Page 23 - Israel-palestine

Gaza faces severe shortages as Israel blocks food supply for nearly 60 days

For nearly 60 days, no food, fuel, medicine or other item has entered the Gaza Strip, blocked by Israel. Aid groups are running out of food to distribute and markets are nearly bare. Palestinian families are left struggling to feed their children. In the sprawling tent camp outside the southern city of Khan Younis, Mariam al-Najjar and her mother-in-law emptied four cans of peas and carrots into a pot and boiled it over a wood fire. They added a little bouillon and spices. That, with a plate of rice, was the sole meal on Friday for the 11 members of their family, including six children. Among Palestinians, "Fridays are sacred," a day for large family meals of meat, stuffed vegetables or other rich traditional dishes, al-Najjar said. "Now we eat peas and rice," she said. "We never ate canned peas before the war. Only in this war that has destroyed our lives," she said. The around 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza are now mainly living off canned vegetables, rice, pasta and lentils.

Our food stocks in Gaza have run out under Israel's blockade: WFP

The World Food Programme says its food stocks in the Gaza Strip have run out under Israel's nearly 8-week-old blockade, ending a main source of sustenance for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in the territory. The WFP said in a statement that it delivered the last of its stocks to charity kitchens that it supports around Gaza. It said those kitchens are expected to run out of food in the coming days. Some 80% of Gaza's population of more than 2 million relies primarily on charity kitchens for food, because other sources have shut down under Israel's blockade, according to the UN. The WFP has been supporting 47 kitchens that distribute 644,000 hot meals a day, WFP spokesperson Abeer Etefa told the Associated Press. It was not immediately clear how many kitchens would still be operating in Gaza if those shut down. But Etefa said the WFP-backed kitchens are the major ones in Gaza. Israel cut off entry of all food, fuel, medicine and other supplies to Gaza on March 2 and then resu

West Asia latest: Israeli strikes across Gaza kill at least 28 people

Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip have killed at least 28 people, mostly women and children, the territory's Health Ministry said on Thursday. Israel ended its ceasefire with Hamas and renewed its air and ground war over a month ago. It has sealed off Gaza's 2 million Palestinians from all food and other imports since the beginning of March to pressure Hamas to release hostages. Hamas has said it will only release the remaining 59 captives, 24 of whom are believed to be alive, in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal. Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas. The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251 hostages. Most have since been released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Israel's offensive has killed over 51,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not say

Palestinian president slams Hamas as 'sons of dogs', urges hostage release

Palestinian President Abbas demands release of Israeli hostages, disarmament, and Gaza handover to Palestinian Authority amid deepening factional rift

UN to review impact of its agency helping Palestinian refugees in Gaza

The United Nations chief appointed a British human rights activist on Tuesday to carry out a strategic review of the UN agency helping Palestinian refugees to assess its impact under the"present political, financial, security and other constraints. Israel has banned the agency, known as UNRWA, from operating on its territory, but its Palestinian staff have still been key to delivering aid and running medical clinics in Gaza, even though Israel has cut off all humanitarian deliveries since March 2. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric, who announced the review, said Ian Martin, a former head of Amnesty International, would also be looking at the consequences and risks for Palestinian refugees of UNRWA's operations. UNRWA was established by the UN General Assembly in 1949 to provide relief for Palestinians who fled or were expelled from their homes before and during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, which followed the establishment of Israel, as well as their descendants, until there is a politica

Israeli strikes kill 14 in Gaza, destroy rubble-clearing equipment

Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip killed at least 14 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and destroyed bulldozers and other heavy equipment that had been supplied by mediators to clear rubble. Separate strikes on Tuesday killed two people in Lebanon. Israel's 18-month offensive against Hamas has destroyed vast areas of Gaza, raising fears that much of it may never be rebuilt. The territory already had a shortage of heavy equipment, which is also needed to rescue people from the rubble after Israeli strikes and to clear vital roads. A municipality in the Jabaliya area of northern Gaza said a strike on its parking garage destroyed nine bulldozers provided by Egypt and Qatar, which helped broker the ceasefire that took hold in January. Israel ended the truce last month, renewing its bombardment and ground operations and sealing the territory's two million Palestinians off from all imports, including food, fuel and medical supplies. The strikes also destroyed a water tanker and a

