ConflictsMiddle East

Middle East: Hamas seeks ceasefire guarantees

Matt Ford with Reuters, AFP, AP, dpa | Jenipher Camino Gonzalez Editor07/03/2025July 3, 2025

The Islamist militant group Hamas is reportedly seeking guarantees that a US-backed ceasefire will lead to a permanent end to hostilities, as more Palestinians are killed in Israeli air strikes. DW has more.

https://p.dw.com/p/4wucaImage: Ali Jadallah/Anadolu Agency/IMAGOSkip next section What you need to know

What you need to know

• Hamas is seeking guarantees that a ceasefire deal will lead to an end of the war
• Almost 100 Palestinians killed on Thursday in Gaza
• UN expert calls on countries to cut trade ties with Israel

Welcome to DW’s coverage of developments in the Middle East on Thursday, July 3. Refresh the page for updates.

Skip next section UN expert calls on countries to cut Israel trade ties07/03/2025July 3, 2025

UN expert calls on countries to cut Israel trade ties

A United Nations expert on Thursday urged countries to cut off financial and trade ties with Israel and impose an arms embargo in response to what she called an “apocalyptic” situation in the Gaza Strip.

“Israel is responsible for one of the cruelest genocides in modern history,” said Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, in a speech to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland.

Albanese was presenting her latest report which named more than 60 companies she said were involved in supporting Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and military actions in Gaza.

“What I expose is not a list, it is a system, and that is to be addressed,” she told the council, calling for international companies to face legal consequences for what she alleged was their involvement in violations of international law.

Israel’s delegate was not present for the speech at the Geneva council, which Israel claims has an antisemitic bias, and has yet to comment.

Earlier this week, however, Israeli representatives in Switzerland called Albanese’s report “legally groundless, defamatory and a flagrant abuse of her office.”

Gaza family mourns 19-year-old killed at Israeli aid site

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https://p.dw.com/p/4wucgSkip next section Gaza Health Ministry says nearly 100 Palestinians killed07/03/2025July 3, 2025

Gaza Health Ministry says nearly 100 Palestinians killed

At least 94 people were killed by Israeli airstrikes and alleged gunfire in the Gaza Strip overnight and on Thursday morning, including at least 45 who were attempting to access humanitarian aid, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

According to the Hamas-run institution, at least five people were killed near sites linked to the controversial US and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), while at least 33 others were killed at other aid-related locations.

Elsewhere, the French AFP news agency, citing Gaza’s civil defense agency, reported that an Israeli strike on a school building providing shelter for displaced people in Gaza City killed at least 12 people, mainly women and children.

The Associated Press (AP) news agency reported that others were killed in airstrikes which struck tents in Muwasi, a sprawling zone where many Palestinians are attempting to shelter in tents.

Gazans demand peace after hospital director killed in strike

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https://p.dw.com/p/4wucfSkip next section Hamas seeks ceasefire guarantees 07/03/2025July 3, 2025

Hamas seeks ceasefire guarantees

The Palestinian militant group Hamas is seeking “clear guarantees” that a new US-backed ceasefire deal would ultimately lead to the end of the ongoing war with Israel.

The latest deal, which proposes the return of ten living Israeli hostages and the bodies of 18 more in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails during a 60-day ceasefire, has allegedly been accepted by Israel, according to US President Donald Trump.

“We are approaching the matter with great responsibility,” Hamas said on its Telegram channel on Wednesday.

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Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen, who sits on the government’s security cabinet, told Israeli news outlet Ynet that there was “definitely readiness to advance a deal.”

Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said most of his government colleagues back a Gaza agreement that includes the release of hostages. “If the opportunity arises, we must not miss it!” he wrote on social media.

Two Israeli officials told the Reuters news agency however that details were still being ironed out.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his stance that there can be no end to the war while Hamas remain in control of the Gaza Strip.

“I am telling you: there will be no more Hamas, there will be no more Hamastan, we are not going back to that, it’s over,” he said in a speech in the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon on Wednesday in remarks quoted by his office.

“We will free all of our hostages,” Netanyahu added. “We will eliminate Hamas down to its very foundations.”

Is Middle East peace within reach with US involvement?

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https://p.dw.com/p/4wuciSkip next section Welcome to our coverage07/03/2025July 3, 2025

Welcome to our coverage

Hello and welcome to DW’s coverage of developments in the Middle East on Thursday, July 3.

The Palestinian militant group Hamas says it is seeking guarantees that the latest US-backed ceasefire proposal will eventually lead to an end to the war with Israel.

Meanwhile, almost 100 more people have been killed in Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip, and also reportedly near sites distributing humanitarian aid.

