As Israel continuously pounding the Gaza Strip, the families of at least 150 Israeli hostages inside Gaza are growing increasingly terrified, and surrounding areas have been evacuated.
In a Monday press conference in New York, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres condemned the deaths that resulted from the weekend’s Hamas strikes and Israeli counterattacks. According to Margaret Besheer, a U.N. correspondent for VOA, Guterres called for a two-state solution to the crisis through negotiation and urged both sides to protect civilians and Hamas to release hostages. Guterres also urged both sides to protect civilians.
After three days of fierce fighting, an apparent cease-fire between Israel and the Islamic Jihad appears to be holding. The 2 million Palestinians who live there continue to confront difficulties, as evidenced by the most recent fighting in Gaza. 95% of the water is undrinkable, and unemployment and poverty are also rampant
Last month, US President Joe Biden urged Israel’s new leaders to take confidence-building measures to enhance Palestinians’ lives, prompting Israeli officials to release a package that includes 120 million dollars in loans and 16,000 Israeli work licences for Palestinians
Tor Wennesland, the Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, urged all parties in Gaza to “avoid unilateral steps and provocations” and “take steps to reduce tensions”
Israel Will Most Likely Form A New Government Without Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu For The First Time In 12 Years. The New Governing Coalition Includes An Arab Party For The First Time, Pending Ratification By The Knesset
The unrest in Gaza and Jerusalem has spread across Israel’s neighbourhoods
Press briefings by Sofiane Mimouni, Permanent Representative of Algeria to the United Nations and Chair of the Arab Group for the month of May 2021; Abdou Abarry, Permanent Representative of Niger to the United Nations and Chair of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation for the month of May 2021; and Riyad Mansour, Permanent Representative of Palestine to the United Nations
On Sunday (16 May), United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the Security Council that the current hostilities in Gaza and Israel are “utterly appalling,” and that “fighting must end.” “It has to end right now.”
Several strong waves of projectile fire targeted Ashkelon, Ashdod, Beersheba, Sderot, and the surrounding areas overnight Friday-Saturday, putting cities and communities in southern Israel ‘under siege’.