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Israel said Saturday that it air dropped aid into the Gaza Strip and would open humanitarian corridors, as it faced growing international condemnation over the deepening hunger crisis in the Palestinian territory.Israel imposed a total blockade on Gaza on March 2 after ceasefire talks broke down. In late May, it began allowing a small trickle of aid to resume.Before Israel announced the delivery of seven aid packages, the United Arab Emirates had said it would restart aid drops and Britain said it would work with partners including Jordan to assist them.The decision to loosen the flow of aid came as the Palestinian civil defence agency said over 50 more Palestinians had been killed in Israeli strikes and shootings, some as they waited near aid distribution centres.The same day, Israeli troops boarded a boat carrying activists from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition as it attempted to approach Gaza from the sea and deliver a small quantity of supplies to the aid-starved population.The humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territory has gravely deteriorated in recent days, with international NGOs warning of soaring malnutrition among children.On Telegram, the Israeli military announced it “carried out an airdrop of humanitarian aid as part of the ongoing efforts to allow and facilitate the entry of aid into the Gaza Strip”. Earlier, Israel said humanitarian corridors for UN aid convoys to deliver “food and medicine” would also be designated.This would improve the humanitarian situation, and disprove “the false claim of deliberate starvation in the Gaza Strip”, it added.Israel’s foreign ministry posted on X that a “humanitarian pause” would apply to certain parts of Gaza on Sunday morning to facilitate the aid deliveries. Humanitarian chiefs are deeply sceptical that air drops can deliver enough food to tackle the deepening hunger crisis facing Gaza’s more than two million inhabitants. They are instead demanding that Israel allow more overland convoys.But British Prime Minister Keir Starmer backed the idea, vowing to work with Jordan to restart air drops. Starmer’s office said that in a call with his French and German counterparts the “prime minister set out how the UK will also be taking forward plans to work with partners such as Jordan to airdrop aid and evacuate children requiring medical assistance”.The United Arab Emirates said it would resume air drops “immediately”.”The humanitarian situation in Gaza has reached a critical and unprecedented level,” Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan said in a post on X. “Air drops are resuming once more, immediately.”- ‘Starving civilians’ -A number of Western and Arab governments carried out air drops in Gaza in 2024, when aid deliveries by land also faced Israeli restrictions, but many in the humanitarian community consider them ineffective.”Air drops will not reverse the deepening starvation,” said Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA. “They are expensive, inefficient and can even kill starving civilians.”Israel’s military insists it does not limit the number of trucks going into the Gaza Strip, and alleges that UN agencies and relief groups are not collecting the aid once it is inside the territory.But humanitarian organisations accuse the Israeli army of imposing excessive restrictions, while tightly controlling road access within Gaza.A separate aid operation is under way through the Israeli- and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, but it has faced fierce international criticism after Israeli fire killed hundreds of Palestinians near distribution points.- Naval blockade -On Saturday evening, the live feed on the Handala boat belonging to pro-Palestinian activist group Freedom Flotilla showed Israeli troops boarding the vessel.The soldiers moved in as the boat approached Gaza and three video livefeeds of the scene broadcasting online were cut minutes later.Israeli forces last month intercepted and boarded another boat run by the same group, the Madleen.Gaza’s civil defence agency said Israeli fire killed over 50 people on Saturday, including 14 killed in separate incidents near aid distribution centres.Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties in accessing many areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify tolls and details provided by the civil defence agency and other parties.Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza after Hamas’s October 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. The Israeli campaign has killed 59,733 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.burs/tc/lb

