Tag: Gaza Conflict

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NSA Sullivan, Qatar PM Discuss Gaza Hostage Release

The United States affirmed this dialogue in an official statement, indicating ongoing communication between Sullivan and Al Thani….reports Asian Lite News

White House National Security Adviser, Jake Sullivan, and Qatari Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, convened on Tuesday to explore prospects for a ceasefire in Gaza, coupled with the release of hostages.

The United States affirmed this dialogue in an official statement, indicating ongoing communication between Sullivan and Al Thani.

Meanwhile, senior Hamas leader Osama Hamaden has said that the outfit will release the remaining 134 hostages only when the permanent ceasefire is in place and Israelis completely withdraw from Gaza.

Hamadan in a statement in Beirut on Tuesday said that in the past two days the organisation had clearly presented this view before the Qatari and Egyptian mediators.

He said that Hamas had reaffirmed its position that a permanent ceasefire was possible only after a full pull out of the IDF from Gaza Strip and return of displaced Palestinian families to their homes.

The tough position taken by Hamas has almost derailed the US President Joe Biden’s optimism that a temporary six week ceasefire would be reached before March 10 – the commencement of the Holy month of Ramadan.

However, the US state secretary Antony Blinken is in continuous discussions with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed Al -Thani and the Egyptian mediator Major General Abbas Kalam. The US leader is also in communication with Israeli minister, Benny Gantz who is on a visit to the US.

Highly placed sources in the Israel defence ministry told IANS that if the Hamas backs out of truce talks then Israel will have to go for an all-out attack to release and rescue its hostages. It may be noted that Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has been restrained from an all-out ground invasion in Rafah border after an appeal from mediators, including the US ,Qatar and Egypt.

US Airdrops More Aid into Gaza

Amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, the US for the second time, airdropped humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, The New York Times reported.

US Air Force cargo planes, in a joint operation with the Jordanian Air Force dropped 36,800 ready-to-eat meals “to provide essential relief to civilians affected by the ongoing conflict,” according to US Central Command statement.

In a statement, US Central Command said that army troops trained in aerial delivery were part of the airdrop. The US forces further said that they were planning more such missions. However, the Pentagon said on Tuesday that the US did not intend to send its troops into Gaza to strengthen the aid distribution process.

While addressing a news conference, Pentagon spokesperson Major General Patrick Ryder said, “At this time, there are no plans to put U.S. forces on the ground in Gaza,” The New York Times reported.

The US’ operation on Tuesday comes days after the first round of airdrops on Saturday. US airdropped the first round of humanitarian aid into Gaza, two days after more than 100 Palestinians were killed as Israeli forces opened fire around a convoy of aid trucks in northern Gaza. Doctors at Gaza hospitals said the majority of casualties were from gunfire.

The Israeli military said the majority of the victims were trampled as they attempted to take control of the cargo. Israeli officials, however, admitted that troops had fired on some people who they said had threatened them, according to The New York Times report.

Following the convoy casualties in Gaza, US President Joe Biden said the US would find new ways to provide aid to Palestinians in desperate need due to Israel’s counter-offensive against Hamas, which began after the terrorist group’s attack on October 7.

On Sunday, US Vice President Kamala Harris called for an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza, which she stressed must last for at least the next six weeks. Terming the conditions in Gaza as “inhumane,” Harris said that people in the region were “starving.”

Harris, who was in Alabama’s Selma, to commemorate the 59th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, said, “The threat of Hamas poses to the people of Israel must be eliminated. And given the immense scale of suffering in Gaza, there must be an immediate ceasefire for at least the next six weeks, which is what is currently on the table.”

The US Vice President noted that the ceasefire will allow the release of hostages and aid will enter Gaza. She stressed that Hamas needs to agree to that deal. (ANI)

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UN, UAE Rap Massacre in Gaza

Israeli troops reportedly opened fire with heavy machine guns at people waiting for trucks laden with humanitarian assistance for distribution….reports Asian Lite News

United Nations, UAE and many other countries have expressed strong condemnation for the devastating incident at a food aid site in Gaza, where the Gaza health ministry said over 100 lives were lost.

On the day Gaza’s Health Ministry announced that the death toll crossed the 30,000 mark since Israel’s attacks began on October 8, 104 people were killed and more than 700 injured in the incidents around a food convoy in the Gaza City area, according to the Palestine news agency, Wafa.

