Reverse

Guterres says pending ban targets groups ‘indispensable to life-saving’ work, undermines ceasefire progress.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on Israel to reverse a pending ban on 37 nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) working in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

In a statement on Friday, Guterres called the work of the groups “indispensable to life-saving humanitarian work”, according to spokesperson Stephane Dujarric. He added that the “suspension risks undermining the fragile progress made during the ceasefire”.

Israel banned the humanitarian groups for failing to meet new registration rules requiring aid groups working in the occupied territory to provide “detailed information on their staff members, funding and operations”. It has pledged to enforce the ban starting March 1.

Experts have denounced the requirements as arbitrary and in violation of humanitarian principles. Aid groups have said that providing personal information about their Palestinian employees to Israel could put them at risk.

The targeted groups include several country chapters of Doctors Without Borders (known by its French acronym, MSF), the Norwegian Refugee Council, and the International Rescue Committee.

To date, Israel has killed about 500 aid workers and volunteers in Gaza throughout its genocidal war. All told, at least 71,271 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since October 7, 2023.

In his statement, Guterres said the NGO ban “comes on top of earlier restrictions that have already delayed critical food, medical, hygiene and shelter supplies from entering Gaza”.

“This recent action will further exacerbate the humanitarian crisis facing Palestinians,” he said.

Nearly all of Gaza’s population has been displaced throughout the war, with many still living in tents and temporary shelters.

Israel had maintained severe restrictions on aid entering the enclave prior to a ceasefire going into effect in October. Under the deal, Israel was meant to provide unhindered aid access.

But humanitarian groups have said Israel has continued to prevent adequate aid flow. Ongoing restrictions include materials that could be used to provide better shelter and protection from flooding amid devastating winter storms, according to the UN.

Earlier on Friday, the foreign ministers of Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Turkiye, Pakistan and Indonesia warned that “deteriorating” conditions threatened to take even more lives in Gaza.

“Flooded camps, damaged tents, the collapse of damaged buildings, and exposure to cold temperatures coupled with malnutrition, have significantly heightened risks to civilian lives,” they said in a statement.

They called on the international community “to pressure Israel, as the occupying power, to immediately lift constraints on the entry and distribution of essential supplies including tents, shelter materials, medical assistance, clean water, fuel, and sanitation support”.

The 50-year-old has opened up about her impressive transformation

Alison Hammond has worked hard to lose weight after being given some scary health news. The TV presenter made two huge lifestyle swaps, which led to remarkable results both inside and outside her body, helping her discover ‘new love’.

Aside from losing an impressive 11 stone, the beloved TV host known for her work on programmes like ITV’s This Morning and Channel 4’s The Great British Bake Off also managed to ‘reverse’ her prediabetic condition through dedication and determination.

The 50-year-old first earned public fame during a brief appearance on Big Brother back in 2002. Alison stepped into the famous house at just 22 years old, and her brief fifteen days on the reality show led to a successful TV career that has spanned decades.

In recent years, the presenter has slimmed down and achieved an incredible 11 stone loss with the help of a personal trainer. However, alongside her fitness regime, she cut out two key items from her diet after receiving a prediabetic diagnosis.

Speaking to Women’s Health, she said: “My mum had Type 2 diabetes and she was worried for me, so when I then found out that I was pre-diabetic, that was frightening. I thought ‘I have to be an adult about this’. The sweets had to stop, and the fatty foods.”

Alison, who weighed 28 stone at her heaviest, maintains her fitness by working with her personal trainer twice weekly and keeps weights in her bedroom for additional workouts. She said: “I try to vary it so it’s not the same every day.

“If I miss a session or two with my trainer, I notice it. That kick you get out of the way you feel is so good.” Following a complete lifestyle transformation, according to a previous report by Surrey Live, the TV star revealed she’s no longer prediabetic.

She said: “Because my body’s working properly, I can allow myself a bit of sugar here and there. I love my new shape and although I still have areas I’m conscious of, such as my arms and tummy, it’s great being able to wear things I would never have been able to before. I mean, look at me, I’m a bombshell.”

What is prediabetes?

Diabetes UK reports that people may be classed as being pre-diabetic if their blood sugars are “higher than usual, but not high enough to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes”. It added that, for those who catch this condition before it gets over the limit, people can reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes, and it may be possible to prevent or delay the condition from developing.

Prediabetes doesn’t have any symptoms. If you start to have any of the symptoms of type 2 diabetes, it means you have probably already developed it. Diabetes UK shared a list of signs people may want to look out for, including:

• going to the toilet more often, especially at night
• feeling more tired than usual
• losing weight without trying
• genital itching or thrush
• cuts and wounds taking longer to heal
• blurred vision
• feeling extremely thirsty

Diabetes UK claimed that there are an estimated 6.3 million people at an increased risk of type 2 diabetes in the UK based on blood sugar levels. Specialists believe that 1.3 million people are currently living with type 2 diabetes but are yet to be diagnosed