Israel said Saturday it would allow food to be airdropped to Gaza and designate humanitarian corridors for UN aid convoys, as thousands of Palestinians face the threat of widespread famine.Before Israel announced that the flights would resume, the United Arab Emirates had said it would restart aid drops and Britain said it would work with partners including Jordan to assist them.The decision to apparently loosen up the flow of aid came as the Palestinian civil defence agency said over 50 more Palestinians had been killed in Israeli strikes and shootings Saturday, some as they waited near aid distribution centres.Later Saturday, Israel troops boarded a boat carrying pro-Palestinian activists from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition as it attempted to approach Gaza from the sea, in defiance of an Israeli naval blockade.”The humanitarian airdrop operation will be conducted in coordination with international aid organisations and the (Israeli army), led by COGAT and the IAF,” the Israeli statement said, referring to the civilian affairs unit for Palestinian territories and the air force.   “In addition, it was decided that designated humanitarian corridors would be established to enable the safe movement of UN convoys delivering food and medicine to the population,” the statement said.The statement said this would improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza and disprove “the false claim of deliberate starvation in the Gaza Strip”.Humanitarian chiefs are deeply sceptical that airdrops can deliver enough food to tackle the deepening hunger crisis facing Gaza’s more than two million inhabitants. They are instead demanding that Israel allow more overland convoys.But British Prime Minister Keir Starmer backed the idea, vowing to work with Jordan to restart airdrops. An Israeli official had told AFP on Friday that airdrops in Gaza would resume soon and that they would be conducted by the United Arab Emirates and Jordan.Starmer’s office said that in a call with his French and German counterparts, the “prime minister set out how the UK will also be taking forward plans to work with partners such as Jordan to airdrop aid and evacuate children requiring medical assistance”.The United Arab Emirates said it would resume airdrops “immediately”.”The humanitarian situation in Gaza has reached a critical and unprecedented level,” Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan said in a post on X. “Air drops are resuming once more, immediately.”- ‘Starving civilians’ -A number of Western and Arab governments carried out air drops in Gaza in 2024, when aid deliveries by land also faced Israeli restrictions, but many in the humanitarian community consider them ineffective.”Airdrops will not reverse the deepening starvation,” said Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA. “They are expensive, inefficient and can even kill starving civilians.”Israel imposed a total blockade on the entry of aid into Gaza on March 2 after talks to extend a ceasefire in the over 21-month-old conflict broke down. In late May, it began letting a trickle of aid enter.Israel’s military insists it does not limit the number of trucks going into the Gaza Strip, and alleges that UN agencies and relief groups are not collecting the aid once it is inside the territory.But humanitarian organisations accuse the Israeli army of imposing excessive restrictions, while tightly controlling road access within Gaza.A separate aid operation is under way through the Israeli- and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, but it has faced fierce international criticism after Israeli fire killed hundreds of Palestinians near distribution points.- Naval blockade -On Saturday evening, the live feed on the Handala — an aid boat belonging to pro-Palestinian activist group Freedom Flotilla — showed Israeli troops boarding the vessel.The soldiers moved in as the boat approached Gaza and three video livefeeds of the scene broadcasting online were cut minutes later.Israeli forces last month intercepted and boarded another boat run by the same group, the Madleen.Gaza’s civil defence agency said Israeli fire killed over 50 people on Saturday, including 14 killed in separate incidents near aid distribution centres.Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties in accessing many areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify tolls and details provided by the civil defence agency and other parties.Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza after Hamas’s October 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. The Israeli campaign has killed 59,733 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.burs-jj/gv

International pressure was mounting on Saturday for alternative ways to be found to deliver food to hungry Palestinian civilians in Gaza, with Britain vowing to back airdrops.The UK decision to support the plans of regional partners Jordan and the United Arab Emirates came as pro-Palestinian activists piloted a symbolic aid vessel towards the shores of Gaza in defiance of an Israeli naval blockade.On the ground, the territory’s civil defence agency said at least 40 more Palestinians had been killed in Israeli military strikes and shootings.  Humanitarian chiefs are deeply sceptical that airdrops can deliver enough food to tackle the deepening hunger crisis facing Gaza’s more than two million inhabitants and are instead demanding that Israel allow more overland convoys.But British Prime Minister Keir Starmer backed the idea, vowing to work with Jordan to restart airdrops — and with France and Germany to develop a plan for a lasting ceasefire.An Israeli official told AFP on Friday that airdrops in Gaza would resume soon, adding they would be conducted by the United Arab Emirates and Jordan.Starmer’s office said that in a call with his French and German counterparts, the “prime minister set out how the UK will also be taking forward plans to work with partners such as Jordan to airdrop aid and evacuate children requiring medical assistance”.The United Arab Emirates said it would resume airdrops “immediately”.”The humanitarian situation in Gaza has reached a critical and unprecedented level,” Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan said in a post on X. “Air drops are resuming once more, immediately.”