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Newborns and premature babies receiving treatment under limited conditions at Al Helou International Hospital in western Gaza on December 15, 2025. [Khalil Ramzi Alkahlut – Anadolu Agency]
The United Nations has warned that Israel continues to block humanitarian aid from reaching the Gaza Strip, despite harsh winter conditions, highlighting the growing risk of newborns freezing due to the cold.
The warning came from Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, during his daily press briefing on Monday.
Haq explained that the UN and its partners are working to deliver aid to the “most vulnerable” Palestinian families in Gaza.
He said that staff from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warn that “needs continue to outpace the ability of humanitarians to respond, given the ongoing impediments they face.”
Haq added:” Rainstorms and colder temperatures are also exacerbating the situation across the Strip.”
He also noted an increased risk of hypothermia among newborns and confirmed that special aid kits are being distributed to protect against freezing.
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Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza’s hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.Orcas discuss Donald Trump and the killer apes’ concept of democracy. Front Orca warns that Trump is crashing his country’s economy and that everything he does he does for the fantastically wealthy.
This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib gives speech as he attends the EU Foreign Ministers Meeting in Brussels, Belgium on January 27, 2025. [Dursun Aydemir – Anadolu Agency]
EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib on Monday reiterated the necessity of rapid humanitarian aid delivery to the Gaza Strip, Anadolu Agency reported.
“We need humanitarian aid to flood Gaza, not enter drop by drop, because the needs are immense and winter is coming,” Lahbib told reporters ahead of the EU foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels.
Lahbib recounted her visit to the Rafah crossing two weeks ago, noting that she was denied entry into Gaza despite the fact that hundreds of trucks loaded with essential supplies were waiting.
“The humanitarian workers I met there were frustrated and exhausted by the situation,” she said, calling it “a lot of administrative burden.”
Although a ceasefire took effect 10 October , living conditions in Gaza have not improved, as Israel continues to impose strict restrictions on the entry of aid trucks, violating the humanitarian protocol of the agreement.
Israel has killed nearly 70,700 people, mostly women and children, and injured over 171,100 others in attacks in Gaza since Oct. 2023, which have continued despite the truce.
This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza’s hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.Orcas discuss Donald Trump and the killer apes’ concept of democracy. Front Orca warns that Trump is crashing his country’s economy and that everything he does he does for the fantastically wealthy.
Swiss singer Nemo, winner of the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest, is returning trophy in protest at Israel’s inclusion in next year’s competition, deepening the controversy surrounding the European Broadcasting Union’s (EBU) refusal to suspend the Apartheid State over its genocide in Gaza
Swiss singer Nemo, winner of the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest, is returning trophy in protest at Israel’s inclusion in next year’s competition, deepening the controversy surrounding the European Broadcasting Union’s (EBU) refusal to suspend the Apartheid State over its genocide in Gaza.
In a powerful statement shared on Instagram, Nemo said there was a “clear conflict” between Eurovision’s stated ideals of unity, inclusion and dignity for all, and its decision to allow a state accused of committing atrocities to take part.
“This is not about individuals or artists,” Nemo wrote. “The contest was repeatedly used to soften the image of a state accused of severe wrongdoing, all while the EBU insisted Eurovision is ‘non-political’. When entire countries withdraw over this contradiction, it should be clear that something is deeply wrong.”
The 26-year-old artist added that they no longer felt the trophy belonged on the shelf, and would send it back to the EBU’s headquarters in Geneva.
Nemo’s protest comes amid growing backlash over Israel’s participation in Eurovision 2026, due to be held in six months. Iceland’s national broadcaster, RÚV, became the latest to join the boycott, following decisions by Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Slovenia to withdraw.
Critics have condemned the EBU’s insistence that the contest is “non-political,” accusing the organisation of hypocrisy for allowing Israel to remain while Palestinian civilians endure mass displacement, starvation, and military bombardment. The Union also banned Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
“We’re saddened that Nemo wishes to return their trophy which they deservedly won in 2024. We respect the deeply held views Nemo has expressed and they will always remain a valued part of the Eurovision family.”
Israel’s public broadcaster Kan welcomed the EBU’s decision to retain Israel in the contest, while Israeli President Isaac Herzog insisted that Israel “deserves to be represented on every stage around the world.”
However, backlash continues to mount across Europe. In the UK, the BBC has yet to confirm its participation, saying only that it supports decisions made at the EBU summit.
As of now, 34 countries are still expected to take part, but that number may change, with some nations yet to confirm their participation.
Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza’s hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.Vote Labour for Genocide.
The logo of Human Rights NGO Amnesty International is pictured in Paris on May 28, 2024 [STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN/AFP via Getty Images]
Hamas has called on Amnesty International to withdraw a report accusing the Palestinian resistance of committing war crimes during the 7 October 2023 operation against the Gaza Division of the Israeli army, describing the findings as misleading, biased and unprofessional.
In a statement published on its official Telegram channel on Thursday, the movement said the report contained “serious inaccuracies” and relied on claims that contradict evidence documented by Palestinian, international and even Israeli human rights organisations.
Hamas rejected Amnesty’s assertion that resistance fighters were responsible for the destruction of hundreds of homes and facilities, saying multiple investigations have shown that Israeli forces destroyed large areas using tanks and air strikes. It also disputed allegations of the killing of civilians, arguing that several reports indicate many civilians were killed by Israeli fire under the so-called “Hannibal Protocol”.
The movement further condemned “Amnesty’s repetition of Israeli government claims regarding rape, sexual violence and the mistreatment of prisoners”. Hamas said these allegations had been refuted by international investigations and accused the organisation of adopting what it called the “narrative of the occupying power”.
“The report repeats unfounded accusations aimed at inciting hostility against the Palestinian resistance and distorting its image, while ignoring the documented crimes of the occupation,” the statement said.
Hamas urged Amnesty International to retract the report and to refrain from, in its words, “colluding with attempts to demonise the Palestinian people or obscure the crimes of the occupation”, which are currently under investigation by the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court on charges including genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The movement also stressed that Israel has prevented international organisations, UN agencies and independent investigation teams from entering Gaza since the early days of the genocide, arguing that this blockade has obstructed fact-finding efforts and undermined the credibility of reports produced without direct access to the territory.
“Any report produced away from the scene of events, without access to witnesses and evidence, is necessarily incomplete and lacks professional integrity,” Hamas added.
Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza’s hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.Vote Labour for Genocide.
Fanatical Jewish settlers, who are under the protection of Israeli police, storm Al-Aqsa Mosque during third day of the Sukkot holiday in East Jerusalem, on October 09, 2025. [Gazi Samad – Anadolu Agency]
Groups of illegal Israeli settlers on Thursday stormed the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem under the protection of Israeli police, local sources said, Anadolu reports.
The official news agency Wafa, citing the sources, said the illegal settlers entered the compound in groups, carried out provocative tours and performed Talmudic rituals while heavily guarded by Israeli forces.
On Tuesday, the Jerusalem Governorate said that a total of 182 illegal Israeli settlers forced their way into the flashpoint site during morning and evening incursions and performed Talmudic rituals near the Dome of the Rock in the complex under the protection of Israeli police.
The governorate also noted that 778 foreign tourists also entered the mosque through a gate operated by the Israeli authorities.
According to official figures, 4,266 illegal settlers and around 15,000 foreign tourists accessed the mosque compound during November.
Al-Aqsa Mosque is the world’s third-holiest site for Muslims. Jews call the area Temple Mount, claiming it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.
Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. It annexed the entire city in 1980 in a move never recognized by the international community.
Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza’s hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.Vote Labour for Genocide.
