Page 9 - Gaza

US vetoes UNSC resolution calling for Gaza ceasefire, hostage release

The United States once again vetoed a UN Security Council resolution Thursday that had demanded for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages after saying that the effort did not go far enough in condemning Hamas. All 14 other members of the United Nations' most powerful body voted in favor of the resolution, which described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as catastrophic and called on Israel to lift all restrictions on the delivery of aid to the 2.1 million Palestinians in the territory. The outcome further highlights US and Israeli isolation on the world stage regarding the nearly two-year war in Gaza. The vote came just days ahead of the annual gathering of world leaders at the UN General Assembly, where Gaza will be a major topic and where major US allies are expected to recognise an independent Palestinian state. It is a largely symbolic move that is vehemently opposed by Israel and the US, dividing the Trump administration from close allies, .

Trump disagrees with Starmer over UK's plans to recognise Palestine

Trump underscored the atrocities of Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7 and emphasised his priorities of the release of hostages

EU Commission moves to suspend Israeli trade benefits over Gaza conflict

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas also proposed a package of sanctions on two Israeli ministers, as well as "violent" Israeli settlers and 10 senior members of Palestinian militant group Hamas

Ben & Jerry's co-founder exits after feud with Unilever over Gaza

Ben & Jerry's has in recent months been a lonely voice among well-known brands speaking out on issues like Gaza and President Donald Trump's immigration stance

Israeli troops press forward into Gaza as Palestinians flee the city

Israeli troops and tanks were pushing deeper into Gaza City on Wednesday, the second day of a ground offensive that was widely condemned internationally, as Palestinians fled the devastated area en masse. Israel's military said that air force and artillery units had struck the city over 150 times in the last few days, ahead of ground troops moving in. The strikes have toppled high-rise towers in areas densely populated by tent camps where thousands of Palestinians are sheltering. Israel claims the towers are being used by Hamas to surveil troops. Overnight strikes killed at least 16 people, including women and children, hospital officials reported. The death count in Gaza is nearing 65,000 Palestinians since the war began October 7, 2023 with a Hamas-led attack on Israel, according to health officials in the enclave. Meanwhile, Palestinians streamed out of the city some by car, others on foot. Israel opened another corridor south of Gaza City for two days beginning Wednesday to al

Israeli forces launch Gaza City ground offensive as Palestinians flee

Israel launched its offensive in Gaza City on Tuesday, vowing to overwhelm a city already in ruins from nearly two years of war as thousands of Palestinians fled in vehicles strapped with mattresses and other belongings that clogged a coastal road. The operation into the largest Palestinian city escalated a conflict that has roiled the Middle East and likely pushed any ceasefire with Hamas farther out of reach. The military would not offer a timeline for the offensive that aims to crush the militant group's ability to fight, but Israeli media suggested it could take months. Gaza is burning, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz declared as the operation began. Heavy bombardment pounded the city, and troops began moving in from the outskirts after weeks of airstrikes and buildup toward the renewed assault. The offensive began the same day that independent experts commissioned by the United Nations Human Rights Council accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. Israel rejected the

Israel launches expanded operation in Gaza City, urges residents to leave

After a night of heavy airstrikes, the Israeli military announced Tuesday that its expanded operation in Gaza City to destroy Hamas' military infrastructure has begun and warned residents to move south. The announcement by Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee followed Defence Minister Israel Kataz's statement that Gaza is burning and further escalated the Israel-Hamas war as any potential ceasefire feels even further out of reach despite weeks of diplomacy. Also Tuesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio left Israel and arrived in the energy-rich nation of Qatar, where he planned to meet with its ruling emir as the nation is still incensed over Israel's strike last week that killed five Hamas members and a local security official. While Arab and Muslim nations denounced the strike at a summit Monday, they stopped short of any major action targeting Israel, highlighting the challenge of diplomatically pressuring any change in Israel's conduct in the grinding Israel-Hamas war.

Starvation as warfare: UN panel finds Israel committed genocide in Gaza

A UN panel accused Israel of genocide in Gaza, citing 60,000 Palestinian deaths and the use of starvation as warfare. Israel rejected the report as 'fake' and biased

'Gaza is burning', says Israeli defence minister after overnight strikes

Israel's defence minister said Tuesday that Gaza is burning after heavy strikes overnight targeted Gaza City. Defence Minister Israel Katz's remarks come as Israel has been planning a new offensive targeting Gaza City. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking to journalists while leaving Israel for Qatar, suggested the offensive had begun. The Israelis have begun to take operations there. So we think we have a very short window of time in which a deal can happen, Rubio said. We don't have months anymore, and we probably have days and maybe a few weeks.

US Secretary of State Rubio, Israeli PM Netanyahu hold Gaza talks

The two leaders met for three hours at Netanyahu's West Jerusalem office and later addressed the media in a joint news conference

Qatar to host summit on Israeli attack in Doha, seeks restraint on assaults

Qatar prepared on Monday to host a summit over Israel's attack on Hamas leaders in Doha last week, hoping a group of Arab and Islamic nations will offer a way to restrain Israel as its war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip grinds on. The attack on Hamas leaders came as Qatar serves as a key mediator in an effort to reach a ceasefire in the war, something Doha insisted it will continue to do even after the assault. Since Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, Israel has retaliated against the militant group and others in Iran's so-called Axis of Resistance, launching strikes in Iran, Lebanon, the Palestinian territories, Syria, Qatar and Yemen. That's led to a wider anger by Mideast nations already enraged by the over 64,000 Palestinians killed in Gaza, and a growing concern that the US security umbrella in the Gulf Arab states may not be enough to protect them. It is time for the international community to stop applying double standards and punish Israel for all the crimes it has ...

