Baby dies from malnutrition as Trump warns of ‘real starvation’ in Gaza
At least 14 Palestinians, including two children, have died from hunger and malnutrition in Gaza in 24 hours, according to health authorities, as United States President Donald Trump says there are signs of “real starvation” in the besieged territory. The deaths pushed the number of those who have died from malnutrition since Israel launched its war on Gaza in October 2023 to 147, including 88 children, the Ministry of Health in Gaza said on Monday. Most of the deaths have occurred in recent weeks as a hunger crisis has gripped the territory due to Israel’s severe restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza. Israel imposed a total blockade on the territory in March, which was partially lifted in May. But only a trickle of aid has been allowed to enter since then despite warnings from the United Nations and aid organisations of mass starvation. Before a meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Scotland on Monday, Trump said Israel “has a lot of responsibility” for the situation in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had denied that on Sunday, saying, “There is no policy of starvation in Gaza, and there is no starvation in Gaza.” Asked by reporters whether he agreed with Netanyahu’s remarks, Trump said, “I don’t know. I mean, based on television, I would say not particularly because those children look very hungry.” Starmer, standing next to Trump, said, “We’ve got to get that ceasefire” in Gaza and called it “a desperate situation”. Trump said among the issues he would discuss with Starmer would be the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Advertisement The comments come after the Israeli military said it would pause attacks in some parts of Gaza and authorised new corridors for humanitarian deliveries to increase the flow of badly needed aid. The decision was welcomed by the UN, but the organisation’s humanitarian chief said the deliveries need to be scaled up. Baby formula shortage The warning was made as a medical source at al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City told Al Jazeera on Monday that an infant named Muhammad Ibrahim Adas died from malnutrition due to a shortage of baby formula. Gaza’s Government Media Office said an extreme shortage of baby formula could cause tens of thousands of malnourished infants like Muhammad to slowly die. “There are over 40,000 infants under one year old in Gaza currently at risk of slow death due to this brutal and suffocating blockade,” the office said on Monday, accusing Israel of blocking entry of the product for 150 days. “We urgently demand the immediate and unconditional opening of all crossings and the swift entry of baby formula and humanitarian aid,” it continued. ‘A drop in the ocean’ As more aid trucks entered Gaza on Monday through the Karem Abu Salem crossing (Kerem Shalom in Hebrew) and the Zikim road in the north, “devastated Palestinians jumped on these trucks and took whatever they had,” Al Jazeera’s Hind Khoudary said, reporting from Deir el-Balah in central Gaza. “When asked why they jumped on the trucks, the Palestinians said they did not have time to wait for the food. They said their children have been starving for days, and they do not have any other option than jumping on these trucks,” Khoudary said. “This shows how desperate Palestinians are and how they were deprived of their basic necessities. Now we are expecting more trucks to enter today.” Israel’s decision to allow more aid into Gaza has been welcomed by the UN, but officials warned that severe restrictions continued to block lifesaving deliveries. “This is a welcome step in the right direction,” Tom Fletcher, the UN undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs, told Al Jazeera. “But clearly, we need to get in vast amounts of aid at a much, much greater scale than we’ve been able to do so far.” Fletcher said deliveries overall have been just “a drop in the ocean” of what is needed. “We can’t just simply turn up and drive through. That’s what we should be allowed to do, that’s what international law demands, but we’re not yet at that point,” he said, citing ongoing security risks, closed crossings, visa rejections and customs delays. As the hunger crisis deepens, Israeli forces have continued to launch attacks across Gaza, killing at least 65 people on Monday, including 23 who were seeking aid, medical sources told Al Jazeera. Advertisement More than 1,000 Palestinians seeking aid have been killed by Israeli forces near distribution sites run by the US- and Israeli-backed GHF, which launched operations in late May. The GHF has been heavily criticised by the UN and other humanitarian organisations for failing to provide enough aid and for the dire security situation at and around its aid distribution sites. Reporting from Deir el-Balah, Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum said: “What Israel describes as ‘humanitarian pauses’ are, in fact, limited and seen as unilateral suspensions of military activities that usually last for a few hours and are confined to select areas,” Abu Azzoum said. “These pauses, as we have seen, lack international oversight or any sort of coordination with humanitarian agencies,” he said. Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has conducted its offensive on Gaza since October 7, 2023, the day Hamas-led attacks in southern Israel killed 1,139 people and resulted in more than 200 people being taken captive. The war has since killed nearly 60,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children. Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice in The Hague for its war on the enclave. Adblock test (Why?)
