NICOSIA, Cyprus – Humanitarian Aid Dispatched to Gaza
A shipment of crucial humanitarian aid departed from a port in Cyprus on Thursday morning, bound for the U.S-built pier in Gaza, marking the first delivery to the newly constructed ramp, as confirmed by Cyprus’ foreign minister.
Urgent Relief Needed in Gaza
The relief efforts come at a critical time, with the United Nations warning of the looming threat of famine in Gaza. Simultaneously, Israeli forces have issued evacuation orders for 100,000 Palestinians from Rafah, a city in southern Gaza. The recent deployment of tanks by Israel to seize the Rafah crossing with Egypt has further exacerbated the situation, cutting off a vital entry point for essential aid into the besieged enclave.
As international calls for a cease-fire persist, the possibility of a full-scale invasion of Rafah by Israel remains uncertain. Israel justifies the potential assault as a strategic move to dismantle Hamas following the group's recent attack on southern Israel, resulting in significant casualties and abductions.
Humanitarian Crisis Escalates
The ongoing conflict has taken a heavy toll on Gaza, with over 34,800 Palestinians reported dead by Gaza health officials. Additionally, approximately 80% of Gaza's 2.3 million population have been displaced from their homes, underscoring the urgent need for humanitarian assistance.
President Joe Biden has emphasized the importance of protecting civilians in Rafah, ruling out the supply of offensive weapons for a potential Israeli assault. While reaffirming the U.S.'s commitment to Israel's defense, Biden has pledged support in the form of defensive arms like Iron Dome rocket interceptors.
Humanitarian Aid Mission
The U.S. vessel Sagamore, laden with essential humanitarian aid, set sail from the port of Larnaca with the objective of delivering much-needed assistance to Gaza through the maritime corridor. This mission follows Biden's directive to establish a floating platform off the Gaza coast to facilitate aid deliveries, bypassing the stringent checks at land crossings and air drops.
Despite the completion of the temporary pier construction by the U.S. military, adverse weather conditions have delayed its installation at the Gaza beach. Plans are in place to utilize smaller vessels to transport aid directly to Gaza if direct offloading onto the pier proves challenging.
Challenges in Aid Distribution
While sea-based aid shipments are underway, humanitarian workers stress that land-based access is crucial for effective assistance delivery. The closure of key crossings like Rafah and Kerem Shalom has disrupted the flow of food, supplies, and fuel into Gaza, jeopardizing the distribution network across the territory.
Israel's reopening of the Kerem Shalom crossing, following a recent attack, has yet to facilitate aid truck entries into Gaza due to logistical challenges. The U.N. highlights the safety risks faced by workers in Gaza, hindering the unloading and distribution of incoming aid shipments.
Continued Strife in Gaza
Amid the aid efforts, Gaza continues to witness violence, with Israeli airstrikes claiming civilian lives, including children. The recent strike on a residential building in Tel al-Sultan, Rafah, resulted in multiple casualties, underscoring the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the region.
As the situation unfolds, international efforts to address the crisis and provide essential aid to Gaza remain paramount in alleviating the suffering of its population.
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Reporting by Mednick from Jerusalem. Contributions by Associated Press writer Ellen Knickmeyer in Washington.
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Humanitarian Aid En Route to Gaza: Support for US-built Floating Pier Amid Israel-Hamas Conflict
Watch… Was the referee unfair to Bayern Munich against Real Madrid? | sports
5/9/2024-|Last update: 5/9/202407:29 AM (Mecca time)
The Spanish match between Real Madrid and German club Bayern Munich in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final, which ended with the former winning 2-1 and qualifying for the final of the tournament, witnessed many refereeing decisions, the most serious and controversial of which was the decision of Polish referee Simon Marciniak to call Bayern offside at the end of stoppage time. Immediately after, he scored the equalizing goal, which of course was not counted amid objections from the Bavarian team.
In the last minutes of stoppage time, a high forehand ball was played in the direction of Noussair Mazraoui and Matthijs de Ligt inside the Real Madrid penalty area, but the first assistant referee quickly raised the flag, declaring Mazraoui offside, who received the ball and passed it to reach de Ligt, who scored a goal, of course, which the referee did not count because He blew the offside whistle before that.
Former Egyptian international referee Nasser Sadiq told Al Jazeera Net that the assistant referee should have waited until the end of the attack, raised the flag, and the video referees examined the situation and issued the correct decision, but the referee’s whistle ended the role of the video referees’ intervention because the whistle affected the Real Madrid defenders who stopped with it, as well as their goalkeeper. Which may have enabled De Ligt to score the unaccounted goal. The referee, who has long experience as he officiated at the 2022 Qatar World Cup final and last season’s European Champions League final, should have delayed his whistle until the attack ended, because football law does not oblige the referee to respond to the decisions of his assistants, as He has the final say in their decisions and has the right not to take them and even exclude any of his assistants.
Sadiq adds: This situation could have gone unnoticed had television replays not shown that Mazraoui, who played the ball, was not offside, and that De Ligt, who was offside with part of his leg, did not prevent any defender from playing the ball or competing for it, as that would bring a lot of damage. Criticism and reprimand of the number one referee in the world currently because he spoiled an opportunity that could have transferred the qualification ticket to the European final from Madrid to Munich.
