Gaza ‘hell on earth’ as hospital supplies running out, warns head of Red Cross

Gaza ‘hell on earth’ as hospital supplies running out, warns head of Red Cross
Displaced Palestinians flee from east to west of Gaza City after the Israeli military issued evacuation orders in the area on Friday. (AP)
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Updated 11 April 2025
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Gaza ‘hell on earth’ as hospital supplies running out, warns head of Red Cross

Gaza ‘hell on earth’ as hospital supplies running out, warns head of Red Cross
  • Concerns grow about safety of humanitarian operations

GENEVA: The president of the Red Cross described the humanitarian situation in Gaza on Friday as “hell on earth” and warned that its field hospital will run out of supplies within two weeks.

“We are now finding ourselves in a situation that I have to describe as hell on earth ... People don’t have access to water, electricity, food, in many parts,” Mirjana Spoljaric said at the International Committee of the Red Cross headquarters in Geneva.
No new humanitarian supplies have entered the Palestinian enclave since Israel blocked the entry of aid trucks on March 2, as talks stalled on the next stage of a now broken truce. Israel resumed its military assault on March 18.




International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) President Mirjana Spoljaric Egger. (REUTERS)

Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said 25,000 aid trucks had entered Gaza in the 42 days of the ceasefire and that Hamas had used the aid to rebuild its war machine, an allegation that the group has denied. Spoljaric said supplies were running critically low.
“For six weeks, nothing has come in, so we will, in a couple of weeks, run out of supplies that we need to keep the hospital going,” she said.
The World Health Organization said supplies of antibiotics and blood bags were dwindling fast. Twenty-two out of 36 hospitals in the enclave are only minimally functional, Dr. Rik Peeperkorn told reporters in Geneva via video link in Jerusalem.

It is extremely dangerous for the population to move, but it’s especially also dangerous for us to operate.

Mirjana Spoljaric, ICRC president

The Red Cross president also raised concerns about the safety of humanitarian operations.
“It is extremely dangerous for the population to move, but it’s especially also dangerous for us to operate,” Spoljaric said.
In March, the bodies of 15 emergency and aid workers, including eight members of the Palestinian Red Crescent, were found buried in a mass grave in southern Gaza.
The UN and Red Crescent accused Israeli forces of killing them.
The Israeli military said on Monday that an initial investigation showed that the incident occurred “due to a sense of threat” after it said it had identified six Hamas militants in the vicinity.
Spoljaric called for an immediate ceasefire to release the remaining hostages held by Hamas and to address the grave humanitarian issues in Gaza.
Israel began its military campaign in Gaza in October 2023.
Since then, more than 50,800 Palestinians have been killed and much of the territory has been reduced to rubble.

 


Where We Are Going Today: Jon & Vinny’s

Where We Are Going Today: Jon & Vinny’s
Updated 5 min 23 sec ago
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Where We Are Going Today: Jon & Vinny’s

Where We Are Going Today: Jon & Vinny’s

A slice of Los Angeles flair has landed on Prince Sultan Street in Jeddah with the arrival of Jon & Vinny’s, a lively eatery drawing crowds with its take on Italian comfort food.

The restaurant, located in La Paz Plaza, has a warm, energetic ambiance with a setting that is modern yet relaxed, with high ceilings, wooden accents and a clean design palette dominated by shades of green.

The showcase of their pizza boxes and a few quirky touches like neon signs add character to the space.

Reservations are a must unless you are up for a long wait. Fortunately, they hand out coloring pencils and quirky food-themed sheets to help kill time, which is especially handy if you are dining with kids.

The menu is straightforward but thoughtfully curated, starting with breakfast staples like a standout grilled ciabatta salad and tender braised Tuscan kale.

Among the most talked-about dishes are the hand-tossed pizzas, with dough fermented for two days before hitting the oven.

The Bronx Bomber, topped with fennel sausage, onions, garlic and herbs, is rich and rustic, while the Rosy keeps it simple with tomato and olive oil, elevated by an optional layer of parmigiano reggiano.

