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The Israeli occupation forces continue to commit the crime of genocide in the Gaza Strip, for the 325th consecutive day, by launching dozens of airstrikes and artillery shelling, while committing massacres against civilians, amid a catastrophic humanitarian situation resulting from the siege and the displacement of more than 95% of the population.
Aggressions Continue
Correspondents reported that the occupation aircraft and artillery continued their raids and violent shelling - today, Monday - on various parts of the Gaza Strip, targeting homes, displaced persons' gatherings and streets, causing dozens of martyrs and wounded.
The occupation forces continue their ground invasion of large neighborhoods in Rafah, since May 7, and several axes of Khan Yunis, Gaza and Deir al-Balah, amidst air and artillery shelling and committing horrific massacres.
Five martyrs, including a woman, and a number of injuries arrived at the Kuwait Specialized Field Hospital as a result of an Israeli shelling of a civilian car in the Al-Majayda area, south of Street 5 in the Al-Mawasi area, west of Khan Yunis.
Correspondents reported that among the martyrs was journalist Ali Ta'ima.
The young man, Mu'ayyad Hussam Abu Rida, succumbed to his wounds. The young man was injured at dawn today when the occupation forces bombed a house in Abasan al-Kabira, east of Khan Yunis. This brings the number of martyrs in the house to 3, including two women from the Qudaih family, who are residents of Khuza'a and were displaced in the aforementioned house.
Massacres against families
The Ministry of Health announced that the Israeli occupation committed two massacres against families in the Gaza Strip, from which 33 martyrs and 66 injuries arrived at hospitals during the past 24 hours.
It said: A number of victims are still under the rubble and on the roads, and ambulance and civil defense crews cannot reach them.
40,435 martyrs
It confirmed that the death toll from the Israeli aggression has risen to 40,435 martyrs and 93,534 injuries since October 7.
7 martyrs were killed as a result of the occupation's targeting of a group of citizens on the seashore of Gaza City.
The occupation's artillery shelled the al-Satar al-Gharbi area in Khan Yunis.
Medical sources reported that 10 martyrs have arrived since dawn today, Monday, at Nasser Medical Hospital and the European Hospital as a result of the occupation's bombing of Khan Yunis and Rafah.
The Union of Municipalities of North Gaza warned of the spread of diseases and epidemics due to the occupation's continued destruction of all aspects of life in Gaza.
Destructions everywhere
The union confirmed in a statement the destruction of more than one and a half million meters of road networks, 95% of waste vehicles and trucks, and 50,000 dunums of agricultural land.
It warned that the lack of fuel and the accumulation of waste threaten the spread of more diseases and epidemics.
A martyr was killed by a "quadcopter" drone on Samama Street in the Zeitoun neighborhood, southeast of Gaza City.
The occupation's artillery shelled the Tal al-Hawa neighborhood, southwest of Gaza City, and east of the Zeitoun neighborhood, southeast of Gaza City.
The occupation's vehicles opened fire towards the Jaafarawi area, south of Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, and smoke rose in the area.
Deir al-Balah Municipality
The Deir al-Balah Municipality in the central Gaza Strip said that the occupation imposed forced displacement on about 250,000 Palestinians, while 25 shelters went out of service.
It confirmed that 4 new water wells went out of service, bringing the number of wells that went out of service to 14, which supplied approximately 70% of the people in the city.
Civil defense crews recovered the martyrs Attia and Atwa Al-Adini after they were targeted by a drone at the entrance to Al-Jafrawi neighborhood, southeast of Deir Al-Balah city in the central Gaza Strip.
Shelling Malaysian School
The occupation army's artillery shelled the vicinity of the Malaysian school north of Al-Nuseirat camp in the central Gaza Strip, and the artillery shelling also targeted the southeast of Al-Masdar town in the central Gaza Strip.
Medical sources reported that martyrs and wounded were killed in an Israeli shelling that targeted a school housing displaced persons north of Al-Nuseirat camp in the central Gaza Strip.
Five civilians were killed and others were wounded at dawn on Monday, as a result of Israeli warplanes bombing an inhabited house in Gaza City.
Local sources reported that the house belongs to the Al-Ajla family, and is located near the Friends of the Patient Hospital west of Gaza City.
Targeting civilians and inhabited homes
The warplanes also bombed a house belonging to the Abu Rida family in the town of Abasan Al-Kabira, east of Khan Yunis city, which led to martyrs and injuries.
Medical sources said that two martyrs arrived at the European Gaza Hospital and a number of injuries arrived at the hospital as a result of the Israeli bombing.
The occupation forces have recently intensified their targeting of civilians, inhabited homes and residential apartments in various cities in the Gaza Strip; especially Gaza, Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah, which resulted in the martyrdom and injury of hundreds of civilians.
Air raids
The occupation warplanes renewed, at dawn on Monday, launching a raid north of the Nuseirat camp in the central Gaza Strip. While the artillery shelling was renewed on the Zeitoun neighborhood, southeast of Gaza City.
Blowing up residential buildings
Israeli tanks fired a number of shells in the center of Khan Younis city, south of the Gaza Strip, and bombed the vicinity of the Al-Katiba area in the city.
The occupation forces also blew up several residential buildings in the vicinity of the university college, south of the Tel al-Hawa neighborhood in Gaza City. Meanwhile, an Israeli air strike targeted a house in the town of Abasan al-Kabira, east of Khan Younis city, south of the Gaza Strip.
Reem Hamed was killed in France, and her death topped the trend, with clear mystery surrounding her death. Reem Hamed was assassinated to stop her research, which focused on the fields of biotechnology and genetics, which are fields of global interest due to their great impact on scientific and medical development. It seems that Reem Hamed touched a red line, or approached a forbidden science, or refused to collude to be part of a conspiracy from the many conspiracies being hatched.
Reem Hamed's cries for help
"I am Reem Hamed, a doctoral student in France, and I am in dire need of reporting to the relevant authorities in Egypt, because I am under surveillance and my devices have been hacked, and on top of that I am currently forced to remain silent and not report." From a post she wrote on Facebook.
She added: "I continue to work under these circumstances, and this may mean that I am complicit with them in their crime by accepting their actions of spying. And using political directives within the work environment and university housing to spy on me as well.
I refuse to work under these circumstances. I am under pressure and surveillance, and recently my life was threatened. The motive behind this is the head of the unit I work in."
Premeditated involvement
In another post, Reem Hamed wrote: "The audacity reached the point where my neighbor brought drugs, something that raises my heart rate, and she keeps evaporating it under the door until I suffocate. I called the police, but no one came. I put water to stop the steam, and she adds substances to the water and puts it in my house. "Reporting is useless while the crime is right in front of your eyes, of course. Is this normal here or what?" Reem Hamed continues, "The lady (She seems to be referring to her neighbor who was mentioned earlier) is the same person whose picture was posted on her account before because she was spying on people in the building. It's not enough that the crime of violating personal security occurred. Now we've gotten into drugs or unlicensed substances. What I can say is that they burn the eyes and nose and increase the heart rate. This happens inside the university residence very normally. All of this is to cover up her first crime."
In other posts, she wrote: "Recently, every time I go to a restaurant to order (food), someone comes in front of me and calls the person who will take the order, and then the order is prepared differently."
"And recently, my heart rate has increased as a result, and the person who comes in front of me is rude and says that I have a problem, and this is to my advantage. Of course, I cancel the order."
Victim Monitoring
Reem Hamed wrote in another story on the social networking site: "I am currently at the bus station, it is very normal, in front of me are about 5 people whose movements are uncomfortable, and when I noticed this, they went to the police to report me, and I was sitting by myself... They were almost watching, when they recognized them, they got upset, and now they are standing trying to take pictures of me and make any story they can come up with."