Israel admits 'professional error' in Gaza strike that killed 15 medics

An Israeli investigation into the killings of 15 Palestinian medics last month in Gaza by Israeli forces said Sunday it found a chain of professional failures and a deputy commander has been fired. The shootings outraged many in the international community, with some calling the killings a war crime. Medical workers have special protection under international humanitarian law. The International Red Cross/Red Crescent called it the deadliest attack on its personnel in eight years. Israel at first claimed that the medics' vehicles did not have emergency signals on when troops opened fire but later backtracked. Cellphone video recovered from one medic contradicted Israel's initial account. The military investigation found that the deputy battalion commander acted under the incorrect assumption that all of the ambulances belonged to Hamas militants. Video footage obtained shows the ambulances had lights flashing and logos visible as they pulled up to help another ambulance that earlier

Israeli probe finds 'professional failures' in Palestine medic killings

An Israeli probe into the killings of Palestinian medics in Gaza says it has found professional failures and a deputy commander will be fired. The findings issued on Sunday come after the killings of 15 medics last month by Israeli forces. Israel at first claimed that the medics' vehicles did not have emergency signals on when troops opened fire but later backtracked. Cellphone video recovered from one of the medics contradicted Israel's initial account of the shooting. The military investigation found that the deputy battalion commander, due to poor night visibility, assessed that the ambulances belonged to Hamas militants. Video footage obtained from the incident shows the ambulances had lights flashing.

Israel has 'no choice' but to continue fighting in Gaza, says Netanyahu

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced again Saturday that Israel has no choice but to continue fighting in Gaza and will not end the war before destroying Hamas, freeing the hostages and ensuring that the territory won't present a threat to Israel. The prime minister also repeated his vow to make sure Iran never gets a nuclear weapon. Netanyahu is under growing pressure at home not only from families of hostages and their supporters but also from reservist and retired Israeli soldiers who question the continuation of the war after Israel shattered a ceasefire last month. In his statement, he claimed that Hamas has rejected Israel's latest proposal to free half the hostages for a continued ceasefire. The prime minister spoke after Israeli strikes killed more than 90 people in 48 hours, Gaza's Health Ministry said Saturday. Israeli troops have been increasing their attacks to pressure Hamas to release the hostages and disarm. Children and women were among the 15 people

Israeli strikes on Gaza kills over 90 people in last 48 hours: Palestinians

More than 90 people have been killed in Gaza by Israeli strikes in the last 48 hours, Gaza's Health Ministry said on Saturday. The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants. The dead include at least 15 people killed overnight, among them women and children, some of who were sheltering in a designated humanitarian zone, according to hospital staff. Israel is ramping up attacks across Gaza as it tries to pressure Hamas to release its hostages and disarm. Israel has said it plans to occupy large security zones inside Gaza.

Hezbollah says it won't disarm while Israeli troops stay in south Lebanon

The leader of Lebanon's militant Hezbollah group said on Friday that its fighters will not disarm as long as Israeli troops remain in southern Lebanon and the Israeli air force regularly violates Lebanese air space. Naim Kassem addressed supporters in a speech broadcast on Hezbollah's television station. Kassem took over Hezbollah after Israeli airstrikes killed longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah, his successor Hashem Safieddine and other top Hezbollah figures last year, decimating the group's leadership. Kassem said Hezbollah had implemented its commitments related to the US-brokered ceasefire that halted the fighting in Hezbollah's latest, 14-month war with Israel. Since the ceasefire went into effect in late November, Israeli airstrikes have killed scores of people in Lebanon including civilians and Hezbollah members. Israel says it's targeting Hezbollah holdouts in southern Lebanon. On Tuesday, the office of the UN high commissioner for human rights said that at least 71 civilian

Gaza 'annexation' part of military strategy, says Israeli defence minister

Defence Minister Israel Katz said the Israeli military will continue to block humanitarian aid from entering Gaza in order to pressure Hamas to surrender

Troops to stay in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria indefinitely, says Israeli minister

Israel's defence minister said Wednesday that troops will remain in so-called security zones in the Gaza Strip, Lebanon and Syria indefinitely. Unlike in the past, the (Israeli military) is not evacuating areas that have been cleared and seized, Israel Katz said in a statement. The military will remain in the security zones as a buffer between the enemy and (Israeli) communities in any temporary or permanent situation in Gaza as in Lebanon and Syria. Israeli forces have taken over large areas of Gaza in recent weeks in a renewed campaign to pressure Hamas to release hostages after Israel ended their ceasefire last month. Israel has also refused to withdraw from some areas in Lebanon following a ceasefire with the Hezbollah militant group last year, and it seized a buffer zone in southern Syria after the overthrow of President Bashar Assad. Israel says it must maintain control of such territories to prevent a repeat of Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 attack, in which thousands of militants ...

