Fears are rising over the fate of the remaining hostages held in Gaza after Hamas said it was unsure whether it could bring forth 40 Israeli civilian captives as part of a US-backed ceasefire proposal, according to officials familiar with the negotiations. The 40 hostages, including women, children, elderly men, and those in fragile health, […]
Read MoreOfficers sacked, drone strike findings revealed
The Israeli military has dismissed two of its officers over drone strikes that killed Australian Zomi Frankcom and six colleagues while they were delivering aid in Gaza. In a report released on Friday (local time), the military said they had mishandled critical information and violated the army’s rules of engagement. The inquiry found Israeli forces […]
Read MoreAfter six months of war, Israel’s isolation grows with no end in sight
JERUSALEM (AP) — When Israel declared war against Hamas last October, it stood unified at home and enjoyed broad backing from around the world following an unprecedented attack by the Islamic militant group. Six months later, Israel finds itself in a far different place: bogged down in Gaza, divided domestically, isolated internationally and increasingly at […]
Read MoreGaza killings: Australia plans to appoint independent adviser to scrutinise Israeli inquiry
Australia has demanded that Israel preserve all evidence surrounding the killing of seven aid workers in Gaza and it also plans to appoint an independent adviser to scrutinise the official investigation. The Australian government said on Friday that the information provided by Israel on its investigation into the killing of Australian citizen Zomi Frankcom and […]
Read MoreUN human rights body calls for halt to weapons shipments to Israel due to Gaza war concerns
In short: The UN Human Rights Council voted 28-6 on Friday to adopt a resolution calling on countries not to sell or ship arms to Israel. Israel’s ambassador criticised the resolution, calling it a “stain on the Human Rights Council and the United Nations as a whole”. What’s next? While non-binding, the resolution is bound […]
Read MoreIsrael’s response on aid worker killings just not good enough, says Penny Wong
The Albanese government has condemned Israel’s initial probe into its killing of seven aid workers in Gaza, announcing the appointment of a special adviser to ensure the investigation meets Australia’s expectations. Foreign Minister Penny Wong said late on Friday that Australia wasn’t satisfied with the findings on the tragedy provided to Australia’s ambassador to Israel, […]
Read MoreWest must realise it’s Hamas who is to blame for the deaths
Hamas is winning the propaganda war. The death of seven international aid workers in Gaza, including an Australian citizen, is a pivotal moment in global politics and the politics of the Middle East. We must keep front and centre the dreadful human tragedy involved. These people were not only innocent but heroic, putting themselves in […]
Read MoreIsraeli assault on Rafah would flout international court: UN rights chief
Israel’s planned ground assault on Rafah in the Gaza Strip would contravene the orders issued by the United Nations’ highest court, the UN human rights chief said on Thursday. On January 26, the International Court of Justice in The Hague — while stopping short of ordering an immediate halt to the war in Gaza — […]
Read MoreHamas is losing every battle in Gaza. It still thinks it could win the war.
Senior members of Hamas’s leadership in exile met in Doha, Qatar, earlier this month amid concerns that its fighters were getting mauled by an Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip. Enemy troops were killing dozens of militants each day as they methodically overran Hamas strongholds. Then a courier arrived with a message from Yahya Sinwar, […]
Read MoreFleeing bloodshed in Gaza, Palestinians arriving in Australia find they have no place to call home
A tourist visa is the only way in for hundreds of Palestinians seeking refuge, leaving them forced to rely on overwhelmed community organisations Salma* struggles to sleep at night. As she lies on a donated bed in a stranger’s house in south-west Sydney, she is overwhelmed by memories of her siblings and the ill father […]
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