Top U.S. & World Headlines — June 21, 2024

Summary

Democracy Now reports on the ongoing crisis in Gaza, where children face malnutrition and disease amid Israel's assault, with schools destroyed and an environmental crisis looming. The UN Environment Program warns of irreversible damage to Gaza's ecosystems. Meanwhile, political news includes a Super PAC's efforts to defeat a progressive Congress member and a legal victory for climate activists in Hawaii. The Supreme Court upholds a tax on overseas investments, and global heating increases the likelihood of extreme heatwaves.

Takeaways

• 📢 Israel's assault on Gaza has entered its ninth month, with a significant impact on children, who make up 16,000 of the over 37,000 Palestinians killed since October 7th.
• 👶 Children in Gaza are particularly vulnerable to disease and a worsening hunger crisis, with thousands malnourished and at risk of death.
• 🏚️ Over 600,000 Palestinian students have been out of school for more than eight months, with schools often destroyed by Israeli attacks.
• 🏅 The first Palestinian Olympian, Majid Abu maril, died in Gaza due to lack of medical care for kidney failure.
• 🌿 The United Nations Environment Program warns of an unprecedented environmental crisis in Gaza due to the war, with severe soil, water, and air pollution.
• 💧 Contaminated water in Gaza is causing health issues such as hepatitis and intestinal infections among displaced Palestinians.
• 🏆 The International Women's Media Foundation's 'Under Fire' program awarded the courage and journalism award to Gaza-based Palestinian journalist Maha husi.
• 💡 Wikipedia has labeled the Anti-Defamation League as an unreliable source on the Israel-Palestine conflict, citing bias against Palestinian rights.
• 💰 A Super PAC affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) is spending heavily to defeat progressive Congress member Jamal Bowman, who has spoken against Israel's actions in Gaza.
• ♨️ Global heating from human activity has made recent heat waves in the US, Mexico, and Central America 35 times more likely, according to a new study.
• 🔥 The heat is exacerbating the suffering of asylum seekers at the US Southern border, with at least 13 deaths recorded in the desert near El Paso, Texas.

Q & A

How long has Israel's assault on Gaza been ongoing?

Israel's assault on Gaza has been ongoing for nine months at the time of the report.

What is the impact of the war on children in Gaza according to the report?

Children represent approximately 16,000 of the more than 37,000 Palestinians killed since October 7th, making them some of the most vulnerable to disease and the worsening hunger crisis, with thousands malnourished and facing death.

How many Palestinian children have lost one or both parents due to the conflict?

177,000 Palestinian children have lost one or both parents as a result of the conflict.

What is the situation regarding Palestinian students and schools in Gaza?

Over 600,000 Palestinian students have been out of school for more than eight months, with schools often being turned into shelters for displaced Gazans and regularly destroyed by Israel.

What happened to the first Palestinian athlete to participate in the Olympics?

The first Palestinian athlete to participate in the Olympics, Majid Abu maril, a long-distance runner, died in Gaza's narat refugee camp after being unable to receive medical care for kidney failure.

What environmental crisis has the United Nations' Environment Program warned about in Gaza?

The United Nations' Environment Program warns that Israel's war on the Gaza Strip has spawned an unprecedented environmental crisis with worsening soil, water, and air pollution, and risks of irreversible damage to Gaza's natural ecosystems.

What has the UN report found regarding the debris generated by Israeli attacks in Gaza?

The UN report finds that Israeli attacks have generated 39 million tons of debris, causing severe damage to Gaza's water sanitation and hygiene systems.

What is the situation regarding clean water in Gaza as described by Fatima Al shanur?

Fatima Al shanur, a displaced Palestinian, describes a dire situation with no clean water, causing health issues such as hepatitis and intestinal infections among the people in the shelter.

Why did the International Women's Media Foundation rescind its courage and journalism award to Palestinian journalist Maha husi?

The International Women's Media Foundation rescinded the award following a smear campaign by pro-Israel groups and false accusations of anti-Semitism against Maha husi.