British doctors describe hospitals flooded with casualties from Gaza aid site attacks

British doctors describe hospitals flooded with casualties from Gaza aid site attacks
Palestinians mourn at Nasser hospital by the bodies of relatives who were killed by Israeli fire as they gathered near a US-backed aid center. (AFP)
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Updated 03 June 2025
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British doctors describe hospitals flooded with casualties from Gaza aid site attacks

British doctors describe hospitals flooded with casualties from Gaza aid site attacks
  • Patients all had gunshot wounds, mostly to their limbs, after Israeli soldiers opened fire Tuesday, emergency consultant at Al-Mawasi hospital says
  • Scores of Palestinians killed in 3 days near same aid distribution hub

LONDON: The remaining hospitals in southern Gaza were overwhelmed with casualties after Israeli soldiers opened fire on crowds trying to access an aid distribution center, British doctors working in the territory said.

Scores of Palestinians congregating to reach the food hub in Rafah have been shot dead in recent days.

The Red Cross said 27 people were killed and many more wounded on Tuesday when Israeli soldiers opened fire about one km from the aid center run by the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.

On Sunday, at least 31 people were killed as they gathered at the same roundabout before heading to the aid center.

Dr. Iain Lennon, an emergency consultant volunteering at Al-Mawasi hospital in southern Gaza, told the BBC that all of the patients who arrived at the facility after the attack were suffering bullet wounds.

“We were woken up in the early hours of the morning by the team in the hospital,” Lennon said. “One of our partner organizations had declared a mass casualty incident and were overwhelmed, and we were taking patients both directly from the scene and from the other hospitals involved.”

“We’ve seen probably about 22 patients between 5 and 8 a.m. in the morning, two patients who we’ve had to take immediately to theater for immediate life saving surgery and a number of other patients with bullet wounds in limbs.”

He said the youngest victims were aged 15 or 16, and most of them were men who had walked the long distances to reach the aid hub.

“They were all injured by bullets, as far as we could see,” he added. “There was no sort of blast or shrapnel injuries, particularly at this event. Lots of people with wounds in, arms and legs, and a couple of people with more sort of central abdominal wounds.”

The Israel Defense Forces said its soldiers opened fire when “several suspects” deviated from the designated route toward the aid site.

“The troops carried out warning fire, and after the suspects failed to retreat, additional shots were directed near individual suspects who advanced toward the troops,” the military said.

Dr. Victoria Rose, a British surgeon, said that on Sunday, 28 bodies and more than 200 people with gunshot injuries arrived at the Nasser hospital where she is working.

“We went into a mass casualty scenario, so all of the theaters stopped operating and just started taking the emergency work from the emergency department,” she said in a video shared by Islamic Help charity. “It’s going to be very hard for us to deal with all of this now because we don’t really have the medical supplies or the reserves in the workforce to deal with a mass casualty of this kind.”

New aid distribution hubs have been set up after Israel blocked the UN from delivering aid to Gaza and cut off all supplies on March 2.

Deliveries resumed late last month but are being managed by the newly created Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.

The UN’s human rights chief, Volker Turk, said: “Deadly attacks on distraught civilians trying to access the paltry amounts of food aid in Gaza are unconscionable.”

He called for a “prompt and impartial” investigation into the killings.


Iran-Israel war fears spark fuel shortages in West Bank

Iran-Israel war fears spark fuel shortages in West Bank
Updated 7 sec ago
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Iran-Israel war fears spark fuel shortages in West Bank

Iran-Israel war fears spark fuel shortages in West Bank
“Fearing potential supply disruptions or further escalation, citizens across the West Bank have begun stockpiling fuel,” said Abu Al-Rob
In the northern West Bank city of Nablus, dozens of drivers waited in line for fuel

RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territories: Fears over the war between Israel and Iran have led to fuel shortages in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Authority told AFP Wednesday, as drivers queued in long lines to buy fuel.

“Fearing potential supply disruptions or further escalation, citizens across the West Bank have begun stockpiling fuel, putting additional pressure on an already strained market,” said Mohammad Abu Al-Rob, director of the PA’s communications center.

After decades of enmity and a prolonged shadow war, Israel on Friday launched a massive bombing campaign that prompted Iran to respond with missiles and drones.

The PA official said there has also been “a noticeable decline in the number of fuel tankers arriving from Israel, some of which have been redirected for use by the Israeli occupation army.”

