Tag: GAZA

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10,000 Palestinian Women Killed in Gaza War

The women who have survived Israeli bombardment and ground operations have been displaced, widowed, and facing starvation. …reports Asian Lite news

Six months into the war, 10,000 Palestinian women in Gaza have been killed, among them an estimated 6,000 mothers, leaving 19,000 children orphaned, a report by the UN Women said on Tuesday.

The women who have survived Israeli bombardment and ground operations have been displaced, widowed, and facing starvation. This devastating differentiated impact continues to make the war on Gaza also a war on women.

The series of gender alerts produced by UN Women on Gaza provides a detailed analysis of the reality of women’s and girls’ lives in the Gaza Strip, documenting abhorrent living conditions.

The publication titled, Scarcity and Fear, focuses on the lack of access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services are vital to women’s health, dignity, safety, and privacy.

More than one million Palestinian women and girls in Gaza are facing catastrophic hunger, with almost no access to food, safe drinking water, functioning toilets or running water, creating life-threatening risks.

Access to clean water is especially critical for breastfeeding mothers and pregnant women, who have higher daily water and caloric intake requirements. It is also essential for the ability of women and girls to manage their menstrual hygiene with dignity and safety.

UN Women estimates that 10 million disposable menstrual pads or four million reusable sanitary pads are required each month to cover the needs of 690,000 women and girls in Gaza.

“In Gaza, we (women) cannot meet our simplest and most basic needs: eating well, drinking safe water, accessing a toilet, having (sanitary) pads, taking a shower,…changing our clothes…” said a Gazan woman.

“More than 10,000 women have been killed so far, of which an estimated six thousand are mothers. Women who have survived the bombing are suffering daily starvation, sickness, and constant fear. The war in Gaza is no doubt a war on women, who are paying a heavy price for a war not of their making,” said Susanne Mikhail, Regional Director of UN Women in the Arab States in a media briefing in Geneva.

Only peace can end this suffering. UN Women joins the calls for the implementation of the United Nations Security Council resolution 2728 (2024) adopted on March 25, demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all hostages, and safe and unimpeded access to humanitarian aid.

UN Women is working with Palestinian women’s organisations, and partners within the humanitarian systems and spaces to advocate for the rights and needs of women and girls, and to deliver urgently needed assistance.

In Gaza, UN Women has reached almost 100,000 women and their families with food, blankets, winter clothes, soap, diapers, and sanitary kits. Tens of thousands more items have been at the border crossings for weeks. This is only a fraction of what women and girls in Gaza need.

As set out in the Agreed Conclusions of the recently held Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68), women and girls must be at the heart of the collective humanitarian response.

ALSO READ: Journalists Wounded in Israeli Shelling on Gaza Strip

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UN Chief Denounces Iran’s Attack on Israel

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.(photo:Twitter)

The attack was the latest in a cycle of violence wracking the Middle East….writes Arul Louis

The United Nations Security Council is to meet in an emergency session on Sunday to consider Iran’s fusillade of drones and missiles attacking Israel, which Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has condemned as an escalation of the Middle East crisis.

Within minutes of the Iranian attacks on Saturday, Israel asked Council President Vanessa Frazier of Malta to convene the meeting.

Warning that “neither the region nor the world can afford another war”, Guterres said, “I strongly condemn the serious escalation represented by the large-scale attack launched on Israel by the Islamic Republic of Iran this evening.”

“I am deeply alarmed about the very real danger of a devastating region-wide escalation. I urge all parties to exercise maximum restraint to avoid any action that could lead to major military confrontations on multiple fronts in the Middle East,” he said.

The attack was the latest in a cycle of violence wracking the Middle East.

Iran said the attack was in retaliation for Israel’s April 1 attack on its diplomatic mission in Syria which killed two of its generals.

Israel said that Iran launched about 200 missiles and drones on Saturday and most of them had been shot down and there were no major damages.

