WORLD PEACE UPDATE NEWS

NEWSLETTER ON LINKEDIN Health For All Newsletter Stay updated on the work of the World Health Organization. Author image World Health Organization See what others are saying about this topic: Open on Linkedin Newsletter cover image Gaza crisis, Tajikistan's success with primary healthcare, Nigeria tackles cervical cancer Spotlight WHO: civilians, patients, and health workers in Gaza spend night in darkness and fear During a night of intense bombardment and ground incursions in Gaza, with reports of hostilities still continuing, health workers, patients and civilians have been subject to a total communication and electrical blackout. WHO reiterates its calls for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, and reminds all parties to the conflict to take all precautions to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure. This includes health workers, patients, health facilities and ambulances, and civilians who are sheltering in these facilities. Active measures must be taken to ensure they are not harmed and safe passage provided for the movement of desperately needed medical supplies, fuel, water and food into and across Gaza. Read the full statement. Gaza crisis, help save lives - Funding appeal Nigeria to vaccinate 7.7 million girls against leading cause of cervical cancer Girls aged 9–14 years will receive a single dose of the vaccine, which is highly efficacious in preventing infection with HPV types 16 and 18 that are known to cause at least 70% of cervical cancers. By introducing 1 dose of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine into routine immunization, Nigeria aims to vaccinate 7.7 million girls against the cause of almost all cervical cancer. Read more. Unlocking the power of primary health care Tajikistan’s experience shows how long-term investments in primary health care and stronger health workforce pay dividends in healthier populations and lives saved. View media Donors making a difference: the resilient spirit of women providing and receiving health care WHO, with the support of its donors and partners, recognizes women around the world who are receiving and providing essential health care. From performing vaccinations in remote areas to giving mental health care and advice in areas where it is considered taboo, the women featured in these WHO stories represent pillars of strength and hope in global health care. Updates New infodemic management tools to support pandemic planning and preparedness for pandemic influenza and respiratory pathogen disease events 📰 Catch the latest news on the world of health. Subscribe and share. Join the conversation Know someone who might be interested in this newsletter? Share it with them. Share this series on LinkedIn Share this series on Facebook Share this series on Twitter This email was intended for Muhammad Sheikh Ramzan Hossain (Editor In Chief) António GuterresAntónio Guterres Secretary-General of the United NationsSecretary-General of the United Nations I was encouraged in the last days by what seemed to be a growing consensus in the international community, including the countries supporting Israel, for the need of at least a humanitarian pause in the fighting to facilitate the release of hostages, the evacuation of third country nationals and the necessary massive scale up of the delivery of humanitarian aid to the people in Gaza. Regrettably instead of the pause I was surprised by an unprecedented escalation of the bombardments and their devastating impacts, undermining humanitarian objectives. This situation must be reversed. I reiterate my strong appeal for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, together with the unconditional release of hostages and a delivery of humanitarian relief at the level that corresponds to the dramatic needs of the people in Gaza, where a humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding in front of our eyes. I want to repeat what I said yesterday: This is the moment of truth. Everyone must assume their responsibilities. History will judge us all. Activate to view larger image, No alternative text description for this image WHO: civilians, patients, and health workers in Gaza spend night in darkness and fear WHO Media Saturday 28 October 2023 During a night of intense bombardment and ground incursions in Gaza, with reports of hostilities still continuing, health workers, patients and civilians have been subject to a total communication and electrical blackout. WHO reiterates its calls for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, and reminds all parties to the conflict to take all precautions