Norway donates 30 million emergency aid in Gaza – NRK Urix – foreign news and documentaries

In the latest round of armed conflict between Israel and Hamas, 11 days of intense bombardment left a trail of devastation in the Gaza Strip. Palestinian rockets hit Israeli cities, while Israeli bombs fell on Gaza.

Norwegian Foreign Minister En Eriksen Søred expressed her concern about the situation for civilians.

Patients and ambulances are having trouble accessing hospitals due to the massive bombardment and destruction. The roads used to reach the largest hospitals are in ruins, according to the Red Cross.

We want to contribute to civilian protection, food, shelter and medical treatment. That is why Norway is increasing its humanitarian aid by 71 million NOK, 30 million NOK, for a total of around 100 million NOK, Eriksen Søred tells NRK.

Simply because the situation now is fraught with dangers, as the Foreign Minister asserts.

Immediate assistance must be provided

Funds are distributed between United Nations organizations and international and Norwegian aid organizations.

There is a lot of vital infrastructure in Gaza that has been destroyed, which means that it is difficult to obtain emergency aid.

So we’re channeling the money through the United Nations and the international and Norwegian organizations that are already in place that can quickly transfer the money to help the civilian population, says Eriksen Sureid.

to me The United Nations needs 312 million NOK for immediate emergency aid Only to meet the basic needs of the Gaza Strip in the coming weeks.

Earlier in the day, the World Health Organization called for a halt to the Israeli bombing so that they can bring medicine and equipment to hospitals in Gaza.

The health care system in the Gaza Strip was already in poor condition before the Israeli attacks. In addition, it now has to accept hundreds of patients who were seriously injured after being hit by air strikes and bombings. Additionally, the coronavirus is spreading.

The UN convoy of emergency aid to hospitals is ready, only they are guaranteed, according to the World Health Organization. The convoy is also carrying Corona vaccines.

The Norwegian Foreign Minister told NRK that “one of the clear calls that we make is unimpeded humanitarian access, so that the civilian population can be helped.”

I think the ceasefire is coming soon

The United States, Egypt, Qatar and many European countries, such as France and Germany, are pressing hard to end the conflict through various channels. While Norway, along with Tunisia, among others, continues to lobby in the United Nations Security Council.

The ceasefire agreement may be ready in 24 to 48 hours, according to various sources who spoke to concerned diplomats.

Agence France-Presse reported that the Israeli security committee met at 4 pm Norwegian time to discuss a possible ceasefire.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas arrived in Tel Aviv today and will hold talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders.

Hamas is defined as a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union, but German Chancellor Angela Merkel says indirect talks with Hamas are necessary if there is a solution.

Merkel said during a European forum in Berlin: “Hamas must be included, for without it there will be no cease-fire.”

It will be discussed in the United Nations

The international demands are that Israel should stop its air strikes on the Gaza Strip and Hamas leaders there, while Hamas must stop firing rockets at cities in Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Yesterday, he reiterated the continuation of the attacks on the Gaza Strip So that Israel attains its goal and guarantees peace and security for the people of Israel. “

After a relatively calm night, the Israeli military announced Thursday morning that it had attacked targets in Gaza again. At the same time, Hamas was said to have fired new missiles at Israel, the newspaper wrote on the Internet The Times of Israel.

This afternoon and evening, the situation will be discussed in the United Nations General Assembly.

Secretary General Antonio Guterres said at the start of the meeting that it was unacceptable for the continued bombing and rocket attacks between Israel and Hamas and demanded an immediate end to the fighting.

“If there is hell on earth, this must be the life of children in Gaza,” Guterres said.

So far, the United States has blocked all attempts to issue a joint statement from the United Nations Security Council, in which the Security Council calls on the parties to cease hostilities. The American argument was that such a statement would only lead to sharper fronts and spoil the mediation attempts.

It is not expected that anything concrete will emerge from the discussion in the Main Assembly.

Closed borders

There are strict restrictions on the borders between the Gaza Strip and Israel. The sea route is also closed for the transportation of goods. The Gaza Strip has a coastline towards the Mediterranean Sea, and Israeli naval ships control the waters outside the Palestinian enclave. The border crossing between Gaza and Egypt near the city of Rafah was closed.

The Israeli border stations of Kerem Shalom and Erez were reopened on Tuesday to allow emergency aid. However, after a few hours, the border posts were closed again, after news of hand grenades being fired from the Palestinian side. Only parts of the truck column managed to enter before the borders were closed.

There are also very severe restrictions on the types of goods that are permitted to pass through border stations.

This contributed to the emergence of a number of smuggling tunnels from the Egyptian side as an alternative shipping route.

According to Israel The tunnel system is also used to transport ammunition, fighters and supplies throughout the Gaza Strip. The Israeli military claims to have destroyed a tunnel system over 90 kilometers in length in recent days.

Listen to the podcast from War and Peace: Gaza: the invasion that never came

Many killed

232 Palestinians were killed in the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, including 65 children. 1,710 were wounded in the attacks, according to the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry in Gaza City.

He did not say how many civilians were killed and how many could be considered “combatants.” Hamas and the militant Islamist group Islamic Jihad said at least 20 of its fighters were killed. According to Israel, the number is no less than 130.

In Israel, 12 people were killed by rockets fired from the Gaza Strip. In total, there have been more than 3,000 rocket attacks since May 10, according to Israeli authorities.