DOHA: Negotiators seeking a Gaza ceasefire were set to meet for a second day in Qatar on Friday, while top European diplomats were expected in Israel to stress the urgency of averting a wider war.
The on-and-off truce talks reconvened in Qatar’s capital on Thursday without Hamas, which has accused Israel of obstructing a deal and insists on the implementation of previously agreed terms.
Months of talks have yet to secure the return of hostages held by militants in Gaza or staunch the spiralling death toll, which authorities in Hamas-ruled Gaza on Thursday said had topped 40,000 in the Palestinian territory after more than 10 months of war.
US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the talks had “a promising start” but acknowledged “there remains a lot of work to do.”
Israel’s main military supplier the United States has been mediating the talks with Qatar and Egypt.
The United States and its allies see the proposed Gaza truce as key to de-escalating soaring regional tensions, particularly with Iran.
“This is a dangerous moment for the Middle East. The risk of the situation spiralling out of control is rising,” British Foreign Secretary David Lamy said ahead of his visit with French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne.
During meetings with Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz and Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer, they would “stress there is no time for delays or excuses from all parties on a ceasefire deal” in Gaza, according to Britain’s foreign ministry.
Sejourne said “any miscalculation in the current situation could provoke a generalized conflagration.”
While talks take place in the Gulf emirate, bombs have continued to fall in Gaza.
As they struggled to recover bodies from the ruins of yet another air strike on Thursday, Palestinians in north Gaza questioned why, when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s team was in Qatar.
“Why did Netanyahu send a delegation to the talks while we are being killed here?” in Jabalia, Mohammed Al-Balwi said as rescuers around him pulled bodies from the concrete wreckage.
They had found “limbs on the ground,” he said.
Fears of a wider Middle East war have soared since the July 31 killing of Hamas political leader and truce negotiator Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. Iran and its allied groups in the region blamed Israel and vowed revenge.
Haniyeh’s death came hours after an Israeli strike killed Fuad Shukr, the military commander of Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah movement, which has exchanged near-daily cross border fire with Israeli forces.
The Gaza war has also drawn in Tehran-aligned groups in Iraq, Syria and Yemen.
The US military said its forces had destroyed a “ground control station” operated by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The Houthis have for months fired missiles and drones at shipping in waterways vital to world trade off Yemen.
The Houthis, like Hezbollah, say they are acting in support of the Palestinians.
Violence has also surged in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Thursday condemned a Jewish settler attack on a West Bank village that the Palestinian Authority said killed one Palestinian and wounded another.
The Israeli military said dozens of Israeli civilians, some masked, entered Jit on Thursday evening and “set fire to vehicles and structures in the area, hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails.”
It added that it had opened an investigation and was looking into reports of a fatality.
Since the war in Gaza began, hundreds of Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank by the Israeli army or settlers, according to an AFP count based on official Palestinian data.
During the same period in the West Bank, at least 18 Israelis, including soldiers, have been killed in Palestinian attacks, according to official Israeli data.
The Qatari foreign ministry said Gaza truce negotiations would continue on Friday.
Mediators remain committed “in their endeavours to reach a ceasefire in the strip that would facilitate the release of hostages and enable the entry of the largest possible amount of humanitarian aid into Gaza,” a ministry spokesperson said.
They are seeking to finalize details of a three-phase proposal initially outlined by US President Joe Biden in May.
While Hamas is not directly taking part, an official of the Islamist movement, Osama Hamdan, told AFP the group would join if the meeting set a timetable for implementing the agreed terms.
He added that Hamas would not engage in negotiations that “give Netanyahu more time to kill our Palestinian people.”
Netanyahu has called Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar “the only obstacle to a hostage deal.”
Hamas’s unprecedented October 7 attack on Israel that triggered the war resulted in the deaths of 1,198 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.
Militants also seized 251 hostages, 111 of whom are still held in Gaza, including 39 the military says are dead.
Some were freed during a one-week truce in November.
The war has displaced almost the entire population of Gaza and destroyed much of its housing and other infrastructure, leaving widespread shortages of food.
Gaza’s health ministry, which does not provide a breakdown of civilian and militant casualties, on Thursday said the war has killed at least 40,005 people.
The United Nations human rights chief, Volker Turk, called it a “grim milestone for the world.”
Gaza ceasefire talks to resume for 2nd day in Qatar
https://arab.news/zyzb2
Gaza ceasefire talks to resume for 2nd day in Qatar
- The on-and-off truce talks reconvened in Qatar’s capital on Thursday without Hamas
- United States and its allies see the proposed Gaza truce as key to de-escalating soaring regional tensions, particularly with Iran
Two journalists killed in separate Israeli strikes in Gaza
- Al Jazeera Mubasher’s Hossam Shabat and Palestine Today’s Mohammad Mansour were killed in first fatalities since renewed violence
LONDON: Two journalists were killed in separate Israeli strikes in Gaza on Monday, marking the first such fatalities since clashes resumed last week.
