The resolution passed but the vote demonstrated persistent flouting international law in favour of strategic interest.

The death toll from an Israeli air attack in Beirut’s southern suburbs has risen to 37 people, including three children and seven women, Lebanon’s health minister says.

On September 18, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted a resolution calling for Israel to terminate its illegal occupation of Palestinian territory within one year. The vote, which concluded with 124 in favour, 12 against, and 43 abstained, has been interpreted by some as a significant triumph for Palestinian advocacy.

Yet, the fact that 54 countries (excluding Israel) – constituting about 28 percent of all member states – did not back the resolution cannot be overlooked. It not only signifies a failure of moral courage but also underscores a pervasive hypocrisy that continues to shape global governance. In fact, it reflects continuing efforts to erode the international regime in order to ensure impunity for Israel.

The resolution in question demanded that Israel “brings to an end without delay its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory”. It reiterated the findings of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which ruled in July that Israel’s occupation was illegal, that its settlements on occupied Palestinian land are also illegal and must be dismantled, and that it needs to pay reparations for damages incurred by the Palestinians.

International law is quite clear on the question of occupation: it is a criminal act. A consensus among international scholars underscores that an occupier cannot invoke the right of self-defence against the people it occupies – an argument Israel has employed to justify its nefarious genocidal actions.

In the context of this ruling by the World Court, voting against and abstaining from voting on the UNGA resolution cannot be dismissed as mere political neutrality. By choosing not to support a resolution that re-affirms the illegality of the Israeli occupation, these nations implicitly endorse Israel’s actions and contribute to the perpetuation of a status quo marked by brutal oppression and suffering. They also openly disregard and thus attack the provisions of international law.

It is important to remember that this vote came amid a continuing Israeli aggression against Gaza and the West Bank, in which nearly 42,000 Palestinians – the majority of them women and children – have been killed and more than 100,000 injured. In January, the ICJ issued a preliminary ruling that Isreal is “plausibly” violating the Genocide Convention with its actions in Gaza. This genocidal violence is a direct consequence of the decades-long illegal Israeli occupation of Palestinian land.

The October 7 attack last year by Hamas cannot be viewed in isolation. It is rooted in decades of brutal occupation that has left Palestinians trapped in what many describe as the world’s largest open-air prison, where systemic oppression, displacement, and violence have defined millions of Palestinian lives. Understanding this context is essential to addressing the underlying issues and moving toward a just and lasting resolution that honours the dignity and humanity of all affected.

One of the 12 countries that voted against the resolution – the United States – has been a long-time supporter of the Israeli occupation, sending billions worth of weapons to its military before and after October. For its role in arming Israel, the US has been repeatedly accused of complicity in Israeli war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Strangely, the US representative to the UN entered a “no” vote despite the fact that Judge Sarah Cleveland, who represents the US at the ICJ, voted in favour of all the court’s opinions in the July ruling.

What makes the US position even more problematic is that it has had the exact opposite stance on occupations elsewhere. In 2022, when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine and occupied parts of its territory, Washington was at the forefront of global condemnation, sending billions in military and financial aid to the Ukrainian army. This has set a troubling double standard that other countries allied with the US have also followed.

The United Kingdom, for example, expressed “considerable concerns” about the January ICJ ruling and rejected genocide allegations against Israel. On September 18, it chose to abstain. Despite its own legal advisers warning that British weapons could be used for human rights violations in Gaza, the British government has continued its arms shipments to the Israeli army, suspending just 30 out of 350 arms export licences.

Like Washington, London has also extended significant military support for Ukraine in its fight against Russian occupation and wholeheartedly backed investigations into war crimes committed by Russian forces.

Germany, which also abstained on September 18, is another example of a country with a troubling position. As a key supplier of arms to Israel, Germany faces serious allegations of facilitating the commission of genocide, complicating its moral standing and raising questions about its commitment to human rights. Its government has announced plans to intervene in the main hearing of the genocide case against Israel at the ICJ, categorically rejecting the accusations of genocide without substantial justification.

While trying to block legal proceedings against Israel, Germany has accelerated investigations launched by its own justice system into war crimes committed in Ukraine.

Various other countries in Europe, Latin America, Asia and the Pacific – mostly US and NATO allies – have also either voted against the UNGA resolution or abstained, putting geopolitical considerations above international law and ethics.

The hypocrisy inherent in these geopolitical alliances raises critical questions about the integrity of the global legal framework. Why is it that violations committed by Israel, an ally of powerful Western nations, are met with silence or insufficient condemnation and others are not? This inconsistency not only deepens the divisions between the West and the Global South, but also damages the legitimacy of international law and its ability to prevent atrocities.

The more Israel is shielded by these countries, the more it flouts international law without fear of consequences and the more brutal and deadly its abuses become. And its violations do not only affect the Palestinian population. This pattern of impunity undermines the foundational principles of justice and accountability and encourages others to engage in such crimes.

The abstention of 43 countries and the opposition from 11 others regarding the UNGA resolution send a clear message to the world: there are “no rules”. This alarming trend suggests that nations with powerful militaries can act unilaterally, disregarding international law without consequence. If we fail to halt this erosion of the legal regime, we risk descending into a world governed by the “law of the jungle”.

