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UN: It’s Genocide 

UN Report Condemns Israel’s Methods in Gaza as “Consistent with Genocide” …reports Asian Lite News

A report from the United Nations Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices accuses Israel of engaging in tactics in Gaza that amount to genocide.  

The report, which spans October 2023 to July 2024, outlines a grim picture of life-threatening conditions inflicted on the Palestinian population, which the committee says constitutes “collective punishment” and highlights intentional deprivation of essential resources such as food, water, and fuel. Released on Thursday, this document emphasizes that these actions contravene international humanitarian law and may qualify as crimes against humanity. 

The committee highlighted statements from Israeli officials endorsing policies that deny Palestinians access to basic necessities, alleging that Israel has used starvation as a weapon of war. “Since the beginning of the war, Israeli officials have publicly supported policies that strip Palestinians of the very necessities required to sustain life,” the committee reported. The UN body asserts that these actions, combined with Israel’s systematic blockage of humanitarian aid, demonstrate a strategy of “instrumentalizing life-saving supplies for political and military gains.” 

The committee, formally known as the UN Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories, was founded in 1968 by the UN General Assembly to monitor human rights conditions in the occupied Golan Heights, the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. The current committee comprises representatives from Malaysia, Senegal, and Sri Lanka. Its latest findings focus heavily on the effects of the war on Palestinian civilians, presenting a stark portrayal of widespread devastation and human suffering in Gaza. 

The UN report details what it calls an “extensive” Israeli bombing campaign, claiming it has destroyed essential services in Gaza and created what the report terms an “environmental catastrophe.” By early 2024, according to the report, more than 25,000 tonnes of explosives, a destructive force equivalent to two nuclear bombs, had been dropped on Gaza.  

The bombings led to the collapse of water and sanitation infrastructure, causing severe environmental pollution and agricultural devastation. This has, the report states, resulted in a “lethal mix of crises” that will have long-lasting health impacts on Gaza’s population, harming generations to come. 

The committee’s report is set to be presented at the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly on Monday, where it is expected to spark considerable debate. The findings contribute to a growing body of evidence and testimonies from various human rights organizations that have raised concerns over Israel’s policies in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem. 

The report also highlights Israel’s alleged use of artificial intelligence technology to select targets with minimal human oversight, resulting in disproportionately high civilian casualties. This, according to the committee, reflects a failure to distinguish adequately between civilian and military targets—a core principle of international humanitarian law. Women and children have been disproportionately affected, the report claims, raising what it calls “serious concerns” about Israel’s adherence to its obligations under the Geneva Conventions. 

Beyond physical attacks, the committee condemns Israel’s obstruction of humanitarian aid deliveries into Gaza, accusing Israeli authorities of weaponising these supplies to achieve political and military objectives. According to the report, Israel’s consistent blockage of essential aid—despite repeated calls from the United Nations, binding orders from the International Court of Justice, and Security Council resolutions—has exacerbated the suffering of Gaza’s population. These actions, the committee argues, contribute to a situation where basic survival is compromised, with “death, starvation, and serious injury” being inflicted on a vulnerable population. 

The report also accuses Israel of targeting journalists and censoring pro-Palestinian content on social media, limiting global awareness of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The committee’s findings claim that Israeli authorities have escalated efforts to prevent information from reaching international audiences, and it points to social media companies’ removal of pro-Palestinian posts as evidence of this systematic silencing. According to the committee, these measures aim to shield Israeli operations from scrutiny and limit the dissemination of information about the conditions on the ground. 

In addition to media censorship, the committee cites a continuing “smear campaign” against the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and the broader UN apparatus. These attacks, it argues, are designed to undermine the credibility of humanitarian organizations and sever the limited aid lines still reaching Gaza. The committee warns that this strategy could dismantle international legal structures and set a dangerous precedent, one that would allow atrocities to go unchecked if left unaddressed. 

The report concludes by urging UN member states to uphold international law and hold Israeli authorities accountable. It calls for states to fulfill their legal obligations by intervening to prevent ongoing violations, emphasizing that Israel’s practices in Gaza violate international law and constitute war crimes under the Rome Statute. “Upholding international law and ensuring accountability for violations rests squarely on member states,” the committee states. Failure to respond, it argues, weakens “the very core of the international legal system” and risks setting a precedent that would allow similar actions to go unpunished elsewhere. 

