Monday, August 4, 2025
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Monday, August 4, 2025

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https://nordictimes.com/world/trump-no-genocide-in-gaza/

World

Trump: No genocide in Gaza

The genocide in Gaza

Published today 10:01
– By Editorial Staff
Donald Trump believes that it is Hamas and not the Israeli government that bears responsibility for the misery in Gaza.
3 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

While increasing numbers of international voices are calling Israel’s warfare in Gaza an ongoing genocide, US President Donald Trump distances himself from that interpretation.

Speaking to reporters, he made it clear that the responsibility, according to him, lies with Hamas and the attack that initiated the war on October 7 – not with Benjamin Netanyahu’s government or the Israeli military.

— I don’t think it’s that (a genocide). They’re in a war, Trump said.

He also added that “some horrible things happened” on October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel, kidnapped around 250 people to Gaza and, according to Israeli authorities, killed over 1,100 people.

When asked about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the president claimed that the US is doing what it can to ensure that the civilian population has access to food.

— We want the people fed… We want Israel to get them fed. We don’t want people going hungry, and we don’t want people to starve.

Aid seekers shot down

Increasing numbers of international actors describe Israel’s actions in Gaza as an ongoing genocide. Since October 2023, Gaza’s health department has reported that over 60,800 Palestinians have been killed – the majority of whom are women and children – and that more than 149,500 people have been injured. According to several assessments, however, the actual death toll could be several times higher as a very large number of people are believed to be buried under the rubble.

UN agencies and human rights groups warn that starvation is being used as a weapon, and that thousands of civilians have been killed at aid queues and food distributions. Since May 2025 alone, at least 1,373 people have lost their lives while waiting for food.

In March 2024, UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese determined that there are strong grounds to regard Israel’s actions as an ongoing genocide. Several countries – including South Africa, Ireland and Colombia – have joined the legal process that South Africa initiated against Israel in the International Court of Justice (ICJ), where the country is accused of violating the UN Genocide Convention.

Netanyahu and Gallant wanted

Meanwhile, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has requested arrest warrants against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accused of crimes against humanity. Among the charges are systematic attacks against the civilian population, destruction of vital infrastructure and blocking of humanitarian aid.

Added to this are statements from several Israeli ministers that Gaza should be emptied of its Palestinian population and instead be permanently taken over by Israel. Human rights groups argue that such plans constitute a form of ethnic cleansing and demonstrate an intent to commit genocide.

Israeli authorities have, however, consistently rejected all such accusations and continue to claim that the purpose of the war is to defeat Hamas.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

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https://nordictimes.com/world/investigation-children-systematically-shot-dead-in-gaza/

World

Investigation: Children systematically shot dead in Gaza

The genocide in Gaza

Published today 11:57
– By Editorial Staff
Palestinian children in Gaza are killed almost routinely - and not infrequently by Israeli snipers.
2 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

A new investigation by the British public broadcaster BBC highlights the extent of deadly violence against children in Gaza since the invasion began in autumn 2023.

The investigation has documented 168 cases where children were shot dead, of which 95 were hit in the head or chest, and concludes that the majority of victims were younger than 12 years old when they were killed.

The investigation is based on interviews with doctors, eyewitnesses and human rights organizations as well as hundreds of photos, videos, medical documents and autopsy records. It covers the period from October 2023 to July 2025.

In 57 of the cases where children were killed by shots to the head or chest, the Israeli army is identified as responsible, according to consistent witness testimonies and documentation. Two cases have been linked to Palestinian actors, while the remaining 36 remain unclear.

Notably, several of the deaths occurred in areas designated as safe by Israeli authorities. Among the documented cases is two-year-old Layan, who according to reports was killed together with her father, as well as six-year-old Mira, who was shot in the back by a sniper in an evacuation corridor marked as “safe”.

Several children are also reported to have been shot while playing outside their tents in temporary protection zones or trying to make their way through evacuation routes.

Human shields

When BBC confronted the Israeli military with its findings, a spokesperson responded that “unintended or erroneous harm may occur in the course of combat” and in the case of six-year-old Mira, the military said that the fact that someone was harmed “does not necessarily indicate a violation of the law”.

According to Gaza’s health ministry, over 50,000 children have been killed or injured by Israeli fire since October 2023.

The UN agency UNRWA, which is responsible for support to Palestinian refugees, has in several reports accused Israeli forces of deliberately shooting unarmed children. In a statement, UNRWA states that the equivalent of “a classroom of children” is killed every day in Gaza.

Previously, the Israeli military has also repeatedly been accused of using Palestinian civilians – including children – as human shields during searches of buildings and ruins – an action that has put them in mortal danger.

The use of this “tactic” has also been confirmed by Israeli soldiers.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/world/reports-18500-children-have-been-killed-in-gaza/

World

Reports: 18,500 children have been killed in Gaza

The genocide in Gaza

Published 31 July 2025
– By Editorial Staff
A child who was injured in connection with Israel's warfare in Gaza.
2 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

According to recent figures, a total of approximately 18,500 children have been killed in Gaza since the war began. The Washington Post has now published all their names.

Since the war began in October 2023, over 60,000 Palestinians have been reported dead and more than 145,000 injured. The figures include both civilians and combatants and are considered to be significantly underestimated, according to public health analysts and doctors.