Such a breakdown of international law would have catastrophic implications for human civilisation. It would foster a climate where the powerful can trample on the rights of the weak, perpetuating cycles of violence and oppression. The hypocrisy evident in the global response to the Palestinian plight exemplifies this dangerous disregard for justice and accountability. As these 54 countries continue to turn a blind eye to grave violations, the foundations of global order are threatened.

To restore faith in international law, countries must prioritise human rights over strategic interests. This requires a unified front from the international community. Nations must hold each other accountable for their actions and speak out against violations, regardless of political affiliations or alliances. A true commitment to justice necessitates that the principles of international law be applied consistently and without bias.

Only through decisive action can the ideals of international law be upheld and the world saved from a dark, lawless future.

Israel-Hezbollah attacks resume after Lebanon says 37 killed in Israeli strike on Beirut

Here’s a look at today’s main developments:

The death toll from an Israeli air attack in Beirut’s southern suburbs has risen to 37 people, including three children and seven women, Lebanon’s health minister says.

The strike, which wrecked two buildings in the Lebanese capital’s Dahiya district during rush hour on Friday, also injured more than 60 people, Health Minister Firass Abiad told a news conference on Saturday.

Cross-border attacks between Hezbollah and Israel have resumed. Hezbollah says it has fired rockets at two military positions in northern Israel, while the IDF said it was attacking Hezbollah targets in Lebanon

The number of people killed in the Israeli strike on Beirut on Friday has risen to 37, the Lebanese health ministry says, as search and rescue efforts in Dahieh continue.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said it killed 16 Hezbollah members in the strike, including 12 senior commanders.

A news conference by Lebanon’s health ministry revealed this morning that 152 people are still in a critical condition after the device explosions on Tuesday and Wednesday. It also said the number of those killed over the two days of explosions has risen from 37 to 39.

Away from Lebanon in Gaza, the Hamas-run health ministry says at least 22 people, “mostly” children and women, have been killed following a strike on a school in Gaza city housing displaced people.

World Opinions + BBC News + Aljazeera News

L’article Analysis. No, the UNGA resolution on Palestine was not a win..  Attacks resume after Lebanon says 37 killed in Israeli strike on Beirut est apparu en premier sur زوايا ميادين | Mayadin Columns.

The conflict in Sudan has displaced more than two million people, triggering one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises. The international community has a responsibility to do more.

At Renk in South Sudan, 40km (25 miles) south of the border with Sudan, I met a young boy – Miyok, orphaned by the brutality of the Sudan conflict. Miyok is one of at least 600,000 refugees who have fled to South Sudan since the start of the conflict a year ago. He now lives with his aunt in one of the two transit centres.

Despite facing myriad challenges, Miyok’s wish is simple yet profound – to be educated and have the opportunity to fulfil his dream of becoming a doctor.

As international donors met earlier this week in Paris, Miyok’s story resonated deeply. His dream represents not only his personal aspirations but also embodies the collective hope of a nation striving for a better future.

A future that continues to remain uncertain, however. In Paris, donors pledged $2bn to support millions of people in Sudan and in host countries. Although this is most welcome, it is only half of the $4.1bn needed to give people their next meal and what they need to survive and rebuild their lives.

To date, the conflict in Sudan has displaced at least two million people, triggering one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises. Neighbouring countries – South Sudan, Chad, Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Egypt, and Libya – are feeling the impact whether through strained resources, economic disruptions or risk of the conflict spilling over.

We have seen up to 1,500 people arriving every day in Renk, some on donkey carts, others crammed into overcrowded minivans, and those who can’t afford transport walk for miles under the scorching sun to reach the border.

Many of those who have fled are women carrying nothing but a small bundle of clothes on their backs and their children. Their eyes are filled with exhaustion, fear, and uncertainty about what the future holds.

Time and time again, when I met with officials and Oxfam’s partners in South Sudan, the phrase “perfect storm” was mentioned, summarising the prevailing challenges which have plunged the nation further into destitution.

Even before the war in Sudan erupted, South Sudan was already suffering from intercommunal conflict over resources and a climate crisis, which have created a dire humanitarian crisis. Two-thirds of the population urgently needs food, including 35,000 people facing starvation. Nearly nine million people currently depend on aid for survival.

Despite contributing little to global carbon emissions, South Sudan has been hit hard in recent years by climate change-induced erratic weather patterns – harsh droughts and boiling temperatures followed by heavy rains leading to severe flooding which have continued to wreck property, infrastructure and crops. This situation, compounded by an economic crisis, has had devastating effects on an already vulnerable population.

To make matters worse, the country’s key oil pipeline, which passes through neighbouring Sudan, was damaged in February. With oil responsible for 90 percent of South Sudan’s revenue and the pipeline accounting for two-thirds of oil revenues, the loss of the pipeline puts the already fragile economy on the brink.

Despite South Sudan’s humanitarian and economic crisis, and the increasing influx of refugees from neighbouring Sudan, aid has dwindled to an extreme low. In 2023, the United Nations appeal for South Sudan was slashed by half to $1.79bn, but less than four percent of the target was met.

The resilience of the South Sudanese people has been repeatedly tested, yet the difficulty in fully implementing the 2020 peace agreement risks jeopardising the legitimacy of the government. This situation, coupled with an economic crisis, could intensify further the ongoing violence.

To overcome this deep crisis, South Sudan needs three key things. First, an immediate injection of aid funding that not only focuses on short-term emergency support but also prioritises development that empowers South Sudanese people to break free from the vicious cycle of shocks and be able to rebuild their lives.