It is worth noting that all the posts in which Reem documented what she was exposed to were deleted immediately before her murder.
Her body was found in front of her apartment
Reem Hamed died, or was killed last Thursday, August 22, 2024, in the French capital, Paris. Saleh Farhoud, head of the Egyptian community in France, told Al Arabiya that the investigation into the death of Egyptian researcher Reem Hamed is being conducted in complete secrecy, to determine the cause of death and whether there is a criminal suspicion or if the death was natural, adding that the information currently available is that her body was found in front of the door of the apartment in which she lives.
Farhoud continued that his information about the researcher is that she holds a bachelor's degree in biotechnology from Cairo University, and a master's degree in genomics from the University of Paris-Saclay, where she was conducting her research to obtain a doctorate. According to the information reported, the Egyptian researcher was focusing her research, through which she was seeking to obtain a doctorate, on what is known as gene expression, which is the process by which genetic information is used to create synthetic genetic products and focusing on the process of producing proteins based on the information found in the genetic material. The researcher was aiming through her research to find out the reason for the spread of some diseases and ways to confront them. Reactions
The killing of Reem Hamed has sparked widespread controversy on social media, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Immigration and Egyptian Expatriates Affairs confirmed that it is following up on the death incident.
The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on its official Facebook page, yesterday, Sunday: "Within the framework of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Immigration and Egyptian Expatriates Affairs' follow-up of the death of Egyptian researcher Reem Hamed.
The ministry's statement said, "As soon as Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Aati learned of the incident, he ordered the Consulate General in Paris to strictly adhere to the procedures and course of the investigation by the French authorities, and to review the report of the competent French authorities to determine the causes of death.
The ministry's statement concluded by saying: "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Immigration and Egyptian Expatriates Affairs expresses its deep regret for the death of the deceased and extends its sincere condolences to his family."
Reem's Family
The family of the late researcher issued a statement confirming that the case is under investigation by the French Public Prosecution, and no official report has yet been issued regarding the death or confirming or denying criminal suspicion.
The statement added, "We hope that caution will be exercised in publishing any news that may harm the course of justice or lead to infringement of the rights of deceased Reem."
The statement concluded that the family's lawyer is in contact with the French and Egyptian authorities in France to coordinate the return of the deceased's body to the homeland.
Died or killed?
If the Egyptian researcher Reem Hamed died under natural circumstances, what is the story of the posts she made on her social media pages? And why were they deleted immediately after her death, or shortly before her death?
In August 1952, the Egyptian nuclear scientist Samira Moussa, the first Egyptian and Arab nuclear scientist, was assassinated, and the killer or the party responsible for her assassination has not been discovered to this day.
Also in August 2024, another Egyptian scientist is assassinated or killed in Paris. Will the killer or the party involved in the murder be revealed this time? Or will the case be filed against an unknown perpetrator?
After the most right-wing government in Israel's history took office, the events in the first half of 2023 have reinforced the belief that an independent Palestinian state is not likely to be created. Ghada Karmi, a Palestinian doctor who previously served as an Associate Fellow at the Royal Institute for International Affairs, is among those who have recognized the importance of looking beyond the two-state solution. (1)
In her most recent publication, "One State: The Only Democratic Future for Palestine-Israel," Karmi offers a historical summary of the Palestine conflict, followed by her two main points. First and foremost, it is believed that the two-state solution is no longer viable. In her opinion, there is no better example of hope prevailing over reality than the two-state solution. Karmi lists reasons why creating separate states in Israel-Palestine is not feasible: the Jewish takeover of Jerusalem and the West Bank, the Gaza Strip's isolation, the construction of the West Bank Wall, and the difficulty of allowing Palestinian refugees to return to the crowded West Bank. (2)
Edward Said & Azmi Bishara
Karmi continues the legacy of Palestinian thinkers who rejected the possibility of a two-state resolution. In 1999, after the failure of the Oslo Accords he had no faith in, Edward Said stated the need "to discuss dividing the land that has brought us together, dividing it democratically with equal rights for all citizens." In a recent book, Azmi Bishara pointed out that the two ethnic groups are now intermingled and unable to inhabit separate states, therefore they must strive to coexist equally in a single state. (3)
This leads us to the second primary point made in Karmi's book, which is that the solution to the conflict is the merging of Palestine into a single state for all its people. (4) The author analyzes the two main versions of the proposed one-state solution throughout history. Alternatively, there are bi-national suggestions where Arabs and Jews would live together in one country but maintain their ethnic distinctions. Bi nationalism has become less popular recently. In contrast, the secular democratic model suggests a political system that relies on individual citizenship and the idea of one person having one vote. Karmi is leaning towards this alternative. (5)
Bi-nationalism
She maintains that the presence of both Arab and Jewish claims to the land would persist under bi-nationalism, and due to the military and economic strength of the Jewish community, Arabs would become inferior citizens in the proposed unified nation. Her opinions are clearly reinforced by the actual situation of Palestinians who hold Israeli citizenship. Additionally, Karmi highlights that a secular democratic society would more accurately represent Palestine's diverse religious and ethnic populations, including Israeli Jews and non-Jewish Arabs.
Karmi suggests ideas to establish a secular democratic state in Palestine, including transforming the Palestinian Authority into a leader of equal rights. However, she is more persuasive arguing against a two-state solution and promoting a secular democratic model than she is when discussing how to create this state. (6)
Equal Rights
This doesn't mean the author is naive, as she acknowledges that achieving an equal rights system will be challenging and will require a gradual approach. However, Karmi's book doesn't fully examine key challenges to establishing a secular democratic state in Palestine. She points out that Israel's use of "Palestine's land and resources"(7) would present a significant obstacle to overcome in establishing a secular democratic state.
The issue, however, is even more intricate. Social equality is crucial for legal and political equality to have significance. Mazen Masri, a Senior Lecturer at City Law School, University of London, explains that for a one-state option in Palestine to be viable, reparations, including restitution of property, are necessary to address the economic inequality between Palestinians and Israelis. (8) Currently, Israel's per capita GDP exceeds $44,000 US annually, while the West Bank and Gaza only reach slightly above $3,000.
Unity Uprisings
In May 2021, following the Israeli actions in Sheikh Jarrah and Gaza, Palestinians in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Israel started large protests and boycotts known as the "Unity Uprisings." Karmi characterizes the uprisings as having "a sense of excitement, a sense that something was shifting." (9) She notes a shift in the strength of pro-Palestinian voices in Europe and the US post-uprisings, suggesting a challenge to the regular pattern of Israeli brutality and Palestinian resistance with no outcome. Through the "Unity Uprisings", where Palestinian resistance united, Karmi sees potential for a secular democratic state encompassing all of Palestine. The imbalance in economic and military strength between Israel and the Palestinians could lead one to believe that Karmi's optimism may be misplaced. However, one also wishes that Karmi's hopeful outlook is not in vain.
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[1] Ghada Karmi, “Palestinians Need a One-State Solution,” The Guardian, December 20, 2012, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/sep/20/one-state-solution-palestinians-israel.
[2] Ghada Karmi, One State: The Only Democratic Future for Palestine-Israel (London: Pluto Press, 2023), p. 87.
[3] Azmi Bishara, Palestine: Matters of Truth and Justice (London: Hurst and Co., 2022), p. 286.
[4] Karmi, One State: The Only Democratic Future for Palestine-Israel, p. 169.
[5] Ibid., p. 150.
[6] Ibid.
[7] Ibid., p. 148.
