Netanyahu ‘determined’ to pressure Hamas to find remaining dead hostages
Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told a memorial for victims of the Hamas-led attack on 7 October 2023 that he is “determined” to secure the return of the dead hostages still in Gaza, and that the country will continue to fight terrorism with “full force”. Benjamin Netanyahu made the comments hours after Hamas returned the bodies of two more hostages but said it was not able to access the remaining 19. There has been fury in Israel that Hamas has not returned all the bodies in line with last week’s Gaza ceasefire deal, though the US has downplayed the suggestion it amounts to a breach, reports an international media. Also on Thursday, Donald Trump signalled he was willing to see fighting resume if Hamas “continues to kill people”. Earlier on Thursday, the Israeli government confirmed that two bodies handed over by Hamas to the International Committee of the Red Cross on Wednesday night had been identified as Inbar Hayman and Sgt Maj Muhammad al-Atarash. With this, the number of dead hostages returned since Monday has risen to nine out of 28. Meanwhile in Gaza, work is under way to identify the bodies of Palestinians returned by Israel in recent days in exchange for the hostages’ bodies. A further 30 were returned on Thursday, taking the total to 120.
Left Front stages protest rally in Kolkata against Israeli actions in Gaza
Kolkata witnessed a massive rally on Saturday as the Left Front and its affiliated organisations marched from Rabindra Sadan to Lenin’s Statue at Esplanade, raising their voice against the recent Israeli attack on a humanitarian aid flotilla bound for Gaza. The protesters also demanded the immediate release of internationally renowned activists, including environmentalist Greta Thunberg, who have reportedly been detained for standing in solidarity with the Palestinian cause.The rally, called by Left parties, was marked by a sea of banners, posters and placards condemning Israel’s actions. The demonstrators carried slogans demanding an immediate end to what they described as “genocide in Gaza” and condemned the United States for providing continuous support to what they termed “war crimes” by Israel. Senior Left leaders, including Left Front chairman Biman Bose, CPI(M) central committee member Sujan Chakraborty, and Students’ Federation of India (SFI) general secretary Srijan Bhattacharya, were present at the forefront of the rally. They walked shoulder to shoulder with a large number of activists, students, workers, and common citizens who had gathered in solidarity with the people of Palestine. Speakers at the rally strongly criticised the Israeli government for launching repeated assaults on civilian populations in Gaza, as well as the attack on the flotilla carrying humanitarian aid. “The attack is not only an assault on the people of Gaza but also on international humanitarian principles,” Sujan Chakraborty said. He further alleged that such actions were possible only because of unconditional backing from the United States, which continues to shield Israel on international platforms. The rally reiterated the student community’s solidarity with the Palestinian people and demanded the immediate release of Greta Thunberg and other activists who had stood up against what they called “ecological destruction and human rights violations in the name of war.” The rally saw hundreds of participants chanting slogans such as “Stop genocide in Gaza,” “Free the detained activists,” and “Down with US-backed Israeli war crimes.” The protest concluded at Lenin’s statue in Esplanade, where participants took a pledge to continue mobilising public opinion in support of Palestine. The leaders announced that similar rallies and meetings would be held across districts in West Bengal in the coming days to sustain the momentum.
Israeli strike kills five Al Jazeera journalists in Gaza; IDF claims Hamas links
An Israeli air strike on Gaza City late on Sunday killed five journalists working for Al Jazeera, the Qatar-based news network said, in an attack that also claimed two other lives. The network said the journalists – reporter Anas al-Sharif, Mohamed Krikeh, cameraman Ibrahim Zaher, Moamen Aliwa and Mohamed Noufal – were inside a tent for reporters near the main gate of Al-Shifa Hospital when the strike hit. Al Jazeera condemned the killings, calling them an attack on journalists carrying out their duty. The National Press Club in Washington also expressed condolences. Al-Sharif, 28, had been reporting from northern Gaza for years and was a well-known figure in Middle East journalism. A final message posted on his social media account after his death read: “If these words reach you, know that Israel has killed me and silenced my voice.” The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) acknowledged targeting Al-Sharif, calling him a “terrorist” and alleging he was a senior operative in Hamas’s military wing. “Hamas terrorist Anas al-Sharif, who presented himself as an Al Jazeera journalist, was targeted. Intelligence, training rosters and payroll documents confirm his affiliation,” the IDF said in a statement. Al Jazeera has rejected such claims in the past, saying its journalists are being targeted for their reporting. The strike drew condemnation from rights groups and governments worldwide. Australia, which plans to recognise Palestine as an independent state next month at the United Nations General Assembly, also voiced concern over attacks on journalists.