The attacks and counterattacks took place while Israel was carrying out an unprecedented military action on the occupied Gaza Strip, hitting civilians and military targets, in retaliation for an attack from there on Israel by Hamas which has ties to Iran.

There have also been skirmishes on the northern border between Israel and Hezbollah, another organisation with Tehran ties.

In a letter to Guterres and Frazier, Iran’s Permanent Representative Amir Saed Iravani said that in launching the attacks his country was invoking its right to self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter and warned of “stronger and more resolute” retaliation should Israel take further action.

But in a post on X social media, Iran’s UN mission also said, “The matter can be deemed concluded.”

General Assembly President Dennis Francis expressed concern over the danger of tensions escalating in the region and said, “I expect that the Iranian authorities will honour their word that by their action today, the matter can be deemed concluded.”

He noted that “the Iranians have explained their action in the context of article 51 of the UN Charter, following the recent Israeli attack on the Iranian Embassy in Damascus”.

In his letter to the Council president asking for the meeting, Israel’s Permanent Representative Gilad Erdan called for it to “unequivocally condemn Iran for these grave violations” and designate Tehran’s main military outfit, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, as a terrorist organisation.

Any attempts by the Council to act on the attacks would be short-circuited by the polarisation in the body.

Just as it could not act on Israel’s attack on an Iranian diplomatic mission in Syria in contravention of international law because of US veto threats, Russia and China would make a stand on Tehran’s retaliation unlikely.

Guterres had also condemned the Israeli attack “on diplomatic premises of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Damascus” on April 1, as well as the reported casualties” and repeatedly called for restraint.

He said that “the principle of the inviolability of diplomatic and consular premises and personnel must be respected in all cases in accordance with international law”.

ALSO READ: Iran Launches Drone, Missile Assault on Israel

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‘Northern Gaza facing catastrophe without more aid’

McGoldrick said that communication with the Israeli military was hampering the flow of aid into Gaza…reports Asian Lite News

Northern Gaza faces a catastrophe without more assistance, the UN’s humanitarian coordinator said on Friday, with communication between the Israeli military and foreign aid groups still poor and no meaningful improvements happening on the ground.

Jamie McGoldrick, who works for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, warned that Gaza was sliding into an ever more precarious situation as Israel’s war against Hamas continues into a sixth month.

He said that according to an Integrated Food Security Phase Classification report 70 percent of people in the north of the Gaza Strip were “in real danger of slipping into famine.”

In a briefing on the situation, McGoldrick said the deaths of seven World Central Kitchen aid workers earlier this month were “not a one off” and that there had been “many incidents of that kind.”

“We work with, interact with, the Israeli Defense Forces and the way we notify and communicate is challenging. We don’t have communications equipment inside Gaza to operate properly, as you would have in … other situation(s),” he said.

“We are working in a very hostile area as humanitarians without the possibility of contacting each other. We don’t have radios, we don’t have mobile networks that work. And so, what we then do is we have to find ways of passing messages back to OCHA and other organizations in Rafah and then relaying out. And if we have a serious security incident, we don’t have a hotline, we don’t have any way of communicating (with) the IDF or facing problems at checkpoint or facing problems en route.

“I think that another thing, I would say, that there’s a real challenge of weapons discipline and the challenge of the behavior of (Israeli) soldiers at checkpoints. And we’ve tried, time and time again, to bring that (to their) attention.”

McGoldrick said that communication with the Israeli military was hampering the flow of aid into Gaza.

“Israel believes that their responsibility ends when they deliver trucks from Kerem Shalom and to the Palestinian side, and I would say that that’s certainly not the case,” he said.

“Their responsibility ends when the aid reaches the civilians in Gaza — we have to have them supportive of that. And that means allowing more facilitation, a lot more routes in and, obviously, to provide security for us as we move. At the moment, we don’t have security.”

He said the toll the war had taken on Gaza’s basic infrastructure was also playing a part in hampering aid deliveries.

