Tag: Conflict

  • Israel tells 1.1m people to evacuate Northern Gaza within 24 hours: what we know about day seven

    Israel tells 1.1m people to evacuate Northern Gaza within 24 hours: what we know about day seven

    Where do they go?

    The Gaza Strip consists of 2.3 million people. More than 1.1 million Palestinians living in the northern part of the Strip are being asked to move towards the South by Israeli forces — that too, within 24 hours as there are plans of ground operations.

    The UN has deemed the call as “impossible”, stating that it can lead to a serious humanitarian crisis: “It is ‘impossible for such a movement to take place without devastating humanitarian consequences,” the UN said.

    Israeli military sent a warning to Gaza saying, “This evacuation is for your own safety. You will be able to return to Gaza City only when another announcement permitting it is made. Do not approach the area of the security fence with the State of Israel.”

    Hamas, however, has told Palestinians to not give into the “fake propaganda”“Remain steadfast in your homes and stand firm in the face of this disgusting psychological war waged by the occupation”, stated the Hamas Authority for Refugee Affairs.

    Nowhere to sleep

    The International Committee of the Red Cross has revealed that as a large number of people in Gaza are being displaced, “hundreds of thousands have nowhere to sleep”.

    It added that more than 2 million people lack basic necessities, water and electricity; ambulances cannot reach the wounded.

    423,000 people displaced

    The United Nations has revealed that 423,378 people have been displaced after forcibly fleeing their residences in Gaza.

    The UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) said that this number has reportedly risen by an addition of 84,444 people on Thursday.

    ‘Genocide’ in Gaza, says Hamas

    In a video statement, senior Hamas official Ghazi Hamad describes the current Israeli moves as “genocide” which are being backed by the Western countries who, he added, are not seeking a resolution.

    “There is no safe area for the people in Gaza to seek refuge or shelter,” he said.

    “Every area and every building is under possible attack. Everyone is targeted and vulnerable to Israel’s killing, including women, children, the elderly and even disabled people.”

    “The Israeli leaders are giving clear instructions to their army to carry out a genocide [against] more than two million citizens in the Gaza Strip. We are facing unprecedented crimes in modern history,”

    30 airstrikes in one night

    Israel conducted 30 airstrikes during the night in a span of just one hour.

    This indicates the intensification of attacks in the northern part of the Gaza Strip after excessive attacks in the southern part, targeting Rafah.

    Use of white phosphorus

    The use of white phosphorus has now been confirmed by Human Rights Watch.

    “Human Rights Watch verified videos taken in Lebanon and Gaza on October 10 and 11, 2023, respectively, showing multiple airbursts of artillery-fired white phosphorus over the Gaza City port and two rural locations along the Israel-Lebanon border, and interviewed two people who described an attack in Gaza,” they have stated.

    Additionally, Lama Fakih, Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch explains that “Any time that white phosphorus is used in crowded civilian areas, it poses a high risk of excruciating burns and lifelong suffering,

    “White phosphorous is unlawfully indiscriminate when airburst in populated urban areas, where it can burn down houses and cause egregious harm to civilians.”

    Lebanese forced to flee too

    After Palestinians, thousands of people from southern Lebanese villages are forced to leave their houses due to high chances of Israel-Hezbollah war.

    Hezbollah is a Lebanese Shia Islamist political party and militant group. They have a frictional history with Israel and both of them have, time and again, attacked each other’s territory.

  • ‘We have a lot of fighters, people who want to support us’, says Hamas: what we know about day six

    ‘We have a lot of fighters, people who want to support us’, says Hamas: what we know about day six

    No electricity in Gaza

    As fuel, food, and other necessities are halted by Israel in Gaza Strip, the besieged area’s only electric power plant is now exhausted. This means that 2.3 million people are now without electricity whereas hospitals and other necessary services have been affected.

    And with an increasing number of wounded people, people are left to wait for their turn. According to AL-Jazeera, 50 patients are waiting to get surgeries in Gaza’s largest hospital.

