Gaza
Bangladesh's Mastul Foundation provides daily meals in Gaza amidst crisis
As the conflict between Israel and Palestine intensifies, the residents of Gaza are enduring profound hardships. Amidst this escalating humanitarian crisis, international charities, including the Mastul Foundation’s Mastul Mehmankhana (Mega Kitchen) from Bangladesh, are stepping up to deliver crucial aid to those in need.
Currently, approximately 1.5 million people in besieged Gaza face severe food scarcity. The Mastul Foundation has mobilized its Mega Kitchen in Palestine to alleviate this urgent issue. Despite numerous challenges, they are providing daily meals to 200-250 individuals, primarily orphaned children and widows, who are among the most affected.
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The gratitude expressed by the Palestinians has been overwhelming, according to a media release from the Foundation. Parents are especially relieved as the efforts ensure their children won't sleep hungry, at least for now, the release added, highlighting the acute worries about dwindling food supplies.
Kazi Reaz Rahman, founder and executive director of Mastul Foundation, emphasized the ongoing nature of their mission. "While our current capacity allows us to prepare 200-250 meals daily, it's barely a drop in the ocean given the scale of the crisis. We are urgently calling for more funds to expand our operations," he stated.
The Foundation's future plans include not only continuing food assistance but also enhancing medical logistics, providing educational opportunities for orphans, empowering widows, and improving sanitation and water facilities.
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Mastul Foundation appealed for support for their initiatives in Gaza during this critical time. More funding and resources are crucial to sustain and expand their humanitarian efforts in the region.
Victory' in Gaza only 'a few weeks away', Netanyahu tells US Congress members
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told a meeting of US Congress members that "victory" in Gaza and "getting" Hamas' senior leadership in the enclave are only "a few weeks away."On Wednesday, Netanyahu told a bipartisan group from the US Congress, “We’ve killed many senior leaders [of Hamas], including number four in Hamas, number three in Hamas. We’ll get number two and number one. That’s victory. Victory is within reach. It’s a few weeks away," reports CNN.
Hosting the congressional delegation in Jerusalem, which the Prime Minister's Office claimed was organised by the pro-Israel lobbying group American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), Netanyahu said it was "very important to maintain bipartisan support" but "especially in these trying times."
Netanyahu stated that Israel "had no choice" but to enter Rafah because its "very existence is on the line."
Netanyahu is an obstacle to peace: US Senate Majority Leader Chuck SchumerThe prime minister stated that Israel has had a "remarkable alignment" with the Biden administration since the October 7 Hamas attack, but they have fundamentally opposing views on an Israeli incursion into Rafah, the report said.Israel has received international condemnation before of its planned onslaught on the southern Gaza city, where over one million Palestinians are currently taking shelter. Netanyahu had previously stated to the delegation that displaced Palestinians in Gaza could "just move" out of Rafah and "move with their tents."
Biden: Netanyahu 'hurting Israel' by not preventing more civilian deaths in Gaza"There is all of the Gaza Strip north of Rafah," Netanyahu remarked. "People can move up or down," he continued.Disagreements regarding the possible invasion of Rafah and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza have strained relations between Netanyahu and US President Joe Biden.Earlier this week, Netanyahu postponed a scheduled government trip to Washington in protest over the United States' abstention from a UN Security Council vote that allowed a resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza to pass, the report also said.The resolution, proposed by the 10 non-permanent members of the Security Council, demanded an immediate ceasefire for the month of Ramadan, the immediate and unconditional release of hostages and “the urgent need to expand the flow” of aid into Gaza.
Netanyahu snaps back against growing US criticism after being accused of losing his way on Gaza
'Will no longer be complicit in genocide': US Air Force personnel sets himself on fire outside Israeli Embassy in Washington
An active-duty member of the U.S. Air Force was critically injured Sunday after setting himself ablaze outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., while declaring that he “will no longer be complicit in genocide,” a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.
The man, whose name wasn’t immediately released, walked up to the embassy shortly before 1 p.m. and began livestreaming on the video streaming platform Twitch, the person said. Law enforcement officials believe the man started a livestream, set his phone down and then doused himself in accelerant and ignited the flames. At one point, he said he “will no longer be complicit in genocide,” the person said. The video was later removed from the platform, but law enforcement officials have obtained and reviewed a copy.
