This week, DRC president criticizes international community’s “inaction” after M23 Goma takeover. Israel-Gaza ceasefire continues with hostages and Palestinians returning home. Refugee agencies unable to provide services after funding suspension.
DRC President Criticizes International Community’s “Inaction” after M23 Goma Takeover
The president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Félix Tshisekedi, criticized the international community’s “silence and inaction” following M23’s takeover of Goma, international media reported on January 30. On January 27, M23 rebels claimed the capture of Goma, the largest city in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Nearly half a million people have fled the city, and Anadolu Ajansi reported on January 28 that 17 peacekeepers have been killed in clashes with rebels.
President Tshisekedi vowed to restore the government’s authority in the DRC’s eastern region, promising a “vigorous and coordinated response.”
M23, or the March 23 Movement, is made up of Tutsi fighters who claim to be fighting for the rights of DRC’s Tutsi minority. While there are many armed groups in the region, M23 is one of the strongest. One major reason for that is Rwanda’s support for M23. In June 2024, an investigation commissioned by the UN Security Council revealed that the DRC’s neighbor, Rwanda, has actively backed this armed group, with the Rwanda Defence Force identified as having ‘de facto’ control over M23.
Since the takeover, Rwanda has falsely accused international peacekeepers of triggering the hostilities, blaming the “…Congolese Armed Forces in coalition with UN sanctioned militia FDLR, European mercenaries, Ethnic militias (Wazalendo) Burundian armed forces, SMIDRC forces, as well as MUNUSCO.”
To read Peace News Network (PNN)’s earlier update on the situation, click here.
Israel-Gaza Ceasefire Continues with Hostages and Palestinians Returning Home
The Israel-Gaza ceasefire is continuing, with Israeli and foreign hostages, as well as Palestinians from Gaza, finally returning home after the painful post-October 7 war.
On January 27, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians returned to northern Gaza, the most destroyed area of the Gaza strip. Meanwhile, Hamas is slowly continuing its release of what will eventually be 33 hostages, as well as the remains of deceased hostages. In return, Israel is expected to release a total of 1,737 prisoners, including 120 women and children. Last week, BBC reported that seven female Israeli hostages had been released so far.
In the latest hostage-prisoner swap, Hamas released eight hostages from captivity on January 30, including three Israelis and five Thai nationals. The release of the first of these hostages, 20 year old Agam Berger, and her heartwarming reunification with her parents, was widely reported in international media. Meanwhile, buses filled with released Palestinian prisoners made their way into the West Bank city of Ramallah. The Palestinians released include 30 who were serving life sentences for dealy attacks on Israelis, Associated Press reported.
A lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians remains distant. Gaza has largely been destroyed, and needs to be rebuilt. Violence between the two populations, including terrorism by both Israeli settlers and Palestinian militants, remains a problem.
Refugee Agencies Unable to Provide Services After Funding Suspension
United States President Donald Trump last week ordered a halt to aid for refugee resettlement agencies for 90 days. Now, agencies are unable to provide many services for people fleeing conflict, with UN agencies are now cutting back on their global aid operations.
US secretary of state Marco Rubio claims that the move focuses on programs related to abortion, family planning or “gender ideology.” However, the initial impact immediately cut humanitarian assistance across the board globally, The Guardian reported. The outlet noted that according to the latest figures from 2024, the US provided $2.49bn in funding to the UNHCR, one fifth of the agency’s total budget.
The impact is taking its toll around the world. On the border of Thailand and Myanmar, hospitals funded by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) were closed at Mae La and Umpiem refugee camps. An NGO worker there told Prachatai English that activities on community health, mother and child health, as well as vaccination, sanitation and waste management projects inside the camps, had to stop. A doctor on the border told the outlet that staff in his program are no longer being paid, and that support for food and medication has stopped in some places. They noted that while some patients were transferred to Thai hospitals, most have returned home.
The US also suspended its ‘Uniting for Ukraine’ program, which allowed Ukrainians to stay in the U.S. for up to two years, work, and receive health insurance. Applications have been effectively frozen until the completion of a review, Kyiv Independent reported.
Keywords: DRC, Congo, Israel, Gaza, Palestine, ceasefire, hostages, peace, conflict, conflict resolution, refugees, refugee aid, trump
Tara Abhasakun
Tara Abhasakun is a journalist in Bangkok. She has reported on a range of human rights issues involving youth protests in Thailand, as well as arts and culture. Tara's work has appeared in several outlets, including Al Jazeera and South China Morning Post.
