Latest news with #aidtrucks
SBS Australia
4 days ago
- Politics
- SBS Australia
The UN urges Israel to allow aid trucks into Gaza
TRANSCRIPT The UN urges Israel to allow aid trucks into Gaza, as the hunger crisis worsens Penny Wong condemns Hong Kong arrest warrants for pro-democracy advocates in Australia The Lions win the series against the Wallabies The United Nation's aid chief has criticised plans to airdrop food into Gaza, warning the approach is dangerous, expensive and inefficient - and could even kill starving civilians. Israel said on Friday that it plans to allow airdrops of food and supplies from foreign countries into Gaza in the coming days. The head of the UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, says airdrops are no substitute for lifting Israel's blockade and allowing safe, large-scale aid deliveries. He says his agency has the equivalent of 6,000 trucks in Jordan and Egypt waiting for entry into Gaza. He urged Israel to allow the trucks through. His warning comes as five-month-old Zainab Abu Halib dies from malnutrition due to a scarcity in baby formula. Her mother, Esraa, says she is heartbroken. "My five-month-old daughter died of malnutrition due to a lack of baby formula, the closure of the crossing and the ban on the entry of baby formula. With my daughter's death, many will follow. Their names are on a list that no one looks at. They are just names and numbers. We are just numbers. Our children, whom we carried for nine months and then gave birth to, have become just numbers." Mr Lazzarini says the crisis is man-made and that only political will can stop it. Taiwanese voters have rejected an attempt to remove 20 opposition MPs from parliament. The early result of an unprecedented vote in Taiwan shows the opposition has retained its majority. A small number of votes are still being counted. The ruling Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP), which favours Taiwanese sovereignty, won the presidency last year but lacks a legislative majority. The main opposition party, Kuomintang, have worked together with the smaller Taiwan People's Party and independents to block bills and pass controversial pieces of legislation. This 65-year-old voter in Taipei says he is worried about the future. 'All the Taiwanese people will bear the consequences of the results. Such are the results. Democracy and freedom are so precious, their values are so precious. Freedom, human rights and rule of law. But if Chinese communists arrive here, we will lose all of these.' US President Donald Trump says the leaders of Cambodia and Thailand have agreed to meet immediately to quickly work out a ceasefire, after three days of fighting along their border. Mr Trump says he told both leaders that he would not make trade deals with either country, if the border conflict continued. At least 33 people have been killed and more than 130,000 people displaced in the worst fighting between the Southeast Asian neighbours in 13 years. The roots of the dispute dates back to more than 100 years ago, when the borders of the two nations were drawn after the French occupation of Cambodia. Foreign Minister Penny Wong has condemned Hong Kong's national security authorities for issuing arrest warrants for 19 individuals, including an Australian. Australian academic Feng Chongyi is the target of a $38,000 (HK$200,000) bounty issued by Hong Kong authorities, who accuse him of involvement in the Hong Kong Parliament, a group they allege is engaged in subversion. Australian resident Wong Sau-ho was also among the 19 individuals issued with warrants. On social media platform X, Ms Wong says Australia "strongly objects" to Hong Kong authorities issuing arrest warrants for pro-democracy advocates in Australia. Speaking to SBS News, Professor Feng, who's not from Hong Kong, says he only got involved with the group to show his support for democracy in Hong Kong. "I feel quite sad that the autonomous, autonomy of Hong Kong, basic human rights in Hong Kong, and assembly diversity in Hong Kong all has been destroyed by the implementation of the Hong Kong national security law." In Rugby Union, the Wallabies have suffered a heart-breaking series loss to the British and Irish Lions. The team went from an 18-point lead to crash to a 29-26 loss in the second Test at the MCG. A last-minute try from Hugo Keegan saw the Lions win the game, although it ended in controversial circumstances with the Wallabies flanker Carlo Tizzano appearing to have been illegally cleaned out in the build-up to the match-winning try. After multiple replays, it was determined there was no illegal contact.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Israeli air strikes in Gaza Strip leave at least 25 dead, health officials say
At least 25 people were killed by Israeli air strikes and gunshots overnight, according to health officials and the ambulance service on Saturday, as ceasefire talks appear to have stalled and Palestinians in Gaza face famine. The majority of victims were killed by gunfire as they waited for aid trucks close to the Zikim crossing with Israel, said staff at Shifa hospital, where the bodies were brought. The Israeli army did not respond to requests for comments about the latest shootings. Those killed in the strikes include four people in an apartment building in Gaza City among others, hospital staff and the ambulance service said. The strikes come as ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas have hit a standstill after the US and Israel recalled their negotiating teams on Thursday, throwing the future of the talks into further uncertainty. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday his government was considering 'alternative options' to ceasefire talks with Hamas. His comments came as a Hamas official said negotiations were expected to resume next week and portrayed the recall of the Israeli and American delegations as a pressure tactic. Egypt and Qatar, which are mediating the talks alongside the US, said the pause was only temporary and that talks would resume, though they did not say when. The United Nations (UN) and experts have said that Palestinians in Gaza are at risk of famine, with reports of increasing numbers of people dying from causes related to malnutrition. While Israel's army says it is allowing aid into the enclave with no limit on the number of trucks that can enter, the UN says it is hampered by Israeli military restrictions on its movements and incidents of criminal looting. The Zikim crossing shootings come days after at least 80 Palestinians were killed trying to reach aid entering through the same crossing. The Israeli military said at the time its soldiers shot at a gathering of thousands of Palestinians who posed a threat and that it was aware of some casualties. Israel is facing increased international pressure to alleviate the catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Gaza. More then two dozen Western-aligned countries and more than 100 charity and human rights groups have called for an end to the war, harshly criticising Israel's blockade and a new aid delivery model it has rolled out. The charities and rights groups said even their own staff were struggling to get enough food. For the first time in months Israel said it is allowing airdrops, requested by Jordan. A Jordanian official said the airdrops will mainly be food and milk formula. UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer wrote in a newspaper article on Saturday that the UK was 'working urgently' with Jordan to get British aid into Gaza. Aid group the World Central Kitchen said on Friday it was resuming limited cooking operations in Deir al-Balah after being forced to halt due to a lack of food supplies. It said it is trying to serve 60,000 meals daily through its field kitchen and partner community kitchens, less than half of what it has cooked over the previous month.