The committee also highlighted the legal obligations of all states to prevent violations of international law, including what it describes as an “apartheid system” operating in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. It called on the international community to use all diplomatic and legal channels to pressure Israel to cease policies that violate Palestinian rights. 

As international focus shifts to the report, the UN Special Committee hopes to rally member states around a call for heightened accountability and an end to the policies it condemns. Whether these findings will prompt further international action remains uncertain, but the committee’s report seeks to underscore the immediate need for intervention to prevent further deterioration of the humanitarian and legal situation in Gaza. 

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Palestine calls for emergency Arab League meeting over Gaza

The Israeli army has continued its ground operation in the Jabalia camp, the largest Palestinian refugee camp in Gaza, for the 16th consecutive day…reports Asian Lite News

Palestine has requested an emergency meeting of the Arab League Council at the level of permanent representatives amid “intensifying Israeli aggression,” a Palestinian envoy said.

The request comes in light of the escalating Israeli “crimes” committed against the defenceless Palestinian people, said Mohanad A. A. Alaklouk, the permanent representative of Palestine to the Arab League, according to the Palestinian official news agency WAFA.

Noting the Israeli army’s horrific acts that have caused “forced displacement, destruction, and starvation, particularly in northern Gaza,” Alaklouk called on the Arab League and its member states to assume responsibilities regarding these “unprecedented crimes,” which pose a threat to the security of Arab states as a whole, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Israeli army has continued its ground operation in the Jabalia camp, the largest Palestinian refugee camp in Gaza, for the 16th consecutive day, claiming the operation aims to prevent Hamas fighters from regrouping to launch further attacks.

During the operation, Israeli forces killed hundreds of Palestinians, destroyed dozens of homes and infrastructure, and forced numerous families to flee their residences, according to Palestinian sources.

On Sunday, the Central Committee of the Palestinian National Liberation Movement (Fatah) held a meeting in Ramallah in the central West Bank.

Several key issues were discussed, including the ongoing Israeli “crimes” in Gaza, primarily the recent Israeli killings in the north, according to a statement released by the committee after the meeting.

The statement reaffirmed the Palestinian leadership’s continuous efforts to secure international protection from the United Nations for the entirety of the State of Palestine.

Israel has been launching a large-scale offensive against Hamas in Gaza to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on October 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and around 250 others were taken hostage.

‘Only Lebanese govt can negotiate immediate truce’

The Arab League affirmed that the Lebanese government is the “only authorised body to negotiate on behalf of the country, with the aim of reaching an immediate ceasefire and fully implementing Resolution 1701.”

In statements today, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the Arab League, expressed his full support for the position articulated by Lebanese Caretaker Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, on this matter.

He emphasised that the Arab League’s stance is clear, as evident in all its resolutions, which affirm Lebanon’s complete sovereignty in making its critical decisions. “There is no room for any party to impose guardianship, exert pressure, or override Lebanese sovereignty.”

He stated, “We stand fully with Lebanon in this matter,” underscoring the imperative for tangible support of its sovereignty.

“Given the nation’s current challenges, mere expressions of sympathy are insufficient. Concrete actions are essential to alleviate the suffering of the Lebanese people, which should never be exploited for political gain,” he stressed.

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Thousands March For Gaza At Cape Town 

With placards accusing Israel of genocide and racism, the marchers walked to parliament in a protest organized by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign…reports Asian Lite News

Several hundred people marched through central Cape Town Saturday waving Palestinian flags and chanting anti-Israel slogans in a pro-Gaza rally to mark the first anniversary of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

With placards accusing Israel of genocide and racism, the marchers — many of them wearing the keffiyeh scarf that symbolizes the Palestinian struggle against Israel — walked to parliament in a protest organized by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

“Israel is a racist state” and “We are all Palestinian,” chanted some of the marchers. Others held up placards stating: “We are all Hamas” or “Zionism is racism.”

Some marchers said they agreed with the South African case before the International Court of Justice that alleges the Israeli military operation in Gaza, launched in response to the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas militants, amounts to “genocide.”

“I am appalled at Israel and the genocide and the attack on innocent people, children… and now moving on into Lebanon,” Linelle Arendse told the News24 channel.

Many South Africans compare Israel’s stance toward Palestinians with the racially oppressive system of apartheid that imposed white-minority rule on South Africa until the first all-race election in 1994.