Second, while external support is crucial, the South Sudan government should intensify efforts to lead, build basic infrastructure and provide essential public services so the economy works for the South Sudanese people.

Third, and most importantly, as the country heads towards elections later this year, many in South Sudan see this as a crucial step in addressing the governance, economic and humanitarian challenges. A lasting peace will help avert the perfect storm and ensure a stronger South Sudan.

Amid the chaos, those who love this country, from government officials to grassroots activists and partners, share a determination to rebuild a nation torn apart by conflict and climatic shocks.

Despite the numerous crises the world is currently experiencing, we should not turn our backs on the South Sudanese people and the refugees fleeing the conflict in Sudan. We urge donors who met in Paris this week to keep the momentum and immediately scale up the humanitarian response and renew their call for an immediate ceasefire and an inclusive peace process.

I left South Sudan with my heart aching for Miyok and countless others, whose futures hang in the balance. But I refuse to lose hope.  We should all rally together as partners in progress, empowering South Sudanese communities to chart their path towards a brighter future.

By Amitabh Behar – Interim Executive Director of Oxfam international – Al Jazeera

L’article The world cannot turn its back on Sudan and its neighbours any longer est apparu en premier sur زوايا ميادين | Mayadin Columns.

The Palestine Red Crescent says Israel has imposed a curfew around Al-Amal Hospital in Khan Younis, and that gunfire and The Israeli military says its ground forces have encircled Khan Younis, the southern Gaza Strip’s largest city.

The International Court of Justice says it will decide this Friday on South Africa’s requested provisional measures against Israel in genocide case.

UNRWA reports “mass casualties” as training centre sheltering tens of thousands of displaced people in Khan Younis catches fire after being struck amid fierce fighting.

Israeli forces continue tank-and-drone strikes on Khan Younis city with at least 210 people killed over the past 24 hours.

At least 25,700 people have been killed and 63,740 wounded in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7. The death toll in Israel from the October 7 Hamas attacks stands at 1,139.

WHO laments killing of Palestinians in Israeli strike on UNRWA shelter

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has offered his condolences to those killed after Israeli tanks shelled a URWA facility sheltering displaced Palestinians in Gaza earlier today, lamenting the “horrendous” heavy bombardment of Khan Younis.

“The ongoing heavy bombardment, evacuation orders and killing of civilians in Khan Younis, Gaza is just horrendous,” Ghebreyesus said in a social media post.

“WHO team joined an UNRWA mission to help those who were injured in today’s blast at the training centre where civilians were sheltering. Our deep condolences to the families who lost loved ones.”

Troops have also reportedly advanced deeper into remaining parts of the city, where they believe Hamas leaders are hiding in tunnels with hostages.

Residents said tanks had shut the last road out of the city to the Mediterranean coast, effectively stopping them from fleeing southwards.

There was also intense fighting around the city’s two main hospitals.

It came as funerals took place for some of the 24 Israeli soldiers killed on Monday on the deadliest day for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) since the start of its ground offensive in Gaza 12 weeks ago.

At least 195 Palestinians were also killed in Gaza over the previous 24 hours, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry.

The ministry says more than 25,400 people have been killed – mostly children and women – during the war between Hamas and Israel.

It was triggered by an unprecedented cross-border attack by Hamas gunmen on southern Israel on 7 October, in which about 1,300 people were killed – most of them civilians – and about 250 others taken hostage.

Israeli ground forces expanded their operation into southern Gaza in early December, after largely taking control of Hamas strongholds in the north.

Within days they were said to have reached the “heart” of Khan Younis, where hundreds of thousands of people who had fled northern areas were sheltering.

But the troops have since faced fierce resistance from Hamas’s Khan Younis Brigade. It is considered to be one of the two strongest in the group, which is designated as a terrorist organisation by Israel, the UK and other countries.

The Israeli operation has expanded and intensified in recent days, with dozens of people reported killed in air and artillery strikes on Monday alone as tanks pushed into the west and centre of the city.

On Tuesday, the IDF put out a statement saying that over the past day its troops had “carried out an extensive operation during which they encircled Khan Yunis and deepened the operation in the area”.

The troops had “engaged in close-quarters combat, directed [air] strikes, and used intelligence to co-ordinate fire, resulting in the elimination of dozens of terrorists”, it added.

The IDF also ordered residents of western Khan Younis to move immediately to the al-Mawasi area, on the Mediterranean coast, for their own safety.

However, some witnesses said tanks had blocked the road leading there, preventing them from joining the estimated million people currently sheltering to the south in Rafah, on the border with Egypt.

“I am trying to leave for Rafah but the tanks are now very near to the coast and are firing toward the west,” Shaban, an electrical engineer with four children, told Reuters news agency.

The World Health Organization meanwhile said it was deeply concerned by reports of attacks on hospitals in Khan Younis.

On Tuesday, the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said a civilian had been killed by an Israeli drone at the entrance of Al-Amal Hospital, which it runs, and that others had been injured when shells struck its nearby headquarters.

“The situation remains extremely dangerous. Early this morning, there was direct artillery shelling of the Palestine Red Crescent’s headquarters on the fourth floor. Israeli drones did not stop firing at people at al-Amal Hospital,” spokeswoman Nebal Farsakh told the BBC from Ramallah.

“[There is] panic and fear among thousands of displaced people who are taking shelter inside our facilities.”

