UN agencies warn Gaza slipping into famine as Israel resists ceasefire calls
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification Initiative, a coalition of monitors tasked by the UN to warn of impending crises, stopped short of declaring a state of famine, but made clear the situation is critical.
US charity says aid unloaded, ready for delivery in Gaza
A US charity said its team in the war-ravaged Gaza Strip had finished unloading the first maritime aid shipment to reach the besieged territory. "All cargo was offloaded and is being readied for distribution in Gaza," World Central Kitchen said in a statement, noting that the aid was "almost 200...UN should organize more aid convoys for north Gaza: Israel
An Israeli official said that the UN should coordinate more convoys if it wants to see more aid in north Gaza. The official said 99 percent of aid trucks sent to Gaza were "approved", pushing back on reports by the UN and NGOs that cumbersome Israeli inspections are blocking food...Gaza aid port plans ‘sign of international weakness’: Amnesty
Agnes Callamard, secretary general of Amnesty, said nobody was holding Israel to account over the delays to deliveries by land to the Gaza Strip. She said the international community must be prepared to hold Israel to account. "We're not holding the stick that will allow for those violations to stop,"...Germany joins operation to airdrop humanitarian aid into Gaza
"The people in Gaza are lacking the most basic necessities. We want to do our part to ensure that they get access to food and medicine," said Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.Scores wounded as UN aid agency’s warehouse ‘hit’ in Gaza
The incident comes amid mounting concern about worsening humanitarian conditions in Gaza, where Israel has carried out relentless military operations since October. Gaza's dire food shortages after more than five months of war have resulted in 27 deaths from malnutrition and dehydration, most of them children.Israel claims to have hit 4,500 Hizbollah targets in five months
Jerusalem--The Israeli army said Tuesday it hit about 4,500 Hizbollah targets in Lebanon and Syria over the past five months, killing 300 of the group's fighters and wounding more than 750.The targets were hit from the air and from the ground, the army said in a statement, and included "weapons...Morocco dispatches aid to Gaza through Israeli airport
A diplomatic source said the food aid has arrived at Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv before being transferred to the Palestinian Red Crescent at the Kerem Shalom crossing between Israel and Gaza. Morocco is the first country to transport its humanitarian aid via "this unprecedented land route".US troops depart for mission to build temporary Gaza aid port
The first -- a hulking gray-painted watercraft known as a Logistics Support Vessel -- slowly churned away from the pier at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia. It was followed by three smaller vessels that will also make the roughly 30-day trip to the eastern Mediterranean for the port mission.Aid boat ready to set sail from Cyprus for Gaza
A boat laden with food for Palestinians in war-ravaged Gaza was "ready" to set sail from Cyprus, an NGO said, as fighting raged between Israeli troops and Hamas ahead of Ramadan. The sea route aims to counter aid access restrictions, which humanitarians and foreign governments have blamed on Israel.Biden warns Israel not to use Gaza aid as ‘bargaining chip’
Using his annual State of the Union address to deliver some of his strongest comments yet about the five-month-long war, Biden also ordered the US military to lead "an emergency mission" to build a temporary pier off Gaza to facilitate more aid deliveries.UN aid official presses for aid delivery to Gaza by land route
The UN aid coordinator for the Palestinian territory Sigrid Kaag said her message to UN Security Council was that the international community must "flood the market in Gaza with humanitarian goods" and "re-energize the private sector" so more commercial goods can enter to meet civilians' needs.Biden orders US military to set up temporary aid port in Gaza
In the wasteland of Jabalia, northern Gaza, Palestinians gathered to receive meals at a distribution point. "There is no gas to cook our food on. There is no flour or rice," said Bassam al-Hou, standing beside large, blackened cooking pots among the rubble.US President orders military to set up a port in Gaza for aid, say officials
President Joe Biden will tell Congress that he has ordered the US military to set up a port in Gaza to get more humanitarian aid by sea, senior US officials said. The announcement will not involve any US boots on the ground in the Palestinian enclave, as military personnel will...Envoys push for Gaza truce before Ramadan begins next week
