World Archives | Page 14 of 26

Israel Expands No-Go Zones in Gaza as 138 Killed in a Single Day UN Reports Rising Deaths at Aid Sites

Fola Badmus3 months ago3 months ago03 mins

In one of the deadliest 24-hour periods since the start of the conflict, Israeli military operations in Gaza have left at least 138 Palestinians dead, according to health officials and multiple aid groups. Among the casualties, at least 20 people were shot while waiting at aid trucks, and 15 others were killed in airstrikes targeting displaced civilians in areas such as Khan Younis and the al-Mawasi coastal strip, once designated as a humanitarian safe zone by Israel. The Israeli military has also expanded “no-go” zones across Gaza, particularly near aid distribution points and key hospitals, triggering renewed warnings from the United Nations and humanitarian organizations about the deteriorating safety of civilians seeking food and medical assistance. According to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), as of June 27, at least 613 Palestinians had been killed at or near aid distribution points, many operated under the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) model. The Gaza Health Ministry places that number at over 650 killed and more than 4,000 wounded around these aid corridors. Witnesses report gunfire from Israeli snipers, tanks, and drones targeting crowds of civilians awaiting aid, and describe scenes of panic as drones hover over lines of hungry, displaced families. “The sites have become human slaughterhouses,” said a civil defense spokesperson in Gaza. He added that many victims were deliberately targeted while seeking humanitarian relief. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have issued new evacuation orders in Khan Younis, including areas surrounding the Nasser Hospital, further displacing thousands. Meanwhile, international calls for a ceasefire have intensified. Hamas is reportedly considering a 60-day truce proposal mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and backed by the United States. As the death toll mounts, humanitarian agencies continue to condemn the increasing militarization of aid zones, warning that neutrality and safety guarantees for civilians are collapsing under ongoing Israeli offensives.

IAEA Inspectors Leave Iran Following US-Israel-Iran Conflict Marking Start of Nuclear Ambiguity

Fola Badmus3 months ago3 months ago05 mins

Tehran, Iran – July 5, 2025 — A team of inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has departed Iran, following Tehran’s decision to suspend cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog in the wake of the 12-day military conflict involving Israel, the United States, and Iran. In a statement on Friday, the IAEA confirmed that some of its staff had returned to its headquarters in Vienna, Austria, with Director-General Rafael Grossi urging the swift resumption of monitoring and verification operations inside Iran. While the IAEA did not disclose how many inspectors left or whether any remain in the country, Al Jazeera’s Resul Serdar, reporting from Tehran, said that the officials departed via land through Armenia, signaling the beginning of what observers are calling a new era of “nuclear ambiguity” in Iran. Iran Cuts Ties With IAEA After Airstrikes The inspectors had remained in Iran throughout the fighting, which began on June 13 when Israel launched airstrikes on Iranian military facilities, killing senior military officials, scientists, and civilians. The United States later joined the assault, dropping bunker-buster bombs on suspected nuclear sites — a move the Trump administration claimed set back Iran’s nuclear programme significantly. Following these events, Iran formally suspended cooperation with the IAEA, citing a deep erosion of trust and accusing the agency of bias. On Wednesday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian ordered an end to ties with the IAEA, a decision backed by the Iranian Parliament and the Guardian Council. Guardian Council spokesperson Hadi Tahan Nazif defended the move as protecting Iran’s national sovereignty, adding that cooperation would only resume when there is “guaranteed security for nuclear facilities and scientists.” Diplomatic Fallout and Global Reaction The decision comes shortly after the IAEA passed a resolution on June 12 — just one day before the conflict began — accusing Iran of failing to meet its nuclear obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Iran criticized the timing of the resolution and condemned the IAEA for its silence on the subsequent US and Israeli airstrikes. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi dismissed Grossi’s request to inspect bombed nuclear sites, saying the demand was “meaningless and possibly malign in intent.” Meanwhile, Washington reacted sharply. US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce described Iran’s move as “unacceptable” and urged Tehran to “reverse course and choose a path of peace and prosperity.” She reiterated the Biden administration’s stance: “Iran cannot and will not have a nuclear weapon.” Iran has consistently denied any intention to build nuclear arms, insisting that its programme is strictly for civilian energy purposes. To date, neither US intelligence nor the IAEA has provided definitive proof that Tehran is developing nuclear weapons. What Happens Next? The withdrawal of IAEA inspectors raises critical concerns over nuclear transparency in the region. Experts warn that the lack of independent verification could escalate tensions further and undermine any remaining diplomatic channels. While Iran maintains that its nuclear work remains peaceful, its rejection of inspections and the secrecy now surrounding its facilities may fuel international suspicion and increase the risk of miscalculation in an already volatile Middle East. As of now, there is no indication of when — or if — Iran will restore its cooperation with the IAEA.

