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.
The head of Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), Ismail Haniyeh was in Tehran to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the Iranian President-elect, Masoud Pezeshkian….reports Asian Lite News
Hamas Political Bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh has been killed in an attack in Iran’s capital, Tehran, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said on Wednesday, Press TV reported.
In a statement to Meher News Agency the IRGC said that Ismail Haniyeh and one of his bodyguards were killed after their residence was targeted in Tehran.
“With condolences to the heroic nation of Palestine and the Islamic nation and the combatants of the Resistance Front and the noble nation of Iran, this morning (Wednesday) the residence of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the political office of the Islamic Resistance of Hamas, was hit in Tehran, and following this incident, he and one of his bodyguards were martyred,” the statement read.
Earlier on Tuesday, Iran’s Supreme Leader, Seyyed Ali Hosseini Khamenei, held a meeting with Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh. Khamenei took to social media platform X to share pictures of his meeting with Haniyeh.
In a post on X, Khamenei’s office stated, “Imam Khamenei met with Mr. Ismail Haniyah, head of the political bureau of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas, and Mr. Ziyad al-Nakhalah, the Secretary General of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement.”
In its reply to the post, the Israel Defence Forces posted “Did someone ask for a photo-op of Iran and the leaders of their proxies? Iran’s Khamenei met with Hamas’ Ismail Haniyah and the Islamic Jihad’s Ziyad-al Nakhalah — two of the terrorist organizations who have been attempting to kill Israelis using weapons made and funded by Iran. We can only assume the topics of conversation included how to spend more Iranian money to kill Israelis while wishing Hezbollah’s Nasrallah could join them.”
Ismail Haniyeh who is based in Qatar, was in Tehran to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the Iranian President-elect, Masoud Pezeshkian, according to a Press TV report.
Earlier in April, three sons of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh were killed in an air strike carried out by the Israeli Air Force on Wednesday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) informed. The three sons of the Hamas leader, who were confirmed dead by the Israeli forces, were identified as Amir Haniyeh, a cell commander in the Hamas military wind and Mohammad and Hazem Haniyeh.”
In a post on X, IDF on April 10 stated, “IAF aircraft struck Amir Haniyeh, a cell commander in the Hamas military wing, and Mohammad and Hazem Haniyeh, both Hamas military operatives, in central Gaza today. The IDF confirms that the 3 operatives are the sons of Ismail Haniyeh, the chairman of Hamas’ political bureau.”
Meanwhile, the Israel Defence forces also announced that they had eliminated Fuad Shukr “Sayyid Muhsan”, Hezbollah’s Most Senior Military Commander. According to the IDF, Shukr was Hezbollah commander Hassan Nasrallah’s Right-Hand Man and directed Hezbollah’s attacks on Israel. IDF said he was responsible for the killing of 12 children in Majdal Shams in northern Israel earlier, as well as the killing of numerous Israelis and foreign nationals over the years. The IDF said Shukr was also responsible for the majority of Hezbollah’s most advanced weaponry, including precise-guided missiles, cruise missiles, anti-ship missiles, long-range rockets and UAVs.
The commander “was responsible for the majority of Hezbollah’s most advanced weaponry, including precise-guided missiles, cruise missiles, anti-ship missiles, long-range rockets, and UAVs. He was responsible for force build-up, planning, and execution of terror attacks against the State of Israel,” IDF said.
A strong blast was heard in the Lebanese capital on Tuesday night, and video footage on social media showed mass destruction of a residential building, with rubble scattered in the street.
Lebanese media reported that at least another person was killed in the Israeli attack and 35 were injured.
Representatives of bereaved families who have lost their sons in the fighting in Gaza and the Western Negev were also present at the meeting….reports Asian Lite News
In what was his first meeting in the framework of the diplomatic visit to Washington, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with the families of the Israeli-American hostages held in the custody of Hamas, earlier on Tuesday, India time.
“I am doing everything in my power to combine the necessary humanitarian objective and the imperative to return the hostages, and at the same time, preserve the existence of the State of Israel,” Netanyahu said after the meeting.
“I am not prepared in any way to give in on the victory over Hamas. If we give up on this, we will be in danger in the face of Iran’s entire axis of evil,” he added.
