Wednesday, December 24, 2025
type here...
Home Blog Page 976

Malnutrition-related death of Gaza children just ‘tip of iceberg’: UNICEF

By
IFP Media Wire
-
Gaza War

Ted Chaiban’s remarks came during a panel on the humanitarian situation in Gaza under the two-day European Humanitarian Forum 2024 in Brussels.

Chaiban stressed that one in every three children in Gaza’s north is acutely malnourished.

“There needs to be faster inspections at both Rafah and Kerem Shalom so that the population can get the support it needs,” he said and added: “This is a deliberate squeezing of humanitarian space.”

Regarding the alternative aid routes, he said that every route should be used, adding: “But the bottom line is the first shipment that came in by sea will be able to be the equivalent of 12 to 13 trucks. There are hundreds of trucks waiting on the border in Egypt as we speak.”

The Palestinian death toll from Israel’s deadly offensive on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7 has jumped to 31,819, the Health Ministry in the enclave said on Tuesday.

The Gaza-based Health Ministry made the statement as Israel continues to wage its deadly onslaught on Gaza for the 165th day.

The ongoing attacks have also injured 73,934 Palestinians, it added.

Over the past 24 hours, the Israeli army committed nine massacres across the Gaza Strip, killing 93 people and injuring 142 others, the statement noted.

“Many people are still trapped under rubble and on the roads and rescuers can’t reach them,” it added.

Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by Hamas, which Tel Aviv says killed nearly 1,200 people.

The Israeli war on Gaza has pushed 85% of the territory’s population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, while 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

Hostilities have continued unabated, however, and aid deliveries remain woefully insufficient to address the humanitarian catastrophe.

President Raisi, Russia’s Putin discuss bilateral ties, regional stability

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-
Iran & Russian Presidents Ebrahim Raisi & Vladimir Putin

President Raisi highlighted the significance of joint efforts in regional organizations like the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS, as well as ongoing projects such as the Rasht-Astara railway connecting two Iranian and Russian cities to bolster economic ties.

Addressing the ongoing crisis in Gaza, President Raisi urged international intervention to halt Zionist regime’s atrocities and alleviate the suffering of the people in Gaza.

He also discussed common interests in the Caucasus region, emphasizing stability and strategic cooperation and voicing Iran’s readiness to contribute to peace and stability in the region.

President Putin reciprocated gratitude for Raisi’s congratulatory message and highlighted the forthcoming comprehensive cooperation agreement between Iran and Russia.

Putin underscored the alignment of their positions regarding the Israeli regime’s actions in Gaza and expressed readiness to deepen collaboration on this front.

EU agrees to sanction violent Israeli settlers in West Bank

By
IFP Media Wire
-
Israeli settler

The move was announced by Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares after the meeting concluded.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell later confirmed the agreement, saying a “solid compromise” has been agreed upon “at the working level” and that he hopes it will be “fully adopted soon”.

At last month’s foreign policy meeting, the bloc failed to pass sanctions unanimously.

Albares celebrated the bloc’s decision on Monday, but stated decisions like these are “coming too slow” compared to what the “Palestinian population needs”.

He also told journalists that “unfortunately” there was no agreement about Spain and Ireland’s idea to discuss the EU Association Agreement with Israel on the basis of human rights violations.

However, he said he appreciated the debate and dialogue around the question, adding that the Israeli foreign minister will be invited to a future Foreign Affairs Council meeting.

“I do see that many countries are coming closer to where Spain and a small group of countries were in December,” he added.

Spain is calling for an immediate and permanent cease-fire in Gaza, the release of all hostages, and for humanitarian aid to reach the territory by land.

From there, Madrid is advocating for an international peace conference that would result in the international community recognizing a viable Palestinian state.

Top comdr.: Iran to retaliate in kind if oil tankers stolen

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-
Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri

“When [Iran’s] oil [industry] was nationalized, the British left Iran. They themselves went to Iraq and sent Indian workers back to India,” said Brigadier General Alireza Tangsiri, the commander of the Naval Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC).

