GENEVA: The World Health Organization said Thursday there had been little improvement in the amount of aid going into Gaza since a ceasefire took hold — and no observable reduction in hunger. “The situation still remains catastrophic because what’s entering is not enough,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told an online press briefing from the […]
Read MoreKFAR AZA, Israel: Two years after he survived Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel which killed 64 fellow residents of the Kfar Aza kibbutz, Avidor Schwartzman hopes his community can finally begin to overcome its pain. “We can start the healing process,” Schwartzman told AFP, even if “we know that there are a lot of […]
Read MoreBy Tom Hussain Far from being a historic deal to end war in the Middle East as claimed by US President Donald Trump, the Gaza peace declaration has only established a bloc of regional countries that will work with Washington for now to stabilise the region, observers say. Composed of Egypt, Arab monarchies led by […]
Read MoreIsrael said on Thursday (16 October) it was preparing for the reopening of Gaza’s Rafah crossing with Egypt to let Palestinians in and out, but set no date as it traded blame with Hamas over violations of a US-mediated ceasefire. A row over the return of bodies of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza retains […]
Read MoreNEW YORK CITY: The UN’s top humanitarian official on Wednesday called on Israel to open more border crossings into Gaza to increase the flow of humanitarian aid. Facilitating access for civilians is a “legal obligation,” not a matter of political negotiation, he added. The appeal by Tom Fletcher, under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief […]
Read MoreANKARA/GENEVA: There are promising early indications from countries, including the United States as well as Arab and European states, about their willingness to contribute to the $70 billion cost of rebuilding Gaza, a United Nations Development Programme official said on Tuesday. “We’ve had very good indications already,” UNDP’s Jaco Cilliers told reporters at a press […]
Read MoreLONDON: Standing before Israeli lawmakers in Jerusalem on Monday, US President Donald Trump declared an end to what he called “a long and painful nightmare.” Twenty surviving hostages had just been released from Gaza after more than two years in captivity. In return, Israel has begun freeing almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners as part of the […]
Read MoreJERUSALEM: US President Donald Trump hailed a “tremendous day for the Middle East” as he and regional leaders signed a declaration Monday meant to cement a ceasefire in Gaza, hours after Israel and Hamas exchanged hostages and prisoners. Trump made a lightning visit to Israel, where he lauded Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in an address […]
Read MoreAuthorities began preparing today (12 October) to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip following a new ceasefire deal, raising hopes that the devastating two-year war may be nearing an end. Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), responsible for managing humanitarian aid, said the daily flow of aid trucks […]
Read MoreBy Tom Hussain The US-brokered ceasefire in Gaza has halted two years of bloodshed, but analysts warn it will only hold if President Donald Trump, his administration and key Middle Eastern mediators remain deeply invested in preventing the conflict from reigniting. Neither Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor Hamas readily agreed to the truce. Rather, […]
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