Latest news with #foodDistribution
CBC
5 days ago
- General
- CBC
Canadian charity pauses Gaza aid after U.S.-backed group takes over distribution
Social Sharing A Canadian charity says it has suspended the distribution of some 38,000 boxes of food to the Gaza Strip, fearing the aid would never reach the Palestinians who need it due to controls imposed by a controversial, new U.S.-backed entity. "Human Concern International has made a difficult but principled decision" to pause delivery of 17 "fully loaded" aid trucks, said the group's chief programs officer Iftikhar Shaikh Ahmad at a news conference on Parliament Hill Thursday morning. The aid group and others are pushing Ottawa to enact sanctions against Israel. "Gaza Humanitarian Foundation were not abiding by humanitarian principles," Ahmad told CBC News, referring to the company now charged with distributing aid in Gaza. WATCH | Aid groups call for sanctions on Israel: Groups ask PM Carney to pressure Israel, say Canadian aid blocked from Gaza 4 hours ago Duration 7:05 Speaking from the House of Commons West Block Thursday, Human Concern International's Chief Programs Officer Iftikhar Shaikh Ahmad; Save the Children's Humanitarian Director (via zoom from Gaza) Rachael Cummings; Humanitarian Advisor Roula Kikhia and Oxfam Canada's Erin Kiley call upon the federal government to act, saying Canadian aid trucks are among those being blocked by the Israeli military from entering Gaza. The GHF is establishing four initial hubs in southern Gaza to distribute food with the help of subcontractors. "Only the population in the south would have access," Ahmad said. "We were not given any guarantee that the people that would be going to the distribution centre are going to be safe." Established in February, the GHF took control of aid distribution in Israel from independent groups over the course of the last month, with approval from the Israeli government, marking the partial end of a months-long blockade. Though the GHF has pledged over the next 30 days to build distribution centres across Gaza, including the north where most of the Palestinians displaced by war are located, it has yet to reveal locations. Palestinians would have to cross through Israeli military lines to reach hubs around Rafah, the southern Gaza city bordering Egypt, to access aid. On Monday, the head of the GHF resigned, stating the group did not adhere to humanitarian principles. WATCH | Shots fired during Gaza aid distribution: Shots fired in southern Gaza after crowds charge food distribution site 2 days ago Duration 2:01 Crowds rushed a food distribution site in southern Gaza before scattering when shots were fired in what the UN called a 'heartbreaking' scene. Humanitarian groups say the new Israel-backed effort to get aid into Gaza falls far short of what's needed. The next day, The Associated Press reported that several Palestinians were injured as the Israeli military said it fired warning shots at people rushing one of the hubs. "Our donors did not give to support forced displacement or selective aid," Ahmad said. "They gave to help all Palestinians, wherever they are." Worker describes groups of starving children On Thursday, the HCI was joined by Oxfam Canada, as well as Save the Children Canada, in asking the federal government to place sanctions against Israel. Ottawa has yet to act after threatening to do so in a joint statement with France and the United Kingdom on May 19. Rachael Cummings, one of Save the Children's representatives, joined the news conference remotely from Deir al-Balah, Gaza. "What we see in Gaza is children walking, equipped in the streets with empty bowls looking for food. Children with empty bottles looking for clean water," she said. Cummings said when her group has asked kids what their biggest wishes are for their future, some simply answered they want food or water. "One child shared that he wished to be dead, with his mother in paradise, where he knows he will be loved and he knows that there is food and water." The aid groups are not the first to take to Parliament Hill to call for sanctions. On Wednesday, a group of physicians who have worked in Gaza . "As a surgeon, I cannot treat a genocide. As doctors, we cannot stop a famine. So we demand that the Canadian government take meaningful action," said Deirdre Nunan, an orthopedic surgeon. CBC News has asked Global Affairs Canada questions about its red line for sanctions, but has yet to receive a response. On Wednesday, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand declined to walk by journalists after a Liberal caucus meeting, going to an elevator instead of stopping to answer questions. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre criticized the government for even issuing a statement. "I really think it's unfair that Mr. Carney is targeting the democratic Jewish state of Israel when in fact Hamas continues to hold hostages," he said on Wednesday. "It's time for the Liberals to stop trying to score political points by attacking Israel and singling out Israel." Both the Bloc Québécois and NDP opposition parties are pushing for sanctions, with the latter hoping to present a new private members' bill that would recognize a Palestinian state.
