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France 24
3 hours ago
- Politics
- France 24
Hamas seeks amendments to Gaza ceasefire proposal, US envoy slams them as ‘unacceptable'
Hamas said on Saturday it was seeking amendments to a US-backed proposal for a temporary ceasefire with Israel in Gaza, but President Donald Trump's envoy rejected the group's response as 'totally unacceptable.' The Palestinian militant group said it was willing to release 10 living hostages and hand over the bodies of 18 dead in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons. But Hamas reiterated demands for an end to the war and withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, conditions Israel has rejected. A Hamas official described the group's response to the proposals from Trump's special Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff as 'positive' but said it was seeking some amendments. The official did not elaborate on the changes being sought by the group. 'This response aims to achieve a permanent ceasefire, a complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and to ensure the flow of humanitarian aid to our people in the Strip,' Hamas said in a statement. The proposals would see a 60-day truce and the exchange of 28 of the 58 hostages still held in Gaza for more than 1,200 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, along with the entry of humanitarian aid into the enclave. Israel has previously rejected Hamas' conditions, instead demanding the complete disarmament of the group and its dismantling as a military and governing force, along with the return of all 58 remaining hostages. Trump said on Friday he believed a ceasefire agreement was close after the latest proposals, and the White House said on Thursday that Israel had agreed to the terms. Saying he had received Hamas' response, Witkoff wrote in a posting on X: 'It is totally unacceptable and only takes us backward. Hamas should accept the framework proposal we put forward as the basis for proximity talks, which we can begin immediately this coming week.' Gazans desperate for food The Israeli military, which relaunched its air and ground campaign in March following a two-month truce, said on Saturday it was continuing to hit targets in Gaza, including sniper posts and had killed what it said was the head of a Hamas weapons manufacturing site. The campaign has cleared large areas along the boundaries of the Gaza Strip, squeezing the population of more than 2 million into an ever narrower section along the coast and around the southern city of Khan Younis. Israel imposed a blockade on all supplies entering the enclave at the beginning of March in an effort to weaken Hamas and has found itself under increasing pressure from an international community shocked by the desperate humanitarian situation the blockade has created. On Saturday, aid groups said dozens of World Food Programme trucks carrying flour to Gaza bakeries had been hijacked by armed groups and subsequently looted by people desperate for food after weeks of mounting hunger. 'Mass tragedy unfolding' The United Nations said on Friday the situation in Gaza is the worst since the start of the war 19 months ago, with the entire population facing the risk of famine despite a resumption of limited aid deliveries earlier this month. 'The aid that's being sent now makes a mockery of the mass tragedy unfolding under our watch,' Philippe Lazzarini, head of the main U.N. relief organization for Palestinians, said in a message on X. Israel has been allowing a limited number of trucks from the World Food Programme and other international groups to bring flour to bakeries in Gaza but deliveries have been hampered by repeated incidents of looting. A separate system, run by a US-backed group called the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, has been delivering meals and food packages at three designated distribution sites. However, aid groups have refused to cooperate with the GHF, which they say is not neutral, and say the amount of aid allowed in falls far short of the needs of a population at risk of famine. Israel denies operating a policy of starvation and says it is facilitating aid deliveries, pointing to its endorsement of the new GHF distribution centres and its consent for other aid trucks to enter Gaza. Israel began its campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attack on communities in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies, and saw 251 taken as hostages into Gaza. The campaign has laid waste large areas of the Gaza Strip, killing more than 54,000 Palestinians and destroying or damaging most of its buildings, leaving most of the population in makeshift shelters.