Israel Faces Global Criticism Over Gaza Famine, Trump Backs UN Concern
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government is facing mounting international criticism after the United Nations and former U.S. President Donald Trump voiced alarm over what they described as a deepening famine crisis in Gaza. On Sunday, the Israeli government announced a daily 10-hour pause in military operations in three areas of the Gaza Strip—Gaza City, Deir al-Balah, and Al-Muwasi—to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid. However, the UN said the measures were “insufficient,” adding that limited road and airdrop access barely made a dent in addressing the humanitarian catastrophe. “The worst-case scenario of famine is currently playing out in the Gaza Strip,” the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) said in a statement, citing “mounting evidence” of starvation, malnutrition, and disease, all contributing to a growing death toll from hunger. Israel has denied the existence of a famine. “No one in Gaza is starving,” Netanyahu said on Monday night. “There is no intention to withhold food from civilians. We have allowed humanitarian aid into Gaza even during the war—otherwise, no one would have survived.” But Trump’s response stood in stark contrast. In a rare rebuke, the former U.S. President said, “There is a famine-like situation in Gaza. Children are starving. The images coming out of Gaza are deeply disturbing.” Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry claims over 60,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its offensive following the October 7 attacks by Hamas. Aid agencies have warned that recent Israeli efforts to scale up humanitarian deliveries remain far from adequate. Israel maintains that it has not imposed restrictions on aid. However, Gaza residents have reported going without food for days, and say armed gangs are looting incoming aid trucks and reselling goods on the black market, according to Gaza-based journalist Rushdi Abualouf. Israel does not allow international news organisations, unrestricted access to Gaza. In London, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to convene an emergency cabinet meeting as domestic and international pressure builds for the UK to immediately recognise Palestinian statehood.
Aid Airdrops Over Gaza as Malnutrition Crisis Deepens
Jordan and the United Arab Emirates have carried out fresh airdrops of humanitarian aid over Gaza, days after Israel announced new measures aimed at facilitating the entry of relief supplies into the besieged enclave, amid growing international alarm over widespread hunger and malnutrition. The Israeli military said it is opening additional aid corridors to “refute the false claim of intentional starvation,” following warnings from aid agencies about an escalating food crisis. The new routes are intended to expedite the delivery of assistance to Gaza’s civilian population, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said.Jordan’s state news agency reported that 60 trucks carrying essential food items were also en route to Gaza via land. Egypt is likewise increasing ground deliveries of humanitarian supplies through the Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossings, Egyptian officials confirmed. Despite the airdrops, international aid organisations say the efforts fall far short of meeting Gaza’s needs. “Airdrops are a grotesque distraction from the real humanitarian solution,” said a spokesperson for one group, calling for unfettered land access to the Strip. Experts estimate that at least 160 airdrop flights would be needed daily to provide a single meal to each of Gaza’s two million residents. The World Food Programme and other agencies have warned that aerial operations are logistically inefficient and fail to deliver aid at the scale required. According to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry, at least 133 people — many of them children — have died of malnutrition since the war began in October. Medical personnel in the enclave have reported cases of severe wasting and starvation-related illnesses, particularly in northern Gaza, where access remains highly restricted. The worsening humanitarian conditions come as diplomatic efforts to reach a ceasefire continue to stall. Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza following the October 7 Hamas-led attack that killed around 1,200 people in southern Israel, according to Israeli officials. More than 38,000 Palestinians have been killed in the ensuing conflict, Gaza health authorities say.