RNZ News
5 days ago
- General
- RNZ News
Gaza aid group opens third distribution point as thousands seek food
By Michelle Nichols and Nidal al-Mughrabi , Reuters Dislocated Palestinians carry the humanitarian aid they have received. Photo: AFP/SAEED JARAS The US-backed group distributing aid in Gaza opened a third site on Thursday and says more will open in coming weeks as the arrival of thousands of Palestinians seeking desperately needed supplies has tested the capacity of the new system. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a private group backed by the United States and endorsed by Israel, began operations this week but the launch was marred by tumultuous scenes on Tuesday when thousands rushed the fences and forced private security contractors to retreat. The chaotic start to the operation has raised international pressure on Israel to get more food in and halt the fighting in Gaza, with new US proposals on the table that Hamas said it was studying. On Thursday, GHF said it had opened a third distribution hub in Gaza and had so far supplied a total of just over 1.8 million meals. More sites are due to be opened in the coming weeks. The new system has been heavily criticised by the United Nations and other aid groups as an inadequate and flawed response to the humanitarian crisis left by Israel's 11-week blockade on aid entering Gaza. A girl gesturing as Palestinian children line up to collect a meal at a free food distribution point in April. Photo: APF / Eyad Baba Wessam Khader, a 25-year-old father of a three-year-old boy, said he had gone to a site near Rafah, despite widespread suspicions of the new system among Palestinians and warnings from militant group Hamas to stay away. He said he had gone every day since Tuesday but only obtained a 3kg package containing flour, canned sardines, salt, noodles, biscuits and jam on the first day. "I was driven by the hunger, for several weeks we had no flour, we had nothing in the tent," he told Reuters by telephone from Rafah. "My son wakes every day asking for something to eat and I can't give him." When he arrived with his father and brother, there were thousands there already and no sign of the identification process that Israeli officials had promised to screen out anyone considered to have links to Hamas. "I didn't see anything, no one asked for me for anything, and if there was an electronic gate or screening I think it collapsed under the feet of the crowds," he said. The gates, the wire fences were all brought down and even plastic pipes, metal sheets and fencing material was carried off. "People were hungry and they took everything at the site," he said. Earlier this week, GHF said it had anticipated such reactions from a "distressed population" but the United Nations has said the amount of aid coming in remained far below what was required to relieve the risk of famine for more than 2 million people in the enclave. UN officials have said prior to the war, at least 500-600 trucks of aid and commercial goods a day were required to supply Gaza. UN Middle East envoy Sigrid Kaag has described the amount of aid Israel had so far allowed the UN to deliver as "comparable to a lifeboat after the ship has sunk" when everyone in Gaza was facing the risk of famine. For Palestinians in northern Gaza, cut off from distribution points in the south, even the limited amount of aid coming in through GHF or through trucks from the UN and other aid groups remains out of reach. "We see videos about the aid, and people getting some, but they keep saying no trucks can enter north where we live," said Ghada Zaki, a 52-year-old mother of seven in Gaza City, told Reuters via chat app. Palestinians shove to get a portion of cooked food from a charity kitchen in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip on 17 May, 2025. Photo: AFP Israel imposed the blockade at the beginning of March, saying supplies were being stolen by Hamas and used to entrench its control over Gaza. Hamas denies stealing aid and said it had protected aid trucks from looters. Even as thousands made their way to the distribution site, Israeli jets continued to pound areas of Gaza, killing at least 45 people on Thursday, including 23 people in a strike on the Bureij camp in the central Gaza Strip, Palestinian medical workers said. The Israeli military said it hit dozens of targets in Gaza overnight, including what it said were weapon dumps, sniper positions and tunnels. Gaza's Hamas-led interior ministry said several police were killed by an Israeli strike as they confronted thieves in Gaza City. Speculation around a possible ceasefire agreement grew after US President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff said the White House was preparing a draft document that could provide the basis for an agreement. However, it was unclear what changes to previous proposals were being considered that might overcome the deep differences between Hamas and Israel that have stymied previous attempts to restore a ceasefire that broke down in March after only two months. Israel has insisted that Hamas disarm completely and be dismantled as a military and governing