*) Palestine reignites its quest for full UN seat amid Israel's war Palestine has revived its bid for full UN membership, according to a letter from its UN envoy Riyad Mansour to the UN secretary-general. The application, submitted to the Security Council, seeks a new review in April 2024 and the move underscores Palestine's long-standing push for global recognition of its statehood. Observers note the challenges ahead, as Israel's ally the US, which holds veto power on the Security Council, cou...
Apr 03, 2024•3 min
*) Biden admin mulls whopping $18B arms package for Israel: report The Biden administration is currently considering an $18 billion arms package for Israel, including the sale of F-15 aircraft and ammunition, according to three sources familiar with the matter. The sale of 25 F-15s to Israel has been under consideration since the US received the formal request in January 2023. Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant recently stressed the importance of maintaining Israel’s military edge, including ...
Apr 02, 2024•3 min
*) US, Israel to discuss Rafah invasion in virtual meeting: report The US and Israel will hold a virtual meeting to discuss alternative proposals from the Biden administration regarding a possible Israeli military invasion of Rafah, where more than 1.5 million Palestinians are taking refuge, Israeli and US officials confirmed to Axios. The meeting, originally scheduled for last week, was cancelled by Netanyahu in protest at a perceived lack of US involvement as tensions escalated after the US re...
Apr 01, 2024•3 min
*) Israel must ensure urgent aid, food gets into Gaza without delay: ICJ The world's top court has ordered Israel to "ensure urgent humanitarian assistance" in Gaza without delay, saying "famine has set in". It also said, "Israel shall take all necessary and effective measures to ensure, without delay the unhindered provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance," in Gaza And that Palestinians in Gaza are no longer facing only a risk of famine, but famine is setting in"....
Mar 29, 2024•3 min
*) Prepping for Rafah invasion, Israel orders 40,000 tents from China Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the purchase of 40,000 tents from China to be set up in besieged Gaza, Israeli media reported, in preparation for a ground invasion of Rafah. It comes as Netanyahu downplayed global fears of a humanitarian catastrophe if Israel launches a planned ground invasion into Gaza’s southernmost city, where more than 1.5 million displaced Palestinians have taken refuge. Speaking to a US Congres...
Mar 28, 2024•3 min
*) Isolated, US & Israel see UN states back report on Israeli genocide in Gaza The UN expert who concluded Israel was committing acts of genocide in besieged Gaza has received broad support at the United Nations, with countries speaking up to back her and her report. Francesca Albanese, the special rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories, told the UN Human Rights Council that countries should impose an arms embargo and sanctions on Israel. Albanese said Israel was character...
Mar 27, 2024•3 min
*) UNSC finally demands Gaza ceasefire in Ramadan after US abstains vote The UN Security Council for the first time in 5 months since the Israeli war on Gaza started has demanded an immediate ceasefire after the United States, Tel Aviv’s ally which vetoed previous drafts, abstained. All 14 other members voted in favour of the resolution, which “demands an immediate ceasefire” for the ongoing Islamic holy month of Ramadan. It also demanded the “immediate and unconditional release of all hostages,...
Mar 26, 2024•3 min
*) UN agency for Palestinians barred from North Gaza aid deliveries The United Nations Agency for Palestinian Refugees says that Israel had definitively barred it from making aid deliveries in northern Gaza, where the threat of famine is highest. The head of the agency Philippe Lazzarini said on X that “despite the tragedy unfolding under our watch, the Israeli Authorities informed the UN that they will no longer approve any UNRWA food convoys to the north.” He called the decision “outrageous,” ...
Mar 25, 2024•3 min
*) Blinken to press Israel for 'immediate' truce in Gaza war US Secretary of State Antony Blinken heads to Israel to press for a truce in Gaza, ahead of a key UN Security Council vote on a US draft resolution calling for an "immediate" ceasefire. Israel's main backer the United States announced it would submit for a vote on Friday a draft to the Security Council on the need for an "immediate ceasefire as part of a hostage deal", after repeatedly using its veto power to block other similarly word...
Mar 22, 2024•3 min
*) US submits UN resolution for 'immediate ceasefire' in Gaza The United States has submitted a draft resolution to the UN Security Council, calling for an "immediate ceasefire" in Gaza linked to the release of hostages. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced it during his visit to Saudi Arabia, where discussions on the ongoing Israel's war on Gaza were held. The resolution is aimed at addressing the escalating situation and garnering international support for peace efforts in the region. *...