“In order to be able to sell oil, the Iranian government had to load three Iranian oil tankers. When the tankers arrived in the Indian Ocean, the British seized all three,” said the top commander.

Then the Shah of Iran gave two tankers to the UK as ransom in order to secure the release of the remaining one, general Tanksiri explained.

“But if today they steal our oil or intercept our oil tankers anywhere in the world, we will respond in kind. Gone are the days when foreign powers would act like bullies to plunder Iranian people’s wealth,” he added.

World-famous Iranian body builder Hadi Choopan receives hero’s welcome in hometown

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-
Hadi Choopan

He has recently won two Arnold Classic titles, one at the Arnold Classic in the U.S. state of Ohio and the other one days later at 2024 Arnold Classic UK Men’s Open.

Choopan secured the first place in the 2022 Mr. Olympia competitions and finished the runner-up in the same annual contests in 2023.

He made his Mr. Olympia debut in 2019, finishing third and winning the People’s Champion Award at the show for the first time.

Iran rejects U.S., UK’s baseless allegations over Yemen, Red Sea

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-
Yemen Houthis

“Unfortunately in this meeting, delgates of the United States and Britain once again took advantage of the United Nations forum and made unfounded allegations against the Islamic Republic of Iran over the status of the Red Sea and Yemen,” said Iran in a letter to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in protest at claims made by the UK and the U.S. at an open session of the UNSC about the situation of the Middle East held on March 14,  2024.

“Tehran categorically rejects these baseless accusations and regards them as a pretext for Washington and London to advance their short-sighted political agenda and to justify and lend credence to their illegal actions and military aggression against Yemen,” read part of the  letter read out at the UNSC by Iran’s ambassador and permanent representative to the UN Amirsaeid Irvani.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran rejects unjustifiable remarks and unsubstantiated claims against Tehran in a statement read out by the French representative at the above-said meeting,” said the letter.

“Iran once again condemns the relentless military aggression and illegal use of force against Yemen by a so-called alliance led by the United States,” said the letter.

“These acts of aggression are in blatant violation of Yemen’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, internatonal laws, the UN Charter and the UNSC resolutions, and pose a serious threat to peace and stability in the region,” read the letter.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran has always supported a peaceful settlement of the Yemen crisis through diplomatic channels and highlights its commitment to maritime security  and the freedom of navigation ,”the letter added.

US daily Reveals Biden knew Israel was bombing Gaza indiscriminately

By
IFP Media Wire
-
Gaza War

On October 27, three weeks into Israel’s war with Hamas, Biden’s top foreign policy officials told a small group at the White House that “Israel was regularly bombing buildings without solid intelligence that they were legitimate military targets”, the newspaper wrote, citing three sources familiar with the meeting.

The officials also expressed concern that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had no clear plan for defeating the Palestinian group, with one source telling the Post that “from the very beginning, there’s been a sense of us not knowing how the Israelis were going to do what they said they were going to do”.

At the time, the US was rushing military aid to Israel. Two weeks before the meeting, Biden visited Tel Aviv and publicly declared that “as long as the United States stands…[Israel] will not be alone”. On the same day as the meeting, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters that the US would not impose any “red lines” on how Israel conducted its military campaign.

The meeting did little to change the rhetoric of Biden or his officials. The president didn’t criticize Israel over the repeated bombing of a refugee camp in early November. Likewise, the White House publicly backed Israel’s decision to bomb Gaza’s largest hospital later that month, with Kirby telling reporters that Hamas had hidden a command center beneath the facility.

Behind the scenes, however, US officials worried that such a statement would be seen by the Israelis as a “green light” to attack the hospital, the Washington Post reported. Democratic Senator Chris van Hollen told the paper that there was “some disconnect” between what Kirby said and what US intelligence reports actually showed, without explaining further.

