Gaza accuses Israel, US of lacing flour aid with opioids, calls it ‘soft weapon’ in war
Gaza: In a startling allegation amid the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict, Gaza’s Government Media Office has claimed that humanitarian flour bags distributed in the region contain narcotics, specifically the opioid Oxycodone. The statement, issued Saturday, accused Israel and the United States of weaponizing humanitarian aid to deliberately inflict social harm on the besieged Palestinian population.
According to the Hamas-run authority, at least four civilians reported finding narcotic pills inside flour sacks provided through aid channels linked to US- and Israeli-supported distribution centres. It further alleged that in some cases, the opioids may have been ground and mixed directly into the flour, posing a grave threat to public health.
In a Telegram post quoted by Al Jazeera, Gaza’s Government Media Office stated: “We hold the Israeli occupation fully responsible for this heinous crime of spreading addiction and destroying the Palestinian social fabric from within. It is part of a systematic policy that constitutes an extension of the genocide it is waging against our Palestinian people.”
The office accused Israel of deploying narcotics as a “soft weapon in a dirty war against civilians,” labelling it a war crime and a blatant violation of international humanitarian law.
The claims have triggered serious concerns about the integrity of humanitarian operations in Gaza. The involvement of US-run distribution networks has deepened the controversy, especially as Palestinians already argue that current aid meets less than 1% of Gaza’s basic needs.
The Israeli government has not issued an official response to these claims. However, Israeli media reports indicate that authorities plan to establish alternative aid routes in southern and central Gaza, bypassing UN-led efforts, a move criticized by the United Nations and global relief organizations.
Gaza’s Health Ministry reports that since May 27, Israeli forces have killed at least 549 Palestinians and injured over 4,000 near food trucks and aid centres. Since the start of the Israeli military offensive in October 2023, the total death toll in Gaza has surpassed 56,300—most of them women and children.
The growing list of war crime allegations includes ongoing investigations by international judicial bodies. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. Simultaneously, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is hearing a genocide case against Israel.
Gaza's statement concluded with an urgent appeal: “This is not just about humanitarian aid being corrupted. It is about a deliberate attack on the minds and bodies of our people. The world must take notice and act.”
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K'taka bypolls: 11.87 percent voter turnout in Bagalkot, 9.01 percent in Davanagere South till 9 am
Bengaluru (PTI): In the first two hours since voting began for bypolls to two Bagalkot and Davanagere South assembly constituencies, the voter turnout stood at 11.87 percent and 9.01 percent, respectively, on Thursday.
The voting for the bypolls in two constituencies necessitated by the deaths of senior Congress MLAs H Y Meti and Shamanur Shivashankarappa, began at 7 am, the office of the Chief Electoral Officer said.
While the Congress faces the challenge of retaining both seats, the BJP is aiming to wrest them and deliver a setback to the ruling party, which is currently witnessing an "internal power struggle" over leadership.
A total of over 2.59 lakh eligible voters are expected to cast their votes at around 319 polling stations in Bagalkot, where nine candidates are in the fray.
In Davanagere South, over 2.31 lakh eligible voters are expected to vote across 284 polling stations, with 25 candidates contesting.
Officials said elaborate security arrangements have been made for the smooth conduct of bypolls.
The BJP has fielded former MLA and 2023 defeated candidate Veerabhadrayya Charantimath from Bagalkot, and a fresh face, Srinivas T Dasakariyappa, from Davanagere South.
The Congress has given tickets to family members of the late legislators in both constituencies. Bagalkot candidate Umesh Meti is the son of H Y Meti, while Samarth Mallikarjun from Davanagere South is the grandson of Shamanur Shivashankarappa.
Samarth’s father, S S Mallikarjun, is a minister in the Siddaramaiah-led Cabinet and in charge of Davanagere district, while his mother, Prabha Mallikarjun, is a Member of Parliament from the region.
In the 2023 Assembly elections, H Y Meti defeated BJP’s Charantimath by a margin of 5,878 votes in Bagalkot, while Shivashankarappa defeated BJP’s B G Ajay Kumar by 27,888 votes in Davanagere South.
