GAZA: Israeli soldiers shot and wounded 77 Palestinians during protests near the Gaza Strip border on Friday, the enclave’s Health Ministry said.
An Israeli military spokeswoman said about 10,000 demonstrators massed at the border and that some threw burning tires, grenades and explosive devices at the troops across the fence. About 30 Palestinians suffered tear gas inhalation, the Gaza Health Ministry said.
But the protest was relatively small — some of the previous gatherings included about 30,000 people, a sign that tensions that have built up in the past few days may be easing.
On Thursday, Israel had ramped up armored forces along the Gaza border, a day after a rocket fired from the enclave destroyed a home in southern Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, vowed “very strong action” if attacks continued. A Palestinian official said Egyptian security officials had held separate meetings in the past few days with Israeli counterparts and with leaders of the Palestinian Hamas group that rules Gaza in an effort to prevent an escalation in violence.
Palestinians have been protesting along the border since March 30, demanding an end to Israel’s blockade of the territory and the right to return to lands that Palestinians fled or were driven from upon Israel’s founding in 1948. About 200 Gazans have been killed by Israeli troops since the protests started, according to Palestinian Health Ministry figures. Pale stinians have launched incendiary balloons and kites into Israel and on occasion breached the Israeli frontier fence. More than 2 million Palestinians are packed into the narrow coastal enclave. Israel pulled troops and settlers from Gaza in 2005 but maintains tight control of its land and sea borders.
Egypt also restricts movement in and out of Gaza on its border. Nickolay Mladenov, the UN’s Mideast peace envoy, earlier urged Israel and the Palestinians to exercise restraint ahead of the protests. Mosque loudspeakers in the Palestinian enclave urged Gazans to attend Friday’s demonstrations, despite statements by Gaza’s leaders that Hamas seeks to rein in the protests. “In light of today’s planned Gaza march, I urge all to exercise restraint, to proceed in a peaceful manner, and to avoid escalation,” Nickolay Mladenov said in a statement. “The UN is working with Egypt and its partners to avoid violence, address all humanitarian issues and support reconciliation.”
Egyptian intelligence officials met with Hamas and Israeli officials on Thursday in efforts to broker a cease-fire and ease months of deadly border protests. Egypt and the UN have attempted to negotiate a truce between Israel and Hamas for weeks in a bid to ease tensions in the beleaguered Gaza Strip.
Hamas has organized weekly protests since March that seek, in part, to secure an easing of the Egyptian-Israeli blockade of the Palestinian enclave imposed after the Islamic militant group seized control of Gaza from the Palestinian Authority in 2007 in an armed coup.
At least 156 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire at the protests, and an Israeli solider was killed by a Palestinian sniper.
The protests have intensified in recent weeks as Egyptian and UN cease-fire negotiations have faltered, and cross-border violence earlier this week has brought tensions to a simmer.
On Wednesday, a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip destroyed a house in the Israeli city of Beersheba in the worst bout of violence in recent weeks. Israel retaliated with airstrikes and has beefed up its military forces along the border. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Security Cabinet resolved to retaliate more severely to cross-border attacks, but has thus far refrained from further action, suggesting it was giving the Egyptians a chance to restore calm.
Israeli forces wound 77 Palestinians at protest near Gaza Strip border
Israeli forces wound 77 Palestinians at protest near Gaza Strip border
- Palestinians have been protesting along the border since March 30, demanding an end to Israel’s blockade of the territory and the right to return to lands that Palestinians fled or were driven from upon Israel’s founding in 1948
Lebanon says Israeli fire kills one as residents try to go home
The bloodshed, which one analyst said was unlikely to re-spark war, came hours after the extension of a deadline for Israeli forces to withdraw from south Lebanon under a November ceasefire deal.
The ministry said Israeli fire killed 24 returnees on Sunday.
“Israeli enemy attacks as citizens attempt to return to their towns that are still occupied have led... to one dead and seven wounded,” the health ministry said Monday in a statement.
It reported one dead and two wounded in the border town of Adaysseh, with others wounded in Bani Hayyan, including a child, as well as in Yarun and Hula.
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said earlier Monday that Lebanon had agreed to an extension of the ceasefire deal between Hezbollah and Israel until February 18, after the Israeli military missed Sunday’s deadline to withdraw.