“The roads themselves are in very poor condition. We are, as the UN, committed to using all possible routes to scale up humanitarian assistance throughout Gaza, but right now we see that there have been a number of commitments made by Israel and a number of concessions,” he said.

“I don’t think there’s been any notable improvement in terms of our ability to move around, certainly not our approval to get convoys going to the north.”

Opening more crossings to supply northern areas of Gaza was an essential step if famine was to be avoided in the area, McGoldrick said.

“All we can do is keep reminding (Israel) and using the pressure from key (UN) member states to remind Israel of the commitments they’ve made and the commitments that we’ve been asking for such a long time.

“That would be an essential lifeline into the north, because that’s where the population, according to the IPC — the recent famine report — that is where the bulk of people who are the most in danger of slipping into famine.

“If we don’t have the chance to expand the delivery of aid into all parts of Gaza, but in particular to the north, then we’re going to face a catastrophe. And the people up there are living such a fragile and precarious existence.”

McGoldrick also noted the difficulty in accessing fresh water and the devastation caused to Gaza’s health sector by Israel’s military campaign.

“People have very much less water than they need. And as a result of that, waterborne diseases due to the lack of safe and clean water and the destruction of the sanitation systems, you know, they’re all bringing about problems for the population living (there),” he said.

“The hospital system there, Al-Shifa, and Nasser, the two big hospitals have been badly damaged or destroyed. And what we have now is three-quarters of the hospitals and most of the primary healthcare clinics are shutting down, leaving only 10 of 36 hospitals functioning.

“We hear of amputations being carried out with(out) anesthesia. You know, miscarriages have increased by a massive number. And I think of all those systems which are not in place, (and) at the soaring rates of infectious diseases — you know, hepatitis C, dehydration, infections and diarrhea. And obviously, given the fact that our supply chain is so weak, we haven’t been able to deliver enough assistance.”

ALSO READ: No evidence of Israel committing genocide in Gaza: US

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Biden Expects Iran To Attack Israel ‘Sooner Than Later’

On his message to Iran at this time, the US President said, “Don’t.”

Amid fears of the ongoing hostilities in Gaza devolving into a larger Middle-Eastern conflict, US President Joe Biden on Friday said he expects Iran to attack Israel ‘sooner than later’, CNN reported.

“I don’t want to get into secure information but my expectation is sooner than later,” Biden told reporters when asked how imminent an Iranian attack on Israel would be.

As has been reported globally, Tehran vowed revenge after Israel launched airstrikes on the Iranian embassy in the Syrian capital, Damascus, taking out three top military generals.

On his message to Iran at this time, the US President said, “Don’t.”

In response to more shouted questions from reporters in the White House, asking if American troops were at risk, Biden returned to the podium saying that the United States was ‘devoted’ to the defence of Israel, CNN reported.

“We are devoted to the defence of Israel. We will support Israel we will help defend Israel and Iran will not succeed,” Biden said.

The US has been on high alert for a significant Iranian retaliatory attack on Israel in recent days, as fears grow of a wider regional war.

There remains a “real, credible and viable” threat of Iran launching strikes, the White House said on Friday, following Israel’s attack on an Iranian diplomatic compound in Syria last week, killing three Iranian generals.

Biden, who warned this week that Iran was threatening a ‘significant attack’ on Israel, has been receiving constant updates on the situation from his national security team.

The US and several other countries, including India, Britain and France, issued new travel guidelines for government employees in Israel as the Iranian threat loomed.

“In view of the prevailing situation in the region, all Indians are advised not to travel to Iran or Israel till further notice. All those who are currently residing in Iran or Israel are requested to get in touch with Indian Embassies there and register themselves,” the Ministry of External Affairs stated in an official release.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (C) holds a meeting with Nadav Argaman (R), head of the Israeli General Security Service (GSS) commonly known as Shin Bet, at the HaKirya complex. (Photo: Koby Gideon/GPO/dpa/IANS)

“We’re watching this very, very closely,” said John Kirby, the US National Security Council spokesman, who declined to provide information about the expected timing of the threat.

