Latest news with #UNOCHA
Al Jazeera
5 days ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Israel kills two Palestinian minors amid raids across occupied West Bank
Two Palestinian teenage boys have been killed by Israeli forces in the town of al-Khader, south of Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank, according to the Wafa news agency, in the latest deadly violence in the territory continuing in tandem with Israel's genocidal war on Gaza. The bodies of 15-year-old Ahmad Ali Asaad Ashira al-Salah and 17-year-old Muhammad Khaled Alian Issa, who were killed at dawn, were withheld by the Israeli army, the report said, adding that two more children were also injured in the gunfire. The deadly incident came as Israeli forces arrested at least 25 Palestinians in multiple raids across the occupied West Bank, according to Wafa. The arrests include 10 Palestinians in the town of Beit Ummar, north of Hebron; two in the town of Idhna, west of Hebron; three in the town of Dura al-Qari, north of Ramallah; one in the city of Ramallah; five in the village of al-Mazraa ash-Sharqiya, east of Ramallah; and four in the city of Nablus. 'Making Palestinian lives impossible' Since the start of the war on Gaza, Israeli violence in the occupied West Bank has escalated dramatically, with near-daily reports of mass arrests, killings and Israeli settler attacks, often supported by Israeli soldiers. Settlers have been rampaging with impunity, attacking and killing Palestinian civilians and burning their properties and olive groves. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), at least 948 Palestinians have been killed in the territory by Israeli soldiers since October 7, 2023. Of that figure, at least 204 are children. Meanwhile, from the beginning of 2024 until the end of June 2025, more than 2,200 Israeli settler attacks were reported, resulting in more than 5,200 Palestinian injuries, according to OCHA figures. In that same period, nearly 36,000 Palestinians were forcibly displaced across the occupied West Bank due to Israeli military operations, settler violence or home demolitions carried out by the Israeli government. The Israeli settler violence in the occupied West Bank is part of the Israeli government's strategy for preventing the establishment of a Palestinian state, according to Amjad Abu El Ezz, a lecturer of international relations at the Arab American University. The increased number of killings, and the destruction of Palestinian homes and vehicles by Israeli settlers in coordination with the Israeli army, aim to encourage Palestinians to leave their land, Abu El Ezz told Al Jazeera from Ramallah. Israel is weakening the governing Palestinian Authority, 'making Palestinian lives impossible', while at the same time 'building Israeli facts on the ground' to prevent the Palestinians from building their own state, he added. 'We are talking about more than 700,000 Israeli settlers. They have weapons, they are acting as an army in parallel to the Israeli army,' Abu El Ezz said. On Wednesday, Israel's parliament approved a symbolic measure calling for the annexation of the occupied West Bank. Knesset lawmakers voted 71-13 in favour of the motion on Wednesday, a non-binding vote which calls for 'applying Israeli sovereignty to Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley' – the Israeli terms for the area. The motion, advanced by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition, is declarative and has no direct legal implications, though it could place the issue of annexation on the agenda of future debates in the parliament. The Palestinian Mujahideen Movement has called the Israeli parliament's non-binding vote on the annexation of the occupied West Bank a 'dangerous escalation'. In a statement on Telegram, the group said the move was a 'clear disregard for the international community' and a way for Israel to implement 'its criminal plans targeting the land of Palestine and its people'. The West Bank, along with the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem, has been under Israeli occupation since 1967. Since then, Israeli settlements have expanded exponentially, despite being illegal under international law and, in the case of settlement outposts, Israeli law.
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Israel will not renew visa of top UN humanitarian official
Eri Kaneko, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said visas for UN staff were recently renewed for shorter periods than usual. Israel has declined to renew the visa for Jonathan Whittall, the senior UN aid official for the Palestinian territories, a UN spokesperson said on Friday, adding there were intensifying threats of reduced access to suffering civilians. Eri Kaneko, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said visas for UN staff were recently renewed for shorter periods than usual and access requests to Gaza were denied for multiple agencies. Kaneko said permits for Palestinian staff to enter east Jerusalem were also withheld. "Last week, it was indicated to us that our current Head of Office, Jonathan Whittall, won't have his visa extended by Israeli authorities beyond August. This came immediately after remarks he made at a press briefing about starving people being killed while trying to reach food," Kaneko said. Israel's mission to the UN did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Israel has previously dismissed UN criticism as being biased. Gaza is in the midst of an Israeli military assault following a deadly October 2023 attack by Hamas terrorists. Terrorists murdered over 1,200 people during their violation of an existing ceasefire and took over 250 hostages - 50 of whom remain in captivity, and less than half of whom are understood to be alive. Tensions between Israel and the UN Released and rescued hostages have testified about experiencing and witnessing abuses in Hamas captivity, including acts of sexual violence and torture. Israel has come under mounting criticism from the UN during its war in the Palestinian enclave, which has internally displaced Gaza's entire population. Solve the daily Crossword
Washington Post
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Israel says it won't extend visa of top U.N. humanitarian official
JAFFA, Israel — Israel has declined to renew the visa for a top U.N. official in the occupied Palestinian territories in what humanitarian officials say is part of a pattern of Israel retaliating against those who criticize its conduct in the Gaza war and toward Palestinians. Jonathan Whittall of the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is the latest local head of a U.N. agency to be denied a visa to Israel, according to Farhan Haq, a spokesman for Secretary General António Gutteres. OCHA monitors, coordinates aid, and advocates for international humanitarian law in Gaza and the West Bank.