There was no immediate comment from the IDF, but it has previously accused Hamas fighters of embedding themselves among the civilian population and operating in and around medical facilities.

Ms Farsakh also said ambulances were “facing significant challenges to reach wounded people and transport them to hospitals”, adding that they were now being told to take critical cases to Deir al-Balah, in central Gaza.

And she warned that Al-Amal and the nearby Nasser Medical Complex – the largest of the 14 hospitals still partly working in Gaza – were “overwhelmed and overcrowded”.

Dr Haytham Ahmad, who works in Nasser’s emergency department, told the BBC that multiple amputations were being performed, and that in some cases, patients were not being given anaesthetic because of a shortage of supplies.

“These cases have severe crush injuries and there is just some skin and muscle still connected. We try to use limited anaesthetic in this situation,” he said.

A World Health Organization spokesman said Nasser was “now basically besieged” and that there was “no way in and out” for its 400 patients, as well as the medical staff treating them and displaced civilians.

Gaza’s health ministry alleged that Israeli forces had fired “heavily on the upper floors of the specialised surgery building and the emergency building” of the hospital.

One video filmed by a Palestinian journalist appeared to show gunfire hitting the hospital’s western corner, while in another clip smoke is seen rising from an area to the south.

The IDF told AFP news agency that it was “not aware of the event”.

Later, UN Secretary General António Guterres said the humanitarian situation in Gaza was “appalling” and that the entire population was “enduring destruction at a scale and speed without parallel in recent history”.

He also once again appealed for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.

Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesman said it was “engaging in serious discussions with both sides” on a potential deal, and a Palestinian official told the BBC that a Hamas delegation had arrived in Cairo on Tuesday morning to “discuss new proposals” with Egypt’s intelligence minister.

Israel has not denied that it has proposed a two-month truce, involving the release of hostages and Palestinian prisoners. But there are reports that has already been rejected by Hamas, which demands a permanent ceasefire.

World Opinions + Agencies

L’article Khan Younis: Israel says forces have encircled Gaza’s second city.. Video est apparu en premier sur زوايا ميادين | Mayadin Columns.

In his traditional Christmas Day message, Pope Francis also called for more aid to Gaza in order to solve a “desperate humanitarian situation”.

Israel’s bombardment of Gaza is reaping an “appalling harvest” of innocent civilians, Pope Francis said in his Christmas message.

In his Christmas Day “Urbi et Orbi” (to the city and world) address on Monday, the head of the Catholic Church also called the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas “abominable” and again appealed for the release of about 100 hostages still being held in Gaza, as he appealed for an end to hostilities.

Speaking from the central balcony of St Peter’s Basilica to thousands of people in the square below, the 87-year-old Francis called for an end to conflicts, political, social or military, in places including Ukraine, Syria, Yemen, Lebanon, Armenia and Azerbaijan, and he defended the rights of migrants around the world.

“How, many innocents are being slaughtered in our world! In their mothers’ wombs, in odysseys undertaken in desperation and in search of hope, in the lives of all those little ones whose childhood has been devastated by war. They are the little Jesuses of today,” he said.

He gave particular attention to the Holy Land, including Gaza. Overnight on Christmas Eve, Israeli air raids killed at least 78 people in one of the besieged enclave’s deadliest nights of Israel’s 11-week-old battle with Hamas, according to Palestinian health officials.

“May it [peace] come in Israel and Palestine, where war is devastating the lives of those peoples. I embrace them all, particularly the Christian communities of Gaza and the entire Holy Land,” Francis said.

‘Puppet strings of war’

“I plead for an end to the military operations with their appalling harvest of innocent civilian victims, and call for a solution to the desperate humanitarian situation by an opening to the provision of humanitarian aid,” he said.

Last week, a United Nations-backed body said in a report that the entire 2.3 million population of Gaza was facing crisis levels of hunger and that the risk of famine was increasing every day.

The Vatican, which has diplomatic relations with both Israel and the Palestinian Authority, believes a two-state solution is the only answer to the long-running conflict. Francis called for “persevering dialogue between the parties, sustained by strong political will and the support of the international community”.

Dedicating an entire paragraph of his message to the weapons trade, Francis said: “And how can we even speak of peace, when arms production, sales and trade are on the rise?”

He called for more investigation of the armaments trade.

“It should be talked about and written about, so as to bring to light the interests and the profits that move the puppet strings of war,” he said.

Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip since the cross-border attack by Hamas on October 7, killing at least 20,424 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injuring 54,036 others, according to local health authorities.

About 1,140 people were killed in Israel in the Hamas attack.

The Israeli onslaught has left Gaza in ruins, with half of the coastal territory’s housing damaged or destroyed and nearly two million people displaced within the densely populated enclave amid shortages of food, clean water and medicines.

World Opinions + Agencies

L’article Pope decries ‘appalling harvest’ of civilian deaths in Gaza.. Video est apparu en premier sur زوايا ميادين | Mayadin Columns.

We’ve reported a lot of eyewitness accounts of the situation at the Al-Shifa hospital but here’s a reminder of what the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) says are the aims of its “precise and targeted” operation at Gaza’s largest hospital:

The IDF says its troops are scanning the complex for Hamas infrastructure, explosive devices and “terrorist means” at the facility.

The forces sent in include translators and medical teams, who it says have undergone “specified training to prepare for this complex and sensitive environment”.