to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure. This includes health workers, patients, health facilities and ambulances, and civilians who are sheltering in these facilities. Active measures must be taken to ensure they are not harmed and safe passage provided for the movement of desperately needed medical supplies, fuel, water and food into and across Gaza. Reports of bombardment near the Indonesia and Al Shifa hospitals are gravely concerning. WHO reiterates that it is impossible to evacuate patients without endangering their lives. Hospitals across Gaza are already operating at maximum capacity due to the injuries sustained in weeks of unrelenting bombardment, and are unable to absorb a dramatic rise in the number of patients, while sheltering thousands of civilians. Health workers who have stayed by their patients’ sides face dwindling supplies, with no place to put new patients, and no means to alleviate their patients’ pain. There are more wounded every hour. But ambulances cannot reach them in the communications blackout. Morgues are full. More than half of the dead are women and children. WHO has not been able to communicate with its staff in Gaza, nor have other agencies. Furthermore, WHO is trying to gather information on the overall impact on civilians and health care. WHO appeals to the humanity in all those who have the power to do so to end the fighting now, in line with the UN resolution adopted yesterday, calling for a humanitarian truce, as well as the immediate and unconditional release of all civilians held captive. END WHO: civilians, patients, and health workers in Gaza spend night in darkness and fear WHO photos: Media need to register with the WHO EMRO photo library for access to images for media. Link to register: https://photos.emro.who.int/join Link to images: https://photos.emro.who.int/category/93/israelipalestinian-conflict-october-2023 For questions email: emphotos@who.int Media contact: mediainquiries@who.int 27 Day of October, 2023 António Guterres Secretary-General of the United NationsSecretary-General of the United Nations The humanitarian system in Gaza is facing a total collapse with unimaginable consequences for more than two million civilians. As the bombing intensifies, needs are growing ever more critical and colossal. Given the desperate and dramatic situation, the United Nations will not be able to continue to deliver inside Gaza without an immediate and fundamental shift in how aid is going in. Life-saving humanitarian aid - food, water, medicine and fuel - must be allowed to reach all civilians swiftly, safely and at scale. I welcome the growing global consensus for a humanitarian pause in the conflict, and I repeat my call for a humanitarian ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages, and the delivery of life-saving supplies at the scale needed. Everyone must assume their responsibilities. This is a moment of truth. History will judge us all. Statement: Multi-Country Funding Appeal: occupied Palestinian territory and Egypt, Lebanon, Syrian Arab Republic and Jordan WHO Media Friday, 27 October 2023 Multi-Country Funding Appeal: occupied Palestinian territory and Egypt, Lebanon, Syrian Arab Republic and Jordan Since 7 October 2023, the escalating crisis in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory has caused large numbers of civilian deaths and injuries. In the Gaza Strip, airstrikes and a lack of medical supplies, food, water and fuel have virtually depleted an already under-resourced health system. Hospitals have been operating far beyond capacity due to rising numbers of patients as well as displaced civilians seeking shelter. The provision of essential health services – from maternal and newborn care to treatment for chronic conditions – has been severely compromised. The recent escalation of hostilities in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) is taking a heavy toll on civilians. Thousands have been killed or injured, and over 1.4 million people have been displaced. There have been 171 attacks on health care in oPt leading to 493 deaths and 387 injuries, with 56 attacks impacting health facilities and 130 impacting health personnel, as of 24 October 2023. The health system is on the verge of collapse and dwindling access to health services, clean water, food and fuel on top of an already weakened healthcare system risks further loss of civilian life. Massive displacement to shelters with inadequate resources will result in disease outbreaks. The escalation of hostilities has already spread to the West Bank, East Jerusalem, the Lebanon Israel border and Syrian Arab Republic, with a risk of spilling over to other countries in the