The person was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.
Police did not immediately provide any additional details about the incident.
Read: Israel vows to target Lebanon's Hezbollah even if cease-fire reached with Hamas in Gaza
The incident happened as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking the cabinet approval for a military operation in the southern Gazan city of Rafah while a temporary cease-fire deal is being negotiated. Israel’s military offensive in Gaza, however, has drawn criticisms, including genocide claims against the Palestinians.
Israel has adamantly denied the genocide allegations and says it is carrying out operations in accordance with international law in the Israel-Hamas war.
In December, a person self-immolated outside the Israeli consulate in Atlanta and used gasoline as an accelerant, according to Atlanta’s fire authorities. A Palestinian flag was found at the scene, and the act was believed to be one of “extreme political protest.”
Read: Israeli officials to meet on a proposed pause in Gaza while the Cabinet is set to OK a Rafah plan
In a statement, the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington said its officers had responded to the scene outside the Israeli Embassy to assist U.S. Secret Service officers and that its bomb squad had also been called to examine a suspicious vehicle. Police said no hazardous materials were found in the vehicle.
Also read: Netanyahu seeks open-ended control over security and civilian affairs in Gaza in new postwar plan
Outcomes of Hasina-Scholz bilateral talks on sidelines of MSC 2024
Germany and Bangladesh have agreed it is best to end the Russia-Ukraine war and the attack on Gaza.
The consensus came when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz held bilateral talks on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference 2024 on Saturday (February 17, 2024).
"A detailed discussion was held between the Bangladesh Prime Minister and the German Chancellor about ending wars, particularly the Russia-Ukraine war and attack on Gaza," Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud said, while briefing media regarding the outcome of the meeting between the two leaders.
The meeting between the two leaders was held at Hotel Bayerischer Hof, the conference venue, here, this afternoon.
Both the leaders, Bangladesh Premier and the Chancellor of Germany, agreed that none will be benefited through war.
At meeting with Zelenskyy PM Hasina calls for ending Russia-Ukraine war
Quoting the German Chancellor, Dr Hasan Mahmud said, "The only process of establishing peace is to stop war."
The prime minister called upon the German Chancellor to make investment in various sectors of Bangladesh including the IT sector as Germany is advanced in high technology industries.
Mentioning that Bangladesh is establishing 100 economic zones across the country, Sheikh Hasina said,"Germany can invest in Bangladesh."
The Prime Minister invited the German Chancellor to visit Bangladesh and he accepted the invitation.
Sheikh Hasina recalled the contribution of Germany in rebuilding independent Bangladesh after the Liberation War.
The two leaders also discussed exporting more Bangladeshi products to Germany as it is the highest exporting country from Bangladesh to the EU.
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They also talked about sending skilled Bangladeshi manpower to Germany as the country is welcoming skilled labour from around the globe.
During the bilateral meeting held after a long time in a very warm environment, Olaf Scholz again congratulated Sheikh Hasina on her reelection as Bangladesh prime minister for the fifth term and fourth in a row.
Earlier in the morning, Germany Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development called on the Bangladesh PM at the Conference venue here.
During the meeting, she offered Germany a dedicated place for investment in economic zones being set up across the country. Senior Secretary of Foreign Affairs Masud Bin Momen and Ambassador to Germany Md Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan, were present, among others.
Sheikh Hasina arrived in Germany to attend three-day MSC 2024 on February 15 evening.
Read more: PM Hasina meets German Chancellor in Munich, discusses bilateral issues
Saudi Arabia to US: No diplomatic ties with Israel without an independent Palestinian state
In a decisive statement released by the Saudi Press Agency on Wednesday (February 07, 2024), the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has clarified its stance to the United States regarding the establishment of diplomatic relations with Israel.
The Saudi Foreign Ministry articulated that such relations depend upon the recognition of an independent Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem serving as its capital. This announcement underscores the kingdom’s unwavering position on the Palestinian issue, emphasizing the necessity for the Palestinian people to secure their legitimate rights.