[8] Mazen Masri, “Constitutional Frameworks for a One-State Option in Palestine: An Assessment,” in Rethinking Statehood in Palestine: Self-Determination and Decolonization Beyond Partition (Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2021), p. 228.
[9] Karmi, One State: The Only Democratic Future for Palestine-Israel, p. 157.
[10] Ibid.
The Israeli occupation forces continue to commit the crime of genocide in the Gaza Strip, for the 324th consecutive day, by launching dozens of airstrikes and artillery shelling, while committing massacres against civilians, amid a catastrophic humanitarian situation resulting from the siege and the displacement of more than 95% of the population.
Correspondents reported that the occupation aircraft and artillery continued their raids and violent shelling - today, Sunday - on various parts of the Gaza Strip, targeting homes, displaced persons' gatherings and streets, causing dozens of martyrs and wounded.
Ground invasion
The occupation forces continue their ground invasion of large neighborhoods in Rafah, since May 7, and several axes of Khan Yunis, Gaza and Deir al-Balah, amidst air and artillery shelling and committing horrific massacres.
Israeli shelling
Medical sources reported that a group of citizens was injured in an Israeli shelling that targeted them in front of a workshop on the Red Cross Street in the center of Khan Yunis city, south of the Gaza Strip.
The two martyrs, Muhammad Saeed Abdeen and Khamis Saqr, were killed as a result of an Israeli shelling on Khan Yunis.
Injured and Martyred
Medical sources reported that a group of citizens were injured in an Israeli bombardment. They were killed in front of a workshop on the Red Cross Street in the center of Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip. The two martyrs, Muhammad Saeed Abdeen and Khamis Saqr, were killed as a result of an Israeli bombardment on Khan Yunis.
Two martyrs were killed and others were injured as a result of the occupation shelling a house on Al-Sikka Street in the Zeitoun neighborhood, east of Gaza City.
Nasser Medical Complex
The Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Yunis received 3 martyrs as a result of the shelling in Rafah; they are: Yousef Khalil Yousef Al-Akhras; Ahmed Talat Khamis Al-Akhras; and Ibrahim Saber Shahada Shalouf.
The occupation artillery shelled the Al-Daghma family house east of Khan Yunis, which resulted in the injury of one citizen.
3 Massacres
The Ministry of Health announced that the Israeli occupation committed 3 massacres against families in the Gaza Strip, of which 71 martyrs and 112 injuries arrived at hospitals during the past 24 hours.
It confirmed that the death toll from the Israeli aggression has risen to 40,405 martyrs and 93,468 injuries since October 7.
It said: A number of victims are still under the rubble and on the roads, and ambulance and civil defense crews cannot reach them.
Three martyrs and a number of wounded were killed when the occupation aircraft bombed a residential apartment belonging to the Al-Saloul family near the Aman Mosque near the Al-Oyoun intersection north of Gaza City.
Martyrs from Al-Qarara
Medical and local sources reported that the bodies of four martyrs from Al-Qarara, northeast of Khan Yunis, arrived at Nasser Hospital as a result of a previous Israeli bombardment. They are: 1_ Muhammad Muhammad Khaled Al-Astal, 2_ Muhammad Suleiman Muhammad Abu Khashan, 3_ Abd Rabbuh Ibrahim Abd Rabbuh Al-Astal, and 4_ Sabria Mustafa Attia.
A local source reported that the occupation forces penetrated the town of Abasan Al-Jadida, east of Khan Yunis, amidst heavy bombardment.
Two martyrs were killed and a third was wounded in an Israeli bombardment near the Al-Anan Stadium in Deir Al-Balah, central Gaza Strip.
Killing Children
The child Malik Khaled Al-Shaer died of critical wounds he sustained in the bombing of a group of citizens in the Batn Al-Sameen area, south of Khan Yunis, ten days ago.
A martyr was recovered from the town of Al-Qarara, north of Khan Yunis.
The Israeli helicopters renewed their fire, coinciding with heavy artillery shelling of the Al-Zeitoun neighborhood, southeast of Gaza City.
The occupation aircraft launched a raid on Al-Maghazi camp in the central Gaza Strip.
Seven martyrs were recovered at dawn on Sunday, as a result of the occupation bombing of the Muammar family home in the Al-Hakr area in Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip. The martyrs were identified as: Muhammad Ahmad Abu Muammar, Ahmad Muhammad Abu Muammar, Adham Nazir Abu Muammar, Musa Abu Muammar, Zakaria Ahmad Abu Muammar, and Abdullah Muhammad Abu Muammar.
Air Raids
Local sources reported that the occupation aircraft launched a raid in the vicinity of the Al-Hakr area in Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, which led to the martyrdom and injury of a number of citizens.
The occupation artillery shelled the town of Al-Qarara and the Al-Satar Al-Sharqi area in Khan Yunis at dawn today.
Targeting Al-Nuseirat camp
Last night, Israeli artillery shelling targeted the north of Al-Nuseirat camp in the central Gaza Strip, coinciding with the launch of a Quadcopter drone that dropped bombs in the vicinity of the electricity company. Occupation aircraft targeted the Tel Al-Sultan neighborhood west of Rafah city in the southern Gaza Strip, and the Israeli occupation forces blew up residential buildings west of Rafah city in the southern Gaza Strip.
As part of its ongoing humanitarian efforts to support the people of the Gaza Strip, Namaa Charity of the Social Reform Society confirmed its continuation of implementing the "Water Supply" campaign that it launched to provide potable water to the people of Gaza, especially in the areas most affected by the conflict.
In this regard, the Head of the Financial Resources and Development Sector at Namaa Charity, Walid Al-Bassam, stated: In light of the worsening humanitarian crisis facing the people of the Gaza Strip, we at Namaa Charity see that providing potable water has become an urgent necessity. We are committed to alleviating the suffering of the people by implementing rapid water projects, such as distributing 300 water tankers in the north and south of the Strip, each of which is sufficient to meet the needs of more than 250 families, or about 1,000 people.
Al-Bassam added: We realize that water has become a matter of life and death in Gaza, due to the occupation's policies that use water as a weapon for blackmail and forced displacement; therefore, we work on the ground to provide the people with their minimum basic needs, and we seek to find sustainable solutions to this crisis.
Al-Bassam stressed that according to statements by officials, Gaza is currently facing a major thirst crisis, as the percentage of available water has decreased to 10-20% of what it was before the aggression in the central and southern governorates, while it is almost non-existent in the northern governorates of the Strip.
Al-Bassam pointed out that this catastrophic water situation requires urgent action in light of the worsening cases of drought, famine, and death resulting from it, and the high rates of serious diseases and epidemics due to citizens being forced to drink salty and polluted water, and as a result of the leakage and flow of wastewater into populated areas and displaced persons shelters due to the lack of sanitation services.
Al-Bassam concluded his statement by calling on donors to support the "Water Supply" campaign, which participates in the efforts of Namaa Charity to secure drinking water for the residents of Gaza, and stressed that Namaa Charity will continue its work in providing support and assistance to affected communities in Gaza, to ensure a decent life for them in light of these harsh conditions.
The Israeli occupation forces continue to commit the crime of genocide in the Gaza Strip, for the 322nd consecutive day, by launching dozens of airstrikes and artillery shelling, while committing massacres against civilians, amid a catastrophic humanitarian situation resulting from the siege and the displacement of more than 95% of the population.
Continuous raids
Correspondents reported that the occupation aircraft and artillery continued their raids and violent shelling - today, Friday - on various parts of the Gaza Strip, targeting homes, displaced persons' gatherings and streets, causing dozens of martyrs and wounded.
