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Sinar Daily
18-07-2025
- Health
- Sinar Daily
Doctors Without Borders slams EU's 'hypocrisy' over Gaza
According to MSF, more than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed since the beginning of the conflict, including 12 of its own staff members. 18 Jul 2025 10:05am This picture taken from a position at Israel's border with the Gaza Strip shows smoke billowing during an Israeli strike on the besieged Palestinian territory on July 17, 2025. (Photo by Jack GUEZ / AFP) GENEVA - Doctors Without Borders (MSF) on Thursday sharply criticised the EU for its continued failure to act decisively to stop what the organisation calls "orchestrated ethnic cleansing" in Gaza, accusing the bloc of complicity in the face of deliberate mass suffering. According to Anadolu Ajansi (AA), in a post on X, the MSF said it had sent an open letter to EU leaders nearly a month earlier, on June 16, urging immediate action to stop the mass atrocities unfolding in the Palestinian enclave. Palestinians queue near their containers as they await a water distribution truck at a makeshift displacement tent camp which was hit in Israeli strikes a day earlier, at the UNRWA-run Abou Helou school for girls at the Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip on July 17, 2025. (Photo by Eyad BABA / AFP) "The EU can and must act now to stop mass atrocities in Gaza," it wrote. "Yet, amid EU member states' inaction, orchestrated ethnic cleansing in Gaza continues." According to MSF, more than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed since the beginning of the conflict, including 12 of its own staff members. The group said the most recent MSF staffer was killed on July 3 while attempting to retrieve a bag of flour. "The human carnage and starvation of Palestinians in Gaza are deliberate. Humanitarian aid is weaponised and blocked. Healthcare services are targeted daily," the organisation stated. MSF also condemned the EU Foreign Affairs Council's latest conclusions, adopted on Tuesday, calling them "yet another sign of the unwillingness to exert pressure on Israel to stop the genocide in Gaza." "Once again, the EU demonstrated hypocrisy and shocking double standards when it comes to protecting civilians and ensuring the respect of international humanitarian law," it said. Calling on the EU to "turn its words into actions and to end its double standards," MSF concluded by emphasising the legal and moral responsibilities of all states to stop the ongoing atrocities in Gaza. "Every state has a moral and legal responsibility to recognise and stop the ongoing atrocities in Gaza," it wrote. The letter was directed at top EU leadership, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Charles Michel, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas. EU foreign ministers met on Monday and Tuesday to discuss growing concerns over Israel's attacks in Gaza, amid mounting civilian casualties and international calls for accountability. However, member states were unable to reach a consensus, resulting in no formal decision to suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement or impose sanctions. - BERNAMA-ANADOLU More Like This
Sinar Daily
18-07-2025
- General
- Sinar Daily
UN says more than 737,000 newly displaced in Gaza since March
Over the past 21 months, nearly everyone has been displaced, typically multiple times. 18 Jul 2025 09:46am Palestinians salvage items from the debris of a tent which was hit in Israeli strikes a day earlier, at the UNRWA-run Abou Helou school for girls at the Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip on July 17, 2025. (Photo by Eyad BABA / AFP) HAMILTON - The United Nations (UN) said Thursday that more than 737,000 people have been displaced in the Gaza Strip since an escalation of Israeli attacks in March, underscoring the scale of the humanitarian crisis facing the population, Anadolu Ajansi (AA) reported. Citing the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), spokesperson Stephanie Tremblay reported at a news conference that "between the 8th and the 15th of July, more than 11,500 people were newly displaced." Palestinians salvage items from the debris of a tent which was hit in Israeli strikes a day earlier, at the UNRWA-run Abou Helou school for girls at the Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip on July 17, 2025. (Photo by Eyad BABA / AFP) "That brings overall displacement since the latest escalation of hostilities on March 18th to over 737,000 people - that's about 35 per cent of Gaza's population. "And over the past 21 months, nearly everyone has been displaced, typically multiple times," she noted. Tremblay said Israeli strikes in the last 24 hours hit sites sheltering displaced Palestinians, with reports of injuries and fatalities. Despite mounting needs, she said that only a limited amount of humanitarian aid is reaching the enclave. Tremblay described the delivery of benzene for the first time in more than 135 days as a "small but important step forward," noting that benzene is essential for powering ambulances and critical services. "But it's not enough," she stressed. On the Israeli strike against a church in Gaza, Tremblay said UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres "strongly condemns today's reports of an Israeli strike on the Holy Family Church in Gaza, a place of worship and a sanctuary for civilians." "Attacks on places of worship are unacceptable. People seeking shelter must be respected and protected, not hit by strikes," she added, reiterating demands for an immediate ceasefire. She reiterated Guterres' call "on all parties to ensure that civilians are respected and protected at all times and allow humanitarian aid to flow into the Strip at scale." In response to a question by Anadolu on Israel's reported reassignment of administrative control of the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron to a settler council, Tremblay said the UN had not seen the report, but emphasised: "We always call for the protection of all religious sites." On Tuesday, Israeli media reported that Tel Aviv removed the Hebron municipality's administrative authority over the Ibrahimi Mosque and reassigned it to a settler council. The Ibrahimi Mosque, also known as the Tomb of the Patriarchs, is a site sacred to Muslims and Jews. Tensions over control and access have long made the mosque a flashpoint in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Israeli move marks the first major shift in the status of the mosque since the 1994 recommendations of the Shamgar Commission, which divided access, allocating 63 per cent of the site to Jewish worshippers and 37 per cent to Muslims. The division followed the 1994 massacre by extremist settler Baruch Goldstein, who killed 29 Palestinian worshippers during dawn prayers. The mosque is located in the Old City in an area under full Israeli control where roughly 400 illegal settlers live under the protection of 1,500 Israeli soldiers. - BERNAMA-ANADOLU More Like This