“I have been through the apartheid struggle so I know the pain of the Palestinians and Lebanese,” Shafiek Barnes told News24. “I am here because I am Muslim and I feel the pain that they are going through.”

The organizers of the march handed to parliament a memorandum demanding the government implement the UN’s 1973 Apartheid Convention which declares apartheid systems a crime and allows for action against them, such as boycotts.

Also called the International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid, it was signed by the South African government in May 2024.

Pro-Gaza marches were also due Saturday in the cities of Johannesburg and Durban and around the world ahead of the anniversary of the October 7 attack.

Since Israel launched its attack on the Gaza Strip last October, South Africa has maintained a firm stance, expressing support for the Palestinians but also condemning the resistance group Hamas for attacking and kidnapping Israeli civilians. 

Pretoria, which has been highly critical of Israel’s military operation in Gaza, has taken several measures against Israel.

In November 2023, South Africa withdrew all its diplomats from Tel Aviv for consultations over Israel’s war on Gaza.

“A genocide under the watch of the international community cannot be tolerated. Another holocaust in the history of humankind is not acceptable,” Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, a minister in the president’s office, told reporters at the time.

South Africa also instructed the Foreign Ministry to take the necessary diplomatic measures to deal with the conduct of the Israel ambassador to South Africa, Eli Belotserkovsky, which they said was becoming very untenable.

Belotserkovsky was accused of making disparaging comments against those who raised their voices against attacks on Palestinians.

A few days later, Israel recalled Belotserkovsky from Pretoria reportedly “for consultations” amid the growing diplomatic rift between the two countries over the conflict in Gaza.

ICJ genocide case

Late last year, South Africa filed a case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, accusing Israel, which has bombed Gaza since last October, of failing to uphold its commitments under the 1948 Genocide Convention.

The top UN court ordered Israel in May to halt its offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. It was the third time the 15-judge panel issued preliminary orders seeking to rein in the death toll and alleviate humanitarian suffering in the blockaded enclave, where casualties have surpassed 41,000.

Last month, South Africa said its genocide case against Israel at the ICJ will continue and South Africa will file a memorial this month.

“South Africa intends to provide facts and evidence to prove that Israel is committing the crime of genocide in Palestine,” the presidency said in a statement.

“This case will continue until the court makes a finding. While the case is in progress, we hope that Israel will abide by the court’s provisional orders issued to date,” it said.

South Africa’s remarks come amid reports that Israeli diplomats are being instructed to lobby members of the US Congress to pressure South Africa into dropping the case.

Pretoria said its genocide case represents a growing global effort towards ensuring peace in the Middle East.

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‘Gazans enduring darkest chapter in modern history’

Mustafa highlighted the escalating humanitarian crisis, attributing it to Israel’s illegal occupation..reports Asian Lite News

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa warned UN member states on Monday that the people of Gaza are “enduring one of the darkest chapters in modern history.”

He emphasized that Palestinians are committed to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, aiming for a future rooted in human dignity and shared prosperity. However, Mustafa highlighted the escalating humanitarian crisis, attributing it to Israel’s illegal occupation.

“For nearly a year, Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza has inflicted unprecedented loss, suffering, and humanitarian catastrophe,” Mustafa stated, while also noting that Palestinians in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, face ongoing systemic threats.

He added, “For over 76 years, Palestinians have endured multiple man-made catastrophes, undermining our pursuit of justice, peace, and prosperity. Despite this, we remain steadfast, with human capital as our greatest asset.”

Last week, the the UN General Assembly (UNGA) had passed a non-binding resolution demanding an end to Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory within the next 12 months by an overwhelming margin.

The resolution was adopted with 124 votes in favour, 14 against and 43 abstentions, during the UNGA’s 10th emergency special session considering Israeli actions in occupied East Jerusalem and the rest of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Xinhua news agency reported.

The resolution demanding that Israel comply with all its legal obligations under international law, including advisory opinions by the International Court of Justice, was introduced by the State of Palestine on Tuesday and was co-sponsored by more than two dozen nations.

By the newly adopted resolution, the UNGA “demands that Israel brings to an end without delay its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, which constitutes a wrongful act of a continuing character entailing its international responsibility and do so no later than 12 months from the adoption of the present resolution”.

The UNGA also demands that Israel comply without delay with all its legal obligations under international law, including as stipulated by the International Court of Justice.