Al Jazeera confirmed that Hossam Shabat, a journalist for the Al Jazeera Mubasher channel, was killed in eastern Beit Lahiya, northern Gaza. The Qatari network reported that witnesses claimed his car was directly targeted by the Israeli army, though no further details were provided.
In a separate incident, Palestine Today correspondent Mohammad Mansour was killed in an airstrike north of Khan Younis, along with his wife and son, after their home was hit without warning.
The Government Media Office in Gaza condemned the attacks, describing them as “systematic crimes against Palestinian journalists and media professionals.” In a statement, it called on the International Federation of Journalists, the Arab Journalists Union, and other global media organizations to denounce the killings.
Mohammed Mansour, a reporter for Palestine Today, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Khan Younis.
— Hind Khoudary (@Hind_Gaza) March 24, 2025
Israel continues to kill Palestinian journalists pic.twitter.com/yo52t1xW9p
“We hold the Israeli occupation, the US administration, and the countries participating in the genocide, such as the United Kingdom, Germany, and France, fully responsible for committing this heinous crime,” the statement added.
The deaths of Shabat and Mansour bring the total number of media workers killed in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, to at least 160, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. The Government Media Office, however, claims the number is as high as 208.
CPJ’s CEO Jodie Ginsberg condemned Shabat’s killing, noting that he was one of six Al Jazeera journalists accused by the Israeli military of being “militants.”
She said: “That’s a pattern that we have seen repeatedly both in the current war and in previous ones as well. And now he appears to have been deliberately targeted on a direct hit on his vehicle.”
#Gaza: CPJ condemns Monday’s killing in Gaza of Palestinian reporters Hossam Shabat and Mohammed Mansour by the IDF and calls for an independent international investigation into whether they were deliberately targeted.
— CPJ MENA (@CPJMENA) March 24, 2025
More: https://t.co/Z0JOOtlclW pic.twitter.com/GfTZJAnbsu
Ginsberg stressed that the deliberate targeting and killing of a journalist or civilian constitutes a war crime. “Journalists and civilians must never be targeted,” she said, adding that CPJ is investigating several incidents in which Israel appears to have deliberately targeted journalists.
“That would amount to a war crime. Journalists and civilians must never be targeted,” she said adding that her organization had spoken to Shabat for its own reports on the news void developing in northern Gaza because of Israel’s war.
Oman to to take part in London Design Biennale for first time
- Omani architect Haitham Al-Bousafi will showcase a work titled ‘Memory Network’ at the event in June
LONDON: Oman will participate in the London Design Biennale, one of the most prestigious events of its kind in the world, for the first time this year.
Omani architect Haitham Al-Bousafi will showcase a work titled “Memory Network” at event venue Somerset House in central London, overlooking the River Thames, the Oman News Agency reported.
The country is participating at the biennale as part of its efforts to showcase Omani culture and heritage on a global stage as part of Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth initiatives, officials said.
Oman’s cultural strategy for 2021-2040 aims to foster innovation and cultural diversity through the promotion of the arts and design as pathways to sustainable development and creative communication, the news agency added.
The 5th London Design Biennale will run from June 5 to 29.
Pakistan, South Korean partner up to produce high-quality seed potatoes using aeroponics
- Aeroponics is a method of cultivation in which plants are grown in an air or mist environment without the use of soil
- Sustainable method is gaining popularity globally for its ability to maximize plant growth with minimal water use
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has partnered up with South Korea to produce high-quality seed potatoes using aeroponics, a method of cultivation in which plants are grown in an air or mist environment without the use of soil, state media reported on Monday.
This novel method is gaining popularity around the world for its ability to maximize plant growth with minimal water use, making it a sustainable option for urban farming and vertical agriculture.
Pakistan’s agriculture sector is a significant contributor to the economy, accounting for about 23 percent of the GDP and employing around 37.4 percent of the national labor force. According to 2024 data, Pakistan ranks ninth in the world in potato output and has seen its production jump by more than 35 percent in the last three years, from 5.87 million tones in 2020-21 to an estimated 8.01 million tones in 2022-23.
“The best potato seeds will now be produced in Pakistan with the cooperation of South Korea,” Pakistan’s APP news agency reported, after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addressed the inauguration ceremony of modern aeroponic cultivation during his visit to the National Agricultural and Research Center on Monday.
Pakistan has been actively promoting corporate farming, with the government offering farmland to foreign investors to boost agricultural productivity and attract investment.
The latest partnership, the Seed Potato Production and Aeroponics Complex, is a joint project between the Korea Partnership for Innovation in Agriculture (COPIA) and the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) for the production of certified potato seeds through advanced aeroponics technology. Seed potatoes are tubers that you can use to grow new potatoes that will be genetically identical to the parent potato.
The infrastructure of the project includes the construction of four aeroponic greenhouses and 35 screen houses, as well as a cold storage facility and a 100-kW solar power system.
According to PARC Chairman Dr. Ghulam Muhammad Ali, traditional potato cultivation produces only five tubers per plant, while the aeroponic system can produce between 50 to 60 tubers per plant.