While negotiators in Cairo tried to surmount tough stumbling blocks, fighting again raged in Gaza where the UN warns famine looms and desperate crowds have stopped and looted food aid trucks. Gazans were waiting to collect bags of flour outside an office of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA,...Israel accepts ceasefire deal with Hamas: US official
A senior US official told reporters that the framework agreement envisages a six-week cessation of hostilities, which could begin immediately if the Palestinian movement Hamas signs off on the release of the most vulnerable hostages it holds. The official said that the Israelis have "more or less accepted it."US military begins dropping aid into war-torn Gaza
Israel's top ally the United States said it began air-dropping aid into war-ravaged Gaza, as the Hamas-ruled territory's health ministry reported over a dozen child malnutrition deaths. The start of the US relief operation came hours after President Joe Biden, who has pushed Israel to allow more aid in, announced...France calls for ‘independent probe’ into killing of Palestinians receiving aid in Gaza
Paris, France--France wants an independent inquiry into the deaths of scores of Palestinians during an aid delivery in the northern Gaza strip, Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne said Friday."We will ask for explanations, and there will have to be an independent probe to determine what happened," Sejourne told the France Inter broadcaster...Saudi Arabia sends $250m to bolster Yemeni government
Saudi Arabia said it had disbursed $250 million in aid to the internationally-recognized government in Yemen. The money follows an initial payment of the same amount announced in August, when Riyadh committed to provide a total of $1.2 billion to ease the government's budget deficit and pay salaries for civil...US lawmakers reject US$17.6 billion Israel aid bill
Republicans in the House of Representatives scheduled the vote after the Democratic-led Senate released a bipartisan bill Sunday pairing billions of dollars for Israel and Ukraine with some of the strictest immigration curbs in decades. But support for that $118bn package has dwindled, with Donald Trump pressuring Republicans to avoid handing President Joe...UAE allocates US$5m for UN’s humanitarian efforts in Gaza
ABU DHABI, UAE – As per the directives of President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan announced that the UAE has allocated US$5 million to support the efforts of the United Nations Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza.Sheikh Abdullah...Efforts to pause Israel-Palestine war gain pace amid fierce fighting
Palestinian Territories - International efforts towards a new pause in the devastating Gaza war gathered pace Wednesday, as Israel bombarded the Palestinian territory during fierce fighting with Palestinian fighters.Hamas was reviewing a proposal for a six-week truce in its war with Israel, a source told AFP, after mediators gathered in...UN chief calls for continuity in aid as battle rages in Gaza
Heavy fighting raged in Gaza amid a row over the UN agency for Palestinian refugees that has called its future into question. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on donor states to guarantee aid to Gaza after several halted funding to UNRWA, over Israeli claims that some of its staff participated...Iran slams UN for its failure to stop Israel-Hamas war in Gaza
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi slammed the "inefficacy" of international bodies to halt fighting between Israel and Palestinian group Hamas which has ravaged the Gaza Strip. Raisi's remarks came a day after the United Nations Security Council approved a much-delayed resolution demanding aid be allowed into the besieged Hamas-run territory "at...UK terms UN resolution on Gaza as ‘good news’
UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron termed it good news that that the UN has come together to "back a resolution to get more humanitarian aid into Gaza." Cameron's remarks came after the Security Council voted to approve a watered-down resolution that demands all sides allow the "unhindered" delivery of humanitarian...UN resolution urges more aid for Gaza as death toll rises
Fighting between Israel and Hamas in Gaza raged as the UN Security Council approved a much-delayed resolution to boost aid to the besieged Palestinian territory where civilians are struggling to find food. The Hamas-run health ministry said more than 410 people had been killed in Israeli bombardment over 48 hours.US implores Sudan fighters to halt advance on aid hub