The Hindu
7 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Gaza aid supplies hit by looting as Hamas ceasefire response awaited
Armed men hijacked dozens of aid trucks entering the Gaza Strip overnight, and hundreds of desperate Palestinians joined in to take supplies, local aid groups said on Saturday (May 31, 2025) as officials waited for Hamas to respond to the latest ceasefire proposals. The incident was the latest in a series that has underscored the shaky security situation hampering the delivery of aid into Gaza, following the easing of a weeks-long Israeli blockade earlier this month. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday he believed a ceasefire agreement was close but Hamas has said it is still studying the latest proposals from his special Middle East [West Asia] envoy Steve Witkoff. The White House said on Thursday that Israel had agreed to the proposals. The proposals would see a 60-day truce and the exchange of 28 of the 58 hostages still held in Gaza for more than 1,200 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, along with the entry of humanitarian aid into the enclave. On Saturday, the Israeli military, which relaunched its air and ground campaign in March following a two-month truce, said it was continuing to hit targets in Gaza, including sniper posts and had killed what it said was the head of a Hamas weapons manufacturing site. The campaign has cleared large areas along the boundaries of the Gaza Strip, squeezing the population of more than 2 million into an ever narrower section along the coast and around the southern city of Khan Younis. Israel imposed a blockade on all supplies entering the enclave at the beginning of March in an effort to weaken Hamas and has found itself under increasing pressure from an international community shocked by the increasingly desperate humanitarian situation the blockade has created. The United Nations said on Friday the situation in Gaza is the worst since the start of the war began 19 months ago, with the entire population facing the risk of famine despite a resumption of limited aid deliveries earlier this month. Israel has been allowing a limited number of trucks from the World Food Programme and other international groups to bring flour to bakeries in Gaza but deliveries have been hampered by repeated incidents of looting. At the same time, a separate system, run by a U.S.-backed group called the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has been delivering meals and food packages at three designated distribution sites. However, aid groups have refused to cooperate with the GHF, which they say is not neutral, and say the amount of aid allowed in falls far short of the needs of a population at risk of famine. "The aid that's being sent now makes a mockery of the mass tragedy unfolding under our watch," Philippe Lazzarini, head of the main U.N. relief organization for Palestinians, said in a message on the social media platform X. NO BREAD IN WEEKS The World Food Programme said it brought 77 trucks carrying flour into Gaza overnight and early on Saturday and all of them were stopped on the way, with food taken by hungry people. "After nearly 80 days of a total blockade, communities are starving and they are no longer willing to watch food pass them by," it said in a statement. Amjad Al-Shawa, head of an umbrella group representing Palestinian aid groups, said the dire situation was being exploited by armed groups which were attacking some of the aid convoys. He said hundreds more trucks were needed and accused Israel of a "systematic policy of starvation". Overnight on Saturday, he said trucks had been stopped by armed groups near Khan Younis as they were headed towards a World Food Programme warehouse in Deir Al-Balah in central Gaza and hundreds of desperate people had carried off supplies. "We could understand that some are driven by hunger and starvation, some may not have eaten bread in several weeks, but we can't understand armed looting, and it is not acceptable at all," he said. Israel says it is facilitating aid deliveries, pointing to its endorsement of the new GHF distribution centres and its consent for other aid trucks to enter Gaza. Instead it accuses Hamas of stealing supplies intended for civilians and using them to entrench its hold on Gaza, which it had been running since 2007. The Palestinian militant group denies looting supplies and has executed a number of suspected looters. U.N. officials say they have seen no evidence that the group has been stealing supplies since the latest deliveries began to arrive. Israel began its campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attack on communities in southern Israel on Oct 7, 2023, which killed 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies, and saw 251 taken as hostages into Gaza. The campaign has laid waste large areas of the Gaza Strip, killing more than 54,000 Palestinians and destroying or damaging most of its buildings, leaving most of the population in makeshift shelters. (Writing by James Mackenzie; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Gaza aid supplies hit by looting as Hamas ceasefire response awaited