The occupation forces continue their ground invasion of large neighborhoods in Rafah, since May 7, and several axes from Khan Yunis and Gaza, amidst air and artillery shelling and committing horrific massacres.
The occupation aircraft bombed Gaza University on Street 8 in the Zeitoun neighborhood, south of Gaza City.
Blowing up residential buildings
The occupation forces blew up residential buildings near the Ali bin Abi Talib Mosque in the Zeitoun neighborhood, south of Gaza City.
Seven martyrs
Media sources reported that 7 martyrs arrived at Nasser Medical Complex since this morning as a result of the bombing of Rafah and Khan Younis, and they are:
Martyrs everywhere
Local sources reported that four martyrs from the Al-Amur family were killed when the occupation aircraft bombed a car carrying aid security personnel east of Khan Younis.
The body of the martyr Muhammad, son of Khan Younis Governor Ahmed Al-Shaibi, was also recovered as a result of a previous Israeli bombing of Khan Younis.
Two martyrs from the Abu Sinjar family were recovered from Rafah as a result of a previous Israeli bombing.
The body of a martyr was recovered following an Israeli bombardment on the Badr area in the Tel al-Sultan neighborhood, west of Rafah.
Four martyrs were killed and others were injured in an Israeli bombardment that targeted the Mufti's land north of the Nuseirat camp in the central Gaza Strip this morning.
Correspondents reported that the occupation forces intensified their bombardment of the al-Zeitoun neighborhood, with the firing of smoke bombs and low-flying helicopters, amid talk of a security incident, i.e. targeting the occupation forces, which resulted in deaths and injuries.
Local sources also reported that the occupation forces fired smoke and artillery shells intensively in the al-Maghraqa area north of the Nuseirat camp in the central Gaza Strip, coinciding with gunfire from Israeli vehicles and the landing of helicopters at the scene of the incident.
The occupation artillery shelled a house belonging to the Yassin family opposite the al-Abrar Mosque, east of the al-Zeitoun neighborhood, southeast of Gaza City.
The Israeli occupation army fired two artillery shells at two houses on Hana Street in the al-Zeitoun neighborhood, southeast of Gaza City.
The occupation artillery shelled this morning the south of the al-Sabra neighborhood, south of Gaza City.
The occupation artillery targeted at dawn today the southeast of the town of Al-Masdar, the east of Deir al-Balah, and the north of the Nuseirat camp in the central Gaza Strip.
A number of injuries arrived at the field hospital after random shooting by the occupation forces hit the tents of the displaced in the Mawasi area of Rafah.
The artillery also bombed the Al-Katiba area in Khan Yunis.
The occupation aircraft launched a raid on the east of the city of Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip.
The director of nursing and media spokesman for the Nasser Medical Complex in the Gaza Strip said: We are on the verge of stopping the operations departments in the complex in addition to stopping surgical changes inside the departments.
Operation "Noah's Flood" entered its 321st day, while the Zionist occupation forces continue to commit a war of genocide in the Gaza Strip, through launching dozens of airstrikes, artillery shelling, and bloody massacres against civilians.
The occupation committed 4 massacres in 24 hours, and a campaign against polio faces Zionist complications
The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza announced that the Israeli occupation "committed four massacres against families in the Gaza Strip, of which 42 martyrs and 163 injuries arrived at hospitals in the past 24 hours."
The ministry said in a press statement today, Thursday, that "a number of victims are still under the rubble and in the streets, and ambulance and civil defense crews cannot reach them."
The ministry confirmed that "the death toll from the Israeli aggression has risen to 40,265 martyrs and 93,144 injuries since October 7th."
Civil Defense in Gaza: We condemn the occupation's refusal to allow our crews to evacuate the injured in Khan Younis
The Palestinian Civil Defense in Gaza condemned the Israeli occupation's refusal to coordinate to allow its crews to evacuate the injured from the "Abu Hadros" family who are being held inside their home that the occupation forces destroyed over their heads while they were inside it yesterday in the Hamad area in Khan Younis.
The Civil Defense condemned, in a press statement today, Thursday, "the silence of the International Committee of the Red Cross and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, despite the numerous appeals and communications that reached them to save the lives of the injured and missing in the Abu Hadros house."
3 martyrs during the occupation forces' storming of the city of Tulkarm and its camp
Three Palestinians were martyred in an Israeli occupation army shelling that targeted homes and sites in the Tulkarm camp and the "Iktaba" suburb this morning, Thursday, at a time when the occupation continues to carry out a large-scale military aggression in the city of Tulkarm and its camp in the northern occupied West Bank.
Quds Press reported in Tulkarm that large forces of the Israeli occupation army stormed Tulkarm city and camp early Thursday morning, destroying their infrastructure, amid clashes with Palestinian resistance fighters.
UN: 600 Palestinians killed in the West Bank since October 7
The United Nations said on Wednesday that “Israeli airstrikes on the West Bank have resulted in the death of at least one Palestinian per day on average since October 7.”
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs stated in its daily report that “since October 7, 600 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank, including Jerusalem.”
The office added that the occupation forces “have forcibly demolished or forcibly confiscated 1,416 Palestinian buildings throughout the West Bank since October 7, displacing more than 3,200 Palestinians.”
International newspapers: Netanyahu practices "empty propaganda" at the expense of prisoners
International newspapers continued to talk about the Israeli occupation's aggression on the Gaza Strip and the repercussions of not reaching an agreement to stop the fighting and return the Israeli prisoners to their families. They accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of practicing empty propaganda at their expense.
The Hebrew newspaper "Haaretz" stressed in its editorial that Netanyahu's government should devote all its energy to recovering the remaining living prisoners "instead of engaging in empty propaganda at their expense." It said that the number of living prisoners has decreased to only 109 "due to the negligence of this government and the man who heads it."
Hamas: The occupation's intensification of its crimes in the West Bank confirms its criminal plans
The Islamic Resistance Movement “Hamas” said that the occupation’s intensification of its raids and crimes in the cities and camps of the West Bank, and the systematic destruction of the camps of Tulkarm, Jenin, Balata and others, is a practical translation of the fascist positions issued by the entity’s government. This confirms its continuation of its criminal plans towards our people and our land in the occupied West Bank.
The movement mourned the martyrs of Tulkarm, and stressed that the ongoing crimes of the occupation will not succeed in breaking the will of resistance among the Palestinian people
Netanyahu insists on controlling the Philadelphi Corridor
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu renewed his insistence on controlling the Philadelphi Corridor on the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. Ahead of an expected round of negotiations in Cairo to reach an agreement for a prisoner exchange and a ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, US President Joe Biden spoke by phone with Netanyahu.
The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation said: “For Biden, the goal of the call is to save the negotiations, and he will even send his envoy to the Middle East, Brett McGurk, to Cairo to ensure the convening of the summit (negotiations) and the continuation of the contacts.” The Broadcasting Corporation also quoted an unnamed Israeli political source as saying that “the prime minister has not changed his position on the necessity of Israeli control and presence in the Philadelphi Corridor.”
Campaign against polio faces Zionist complications
The plans of the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to vaccinate 640,000 children across Gaza face many complications, including what Juliette Touma, Director of Communications at the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), said: “It is difficult to implement a vaccination campaign of this size under a sky full of airstrikes.”
A second American aircraft carrier arrives in the region
The US military announced on Wednesday that the aircraft carrier “USS Abraham Lincoln” and its accompanying destroyers arrived in the region after Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered this naval strike group to speed up its transfer. This brings the number of US aircraft carriers currently in the region to two, as fears of a regional military escalation grow.
The 11th anniversary of the death of the charitable work icon Dr. Abdul Rahman Al-Sumait
Today marks the eleventh anniversary of the death of Dr. Abdul Rahman Al-Sumait, one of the leading figures in charitable work in Kuwait and the Islamic world. He passed away on August 15, 2013, leaving behind a great humanitarian legacy and charitable works that continue to bear fruit to this day.
Humanity in the life of Dr. Al-Sumait
For Dr. Al-Sumait, charitable work was not just a profession or passing experience, but a deep alignment with the painful reality experienced by many impoverished communities, especially in Africa. His life was full of sacrifices and giving up luxuries to provide the basic requirements of a dignified life for the needy. His humanitarian work encompassed different races and religions, and had a significant impact on the lives of millions in Africa.
The beginning of his charitable journey
Dr. Abdul Rahman Al-Sumait was born in Kuwait in 1947 and graduated from the College of Medicine in Baghdad in 1972. He specialized in gastrointestinal diseases and worked in hospitals in Canada, Britain, and Kuwait before dedicating himself entirely to charitable work. His visit to Malawi in 1981 was a turning point in his life, where he was deeply affected by the conditions of the African country and the suffering of its people. This led him to establish the "Muslims of Malawi Committee," which later evolved into the "Direct Aid Society," the largest humanitarian organization in Africa.
His achievements and works
Over decades of charitable work, the Direct Aid Society under Dr. Al-Sumait's leadership achieved many notable accomplishments. The society became a umbrella for hundreds of developmental projects in the fields of health, education, and agriculture. More than 8600 water wells were built, thousands of mosques and schools were constructed, education was provided to over half a million students, and the society contributed to training more than 4000 preachers and teachers, as well as sponsoring thousands of orphans.
Awards and honors
In recognition of Dr. Al-Sumait's unlimited giving, he received many prestigious awards and honors, including the King Faisal International Prize for Service to Islam, the Knight of Charitable Work from the Emirate of Sharjah, and the Nile Medal from Sudan. Kuwait also established an annual award in his name, the "Al-Sumait African Development Award," aimed at supporting developmental projects in the African continent.
Death and legacy
Dr. Al-Sumait faced several assassination attempts during his work in Africa, but he continued his humanitarian mission until his passing on August 15, 2013, after a long battle with illness. Despite his departure, his charitable legacy remains alive, represented in the millions of beneficiaries of his charitable projects and a workforce in the humanitarian field who are inspired by his journey.
Dr. Abdul Rahman Al-Sumait remains an eternal symbol of humanitarian giving and sacrifice for others. His great legacy in charitable work will continue to be a guiding light for future generations, always reminding us that humanity is best reflected in our simplest choices to stand by those in need, regardless of religion, race, or color.
"Sustainability of Goodness" - The Social Reform Society's 2023 report highlights decades of achievements in giving.
The Social Reform Society recently released its fifth sustainability report for the year 2023, under the title "Sustainability of Goodness". The report includes a series of concepts and definitions that highlight the organization's direction in adopting sustainable development goals, in addition to its leading role in promoting community sustainability.
The report also covers the stages the Society has gone through in aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals for 2030, focusing on the rich legacy of achievements over 60 years of charitable work.
Sustainability of Goodness
The report introduces the concept of "Sustainability of Goodness", aiming to achieve well-being and provide charitable assistance in various fields within and outside Kuwait. It notes that over the past sixty years, the Society has engaged in numerous charitable and humanitarian activities that have significantly supported humanitarian and sustainable goals through diverse initiatives in the areas of welfare and relief.
Ongoing mission
Additionally, the report sheds light on the continuous efforts made by the Society to improve and develop its work and projects over the years, emphasizing its ongoing mission in charitable work. The report aims to establish the sustainability of charitable work and deliver it to beneficiaries inside and outside Kuwait.
The Society's role
The report details the Society's role in the second voluntary national review of the Sustainable Development Goals, highlighting its significant efforts in combating the COVID-19 pandemic through distributing food baskets and meals, providing volunteer and awareness support to communities and assisting those affected in isolated areas.
The First Goals
In the first part of the report, it discusses the Social Reform Society's efforts to contribute to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals at the local level. The first goal is to eradicate poverty in all its forms everywhere. The number of beneficiaries in this goal reached approximately 2510 in 2021, about 3366 in 2022, and around 3538 in 2023, through activities such as sponsoring orphans, providing aid and clothes to orphans, sponsoring individuals with special needs, the project "Faraj Karba", supporting debtors, and the campaign "Absher" to furnish homes for needy families.
The Second Goal is to end hunger, provide food security, improve nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture. The number of beneficiaries in this goal reached approximately 158,687 in 2021, around 298,862 in 2022, and about 334,961 in 2023, through projects including feeding the hungry, distributing food baskets, providing aid to needy families, and distributing zakat al-fitr.
The Third Goal of Sustainable Development Goals is to ensure that everyone enjoys healthy living and well-being at all ages. The number of beneficiaries reached approximately 214 in 2021, about 341 in 2022, and around 346 in 2023, through projects such as "Hope" for cancer patients, "Taraahem" for rheumatoid patients, "Bushrakom" for multiple sclerosis patients, supporting patients with medical aids and Braille Qurans.
The fourth goal of sustainable development, which is to ensure good, fair, and inclusive education and enhance lifelong learning opportunities, had about 3061 beneficiaries in 2021, 3667 beneficiaries in 2022, and 5126 beneficiaries in 2023 through projects such as "Teach me and you will earn", school bags, sponsoring university students, human development, education center for all, and scholars chair.
The Fifth Goal
As for the fifth goal of sustainable development, which is to empower women, approximately 87 beneficiaries were reached in 2021, 87 beneficiaries in 2022, and 137 beneficiaries in 2023 through activities in culture, women's advocacy, generational building, religious outreach, community projects, public relations, and training.
The sixth goal of sustainable development, which is to ensure sustainable availability and management of water and sanitation for all, benefitted about 17504200 beneficiaries in 2021, 5856200 beneficiaries in 2022, and 4347700 beneficiaries in 2023.
The Seventh Goal
Regarding the seventh goal of sustainable development, which is to ensure everyone has affordable access to modern, reliable, and sustainable energy, about 2587 beneficiaries were reached in 2021, 3413 beneficiaries in 2022, and 6480 beneficiaries in 2023 through various projects including maintenance and installation of refrigerators and distribution of cooling devices.
Activities of the local association
Activities of the local association indirectly related to sustainable development goals include Quran memorization sessions, Quran memorization competitions, Quran memorization centers, Islamic cooperation events, annual iftar gatherings, Islamic cooperation diwaniya, community leader meetings, educational camps for students on scholarships, social activities such as honoring outstanding students, blood donation campaigns, annual sports festivals, and environmental campaigns.
Educational and training activities include beginner learner programs, training sessions, scientific courses, religious activities such as lessons, lectures, Umrah trips, religious competitions, and preacher training programs.
Al-Mujtama
Media activities include publishing and enhancing the distribution of the magazine "Al-Mujtama" and developing it, creating a modern electronic archive, providing comprehensive research and knowledge services, developing electronic systems for archival resources, enhancing current website content, and producing professional digital media content to support the magazine's print and digital platforms.
In addition to developing and managing the electronic platforms of the association, social media pages, printing educational and promotional booklets, distributing electronic books, and book fairs.
Women's Work Secretary
As for the Women's Work Secretary, it has contributed to empowering families to raise righteous individuals, supporting women to fulfill their main roles, thus achieving family stability. This was achieved through the establishment of a Family Counseling Center through the Peace Center, participation in age groups in clubs and training courses in the center, enhancing the efficiency of Women's Work Secretary members according to institutional standards, providing them with necessary volunteer skills through conducting 7 training courses in educational leadership.