Read more: ICJ should work to achieve its goal: Palestine Ambassador
The statement further demanded an immediate cessation of Israeli aggression in the Gaza Strip and the complete withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from the area. This stance was conveyed amidst discussions on the Arab-Israeli peace process, particularly in response to comments attributed to the US National Security Spokesperson.
Saudi Arabia also renewed its appeal to the permanent members of the UN Security Council, urging those who have not yet recognized the Palestinian state to do so promptly. The goal is to ensure that the Palestinian people attain their legitimate rights and to pave the way for a comprehensive and just peace for all parties involved.
This development comes in the wake of White House National Security spokesperson John Kirby’s remarks on Tuesday, indicating optimistic signals that Saudi Arabia and Israel are open to continuing normalization discussions. The move would follow in the footsteps of Saudi Arabia’s Gulf neighbors, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, which established diplomatic ties with Israel in 2020 under the Abraham Accords.
Read more: Silencing Palestinian perspectives: CNN staff criticize network’s pro-Israel bias
Silencing Palestinian perspectives: CNN staff criticize network’s pro-Israel bias
In a striking revelation reported by the Guardian, CNN faces internal criticism and a growing backlash over its coverage of the Israel-Gaza conflict. Journalists from CNN’s newsrooms, both in the United States and internationally, have raised concerns about the network’s editorial policies. These policies, they claim, have led to the dissemination of Israeli perspectives while marginalizing Palestinian voices in the coverage of the war in Gaza.
The core of the discontent centers around the network’s handling of key events, particularly the October 7 Hamas massacre and Israel’s subsequent retaliatory attack on Gaza. One CNN staffer lamented, “The majority of news since the war began, regardless of how accurate the initial reporting, has been skewed by a systemic and institutional bias within the network toward Israel,” branding it as “journalistic malpractice.”
According to detailed accounts from six CNN staff members and a review of over a dozen internal communications, the daily news output is heavily influenced by directives from CNN headquarters, the Guardian says. These directives have imposed strict guidelines on reporting, including significant restrictions on quoting Hamas and presenting Palestinian perspectives, while often uncritically broadcasting Israeli government statements.
Read more: UN experts condemn killing, silencing of journalists in Gaza
Mark Thompson, CNN’s new editor-in-chief and CEO, who assumed his role shortly after the October 7 incident, is at the heart of the controversy. Staffers express concern over Thompson’s history of yielding to external pressures in his previous position at the BBC, fearing a similar pattern at CNN. The coverage, as a result, has been criticized for disproportionately highlighting Israeli suffering and narratives, with a notable deficiency in reporting on the Palestinian civilian casualties and the devastation in Gaza.
A particularly contentious point is the editorial process, where every story related to the conflict requires approval from the Jerusalem bureau, effectively filtering the content that reaches the public. This process has been condemned for introducing biases, as reports undergo modifications that detract from the Palestinian plight, according to some CNN journalists.
Critics within the network have pointed out a notable imbalance, citing an early November directive by David Lindsay, senior director of news standards and practices, that limited the reporting of Hamas statements, labeling them as “inflammatory rhetoric and propaganda.” This contrasts starkly with the network’s approach to Israeli officials’ statements, which have been aired frequently and often without challenge.
Amidst these editorial decisions, CNN’s coverage has been accused of utilizing a framework that implicitly justifies Israeli actions by continuously referencing the Hamas attack as the conflict’s “immediate cause.” This narrative, staff members argue, marginalizes other contexts and histories that are crucial for a balanced understanding of the conflict.
The network’s spokesperson has defended CNN’s reporting, emphasizing the care taken to attribute claims across their coverage. However, the restrictions on foreign journalists’ access to Gaza, except under Israeli Defense Forces control, have further complicated efforts to present a balanced view, keeping the full impact of the war on Palestinians largely unseen on CNN and similar channels.
This internal critique of CNN’s coverage echoes past accusations of bias, reminiscent of the network’s approach post-9/11 and its coverage of the Afghan conflict. The current discontent among CNN staff highlights a deep-seated concern over journalistic integrity and the challenge of maintaining balanced reporting amidst external pressures and editorial mandates.
