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☆ WHO board to hold emergency meeting on Gaza health situation
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Emma Farge | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Smoke rises above Gaza, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, as seen from southern Israel, December 4, 2023. "We want to empower the WHO and call for the Israeli side not to target the medical sector. We want to allow for fresh medical supplies," he told Reuters, adding that his diplomatic mission was drafting a motion to be reviewed by the board. Israel has accused Hamas of using ordinary Gazans as human shields by placing command centres and weapons inside hospitals and other civilian buildings. The WHO's governing board is made up of 34 members and typically meets every January to fix the agenda for its annual assembly.

Persons: Athit, Tedros Adhanom, Ibrahim Khraishi, Benjamin Netanyahu, Emma Farge, Matthias Williams, Alison Williams Organizations: Hamas, REUTERS, GENEVA, Health, West Bank, WHO, Qatari, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Palestinian, Gaza Qatar, Geneva, United States, France, China, Japan

☆ In Gaza, disease could be even deadlier than airstrikes, WHO says
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Jacqueline Howard | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —As the Israel-Hamas conflict continues, there’s growing concern about how the situation may raise the risk of disease and illness in Gaza. There could be more deaths in Gaza from disease and a broken health infrastructure than from bombs and missiles, the World Health Organization has warned. “If the conflict impacts access to safe water, then there may be challenges with waterborne diseases,” she said. In this situation, the risk of death due to disease is much greater than the risk of death due to bombardment,” said Haque, who is not involved in WHO but has studied infectious disease, conflict and war. During the Israel-Hamas conflict, maternity care facilities have been affected by Israeli airstrikes due to evacuations, power outages, and a shortage of medical supplies.

Persons: “, Margaret Harris, Barry Levy, ”, Levy, Rebecca Katz, ” Katz, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, ” Tedros, Abed Rahim Khatib, Ubydul Haque, Haque, Dr, Sanjay Gupta, Shifa, CNN’s Martin Goillandeau, Eleni Giokos Organizations: CNN, World Health Organization, WHO, Tufts University School of Medicine, Center for Global Health Science, Security, Georgetown University, United Nations Relief, Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees, United Nations Office, Humanitarian Affairs, Getty, Rutgers Global Health Institute, CNN Health, Shifa Locations: Israel, Gaza, Covid, Al

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — With Planet Earth running a fever, U.N. climate talks focused Sunday on the contagious effects on human health. “Climate change doesn’t need to be on a death certificate for us to be confident that climate change is causing deaths,” Diarmid Campbell-Lendrum, WHO’s head of climate and health, said. Dubai, the largest city in oil-rich United Arab Emirates, often faces higher levels of air pollution than other places on Earth due to its location — and haze is common. The Dubai government, on its web site devoted to the environment, listed its Air Quality Index level mostly at “good” on Sunday. Switzerland-based IQAir, a technology company that sells air-quality monitoring products, listed Dubai as the city with the 18th-worst air quality in the world with “moderate” air quality levels as of noon local time on Sunday.

Persons: Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, ”, —, Antonio Guterres, Guterres, John Kerry, ” Kerry, Vanessa, Tedros, Diarmid Campbell, ” Diarmid Campbell, Jon Gambrell, Peter Prengaman Organizations: United Arab Emirates, Health Organization, Conference, WHO, United, Associated Press, AP Locations: DUBAI, United Arab, Dubai, U.N, —, U.S, United Arab Emirates, Persian, Switzerland

Israel has welcomed the release of dozens of hostages in recent days and says it will maintain the truce if Hamas keeps freeing captives. Weeks of heavy aerial bombardment and a ground invasion have demolished vast swaths of northern Gaza and killed thousands of Palestinians. With information hard to come by, authorities have only given approximate counts of the number of hostages held in Gaza. Another 21 hostages — 19 Thais, one Filipino and one Russian-Israeli — have been released in separate negotiations since the truce began. Before the cease-fire, Hamas released four hostages, and the Israeli army rescued one.