A United Nations expert has descried the “apocalyptic” situation in the enclave and called on states to cut trade ties with Israel over what the UN expert described as a “genocidal” campaign.

https://p.dw.com/p/4wue8Matt Ford Reporter for DW News and Fact CheckSend us your feedback

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SănătateGermania

Majoritatea germanilor doresc reguli mai stricte privind consumul de alcool în rândul adolescenților

Amy Stockdale dpa, AFPD, EPD07/03/20253 iulie 2025

Aproape două treimi dintre germanii chestionați susțin interzicerea consumului de alcool de către adolescenți. Miniștrii germani ai sănătății sunt, de asemenea, de acord.

https://p.dw.com/p/4wtDZIn Germania, tinerilor de 14 ani li se permite să consume bere și vin sub supravegherea unui tutore legal.Imagine: Ute Grabowsky/photothek/picture alliance

Un sondaj recent publicat joi a arătat că aproape două treimi dintre germani consideră că tinerilor de 14 ani ar trebui să li se interzică consumul de alcool. În Germania, adolescenților de 14 ani li se permite să cumpere și să bea o bere sau un pahar de vin, dacă sunt însoțiți de un tutore legal.

În sondajul realizat de agenția Forsa și comandat de compania germană de asigurări de sănătate Kaufmännische Krankenkasse (KKH), persoanelor li s-au adresat întrebări despre tineri și alcool. În total, au fost chestionate 1000 de persoane cu vârste cuprinse între 18 și 70 de ani din toată Germania.

Sondajul a constatat că puțin peste jumătate dintre germani doresc, de asemenea, ca vârsta legală pentru cumpărarea de bere și vin să crească de la 16 la 18 ani. În Germania, vânzarea de alcool tare este permisă în prezent doar de la vârsta de 18 ani.

Publicitatea alcoolului este un subiect care a apărut anterior în politica germană, iar dintre germanii chestionați, 35% ar prefera o interdicție completă.

O altă treime dintre respondenți doreau mai multe restricții.

Consumul de alcool vine cu riscuri pentru sănătate, inclusiv un risc crescut de boli cardiovasculare și afecțiuni hepatice. Imagine: Yui Mok/PA Wire/empics/picture alliance

Consumul de alcool în Germania, un obicei riscant?

În toată Germania, barurile, pub-urile și restaurantele sunt considerate importante pentru socializare, adesea cu implicarea alcoolului. Deși consumul general de alcool a scăzut în ultimii ani, se pare că în Germania există 1,6 milioane de persoane care au o dependență de alcool.

Într-un sondaj realizat de Centrul pentru Educație Sanitară (BZgA) din Germania în 2024, consumul excesiv de alcool în rândul copiilor cu vârste cuprinse între 12 și 17 ani a crescut, de asemenea, ușor.

Asociațiile medicilor din Germania solicită de mult timp politici de sănătate pentru reducerea consumului de alcool în Germania.

Chiar și cu moderație, alcoolul nu este sănătos, potrivit Societății Germane de Nutriție (DGE). Acestea recomandă abținerea completă de la băuturile alcoolice, adăugând că alcoolul crește riscul de a dezvolta cancer, boli cardiovasculare și afecțiuni hepatice.

Urmărește cele mai importante știri

Pentru adolescenții al căror corp este încă în curs de dezvoltare, riscurile pot fi mai mari.

„Cu cât tinerii beau alcool mai devreme, cu atât sunt mai mari riscurile pentru sănătate”, a explicat psihologul Franziska Klemm de la KKH.

Cât de important este alcoolul în viața germanilor?

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Ce spun politicienii?

Miniștrii sănătății din statele federale germane au insistat pentru interzicerea regulii consumului supravegheat de alcool.

Katharina Schenk, ministrul sănătății din statul est-german Turingia, a declarat recent, la o întâlnire, că „Alcoolul, ca drog consumat pe scară largă, reprezintă o problemă semnificativă pentru copii și adolescenți”.

Ministrul federal german al sănătății, Nina Warken, și-a exprimat sprijinul pentru această inițiativă.

Editat de Jenipher Camino Gonzalez

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PoliticăStatele Unite ale Americii

Camera Reprezentanților SUA aprobă proiectul de lege privind cheltuielile „Mare și frumos” al lui Trump

Jon Shelton (cu AP, Reuters)07/03/20253 iulie 2025

Președintele SUA, Donald Trump, a depășit ultimul obstacol în implementarea unei părți importante a agendei sale de reducere a cheltuielilor guvernamentale și de acordare a reducerilor de impozite celor bogați.

https://p.dw.com/p/4wuzLRepublicanii s-au aliniat în spatele președintelui Trump, adoptând joi proiectul său masiv de lege privind impozitele și cheltuielileImagine: ALEX WROBLEWSKI/AFP via Getty Images

Republicanii din Camera Reprezentanților SUA au adoptat proiectul președintelui Donald Trump autoproclamat joi „One Big Beautiful Bill”, asigurând adoptarea atunci când va ajunge pe biroul său pentru semnare pe 4 iulie, așa cum a cerut partidului său, care deține majorități în ambele camere ale Congresului.

