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geneva — A senior U.N. official warned of a catastrophic outcome for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians living precariously in war-torn Gaza if humanitarian aid delivery into the territory is not massively expanded in the coming days. "We have to have a system that allows us to be safe and protected when we deliver aid, and that is the responsibility of Israel as we operate in the territory that they occupy," said Jamie McGoldrick, outgoing U.N. humanitarian coordinator for the occupied Palestinian territories. Speaking Friday from Jerusalem, McGoldrick told journalists in Geneva that it was difficult and dangerous for aid workers to move around and deliver aid in Gaza, noting that a UNICEF vehicle was hit Tuesday by live ammunition while waiting to enter northern Gaza. That incident followed the April 1 killing by Israel of seven World Central Kitchen workers who were delivering aid to Gaza, and the attack upon and looting of a 14-truck World Food Program convoy destined for northern Gaza last month. Such developments illustrate that "the system that we use for our own protection and safety is not working," he said. Referring to the convoys that were attacked, McGoldrick said, "I think the humanitarian workers there then feared for their own safety. And as far as we know, the deconfliction and notifications system has got flaws. "We do not have communications equipment inside Gaza to operate properly as you would have in another situation, and secondly, we do not have a hotline or an emergency number to call in case of an emergency incident that arrives, and so it is important that we get that addressed." McGoldrick said he met with Major General Yaron Finkelman, head of the Southern Command of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), this week and presented him with a list of requests that would enable the delivery of humanitarian aid "safely, effectively and at the necessary scale throughout Gaza." He said he told the Israeli major general that "we are working in a very hostile area, without the possibility of contacting each other. We do not have radios. We do not have mobile networks. "If we have a serious security incident, we do not have a hotline. We have no way of communicating with the IDF that we are facing problems at a checkpoint or facing problems en route." McGoldrick said the major general told him that he would move things forward and that a member of the IDF would be part of a new humanitarian coordination and deconfliction cell to improve the situation of Palestinians in Gaza. "We have the commitment from the major general, and we are going to keep him to that commitment and make sure we get that set up and running as soon as possible," he said. McGoldrick noted that not enough aid was entering northern Gaza to satisfy the enormous needs of tens of thousands of people who have been deprived of food, medical care and other lifesaving essentials. "We can see by the health situation. We can see by the nutritional situation," he said. "Children are showing serious signs of malnutrition, and the fact that the IPC [Integrated Food Security Phase Classification] highlights that 70% of the population is in danger of slipping into famine, we need to see a change in that, but that is not happening." Another area of great concern, one that is uppermost in the minds of humanitarians, is a potential incursion by Israel into Rafah. McGoldrick said people he met on a visit to Gaza a few days ago were extremely worried about a possible offensive, concerns he shared with Finkelman. "We have been insisting since day one that we would require time to prepare and pre-position supplies to places where people might move," he said. "We cannot do that right now because we do not have enough supplies coming in on a regular basis. "We are barely able to feed the people and support the people currently. And if we were to add on another dimension of that contingency planning process for a Rafah incursion, we are nowhere ready for that," he said. To counter a health system that no longer is functioning, he said, WHO is setting up emergency medical field hospitals all the way up north and in the middle part of Gaza, to try to provide services "if Rafah gets locked into some sort of military incursion and we cannot operate from there." "We face a real dramatic situation ahead of us," he said. "And if there were to be a Rafah incursion, figures being mentioned are that of evacuating some 800,000 people from Rafah. There is no space as we see it right now where you can accommodate that number of people," he said. "We are ringing the alarm bells that we are nowhere near ready to address the needs.  We will not be part of helping any people move or be part of any evacuation, but we have to be ready to support them if they arrive at another destination," he said. "Some people have been displaced five or six times already."