Several representatives of the families of the hostages who accompanied the Israeli PM on flight to Washington and soldiers who fought on October 7, and who have fought in Gaza, also participated in the meeting which was also attended by Netanyahu’s wife Sara.
— Embassy of Israel to the USA (@IsraelinUSA) July 22, 2024
Representatives of bereaved families who have lost their sons in the fighting in Gaza and the Western Negev were also present at the meeting.
“We are determined to return them all. The conditions for returning them are becoming ripe, for the simple reason that we are putting very strong pressure on Hamas. We see a certain change, and I think that this change will increase,” said Netanyahu.
The Israeli PM said that his visit to the US was an important one, one which will give “the opportunity to bring before the representatives of the American people, and the American people themselves the importance of their support”.
Israel’s top officials, including the Director of the National Security Council, the Director General of the Prime Minister’s Office, the Cabinet Secretary, the Prime Minister’s Military Secretary and the Coordinator for the Hostages and the Missing, also participated in the meeting.
UN agency assisting Palestine refugees, UNRWA, said that “chaos and panic” are spreading in southern Gaza following the orders….reports Asian Lite News
After the Israeli authorities issued new evacuation orders in the Khan Younis area of Gaza, around 2,50,000 people are expected to face displacement, UN humanitarians warned in a report on Tuesday.
UN agency assisting Palestine refugees, UNRWA, said that “chaos and panic” are spreading in southern Gaza following the orders.
Gazans fleeing the southern city were forced to erect shelters at the water’s edge because displacement camps were already packed at the coast.
A few weeks ago, Khan Younis was left deserted after intense Israeli bombardment. But many families with few other options went there after the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) moved into Rafah at the beginning of May, the report stated.
“It’s another devasting blow to the humanitarian response here, it’s another devasting blow to the people, the families on the ground. It seems that they’ve been forcibly displaced again and again,” said UNRWA Senior Communications Officer Louise Wateridge.
Those forced to move now had a series of “impossible” decisions to make, she added.
“How do parents decide where to go; where is there to go? Already by this morning, just to the middle Gaza area, along the coastal road, you can see the makeshift shelters right up to the shoreline, right up to the water coming in. It is absolutely packed with families who have already had to move,” Wateridge said.
The UNRWA officer noted that heavy bombardment has continued “in the north, middle and south areas of the Gaza Strip…no place is safe. Already on the ground, we are seeing families move away from this area. There is more chaos and panic spreading on the ground.”
Despite a lack of fuel and safety, Wateridge insisted that the UN agency has continued to deliver water, food parcels, flour, nappies, mattresses, tarpaulins and healthcare.
“But it is becoming almost impossible for the UN to provide any kind of response due to the Israeli imposed siege…and now further displacement orders that once again impact our access to the Kerem Shalom border crossing to receive aid”.
Meanwhile, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) has raised deep concerns about the lack of aid reaching Gaza and said that it has “significantly compromised” care in the enclave.
Gaza’s healthcare sector alone requires 80,000 litres of fuel every day to function but only 1,95,000-2,00,000 litres last arrived at the end of June; “since then, no fuel has entered Gaza,” said Dr Hanan Balkhy, regional director for the Eastern Mediterranean.
The WHO official also explained that the shipment had to be shared by all sectors including water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) requiring 70,000 litres a day.
“As a result, hospitals are once again short on fuel, risking disruption to critical services are injured people are dying because ambulance services are facing delays due to shortage of fuel,” Dr Balkhy said, adding that a lack of gasoline and diesel were also affecting essential water and sanitation services such as water, delivery, sewage pumping and waste collection.
From 15 to 23 June the water and sanitation cluster received less than five per cent of the fuel required daily to keep services running and as a result, water service providers “are forced to ration operations of municipal groundwater wells and the two working water desalination plants, reducing water production even more,” the report stated.
This is “significantly contributing to the spread of diseases”, the WHO official said, while further highlighting concerning spikes in the number of adults and children suffering from waterborne diseases such as hepatitis A, diarrhoea, skin conditions and others. (ANI)
The ministers also called for the effective implementation of the UNSC resolution for an “immediate, durable, and sustained ceasefire…reports Asian Lite News
The BRICS Foreign Ministers expressed “grave concern” regarding the escalating violence in the Gaza Strip that has led to mass civilian displacement, death and casualties, and destruction of civilian infrastructure.
