Page 48 - Gaza Conflict

UN appoints former Dutch deputy premier as Gaza humanitarian coordinator

Sigrid Kaag, the Netherlands' former deputy prime minister and a Mideast expert, was appointed the UN coordinator for humanitarian aid to war-torn Gaza, the United Nations chief announced on Tuesday. The announcement by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres follows the Security Council's adoption of a resolution on Friday requesting him to expeditiously appoint a senior humanitarian and reconstruction coordinator for Gaza, where more than 2 million civilians are in desperate need of food, water and medicine, Guterres said Kaag, who speaks fluent Arabic and five other languages, brings a wealth of experience in political, humanitarian and development affairs as well as in diplomacy to her new post. She is expected to start on January 8. She will facilitate, coordinate, monitor, and verify humanitarian relief consignments to Gaza, he said, adding that Kaag will also establish a UN mechanism to accelerate aid deliveries "through states which are not party to the conflict. Gaza's enti

Israel to give Intel $3.2 bn grant for new $25 bn chip plant in south

This is the largest investment ever by a company in Israel. The news comes as Israel remains locked in a war with Palestinian militant group Hamas in the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel

Gaza war far from over: Netanyahu reaffirms; Israel's budget deficit swells

Israel's war with Hamas in Gaza will likely cost it at least another 50 billion shekels ($14 billion) in 2024 and result in a near-tripling of its budget deficit, the Finance Ministry said on Monday

War exacts very heavy price from us, but we have no choice: Netanyahu

Fifteen Israeli soldiers have been killed in combat in Gaza over the weekend, the Israeli military said on Sunday, while tentative efforts continued on a deal for another exchange of hostages for Palestinians held by Israel. As Christmas Eve fell, smoke still rose over Gaza from the fighting, while Bethlehem in the West Bank was hushed, its holiday celebrations called off. The mounting death toll among Israeli troops 154 since the ground offensive began could erode public support for the war, which was sparked when Hamas-led militants stormed communities in southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 and taking 240 hostage. The war has devastated parts of Gaza, killed roughly 20,400 Palestinians and displaced almost all of the besieged territory's 2.3 million people. The Health Ministry in Gaza said 166 people were killed in the coastal enclave over the past day. Israelis still largely stand behind the country's stated goals of crushing Hamas' governing and military capabilities and

50 elections globally amid wars cast doubt on 2024 economic outlook

Next year could see increasing volatility as persistent military conflicts and economic uncertainty influence voting in national elections across the globe

Nvidia raises $15 mn for non profits helping Israel-Hamar war-hit civilians

Employees from more than 30 countries donated a total of $5 million, which the company matched and doubled to $10 million under a special program introduced to help those affected by the war

Palestinian death toll reaches 20,424 amid Israel war: Hamas-run Gaza govt

Israel says it has achieved almost complete operational control over northern Gaza and is preparing to expand a ground offensive against Hamas militants to other areas

Israel strikes 2 homes, more than 90 Palestinians killed, hundreds detained

More than 90 Palestinians, including dozens from an extended family, were killed in Israeli airstrikes on two homes, rescuers and hospital officials said Saturday, a day after the UN chief warned again that nowhere is safe in Gaza and that Israel's offensive is creating massive obstacles to distribution of humanitarian aid. Also Saturday, the Israeli military said troops arrested hundreds of alleged militants in Gaza over the past week and transferred more than 200 of them to Israel for further interrogation, providing rare details on a controversial policy of mass roundups of Palestinian men. The army said more than 700 people with alleged ties to the militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad have so far been sent to Israeli lockups. Israel declared war after Hamas gunmen stormed across the border on Oct. 7, killing some 1,200 people and taking some 240 hostages. More than 20,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's war to destroy Hamas and more than 53,000 have been wounded, .