The US will attempt to intercept any weapons launched towards Israel, if it’s feasible to do so, two officials in Washington told CNN, an indication of the level of ongoing cooperation between the two militaries.

US Navy personnel in the Red Sea previously intercepted long-range missiles launched from the Houthis in Yemen towards Israel. US forces in Iraq and Syria could also potentially intercept drones and rockets targeting northern Israel, depending on the location from which they’re launched, CNN reported.

The US Defence Department was also moving additional assets to the Middle East “to bolster regional deterrence efforts and increase force protection for US forces”, a US defence official told CNN, as Israel and the US braced for a potential Iranian attack.

The Pentagon has been working specifically to bolster air defences for the US troops stationed in Iraq and Syria, who came under attack by Iran-backed proxy forces over 100 times between October and February, CNN reported.

In January, three US servicemembers were killed when a drone got through US air defences at the Tower 22 base in Jordan.

The US is not anticipating that Iran or its proxies will attack US forces as part of its retaliation but is moving assets just in case.

“It would be imprudent if we didn’t take a look at our posture in the region to make sure that we’re properly prepared,” Kirby said.

CNN reported last week that the US was on high alert and actively preparing for an attack by Iran targeting Israeli or American assets in the region. Officials said such an attack could come within the week. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Blinken speaks to Turkish, Chinese, Saudi counterparts

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No evidence of Israel committing genocide in Gaza: US

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin attends a press conference in Tel Aviv, Israel on April 11, 2021. (Gideon Markowicz/JINI via Xinhua/IANS)

Both officials insisted that Israel must guarantee long-term improvements to the humanitarian situation in the enclave…reports Asian Lite News

Rejecting accusations that Israel carried out a genocide in Gaza, US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin said there was no ‘evidence’ of it.

On Tuesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken criticised the international community for failing to hold Hamas accountable, while US Defence Secretary Austin denied claims that Israel was committing genocide in Gaza, according to The Times of Israel.

Both officials insisted that Israel must guarantee long-term improvements to the humanitarian situation in the enclave.

“We don’t have any evidence of genocide being created,” Austin said in testimony before the US Senate Armed Services Committee regarding US President Joe Biden’s latest budget request, The Times of Israel reported.

Austin’s statement came a day after Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren shared a video on her social media handle, asserting that the International Court of Justice should find Israel guilty of genocide because there was ‘ample evidence’.

Austin referred to the horrors carried out by Hamas on October 7 as a ‘war crime’ but refrained from calling them a genocide at the hearing on Tuesday.

Austin made these remarks during a session that was often disrupted by far-left protesters yelling at him to cease supplying Israel with arms, The Times of Israel reported.

They raised their hands, stained in red, in the air and yelled, “Stop the genocide.”

Several senators expressed their outrage at the civilian deaths and insisted that more was needed to be done by the administration to put pressure on Israel to save the Gaza population.

Six months have elapsed since Hamas launched a brutal onslaught on Israel, resulting in widespread devastation and loss of life. Despite the passage of time, 134 hostages remain in Hamas’ captivity, their fate hanging in the balance amidst ongoing efforts to secure their release.

The Israel Defence Forces have withdrawn all ground troops from the southern Gaza Strip after a four-month fight in the Khan Younis area, The Times of Israel reported.

As the country marked six months of war against Hamas, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) published new data on its operations in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and Lebanon, highlighting everything from the number of terror operatives killed to the number of sites struck.

According to the data, more than 13,000 Hamas operatives and members of other terror groups have been killed by the IDF in the Gaza Strip since the beginning of the war, in addition to some 1,000 terrorists inside Israel on October 7, when gunmen rampaged through southern communities, massacring some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 253 to Gaza.

