International

People are already dying from diseases in Gaza and not only from the bombings, denounces MSF

The quasi-total collapse of the health system in the Gaza Strip, devastated after more than 200 days of war with Israel and more than 34,400 deaths; in addition to the shortage of drinking water, overcrowding and lack of medicines make many Gazans die from easily treatable diseases.

“How many children have already died of pneumonia in overflowing hospitals?” asks Mari Carmen Viñoles, head of the Emergency Unit of Doctors Without Borders, an organization present in the Palestinian enclave and which this Monday publishes a report entitled: ‘Silent deaths’.

“And the deadly consequences of the closure of renal dialysis units in the hospitals attacked? These are the silent deaths of Gaza that are not reported,” Viñoles adds.

According to the report, based on medical data and patient testimonies, the current living conditions in Rafah, where more than a million displaced Palestinians take refuge, are not conducive to survival.

The UN coordinator for humanitarian aid and reconstruction of Gaza, Sigrid Kaag, warned on Monday that the reconstruction efforts of the devastated Gaza Strip are “tied” to the two-state solution, although she warned that the Palestinians “can’t wait.”

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“It needs to be said that reconstruction efforts, not only politically but from an investment perspective, are all tied to political parameters: the two-state solution,” Kaag said in a panel on Gaza at the special meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF), which is held in Riyadh.

Likewise, the head of the UN warned that from a humanitarian point of view “civilians cannot be asked to wait” for the creation of a Palestinian State to begin the reconstruction of the enclave and recalled that more than one million children are not being enrolled in school because of the war.

According to Kaag, schools are being used as shelters, contagious diseases represent a threat as there is a shortage of water and lack of sanitation and insecurity prevents the beginning to rebuild the devastated Strip.

“We need to act now, and this cannot wait for a political solution (…) We have failed the Palestinians countless times,” insisted Kaag, who added that “political will is what is required.”

On the other hand, he called for a “paradigm shift” in the delivery of humanitarian aid in Gaza, and assured that it is not only necessary to increase the volume of assistance, but also to expand the type of products that are distributed to the population, such as medicines.

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“We are no longer counting trucks. We are seeing what aid is being distributed and what kind of assistance reaches the population,” Kaag said.

The diplomat recalled that the distribution of aid still faces “a number of obstacles,” such as “behavior at Israeli checkpoints,” something she said “must change.”

International

German president warns Iran war could spread and disrupt Strait of Hormuz

The president of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, warned Monday that the war involving Iran could expand and further disrupt shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. He urged a swift end to hostilities between Iran, United States and Israel.

Speaking in Panama City during a joint appearance with Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino, Steinmeier said available information suggests Iran has significant capacity to disrupt maritime traffic through the key oil route.

“Iran has considerable potential to interfere with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz,” Steinmeier said through an interpreter. “We should therefore reach an end to the hostilities as soon as possible and call on all parties involved to make that happen.”

The remarks came during Steinmeier’s visit to Panama, the first by a German president to the Central American nation.

The German leader described the possibility of the conflict spreading as “very dangerous,” saying recent developments indicate that such a scenario cannot be ruled out.

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Over the weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump urged allied nations to help ensure safe passage for ships through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran moved to block the waterway in response to U.S. strikes. However, several allies—particularly in Europe—have shown little support for the proposal.

“Some are very enthusiastic, others are not, and some are countries we have helped for many years,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “We have protected them from terrible external threats, and they’re not that enthusiastic. And the level of enthusiasm is important to me.”

Meanwhile, Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, said the Strait of Hormuz falls “outside NATO’s scope” and stressed that “the war involving Iran is not Europe’s war.”

International

Mexico security chief meets DEA director in Washington to boost anti-drug cooperation

Mexico’s Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection, Omar García Harfuch, met in Washington with the head of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Terrance Cole, to discuss cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking and illegal arms flows.

The Mexican official said Monday on social media that he attended the meeting in representation of the Mexican government’s Security Cabinet.

“In Washington, D.C., I represented the Security Cabinet to hold talks with DEA Director Terrance Cole on the importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation to combat drug trafficking, curb the flow of weapons into our country, and reduce violence in Mexico through significant arrests,” García Harfuch wrote.

He added that, following instructions from Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, the government will continue strengthening international cooperation on security matters.

For his part, Cole said the meeting focused on cross-border collaboration to tackle drug trafficking and to build safer communities on both sides of the border.

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The meeting comes as Mexico and the United States begin a new round of dialogue on economic and security issues.

Earlier Monday, President Claudia Sheinbaum said she will look for the “best moment” to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump, adding that maintaining a good relationship with Washington is a priority for her administration.

International

Venezuela’s foreign minister accuses UN rights chief of “immoral bias”

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil criticized the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, accusing him of having an “immoral bias” and acting as an “echo chamber for falsehoods” regarding the situation in Venezuela.

Gil’s remarks came after Türk stated that his office had not received an official list from Venezuelan authorities detailing the release of political prisoners, nor authorization to carry out visits related to the issue.

“The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights insists on a narrative biased against our country, repeating unfounded accusations while deliberately omitting the impact of unilateral coercive measures on the rights of the Venezuelan people,” Gil said in a message posted on his Telegram channel.

Without directly addressing the question of prisoner releases, the Venezuelan foreign minister also accused Türk of aligning with what he described as the “agenda of extremism in Venezuela.”

Gil added that, despite serious human rights violations occurring in other parts of the world, the UN official has chosen to maintain what he described as an “immoral bias” against Venezuela.

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The criticism is part of a broader dispute between the Venezuelan government and the UN human rights office over reports and investigations concerning the human rights situation in the country.