Salads also hold their own on the menu, especially the caprese, featuring buffalo mozzarella and tomato vinegar, and the gem lettuce salad, dressed in a zesty Calabrian chili vinaigrette and finished with parmigiano reggiano as well as breadcrumbs.

Pasta is made fresh in-house and ranges from a bold rigatoni slow-cooked in beef bolognese to a creamy, spicy fusilli with basil.

Meat dishes like the garlic buffalo wings and chicken cutlet with lemon-dressed greens are decent, but they do not outshine the pastas or pizza.

Dessert is not to be skipped. The hazelnut cafe bombolone was light yet indulgent, and the lemon ricotta cookie added a nice finish to the meal.

In terms of cost, I expected it to be pricey, but it was fairly reasonable. A full meal for four, with dishes from each section, came to about SR300–350 ($80-93).

For more, check Instagram @jonandvinnys.ksa.


A Saudi chef’s commitment to showcasing Kingdom’s cuisine on global stage

A Saudi chef’s commitment to showcasing Kingdom’s cuisine on global stage
Updated 21 sec ago
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A Saudi chef’s commitment to showcasing Kingdom’s cuisine on global stage

A Saudi chef’s commitment to showcasing Kingdom’s cuisine on global stage
  • Chef Mayram Atiq’s contemporary take on Saudi cuisine is winning hearts with every bite

MAKKAH: In the Kingdom’s burgeoning culinary scene, award-winning Saudi chef Maryam Marwan Atiq has emerged as a trailblazer, celebrated for her creativity and commitment to showcasing Saudi cuisine on the global stage.

With more than 15 years of experience, Atiq presents Saudi dishes in a contemporary, internationally appealing style without compromising its authentic essence. She is currently a member of the team of female Saudi chefs behind Tairat Al-Boulevard restaurant in Riyadh.

To Atiq, Saudi cuisine is not just a collection of recipes, but a “sea of flavors and ingredients” shaped by the Kingdom’s rich geographic and cultural diversity. This depth, she believes, gives Saudi food its distinctive character and its power to act as a bridge between cultures.

Through her participation in local and international exhibitions, Atiq has seen firsthand how Saudi flavors captivate people from around the world.

One of her most memorable encounters, she said, was with a man in his nineties who tasted jareesh for the first time at an exhibition. Deeply moved by the dish, his reaction reaffirmed her belief in the universal appeal of Saudi cooking.

“Food is the ambassador of culture,” she told Arab News. “And combining Saudi flavors and ingredients with international presentation techniques helps convey Saudi cuisine more quickly and accessibly, making it more appealing to international palates.”

Atiq praised the Ministry of Culture and the Culinary Arts Commission for their efforts in documenting and preserving Saudi food heritage. She herself has contributed to documenting traditional recipes from two regions of the Kingdom.

She also emphasized the role of online platforms in promoting Saudi cuisine to a global audience. Atiq called on media professionals and content creators to participate in this “cultural mission” that she is a major part of.

“I will continue my efforts to spread Saudi cuisine — , with our authentic flavors and cultural spirit — across the globe, making it a cultural ambassador worthy of the richness and diversity of the Kingdom,” she said.


Germany ‘deeply concerned’ about situation in Gaza

Germany ‘deeply concerned’ about situation in Gaza
Updated 53 min 22 sec ago
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Germany ‘deeply concerned’ about situation in Gaza

Germany ‘deeply concerned’ about situation in Gaza
  • A broad military offensive also risks worsening further the catastrophic humanitarian situation for Gaza’s population and the remaining hostages

BERLIN: Germany is “deeply concerned” about the situation in Gaza, where it said an intensified Israeli offensive could endanger the lives of hostages, including Germans, the Foreign Ministry said Saturday.

The offensive “could put the lives of the remaining hostages, including those of German hostages, in danger,” said a ministry statement.

“A broad military offensive also risks worsening further the catastrophic humanitarian situation for Gaza’s population and the remaining hostages,” it added.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani earlier urged Israel to stop its military offensive in Gaza, saying that Palestinian civilians must no longer pay the price of war.