The agency said that according to medical sources, Israeli troops had opened fire with heavy machine guns at people waiting for trucks laden with humanitarian assistance for distribution.

“The Secretary-General condemns the incident today in northern Gaza in which more than a hundred people were reportedly killed or injured while seeking life-saving aid,” Antonio Guterres’ Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said.

He added that Guterres “is appalled by the tragic human toll of the conflict in Gaza, in which more than 30,000 people have now reportedly been killed and more than 70,000 injured. Tragically, an unknown number of people lie under rubble”.

His statement did not name Israel in the attack, and Dujarric explained to reporters that the UN did not as yet have direct knowledge of what happened, but he said that acts of violence caused the incident.

Meanwhile, the UAE strongly condemned the Israeli occupation forces targeting of thousands of Palestinian residents of the Gaza Strip who were awaiting the arrival of humanitarian and relief aid, which resulted in the killing of dozens, and the injury of hundreds of innocent civilians.

The UAE called for an independent and transparent investigation, and the punishment of those responsible, and warned of a catastrophic and dangerous humanitarian situation.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), expressed its deep concern over the exacerbating humanitarian catastrophe in the Strip that threatens further loss of innocent civilian lives. The Ministry stressed that the immediate priority is to end the escalation of military operations and achieve an immediate ceasefire.

The Ministry reaffirmed the UAE’s position that calls for the protection of innocent civilians, and the facilitation of immediate, safe, sustainable, and unhindered delivery of relief and humanitarian aid. The Ministry further stressed the importance of the full and urgent implementation of Security Council Resolutions 2712 and 2720.

The Ministry warned against further exacerbating the humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip, and underlined the importance of avoiding further loss of life, and fuelling the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, while preventing regional spill-over that risks further violence, tension, and instability.

The Ministry called on the international community to advance all efforts to achieve a comprehensive and just peace, based on a two-state solution with an independent Palestinian state.

Meanwhile, UN Human Rights High Commissioner Volker Turk called the killings in Gaza, “carnage”.

“There appear to be no bounds to — no words to capture — the horrors that are unfolding before our eyes in Gaza,” he said in Geneva at a meeting on Occupied Palestine Territories.

While denouncing the 10/7 Hamas attack on Israel as “profoundly traumatising and totally unjustifiable,” he also condemned “the brutality of the Israeli response” which resulted in “the unprecedented level of killing and maiming of civilians in Gaza, including UN staff and journalists”.

Turk said, “Since early October, over 100,000 people have been killed or wounded. Let me repeat that: about one in every 20 children, women, and men, are now dead or wounded.”

Israel said that its forces opened fire on a crowd that advanced on them menacingly, but asserted that dozens were killed in a melee by being trampled or run over by trucks.

The latest mass killings has raised the tension in region with Saudi Arabia and Jordan issuing strong condemnations.

ALSO READ: UAE, Egypt Begin New Aid Operation in Gaza

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Gaza Conflict a Matter of Great Concern, Says Jaishankar

Jaishankar stated that nations need to work together in the United Nations and outside to find lasting solutions to geopolitical challenges and called it a “collective responsibility.”…reports Asian Lite News

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday said that India is concerned over the conflict in Gaza and stressed that humanitarian crisis arising from conflicts require a sustainable solution that gives immediate relief to those most-affected. He asserted that world needs to be clear that terrorism and hostage taking “unacceptable.”

In his virtual address at the 55th Session of the Human Rights Council, Jaishankar said, “The conflict in Gaza is of great concern to us all. The humanitarian crisis arising from conflicts require a sustainable solution that gives immediate relief to those most affected. At the same time, we must be clear that terrorism and hostage-taking are unacceptable.”

“It also goes without saying that international humanitarian law must always be respected. It is vital that the conflict does not spread within or beyond the region. And efforts must also focus on seeking a two-state solution where Palestinian people can live within secure borders,” he added.

Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was one of the first world leaders to call out Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7 as a terror attack. Following Hamas’ attack, Israel launched a counter-offensive against the terrorist group in Gaza.

