Qatar condemns Israeli bombing of Gaza prosthetic hospital, demands end of ‘brutal war’

In a statement, Qatar’s foreign ministry has condemned Israel’s “bombing of Hamad Hospital for Rehabilitation and Prosthetics”, a Qatar-funded facility in Gaza City that provides specialised care for amputees.

“The continued brutal aggression by the occupation on the Gaza Strip, including its repeated targeting of civilians, hospitals, displacement centres and vital facilities, is part of the war of genocide against our brotherly Palestinian people,” said the ministry.

It went on to urge “the international community to assume its moral and legal responsibilities to end this brutal war immediately”.

#Statement | Qatar Strongly Condemns Israeli Occupation's Bombing of Hamad Hospital for Rehabilitation and Prosthetics in Gaza#MOFAQatar pic.twitter.com/MUbT9wTCVW

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Qatar (@MofaQatar_EN) May 19, 2025

OCHA says ‘discussing’ resuming Gaza aid with Israel

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says it has been in talks with Israeli authorities over the aid issue after Israel announced it would allow a limited amount of food and other items into the besieged territory.

“We have been approached by Israeli authorities to resume limited aid delivery, and we are in discussions with them now on how this would take place given the conditions on the ground,” OCHA said in a statement.

Israeli army says ‘small amounts’ of aid to enter Gaza today

Palestinian media report 50 trucks carrying flour, cooking oil and legumes would be allowed into Gaza later in the day while Israeli media say nine trucks with baby food are expected to enter in the coming hours.

“If I’m not mistaken, trucks will be entering, are planned to enter today already. Small amounts,” Israeli military spokesman Nadav Shoshani told reporters.

He said it takes time to create a situation in which hundreds of trucks would be able to enter daily. The decision to allow aid in was “a political one”, he said.

Israel has faced rising pressure over the total blockade on humanitarian deliveries it imposed on March 2, shortly before breaking a two-month ceasefire, as aid agencies warn of famine in the enclave of 2.3 million people.

The aid that will enter Gaza will be nowhere near enough

One Israeli official has said that in the coming days there will be “dozens of trucks entering Gaza with food”.

Remember, the Israeli prime minister has said that a very “basic” quantity of food would be allowed into the Gaza Strip so that the Israelis can continue with their military operations. That’s the real reason that he’s signed off on it.

It’s also worth mentioning that there’s been a lot of international pressure on the Israelis – from the Americans, from other allies in Europe and Canada – to try and bring back this humanitarian assistance into Gaza.

But there has been no mention of fuel, water, medical supplies – even given the fact that for nearly three months there has been a total blockade on all humanitarian assistance going into Gaza.

The Israelis say the current mechanisms in place like with the World Central Kitchen and the UN’s World Food Programme will be used to distribute the aid until this new US nonprofit called the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation comes in and sets up shop for these distribution centres.

It’s still kind of unclear exactly how it’s all going to work out. But make no mistake, the aid that’s going to be entering Gaza is nowhere near enough.

Displaced Palestinians have nowhere safe to go

Ninety percent of Khan Younis is under forced displacement orders. We saw people evacuating under fire, holding whatever they could carry, and the Israeli forces asked those Palestinians to evacuate to al-Mawasi in Khan Younis.

But al-Mawasi has been targeted. Last night, a tent was targeted and a family was killed, and al-Mawasi has been targeted continuously by the Israeli forces.

There has been ongoing attacks by artillery shelling, quadcopters, drones and air strikes across the Gaza Strip in areas like northern Gaza, Gaza City, Nuseirat, Deir el-Balah and Khan Younis. The situation continues to escalate, and Palestinians are left with no choices, no options, no places to go to. Everywhere they go, they’re still going to be targeted.