Kenya’s protests are not a symptom of failed democracy. They are democracy
In Kenya, as in many countries across the world, street protests are often framed as the unfortunate result of political failure. As the logic goes, the inability of state institutions to translate popular sentiment into political, legislative and regulatory action to address grievances undermines trust and leaves the streets vulnerable to eruptions of popular discontent. In this telling, protests are viewed as a political problem with grievances expected to be legitimately addressed using the mechanisms – coercive or consensual – of the formal political system. Like its predecessors, the increasingly paranoid regime of Kenyan President William Ruto has also adopted this view. While generally acknowledging the constitutional right of protest, it has sought to paint the largely peaceful and sustained Generation Z demonstrations and agitation of the past 16 months, which have questioned its rule and policies, as a threat to public order and safety and to delegitimise the street as an avenue for addressing public issues. “What is going on in these streets, people think is fashionable,” Ruto declared a month ago. “They take selfies and post on social media. But I want to tell you, if we continue this way, … we will not have a country.” The killing and abductions of protesters as well as the move to charge them with “terrorism” offences, borrowing a leaf from Western governments that have similarly criminalised pro-Palestinian and antigenocide sentiments, are clear examples of the state’s preferred response. At the same time, there have been repeated calls for the protesters to enter into talks with the regime and, more recently, for an “intergenerational national conclave” to address their concerns. Advertisement But framing protests as a dangerous response to political dissatisfaction is flawed. Demonstrations are an expression of democracy, not the result of its failures. The Generation Z movement has shown that transparency, mutual aid and political consciousness can thrive outside formal institutions. Activists have made the streets and online forums sites of grievance, rigorous debate, civic education, and policy engagement. They have raised funds, provided medical and legal aid, and supported bereaved families, all without help from the state or international donors. In doing so, they have reminded the country that citizenship is not just about casting ballots every five years. It is about showing up – together, creatively and courageously – to shape the future. The Generation Z movement is in many respects a reincarnation of the reform movement of the 1990s when Kenyans waged a decadelong street-based struggle against the brutal dictatorship of President Daniel arap Moi. Today’s defiant chants of “Ruto must go” and “Wantam” – the demand that Ruto be denied a second term in the 2027 election – echo the rallying cries from 30 years ago: “Moi must go” and “Yote yawezekana bila Moi (All is possible without Moi).” Centring the struggle on Moi was a potent political strategy. It united a broad coalition, drew international attention and forced critical concessions – from the reintroduction of multiparty politics and term limits to the expansion of civil liberties and, crucially, the rights of assembly and expression. By the time Moi left office at the end of 2002, Kenya was arguably at its freest, its spirit immortalised in the Gidi Gidi Maji Maji hit I Am Unbwogable! (I Am Unshakable and Indomitable!)” But that moment of triumph also masked a deeper danger: the illusion that removing a leader was the same as transforming the system. Moi’s successor, Mwai Kibaki, hailed then as a reformist and gentleman of Kenyan politics, quickly set about reversing hard-won gains. His government blocked (then tried to subvert) constitutional reform, raided newsrooms and eventually presided over a stolen election that brought Kenya to the brink of civil war. One of his closest ministers, the late John Michuki, had in 2003 revealed the true mindset of the political class: Constitutional change to devolve the power of the presidency, he claimed, was necessary only so “one of our own could share power with Moi”. Once Moi was gone, he averred, there was no longer need for it. Due to the obstruction from the political class, it took Kenyans close to a decade after Moi’s departure to finally promulgate a new constitution. Advertisement Generation Z must avoid the trap of the transition of the 2000s. Power, in the Kenyan political imagination, has often been the prize, not the problem. But