Persons: Yehya Sinwar, Biden, Israel, ” Martin Indyk, Antony Blinken, Benjamin Netanyahu, —, Israel's, ”, Omar al, Dr, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, ___ Magdy Organizations: —, Health Ministry, Hamas, World Health Organization Locations: RAFAH, Gaza, Israel, Israeli, United States, U.S, Egypt, Qatar, Brussels, GAZA, Al, Aqsa, Cairo, Lidman, Jerusalem, israel

☆ WHO Says Gaza's Health System Must Be Protected as Disease Spreads
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

By Gabrielle Tétrault-FarberGENEVA (Reuters) - The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday called for Gaza's vulnerable health infrastructure to be safeguarded as the war-torn enclave faces an increased risk of epidemics and challenges in detecting infectious diseases. Speaking at a press conference in Geneva, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said only 15 of Gaza's 36 hospitals were still functioning and were completely overwhelmed. "The remaining health system capacity must be protected, supported and expanded." "With severe overcrowding, the risks are increasing for epidemics of respiratory tract infections, acute watery diarrhoea, hepatitis, scabies, lice and other diseases," Tedros said. "Any resumption of violence could damage the health facilities and make more health facilities dysfunctional," said Richard Peeperkorn, WHO Representative in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Persons: Gabrielle Tétrault, Farber, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Tedros, Mike Ryan, Richard Peeperkorn, Linda Pasquini, Christina Fincher Organizations: Farber GENEVA, World Health Organization, WHO, WHO's, West Bank Locations: Israel, Geneva, Gaza, Palestinian Territories

"We're closer now than we've been before," White House spokesman John Kirby said of a hostage agreement. The Palestinian militant group Hamas took about 240 hostages during its Oct. 7 rampage into Israel that killed 1,200 people. The Washington Post on Saturday reported a deal had been agreed but the White House and Israel denied that. Hamas' raid on Oct. 7, the deadliest day in Israel's 75-year-old history, prompted Israel to invade the Palestinian territory to target Hamas. Hospital staff denied there were any armed militants on the premises.

Persons: Joseph Campbell, Israel, Joe Biden, We're, we've, John Kirby, Mirjana Spoljaric, Cross, Ismail Haniyeh, United States Michael Herzog, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman, Thani, Jon, Gaza's, Witnesses, WAFA, Beit Lahia, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Al Shifa, Shifa, U.N, Antonio Guterres, Idres Ali, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Nations, Fund, UNICEF, REUTERS, Red Cross, Indonesian, U.S, Palestinian, International Committee, Reuters, Qatar's, Washington Post, White, House, Press, Gaza's Hamas, Indonesian Hospital, Health, Health Organisation, Israeli Defence Forces, United Nations, Thomson Locations: Tel Aviv, Israel, Qatar, Gaza, GAZA, JERUSALEM, United States, Gaza City, Geneva, Hamas, Israel's, Jakarta, Palestinian, Beit, Gaza's, Egypt

☆ WHO chief says an employee was killed in Gaza alongside family
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

GENEVA, Nov 21 (Reuters) - The World Health Organization chief said on Tuesday that one of its employees had been killed in Gaza alongside her six-month-old baby, husband and two brothers. "My colleagues and I are devastated: we have lost one of our own in Gaza today," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on social media platform X, showing a photo of the victim, named Dima Alhaj. "Reportedly multiple other family members sheltering in the same house were also killed," he added, without giving further details of how the family died and who was responsible. Reporting by Emma Farge, Editing by William MacleanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Ghebreyesus, Dima Alhaj, Emma Farge, William Maclean Organizations: World Health Organization, Thomson Locations: GENEVA, Gaza

CNN —Thirty-one babies were evacuated from Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza on Sunday, in a high-stakes operation that involved multiple international agencies rushing the newborns in ambulances through active fighting, as fears remain for their survival. Al-Shifa, the largest hospital in Gaza, has become a flashpoint in Israel’s war in the besieged enclave. Patients and health staff with whom they spoke were terrified for their safety and health, and pleaded for evacuation,” the statement said. The 31 evacuated babies are all fighting serious infections, said the WHO, citing doctors at the Rafah hospital where they are being treated. Eleven of the babies are in “critical condition,” said the WHO, adding that the babies had fallen ill due to the lack of medical supplies at Al-Shifa Hospital.