Introducing the draft resolution, Riyad Mansour, the permanent observer of the State of Palestine to the United Nations, called for the establishment of an independent and sovereign State of Palestine on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

He said the Palestinian people have been steadfast in the pursuit of their inalienable rights, just like all other citizens worldwide who seek self-determination.

“The Palestinians want to live, not survive — they want to be safe in their homes, they want their children to go to school without fear. They want to be free in reality as they are in spirit,” said Mansour.

ALSO READ: US sends additional forces to Middle East

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Gaza academics boost numbers seeking refuge in UK

(240731) -- GAZA, July 31, 2024 (Xinhua) -- Palestinians return to the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis after the Israeli army withdrew from the eastern part of the city, on July 30, 2024. The Palestinian Civil Defense stated on Tuesday that the bodies of 42 Palestinians were recovered from the rubble in the east of Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, following the Israeli army's withdrawal. Local sources and eyewitnesses informed Xinhua that the Israeli army left behind extensive destruction in homes, residential buildings, mosques, and cemeteries. Following the withdrawal, dozens of families returned to their homes from which they had been displaced, according to sources and witnesses. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

More than 2,000 people have applied for fellowships with the charity since September 2021, which is five times more than in the previous three-year period….reports Asian Lite News

A surge in applications from Gaza has boosted interest in academic fellowships to the UK, as a charity warns that more academics are fleeing persecution and conflict than ever.

The Council for At-Risk Academics (Cara), which gives academics refuge in the UK, said it had received an unprecedented number of pleas for help, with almost half of applications (44 per cent) in the past six months coming from Palestinians.

More than 2,000 people have applied for fellowships with the charity since September 2021, which is five times more than in the previous three-year period. Conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine, Afghanistan and Syria were behind the stream of applications, which the charity said were at the highest rate in its 90-year history, after it was founded to help academics escape Nazi Germany.

The charity supported 220 academics in 2023, and expects that number to be higher still for 2024. Most of the academics in 2024 – around four in five – were from just four countries. After the Palestinians, one in five were from Afghanistan (21 per cent), followed by Syria (9 per cent) and Sudan (9 per cent). Female academics in Afghanistan were particularly vulnerable, the charity’s executive director Stephen Wordsworth said.

The charity has blamed the deep instability of our times, in which “crisis is being piled upon crisis”. Wordsworth, a former British diplomat, said: “We are now at a critical juncture. We have received more pleas for help in the last three years than at any time since we were founded in the 1930s – a stark reminder of history’s darkest moments.”

The charity facilitates the academics’ escape – often with their families, helps them find a placement at a UK university, and provides funding support. Each rescue mission can take six months to co-ordinate from start to finish, and sometimes travel to the UK can be “very complicated, and sensitive”, Wordsworth said.

Political scientist Rowida Fahr left Khartoum after the start of the war in Sudan, and is now a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Durham, thanks to a fellowship from Cara.

Shortly after the war broke out between the Sudanese Army and the Rapid Support Forces militias in April last year, Fahr fled the capital with her family to the north of Sudan. “My whole life was in Khartoum, my home, my workplace, my husband’s work, and my daughters’ schools. We were forced to move to northern Sudan under very dangerous conditions,” she said.

But with the British embassy in Sudan closed, she travelled again to Uganda to get her visa. This involved another perilous journey from northern to east Sudan to reach what had become the country’s only functioning airport. “Our journey was very arduous and dangerous,” she said.

Steep visa fees, which increased under the former government, are among the challenges the charity faces to bring academics to the UK. The Immigration Health Surcharge requires working visa holders and their families to pay an additional charge, which can take the total upfront costs for a family to more than £10,000, Wordsworth said.

He hopes the new government will establish a “permanent programme” for academics with a special visa regime, which would mirror the Researchers at Risk scheme that was set up by the UK government for Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s invasion. He also called for “intensified international efforts to resolve conflicts, improve the rule of law and promote peaceful development.”

Though now safe in the UK, Fahr misses home, and is haunted by the news of her colleagues – stark reminders of what could have been her fate had she stayed in Sudan. “We hear unpleasant things about our colleagues in Khartoum. The latest was the discovery of the body of our colleague Kabashi Madani Suleiman, who had been dead inside his home for 20 days,” she said.