The ministers also called for the effective implementation of the UNSC resolution for an “immediate, durable, and sustained ceasefire” and the relevant UNGA resolutions and UNSC resolution for immediate safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance in Gaza.
The conflict escalated on October 7 after Hamas launched a massive terror attack on Israel killing over 1200 people and holding around 250 as hostages.
Following this, Israel launched a strong counteroffensive, carrying out military operations against Hamas in the Gaza Strip with the aim of “completely eliminating” Hamas. However, the operations have led to massive civilian casualties with over 37,000 Palestinians have been killed.
“The Ministers expressed grave concern at the deterioration of the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, in particular the unprecedented escalation of violence in the Gaza Strip as a result of the Israeli military operation that led to mass civilian displacement, death and casualties, and destruction of civilian infrastructure,” the joint statement of BRICS foreign ministers meeting read.
“In this regard, they called for the effective implementation of the relevant UNGA resolutions and UNSC resolution 2720 and for immediate safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance at scale directly to the Palestinian civilian population throughout the Gaza Strip. They also called for the effective implementation of the UNSC resolution 2728 for an immediate, durable, and sustained ceasefire,” it added.
The Foreign Ministers met at the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod on Monday.
Dammu Ravi, Secretary (Economic Relations), at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), led the Indian side at the meeting, in what was the first foreign assignment for India’s foreign policy under the historic third consecutive term of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The ministers also called for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and civilians who are being illegally held captive, the joint statement read.
They further expressed grave concern by the increasing attacks by Israel on Rafah, which would compound the dire humanitarian situation. The ministers condemned the Israeli military operation in Rafah and its ramifications that directly impact civilian lives, especially in view of the “high density of Palestinian civilians in this location”, and the “humanitarian catastrophic” results due to the suspension of the Rafah crossing from the Palestinian side.
The ministers also reaffirmed their rejection of any attempt aiming at forcefully displacing, expelling, or transferring the Palestinian people from their land. Furthermore, they cautioned against the spillover effects of the escalation of tensions to the rest of the Middle East region.
They acknowledged the provisional measures of the International Court of Justice in the legal proceedings instituted by South Africa against Israel. The Ministers expressed serious concern at “Israel’s continued blatant disregard” of international law, the UN Charter, UN resolutions and Court orders.
“The Ministers reaffirmed their support for Palestine’s full membership in the United Nations and reiterated their unwavering commitment to the vision of the two-state solution based on international law including relevant UNSC and UNGA resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative that includes the establishment of a sovereign, independent and viable State of Palestine in line with internationally recognized borders of June 1967 with East Jerusalem as its capital living side by side in peace and security with Israel,” the statement read.
The ministers expressed serious concern over the prevailing conflicts and the continuing threats posed by terrorist organizations in various sub-regions of Africa and over remaining conflict potential in the Sahel region, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the Great Lakes Region, and in the Horn of Africa, particularly in Sudan as well as growing activity of numerous terrorist groups and insurgents.
The Ministers reiterated their call for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire and peaceful resolution of the conflict in Sudan and unimpeded access of the Sudanese population to humanitarian assistance, and the scaling up of humanitarian assistance to Sudan and neighboring states.
The Foreign Ministers expressed serious concern with the ongoing deterioration of the security, humanitarian, political and economic situation in Haiti.
“They stressed that the current crisis requires a Haitian-led solution that encompasses national dialogue and consensus building among local political forces, institutions and the society and called on the international community to support the Haitian endeavours to dismantle the gangs, enhance the security situation and put in place the foundations for long-lasting social and economic development in the country,” the statement read.
The Ministers also emphasized the need for an urgent peaceful settlement in Afghanistan in order to strengthen regional security and stability.
They advocated for Afghanistan as an independent, united and peaceful state free from terrorism, war and drugs. They urged for more visible and verifiable measures in Afghanistan to ensure that the territory of Afghanistan is not used by terrorists.