It says they have entered the hospital with “the intent that no harm is caused” to the civilians which it accuses Hamas of using as “human shields”.

The operation was preceded by efforts to evacuate people from Al-Shifa, the IDF says.

It adds it also maintained regular dialogue with hospital authorities – and informed them ahead of time about the entrance of its forces into the compound.

The IDF published a video of its troops delivering medical aid including incubators, baby food and medical supplies to the hospital.

Malta’s top diplomat confirms UN Security Council resolution vote will happen today

In a post on X, Ian Borg said the draft resolution introduced yesterday is “in blue”, meaning it has reached its final form before being introduced for a vote.

The foreign affairs minister said the vote on the resolution, which calls for “extended humanitarian pauses” with a particular emphasis on protecting children, will happen at 3pm local time in New York (20:00 GMT) today.

Over the past week, @MaltaUNMission 🇲🇹 has been working tirelessly on a draft resolution on the humanitarian situation of children in Gaza. We have listened to Council members & other interested parties to ensure a balanced & operational text. The draft is in blue & a vote will…

— Ian Borg (@MinisterIanBorg) November 15, 2023

“Over the past week, [Malta’s UN mission] has been working tirelessly on a draft resolution on the humanitarian situation of children in Gaza,” he wrote.

UN Human Rights Office concerned over ‘fuel depletion’ in Gaza

Fuel underpins access to and provision of all humanitarian services in Gaza, said the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in the occupied Palestinian territory.

“Without it, access by the people of Gaza to life-saving humanitarian assistance will all but cease,” the UN agency said.

The agency is already seeing a “cascading collapse in water, sewage, and sanitation services, telecoms, food shortages, and healthcare” in the Gaza Strip, it said.

The office added that in addition to allowing fuel into the besieged coastal enclave, Israel must also enable access to Gaza through the Karam Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing under its control.

World Opinions + Agencies

L’article Analysis. What does Israel say it’s trying to do at Al-Shifa?.. Video est apparu en premier sur زوايا ميادين | Mayadin Columns.

Les Palestiniens bloqués à Gaza attendent les camions d’aide humanitaire promis par Joe Biden, et l’Égypte. Ce jeudi, Israël a continué de pilonner la bande de Gaza. Ce soir, le président américain doit s’adresser à ses compatriotes depuis la Maison Blanche pour tenter de les souder derrière Israël, selon sa porte-parole.

Le terminal de Rafah, l’unique ouverture sur la bande de Gaza non contrôlée par Israël, ouvrira vendredi pour laisser passer l’aide humanitaire vers le territoire palestinien pilonné par l’armée israélienne depuis 13 jours, annonce un média proche du renseignement égyptien.

Ce “n’est pas sûr”, a toutefois déclaré le patron de l’OMS, quelques minutes avant l’annonce.

“Nous exhortons ceux qui peuvent le faire (laisser passer l’aide humanitaire, ndlr) à faire en sorte que cela se produise, s’il vous plaît, pour éviter la tragédie qui nous attend“, a imploré Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus au cours d’un point de presse à Genève, juste avant que la chaîne de télévision AlQahera News n’affirme que “Rafah ouvrira demain“, sans donner plus de détails sur l’aide qui passera.

3785 morts depuis le début de la guerre avec Israël selon le ministère de la Santé du Hamas

Au moins 3785 Palestiniens ont été tués dans la bande de Gaza depuis le début de la guerre entre Israël et le Hamas le 7 octobre, a indiqué le ministère de la Santé du mouvement islamiste palestinien.

Au moins 1524 enfants figurent parmi les morts, selon le ministère qui a également recensé 12 493 blessés.

 Les Etats-Unis ont mis leur veto mercredi à une résolution du Conseil de sécurité de l’ONU portée par le Brésil qui appelait notamment à une “pause humanitaire” dans la guerre entre le Hamas et l’Etat hébreu. Washington a reproché au texte de ne pas mentionner le “droit d’Israël à se défendre”.

Le Hamas fait état de morts dans l’enceinte d’une église après un raid israélien

Le ministère de l’Intérieur du gouvernement du Hamas a affirmé jeudi que de nombreux déplacés s’abritant dans l’enceinte d’une église à Gaza avaient été tués et d’autres blessés dans un raid israélien.

Dans un communiqué, le ministère a affirmé que le raid a fait “un grand nombre de martyrs et de blessés” dans l’enceinte de l’église grecque-orthodoxe de Saint-Porphyre.

Des témoins ont affirmé que la frappe semble avoir visé une cible proche du lieu de culte dans lequel de nombreux habitants de Gaza s’abritent au moment.

Interrogée par l’AFP, l’armée israélienne a indiqué qu’elle vérifiait ces informations.

L’aide s’organise pour les familles des otages détenus par le Hamas

Plus de 200 otages israéliens sont détenus par le Hamas. Depuis dix jours, des centaines de bénévoles s’activent à Tel-Aviv pour offrir leur aide aux familles.

Des soins médicaux et psychologiques et des démarches administratives sont offerts aux proches des otages. L’ancien diplomate Daniel Schek a de son côté activé ses contacts. Il a accueilli aujourd’hui l’ambassadeur de Suisse en Israël.

Pour les familles, il est très important d’obtenir des preuves de vie des otages. Le CICR, qui dit être en contact avec le Hamas, serait le mieux placé.