The university building itself was at risk of destruction. “My current fear is that my university will be destroyed because it is located in the city centre and close to the vital disputed areas. The buildings of this university are a historical legacy and part of Sudan’s identity,” Fahr said.

She was unable to contact many of her friends and colleagues in the area, due to communications blackouts. “We only hear from their families outside of Khartoum that they are still [there]. We cannot do anything about this and we cannot support them.

The protracted nature of conflicts today means that many academics will stay on longer in the UK than expected. “Our hope and that of our fellows, is always that they will be able to return home when it is safe for them to do so. We are not in the ‘brain drain’ business,” Wordsworth said.

“If the academics can eventually return, they can help with the process of rebuilding, though it can still take decades for countries to recover. If they can never return, the loss becomes permanent,” he said.

Fahr echoes these fears, and is thinking about the long-term impact of the war on future generations. “I fear that the war will last longer and the future of students will be affected. And the challenges that university education will face in rebuilding what the war has destroyed,” she said.

More than 700 migrants crossed the Channel in small boats 

More than 700 migrants crossed the English Channel in 11 small boats yesterday, government figures show. The total figure is up 1% on the number of people who had made the crossing by this time last year, but is 20% down on 2022.

Home Office data shows 707 people were detected coming across yesterday – one of the highest daily figures this year. It follows three days where there were no crossings detected at all.

Saturday’s figure is lower than the 801 migrants who arrived on the UK’s shores in small boats on the same day the week before. The highest number of arrivals in one day this year so far is 882 in 15 boats on 18 June.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “We all want to end dangerous small boat crossings, which threaten lives and undermine our border security. “As we have seen with so many recent devastating tragedies in the Channel, the people-smuggling gangs do not care if the vulnerable people they exploit live or die, as long as they pay. We will stop at nothing to dismantle their business models and bring them to justice.”

It comes after eight men died earlier this month with six people, including a 10-month-old baby, being taken to hospital after a boat with 53 migrants on board crashed into rocks off the coast of Ambleteuse in the Pas-de-Calais region of northern France.

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Guterres Warns Of Wider War

Antonio Guterres described the current situation in Gaza as worse than anything he has witnessed during his tenure, stressing the need to prevent the conflict from expanding into neighbouring countries, particularly Lebanon.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has made an urgent plea for the immediate cessation of the ongoing conflict in Gaza, highlighting the grave humanitarian crisis and warning of its potential to spread across the region.

In an interview with The National, Guterres expressed deep concern over the unprecedented destruction and loss of life in Gaza, following Hamas’s October 7 attacks.

He described the current situation as worse than anything he has witnessed during his tenure, stressing the need to prevent the conflict from expanding into neighbouring countries, particularly Lebanon, which could face similar devastation.

“Settlements are illegal. Grabbing of land is illegal. What we have is a massive violation of international law that needs to stop,” the The National quoted the UN chief as saying.

Guterres emphasised the urgency of reaching a comprehensive ceasefire, as efforts led by the US, Egypt, and Qatar remain stalled. He expressed hope that a political solution could still be found, despite the deadlock in negotiations.

“Hope is the last thing we should lose,” he said, while urging all parties involved to demonstrate the political will necessary to resolve the conflict. He reiterated the importance of international humanitarian law, stating that while Hamas’s actions may violate these laws, this does not justify any reciprocal violations by Israel.

When asked about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s continued expansion of settlements in the West Bank, Guterres did not hold back, calling the settlements a violation of international law and labelling the occupation illegal.

He acknowledged the limitations of the UN in enforcing these laws but stressed that the organization will continue to defend the rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination.

Guterres reiterated that a two-state solution remains the only viable path forward. He questioned the possibility of a one-state solution where millions of Palestinians would live without rights, facing discrimination—something he described as “unacceptable in present times.”

Addressing other regional concerns, Guterres condemned attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis on Red Sea shipping in support of Hamas, emphasizing the importance of protecting freedom of navigation, which has been significantly disrupted.

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Pager blasts and Hezbollah retaliation

Hezbollah has vowed to retaliate against Israel after pagers used by its members exploded across Lebanon simultaneously, killing at least nine people and leaving almost 3,000 injured in a dramatic and unprecedented attack at a time of heightened tensions in the Middle East.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military on the blasts, which came just hours after Israel announced it was broadening the aims of the war sparked by the Hamas attacks on October 7 to include its fight against Hezbollah along the border with Lebanon.