    United Nations secretary-general Antonio Guterres has called out the blockade of resources and necessities into Gaza, stating that fuel, water, and food “must be allowed into Gaza”.

    Hamas releases children, Israel calls it a farce

    Hamas’ Qassam Brigade has released a video showing the release of two children and a woman who were initially under their custody. This comes after the circulation of false news stating that Hamas beheaded 40 Israeli babies — Hamas denied the allegations.

    Nonetheless, Israel has deemed the video as a farce stating, Hamas is trying to change the truth through the theatrics of publishing a propaganda video through its media mouthpieces,”

    White House retract Biden’s claim

    Earlier, false news had been circulating on social media that Israeli women and children have been beheaded by Hamas’ armed wing, the Qassam Brigades.

    Anadolu Agency reached out to the Israeli spokesperson on Tuesday who stated that the Israeli army has no information confirming allegations that “Hamas beheaded babies.”

    Nonetheless, in his address, US President Joe Biden stated that “I never really thought that I would see, have confirmed pictures of terrorists beheading children.”

    However, The Washington Post reported that “A White House spokesperson later clarified that US officials and the president have not seen pictures or confirmed such reports independently,”

    Talks on releasing Israeli captives, Red Cross

    The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is currently in conversation with Hamas in efforts to free Israeli captives.

    “We are now in contact with Hamas and Israeli officials as part of the efforts on the hostage issue,

    “As a neutral mediator, we are ready to conduct humanitarian visits; and facilitate any eventual release.”

    According to Israel, 150 of their people are under Hamas’ custody including women, children, and soldiers.

    No attacks from Gaza but Israel continues airstrikes

    According to the Israeli army, no rockets were striked from Gaza and Lebanon last night.

    But airstrikes from Israel continue. At least 10 Palestinian civilians, including women and children, have been killed by an Israeli missile attack on the Shati refugee camp west of Gaza City.

    ‘We are not afraid’, says Hamas

    Al-Jazeera spoke to a Hamas leader, Ghazi Hamad, who asserted that they are prepared to face Israeli troops who are reportedly going to be deployed in Gaza as they are apparently preparing for a ground operation.

    “We are not afraid. We are a strong people. We have a strong determination to continue. We have a lot of fighters and a lot of people who want to support us, Hamad said.

    Israel expels Palestinian employees in West Bank

    Many Palestinians from Gaza had been working in the occupied West Bank due to better job prospects.

    After the attacks, however, their employers took them to checkpoints and then to the occupied West Bank as directed by Israeli police.

    Al-Jazeera reports that there is no going back for them and reportedly, they were also attacked by Israeli police after getting picked up.

    They are currently stuck at the Palestinian Authority facility in Ramallah and have not been able to return to their homes even though some have lost their family members in Gaza in Israel attacks.

    Palestinians in occupied West Bank

    Palestinian health ministry has revealed that Israeli settlers have killed two Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

    Reuters reported that according to the witnesses, settlers shot the father and son who were at the funeral of four Palestinians who were also killed by settlers and soldiers on Wednesday.

    Casualties

    According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, 1,200 have been killed in Gaza and about 5,600 wounded.

    In Israel too, 1,200 have died while 3,000 have been injured.

    The UN reveals that as a result of Israel’s attacks, 338,934 Palestinians have been displaced in Gaza.

  • Israel is dropping white phosphorus bombs on Gaza: what we know about Day Five

    Israel is dropping white phosphorus bombs on Gaza: what we know about Day Five

    Use of white phosphorus

    The official channel of Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates have posted on X (formerly Twitter) that the Israeli military attacked the Al-Karama neighbourhood in Gaza with white phosphorus bombs.

    White phosphorus bombs burn up oxygen and suffocate people in the area. Moreover, white phosphorus causes burns and can spread fire over an area of hundreds of square yards.