Highlighting India’s approach, he said, “Let me recall what Indian civilizational thought has always emphasized that the world shares one earth, we are one family and we have one future. Both as a motivating vision and as a call for action, this Indian approach is one of recognizing that we are defined more by how much we are alike than by our differences. But the many are impacted by the choices made by even a few and that this interconnectedness means a genuine dialogue as the only way to find solutions is not just and imperative but in fact inevitable.”

He stated that nations need to work together in the United Nations and outside to find lasting solutions to geopolitical challenges and called it a “collective responsibility.” He stressed that it is important to recognise that they need to reform “outdated structures and fix systemic flaws” for multilateralism to be credible, effective and responsive.

MIDEAST-GAZA-KHAN YOUNIS-AIRSTRIKE

In his remarks at the 55th session of the Human Rights Council, he said, “It is therefore in our collective interest and responsibility to work together in the UN and outside to find lasting solutions to geopolitical challenges. For this to happen it is vital that we first recognize that for multilateralism to be credible, effective and responsive it is now high time to reform outdated structures and fix systemic flaws and urgently make multilateral frameworks fit for purpose reflecting current global realities. Let me conclude by reaffirming India’s steadfast commitment to global promotion and protection of human rights and to their enjoyment by our people.”

He noted that India’s approach to human rights is rooted in democratic principles and pluralistic ethos. He said that society and polity of India are enchored by the institutional strengths of an independent judiciary, robust media and vibrant civil society.

He said, “India’s approach to human rights is rooted in our democratic principles and pluralistic ethos. Our constitution guarantees protection of civil and political rights and provides for progressive realization of economic, social and cultural rights. Our society and polity are anchored by our institutional strengths of an independent judiciary, robust media and vibrant civil society. These values have continued to inform India’s policies domestically, and globally. And therefore, I believe we have much to contribute.”

Calling 2024 an important year for India’s democracy, Jaishankar said nearly 960 million voters are gearing up to exercise the right to vote in the upcoming elections. He said, “This is not merely a political exercise, but a celebration of democracy, a festival where every voice resonates and every vote counts. In a world where the principles of democracy are constantly tested, India stands as a beacon of hope and resilience, showcasing the power of the people to shape their collective future.”

Speaking about the achievements of India’s G20 Presidency, he said that African Union became a permanent member of the G20 and stated that G20 New Delhi Leaders Declaration put forth solutions for various sectors, including digital public infrastructure, climate action and women-led development.

Jaishankar said, “On India’s initiative, the African Union became a permanent member of the G20. The G20 New Delhi Leaders Declaration put forth solutions on a range of domains such as digital public infrastructure, climate action, reforming international financial institutions, women-led development, education, AI to name a few.”

He expressed India’s readiness to share its experiences and expertise with those who wish to benefit from it. He said that India’s development cooperation which spans across the globe is guided by the “priorities of our partners, creates local capacities and adheres to fiscal responsibility and transparency.”

Highlighting efforts of India in helping nations when they were in need, Jaishankar said that India’s was first responder during disaster emergencies in Turkey and Syria in 2023. He said that India provided assistance to Sri Lanka when it faced a severe economic crisis.

He said, “India has been at the forefront of lending a helping hand when it is most needed. We demonstrated this during the COVID pandemic. also as first responders in disaster emergencies like in Turkey and Syria last year and when Sri Lanka experienced a severe economic crisis. Under Prime Minister Modi’s vision of inclusive development with everyone’s participation, trust and contribution, India is firm in its resolve to ensuring a life of dignity for our people with our priority to gender empowerment.”

Jaishankar said that one-third seats were reserved for women in legislatures of India. He stated that India’s rapid progress in meeting Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets, financial inclusion and democratization of technology will be of help to other countries on a similar journey.

“We have thus taken a lead to forge partnerships such as International Solar Alliance, Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, the Global Biofuel Alliance, and promoted initiatives such as the International Year of Millets to help countries address the challenges of climate change and food security,” he added.

He even congratulated United Nations Human Rights Council President Omar Zniber on his re-election as the President of the Council and assured him of Indian delegation’s full supporty and cooperation to him and all mechanisms of the Council. Jaishankar stated that India remains committed to working with Council members and observers for promotion and protection of all human rights. (ANI)

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Famine Looms for Quarter of Gaza’s Population: UN

The senior UN aid official has informed the Security Council that nearly, 5,76,000 people in the Gaza Strip are facing hunger and famine….reports Asian Lite News

 A senior aid official of a UN body has warned that a quarter of the population of the war-trodden Gaza is one step away from an imminent famine.