Proiectul de lege a fost adoptat în mare parte pe baza liniilor partidelor, cu un vot final de 218-214, doi republicani alăturându-se tuturor democraților care au votat împotriva proiectului de lege.

Proiectul de lege inițial al Camerei Reprezentanților a trecut de Senat marți, după unele modificări – vicepreședintele JD Vance având votul de departajare – și a fost votat în această formă modificată de Cameră joi.

Casa Albă a anunțat rapid că Trump va semna proiectul de lege vineri, 4 iulie – Ziua Independenței SUA – o dată simbolică pe care președintele o va folosi, fără îndoială, pentru a sublinia amploarea victoriei sale politice.

Mai mulți republicani atât din Cameră, cât și din Senat au ținut să spună că nu le plac aspecte ale proiectului de lege înainte de a se intimida. lui Trump de teama represaliilor politice.

De-a lungul anilor, Trump și-a respectat promisiunile de a-i alunga din partid sau de a se pensiona pe republicanii care votează împotriva lui. Certurile din perioada premergătoare proiectului de lege nu au fost diferite, senatorul republican Thom Tillis, de exemplu, anunțând că nu va candida pentru realegere înainte de a vota împotriva acestuia.

Proiectul de lege privind cheltuielile al lui Trump trece de Senat, în timp ce Vance rupe egalitatea

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Ce conține proiectul de lege privind taxele și cheltuielile al lui Trump?

Pe lângă faptul că îi determină pe republicani să adopte legislația dorită, Trump îi face și să repete imaginea sa de brand, toată lumea numind-o „One Big Beautiful Bill” sau BBB.

Democrații și unii republicani s-au plâns în toate etapele că proiectul de lege era adoptat în grabă de președinte, membrii Congresului neavând nici măcar timp să citească ce conținea. O lectură publică a proiectului de lege impusă de democrații din Senat a continuat timp de aproape 16 ore.

Printre altele, proiectul de lege va face permanente reducerile de impozite pentru cei bogați și va aloca trilioane de dolari pentru apărare, detenție și deportare a imigranților, reducând în același timp finanțarea asistenței medicale pentru milioane de americani cu venituri mici și mesele pentru copiii din districtele școlare sărace.

Reduceri mari de impozite pentru cei bogați, creșterea poverii fiscale pentru săraci

Biroul Bugetar al Congresului (CBO), un organism non-partizan, estimează că acest proiect – o prioritate majoră pentru Trump și republicani – va crește veniturile gospodăriilor bogate cu până la

Susținătorii proiectului de lege spun că reducerile de impozite pentru corporații și întreprinderi vor stimula creșterea economică, promițând că, în cele din urmă, toată lumea va beneficia.

Abuzul de sisteme de asistență socială a fost folosit în mod repetat de republicani ca justificare pentru a adopta reduceri ale asistenței sociale, deși în aparițiile în mass-media și în timpul dezbaterilor, aceștia au oferit puțin mai mult decât anecdote nefondate. acuzații.

„Proiectul de lege Big Beautiful” al lui Trump stârnește îngrijorare pentru asistența medicală și ajutorul financiar

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Cheltuieli mari pentru detenția și apărarea imigranților

Dincolo de reducerile masive la programele interne de asistență medicală și nutriție, unele părți ale guvernului, și anume sectoarele de apărare și poliție pentru imigrație, urmează să beneficieze de creșteri enorme ale cheltuielilor.

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Unele și angajarea a cel puțin 100.000 de noi agenți de Imigrare și Control Vamal (ICE), în efortul de a îndeplini obiectivul declarat al lui Trump de a deporta un milion de oameni din America în fiecare an.

Consiliul American pentru Imigrație a declarat că proiectul de lege prevede și un scut național de apărare antirachetă.

Mai mult, Departamentul Apărării va primi

Reducere ideologică

Numeroase alte proiecte favorite vor fi finanțate prin proiectul de lege, inclusiv conturi de economii pentru naștere pe care republicanii le numesc conturi Trump și   un parc istoric de dreapta cu figuri pe care președintele le consideră „eroi americani”.

Proiectul de lege impozitează, de asemenea, remitențele imigranților și atacă din nou învățământul superior din SUA prin perceperea unei noi taxe pe fondurile universitare.

Alte taxe, cum ar fi cele pe amortizoarele de armă, au fost eliminate.

Finanțarea pentru avorturi va fi redusă de proiectul de lege, iar explorarea planetei Marte va primi miliarde de dolari.

Legislația crește, de asemenea, plafonul datoriei cu 5 trilioane de dolari pentru a permite continuarea împrumuturilor.

