GAZA: Hamas is suggesting during ceasefire negotiations that an independent government of non-partisan figures run post-war Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank, a member of the Palestinian Islamist movement’s political bureau said Friday.
“We proposed that a non-partisan national competency government manage Gaza and the West Bank after the war,” Hossam Badran said in a statement about the ongoing negotiations between Israel and Hamas with mediation from Qatar, Egypt, and the United States.
“The administration of Gaza after the war is a Palestinian internal matter without any external interference, and we will not discuss the day after the war in Gaza with any external parties,” Badran added.
A Hamas official told AFP the proposal for a non-partisan government was made “with the mediators.”
The government will “manage the affairs of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank in the initial phase after the war, paving the way for general elections” said the official, who did not want his name disclosed.
Badran’s remarks came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demanded that Israel retain control of the Philadelphi corridor, Gaza territory along the border with Egypt. This condition conflicts with Hamas’s position that Israel must withdraw from all Gaza territory after a ceasefire.
Netanyahu said on Thursday that control of the Philadelphi corridor is part of efforts to prevent “weapons to be smuggled to Hamas from Egypt.”
The negotiations are occurring in Doha, Qatar and Cairo, Egypt with the aim of bringing about a ceasefire in Gaza as well as the return of hostages still held there by Hamas.
The war began on Oct. 7 with Hamas’s unprecedented attack on southern Israel that resulted in the deaths of 1,195 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures.
The militants also seized 251 hostages, 116 of whom remain in Gaza, including 42 the military says are dead.
Israel responded with a military offensive that has killed at least 38,345 people in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to data from the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza
Hamas calls for independent Palestinian government in post-war Gaza
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Hamas calls for independent Palestinian government in post-war Gaza
- Negotiations occurring in Doha, Qatar and Cairo with aim of bringing about ceasefire in Gaza
- Netanyahu demanded Israel retain control of Philadelphi corridor along border with Egypt
Threat of expanding hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli army
- Hezbollah broadens list of targets while Israeli military attacks infrastructure
BEIRUT: Israeli warplanes conducted five airstrikes on the border town of Kfar Kila on Sunday, demolishing five vacant homes and reducing them to rubble.
An Israeli drone strike also targeted a house in the town center of Beit Lif, causing “severe injuries to two individuals and minor injuries to a third person,” according to the Ministry of Health’s Emergency Operations Center.
The attack came hours after Iran-backed Hezbollah expanded its military operations against the Israeli army on Saturday night, targeting the settlement of Beit Hillel for the first time since hostilities began between the two sides 10 months ago.
The threat of expanding hostilities between Hezbollah and the Israeli army has increased due to Hezbollah’s decision to avenge the assassination of its prominent field commander Fuad Shukr, who was killed in the southern suburbs of Beirut last week.
The situation has raised Lebanese concerns about open war, especially as it has coincided with warnings from Arab and foreign embassies for their citizens in the country to leave immediately.
The Israeli army fired incendiary bombs at the forests near the Blue Line after its heavy machine guns combed the town of Aita al-Shaab.
In addition, an Israeli drone conducted an operation against a motorcycle in the town of Rab El-Thalathine but it failed to hit its target.
In a separate incident, another drone targeted a water distribution power station in the town of Taybeh in southern Lebanon. The strike ignited a fire at the facility, causing a disruption in water supply.
Hezbollah declared that it had “successfully targeted the espionage equipment at the Ramia military site, resulting in its destruction.”
Additionally, the group launched rockets at the Manara military complex, “hitting it directly.”
Hezbollah also said it had used artillery shells to target “the Birkat Risha site, achieving hits,” and “Al-Malikiyah … hitting it directly.”
The group launched around 50 rockets toward the settlement of Beit Hillel on Saturday night.
Hezbollah said in a statement that it had included the location on its target list and attacked it for the first time with dozens of Katyusha rockets in response to Israeli attacks on Kfar Kila and Deir Siriane, which had targeted civilians.
The Israeli military responded to Hezbollah’s action by expanding its own targets to include “a Hezbollah missile-launch pad and an additional infrastructure located in Marjayoun, southern Lebanon.”
It added that it had “eliminated dangers in the Odaisseh area (in) southern Lebanon.”
Israeli media reported on Sunday afternoon that “a factory in Kiryat Shmona in Upper Galilee was directly hit by a missile fired from southern Lebanon.”
Meanwhile, three rockets were fired toward an Israeli site in the occupied Shebaa Farms.
Saudi Arabia’s Embassy has reiterated its request for nationals to depart from Lebanon without delay, while the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has urged Jordanians “not to travel to Lebanon at present, for their safety,” and requested its citizens “residing and present in Lebanon to leave as soon as possible.”
The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs has requested its citizens to “take immediate measures to leave Lebanon as soon as possible,” describing the situation in the country as “a very volatile security context.”
The statement released by the US Embassy on Saturday requested US citizens to “book any available travel ticket” and contact the embassy if any citizen did not have enough funds to return to the US.
The offices of Middle East Airlines have witnessed some pressure from those wishing to bring forward their departure date from Lebanon.
An employee working in the call center said: “We receive between 6,000 and 8,000 calls a day to change the travel date. Most callers are Lebanese expatriates who have come to Lebanon to spend their summer vacation.”
Arab and foreign airlines have suspended flights to Lebanon, with the exception of a few that have reduced the number of daily flights to one, including Turkish Airlines.
Beirut International Airport saw no new arrivals throughout the night until the early-morning hours although, according to a government source: “Lebanon’s officials have not been warned of the possibility of Israel targeting the airport like it did during the 2006 war.
“However, nothing is guaranteed in this confrontation, and any mistake could lead to dire consequences.”
Adel Al-Masri, an attorney living in the Ruwais area of Beirut, said many people want to leave the city’s southern suburb.
