Britain on Monday condemned Israel’s new aid delivery system in Gaza as “inhumane,” referencing reports of hundreds of Palestinians killed while attempting to access food and humanitarian supplies.
“The suffering in Gaza is appalling and cannot continue. Israel's aid delivery measures are inhumane,” said Fergus Eckersley, the UK’s political co-ordinator to the United Nations. “The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation's operations, which are supposed to be saving lives, are themselves leading to mass casualties. Starving people who are desperate to feed their families are told food awaits them, but over 500 have reportedly been killed trying to access it.”
Many Gazans said they have to walk for hours to reach the four appointed sites by the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), meaning they must start travelling well before dawn if they are to stand any chance of receiving food.
The Israeli military acknowledged on Monday that Palestinian civilians were harmed at aid distribution centres in Gaza, saying that instructions had been issued to its forces following “lessons learnt”. Previously, the military has said it fired warning shots at people who move suspiciously or got too close to troops, including while they were collecting aid.
Since June 17, at least 580 Palestinians have been killed either trying to reach GHF distribution points or waiting for other aid convoys, Khaled Khiari, assistant secretary general for the Middle East, told Council members. Mr Khiari also said that the level of suffering and brutality in Gaza is “unbearable”, and the continued collective punishment of the Palestinian people is “unjustifiable”.
“Civilians are being killed while simply trying to receive aid amid life-threatening famine. They are forced to flee time and again although no place in Gaza, as we know, is safe for civilians,” said Slovenia’s UN envoy Samuel Zbogar. The World Food Programme reported that one in five people IN Gaza faces catastrophic levels of hunger, and more than 90,000 women and children urgently require treatment.
The Palestinian deputy envoy to the UN, Majed Bamya, said to Council members: “What if these people that you saw on your TVs every night and every day were Israelis starving, trying to get aid? Gaza was the most densely populated area on earth, with over two million people living in the Gaza Strip. They now are squeezed on 16 per cent of that area to render them more desperate, to force them to leave their land.”
Israel has pushed for the GHF to replace the current UN-co-ordinated aid system, accusing Hamas of diverting assistance to sustain its rule. The US has backed these claims, but the world body says there has been no systematic aid theft.
Israel’s ambassador Danny Danon said the GHF has offered the United Nations full data-sharing, joint logistics and transparent monitoring. “What has the response been from the Secretary General [Antonio Guterres] and other officials?” Mr Danon asked. “We heard it today: indifference, defamation and obstruction.”
In a letter sent last week to Mr Guterres, the head of the GHF Johnnie Moore urged the world body to engage “immediately and directly” with the organisation, says it had a proven ability to distribute aid effectively. When asked by The National whether the UN had responded, spokesman Stephane Dujarric said: “We're in the process of responding, but our public message and our private message is the same.”
Mr Dujarric confirmed that senior UN officials had met GHF representatives in Israel, adding: “We were invited in Israel to hear from the GHF and we went, because we don't refuse these kinds of meetings.”
However, he reiterated concerns over safety: “Our concerns continue. I think we've all seen what is happening again. We're not saying that GHF should not operate. What we're saying is that whether it's GHF or others, they need to operate in ways that are safe. And I think everyone can see that currently it's not safe. There's no need to reinvent the wheel.”
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Who are the Soroptimists?
The first Soroptimists club was founded in Oakland, California in 1921. The name comes from the Latin word soror which means sister, combined with optima, meaning the best.
The organisation said its name is best interpreted as ‘the best for women’.
Since then the group has grown exponentially around the world and is officially affiliated with the United Nations. The organisation also counts Queen Mathilde of Belgium among its ranks.
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
THE BIO
Favourite place to go to in the UAE: The desert sand dunes, just after some rain
Who inspires you: Anybody with new and smart ideas, challenging questions, an open mind and a positive attitude
Where would you like to retire: Most probably in my home country, Hungary, but with frequent returns to the UAE
Favorite book: A book by Transilvanian author, Albert Wass, entitled ‘Sword and Reap’ (Kard es Kasza) - not really known internationally
Favourite subjects in school: Mathematics and science
Company profile
Name: Infinite8
Based: Dubai
Launch year: 2017
Number of employees: 90
Sector: Online gaming industry
Funding: $1.2m from a UAE angel investor
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Barcelona v Liverpool, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE).
Second leg
Liverpool v Barcelona, Tuesday, May 7, 11pm
Games on BeIN Sports
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Planes grounded by coronavirus
British Airways: Cancels all direct flights to and from mainland China
Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific: Cutting capacity to/from mainland China by 50 per cent from Jan. 30
Chicago-based United Airlines: Reducing flights to Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong
Ai Seoul: Suspended all flights to China
Finnair: Suspending flights to Nanjing and Beijing Daxing until the end of March
Indonesia's Lion Air: Suspending all flights to China from February
South Korea's Asiana Airlines, Jeju Air and Jin Air: Suspend all flights
The biog
Name: Salvador Toriano Jr
Age: 59
From: Laguna, The Philippines
Favourite dish: Seabass or Fish and Chips
Hobbies: When he’s not in the restaurant, he still likes to cook, along with walking and meeting up with friends.
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances
All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
The Vines - In Miracle Land
Two stars
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
England's all-time record goalscorers:
Wayne Rooney 53
Bobby Charlton 49
Gary Lineker 48
Jimmy Greaves 44
Michael Owen 40
Tom Finney 30
Nat Lofthouse 30
Alan Shearer 30
Viv Woodward 29
Frank Lampard 29