Persons: Helal, Ali Sbeiti, Anas, ” Sbeiti, ”, Mohammad Salamah, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus Organizations: CNN, Shifa, Palestine Red Crescent Society, Maternity, Hamas, United, World Health Organization, WHO, Al, Emarati Maternity, “, Sunday, UNICEF – Locations: Al, Gaza, Palestine, Egypt, United Nations, Gazan, Rafah, Israel, ”

"They are innocent children, premature babies," an exhausted al-Saik said in a video interview provided by the Egyptian government. The babies, from a total of 31 moved on Sunday from the besieged Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City to a maternity hospital in Rafah, wore only nappies and tiny green hats. When doctors at Al Shifa raised the alarm about them, there were 39 babies. Like hundreds of thousands of others, al-Saik moved to the south of the Gaza Strip with her three other children, while the baby girl stayed at Al Shifa. FAMILY TORN APARTWith shortages of electricity, water, medicines and other basics, conditions at Al Shifa deteriorated and the baby lost weight and got sick.

Persons: Gaza's, Lobna, Saik, Rick Brennan, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Al Shifa, Jeremy Hopkins, Mohammad Salama, Helal, Salama, Nayera Abdallah, Clauda Tanios, Mai Shams El, Yusri Mohamed, Aidan Lewis, Estelle Shirbon, Janet Lawrence Organizations: Al Shifa, WHO, World Health Organization, Reuters, Al Shifa Hospital, Hamas, UNICEF, Emairati Maternity, Thomson Locations: Egypt, Al, CAIRO, GAZA, Gaza, Rafah, Gaza City, Cairo, Israel, Palestinian, Ismailia, London

☆ Israeli forces raid al-Shifa hospital, drawing harsh criticism from WHO
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Sean Conlon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailIsraeli forces raid al-Shifa hospital, drawing harsh criticism from WHOIsraeli forces raided al-Shifa hospital in Gaza on Wednesday, with the IDF spokesperson saying the country's forces were conducting a "precise" operation against Hamas in a specified area of the hospital's complex. In response, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the Israeli military incursion was "totally unacceptable." The raid comes as al-Shifa hospital director Muhammad Abu Salmiya told Al Jazeera that the hospital has lost access to water, electricity and oxygen supplies.

Persons: Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Muhammad Abu Salmiya, Al Jazeera Organizations: WHO, Hamas Locations: Gaza

The Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza disputed that, and said the fuel would have provided less than an hour of electricity. Political Cartoons View All 1240 ImagesFor Palestinians, Shifa evokes the suffering of civilians. Thousands of people displaced by airstrikes that have destroyed entire city blocks have sought shelter in its darkened corridors. A U.N. health official said many displaced families and patients with moderate injuries fled Shifa as Israeli forces encircled the hospital over the weekend. Palestinian militants are holding nearly 240 hostages seized in the raid, including men, women, children and older adults.

Persons: Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Shifa, Mohammed Zaqout, Melanie Ward, Christos Christou, ___ Magdy Organizations: Hamas, Health Ministry, Health Organization, Aid, CBS, Health Locations: DEIR, Gaza, Gaza's, Palestinian, Israel, Shifa, U.K, U.S, Lebanon, Cairo, ___, israel

[1/6] A satellite image shows Al-Shifa hospital, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Gaza November 7, 2023. Israel says it is homing in on Palestinian Hamas militants who launched deadly attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7, and says the group has command centers under and near the hospitals. "Tragically, the number of patient fatalities has increased significantly," he said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, adding that Shifa was "not functioning as a hospital anymore." The Israeli military response has also prompted anger, with hundreds of thousands protesting in capitals around the world demanding a ceasefire. "Al Quds hospital has been cut off from the world in the last six to seven days.