“These modern technologies will not only help in meeting the local consumption of seed potatoes but will also reduce the heavy import bill,” APP quoted Ali as saying.
“Despite cultivating potatoes on an area of about 850,000 acres, Pakistan depends on importing 6,000 to 12,000 tones of potato seeds annually due to the poor quality of locally produced seeds.”
The aim of the joint initiative is to significantly improve the quality and availability of potato seeds in Pakistan, reduce the cost of potato production and improve production by ensuring the availability of quality seed potatoes at reasonable prices.
“The Prime Minister said that with the establishment of this modern center, the best potato seeds will be provided to the farmers and they will not have to be ordered from outside,” APP reported. “It is expected that this seed will be of the highest quality and this will boost potato production and Pakistan will also be able to export potatoes.”
Addressing the ceremony, RDA Korea Administrator Kwan Jae-han said the goal of the partnership project was to increase the productivity of Pakistan’s agricultural sector, adding that the collaboration with NARC in potato seeds was an “important milestone.”
Earlier on Monday, Sharif also inaugurated the National Institute for Genomics and Advanced Biotechnology, a specialized national institution dedicated to agricultural research in the three domains of plants, animals and microbes, with 28 state-of-the-art labs.
Former Bangladesh cricket captain Tamim Iqbal in hospital after cardiac arrest
- The 36-year-old reportedly complained of chest pains while fielding in Dhaka Premier Division match
- ESPN said his condition rapidly worsened and he was rushed to a hospital for emergency treatment
SAVAR: Former Bangladesh men’s cricket captain Tamim Iqbal is in hospital after suffering cardiac arrest during a Twenty20 match on Monday.
The 36-year-old Tamim reportedly complained of chest pains while fielding as he was leading the Mohammedan team against Shinepukur in Savar in the Dhaka Premier Division.
ESPN said his condition rapidly worsened and the Mohammedan team physio performed CPR. Tamim was rushed to KPJ Hospital where he underwent emergency treatment.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board said in a statement that an “angiogram procedure to address a blockage in one of the arteries of his heart” was successful, adding that Tamim remained under close observation in a coronary care unit.
He was visited in hospital by Mohammedan teammates Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taijul Islam.
Tamim is the only Bangladesh batter to score centuries in all three international formats. He’s scored more than 5,000 test runs in his 15 years as Bangladesh’s prime opener, including 10 centuries and a top score of 206 against Pakistan in 2015.
Known for scoring heavily through the offside and for his textbook straight drive, he caught the eye with a stylish second-innings 103 against England at Lord’s in 2010 when Bangladesh was following on, and a gritty 108 in Bangladesh’s modest total of 216 in the next test in Manchester. Tamim’s astute reading of situations meant he could also bat well while managing tailenders.
He’s amassed more than 8,000 one-day international runs with 14 centuries and a best of 158, and hit one T20 hundred.
In late 2023, Tamim opted out of the ODI World Cup after a dispute with a BCB member.
Red Cross says office in Gaza damaged in ‘attack’
- ICRC said in a statement that the incident had a direct impact on the humanitarian organization’s ability to operate
- Israel resumed intensive bombing of Gaza last week
GENEVA: The International Committee of the Red Cross said an ICRC office in the southern Gaza Strip was damaged by an explosive projectile on Monday, adding that no staff were wounded.
The ICRC said in a statement that the incident had a direct impact on the humanitarian organization’s ability to operate.
“Today, an office of the ICRC in Rafah was damaged by an explosive projectile despite being clearly marked and notified to all parties,” the statement said.
“Fortunately, no staff were injured in this incident, but this has a direct impact on the ICRC’s ability to operate. The ICRC strongly decries the attack against its premises.”
The Geneva-based ICRC said international humanitarian law afforded special protection to humanitarian relief and medical personnel, medical facilities, and objects used for humanitarian relief operations.
“They must be respected and protected in all circumstances to ensure the continuity of care. They must never be attacked,” the ICRC said.
“The parties must do their utmost to ensure their safety by providing clear and strict instructions to weapon bearers.”
The ICRC said that on Sunday contact was lost with emergency medical technicians from the Palestine Red Crescent Society and their whereabouts remain unknown.
Furthermore, humanitarian workers in Gaza were killed and injured last week, it added.
Israel’s military pressed ground operations across the Gaza Strip on Sunday, encircling part of Rafah city near the Egyptian border, almost a week into a renewed assault on the Palestinian territory.
Israel resumed intensive bombing of Gaza last week, citing deadlock in indirect negotiations on next steps in the truce with Hamas after its first stage expired this month.
“The escalation of hostilities in Gaza over the past week has had significant humanitarian impacts, with hundreds of civilians killed, some of whom remain buried under rubble while others have been left behind unable to be rescued,” the ICRC said.
“New evacuation orders and intense hostilities are causing people to flee without a clear sense of areas that are safe, and many people have nowhere else to go. Many have been forced to leave behind their tents and belongings.
“The resumption of hostilities and violence is causing a loss of hope on all sides.”