force, and that all the 58 hostages still held in Gaza must come back before it will agree to end the war. Hamas has rejected the demand to give up its weapons and said Israel must pull its troops out of Gaza and commit to ending the war. Israel has come under increasing international pressure, with many European countries that have normally been reluctant to criticise it openly demanding an end to the war and a major relief effort. Israel launched its campaign in Gaza in response to the devastating attack in southern Israel on Oct 7, 2023, that killed some 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage into Gaza, according to Israeli tallies. The campaign had killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, Gaza health officials said, and left the enclave in ruins. - Reuters
Asharq Al-Awsat
5 days ago
- General
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Gaza Aid System Under Pressure as Thousands Seek Food
After a slow and chaotic start to the new US-backed aid system in Gaza, thousands of Palestinians have been arriving at distribution points, seeking desperately needed food despite scenes of disorder and fears of violence. The two hubs run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a private group sponsored by the United States and endorsed by Israel, have been running since Tuesday, but the launch was marred by tumultuous scenes when thousands rushed the fences and forced private contractors providing security to retreat. An Israeli military official told Reuters that the GHF was now operating four aid distribution sites, three in the Rafah area in the south and one in the Netzarim area in central Gaza. The new system has been heavily criticized by the United Nations and other aid groups as an inadequate and flawed response to the humanitarian crisis left by Israel's 11-week blockade on aid entering Gaza. Wessam Khader, a 25-year-old father of a three-year-old boy, said he had gone to a site near Rafah, despite widespread suspicions of the new system among Palestinians and warnings from militant group Hamas to stay away. He said he had gone every day since Tuesday but only obtained a 3 kg (6.6 pounds) package containing flour, canned sardines, salt, noodles, biscuits and jam on the first day. "I was driven by the hunger, for several weeks we had no flour, we had nothing in the tent," he told Reuters by telephone from Rafah. "My son wakes every day asking for something to eat and I can't give him." When he arrived with his father and brother, there were thousands there already and no sign of the identification process that Israeli officials had said would be in place to screen out anyone considered to have links to Hamas. "I didn't see anything, no one asked for me for anything, and if there was an electronic gate or screening I think it collapsed under the feet of the crowds," he said. The gates, the wire fences were all brought down and even plastic pipes, metal boards and fencing material was carried off. "People were hungry and they took everything at the site," he said. Earlier this week, GHP said it had anticipated such reactions from a "distressed population". For Palestinians in northern Gaza, cut off from the distribution points in the south even that remains out of reach. "We see videos about the aid, and people getting some, but they keep saying no trucks can enter north where we live," said Ghada Zaki, a 52-year-old mother of seven in Gaza City, told Reuters via chat app. AIR STRIKES Israel imposed the blockade at the beginning of March, saying supplies were being stolen by Hamas and used to entrench its control over Gaza. Hamas denies stealing aid and says it has protected aid trucks from looters. Even as thousands made their way to the distribution site, Israeli jets continued to pound areas of Gaza, killing at least 45 people on Thursday, including 23 people in a strike that hit several houses in the Bureij camp in the central Gaza Strip, Palestinian medical workers said. The Israeli military said it hit dozens of targets in Gaza overnight, including what it said were weapons storage dumps, sniper positions and tunnels. Speculation around a possible ceasefire agreement grew after US President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff said the White House was preparing a draft document that could provide the basis for an agreement. However, it was unclear what changes to previous proposals were being considered that might overcome the deep differences between Hamas and Israel that have stymied previous attempts to restore a ceasefire deal that broke down in March after only two months. Israel has insisted that Hamas disarm completely and be dismantled as a military and governing force and that all of the 58 hostages still held in Gaza must come back before it will agree to end the war. Hamas has rejected the demand to give up its weapons and says Israel must commit to ending the war for a deal to work. Israel has come under increasing international pressure, with many European countries that have normally been reluctant to criticize Israel openly demanding an end to the war and a major humanitarian relief effort.