Persons: Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Tedros, Israel, Josep Borrell, Jake Sullivan, we've, Sullivan, Biden, Joe Biden, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al, Ashraf Al, Shifa, Ahmed El Mokhallalati, Crescent, Tommaso Della Longa, Nidal al, Dan Williams, Adam Makary, Ahmed Tolba, Sabine Siebold, Andrea Shalal, Simon Lewis, Diane Craft Organizations: Hamas, Maxar Technologies, REUTERS Acquire, World Health Organization, WHO, United Nations, European Union, Union, White, National, Israeli Defense Forces, CBS News, United, Reuters, Gaza's Health Ministry, Health Ministry, Palestinian, International Federation of Red, Red Crescent Societies, Thomson Locations: Israel, Palestinian, Gaza, GAZA, JERUSALEM, Shifa, United States, Washington, U.S, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Al, Quds, Al Quds, Jerusalem

☆ Largest Gaza Hospital 'Not Functioning' Amid Israeli Assault
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-12 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +6 min

By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Dan WilliamsGAZA/JERUSALEM (Reuters) - The largest hospital in Gaza has ceased to function and fatalities among patients are rising, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Sunday, as a blistering Israeli assault continues in the Hamas-controlled strip. "Tragically, the number of patient fatalities has increased significantly," he said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, adding that Shifa was "not functioning as a hospital anymore." The European Union condemned Hamas for using "hospitals and civilians as human shields" in Gaza, while also urging Israel to show "maximum restraint" to protect civilians. The Israeli military response has also prompted anger, with hundreds of thousands protesting in capitals around the world demanding a ceasefire. "Al Quds hospital has been cut off from the world in the last six to seven days.

Persons: Nidal, Dan Williams, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Tedros, Israel, Josep Borrell, Jake Sullivan, we've, Sullivan, Biden, Joe Biden, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al, Ashraf Al, Shifa, Ahmed El Mokhallalati, Crescent, Tommaso Della Longa, Nidal al, Adam Makary, Ahmed Tolba, Sabine Siebold, Andrea Shalal, Simon Lewis, Diane Craft Organizations: World Health Organization, WHO, United Nations, European Union, Union, White, National, Israeli Defense Forces, CBS News, United, Reuters, Gaza's Health Ministry, Health Ministry, Palestinian, International Federation of Red, Red Crescent Societies Locations: Dan Williams GAZA, JERUSALEM, Gaza, Shifa, Israel, United States, Washington, U.S, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Al, Quds, Al Quds, Jerusalem

[1/2] Smoke rises over Gaza as seen from Southern Israel, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestinian group Hamas, November 10, 2023. French President Emmanuel Macron, in a BBC interview published late on Friday, said Israel must stop bombing Gaza and killing civilians. "Israel is now launching a war on Gaza City hospitals," said Mohammad Abu Selmeyah, director of Al Shifa hospital. On Oct. 12, Israel ordered some 1.1 million people in Gaza to move south ahead of its ground invasion. Palestinian officials said on Friday that 11,078 Gaza residents had been killed in air and artillery strikes since Oct. 7.

Persons: Evelyn Hockstein, Antony Blinken, Blinken, Israel, Emmanuel Macron, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Mohammad Abu Selmeyah, Al, Al Shifa, Nasser, Eylon Levy, Ashraf Al, Qidra, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Israel's U.N, Gilad Erdan, Richard Hecht, we'll, Nidal al, Emily Rose, Maayan Lubell, Henriette Chacar, Matt Spetalnick, Grant McCool Organizations: Hamas, REUTERS, Global, White, Israeli, Indonesian Hospital, Palestinian, Reuters, Health, United Nations Security Council, Israel's, Cross, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Southern Israel, Israel, Palestinian, Saudi Arabia, GAZA, United States, U.S, India, France, Paris , New York, Riyadh, Saudi, Gaza City, Al Shifa, Al, Shifa, Quds, Jerusalem

☆ A child killed on average every 10 minutes in Gaza, says WHO chief
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Michelle Nichols | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Tens of thousands of displaced people sheltering at hospitals," Tedros told the 15-member council. Israel has struck Gaza - an enclave of 2.3 million people - from the air, imposed a siege and launched a ground invasion. "On average, a child is killed every 10 minutes in Gaza," Tedros said. Ambassador Gilad Erdan told the Security Council that Israel had created a taskforce to establish hospitals in southern Gaza. Tedros recalled growing up during war in Ethiopia, saying he understood what the children of Gaza must be going through.