Amid growing discontent from his own voters, Biden has since become more critical of Netanyahu. As early as January, the US president claimed that he was “quietly working with the Israeli government to get them to reduce and significantly get out of Gaza”. However, “When those conversations yielded little result, US officials offered few public rebukes and no evident consequences,” the Post’s sources said.

“At every juncture, Netanyahu has given Biden the finger,” van Hollen told Axios in January, declaring that the Biden administration is “pleading with the Netanyahu coalition, but getting slapped in the face over and over again”.

Netanyahu announced on Friday that he had approved plans to attack the city of Rafah in southern Gaza. Rafah is currently home to more than a million Palestinians displaced from other parts of the enclave, and Biden told MSNBC earlier this month that an Israeli operation there would cross a “red line.”

Biden partially walked his comments back moments later, telling MSNBC that Netanyahu “has a right to defend Israel”, but must “pay more attention to the innocent lives being lost”.

Report on food insecurity in Gaza an appalling indictment: UN chief

By
IFP Media Wire
-
Gaza War

With famine looming over the northern parts of Gaza, Guterres emphasized that more than half of the population, totaling 1.1 million Palestinians, have depleted their food supplies, plunging them into catastrophic hunger.

“The latest report on food insecurity in Gaza is an appalling indictment of conditions on the ground for civilians,” he said.

The UN chief added “Palestinians in Gaza are enduring horrifying levels of hunger and suffering.”

“This is the highest number of people facing catastrophic hunger ever recorded by the Integrated Food Security Classification system –anywhere, anytime,” he stressed.

Guterres described the situation in Gaza as “an entirely manmade disaster” and said that the situation can be halted.

“Today’s report is Exhibit A for the need for an immediate humanitarian cease-fire,” he continued.

Calling on “the Israeli authorities to ensure complete and unfettered access for humanitarian goods throughout Gaza”, Guterres also urged “the international community to fully support our humanitarian efforts.”

“We must act now to prevent the unthinkable, the unacceptable and the unjustifiable,” he added.

Guterres’ remarks came following the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification Initiative’s (IPC) report indicating that in the most probable scenario, both North Gaza and Gaza Governorates are categorized as IPC Phase 5 (Famine) with substantial evidence. Approximately 70% of the population, equivalent to around 210,000 people, are estimated to be in IPC Phase 5 (Catastrophe).

Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on Gaza since a cross-border incursion by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, which killed nearly 1,200 people.

More than 31,700 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have since been killed in the enclave, and nearly 73,800 others injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of most food, clean water and medicine, while 60%of the enclave’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the ICJ. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

US says Israel killed ‘Hamas number 3’ Marwan Issa

By
IFP Media Wire
-
Gaza War

“Israel has made significant progress against Hamas. They have broken a significant number of Hamas battalions. Killed thousands of Hamas fighters, including senior commanders. Hamas’ number three, Marwan Issa, was killed in an Israeli operation last week,” Sullivan stated in a news briefing.

“The rest of the top leaders are in hiding, likely deep in the Hamas tunnel network, and justice will come for them too. We are helping to ensure that,” he added.

The Israeli military first reported targeting a gathering of Hamas commanders last week and said Issa was likely killed. Israeli Army Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi stated on Sunday that Hamas is trying to hide the fate of Issa, who is the deputy commander of the group’s military wing.

Back in early January, a drone strike in Beirut’s southern suburbs of Dahiyeh, a Hezbollah stronghold, killed senior Hamas official Saleh al-Arouri.

Hamas confirmed the death of al-Arouri and called it a “cowardly assassination” by Israel, adding that attacks on Palestinians “inside and outside Palestine will not succeed in breaking the will and steadfastness of our people, or undermining the continuation of their valiant resistance”.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated he has ordered the Mossad to take action against Hamas leaders wherever they are. Hamas officials are based amongst other places in Qatar, Lebanon and Turkey.