Lebanon’s Health Minister, Firass Abiad, said the blasts on Tuesday killed a 10-year-old girl, among others.

He told a press conference: “About 2,750 people were injured… more than 200 of them critically,” with injuries mostly reported to the face, hands and stomach.

The apparent sabotage attack followed months of targeted assassinations by Israel against senior Hezbollah leaders and came as US officials try to de-escalate tensions between the two sides and remain concerned that Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, could order a ground invasion of Lebanon.

It threatens to derail efforts by the US to prevent Iran, which backs the Lebanese Shia militia, from retaliating against Israel for the July bombing in Tehran that killed the Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh.

The blasts appeared to exploit the low-tech pagers that Hezbollah has adopted in order to prevent the targeted assassinations of its members, who could be tracked by mobile phone signals. Those wounded in the attack include Iran’s ambassador to Beirut, Mojtaba Amani, according to reports.

It also ratcheted up tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, interrupting an uneasy calm which had prevailed over the last three weeks when both parties had appeared to step back from the brink of a regional war after a limited Hezbollah response in late August to Israel’s assassination of its top military commander, Fuad Shukur, in Beirut.

Lebanon’s Information Minister Ziad Makary called the explosions an act of “Israeli aggression”.

US slams IDF actions

US Ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, expressed significant frustration with Israel’s military actions in Gaza, accusing it of targeting schools, humanitarian workers, and civilians as the war nears its first anniversary. Her remarks came during a UN Security Council meeting, highlighting growing American dissatisfaction with its close ally.

Thomas-Greenfield criticised recent Israeli strikes, noting that many that injured or killed UN personnel and humanitarian workers “were preventable.” This criticism was amplified by the recent Israeli attack on a former school, repurposed as a civilian shelter by the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA). This strike resulted in the deaths of six UNRWA staffers and at least 18 others, including women and children. Israel contended that the strike was aimed at a Hamas command-and-control center and claimed that some of the casualties were Hamas operatives who were allegedly involved with UNRWA by day and Hamas by night.

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WHO: Over 22,500 in Gaza suffer life-changing injuries

Severe limb injuries – estimated to affect between 13,455 and 17,550 individuals – were the leading cause of long-term rehabilitation needs, reports Asian Lite News

At least 22,500 people, or a quarter of those injured in the Gaza conflict as of July 23, are suffering from life-changing injuries that will require long-term rehabilitation, the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported.

The report published o Thursday underscored the immense burden on Gaza’s already crippled healthcare system, saying that severe limb injuries were the leading cause of rehabilitation needs. These limb injuries are estimated to affect between 13,455 and 17,550 individuals, Xinhua news agency reported.

These injuries are compounded by some 4,000 amputations, and a sharp rise in cases of spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and severe burns, many of which involve women and children.

Richard Peeperkorn, WHO representative in the occupied Palestinian territory, warned that Gaza’s health infrastructure is unable to meet the increasing demands.

“The huge surge in rehabilitation needs occurs in parallel with the ongoing decimation of the health system,” he said, emphasizing the critical shortage of acute rehabilitation services and specialized care for complex injuries.

As the conflict continues, ensuring access to essential healthcare, including rehabilitation services, remains crucial to preventing further illness and fatalities, the Geneva-based health agency said.

ALSO READ: Global outrage as Israel pounds UN-run Gaza school

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Global outrage as Israel pounds UN-run Gaza school

UNRWA reported that six of its employees, who had been providing aid to families taking refuge in the facility, were killed.

Countries in the Middle East condemned on Thursday an Israeli airstrike on a school operated by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in Gaza’s al-Nuseirat refugee camp, which occurred on Wednesday and resulted in 18 fatalities.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) asserted that the target was a Hamas command and control centre concealed within the shelter. UNRWA reported that six of its employees, who had been providing aid to families taking refuge in the facility, were killed, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry described the attack as a “blatant violation of international laws,” criticized the targeting of international and UN facilities, and called for accountability for the perpetrators. Egypt emphasized the urgent need to address “Israeli breaches” and urged influential parties to ensure Israel’s compliance with international obligations.