Read more: Hamas shows signs of resurgence in parts of Gaza where Israeli troops largely withdrew weeks ago
ICJ should work to achieve its goal: Palestine Ambassador
Ambassador of Palestine to Bangladesh, Yousef S. Y. Ramadan, on Thursday said the recent ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) gives a sense of optimism for the Palestinians to be independent after 75 years of struggle.
"It's the first step on the way. We can build upon this," he said while speaking at the DCAB Talk at Jatiya Press Club.
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Responding to a question, Ambassador Ramadan said they should not just stop there.
"No. We wanted to wait and see. We want to provide ICJ with the evidence that Israel did commit genocide. This is our duty. This is the duty of everyone," he said.
PM Hasina denounces Israeli attacks on Palestine, calls for ending the war
The envoy added, "That's what we need ....to continue. And ICJ should continue the work to achieve its goal. It should not just relax."
The ambassador said they are extremely grateful to Bangladesh and South Africa for their role. Bangladesh supported the genocide case filed by South Africa with the ICJ.
Creation of Palestine state urgent; US key actor in bringing this to reality: Dr Yunus
Lauding Bangladesh's position, he said this was a very courageous move from Bangladesh.
In the ICJ proceedings, South Africa contended that Israel is violating its obligations under the Genocide Convention with its military assault on Gaza, which began on October 8, 2023, after the attack by Hamas in Israel, which killed 1,200 people and wounded many more. Around 240 people were also taken hostage in the attack.
During oral hearings earlier this month, Israel sought to have the case dismissed by the ICJ judges — a motion that was rejected last Friday (January 26).
The landmark ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) offers the first concrete hope to protect civilians in Gaza enduring apocalyptic humanitarian conditions, destruction, mass killing, wounding and irreparable trauma, UN experts said today.
“The ruling is a significant milestone in the decades-long struggle for justice by the Palestinian people,” the experts said.
The ICJ found it plausible that Israel’s acts could amount to genocide and issued six provisional measures, ordering Israel to take all measures within its power to prevent genocidal acts, including preventing and punishing incitement to genocide, ensuring aid and services reach Palestinians under siege in Gaza, and preserving evidence of crimes committed in Gaza.
“We echo the sense of urgency demonstrated by the Court in its short, two-week deliberation, as hundreds of Palestinians, primarily women and children, are being killed by Israeli forces every day, resulting in a death toll of 26,751 people in Gaza over the past three months. This amounts to over 1% of the population,” they said.
Ambassador Ramadan said that the international community is gradually abandoning Israel that has so far been enjoying impunity just because it is powerful.
On January 30, UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron said Britain is ready to bring forward the moment when it formally recognises a Palestinian state.
He said Palestinians had to be given a political horizon to encourage peace in the Middle East, BBC reported.
When his attention was brought to that, the ambassador said the UK should have been the first to recognise the Palestinian State because all the problems of Palestine were created because of British policy.
He said US President Joe Biden is working very hard to find a solution but he should have done it much earlier.
Ambassador Ramadan said the international community for long has ignored the Palestinians' issue just because Israel is powerful.
"Israel is there fighting us. But who are the countries standing beside it? The powerful countries," he said.
Ambassador Ramadan said he does not represent Hamas or Fattah but the Palestine Liberation Organization.
“This is a very hot issue. Talk about this,” he said, expressing disappointment over the lack of unity among the Muslim countries while he referred to the unity in Europe.
The ambassador said he never felt like a refugee during his nine-year stay in Bangladesh as he always received warmth and love from the people here.
DCAB President Nurul Islam Hasib and its General Secretary Ashiqur Rahman Apu also spoke.
ICJ ruling offers hope for protection of civilians enduring apocalyptic conditions in Gaza: UN experts
The landmark ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) offers the first concrete hope to protect civilians in Gaza enduring apocalyptic humanitarian conditions, destruction, mass killing, wounding and irreparable trauma, UN experts said on Wednesday.
“The ruling is a significant milestone in the decades-long struggle for justice by the Palestinian people,” the experts said in a statement issued from Geneva.
The ICJ found it plausible that Israel’s acts could amount to genocide and issued six provisional measures, ordering Israel to take all measures within its power to prevent genocidal acts, including preventing and punishing incitement to genocide, ensuring aid and services reach Palestinians under siege in Gaza, and preserving evidence of crimes committed in Gaza.