“They further stressed the need to provide urgent and uninterrupted humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people and to safeguard the fundamental rights of all Afghans including women, girls, and different ethnic groups. They emphasized the primary and effective role of regional platforms and neighbouring countries of Afghanistan and welcomed the efforts of such regional platforms and initiatives to facilitate the Afghan settlement,” the statement added.
This is the first meeting of foreign ministers since the expansion of BRICS in 2023. The 10 full members of the association include Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa with new members Egypt, Iran, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Ethiopia joining the grouping in 2023.
Russia took over the chairmanship of BRICS on January 1, 2024. (ANI)
Stein is a candidate for the Green Party, which advocates on a range of issues, including environmental action and the constitutional rights “of all Americans…reports Asian Lite News
Jill Stein, who is campaigning to stand as a third-party candidate in the US presidential election in November, said that if elected she would immediately halt military support for Israel’s “apartheid government,” and push Israelis and Palestinians to embrace a “genuine peace.”
She told Arab News that American policy on the Israel-Palestine conflict is driven by lobbyists, and that anyone who challenges the Israeli government over its responsibility for ethnic cleansing in Palestine is denied their constitutional rights.
Stein is a candidate for the Green Party, which advocates on a range of issues, including environmental action and the constitutional rights “of all Americans.” She said she would halt the “police oppression” of students who stage campus protests demanding an end to what many consider a genocide in Gaza, stop the flow of weapons to Israel’s government, and preserve the rights of Arab and Muslim Americans who “continue to be the victims of racism, violence and Islamophobia.”
She added: “Arab and Muslims have been taken for granted in America. They are victims of racial profiling, Islamophobia and the violence against Arabs in this country. There is an absolute violation of our constitutional rights, by the government, to shut down our dialogue. People are trying to grapple with this genocide we are seeing in live and real time on our iPhones and on our computer screens. We need to talk about it but both the Democrats and the Republicans want to label this discussion as insurrection, as a betrayal and to try to criminalize it,” Stein, a Jewish American physician who grew up during the Vietnam War, said in reference to the police response to the wave of protests by students on hundreds of campuses around the country against the war in Gaza. They send in the riot police and bash the heads of protesters who are simply saying what the highest courts in the land are saying, the international Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court: this is a genocide that is taking place in Gaza, this is against the law and it must be stopped. It is even against US law to send weapons to Israel, which is violating humanitarian rights, which is interfering in the delivery of humanitarian aid. On all counts, it is actually illegal to provide Israel with military support and weapons right now. The people who are standing up to assert our legal values and our human values are being criminalized and being charged with crimes.”
Stein approached 34-year-old Lebanese American Abdullah Hammoud, the mayor of Dearborn in Michigan, to be her vice presidential running mate, before it was pointed out that candidates must be at least 35 years old when they take office, and he would be three months short of meeting this Constitutional requirement.
The political system is broken. Over 60% of us now say the two-party establishment has failed us and we need a party that serves the people.
“The Arab American community is being dealt an incredible injustice,” Stein said, adding that she believes they deserve a stronger political voice and protections from abuse. We need to stand up as Americans on behalf of all of us to assert our rights to a foreign policy that reflects our values. In fact, we need a foreign policy based on international law, human rights and diplomacy. That is what Americans are calling for. But we have a system led by political and economic elites who are used to, basically, fighting their way into domination. We have a foreign policy based on the exercise of raw military power.”
Israel and Hamas do not negotiate directly, so the US, Qatar and Egypt are acting as mediators…reports Asian Lite News
Egypt and the US have called for flexibility to reach a hitherto elusive ceasefire and hostage release deal between Hamas and Israel after an inconclusive round of negotiations in Cairo.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken agreed during a phone conversation on Thursday night on the “importance of urging the parties to show flexibility” and make the necessary efforts to reach the deal, an Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Friday.
Israel and Hamas do not negotiate directly, so the US, Qatar and Egypt are acting as mediators.
Shoukry and Blinken discussed the latest security and humanitarian situation in Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah, packed by refugees.
The Egyptian official warned against repercussions of Israeli military operations in Rafah, neighbouring Egypt, the spokesman added in a statement.
Earlier this week, Israel took control of the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing, halting humanitarian aid deliveries via the facility into the heavily populated Gaza Strip.