În total, Biroul Bugetar al Congresului estimează că proiectul de lege va crește deficitele federale cu aproape 3,3 trilioane de dolari în următorii 10 ani.

Editat de Jenipher Camino Gonzalez

Jon Shelton Scriitor, traducător și editor în echipa de știri online a DW. Trimiteți-ne feedback-ul dvs.

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MigrațieEuropa

Austria deportează primul sirian de la începutul războiului civil

Jon Shelton (dpa, Reuters)07/03/20253 iulie 2025

Austria a deportat joi primul său sirian în 15 ani. Măsura vine în contextul în care Austria și Germania vecină încearcă să deporteze infractori în națiunea sfâșiată de război și în Afganistan.

https://p.dw.com/p/4wumiAustria a devenit primul stat membru al UE care a reluat deportările în Siria Imagine: Frank Hoermann/Sven Simon/IMAGO

Ministerul austriac de Interne a anunțat joi că a efectuat prima deportare a unui sirian în Siria de la începutul războiului civil din această țară, în urmă cu mai bine de 15 ani. Bărbatul de 32 de ani deportat a fost transportat cu avionul la Damasc prin Istanbul.

Deși numele său nu a fost dezvăluit și nici infracțiunea specifică nu a fost menționată, ministrul austriac de Interne, Gerhard Karner, a declarat că bărbatul a fost condamnat în noiembrie 2018, moment în care i s-a retras statutul de refugiat.

„Un criminal sirian a fost deportat astăzi din Austria în Siria, mai exact la Damasc”, a declarat Karner reporterilor, adăugând: „Cred că este un semnal extrem de important că Austria aplică o politică de azil dură, strictă, energică, dar echitabilă, prin care cei care pun în pericol alții, criminalii, vor fi îndepărtați din țară.”

Austria spune că Siria este sigură, grupurile pentru drepturile omului nu sunt atât de sigure

Austria și Germania vecină au fost dornice să repatrieze criminalii sirieni și pe cei pe care îi consideră potențiali islamiști acum că fostul președinte Bashar Assad a fost răsturnat și războiul civil s-a încheiat.

În aprilie, Karner a zburat la Damasc cu omoloaga sa de atunci din Germania, Nancy Faeser, pentru a iniția returnarea acestor persoane. persoane în Siria, care a fost considerată sigură pentru returnare.

Odată cu repatrierea de joi, Austria a devenit prima națiune din UE care a deportat pe cineva înapoi în Siria.

Grupurile pentru drepturile omului spun însă că este prea devreme pentru a ști cum se va dezvolta situația din Siria sub guvernul islamist care a preluat puterea după ce l-a înlăturat pe Assad. De asemenea, aceștia se tem că decizia Austriei va crea un precedent pentru alte țări.

Ministrul austriac de Interne, Gerhard Karner, spune că vor urma mai multe deportări în Siria. Imagine: Max Slovencik/APA/picture alliance

Sirienii și afganii reprezintă cel mai mare număr de solicitanți de azil

Coaliția conservatoare aflată la guvernare în Austria încearcă să-și folosească poziția dură privind imigrația pentru a-i recâștiga pe alegătorii care au trecut la Partidul Libertății Austriace (FPÖ), partid de extremă dreapta, care a câștigat alegerile parlamentare din septembrie anul trecut.

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Partidul Popular din Austria – care conduce acest guvern – a suspendat procesarea cererilor de azil pentru sirieni la câteva zile după căderea lui Assad, în timp ce conducea guvernul anterior.

Cetățenii sirieni au depus mai multe cereri de azil decât orice alt grup din 2015, conform datelor Ministerului de Interne. În timpul comentariilor sale, Karner a vorbit și despre dorința sa de a începe deportările în Afganistan.

„Vor exista și va trebui să existe și alte deportări către Siria. Acestea sunt, de asemenea, pregătite”, a declarat Karner joi.

Actualul ministru de externe al Germaniei, Alexander Dobrindt, a declarat că speră să urmeze exemplul Austriei, solicitând în același timp discuții directe cu talibanii pentru a facilita același lucru în Afganistan.

Joi, Dobrindt a declarat: „Există contacte cu Siria privind un acord de returnare a criminalilor sirieni. Încă nu există rezultate.”

Jon Shelton Scriitor, traducător și editor în echipa de știri online a DW. Trimiteți-ne feedback-ul dvs.

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PoliticsUnited States of America

‘One event’ arms pause will be little comfort to Ukraine

Matthew Ward Agius07/03/2025July 3, 2025

The US says its surprise pause on arms shipments is a one-off. But amid the turbulent US-Ukraine relationship, the assurance will offer little comfort to Volodymyr Zelenskyy or his European supporters.

https://p.dw.com/p/4wuJhA decision to withhold an arms shipment has again highlighted the cooling relationship between the US and Ukraine under Donald TrumpImage: Andreas Stroh/ZUMAPRESS/picture alliance

A US announcement this week that a batch of arms shipments to Ukraine would be paused is yet another reminder that the eastern European country’s supply of advanced military equipment is not as secure as it once was. 