World Opinions + Agences

L’article les Palestiniens attendent les camions d’aide humanitaire promis par Joe Biden.. Vidéos est apparu en premier sur زوايا ميادين | Mayadin Columns.

In the Gaza Strip, children’s ages are measured by how many Israeli assaults they have been through.

About half of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million is under 18, and the current offensive is Israel’s fifth major one in 15 years.

The constant trauma has resulted in four out of five children in Gaza living with depression, grief and fear, according to a 2022 report by Save the Children.

More than half struggle with suicidal thoughts and the trauma of witnessing the deaths of other children.

As the death toll mounts – about 500 children have been killed so far in seven days – parents try their best to create a sense of normalcy to help their children cope.

The current assault’s nonstop bombing has killed more than 1,500 Palestinians in total, the Palestinian Ministry of Health said.

Samah Jabr, a 35-year-old mother of four in Gaza City, is worried about her eldest son, Qusay, 13.

“He is very agitated and lashes out a lot these days. He jumps at any sound,” she said. “He can’t bear anyone speaking loudly, even if they’re joking. I try to tell him that this war will end.”

Jabr hugs Qusay as often as she can, holding him close and talking soothingly about what they will do after the war. She hopes this will give him the strength to get through this time.

“The sound of the missiles is terrifying, and our house shakes so hard,” Jabr said.

She taught her children, who never leave her side, how to spot the light that accompanies a missile so they are prepared for the deafening sound that will follow.

In the southern city of Rafah, Ahlam Wadi says her son Omar, 10, sleeps with his hands covering his ears.

“I’m worried about him,” the 30-year-old said. “I’m scared he will be damaged in the long run. I try to distract him by talking to him constantly, but he can only hear the bombs and missiles.”

Wadi and her children stay together in one room, and her husband tries to distract them by telling them about his own childhood.

“He tells them that he lived through these events before he got married and that he was very strong and not afraid,” she said.

“My second son, Saeed, who is seven, asks me whether I was also strong and fearless. I tell him I tried hard to be brave.

“I’m worried that he will have these panic attacks for the rest of his life,” she said of the attacks that grip her little boy.

Fear of loss

Manal Salem, who lives in Gaza City, said she gets her three children to talk to their grandparents every day to tell them what they heard during the night and whether that scared them or they felt brave.

“Their grandmother tells them they must bear these difficult days because it is only temporary and that they will get through this war and be happy together again,” Salem said.

“They reply by telling their grandparents to be safe because they love them so much and want to see them again.”

Salem’s daughter Mai, who is six, has separation anxiety because her father, a doctor who works in the Al-Shifa Hospital emergency room, doesn’t come home every night.

“Mai thinks her dad will be hit by a missile whenever he’s not at home with her,” Salem said. “I keep reassuring her that he’s fine, that she must stay strong.

“I also try to calm her down by letting her talk to her dad on the phone, but sometimes he can’t respond because so many casualties are coming in.”

In Khan Younis, Rawand Khalaf tries to distract her five children, nine to 14 years old, through play.

“I sit with all of them in one room and invent games with their toys, so they will not focus too hard on the sounds of explosions,” Khalaf said.

“My kids have their toys with them all the time for comfort, and I keep telling them everything will be fine.”

Her eldest son, Aaed, tells Al Jazeera that he cannot get the images of children killed or under the rubble out of his head, much less the images of injured children screaming in pain.

“I can’t imagine how children with such small bodies can bear these huge missiles,” he said. “I can’t understand how nobody does anything to help them. The children of Gaza have a right to live.

World Opinions + Agencies

L’article Gaza’s terrified children all too aware Israel’s bombs steal their joy.. Video est apparu en premier sur زوايا ميادين | Mayadin Columns.

The presence of Israeli hostages held at gunpoint in at least two locations close to the Gaza-Israel border presents Israel with a delicate dilemma where there are no easy options.

A rescue operation by Special Forces is an obvious choice and the IDF – Israel Defence Forces – have said they are already deployed in more than one location.

The risk here is that the captors kill the captives before the rescuers can reach them.

Negotiation is the other option but it’s hard to see this happening in such a febrile atmosphere where the death toll on both sides is still mounting by the hour.

It’s also worth noting that when the Israeli serviceman Gilad Shalit was kidnapped by Palestinian militants in a cross-border raid in 2006 it took five years of tortuous negotiations.

Israel’s ambassador to the UN has said Hamas “holds the sole responsibility and will bear the results” of the ongoing fighting.

“The state of Israel will act in any way necessary to protect its citizens and sovereignty from the ongoing terrorist attacks originating from the Gaza Strip and carried out by Hamas and other terrorist organizations,” Israel’s UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan wrote to the 15-member UN Security Council in a letter.

Hamas says fired 150 rockets at Tel Aviv

The latest barrage of rockets came at 8pm local (17:00 GMT). The military wing of Hamas has said the rockets are a response to Israel’s attack on a high-rise building in the heart of Gaza City.

A spokesperson for Israel’s national emergency medical service, Magen David Adom, said it was searching areas with reports of injuries, including in Yavne, Givatayim, Bat Yam, Beit Dagan, Tel Aviv and Rishon Letzion.

Videos on social media showed a barrage of rockets over Tel Aviv. It was not immediately clear how many had been intercepted.

Netanyahu invites opposition to form emergency government

Israel’s PM Netanyahu has invited opposition leaders – Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz – to form an emergency national government, according to a statement from his party Likud.