_{Israel’s military ordered the displacement of people from Khan Younis and nearby towns, saying the entire area ‘will be considered a dangerous combat zone'}

"Absolutely Genocidal": Mouin Rabbani on Israel's Latest Escalation of War on Gaza

Palestinians in Gaza are fleeing Khan Younis after the Israeli military issued expulsion orders for the besieged territory's second-largest city. This comes as Israel's bombardment of Gaza intensifies, killing hundreds of Palestinians over the weekend, including at least five journalists. Health facilities have been under constant attack. Israel on Sunday announced the start of a renewed ground invasion it calls Operation Gideon's Chariots. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also said Sunday that Israel would allow limited food supplies into Gaza as the population of more than 2 million faces famine after 11 weeks of a total Israeli blockade, but there are few details about when such aid shipments could arrive. Gaza's Health Ministry confirms Israel has killed at least 53,300 Palestinians in Gaza since October 2023, a death toll believed to be a vast undercount.

"The situation, as anyone who's following the news can see, is thoroughly apocalyptic," says Middle East analyst Mouin Rabbani. "There is not only an unprecedented siege, but also an unprecedented intensification of Israel's genocidal military campaign in the Gaza Strip." Rabbani also stresses that any progress on aid, lifting the siege or reaching a ceasefire is dependent on the Trump administration using its leverage over Israel. "It will take no more than a phone call from Washington," he says.

Theo Von BREAKS DOWN Over Gaza Genocide

"We're watching probably one of the sickest things that's ever happened" Theo Von

Israel facing widespread condemnation for aid blockade and PM's plans to 'take control of Gaza'

Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, said on Monday that the humanitarian situation in Gaza was "unacceptable" and called for aid to reach civilians in the Palestinian territory immediately. Israel has faced condemnation from the United Nations, aid groups and some European allies, including Spain, Sweden and the UK, for its blockade of goods into the war-ravaged territory, including food, fuel and medicine. For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective, FRANCE 24's Delano D'Souza welcomes Oliver McTernan, Author and Co-Founder / Director of Forward Thinking.

When will the people that actually have the power to halt this disgusting genocide get off their collective asses and do something. Hell the President of the USA could stop this tomorrow. "We are suspending all aid and arms sales to Israel". That's all it would take. Too bad it will never happen.

UK, France, Canada threaten sanctions on Israel if Gaza war goes on

The leaders of Britain, France and Canada have warned Israel that their countries would take action if it does not stop a renewed military offensive in Gaza and lift aid restrictions.

“The Israeli Government’s denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable and risks breaching International Humanitarian Law,” a joint statement released by the British government said.

“We oppose any attempt to expand settlements in the West Bank. … We will not hesitate to take further action, including targeted sanctions.”

After nearly three months of a total blockade, the World Health Organization issued a stark warning on the humanitarian crisis in the besieged Gaza Strip, saying “two million people are starving”.

Don't just threaten, do it now. Oh and stop the arms shipments to Israel while you're at it ffs. So far just more empty words while being complicit.

UN has a ‘clear, principled and practical plan to save lives at scale’

Earlier we reported on comments by UN official Tom Fletcher on Israel allowing a few aid trucks to enter Gaza after an 11-week blockade.

He urged Israeli authorities to:

Twenty-two nations demand ‘full resumption’ of aid into Gaza

Twenty-two countries have issued a joint statement saying Israel’s decision to allow a “limited restart” of aid operations in Gaza must be followed by a complete resumption of unfettered humanitarian assistance.

The statement said existing aid groups have both the will and capacity to resume humanitarian operations in Gaza and they won’t support a “new model for delivering aid into Gaza“.

“As humanitarian donors, we have two straightforward messages for the government of Israel: allow a full resumption of aid into Gaza immediately and enable the UN and humanitarian organisations to work independently and impartially to save lives, reduce suffering and maintain dignity,” it said.

It is signed by the foreign ministers of countries including Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain and the UK.

Actions are needed, not more words.

‘Words are fantastic, but at this point, we need action’

UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territory Francesca Albanese has welcomed a threat by the UK, France and Canada to take “action” over Israel’s military assaults against Palestine but noted it comes after 19 months of devastating war.

“This is the result of the enormous pressure ordinary citizens are putting onto power. Again, I’m afraid these statements are not supported by actions. Words are fantastic, but at this point, we need action,” Albanese said.

What’s needed immediately are sanctions and full arms embargoes by allies against Israel, she said.

