United News of Bangladesh

The United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Norway announced on Tuesday that they have imposed sanctions on two far-right Israeli cabinet ministers, accusing them of “inciting extremist violence” against Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The move marks a rare and significant condemnation from Israel’s close allies, sharply criticizing its settlement expansion policies and the surge in settler violence since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack that triggered the ongoing war in Gaza. The sanctions target National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich—key figures in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition. Both are vocal advocates of expanding Israeli settlements, continuing the war in Gaza, and promoting the so-called “voluntary emigration” of Palestinians, along with plans to re-establish Jewish settlements in the enclave. As a result of the sanctions, the ministers could now face travel bans and asset freezes. In a joint statement, the five countries’ foreign ministers accused the two Israeli officials of encouraging extremist violence and serious human rights violations against Palestinians. They condemned inflammatory rhetoric supporting the forced displacement of Palestinians and the construction of additional settlements as “appalling and dangerous.” UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the ministers have been inciting violence against Palestinians for months, calling out their role in enabling human rights abuses. Canada’s Foreign Minister Anita Anand stressed that the sanctions target individuals responsible for inciting violence, not the state of Israel. New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters stated that Ben-Gvir and Smotrich have “deliberately undermined” peace and security while promoting forced displacement and violence. He clarified that the measures were not directed at the Israeli people or the broader government, acknowledging the suffering endured since the October 7 attacks. Israel attacks Yemeni port city of Hodeida Smotrich responded to the announcement on social media while inaugurating a new West Bank settlement, vowing to continue expansion efforts. Ben-Gvir also took to social media, referencing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and writing, “we overcame Pharaoh, we’ll overcome Starmer’s wall.” Israel's government strongly criticized the sanctions. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called the move “outrageous” and said he would meet Prime Minister Netanyahu next week to discuss a response. Saar warned that the sanctions could embolden Hamas and disrupt ongoing ceasefire negotiations. Centrist opposition leader Benny Gantz, while disagreeing with Ben-Gvir and Smotrich’s views, also criticized the sanctions as a “profound moral mistake” that could send a dangerous signal to militant groups. Netanyahu, who faces an International Criminal Court arrest warrant over alleged war crimes in Gaza, has rejected the accusations, calling the court biased. Meanwhile, the Biden administration has also taken steps to sanction radical Israeli settlers—measures that had been previously reversed under former President Donald Trump. Israeli human rights lawyer Eitay Mack, who had long advocated for sanctions against West Bank settlers and officials, described the latest action as “historic,” saying it breaks a longstanding wall of immunity for Israeli politicians. He noted that this could signal further accountability, potentially even for Netanyahu. Israel seized the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem during the 1967 Middle East war. The Palestinians seek all three areas for a future independent state. Settlement activity has accelerated under Netanyahu’s far-right government, with settlers holding key Cabinet roles. Israel says Greta Thunberg has been deported after Gaza-bound ship she was on was seized Currently, over 500,000 Israelis live in more than 100 West Bank settlements. These settlers are Israeli citizens, while the territory’s 3 million Palestinians live under Israeli military control, with limited autonomy through the Palestinian Authority. Most of the international community considers Israeli settlements illegal under international law and sees them as a major barrier to achieving a two-state solution — still viewed globally as the most viable resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Source: With inputs from agency 

The Israeli navy attacked docks in Yemen’s rebel-held port city of Hodeida on Tuesday, likely damaging facilities that are key to aid shipments to the hungry, war-wracked nation. The Israeli military said navy missile ships conducted the strikes, the first time its forces have been involved in attacks against the Houthi rebels. Tuesday’s attack comes as the Houthis have repeatedly launched missiles and drones targeting Israel during its war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The Houthis announced the attack via their al-Masirah satellite news channel. They said the attack targeted docks there, without elaborating.

Greta Thunberg is being deported from Israel after the Israeli military intercepted a Gaza-bound aid vessel she was aboard, according to statements from Israel's Foreign Ministry and a legal rights group on Tuesday. The Foreign Ministry posted a photo of Thunberg on a plane via X, confirming her departure to France. Adalah, a legal advocacy group representing Thunberg and other detainees, said she, along with two fellow activists and a journalist, agreed to be deported. However, several other activists declined deportation and remained in detention pending a hearing by Israeli authorities. 14 killed in firing by Israeli forces, allies near Gaza aid site Thunberg was among 12 people on the vessel Madleen, which was attempting to deliver aid to Gaza. The group said the mission was a protest against the ongoing war and humanitarian crisis in the besieged territory. Israel maintains that such attempts breach its naval blockade on Gaza.