real change requires more than a reshuffling of names atop the state. It demands a refusal to treat state power as the destination and a commitment to reshaping the terrain on which that power operates. And this is where the youth should beware the machinations of a political class that is more interested in power than in change. Today’s calls for national talks and intergenerational conclaves emanating from this class should be treated with suspicion. Kenyans have seen this play out before. From the 1997 Inter-Parties Parliamentary Group talks and the negotiations brokered by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan after the 2007-2008 postelection violence to the infamous “handshake” between President Uhuru Kenyatta and his rival Raila Odinga and the failed Building Bridges Initiative, each of these elite pacts was presented as a way to translate popular anger into meaningful reform. Yet time and again, they only served to defuse movements, sideline dissenters and protect entrenched power. Worse still, Kenya has a long history of elevating reformers – from opposition leaders and journalists to civil society activists – into positions of state power, only for them to abandon their principles once at the top. Radical rhetoric gives way to political compromise. The goal becomes to rule and extract, not transform. Many end up defending the very systems they once opposed. “Ruto must go” is a powerful tactic for mobilisation and pressure. But it should not be seen as the end goal. That was my generation’s mistake. We forgot that we did not achieve the freedoms we enjoy – and that Ruto seeks to roll back – through engaging in the formal system’s rituals of elections and elite agreements but by imposing change on it
England beat Spain in penalty shootout to win women’s Euro 2025
The Lionesses beat Spain 3-1 on penalties after drawing 1-1 in extra time to retain the European Championship. Chloe Kelly scored the decisive spot kick as England beat Spain 3-1 in a penalty shootout to win Euro 2025, successfully defending the title they won three years ago after an enthralling encounter that ended 1-1 after extra time. Spain dominated possession in Basel, Switzerland on Sunday and made the breakthrough in the 25th minute as Ona Batlle crossed and the England defence was caught flat-footed, allowing Mariona Caldentey to head the ball past Hannah Hampton. With Lauren James struggling due to an ankle inury, England were struggling, but Kelly came off the bench to replace her just before the break and it proved an inspired substitution from Wiegman. Kelly helped close down England’s porous left flank and provided the cross for Alessia Russo to level in the 57th minute, the forward heading home her inch-perfect assist. Spain continued to monopolise the ball but could not find another goal before the end of normal time, and the story continued through extra time as they probed and probed, but could not break through the English defence as the game finished 1-1. The Spaniards got the shootout off to a great start when Cata Coll saved Beth Mead’s effort, but England keeper Hannah Hampton stepped up and saved from Caldentey and then from Aitana Bonmati to put England in the driving seat. Coll got Spain back into it with another one-handed stop to block Leah Williamson, but Spain substitute Salma Paralluelo then fired her kick wide of the target. That set the stage for Kelly to repeat her 2022 heroics, when she scored the extra-time winner over Germany that won them the title at Wembley. Kelly celebrates after scoring the winning penalty [Denis Balibouse/Reuters] Kelly made her trademark prancing run-up before smashing the ball into the net and peeling away in ecstasy to celebrate with the rest of the players in front of the England fans. Advertisement “I’m so proud, so proud of this team, so grateful to wear this badge, and I’m so proud to be English … I was cool, I was composed and I knew I was going to hit the back of the net,” Kelly said. Spain trailed for only four minutes in the entire tournament – and not for one second against England – yet could not seal their first European title. The final was the first time since the inaugural edition in 1984 that the game was decided by a penalty shootout – a match in which England were beaten by Sweden. Speaking to the BBC, England goalkeeper Hampton said: “This team is just unbelievable, incredible. “We’ve shown throughout this tournament [that] we can come back when we go a goal down. We have that grit. We never say die – we just keep going, and we did that today.” Adblock test (Why?)