'Letters from Gaza' offers a ringside view of the human cost of endless war

Each piece of prose or poetry conjures images of a complete lack of normalcy in any form. But they are beautifully written, evocatively descriptive and emotionally rich

Palestinian activist expecting US citizenship interview arrested by ICE

A Palestinian man who led protests against the war in Gaza as a student at Columbia University was arrested Monday at a Vermont immigration office where he expected to be interviewed about finalising his US citizenship, his attorneys said. Mohsen Mahdawi, a legal permanent resident who has held a green card since 2015, was detained at the US Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Colchester by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, his lawyers said. The attorneys said they do not know where he is. They filed a petition in federal court seeking an order barring the government from removing him from the state or country. "The Trump administration detained Mohsen Mahdawi in direct retaliation for his advocacy on behalf of Palestinians and because of his identity as a Palestinian. His detention is an attempt to silence those who speak out against the atrocities in Gaza. It is also unconstitutional," attorney Luna Droubi said in an email. According to the court filing, Mahd

EU pledges $1.8 bn aid package to Palestinian Authority to rebuild Gaza

The European Union on Monday unveiled a financial aid package of up to 1.6 billion euros (USD 1.8 billion) to support the beleaguered Palestinian Authority and fund projects in the West Bank, Jerusalem and war-ravaged Gaza. The offer came as Israel expanded its offensive across Gaza over the weekend. More than a third of the money, to be provided over two years, will come as direct budget support to the Palestinian Authority and it's aimed at improving financial sustainability, democratic governance and services to help the private sector develop. Our programme aims to support the Palestinian people in building a sustainable future," said EU Mediterranean Commissioner Dubravka uica. It's about the governing capacity. It's about advancing economic recovery. It's about strengthening the resilience of the private sector. Speaking to reporters after talks in Luxembourg with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa, she said "a well-functioning and reformed Palestinian Authority must

Israel intensifies strikes near Gaza hospital, kills 21 as Holy Week begins

A wave of Israeli strikes across Gaza on Sunday hit a hospital and other sites, killing at least 21 people, including children, as Israel vowed to expand its security presence in the small coastal strip. The predawn strike on Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City was the latest of several attacks on northern Gaza's last major hospital providing critical health care. Hospital director Dr. Fadel Naim said the emergency room, pharmacy and surrounding buildings were severely damaged, affecting over 100 patients and dozens of staff. One patient, a girl, died during the evacuation following an Israeli warning because staff were unable to provide urgent care, Gaza's Health Ministry said. Israel said it struck a Hamas command and control center at the hospital, without providing evidence. Hamas denied the allegations. Al-Ahli Hospital is run by the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, which condemned the attack, saying in a statement it happened on Palm Sunday, the start of the Holy Week, the most sacr

IDF dismantles 'underground terrorist route' in Gaza, strikes militants

In a post on X, the IDF said a weapons cache near the tunnel held around 20 explosive devices, an anti-tank guided missile, and other arms

Israel targets Gaza hospital, forcing evacuation as strikes intensify

Israel struck a hospital in northern Gaza early Sunday, forcing patients to evacuate as attacks intensified across the Strip. The pre-dawn strike hit Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City, after Israel issued an evacuation warning, according to Gaza's ministry of health. One patient died during the evacuation because medical staff were unable to provide urgent care, it said. The hospital, run by the Diocese of Jerusalem, was attacked on Palm Sunday, which commemorates Jesus' entry into Jerusalem. Hours later, a separate strike on a car in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, killed at least seven people, according to staff at the morgue of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, which received the bodies. Israel said it struck a command and control centre used by Hamas at the hospital to plan and execute attacks against Israeli civilians and soldiers. It said prior to the strike, steps were taken to mitigate harm, including issuing warnings, and using precise munitions and aerial surveillance. The strike

Israel to dismiss air force reservists who condemned Gaza conflict

Israel's military said Friday it will fire air force reservists who signed a letter condemning the war in Gaza and accusing it of only serving political interests and not bringing the hostages home. In a statement to The Associated Press, an army official said there was no room for any body or individual, including reservists in active duty, to exploit their military status while simultaneously participating in the fighting, calling it a breach of trust between commanders and subordinates. The army said it decided that any active reservist who signed the letter will not be able to continue serving. It did not specify how many people that included or if the firings had begun. Nearly 1,000 Israeli Air Force reservists and retirees signed a letter, published in Israeli media Thursday, demanding the immediate return of the hostages, even at the cost of ending the fighting. The letter comes as Israel ramps up its offensive in Gaza, trying to pressure Hamas to agree to free hostages, 59