Palestinian sources said Israeli forces and their allied local gunmen fired on a crowd heading to a food distribution point backed by Israel and the United States in Gaza early Monday. According to Gaza's Health Ministry and local hospitals, 14 people were killed. Eyewitnesses reported that the gunmen, who appeared to be cooperating with Israeli troops, retreated into an Israeli military zone in Rafah after the crowd began throwing stones at them. The Israeli military has not yet commented on the incident. Israel recently acknowledged supporting armed local groups opposed to Hamas. Ongoing Shootings Amid New Aid System This incident is the latest in a series of shootings that have killed at least 127 people and injured hundreds since the implementation of a new food distribution model last month, as per Gaza’s Health Ministry. While Israel and the U.S. say the new system is intended to bypass Hamas, it has faced rejection from the United Nations and major aid organizations. Experts warn that the Israeli blockade and military campaign have pushed Gaza to the brink of famine. With nearly all food production destroyed, the region’s two million residents rely almost entirely on humanitarian aid. Israeli forces intercept Gaza aid vessel, detain Greta Thunberg, fellow activists Palestinians allege Israeli forces have repeatedly opened fire on people approaching food centers. Previously, the Israeli military claimed it fired warning shots when individuals neared its forces near the aid distribution sites, which are located in restricted military areas inaccessible to independent journalists. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a private contractor managing the centers, stated there has been no violence at or near the sites. However, GHF has cautioned aid seekers that straying from the designated routes set by the military poses “a great danger.” Operations at the three sites were paused last week for safety discussions with the military. On Monday, GHF suspended activity at the Rafah center due to what it described as “chaotic crowd conditions,” according to a Facebook page affiliated with the group. A spokesperson for GHF did not immediately respond to inquiries. Gunfire Erupts in “Dangerous Zone” Heba Joda, who was among those present, said gunfire broke out at a roundabout roughly a kilometer from the aid center—a location of previous incidents. She said the shooting came from the “dangerous zone” controlled by Israeli forces and their allies. She noted that members of a local militia led by Yasser Abu Shabab, known as the Popular Forces, were attempting to organize the crowd. When the crowd surged forward, the gunmen opened fire, prompting people to throw stones. The militia members then withdrew toward Israeli military lines. While the Popular Forces claim to be guarding the GHF centers in southern Gaza, GHF insists it does not coordinate with them. Aid workers allege the group has a record of looting U.N. aid convoys. Hussein Shamimi, another witness, said his 14-year-old cousin was among those killed. “It was an ambush... Israelis on one side, Abu Shabab’s men on the other,” he said. Mohamed Kabaga, who was treated for a neck wound at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, said masked gunmen fired directly at the crowd after attempting to impose order. He estimated there were about 50 armed men with 4x4 vehicles stationed near the roundabout close to Israeli military lines. “We didn’t receive any aid,” he said. “They just shot at us.” Nasser Hospital confirmed it had received 14 bodies from the incident. Zaher al-Waheidi, head of the Health Ministry’s record department, said more than 99 people were injured. Controversy Over New Aid Mechanism Israel has pushed for GHF to replace the U.N.-managed system that had been delivering food, medicine, and other necessities since the war began. Israeli officials accuse Hamas of diverting aid for militant use, though U.N. authorities say there's no evidence of systematic diversion. The U.N. and humanitarian organizations have rejected the GHF-led model, arguing it cannot meet Gaza's large-scale needs and serves Israeli military objectives—including efforts to move the population southward. Previously, the U.N. network had distributed supplies at numerous points across Gaza, reducing the need for civilians to cross long distances through militarized zones. Israel completely blocked Gaza’s access to food, fuel, and medicine in early March, just before breaking a ceasefire with Hamas. Although limited aid has been allowed in since last month, U.N. agencies say distribution has been hampered by Israeli restrictions, security breakdowns, and looting. War Now in Its 20th Month The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants entered Israel, killing about 1,200 people—mostly civilians—and taking 251 hostages. Israel says 55 hostages remain in captivity, more than half believed dead, while the rest were released in deals or ceasefires. Israel’s military offensive has killed more than 54,900 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The majority are reported to be women and children, though the ministry does not distinguish between civilians and fighters. The war has razed large parts of Gaza and displaced approximately 90% of its population. Israel pledges to block aid boat with Greta Thunberg from reaching Gaza Hamas demands a permanent ceasefire and full Israeli withdrawal in exchange for releasing the remaining hostages. Israel insists the war will not end until all hostages are freed and Hamas is dismantled or driven into exile. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that even after the war, Israel will retain open-ended control over Gaza and pursue what he calls the “voluntary emigration” of much of its population—an idea widely rejected by the international community and Palestinians, who see it as forced displacement.

