Category Archives: human rights

Qassam: Missing soldier likely killed by Israeli shelling | Maan News Agency

Hamas’ military wing said early Saturday that it has no information on the whereabouts of the Israeli soldier missing in Gaza, and suggested that he had been killed by Israeli shelling.

The al-Qassam Brigades said in a statement that it had lost contact with a group of militants that could have captured a soldier amid clashes with Israeli troops early Friday.

“We lost contact with a group of fighters … when Israeli occupation forces penetrated east of Rafah. We suspect they were all killed by Israeli shelling, including the soldier, who, supposedly, was abducted by the group.”

The statement went on to explain Hamas’ understanding of the chronology of events that led to the collapse of the ceasefire on Friday.

“What happened east of Rafah Friday morning was that occupation forces took advantage of the alleged humanitarian ceasefire to penetrate our land for more than two kilometers. We estimate that our fighters who were in the area clashed with the Israeli troops around 7:00 before the alleged ceasefire went into effect.”

“Then, Israeli airstrikes and artillery shelling targeted Palestinian civilians after 10:00 a.m., breaching the ceasefire under the pretext of searching for a missing soldier.”

The account differs significantly from Israeli army statements about the collapse of the ceasefire.

via Qassam: Missing soldier likely killed by Israeli shelling | Maan News Agency.

WHO | WHO Director-General assesses the Ebola outbreak with three West African presidents

First, this outbreak is moving faster than our efforts to control it. If the situation continues to deteriorate, the consequences can be catastrophic in terms of lost lives but also severe socioeconomic disruption and a high risk of spread to other countries. As I said before, this meeting must mark a turning point in the outbreak response.

In addition, the outbreak is affecting a large number of doctors, nurses, and other health care workers, one of the most essential resources for containing an outbreak. To date, more than 60 health care workers have lost their lives in helping others. Some international staff are infected. These tragic infections and deaths significantly erode response capacity.

Second, the situation in West Africa is of international concern and must receive urgent priority for decisive action at national and international levels. Experiences in Africa over nearly four decades tell us clearly that, when well managed, an Ebola outbreak can be stopped.

This is not an airborne virus. Transmission requires close contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person, also after death. Apart from this specific situation, the general public is not at high risk of infection by the Ebola virus.

At the same time, it would be extremely unwise for national authorities and the international community to allow an Ebola virus to circulate widely and over a long period of time in human populations.

Constant mutation and adaptation are the survival mechanisms of viruses and other microbes. We must not give this virus opportunities to deliver more surprises.

Third, this is not just a medical or public health problem. It is a social problem. Deep-seated beliefs and cultural practices are a significant cause of further spread and a significant barrier to rapid and effective containment. This social dimension must also be addressed as an integral part of the overall response.

Fourth, in some areas, chains of transmission have moved underground. They are invisible. They are not being reported. Because of the high fatality rate, many people in affected areas associate isolation wards with a sure death sentence, and prefer to care for loved ones in homes or seek assistance from traditional healers.

Such hiding of cases defeats strategies for rapid containment. Moreover, public attitudes can create a security threat to response teams when fear and misunderstanding turn to anger, hostility, or violence.

Finally, despite the absence of a vaccine or curative therapy, Ebola outbreaks can most certainly be contained. Bedrocks of outbreak containment include early detection and isolation of cases, contact tracing and monitoring of contacts, and rigorous procedures for infection control.

Moreover, we do have some evidence that early detection of cases and early implementation of supportive therapy increases the chances of survival. This is another message that needs to be communicated to the public.

via WHO | WHO Director-General assesses the Ebola outbreak with three West African presidents.

90 Palestinians injured by live fire in Hebron clashes | Maan News Agency

More than 90 Palestinians were injured by live fire during clashes with Israeli forces in Hebron on Friday, medics said.

Wilid Zaloum, director of Hebron Governmental Hospital, told Ma’an more 90 Palestinians arrived at the hospital with bullet wounds after being shot by Israeli forces.

Three of the Palestinians were critically injured, Zaloum told Ma’an. Many others were in moderate condition after being shot in the lower extremities.

via 90 Palestinians injured by live fire in Hebron clashes | Maan News Agency.

Over 100 Faith Leaders Arrested in Protest Against Record Deportations : Immigration Impact

Nuns, pastors, rabbis and other faith leaders were arrested outside the White House on Thursday in a massive act of civil disobedience to press the Obama administration to end the 1,100 deportations that occur every day. “Too many families have been separated. Too many tears have been shed because of our unjust laws,” Reverend John McCullough, CEO and president of Church World Service, said before a crowd of 500 supporters congregated in Lafayette Park.

via Over 100 Faith Leaders Arrested in Protest Against Record Deportations : Immigration Impact.