Israel military operation destroys a Gaza cemetery. Israel says Hamas used the site to hide a tunnel
“We echo the sense of urgency demonstrated by the Court in its short, two-week deliberation, as hundreds of Palestinians, primarily women and children, are being killed by Israeli forces every day, resulting in a death toll of 26,751 people in Gaza over the past three months. This amounts to over 1% of the population.
“The court order is urgently needed to protect the very existence of the Palestinian people from potentially genocidal actions the Court has ordered Israel to halt and prevent,” the experts said.
“Given the dire situation on the ground and the careful wording of the Court, we believe that the most effective way to implement the provisional measures is through an immediate ceasefire.”
In the ICJ proceedings, South Africa contended that Israel is violating its obligations under the Genocide Convention with its military assault on Gaza, which began on 8 October, after the attack by Hamas and Palestinian armed groups in Israel, which killed 1,200 people and wounded many more. 240 people were also taken hostage in the attack.
During oral hearings earlier this month, Israel sought to have the case dismissed by the ICJ judges—a motion that was rejected last Friday (26 January).
“We see the decision as dismissing Israel’s justification of its actions as self-defence in compliance with international humanitarian law,” the experts said.
“The Court found that Israel cannot continue to bombard, displace, and starve the population of Gaza, while allowing its officials to dehumanise Palestinians through statements that may amount to genocidal incitement.”
According to the experts, the period since 7 October marks one of the grimmest in the histories of both Palestine and Israel.
The 7 October attack, which the experts firmly condemned as war crimes, sent shockwaves across the world.
Fighting across Gaza as UN aid agency faces more cuts
In Israel, families continue to mourn the dead and heal the wounds of terror they experienced on 7 October.
Reiterating that all parties to the conflict, including Hamas, remain bound by international humanitarian law, the ICJ called for the release of the hostages.
“Their fate remains unknown, an agony for families longing for their safe return,” the experts said.
“In the spiralling violence that followed, marked by ineffective or absent international pressure, and politicisation of UN fora, the ICJ’s order tilts the balance toward a global order based on justice and international law,” the experts said. “This is the only basis for lasting peace and stability between Palestinians and Israelis.”
“We call on Israel to adhere to the ICJ order. The burden now shifts to Israel, to show that it has effectively eliminated the risk of genocide that the Court found to be plausible. By the time Israel reports to the Court in one month, Palestinians must have access to food, water, healthcare, and safety, that have long been denied to them,” they said.
In light of the urgency of the situation and the real risk of irreparable harm to the people in Gaza, the experts also urged states parties to the Genocide Convention to abide by their obligations to prevent genocide, taking all measures in their power to ensure implementation of the ICJ’s provisional measures. The experts also stressed the critical role that civil society plays to give effect to this ruling.
Israel notes 'significant gaps' after cease-fire talks with US, Qatar, Egypt but says constructive
The experts are: Francesca Albanese, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967; Margaret Satterthwaite, Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers; Ben Saul, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism; Cecilia M. Bailliet, Independent Expert on human rights and international solidarity; Aua Baldé (Chair-Rapporteur), Gabriella Citroni (Vice-Chair), Angkhana Neelapaijit, Grażyna Baranowska, Ana Lorena Delgadillo Perez, Working Group on enforced or involuntary disappearances; Surya Deva, Special Rapporteur on the right to development; Tomoya Obokata, Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences; Ashwini K.P. Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance; Alexandra Xanthaki, Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights; Bina D’Costa, Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent; Dorothy Estrada Tanck (Chair), Claudia Flores, Ivana Krstić, Haina Lu, and Laura Nyirinkindi, Working group on discrimination against women and girls; Siobhán Mullally, Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children; Tlaleng Mofokeng, Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health; Ms Irene Khan, Special Rapporteur on the protection and promotion of freedom of opinion and expression; Paula Gaviria Betancur, Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons; Farida Shaheed, Special Rapporteur on the right to education; Livingstone Sewanyana, Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order; Pedro Arrojo-Agudo, Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation; Mary Lawlor, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders; Robert McCorquodale (Chair-Rapporteur), Fernanda Hopenhaym (Vice-Chair), Pichamon Yeophantong, Damilola Olawuyi, Elzbieta Karska, Working Group on business and human rights; Olivier De Schutter, Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights; Clément Nyaletsossi Voule, Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association; Claudia Mahler, Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons; Michael Fakhri, Special Rapporteur on the right to food.