UN: Over 600 Palestinians Killed at Gaza Aid Sites and Near Humanitarian Convoys

Fola Badmus3 months ago3 months ago03 mins

Geneva, Switzerland – The United Nations has confirmed that at least 613 Palestinians have been killed at or near humanitarian aid distribution points and convoys in Gaza as of June 27, raising alarms about the dangers civilians face while trying to access lifesaving assistance. According to Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the majority of the deaths—509 individuals—occurred near sites operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a controversial aid initiative backed by Israel and the United States. “These sites are becoming death zones,” Shamdasani warned during a press briefing in Geneva on Friday. “This figure is not final. Since June 27, there have been further incidents.” The Gaza Health Ministry has reported even higher casualties, estimating over 650 killed and more than 4,000 injured around these aid points, which many critics and rights groups now describe as “human slaughterhouses.” The GHF began operations in late May, introducing a centralized food distribution model. However, humanitarian agencies, including the UN, have questioned the GHF’s neutrality and effectiveness, especially as violence around its sites persists. In a chilling account, Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for the Gaza Civil Defence, said there is “evidence of civilians being deliberately killed by Israeli military forces.” “Some were shot by snipers, others targeted by drones and airstrikes as they waited for food and aid,” he stated. Meanwhile, Israeli military activity intensified on Friday, with medical sources confirming the killing of 41 Palestinians across Gaza in a single day. In Khan Younis, at least 15 people were killed after airstrikes hit al-Mawasi, a coastal area once designated a “humanitarian safe zone” by Israel. The Israeli military has also issued new evacuation orders for residents in eastern and central Khan Younis, including the area surrounding Nasser Hospital, raising fears of another wave of displacement in an already devastated region. Rights organizations and humanitarian agencies continue to call for immediate protection for civilians and accountability for attacks on aid seekers, warning that Gaza’s humanitarian catastrophe is worsening under direct and targeted violence.

Israeli Snipers Open Fire on Palestinian Family Celebration Injuring Two in East Jerusalem

Fola Badmus3 months ago3 months ago03 mins

Occupied East Jerusalem – A joyous family gathering in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of at-Tur turned into a scene of horror on the night of June 16, when Israeli snipers opened fire, seriously wounding 12-year-old Iyas Abu Mufreh and his cousin, 21-year-old Uday Abu Juma’. The extended Abu Juma’ family had gathered outside their home to celebrate two special events: the return of their grandmother from Hajj and the academic success of a relative who had excelled in the national tawjihi exams. The peaceful celebration quickly descended into chaos as bullets tore through the night air. According to eyewitnesses and reviewed security footage, two Israeli snipers positioned on a rooftop approximately 500 meters away fired without provocation, striking the two young men as they sat near a car eating pizza. Iyas was hit just centimetres from his heart, the bullet tearing through his shoulder and requiring emergency surgery. A harrowing image shows the boy in his hospital bed in Jerusalem, surrounded by his mother, Nisreen, and older brother, Amir. Uday also sustained serious injuries. The only physical evidence left at the scene after authorities swept the area the following day was a pizza box and a bullet hole on al-Hardoub Street. “There was no threat, no warning, nothing,” said Nisreen, expressing disbelief over the sudden, unprovoked violence. “Everyone was in shock. We didn’t know what was happening.” Israeli authorities had earlier placed roadblocks at the two main entrances into at-Tur at the start of the brief 12-day war with Iran that began on June 13. Yet according to the family and neighbours, there was no unrest or confrontation in the area that night to justify the use of lethal force. The incident has drawn outrage from human rights advocates, who have condemned the shooting of civilians in a non-combat setting. As of now, Israeli military officials have not publicly commented on the sniper attack. The family is now demanding accountability and justice for what they describe as an unprovoked act of violence against innocent civilians, raising renewed concerns over the conduct of Israeli forces in occupied East Jerusalem.

