Journey into the unknown: Thousands of Gazan families flee Rafah
Stranded, their homes demolished, loved ones killed and repeatedly displaced on their land, they had sought refuge in Rafah in the far southern reaches of the Strip to escape death and destruction and to find a safe place that does…
Unexploded ordnance leaves dark legacy for Gaza, warn mine action experts
Briefing reporters late last month, UN Mine Action Service officers said the war has already left behind around 37 million tonnes of debris, and it could take 14 years to make Gaza safe from unexploded bombs. The development comes amid…
UN and partners issue urgent funding appeal for Yemen
Nine years of war have left over half the population – 18.2 million people, mainly women and children – in need of assistance and protection services. The humanitarian response in Yemen is among the largest in the world, yet a…
UN pledges to stand with Gazans amid reports Hamas has accepted ceasefire deal
Multiple news outlets have reported that Hamas’s supreme leader, Ismail Haniyeh, had confirmed the militant group’s acceptance of what it stated were Israel’s ceasefire terms in a phone call with Qatar’s Prime Minister and a senior Egyptian minister. The two…
Iraq rainstorm flooding kills hikers, officials say
Sulaimaniyah, Iraq — Floods caused by torrential rainstorms have killed four hikers in the Sulaimaniyah region of northern Iraq, local officials told AFP. “Four members of a hiking team drowned because of heavy rains and flooding in Awaspi village” in…
Sanctions, hobbled economy hit Iran’s traditional carpet weavers hard
KASHAN, Iran — The historic Kashan bazaar in central Iran once sat on a major caravan route, its silk carpets known the world over. But for the weavers trying to sell their rugs under its ancient arches, their world has…
Pillay: Israel is helped by ‘powerful States’ in violation of Palestinians’ rights
When tensions erupted in East Jerusalem in April 2021 at the beginning of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan, daily clashes involving Palestinians, Israeli settlers and Israeli forces led to spiraling violence and death. In response, the Human Rights Council…
Targeting Rafah could lead to slaughter, warns UN aid agency
“Any ground operation would mean more suffering and death” for the 1.2 million displaced Palestinians sheltering in and around the Strip’s southernmost city, OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke told journalists in Geneva. Echoing those concerns, the UN World Health Organization (WHO)…
10,000 people feared buried under the rubble in Gaza
“It could take up to three years to retrieve the bodies using the primitive tools they have on hand,” the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, said, amid rising temperatures that will accelerate the decomposition of bodies, potentially increasing the threat…
Palestine’s economy in ruins, as Gaza war sets development back two decades
The joint study by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), revealed that the poverty rate has surged to 58.4 per cent since the 7 October Hamas-led terror attacks began the escalation…