Key takeaways from UN court’s ruling on Israel’s war in Gaza
The U.N. world court on Friday came down hard on Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip, calling on Israel to “take all measures” to prevent a genocide of the Palestinians. But it stopped short of demanding an immediate cease-fire, as the South African sponsors of the case had hoped.
All sides tried to claim victory with the ruling, seizing on different elements that buttressed their positions.
Israel celebrated the court’s rejection of the cease-fire request and said it had endorsed the country’s right to self-defense. Yet harsh criticism of Israel’s campaign in Gaza could further dent its image in the court of public opinion.
The Palestinians welcomed what amounted to an overwhelming rebuke of Israel’s wartime tactics by a lopsided majority of judges over the heavy death toll and humanitarian disaster in Gaza. The six measures in the ruling were approved by margins of 15-2 and 16-1, with even Israel’s representative on the court joining the majority on two of the questions.
As Israel presses ahead with its offensive, Friday’s ruling adds to the growing international criticism of Israel and could put more pressure on it to scale back or halt the operation altogether.
Airstrikes in central Gaza kill 15 overnight while fighting intensifies in the enclave's south
Here are some takeaways from Friday’s ruling:
NO RULING ON GENOCIDE
The court did not rule on the core issue of whether Israel’s devastating military offensive against Hamas amounts to genocide. That question likely won’t be answered by the court for years.
But it did not rule out the possibility that Israel is conducting genocidal acts. In imposing “provisional measures,” the court found that concerns about possible genocide merit further review.
It called on Israel “to take all measures within its power” and “ensure with immediate effect” that its military does not commit genocidal acts, including those causing the unnecessary deaths of Palestinians or humanitarian suffering.
It also called on Israel to prevent “public incitement to commit genocide,” pointing to a series of inflammatory statements by Israeli leaders. Israel was ordered to report back to the court within one month on steps it is taking to meet these demands.
The court said it was gravely concerned about the fate of the hostages and called for their immediate and unconditional release. But the decision focused almost entirely on the plight of Gaza’s Palestinian civilians and urged Israel to do more to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid.
Yuval Shany, an expert on international law at the Israel Democracy Institute think tank, said the ruling was “not great” but could have been worse.
“The finding that South Africa’s claims are plausible is not good,” he said. “But it’s something that Israel can live with.”
Top UN court stops short of ordering cease-fire in Gaza and demands Israel contain deaths
THE WAR GOES ON
Nothing in the court’s ruling requires Israel to halt the war from a legal standpoint.
Israeli leaders vowed Friday to press aheagotchd with the offensive, insisting that they already are in compliance with international law and committed to allowing humanitarian supplies into the besieged territory.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lashed out at the genocide allegation as “outrageous,” noting that the ruling came on the eve of International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Netanyahu pointed out that Hamas, which killed 1,200 and kidnapped 250 on Oct. 7, seeks Israel’s destruction.
Barak Medina, a human rights expert at Hebrew University’s law school, said the effects of the ruling on the battlefield are “marginal.”
He said calls to ramp up humanitarian aid and crack down on incitement might have some small effects on policies. “But in terms of the main aspect of the military operation, one would not expect any change on the ground,” he said.
INCREASED SCRUTINY
While Israel moves ahead on the battlefield, Friday’s ruling shined an additional bright and critical spotlight on the Israeli offensive.
The war, launched in response to Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, has killed over 26,000 Palestinians and led to widespread destruction, displacement and disease, according to local health officials and international aid agencies.
The United States, Israel’s closest and most important ally, has repeatedly voiced concerns about the civilian death toll and the broader international community has repeatedly called for an immediate cease-fire. The tough language adopted by the court, coupled with the requirement to report back to it, added to the global scrutiny and puts more pressure to scale back or stop the offensive.