Jordan’s Foreign Ministry condemned the strike as a “blatant violation of international law” and a “new war crime” amidst ongoing Israeli actions in Gaza. Spokesperson Sufian Qudah denounced the attack as part of Israel’s “ongoing aggression,” which he argued contradicted human values and international law. He called for immediate international intervention and support for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Saudi Arabia also condemned the attack in the “strongest” terms. The Saudi foreign ministry called for an immediate ceasefire, civilian protection, and an end to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, criticized Israeli violations of international law, and urged accountability for attacks on relief facilities.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani condemned the strike on social media, highlighting that schools and shelters in Gaza had become primary targets. Kanaani called on the US, UK, France, Germany, Canada, and Australia to address their role in supplying arms to Israel.

Qatar’s foreign ministry labelled the attack a “horrifying massacre,” describing it as further evidence of Israel’s “criminal practices” violating international humanitarian law. Qatar demanded an urgent international investigation and the deployment of independent UN investigators to assess the ongoing targeting of schools and shelters.

Iraq also condemned the school attack, with Iraqi government spokesman Bassem Al-Awadi stating that the Israeli attack was part of a “brutal and criminal” pattern of violence against Palestinian civilians and infrastructure.

‘Endless & senseless killing’

UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres deplored the killings and said these “dramatic violations of international humanitarian law” needs to stop.

“What’s happening in Gaza is totally unacceptable. A school turned shelter for around 12,000 people was hit by Israeli airstrikes again today. Six of our @UNRWA colleagues are among those killed. These dramatic violations of international humanitarian law need to stop now,” the UN chief stated in a post on X.

UN Commissioner-General, Philippe Lazzarini also deplored the killings and said that at least 220 UNRWA staff have been killed in this war. He further added that “longer the impunity prevails,” the more international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions will become “irrelevant.”

“Endless & senseless killing, day after day. Another school sheltering displaced people hit in Nuseirat today. Among the people killed are six @UNRWAstaff working & providing support to families who have sought refuge in the school.

“Since the beginning of this war, at least 220 UNRWA staff have been killed in #GazaHumanitarian staff, premises& operations have been blatantly & unabatedly disregarded since the beginning of the war. The longer impunity prevails, the more international humanitarian law & the Geneva conventions will become irrelevant,” he added.

Meanwhile, the UN reported that health workers are continuing efforts to vaccinate young children in northern Gaza against polio, part of a wider campaign to defeat the disease, which can cause paralysis.

More than 81,600 boys and girls were vaccinated as of Tuesday, according to preliminary data from the World Health Organization (WHO).

Polio was detected in Gaza in June and UN agencies and partners launched a two-round campaign this month to provide over 640,000 children with two doses of novel oral polio vaccine type 2.

So far, nearly 5,28,000 children have been reached in the first round.

“More than 230 teams are on the ground trying to reach all children under the age of 10 with the first batch of the polio vaccination,” UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in New York, adding that “they will need to do this again in four weeks.”

The Palestinian death toll in Gaza had reached 41,118, according to health authorities in the region, amid Israel’s large-scale offensive against Hamas that began in response to a surprise attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023.

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Israeli Army Withdraws From Jenin

Israeli forces caused significant damage to infrastructure and residential buildings, leading to power, communication, and internet outages in large areas of the city

 The Israeli army withdrew from the West Bank city of Jenin after a 10-day operation that left 21 people dead, according to Palestinian and Israeli sources.

During the operation, Israeli forces caused significant damage to infrastructure and residential buildings, leading to power, communication, and internet outages in large areas of the city, Palestinian security sources said on Friday.

The Palestinian Civil Defence announced that more than 25 km of streets and neighbourhoods in Jenin city and its camp were completely destroyed by the army’s operation, according to initial damage assessments, Xinhua news agency reported.

Meanwhile, Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported that the Army had eliminated “terrorists” during the operation, arresting more than 40 suspects, seizing 24 weapons, and destroying dozens of explosive devices.

However, Israeli security sources told the broadcaster that the operation is not over, and “we will soon return to Jenin and other places”.

On Thursday, the Ramallah-based Palestinian Health Ministry said that 39 Palestinians had been killed and about 150 others injured in the West Bank since the start of the Israeli military operation on August 28.

The operation, which Israeli military officials said targeted militants in Jenin, Tulkarem and the Al-Faraa refugee camp, is said to be the largest Israeli operation in the West Bank since the war between Israel and Hamas began.

The government-run Palestine News Agency, citing the Palestinian Health Ministry, said that 21 Palestinians had been killed as a result of the assault which also caused extensive damage to the city of Jenin.

