At least 45 Palestinians killed while waiting for aid trucks in Gaza, health officials say
Khan Younis (Gaza Strip), Jun 17 (AP): At least 45 Palestinians were killed in the Gaza Strip while waiting for UN and commercial trucks to enter the territory with desperately needed food, according to Gaza's Health Ministry and a local hospital.
The circumstances of the killings were not immediately clear. It did not appear to be related to a new Israeli- and US-supported aid delivery network that rolled out last month and has been marred by controversy and violence.
Palestinians say Israeli forces have repeatedly opened fire on crowds trying to reach food distribution points run by a separate US and Israeli-backed aid group since the centres opened last month. Local health officials say scores have been killed and hundreds wounded.
In those instances, the Israeli military has acknowledged firing warning shots at people it said had approached its forces in a suspicious manner.
Israel says the new system is designed to prevent Hamas from siphoning off aid to fund its activities.
UN agencies and major aid groups deny there is any major diversion of aid and have rejected the new system, saying it can't meet the mounting needs in Gaza and that it violates humanitarian principles by allowing Israel to control who has access to aid. Experts have warned of widespread famine in Gaza.
The UN-run network has delivered aid across Gaza throughout the 20-month Israel-Hamas war, but has faced major obstacles since Israel loosened a total blockade it had imposed from early March until mid-May. UN officials say Israeli military restrictions, a breakdown of law and order, and widespread looting make it difficult to deliver the aid that Israel has allowed in.
Israel's military campaign since October 2023 has killed over 55,300 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Its count doesn't distinguish between civilians and combatants.
Israel launched its campaign aiming to destroy Hamas after the group's Oct 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel, in which Hamas killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking another 251 hostage. The Hamas still hold more than 50 hostages, fewer than half of them alive, after most of the rest were released in ceasefire agreements or other deals.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Govt will bring new laws with stringent measures to prevent illegal sale of liquor: K'taka Minister
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Excise Minister R B Timmapur on Tuesday told the Assembly that the state government will bring in new laws with stringent measures aimed at preventing illegal sales of liquor.
Pitching for stricter action against persons involved in selling Chloral hydrate powder, which is used to make illicit liquor, he said efforts are being made to bring it under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
"For 60-65 years no new laws have been brought in. Because the punishments are not stringent such illegal and criminal activities are happening. Measures are being taken to bring in new laws under a committee headed by retired IAS officer K P Krishnan. We will bring in strict actions under them," Timmapur said.
He was replying to Raichur Rural Congress MLA Basanagouda Daddal during the Question Hour.
Stating that efforts are underway by the Excise and Police departments to control illegal liquor sales and register cases, he said, "Chloral hydrate powder is dangerous for humans, it is brought in small packets to make large quantities of illegal liquor from neighbouring Andhra."
He said that Chloral hydrate powder is not covered by the NDPS Act, adding that it should be brought under it.
The state government will be sending a recommendation to the Centre in this regard.
"If things don't happen, we will bring in a new law and take strict measures," he added.