Rafah is the last holdout for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians displaced by the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. Israel sees the city as Hamas’ last stronghold.
The UN team has brought with them medicines, vaccines and fuel to help ensure that the medical facility remains functioning.
A UN team visited Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City and brought aid, the first time the world body has been able to deliver aid into besieged northern Gaza in over a week, said UN humanitarians.
A team from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the World Health Organisation and the UN Children’s Fund visited Al-Shifa and brought with them medicines, vaccines and fuel to help ensure that the medical facility remains functioning, said OCHA.
The team also met with people who were among those injured on Thursday while seeking life-saving aid west of Gaza City, Xinhua news agency reported.
The hospital, the largest in the Gaza Strip, has reportedly admitted more than 700 people injured in that incident, about 200 of whom were still hospitalised on Friday, OCHA added.
By the time of the team’s visit on Friday morning, the hospital had also received the bodies of more than 70 people who had been killed in the incident. According to the Ministry of Health in Gaza, the overall death toll from Thursday’s incident has reached 112, said OCH.
During the October 7 Hamas offensive into Israel, there were more than 1,200 deaths of Israeli citizens, with over 240 people being taken hostage….reports Asian Lite News
Executive Director of the United Nations Children’s Fund has identified the Gaza Strip as the world’s most perilous location for children.
“More than 5,300 Palestinian children have been reportedly killed in just 46 days … That’s over 115 a day, every day, for weeks and weeks,” UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said in a video on Wednesday while addressing the UN Security Council.
“Based on these figures, children account for 40 per cent of the deaths in Gaza,” she added.
“This is unprecedented. In other words, the Gaza Strip is the most dangerous place in the world to be a child,” Russell continued.
During the October 7 Hamas offensive into Israel, there were more than 1,200 deaths of Israeli citizens, with over 240 people being taken hostage.
Alternatively, the retaliatory attack on Gaza by the Israel Defence Forces has resulted in the deaths of over 12,000 Palestinians, so far, reported CNN.
Russel added that UNICEF has received reports that “more than 1,200 children” are expected to still be trapped under the rubble of bombed-out buildings after Israel’s targeted attack, as well as many children unaccounted for.
The comments come a week after Russell’s visit to Gaza. In a statement following her visit, she described “grave violations” being committed against children, including “killing, maiming, abductions, attacks on schools and hospitals, and the denial of humanitarian access.”
A ceasefire deal was announced on Tuesday morning, whereby 50 hostages of the some 200 taken during the October 7 attacks in exchange for a ceasefire, which will enable crucial humanitarian aid to enter the area and assist in-need Palestinian civilians and children.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office issued a statement on Wednesday, confirming roughly 50 hostages abducted by the Hamas terror group in Gaza during the October 7 attack, will be released, reported The Times of Israel.
Similarly, the US President, taking to his social media X, declared that he was glad the deal was secured, adding that he was grateful that the hostages will be reunited with their families.”I welcome the deal to secure the release of hostages taken by Hamas during its brutal assault against Israel on October 7.”
The number of child deaths significantly dwarfs those of similar conflicts, including in Ukraine, 5,403 Palestinian children have died so far in the Gaza conflict whilst 83 have been killed in the Ukraine war. (ANI)
The UAE President emphasised the priority of intensifying efforts to stop the deterioration of the humanitarian conditions of civilians in Gaza while protecting their lives.
UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi today discussed in a phone call recent developments in the Middle East, particularly the escalating humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip and the implications of the situation on the region.
His Highness Sheikh Mohamed and the Prime Minister of India also discussed the importance of urgent diplomatic efforts to establish a clear pathway to achieve a comprehensive, just, and sustainable peace, thereby ensuring the stability, security, and peace of the broader region and preventing the escalation of violence and crises.
The UAE President emphasised the priority of intensifying efforts to stop the deterioration of the humanitarian conditions of civilians in Gaza while protecting their lives. In addition, he stressed the need to ensure the swift delivery of aid and enable humanitarian organisations to fulfill their obligations in this regard.
The two leaders also discussed during the call UAE-India cooperation that serves mutual interests and contributes to promoting comprehensive and sustainable development in both countries.