region, including Jordan, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and Iraq. WHO urgently needs an estimated US$80 million to respond to the humanitarian needs in oPt, particularly in Gaza, and to undertake contingency planning for Egypt, Lebanon, Syrian Arab Republic and Jordan through the end of 2023. WHO will scale-up trauma and emergency care services, maintain access to essential health services and treatment of chronic conditions, establish disease surveillance and outbreak control measures (especially in displacement sites), and ensure coordination including through the work of the Health Cluster Read the full Appeal here: https://www.emro.who.int/opt/priority-areas/occupied-palestinian-territory-health-crisis-2023.html https://www.emro.who.int/images/stories/palestine/WHO_Funding_Appeal_oPt%2027_Oct_2023.pdf?ua=1 Media contact: mediainquiries@who.int STATEMENT: WHO calls for immediate release, access to, and medical support for hostages taken by Hamas WHO Media Wednesday, 25 October 2023 25 October 2023 | Geneva: Gravely concerned by the humanitarian and health situation facing approximately 200 people, including health workers and up to 30 children, abducted from Israel by Hamas and other armed groups on 7 October 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) today reiterated its call for the immediate release of all the hostages, along with urgent access to each of them and delivery of medical care. The call was made by WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus following discussions today with an Israeli non-governmental organization, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, that represents families of the abducted people. “We met today with families of people abducted from southern Israel on 7 October and heard firsthand the tragedy, trauma and suffering they are facing,” said Dr Tedros. “There is an urgent need for the captors of the hostages to provide signs of life, proof of provision of health care and the immediate release, on humanitarian and health grounds, of all those abducted.” “Many of the hostages, including children, women and the elderly, have pre-existing health conditions requiring urgent and sustained care and treatment. The mental health trauma that the abducted, and the families, are facing is acute and psychosocial support is of great importance.” Dr Tedros said the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) should be granted immediate access to the hostages to understand their health status. WHO stands ready to provide the ICRC, which is mandated to provide support to hostages in conflict situations, with any health support for the hostages, Dr Tedros added. “I thank the families for sharing their heartbreaking stories. I committed, on behalf of WHO, to do all we can to support the health and humanitarian needs of those being held captive. All civilians who are suffering in this conflict must be protected.” Dr Tedros added: “We will do everything in our power as WHO to protect and promote the health of all people as that is the mission of our Organization: to care for each and everybody’s health no matter the conditions and circumstances,” said Dr Tedros. “We call on WHO Member States, humanitarian partners, all other relevant parties, and the public at large to put the health of people first and foremost in their minds and take immediate action to end the ongoing suffering.” Media contact: mediainquiries@who.int As Gaza’s health system disintegrates, WHO calls for safe passage of fuel, supplies for health facilities WHO Media Tuesday 24 October 2023 WHO EMRO | As Gaza’s health system disintegrates, WHO calls for safe passage of fuel, supplies for health facilities | News | Media centre As Gaza’s health system disintegrates, WHO calls for safe passage of fuel, supplies for health facilities 24 October 2023 – WHO remains unable to distribute fuel and essential, life-saving health supplies to major hospitals in northern Gaza due to lack of security guarantees. WHO calls for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire so health supplies and fuel can be delivered safely throughout the Gaza Strip. Some of the facilities waiting for WHO supplies and fuel in northern Gaza include Al-Shifa hospital, where bed occupancy is already close to 150%. Last night, the Indonesian Hospital was forced to shut down some critical services due to lack of fuel, and is now running with limited functionality. The Turkish Friendship Hospital, the only oncology hospital in the Gaza Strip, remains partially functional due to lack of fuel, putting around 2000 cancer patients at risk. In addition to the hospitals that have had to close due