Gunfight in Baghdad kills one as paramilitary group storms ministry
Iraqi police clashed with Popular Mobilisation Forces in Baghdad after they stormed an Agriculture Ministry building. At least one police officer was killed and 14 fighters detained after a gun battle erupted in Iraq’s capital with members of the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), a state-sanctioned paramilitary umbrella that includes groups loyal to Iran. The violence on Sunday broke out in Baghdad’s Karkh district when PMF fighters stormed a Ministry of Agriculture building during the appointment of a new director, the Interior Ministry said. The gunmen disrupted an official meeting, stirring panic among staff and an emergency police response team. Police responding to the scene “came under fire”, also resulting in injuries among security personnel. The ministry said “it would not tolerate any party attempting to impose its will by force and threaten state institutions”. Group ‘does not want to escalate’ The PMF, known locally as Hashd al-Shaabi, is composed mainly of Shia paramilitaries formed to fight ISIL (ISIS), but has since been formally integrated into Iraq’s armed forces. Several of its factions maintain close ties to Tehran. Security sources and witnesses inside the building said the fighters aimed to block the replacement of the former director. Hospital and police officials confirmed one officer was killed and nine others were wounded in the clash. A statement from Iraq’s Joint Operations Command, which reports to Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, said the detained gunmen were referred to the judiciary. Those involved belonged to PMF brigades 45 and 46, units widely linked to Kataib Hezbollah, one of Iraq’s most powerful Iran-aligned militias. Advertisement An unnamed member of Kataib Hezbollah told AFP news agency that a fighter from the group was killed and six others were wounded. The group “does not want to escalate” and will allow the judiciary to take its course, the group member said. In response to the escalation, al-Sudani ordered an investigative committee to look into the events. The PMF’s continued influence in Iraqi politics and its armed confrontations with state institutions have raised concerns over the fragility of Iraq’s security apparatus, and the blurred lines between formal authority and powerful militia. Battle for influence Over the years since the 2003 United States invasion of Iraq, a battle has played out in the country between Iran and the US for government influence. Among those working in alignment with Iran are a number of members of the PMF, which emerged in 2014 to fight ISIL. In 2017, the PMF’s legitimacy was codified into law against the wishes of the Iraqi Ministries of Interior and Defence, and was brought under the oversight of Iraq’s national security adviser. Adblock test (Why?)
Syria to hold first parliamentary elections since al-Assad’s fall
Vote will take place September 15-20 in the first election since President al-Sharaa took power. Syria will hold parliamentary elections in September, said the head of a body tasked with organising the election process. Mohammed Taha al-Ahmad, chairman of the Higher Committee for People’s Assembly Elections, told state news agency SANA on Sunday that elections will take place between September 15 and 20. They will be the first to take place under the country’s new authorities after the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad in a lightning rebel offensive in December. One-third of the 210 seats will be appointed by interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, with the rest to be elected. In a recent interview with the Erem News site, another member of the elections committee, Hassan al-Daghim, said an electoral college will be set up in each of Syria’s provinces to vote for the elected seats. Increasingly divided A temporary constitution signed by al-Sharaa in March called for a People’s Committee to be set up to serve as an interim parliament until a permanent constitution is adopted and general elections held, a process that could take years. The announcement of impending elections comes at a time when the country is increasingly divided in its views of the new authorities in Damascus after sectarian violence broke out in the southern province of Suwayda earlier this month. The fighting killed hundreds of people and threatened to unravel Syria’s fragile postwar transition. The violent clashes, which broke out two weeks ago, were sparked by tit-for-tat kidnappings between armed Bedouin clans and fighters from the Druze religious minority. Advertisement Syrian government forces intervened, ostensibly to end the fighting, but effectively sided with the clans. Some government troops reportedly executed Druze civilians and burned and looted houses. Israel intervened, launching air strikes on government forces and on the Defence Ministry headquarters. Israel said it was acting to defend the Druze minority. Adblock test (Why?)