“We have to tell the Israeli government ‘that’s enough’,” Tajani said in a statement.

“We no longer want to see the Palestinian population suffer. Stop the attacks, let’s secure a ceasefire, free the hostages, but leave in peace a people who are victims of Hamas,” he added.

The comments reflect growing international disquiet over Israel’s relentless attacks on Gaza.

Israel’s military campaign has devastated the tiny, crowded enclave, pushing nearly all its 2 million inhabitants from their homes and killing more than 53,000 people, according to Gaza health authorities.

Tajani was due to meet US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Rome.

The Italian government has been one of Israel’s most vocal supporters within Europe, but unease is building over the devastation being wrought on Gaza.

Also on Saturday, a senior Hamas official said a new round of indirect negotiations with Israel aimed at ending the war in Gaza started in Doha “without any preconditions.” 

“This round of negotiations began without any preconditions from either side, and the negotiations are open to discussing all issues,” said senior Hamas official Taher Al-Nunu.

“Hamas will present its viewpoint on all issues, especially ending the war, (Israel’s) withdrawal and prisoner exchange.”

Prior rounds of negotiations have failed to secure a breakthrough on ending the war, and a two-month ceasefire between the sides fell apart when Israel resumed its operations in Gaza on March 18.


UN scales back aid goals in Yemen and Somalia

UN scales back aid goals in Yemen and Somalia
Updated 58 min 51 sec ago
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UN scales back aid goals in Yemen and Somalia

UN scales back aid goals in Yemen and Somalia
  • UN agencies are scaling back operations and staffing around the world as they grapple with big cuts in contributions from member states

UNITED NATIONS, United States: The United Nations announced Friday it is scaling back its humanitarian aid goals in Yemen and Somalia in the latest fallout from a drastic drop in funding from member states.
It said the cuts are putting millions of lives at risk around the world.
In January the UN launched an appeal for $2.4 billion to help 10.5 million people in war-torn Yemen this year, far below the 19.5 million people it deems as being in need of assistance.
But with funding down, the global body and its humanitarian aid partners established new priorities so as to be able to help at least the neediest people there.
The UN announced similar changes in strategy in Ukraine and Democratic Republic of Congo in recent weeks.
Now the focus in Yemen will be on 8.8 million people with a forecast budget of $1.4 billion, said Stephanie Tremblay, a spokeswoman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
In violent and unstable Somalia, an initial $1.4 billion plan to help 4.6 million people has also been trimmed back to $367 million for 1.3 million people, she said.
“This does not mean that there’s been a reduction in overall humanitarian needs and requirements,” Tremblay said.
She said huge funding cuts are forcing humanitarian aid programs to scale back, “putting millions of lives at risk across the world.”
“As in other crises, the consequence will be dire. If we fail to deliver, millions more people will be acutely hungry and lack access to clean water, education, protection and other essential services,” she added.
UN agencies are scaling back operations and staffing around the world as they grapple with big cuts in contributions from member states, in particular the United States under President Donald Trump.


Saudi ambassador attends send-off ceremony for Hajj pilgrims from Tajikistan

Saudi ambassador attends send-off ceremony for Hajj pilgrims from Tajikistan
Updated 1 min 47 sec ago
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Saudi ambassador attends send-off ceremony for Hajj pilgrims from Tajikistan

Saudi ambassador attends send-off ceremony for Hajj pilgrims from Tajikistan

Saudi Ambassador to Tajikistan Waleed Abdulrahman Alreshaidan attended the send-off ceremony for the first group of this year’s Hajj pilgrims departing from Tajikistan at Dushanbe International Airport.

Alreshaidan said that serving pilgrims is “an honor and a source of pride for the leadership of the Kingdom and its people,” the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.

A’lem Zadah, deputy chairman of Tajikistan’s Committee of Religious Affairs, thanked the Saudi government for the facilities it provides to pilgrims, the SPA added.