The IDF, posting on X on Friday, said it had conducted a counterterrorism operation overnight in the West Bank killing Muhammad Zakaria Zubeidi, who is the son of prominent jailed militant Zakaria Zubeidi, the Jenin chief of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, a coalition of Palestinian armed groups in the West Bank.

Jenin, originally a refugee camp built to house Palestinians who fled their homes during the war following the creation of Israel in 1948, has seen its water and electricity services cut as a result of the raid.

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UAE launches Gaza polio vax drive

The campaign, began in central Gaza, in collaboration with the World Health Organisation, UNICEF, and UNRWA, will gradually move to the south and north of the Strip….reports Asian Lite News

The UAE has launched an urgent vaccination campaign in the Gaza Strip, aimed at protecting over 640,000 children from the threat of polio.

The campaign, in line with the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, began on Sunday in central Gaza, in collaboration with the World Health Organisation, UNICEF, and UNRWA, and will gradually move to the south and north of the Strip. The campaign aims at vaccinating 90 percent of children to prevent the spread of polio.

Volunteers from ‘Operation Chivalrous Knight 3’ played a key role in organising and supporting vaccination points, contributing to the smooth operation of the campaign and providing assistance to families and children, thereby enhancing the campaign’s effectiveness in achieving its goals.

Amid significant challenges in Gaza, including population displacement and the deterioration of health systems and water and sanitation networks, this campaign is a critical response to prevent the spread of epidemics and protect future generations.

In August, the World Health Organisation confirmed the first case of polio in the Strip in 25 years, underscoring the importance of this intervention to safeguard the children of Gaza.

More than 2,100 health workers, including mobile health teams, are participating in the campaign to ensure the vaccine reaches all targeted children during humanitarian ceasefires.

Through this initiative, the UAE reaffirms its ongoing commitment to supporting its brothers in Gaza, particularly in providing protection and healthcare for children in these challenging circumstances.

Over 161k kids vaccinated in two days

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has vaccinated 161,000 Palestinian children in two days as part of the polio vaccination campaign in Gaza, surpassing the initial target of around 156,550.

Speaking at a press conference today (via video link from Gaza) to journalists in Geneva, Dr. Rik Peeperkorn, WHO Representative in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, stated that preliminary data shows around 74,340 children were vaccinated on the second day of the campaign, while over 86,600 children were vaccinated on the first day.

Dr. Peeperkorn added that the majority of the remaining children in central Gaza are expected to be vaccinated by the end of the first round. He noted that multiple teams have been deployed at larger fixed sites, allowing some to operate as mobile teams to proactively reach children and ensure no child is missed.

The WHO official confirmed that vaccination teams encountered larger populations in Maghazi, Bureij, and Al-Masdar, where additional vaccine shipments were sent to primary healthcare centres in Maghazi and Bureij due to high demand.

Dr. Peeperkorn highlighted that WHO considers there to be a significant risk of type 2 poliovirus infection within Gaza and internationally, due to gaps in children’s immunity caused by disruptions in routine immunisation, a high number of newborns, the destruction of the healthcare system, ongoing population displacement, malnutrition, and severely damaged water and sanitation systems.

Last Saturday, President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan directed the allocation of US$5 million to support the emergency polio vaccination campaign in Gaza following the first recorded case of the virus in the area. The initiative is part of the UAE’s ongoing efforts to provide relief to the Palestinian people, particularly children, in response to the challenging humanitarian conditions they face.

Second batch of vaccines arrive

A shipment of 350,000 polio vaccine doses arrived in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian Health Minister Majed Abu Ramadan said.

This is the second batch of vaccines, which are being stored in a dedicated warehouse for a coordinated vaccination campaign with the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef). A total of nearly 1.6 million doses are expected to arrive, enough to vaccinate all children from birth to 10-years-old with two doses each, Xinhua news agency reported.

The campaign will extend to Khan Younis, Gaza City, and northern governorates.

Abu Ramadan also urged the international community and organisations to press Israel to halt the “aggression” and allow health personnel to work in Gaza.

UNRWA has said that the polio vaccine is very safe, with most children experiencing no side effects.

“There is no treatment for polio, but getting the vaccine is the only effective solution for preventing it,” UNRWA said in a post on social platform X, urging Gaza residents to immunise their children.

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