ongoing aid blockade on Gaza, which has lasted for over 60 days. 'After two months of blockade, humanitarian aid for Gaza must be allowed to flow unhindered in accordance with international humanitarian law,' the Austrian Foreign Ministry stated in a post on X. The ministry also urged the release of all Israeli hostages still being held in the enclave. Israeli rights group B'Tselem has released disturbing footage of armed Israeli settlers raiding a Palestinian family's tent encampment near Nablus in the occupied West Bank. The masked settlers, arriving in vehicles with Israeli flags, rammed a car, stole sheep, vandalized property, and set tents on fire—all under the watch of guards from a nearby illegal settlement outpost. Despite calls for help, no police responded. 'Settler violence is state violence,' B'Tselem stated. Eight-year-old Rehab was playing on a swing in Gaza when an Israeli missile strike left her paralyzed from the waist down. Now confined to a wheelchair, she told Defense for Children International – Palestine: 'I used to walk to school and play with my siblings. Now I'm injured and sitting. I can't walk.' An Israeli soldier was killed and two others were injured during a military operation in the occupied Golan Heights, the Israeli military said on Thursday. In a statement, the army said the two injured soldiers sustained light wounds and were evacuated to hospital for treatment. Their families have been notified. The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation, the military added. However, Israeli media reported the incident may have been the result of a traffic accident.