Earlier, Lapid told Israeli media that he is willing to form an emergency government with Netanyahu.

A short while ago, I met with Prime Minister Netanyahu. I told him that in this emergency situation I’m willing to form an emergency, narrow, professional government with him. Netanyahu knows that with the current extreme and dysfunctional security cabinet, he can’t manage a war.

Yair LapidLeader of Israeli opposition and Yesh Atid party

Public broadcaster Kan says Lapid and Gantz are meeting now to discuss the conditions for them entering government.

Palestinian militants have taken dozens of Israelis captive, both military and civilian, in an unprecedented development.

Some are thought to be being held in some of the small towns near the Gaza Strip, while others have been taken back into Gaza.

Video has emerged showing the moment a man, believed to be an Israeli hostage, is pushed into a car, which is then driven away.

World Opinions + Agencies

L’article Israel-Palestine escalation: Gaza under bombardment after Hamas attack.. Videos est apparu en premier sur زوايا ميادين | Mayadin Columns.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on a tour of European capitals, tells leaders at a summit in Brussels that Europe’s freedom depends on Ukraine’s.

Russian forces have significantly stepped up attacks in eastern Ukraine and are trying to break through defences near Kreminna, says the Ukrainian governor of Luhansk.

The Russian embassy in London warns of “military and political consequences” after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said “nothing is off the table”, including combat aircraft for Ukraine.

Russia’s Wagner mercenary group says it has stopped recruiting prisoners to fight in Ukraine.

He was earlier given a standing ovation at the European Parliament in Brussels.

Czech Republic to repair damaged Ukrainian armoured vehicles

The Ukrainian army’s armoured vehicles will be repaired in the Czech Republic, the Czech Defence Ministry said.

The ministry said that state-owned company VOP CZ signed a memorandum of understanding with Ukraine’s government arms manufacturer Ukroboronprom on the repairs on Monday.

“The memorandum … contains a specific plan and timetable for the repairs or securing of spare parts,” said Ales Vytecka, director of the Czech government’s AMOS agency for military cooperation, who co-signed the memorandum.

The Czech Republic has been one of the top weapons providers to Kyiv among NATO allies, supplying Ukraine with armoured personnel carriers, tanks or howitzers.

Russia may take legal action over Nord Stream investigation

Russia might take political or legal action in response to a report alleging that the US was involved in the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines last year, the TASS news agency reported, citing a foreign ministry official.

In a blog post, Pulitzer Prize-winning American investigative journalist Seymour Hersh cited an unidentified source as saying US navy divers had planted explosives on the pipelines in the Baltic Sea on the orders of President Joe Biden.

The White House dismissed the report as “utterly false and complete fiction”, and Norway, which is investigating the explosions, said the allegations were “nonsense”.

Mr Zelensky said Germany and France had the potential to be “game-changers” in the war. The sooner Ukraine received heavy, long-range weapons and modern planes, “the quicker this Russian aggression will end”, he explained.

Although President Macron has previously signalled some openness to providing fighter jets, Mr Scholz has not.

The French leader vowed Ukraine could count on his support, with France “determined to help Ukraine to victory and the re-establishment of its legitimate rights”. Chancellor Scholz added: “The position is unchanged: Russia must not win this war.”

Because of the 11-month long Russian invasion, Mr Zelensky rarely leaves his own country and a senior Ukrainian official said that the purpose of his trip was to obtain results.

He argues that fighter jets and long-range missiles are important in addition to the Leopard 2 tanks that Western nations have recently committed to supplying. While Mr Zelensky said he had discussed the issue of combat planes in Paris, he warned there was “very little time” to provide much-needed weaponry.

The Dutch prime minister said that many sensitive issues had to be discussed before a decision could be made on supplying fighter jets. “The pros and cons – you have to make absolutely sure that you are not getting into an Article Five direct confrontation between Nato and Russia,” Mr Rutte told the BBC.

Moscow has repeatably warned the West against weapons deliveries since the war began, frequently threatening to retaliate against what it calls “provocations”.

Asked by reporters in Moscow about the growing debate over sending warplanes to Ukraine, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia saw it as evidence of the growing involvement of the UK, France and Germany in the conflict.

“We regret this and state that such actions of these countries lead to the escalation of tension around this conflict, prolong it and make it more painful and torturous for Ukraine,” said Mr Peskov.

Chancellor Scholz agreed only recently to allow German Leopard tanks and has warned against getting involved in a “public bidding war” of weapons systems for Ukraine.

Mr Zelensky had earlier addressed a joint session of the UK Parliament in Westminster Hall, underlining his plea for fighter jets: “Freedom will win – we know Russia will lose.”

Downing Street said UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace was investigating what aircraft could potentially be offered, but emphasised this was “a long-term solution” and that training pilots could take years.

World Opinions – agencies

L’article Analysis. Zelenskyy lobbies EU leaders as battles rage est apparu en premier sur زوايا ميادين | Mayadin Columns.

​The longer this war lasts, the higher the chances that it will spill over into Nato territory. Last night’s missile explosions that reportedly killed two people in the Polish village of Przewodów, 20km from the border with Ukraine, are testimony to a dangerous trend of miscalculation that could lead to escalation. As long as Russia continues its desperate tactic of missile barrages against civilian infrastructure, this risk is high.