- ‘Starving civilians’ -A number of Western and Arab governments carried out air drops in Gaza in 2024, at a time when aid deliveries by land also faced Israeli restrictions, but many in the humanitarian community consider them ineffective.”Airdrops will not reverse the deepening starvation. They are expensive, inefficient and can even kill starving civilians,” said Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.Israel imposed a total blockade on the entry of aid into Gaza on March 2 after talks to extend a ceasefire in the now 21-month-old conflict broke down. In late May, it began to allow a trickle of aid to enter.Israel’s military insists it does not limit the number of trucks going into the Gaza Strip, and alleges that UN agencies and relief groups are not collecting the aid once it is inside the territory.But humanitarian organisations accuse the Israeli army of imposing excessive restrictions, while tightly controlling road access within Gaza.A separate aid operation is under way through the Israeli- and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, but has faced fierce international criticism after Israeli fire killed hundreds of Palestinians near distribution points.- Naval blockade -On Saturday, pro-Palestinian activist group Freedom Flotilla said its latest aid boat, the Handala, was approaching Gaza and had already got closer than its previous vessel, the Madleen, which was intercepted and boarded by Israeli forces last month.The Israeli military said it was monitoring the situation and was prepared to enforce what it called its “legal maritime security blockade”.Gaza’s civil defence agency said Israeli fire killed 40 people on Saturday, including 14 killed in separate incidents near aid distribution centres.One of the 14 was killed “after Israeli forces opened fire on people waiting for humanitarian aid” northwest of Gaza City, the agency said.Witnesses told AFP that several thousand people had gathered in the area.Abu Samir Hamoudeh, 42, said the Israeli military opened fire while people were waiting to approach a distribution point near an Israeli military post in the Zikim area, northwest of Sudaniyah.The Israeli military told AFP that its troops fired “warning shots to distance the crowd” after identifying an “immediate threat”. It added that it was not aware of any casualties as a result of the fire.Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties in accessing many areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify tolls and details provided by the civil defence agency and other parties.Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza after Hamas’s October 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. The Israeli campaign has killed 59,733 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.burs-dc/glp/kir

The United Nations and NGOs are warning of an imminent famine in the Gaza Strip — a designation based on strict criteria and scientific evidence.But the difficulty of getting to the most affected areas in the Palestinian territory, besieged by Israel, means there are huge challenges in gathering the required data.- What is a famine? -The internationally-agreed definition for famine is outlined by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), an initiative of 21 organisations and institutions including UN agencies and aid groups.The IPC definition has three elements.Firstly, at least 20 percent of households must have an extreme lack of food and face starvation or destitution.Second, acute malnutrition in children under five exceeds 30 percent.And third, there is an excess mortality threshold of two in 10,000 people dying per day.Once these criteria are met, governments and UN agencies can declare a famine.- What is the situation in Gaza? -Available indicators are alarming regarding the food situation in Gaza.”A large proportion of the population of Gaza is starving”, according to the World Health Organization’s chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.Food deliveries are “far below what is needed for the survival of the population”, he said, calling it “man-made… mass starvation”.Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said on Friday that a quarter of all young children and pregnant or breastfeeding women screened at its clinics in Gaza last week were malnourished, blaming Israel’s “deliberate use of starvation as a weapon”.Almost a third of people in Gaza are “not eating for days” and malnutrition is surging, the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) said Friday.The head of Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City on Tuesday said that 21 children had died across the Palestinian territory in the previous 72 hours “due to malnutrition and starvation”.The very few foodstuffs in the markets are inaccessible, with a kilogramme (two pounds) of flour reaching the exorbitant price of $100, while the Gaza Strip’s agricultural land has been ravaged by the war.According to NGOs, the 20 or so aid trucks that enter the territory each day — vastly insufficient for more than two million hungry people — are systematically looted.”It’s become a technical point to explain that we’re in acute food insecurity, IPC4, which affects almost the entire population. It doesn’t resonate with people,” said Amande Bazerolle, in charge of MSF’s emergency response in Gaza.”Yet we’re hurtling towards famine — that’s a certainty.”