to damage and attacks, six hospitals across the Gaza Strip have already shut down due to lack of fuel. Unless vital fuel and additional health supplies are urgently delivered into Gaza, thousands of vulnerable patients risk death or medical complications as critical services shut down due to lack of power. These include 1000 patients dependent on dialysis, 130 premature babies who need a range of care, and patients in intensive care or requiring surgery who depend on a stable and uninterrupted supply of electricity to stay alive. Yesterday, WHO, with support from UNRWA, delivered 34,000 liters of fuel to four major hospitals in southern Gaza and the Palestine Red Crescent Society to sustain its ambulance services. However, this is only enough to keep ambulances and critical hospital functions running for a little over 24 hours. Some of WHO’s medicines and health supplies have already been delivered to four key hospitals in southern Gaza, as well as to the Palestine Red Crescent Society for distribution to two of its health facilities and ambulance crews. WHO teams delivering the supplies say health staff were so relieved to have replenishments, they took boxes of supplies off the trucks and straight into operating theatres, where doctors have been performing surgeries without anesthesia or other basic surgical supplies. For people in the Gaza Strip, the situation is desperate. It will become catastrophic without the safe and continuous passage of fuel and health supplies, and additional humanitarian assistance. reiterates its calls for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire for the safe delivery of health supplies and fuel throughout the Gaza Strip. canto link to the news package: https://who.canto.global/b/J8410 WHO photos: Media need to register with the WHO EMRO photo library for access to images for media. Link to register: https://photos.emro.who.int/join Link to images: https://photos.emro.who.int/category/93/israelipalestinian-conflict-october-2023 For questions email: emphotos@who.int Media contact: mediainquiries@who.int Joint statement by UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, WFP and WHO on humanitarian supplies crossing into Gaza WHO Media Unsubscribe Sat, Oct 21, 11:21 PM Saturday, 21 October 2023 Joint statement by UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, WFP and WHO on humanitarian supplies crossing into Gaza https://www.who.int/news/item/21-10-2023-joint-statement-by-undp--unfpa--unicef--wfp-and-who-on-humanitarian-supplies-crossing-into-gaza 21 October 2023 - A first, but limited, shipment of life-saving humanitarian supplies from the United Nations and the Egyptian Red Crescent entered Gaza today on 20 trucks, passing through the Rafah Crossing. It will provide an urgently needed lifeline to some of the hundreds of thousands of civilians, mostly women and children, who have been cut off from water, food, medicine, fuel and other essentials. But it is only a small beginning and far from enough. More than 1.6 million people in Gaza are in critical need of humanitarian aid. Children, pregnant women and the elderly remain the most vulnerable. Nearly half of Gaza’s population are children. With so much civilian infrastructure in Gaza damaged or destroyed in nearly two weeks of constant bombings, including shelters, health facilities, water, sanitation, and electrical systems, time is running out before mortality rates could skyrocket due to disease outbreaks and lack of health-care capacity. Hospitals are overwhelmed with casualties. Civilians face mounting challenges in accessing essential food supplies. Health facilities no longer have fuel and are running on small amounts they have secured locally. These are expected to run out in the next day or so. Water production capacity is at 5 per cent of normal levels. Pre-positioned humanitarian supplies have already been depleted. Vulnerable people are at greatest risk and children are dying at an alarming rate and being denied their right to protection, food, water and health care. Nearly one-third of the population of Palestine was food insecure before this conflict in Gaza. Today stocks in shops are nearly exhausted and bakeries are closing, while tens of thousands of people are displaced and unable to cook or safely purchase food. We call for a humanitarian ceasefire, along with immediate, unrestricted humanitarian access throughout Gaza to allow humanitarian actors to reach civilians in need, save lives and prevent further human suffering. Flows of humanitarian aid must be at scale and sustained, and allow all Gazans to preserve their dignity. We call for safe and sustained access to water, food, health – including sexual and reproductive health – and fuel, which is necessary to enable essential services. We call for the protection of all civilians and civilian infrastructure in Gaza, including health-care facilities. We call for the protection of humanitarian workers in Gaza who are risking their lives in the service of others. And we call for the utmost respect of international humanitarian law by all parties. Gaza was a desperate humanitarian situation before the most recent hostilities. It is now catastrophic. The world must do more. Media contact: mediainquiries@who.int WHO health supplies move towards Gaza WHO Media 2:29 PM Saturday, 21 October 2023 WHO health supplies move towards Gaza https://www.emro.who.int/media/news/who-health-supplies-move-towards-gaza.html 21 October 2023, Cairo, Egypt — Four trucks carrying WHO health supplies have started to move towards the Rafah border crossing, on their way to Gaza. The supplies include trauma medicines and supplies for 1200 people and 235 portable trauma bags for on-the-spot stabilization of injured patients. They also include medicines for the treatment of chronic diseases for 1500 people, and basic essential medicines and health supplies for 300,000 people for three months. WHO is working with the Egyptian and Palestine Red Crescent societies to ensure the safe passage of these critical supplies and their delivery to hospitals and health facilities. Inside Gaza, hospitals have already reached breaking point due to shortages and depletion of medicines and medical supplies. These supplies are a lifeline for severely injured people or those battling chronic and other illnesses, who have endured a harrowing two weeks of limited access to care and severe shortages of medicines and medical supplies. WHO calls for the protection of aid convoys and humanitarian teams in Gaza as they work to ensure the safe delivery of these supplies to where they are most needed. The supplies currently heading into Gaza will barely begin to address the escalating health needs as hostilities continue to grow. A scaled up and protected aid operation is desperately needed A second plane landed in Al-Arish from the United Arab Emirates yesterday carrying humanitarian supplies donated by IOM, UNICEF, the Emirati Red Crescent, and WHO. WHO supplies include surgical instruments and equipment for 1000 people, as well as tents and water tanks. Another plane carrying WHO supplies is due to land in Al-Arish later this morning. WHO supplies on these flights include medicines, surgical supplies and instruments, infusions, disinfectant, antibiotics, water tanks, and tents. With more supplies for Gaza expected to land in Egypt over the coming days, WHO calls fora scaled up, sustained and protected humanitarian operation to prevent avoidable deaths and to reduce avoidable suffering. Media contact: mediainquiries@who.int UN Secretary General 20-10=2023 I am in Egypt to witness United Nations preparations to deliver massive support to civilians in Gaza. This is a humanitarian mission at a moment of profound crisis – a crisis unlike any the region has seen in decades. For nearly two weeks, the people of Gaza have gone without any shipments of fuel, food, water, medicine and other essentials. Disease is spreading. Supplies are dwindling. People are dying. We need rapid, unimpeded humanitarian access. We need food, water, medicine and fuel now. We need it at scale - and we need it to be sustained. It is not one small operation that is required. It is a sustained effort to deliver humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza. Humanitarians need to be able to get the aid in -- and they need to be able to distribute it safely. 📷: UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe Activate to view larger image, Image previewActivate to view larger image, The background of Gaza Tragedy 😥The frozen body of our 16-year-old Dini Hafeza sister, Samah Johayer Mubarak, lies on the side of the road. He was walking towards Al-Quds, a Jewish soldier of Khinji standing at the checkpoint stopped his way, ordering him to remove his face niqab..! But my sister did not move her niqab directly, and immediately the Jewish soldier fired....! It's not too late for my sister's veiled frozen body to fall down the slippery slope......😥 Note: Sister "Samah Zohayer Mubarak" returned to Palestine after visiting the House of Allah. May Allah accept him as a bird of paradise, and cover him with the cloak of mercy. #Amen: According to some, this latest incident emboldens Hamas to launch an ambush. Saturday,14 October, 2023 Secretary-General of the United NationsSecretary-General of the United Nations