According to reports available from the United Nations’ aid agencies in Gaza, Rajesh Rajasingham, director of coordination for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, has informed the UN Security Council on the danger awaiting the strip in the days to come.

The senior UN aid official has informed the Security Council that nearly, 5,76,000 people in the Gaza Strip are facing hunger and famine.

He has also warned that widespread famine could be almost inevitable if proper action was not taken.

He said that one in six children under 2 years of age in northern Gaza is suffering from acute malnutrition.

The official added that all the 2.3 million people in the Palestinian enclave rely on “woefully inadequate” food aid to survive.

The World Food Programme (WFP) Deputy Executive Director, Carl Skau, told the 15-member council that it was ready to swiftly expand and scale-up the operations if there is a ceasefire agreement.

The WFP official has also informed that the risk of famine was being fueled by the inability to bring critical food supplies into Gaza in sufficient quantities.

The UN official has also said that the operating conditions faced by the WFP staff on the ground was on almost impossible conditions.

Meanwhile, UN officials said that 75 ton of freight, 10 ambulances, food rations, 300 family tents, etc, had arrived in el-Arish airport in Egypt, near the Rafah crossing to Gaza.

Nearly 30,000 Palestinians have been killed since the Israel-Hamas war began on October 7 after the Hamas’s ravage in Southern Israel killing 1,200 people and kidnapping 250 people as hostages into the Gaza Strip.

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Palestinian PM Resigns Over Gaza War

Announcing his resignation, Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said he was moved to step down due to the “unprecedented escalation” in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem, and the “war, genocide and starvation in the Gaza Strip”….reports Asian Lite News

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh on Monday announced the resignation of his government.

“I would like to inform the honourable council and our great people that I placed the government’s resignation at the disposal of Mr. President [Mahmoud Abbas], last Tuesday, and today I submit it in writing,” Shtayyeh said in a post on Facebook as per CNN.

Al Jazeera cited a Reuters report to state that Shatayyh handed over his resignation to President Mahmoud Abbas.

Shtayyeh, who has headed the Palestinian Authority’s 18th government since his appointment in March 2019, submitted his resignation at the opening of today’s government meeting in Ramallah.

Announcing his resignation, Shtayyeh said he was moved to step down due to the “unprecedented escalation” in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem, and the “war, genocide and starvation in the Gaza Strip”.

Shtayyeh noted there are “efforts to make the [Palestinian Authority] an administrative and security authority without political influence, and the PA will continue to struggle to embody the state on the land of Palestine despite the occupation”.

“I see that the next stage and its challenges require new governmental and political arrangements that take into account the new reality in Gaza and the need for a Palestinian-Palestinian consensus based on Palestinian unity,” he added as per Al Jazeera.

UN wants strengthened Palestinian govt

The United Nations (UN) wants to see a strengthened and empowered Palestinian government, a spokesman of the world body has said in response to the resignation of the government led by Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres takes note of Monday’s announcement by Shtayyeh that he handed his government’s resignation to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN chief.

“A strengthened, empowered Palestinian government that can administer the whole of the occupied Palestinian territory is critical as part of a path to achieving the establishment of a fully independent, democratic, contiguous, sovereign and viable Palestinian state, on the basis of the 1967 lines, of which Gaza is an integral part, which remains the only way to achieve a lasting peace,” the spokesman was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.

The UN stands ready to continue supporting efforts aimed at overcoming the humanitarian, political, financial as well as security challenges facing the Palestinian people, he told a daily press briefing.

Turning to the situation on the ground, the spokesman said the Palestine Red Crescent Society, supported by the World Health Organization and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), has completed the evacuation of 72 critical patients from Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis in southern Gaza.

The UN Population Fund reports that newborns are dying in Gaza because their mothers are unable to attend prenatal or postnatal checkups while the incessant bombings, fleeing for safety and anxiety are leading to premature births, said the spokesman.

In its daily update on the situation in Gaza, OCHA said intense Israeli bombardment from air, land and sea continued to be reported across much of the Gaza Strip on Monday, resulting in further civilian casualties, displacement, and destruction of civilian infrastructure.

