UNITED NATIONS: Members of the United Nations Security Council called on Monday for a surge in assistance to reach people in need in Israeli-basieged Gaza, warning that the situation in the Palestinian enclave was getting worse.
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said there needs to be a “huge, huge rise in aid” to Gaza, where most of the population of 2.3 million people has been displaced and health officials in the coastal enclave say that more than 43,922 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s 13-month-old offensive against Hamas.
“The situation is devastating, and frankly, beyond comprehension, and it’s getting worse, not better,” Lammy said. “Winter’s here. Famine is imminent, and 400 days into this war, it is totally unacceptable that it’s harder than ever to get aid into Gaza.”
The war erupted after Hamas-led gunmen attacked Israel in October last year, killing 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the Security Council that Washington was closely watching Israel’s actions to improve the situation for Palestinians and engaging with the Israeli government every day.
“Israel must also urgently take additional steps to alleviate the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza,” she said.
President Joe Biden’s administration concluded this month that Israel was not currently impeding assistance to Gaza and therefore not violating US law, even as Washington acknowledged the humanitarian situation remained dire in the Palestinian enclave.
The assessment came after the US in an Oct. 13 letter gave Israel a list of steps to take within 30 days to address the deteriorating situation in Gaza, warning that failure to do so might have possible consequences on US military aid to Israel.
Thomas-Greenfield said Israel was working to implement 12 of the 15 steps.
“We need to see all steps fully implemented and sustained, and we need to see concrete improvement in the humanitarian situation on the ground,” she said, including Israel allowing commercial trucks to move into Gaza alongside humanitarian assistance, addressing persistent lawlessness and implementing pauses in fighting in large areas of Gaza to allow assistance to reach those in need.
Danny Danon, the Israeli ambassador to the UN, said Israel had facilitated the entrance of hundreds of aid trucks a week but there had been a failure of aid agencies to collect that aid and Hamas had looted trucks. Hamas has denied the accusation.
“Not only must the UN step up its aid distribution obligations, but the focus must also shift to Hamas’ constant hijacking of humanitarian aid to feed the machine of terror and misery,” Danon said.
Two UN aid agencies told Reuters on Monday that nearly 100 trucks carrying food for Palestinians were violently looted on Nov. 16 after entering Gaza in one of the worst losses of aid during the war.
Tor Wennesland, the UN coordinator for the Middle East peace process, said humanitarian agencies face a challenging and dangerous operational environment in Gaza and access restrictions that hinder their work.
“The humanitarian situation in Gaza, as winter begins, is catastrophic, particularly developments in the north of Gaza with a large-scale and near-total displacement of the population and widespread destruction and clearing of land, amidst what looks like a disturbing disregard for international humanitarian law,” Wennesland said.
“The current conditions are among the worst we’ve seen during the entire war and are not set to improve.”
Members of UN Security Council call for surge in assistance to Gaza
https://arab.news/5am6t
Members of UN Security Council call for surge in assistance to Gaza
- British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said there needs to be a “huge, huge rise in aid” to Gaza
- “Israel must also urgently take additional steps to alleviate the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza,” US Ambassador to the UN said
Israel air force hits Houthi targets at Sanaa airport, defence ministry says
The Israeli air force has hit Houthi targets at Sanaa international airport in Yemen, Israel’s defense ministry said on Wednesday, after the militant group launched missiles toward Israel on Tuesday.
Saudi Arabia’s weekly POS spending holds above $3bn as apparel sales climb: SAMA
RIYADH: Consumer spending in Saudi Arabia remained resilient, staying above $3 billion for the fourth consecutive week, as strong demand for clothing and footwear helped offset broader declines in other sectors.
According to data from the Saudi Central Bank, also known as SAMA, point-of-sale transactions totaled SR11.71 billion ($3.12 billion) in the week ending May 24, down 5.5 percent from the previous week, while the number of transactions dipped 5.3 percent to 205.98 million.
Despite the overall drop, the apparel sector posted a 2.1 percent increase, reaching SR702.61 million, the only category to record weekly growth.
POS refers to transactions made using electronic payment methods — such as credit or debit cards — at retail outlets, restaurants, and service providers.
The sustained spending momentum highlights consumer confidence and the ongoing digital transformation of payments, driven by initiatives under the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 strategy.