According to them, Israel’s attacks on health and medical infrastructure have made reliable data collection nearly impossible.

Of these, 18,500 are children, according to a name list published by Gaza’s health department in mid-July. The Washington Post has now published the names of all the children who were killed.

“The ministry’s list of names is the only official record of the dead. Children fill page after page”, the newspaper writes.

Infants among the killed

The list includes children of all ages – over 900 of them did not live to see their first birthday. Among them Houriya Amran, Samir Tamraz and Anas Ashour.

Three-year-old Reem Badwan is also on the list, who was killed together with her five-year-old older brother Tariq in November 2023. Images of their grandfather holding her lifeless body, kissing her eyes and calling her “soul of my soul”, have spread around the world.

Cannot be justified

Gaza’s health department is controlled by Hamas and its figures are therefore regularly questioned. But medical personnel work within the department, and in previous conflicts their numbers have often been close to independent assessments.

Other and more independent data is not available – Israel does not allow international experts or foreign journalists to enter.

Israel states that it tries to avoid civilian casualties but that Hamas operations in civilian areas justify attacks on homes, schools, hospitals and refugee camps.

The UN, human rights organizations and several European governments argue, however, that Hamas presence cannot justify the extensive destruction and civilian casualties.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/sweden/swedish-minister-condemns-israels-annexation-plans-for-gaza/

Sweden

Swedish minister condemns Israel’s annexation plans for Gaza

The genocide in Gaza

Published 30 July 2025
– By Editorial Staff
2 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Sweden’s development aid minister Benjamin Dousa (Moderate Party) reacts sharply to reports that Israel plans to annex parts of the Gaza Strip with support from US President Donald Trump. According to Israeli media, the plans are to be presented if Hamas does not release its hostages.

According to reports in Israeli newspaper Haaretz, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is preparing an annexation plan that would receive American support. The Swedish government strongly distances itself from these plans.

— We strongly condemn any potential plans to annex Palestinian territory. This would clearly violate international law, Dousa tells Swedish tabloid Aftonbladet.

The development aid minister also criticizes American support for the annexation and believes it would have devastating international consequences. He describes how the Israeli government has “radicalized during the spring and summer” in an unexpected way.

Criticism of humanitarian situation

The catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza also draws strong criticism from Dousa. Reports of mass starvation have reached Sweden, and the development aid minister accuses Israel of not living up to international humanitarian principles.

— It is obvious that Israel is not living up to international humanitarian principles. They are letting in too little humanitarian aid, he says.

Dousa describes the handling as a “complete logistical disaster”, pointing to chaotic scenes with injuries and deaths as a result of Israel’s actions.

Sweden has summoned the Israeli ambassador and is pushing for EU sanctions against violent settlers in the West Bank. The government is also open to supporting international initiatives for airlifts to Gaza, but prefers truck transport via the UN for larger volumes.

— The homes of Gaza residents belong to Gaza residents. It is not up to Israel or the USA to redraw the map as they please, Dousa emphasizes.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Facts about annexation and international law

International law prohibits the annexation of another country's territory. According to international law, annexation means that a state takes control over another state's territory through violence or coercion, which is an illegal act that must not be recognized by other states. This is seen as a "flagrant violation of international law", and there is no legal provision that justifies such annexation.

The UN Charter, which forms a fundamental part of international law, protects states' territorial integrity and political independence through prohibitions against acts of aggression and intervention in other states' internal affairs (articles 2.4 and 2.7). These principles mean that a state may not interfere in how another state is governed or take control over its territory.

https://nordictimes.com/world/expert-condemns-israeli-air-aid-to-gaza-a-sham-maneuver/

World

Expert condemns Israeli air aid to Gaza: “A sham maneuver”

The genocide in Gaza

Published 27 July 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Johan von Schreeb, a Swedish professor of disaster medicine, believes that the Israeli proposal to allow aid deliveries by air is likely a strategy to ensure that less food gets through.
2 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Israel’s aid shipments by air to Gaza are an ineffective sham maneuver that prevents real aid from reaching those in need. This is the view of Johan von Schreeb, professor of disaster medicine, after the Israeli military, IDF, initiated daily “humanitarian pauses” in the fighting.

The Israeli military has been conducting daily ceasefires since Sunday between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. in densely populated parts of Gaza, including Al-Mawasi, Deir al-Balah and Gaza City. In connection with the pauses, the IDF has dropped aid supplies from the air, containing flour, sugar and canned goods.

But von Schreeb is critical of the method.

— We know that it is extremely ineffective, it is ten times more expensive than bringing in food by road. In this case, in Gaza where there is infrastructure even though much is destroyed, it is simply poor and likely a strategy to ensure that less food gets in, he says.

Risky distribution

The professor also warns that the airborne aid could end up in the wrong hands or cause additional dangers for the civilian population.

— They could end up with those who have Kalashnikovs who can drive away the rest of the civilian population and instead sell the food, says von Schreeb.

According to the expert, the UN system has 6,000 trucks ready in Jordan and Egypt, but the borders to Gaza remain closed. Since the UN agency UNRWA was effectively banned from operating in Israel, the Israeli-American organization Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has taken over food distributions – with deadly consequences. Over 1,000 people are reported to have been killed or died during the organization’s distributions.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

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