Nigeria beat Morocco to claim WAFCON title and complete Mission X
Nigeria claim their tenth WAFCON title, ‘Mission X’, as they come from behind to beat Morocco 3-2 in Rabat. Substitute Jennifer Echegini scored the 88th-minute winner as Nigeria came from two goals behind to beat hosts Morocco 3-2 in a dramatic Women’s Africa Cup of Nations final. The triumph in Rabat on Saturday confirmed the West Africans as the queens of women’s football in Africa as they pulled off a record-extending 10th title in 13 editions – “Mission X”, as they dubbed their efforts – to win the 2025 edition. It was the second successive final loss for Morocco, who led by two goals after 24 minutes, only to concede three in the second half. Esther Okoronkwo played a key role in the Super Falcons’ victory: scoring the first goal, creating the second and delivering the free-kick that Echegini finished to stun the home crowd. Morocco, backed by a vibrant capacity crowd at the 21,000-seat Stade Olympique in the capital, took the lead on 12 minutes as Nigeria conceded for the first time in open play at the tournament. Nigeria fluffed several chances to clear the ball, and it fell just outside the area to Chebbak, whose perfectly placed, rising shot gave goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie no chance. Nigeria’s goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie fails to save a shot during the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations final [Abdel Majid Bziouat/AFP] The lead doubled 12 minutes later as the ball flew across the Nigerian goalmouth to Sanaa Mssoudy, who ended a five-match goal drought by steering a low shot into the far corner of the net. Nigeria had more possession in the opening half than the host nation, but managed only one shot on target, and it did not trouble goalkeeper Khadija Er-Rmichi. Advertisement But the Moroccan lead halved after 64 minutes as Okoronkwo sent Er-Rmichi the wrong way from a penalty after a VAR review showed a Folashade Ijamilusi cross striking Nouhaila Benzina’s hand. The goal lifted the spirits of increasingly assertive Nigeria, and they equalised seven minutes later, when Okoronkwo turned creator with a pull-back that Ijamilusi pushed into the net from close range. CHAMPIONS OF AFRICA FOR THE 10TH TIME! 🏆🇳🇬 Tell your neighbors, tell the world — the Super Falcons reign supreme again!#MissionX #SoarSuperFalcons #WAFCON2024 #Champions #MORNGA pic.twitter.com/tiUQZleMEy — NGSuper_Falcons (@NGSuper_Falcons) July 26, 2025 On Friday, Ghana finished third, winning a penalty shootout 4-3 against outgoing champions South Africa after a 1-1 playoff draw in regular time in Casablanca. After two weakly struck spot kicks in a row by South Africa were saved to give Ghana the advantage, 19-year-old Nancy Amoh converted the decisive penalty with a low shot into the corner of the net. A blunder by Ghana goalkeeper Cynthia Konlan gifted South Africa the lead on 45 minutes as she lost control of the ball just outside the box, and Nonhlanhla Mthandi struck it into the net. Persistent Ghanaian pressure finally paid off on 68 minutes when an Alice Kusi header came off the crossbar and long-serving South Africa shot-stopper Andile Dlamini conceded an own goal. Victory was particularly sweet for the Black Queens as they were outplayed when losing 2-0 to Banyana Banyana (The Girls) in the group stage. Ghana have won the four third-place playoffs they qualified for, while South Africa have lost four of five bronze medal matches. The next Women’s Africa Cup of Nations is scheduled for March 2026, also in Morocco, and will double as a qualifying competition for the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil. Adblock test (Why?)
Israeli attacks, forced starvation kill more than 70 Palestinians in Gaza
The Israeli military has killed dozens of people in Gaza as the starvation crisis in the territory deepens amid an international outcry, with more Palestinians dying of malnutrition. Medical sources told Al Jazeera that Israeli attacks killed at least 71 people across Gaza on Saturday, including 42 desperately seeking aid. The Ministry of Health in Gaza also said that hospitals have recorded five more deaths due to hunger caused by the Israeli blockade of the enclave, bringing the total death toll from malnutrition to 127 since the war began. The victims include 85 children. With anger across the world mounting over the crisis, Israel announced late on Saturday that it would implement a pause to its assault “in civilian centers and in humanitarian corridors to enable the distribution of aid supply” on Sunday. The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not specify which specific areas would see a “humanitarian pause”. The ministry also again blamed the United Nations for failing to distribute assistance in Gaza, a claim that has been rejected by both the UN and multiple aid and rights groups. UN officials have said that this Israeli talking point is false, stressing that they have not received the necessary permits to safely distribute aid in the besieged enclave. Airdrops’ effect is ‘equivalent to none’ The Israeli military also said it carried out airdrops of international aid over Gaza. The United Arab Emirates, which has close economic and diplomatic ties with Israel, also said it will begin airdropping aid into Gaza “immediately”. Advertisement But humanitarian experts have been warning since last year that airdrops are dangerous to people on the ground and cannot serve as a substitute for safe land routes to distribute food and medical supplies. Earlier on Saturday, Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, called airdrops an expensive, inefficient “distraction” that would “not reverse the deepening starvation”. Lazzarini called for Israel to “lift the siege, open the gates [and] guarantee safe movements [and] dignified access to people in need”. Reporting from Gaza City, Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud raised questions over the newly announced Israeli steps. He said the airdrops’ effect is “equivalent to none”. “We’re talking about only seven pallets of aid filled with flour and