The data presented by the IDF further stated that the military has killed five Hamas brigade commanders and those of an equivalent rank, as well as more than 20 battalion commanders.

Since October 7, in the West Bank, the IDF said the troops have arrested more than 3,700 Palestinians, including more than 1,600 affiliated with Hamas. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Germany denies accusations of aiding Gaza genocide

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Germany denies accusations of aiding Gaza genocide

Germany and other Western nations have faced street protests, various legal cases, and accusations of hypocrisy from campaign groups who say Israel has killed too many Palestinian civilians in its six-month military assault…reports Asian Lite News

Germany denied accusations on Tuesday that it was aiding genocide in Gaza by selling Israel arms in a suit to the top U.N. court by Nicaragua reflecting mounting legal action in support of Palestinians.

Germany has been one of Israel’s staunchest allies since the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas militants and retaliatory offensive. It is one of its biggest arms suppliers, sending 326.5 million euros ($353.70 million) in military equipment and weapons in 2023, according to Economy Ministry data.

Germany and other Western nations have faced street protests, various legal cases, and accusations of hypocrisy from campaign groups who say Israel has killed too many Palestinian civilians in its six-month military assault.

But Tania von Uslar-Gleichen, legal adviser for the German Foreign Ministry, told the International Court of Justice judges that Nicaragua’s case was rushed, based on flimsy evidence and should be thrown out due to lack of jurisdiction.

German arms exports were scrutinised to ensure adherence to international law, she said.

“Germany is doing its utmost to live up to its responsibility vis-a-vis both the Israeli and the Palestinian people,” she added, with Germany the largest individual donor of humanitarian aid to Palestinians.

Von Uslar-Gleichen said Israel’s security was a priority for Germany because of the history of the Nazi decimation of Jews in the Holocaust. “Germany has learned from its past, a past that includes the responsibility for one of the most horrific crimes in human history, the Shoah,” she said, using the Hebrew word.

A lawyer for Germany, Christian Tams, told the court that since Oct. 7, 98% of arms exports to Israel were general equipment like vests, helmets and binoculars. And of four cases where war weapons exports were approved, he said, three concerned arms unsuitable for use in combat and were instead meant for use in training exercises.

On Monday, lawyers for Nicaragua had asked the ICJ, or World Court, to order Germany to halt arms sales to Israel and resume funding of U.N. Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA.

They argued Berlin has violated the 1948 Genocide Convention and international humanitarian law by continuing to supply Israel while aware there was a risk of genocide.

Israel says its war is against murderous Hamas militants, not Palestinian civilians, and that it is the victim of smear.

The Islamist group’s Oct. 7 attacks killed 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies. More than 33,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s Gaza offensive since then, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run enclave.

The ICJ is expected to issue provisional measures on Nicaragua’s case in weeks, but a final ruling could take years and the court has no power to enforce it.

In January, in response to an accusation from South Africa, the ICJ ruled that claims Israel violated some rights guaranteed under the genocide convention were plausible and called for a halt to halt any potential acts of genocide.

ALSO READ-Nicaragua-Germany Gaza case before ICJ

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FCA provides support to Palestinians receiving treatment in UAE

The Family Care Authority’s extensive services align with the UAE’s vision of aiding Palestinians….reports Asian Lite News

The Family Care Authority (FCA) provided its holistic family care, social, and psychological services to Palestinian patients and children flown over from Palestine with their families.

The efforts of the Family Care Authority in providing comprehensive services are based on the vision of the UAE in providing the necessary assistance to the Palestinian people, especially children and cancer patients who are hosted by the UAE to receive health care in the country. Through its services, the FCA seeks to positively impact the lives of injured children, young cancer patients, and their accompanying families by supporting them and alleviating their suffering.