Ground operations and heavy fighting between Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups also continued. Between Friday and Monday, tens of rockets were reportedly fired by armed Palestinian groups toward Israel, said OCHA.

Since October 7, 2023, at least 29,782 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and 70,043 Palestinians have been injured, OCHA quoted the Ministry of Health in Gaza as saying.

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Foods, Medicines: UAE’s Unwavering Support to Gaza Continues

The UAE dispatched five automatic bakeries to the Egyptian city of El Arish, ahead of their entry into the Gaza….reports Asian Lite News

 The UAE continues its unwavering support for the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip through the “Gallant Knight 3” humanitarian operation, launched under the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

On Sunday, the initiative delivered over 124,000 parcels comprising food items, medical supplies, hygiene kits for children and the elderly, lighting projectors, and blankets. Distribution included 183 food parcels, 23 hygiene kits, food baskets for children, 1,040 heavy winter clothing items, 3,402 undergarments parcels, and 38 blankets.

The operation supports 28 charity kitchens that provided 13,280 meals distributed to 53,120 beneficiaries. An additional 250 loaves of bread produced for 2,500 beneficiaries through a subsidised bread project.

The UAE dispatched five automatic bakeries to the Egyptian city of El Arish, ahead of their entry into the Gaza.

As of February 17th, the UAE’s aid to Palestinians under Operation “Gallant Knight 3” surpassed 15,700 tons, facilitated by the dispatch of 162 cargo planes. Moreover, the UAE established six desalination plants, capable of producing 1.2 million gallons per day, directly benefiting Gaza residents.

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Israel raids main hospital in Gaza

Gaza health ministry reported that the Israeli occupation turned Nasser Medical Complex in southern Gaza into  military barracks…reports Asian Lite News

Israeli special forces carried out a raid on Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza on Thursday, the largest functioning hospital in the enclave, following a prolonged siege on the facility, CNN reported.

Israel Defence Forces (IDF) stated that they had “apprehended a number of suspects” during the operation, emphasising that it was an ongoing mission.

IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari asserted that they had “credible intelligence from a number of sources, including from released hostages,” suggesting that Hamas had previously held hostages at the hospital, with the possibility of deceased hostages’ bodies being present. The military did not publicly release this evidence, according to CNN.

Hagari claimed that Hamas militants “are likely hiding behind injured civilians inside Nasser hospital right now” and assured that the operation would be “precise and limited.”

Hamas denied any involvement at Nasser Hospital. Muhammad Nazzal, a member of the Hamas Political Bureau, stated, “Hamas has no business in the hospital.”

The hospital’s director told the BBC that conditions inside were “catastrophic and very dangerous”.

Ashraf Al-Qidra, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, reported that the Israeli occupation turned Nasser Medical Complex into a military barracks after demolishing the southern wall and entering in the facility. Al-Qidra mentioned that Israeli military bulldozers were digging up mass graves within the complex walls.

The incident unfolded a day after Israeli forces compelled hundreds of civilians to evacuate the hospital, which they had been using as a shelter.

Video footage from Tuesday captured columns of smoke at the hospital’s perimeter, an Israeli bulldozer destroying a hospital perimeter wall, and an armored vehicle entering the hospital grounds, accompanied by the sound of gunfire, as reported by CNN.

Doctors Without Borders, also known as Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), urgently called for Israeli forces to cease the attack on Nasser Hospital. MSF staff reported “an undetermined number of people” killed and injured.

MSF stated that the hospital was shelled despite Israeli Forces having previously assured medical staff and patients they could remain in the facility. Thousands of displaced people were ordered to evacuate on February 13.

“Following shelling this morning, our staff reported a chaotic situation, with an undetermined number of people killed and injured,” MSF said. One of their colleagues remains unaccounted for since the attack.

MSF urged the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) to “immediately stop this attack, as it endangers medical staff and patients still stuck inside the facility.”

“Our medical staff have had to flee the hospital, leaving patients behind. Israeli Forces set up a checkpoint to screen people leaving the compound; one of our colleagues was detained at this checkpoint. We call for his safety and the protection of his dignity,” MSF emphasised. (ANI)

UN concerned over Israeli assaults on Gaza hospitals

The UN Human Rights Office expressed profound concern regarding Israeli forces’ assault on Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, Gaza, following a similar attack on Al-Amal Hospital.

