Qatar has criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for allegedly characterizing the Gulf country’s mediation role in the Gaza war as “problematic” in a leaked recording.
The Qatari foreign ministry spokesperson expressed dismay, suggesting that if the reported remarks are accurate, Netanyahu is impeding and undermining the mediation process, where Qatar has played a significant role in mediating between Hamas and Israeli officials during the Gaza conflict. The Israeli government has not responded to Qatar’s statement or confirmed the authenticity of the leaked recording.
In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces have launched intense bombardments around two hospitals in Khan Younis, targeting Hamas’s primary stronghold in the southern enclave. The offensive carried out over a 24-hour period, resulted in at least 50 Palestinians, including two children, being killed.
Israeli tanks encircle the city, facing continuous aerial and ground fire. Medical teams, patients, and displaced individuals are trapped in or around the city’s two main functioning hospitals, Nasser and Al-Amal, as Israeli tanks cut off access.
Official Spokesperson for Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Credits:
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has issued a warning that less than 20 percent of Gaza, housing over 1.5 million people, is under severe threat due to escalating fighting.
Gaza’s health system is in crisis, with overcrowded hospitals lacking essential supplies, fuel, food, and water. Ongoing fighting poses risks to two more facilities in Khan Younis, aggravating the dire situation.
Thomas White, director of the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees in Gaza, criticized Israel’s military operations in densely populated areas, particularly near remaining hospitals, trapping staff, patients, and displaced people. Al Khair Hospital closed down, evacuating patients, while residents in north Gaza reported running out of food, resorting to grinding livestock feed for supplies.
Amid Israel’s offensive against Hamas, the Gaza Strip faces mass hunger, with 2.3 million people enduring bombardment since October 7. The United Nations warns of famine pockets, especially in the north and center where fighting is intense. Limited food supplies reach areas near the Egyptian border, but the north is described as facing a catastrophic food situation.
A U.N.-backed report notes that the entire Gaza population is experiencing crisis-level hunger, with a growing risk of famine. Aid agencies plan to assess malnutrition by measuring children’s arms for signs of wasting.
Over 10,000 Gaza children are projected to be at risk of wasting in the coming weeks, a severe consequence of malnutrition. Medical professionals describe newborns born sick, infants losing weight, and mothers unable to produce breast milk due to malnutrition.