    Power supply to deplete

    Authorities have claimed that the electricity supply in Gaza can shut down “within hours” as “it is running out of fuel”.

    Palestinian enclave houses more than two million people. Hospitals and shelters are currently operating without electric power.

    Additionally, an ambulance in Gaza was attacked, killing two. The health ministry has accused Israel of “deliberately targeting” medical workers.

    Attacks on Gaza

    Hamas has stated that in the span of one night, at least 30 people have been killed and hundreds wounded after Israel launched hundreds of air raids.

    According to Salama Marouf, who spoke with AFP news agency, dozens of residential buildings, factories, mosques and shops were hit.

    On the contrary, the Israeli military has claimed to have hit several Hamas targets at night.

    Displaced, wounded, dead

    According to the UN humanitarian agency OCHA, more than 260,000 people have forcibly fled their homes following the Israeli attacks.

    “Over 263,934 people in Gaza are believed to have fled their homes,” and “this number is expected to rise further”.

    Whereas the Palestinian health minister has reported that the death toll has reached 950 with more than 5,000 wounded.

    Moreover, at least 260 children have also been killed due to attacks on Gaza.

    As per the Palestinian foreign ministry, since Saturday, Israeli air strikes have destroyed more than 22,600 residential units and 10 health facilities and damaged 48 schools.

    Israel refuses food, medical supply

    The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) requested the delivery of food and medical supplies into Gaza “but Israel refused”.

    “We call on international humanitarian institutions and the international community to intervene urgently to stop the aggression and allow the entry of relief materials and restore electricity and water, because the Gaza Strip is facing a major humanitarian catastrophe,” PLO official Hussein al-Sheikh said on X.

    Israeli death toll rises to 1,200

    An Israeli military spokesperson has confirmed that the Israeli death toll has now risen to 1,200, with more than 2,700 injured.
    Biden’s speech in support of Israel

    The US president Joe Biden gave a speech on Tuesday, condemning the attacks by Hamas and deeming them as “sheer evil”.

    “Let there be no doubt: The United States has Israel’s back. We’ll make sure the Jewish and democratic state of Israel can defend itself — today, tomorrow, as we always have. It’s as simple as that,”

    He noted that 14 US citizens are also among those who died in Israel while others have been taken captives.

    Biden has committed to giving more military assistance to Israel, adding that the US has altered its military disposition in the region to warn anyone “seeking to take advantage” of the conflict.

    Biden said that he spoke with Neyhanyatu, “We also discussed how democracies like Israel and the United States are stronger and more secure when we act according to the rule of law,” Biden added.

    What’s next?

    Jonathan Conricus, a spokesman for the Israeli military has announced that hundreds of thousands of troops are assembling near the Gaza Strip for the war with Hamas.

    In a video posted on X, he stated that Israel has sent infantry, armoured soldiers, artillery corps and soldiers — 300,000 in total.

    “And that is to make sure that Hamas, at this end of this war, won’t have any military capabilities by which they can threaten or kill Israeli civilians,” he said.

    Courtesy: Al-Jazeera

  • Hamas calls for Muslims to stand with Palestine on Friday: what we know about Day Four

    Hamas calls for Muslims to stand with Palestine on Friday: what we know about Day Four

    In the latest update, Hamas has called on people all over to come out in solidarity with the Palestinian cause coming Friday.

    Flee to Egypt

    The Israeli military has suggested the Palestinians flee to Egypt to escape air attacks in the Gaza Strip.

    Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Hecht, chief military spokesperson of Israel addressed foreign media, stating, “I am aware that the Rafah crossing (on the Gaza-Egypt border) is still open. Anyone who can get out, I would advise them to get out,”

    Soon after this, news came in that the Rafah border was closed.

    1,500 bodies of Hamas fighters with Israel

    The Israeli army has claimed to have about 1,500 bodies of Hamas fighters that they found in Israel and Gaza Strip.
    According to Hecht, control over the border has “more or less” been restored along the besieged Gaza Strip.