Israel kills more than 300 in Gaza in 48 hours as focus intensifies on GHF

Fola Badmus3 months ago3 months ago010 mins

Gaza’s Government Media Office says Israel has committed ’26 bloody massacres’ in the last two days. Funerals and prayers held at the hospital for the people killed while collecting aidA funeral is held at Nasser Hospital for a Palestinian killed by Israeli forces while attempting to collect aid at a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation siteMore than 300 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in the last 48 hours, according to the Gaza Government Media Office, which says Israel has “committed 26 bloody massacres” in that period. At least 118 Palestinians were killed and 581 others injured in Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip in the past 24 hours, the enclave’s Health Ministry said on Thursday. At least 73 of those were killed since dawn, including 33 aid seekers at the controversial Israeli and United States-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) aid sites. Thirteen people were killed when Israeli forces attacked a tent in al-Mawasi in the south, while 16 were killed and many wounded in an attack on Mustafa Hafez School, sheltering displaced people west of Gaza City, medical sources told Al Jazeera. Ahmed Mansour, a displaced Palestinian taking shelter in the school building, said, “We woke up to fierce [Israeli] air strikes. It felt like an earthquake. People say it was a drone attack, but the sound was horrifying, relentless shelling. Missiles were so destructive that they set everything on fire. Victims were left burning for hours without help. There is no one here to save us.” GazaPeople walk over debris at Mustafa Hafez school, sheltering Palestinians displaced by the war, following an overnight Israeli strike in Gaza City [Omar Al-Qattaa/AFP]The Government Media Office statement on Thursday said the attacks over the last 48 hours had targeted civilians in shelters and displacement centres overcrowded with tens of thousands of displaced people, public rest areas, Palestinian families inside their homes, popular markets and vital civilian facilities, and starving civilians searching for food. Reporting from Deir el-Balah on the latest killings of Palestinians near GHF aid centres, Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum said, “People described scenes of horror as they wait for hours just hoping to get their hands on basic food supplies, only to be met with sudden and unprovoked gunfire … I’ve been speaking to a number of survivors this morning, and they told me such heartbreaking testimonies and they shared the horrific scenes that unfolded near the GHF-run aid centres. “They told me that there was no prior warning, no prior indication – just gunfire ripping through the crowd, desperate Palestinians scattered for cover as bullets flew. They told me that emergency services and medical teams were not able to access the area due to the intensity of the gunfire … This absolutely reflects the collapse of the humanitarian landscape here in Gaza,” he added. GHF’s US contractors reportedly using live fireUS contractors ostensibly guarding aid distribution sites in Gaza have been using live ammunition and stun grenades as hungry Palestinians scramble for food, according to accounts and videos obtained by The Associated Press news agency. Two US contractors, speaking to the AP on condition of anonymity, said they were speaking out because they were disturbed by what they considered dangerous practices. They said the security staff hired were often unqualified, unvetted, heavily armed and seemed to have an open licence to do whatever they wished. Later Thursday, GHF released a statement of denial. “GHF launched an immediate investigation when the Associated Press first brought these allegations to our attention. Based on time-stamped video footage and sworn witness statements, we have concluded that the claims in the AP’s story are categorically false.” “At no point were civilians under fire at a GHF distribution site. The gunfire heard in the video was confirmed to have originated from the [Israeli military], who was outside the immediate vicinity of the GHF distribution site. It was not directed at individuals, and no one was shot or injured,” it claimed without providing evidence. A recent report from Israeli outlet Haaretz detailed Israeli troops, in their words, confirming that Israeli soldiers have deliberately shot at unarmed Palestinians seeking aid in Gaza after being “ordered” to do so by their commanders. Al Jazeera’s Nour Odeh, reporting from Amman, said the GHF is “not just to replace the humanitarian mechanism run by international organisations for decades in Gaza, but it’s also to apply maximum pressure on the civilian population”. Odeh also noted that Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has said this week that too much aid is going to Gaza and that none should enter to ensure an Israeli victory. Dr Mads Gilbert, a Norwegian emergency medicine doctor and professor who has provided healthcare in Gaza for more than 30 years, told Al Jazeera that the GHF operation “is part of the [Israeli military forces]’ and the Israeli government plan to ethnically cleanse and to fulfil their goal of genocide in Gaza”. “This has nothing to do with alleviating starvation in Gaza,” Gilbert said. Describing the aid from GHF as a “drop in the ocean” and a “sham operation”, Gilbert added, “The distribution organisation is aimed at using food as bait to attract starving people, to terrorise them and to kill them. The shooting of people in food lines is a war crime.” The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) has called for investigations into the killings and wounding of Palestinians trying to access food through GHF. UNRWA notes that while it operated about 400 sites across the besieged enclave, GFH has set up only four “mega-sites”, three in the south and one in central Gaza – none in the north, where conditions are most severe. In a post on X, UNRWA called for the UN to “do the work” in distributing aid. More than 130 humanitarian organisations, including Oxfam, Save the Children and Amnesty International, on Tuesday demanded the immediate closure of the GHF, accusing it of facilitating attacks on starving Palestinians. The NGOs said Israeli forces and armed groups “routinely” open fire on…