Moving more than one million people across a densely populated warzone to a place with no food, water, or accommodation, when the entire territory of Gaza is under siege, is extremely dangerous. Even wars have rules. International humanitarian law and human rights law must be respected and upheld; civilians must be protected and also never used as shields. All hostages in Gaza must be released immediately. Friday 13 Oct, 2023 Head of Hamas Political and International Relations Bureau Basem Naim explained the rationale for the attack and said: The attack carried out by Hamas on Saturday is the result of the suffocating siege of Gaza that it has endured for 17 years. He said, we were dying in silence. We tried to get out of this open prison. We have tried to raise our voice at the international community level. What we are doing is defensive, we are protecting our existence. Israel’s evacuation order for Gaza ‘death sentence’ for patients, WHO says WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic says time is running out to prevent humanitarian catastrophe in besieged enclave. Israel has told 1.1 million people in Gaza to move south within 24 moves ahead of an expected ground offensive [File: Mahmud Hams/AFP] Published On 13 Oct 202313 Oct 2023 Israel’s evacuation order for Gaza amounts to a “death sentence” for vulnerable hospital patients, the World Health Organization has warned. WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic said health authorities in Gaza have advised that it is impossible to evacuate vulnerable hospital patients within 24 hours as ordered by Israel’s military. “There are severely ill people whose injuries mean their only chances of survival is being on life support, such as mechanical ventilators,” Jasarevic said on Thursday. “So moving those people is a death sentence. Asking health workers to do so is beyond cruel.” Israel’s military on Thursday ordered 1.1 million Palestinains trapped in Gaza to move south within 24 hours ahead of an expected ground offensive on the enclave. The United Nations has warned that the relocation of so many people is “impossible” and could have devastating consequences. The European Union’s top diplomat Josep Borrell has described Israel’s directive as “utterly unrealistic”. Diplomacy and international reaction on Gaza Tragedy • The United Kingdom is deploying two Royal Navy ships and surveillance aircraft to the eastern Mediterranean to support Israel and reinforce regional stability. • US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has arrived in Jordan where he will meet King Abdullah II and Palestine’s President Mahmoud Abbas. • Israel, the White House and some rival Republican presidential candidates criticised former US President Donald Trump after he described Hezbollah as “smart” and said Netanyahu “was not prepared” for the attack. • Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz that a sovereign Palestinian state should be established for a lasting solution to the conflict, the Turkish presidency said. • French police used tear gas and water cannon to break up a banned rally in support of the Palestinian people in Paris. • China’s top diplomat and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the Palestinian issue is the core of the Middle East conflict, and that crux of the matter was that “justice” had been denied to the Palestinian people. • Iran’s foreign minister said the continuation of crimes against Palestinians will receive a response from “the rest of the axis” and Israel will be responsible for the consequences. SOURCE: AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES Gaza hospitals turning into graveyards: ICRC The International Committee of the Red Cross/Crescent (ICRC) has warned that hospitals in Gaza are turning into graveyards. All essential medical equipment has been shut down due to lack of power supply. An ICRC worker in Gaza posted a video on Manna X saying the only power plant in the Palestinian territories could be completely shut down in the next few hours. Hospitals across Gaza are already suffering from shortages of staff and supplies. The number of seriously injured is increasing every hour due to continuous Israeli bombardment. After five consecutive days of Israeli airstrikes and siege, the humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate. The authorities of the hospitals said that their medicines are running out. Most of Gaza's electricity comes from Israel. Source: Al Jazeera Joint Statement Release by Australian Muslims Inbox MWA via gmail.mcsv.net Assalamu Alaykum dear sisters and community, We, the Imams, Sheikhs, Mosques, and Muslim community organisations of Australia write this joint statement to: a. raise our deep concern about the grave situation in Palestine; b. strongly reject and address the one-sided portrayal of the Palestinian issue in Australia; and c. condemn all calls and incitement to violence and hatred of any people. This includes conduct that is anti-semitic, anti-Muslim or Islamophobic, and expressions of hatred. Since the attack of Hamas on Israel last Saturday (October 7), the occupying Israeli forces have been carrying out indiscriminate airstrikes on Gaza, which is besieged by Palestine. Gaza is now in ruins due to heavy bombardment. As a result, around four and a half lakh people have lost their homes and become refugees. Al Jazeera reported on 13 Oct,2023 through by the United Nations. The World Organization says that 423,000 people have been displaced by Israeli bombings till today. According to the Friday (13-10-2023)report of the Qatar-based media, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) said that now the number of displaced people in Gaza is 423 thousand 378 people. UNOCHA called for aid for the Palestinian people of Gaza and the occupied West Bank. They have applied for help of 2 thousand 94 million dollars to meet the 'urgent needs' of people. Donations are needed to help 1.2 million more people, UNOCHA stressed. Aid agencies do not have enough resources to meet the needs of vulnerable Palestinians, they said. According to the United Nations, 50,000 pregnant women in Gaza do not have access to essential health care and clean water.