    200 areas in Gaza bombed

    The Israeli military has bombed more than 200 targets in Gaza Strip including an alleged weapons storage site inside a mosque as well as an apartment used by Hamas’s antitank guided missile forces.

    Situation in Gaza ‘extremely worrying’: UNRWA

    The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees has revealed in an interview with Al-Jazeera that thousands of people in Gaza who left their homes to escape the Israeli attacks have been “unable to access basic services”.

    “It is extremely damaging for people. For us, it is extremely worrying that they cannot access any of these basic services,” al-Rifai said.

    14 of UNRWA distribution centres have been bombarded while on the other hand, at least 137,000 people have been displaced and seeking shelter since Saturday.

    Israeli forces ‘taking revenge’ by killing civilians

    The Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor posted on social media that Israeli forces are committing “mass killing crimes against civilians” in Gaza.

    “The Israeli forces are taking revenge on Palestinian armed factions by committing mass killing crimes against civilians,” the group said of Israel’s relentless bombardment of densely populated areas, as it posted a photo on social media of a levelled neighbourhood.

    “Even in cases of military necessity, Israel must adhere to provisions of international humanitarian law in its attack on Gaza.”

    “We will purify the area and attack terrorists wherever they are,”

    The Israel Defense Forces’ spokesperson, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, held a press conference, in which he stated that Hamas terrorists are in Israel, and that Israeli troops are on a hunt and killing them.

    “We will purify the area and attack terrorists wherever they are,” he says.

    Spain and France oppose blockade of aid to Palestine

    On Monday, EU Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi’s announced that payments from the development programme for Palestinians would be “immediately suspended”.

    This, however, was followed by rejection of the suspension from Spain, Ireland and Luxembourg.

    The EU then reconsidered its approach.

    “This cooperation must continue; we cannot confuse Hamas, which is in the list of EU’s terrorist groups, with the Palestinian population, or the Palestinian Authority or the United Nations’ organisations on the ground,” said Spain’s acting Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares.

    Similarly, the Foreign Ministry in Paris said, “We are not in favour of suspending aid that directly benefits the Palestinian people, and we made this clear to the European Commission yesterday,”

    Courtesy: Al-Jazeera News

  • Exclusive: Afghan parents struggle for five days to take son’s body back to country

    Exclusive: Afghan parents struggle for five days to take son’s body back to country

    A recent post on X (formerly Twitter) about Afghan parents unable to take their son’s body back to their country for burial has gone viral. In a photo, the parents can be seen crying beside their deceased son’s body in an ambulance in Peshawar.

    The family had come from Afghanistan to Peshawar for their son’s cancer treatment after he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. However, eight-year-old Muhammad Yasin passed away of the disease. The parents then wanted to return to their hometown in Afghanistan for the burial, but their route via the Torkham border had been closed due to Pak-Afghan security conflict.

    The Current reached out to Tahir Khan, the journalist who posted the picture, for an update on the case.

    Yaseen was the only brother to eight sisters, Tahir Khan said, adding that the child’s father, Gul Muhammad, drives a rickshaw in Jalalabad, Nangarhar province, Afghanistan.

    Around a year ago, Yaseen was diagnosed with brain cancer in Jalalabad. The doctors there recommended to the parents that they take him to Peshawar for his treatment.

    Despite his low income and hardships, Gul Muhammad did everything in his capacity to get his son treated.

    The family frequently travelled to Peshawar and back. The son and father received a pass which made it convenient for them to cross borders.

    In Peshawar they were always hosted by their hometown fellow who had been working as a farmer.

    Yaseen had undergone treatment at the IRNUM cancer hospital as well as Peshawar Hayatabad Complex.

    The tumor in his brain was successfully removed, with the child almost recovering. But all of a sudden, on September 4, Yaseen started feeling unwell while in Jalalabad. The parents brought him to Peshawar Hayatabad Complex where on September 7, Yaseen passed away.

