Illegal Israeli settlements are expanding faster than ever
According to Peace Now, 2023 was probably the biggest year when it comes to settlers expanding their presence in the occupied West Bank since the Oslo Accords in 1993. That was when the Palestinians and Israelis signed an agreement which was expected to lead to the Palestinian statehood. But, as we see on the ground, this is becoming more and more difficult.
We are just by the illegal Israeli settlement of Har Homa, which has been built on Palestinian land in Jabal Abu Ghneim in Bethlehem. The settlement is off limits to Palestinians. These settlements have been expanding and expanding. Even when Palestinians and Israelis have agreed, in very rare times, to kind of stop settlement building for a while for talks, this settlement [Har Homa] was one of those that did not see any freeze in the construction.
Village of Duma sealed off for 90 days now: Official
Suleiman Dawabsheh, head of the Duma village council, says that Israeli forces have had the village located southeast of Nablus sealed off for nearly three months with dirt barriers and concrete blocks, preventing people from entering or exiting.
The Israeli military has also closed all the nearby side roads that lead to the village about a week ago, he told Al Jazeera. “These restrictions have left a deep impact on all aspects of life in the village, including health, education, transportation, and the economy,” Dawabsheh said. “The siege has caused immense economic hardship, making it one of the villages that require the intervention of human rights and humanitarian organisations.”
The village has been a flashpoint of Israeli settler attacks, which have only intensified since October 7. In 2015, 18-month-old Ali, along with his parents, Saad and Reham Dawabsheh, fell victim to an arson attack by Israeli settlers. Ahmed, Ali’s older brother, who was five at the time, was the only survivor.
Hospital in Rafah overcrowded with orphans, premature babies
Al-Helal Al-Emairati Maternity Hospital in Rafah is witnessing overcrowding of children who have become orphans as well as premature babies.
“We now have at least 70 to 80 cases per day in the hospital,” said Dr Ahmed al-Shaer, deputy head of the hospital’s nursery department, referring to the number of children brought in each day orphaned as a result of the war. “One of them is an unknown child and we do not know the fate of his family, and people found him on a tree in the morning as a result of the shelling and brought him to the hospital.”
According to footage seen by Al Jazeera as well as several doctors’ statements, there are also the bodies of premature babies who died a few days ago, with the hospital administration unable to reach their families. Doctors at the hospital have said they are facing overcrowding issues, and that there is a lack of equipment, oxygen and electricity.
“[Gaza’s] health sector has been completely destroyed.”
Kites fill Rafah’s skies, a symbol of hope amid Israel’s war on Gaza
https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2024/2/20/kites-fill-rafahs-skies-a-symbol-of-hope-amid-israels-war-on-gaza
The colourful kites fluttering in the skies of Rafah belie the reality they soar over: ragged tents packed tightly together, lines of people trying to find food, water and firewood. Running in and out of it all are children, brief smiles illuminating their exhausted faces as they look up at their flying miracles.
That such a simple toy can bring them moments of joy is in and of itself a miracle and proof of the undefeatable spirit of children who manage this in the midst of rubble, death, displacement, hunger and freezing cold as Israel’s brutal war on Gaza nears five months.
Algeria’s Security Council resolution for ceasfire all but dead in the water
I never like to say anything is certain, but I think this is about as certain as it can get at the United Nations Security Council…
I think all of the ambassadors are pretty certain that the US is going to use its veto, this is what the US has done three times before, they’ve vetoed a Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire, and that is what this Algerian resolution calls for. The US ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield made it clear on Saturday night she sent out a news release to reporters making it clear that she wasn’t at all happy with the Algerian resolution saying that she would be blocking it, she said that it would not pass in the Security Council…
Starving Palestinians gather to get a small amount of flour entering blockaded north Gaza, February 19, 2024