Mar 21, 2024•4 min
*) Gaza hospital hit in intense Israeli raid for second day Explosions and shootings have once again rocked Gaza's largest hospital, Al Shifa, and its surrounding neighbourhoods as Israeli forces storm through the facility for a second day. This latest raid deals a devastating blow to the already-strained Al Shifa medical complex, which had only partially resumed operations after a destructive Israeli raid in November. Reports indicate that thousands of Palestinian patients, medical personnel, a...
Mar 20, 2024•3 min
*) MSF urges blocking Israel’s Rafah assault Doctors Without Borders chief Christopher Lockyear warns against Israeli war in southern Gaza's Rafah, citing a potential catastrophe that must not be allowed to happen. His concerns stem from a recent visit to the Palestinian enclave, where he witnessed the urgent humanitarian needs at the densely populated Rafah crossing. Lockyear urges diplomatic solutions to prevent further conflict escalation, emphasising the importance of stability. MSF stands p...
Mar 19, 2024•3 min
This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Monday, March 18th. *) Aid arrives in north Gaza’s Jabalia for 1st time in four months The Israeli army has allowed nine trucks carrying humanitarian aid to enter northern Gaza including Jabalia, Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahiya. The aid, which consisted of flour, rice, canned food and sugar, arrived at the Jabalia refugee camp under the auspices of the security services of the Gaza government in cooperation with Palestinian tribes. It was placed in warehouses...
Mar 18, 2024•3 min
*) Abbas names adviser Mohammed Mustafa as Palestine's PM Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has appointed Mohammed Mustafa as the new prime minister following Mohammed Shtayyeh's resignation. Mustafa, a trusted economic adviser, faces the task of forming a new government amid Israel's war on Gaza. At 69 years old, he is tasked with governing the occupied West Bank, while Hamas controls Gaza. Mustafa's extensive experience in economic affairs and governance, including roles at the World Bank an...
Mar 15, 2024•3 min
*) Netanyahu prolonging Gaza war to stay in power Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al Maliki has accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of prolonging the Gaza conflict to maintain power. Al Maliki criticised Israel's use of starvation as a weapon of war, citing nearly 600,000 Palestinians on the brink of famine, and expressed disappointment with the international community's lack of action. Al Maliki emphasised the need for the international community to address the Palestinian caus...
Mar 14, 2024•4 min
*) Israel is using starvation as 'war arm' European Union foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell addressed the UN Security Council, condemning Israel's use of starvation as a weapon of war. He emphasised that the humanitarian crisis in the region is entirely man-made, with essential routes for aid being deliberately blocked. Borrell stressed the urgency of the situation and called on Israeli authorities to cease obstructing humanitarian access. Meanwhile, the EU is stepping up its humanitarian assi...
Mar 13, 2024•3 min
*) Children starving in Gaza, ceasefire needed to get aid in: CIA chief CIA Director William Burns has called for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza to facilitate humanitarian aid distribution, particularly for starving children amid Israeli attacks. Speaking at a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing, Burns highlighted the challenge of effective humanitarian assistance without a ceasefire. The UN agency for Palestinian refugees has reported that one in six children under two years old faces acute maln...
Mar 12, 2024•3 min
*) Ramadan's first night at Al Aqsa Mosque Muslims globally observed the Tarawih prayer on the first night of Ramadan, yet celebrations are overshadowed by sadness as Israel’s brutal war on Palestinians in Gaza persists. In occupied East Jerusalem, at Al Aqsa Mosque Compound, the world's third-holiest site for Muslims, there were fewer worshipers amid access restrictions imposed by the Israeli police. Some Palestinians prayed outside in the streets of the Old City, as Israel's war on besieged Ga...
Mar 11, 2024•3 min
*) Biden acknowledges 30,000+ Palestinians killed by Israel in Gaza US President Joe Biden has acknowledged that Israel's war in Gaza has inflicted a severe toll on innocent civilians, surpassing the impact of all previous conflicts. Over the last 153 days, more than 30,000 Palestinians, including thousands of women and children, lost their lives. In response, Biden announced the establishment of a temporary US military port off Gaza to enhance humanitarian aid efforts. Despite ongoing aid airdr...
Mar 08, 2024•3 min
*) South Africa urges ICJ for new emergency measures against Israel South Africa has urged the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to implement additional provisional measures against Israel and to amend the ICJ's interim ruling in the ongoing genocide case. The ICJ acknowledged South Africa's urgent request, citing in quotes "new facts and changes in the situation in Gaza, particularly the situation of widespread starvation." According to the statement issued by the ICJ, South Africa alleges t...