UNSC adopts UAE's resolution on scaling up, monitoring aid to Gaza

The resolution calls for urgent steps to immediately allow safe, unhindered, and expanded humanitarian access and for a sustainable cessation of hostilities in the Gaza Strip

Israel bombed areas in Southern Gaza it designated safe for civilians

During the first six weeks of the war in Gaza, Israel routinely used one of its biggest and most destructive bombs in areas it designated safe for civilians

UNSC adopts resolution demanding unhindered aid access throughout Gaza

The UN Security Council on Friday adopted a resolution demanding the immediate and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid throughout the Gaza Strip and to create conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities in the Israel-Hamas conflict. The 15-nation Council voted on Friday, after days of delays, on a draft resolution proposed by the United Arab Emirates. The resolution was adopted after 13 members voted in favour of the resolution, none against while the US and Russia abstained. The resolution demanded that parties to the conflict allow, facilitate and enable the immediate, safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance at scale directly to the Palestinian civilian population throughout the Gaza Strip, and in this regard calls for urgent steps to immediately allow safe, unhindered, and expanded humanitarian access and to create the conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities. The resolution also demanded that the parties to the conflict allow and ...

Oil extends weekly gains, up 1% as tensions over Red Sea attacks persist

More maritime carriers are avoiding the Red Sea due to attacks on vessels carried out by the Houthi militant group, who say they are responding to Israel's war in Gaza

More than 20,000 Palestinians killed in Israel-Hamas war: Gaza officials

Health officials in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip say more than 20,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war between Israel and Hamas. The figure, amounting to nearly 1% of the territory's prewar population, is a new reflection of the staggering cost of the war, which in just over 10 weeks has displaced more than 80% of Gaza's people and devastated wide swaths of the tiny coastal enclave. Gaza's Health Ministry said Friday that it has documented 20,057 deaths in the fighting. It does not differentiate between combatant and civilian deaths. It has previously said that roughly two-thirds of the dead were women or minors.

Canada announces temporary visas for people in Gaza with Canadian relatives

People in the Gaza Strip who have Canadian relatives may apply for temporary visas to Canada, the country's immigration minister said Thursday. However, the federal government cannot guarantee safe passage out of the besieged Palestinian territory. Immigration Minister Marc Miller expects the program to be up and running by Jan. 9. Until now, the government has focused on getting 660 Canadians, permanent residents and their spouses and children out of Gaza. Miller said the government will start accepting applications for people with extended family connections to Canada, including parents, grandparents, siblings and grandchildren. He said people will be offered three-year visas if they meet eligibility and admissibility criteria. Miller said he's not sure how many people will be able to come to Canada under the program, but he expects the number will be in the hundreds. Miller said it's been difficult to get Canadians out of Gaza. We have limited ability, he said.

Israel established full 'operational control' over Gaza's Shejaiya: IDF

According to the IDF, dozens of tuneel shafts found in homes, schools, health clinics and weapons were destroyed

US expects Israel to shift to targeted operations in Gaza: Secy Blinken

Hostage deal uncertain after Egypt's talks end without results

LIVE news: Army truck ambushed by terrorists in J-K's Poonch District

Catch all the latest updates LIVE from across the globe here

India-US ties on 'upward trajectory, warmer than before': PM Modi

No 'feeling of discrimination' against any religious minority in India, he tells Financial Times

US, allies avoiding another veto of UN resolution on critical aid for Gaza

The United States, key allies and Arab nations engaged in high-level diplomacy in hopes of avoiding another US veto of a new UN resolution on desperately needed aid to Gaza ahead of a long-delayed vote now scheduled for Thursday morning. The US has been struggling to change the text's references to a cessation of hostilities in the Israel-Hamas war. Another sticking point is the inspection of aid trucks into Gaza to ensure they are only carrying humanitarian goods. The current draft proposes a U.N. role, an idea Israel is likely to oppose. US President Joe Biden told reporters on his way back from Milwaukee, Wisconsin late Wednesday afternoon that we're negotiating right now at the UN the contours of a resolution that we may be able to agree to. Ambassador Lana Nusseibeh of the United Arab Emirates, which sponsored the Arab-backed resolution, said earlier that high-level discussions are underway to try to reach agreement on a text that can be adopted. Everyone wants to see a ...

Brent hovers near $80 amid geopolitical tensions over Red Sea attacks

On Wednesday, Greece advised commercial vessels sailing in the Red Sea avoid Yemeni waters. Greek ship owners control about 20% of the world's commercial vessels in terms of carrying capacity