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Arab World

US Says Israel Must Show No Gaza ‘Policy of Starvation’

Palestinian children queue to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, October 16, 2024. (Reuters)
Palestinian children queue to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, October 16, 2024. (Reuters)
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US Says Israel Must Show No Gaza ‘Policy of Starvation’

Palestinian children queue to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, October 16, 2024. (Reuters)
Palestinian children queue to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, October 16, 2024. (Reuters)

The United States is watching to ensure that Israel's actions on the ground show that it does not have a "policy of starvation" in the northern Gaza Strip, US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the Security Council on Wednesday.

She told the 15-member council that such a policy would be "horrific and unacceptable and would have implications under international law and US law."

"The Government of Israel has said that this is not their policy, that food and other essential supplies will not be cut off, and we will be watching to see that Israel's actions on the ground match this statement," Thomas-Greenfield said.

The United States has told Israel it must take steps in the next month to improve the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian enclave or face potential restrictions on US military aid, US officials said on Tuesday.

Israel "remains committed to working with our international partners to ensure aid reaches those who need it" in the Gaza Strip, Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon told reporters ahead of the Security Council meeting.

"The problem in Gaza is not a lack of aid. The problem is Hamas, which hijacks the aid - stealing, storing and selling it to feed their terror machine, while civilians suffer," he said.

Hamas has repeatedly denied Israeli allegations that it was stealing aid and says Israel is to blame for shortages.

The Israeli military said on Wednesday it has allowed 50 trucks of humanitarian aid into northern Gaza in wake of the US warning.  

COGAT, the Israeli military body in charge of civilian affairs in Gaza, said the delivery was made at the direction of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and the "political echelon."  

Northern Gaza was the first target of Israel’s massive air and ground offensive after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack ignited the war. The region has suffered heavy destruction and has been completely encircled by Israeli forces for nearly a year.  

No food entered northern Gaza for the first two weeks of this month, according to the World Food Program, as Israel launched another major military operation there. That raised fears that Israel planned to implement a plan by former generals to depopulate northern Gaza.  

Israel began allowing food shipments in again on Monday.  

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, in a letter to their Israeli counterparts on Sunday, said Israel had 30 days to increase the number of aid trucks getting into the strip daily to 350 -- or the US would reconsider weapons shipments.  

The US has spent at least $17.9 billion on military aid to Israel since the war in Gaza began, according to a report for Brown University’s Costs of War project.  

The aid entering the strip Wednesday traveled from Jordan into north Gaza after passing Israeli inspection and contained food, water, medical supplies and shelter equipment, COGAT said.

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Arab World

Israel Says Deported 'All Foreign Activists' from Gaza-bound Flotilla

A Palestinian flag is pictured against a background of smoke grenades during a gathering against the interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla by the Israeli Navy off the coast of Cyprus outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Athens on May 18, 2026. (Photo by Aggelos NAKKAS / AFP)
A Palestinian flag is pictured against a background of smoke grenades during a gathering against the interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla by the Israeli Navy off the coast of Cyprus outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Athens on May 18, 2026. (Photo by Aggelos NAKKAS / AFP)
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Israel Says Deported 'All Foreign Activists' from Gaza-bound Flotilla

A Palestinian flag is pictured against a background of smoke grenades during a gathering against the interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla by the Israeli Navy off the coast of Cyprus outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Athens on May 18, 2026. (Photo by Aggelos NAKKAS / AFP)
A Palestinian flag is pictured against a background of smoke grenades during a gathering against the interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla by the Israeli Navy off the coast of Cyprus outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Athens on May 18, 2026. (Photo by Aggelos NAKKAS / AFP)

Israel said it had deported on Thursday all the foreign activists seized by Israeli forces from a Gaza-bound flotilla, following global outcry over their treatment in custody.

"All foreign activists from the PR flotilla have been deported from Israel. Israel will not permit any breach of the lawful naval blockade on Gaza," said foreign ministry spokesman Oren Marmorstein.

Earlier, western governments voiced outrage on Thursday after Israel’s far-right security minister posted a video of himself taunting Gaza-bound flotilla activists being pinned to the ground, with two later alleging ​they were physically assaulted in detention.

The activists' treatment by police officers under the direction of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir also drew a rebuke from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and from the United States, Israel's staunchest ally.

The activists, whose vessel was intercepted on Wednesday in international waters by Israeli naval forces as they were trying to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, were expected to be deported from Israel on Thursday.

Across Europe, governments summoned Israeli ambassadors to condemn the video. Italy demanded an apology, Spain said it would not tolerate maltreatment of its citizens, and France demanded the release of all the detainees.

Britain's foreign ministry said the video "violates the most basic standards of respect and dignity for people", while Poland's foreign minister called for Ben-Gvir to be banned from entering the country.

The US Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, said Ben-Gvir had "betrayed (the) dignity of his nation".