As per UN figures, nearly half a million displaced people have sought refuge in Sudan's Al-Jazirah state, more than 86,000 of them in its capital. However, fighting between Sudanese armed forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) overran the city on Friday, leading the UN humanitarian agency to suspend...Saudi, Iran top diplomats discuss bilateral ties, Gaza ceasefire
Tehran, Iran-- Saudi Arabia and Iran's foreign ministers have stressed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and sending humanitarian aid into the besieged enclave.Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and his Saudi counterpart Faisal bin Farhan discussed bilateral relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia and the latest developments in...Israel approves ‘minimal’ increase in fuel supply to Gaza
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office wrote on X that a "minimal supplement of fuel necessary to prevent a humanitarian collapse and the outbreak of epidemics" had been approved to enter "into the southern Gaza Strip". The announcement follows the UN warning of a total breakdown of public order in...UN warns of ‘hellish scenario’ as aid to Gaza stalls
According to Lynn Hastings, UN humanitarian coordinator for the Palestinian territories, the conditions required to deliver aid to "the people of Gaza do not exist." He said that since the end of truce, Israeli forces have pushed into southern Gaza, "forcing tens of thousands... into compressed spaces, desperate to find...Top Iran and Russia diplomats hold talks, voice concern at ‘confrontation’ in Gaza
Moscow, Russia-- Iran and Russia have held talks over the ongoing Israel's war on the Gaza Strip, expressing "concern over the continuing armed confrontation" there.The deliberations were conducted in talks over telephone between the Russian and Iranian foreign ministers, Sergey Lavrov and Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the Russian foreign ministry said on...UN flag at half mast in remembrance of 100 staff killed in Gaza
In Geneva, the second-largest UN headquarters after New York, the UN flag on Monday flew at half-mast and none of the other flags of the 193 member countries were hoisted along the main alley of the compound.Jordan and Lebanon call for international initiative to stop war on Gaza
Amman, Jordan-- Jordan and Lebanon have called for the speeding up of international efforts to stop the war on Gaza and prevent a spillover of the conflict in the region.The exhortation to halt the destruction of life and property in the besieged enclave of the Gaza Strip came in a...Jordan air force drops ‘vital medical supplies’ in Gaza
Taking to X, formerly Twitter, King Abdullah said that Jordan's air force personnel air-dropped at midnight urgent medical aid to Jordanian's field hospital in Gaza. Terming it as "our duty to aid our brothers and sisters injured in the war on Gaza", he said the kingdom will always be there...Blinken meets Jordan’s king as Gaza war rages
After discussing with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu the idea of "humanitarian pauses" to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas and to allow aid into Gaza, he arrived in Amman where he will also join a meeting of foreign ministers of five Arab countries to be attended by a...Israeli tanks breach Gaza City, warplanes bomb key highway
"Dozens" of tanks entered the Zaytun district for over an hour, witnesses told AFP, saying they were "firing at any vehicle" driving along the main Salahedin Road. Warplanes also bombed the road, leaving large craters in it. More than 8,300 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli bombardments since Oct 7.Hamas asks Egypt to take ‘decisive’ action to hasten aid delivery in Gaza
Dubai, UAE--A top Hamas official called on Egypt Sunday to take "decisive" action to expedite aid to Gaza amid criticism over the pace of vital supplies reaching the war-torn Palestinian territory."Egypt should not remain a spectator," Hamas politburo member Musa Abu Marzouk said in a statement."We expect a decisive stance...US supports ‘humanitarian pauses’ to let aid into Gaza
White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the US supports pauses in Israel's war against Hamas in order to let aid to flow into the Gaza Strip. He said the aid can include fuel needed for the restoration of electrical power, medical care, water purification and "so many...Putin calls for ‘unhindered access’ for humanitarian aid into Gaza
