Northern Gaza subject to environmental pollution after 7 months of Israeli war

Gaza: The northern Gaza Strip is exposed to unprecedented health problems and environmental pollution, threatening serious health and ecological repercussions for over 700,000 Palestinians due to piled waste and hundreds of mass graves.

According to a statement, the office for government media Monday said the waste is estimated at 75,000 tons. Hundreds of thousands of tons of rubble are spread from homes destroyed by the Israeli forces’ bombing of the besieged enclave.

The waste caused the spread of infectious diseases to thousands of people, especially hepatitis and skin diseases and has become a fertile environment for the breeding of flies, mosquitoes, insects and harmful reptiles, according to the statement.

The statement notes that the piles of rubble from destroyed houses and the thousands of decomposed bodies underneath constitute a “dangerous” health and environmental hazard.

Municipalities are not capable of dealing with the “huge” quantities of waste and rubble due to the lack of appropriate mac
hinery and equipment after the Israeli forces bombed dozens of municipal equipment and machinery and due to the lack of fuel.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Defence Affaris Minister meets Netherlands counterpart

Manama, Lieutenant General Abdullah bin Hassan Al Nuaimi, the Minister of Defence Affairs, received Kaisa Ulunkharn, the Minister of Defense of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, upon her arrival at Bahrain International Airport on Monday evening.

Source: Bahrain News Agency

Watchdog accuses Israeli authorities of detaining 3,000 Palestinian Gazans since war started

Gaza: Al Mezan Centre for Human Rights Monday reported that since the beginning of the war on Gaza, the Israeli forces have detained 3,000 Palestinians in Gaza, including children and doctors.

According to a statement, the watchdog said it estimates that 1,650 are detained in Israeli prisons based on the Israeli Unlawful Combatant Law of 2002 which deprives detainees of any judicial counselling and fair trial guarantees.

The detainees are being held in the Nafha and Negev prisons in complete isolation. The Israeli authorities prevent the publication of information related to Palestinian detainees and deprive them of appointing lawyers or any legal representation, according to the statement.

It notes that the Israeli authorities sent some 300 other detainees from Gaza, including 10 children to Ashkelon and Ofer prisons for “investigation.”

The Centre accused the Israeli prison authorities of torturing and degrading detainees starting at the moment of their arrest.

The Prosecutor of the International Crimi
nal Court called for issuing arrest warrants against anyone who orders or commits “such horrific crimes.”

Source: Jordan News Agency

Chief of Public Security chairs National Emergency Management Committee meeting

Manama, Lieutenant General Tariq Al Hassan, the Chief of Public Security, chaired an extraordinary meeting of the National Civil Emergency Management Committee.

Members representing concerned ministries and authorities attended the meeting to inspect preparedness for expected unstable weather.

The Chief highlighted the instructions of General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Minister of Interior and Chairman of the Civil Defence Council, to ensure readiness of concerned authorities in dealing with the impact of heavy rainfall.

The committee emphasised the implementation of a comprehensive strategy to address unstable weather patterns, which included launching an awareness campaign by disseminating essential safety guidelines to the public.

Lt. Gen. Al Hassan highlighted the efforts of the relevant ministries and authorities in setting proactive measures to address the rain. This approach aims to prevent any potential obstacles that might hinder the implementation of the primary plans.

He said that
concerned authorities would deploy heavily to promptly respond to emergencies, and citizens and residents could seek assistance via the emergency hotline (999).

The response teams are prepared with the required equipment, pumps, and vehicles to handle any cases, rescue operations, and assistance.

At the end of the meeting, the committee affirmed the significance of the public being aware of heavy rain and high wind instructions by visiting the National Civil Protection Platform. It also called for caution, seeking information from official sources, and following instructions of specialised authorities for the safety of all.

Source: Bahrain News Agency

Gaza 7-month war doubles Israel’s debt

Amman: Israel’s debts increased by 200 per cent in 2023, according to what the Israeli Ministry of Finance announced in a Monday report.

According to Channel 12, the Ministry said in its report that last year Israel recorded debts amounting to $43 billion, including $22 billion since the outbreak of the ongoing war on Gaza in October.

The total debt reached 62.1 per cent of Israel’s GDP in 2023, up from 60.5 per cent in 2022 due to higher military spending and is expected to reach 67 per cent in 2024.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Works Minister inspect preparations for rainfall accumulations

Manama, Ibrahim bin Hassan Al Hawaj, Minister of Works, inspected major roads in Bahrain, to monitor readiness for potential rainfall accumulations, and ensure smooth traffic movement and safety as the kingdom is expected to be affected by medium to heavy thundery rains over the next two days.

The minister visited the tunnel between Buri and Aali, Al Lawzi Street, Khalifa Al Khabeer Highway, and Dry Dock Highway.

Shaikh Mishal bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, the Undersecretary of the Works Ministry, accompanied the minister.

The minister affirmed that the ministry worked on regular cleaning of rainfall drains, maintenance of pumping stations and unloading of rainwater tanks.

He said that the ministry has provided pumps and distributed tanks in various locations to deal with rainwater accumulations promptly.

The Ministry of Works emphasised the importance of adhering to certain guidelines to ensure the proper functioning of the sewage network, especially during periods of rainfall, to prevent drainage water back
flow into properties and minimise environmental impact. The ministry strongly advised against opening manhole covers during rainfall.

The ministry urged citizens, residents and visitors to report rainfall accumulations on main streets via the hotline 17545544.

Source: Bahrain News Agency

May Day holiday announced

Amman: Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh said Monday that public institutions will be on holiday on May 2 to mark Labour Day.

He said ministries, public offices, universities, municipalities, joint services councils, the Greater Amman Municipality and government-owned companies will be closed on Thursday, May 2, instead of the first of May.

Source: Jordan News Agency