Express Tribune
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
At least 22 Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks across Gaza today
Listen to article At least 22 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks across Gaza so far today, medical sources said. Meanwhile, the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza has released a 2,086‑page list of 58,380 Palestinians killed since October 7, 2023, including the names, ages, genders and ID numbers of victims, on Thursday. About 953 of those listed were infants under one year old, with nine reportedly dying on the day they were born. The ministry announced that trucks carrying medical supplies and childhood vaccinations are expected to arrive 'later today' at Gaza hospitals via the World Health Organization and UNICEF. The statement urged 'all concerned parties' to ensure safe passage for the convoy. Aid group Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) said its Khan Younis distribution centre will remain closed for maintenance on Thursday. On Wednesday, 20 people were killed there—15 in a stampede and suffocation following tear gas use—according to Gaza health officials. GHF confirmed the deaths but blamed Hamas‑affiliated individuals for stirring unrest and denied firing tear gas. UN reports have criticised GHF's sites as 'death traps,' with over 870 fatalities near its aid distribution points since late May. Aftermath of Israeli attack on UNRWA-run school Photo: [Eyad Baba/AFP] Palestinians salvage items after an Israeli strike on a tent camp at the UNRWA-run Abou Helou school for girls at the Bureij refugee camp [Eyad Baba/AFP] Photo: [Eyad Baba/AFP] Photo: [Eyad Baba/AFP] Israeli strike on Catholic church Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned an Israeli strike on Gaza's only Catholic church, saying it was 'unacceptable' after at least six people, including parish priest Gabriel Romanelli, were wounded. I raid israeliani su Gaza colpiscono anche la chiesa della Sacra Famiglia. Sono inaccettabili gli attacchi contro la popolazione civile che Israele sta portando avanti da mesi. Nessuna azione militare può giustificare un tale atteggiamento. — Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) July 17, 2025 The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem confirmed the Holy Family Church was hit by a military raid this morning. 'Currently, there are no fatalities confirmed,' the Patriarchate said in a statement, adding that further details would be provided once available. Parish priest of the Church of the Holy Family, father Gabriele Romanelli, receives medical attention after he suffered light leg injuries following an Israeli strike on the church, according to medics, at Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City, in this still image taken from a video on July 17, 2025. — Reuters People carry the body of Palestinian Christian Saad Salama, who was killed in an Israeli strike on the Church of the Holy Family, at Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, in Gaza City. — Reuters Disabled, elderly, children worst hit by war The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) warned Thursday that Israel's ongoing military offensive in Gaza is disproportionately affecting vulnerable groups, including people with disabilities, the elderly and children. In a statement posted on X, the agency said over 83 percent of individuals with disabilities have lost access to assistive devices, while 80 percent of elderly residents are in urgent need of life-saving medication. In #Gaza, older persons, persons with disabilities, and children are disproportionately impacted by the ongoing war. The collapse of essential services and protection mechanisms has left them at heightened risk. The situation is critical. #CeasefireNow also for the most… — UNRWA (@UNRWA) July 17, 2025 Meanwhile, Pakistan's permanent representative to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, renewed Islamabad's demand for an 'immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire' in Gaza during a UN Security Council briefing on the humanitarian situation. 'The world cannot stand by as Gaza is starved and shattered,' the ambassador said in a post on X. 'Behind each number is a life: a person with a story, a dream extinguished & a family torn apart.' On another sweltering July morning, seven-month-old Salam lay motionless in her mother's trembling arms—her tiny ribs protruding like fragile twigs beneath skin drawn thin by hunger. Her sunken eyes, too weak to cry, flickered faintly as UNRWA health workers rushed to assist her… — Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the UN (@PakistanUN_NY) July 17, 2025 Ahmad reiterated that a just and lasting peace requires the realisation of a two-state solution based on pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as the capital of a sovereign Palestinian state. Israeli troops wounded, West Bank raids intensify Two Israeli soldiers from the elite Battalion 202 paratrooper brigade were seriously injured during combat operations in northern Gaza, the Israeli military said. The wounded soldiers were evacuated to Israel for treatment, and their families have been notified. Further details were not disclosed. Meanwhile, Israeli forces arrested at least eight Palestinians during overnight raids across the occupied West Bank, according to Al Jazeera Arabic and the Palestinian news agency Wafa. In Bethlehem, a 58-year-old man and a 23-year-old were detained in separate operations. In Tubas, a Palestinian youth was injured by Israeli troops during a raid. In Qabatiya, near Jenin, one person was arrested and the homes of two Palestinians killed in previous encounters with Israeli forces were rigged with explosives for punitive demolition, Wafa reported. Raids also occurred in Kafr Jamal and Kafr Zibad, southeast of Qalqilya. In Washington, US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, said ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas are 'going well,' according to Reuters. He did not offer specifics but indicated cautious optimism over the ongoing talks. Israel's war on Gaza The Israeli army has launched a brutal offensive against Gaza since October 2023, killing at least 57,481 Palestinians, including 134,592 children. More than 111,588 people have been injured, and over 14,222 are missing and presumed dead. Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave. The proposed deal includes a pause in hostilities, increased humanitarian aid, and negotiations on the release of captives.