MOSCOW, RUSSIA - Russian President Vladimir Putin called on Monday for "unhindered access" for humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, in a telephone call with his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the Kremlin said.According to a readout of the call from the Kremlin, the two leaders "expressed serious concern about...Fresh aid, including fuel, enters Gaza as Israel steps up strikes
A rare delivery of fuel enters the Palestinian territory; Netanyahu says Hezbollah will make "mistake of its life" if its starts a war with Israel and US says it will "take appropriate action" in response to any escalation in the Middle East.India dispatches 38.5 tonnes of humanitarian aid for Gaza
New Delhi, India--India on Sunday flew 38.5 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Egypt's Sinai region for Palestinian civilians from the embattled Gaza Strip, the foreign ministry said.An Indian air force Boeing C-17 transport plane "carrying nearly 6.5 tonnes of medical aid and 32 tonnes of disaster relief material for the...UN chief exhorts end to ‘godawful nightmare’ in Gaza
Antonio Guterres addressed a Cairo summit and pleaded for a "humanitarian ceasefire" in the war between Israel and Hamas fighters that has caused devastation in much of Gaza. He said the Palestinian enclave of 2.4 million people was living through a humanitarian catastrophe with thousands dead and more than a...Aid trucks for residents enter Gaza from Egypt
The first aid trucks arrived in the war-torn Gaza Strip from Egypt, AFP journalists said, bringing desperately needed humanitarian relief to the Hamas-controlled Palestinian enclave under Israeli siege. Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas after the group carried out the deadliest attack in the country's history on October 7.Egypt to open Gaza crossing for up to 20 aid trucks: Joe Biden
US president said the aid convoy would be allowed to go into Gaza from the Rafah crossing in a first batch of humanitarian aid. According to him, the shipment would likely not cross until Friday as the road at the crossing needed repairs. It became possible only after Egypt's president...Iran says time running out for political solution in Gaza war
TEHRAN, IRAN - Iran on Monday said time was running short to reach a political solution in the Israel-Gaza conflict, warning of the "possibility of expanding the scope of war and conflict to other fronts".Israel declared war on the Palestinian group Hamas a day after waves of its fighters broke through...Aid meant for Gaza stuck in Egypt as Rafah crossing is closed
ISMAILIA, EGYPT - Convoys of humanitarian aid stacked up near Egypt's border with the Gaza Strip on Sunday, unable to enter the Palestinian enclave being bombarded by Israel, witnesses told AFP.The Rafah crossing -- the only passage in and out of the Gaza Strip not controlled by Israel -- has been...Egypt receives humanitarian aid bound for Gaza
Cairo, Egypt- The first shipment of humanitarian aid arrived in Egypt's Sinai on Thursday from Jordan, state-affiliated media reported, to be transported into Gaza, which Israel has been bombarding for days following a surprise Hamas attack.Israel's army has hammered Hamas with thousands of strikes ahead of what is widely expected to...Israel will not supply water, fuel to Gaza until hostages freed: minister
Jerusalem--Israeli Energy Minister Israel Katz vowed Thursday his country would not allow basic resources or humanitarian aid into Gaza until Hamas released the people it abducted during its surprise weekend onslaught."Humanitarian aid to Gaza? No electric switch will be turned on, no water tap will be opened and no fuel...Arab League denounces Israel siege of Gaza Strip
Demanding that aid be immediately allowed to go into the besieged enclave, Arab foreign minister condemned Israel's siege of Gaza in the wake of the shock attack by Palestinian militants on Israel. It has imposed a "complete siege" on the Gaza Strip, cutting off the water supply, food, electricity and...Volunteers search for Afghan quake survivors as aid trickles in
Kashkak, Afghanistan--Afghan villagers and volunteers on Monday helped dig for survivors of a series of earthquakes that killed more than 2,000 people, as aid began trickling into the devastated region.Volunteers in trucks packed with food, tents and blankets flocked to hard-to-reach areas 30 kilometres (19 miles) northwest of Herat city, capital...Aid pours into flood-hit Libya as Derna death toll touches 11,300
According to a United Nations report released on Sunday, the toll from Derna alone has risen to 11,300. Citing the Libyan Red Crescent, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs added that another 10,100 people were still missing in the devastated city.