That’s despite the US downplaying its decision to withhold crucial arms shipments to Ukraine, where a state department spokesperson told reporters it was a one-off.

“This is not a cessation of us assisting Ukraine or of providing weapons,” said spokeswoman Tammy Bruce. “This is one event and one situation and we’ll discuss what else comes up in future.”

Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy is due to speak with Donald Trump on Friday about the decision, however it comes amid difficult relations during the US leader’s second term, stemming most notably from the globally broadcast falling out between the two leaders during a White House sitdown in early March.

Trump confirmed in a post on his social media platform that he will first speak with Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Thursday.

Following the disastrous White House visit, Zelenskyy sought to shore up support closer to home with key European allies. Europe has since stepped up their support in financial and supply terms.

But if the US were to continue to withhold its support, it would significantly undermine Ukraine’s position versus Russia.

“If this were to be a longer-term issue, it would definitely be a challenge for Ukraine to cope,” Jana Kobzova, a senior policy fellow specializing at the European Council on Foreign Relations, told DW.

“Partly because some of the US systems are not easily replaceable, that goes especially for air defense, but also some of the longer-range capabilities which Ukraine has started to produce domestically but not in the quantities needed.”

Ukrainians reflect on fighting Russia without US support

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Without US support, Ukraine’s enemy is time and resources

Among the American weapons due for shipping were Patriot air defense missiles and precision-guided artillery, according to officials speaking to newswires anonymously.

The pause on these shipments comes at a critical time, with Russia ramping up weapons production and attacks. Those include strikes on soldier draft hubs in Poltava, the national capital Kyiv and port city Odesa and ground advances in key regions in Eastern Ukraine.

Despite increased spending on defense from Europe’s NATO members — now 5% of GDP following its June meeting — any long-term US stall on weapons will squeeze Ukraine and its neighbors.

“There is recognition at the political level … that we would need to be increasing production, but none of that happens quickly enough for Ukraine,” said Kobzova.

Kobzova also pointed to investments being made into Ukraine’s own defense industry to buffer against future supply line cuts from the US. Europe is now the biggest investor in Ukraine’s domestic defense industry.

Kyiv seeks ‘clarity’ on US cutback of arms deliveries

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But even that might not be enough. Marina Miron, a defense researcher specializing in military technology and Russian capability at Kings College London, UK, told DW.

She said despite the acrimony between Trump and Zelenskyy, the pause on shipments could be due to logistics, with the US potentially needing to weigh its own domestic supply needs against the support it gives to dozens of other countries, including Israel.

Experts interviewed by DW highlighted the offer made by Zelenskyy to directly purchase armaments from the US, but, in reality, arms manufacturing is a time-consuming process.

“It takes two years to produce one [air defense missile] battery,” said Miron.

“So even if you buy them now, it doesn’t mean that they will be on the battlefield. You place a purchase order and you get in the queue.”

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Finding a way to more effectively repair and adapt equipment for different missiles could be a potential stopgap to meet immediate needs. But, as defense supplies are again in doubt, Miron asked whether Ukraine has what it needs to push back Russia’s offensive.

“The problem is time and money and we also have the variable of people,” he said, adding that about 90 people are needed to operate a Patriot air missile battery.

And Ukraine, Miron points out, is losing people with no guarantee of replacement as the war grinds through its fourth year.

US support for Ukraine is on the wane, Europe rallies 

Ukraine’s support in Europe has been increasing — both rhetorically and materially.

As it took over the presidency of the EU for the next six months, Denmark has taken the early opportunity to put Ukraine’s membership application into the bloc back on the agenda.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Thursday said the EU “must strengthen Ukraine. And we must weaken Russia.”

“Ukraine is essential to Europe’s security. Our contribution to Ukraine is also a protection of our freedom. Ukraine belongs in the European Union. It is in both in Denmark’s and Europe’s interest.”

That’s on the back of a visit to Ukraine from German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, who branded Ukraine’s plight Berlin’s most important foreign policy task.

But the signals from the US suggest to the continent that its tarnsatlantic ally is not the steadfast partner it once was.

“There is a sober analysis both in Kyiv and the European part of NATO that relying on US military assistance to continue forever in Ukraine is not an option,” said Kobzova. “And that has been there ever since March when the assistance was stopped for the first time.”

That view is echoed by retired US Army Europe Commanding General Ben Hodges, who said the US decision to pause shipments was not about stockpiles.

“It’s a choice of this Administration to placate Russia, at the expense of Ukraine,” Hodges told DW. “It also shows the very limited understanding this administration [has] of the importance to America’s strategic interests to help Ukraine and Europe deter Russia.”