JUST STOP! RETURN SOLDIER! HONOR CEASE FIRE EVERYONE! Israeli army threatens to call up 80,000 reservists, re-occupy Rafah | Maan News Agency

The Israeli response to the capture of a soldier in Rafah will be “crushing,” Israeli media quoted the army as saying on Friday.

Israeli news website Walla said on Friday that the Israeli army threatened to call up to 80,000 reservists and to “re-occupy” Rafah.

Earlier on Friday, Hamas captured an Israeli soldier in an attack on a post east of Rafah inside the Gaza Strip.

Hamas said that Israeli forces had used the announcement of the ceasefire earlier in the evening to expand operations into the area, and the group carried out the attack before a planned ceasefire came into effect at 8 a.m.

Israel, however, said that the attack began after the ceasefire began at 9:30 a.m.

Israel has killed more than 1,500 Palestinians in its assault on Gaza over the last 25 days.

The Gaza Strip was directly occupied by Israel for nearly 40 years beginning in 1967, but in 2005 Israeli forces pulled out and a year later imposed an economic blockade after Hamas was elected in democratic elections.

Israel maintains effective control over Gaza’s airspace, borders, and sea, meaning that under international law it is still considered to be occupied.

via Israeli army threatens to call up 80,000 reservists, re-occupy Rafah | Maan News Agency.

Ugandan Court Invalidates Anti-Gay Law – NYTimes.com

A Ugandan court on Friday invalidated an anti-gay bill signed into law earlier this year, saying the measure is illegal because it was passed during a parliamentary session that lacked a quorum.

Activists erupted in cheers after the court ruled the law “null and void,” but some cautioned that the fight was not over: The state could appeal the ruling in the Supreme Court and legislators might try to reintroduce new anti-gay measures.

via Ugandan Court Invalidates Anti-Gay Law – NYTimes.com.

Promising Ebola Drugs Stuck in Lab Limbo as Outbreak Rages in Africa

{Although the writer is well respected using the term promising feeds doubts about regulations designed to keep people safe and researchers accountable. This is not just red tape for the sake of red tape. Years ago, a drug with great promise was released and “oops” babies with deformed arms and legs were being born. Just a few years ago, a widely prescribed drug was found to “oops” increase the likelihood of strokes and was withdrawn. Research at U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases at Fort Detrick, Maryland is done to protect members of the military from disease in areas of the world where they may be asked to serve. If they had }

Yet, some experimental therapies and vaccines show promise. Some show excellent efficacy when given to nonhuman primates deliberately infected with the virus.

Of the experimental vaccines, most work only to protect against infection. But one—designed by scientists from the Public Health Agency of Canada in conjunction with the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases at Fort Detrick, Maryland—protected half of the animals injected with lethal amounts of Ebola virus when administered 30 minutes post exposure.

via Promising Ebola Drugs Stuck in Lab Limbo as Outbreak Rages in Africa.

WHO, West African countries launching emergency plan to combat Ebola | News | DW.DE | 31.07.2014

Finally getting really serious (after key doctor died, two Americans died and one still fighting for life)

The response identifies the need for “several hundred more personnel” to be deployed to affected regions in order to ease the strain on medical facilities, the WHO said, appealing to donor countries for clinical doctors and nurses, epidemiologists and logisticians.

It aims to stop the transmission of Ebola by boosting disease surveillance, particularly in border areas, protecting health workers from infection and doing a better job of informing communities about the virus.

“The plan sets out new needs to respond to the outbreak across the countries and bring up the level of preparedness in neighboring countries,” said WHO spokesman Paul Garwood. “They need better information and infection-control measures.”

Travel warning (Everyone in area had been resisting travel warnings to not harm income from tourists)

The severity of the epidemic prompted the US government on Thursday to issue travel warnings to Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Tom Frieden said the outbreak “represents a potential risk to travelers.”

The CDC is also sending 50 extra specials to affected areas, he added.

Sierra Leone declared a state of emergency Thursday and called on troops to quarantine Ebola victims, joining neighbor Liberia in implementing strict government controls.

via WHO, West African countries launching emergency plan to combat Ebola | News | DW.DE | 31.07.2014.

Gaza death toll surpasses that of Cast Lead as count hits 1,422 | Maan News Agency

YOU CAN STOP NOW – YOU PASSED YOUR MARK FOR KILLING INNOCENTS ON ONE OPERATION! The Palestinian death toll in the ongoing Israeli assault on Gaza surpassed that of Operation Cast Lead on Thursday as the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli attacks hit 1,422.

In the most recent lethal Israeli attack, an airstrike hit Khan Younis, killing 21-year-old Mohammad Yusef Abadla, health ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qidra said.

According to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, 1,417 Palestinians were killed during Israel’s infamous three-week offensive on Gaza in 2008-2009.

via Gaza death toll surpasses that of Cast Lead as count hits 1,422 | Maan News Agency.