Weekly World News
West Asia/Middle East:
Israel’s 100-day bombardment and siege of the Gaza Strip are rapidly escalating levels of starvation, malnutrition, thirst, and disease. Additionally, constant Israeli strikes throughout the strip have led to a confirmed death toll of 23,968, the majority of whom are women and children, with thousands more believed to be buried under the rubble. Israeli forces have dropped over 65,000 tonnes of bombs on the Gaza population, destroying a third of the buildings in the strip. 85% of Gazans have been displaced and 90% face acute food insecurity. If current trends continue, Gaza will be facing a famine by mid-February. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to push forward in his stated goal of “eliminating Hamas.”
On Thursday a legal delegation from South Africa presented their case in front of the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of violating their obligations under the Genocide Convention. South Africa urged the court to impose provisional measures to prevent Israeli military actions in the Gaza strip that South Africa says amount to genocidal acts. The delegation pointed to Israel’s indiscriminate bombing practices, reported field executions, prevention of access to resources and services essential to life, and genocidal rhetoric among Israeli government officials and Israeli soldiers on the ground. The Israeli delegation gave their oral argument on Friday, claiming their military actions are justified in their stated goal of eliminating Hamas. If the court finds that it is plausible that Israel’s actions amount to or are at risk of amounting to genocidal acts, provisional measures are required by all members of the Genocide Convention, including Israel, to cease the genocidal acts. The judges are expected to decide on the provisionary measures in the coming weeks.
Military forces from the United States and the United Kingdom began strikes in Yemen against targets of the Ansar Allah movement, also known as the Houthis. Fighter jets, Tomahawk missiles, and Paveway IV guided bombs struck 60 targets in 16 locations in Houthi territory, reportedly killing 5 Houthi fighters and injuring 6 others. Mohammed Abdulsala, the official representative of the Ansar Allah movement, said that the strikes have no significant influence on the group’s policy of targeting any ships affiliated with or traveling to territory claimed by Israel. US President Joe Biden faced criticism from members of his own party for the strikes, who accused him of failing to consult Congress before intervening in a foreign conflict. The United Nations envoy urged restraint among all parties involved, as analysts raise fears of the possibility of a regional war. The Houthis vowed a “strong and effective response” to the attacks.
South America:
Ecuadorian President Daniel Naboa declared that the nation is in a state of internal armed conflict as gang violence erupted in the streets following the prison break of an alleged leader of the Los Choneros Gang, which is said to have ties to the Sinaloa Cartel. Adolfo “Fito” Macías escaped from a prison in Guayaquil on Sunday, prompting the president to disperse 3,000 officers to arrest him. Gunmen then stormed a television station in Guayaquil, taking the hosts hostage during the live broadcast. The incident preluded an outburst of gang violence across the country, including kidnappings, prison riots, blasts, and killings. President Naboa led a campaign that arrested 859 people, 94 of whom were members of gangs designated “terrorist” groups by the Ecuadorian government. Once considered a peaceful nation in a region troubled by cartel violence, the drug trade has overtaken Ecuador’s cities in recent years.
Asia-Pacific:
Taiwan’s ruling party, the Democratic Progressive Party, secured a third consecutive victory in the Taiwanese general election this week, with Vice President Lai Ching-te winning 40% of the total vote. The election signals a continuation of the government’s separatist policy, claiming independence from mainland China. The Chinese Communist Party maintains that Taiwan is a territorial province of China, a view upheld by the United Nations. Taiwan has become a geopolitical hotspot as the United States sells billions in arms to the Taiwanese government and the Communist Party of China promises to achieve “reunification” with the island.
Sources:
Channel - https://t.me/SputnikInt_unc2
Channel - https://t.me/ukraine_watch
Channel - https://t.me/eyeonpal
Channel - https://t.me/QudsNen
Article - Israel vows not to ‘stop’ as Gaza death toll nears 24,000 on day 100 of war
Document: https://www.icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/192/192-20240103-pre-01-00-en.pdf
Article - Yemen's Houthis vow strong response after new US strike | Reuters
Article - More than 100 prison guards held hostage in Ecuador amid state of emergency - ABC News
Article - Ecuador arrests hundreds in bid to halt eruption of gang-based violence | CNN
Article - Cocaine, cartels, and corruption: The crisis in Ecuador, explained