Washington — U.S. President Joe Biden delivered a stern, one-word warning to Iran on Friday as the world braced for Tehran to exact revenge for a deadly Israeli airstrike on its embassy compound in Damascus, Syria. “Don’t,” Biden said to reporters following a speech on domestic policy at an event in New York City. “We are devoted to the defense of Israel,” the president said in response to questions from reporters. “We will support Israel. We will help defend Israel, and Iran will not succeed." Biden’s comments followed similar expressions of support from top U.S. defense and diplomatic officials over the past several days and come as the U.S. military takes steps to ensure growing hostilities between Israel and Iran do not engulf the Middle East in a wider war. "We are moving additional assets to the region to bolster regional deterrence efforts and increase protection for U.S. forces," a U.S. defense official told VOA Friday. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, declined to share additional details. Even as U.S. officials warned Iran against seeking revenge, a key Iranian proxy sprang into action. Lebanese Hezbollah late Friday fired dozens of rockets into northern Israel. The Israel Defense Forces said it detected about 40 rockets crossing from Lebanon into Israel, some of which were intercepted by air defense systems. The IDF also said it was able to intercept two explosive drones that Hezbollah militants had used to target Israel earlier Friday. It is unclear whether the rocket and drone attacks by Hezbollah were part of an effort by Iran to retaliate for the Israeli strike on Iran’s diplomatic compound earlier this month, which killed three senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commanders, including General Ali Reza Zahdi, who led Iran’s elite Quds force. Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warned Wednesday that Israel "must be punished and will be punished” for the April 1 attack, days after one of his advisers said Israeli embassies are "no longer safe." U.S. diplomatic officials, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, have been reaching out to counterparts in Turkey, China and Saudi Arabia, urging them to make clear to Tehran “that escalation is not in anyone’s interest,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters Thursday. But the U.S. push for de-escalation has been accompanied by expressions of strong support for Israel in the face of potential Iranian aggression. “We are in constant communication with our Israeli counterparts about making sure that they can defend themselves,” White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters early Friday, describing Iran’s threat to retaliate as “very credible.” “We take our commitment to helping Israel with their self-defense very seriously,” Kirby said. “It is an ironclad commitment.” During a call Thursday with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin also offered Washington’s backing to Israel. “Secretary Austin assured Minister Gallant that Israel could count on full U.S. support to defend Israel against Iranian attacks,” according to a Pentagon readout of the conversation. The U.S. statements and the movement of additional resources to deter Iranian aggression, however, have done little so far to ease growing concerns. “We are very worried about potential escalation in a situation that seems to be escalating on a daily basis,” said United Nations spokesperson Stephane Dujarric. “Our message, which has been sent publicly and privately, is to avoid any escalation and work toward de-escalation of the tensions,” Dujarric told reporters Friday. VOA’s Patsy Widakuswara and Margaret Besheer contributed to this report.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

Kagame is condoning and supporting a group that stands accused of serious human rights violations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The U.S. and the U.N., both of which have sanctioned the M23 militants, have accused Kagame’s government of supporting the group.

We explore innovative farming and experience Ethiopian wine.

Mike Sands leads ecologically farming at Bean Hollow Grassfed, in Flint Hill, Virginia. He uses regenerative agriculture methods to rejuvenate a run-down piece of land and establish a sustainable, profitable model that challenges conventional farming norms. Reporter| Camera | Producer: Zdenko Novacki, Additional Camera: Philip Alexiou    

Bean Hollow Grassfed operates as a self-service farm store, providing a diverse selection of animal welfare-approved, certified grass-fed meats. Customers have the freedom to select their cuts, weigh them, and make purchases through an honor system. Reporter| Camera | Producer: Zdenko Novacki, Additional Camera: Philip Alexiou     

Gize Negussie aims to introduce Ethiopian culture to Americans by offering the experience of Tej, known as honey wine. Reporter | Camera | Producer: Philip Alexiou

In Franconia, Virginia, the annual Pumpkin Hill tradition, spanning 30 years, showcases pumpkins of various sizes, gourds, and squash, presenting a colorful autumn display. Reporter | Camera | Producer: Philip Alexiou

The Seattle Japanese Garden is a 3.5-acre urban sanctuary in the heart of the city, and has been open to the public since 1960. Reporter | Camera | Editor: Gabrielle Weiss

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

Animal rights groups and political leaders are honoring volunteers and activists who are saving animals affected by the war in Ukraine. Among those being recognized is Maria Vronska, who runs a Kyiv-area shelter that cares for more than 700 dogs and cats. Anna Kosstutschenko reports. Camera: Pavel Suhodolskiy. 

Israel prepares to be attacked by Iran and the FBI is concerned about a terrorist attack inside the United States. An update from Kyiv on Ukraine’s new military conscription law, and a look at the Japan-U.S.-Philippines summit and the plight of Sudanese refugees in need of health care.