The food and beverage category remained the largest in value at SR1.65 billion, though it saw an 8.4 percent decrease. Spending at restaurants and cafes declined 6.7 percent to SR1.65 billion, while transactions at gas stations fell 6.2 percent to SR872.03 million.
POS activity in health services dropped 6.1 percent to SR742.22 million, while miscellaneous goods and services fell 4.4 percent to SR1.46 billion. Recreation and culture remained relatively stable, down just 0.8 percent at SR227.67 million.
Geographically, Saudi Arabia’s capital city Riyadh dominated POS transactions, with a value amounting to SR4.31 billion. However, compared to the previous week, the value of transactions in Riyadh declined by 4.1 percent.
Jeddah followed with a 2.9 percent decrease, reaching SR1.69 billion, while Dammam came third with transactions amounting to SR620.65 million.
Hail experienced the most significant decrease in spending, dropping by 11 percent to SR172.08 million. Tabouk followed with a 10.1 percent reduction to SR213.94 million.
POS spending in Makkah witnessed a drop of 3.5 percent to SR379.61 million.
In Madinah, POS spending stood at SR408.84 million, marking a weekly decline of 6 percent.
In Khobar, the value of transactions amounted to SR365.15 million, a drop of 3.2 percent, while Abha registered SR146.08 million in transaction value, registering a weekly decline of 4.9 percent.
At least 47 wounded, mostly by gunfire, as Palestinians crowd aid hub in Gaza
- The UN and other humanitarian organizations have rejected the new system, saying it won’t be able to meet the needs of Gaza’s 2.3 million people
GENEVA: A UN official says 47 Palestinians were wounded, mostly by gunfire, when crowd overran Gaza aid hub.
Ajith Sunghay, head of the UN Human Rights Office for the Palestinian territories, told reporters in Geneva that it appeared Israeli army fire had caused most of the injuries.
On Tuesday, crowds of Palestinians overwhelmed a new aid distribution hub set up by an Israeli and US-backed foundation. The crowd broke through fences and an Associated Press journalist heard Israeli tank and gun fire, and saw a military helicopter firing flares.
The distribution hub outside Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah was opened the day before by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which has been slated by Israel to take over aid operations.
The UN and other humanitarian organizations have rejected the new system, saying it won’t be able to meet the needs of Gaza’s 2.3 million people and allows Israel to use food as a weapon to control the population. They have also warned of the risk of friction between Israeli troops and people seeking supplies.
Palestinians have become desperate for food after nearly three months of Israeli blockade pushed Gaza to the brink of famine.
Gaza rescuers say 16 killed in Israeli strikes Wednesday
- Israel has stepped up its offensive in Gaza this month, aiming for ‘the defeat of Hamas’
- At least 3,822 people had been killed in the territory since Israel ended a ceasefire on March 18
GAZA CITY, Palestinian Territories: Gaza rescuers said sixteen people were killed Wednesday in Israeli strikes across the besieged Palestinian territory where Israel intensified its operations this month.
“Sixteen people have been killed as a result of Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip since dawn,” civil defense spokesman Mahmud Bassal said.
Among them, nine belonged to the family of photojournalist Osama Al-Arbeed and were killed in a strike on their home in Gaza’s north at 2:00 a.m., Bassal said.
He added that Arbeed was injured, noting that he is a videographer and editor at a local film production organization.
Another six members of the same family were killed in central Gaza in a strike that left 15 people wounded, “including children.”
One other person, a civilian per Bassal, was killed near the southern Gaza city of Khan Yunis.
When contacted by AFP, the Israeli military declined to comment on the strikes, saying it could not do so without precise coordinates.
Israel has stepped up its offensive in Gaza this month, aiming for “the defeat of Hamas,” more than 18 months after the group’s October 2023 attack on Israel triggered the war.
Some 1,218 people were killed in that attack, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.
Militants also took 251 hostages, 57 of whom remain in Gaza, including 34 who the Israeli military says are dead.
The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said on Monday that at least 3,822 people had been killed in the territory since Israel ended a ceasefire on March 18, taking the war’s overall toll to 53,977, mostly civilians.
UNRWA chief warns of the organization’s dire financial state
- UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini gave his remarks during a press conference at the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo
TOKYO: The chief of the UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) on Wednesday said the organization’s financial situation is desperate, adding that it urgently needs support to continue operations past June.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini gave his remarks during a press conference at the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo.