Netanyahu said in late November that he has instructed Israeli intelligence agency Mossad to act against the leaders of Palestinian movement Hamas all around the world.

“I have instructed Mossad to act against Hamas leaders wherever they are,” he told a news conference.

Biden warns Netanyahu military operation in Gaza’s Rafah a “mistake”

By
IFP Media Wire
-
Biden Netanyahu

The call came as Biden and Netanyahu took a series of veiled swipes at each other over the last several days, with Biden saying in a hot mic moment last week that he would have a “come to Jesus meeting” with the Israeli leader.

White House national security advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters on Monday that Biden and Netanyahu had a “businesslike” call and that Netanyahu agreed to send a technical team of senior military, intelligence and humanitarian officials to Washington in the coming days to discuss the next stages of the war.

First and foremost on Biden’s agenda is preventing a full-scale Israeli invasion of Rafah, the southern Gaza border town where 1.5 million Palestinians are sheltering in squalid conditions.

“The president explained why he is so deeply concerned about Israel conducting major military operations on Rafah,” Sullivan added.

Israel threatened to invade Rafah in early February. The Biden administration pushed back against the plan but stopped short of issuing a full red line over an assault, saying Israel first needed to ensure a plan to evacuate Palestinian civilians.

On Monday, Sullivan told reporters that “Israel has not presented us or the world with a plan for how or where they would safely move those civilians and ensure basic access to things like sanitation”.

Sullivan stated Biden warned Netanyahu against a full-scale invasion of Rafah.

“A major ground operation there would be a mistake, it would lead to more innocent civilian deaths, worsen the already dire humanitarian crisis, deepen the anarchy in Gaza, and further isolate Israel internationally,” he continued.

Monday marked the first call between Netanyahu and Biden since 15 February. In the past month, the White House has seen Israel frustrate many of its policy goals, including allowing more humanitarian aid to enter Gaza.

The call comes as talks to reach a hostage deal between Hamas and Israel stall. The Biden administration has hoped that a six-week truce that allows for the release of hostages could give them space to work out a longer-term ceasefire and de-escalate tensions in the region, ahead of the November US presidential election.

Biden has provided Israel unconditional military and political backing since 7 October, but his support has riled progressives, along with Arab and Muslim Americans who have voiced their frustration at the ballot box, casting “uncommitted” votes in big numbers in the recent Democratic primaries in Michigan and Minnesota.

Nearly 32,000 Palestinians, mainly women and children, have been killed by Israel’s offensive. Meanwhile, the UN is warning that northern Gaza is on the brink of famine.

As the situation deteriorates, the Biden administration has become more vocal on Netanyahu. Biden praised a speech last week by Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer calling for elections in Israel to replace Netanyahu.

On Sunday, the Israeli leader fired back in a CNN interview, calling the speech “inappropriate”. Netanyahu has vowed to follow through with an assault on Rafah and has pointed to the backing of Israel’s public for an invasion.

Responding to criticism that the White House was slipping in its support of Israel, Sullivan said Biden “rejected the straw man, that raising questions about Rafah is the same as raising questions about defeating Hamas”, adding that an invasion would “deepen the anarchy” in Gaza.

Netanyahu said in a statement after the call that he had reiterated “Israel’s commitment to achieving all of the war’s objectives”.

The Israeli premier cited the objectives as eliminating Hamas, releasing all the hostages and “ensuring that Gaza will never present a threat to Israel”.

He also pointed to the provision of “essential humanitarian aid that helps achieve these aims”.

Sullivan stated Israel could achieve its war aims without “smashing into Rafah”, and added the US and Israeli technical teams would discuss targeted operations to eliminate Hamas fighters in Rafah.

1...975976977...5,121Page 976 of 5,121

© All Content by IFP News ( Iran Front Page ) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

About Us

Popular Articles

Editor Picks