Rubio arrives in Israel as strikes intensify on northern Gaza region

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Israel on Sunday, as Israel intensified its attacks against northern Gaza, flattening another high-rise building and killing at least 12 Palestinians. Rubio said ahead of the trip that he will be seeking answers from Israeli officials about how they see the way forward in Gaza following Israel's attack on Hamas operatives in Qatar last week that upended efforts to broker an end to the conflict. His two-day visit is also a show of support for the increasingly isolated Israel, as the United Nations holds what is expected to be a contentious debate on commitment to the creation of a Palestinian state. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strongly opposes the recognition of a Palestinian state. Rubio's visit went ahead despite President Donald Trump's anger at Netanyahu over the Israeli strike against Hamas leaders in Doha, which he said the United States was not notified of beforehand. On Friday, Rubio and Trump met with Qatar's prime

India backs UN resolution on two-state solution for Palestine conflict

India joined 142 nations at the UNGA in backing the New York Declaration, urging a two-state solution for Palestine and an end to violence, settlements, and annexation in occupied territories

'There will be no Palestinian state': Israeli PM a day after warning Qatar

Netanyahu's announcement drew condemnation, with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warning that the settlement would effectively split the West Bank in two

Expel terrorists or bring them to justice: Netanyahu's warning to Qatar

Drawing references from the September 11 attack, Netanyahu said that Israel too has an event similar to September 11, referring to October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel

EU Commission President seeks sanctions against Israel over war in Gaza

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday said she plans to seek sanctions and a partial trade suspension against Israel over the war in Gaza. The 27-nation EU is deeply divided in its approach to Israel and the Palestinians, and it's unclear whether a majority will be found to endorse the sanctions and trade measures. Von der Leyen added that the commission will set up a Palestine donor group next month, part of which will focus on Gaza's future reconstruction. Von der Leyen said that the events in Gaza and the suffering of children and families has shaken the conscience of the world. Man-made famine can never be a weapon of war. For the sake of the children, for the sake of humanity. This must stop, she added, to applause in the European Parliament at its meeting in Strasbourg, France.

Israel expands list of Hamas officials, allies killed in past 2 years

Israel has killed multiple senior officials with Hamas and its regional allies since the deadly October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas-led militants in southern Israel that triggered the war in Gaza. On Tuesday, Israel struck the energy-rich nation of Qatar, which has been mediating ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas. Israel targeted a gathering of Hamas political leaders who were discussing the latest ceasefire proposal in Doha. Hamas said in a statement that six people were killed, but that all of the targeted officials survived. From Gaza to Lebanon to Iran, Israel has killed leaders with Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis and Iranian military leaders. Here is a list of top officials who have been assassinated by Israel during the war: Saleh Arouri The deputy political head of Hamas and a founder of the group's military wing, Saleh Arouri was killed January 2, 2024, in a drone strike in a southern suburb of Beirut. Accused of masterminding attacks against Israel in the West

Israel urges full evacuation of Gaza City ahead of military escalation

The Israeli military urged a full evacuation of Gaza City on Tuesday morning ahead of its planned expanded offensive in the northern city, where hundreds of thousands of people struggle under conditions of famine. The announcement was the first warning for a full evacuation of the city in the current round of fighting. Previously, the military has warned specific sections of Gaza City to evacuate ahead of concentrated operations or strikes. Associated Press reporters saw more cars and trucks than in previous days passing from northern to southern Gaza on Tuesday, laden with supplies and people, but no widespread evacuation. Israel says multiple towers were destroyed in Gaza City. Defence Minister Israel Katz on Tuesday said Israel had demolished 30 high-rise buildings in Gaza, which it accused Hamas of using for military infrastructure. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that Israel destroyed at least 50 terror towers that he said are used by Hamas. It was unclear if

Israel urges full evacuation of Gaza City ahead of expanded operations

The Israeli military urged a full evacuation of Gaza City on Tuesday morning, ahead of its planned expanded military operation in the city in northern Gaza. This is the first warning for a full evacuation of the city in the current round of fighting. Also on Tuesday, Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israel had demolished 30 high-rise buildings in Gaza, which it accused Hamas of using for military infrastructure. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that Israel plans to destroy at least 50 towers of terror that he said are used by Hamas. Over the past days, Israel has destroyed multiple high-rise buildings in Gaza City, warning that Hamas has installed surveillance infrastructure in them. The demolitions are part of Israel's ramping up its offensive to take control of what it portrays as Hamas' last remaining stronghold, urging Palestinians to flee parts of Gaza City for a designated humanitarian zone in the territory's south. There are around 1 million Palestinians i

Trump issues 'last warning' to Hamas on hostages, eyes Gaza deal 'soon'

Notably, the remarks by the US President come shortly after on Saturday, CENTCOM's Admiral Brad Cooper concluded his visit to Israel where he held a situational assessment