Days of Palestine
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Days of Palestine
Palestinian Ministry of Education: Over 18,000 Students Killed Since October 2023
DaysofPal – The Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education announced on Tuesday staggering figures reflecting the devastating impact of Israel's ongoing assault on the education sector in both the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank since October 7, 2023. According to the ministry's statement, a total of 18,243 students have been killed and 31,643 injured during this period. In Gaza alone, 17,175 students were killed, and 26,264 were injured. In the West Bank, Israeli forces have killed 140 students, injured 927, and arrested 768 others. The toll among educational staff has also been severe: 928 teachers and administrators have been killed, 4,452 injured, and over 199 arrested in the West Bank. Educational infrastructure has suffered massive destruction. In Gaza, 252 public schools have been severely damaged, of which 118 were completely destroyed. Additionally, 91 public schools and 91 UNRWA-run schools have been bombed or vandalized. University facilities have not been spared—60 university buildings have been entirely destroyed in Gaza. In the West Bank, 152 schools and 8 universities and colleges have been raided or vandalized by Israeli forces. Fences and perimeters of educational institutions in Jenin, Tulkarem, Salfit, and Tubas were also destroyed. Given the dire security conditions, university education has moved entirely online. The ministry highlighted a particularly egregious incident where the Bedouin Ka'abneh School in Jericho was forcibly evacuated after Israeli forces assaulted the premises and confiscated its contents. The statement concluded with a grim note: 25 schools, along with their student and teacher populations, have been permanently removed from the educational registry due to total destruction. The ministry emphasized that these acts amount to a deliberate targeting of future generations and constitute a blatant violation of international law and humanitarian norms. Shortlink for this post:
Days of Palestine
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Days of Palestine
Israel's War Kills 16,600 Students, Wrecks Gaza Schools
More than 16,600 students have been killed and over 26,000 injured in Gaza and the West Bank since Israel's war on the Palestinian territories began on October 7, 2023, according to a grim new report from the Palestinian Ministry of Education. In a statement published Tuesday, the ministry revealed that 16,470 of the student fatalities occurred in Gaza, where 25,374 others were wounded. In the West Bank, Israeli forces killed 137 students and injured 897 more, in addition to detaining 754 students since the start of the assault. The statement also confirmed that 914 teachers and education staff have been killed, and 4,363 others wounded across both regions. In the West Bank alone, at least 196 educators have been arrested. The ongoing Israeli bombardment has devastated the education sector in Gaza. According to the ministry, 352 public schools have suffered severe damage, including 111 that were completely destroyed. Another 91 government-run schools and 89 UNRWA-run schools were damaged by direct shelling and sabotage. Higher education institutions have not been spared either. Twenty universities and colleges in Gaza sustained heavy damage, and 60 university buildings were completely demolished. Meanwhile, in the West Bank, Israeli forces have stormed and vandalized 152 schools and eight universities, destroying school fences in Jenin, Tulkarm, and the towns of Bruqin and Kafr al-Dik west of Salfit. The Ministry of Education warned that nearly 788,000 students in Gaza remain completely deprived of their right to education, unable to attend school or university since the beginning of the war. This includes high school seniors who, for the second year in a row, are unable to take their final exams due to the ongoing violence. In contrast, students in the West Bank are scheduled to begin their high school examinations on Saturday, June 21, 2025. The statement concluded by noting that Israeli authorities continue to shut down six UNRWA-run schools in Jerusalem and its suburbs, closures that have remained in effect since May 8. Shortlink for this post:
