Israel & the Palestine's Archives

US confirms first aid trucks arrive via Gaza pier

May 17, 2024 No Comments

The US military has confirmed that the first aid shipment via a temporary pier off Gaza has gone ashore.

US Central Command confirmed in a post on X that the aid trucks began moving ashore at about 0900 local time (0700 BST).

“This is an ongoing, multinational effort to deliver additional aid to Palestinian civilians in Gaza via a maritime corridor that is entirely humanitarian in nature,” the post read, adding that no US troops went ashore.

The US began building the floating base weeks ago to facilitate the delivery of aid to Gaza as Israel continues its military campaign against Hamas.

On Wednesday, it was reported that hundreds of tonnes of aid had arrived in Cyprus, where screening takes place before being loaded on to ships for delivery to the pier.

Vice Adm Brad Cooper, deputy commander of US Central Command, said commercial ships would collect pallets from Cyprus and deliver them to a floating platform anchored several kilometres off the coast of Gaza.

Smaller US military vessels, capable of carrying between five and 15 lorries of aid, will then transport it to a floating pier, several hundred metres long, fixed to the beach in Gaza.

Lorries will travel along the pier before dropping off the aid at a marshalling yard on the beach.

Authorities said that the UN, primarily the World Food Programme, will be responsible for the onward distribution of aid.

World News

Police arrest 125, clear pro-Palestinian student camp in Amsterdam

May 7, 2024 No Comments

An estimated 125 people have been detained at the University of Amsterdam after the police cleared a pro-Palestinian encampment on Tuesday morning.

Although most of the 125 detained students were released a short time later.

Police said some demonstrators threw stones and fireworks on campus.

On Monday, the students set up many tents at the university’s Roeterseiland campus in the Dutch capital.

The students demanded that the university sever all relations with Israel as a protest against the war in Gaza.

The university management and police then asked the demonstrators to leave the campus.

Many demonstrators reportedly agreed to do so, but around 125 remained and were detained when police intervened early Tuesday.

Dutch education minister Robbert Dijkgraaf said he regretted that the police had to be called.

“Universities are precisely places for debate and dialogue,” he said in The Hague.

He added that protests were allowed, “but they must be held in a way that is safe for everyone.”

World News

Zara advert accused of resembling Gaza images

December 12, 2023 No Comments

Zara is facing a backlash about an advertising campaign which some people claim resembles images from the Israel-Gaza war.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said it had received 50 complaints about the social media campaign called “The Jacket”.

One image shows the model holding a mannequin wrapped in what appears to be white plastic.

Zara declined to comment.In a series of images, the model is pictured against a background of cracked stones, damaged statues and broken plasterboard.

Some on social media have suggested they are similar to images emerging from Gaza following Israeli bombing in retaliation for the 7 October attack by Hamas when 1,200 people were killed.

The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza has said Israel has killed about 18,000 people.

The campaign for Zara’s Atelier line is no longer on the company’s app or website.

The BBC understands the advertising campaign was conceived in July and filmed in September, before the Israel-Gaza war began.

Some images appear to have been removed from Zara’s Instagram account, though others remain.

In the comments several users call for a boycott of the firm.One Zara shop in Spain has a window display with some props similar to those used in the campaign.

The company describes its thinking behind “The Jacket” as “an exercise in concentrated design that is conceived to showcase the finest aspects of Zara’s creative and manufacturing capabilities, Zara Atelier offers one garment, six ways – and with unlimited possibilities”.

A spokesperson for the ASA said: “We’ve received 50 complaints about this ad. Complainants argue that the imagery references the current Israel-Hamas conflict and is offensive.

“The spokesperson added that the ASA was reviewing the complaints but was not currently investigating the advert.

Recently, M&S apologised after the retailer was accused of posting an Instagram photo of Christmas party hats in the colours of the Palestinian flag on fire.

The ASA said that it had received 116 complaints about the image.

It said that following a review, it determined that M&S had not broken ASA rules and “no additional investigation was warranted”.

Nevertheless, M&S said it had “removed the post following feedback and we apologise for any unintentional hurt caused”.

Zara’s Spanish parent company, Inditex, is scheduled to announce its latest quarterly results on Wednesday.

World News

Five US troops die in training air crash in eastern Mediterranean

November 13, 2023 No Comments

Five American service members have died in a helicopter crash in the eastern Mediterranean, the US military says.It says the aircraft suffered a mishap while refuelling as part of a routine training exercise.

The US has increased its operations in the region since the outbreak of the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

President Joe Biden paid tribute to the victims, saying service members were putting “their lives on the line for our country every day”.

“We pray for the families of all our fallen warriors today and every day,” he added.

The military statement did not specify where the aircraft was flying from or where the crash happened.

But the US has moved two aircraft carriers, as well as ships and jets, to the eastern Mediterranean over the past month.

The deployment reflects American concerns that the conflict between Israel and Hamas could draw in other parts of the region.

In particular, the US is eager to prevent Lebanon’s powerful Hezbollah movement from joining the conflict.

It is backed by Iran, which also funds and arms Hamas.

World News

Children among 17 Britons dead or missing in Israel

October 11, 2023 No Comments

Seventeen British nationals, including children, are feared dead or missing after the Hamas attack on Israel on Saturday, an official UK source has told the BBC.

The previous estimate for the number of dead or missing was put at “more than 10”.The death toll in Israel has reached 1,200, with more than 900 people killed by Israeli air strikes on Gaza.

The deaths of Nathanel Young and Bernard Cowan have been confirmed.

Mr Young was a 20-year-old who attended JFS School, a Jewish school in North London, and was serving in the military in Israel.

Bernard Cowan grew up in Glasgow before settling in Israel with his wife and three children.

The family of Daniel Darlington have also said they believe he is among those killed.In a statement posted on Instagram, his sister referred to him as Danny and her “baby brother”. She said he was killed at the Nir Oz kibbutz alongside a friend.

Jake Marlowe was working as a security guard at the Supernova music festival, where 260 people were killed when it was stormed by militants.

The 26-year-old has been reported as missing after the attack, which took place at the Re’im kibbutz around 3.7 miles (6km) from the Gaza barrier.

He was also a former pupil of JFS in North London.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast on Wednesday, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said the UK is offering “moral” as well as “practical support” to Israel.

He said he had spoken to ministers in the Israeli government.”We have asked the Israeli government to let us know what they need. And again, we continue to talk to them about that.”