International
Major parts of Gaza facing famine-like conditions – WHO
Major parts of Gaza facing famine-like conditions – WHO
Thousands of Palestinian children in Gaza have been diagnosed with malnutrition, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said, as Israel continues to severely restrict supplies of food, water, medicine and fuel to the territory.
“A significant proportion of Gaza’s population is now facing catastrophic hunger and famine-like conditions,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters on Wednesday.
“Despite reports of increased delivery of food, there is currently no evidence that those who need it most are receiving sufficient quantity and quality of food.”
Tedros said 8,000 children under five years old have been diagnosed and treated for acute malnutrition in Gaza.
“However, due to insecurity and lack of access, only two stabilisation centres for severely malnourished patients can operate,” the WHO chief added.
Tedros said 32 deaths in the besieged Palestinian enclave have been attributed to malnutrition.
United Nations officials have warned of the risk of famine as Israel continues its war on Gaza. In January, the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to “ensure the delivery of basic services and essential humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza”.
The UN’s top court reasserted that ruling in March, demanding that Israel take “all necessary and effective measures to ensure, without delay… the unhindered provision at scale by all concerned of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance”.
Some of Israel’s closest allies, including the United States, have also called for more aid to enter Gaza and reach people in need.
Last month, Israel seized and shut down the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, which had served as a major gateway for aid and humanitarian workers.
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Last month, International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan requested arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of alleged war crimes, including using “starvation of civilians as a method of warfare”.
A UN-backed independent commission also accused Israel of inflicting hunger on Palestinians.
“In relation to Israeli military operations and attacks in Gaza, the Commission found that Israeli authorities are responsible for the war crimes of starvation as a method of warfare, murder or wilful killing, intentionally directing attacks against civilians and civilian objects, forcible transfer, sexual violence, torture and inhuman or cruel treatment, arbitrary detention and outrages upon personal dignity,” the panel said in a report on Wednesday.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said earlier this week that Israel has taken “important steps” in recent months to remove obstacles to aid delivery in Gaza, but he acknowledged that it “can and must do more”.
“It is crucial to speed up the inspection of trucks and reduce backlogs; to provide greater clarity on – and shorten the list of – prohibited goods; to increase visas for aid workers and to process them more quickly,” he said at a Gaza aid conference in Jordan on Tuesday.
Blinken, who announced $404m in new assistance to Palestinians, also called for “clearer, more effective channels” to protect humanitarian workers from military operations.
Israeli attacks have killed at least 270 aid workers in Gaza, including seven World Central Kitchen employees in April – an incident that sparked global outrage.
Aid organisations have been stressing that even the inadequate aid that gets into Gaza often fails to reach people who need it most because of the Israeli offensive.
“The US’s latest humanitarian package for Gaza is a welcome step,” the International Rescue Committee said on Wednesday. “However, the effective delivery of any financial package depends wholly on unfettered access for aid and the ability for aid workers to operate seamlessly.”
Beyond Gaza, the WHO’s Tedros highlighted a growing health crisis in the occupied West Bank, where Israeli forces have killed hundreds of people since the outbreak of the war.
“WHO has documented 480 attacks on healthcare in the West Bank since the seventh of October last year, resulting in 16 deaths and 95 injuries,” he said.
In one major incident, undercover Israeli forces raided a hospital in Jenin and killed three people inside the medical centre.
Major parts of Gaza facing famine-like conditions – WHO
International
Strikes continue in Iran, Israel despite ceasefire announcement
Strikes continue in Iran, Israel despite ceasefire announcement
Iran’s armed forces have accused Israel of launching strikes at the republic until Tuesday morning, after US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire between the two sides.
“The Zionist regime launched three waves of attacks on sites in Iranian territory until 9:00 am (0530 GMT) today,” a spokesman for the armed forces command was quoted as saying on state TV, without providing further details.
Before the truce began, both sides exchanged heavy fire overnight.
A few minutes before the truce, an Iranian ballistic missile hit a residential building in Israel’s southern city of Beersheba, killing four people.
The Israeli military said it identified missiles launched from Iran.
The IDF said air defence systems are “operating to intercept the threat” and told people to hide in shelters until further notice.
However, Iran has denied the attacks.
The IDF has vowed to respond with force to what it calls Iran’s severe violation.
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In response, Iran’s supreme national security council issued a statement about “imposing the halt of the war” on Israel and its terrorist supporters.
In a statement released on Monday, Trump said both countries had agreed to halt hostilities within a 24-hour framework, beginning with Iran.
He described the agreement as a major diplomatic breakthrough aimed at averting further destruction in the Middle East.
According to the U.S. president, the truce would begin once both nations complete their final operations, with Iran expected to commence its part in the first 12 hours and Israel in the next 12.
“At the end of the 24-hour window, the war would be officially declared over”, Trump, a key supporter of Israel in the war stated.
He said “This is a war that could have gone on for years and destroyed the entire Middle East, but it didn’t, and never will”.
He praised the leadership of both nations for demonstrating “stamina, courage and intelligence” in bringing the conflict to a close.
“God bless Israel, God bless Iran, God bless the Middle East, God bless the United States of America, and God bless the world,” he added.
Daily Trust reports that the announcement followed nearly two weeks of escalating violence, missile exchanges and airstrikes that raised fears of a regional conflagration.
However, Trump’s move was tested within hours of the announcement.
Iranian missiles reportedly struck Beersheba in southern Israel just before the ceasefire was due to begin, killing at least five civilians and injuring more than 20 others.
The Israeli government immediately accused Iran of violating the agreement and ordered renewed strikes on strategic targets in Tehran.
Iran, in response, denied any breach of the agreement, insisting that its operations had concluded before the ceasefire window.
As air raid sirens sounded across northern Israel early Tuesday, tension remained high and the ceasefire’s future uncertain.
Meanwhile, global markets responded positively to the news of the truce, with oil prices reportedly dropping amid brief recovery of investors confidence.
The development has also attracted mixed international reactions.
Qatar, which was reported to have facilitated back-channel negotiations, urged both sides to honour their commitments.
European and NATO leaders called for restraint and warned that further escalation would carry grave regional and global consequences.
Strikes continue in Iran, Israel despite ceasefire announcement
International
Netanyahu confirms ceasefire in conflict with Iran
Netanyahu confirms ceasefire in conflict with Iran
International
Trump mocks Iran’s retaliatory strike, calls it ‘very weak’
Trump mocks Iran’s retaliatory strike, calls it ‘very weak’
Trump mocks Iran’s retaliatory strike, calls it ‘very weak’
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