Israeli forces intercepted an aid boat heading for Gaza on Monday and detained climate activist Greta Thunberg along with other participants, enforcing the ongoing blockade of the Palestinian territory that has intensified amid the war with Hamas. The group of activists set sail to protest Israel’s military operations in Gaza—one of the most deadly and destructive conflicts since World War II—and to challenge the severe restrictions on humanitarian aid that have pushed the territory’s population of roughly 2 million toward famine. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which organized the mission, claimed the activists were "kidnapped" by Israeli authorities as they attempted to deliver essential supplies. In a statement, the group said, “The vessel was illegally boarded, its unarmed civilian crew taken, and vital aid—such as infant formula, food, and medical supplies—confiscated.” In contrast, Israel’s Foreign Ministry dismissed the operation as a publicity stunt, calling the vessel a “selfie yacht of the celebrities” in a post on X. It added that the activists would be sent back to their countries, and the aid would be redirected to Gaza through official channels. Footage later circulated showed Israeli forces offering food and water to the detained activists. A week at seaThunberg, who was among 12 activists aboard the boat Madleen, had departed from Sicily a week earlier. During the trip, the boat rescued four migrants attempting to flee detention by the Libyan coast guard. In a pre-recorded video message released after the interception, Thunberg urged pressure on the Swedish government to secure their release. Among the passengers was Rima Hassan, a French European Parliament member of Palestinian descent, who is banned from entering Israel due to her criticism of Israeli policies. While Israel began allowing limited humanitarian aid into Gaza last month, following more than two months of a total blockade, aid agencies continue to warn of famine unless hostilities cease and the blockade ends. A previous attempt by the Freedom Flotilla to reach Gaza in May was thwarted when one of its ships was struck by drones in international waters near Malta—a strike the group attributed to Israel. Years of blockade and conflictIsrael, along with Egypt, has imposed varying levels of blockade on Gaza since Hamas took control of the territory in 2007. Israel defends the blockade as a security measure to prevent arms smuggling, while critics view it as collective punishment against Gaza’s civilians. After Hamas-led militants launched a deadly attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023—killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages—Israel imposed a full blockade and began a massive military campaign. Over 54,000 Palestinians have been killed in the conflict, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which says most of the dead are women and children, though it does not distinguish between civilians and fighters. The war has devastated large parts of Gaza, displaced 90% of the population, and left residents reliant on international assistance. Efforts to negotiate a new ceasefire have stalled, with Hamas demanding a permanent truce and Israeli withdrawal in exchange for the remaining hostages—55 of whom are still held, many believed to be dead—while Israel insists the war will continue until Hamas is dismantled.

Palestinians across the war-ravaged Gaza Strip marked the start of one of Islam’s most important holidays with prayers outside destroyed mosques and homes early Friday, with little hope the war with Israel will end soon. With much of Gaza in rubble, men and children were forced to hold the traditional Eid al-Adha prayers in the open air and with food supplies dwindling, families were having to make do with what they could scrape together for the three-day feast, reports AP. “This is the worst feast that the Palestinian people have experienced because of the unjust war against the Palestinian people,” said Kamel Emran after attending prayers in the southern city of Khan Younis. “There is no food, no flour, no shelter, no mosques, no homes, no mattresses ... The conditions are very, very harsh.” The Islamic holiday begins on the 10th day of the Islamic lunar month of Dhul-Hijja, during the Hajj season in Saudi Arabia. For the second year, Muslims in Gaza were not able to travel to Saudi Arabia to perform the traditional pilgrimage. The war broke out on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251 hostages. They are still holding 56 hostages, around a third of them believed to be alive, after most of the rest were released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Israeli forces have rescued eight living hostages from Gaza and recovered dozens of bodies. Since then, Israel has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians in its military campaign, primarily women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry which does not distinguish between civilians or combatants in its figures. Eid-ul-Azha celebrated in China with religious fervour and festivity The offensive has destroyed large parts of Gaza and displaced around 90% of its population of roughly 2 million Palestinians. After blocking all food and aid from entering Gaza for more than two months, Israel began allowing a trickle of supplies to enter for the UN several weeks ago. But the UN says it has been unable to distribute much of the aid because of Israeli military restrictions on movements and because roads that the military designates for its trucks to use are unsafe and vulnerable to looters. The UN's Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome said Thursday that Gaza's people are projected to fall into acute food insecurity by September, with nearly 500,000 people experiencing extreme food deprivation, leading to malnutrition and starvation. “This means the risk of famine is really touching the whole of the Gaza Strip,” Rein Paulson, director of the FAO office of emergencies and resilience, said in an interview. Over the past two weeks, shootings have erupted nearly daily in the Gaza Strip in the vicinity of new hubs where desperate Palestinians are being directed to collect food. Witnesses say nearby Israeli troops have opened fire, and more than 80 people have been killed according to Gaza hospital officials. 