The attorney said: “The reassurances that minimize the likelihood of a war breaking out are no longer convincing us, as we are seeing what is happening in Gaza, and we do not want our children to live this bitter experience as we did.”
Sudan’s Zamzam camp faces severe food shortage, MSF says
- RSF has said it provides protection for aid convoys and ready to cooperate with any aid agencies
- The Sudanese government denied existence of famine
More than 15 months of war in Sudan between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have created the world’s biggest internal displacement crisis and left 25 million people — or half the population — in urgent need of humanitarian aid.
“Our teams only have enough therapeutic food to treat malnourished children in Zamzam camp, Sudan, for another two weeks,” MSF posted on X. It also said they had to limit treatment due to supply trucks being blocked by the RSF.
The RSF has said that it provides protection for aid convoys and that it is ready to cooperate with any aid agencies.
MSF said: “Without treatment, children with severe malnutrition are at risk of dying within three to six weeks.”
“Our three trucks bringing life-saving medical supplies — including therapeutic food — to Zamzam and El Fasher have been blocked in Kabkabiya for over a month by the RSF,” MSF said.
“The bed occupancy rate of our malnutrition ward is at 126 percent, indicating that many children are already in a critical condition,” the MSF said.
A global food monitor concluded in early August that war in Sudan had caused famine at Zamzam, adding that similar conditions may exist elsewhere in the region.
Macron, Jordan’s King Abdullah urge avoiding Mideast escalation ‘at all costs’
- Fears that the almost 10-month-old Gaza war could become a regional conflict have spiked
PARIS: France’s Emmanuel Macron and Jordan’s King Abdullah II on Sunday said a military escalation in the Middle East must be avoided “at all costs” during a telephone call, the French presidency said.
Fears that the almost 10-month-old Gaza war could become a regional conflict have spiked as Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah have vowed to avenge deadly strikes on Beirut and Tehran blamed on Israel.
Macron and King Abdullah “expressed their utmost concern” and “underlined the need to avoid a regional military escalation at all costs,” according to the Elysee’s readout of their call.
“They called on all the parties to end the cycle of reprisals, exercise the utmost restraint and responsibility to guarantee the security of the populations.”
Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh died in a strike on Tehran on Wednesday that Iran blamed on Israel, hours after the Israeli assassination of Hezbollah’s military chief Fuad Shukr in Beirut.
Iran and Hezbollah have vowed revenge for the killings. The Lebanese group has been trading near-daily cross-border fire with Israel since war erupted in Gaza on October 7 following Hamas’s unprecedented attack on Israel.
G7 foreign ministers met by videoconference over Mideast: Italy
- Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said they expressed “strong concern” over the threat of escalation
ROME: G7 foreign ministers met by videoconference Sunday to discuss the Middle East and expressed “strong concern” over the threat of escalation, Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said.
“Together with our partners, we have expressed strong concern about recent events that threaten to determine a regionalization of the crisis, starting from Lebanon,” said Tajani in a statement.
“We call on the parties involved to desist from any initiative that could hinder the path of dialogue and moderation and favor a new escalation,” said the statement issued by the foreign ministry of Italy, which holds the G7 presidency this year.
The foreign ministers, it said, “reiterated the priority of a favorable conclusion of the negotiations on the ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages” while stepping up humanitarian assistance.
Egypt tells Iran recent events jeopardize regional stability
- On July 31, Palestinian militant group Hamas’ top leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in the Iranian capital Tehran, an act both Hamas and Iran have accused Israel of carrying out and have pledged to retaliate against
CAIRO: Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty has stressed in a phone call with Ali Bagheri Kani, Iran’s acting foreign minister, that recent developments in the region are “unprecedented, very dangerous” and threatening stability.
Abdelatty also expressed Egypt’s support for and solidarity with Lebanon in facing surrounding threats, in a separate phone call to Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib.
Abdelatty highlighted Egypt’s intensive communications with all relevant and active parties to contain the ongoing escalation of conflict in the region and protect the interests of the Lebanese people.
Speaking to Bou Habib, Abdelatty expressed profound concern over the dangerously escalating tensions and their potential impact on Lebanon’s security and stability.
He called for a concerted effort to prevent a deterioration of the situation and avoid an expansion of confrontations which could lead to severe repercussions for the security and stability of the region.
The Lebanese minister expressed his gratitude for Abdelatty’s initiative to communicate, and for Egypt’s support of Lebanon’s security, stability, and the well-being of its people.
He also underscored his commitment to ongoing coordination with Egypt concerning Lebanon’s sensitive situation.
The Lebanese minister noted the complete trust of all Lebanese parties in Egypt’s role and the earnest efforts being made by Cairo to safeguard Lebanon.
Separately, Abdelatty conducted a phone call with Iran’s acting foreign minister.
The Egyptian minister said that the call was part of Cairo’s efforts to engage with all relevant parties to help to contain the ongoing escalation and reduce regional tensions.
Abdelatty emphasized that the recent developments in the region were unprecedented and highly dangerous, and threatened to widen the conflict and endanger countries’ stability.
He stressed the need for all parties to exercise calm and restraint to prevent the situation from spiraling out of control.
Abdelatty reiterated Egypt’s position by calling for an end to the war in the Gaza Strip, which he identified as the primary cause of increased tensions and confrontations in the region.
He stressed Egypt’s rejection of Israel’s policy of escalation, assassinations, and the violation of state sovereignty.
He pointed out that such policies would not serve the interests of any party and would only fuel the conflict in a way that made it difficult to contain the crisis.
Kani took the opportunity to thank Abdelatty for participating in the inauguration ceremony of Iran’s new president, which reflected Egypt’s interest in supporting Iran’s government and people in the significant event at a high ministerial level.