The outpouring of anger follows ‌the posting of campaign-style ‌videos by Ben-Gvir and at least one other minister in Netanyahu's government, transport chief Miri ​Regev, showing ‌them visiting ⁠the port ​and ⁠lambasting the protesters, attention-grabbing antics ahead of a potential early election in Israel

 

 

 

Arab World

Türkiye Planning Special Flights to Bring Back Activists on Gaza Flotilla

Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan speaks to the reporters at Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Antalya, Türkiye, April 19, 2026. (Reuters)
Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan speaks to the reporters at Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Antalya, Türkiye, April 19, 2026. (Reuters)
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Türkiye Planning Special Flights to Bring Back Activists on Gaza Flotilla

Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan speaks to the reporters at Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Antalya, Türkiye, April 19, 2026. (Reuters)
Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan speaks to the reporters at Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Antalya, Türkiye, April 19, 2026. (Reuters)

Türkiye is planning special flights ​from Israel on Thursday to fly out its citizens and some activists from ‌third ‌countries ​who ‌joined ⁠a ​global aid flotilla that ⁠was intercepted by Israeli forces while trying to break ⁠its Gaza blockade, ‌Foreign ‌Minister Hakan ​Fidan ‌said.
Fidan said ‌on X that all Turkish institutions were working to ‌ensure the security and safe ⁠return ⁠of Turkish nationals. Broadcaster NTV separately said Turkish Airlines has sent three planes to Israel for the repatriations.

Arab World

Sudan’s Security and Defense Council Orders Curbs on Armed Movement Inside Cities

Al-Burhan chairs a meeting of Sudan’s Security and Defense Council on Tuesday (Transitional Sovereignty Council)  
Al-Burhan chairs a meeting of Sudan’s Security and Defense Council on Tuesday (Transitional Sovereignty Council)  
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Sudan’s Security and Defense Council Orders Curbs on Armed Movement Inside Cities

Al-Burhan chairs a meeting of Sudan’s Security and Defense Council on Tuesday (Transitional Sovereignty Council)  
Al-Burhan chairs a meeting of Sudan’s Security and Defense Council on Tuesday (Transitional Sovereignty Council)  

Sudan’s highest military and security authority has called for tighter controls on the movement of armed personnel, combat vehicles, and security cells inside cities and marketplaces, following reports and videos alleging incidents of “disorder” attributed to armed forces and army-aligned groups in areas recently recaptured by the military or currently under its control.

Following the Security and Defense Council’s regular meeting on Tuesday evening, Sudanese Defense Minister Lt. Gen. Hassan Daoud Kabroun said that the council had instructed the relevant authorities to regulate the movement of armed individuals and vehicles inside cities and markets, and to establish rules governing the work of “security cells” in local districts, with a focus on investigations involving those authorities describe as collaborators with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The term “security cells” refers to groups or units operating in support of military and security agencies. They are typically engaged in surveillance, monitoring, inspections, and intelligence-gathering activities in neighborhoods, markets, and conflict zones.

Authorities say their role is focused on “tracking down collaborators with the RSF, dismantling sabotage cells, and protecting areas retaken by the army.” Critics of the Transitional Sovereignty Council, however, describe them in social media commentary as an extension of Islamist organizations tied to the former regime, alleging that they seek to eliminate political opponents.

The Security and Defense Council is one of Sudan’s most prominent military and sovereign decision-making bodies. It includes executive, military, and security leaders, among them the ministers of defense, interior, foreign affairs, and finance, as well as army commanders and heads of security agencies. The council is chaired by Sovereignty Council President and Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.

According to media affiliated with it, the council met Tuesday under al-Burhan’s chairmanship, with all members in attendance, to review the country’s security and military situation.

The council’s role in managing security and military affairs has expanded since the outbreak of war between the army and the RSF on April 15, 2023, amid the widening conflict and mounting concerns over security violations in war-affected areas.

On the military front, Kabroun said the armed forces and allied troops had achieved “major victories” in recent weeks on several battlefronts, particularly in South Kordofan, Blue Nile, and Darfur.

He added that the council stressed the importance of adherence to the law, respect for human rights and Sudan’s sovereignty, as well as the need to provide essential services to citizens returning to their areas, especially electricity and water.

Citizens’ Complaints

Residents in some army-controlled areas - particularly the capital, Khartoum, parts of Al Jazirah State, and other states retaken by the military in recent months - have complained of what they describe as growing “security abuses.”

The allegations include looting, arrests, and other violations attributed to armed groups or individuals wearing military uniforms, in addition to the widespread presence of weapons and combat vehicles in neighborhoods and markets.

Videos and local testimonies concerning these incidents have circulated widely on social media platforms, while authorities say they are working to regulate armed movements and pursue those responsible.

Independent verification of all the accounts has not been possible because of the ongoing war and the complexity of the security situation.