WASHINGTON — The Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives voted to reauthorize a controversial surveillance program Friday, in a major step toward keeping a key element of the United States' foreign intelligence-gathering operation in place. The House passed a bill reauthorizing Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act in a 273-147 vote. The FISA bill now moves to the Senate, which is expected to give it bipartisan approval. Without congressional action, the program will expire on April 19. Approval came after the duration of the bill was changed to two years from a previous version of five years, as some Republicans had sought. FISA has attracted criticism from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers, who argue it violates Americans' constitutional right to privacy. The bill was blocked three times in the past five months by House Republicans bucking their party.   The White House, intelligence chiefs and top lawmakers on the House Intelligence Committee have warned of potentially catastrophic effects of not reauthorizing the program, which was first created in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. The reauthorization was thwarted earlier this week when House Republicans refused to support the bill House Speaker Mike Johnson had put forward, which fell short of the changes they wanted.   "We will go blind on April 19" without the program, Representative Mike Turner, the Republican chair of the House Intelligence Committee, told reporters Wednesday. Although the right to privacy is enshrined in the U.S. Constitution, the data of foreign nationals gathered by the program often includes communications with Americans and can be mined by domestic law enforcement bodies such as the FBI without a warrant.   That has alarmed both hardline Republicans and far-left Democrats. Recent revelations that the FBI used this power to hunt for information about Black Lives Matter protesters, congressional campaign donors and U.S. lawmakers have raised further doubts about the program's integrity. A key issue has been an amendment which would require domestic law enforcement agencies to obtain warrants before searching the database. Executive branch officials argue that such a change would undermine the program's utility for agencies such as the FBI. The amendment barely failed in a 212-212 vote ahead of the vote on the bill's final passage. 

ROME — Italy's foreign affairs minister said Friday he spoke by telephone with his Iranian counterpart Friday to urge restraint amid fears of a strike on Israel from Tehran.  Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said in a statement that he had appealed to Iran's Hossein Amirabdollahian "for moderation."  "We cannot risk escalation at such an extremely volatile stage. All regional actors must show responsibility," Tajani said.  Tajani's appeal came amid fears that Tehran will retaliate after an Israeli strike earlier this month on Iran's consulate building in Syria killed seven members of its elite Revolutionary Guards.   Israel has stepped up strikes against Iran-linked targets in Syria since the war against Hamas militants in Gaza began.  The war began with Hamas' unprecedented October 7 terror attack against Israel that resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli figures.  Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed at least 33,634 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry  The U.S. White House said Friday that the threat of violence from Iran remained "real."  Italy, which holds the rotating G7 presidency, is set to host a meeting of foreign ministers on the Italian island of Capri next week.  Tajani also called on Amirabdollahian "to exert a moderating influence on Iran's allies in the region," the statement said. 

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

Islamabad — The recent detection of poliovirus in sewage water samples collected across 30 districts in Pakistan has reignited concerns about a potential surge in polio cases. Among those deeply troubled is Musal Khan, a polio survivor who navigates life in a wheelchair. Having represented Pakistan in wheelchair cricket at the global level, Musal Khan doesn't want others to endure the same hardships he has faced. Reflecting on his own experience, Khan, who contracted polio at age 2, told VOA, “My father didn't permit polio vaccination for me, leading to a lifetime confined to a wheelchair.” Khan urges all parents to give polio drops to their children and protect them from lifelong disabilities. His father, Awal Khan, carries a heavy burden of guilt for his son's condition. He joins Musal in urging parents not to obstruct polio workers and health officials from administering the vaccine to their children. Polio, a highly contagious viral illness primarily affecting children under 5, spreads through feces, oral transmission or contaminated food and water. While incurable, it can be prevented through vaccination. Health experts warn that the poliovirus is a persistent presence in Pakistan, particularly in urban centers such as Karachi, Quetta and Peshawar. Plan to eradicate polio Shahzad Baig, the coordinator of the National Emergency Operations Center, has outlined Pakistan's goal of eradicating imported strains of the poliovirus, particularly those originating from neighboring Afghanistan, by the end of 2024. To achieve this, he announced the implementation of eight comprehensive polio vaccination campaigns scheduled throughout the year. Despite concerted efforts, the recent emergence of two polio cases in Chaman and Dera Bugti underscored the challenges facing Pakistan. Moreover, alarming findings from the analysis of more than 83 sewage water samples collected across 30 districts have revealed the presence of the virus. Baig emphasized the importance of vaccination efforts considering these findings. He noted that even in areas where polio drops are administered, children remain susceptible to the virus due to deficiencies in the drainage infrastructure. Broken sewer lines contribute to the contamination of drinking water sources, facilitating the transmission of polio. Baig stressed the urgent need for comprehensive measures to address not only vaccination coverage but also the improvement of sanitation infrastructure to prevent the spread of poliovirus. This story originated in VOA’s Urdu Service.