Mainly about Al Shifa [bombed front of hospital 3]

Here it is - feedback from US on whether IDF is keeping civilians safe - don't think this bodes well for US not using it's veto at UNSC wrt UAE motion for humanitarian ceasefire

Blinken believes Israel taking steps to protect civilians in South

In the last week, we've seen more US leaders begin to voice disquiet with Israel's tactics.

The US Secretary of State in an interview with CNN yesterday said he believed Israel was taking more steps to protect civilians in their offensive into southern Gaza.

“I said to them very clearly when I was there just a week ago, we cannot have a repeat of what happened in the north in the south in terms of harm being done to civilians,” Antony Blinken told CNN.

“What we’re seeing is areas clearly designated by Israel that are safe areas, where there’s not going to be firing or the military. We’ve seen efforts to make sure that people know that they need to move – and not in the entire city, but just discrete neighborhoods. So that’s positive,” Blinken said.

However UN officials have consistently disputed these safe zones, saying the idea of any "safe zone" is a "dangerous false narrative".

"These are tiny patches of barren land. They have no water, no facilities, no shelter from the cold, no sanitation," a Unicef spokesman James Elder told the BBC earlier this week. Other UN officials and locals have also made similar alarming calls.
The UN has also said there is nowhere left for people in the South to evacuate to.

Not much in the way of specific hospital news - all still overwhelmed and under-resourced

One hospital was evacuated by the UN yesterday - not named as far as can see

A little unequivocally good news

Several places have photos of the premature babies from al-Shifa who were evacuated to Egypt. at the New Administrative Capital Hospital NICU in Cairo

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Yeah hoping there's a team of journalists on the case

It was a very long article in olde worlde typeface - skimming it didn't really answer that question - I'll have another go later

@Parkingt111 from what I can see it's only been used twice - in 1959 [Congo] Belgian army arriving un-invited in the Congo and in 1966 [Tunisia] when French airforce was invading Tunisian airspace so it's a pretty uncommon step

Particularly when you consider all the dreadful things that have happened in the world in the last 50 something years and it wasn't used

@Parkingt111 that's a good idea - and yes feel quite despairing about how everything is unravelling

Here's a bit more about what was in Guterres letter - don't disagree with him but what's the likely effect of Article 99, I wonder

Guterres warns Security Council of impending, irreversible collapse in Gaza

In his letter invoking Article 99, Guterres warned he expects public order in Gaza to soon break down as the humanitarian system totally collapses.

“The situation is fast deteriorating into a catastrophe with potentially irreversible implications for Palestinians as a whole and for peace and security in the region,” he wrote.

“Such an outcome must be avoided at all cost.”

The international community has “a responsibility to use all its influence to prevent further escalation and end this crisis”, said Guterres.

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I'm not sure of the significance of this move by the UN

UN chief invokes article 99 on Gaza in rare, powerful move

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has invoked what is widely considered to be the most powerful diplomatic tool at his disposal.

In a letter to the UN Security Council, Guterres invoked Article 99 of the UN Charter, which states that “the Secretary-General may bring to the attention of the Security Council any matter which in his opinion may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security”.

The letter represents the first time Guterres has invoked the article since he took over the role of UN secretary-general on January 1, 2017.

In the letter, Guterres calls for the Security Council to press to avert a humanitarian catastrophe and appeals for a humanitarian ceasefire to be declared in Gaza.

I know what you mean @Toothyfruity it'll be too little too late if it's anything at all

With a million people on their way or already arrived in Rafah and no food, water or tents for them when they get there it's spiralling into irreversible chaos

UN's ability to deliver aid suddenly seems to have collapsed since the ceasefire ended Trucks stranded in areas they can't be retrieved from, zero comms and workers not able to get to the rafah crossing due to the bombardment

Catastrophe is indeed the right word

@Parkingt111 I saw that too and agree with what you say about how things have detiorated so much

The end of tomorrow will mark a full week so time enough to make an assessment you'd think

@Parkingt111 tbh I was surprised by the opinion polls considering the war is reported quite differently in the US - Bidens own democrat voters are more than 70% in favour of a ceasefire - so potentially not just losing the presidency but significant losses to the party too, in addition to the Arab-American vote being long gone

Can only hope that a bit more self-preservation kicks in - soon

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