Author: ALJAZEERA

Officials from the United Nations have accused Israel of “systematically” blocking aid from reaching desperate Palestinians in Gaza, warning that at least one-quarter of the enclave’s population was a step away from famine without urgent action. The warnings on Tuesday came as footage from northern Gaza showed Israeli forces again opening fire on Palestinians gathering to collect food in the area. It was not immediately clear if the shooting led to deaths or injuries. Israel’s war on Gaza, now in its fifth month, has killed at least 29,878 Palestinians, most of them women and children. The assault began after Hamas…

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Tel Aviv, Israel – Israelis voted on Tuesday to elect mayors and local council members in 197 towns and cities and 45 regional council representatives. Voting started at 7 am, and will carry on until 10 pm, in elections that have been delayed twice, from October 31 to January 31 then to Tuesday, due to Israel’s ongoing assault on Gaza. Seven million Israelis are eligible to vote, including tens of thousands who voted from active military duty in Gaza or the Israeli bases where they are stationed. Turnout has been lower than in the last elections in 2018, according to…

NewsFeedA toddler in northern Gaza has died after bread, made from animal feed, poisoned him to death.Published On 27 Feb 202427 Feb 2024 Source link

Doha, Qatar – Under blocks of flashing lights, entrepreneurs, investors and business leaders converged in central Doha on Monday as Web Summit, one of the world’s biggest tech conferences, opened in Qatar’s capital. The event, held in the Middle East for the first time, brings together participants from dozens of countries who, over four days, will be hoping to establish new connections, share insights and secure funds. Kicking off proceedings, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani announced that the Gulf state’s sovereign wealth fund would invest more than $1bn in international and regional venture capital funds. Dubbed “Fund…

Art Not Genocide Alliance says that any works that represent Israel are an ‘endorsement of its genocidal policies’ in Gaza.Thousands of artists, curators and museum directors have called for Israel to be excluded from this year’s Venice Biennale art fair and accused the exhibition of “platforming a genocidal apartheid state”. Israel has been facing mounting international criticism, including in the art world, over its military offensive in the besieged Gaza Strip that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians since October 7. The Art Not Genocide Alliance (ANGA) said the Biennale – a major international art exhibition – had two…

Benjamin Netanyahu says a ground offensive on Rafah is vital to eliminating Hamas.Palestinians displaced by Israel’s war on Gaza have crowded into Rafah in the south of the territory. The Israeli military had previously described the city as a safe zone. But daily air strikes are intensifying and a ground offensive is planned – putting 1.5 million people in the line of fire. There are also reports of a possible deal between Israel and Hamas that could involve a pause in hostilities and the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners. However, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel’s assault on…

Prosecutors say Riad Salameh, the bank’s governor from 1993 to 2023, is being investigated for money laundering and other crimes.Prosecutors in Germany have confirmed they are investigating Lebanon’s former central bank chief for money laundering and other crimes and have issued an arrest warrant for him. Riad Salameh, the governor of Lebanon’s central bank from 1993 to 2023, is being investigated together with his brother Raja and other suspects, the Munich public prosecutor’s office confirmed on Tuesday, the Reuters news agency reported. Salameh and the other suspects are being investigated on charges including forgery, money laundering and embezzlement, the prosecutor’s…

Bashar Murad said he wants to use his song to ‘illustrate’ the difficulties Palestinians face in order to be heard.Palestinian pop singer Bashar Murad is hoping to represent Iceland at the Eurovision Song Contest in May and bring “a Palestinian voice to the main stage”. Iceland is expected to pick its contestant on Saturday for the annual song competition, which is being held in the Swedish city of Malmo. Murad is competing in the national final with a song co-written by Einar Stefansson of the Icelandic band Hatari, known for raising a banner showing Palestinian flags during the 2019 Eurovision…

Tunis, Tunisia – News that an Italian court had blocked the country’s vessels from returning refugees and migrants to Libya was welcomed by the tens of refugees and migrants camped in a crowded passage outside the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Tunis. Many of those outside the IOM that day had escaped from Libya and had first-hand knowledge of the abuse that people face there. Armed gangs and militias have governed much of Libya since it emerged from the 2011 revolution that overthrew long-term dictator Muammar Gaddafi. As the militias’ influence has grown, so too has their control over…