In south Lebanon, residents accompanied by the army were again trying to return to their villages, official media and AFP correspondents reported.
Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem is scheduled to deliver a televised address at 6:30 p.m. (1630 GMT).
In the village of Burj Al-Muluk, an AFP photographer saw dozens of men, women and children gathering in the morning behind a dirt barrier, some holding yellow Hezbollah flags, hoping to reach the border town of Kfar Kila, where the Israeli military is still deployed.
In the city of Bint Jbeil, an access point for many border villages, Hezbollah supporters were distributing sweets, water and images of former chief Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli strike in September.
Others handed out stickers celebrating the “victory from God” as women held pictures of slain Hezbollah fighters.
“They think they are scaring us with their bullets, but we lived under the bombing and bullets don’t scare us,” said Mona Bazzi in Bint Jbeil.
The official National News Agency (NNA) said that Lebanese “army reinforcements” had arrived near the border town of Mais Al-Jabal, where people had started to gather at “the entrance of the town” in preparation for entering alongside the military.
It said the Israeli army had “opened fire in the direction of the Lebanese army” near the town, without reporting casualties there.
“We waited in a long line for hours, but couldn’t enter,” said Mohammed Choukeir, 33, from Mais Al-Jabal, adding that Israeli troops “were opening fire from time to time on civilians gathered at the entrance of the town.”
In nearby Hula, where the health ministry reported two wounded, the NNA said residents entered “after the deployment of the army in several neighborhoods.”
Under the ceasefire deal that took effect on November 27, the Lebanese military was to deploy in the south alongside United Nations peacekeepers as the Israeli army withdrew over a 60-day period, which ended on Sunday.
Hezbollah was also to pull back its forces north of the Litani River — about 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the border.
Both sides have traded blame for delays in implementing the deal, which came after more than a year of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, including two months of all-out war.
Lebanon’s army said Sunday that it had entered several border areas including Dhayra, Maroun Al-Ras and Aita Al-Shaab.
An AFP photographer in Aita Al-Shaab on Monday saw widespread destruction, with newly returned families among the ruins of their homes, as bulldozers worked to open roads and rescue teams searched for any bodies leftover from the conflict.
Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee on Monday called again for south Lebanon residents to “wait” before returning.
Hilal Khashan, professor of political science at the American University of Beirut, said he did not expect a return to major violence.
“Hezbollah no longer wants any further confrontation with Israel, its goal is to protect its achievements in Lebanon,” he told AFP.
The health ministry said Monday that Israeli fire killed 24 people who were trying to return to their villages the previous day, updating an earlier toll of 22 dead.
The Israeli military had said soldiers “fired warning shots to remove threats” where “suspects were identified approaching the troops.”
The Lebanese army said Sunday it would “continue to accompany residents” returning to the south and “protect them from Israeli attacks.”
Closing Bell: Saudi main index sheds, Nomu gains
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index dropped on Monday, losing by 13.27 points, or 0.11 percent, to close at 12,372.89.
The total trading turnover of the benchmark index was SR7.1 billion ($1.9 billion), as 91 of the listed stocks advanced, while 147 retreated.
The MSCI Tadawul Index also dropped by 6.80 points, or 0.44 percent, to close at 1,538.59.
The Kingdom’s parallel market Nomu increased, gaining 118 points, or 0.38 percent, to close at 31,014.29. This comes as 40 of the listed stocks advanced while 45 retreated.
Jabal Omar Development Co. was the best-performing stock of the day, with its share price surging by 10 percent to SR25.85.
Other top performers included Knowledge Economic City, which saw its share price rise by 9.89 percent to SR16.66, and Makkah Construction and Development Co., which saw a 9.84 percent increase to SR106.
Taiba Investments Co. and Jadwa REIT Al Haramain Fund also saw a positive change, with their share prices surging by 9.81 percent and 5.78 percent to SR51.50 and SR6.59, respectively.
Raoom Trading Co. saw the steepest decline of the day, with its share price easing 5.18 percent to close at SR183.
Nice One Beauty Digital Marketing Co. and Al-Baha Investment and Development Co. recorded declines, with their shares slipping 4.92 percent and 4.26 percent to SR56 and SR0.45, respectively.
