Israeli army admits: 80% of Gaza deaths since March were civilians – War on Gaza Day 586

New US-backed group says it will start aid operations in Gaza within weeks

A new humanitarian organization that has US backing to take over aid delivery to starving civilians in Gaza said Wednesday that it expects to begin operations before the end of the month — after what it describes as key agreements from Israeli officials.

A statement from the group, called the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, identified several US military veterans, former humanitarian coordinators and security contractors that it said would lead the delivery effort. Many in the aid community believe it is meant to supplant the distribution system now run by the UN and other international aid agencies.

The foundation failed to address much of the criticism and unanswered questions that the international community has about the group, including who would fund the work and how much involvement the US, Israel or any other government or military would have in controlling life-saving aid for Palestinian civilians.

In an interview Wednesday with The Associated Press, Tom Fletcher, the UN humanitarian chief, said the US-backed proposal is “far from being able to meet” the conditions of humanitarian law.

“That’s why we need to stick to the better plan, our plan A, which is just let us in. We can make sure this aid doesn’t get anywhere near Hamas,” Fletcher said, referencing Israeli claims that the Palestinian group is diverting supplies, something Hamas completely denies.

“We have our procedures. We care more than anyone about making sure that it gets to the children and civilians and women who need it most,” he said (continue reading here).

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What we know about US-Israeli plan for Gaza aid

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UNRWA warns of life-saving humanitarian aid perishing at Gaza border

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) said in a post on its Facebook page tonight: “Humanitarian aid, including food, hygiene supplies, medicines, and shelter materials, is stuck in warehouses outside the Gaza Strip due to the blockade.”

It explained that the “life-saving” aid is now “at risk of spoilage” with the closure of the crossings, adding: “Food that people cannot eat, medicines that they cannot use.”

UNRWA confirmed that its teams and trucks are “ready to deliver aid to those who desperately need it” in Gaza.

Israel bombed Gaza hospital, killing 34, to assassinate Hamas member Mohammed Sinwar

The Health Ministry and Civil Defense in Gaza said in separate statements that the Israeli bombing killed 34 Palestinians – six inside the European Hospital and 28 in an adjacent house belonging to the Al-Afghani family – as a result of fire belts that targeted the hospital and its surroundings.

The strike targeted the Gaza European Hospital east of Khan Younis under the pretext of targeting Hamas leader Mohammed Sinwar, Israeli media reported.

The Israeli occupation army acknowledged striking the hospital, claiming it targeted members of the Palestinian resistance group Hamas including Muhammed Sinwar.

In a joint statement, the Israeli military and the Shin Bet claimed the strike targeted a Hamas “command and control compound,” built in an underground infrastructure beneath the European Gaza Hospital in Khan Younis.

Israeli Army Radio reported that the attack was part of what it described as a “rare opportunity” to assassinate Sinwar, the brother of former Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip, Yahya Sinwar. According to reports, the results of the operation are still unknown.

Israeli security sources indicated that Israeli intelligence agencies had made “great efforts to ensure that no Israeli prisoners were present at the site before the attack,” but acknowledged that there was no “100% guarantee” in this regard (continue reading here).

Hamas described the attack on the Gaza European Hospital east of Khan Younis as a “new crime” aimed at disabling what remains of Gaza’s hospitals, as part of what it called a continuing campaign of extermination against the population in the besieged Strip.

NOTE: When Israel feels obliged to explain its airstrikes (often it doesn’t even bother), it uses essentially the same words, “the site was a Hamas command and control center”; often followed by, “many steps were taken to reduce the chance of harming civilians,” and a note that it used “precise” munitions.

But Israel has yet to provide a shred of evidence to back up its claims; attacks are often carried out without warning to civilians to evacuate, and frequently cause massive damage and loss of life. (More here.)

RELATED: Who is Mohammed al-Sinwar? Elusive Hamas commander targeted in Israeli strike

US court hits Israeli spyware firm NSO with $167m fine over Pegasus abuses

A federal jury in California has ordered Israeli surveillance firm NSO Group to pay Meta $167 million in punitive damages, marking the first time a court has imposed financial liability on a spyware vendor for abuses linked to its software.

The ruling sends a strong signal that private firms profiting from invasive surveillance technology will not be shielded by their association with government clients. After a single day of deliberation, jurors found that NSO had acted with “malice, oppression or fraud” in deploying its Pegasus spyware against 1,400 WhatsApp users.

Pegasus, which grants near-total access to a target’s device, including microphones, cameras and encrypted messages, was used not against criminals, but journalists, human rights defenders and political dissidents. Meta, which owns WhatsApp, described the hacking as “despicable” and a clear violation of privacy rights (continue reading here).

RELATED: Israel’s Pegasus spyware: Tested in Palestine, sold to the world

GOP Advances ‘Nonprofit Killer’ Provision in Budget Bill to ‘Crush Dissent’

Free press, civil liberties, and community groups have sounded the alarm after House Republicans added a provision in their budget reconciliation package that would empower U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration to revoke the tax-exempt status of any nonprofit the executive branch deems supportive of a terrorist organization.

The House Ways and Means Committee voted along party lines to advance Republicans’ reconciliation bill, which contains an amendment based on the language of the Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act, or H.R. 9495.

The ACLU warned Tuesday that the provision—dubbed the “nonprofit killer” by critics—would grant the executive branch the power to “effectively shut down” entities including independent media like Common Dreams, universities, religious institutions, political organizations, advocacy groups, and charities under the guise of combating terrorism. The contentious language was buried on page 380 of the reconciliation bill prior to its markup (continue reading here).

NOTE: This bill would have a chilling effect on groups that criticize Israel’s actions – including IAK.