 

António GuterresAntónio Guterres • • FollowingSecretary-General of the United NationsSecretary-General of the United Nations

 • 12th day October, 20236h • Edited •

Amid the supercharged cycle of violence in Israel and Gaza, I am in contact with leaders in the region with a focus on several priorities:

Civilians must be protected at all times. International humanitarian law must be respected and upheld.

All hostages held in Gaza must be immediately released.

Life-saving supplies – including fuel, food and water - must be allowed into Gaza. We need rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access now.

United Nations premises and all hospitals, schools and clinics must never be targeted. I deeply regret that some of my colleagues in Gaza have paid the ultimate price.

We must avoid any further escalation and spillover of the conflict.

Activate to view larger image,

Scotland’s leader calls on UK foreign minister to lobby Israel to allow civilians to flee Gaza

 LONDON: Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf, whose wife’s parents are trapped in Gaza, has asked UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly to call for a ceasefire in the war between Hamas and Israel, so that civilians can leave the war zone.

In a letter to Cleverly, Yousaf urged him to use the good relationship between the UK and Israel to request a humanitarian corridor be established that will allow civilians to flee through the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt.

“Too many innocent people have already lost their lives as a consequence of these completely unjustifiable and illegitimate attacks by Hamas,” he wrote.

“However, innocent men, women and children cannot, and should not, pay the price for the actions of a terrorist group.”

Nadia El-Nakla, Yousaf’s wife, said her parents have been trapped in Gaza since Hamas launched its attack on Israel on Saturday and are “terrified” about what might happen next. The homes of some of her relatives have been destroyed by missile strikes, she told the BBC.

Her parents, Maged and Elizabeth El-Nakla, who live in the Scottish city of Dundee, had traveled to Gaza last week to visit their son, who is a father-of-four, and Maged’s 92-year-old mother, who is ill.

Days after they arrived, Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel. Hundreds of people have since been killed on both sides, many of them civilians.

“They are now caught up in a war situation,” Nadia said of her parents. “My mother says that there is continual bombardment from land, sea and air.”

The couple had hoped to leave on Tuesday via the Rafah border crossing but it was bombed and no other way out is currently available.

Speaking from Bute House, the first minister’s official residence in Edinburgh, Nadia, who serves as an elected councillor on Dundee City Council, said: “They are just terrified, absolutely terrified, about what is to come and what is happening right now as we speak.”

She added that she is troubled by some of the language being used in reference to the conflict, in particular claims that Gaza will be “obliterated” in response to the Hamas attacks.

Nadia said she spoke to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on Wednesday but currently there is no way out for her parents. Should that change, she said they will face an “impossible decision” as they would have to leave behind relatives who do not have UK passports.

.https://www.arabnews.com/node/2389686/middle-east

Saudi crown prince, Turkish president discuss military escalation in Gaza

• Crown prince: Kingdom is making unremitting efforts regionally and internationally with the aim of joint coordination to stop the ongoing escalation in Gaza

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received a phone call from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday.

During the phone call, the two officials discussed the current military escalation in Gaza and its surroundings. 

The crown prince confirmed that the Kingdom is making unremitting efforts regionally and internationally with the aim of joint coordination to stop the ongoing escalation.

He also affirmed that the Kingdom rejects the targeting of civilians in any way and taking the lives of innocent people, stressed the need to observe the principles of international humanitarian law, and emphasized the need to stop the attack on the Gaza Strip.

Crown Prince Mohammed also highlighted the Kingdom’s firm position supporting the Palestinian cause and efforts aimed at achieving a comprehensive and just peace that guarantees the Palestinian people access to their legitimate rights. (Courtesy: https://www.arabnews.com/node/2389636/saudi-arabia).

Astana Prepares for Secretariat Meeting of Congress of World and Traditional Religions Leaders

BY SANIYA SAKENOVA in CONGRESS OF LEADERS OF WORLD AND TRADITIONAL RELIGIONS, EDITOR’S PICKS, INTERNATIONAL on 5 OCTOBER 2023

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is preparing to host the 21st meeting of the Secretariat of Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions scheduled for Oct. 11 in Astana, reported Zakon.kz.

19th meeting of the Secretariat of Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions. Photo credit: gov.kz.