    Now, the parents wanted to take their son’s body back to their hometown for burial but on September 6, Pakistan closed its Torkham border with Afghanistan after two people, including a Frontier Corps (FC) official, were injured in an encounter between Pakistan and Afghan border forces.

    According to the officials, Afghanistan has also started the construction of a checkpoint on their side of the border in a prohibited area “without discussing it with the Pakistani side”, despite an already existing checkpoint, the Larram Post.

    The conflict between the two countries complicated the situation for the grieving family whose route back home was via the Torkham border. They went up to the border twice since the passing of their son, but were sent back.

    Tahir Khan shared their concern on X (formerly Twitter) in hopes that higher authorities would take notice and help the family cross the border.

    They were contacted by an unknown man a couple of days back, who called the family around 2:30 am, promising to help them cross the border, but after that one call, Gul Muhammad was never able to contact the unknown caller and potential helper again since he never picked up his call.

    And so, with no help received from the officials, and with their deceased son’s body lying in the hospital since five days, the family decided to take the longer way back home.

    They are currently on their way to Jalalabad via Kurram border. While Peshawar to Jalalabad takes only three hours via Torkham border, it can take the family approximately half a day or more to travel via the Kurram border.

  • Unrest after Holy Quran burning in Sweden

    Unrest after Holy Quran burning in Sweden

    Three men have been arrested in Sweden for participating in riots after another incident of the desecration of Holy Quran.

    Turmoil broke out after Iraqi anti-Islam activist Salwan Momika burned a copy of the Islamic holy book on Sunday.

    BBC reports that the police has detained 10 people for causing disruption in the city of Malmo.

    During the unrest, vehicles were set on fire and about a hundred people congregated in reaction to the desecration of the Quran.

    Momika has a record of desecrating the Quran during anti-Islam protests. According to the BBC, his actions have caused diplomatic outrage across the Middle East.

    Police officers have said that the protesters pelted them with stones while some threw electric scooters at police vehicles in addition to burning of the cars.

    This happened in the largely immigrant-populated area of Rosengard neighbourhood in Malmo.

    The city’s police area commander Petra Stenkula said while speaking to local media, “I understand that a public gathering like this arouses strong emotions, but we cannot tolerate disturbances and violence like the ones we saw on Sunday afternoon,”

    “It is extremely regrettable to once again see violence and vandalism at Rosengard.”

    Back in June, at the first day of Eid al-Adha, Momika set fire to a copy outside Stockholm’s central mosque

    Initially, Swedish police had given Momika a permit to protest, in conformity with the state’s free-speech laws but then said his case was to be investigated for incitement of hatred.

  • More than 30 Pakistanis living in Sudan safely reach Jeddah

    More than 30 Pakistanis living in Sudan safely reach Jeddah

    Amid the intensifying conflict in Sudan, the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said that a ship carrying 37 citizens has arrived in Jeddah from Port Sudan.

    On Tuesday, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari confirmed that the Pakistani diplomatic mission in Sudan had evacuated 700 countrymen to safety, and the status of the remaining nearly 1,500 Pakistanis currently in the African country was being closely monitored.

    Sudan has a long history of civil wars. However, the latest escalation in fighting came on April 15, which has turned residential areas into battlefields.

    Air strikes and artillery have killed at least 512 people and wounded nearly 4,200.

    The violence between the military and the well-armed Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group has triggered a humanitarian crisis.

    Tensions began when members of the RSF were redeployed around the country in a move that the army saw as a threat.

  • Bilawal Bhutto defends ex-PM Imran Khan’s visit to Russia

    Bilawal Bhutto defends ex-PM Imran Khan’s visit to Russia

    Foreign Minister (FM) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Thursday strongly defended Imran Khan’s Moscow visit, saying there was no way for the former prime minister to know that Russia would invade Ukraine on the day he landed in the Russian capital.