Controversy in the studio for the shot of Bayern Munich’s disallowed goal#Champions League #real madrid #Bayern Munich pic.twitter.com/Pg0JvFn64K
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) May 8, 2024
The assistant referee apologizes to De Ligt
Dutch defender De Ligt said after the match about the unaccounted goal he scored, “The assistant referee told me: I apologize, I made a mistake. It is unfortunate, because it is a big mistake.”
One goal was canceled and another was awarded for Real Madrid
Nasser Sadiq says that, in contrast to the referee’s mistake and misconduct in Bayern’s unaccounted goal, the referee was successful in many other crucial decisions, as follows:
Minute 71: The referee canceled a goal for Real Madrid after reviewing the video technology, and his decision was completely correct due to the presence of a violation (pushing) by Real Madrid player Nacho on Bayern player Kimmich immediately before the goal, which is one of the violations stipulated in Article 12 (fouls and misconduct).
A disallowed goal for Real Madrid after returning to the “VAR” technology#Champions League #real madrid #Bayern Munich pic.twitter.com/73Zg7S5SGR
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) May 8, 2024
Minute 90: Joselu put Real Madrid ahead 2-1. The referee almost ruled it out for offside, but he reviewed the ball via video technology and awarded the goal.
This situation created confusion among football fans because Joselu was ahead of all Bayern Munich players, but Article 11 of the Football Law stipulates that the ball also covers offside, meaning that when Rodriger passed Joselu, the ball was ahead of the goal scorer if there was no definitive offside, which is what… The referee confirmed it and announced his correct decision.
The referee awards Real Madrid’s second goal after returning to “VAR”#Champions League #real madrid #Bayern Munich pic.twitter.com/zTvfxUOp1i
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) May 8, 2024
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Julian Ryerson, Borussia Dortmund | Ryerson amazes: – Absolutely extreme
Julian Ryerson’s progress this season has astounded pundits and supporters alike.
The right-back was instrumental in taming superstar Kylian Mbappe as Borussia Dortmund progressed to the Champions League final at the expense of Paris Saint-Germain.
– Grown enormously
Former national team manager Nils Johan Semb is among those who get excited.
– He has impressed me a lot. There is a reason why Dortmund brought him in, and it means that he has done well in Germany and had a good development there. We also saw in international matches last autumn that he grew to become a key player in that team, says Semb to Nettavisen.
– He had a difficult task against Mbappe yesterday, but managed so well, so he has grown enormously, that is, says Semb.
Viaplay’s football expert is impressed by how complete the 26-year-old from Lyngdal has become as a football player.
– He is a very steady player, has become physically very strong, good one on one, so I think he has developed the positioning game, but also the offensive, with passes, and being able to participate in the attacking phase. It’s a good package, that right-back there, says Semb.
He believes it is natural that Ryerson’s progress has come in the shadow of Erling Braut Haaland and Martin Ødegaard.
– That’s how it is when you have two such big stars in the Premier League. Those who come behind would have received even more attention if it hadn’t been for the other two. But now we have to be happy that we have another Norwegian player who has really made his mark in the Champions League throughout the season – and not least in the two semi-finals, says Semb.
On Wednesday evening, it became clear that Borussia Dortmund will meet Real Madrid in the Champions League final. There, Ryerson gets to brush up on the super winger Vinicius Junior!
– Absolutely extreme progress
Marcus Jenssen Olsen, who is a spokesman for Borussia Dortmund’s Norwegian supporters’ club, is very pleased with the compatriot’s performances in yellow.
– He has made absolutely extreme progress. He has made enormous strides throughout the season and has been one of the most stable players we have had in the team. Lots of continuity, steady performances and a player we can always count on, says Jenssen Olsen to Nettavisen.
The supporter spokesman believes Ryerson could step in and strengthen any team in Europe.
– He is probably not the world‘s best in the back position, but he is so stable and predictable that you know what you are getting. It’s quality. Just the way he kept Mbappe away yesterday says that here you have a player who is rock solid, says Jenssen Olsen.
– What is it about Ryerson that makes the supporters press him to their chest?
– He personifies the values the club is built on. I like to compare him to Łukasz Piszczek, who was one of our greatest players and who played with his heart off the shirt and gives maximum effort every game and never runs out of energy. He works up and down the pitch for 90 minutes plus extras, is loyal and reflects the value of hard work. Such things stand extremely strong in Dortmund – not only as a football club, but in society in general. It’s a working-class town, and when those values are expressed, you become very popular. The supporters really recognize that player.
– Are we talking cult figure status already?
– There have been many such players, so we must not go completely off the hinges here. He is not among the very greatest, of course, but he is on his way. Let’s say he’s at Dortmund for another six or seven years. Then we can start talking about cult figures. If we go all the way, he will be one of the memorable players on this team.
An ace up his sleeve for Solbakken
Former national team coach Semb believes Ryerson’s success should also be good news for national team coach Ståle Solbakken.
– Yes, of course it is. This is another ace in the deck for Ståle, Semb believes.
– Does Ryerson’s success put more pressure on Solbakken as well, with a view to getting Norway to the championship?
– Yes. It does. It is a team with many good players, so we hope that it clicks now and that we are in the championship next time. It’s about making it work as a team and getting the most out of it. Now we hope they get it done in time for the next championship.
Semb notes that it is a team that must work if Norway is to qualify for the championship again.
– We have singles – two big singles in Martin and Erling, then we’ve also got a Ryerson, who maintains a sky-high level. The better players we get in each individual position, the more it increases the probability that we will get to a World Cup final in the USA.
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Julian Ryerson, Borussia Dortmund | Ryerson amazes: – Absolutely extreme