other basic necessities. That’s almost the load of one truck, or half of a truck, coming from the crossings into the Gaza Strip,” Mahmoud said. He cited witnesses who said the airdrops took place near a restricted military area in northern Gaza, making retrieving them in the dark especially difficult. Equally, Israel’s plan to allow for so-called “humanitarian pauses” in Gaza starting on Sunday will have no major effect on the starvation crisis, Mahmoud said. “Again, this is not a solution when we talk about passing the tipping point of this enforced starvation, and according to medical sources we spoke to earlier today, they confirmed that at this point we’re going to see mass scale starvation mortality,” he said. As starvation spreads, Israel has pressed on with its daily bombardment of Gaza. At least six people were killed in an Israeli drone attack on a tent camp in al-Mawasi near Khan Younis on Saturday. The area designated as a safe zone by Israel has come under constant deadly attack by its forces. Meanwhile, the Civil Defence agency in Gaza says none of its vehicles will be able to offer lifesaving services soon due to disrepair and lack of fuel, calling on the international community to act. “We stress the need for an urgent intervention to pressure the Israeli occupation authorities to allow fuel and repair parts for vehicles to enter,” the Civil Defence said in a statement. While some Western countries have made strongly-worded statements against Israel’s policies in Gaza, advocates have been calling for real consequences to ensure accountability and deter further Israeli abuses. Punitive sanctions against Israel have been raised as possibilities. Handala ship intercepted Shortly after making its airdrops announcement, the Israeli military raided a ship of international activists carrying baby formula, food and medical supplies to Gaza. Advertisement A livestream showed Israeli soldiers boarding and intercepting the Handala vessel with 19 activists onboard. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which organised the aid ship, said the vessel was violently seized in international waters. “The unarmed boat was carrying life-saving supplies when it was boarded by Israeli forces, its passengers abducted, and its cargo seized,” the coalition said in a statement. “The interception occurred in international waters outside Palestinian territorial waters off Gaza, in violation of international maritime law.” #handala has been intercepted by the israeli occupation forces pic.twitter.com/0Mw1gZUNyi — Freedom Flotilla Coalition (@GazaFFlotilla) July 26, 2025 It is not clear what will happen to the advocates. Last month, Israel intercepted the Madleen aid ship and towed it to an Israeli boat before detaining the activists, and then interrogating and deporting them. Ann Wright, a member of the Freedom Flotilla Steering Committee, called for the protection of the international activists by their home countries. “Protect innocent international people who are merely accompanying a small amount of aid – medical and food – as a symbol of the international outrage at what Israel is doing,” Wright told Al Jazeera. The Gaza Government Media Office called the interception of Handala a crime of piracy. “This blatant aggression represents a major violation of international law and the rules of maritime navigation, and it shows once more that the [Israeli] occupation acts like a bully outside the authority of the law,” the office said in a statement. Adblock test (Why?)
De Ridder beats Whittaker in split decision at UFC Abu Dhabi
Reinier de Ridder survives a brutal knockdown to narrowly win against Robert Whittaker in the main event at Etihad Arena in the UAE. Reinier de Ridder secured the biggest win of his Octagon career at UFC Abu Dhabi, narrowly securing a hard-fought split decision over former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker at the Etihad Arena in the United Arab Emirates. De Ridder (21-2) earned his third win of 2025 by defeating the Australian by split decision; two of the three judges scored the 84kg (185-pound) bout 48-47 for de Ridder, while a third had it 48-47 for Whittaker. “I don’t want to fight like this [Whittaker], man, this guy was too tough,” de Ridder said in a post-fight interview on Saturday. “I expected to take him down. He was so tough, so durable. Heavy f****** hands.” The Dutch fighter had to survive a brutal knockdown in round three when Whittaker dropped him with a right hand to the chin in the opening minute. De Ridder managed to survive the attack, and consolidated his overall superiority in strikes – de Ridder landed 169 in total, compared with 100 for Whittaker, according to official UFC statistics – and recovered to win the final two rounds by wearing down the 34-year-old with repeated knees to the body and constant grappling. Throughout the five-round fight, there was little to separate the pair. When the final bell sounded, the split decision reflected the closeness of the contest. De Ridder’s victory was his fourth Ultimate Fighting Championship career victory. Whittaker (27-9) has now lost two straight and three of his five most recent fights. Following his victory, de Ridder, ranked 13th heading into the Whittaker fight, called for a title shot against the winner of the middleweight championship bout between Dricus Du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 on August 16. Advertisement “I want to finish a guy in the first round, so maybe it would be better if I fought Khamzat [Chimaev] or Dricus [Du Plessis]. Give me my title shot.” Whittaker, left, and de Ridder fight during the bout [Fatima Shbair/AP] [Fatima Shbair/AP] In the co-main event, former UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan defeated Marcus McGhee by unanimous decision. Yan outpaced his opponent in total strikes, significant strikes, control and takedowns. In the middleweight match, Shara Magomedov bounced back from his first professional loss, which came against Michael Page in February, to win over Marc-Andre Barriault by unanimous decision. Magomedov earned a 30-27 score from all three judges. Adblock test (Why?)