By Nidal al-Mughrabi and James Mackenzie CAIRO/JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Armed men hijacked dozens of aid trucks entering the Gaza Strip overnight and hundreds of desperate Palestinians joined in to take supplies, local aid groups said on Saturday as officials waited for Hamas to respond to the latest ceasefire proposals. The incident was the latest in a series that has underscored the shaky security situation hampering the delivery of aid into Gaza, following the easing of a weeks-long Israeli blockade earlier this month. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday he believed a ceasefire agreement was close but Hamas has said it is still studying the latest proposals from his special Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. The White House said on Thursday that Israel had agreed to the proposals. The proposals would see a 60-day truce and the exchange of 28 of the 58 hostages still held in Gaza for more than 1,200 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, along with the entry of humanitarian aid into the enclave. On Saturday, the Israeli military, which relaunched its air and ground campaign in March following a two-month truce, said it was continuing to hit targets in Gaza, including sniper posts and had killed what it said was the head of a Hamas weapons manufacturing site. The campaign has cleared large areas along the boundaries of the Gaza Strip, squeezing the population of more than 2 million into an ever narrower section along the coast and around the southern city of Khan Younis. Israel imposed a blockade on all supplies entering the enclave at the beginning of March in an effort to weaken Hamas and has found itself under increasing pressure from an international community shocked by the increasingly desperate humanitarian situation the blockade has created. The United Nations said on Friday the situation in Gaza is the worst since the start of the war began 19 months ago, with the entire population facing the risk of famine despite a resumption of limited aid deliveries earlier this month. Israel has been allowing a limited number of trucks from the World Food Programme and other international groups to bring flour to bakeries in Gaza but deliveries have been hampered by repeated incidents of looting. At the same time, a separate system, run by a U.S.-backed group called the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has been delivering meals and food packages at three designated distribution sites. However, aid groups have refused to cooperate with the GHF, which they say is not neutral, and say the amount of aid allowed in falls far short of the needs of a population at risk of famine. "The aid that's being sent now makes a mockery of the mass tragedy unfolding under our watch," Philippe Lazzarini, head of the main U.N. relief organization for Palestinians, said in a message on the social media platform X. NO BREAD IN WEEKS The World Food Programme said it brought 77 trucks carrying flour into Gaza overnight and early on Saturday and all of them were stopped on the way, with food taken by hungry people. "After nearly 80 days of a total blockade, communities are starving and they are no longer willing to watch food pass them by," it said in a statement. Amjad Al-Shawa, head of an umbrella group representing Palestinian aid groups, said the dire situation was being exploited by armed groups which were attacking some of the aid convoys. He said hundreds more trucks were needed and accused Israel of a "systematic policy of starvation". Overnight on Saturday, he said trucks had been stopped by armed groups near Khan Younis as they were headed towards a World Food Programme warehouse in Deir Al-Balah in central Gaza and hundreds of desperate people had carried off supplies. "We could understand that some are driven by hunger and starvation, some may not have eaten bread in several weeks, but we can't understand armed looting, and it is not acceptable at all," he said. Israel says it is facilitating aid deliveries, pointing to its endorsement of the new GHF distribution centres and its consent for other aid trucks to enter Gaza. Instead it accuses Hamas of stealing supplies intended for civilians and using them to entrench its hold on Gaza, which it had been running since 2007. The Palestinian militant group denies looting supplies and has executed a number of suspected looters. U.N. officials say they have seen no evidence that the group has been stealing supplies since the latest deliveries began to arrive. Israel began its campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attack on communities in southern Israel on Oct 7, 2023, which killed 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies, and saw 251 taken as hostages into Gaza. The campaign has laid waste large areas of the Gaza Strip, killing more than 54,000 Palestinians and destroying or damaging most of its buildings, leaving most of the population in makeshift shelters. (Writing by James Mackenzie; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
Shafaq News
8 hours ago
- Health
- Shafaq News
Gaza's lifeline crumbles: Israel kills 60 civilians as hospitals fail
Shafaq News/ Israel's ongoing assault on Gaza killed 60 Palestinians and injured 284 others in the past 24 hours, Gaza's Health Ministry reported on Saturday, as the territory's healthcare system teeters on collapse. The renewed attacks pushed the total death toll to 54,381 since October 7, 2023, with injuries surpassing 124,000. Health officials reported that hospitals are barely functioning after three major power generators were destroyed, crippling surgery, intensive care, emergency, and neonatal services. 'Medical teams are out of parts and out of options,' the ministry reported, warning that the generator damage is beyond repair. The World Food Programme also raised alarms, describing the crisis as 'spiraling.' It attributed the deterioration to sealed borders, rising hunger, and disrupted aid deliveries, stressing that only a ceasefire could restore safe humanitarian access. The humanitarian situation in #Gaza is spiraling. WFP has enough food to feed all 2.2M people for 2 months. A ceasefire is the only way to deliver it safely. — World Food Programme (@WFP) May 31, 2025 The warnings come as diplomatic efforts intensify. US President Donald Trump announced from the Oval Office on Friday that a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas is nearing completion and could be finalized within the next 48 hours.
