Gaza
You will have seen by now that a ceasefire deal has been agreed between Hamas and Israel. Though far from perfect, lacking real Palestinian input and with unanswered questions around its application on the ground, it’s been moving to see people in Gaza celebrating, coming out onto the streets, and expressing hope that Israel will stop its unrelenting genocide. Today, I want to focus on a new study from the U.N., which showed that more than 54,600 children younger than five in Gaza may be acutely malnourished, with more than 12,800 in severe condition. “Tens of thousands of preschool-aged children in the Gaza Strip are now suffering from preventable acute malnutrition and face an increased risk of mortality,” said Dr. Masako Horino, the study’s lead scientist. The entry of aid is a key part of the ceasefire agreement. Let’s hope it comes as soon as possible.
More from The National here.
Venezuela
Colombian President Gustavo Petro suggested that Qatar could mediate between the U.S. and Venezuela as the administration of President Donald Trump continues to bomb boats it alleges are carrying drugs from the South American nation to American shores. In a speech in Brussels, Petro said Qatar - which has mediated between Israel and Hamas - is an experienced go-between that could “cease the aggression with missiles.” Trump has said he believes drug traffickers are combatants who should be considered military targets. Legal experts brand the attacks extrajudicial killings that violate international human rights law.
More from AP here.
India
Police in India have arrested the owner of a pharmaceutical company after at least 17 children allegedly died after taking cough syrup manufactured by the firm. The health ministry said samples of the medicine, Coldrif, contained diethylene glycol, which is a highly toxic industrial solvent. Similar incidents have occurred in India before and exports of similar cough medicines have led to deaths in nations such as Gambia. The World Health Organization has blamed regulatory gaps in India around the testing of domestically-manufactured syrups.
More from India Today here.