In the northern West Bank city of Nablus, dozens of drivers waited in line for fuel.

Mohammad Ayoub, a resident of Nablus who had been waiting in line for two hours, said he hoped to finally purchase fuel after several failed attempts.

“I came yesterday at about 11:00 p.m. and found the gas stations closed. I also came early in the morning and the situation was the same.”

Ahmad Samaana, a truck driver from Nablus, complained of limits placed on fuel purchases.

“Large trucks, like the one I have, need about 500 liters, but when we enter the station, the worker at the station tells me that he allows filling up with a value of 500 shekels, which is less than 100 liters of diesel,” he told AFP.

“This is not enough for a truck.”

Abu Al-Rob noted that “the (fuel) supply chain remains entirely subject to Israel’s will and control,” as the country controls all entry points into the West Bank, which it has occupied since 1967.

He relayed the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority’s call “to safeguard the flow of essential supplies — particularly fuel for hospitals, bakeries, and other critical sectors” should the situation worsen.

Israel to resume natural gas exports when military deems it’s safe, energy minister says

Israel to resume natural gas exports when military deems it’s safe, energy minister says
Updated 18 June 2025
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Israel to resume natural gas exports when military deems it’s safe, energy minister says

Israel to resume natural gas exports when military deems it’s safe, energy minister says
  • Cohen said he has been in contact with Egypt and Jordan about the cut in supplies.
  • “I don’t want to use our strategic storage, so therefore, I needed to cut exports”

TEL AVIV: Israel will resume its natural gas exports when the country’s military believes it would be safe to do so, Israel’s Energy Minister Eli Cohen said on Wednesday, as an air battle between Israel and Iran entered its sixth day.

Two of Israel’s three gas fields — Chevron-operated Leviathan and Energean’s Karish — off its Mediterranean coast that provide the bulk of exports to Egypt and Jordan, have been shut since June 13 amid the conflict between Israel and Iran.

That leaves in operation only the older Tamar field, used mainly for domestic supplies.

Cohen said he has been in contact with Egypt and Jordan about the cut in supplies.

“They can see that we are in a war. I don’t want to use our strategic storage, so therefore, I needed to cut exports,” Cohen told Reuters after a news briefing.

“I hope I will be able to use another rig as soon as possible and use it for the supply of gas (exports). For me, the most important thing is (supplying) Israel,” he said, alluding to fueling needs during the conflict with Iran.

It wasn’t clear when another gas field will be reopened, Cohen said, noting: “We are working with them [the military], the Navy, and right now their recommendation is that one (field) will continue to work and two will be shut down.”

Israeli gas accounts for about 15-20 percent of Egypt’s consumption, data from the Joint Organizations Data Initiative (JODI) shows. The disruption to Israel’s gas supply led Egyptian fertilizer producers to halt operations on Friday.

Israel launched the air war on Iran on Friday after concluding the latter was on the verge of developing a nuclear weapon. Iran maintains its nuclear program is purely for civilian purposes.

OTHER ENERGY SOURCES
Israel’s energy sector, Cohen said, was operating normally, with no shortages expected since the country also maintains reserves in coal, diesel and renewable energy.

Israel’s Oil Refineries in Haifa was hit by an Iranian missile this week, which killed three people and halted operations.

Cohen said he hoped the facility would resume operations within a month, though a second refinery in the south remains open.

Since Friday, the percentage of renewable, or solar, energy used in electricity production has more than doubled to some 40 percent, Cohen said.

There was also some damage to wastewater treatment facilities and pipelines from Iranian air strikes.

Cohen acknowledged that victory against Iran could take weeks but Israel’s energy demands could be met.

“Although the Iranians struck some of our plants, we have very strong energy facilities that can supply all the energy demands for Israeli citizens and the army, in fuel, gas, electricity and water.”


Iranian Ambassador in Tokyo hails Saudi and Arab support

Iranian Ambassador in Tokyo hails Saudi and Arab support
Updated 18 June 2025
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Iranian Ambassador in Tokyo hails Saudi and Arab support

Iranian Ambassador in Tokyo hails Saudi and Arab support
  • Ambassador Seadat recognized the substantial support from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
  • “We will always remember the kindness shown to us by our brothers in Saudi Arabia,” he told Arab News Japan

TOKYO: Iranian Ambassador to Japan, Peiman Seadat, expressed his gratitude for the unified support of Saudi Arabia and other Arab and Muslim countries in their collective effort against the aggression of the Israeli war machine.