Mar 07, 2024•3 min
*) Hamas shows 'flexibility' for truce amid Israeli reluctance The Palestinian group Hamas has declared its commitment to ongoing negotiations through intermediaries until a ceasefire agreement is reached with Israel. Despite Hamas displaying flexibility for a comprehensive halt to aggression, the group accuses Israel of avoiding the terms of the proposed agreement. Currently, negotiators from Hamas, Qatar, and Egypt are in Cairo, aiming to secure a 40-day ceasefire before the start of Ramadan n...
Mar 06, 2024•3 min
*) Israel killed 13,430 Palestinian children since October 7 — Gaza Israeli air strikes and ground invasion have killed 13,430 children since the start of Tel Aviv's carnage in the besieged Palestinian enclave, Gaza's Media Office said. It added that 8,900 women were killed over 150 days, and 7,000 people, 70 percent of whom are women and children, are still under the rubble or missing. The media office said that 364 health personnel and 132 journalists also were killed during the period. *) Dis...
Mar 05, 2024•3 min
*) US Vice President Harris calls for immediate ceasefire in Gaza The United States Vice President Kamala Harris has called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and has described the situation there as “devastating.” She noted the necessity of an immediate ceasefire for at least the next six weeks, saying that it is "currently on the table." During her visit to Alabama, Harris said that the ceasefire would facilitate the release of hostages and the delivery of much-needed aid to Gaza. 150 days int...
Mar 04, 2024•3 min
*) Israel forces shoot over a hundred Palestinians waiting in aid queue Israeli forces fatally shot 112 Palestinians as they surged towards aid trucks, marking one of the deadliest episodes in the nearly five-month war. The Health Ministry in Gaza reported over 750 individuals were injured during the incident. The tragedy unfolded amidst heightened concerns from aid agencies regarding Gaza's deteriorating humanitarian crisis, with famine looming, especially in the northern regions. *) Dozens of ...
Mar 01, 2024•3 min
*) Six children die of malnutrition as Gaza death toll nears 30,000 Six children have succumbed to malnutrition in Israeli-blockaded Gaza, Palestinian officials have reported. The overall toll for Palestinians in the nearly five-month Israeli war has exceeded 30,000. Officials revealed that two children died at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City due to "dehydration and malnutrition," prompting urgent calls for international intervention. Separately, Kamal Adwan Hospital reported four infant deaths, ...
Feb 29, 2024•3 min
*) UN warns 576,000 people in Gaza are 'one step away' from famine A senior United Nations aid official revealed to the Security Council that approximately 576,000 people in Gaza, constituting a quarter of the population, are on the brink of famine. The World Food Programme (WFP) heightened concerns by declaring that famine is "imminent" in northern Gaza amidst Israel’s ongoing war on the besieged enclave. WFP's deputy executive director urgently addressed the UN Security Council, emphasising th...
Feb 28, 2024•4 min
*) Red Cross warns of looming famine in Gaza The head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has issued a stark warning about the dire situation in besieged Gaza. He emphasised the looming threat of severe food insecurity, with approximately 80 percent of the population facing critical food shortages. He further highlighted the plight of over a million children and elderly who are particularly vulnerable to health issues like dehydration, respiratory and skin dis...
Feb 27, 2024•3 min
*) Israel presents Rafah invasion plan to War Cabinet amid fears of civilian casualties Israel's military has proposed a plan for the invasion of Gaza's Rafah city, aligning with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's assertion of the necessity of a ground invasion in Rafah for what he calls a "total victory." Concerns persist about potential civilian casualties in Rafah, where 1.4 million forcibly displaced Palestinians are concentrated. The city is also a crucial entry point for aid brought in th...
Feb 26, 2024•3 min
*) Gaza in ‘extreme peril’ as NGOs call on Israel to execute humanitarian law The leaders of a number of UN agencies and humanitarian organisations urged Israel to provide food and medical supplies to Gaza, warning that civilians there are in “extreme peril.” The Inter-Agency Standing Committee, the highest-level humanitarian coordination forum of the UN system, called on Israel to fulfil its legal obligation, under international humanitarian and human rights law. The health system continues to ...
Feb 23, 2024•3 min
*) Israel’s war could kill nearly 86,000 more Palestinians in Gaza — study At least 85,750 more Palestinians could die from physical trauma and disease if Israel’s ongoing war against besieged Gaza further escalates in the next six months, according to a joint US-UK study. “The Crisis in Gaza: Scenario-Based Health Impact Projections”, a joint project from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Humanitarian Health tracks multiple scenarios, i...
Feb 22, 2024•4 min