Israel says it’s distributing aid in Gaza, so why are people starving?
One hundred twenty-seven people, 85 of them children, have died from hunger or malnutrition as a result of Israel’s siege of Gaza, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blocked all aid to Gaza in March, claiming that it was to pressure Hamas into accepting a ceasefire that Israel broke unilaterally later that month. This week, the Israeli government has blamed the United Nations for the situation, even accusing its aid agency of working with Hamas to restrict food from getting to people. This was not the first time Israel blocked aid from entering Gaza. In March 2024, Israel stopped UN aid convoys from reaching northern Gaza as it attempted to starve the population there into fleeing. In September, 15 international aid organisations said Israel was blocking 83 percent of Gaza’s aid. In both instances, Israel denied blocking aid, blaming either UN inefficiency or Hamas for aid not reaching people in areas it has claimed to control for much of the war. So, what has Israel said, and does it accept that a man-made famine is under way in Gaza? Here’s what we know. So is there no aid system in Gaza now? After receiving much criticism over the increased threat of famine that its siege had inflicted on Gaza, Israel, along with its US ally, backed the creation of the GHF in May. The GHF was intended to replace the UN and international aid agencies, which have operated some 400 aid distribution points across Gaza, with four erratically operated distribution points in Gaza’s centre and south. Advertisement Since May, the Israeli military and private contractors, understood to be American, have killed more than 1,000 people trying to access food at GHF distribution points. There are still some limited UN aid distribution operations, but they are so severely restricted that their effect cannot be felt. Does Israel accept that there’s starvation in Gaza? It does not. On Friday, Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), which is responsible for coordinating aid into Gaza, contradicted the claims of numerous aid agencies, asserting that “there is no famine in the Gaza Strip”. However, it said, there were “pockets” across Gaza where people had “issues of access to food”. Yazan, a malnourished 2-year-old Palestinian boy, sit with his brothers at their family’s damaged home in the Shati refugee camp, west of Gaza City, on July 23, 2025 [Omar al-Qatta/AFP] So Israel claims that there’s enough aid being distributed? Not so much. Israel claims that shortfalls are occurring because much of the aid lies “rotting in the sun” because the UN has not distributed it. Israel’s military radio, Kan, recently reported that the Israeli army has burned or buried some 1,000 trucks’ worth of aid that it deemed spoiled or expired. David Mencer, a spokesperson for Netanyahu’s office, told the BBC on Friday that the UN in Gaza is a “billion-dollar racket” and accused the UN of working with Hamas to “restrict … aid to its own people”. Mercer did not provide any reason as to why the UN might do that, or any evidence to back his claims. Is the UN working with Hamas? Not according to the UN itself. On Wednesday, addressing the UN Security Council, Israel’s ambassador, Danny Danon, accused UN aid chief, Tom Fletcher, as well as the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, of somehow being affiliated with Hamas. Danon provided no evidence. Responding in writing the following day, Fletcher said, “I expect the Israeli authorities to immediately share any evidence that led them to make such claims.” Israel’s Ambassador Danny Danon has presented unsupported claims to the UN that staff members of the aid agency, the Office Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, are working with Hamas [File: Brendan McDermid/Reuters] In January 2024, Israel accused another UN aid body, the UN Relief and Works Agency, of working with Hamas. An independent review into Israel’s allegations concluded in April 2024 that it had provided no evidence to support its claim. Is Hamas stealing aid? Not according to Israel’s military and its principal ally, the US. Advertisement Citing unnamed Israeli military officials, The New York Times reported on Saturday that the UN aid operation was relatively reliable and less vulnerable to interference than others, adding that there was no evidence Hamas regularly stole from the UN. An internal report by the US’s development agency, USAID, in late June also concluded that there was no evidence of the