He stated that this unity among Arab and Muslim nations is a testament to the strength of regional cooperation.

In an exclusive interview with Arab News Japan on Wednesday, the Ambassador highlighted that Arab and Muslim countries recognize the seriousness of the aggression by the Israeli regime and the threat it poses to the entire region.

Ambassador Seadat recognized the substantial support from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Foreign Minister Prince Farhan.

“We are deeply grateful for the compassionate assistance provided by the Crown Prince to approximately 80,000 Iranian pilgrims who have been stranded in Saudi Arabia. His Highness personally assured us that these pilgrims are being welcomed as guests of the Kingdom. We will always remember the kindness shown to us by our brothers in Saudi Arabia.”

The Iranian Ambassador, Seadat, also highlighted the support to Iran by Egypt, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman, among others. He also expressed gratitude to the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, for his clear condemnation of Israel’s aggressive actions against Iran.


Gaza Humanitarian Foundation initiative ‘outrageous’: UN probe chief

Gaza Humanitarian Foundation initiative ‘outrageous’: UN probe chief
Updated 18 June 2025
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Gaza Humanitarian Foundation initiative ‘outrageous’: UN probe chief

Gaza Humanitarian Foundation initiative ‘outrageous’: UN probe chief
  • GHF began operations on May 26 after Israel completely cut off supplies into Gaza for more than two months, sparking warnings of mass famine
  • UN and major aid groups have refused to cooperate with the foundation over concerns it was designed to cater to Israeli military objectives

GENEVA: The use of the US and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation to distribute food in the Palestinian territory is “outrageous,” the head of a UN inquiry said Wednesday.
Navi Pillay, who chairs the UN’s Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Israel and the Palestinian territories, joined a growing chorus of criticism of the GHF’s operations, and cited its US links.
“In every war, the siege and starvation surely leads to death,” the former UN rights chief told journalists.
“But this initiative of what’s called a foundation, a private foundation, to supply food, is what I see as outrageous, because it involves the United States itself, the government, and it turns out, as we watch daily, that people who go to those centers are being killed as they seek food.”
An officially private effort with opaque funding, GHF began operations on May 26 after Israel completely cut off supplies into Gaza for more than two months, sparking warnings of mass famine.
The United Nations and major aid groups have refused to cooperate with the foundation over concerns it was designed to cater to Israeli military objectives.
Dozens of Palestinians have been killed while trying to reach GHF distribution points.
Pillay said the commission would “have to look into... the policy purpose and how it’s being effected.
“We have to spell out what is the motive of, right now, the killing of people who are coming for humanitarian aid from this so-called foundation — and that lives are being lost just in trying to secure food for their children.”
Unprecedented in its open-ended scope, the three-person Commission of Inquiry was established by the UN Human Rights Council in May 2021 to investigate alleged violations of international humanitarian and human rights law in Israel and the Palestinian territories.
South African former High Court judge Pillay, 83, served as a judge on the International Criminal Court and presided over the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.
On Tuesday she presented the commission’s latest report to the Human Rights Council.
It said Israel had attacked Gaza’s schools, religious and cultural sites as part of a “widespread and systematic” assault on the civilian population, in which Israeli forces have committed “war crimes” and “the crime against humanity of extermination.”
Israel does not cooperate with the investigation and has long accused it of “systematic anti-Israel discrimination.”


UAE president, Russia’s Putin discuss Iran-Israel conflict

UAE president, Russia’s Putin discuss Iran-Israel conflict
Updated 18 June 2025
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UAE president, Russia’s Putin discuss Iran-Israel conflict

UAE president, Russia’s Putin discuss Iran-Israel conflict
  • Emirati, Russian leaders proposed ways to contain the military escalation

LONDON: Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan to discuss the latest developments in the Iran-Israel conflict, which entered its sixth day as of Wednesday.

The leaders addressed the grave implications of the conflict — which began on Friday — on regional and global security, according to the Emirates News Agency.

They discussed efforts to contain the war and halt the spiraling escalation, and highlighted the importance of exercising restraint and pursuing dialogue to avoid further threats to security.

Putin and Sheikh Mohamed voiced their support for all efforts aimed at achieving a solution through diplomatic means, WAM reported.