HE Dr Bushra, Director General of the Family Care Authority, stated: “The children of Palestine hold a special place in our hearts, and we are privileged to extend a warm welcome to them and their families. Embracing them as our own, we are dedicated to supporting Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s initiative to provide medical care for Palestinian children and 1,000 cancer patients from the Gaza Strip. It is our responsibility to ensure that they feel at home here in Abu Dhabi as part of this noble cause. The Family Care Authority is fully committed to delivering a comprehensive range of family care services, encompassing social, psychological, and family counselling, to complement the medical care they receive.”

Her Excellency added: “We are dedicated to delivering exceptional care for children and their families in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Our comprehensive programs cater to both male and female children and adolescents, offering educational and therapeutic activities designed to enhance their skills. The Family Care Authority team comprises dedicated social workers, psychologists, and case managers who are fully equipped to offer comprehensive support to help them overcome the adverse effects of their traumatic experiences. We firmly believe in the profound healing impact of compassion, empathy, and solidarity, sentiments that we extend to our Palestinian brothers and sisters.”

ALSO READ: ‘Birds of Goodness’ delivers largest aid airdrop

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UAE supports ‘Amalthea Fund’ for Gaza with $15m

The fund was established to facilitate and coordinate the flow of aid arriving in Gaza, and ensure that aid is delivered as effectively as possible…reports Asian Lite News

Following the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE announced the allocation of US$15 million in support of the “Amalthea Fund,” which the Republic of Cyprus announced to support the maritime corridor initiative between Cyprus and the Gaza Strip.

The fund was established to facilitate and coordinate the flow of aid arriving in Gaza, and ensure that aid is delivered as effectively as possible.

The fund also aims to strengthen the capacity for the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, by providing flexible funding modalities for parties concerned with enhancing the humanitarian response to contribute to these endeavours.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) stressed in a statement that the UAE’s contribution to this fund stems from its commitment to address the worsening catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip through this multilateral cooperative approach, which achieved a historical precedent for helping the Palestinian people before the suspension of the maritime corridor between Cyprus and the Strip.

The Ministry underlined the importance of immediately mitigating the worsening catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Strip, and ensuring the immediate and widespread flow of aid, safely, unhindered, and sustainably delivered, through all available channels by land, air and sea.

The Ministry affirmed that within the historic commitment towards the brotherly Palestinian people, the UAE, under its wise leadership, continues to provide critical humanitarian aid and supplies to the Strip, and believes that the maritime corridor is part of a sustained effort to increase the urgent flow of aid and goods through all roads and mechanisms, while ensuring protection for relief workers.

ALSO READ: UAE aid plane lands in Al Arish with 4,000 Eid clothing

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Royal Navy deployed to deliver supplies to Gaza

The government said it will provide aid deliveries worth up to £9.7 million, equipment support to the corridor to maximise the levels of aid reaching those people who desperately need it…reports Asian Lite News

Amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, the government announced military and civilian support to set up a maritime aid corridor to Gaza, including the deployment of a navy ship to join the lifesaving mission in the Eastern Mediterranean.

In a press release, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said, “The UK Government is today announcing a package of military and civilian support to set up a maritime aid corridor to Gaza, including the deployment of a Royal Navy ship to join the life-saving mission in the Eastern Mediterranean.” “The ship, alongside new UK aid and British expertise, will support the establishment of an international humanitarian maritime corridor from Cyprus to Gaza, supported by many of our partner governments and the UN, and is expected to be operational in early May,” it added.

Apart from deploying navy ship, the government also committed to provide aid deliveries worth up to £9.7 million, equipment support to the corridor, like forklift trucks and storage units and expertise, to maximise the levels of aid reaching those people who desperately need it. In the press release, the government said that it is doing everything possible to get more aid into Gaza by air, land and sea. It further said that the Royal Air Force conducted five airdrops along the coastline of Gaza, safely delivering over 40 tonnes of food supplies, including water, flour and baby formula. The government said that it continues to call for an immediate humanitarian pause leading to a sustainable ceasefire as the fastest way to get hostages safely home.

