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UN slams intensifying Israeli attacks on Gaza amid surge in West Bank settler violence

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UNITED NATIONS: Amid intensified deadly Israeli attacks in Gaza, the UN chief and top officials condemned the killings while a surge violence rocked the West Bank and aid agencies scrambled to help Palestinians.

“We condemn all killings of civilians,” Stephane Dujarric, the UN Spokesperson, said on Tuesday, adding that under international humanitarian law, civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected.

Continued Israeli military operations, new displacement and deteriorating access further limited humanitarian assistance and heightened protection concerns across Gaza, according to the latest updates from the UN aid coordination office, OCHA.

The Israeli military’s intensified attacks killed and injured dozens in Gaza in recent days, Thameen Al-Kheetan of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), said at a press conference in Geneva on Tuesday.

Those recent attacks included an Israeli drone strike that killed seven people and others outside a grocery store, west of the Nuseirat refugee camp, and a teacher injured after reportedly being shot by a bullet fired by Israeli forces while she was working inside a temporary learning space, just west of Khan Younis.

Nine months after the ceasefire announcement, nowhere is safe for Palestinians in Gaza, Al-Kheetan said.

“The whole of the Gaza Strip is under the Israeli occupation,” he said. “Human rights of the Palestinians ought to be respected, the Israeli occupation has to end and a fair, durable two-State solution has to be implemented.”

Israeli soldiers have killed over 1,100 Palestinians since the October 2025 ceasefire, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

OHCHR has so far verified the killing of 685 Palestinians from October to mid-April, including 283 women and children, mostly in Israeli attacks reported across the Gaza Strip.

From 13 to 20 July alone, OHCHR had recorded that the Israeli military had killed at least 57 Palestinians, including six children and eight women. Among the victims, 34 had been killed far away from the Israeli-imposed “yellow line”, painted concrete blocks Israel has installed across the Strip.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian population in Gaza remained trapped in an ever-shrinking area, with the “yellow line” which marks the edge of Israeli military control constantly being moved westwards, Al-Kheetan said.

The situation reflects a continuous threat to life as the Israeli military appears to routinely fire on Palestinians for mere presence in the vicinity of that line, in violation of international human rights law and international humanitarian law, he warned.

The violations, the suffering and the misery that continue to be imposed on the Palestinians in Gaza cannot be ignored, he said, emphasising that third States had to take urgent action to insist on full respect for the ceasefire, to put an end to all violations and to ensure accountability and justice.

After more than two years of prolonged disruption to learning in Gaza, humanitarian partners are continuing to restore and expand access to basic education wherever possible despite persistent insecurity issues and severe operational constraints, the UN Spokesperson said.

During the first half of 2026, partners helped 435,000 pre-primary and school-aged children, including approximately 9,300 children with disabilities, get access to structured learning through 610 temporary learning spaces.

Around 344,000 children also received essential learning and teaching materials and aid partners supported 11,000 teachers and education personnel through initiatives focused on education in emergencies, disability-inclusive programming, quality learning and safe learning environments.

UN Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator Susanne Tkalec met with the leadership of the Emirati Hospital in Rafah on Monday to discuss practical solutions for strengthening medical waste management in Gaza.

“They discussed addressing risks linked to the safe collection, handling and disposal of medical waste, which is a big problem,” the UN Spokesperson said, adding that the visit occurred amid continued pressure on health facilities throughout the Gaza Strip.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners on Monday supported the medical evacuation of nine child patients and their 15 companions to Jordan and one adult patient and a companion to Türkiye.

Since October 2023, 12,700 patients, including 6,163 children, have been evacuated abroad to more than 30 countries for treatment.

“Many more people need to be evacuated from Gaza to receive medical help they cannot get currently there,” the UN Spokesperson said.

Israeli settler attacks have become a leading cause of Palestinian injuries in the occupied West Bank, accounting for 55 per cent of all such cases in 2026, according to the UN relief agency, OCHA.

Between July 7 and 13, about 65 Palestinians, including 18 children and 10 women, were injured by Israeli forces or settlers.

During the same period, Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian man while he was attempting to cross the Barrier in Bir Nabala town to reach East Jerusalem and in a separate incident at the same location, another Palestinian was injured under similar circumstances.

Injuries linked to settler attacks have risen sharply, increasing from one injury every three days in 2020 to an average of two per day in 2025 and more than three per day so far in 2026.

In the Hiwara community, south of Yatta in Hebron governorate, Israeli settlers injured 45 Palestinians, including 37 in five separate attacks targeting farmers, the UN said.

During these attacks, settlers physically assaulted farmers or sprayed them with pepper spray while they were working on their agricultural land.

Among those injured were 12 children, 10 women and one elderly man.

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Health minister orders probe into Sindh MDCAT complaints

Sindh MDCAT

ISLAMABAD:Federal Minister for Health Syed Mustafa Kamal has taken notice of alleged irregularities in the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) held in Sindh and ordered a comprehensive inquiry into the complaints.

According to official sources, the minister directed a five-member committee, including the President of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), to conduct a transparent investigation and submit its report within 15 days.

The committee has been tasked with examining the complaints and reviewing the circumstances surrounding the alleged irregularities during the examination, sources said.

The minister directed the committee to complete the inquiry within the stipulated timeframe and present its findings for further action in accordance with the applicable rules.

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CDA chairman directs faster work on Expressway East project

CDA chairman

ISLAMABAD: Capital Development Authority (CDA) Chairman Sohail Ashraf has directed officials to accelerate work on the Islamabad Expressway Service Road East project while ensuring strict compliance with approved designs and construction standards.

During an inspection of the project on Saturday, the chairman reviewed progress and was briefed on ongoing works and the next phase of development.

He directed the project director and relevant departments to maintain continuous field monitoring and quality control and ensure effective traffic management to minimise inconvenience to commuters.

The chairman described the Expressway East project as an important infrastructure scheme for improving connectivity, traffic flow and road capacity in the capital. He also stressed that construction quality should not be compromised in efforts to meet the project timeline.

During the visit, he was also briefed on an ongoing enforcement operation against unauthorised and illegal construction along the Islamabad Expressway.

According to the CDA, 377 buildings have been identified for action, including 281 commercial structures. So far, 58 buildings have been sealed, while 124 buildings between Sohan and Khanna bridges have been marked for demolition.

The authority said Rs234.685 million had been recovered through land-use conversion, unauthorised construction and de-sealing charges. Around Rs3 billion remained recoverable under applicable regulations in connection with land-use conversion and violations relating to unauthorised construction, setbacks, floor area ratio and covered area.

The chairman directed the relevant departments to ensure strict enforcement of building-control and land-use regulations, particularly mandatory fire-safety requirements.

The enforcement operation is being conducted by the CDA’s Building Control Section and Enforcement Directorate in coordination with the district administration and Islamabad police.

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GB ministers call on Governor Kundi

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PESHAWAR: Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi on Saturday held a meeting with a delegation of Gilgit-Baltistan ministers at the Governor’s House here and discussed the country’s political situation and other matters of mutual interest.

The delegation comprised Gilgit-Baltistan Minister for Local Government and Rural Development Zulfiqar Ali Murad, Minister for Health Iqbal Hassan and Minister for Education Aman Ali Ameer.

During the meeting, the two sides exchanged views on the prevailing political situation in the country and various issues of mutual interest. They also discussed the recent elections in Gilgit-Baltistan and the Pakistan Peoples Party’s success in the polls.

The visiting ministers were taken on a tour of the Governor’s House. Governor Kundi presented them with traditional shawls and caps.

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