Biden expresses grave concern , tells rocket fire must cease Published: 9:49 PM, May 16, 2021
Palestinians inspect their house, after it was destroyed by an Israeli airstrike in the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. - AFP SHARE
WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden expressed his grave concern over violence in Israel and Gaza in a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Saturday while separately telling Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas that Hamas must cease firing rockets.
Speaking on the sixth day of a paroxysm of Israeli-Palestinian violence that has left scores dead or wounded, Biden expressed his strong support for Israel s right to defend itself against rocket attacks by Hamas and other activist groups, in his call with Netanyahu, while also emphasising his clear concern over the deadly flare-up and casualties on both sides.
JUNIOR D.KANNAH / AFP
Robert Mardini of Red Cross said the organisation s staff in Tigray were hearing first-hand of extreme sexual violence.
Mardini said the reports were extremely horrific and shocking
He said the organisation s top priority was to prevent these incidents from happening again.
The Red Cross voiced alarm Thursday over horrific accounts of sexual violence in Ethiopia s conflict-hit Tigray region, amid fears that rape was being used as a weapon of war.
Robert Mardini, director-general of the Geneva-based International Committee of the Red Cross, said the organisation s staff in hospitals and clinics in the region were hearing first-hand of extreme sexual violence.
Switzerland urged to do more for Syria Â
March 15 will mark ten years since the start of the conflict in Syria, and there is no sign of an end. It has had a devastating effect, including on young people, a survey found. Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
With the Syrian conflict about to enter its eleventh year, Caritas has called on Switzerland to do more for that country. Â
This content was published on March 10, 2021 - 12:50
March 10, 2021 - 12:50
swissinfo.ch/jc
See in other languages: 2
At an online press conference on Wednesday, the Swiss chapter of the charity Caritas called for Swiss authorities to recognise thousands of provisionally admitted Syrians in Switzerland as refugees, and to provide more funds for humanitarian and long-term development aid for the population in Syria.Â