ARTEX Industrial Investment Co. also faced a loss in today’s session, with its share price dipping 4.06 percent to SR16.08 while Lumi Rental Co. saw a 4.01 percent drop to settle at SR76.60.
On Nomu, International Human Resources Co. saw the highest gain, with a 10.95 percent increase, reaching SR5.98.
Knowledge Tower Trading Co. followed with a 9.28 percent increase to SR17.42, while Enma AlRawabi Co. reached SR24.44 — a 6.26 percent growth.
National Building and Marketing Co. and AME Co. for Medical Supplies were also among the top performers, with 5.44 percent and 5.14 percent increases to reach SR189.80 and SR122.80, respectively.
Mulkia Investment Co. was Nomu’s worst performer of the day, witnessing a 9.86 percent decline to settle at SR33.35.
Albattal Factory for Chemical Industries Co. and Arabian Food and Dairy Factories Co. also saw declines of 6.25 and 5.91 percent to settle at SR60 and SR94, respectively.
Academy of Learning Co. and Leaf Global Environmental Services Co. saw drops of 5.71 and 5.08 percent to settle at SR9.58 and SR112.
Riyadh foundation hosts event to preserve history
- Event, which is on at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University in Riyadh until Tuesday, features workshops, exhibitions and talks by 20 experts on innovation and heritage
- Aligned with Vision 2030, the lab provides a platform for youth and organizations passionate about history to collaborate and compete
RIYADH: The King Abdulaziz Public Foundation for Research and Archives staged a National History Lab event in collaboration with 30 Saudi universities and 15 national and international organizations to promote creativity in preserving and sharing national history.
The event, which is on at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University in Riyadh until Tuesday, features workshops, exhibitions and talks by 20 experts on innovation and heritage.
Aligned with Vision 2030, the lab provides a platform for youth and organizations passionate about history to collaborate and compete, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The initiative encourages students to develop ideas, technical projects and social initiatives that show Saudi Arabia’s cultural heritage and history in engaging and innovative ways to diverse audiences, SPA reported.
The initiative has two tracks: the digital innovation track, which focuses on developing technical solutions for documenting and sharing history; and the social impact track, which aims to design initiatives that strengthen community connections to history.
Thirteen judges will evaluate the projects, with support from more than 20 facilitators who will guide participants in refining their ideas.
Qatar official calls for GCC real estate boom to drive sustainable growth beyond oil
RIYADH: Oil-dependent countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council should focus on strengthening sectors such as real estate and tourism to ensure sustainable development, according to a Qatari official.
Speaking at the Real Estate Future Forum in Riyadh on Jan.27, the president of the Real Estate Regulatory Authority-Aqarat, Khaled Al-Obaidli, said that Saudi Arabia’s success in the property sector exemplifies the growth of the entire GCC region in developing a thriving market.
These comments regarding the Kingdom’s expanding property sector come just days after the nation reported a 3.6 percent year-on-year increase in its real estate price index.
Saudi Arabia’s Real Estate General Authority expects the country’s property market to reach $101.62 billion by 2029, with an expected compound annual growth rate of 8 percent from 2024.
“The success of Saudi Arabia in the real estate sector is the success of all GCC countries because we see them as one,” said Al-Obaidli.
He added: “Most of our countries are oil-based economies. It is very important to diversify the resources across sectors like real estate and tourism. We (Qatar) are not just a country that depends only on oil, we are now trying to affirm our presence in sports, and tourism, and we are also developing high-level universities.”
Aligned with its Vision 2030 program, Qatar established the Real Estate Regulatory Authority-Aqarat in 2023 to enhance transparency and clarity of information as well as encourage investment in the country’s property sector.
“The Real Estate Authority in Qatar was created to enhance the sector and we also try to make it more attractive to generate more investments,” said Al-Obaidli.
Regarding the Real Estate Strategy launched by the authority in December, Al-Obaidli said that the initiative has five pillars, with the first one being developing a comprehensive national real estate plan and introducing policies that promote sustainable development.
The second focuses on strengthening Qatar’s regulatory frameworks to support the sector, while the third aims to improve industry standards by enhancing real estate valuation governance.
The fourth pillar focuses on driving digital transformation in the industry, while the fifth aims to boost real estate investment and position Qatar as a global destination for family living.