“This is late. This should’ve happened before. Had it happened [earlier], Gaza wouldn’t have been turned into a meat grinder.”

Global experts have warned of famine in Gaza as a result of the total Israeli blockade. Israel cut off all food, medicine and other supplies on March 2 but today has allowed five aid trucks to enter the enclave, where 2.3 million people live.

US congresswoman calls for sanctions on Israel

Palestinian American Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib says Israel’s new round of expanded attacks on Gaza is an effort to ethnically cleanse the Strip and must be met with consequences.

“Israeli forces have begun a full-scale invasion to ethnically cleanse all Palestinians from Gaza. War Criminal Netanyahu announced plans to forcibly expel the entire population and permanently occupy the land,” Tlaib said in a social media post.

“This is the final stage of their genocide. World leaders must impose sanctions and a full arms embargo.”

Too bad nobody listens to her. And what happened to Bernie Sanders?

Western leaders denounce Israel’s ‘egregious actions’

We’ve been reporting on the threat by Canada, France and the UK to take “action” against Israel over its continuing attacks on Gaza and the occupied West Bank, as well as its blockade of aid as famine looms in Gaza.

“We have always supported Israel’s right to defend Israelis against terrorism. But this escalation is wholly disproportionate,” UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and French President Emmanuel Macron said in their joint statement.

The leaders added that they would not stand by while Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government pursues “these egregious actions”.

They also stated their support for efforts led by Egypt, Qatar and the United States to set up an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and said they are committed to recognising a Palestinian state.

So the genocide was going along fine before the latest escalation....

Proves public pressure does work, but only enough to make empty statements so far.

US-backed humanitarian scheme will facilitate displacement

Jean-Francois Corty, the president of Médecins du Monde, a France-based medical humanitarian organisation operating in Gaza, says a scheme to place aid distribution in the hands of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation is meant to advance Israel’s plans to depopulate the Strip.

Corty said the foundation is “operating for American and Israeli authorities, [and] working for this project to support the massive deportation of the population, which is planned by these authorities”.

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has been roundly panned as an effort to circumvent established aid organisations that have thousands of trucks filled with assistance ready to enter the Strip, if Israel will let them.

Last week, the UN said it would not take part in the US-backed effort, casting doubt on the impartiality of the foundation.

US Muslim rights group slams trickle of aid into Gaza as ‘PR stunt’

The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a US-based Muslim and Arab rights group, says Israel’s decision to allow a handful of aid trucks into Gaza after several months of blockade is an effort to buy goodwill as Israel continues its military campaign on the Strip.

“The Israeli government’s decision to let a trickle of aid into Gaza – reportedly only nine aid trucks in a day – will do nothing to relieve the threat of famine facing two million Palestinian men, women and children besieged in Gaza,” the group said in a statement.

“This is a completely insufficient, psychotic PR stunt by Netanyahu’s genocidal government, which is determined to occupy and flatten Gaza, and then expel any Palestinians who survive.”

UN spokesman denies aiding Israeli propaganda over food aid

As we reported earlier, the United Nations confirmed that Israel only cleared nine trucks of aid to enter Gaza on Monday – far short of what is needed.

At a news conference on Monday, the United Nations secretary-general’s spokesperson responded to Al Jazeera’s Gabriel Elizondo, who had asked him if the UN was aiding Israeli propaganda by cooperating with a token food delivery into the Gaza Strip.

“This aid will be distributed through our own mechanisms, through our own networks, which is acceptable to us,” the UN’s Stephane Dujarric said.

“We do not have the luxury of saying, ‘Well, if it’s only nine trucks, we’re not going to do it’. [But] it’s clearly not enough … we have been very clear to our Israeli counterparts, and we remain in constant touch with them that this is not enough, that this is putting people at risk.

“But as long as aid is distributed through our system, it will be distributed.”

Dujarric reiterated that the UN will not participate in Israel and the US’s mooted Gaza Humanitarian Foundation mechanism of delivering aid, which has been criticised for not being impartial, neutral or independent.

“[We’ve] also been very clear that … we will not participate in the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation process because that does not meet our principles,” the UN spokesperson said.