Daily News Egypt
15-07-2025
- Health
- Daily News Egypt
Over 26,000 Mpox Cases Reported Across Africa in 2025, DRC Most Affected
More than 26,000 cases of mpox have been recorded across Africa since the start of 2025, with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) bearing the heaviest burden, according to data released by the World Health Organization (WHO) via UN OCHA's Reliefweb.4 As of July, a total of 26,734 mpox cases and 115 deaths have been reported across 21 African countries. The DRC alone accounts for 13,545 cases and 38 fatalities, followed by Uganda (6,051 cases) and Sierra Leone (4,610 cases). While WHO data indicates a recent decline in new infections—particularly in DRC and Sierra Leone—health authorities caution that the trend may be misleading due to testing delays, inconsistent surveillance, and waning response resources in many affected areas. Resurgence and global alert status The mpox virus, formerly known as monkeypox, is endemic to Central and West Africa, but drew global attention after international outbreaks in 2022–2023. Though the WHO lifted its global health emergency designation in May 2023, the status was reinstated in August 2024 amid a fresh resurgence. The current outbreak has raised concerns about health system fatigue and resource constraints, particularly in conflict-affected countries like the DRC where routine disease surveillance remains fragile. Public health priorities Health officials are calling for sustained international support, improved access to testing and vaccines, and cross-border coordination to contain the spread of mpox across the continent. The WHO continues to monitor the outbreak and is expected to issue updated technical guidance for national health ministries this month. The mpox virus is primarily spread through close physical contact, including skin-to-skin contact with infected individuals, contaminated objects, or bodily fluids. It causes fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes, and can be fatal in vulnerable populations if not treated promptly.
Roya News
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Roya News
Under cover of Gaza war, 'Israel' accelerates ethnic cleansing in West Bank
As global attention remains fixed on the devastating war in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, including Jerusalem, is witnessing an intensified campaign of forced displacement, destruction, and lockdowns. Since late 2023, 'Israeli' authorities have taken advantage of the world's focus on Gaza to escalate violations across the West Bank in an unprecedented manner, according to UN and human rights reports. Widespread raids and infrastructure destruction Military raids have surged in Palestinian towns, villages, and refugee camps, particularly in Jenin, Tulkarm, and Nablus. These operations go beyond arrests and now include large-scale destruction. Killings and arrests: Hundreds of Palestinians, including children, have been killed and thousands injured. Thousands more have been detained in near-daily raids. Systematic destruction: Bulldozers have demolished roads and critical infrastructure, including water, electricity, and sewage networks, especially in refugee camps. Human rights groups have labeled the actions as collective punishment. Settler violence: 'Israel's' unofficial weapon Violent attacks by settlers have increased dramatically, particularly in Area C, under full 'Israeli' control. Human rights groups such as B'Tselem report that these attacks are often carried out with the protection or complicity of the 'Israeli' military. Common attacks include arson of homes and farmland, physical assaults, and use of live ammunition. Impact: Dozens of Palestinian families, especially in Bedouin and herding communities, have been forcibly displaced in what observers call a 'silent ethnic cleansing.' Home demolitions: institutionalized displacement Demolitions of Palestinian homes and structures have surged, especially in Area C and East Jerusalem, under the pretext of lacking building permits -- permits that are nearly impossible for Palestinians to obtain. According to UN OCHA, hundreds of buildings have been demolished since late 2023, leaving hundreds of Palestinians homeless, including many children. Closures and blockades: economic and humanitarian suffocation A web of military checkpoints and closures has fragmented the West Bank into isolated enclaves. These restrictions have: Crippled the economy, cutting off workers from jobs inside the Green Line and hindering trade. Restricted essential services, preventing access to hospitals, schools, and universities. Using the Gaza war as cover Observers say 'Israel' is using the war on Gaza to accelerate long-standing plans to reshape the West Bank, undermining the possibility of a viable Palestinian state. What is unfolding is not a series of isolated incidents but a calculated strategy of displacement, destruction, and economic strangulation, while the international community remains largely silent.