The Israeli military carried out airstrikes in the southern suburbs of Beirut on Thursday, claiming the targets were underground facilities used by Hezbollah for drone manufacturing. The attack came on the eve of the Eid al-Adha holiday and marked the first Israeli strike near the Lebanese capital in over a month. The Israeli military stated that eight buildings across four locations were hit. The operation is the fourth of its kind since a U.S.-mediated ceasefire ended open hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah in November. Despite the ceasefire, Israel has continued near-daily air raids in southern and eastern Lebanon, which Lebanese authorities argue breach the agreement. Israeli officials defend the actions as necessary to prevent Hezbollah from rebuilding its military capabilities, especially after previous strikes reportedly decimated key parts of the group’s leadership and arsenal. 27 Palestinians en route to Gaza aid site killed by Israeli troops   In a statement, the Israeli army accused Hezbollah of working “under Iranian guidance and funding” to manufacture thousands of drones, which it said had been used in previous attacks and were being stockpiled for future conflict. Hezbollah has not officially responded, but a senior official from the group denied the existence of drone production sites in the targeted areas. The official also criticized Israel for bypassing the ceasefire's conflict-resolution mechanisms, suggesting that the Israeli government—particularly Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—was seeking to escalate the situation. A Lebanese army source said they had appealed to Israel to allow a joint Lebanese investigation at the sites in accordance with the ceasefire terms, but Israel rejected the proposal. As a result, Lebanese troops withdrew from the area. Israeli officials were not immediately available for comment. Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam both strongly condemned the strikes. In a statement, President Aoun called the attack a “clear violation of international agreements and humanitarian norms,” especially on the eve of a major religious holiday. He also accused Israel of using Lebanon to send a political message to the United States, which is currently engaged in nuclear negotiations with Iran—Hezbollah’s main ally. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant praised the air force for what he called a “flawless operation,” vowing that Israel would continue to enforce the ceasefire “without compromise.” He placed responsibility for preventing further violations squarely on the Lebanese government. The conflict between Hezbollah and Israel reignited on October 8, 2023, when Hezbollah began launching rockets into Israel in support of Hamas during the war in Gaza. The cross-border exchanges eventually escalated into full-scale conflict by September 2024. According to Lebanese authorities, more than 4,000 people, including many civilians, have died in Lebanon since the fighting began. Since the ceasefire, Israeli strikes have killed at least 190 people and injured 485 more. International and domestic calls for Hezbollah to disarm have grown louder, but group leaders have insisted they will not disband their forces until Israel ceases its airstrikes and withdraws from five disputed points along the southern border.

Gaza has become worse than hell on Earth, said president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Mirjana Spoljaric. Speaking in a BBC interview at the ICRC headquarters in Geneva, Spoljaric says humanity is failing. “States are not doing enough to end the war, end the suffering of Palestinians and release Israeli hostages,” she adds. According to Spoljaric, Palestinians are being denied their basic human dignity, and the principles of international humanitarian law are being severely undermined. What’s happening in Gaza, she said, exceeds all boundaries of legal, moral, and humanitarian norms. The ICRC, a neutral body working in conflict zones, currently has over 300 staff in Gaza—most of them local Palestinians. Its surgical hospital in Rafah, southern Gaza, is the nearest medical facility to recent chaotic scenes where many Palestinians were killed during desperate aid distributions near sites associated with the Israel and US-supported Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). On one recent morning, the Rafah hospital treated 184 people—19 of whom were dead on arrival, and eight more died shortly after. This marked the highest single-incident casualty figure at the facility since its establishment just over a year ago. As the guardian of the Geneva Conventions—particularly the Fourth Convention, established after World War II to safeguard civilians during conflict—the ICRC insists that the laws of war apply to all sides. Spoljaric emphasized that Hamas's attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, do not justify the scale of destruction unfolding now. She expressed alarm over the rising rhetoric of “total war,” the pursuit of victory at any cost, and growing dehumanization.