But while attention is focused on Russia’s indiscriminate long-range strikes, and the emerging G20 and Nato reactions, Moscow’s position on the ground is weaker than it has been in months. The loss of Kherson last week was a major blow – to the point that even senior Russian commanders have acknowledged setbacks for the first time.

Kherson was a key strategic asset for the Russian invasion: it is a regional capital, an important Black Sea hub and home to a major shipbuilding industry. The region is also the location of the North Crimean canal, a major source of fresh water for Crimea. Russia’s advances in the south of Ukraine earlier this year were aimed at creating a land corridor to Crimea, asserting control over this important trade route and establishing a launch pad for the occupation of Odesa. Now, that is all in jeopardy.

Once Ukraine establishes its positions in the area it will be able to target northern Crimea and put further pressure on Russian supply lines in the south. ​The Ukrainian army is already attacking positions around the Kinburn Spit on the left bank of the Dnipro river. This could in turn put the Russian occupation of Melitopol and Mariupol at risk and ultimately render the isthmus of Perekop – the narrow strip of land connecting the Crimean peninsula to the rest of Ukraine – vulnerable. Perekop is the door to Crimea. This is significant for the outcome of this war, as it will further weaken Russian capacity to maintain control over the peninsula; Gen Sergei Surovikin, Vladimir Putin’s commander in Ukraine since early October, may need more troops to reinforce defences of Crimea, forcing the Russians to downsize the area of their military campaign.

The operation to retake the city was the result of a carefully planned counteroffensive – the kind of operation many analysts would have considered unthinkable just a few months ago. It began in September as Ukraine targeted bridges and ferry routes, cutting off Russian supply lines over the Dnipro river. The plan to trap Russian formations on the right bank worked. The Kremlin was forced to choose between retreating to save manpower and a part of its military equipment, or leaving both to capture or elimination due to lack of essential supplies and Kyiv’s growing firepower. It opted for the first.

The scale of the loss can be seen in official Russian communication: it is the first defeat officially acknowledged by the senior military leadership. As the only large regional centre captured by Russia without sustaining major destruction, Kherson was an important propaganda tool for Putin’s domestic audiences. From day one the Kremlin presented its “special operation” as a campaign to liberate Russian-speaking “compatriots” from Kyiv’s oppression. The annexation of four Ukrainian regions – including Kherson – after sham referendums in September was meant to bring these territories into the Russian fold permanently.

Putin insisted people in these regions were joining Russia for ever, and billboards reading “With Russia for ever” popped up on many streets of Kherson. Losing Kherson shows that for ever is a short-term notion, and that Putin is not infallible.

The Russian president himself has stayed silent on the retreat, trying to distance himself from failure. His propagandists, however, explain the “disastrous” turn of events with reference to the “unexpected” coalition of more than 50 countries backing Ukraine against Russia. To calm the panic, Putin’s frontman and deputy chair of Russia’s security council, Dmitry Medvedev, has declared that the land will be returned to Russian control. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov insists it is still part of Russia despite the retreat. This gap between rhetoric and reality will surely slowly sink in with the wider public in Russia. Combined with Russia’s staggering human and materiel losses to date, this will only increase pressure on Putin.

The G20 summit in Bali further isolated Russia, hitting its international reputation. Russian attempts to cement its own coalition in opposition to the G7 and fuel anti-US sentiments are failing. The global south is unlikely to stick with the losing side for long. President Zelenskiy’s appeal to world leaders provided a clear road map for ending the war: a withdrawal of all Russian forces and the return of Ukraine’s territories.

For Ukraine the liberation of Kherson is also a boost for continued resistance and evidence of the strength of its armed forces. It is further proof that Russia’s forces, the so-called “second army in the world”, are – at best – the second army in Ukraine. Since the start of the war, the overwhelming majority of Ukrainians have believed in their ability to repel Russian aggression. Victories such as Kherson reinforce that conviction.

Despite the celebratory mood, the Ukrainian leadership is cautious. Russia is still a dangerous adversary. Surovikin managed to preserve most of the approximately 30,000 Russian troops who were in Kherson. It is difficult to predict next steps, but the Kherson contingent will probably be redeployed to strengthen Russia’s presence in the eastern military theatre. Russians desperately need a victory and Donbas could now become their main focus. Taking control of the major railway hubs around Pavlivka and Vyhledar would enable the extensive and rapid supply of artillery munitions to the battlefield. Depending on the weather, the war could either continue at the current pace or, if it gets too wet, turn into a heavy artillery duel across large parts of the existing frontline.

For Ukraine to maintain and strengthen its current strategic initiative, western resolve and assistance remain key. Kherson is yet more proof that military aid to Ukraine is effective. Ukraine has liberated about 50% of the territory taken by Russia since the start of the war. A premature push for negotiations would allow Putin to consolidate his positions and mount new attacks.

Kherson proves that Ukraine can win this war. Video footage of local people greeting Ukrainian soldiers in surrounding villages and in Kherson’s central square speaks volumes. Old ladies hand out apples and abandoned bullets to Ukrainian soldiers; residents dig up Ukrainian flags hidden in glass jars in their gardens. Those flags flying again over Kherson must serve as a constant reminder that this outcome is attainable as we face new challenges in the months to come.

By Orysia Lutsevych is the head of Ukraine Forum at Chatham House – Theguardian

L’article Russia’s relentless strikes may escalate the war – but Kherson shows Ukraine is winning est apparu en premier sur زوايا ميادين | Mayadin Columns.