All United Nations Security Council members, except the United States, on Wednesday said the famine in Gaza was a “man-made crisis” and warned that the use of starvation as a weapon of war is banned under international humanitarian law.
In a joint statement, the 14 council members called for an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire, the release of all hostages held by Hamas and other groups, a substantive surge of aid throughout Gaza, and for Israel to immediately and unconditionally lift all restrictions on aid delivery.
"Famine in Gaza must be stopped immediately," they said. "Time is of the essence. The humanitarian emergency must be addressed without delay and Israel must reverse course."
Gaza City and surrounding areas are officially suffering from famine, and it will likely spread, a global hunger monitor determined on Friday. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification system said 514,000 people - nearly a quarter of Palestinians in Gaza - are experiencing famine and that is due to rise to 641,000 by the end of September.
Israel asked a global hunger monitor on Wednesday to retract an assessment. Israel dismissed the findings as false and biased, saying the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) had based its survey on partial data largely provided by Hamas, which did not take into account a recent influx of food.
At a UN Security Council meeting on Gaza on Wednesday, acting U.S. Ambassador to the UN Dorothy Shea questioned the credibility and integrity of the IPC report, saying it "doesn’t pass the test on either."
"We all recognise that hunger is a real issue in Gaza and that there are significant humanitarian needs which must be met. Addressing those needs is a priority for the United States," she told the 15-member council.
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Spain’s rail network faces a three-day shutdown this week as the Semaf union protests safety failures following fatal accidents in Adamuz and Catalo...
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U.S. Vice President JD Vance will be joined by Under Secretary for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg during a trip to Italy, Armenia and Azerbaijan from 9-11 February, underscoring Washington’s push on peace and economic connectivity in the South Caucasus.
Double world champion Max Langenhan delivered a dominant performance to win men’s luge singles gold on Sunday (8 February), breaking the track record four consecutive times as Germany extended its grip on the sport, now winning four of the past five Olympic titles.
U.S. skiing great Lindsey Vonn underwent surgery in an Italian hospital on Sunday after her attempt to win Olympic downhill gold ended in a violent crash just seconds into the race at the Milano Cortina Winter Games.
Hamas has strongly condemned new Israeli government decisions to expand settlements in the occupied West Bank, warning the measures pose an “existential threat” to Palestinians and are designed to consolidate Israeli control over the territory.
U.S. President Donald Trump has criticised American freestyle skier Hunter Hess after the athlete said he felt conflicted about representing the United States at the Winter Olympics in Italy, sparking a public clash that highlights growing political tensions surrounding the Games.
Iran would retaliate by striking U.S. military bases across the Middle East if it comes under attack by American forces, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday (7 January), stressing that such action should not be seen as targeting the countries hosting those bases.
U.S. skiing great Lindsey Vonn underwent surgery in an Italian hospital on Sunday after her attempt to win Olympic downhill gold ended in a violent crash just seconds into the race at the Milano Cortina Winter Games.
A Japanese city near Mount Fuji has cancelled its annual cherry blossom festival, saying growing numbers of badly behaved tourists are disrupting daily life for residents.
Several avalanches struck northern Italy on Saturday, killing at least three people, as rescue officials warned the death toll could rise with unstable conditions persisting across the Alps.
Hong Kong’s most prominent media tycoon Jimmy Lai was sentenced on Monday (9 February) to a total of 20 years in prison on national security charges. The verdict covers two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and one count related to publishing seditious materials.
Russian overnight drone attacks killed at least three people in Ukraine’s east and south on Monday (9 February), with officials reporting casualties in the Kharkiv, Odesa and Dnipropetrovsk regions.
Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis said on Sunday (8 February) he was in favour of banning the use of social media by children under 15 of age, as a growing number of European countries consider similar restrictions.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 9th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
A South Korean Army AH-1S Cobra attack helicopter crashed on Monday (9 Febuary) during a training flight in the northern county of Gapyeong, killing both crew members on board, the military said.
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