Miron’s also takes a pessimistic view on the US-Ukraine ties, even with attempts to entice Trump back to the Ukrainian cause. 

“Certainly you can try some diplomacy, and explain to Trump that Ukraine matters, but I think Trump has already made up his mind,” he said. “Trump has much more to solve with Russia in terms of global problems than with Ukraine.”

Edited by: Jess Smee

Matthew Ward Agius Journalist reporting on politics, health, history, science, climate and environment.Send us your feedback

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ConflictsPalestinian Territories

Trying to get aid in Gaza: Killed while lining up for food

Tania Krämer | Hazem Balousha in Gaza07/03/2025July 3, 2025

With hundreds of civilians shot and killed near aid distribution centers in Gaza in recent weeks, allegations mount over Israeli military tactics.

https://p.dw.com/p/4wrnkMahmoud Qassem, Khader’s father (above), said his son "hadn’t even begun to live his life."Image: Mohammed al Madhoun/DW

A little over a week ago, Mahmoud Qassem lost his son, Khader. The 19-year-old had been trying to reach a food distribution center run by the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) in central Gaza.

“The last time his mother and I heard from him was at 11 p.m. that night. He told me he was in a safe place — he had gone to the Netzarim distribution center — and I told him to take care,” Qassem told DW from a tent in Gaza City, where the family has been displaced.

“At 1 a.m., I tried calling him again, but his phone wasn’t receiving calls. I started to feel anxious. There was no word the whole time, and I waited until 2 p.m. on Friday. I felt like a fire was burning inside me,” said the 50-year-old.

On Friday, Qassem went to central Gaza and checked the hospitals until he discovered that Khader had been killed. When the body was eventually recovered, after coordination with the Israeli military, it showed that his son had died from several gunshot wounds.

“A 19-year-old boy who hadn’t even begun to live his life, all for fetching a box,” he said, barely holding back tears. He added that he hadn’t wanted Khader to go, but his son had felt that he needed to provide for his family.

“The situation here is beyond description. People are sacrificing themselves to make it. Only God knows what we are going through. No one feels for us — not Hamas, not Israel, not the Arab countries, not anyone.”

Gaza family mourns 19-year-old killed at Israeli aid site

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Food, other supplies extremely scarce in Gaza

Almost daily reports of violence, injuries and killings tied to food and aid distribution highlight the unbearable reality facing Gaza’s 2.3 million residents, who have become almost completely dependent on supplies entering through the crossings with Israel. Nearly the entire population has been displaced, and around 57,000 Gazans, many of them women and children, have been killed in Israeli attacks since October 2023, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. An analysis in May found that 93% of the remaining population is experiencing acute food insecurity.

Food and other supplies are extremely scarce in Gaza, even with the resumption of aid deliveries by the UN and new distribution centers — three of which are currently open — run by the GHF, a US-Israeli organization, after an almost three-month Israeli blockade.

Israeli officials justified the blockade by claiming that Hamas is stealing aid and using it to finance its operations. This claim has been rejected by the UN and other international and local aid groups, which have had a well-established network and distribution mechanism in Gaza for many years.

But aid trucks have repeatedly been looted, either by armed gangs or by ordinary people desperately trying to get hold of food. Meanwhile, the Israeli army has intensified its airstrikes, issuing widespread evacuation orders for large parts of northern and southern Gaza.

Saeed Abu Libda, a 44 year-old father of five, recently managed to pick up one sack of flour when a truck passed by near Khan Younis. “I know it was risky but we need to eat,” he told DW by phone, since foreign journalists are not allowed in Gaza.

Abu Libda said there were thousands of people waiting for the trucks, when suddenly he heard two shells being fired. “I saw people on the ground, some were injured, some were cut to pieces. I was injured by a shrapnel in my abdomen, but luckily it was a light injury.”

Palestinians collect aid supplies from the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian FoundationImage: Hatem Khaled/REUTERS

Hundreds killed near food distribution sites in recent weeks

The Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza has put the number of people killed in recent weeks by Israeli airstrikes, shootings and bombardments at more than 500. Most of these victims were waiting at food distribution sites or trucks carrying aid, or nearby, health officials said.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry dismissed these claims in a post shared on X on Tuesday, and accused Hamas of firing on civilians. It claimed that testimonies from Gaza residents showed that Hamas “spreads false claims blaming the IDF, inflates casualty numbers, and circulates fake footage.”

On Tuesday, about 130 of the world’s largest charities and NGOs, including Oxfam and Save the Children, urged that the GHF be shut down. They said the foundation forced thousands of starving people into militarized zones, where they faced gunfire while trying to access lifesaving aid. 

GHF’s chairman Johnnie Moore stated on Wednesday during a press conference in Brussels that GHF would not cease operations. He said the foundation had delivered more than 55 million meals to date and was willing to work with the UN and other aid agencies. He added that the Gazan health ministry “every single day issues a statistic of civilian casualties and simultaneously attributes 100% of those civilian casualties to waiting for aid — virtually every time, waiting for our aid.”