    “As far the former prime minister’s trip to Russia, I would absolutely defend the former prime minister of Pakistan. He conducted that trip as part of his foreign policy and without knowing that — no one is psychic, no one has a sixth sense — there’s no way we could have possibly known that that would be the time [when] the current conflict will start,” Bilawal said.

    https://twitter.com/MediaCellPPP/status/1527401668916256770?s=20&t=KZ4uVQyjDUUPrLQdo_hRgA

    “And I believe it is very unfair to punish Pakistan for such an innocent action.”

    Pakistan, he said, was absolutely clear that it has to stand by the principles of the United Nations, including that of non-use of force, on this issue.

    “We are not part of any conflict. We do not wish to be part of any conflict. In fact, we would continue to emphasise the importance of peace,” he said.

    “We would continue to emphasise the importance of dialogue and diplomacy to resolve this conflict as soon as possible. And we will certainly not take any side or take the side of any aggressor within this context.”

    Twitterati praised FM Bilawal Bhutto for the way he defended not only the formal premier but Pakistan as well. Netizens did not spare this chance to compare Bilawal with Khan.

  • Lahore Police officials will now wear ‘body cams’ to fight crime

    Lahore Police officials will now wear ‘body cams’ to fight crime

    Lahore Police has planned to utilise Body Worn Cam at E-Police checkpoints on the entry and exit points of the provincial capital for the welfare of the public, according to the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Operations Wing Lahore Captain (retd) Mustansir Feroze. 

    He claimed that the Lahore Police Department’s plan will not only keep the city secure but also minimize citizen-police conflicts. He added that the interaction (audio and video) between police officers and civilians would also be recorded by the Body-Worn Cam.

    According to SSP Operations, this measure will aid in identifying criminals as well as eliminating terrorism. He claimed that this method would re-establish public trust in the police force, and also that citizens can lodge complaints on 1787.

    Read more: Islamabad Traffic Police intensifies crackdown against wrong parking

    Senior police officials will supervise the programme and would offer on-the-spot instructions to address the public’s complaints.

    Body cameras are already being used in a number of other nations, but they have never been deployed by police in Pakistan. This idea will undoubtedly aid higher-ranking Lahore police officials in combating crime and monitoring how officers perform throughout the day and their attitude toward civilians.

  • UK court issues order to extradite Julian Assange to US to face trial

    UK court issues order to extradite Julian Assange to US to face trial

    On Wednesday, a United Kingdom (UK) court issued an official judgment extraditing Julian Assange, the founder of Wikileaks, to the United States to face charges related to the publishing of secret material linked to the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts.

    Priti Patel, the interior minister, now has the final say, albeit Assange has 14 days to appeal any decision to allow the transfer.

    A magistrate’s decision in central London on Wednesday takes the lengthy legal dispute in the UK courts nearer to a resolution.

    However, Assange’s attorneys have promised to make submissions to Patel and, if necessary, to launch more arguments on other issues in the case.

    His lawyers, Birnberg Peirce Solicitors, stated in a statement last month that “no appeal to the High Court has yet been made by him in respect of the other critical points he highlighted earlier”.

    “Of course, that distinct appeal process has yet to be started”.

    Last month, Assange was denied permission to appeal to the UK Supreme Court against deportation to the United States, where he might face a life sentence.

    America wants him prosecuted for the leak of 500,000 secret military files from the US-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

    The 50-year-old Australian looked to have earned a relief in January of last year, claiming that being held in solitary confinement at a maximum-security US institution would put him at risk of suicide.

    The US government filed an appeal, and its attorneys cited diplomatic assurances that Assange would not be kept in harsh isolation at a federal jail and would get sufficient care during a two-day appeal hearing in October.

    Read more: Pakistani artist Shehzil Malik’s artwork makes it to ‘Ms Marvel’

    Assange appealed the decision, and in January, two judges granted him permission to file an application with the nation’s highest court on “laws of general public significance”.

    However, the court denied the appeal, stating that the application “didn’t establish an arguable question of law”.