- What are the challenges in gathering data? -NGOs and the WHO concede that gathering the evidence required for a famine declaration is extremely difficult.”Currently we are unable to conduct the surveys that would allow us to formally classify famine,” said Bazerolle.She said it was “impossible” for them to screen children, take their measurements, or assess their weight-to-height ratio.Jean-Raphael Poitou, Middle East programme director for the NGO Action Against Hunger, said the “continuous displacements” of Gazans ordered by the Israeli military, along with restrictions on movement in the most affected regions; “complicate things enormously”.Nabil Tabbal, incident manager at the WHO’s emergency programme, said there were “challenges regarding data, regarding access to information”. – Can famine still be avoided? -For France’s foreign ministry, malnutrition and the “risk of famine” is the “result of the blockade imposed by Israel”.The Israeli military denies it is blocking humanitarian aid entering Gaza. On Tuesday it claimed that 950 truckloads of aid were inside the Strip waiting for collection and distribution by international organisations.Israeli government spokesman David Mencer insisted there was “no famine caused by Israel. There is a man-made shortage engineered by Hamas.”Hamas has consistently denied that. The New York Times on Saturday reported that, according to two senior Israeli military officials and two other Israelis involved, “the Israeli military never found proof” supporting the official Israeli allegation.NGOs have accused Israel of imposing drastic restrictions.More than 100 NGOs — including MSF, Caritas, Save the Children, Amnesty International, Medecins du Monde, Christian Aid and Oxfam — have urged Israel to open all land crossings and “restore the full flow of food” into Gaza.- What does a famine declaration tell us? -A fresh Gaza IPC assessment is due very soon.For some, the technical debates over a famine declaration seem futile given the urgency of the situation.”Any famine declaration… comes too late,” explained Jean-Martin Bauer, the WFP’s director of food security and nutrition analysis.”By the time famine is officially declared, many lives have already been lost.”In Somalia in 2011, when famine was formally declared, half of the total number of victims of the disaster had already died of starvation.Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza after a deadly attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas on October 7, 2023.The Israeli campaign has killed nearly 60,000  Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.Hamas’s October 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.cl-burs/sva/ib/rjm/rmb

Gaza’s civil defence agency said Israeli fire killed 25 people on Saturday in the Palestinian territory devastated by more than 21 months of war.Agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP the dead included nine people killed in three separate air strikes in Gaza City.Eleven people were killed in four separate strikes near the southern city of Khan Yunis, while two were killed in a drone strike in Nuseirat refugee camp, he added.Bassal said three people were killed by Israeli gunfire while waiting for aid in three separate incidents in northern, central and southern Gaza.One of the three was killed “after Israeli forces opened fire on people waiting for humanitarian aid” northwest of Gaza City, the agency said.Witnesses told AFP that several thousand people had gathered in the area.One of them, Abu Samir Hamoudeh, 42, said the Israeli military opened fire “while the people were waiting to approach the distribution point”, located near an Israeli military post in the Zikim area, northwest of Sudaniyah.The Israeli military told AFP that its troops fired “warning shots to distance the crowd” after identifying an “immediate threat”. The civil defence agency said another man was killed by a drone strike near Khan Yunis, while one was killed by artillery fire in the Al-Bureij camp in central Gaza.The Israeli military said it was continuing its operations in Gaza, adding that it killed members of a “terrorist cell” which it accused of planting an explosive device.It said the air force had “struck over 100 terror targets” across Gaza over the previous 24 hours.Bassal said civil defence teams also recovered the bodies of 12 people following Israeli bombardment north of Rafah the previous night.The recovery operation was conducted in coordination with the UN humanitarian office (OCHA), he said, adding that the bodies were taken to Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis.Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties in accessing many areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify tolls and details provided by the civil defence agency and other parties.Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza after a deadly attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas on October 7, 2023.The Israeli campaign has killed 59,676 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.Hamas’s October 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.