systematic looting of US-provided aid by Hamas. So far, the only evidence of aid being systematically looted points to criminal gangs now partnering with Israel and the GHF. People carry relief supplies from the GHF, a private US-backed aid group that has bypassed the longstanding UN-led system in the territory [Eyad Baba/AFP] So, why isn’t aid reaching people in Gaza? Months of Israel’s siege have led to the effective breakdown of Gaza’s society, with food convoys at risk of being overwhelmed by starving, desperate crowds, the UN says. To deliver aid to where it is needed, the UN would need the support of the Israeli military. On Wednesday, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said half of the 16 food distribution requests submitted to the Israeli military had been refused. “Bureaucratic … and other operational obstacles imposed by Israeli authorities; ongoing hostilities and access constraints within Gaza; and incidents of criminal looting, and more shooting incidents that have killed and injured people gathering to offload aid supplies along convoy routes” have limited efforts to deliver aid, Dujarric told reporters. What is the outcome of that? Starvation. As we noted above, 127 people, most of whom are children, have already died of starvation in Gaza. Death through hunger occurs over three stages. The first starts as early as a skipped meal; the second comes with any prolonged period of fasting when the body relies on stored fats for energy. The third, and often fatal, stage is when all stored fats have been depleted and the body turns to bone and muscle
Syria, Israel hold talks in Paris over conflict in southern Syria’s Suwayda
A Syrian official tells Al Jazeera Damascus emphasises the unity and sovereignty of Syria are nonnegotiable. Syrian and Israeli officials have held talks in Paris mediated by the United States, according to a Syrian official, in the wake of an eruption of sectarian violence compounded by Israeli military intervention in southern Syria. The meeting on Saturday was held to address recent security developments around the southern Druze-majority city of Suwayda, which has been the scene of fierce fighting in recent weeks between Bedouins and Druze fighters. Israel intervened in the conflict, striking government buildings in Damascus and government soldiers in Suwayda province, saying it was doing so to protect the Druze. The Syrian official told Al Jazeera Arabic that Damascus’s delegation at the Paris meeting emphasised that the unity and sovereignty of Syria are nonnegotiable and Suwayda and its people are an integral part of Syria. It also rejected any attempt to exploit segments of Syrian society for partition, the official said. The source said the Syrian delegation held Israel responsible for the recent escalation and demanded the immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces from the points they had recently advanced to during the unrest. ‘Honest and responsible’ Syria’s state-run Ekhbariya TV, quoting its own diplomatic source, reported that the meeting did not result in any final agreements but the parties had agreed to continue talks aimed at maintaining stability. The TV source described the dialogue as “honest and responsible” in the first confirmation from the Syrian side that talks had taken place. Advertisement On Friday, US envoy Tom Barrack said officials from both countries spoke about de-escalating the situation in Syria during talks on Thursday. Hundreds of people have been reported killed in the fighting in Suwayda, which also drew in government forces. Israel, which carried out air strikes, during this month’s violence, has regularly struck Syria and launched incursions into its territory since longtime former President Bashar al-Assad was toppled in December. Last week’s fighting underlined the challenges interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa faces in stabilising Syria and maintaining centralised rule. Syria’s government announced a week ago that Bedouin fighters had been cleared out of Suwayda and government forces were deployed to oversee their exit from the entire province. The announcement came after al-Sharaa ordered a new ceasefire between Bedouin and Druze groups after a separate US-brokered deal to avert further Israeli military attacks on Syria. The diplomatic source, who spoke to Ekhbariya TV, said the meeting on Saturday involved initial consultations aimed at “reducing tensions and opening channels of communication amid an ongoing escalation since early December”. Adblock test (Why?)