Merav Michaeli, leader of Israel’s opposition Labor Party, called the ruling a “yellow card” against a government that she said “is causing enormous international damage to the country.”
A former head of the Israeli military’s international law department said the decision would worsen Israel’s global standing and undermine legitimacy for the war.
“It’s a huge threat,” said Pnina Sharvit Baruch, now a senior researcher at Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies. “It eventually impacts also our national security. We need our allies. We cannot manage here on our own.”
UN court keeps genocide case against Israel alive as Gaza death toll surpasses 26,000
PRESSURE ON THE US
Despite its concerns about harm to civilians, the United States has so far backed the Israeli war effort, shielding Israel from international criticism and continuing to deliver weapons to the military.
Friday’s ruling draws unwelcome attention to the U.S. position — a stance that has put it at odds with allies and threatened to hurt President Joe Biden’s standing with the Democratic Party’s progressive wing as he seeks re-election.
“States now have clear legal obligations to stop Israel’s genocidal war on the Palestinian people in Gaza and to make sure that they are not complicit,” the Palestinian Foreign Ministry said.
It said the provisional ruling “should serve as a wakeup call for Israel and actors who enabled its entrenched impunity.”
The ministry is part of the Palestinian Authority, the internationally recognized self-rule government in parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The U.S. has said it would like to see a revitalized authority, ousted by Hamas in 2007, return to power in Gaza after the war.
Balkees Jarrah, the associate international justice director at Human Rights Watch, a New York-based group that has accused Israel of committing war crimes in past rounds of fighting, said Friday’s “landmark decision puts Israel and its allies on notice.”
“The court’s clear and binding order raises the stakes for Israel’s allies to back up their stated commitment to a global rules-based order by helping ensure compliance with this watershed ruling,” she said.
UN court keeps genocide case against Israel alive as Gaza death toll surpasses 26,000
The death toll from the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip surpassed 26,000 on Friday as the International Court of Justice was set to give its decision on whether to order Israel to halt its offensive in the Palestinian territory.
The Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza said that 26,083 people have been killed and more than 64,400 wounded since Oct. 7, the day militants from the territory launched a surprise attack in southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages.
South Africa has accused Israel of genocide and asked the world court in The Hague, Netherlands, to impose interim measures as the case proceeds. The requested measures include ordering Israel to stop its offensive, to allow Gaza residents access to aid and to take "reasonable measures" to prevent genocide.
Israel has denied committing genocide and asked the court to throw out the case.
Currently:
— Israel vows to fight Hamas all the way to Gaza's southern border. That's fueling tension with Egypt.
— How genocide officially became a crime, and why South Africa is accusing Israel of committing it.
— Georgia lawmakers, in support of Israel, pass a bill that would define antisemitism in state law.
— The U.S. and the U.K. sanction four Yemeni Houthi leaders over Red Sea shipping attacks.
— Find more of AP's coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war.
Israel vows to fight Hamas all the way to Gaza’s southern border. That’s fueling tension with Egypt
Here's the latest:
TOP UN COURT REFUSES TO THROW OUT GENOCIDE CASE AGAINST ISRAEL
The United Nations' top court has refused to throw out the genocide case that South Africa filed against Israel.
The International Court of Justice is not deciding Friday whether Israel has committed genocide in the Gaza Strip but only ruling on South Africa's request for interim measures, including an order for Israel to halt its military offensive in Gaza.
While Israel asked the court to throw out the case, court president Joan E. Donoghue said a panel of 17 judges concluded that it has appropriate jurisdiction and therefore "cannot accede to Israel's request for the case to be removed."
Donoghue opened the hearing in The Hague, Netherlands, by noting that Israel's war against Hamas "is causing massive civilian casualties, extensive destruction of civilian infrastructure and the displacement of the overwhelming majority of the population in Gaza.
"The court is acutely aware of the extent of the human tragedy that is unfolding in the region and is deeply concerned about the continuing loss of life and human suffering," the judge said.