Persons: Ronen, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Tedros, Israel, Israel's U.N, Gilad Erdan, Erdan, Robert Wood, Wood, Michelle Nichols, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Hamas, REUTERS, UNITED NATIONS, Health Organization, United Nations Security, WHO, West Bank, Security Council, United Arab, ICRC, U.S, Security, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Palestinian, United Arab Emirates, United States, Ethiopia

☆ As Gaza Death Toll Rises, Israel Faces Pressure to Protect Palestinian Civilians
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +6 min

By Nidal al-MughrabiGAZA (Reuters) - Israel faced mounting international pressure, including from its main ally the United States, to do more to protect Palestinian civilians in Gaza as the death toll rose and fighting intensified between Israeli forces and Hamas militants near and around hospitals. French President Emmanuel Macron, in a BBC interview published late on Friday, said Israel must stop bombing Gaza and killing civilians. "Israel is now launching a war on Gaza City hospitals," said Mohammad Abu Selmeyah, director of Al Shifa hospital. On Oct. 12, Israel ordered some 1.1 million people in Gaza to move south ahead of its ground invasion. Palestinian officials said on Friday that 11,078 Gaza residents had been killed in air and artillery strikes since Oct. 7.

Persons: Nidal, Antony Blinken, Blinken, Israel, Emmanuel Macron, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Mohammad Abu Selmeyah, Al, Al Shifa, Nasser, Eylon Levy, Ashraf Al, Qidra, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Israel's U.N, Gilad Erdan, Richard Hecht, we'll, Nidal al, Emily Rose, Maayan Lubell, Henriette Chacar, Matt Spetalnick, Grant McCool Organizations: Global, White, Israeli, Indonesian Hospital, Palestinian, Reuters, Health, United Nations Security Council, Israel's, Cross Locations: GAZA, Israel, United States, Gaza, U.S, India, France, Paris , New York, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Saudi, Palestinian, Gaza City, Al Shifa, Al, Shifa, Quds, Jerusalem

Both Israel and Hamas have rebuffed mounting calls for a halt in fighting. Hamas says it will not free them nor stop fighting while Gaza is under assault. "We need an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. [1/8]Flares are dropped by Israeli forces, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Gaza City November 6, 2023. Diplomats said a key obstacle is whether to call for a ceasefire, cessation of hostilities or humanitarian pauses to allow aid access in Gaza.

Persons: Netanyahu, Israel, Biden, White, Benjamin Netanyahu, we've, Joe Biden, It's, Human Rights Volker Turk, Adhanom, Martin Griffiths, Mohammed Al, Masri, Daniel Hagari, Hagari, U.N, General Antonio Guterres, Guterres, Robert Wood, we're, Joe Biden's, Nidal al, Emily Rose, Patricia Zengerle, Michelle Nichols, Daphne Psaledakis, Rami Ayyub, Cynthia Osterman, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: ABC News, ., Human Rights, Health Organization, Hamas, REUTERS, Israel Defense Forces, . Security, Diplomats, United Nations, U.S, U.S . Congress, Thomson Locations: White House, GAZA, JERUSALEM, Gaza, Israel, United States, Washington, Nations, Palestinian, Gaza City, Lebanon, Iran, Lebanese, Haifa

☆ UN bodies make united call for humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Mohammed Al-Masri Acquire Licensing RightsGENEVA, Nov 6 (Reuters) - The heads of several major United Nations bodies on Monday made a united call for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza as Israeli strikes intensify nearly one month into the conflict. "We need an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. Palestinian envoy to the United Nations Riyad Mansour responded that Griffiths should call for a full ceasefire. "You should be saying clearly and loudly in line with IHL (International Humanitarian Law) that a ceasefire should take place," Mansour said. Israel has rebuffed mounting international pressure for a ceasefire, saying hostages taken by Hamas militants during their rampage in southern Israel on Oct. 7 should be released.

