UN Security Council warns of continuing "human rights catastrophe" in Gaza

The United Nations Security Council has warned that Israel's military operations are pushing the Palestinian healthcare system to the brink of collapse, during its first meeting in 2025, as the Gaza Strip's hospitals are overwhelmed with a surge in casualties.

The Security Council -- including its new members for the current term -- held its first meeting of 2025 on Friday, focusing on the conflict in Gaza and attacks on its health facilities.

The Council was informed that "a human rights catastrophe continues to unfold in front of the world," and that Israel's justifications for its operations are often vague and contradicted by reports.

Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, provided devastating details on the situation in Gaza, saying that Israel's actions raise concerns about whether international law is being violated.

Turk told the meeting that Israel had conducted 136 strikes on 27 hospitals and said that healthcare staff were being subjected to arrests, harassment and interrogations.

"The protection of hospitals during warfare is paramount, and must be respected by all sides, at all times. The destruction of hospitals across Gaza, goes beyond depriving Palestinians of their right to access adequate healthcare," he said.

Israel's claim that Hamas uses hospitals improperly and as a base for military operations was often "vague, broad, and contradicted by public reports," according to Turk.

The meeting follows a raid on Kamal Adwan Hospital, the last major functioning health facility in northern Gaza in recent days. It is reported that the hospital's director, Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, was arrested and has not been seen since.

Israel said the director has been detained, saying he is suspected of "potential involvement in terrorist activity."

China's Permanent Representative Fu Cong said that as the world was counting down to the New Year, people in Gaza were counting down to the next bombing.

"We urge Israel to strictly abide by its obligations under international humanitarian law, stop turning hospitals into battlefields, stop attacking medical facilities, ensure the safety of medical institutions and medical personnel, and release all detained medical personnel," he said.

The meeting comes as a delegation from Israel is expected to arrive in Qatar to continue negotiations for a ceasefire agreement with Hamas.

UN Security Council warns of continuing "human rights catastrophe" in Gaza

UN Security Council warns of continuing "human rights catastrophe" in Gaza

The Syrian government and people have roundly welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement to lift all sanctions against Syria, with many believing it will give a major boost to the conflict-ravaged country's recovery from years of civil war.

Trump announced during his visit to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday that he would remove the long-standing sanctions on Syria, with the Syrian foreign ministry welcoming the move as a "pivotal turning point for the Syrian people".

Another significant moment came on Wednesday when Trump held a face-to-face meeting with Syrian interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa in the Saudi capital Riyadh -- marking the first encounter between a U.S. president and a Syrian leader in decades -- with the two discussing the normalization of bilateral ties.

Prior to Trump's announcement, the Syrian foreign ministry noted that the long-imposed sanctions, which originally applied to the former government, were still having a direct impact on the Syrian people and had hindered efforts to facilitate the country's post-war recovery and reconstruction.

The news of the removal of all U.S. punitive measures was immediately met with an outpouring of joy in Syria, with large crowds taking to the streets of Damascus and elsewhere in the country to celebrate.

The Syrian pound also reportedly gained in value following Trump's decision.

Ziad Arabsh, an economic consultant for the Syrian government, said the U.S. move has now cleared a major obstacle to Syria's economic recovery and post-war reconstruction efforts.

"The access of Syria to the world technology is extremely vital to rebuild the long years [of] destroyed infrastructure, and this will lead to the economy [being boosted] and help Syria in [its] reconstruction instead of sliding into fragmentation," Arabsh said in an interview with the China Global Television Network (CGTN) in Damascus.

Trump's surprise announcement came on the first day of his four-day whirlwind tour across the Middle East, which has seen him visit Saudi Arabia and Qatar before he is expected to conclude the trip in the United Arab Emirates.

Trump's remarks about the sanctions relief and his meeting with al-Sharaa came at a time when the new leadership in Damascus is striving to rally international support for the country to cope with extreme challenges after over a decade of conflict and economic hardship.

Syrians welcome Trump's announcement to lift all sanctions