Quran Secretary
As for the Quran Secretary, 27 Quranic circles were held in a number of mosques, in addition to strategic partnerships with entities working in the field of the Quran with the Lalee Center, as well as partnerships with the Qara'a Center. Specialized curricula were prepared for Quranic centers, such as the insight center, the clarification center, and the Lalee center, along with monitoring Quran memorizers, especially from children, women, and families.
Advocacy and Educational Activities
Regarding the advocacy and educational activities, 16 summer clubs were established with a total of 2400 participants in several provinces, an increase in educational supervisors, the qualification of 71 new supervisors, organizing health awareness programs in 9 centers, advocacy programs, educational kits, two festivals under the "Your Health is Precious" program, forming 12 volunteer teams, and copying and marketing 1000 copies of the educational kit.
The second part, the external part related to sustainable development goals, where the external activities of the reform association are an essential part of its efforts aimed at achieving sustainable development goals. They were present in 29 countries in Africa, Asia, and Europe.
Eliminating Poverty
The Social Reform Association sought to achieve the first goal of eliminating poverty in all its forms everywhere. The association's activities under the first goal include 11 activities distributed in many countries. Al-Nama Charity developed families through the Halal earning projects, relief projects, sponsorship, completing orphanages, building villages and houses for the poor, family sponsorship, orphan sponsorship, zakat, sadaqat, social development projects, and marriage aid, benefiting a total of 651,866 beneficiaries.
Eliminating Hunger
The second goal was to eliminate hunger, provide food security, improve nutrition, and enhance sustainable agriculture. Al-Nama Charity carried out 7 activities covering the second goal of the Sustainable Development Goals, which is to eliminate hunger and provide food security. The association aims to combat hunger, provide food to deserving families in disaster areas, achieve this goal through breaking the fast, sacrifice, breaking fast on the day of Arafat, slaughters, and distributing food baskets, benefiting 228,473 beneficiaries.
Healthy Living Styles and Well-being
Regarding the third goal related to ensuring that everyone enjoys healthy living styles and well-being at all ages, the Social Reform Association seeks to achieve this goal through charity projects such as eye surgeries, cancer treatment, and support for patients, as well as health projects, medical caravans, and clinics. These projects have benefited 53,917 beneficiaries.
As for the fourth goal, which is to ensure good and comprehensive education and enhance lifelong learning opportunities for all, the association is focusing its efforts in supporting poor countries in Africa and Asia, where there are significant challenges in providing educational opportunities and enhancing the quality of education for their populations. Through this goal, the association has supported schools, classrooms, student sponsorship, and school bags, benefiting more than 4,712 students.
Water and Sanitation for All
Regarding the sixth goal of sustainable development related to ensuring sustainable availability and management of water and sanitation for all, the Social Reform Association has sought through charity projects to combat drought, dryness, and thirst and to alleviate the suffering of the poor and needy who struggle to find water. The association has dug wells, distributed water, and reached 188,869 beneficiaries.
In terms of the association's external activities related to sustainable development goals indirectly, the association implements a set of external activities indirectly related to sustainable development goals through 7 items, including serving the Quran, Quran memorization centers, mosques, Islamic centers, sponsoring imams and preachers, managing endowments buildings, and proxy Hajj, benefiting 26,396 beneficiaries.
Namaa Charity launches the “Mediterranean Center for the Communication of Civilizations” project
Namaa Charity, in partnership with the Social Reform Society and in strategic partnership with the General Secretariat of Endowments, announced the launch of the Mediterranean Center for the Communication of Civilizations project in Italy.
Walid Al-Bassam, Head of the Financial Resources and Development Sector at Namaa Charity, said: The project is located in the city of Brescia, Italy, and this center is distinguished by its strategic location on an area of 1000 square meters, and consists of two floors; the first floor includes the center’s offices and a hall designated for various courses and events, while the second floor includes a mosque that aims to facilitate the performance of Islamic rituals and provide spiritual support to the people of the region.
Al-Bassam pointed out that the project is a qualitative step in the path of charitable and advocacy work for Namaa Charity, as it was launched in strategic partnership with the General Secretariat of Endowments, and stressed the importance of this partnership that contributes to achieving Namaa Charity’s vision of enhancing the positive Islamic presence in European societies.
He added: The importance of this partnership with the General Secretariat of Endowments comes from its continuous support for projects with a strategic dimension, which contribute to strengthening the Islamic identity and preserving the authentic values of Muslims abroad, noting that cooperation with the General Secretariat of Endowments ensures the sustainability of these projects and enhances their positive impact on the targeted communities. Al-Bassam explained that the “Mediterranean Center for the Communication of Civilizations” aims to introduce true Islam, accommodate new Muslims, and preserve the Islamic identity of the emerging generations in Italy. In addition, the center will teach the Arabic language, Islamic culture, and history, as well as reconcile spouses by providing family mediation services. The center will also work to implement agreements with Italian social services to accommodate Muslim children who are victims of family disputes, in addition to providing advisory and legal services to immigrants. Al-Bassam concluded by saying: The center also seeks to contribute to the advancement of the intellectual community in Italy, by providing various programs aimed at spreading awareness and education about Islamic values, in addition to building a mosque that accommodates worshipers and contributes to spreading the message of tolerant Islam in the region.
Namaa Charity: More than 300 water tankers for our people in the north and south of Gaza
As part of its ongoing humanitarian efforts to support the people of the Gaza Strip, Namaa Charity of the Social Reform Society confirmed its continuation of implementing the “Water Supply” campaign that it launched to provide potable water to the people of Gaza, especially in the areas most affected by the conflict.
In this regard, the Head of the Financial Resources and Development Sector at Namaa Charity, Walid Al-Bassam, stated: In light of the worsening humanitarian crisis facing the people of the Gaza Strip, we at Namaa Charity see that providing potable water has become an urgent necessity. We are committed to alleviating the suffering of the people by implementing rapid water projects, such as distributing 300 water tankers in the north and south of the Strip, each of which is sufficient to meet the needs of more than 250 families, or about 1,000 people.
Al-Bassam added: We realize that water has become a matter of life and death in Gaza, due to the occupation’s policies that use water as a weapon for blackmail and forced displacement; therefore, we are working on the ground to provide the people with their minimum basic needs, and we seek to find sustainable solutions to this crisis.
Al-Bassam stressed that according to statements by officials, Gaza is currently facing a major thirst crisis, as the percentage of available water has decreased to 10-20% of what it was before the aggression in the central and southern governorates, while it is almost non-existent in the northern governorates of the Strip.
Al-Bassam pointed out that this catastrophic water situation requires urgent action in light of the worsening cases of drought, famine and death resulting from it, and the high rates of serious diseases and epidemics due to citizens being forced to drink salty and polluted water, and as a result of the leakage and flow of wastewater into populated areas and shelters for the displaced; due to the lack of sanitation services.
Al-Bassam concluded his statement by calling on donors to support the "Water Supply" campaign to participate in the efforts of Namaa Charity to secure drinking water for the residents of Gaza, and stressed that Namaa Charity will continue its work in providing support and assistance to affected communities in Gaza, in order to ensure a decent life for them in light of these harsh conditions.
World Humanitarian Day: Solidarity with humanity and appreciation for humanitarian workers
Amidst the celebrations of World Humanitarian Day on August 19, the tragic situation facing humanitarian workers around the world is highlighted. The Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Political Affairs and Electoral Assistance to the United Nations in Iraq, Claudio Cordone, described 2023 as the deadliest year ever for humanitarian workers, expecting 2024 to be even darker.