Mada
2 days ago
- Politics
- Mada
Hundreds of people raid WFP's Gaza warehouse after week of Israeli-hindered aid distribution
Hundreds of people stormed a World Food Programme (WFP) warehouse in Deir al-Balah Governorate on Wednesday night to seize food provisions after distribution of the little aid that has entered the strip in the last week has been marked by chaotic and often violent outbursts due to Israel's restrictions on how it makes its way to people. Two eyewitnesses of Wednesday night's raid who spoke to Mada described an hours-long struggle between hungry crowds and security personnel stationed to protect the warehouse. At least two people were killed in the incident, according to a statement published by the United Nations program, which said the raid took place amid 'spiralling' humanitarian conditions following over 80 days of a complete blockade on the strip. The ongoing siege imposed by Israel's occupation has stretched dwindling resources in the coastal enclave to their limit, caused widespread sickness, that has led to a rash of deaths from malnutrition, and prompted a rapid breakdown in social order. At the same time, Israel has sought to install a securitized aid-distribution scheme in isolation from independent humanitarian organizations. Alongside the American and Swiss-registered Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, the Israeli military has established distribution centers policed by its own military, while restricting humanitarian organizations' access to deliver and distribute supplies to families in need, which WFP has called 'the most effective way to prevent widespread starvation.' Those that have made their way to those centers, the first of which opened earlier this week, have faced humiliating conditions and, for some, arrest. When chaos broke out at the center in Rafah earlier this week, Israeli forces opened fire to try to restore order, several of the thousands of people who had gathered at the distribution point were killed and wounded. Israel's induced starvation has prompted a spike in incidents of armed theft across Gaza in recent weeks. An eyewitness to the raid on the WFP's Ghafari warehouse on Wednesday evening told Mada Masr that they were aware before the incident that large quantities of flour were being held in the warehouse. Israel allowed the delivery of sacks of flour to the WFP for the first time in over 80 days last week. However, they prohibited the UN agency from resorting to the previous distribution method, which had seen flour given directly to families. Due to Israel's prohibition, the UN had to resort to distributing the flour to bakeries, which would then make bread and sell it to citizens. Bakeries, however, were unable to manage the crowds of people who had been without sufficient food for over two months. Abu Talal Awwad, the owner of Zadna bakery in Deir al-Balah, told Mada Masr earlier this week that armed groups had stormed several bakeries in the central governorates of Gaza, including the Banna bakery in Deir al-Balah and Hajj bakery in Nuseirat, with assailants threatening to destroy equipment and assaulting staff. An eyewitness to the storming of a bakery told Mada Masr on condition of anonymity th at while waiting in line at a bakery in Nuseirat camp to collect a bundle of loaves, a group of masked men wielding bladed weapons suddenly appeared, seized large quantities of bread, and fled the scene. The bakery subsequently shut down, leaving the eyewitness and tens of thousands of others without access to even a single loaf. Eyewitness Nael Khattab was waiting outside Deir al-Balah's Banna bakery on Saturday to collect a bundle of bread for his family. There was a large crowd and people began pushing, he told Mada Masr. The situation escalated further when some individuals broke down the barriers set up in front of the bakery entrance. The owners had no choice but to open the gates. 'Chaos broke out,' he continued. 