BreakingNews.ie
4 days ago
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
Israeli air strikes in Gaza Strip leave at least 25 dead, health officials say
At least 25 people were killed by Israeli air strikes and gunshots overnight, according to health officials and the ambulance service on Saturday, as ceasefire talks appear to have stalled and Palestinians in Gaza face famine. The majority of victims were killed by gunfire as they waited for aid trucks close to the Zikim crossing with Israel, said staff at Shifa hospital, where the bodies were brought. Advertisement The Israeli army did not respond to requests for comments about the latest shootings. Those killed in the strikes include four people in an apartment building in Gaza City among others, hospital staff and the ambulance service said. The strikes come as ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas have hit a standstill after the US and Israel recalled their negotiating teams on Thursday, throwing the future of the talks into further uncertainty. Palestinians mourn during the funeral of people who were killed while trying to reach aid trucks (Abdel Kareem Hana/AP/PA) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday his government was considering 'alternative options' to ceasefire talks with Hamas. Advertisement His comments came as a Hamas official said negotiations were expected to resume next week and portrayed the recall of the Israeli and American delegations as a pressure tactic. Egypt and Qatar, which are mediating the talks alongside the US, said the pause was only temporary and that talks would resume, though they did not say when. The United Nations (UN) and experts have said that Palestinians in Gaza are at risk of famine, with reports of increasing numbers of people dying from causes related to malnutrition. While Israel's army says it is allowing aid into the enclave with no limit on the number of trucks that can enter, the UN says it is hampered by Israeli military restrictions on its movements and incidents of criminal looting. Advertisement The Zikim crossing shootings come days after at least 80 Palestinians were killed trying to reach aid entering through the same crossing. The Israeli military said at the time its soldiers shot at a gathering of thousands of Palestinians who posed a threat and that it was aware of some casualties. Marwa Barakat (centre) mourns during the funeral of her son Fahd Abu Hajeb (Abdel Kareem Hana/AP/PA) Israel is facing increased international pressure to alleviate the catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Gaza. More then two dozen Western-aligned countries and more than 100 charity and human rights groups have called for an end to the war, harshly criticising Israel's blockade and a new aid delivery model it has rolled out. Advertisement The charities and rights groups said even their own staff were struggling to get enough food. For the first time in months Israel said it is allowing airdrops, requested by Jordan. A Jordanian official said the airdrops will mainly be food and milk formula. UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer wrote in a newspaper article on Saturday that the UK was 'working urgently' with Jordan to get British aid into Gaza. Advertisement Aid group the World Central Kitchen said on Friday it was resuming limited cooking operations in Deir al-Balah after being forced to halt due to a lack of food supplies. It said it is trying to serve 60,000 meals daily through its field kitchen and partner community kitchens, less than half of what it has cooked over the previous month.
Washington Post
4 days ago
- Health
- Washington Post
At least 25 people killed by Israeli gunshots and strikes in Gaza, some while seeking aid
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — At least 25 people were killed by Israeli airstrikes and gunshots overnight, according to health officials and the ambulance service on Saturday, as ceasefire talks appear to have stalled and Palestinians in Gaza face famine. The majority of victims were killed by gunfire as they waited for aid trucks close to the Zikim crossing with Israel, said staff at Shifa hospital, where the bodies were brought.
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
IDF fired warning shots at Gazans near aid sites, Hamas conflating casualties, spox. says
International media outlets reported that at least 73 people were killed by Israeli fire while they waited for UN aid trucks in northern Gaza on Sunday, citing the Hamas-affiliated Health Ministry. Lt.-Col. Nadav Shoshani, an IDF spokesperson, said on Sunday that soldiers fired warning shots to remove an immediate threat to thousands of Palestinians in the northern Gaza Strip. Shoshani said that the military was aware of the claim regarding casualties in the area and that the incident is being investigated. According to foreign news outlets citing the Hamas-affiliated Health Ministry, at least 73 people were killed by Israeli fire while they waited for UN aid trucks in northern Gaza on Sunday. The ministry added that dozens of people were also reportedly wounded in one of the highest reported tolls among repeated recent cases in which aid seekers have been killed, including 36 on Saturday. Six other people were killed near another aid site in the south, it said. In total, Hamas-backed health authorities said 88 people had been killed by Israeli gunfire and airstrikes across Gaza on Sunday. Shoshani shared on X/Twitter one international media report stating that 73 Palestinians were killed while waiting for humanitarian aid across Gaza. He wrote that this report was not accurate and that global media outlets fail to mention that the information comes from Hamas, 'a US-designated terrorist organization.' IDF issues evacuation warnings for Deir al-Balah, warns Palestinians against returning to areas In total, health authorities said 88 people had been killed by Israeli gunfire and airstrikes across Gaza on Sunday. Earlier on Sunday, the IDF's Arabic language spokesperson, Col. Avichay Adraee, issued evacuation warnings for areas in Deir el-Balah, as well as an additional statement urging Palestinians not to return to these areas, as they were classified as active combat zones. Reuters contributed to this report.