Ravina Shamdasani, speaking for the Human Rights Office, underscored these incidents as alarming manifestations of a broader trend of Israeli assaults on critical civilian infrastructure, particularly hospitals, the Arab News reported.

Nasser Hospital, the largest operational healthcare facility in the region, faced an assault after enduring a week-long siege, depriving it of essential resources and forcing displaced individuals and medical staff families to flee.

Shamdasani highlighted Israeli forces’ orders to transfer all patients, including the most vulnerable, to another facility, exposing them to grave risks.

She emphasized documented raids across various locations in Gaza, severely endangering patients, medical staff, and civilians seeking refuge in these facilities.

With nearly 70,000 injuries since the Gaza conflict began in October, Shamdasani described the dire state of the healthcare system due to attacks on medical facilities and humanitarian supply restrictions, resulting in appalling consequences for civilians.

Stressing the protected status of medical facilities under international humanitarian law, she reiterated that they should not be targeted or misused for military purposes.

Despite Israeli claims of Hamas presence, Shamdasani emphasized the obligation of the occupying power, Israel, to maintain medical services in the occupied territory, including Gaza.

She called for compliance with principles of precaution and proportionality, urging respect for humanitarian norms amidst the conflict’s complexities.

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‘Systematic campaign’ against UNRWA: Arab League

Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul-Aboul-Gheit.(photo:Twitter)

Aboul Gheit added that it is surprising that some western nations have decided to suspend their funding to UNRWA in this critical period …reports Asian Lite News

Arab League warned of the perilous consequences of the incitement campaign unleashed against the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), along with the decisions taken by some countries to suspend their financial contributions to UNRWA over the claim of the Israeli occupation that some of its staff were allegedly involved in October attacks.

The systematic incitement led by the Israeli occupation primarily intends to eliminate UNRWA’s role almost entirely after its facilities and personnel have been targeted in the attacks within the framework of the relentless aggression on the Gaza Strip, said Secretary-General of Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit.

Aboul Gheit added that it is surprising that some western nations have decided to suspend their funding to UNRWA in this critical period based on unleashed accusations that target a limited number of individuals. He noted that, if such accusations are presumably valid, they do not reflect the nature of UNRWA that includes nearly 300,000 personnel, most of them are Palestinians.

Secretary-General of Arab League pointed out that such a campaign is not new, given the fact that the intention to liquidate UNRWA’s operation that serves millions of Palestinians in its five areas of operation, recurred differently over the past years whose purpose is debunked, which is to push the international community towards abandoning their responsibility in aiding the Palestinian refugees and shouldering the entire responsibility on the countries that are in sympathy with the Palestinian cause, primarily the Arab states.

UNRWA was established by a UN resolution in 1949, while the responsibility for the livelihood of Palestinian refugees falls on the international community and donor countries, pending a just solution for their cause, Aboul Gheit noted, adding that evading from this responsibility amid the bloody war implies forsaking them to face hunger and displacement and carry out the Israeli scheme to entirely liquidate their cause.

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20,000 march in Madrid against Gaza ‘genocide’

Some carried Palestinian flags and shouted slogans denouncing Israel….reports Asian Lite News

Around 20,000 people marched in Madrid Saturday in support of Palestinians, a day after the UN’s top court said Israel must prevent genocidal acts in its war with Hamas.

Many of the marchers carried banners and placards denouncing the “genocide” in Gaza, which has been under relentless bombardment and siege since the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas.

Some carried Palestinian flags and shouted slogans denouncing Israel. Others had banners thanking South Africa for having brought the case against Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

South Africa accused Israel of breaching the 1948 UN Genocide Convention, set up after World War II and the Holocaust.

In its ruling on Friday, the ICJ said Israel must prevent genocide in its war with Hamas and allow aid into Gaza, but stopped short of calling for an end to the fighting.

The ruling was denounced by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as “outrageous” and while many countries welcomed the ruling, others, such as Britain expressed reservations.

Spain, one of the most critical voices in Europe of Israel’s offensive against Hamas, was one of those to welcome Friday’s ruling.

Relations between the two countries have soured over Madrid’s position on the issue.

Israel recalled its top diplomat in Madrid in November after Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed doubts about the legality of Israel’s war in Gaza. She returned in January.