Persons: Mohammed Al, Masri, Volker Turk, Tedros Adhanom, Martin Griffiths, It's, Griffiths, United Nations Riyad Mansour, Mansour, Israel, Gabrielle Tétrault, Farber, Emma Farge, Janet Lawrence Organizations: Hamas, REUTERS, Rights, United Nations, Human Rights, World Health Organization, Thomson Locations: Israel, Palestinian, Gaza City, Gaza

☆ Israel-Hamas War Israel Announces ‘Large Attack’ as Communications Blackout Cuts Off Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Anushka Patil | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +4 min

“Essentially today there is a northern Gaza and a southern Gaza,” Admiral Hagari said. Earlier in the day, the Israeli military had accused Hamas of using two hospitals in northern Gaza, Sheikh Hamad and Indonesian hospitals, as cover for its operational centers. The Israeli military had earlier made similar accusations about Al Shifa Hospital, in Gaza City, and on Friday the Israeli military confirmed an airstrike near that facility. The communications blackout hit Gaza after sunset, around 6:20 p.m. local time, according to NetBlocks, an internet monitoring service. The first blackout on Oct. 27, which began around sunset, lasted nearly 36 hours and spread fear and panic across Gaza as Israel began a ground invasion.

Persons: Daniel Hagari, Israel, Admiral Hagari, ’, Sheikh Hamad, Al Shifa, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Tedros, NetBlocks, Alp Toker, “, ” Mr, Toker Organizations: BBC, West Bank, Al, Gaza’s, Palestine Red Crescent Society, UNRWA, World Health Organization Locations: Gaza City, Gaza, Indonesian, Al Shifa, Palestine, Israel, United States

☆ Israel Announces ‘Large Attack’ as Communications Blackout Cuts Off Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-05 | by ( Anushka Patil | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +4 min

☆ Third Communications Blackout Hits Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-05 | by ( Anushka Patil | More About Anushka Patil | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Gaza was plunged into a communications blackout on Sunday for the third time in 10 days, again leaving its people without access to internet or phone services as night fell and Israel’s heavy bombardment of the enclave continued. The widespread blackout began shortly before sunset, around 4:20 p.m. local time, according to NetBlocks, an internet monitoring service. The Palestine Red Crescent Society said on social media that the blackout affected more than two million civilians, cutting off access to emergency medical services as the bombings continued, and that, as during the previous blackouts, it had lost contact with its teams in Gaza. UNRWA, the U.N. agency that aids Palestinians, also said it was unable to reach “the vast majority” of its team in the enclave. “Without connectivity, people who need immediate medical attention cannot contact hospitals and ambulances,” he said on social media.

Persons: Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, ”, NetBlocks, Alp Toker, “, ” Mr, Toker, Israel Organizations: Palestine Red Crescent Society, UNRWA, World Health Organization, Gaza’s Locations: Gaza, Palestine, Israel, United States

☆ Israel strikes ambulance in Gaza City, many reported killed
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

GAZA, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Israel struck an ambulance in Gaza City on Friday that it said was carrying militants, but which health authorities in the Hamas-controlled enclave said was evacuating wounded people from the besieged north to the south of the territory. Ashraf al-Qidra, spokesperson for the health ministry in Gaza, said the ambulance was part of a convoy that Israel targeted leaving al-Shifa Hospital, adding that "a big number" were killed and wounded but without giving figures. Qidra said Israel had targeted the convoy of ambulances in more than one location, including at al-Shifa Hospital gate and at Ansar Square a kilometer (0.6 miles) away. [1/4]Palestinians pull an ambulance after a convoy of ambulances was hit, at the entrance of Shifa hospital in Gaza City, November 3, 2023. Hamas and al-Shifa hospital authorities have denied the facility is used as a base by militant fighters.