Killing Aid Workers
In his statement, Cordone noted that 280 aid workers were killed in 33 countries during 2023, a staggering 137% increase compared to 2022, which saw the killing of 118 aid workers. He added that as of August 7, 2024, 172 aid workers had been killed, almost half of them in Gaza. The first three months of hostilities in Gaza were among the bloodiest periods, with a large number of aid workers killed.
Kuwait Plays a Leading Role
In a speech he delivered on the anniversary of the bombing of the Canal Hotel in the capital Baghdad, Cordone recalled the attack that took place in 2003, in which the United Nations lost 22 of its employees, including the then Special Representative of the Secretary-General Sergio Vieira de Mello. Cordone stressed that humanitarian workers, whether from the United Nations or non-governmental organizations, are exposed to the risks of killing, injury and kidnapping, in addition to the civilians who provide them with support. In light of the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Gaza, where more than two million people suffer from displacement and the destruction of infrastructure, attention is directed towards the need to strengthen international efforts to protect humanitarian workers and ensure their safety and security.
Cordone called on all parties involved in conflicts to stop targeting humanitarian workers and civilians, warning of the continued impunity of violators of international law. On the other hand, Kuwait plays a leading role in humanitarian work on the international scene. In 2014, the United Nations honored Kuwait by naming it a “Humanitarian Center” in appreciation of its generous contributions to supporting affected peoples around the world. On this day, Kuwait renews its commitment to supporting global humanitarian work, which was confirmed by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Mishaal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.
Charitable Societies
Through its charitable institutions such as the Social Reform Society, Nama Charitable Society, Al-Rahma International Society, the International Islamic Charitable Organization, and Balad Al-Khair Society, Kuwait continues to provide support to affected peoples in places such as Gaza, where it has launched several relief campaigns to provide urgent humanitarian assistance. Kuwaiti efforts stand as a bright sign in the sky of humanitarian work, confirming that Kuwait always seeks to provide a helping hand to afflicted peoples.
Honoring the Heroic Efforts
On World Humanitarian Day, the world honors the heroic efforts of humanitarian workers and enhances solidarity with affected peoples. Kuwait, with its pioneering humanitarian model, remains a witness to its deep commitment to preserving human dignity and providing support to all those in need.
For his part, Saad Marzouq Al-Otaibi, Chairman of the Union of Charitable Societies and Foundations, praised the sacrifices made by humanitarian workers around the world, saying in a statement to the website of Al-Mujtama Magazine, “Celebrating World Humanitarian Day is a call to build poor humanitarian communities and address the repercussions of disasters and catastrophes.” He added, “Despite the existence of international laws aimed at regulating the conduct of armed conflicts and reducing their effects, violations of these laws continue without deterrence, causing civilians, including relief workers, to pay the ultimate price.”
In the same context, Abdulaziz Al-Kandari, Head of the Communications and Information Technology Sector at Namaa Charity, stated in a statement to the website of Al-Mujtama Magazine that “World Humanitarian Day is a real opportunity to alleviate the suffering of those in need.” He added, “The tragic conditions in Gaza require urgent interventions to bring humanitarian aid into the Strip, and we commend the efforts of Kuwaiti charitable societies that play a prominent role in providing relief to their brothers in Gaza.” Dr. Adnan Al-Haddad, Deputy Director General for Communications, Marketing and Information Technology at the International Mercy Association, said in a statement to the website of the Society Magazine about the humanitarian efforts made by Kuwaiti charitable societies, saying: “Kuwaiti charitable societies have been present in the fields of relief and aid in the Gaza Strip, and we are working to provide various types of assistance in the areas of food, medicine and shelter.”
The Union of Charitable Societies and Foundations celebrates the "World Humanitarian Day"
Saad Marzouq Al-Otaibi, Chairman of the Union of Charitable Societies and Foundations, stressed that the "World Humanitarian Day" is an annual reminder to work on the need to alleviate the suffering of afflicted peoples and millions of families who have lost their breadwinners. Celebrating this day is a call to build poor humanitarian societies and address the repercussions of disasters and calamities.
World Humanitarian Day
On the occasion of the "World Humanitarian Day", which falls on August 19 of each year, Al-Otaibi said: We extend our deep appreciation and honor to humanitarian workers around the world, who are making every effort to save lives and provide assistance to affected people, despite the great dangers and challenges they face.
Bloodiest Years
Al-Otaibi added that this year is one of the bloodiest years ever for humanitarian workers. This painful fact highlights the global failure to protect these unknown heroes, thus exacerbating the suffering of the people they serve. Despite the existence of international laws aimed at regulating the conduct of armed conflicts and reducing their effects, the violation of these laws continues without deterrence, Which makes civilians, including relief workers, pay the ultimate price while the perpetrators continue to evade justice.
Crises are Escalating Dramatically
Al-Otaibi explained that crises and disasters are escalating dramatically in the world, especially in Palestine, as the violations of the Zionist entity continue, disregarding all international norms and conventions, calling on the international community to assume responsibilities towards the humanitarian situation in Gaza, in light of the displacement of more than two million people in addition to the reduction of humanitarian areas to 11%, stressing that the sector is suffering from harsh humanitarian conditions that require more urgent relief efforts.
Deterioration of Humanitarian Situation in Gaza
The deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Gaza reflects the urgent need for international and regional solidarity to provide continuous support and assistance to its people.
Al-Otaibi called on the international community to stand firmly against these violations and work to stop attacks on humanitarian workers and humanitarian facilities, as well as on civilians and civilian infrastructure. It is time to end impunity and work hard for humanity.
Kuwaiti Charitable Societies
Al-Otaibi thanked the Kuwaiti charitable societies and foundations that spare no effort in helping those affected in all parts of the world, pointing out that the great humanitarian role undertaken by the State of Kuwait constitutes an honorable model of giving, as the vision, support and interest of the political leadership in extending a helping hand to sisterly and friendly countries in various humanitarian circumstances is evident.
Kuwait, represented by its government and various ministries, most notably the Ministries of Social Affairs and Foreign Affairs, has not hesitated to play its vital role towards the peoples of the world, following the same approach of charitable and civil organizations and associations and volunteer teams. In conclusion, we emphasize the need to coordinate efforts between Kuwaiti charitable institutions and international and regional bodies, to unify and organize relief efforts and charitable work, in a way that ensures achieving the greatest benefit for charitable works locally and internationally.
"Global Mercy" appreciates the efforts of Kuwaiti charitable organizations in providing relief to the victims of Gaza
As the world celebrates the "World Humanitarian Day" on August 19 every year, in appreciation of the efforts of workers in the field, the Global Mercy Society appreciated the efforts of Kuwaiti charitable organizations in supporting and providing relief to the victims of Gaza, and providing urgent relief and necessary humanitarian interventions since the first moments of the brutal aggression.
World Humanitarian Day
The Deputy Director General for Communications, Marketing and Information Technology Affairs at the Global Mercy Society, Dr. Adnan Al-Haddad, stated that the "World Humanitarian Day" is a unique opportunity to highlight the efforts of activists and volunteers in the field of providing relief, honoring them and appreciating their humanitarian role that they are performing, amidst the climatic and security risks they face in order to help groups affected by disasters and catastrophes.
He continued: Kuwaiti charitable organizations at various levels were present in the fields of relief and aid in the Gaza Strip, which is facing an extremely difficult humanitarian reality that has witnessed the displacement of hundreds of thousands, and increasing rates of hunger, poverty and disease.