According to the press release, land deliveries in Gaza will be scaled up with the opening of the Erez crossing, which the UK wants to see reopened permanently. In a press release, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said, “Supporting the Jordanian humanitarian land corridor from Amman into Gaza and in partnership with the World Food Programme, the UK’s largest delivery of aid crossed the border on 13 March which saw more than 2,000 tonnes of food aid being distributed on the ground to families in need.” Foreign Secretary David Cameron has called the situation in Gaza “dire” and the prospect of famine “real”. He said that UK remains committed to getting aid to those who desperately need it. “The situation in Gaza is dire and the prospect of famine is real. We remain committed to getting aid to those who so desperately need it. Along with the US, Cyprus and other partners, we are setting up a new temporary pier off the coast of Gaza to get aid in as quickly and securely as possible,” Cameron said in the release. He called land access crucial to delivering aid at the scale now required. He stated that the opening of Erez and the Port of Ashdod is hugely welcome and something the UK has long been calling for. Cameron noted that Israel has agreed to increase the number of aid trucks entering Gaza to a minimum of 500 a day. He further said, “We need to continue to explore all options, including by sea and air, to ease the desperate plight of some of the world’s most vulnerable people.” Meanwhile, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said, “A Royal Navy ship is now en-route to the Eastern Mediterranean to support international efforts to get life-saving aid to Gaza.” Shapps said armed forces are playing a central role in delivering aid, with the Royal Air Force conducting five airdrops of food supplies for the people of Gaza. He added, “We are now going further, working with international partners to set up a humanitarian maritime corridor from Cyprus to Gaza. A new temporary pier on the coast of Gaza will be critical to supporting these efforts, by hosting cargo ships to deliver aid by sea.” Meanwhile, the United Nations humanitarian aid chief called the war in Gaza a “betrayal of humanity” as the war between Israel and Hamas is reaching its six-month mark, CNN reported.

In a statement shared on X, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Martin Griffiths, marked the “terrible milestone.” He stated, “Rarely has there been such global outrage at the toll of conflict, with seemingly so little done to end it and instead so much impunity.” He said a moment of remembrance and mourning is “not enough,” and instead urged for a “reckoning” as the people of Gaza face “death, devastation and now the immediate prospect of a shameful man-made famine,” according to CNN report. He expressed grave concerns over the “already fragile” aid operation in Gaza, which is continually undermined by bombardments, insecurity and a lack of access, CNN reported. Griffiths said, “On this day, my heart goes out to the families of those killed, injured or taken hostage, and to those who face the particular suffering of not knowing the plight of their loved ones.” His statement comes after a week that saw the death toll in Gaza exceed 33,000 and an Israeli strike that killed seven World Central Kitchen humanitarian aid workers. The IDF termed the incident as a ‘grave mistake’.

ALSO READ-UAE delivered 4,630 tonnes of relief supplies to Gaza

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Birds of Goodness: 26th aid airdrop completed

air drop
Operation 'Birds of Goodness' representative image

The airdrop was carried out over inaccessible isolated areas in the northern Gaza Strip via four aircraft carrying 82 tonnes of food and relief aid…reports Asian Lite News

The Ministry of Defence’s Joint Operations Command has confirmed the successful conclusion of the 26th humanitarian and relief aid airdrop under the “Birds of Goodness” operation.

Two C17 aircraft belonging to the UAE Air Force and two C295 aircraft belonging to the Egyptian Air Force participated in the airdrop operation.

The airdrop was carried out over inaccessible isolated areas in the northern Gaza Strip via four aircraft carrying 82 tonnes of food and relief aid, bringing the total amount of aid airdrops to 1483 tonnes since the beginning of the operation.

The Birds of Goodness operation is part of “Operation Chivalrous Knight 3” to support Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.

ALSO READ :UAE delivered 4,630 tonnes of relief supplies to Gaza