Persons: Ashraf al, Qidra, Israel, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Anas, Nidal al, Angus McDowall, Alison Williams, Alistair Bell, Sandra Maler Organizations: Shifa, Health, REUTERS, Reuters, Thomson Locations: GAZA, Israel, Gaza City, Gaza, Shifa, Egypt, al

☆ Live updates: Israel-Hamas war has entered a new stage, Netanyahu says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-29 | by ( Tara Subramaniam | Andrew Raine | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Destruction in northern Gaza after Israeli airstrikes is pictured on October 28. Catch up below on the latest developments in the war:Israel's goals in this stage: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Saturday the war in Gaza is "going to be long." Both those raids saw ground forces withdraw after a few hours. More than 2 million people live in the enclave, and for weeks people in the territory have faced Israeli airstrikes and a growing humanitarian situation, with shortages of water, food and fuel. I’m worried about their safety.” Several United Nations agencies have also reported losing contact with their local staff in Gaza.

Persons: Mohammed Saber, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant, ”, Israel, “, Daniel Hagari, Gazans, Organization’s, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus Organizations: Israel, Israel Defense Forces, Israel’s, Gaza, Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, CNN, IDF, Communications, WHO, United Nations Locations: Gaza, Al Aqsa, Deir al Balah, Wadi Gaza

☆ UN chief surprised by escalation of Israel's bombardment, calls for humanitarian ceasefire
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 28 (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Saturday he was surprised by Israel's escalation of the bombardments in Gaza, and repeated a call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire for the delivery of aid. "Regrettably, instead of the pause, I was surprised by an unprecedented escalation of the bombardments and their devastating impacts, undermining the referred humanitarian objectives," he said. Guterres' comments follow Israel's escalation of the weeks-long reprisal for the Oct. 7 attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas which killed 1,400 Israelis. Aid agencies say a humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding for Gaza's 2.3 million people who are under a total Israeli blockade. Health authorities in the Hamas-run enclave said 7,650 Palestinians, also mostly civilians, have been killed since Israel's bombardment began.

Persons: Antonio Guterres, Brendan McDermid, Guterres, Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Cross, Michelle Nichols, Ismail Shakil, Moira Warburton, Diane Craft Organizations: United Nations, Security, United Nations Headquarters, REUTERS, Palestinian, Health, Crescent, UN, World Health Organisation, WHO, International Committees, Thomson Locations: Gaza, New York City, U.S, Israel, Palestine

☆ Israeli ground forces inside Gaza as Palestinians take stock after intense overnight bombardment
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-28 | by ( Amarachi Orie | Jomana Karadsheh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Israeli ground forces are inside Gaza having entered the enclave overnight, as Palestinians experienced what they have described as the most intense round of airstrikes since Israel began its retaliation against Hamas’ October 7 terror attack. Israeli forces “went into the Gaza Strip and expanded the ground operation where infantry, armour and engineer units and artillery with heavy fire are taking part,” Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman Daniel Hagari said Saturday morning during a press briefing in Tel Aviv. “The forces are in the field and continue the fighting,” he added, without giving further details. Both those raids saw ground forces withdraw after a few hours. Israeli air strikes destroyed hundreds of buildings in the Gaza Strip overnight, the civil defence service in the Hamas-controlled Palestinian territory said on Saturday.

Persons: “, Daniel Hagari, ”, Hagari, Gazans, Mohammed Abed, Gaza Gazans, Khalil Al, Dikran, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Lynn Hastings, Catherine Russell, ” Russell, SIMs Organizations: CNN, Israel, Gaza, Israeli Defense Forces, IDF, Palestinian Ministry of Health, Getty, Al Aqsa Martyrs, CNN Communications, Health, United Nations, Jawwal Locations: Gaza, Tel Aviv, Wadi Gaza, Ramallah, AFP, Al Aqsa, Deir al Balah, Palestine

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