The event will bring together representatives of Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Hinduism, Taoism, and Shintoism from 24 countries, including Azerbaijan, China, Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, Japan, Mongolia, Pakistan, the United Kingdom, the United States, the Vatican, and others.

The meeting will be attended by the Secretary-General of the Islamic Research Academy at Al-Azhar Nazir Ayad, Chairman of the Caucasian Muslims Office Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade, Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem, Secretary General of the World Fellowship of Buddhists Montian Thananart, among other religious leaders, political figures, representatives of international organizations, and leading world media.

The 21st gathering of world leaders will be chaired by Maulen Ashimbayev, chairperson of the Senate, an upper chamber of the Kazakh Parliament, and head of the Congress Secretariat.

UNSC to provide Egypt, Jordan with political cover to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza: Sources Merna Hesham , Thursday 12 Oct 2023 The United Nations Security Council's (UNSC) session on Friday will primarily focus on facilitating the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza from Egypt and Jordan, informed sources in New York told Ahram Online. Palestinians Palestinians inspect the rubble of buildings hit by an Israel airstrike at Al Shati Refugee Camp Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023. AP "The ongoing coordination between Palestine, Brazil, and the UN secretary-general to convene an official UNSC session on Friday aims primarily to provide political cover for Egypt and Jordan to facilitate the entry of aid into Gaza," the sources said. Brazil, which holds the rotating presidency of the UNSC in October, called for a meeting of the UN body to discuss the conflict between Israel and Hamas, its Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday. The sources said that "everyone is aware that Israel will not cease fire unless the Security Council issues a call for it," and there is a feeling within the UNSC that focusing on the humanitarian aspect at this stage "might be better." On Thursday, Egypt issued a call to all countries and international and regional organizations willing to offer humanitarian aid to the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip to route their aid to El-Arish International Airport, a facility designated by the Egyptian authorities for receiving international humanitarian assistance. This Egyptian initiative is in direct response to the ongoing and severe Israeli bombardment and aims to alleviate the suffering endured by the people of Gaza, a statement by Egypt's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. On Wednesday, Arab foreign ministers called on Arab states and the international community to generously contribute to addressing the deteriorating humanitarian situation. The UN humanitarian office has reported that the Israeli bombardment of Gaza has leveled 1,000 homes since the retaliation for Hamas’ attack began on Saturday, and many in the territory face dire shortages of water, fuel, and medical supplies. In Gaza, the Palestinian Ministry of Health reported more than 1,200 people killed in Israel's relentless campaign of air and artillery strikes, while the UN said more than 338,000 people have been displaced. Sources told Al-Arabiya channel on Wednesday that Egypt proposed a six-hour truce to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. In response to royal directives, Jordan’s Crown Prince Foundation announced the launch of the “Relief for Our Brothers in Gaza” campaign on Wednesday, in coordination with the relevant authorities in the Jordanian government and the Jordanian Armed Forces, and in cooperation with the Jordanian Hashemite Charity Organization. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva took to the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) on Wednesday to call for urgent international action to protect both Palestinian and Israeli civilians, especially children. "Hamas needs to free the Israeli children who were kidnapped from their families. Israel needs to stop its bombing so Palestinian children and their mothers can leave the Gaza Strip via the Egyptian border," he stated. Da Silva added that "there needs to be a minimum of humanity in the insanity of war.” https://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/1234/510089/Egypt/Foreign-Affairs/UNSC-to-provide-Egypt,-Jordan-with-political-cover.aspx Egypt FM discusses facilitating relief aid access to Gaza with UNRWA commissioner, UN peace coordinator coordinator Merna Hesham , Ahram Online , Wednesday 11 Oct 2023 Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry warned against the repercussions of applying collective punishment, starvation, and blockade measures on the Gaza Strip in violation of international humanitarian law, “due to their severe impact on the deterioration of the humanitarian conditions of civilians.” FM Egypt FM Sameh Shoukry meets with UN Special Coordinator Tor Wennesland and UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini. Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Share Facebook Twitter WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn UAE 44th National Day - Union Flag 00:00 % Buffered 00:24 / 00:52 https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/510037.aspx