HAMAS OFFICIAL SAYS GROUP WOULD ABIDE BY A COURT-ORDERED CEASE-FIRE
RAMALLAH, West Bank — A Palestinian delegation plans to be in The Hague when the International Court of Justice announces whether it is ordering Israel to suspend its offensive against Hamas militants and to take other steps to protect Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
The world court is delivering its preliminary decisions in a genocide case that South Africa brought against Israel. The court is set to rule Friday only on South Africa's request for interim measures to ease the suffering in Gaza while the case proceeds, a process expected to take several years.
"By moving quickly and issuing the ruling only two weeks after the oral hearings, the court acknowledges the urgency of the situation on the ground," the Palestinian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Meanwhile, a top official with Hamas says his group will abide by a cease-fire if the court in the Netherlands calls for one.
Osama Hamdan said Thursday that Hamas also would be ready to release the remaining hostages it is holding if Israel releases Palestinian prisoners.
Hamdan says Hamas is open to all initiatives for an exchange but that the hostages would not return home until there was "a comprehensive cease of the aggression against our people." He added that any delays or procrastination "means more deaths among (Israelis)."
Photojournalist Motaz Azaiza from Gaza says ‘Last time you see me with this heavy, stinky vest’
ISRAELI STRIKES ON A REFUGEE CAMP KILL 15 PALESTINIANS
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Fifteen Palestinians, including an infant, were killed in Israeli airstrikes on two apartment buildings in the central Gaza Strip, according to an Associated Press journalist who saw the bodies at a local hospital Friday.
The strikes hit the Nuseirat refugee camp on Thursday evening, and the dead were taken to the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Hospital in the nearby town of Deir al-Balah.
One of the bombardments killed seven members of the Rawah family, including a 5-month-old baby.
The strikes came as the Israeli army continued to expand its assault on the southern half of war-stricken Gaza, with a focus on Khan Younis, Gaza's second-largest city.
The Israeli military said its troops were engaging in close, urban combat with Hamas fighters in neighborhoods of Khan Younis. The military says it is calling in airstrikes and attack helicopters to hit militants allegedly spotted with rocket-propelled grenades and other weapons.
Earlier this week,the military ordered civilians to evacuate most of the western half of the city and the Khan Younis refugee camp.
Hamas has reported that troops from the Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the group's military wing, are battling Israeli forces in the heart of the city.
MORE THAN 26,000 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED IN GAZA SINCE THE ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR STARTED, HEALTH MINISTRY SAYS
RAFAH, Gaza Strip — The number of Palestinians killed in Gaza since the start of the Israel-Hamas war has surpassed 26,000, the Health Ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said Friday.
The ministry said the total number of dead is 26,083, with 64,487 Palestinians wounded since the start of the war on Oct. 7. The ministry does not differentiate between combatants and civilians in its death toll, but has said about two-thirds of those killed were women and children.
In the past 24 hours, 183 people were killed and 377 others were injured, ministry spokesperson Ashraf al-Qidra said in a statement.
Israel's blistering ground and air offensive has decimated vast swaths of Gaza during the nearly 4-month-old war. The conflict broke out on Oct. 7 when Hamas militants stormed southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted some 250.
21 Israeli soldiers are killed in the deadliest single attack on the army since the war began
SOUTH AFRICA ISSUES A STATEMENT AHEAD OF THE INTERNATIONAL COURT'S INTERIM RULING EXPECTED FRIDAY
CAPE TOWN, South Africa — South Africa's foreign ministry said in a statement that it was seeking an interim ruling that "Israel immediately cease its military operations in Gaza, take reasonable measures to prevent the genocide of Palestinians, ensure that the displaced return to their homes and have access to humanitarian assistance, including adequate food, water, fuel, medical and hygiene supplies, shelter and clothing."
The statement late Thursday also said Israel should "take necessary steps to punish those involved in the genocide and preserve the evidence of genocide." Israel has denied the allegations of genocide.
South Africa will be represented at the ruling at The Hague by Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor, who spoke with United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken by phone Thursday, according to the State Department. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said Blinken spoke about the need to protect civilians in the war in Gaza and ensure there was humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians, while working toward lasting regional peace that "ensures Israel's security and advances the establishment of an independent Palestinian state."
"The secretary reaffirmed support for Israel's right to ensure the terrorist attacks of Oct. 7 can never be repeated," Miller said.