'Groups carrying bladed weapons stormed the bakery, stole bread, and loaded it into [tuktuks] waiting outside.' Resident Amal al-Hattou urged for flour to be distributed directly to citizens rather than forcing them to wait for hours at bakeries with no guarantee they'll walk away with any bread. 'We're ready to prepare the bread ourselves,' she said. 'But we don't want to go through this humiliation outside bakeries again just to get some bread.' While some may accept the current bakery-based system in hopes of securing a daily supply of bread, it fails to meet the needs of Gaza's large families, as the allocated quantities are insufficient. Susan Bashir, another resident, said that her household includes 20 people, yet they are only permitted one bundle containing 18 small loaves. She asked how these few loaves are supposed to feed such a large family, adding that if flour were distributed directly, families could bake according to their actual needs. Eyewitness Oday Hemeida called the mechanism ineffective and unjust to hundreds of thousands of residents. There is also no system to manage crowds at bakeries, he said, leading to mass congestion and countless thefts. Many bakeries have refused to participate in the new system, Abdel Nasser al-Ajrami, the head of the Gaza Bakery Owners Association, told Mada Masr, arguing that it fails to meet residents' needs and puts bakeries at risk amid the rise of groups stealing bread. He also described thefts, and said that some of the stolen bread was reappearing in markets at extortionate prices. The stocks positioned at the Ghafari warehouse that was raided on Wednesday were pre-positioned there for distribution, the WFP said on Wednesday night. One of the eyewitnesses who spoke to Mada Masr about the raid said they joined the crowd at the Ghafari warehouse hoping they could get a sack of flour for themselves and their family, who they said had not eaten bread for weeks. Armed individuals outside the warehouse initially attempted to defend it, opening fire on some of those who attempted to approach, the eyewitness said. They noted that several people were injured in the fracas over the course of several hours. A second eyewitness also saw armed security personnel outside, who ultimately withdrew as hundreds of people forced their way into the building. Once the crowd was inside, they emptied the warehouse of all its contents, the first eyewitness said, while the second confirmed that the warehouse had been stocked with large amounts of flour. The raid on the warehouse and the failed attempt to have bakeries manage bread distribution may be enough for the WFP to be able to secure the ability to revert to its previous distribution method. Two civil society representatives in the Gaza Strip told Mada Masr on Wednesday that the WFP is expected to begin distributing flour to families instead of bakeries over the coming days. Bakers Owners Association in Gaza head Abdel Nasser al-Ajrami told Mada Masr that after meetings to determine a better mechanism, the WFP informed the association that Israel has finally approved the delivery of flour to the Gaza Strip week for direct distribution to residents, including its northern governorates, starting early next week. Nahed Shehaibar, the head of the Private Transport Association in Gaza, confirmed the information. Ajrami noted that contacts have been made with the Israeli side to request the reopening of the Zikim crossing, on Israel's border with the northern Gaza Strip, to allow flour and food aid to enter the northern governorates. However, he added that Israel is yet to respond to the request. Ultimately, any change in the distribution method will be in Israel's hands, as it controls all the entrance and exit points of Gaza. Approximately 1,000 tons of flour remain at the Karm Abu Salem crossing, awaiting Israeli approval to allow it into the strip in the coming days, Ajrami said. An Egyptian official also told Mada Masr in recent days that authorities have trucks full of material stationed in North Sinai waiting to enter the strip. 'We want to operate the Rafah border,' the official said, 'but Israel doesn't want to get out.'