Vezi toate știrile de pe Încercând obțină ajutoare

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has on multiple occasions stated that it has fired “warning shots” at individuals approaching military positions near aid distribution sites. It has not released any information on casualty numbers.

But on June 27, left-leaning Israeli newspaper Haaretz published an article alleging Israeli soldiers had been given the green light to open fire on crowds near food distribution sites, in order to keep them away from Israeli positions within the militarized zones.

Unnamed soldiers interviewed in the article said they had used lethal force against unarmed individuals who posed no threat. Haaretz also reported that the military was investigating whether these actions breached international law and constituted potential war crimes.

In a joint statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz swiftly dismissed the article, accusing the newspaper of “malicious falsehoods designed to defame the IDF, the most moral military in the world.” 

The IDF also rejected the accusations, saying in a statement carried by Israeli media that no forces had been ordered “to deliberately shoot at civilians, including those approaching the distribution centers.”

But three days later, on Monday, the Israeli military said that in light of “lessons learned,” the IDF had decided to reorganize access roads and aid centers, establish new checkpoints and warning signals to “reduce friction with the population and to maintain safety of troops operating on the ground.”

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has repeatedly claimed that there has been no violence at its sites, instead accusing foreign media outlets of not reporting the truth. “We have not had a single violent incident at our distribution sites. We haven’t had a violent incident in close proximity to our distribution sites,” Moore said.

Following the allegations raised in Haaretz, however, the GHF said these were “too grave to ignore” and called for an investigation. 

Dozens of people killed at aid distribution center in Gaza

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‘We receive just enough to keep us alive’

Meanwhile, desperate Palestinians often have to walk for hours through war-torn terrain to reach distribution centers located in Israeli-declared military zones. These centers are usually open for only a short time, and it’s often unclear where people can safely gather and wait for hours.

“The road there is very dangerous, and I try hard not to deviate from the main road to get there,” Ahmed Abu Raida told DW by phone from in Mawasi in southern Gaza, where he now lives in a tent with his extended family. “We wait for the announcement to open the centers, and during the long hours of waiting, there is heavy gunfire from several directions.”

Food, critical aid supplies only trickling into Gaza

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Abu Raida said he went to a GHF site in Rafah several times, and managed to get a prepackaged box containing flour, lentils, pasta, tea, cooking oil. “When we enter the place, there is great chaos due to the large number of people,” he said, calling the distribution process random. “There is no inspection or limit to the number of boxes one can take.”

Like the other people interviewed for this article, Abu Raida felt that in general, the process was humiliating and unfair. Elderly people, women or those needing help don’t stand a chance. “What can we do? We don’t have enough food or income to buy from the markets where prices are insanely high,” he said. “So all we receive is just enough to keep us alive.”

Edited by: Martin Kuebler

Tania Krämer DW correspondent, author and reporter, based in Jerusalem.Send us your feedback

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Sursa: DW

PoliticsAzerbaijan

Russia: Is Moscow losing Azerbaijan as an ally?

Alexey Strelnikov | Juri Rescheto07/03/2025July 3, 2025

Relations between Russia and Azerbaijan have cooled following contentious arrests in both countries. Russia may be about to lose even more influence in the Caucasus.

https://p.dw.com/p/4wuxiRussian President Vladimir Putin on a state visit to his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ilham Aliyev last yearImage: Mikhail Tereshchenko/Pool Sputnik Kremlin/AP/dpa/picture alliance

Last week, a police raid triggered a diplomatic crisis. Within a few days, the row between Russia and Azerbaijan had escalated, putting considerable strain on the already tense relationship between the two.

It began with a controversial police raid in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg on June 27. Several ethnic Azeri men were arrested as part of an investigation into crimes that date back years. The men are accused of carrying out assassinations and murders. Russian special forces clearly went in hard when making the arrests. Two of the men died, presumably as a result of the controversial raid.

Baku reacted swiftly and strongly. Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry condemned the “unacceptable act of violence” by the Russian security forces. All cultural events with ties to Russia were cancelled in protest. A presenter on primetime state television denounced Moscow’s “imperial behavior” toward former Soviet states. On June 30, Azerbaijani authorities arrested two Russian journalists with Russia’s state-funded news agency Sputnik Azerbaijan in Baku. According to media reports, the two were working for the Russian domestic security service, the FSB.

Moscow plays it down, Baku ups the ante

The Kremlin was restrained in its response. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he regretted Baku’s decision to cancel cultural events, stressing that the situation in Yekaterinburg “cannot and should not be a reason for such a reaction.” The Russian foreign ministry pointed out that the dead and detained men, although ethnic Azeris, were holders of Russian passports.