Gaza Calling
In the same context, Al-Haddad pointed out that the International Mercy Association launched the “Gaza Calling” campaign to extend a helping hand to our brothers in Gaza since October 7, by providing various types of assistance in the areas of “food, medicine and shelter” with a total number of beneficiaries reaching hundreds of thousands of residents of the Strip. Al-Haddad noted that many countries in the world need, in our contemporary reality, to further coordinate humanitarian efforts with major charitable institutions to confront the major challenges that affect many societies, which confirms the necessity of raising awareness of the humanitarian role of those working in this field, and highlighting their role and the dangers they are exposed to that threaten their lives, renewing his praise for the masses of workers in the field of humanitarian work who continue to support, protect and care for the needy, the afflicted and the affected.
IICO strengthens leadership in aiding the needy without discrimination.
In the framework of its firm commitment to supporting charitable and humanitarian work projects and alleviating the suffering of poor and afflicted peoples, the International Islamic Charitable Organization affirmed, on the occasion of World Humanitarian Day, the continuation of its pioneering charitable role in building the human being and empowering him economically, culturally, educationally and socially in various parts of the world without discrimination.
Aid for All
The Deputy Director General of Institutional Communication at the Charitable Organization, Ibrahim Khaled Al-Badr, said in a press statement that the State of Kuwait is one of the leading countries in supporting charitable and humanitarian initiatives, pointing to the tireless efforts made by the Charitable Organization in cooperation with its partners in supporting plans and programs for the humanitarian response to those affected and supporting the afflicted peoples, especially in the Gaza Strip, which suffers from catastrophic humanitarian conditions due to the aggression.
Sparing no efforts in Supporting Gaza
Al-Badr said: Since the beginning of the brutal aggression on the Gaza Strip, the Charitable Organization has spared no effort in providing relief to the residents of the Strip, in coordination and cooperation with Kuwaiti and Palestinian charitable organizations to deliver humanitarian support by land, sea and air, noting that the organization allocated about $10 million during that period to support the humanitarian situation in the Strip.
He also said: IICO launched the largest international charitable and humanitarian demonstration to build a global humanitarian alliance to support and enhance humanitarian interventions in Gaza, by organizing an international humanitarian conference in coordination with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), under the slogan “Humanitarian Partnership”, with the participation of 147 local, regional, international and UN organizations from 48 countries.
He added that the conference resulted in the announcement of charitable and development programs and projects worth more than two billion dollars to support the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip over the next two years, within the framework of the “Sanad” initiative to enhance humanitarian interventions and early recovery in the Strip. Regarding the efforts of the volunteer teams working under the umbrella of the Authority, Al-Badr explained that the Authority embraces 30 volunteer teams, which have implemented 71 charitable projects inside and outside Kuwait since the beginning of the year.
Volunteer Teams
He praised the efforts of the volunteer teams that implemented and supervised many projects, including paying tuition fees, building homes for refugees, water supply projects in Gaza, in addition to Iftar projects and distributing sacrificial animals, and other various projects.
Al-Badr pointed to the charitable humanitarian projects that the Authority will soon implement in the Republic of Tanzania, in cooperation with the Tarahum Volunteer Team, which include opening 3 artesian wells, distributing 300 food baskets, organizing a medical convoy to treat 1,600 patients, in addition to renovating 3 Quran memorization classes that will benefit 240 male and female students, and distributing 200 school bags to poor students.
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The Ministry of Health in Gaza announced today, Tuesday, August 20, the martyrdom of 34 Palestinians and the injury of 114 others within 24 hours. The ministry indicated that the Israeli occupation army committed three massacres against Palestinian families in Gaza during this time, with some of the martyrs still trapped under the rubble or in the streets where ambulance and rescue teams are unable to reach them.
The Ministry of Health confirmed an increase in the number of victims of the ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza since October 7th to 40,173 martyrs and 92,857 wounded.
As the Israeli genocide enters its 319th day in the sector, the occupation army continues its aerial and artillery bombardment on Palestinian homes, refugee tents, and schools in different areas of Gaza, intensifying its attacks in the central and southern parts of the sector.
In Gaza City, nine martyrs, including children and women, were pulled out from Mustafa Hafez School, which was targeted by Israeli bombings in the Al-Remal neighborhood in the western part of the city.
In Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, four Palestinians were martyred in intensive aerial and artillery shelling east of the city. Medical sources confirmed that the martyrs were taken to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, while some are still missing under the rubble.
In the Bureij refugee camp, six martyrs were declared after the Israeli army shelled a Palestinian's house, as announced by the Palestinian Civil Defense.
In the southern part of Gaza, in Rafah City, two Palestinians were martyred and others were injured in artillery shelling that targeted the refugee tents in the Mawasi area, while the occupation forces continued to demolish residential buildings in the western part of the city.
In Khan Younis, five refugees were injured by the Israeli tank's fire in the Mawasi area of the Al-Qarara coastal town, northwest of the city.
On another note, the Israeli occupation army released around forty Palestinians from Gaza, including two women, who had been detained during the war on Gaza in the past months, and returned them through the Kerem Shalom commercial crossing.
The released prisoners arrived at the European Gaza Hospital in Al-Fakhari town in Khan Younis in difficult health conditions with signs of torture on their bodies. Some of the released prisoners spoke about the torture they endured in prison, calling on the responsible authorities to investigate the conditions of the prisoners and shed light on their suffering.
The occupation aggression on Gaza entered its 318th day in a row, with the implementation of atrocious massacres and a campaign of genocide against the Palestinians, forcibly displacing them from their homes, causing a siege and exacerbating their suffering.
This comes at a time when US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, through his ninth visit to the Middle East since October 7th, aims to intensify diplomatic pressure to reach a ceasefire.
The US State Department said that Blinken is heading to Egypt on Tuesday after meeting with the leaders of the occupation entity, Isaac Herzog and Netanyahu, and his Defense Minister, Ya'akov Galant, on Monday.
Obstacles of Netanyahu
The Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, confirmed that it has dealt responsibly with the efforts of mediators and proposals aimed at stopping the aggression on Gaza.
Hamas said that the Prime Minister of the occupation, Benjamin Netanyahu, is putting obstacles in the way of reaching an agreement.
It clarified that the new proposal aligns with Netanyahu's conditions, especially regarding his rejection of a permanent ceasefire and withdrawal from Gaza, in addition to his insistence on continuing the occupation of Netzarim junction, the Rafah crossing, and the Philadelphi Corridor.
Hamas added that Netanyahu has put forward new conditions aimed at sabotaging the efforts of mediators and prolonging the war, indicating that the new proposal includes new conditions regarding the prisoner exchange file and a retreat from other clauses, hindering the completion of the exchange deal.
This comes amid anticipation of reaching a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, as negotiations have some points of disagreement, while a Hamas leader confirmed that the new American proposal aligns and responds to the conditions of the occupation.
Al-Aqsa Flood
The Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, launched Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on October 7th, in response to the Israeli violations in the occupied Palestinian territories.
In response, the occupation launched a military operation against the Gaza Strip called "Operation Iron Swords," carrying out a series of violent airstrikes on several areas in the sector, resulting in the martyrdom of hundreds and the injury of thousands, in addition to the destruction of a large number of buildings, residential towers, institutions, and infrastructure.
Casualties in the ranks of the occupation
The number of occupation army casualties has risen to 691 since October 7th, 331 since the start of the ground operation on October 27th last year, according to the occupation's claim.
According to the occupation army, 4,333 soldiers have been injured since the beginning of the aggression on Gaza, including 2,599 minor injuries, 1,091 moderate injuries, and 643 serious injuries.