Over 600 Starving Palestinians Die in 5 Weeks at GHF Sites in Gaza

Fola Badmus3 months ago3 months ago02 mins

More than 600 Palestinians have reportedly died from starvation and related complications over the past five weeks at aid distribution points operated by the Global Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) in the Gaza Strip. The alarming toll reflects the worsening humanitarian crisis in the war-torn enclave, where continued Israeli bombardments and aid restrictions have left large swaths of the population without access to food, clean water, or medical care. Local health authorities and humanitarian workers say the majority of the victims were children, the elderly, and people with underlying health conditions who were unable to withstand the prolonged deprivation. Many died while waiting in line at GHF distribution sites or shortly after receiving insufficient aid. GHF officials have blamed the deaths on a combination of relentless air raids, blocked aid convoys, and the collapse of supply chains. “The scale of suffering is unimaginable,” one field coordinator said. “People are dying not just from bombs, but from hunger and neglect.” International rights groups have called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and full access to deliver food and medical supplies to affected areas, warning that Gaza is on the brink of mass famine if urgent action is not taken. The Israeli government has not commented on the latest death toll, though it has previously accused aid groups of failing to ensure that supplies do not reach Hamas fighters—a claim aid agencies deny, citing strict monitoring mechanisms.

Trump’s Big, Beautiful Bill Passes Senate by Razor-Thin Margin, Heads to House Amid Healthcare and Debt Concerns

Fola Badmus3 months ago3 months ago03 mins

In a dramatic late-night session, the U.S. Senate has narrowly passed what President Donald Trump has dubbed the “Big, Beautiful Bill” — a sweeping tax and spending reform package that has stirred intense political debate. The legislation now moves to the House of Representatives, where a heated showdown is expected. The bill scraped through the Senate in a 50-50 tie, broken by Vice President JD Vance’s deciding vote after more than 27 hours of intense floor debate and behind-the-scenes negotiations. At least three Republican senators — Rand Paul, Susan Collins, and Tom Tillis — initially voiced opposition, citing concerns ranging from ballooning national debt to drastic cuts in healthcare coverage. In the end, only Collins held her ground, while Murkowski and others yielded under growing pressure from party leadership. Paolo von Schirach, president of the Global Policy Institute, told Al Jazeera that Trump’s firm grip on the Republican Party played a major role in securing the bill’s passage. “He essentially threatens anybody who votes against anything he wants with a primary challenge,” von Schirach said. “That’s how he keeps people in line.” The bill’s passage has drawn fierce criticism from progressive Democrats. Representative Pramila Jayapal, chair of the House Progressive Caucus, condemned the legislation in a post on social media: “A victory lap for ripping health care away from 17 million poor Americans. There are no words.” Senator Rand Paul, a vocal critic, warned that the bill could add up to \$3 trillion to the national debt over the next decade. Meanwhile, Senator Tillis raised concerns about millions of Americans potentially losing access to various forms of health coverage. Despite the opposition, Republican leaders celebrated the bill as a legislative win for the Trump administration and a key piece of the president’s economic agenda. With the House vote expected soon, the political stakes remain high as both parties prepare for what could be one of the most consequential legislative battles ahead of the 2026 midterms.

Kim Jong-un Weeps Over Coffins of North Korean Troops Killed in Ukraine as He Plans to Send Thousands More

Fola Badmus3 months ago3 months ago03 mins

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was seen in tears during a ceremony honouring North Korean troops who died fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine — even as reports suggest he is preparing to deploy thousands more to the war front. In a solemn state event, Kim draped national flags over at least six coffins while an orchestra played mournful music and singers performed emotional ballads. Broadcast images showed the dictator visibly moved as he watched footage of himself honouring the fallen soldiers, who were reportedly among the 12,000 North Koreans sent to aid Russia’s war efforts. The troops, many poorly equipped and undertrained, suffered heavy losses in Ukraine, particularly in the contested Kursk region. Despite the staggering casualties, North Korea is expected to send an additional 6,000 troops to the front lines later this summer. The event, held in a vast Pyongyang auditorium, was attended by Russian and North Korean military personnel and dignitaries, including Russian Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova. It also marked the first anniversary of a strategic partnership treaty signed last year by Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which includes a mutual defense clause. The Korea Central News Agency praised the memorial as a celebration of “internationalist obligation” and a reaffirmation of the “blood-forged” alliance between the two nations. However, the growing military collaboration has drawn strong criticism from the international community. South Korea and Japan have both condemned the deployment of North Korean troops as a violation of United Nations sanctions and a dangerous escalation in the conflict.