Putin and Aliyev have long been allies, but observers believe that may change (photo from August 2024)Image: Grigory Sysoyev/Sputnik/Kremlin/AP Photo/picture alliance

The following day, the Azerbaijani judicial authorities upped the ante by arresting more Russian citizens in Baku. They are accused of involvement in drug smuggling and organized crime. Photos from the courtroom show that some of the detainees appear to have been beaten. The men were identified on social media as programmers and tourists from Yekaterinburg.

The spiral of reciprocal accusations continues to intensify. More Azeris have been arrested in Russia, in the cities of Yekaterinburg and Voronezh. Regional experts described the row to DW as yet another strain on the relationship between the two countries, after the Azerbaijani plane crash late last year.

Why was the plane crash a turning point?

On December 25, 2024, an Azerbaijani plane carrying 62 passengers and five crew was hit by a Russian surface-to-air missile.

The tragedy occurred over the city of Grozny, where Russian air defenses were in action. The plane attempted to make an emergency landing, but crashed near the Kazakh city of Aktau. 38 people were killed.

The funeral of three crew members who were among the 38 killed when an Azerbaijani passenger plane was shot down by a Russian missileImage: Resul Rehimov/Anadolu/picture alliance

The Azerbaijani political scientist and conflict researcher Arif Yunusov believes the harsh rhetoric in both countries’ media since then is not a coincidence. In his view, information policy in both Russia and Azerbaijan is coordinated by government authorities, and bilateral relations are largely influenced by the personal feelings of the respective heads of state.

Aliyev signals annoyance with Putin

Yunusov comments that, for the Azerbaijani president, Ilham Aliyev, there was a personal dimension to the plane crash. A presidential plane was also flying over Russia at the time of the incident: In theory, this too could have become a target for the Russian anti-aircraft missiles.

Furthermore, the first official representative to apologize to the Azerbaijanis was not the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, but Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov. Yusunov says President Ilham Aliyev was annoyed by this. “Aliyev didn’t mention Kadyrov by name, but he was sharply critical, saying that it shouldn’t be other people calling him,” Yusunov explains. He believes that if Putin had been the first to call Aliyev, the public confrontation could have been avoided.

Urmărește cele mai importante știri

Ramzan Kadyrov (right), leader of the semi-autonomous Russian republic of Chechnya, with Vladimir Putin in 2023 Image: The Kremlin Moscow/SvenSimon/picture alliance

Independent Caucasus expert Kirill Krivosheev agrees. “Putin only made a formal apology, and it was clear that Aliyev was far from satisfied,” he told DW. However, Krivosheev emphasizes that recent events in Yekaterinburg were probably not initiated by the Kremlin. Criminal prosecutors in Russia have a logic of their own, he says. “They view all diaspora populations, including the Azeri community, as organized crime groups. It’s a widespread trend among sectors of the Russian elite.” Krivosheev believes the resulting diplomatic crisis is simply collateral damage.

According to Krivosheev, the government in Baku is using the political escalation to reinforce its position on the international stage. “It’s important to Aliyev that he comes across as a commanding leader who is able to say no to both Russia and the West.”

Azerbaijan takes assertive stance on Moscow

The Azerbaijani political scientist and member of parliament Rasim Muzabekov says Baku no longer sees Moscow as an external power in a position to dictate the rules in the Caucasus. He told DW that Azerbaijan had begun to develop its own military and energy infrastructures, and that this, in turn, had annoyed the Kremlin.

Muzabekov says Russian media rhetoric toward Azerbaijan has become much harsher, and that Moscow is now trying to compensate for its loss of influence in the region by exerting pressure on the Azeri diaspora.

This could have economic as well as diplomatic consequences — for example, in the energy market. “We shouldn’t forget that Russia is under sanctions. And Azerbaijan has helped Moscow to get around these in certain ways,” Arif Yunusov observes. “The European parliament has set up a commission to investigate whose gas is being sold to Europe, for example. Is it Azerbaijani, or it is in fact Russian?” If relations between Moscow and Baku were to deteriorate further, any such deal between the two countries would also be jeopardized.

The MP Rasim Muzabekov adds that other bilateral projects are also under threat: the development of the International North–South Transport Corridor through Azerbaijan, and the project to synchronize the Russian and Iranian power grids. Muzabekov warns that problems transporting Russian gas through Iran could also not be ruled out.

Nonetheless, economic interests are still important to Azerbaijan, says the political scientist Krivosheev. “Ideally, the Azerbaijani economy would like to steer clear of politics. But while Baku still has scope for action, Moscow has less and less leverage.” Russia, he concludes, is losing influence in the Caucasus.

This article was originally published in German.

Juri Rescheto DW Riga Bureau ChiefSend us your feedback

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Sursa: DW

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Sursa: CNN

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Sursa: CNN