New York [US], July 2: Dozens of international charities and humanitarian groups called Tuesday for disbanding a controversial Israeli- and U.S.-backed system to distribute aid in Gaza because of recurring chaos and violence against Palestinians seeking food at its sites.
The call by groups including Oxfam, Save the Children and Amnesty International was made as at least 13 Palestinians were killed from late Monday into Tuesday while seeking desperately needed food, witnesses and health official said. Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes killed at least 37 people Tuesday in southern Gaza's Khan Younis, according to Nasser Hospital.
In other developments, Israel's defense minister, Israel Katz, warned that his country would respond forcefully to the firing of a missile the military said originated from Yemen.
Sirens sounded across parts of Israel, alerting residents to the attack and the launch of two projectiles from Gaza. All were intercepted by Israeli defense systems.
The missile launch marked the first attack by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels since the end of the brief but intense war initiated by Israel with Iran.
Katz said Yemen could face the same fate as Tehran.
Nasruddin Amer, deputy head of the Houthi media office, vowed on the social media platform X, that Yemen will not "stop its support for Gaza . unless the aggression stops and the siege on Gaza is lifted."
Source: Fijian Broadcasting Corporation