Khaleej Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Gaza aid system under pressure as thousands seek food
After a slow and chaotic start to the new US-backed aid system in Gaza, thousands of Palestinians have been arriving at distribution points, seeking desperately needed food despite scenes of disorder and fears of violence. The two hubs run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a private group sponsored by the United States and endorsed by Israel, have been running since Tuesday, but the launch was marred by tumultuous scenes when thousands rushed the fences and forced private contractors providing security to retreat. An Israeli military official told Reuters that the GHF was now operating four aid distribution sites, three in the Rafah area in the south and one in the Netzarim area in central Gaza. GHF did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on whether it was now distributing aid in Netzarim. The new system has been heavily criticised by the United Nations and other aid groups as an inadequate and flawed response to the humanitarian crisis left by Israel's 11-week blockade on aid entering Gaza. Wessam Khader, a 25-year-old father of a three-year-old boy, said he had gone to a site near Rafah, despite widespread suspicions of the new system among Palestinians and warnings from militant group Hamas to stay away. He said he had gone every day since Tuesday but only obtained a 3kg package containing flour, canned sardines, salt, noodles, biscuits and jam on the first day. "I was driven by the hunger, for several weeks we had no flour, we had nothing in the tent," he told Reuters by telephone from Rafah. "My son wakes every day asking for something to eat and I can't give him." When he arrived with his father and brother, there were thousands there already and no sign of the identification process that Israeli officials had said would be in place to screen out anyone considered to have links to Hamas. "I didn't see anything, no one asked for me for anything, and if there was an electronic gate or screening I think it collapsed under the feet of the crowds," he said. The gates, the wire fences were all brought down and even plastic pipes, metal boards and fencing material was carried off. " People were hungry and they took everything at the site," he said. Earlier this week, GHP said it had anticipated such reactions from a "distressed population". For Palestinians in northern Gaza, cut off from the distribution points in the south even that remains out of reach. "We see videos about the aid, and people getting some, but they keep saying no trucks can enter north where we live," said Ghada Zaki, a 52-year-old mother of seven in Gaza City, told Reuters via chat app. Air strikes Israel imposed the blockade at the beginning of March, saying supplies were being stolen by Hamas and used to entrench its control over Gaza. Hamas denies stealing aid and says it has protected aid trucks from looters. Even as thousands made their way to the distribution site, Israeli jets continued to pound areas of Gaza, killing at least 45 people on Thursday, including 23 people in a strike that hit several houses in the Bureij camp in the central Gaza Strip, Palestinian medical workers said. The Israeli military said it hit dozens of targets in Gaza overnight, including what it said were weapons storage dumps, sniper positions and tunnels. Speculation around a possible ceasefire agreement grew after US President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff said the White House was preparing a draft document that could provide the basis for an agreement. However, it was unclear what changes to previous proposals were being considered that might overcome the deep differences between Hamas and Israel that have stymied previous attempts to restore a ceasefire deal that broke down in March after only two months. Israel has insisted that Hamas disarm completely and be dismantled as a military and governing force and that all of the 58 hostages still held in Gaza must come back before it will agree to end the war. Hamas has rejected the demand to give up its weapons and says Israel must commit to ending the war for a deal to work. Israel has come under increasing international pressure, with many European countries that have normally been reluctant to criticise Israel openly demanding an end to the war and a major humanitarian relief effort. Israel launched its campaign in Gaza in response to the devastating attack on communities in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, that killed some 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage into Gaza, according to Israeli tallies. The campaign has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians and left the enclave in ruins, forcing most of its population to move multiple times, Gaza health officials say.
CBC
7 days ago
- General
- CBC
Shots fired in southern Gaza after crowds charge food distribution site
Crowds rushed a food distribution site in southern Gaza before scattering when shots were fired in what the UN called a 'heartbreaking' scene. Humanitarian groups say the new Israel-backed effort to get aid into Gaza falls far short of what's needed.
