The announcement came hours after #POTUS had a tense phone call w/PM #Netanyahu during which Biden threatened to condition future support for Israel depending on how it addresses his concerns about #CivilianCasualties & the #HumanitarianCrisis in Gaza.
In a stmnt, the #NSC said that #Israel had agreed to open the #ErezCrossing to allow #aid into northern #Gaza & to also open the #PortOfAshdod. The measures were being taken “at the president’s request,” the stmnt added.
“These steps,” the stmnt said, “must now be fully & rapidly implemented.”
There was no immediate confirmation from the #Israeli government.
“[Gaza is a] dystopian laboratory where people’s blood flows while war technologies are tested and perfected, directed by increasingly automated algorithms that allow all human responsibility to be diluted, using technology and trivializing evil.”
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The decision established that minors at open-air sites were in #legal custody of the DHS & thus must receive #safe#shelter, even if they had not yet been formally processed.
The outdoor areas where migrants have been waiting lack #shelter, #food & #sanitation, which has given way to an array of #PublicHealth concerns for the most vulnerable. Unaccompanied #children & young #families sometimes arrive in poor #health, acc/to #aid workers & #medical volunteers at the sites, suffering from #traumatic injuries or chronic health conditions that require #medications that have long since run out.
“The ability to exercise discretion over, & make decisions affecting, a child’s #health & #welfare is indicative of maintaining #legal custody of the child, regardless of whether that decision is to provide or withhold care,” the 12-pg order read. “Juveniles, unlike adults, are always in some form of #custody.”
With continued American #aid to #Ukraine stalled & against the looming prospect of a 2nd Trump presidency, #NATO ofcls are looking to take more #control of directing #military support from Ukraine’s allies — a role that the #US has played for the past 2 yrs.
Under a prop being discussed at the #military#alliance’s HQ, #NATO would oversee the #Ukraine#Defense Contact Grp, currently led by the #UnitedStates, that coordinates the donation & delivery of weapons to the battlefield.…
“A stronger NATO role in coordinating & providing support is the way to end this #war in a way where Ukraine prevails,” SecGen Stoltenberg said on Wed.
“There is a need to give this a more robust & institutional framework to ensure #predictability & #commitment for the long haul,” Stoltenberg said. He added: “I strongly believe it’s important that #allies make decisions fast. And that includes, of course, the #UnitedStates.”
"Zomi was just an absolute ray of sunshine, full of warmth, full of kindness. Very generous, very funny, vibrant, always positive … and she was just a ball of fun to be around."
World Central Kitchen was one of the main food distributors in the territory, providing more than 40 million meals since October.
Despite growing international calls to increase aid deliveries, the attack on the WCK convoy essentially brought humanitarian work to a standstill – despite thousands of Gaza residents staring down starvation conditions.
“The air strikes on our convoy were not just some unfortunate mistake in the fog of war. It was a direct attack on clearly marked vehicles whose movements were known by the [Israeli military]. It was also the direct result of his [PM Netanyahu’s] government’s policy to squeeze humanitarian aid to desperate levels.”
"These are the heroes of World Central Kitchen. These 7 beautiful souls were killed by the IDF in a strike as they were returning from a full day's mission. Their smiles, laughter, and voices are forever embedded in our memories. And we have countless memories of them giving their best selves to the world. We are reeling from our loss. The world's loss.” - Erin Gore, CEO
#israel achieved its objective when committing #murder of the #WCK workers. The #genocide continues with the support of western powers, and aid organisations are pausing efforts while concerned for the safety of their staff, further exacerbating the situation.
And still #genocidejoe pushes more weapons to the aggressor.
#Zomi Frankcom built her life around helping others.
“Food is not just calories,” she told a gathering of donors to her aid agency, World Central Kitchen, in a speech last year. “It’s hope, it’s love, it’s knowing people care.”
“Under international humanitarian law, if there is a deliberate targeting of any civilian, including humanitarian relief workers, that’s a war crime. If there is a targeting of a military objective, which causes excessive civilian casualties in the area, that would be a war crime. Or if it is an indiscriminate attack.”
Professor Ben Saul, UN special rapporteur on protecting human rights while countering terrorism
“This is not only an attack against WCK, this is an attack on humanitarian organizations showing up in the most dire of situations where food is being used as a weapon of war. This is unforgivable,” said World Central Kitchen CEO Erin Gore.
The seven killed are from Australia, Poland, United Kingdom, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Canada, and Palestine.
“The Israeli government needs to stop this indiscriminate killing. It needs to stop restricting humanitarian aid, stop killing civilians and aid workers, and stop using food as a weapon. No more innocent lives lost. Peace starts with our shared humanity. It needs to start now.”
Jose Andres, the founder of the World Central Kitchen