“They have been without water, without food, without anything, for almost 110 days,” one Madrid demonstrator, 54-year-old Lobna Elnakhala, said of the situation in Gaza. “Children are dying and living in a very difficult situation.”

Some banners called for sanctions to be levied against Israel. The Madrid authorities put the turn-out at 20,000.

Israel’s military campaign began soon after Hamas’s October 7 attack that resulted in about 1,140 deaths in Israel, mostly civilians. Militants also seized about 250 hostages and Israel says around 132 of them remain in Gaza, including the bodies of at least 28 dead captives.

Israel has vowed to crush Hamas, and Hamas-ruled Gaza’s health ministry says the Israeli military offensive has killed at least 26,257 people, most of them women and children.

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Truce Hope Fades As Gaza Carnage Continues

Earlier reports suggested progress in Israel-Hamas talks for a 30-day ceasefire, including the release of hostages and prisoners, along with increased aid to Gaza. However, on Wednesday, the likelihood of such an agreement seemed remote…reports Asian Lite News

Intense Israeli airstrikes in Gaza overnight resulted in a reported 125 casualties, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-controlled region. This happened when talks in Cairo aimed at achieving a ceasefire were ongoing.

The UN humanitarian agency OCHA noted that Israeli forces issued new evacuation orders for a part of Khan Younis, impacting around half a million residents and displaced individuals amid the ongoing conflict.

Israeli forces also cut off southern Gaza’s main hospitals in their assault on Khan Younis, Palestinian officials said, and closed the main escape route for hundreds of thousands of residents and people who have sought refuge there, the Arab News reported.

In response to questions about the fire at the center — run by UNRWA, the UN relief organization for the Palestinians — the Israeli military said the wider area was a significant base of Hamas militants.

“Dismantling Hamas’ military framework in western Khan Yunis is the heart of the logic behind the operation,” it said.

Earlier reports suggested progress in Israel-Hamas talks for a 30-day ceasefire, including the release of hostages and prisoners, along with increased aid to Gaza. However, on Wednesday, the likelihood of such an agreement seemed remote.

In their biggest operation in a month, Israeli tanks have pushed through Khan Younis, where hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians are sheltering after leaving the north — the early focus of the war, it was reported.

Meanwhile, The International Court of Justice (ICJ) will on Friday rule whether or not to grant emergency measures against Israel following accusations by South Africa that the Israeli military operation in Gaza is a state-led “genocide.”

A “public sitting” will take place at 1 pm on Friday at the Peace Palace in The Hague during which Judge Joan E. Donoghue will read the court order, a release issued by the ICJ said.

“On Friday 26 January 2024, the International Court of Justice will deliver its Order on the Request for the indication of provisional measures submitted by South Africa in the case concerning Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel),” the release said.

“A public sitting will take place at 1 p.m. at the Peace Palace in The Hague, during which Judge Joan E. Donoghue, the President of the Court, will read the Court's Order,” the release added.

South Africa has lodged an urgent appeal to the ICJ to force Israel to “immediately suspend” its military operations in the Gaza Strip.

South Africa has based its accusation both on actions taken by Israel throughout the war and controversial comments made by Israeli officials regarding Palestinians in Gaza and how they should be treated.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently declared an unwavering commitment to dismantling Hamas, asserting that “nobody will stop us”, CNN reported.

In a press briefing, Netanyahu dismissed potential interference from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and other entities, including what he referred to as the “axis of evil” led by Iran.

“Nobody will stop us – not The Hague, not the axis of evil, and not anybody else,” Netanyahu stated emphatically, rebuffing the genocide accusations levelled against Israel at the ICJ.

He characterised the claims as a “hypocritical onslaught” orchestrated by those seeking to perpetrate another Holocaust against the Jewish people, as reported by CNN.

Describing the situation as a “moral low point in the history of nations,” Netanyahu highlighted alleged instances of antisemitism discovered in Hamas-controlled areas.

He claimed that anti-Semitic materials, including copies of Adolf Hitler’s “Mein Kampf,” were found in Hamas tunnels in Gaza. Additionally, Netanyahu asserted that a child’s tablet with a screensaver featuring Hitler was discovered in a home in Gaza.

Despite acknowledging the persistence of antisemitism, Netanyahu underscored the resilience of the Jewish people, vowing to continue the fight “until the end.”

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