“Technology is one of the most important tools to develop the real estate sector. Technologies like artificial intelligence and virtual reality can be used to enhance the customer experience. The experience of customers should be easy and seamless,“ said Al-Obaidli.
He added: “In our countries, most of our doors are open. People get inside here without feeling uneasy. This is part of the real estate. If you want to retire, so, you have the regulations, health systems, and service products.”
The Qatari official added that the country now hosts nearly all major international universities, allowing students to pursue higher education without traveling to Western countries.
Al-Obaidli also hinted at the plans to establish an institute of real estate in close cooperation with national universities.
“We are about to establish an institute for real estate in close cooperation with the private sector and some universities. So, it gives you the ability to get engaged in the sector, and you will also get a license specialized in this,” said Al-Obaidli.
He added that people who receive real estate licenses from the institute can pursue part-time jobs in the property sector after completing their day jobs, which could boost the market.
Al-Obaidli further said that both citizens from the GCC nations and foreign countries have sufficient opportunities to own residencies in Qatar.
“The GCC citizens have privileges such as they can own a piece of land up to 3,000 sq. meters for residential and housing purposes in Qatar. Also, they can own their own land for their own entities or establishments for other businesses or factories. There are some regulations where we can increase these privileges for GCC citizens,” said the Qatari official.
He added: “For foreigners, if you have $1 million, you can have a permanent residence and it will also have some features. This can be done through the Real Estate Authority.”
According to the Aqarat website, permanent residency benefits are available for properties valued at $1 million or more, covering areas such as health, education, and investment.
Al-Obaidli further said that Qatar is not just trying to promote its own real estate sector, but it is also trying to accelerate the growth of the industry in other GCC nations.
“We want our countries to be the best, as one of the good destinations for real estate development. Our ambition is to come to a stage that is very much high. We are promoting GCC countries, not just Qatar. We want to be integrated, where opportunities will be ample,” concluded Al-Obaidli.
In November, a report released by Statista projected that the real estate sector in Qatar is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 1.96 percent from 2024 to 2029, reaching a market value of $492.10 billion.
Earlier this month, another report released by Qatar’s Ministry of Justice revealed that the country’s real estate sector recorded sale contracts worth $284.6 million in December.
The ministry data added that 283 real estate transactions were recorded during December, with the number of properties sold recording an increase of 12 percent compared to November.
Zain KSA becomes Inter Milan’s first Saudi partner
Italian football club FC Internazionale Milano has announced the club’s first partnership agreement in Saudi Arabia, with Zain KSA becoming Inter’s first official regional partner.
The agreement, valid throughout the 2024/25 season, will see Zain KSA, a leading provider of innovative technology in Saudi Arabia, make its debut in Italian football. Zain KSA will leverage the global visibility of the Inter brand to advance its goals of delivering innovative digital experiences that cater to sports fans in Saudi Arabia.
The partnership underscores Inter’s dedication to expanding its presence in the Middle East — one of the club’s key global markets — and get even closer its extensive and ever-growing fanbase across the region. In 2024, Inter also secured a license from the Ministry of Investment to undertake and manage commercial activities in Saudi Arabia.
“We are very happy to announce our first regional partnership in Saudi Arabia, a key market for developing the Inter brand and one that has shown growing enthusiasm for Inter,” said FC Internazionale Milano CEO Corporate Alessandro Antonello. “Besides being our first partnership in the Saudi Arabia market, this collaboration with Zain KSA also enables us to join forces with a brand that, like Inter, views innovation and care for their community as two fundamental pillars of their growth strategy.”
Thanks to this agreement, football fans in Saudi Arabia — and Nerazzurri fans in particular — will be able to use Zain KSA’s cutting-edge 5G experience with personalized home packages and special-edition Inter-themed routers.
The partnership — a first of its kind for Zain KSA in the Kingdom and in the region — is the latest in a series of innovative initiatives planned by the company to improve people’s quality of life and enrich their daily experiences.
Zain KSA’s Chief Sales Officer Maher Al-Fawaz said: “This partnership with FC Internazionale Milano aims to promote a culture of sports in the Kingdom in line with our goals to promote a dynamic, connected and vibrant society. This innovative collaboration meets the growing aspirations of football fans in the Kingdom, attracts international clubs to have activities in Saudi Arabia and reflects our commitment to contributing to the empowerment of the sports ecosystem in Saudi Arabia.”