Each year, millions of Muslims from around the world converge in Makkah for Hajj, a powerful spiritual event that showcases the unity of the Islamic faith across cultures and nationalities. With such massive diversity and volume of people in a limited geographical space, particularly around the Grand Mosque and nearby holy sites, managing the flow of pilgrims becomes a major challenge. Though Hajj is a sacred religious duty, ensuring the safety and organized movement of pilgrims involves extensive planning, technological innovation, and collaboration between various sectors—security, healthcare, service providers, and tech teams. What are the Hajj pilgrimage and Eid al-Adha? Why are they important to muslims? Saudi authorities have adopted a centralized, data-driven system to manage crowd movement, using real-time data from surveillance cameras, drones, and tracking apps. This allows them to swiftly detect and respond to emergencies, ease congestion, and guide pilgrims efficiently to ensure rituals proceed smoothly and respectfully. A Global Model of Crowd Management Crowd management expert Akram Jan emphasized the complexity of overseeing the movement of over two million people in such tight quarters, calling it an impressive achievement on a global scale. He praised Saudi Arabia’s leadership in the field, citing its meticulous planning, synchronized inter-agency coordination, and highly trained ground teams as key to its success. A Shift Toward a Year-Round, High-Tech Pilgrimage Experience Hotelier Mohammed Hakim reflected on how the Kingdom's approach to Hajj and Umrah has evolved, transforming the pilgrimage experience from a seasonal religious duty to a sophisticated, year-round service industry. He highlighted how the Kingdom has entered the era of “Smart Hajj,” where crowd control is managed via digital tools, food is distributed through apps, and accommodation standards are monitored in real time using sensors and analytics. Hakim noted that the entire pilgrim experience—from arrival to departure—is now assessed with unprecedented digital transparency, focused on ensuring comfort, safety, and satisfaction. This digital transformation reflects a broader vision: to develop a continuously improving, integrated pilgrimage system rooted in values, innovation, and human-centered progress—turning Hajj into a model of excellence for the modern era. Source: Arab News

Israeli forces fired on people as they headed toward an aid distribution site in Gaza on Tuesday, killing at least 27, Palestinian health officials and witnesses said, in the third such shooting in three days. The army said it fired “near a few individual suspects” who left the designated route, approached its forces and ignored warning shots, reports AP. The near-daily shootings have occurred after an Israeli and US-backed foundation established aid distribution points inside Israeli military zones, a system it says is designed to circumvent Hamas. The United Nations has rejected the new system, saying it doesn't address Gaza's mounting hunger crisis and allows Israel to use aid as a weapon. The Israeli military said it “fired to drive away suspects." Hungry Palestinians in Gaza block and offload dozens of UN food trucks In a statement, army spokesperson Effie Defrin said "the numbers of casualties published by Hamas were exaggerated” but that the incident was being investigated. He said the army is not preventing Palestinians in Gaza from reaching aid in the distribution areas, but rather allowing it. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which operates the sites, says there has been no violence in or around them. On Tuesday, it acknowledged that the Israeli military was investigating whether civilians were wounded “after moving beyond the designated safe corridor and into a closed military zone,” in an area that was “well beyond our secure distribution site.” A spokesperson for the group said it was “saddened to learn that a number of civilians were injured and killed after moving beyond the designated safe corridor." Gaza's roughly two million people are almost completely reliant on international aid because Israel’s offensive has destroyed nearly all of Gaza’s food production capabilities. Israel imposed a blockade on supplies into Gaza in March, and limited aid began to enter again late last month after pressure from allies and warnings of famine. The shootings all occurred at the Flag Roundabout, around a kilometre (half-mile) from one of the GHF’s distribution sites in the now mostly uninhabited southern city of Rafah. The entire area is an Israeli military zone where journalists have no access outside of army-approved embeds.