Hamas said on Monday that it had accepted a Gaza ceasefire proposal from Egypt and Qatar. The militant group said in a statement that its chief, Ismail Haniyeh, had informed Qatar’s prime minister and Egypt’s intelligence chief of its acceptance of their proposal. There were no immediate details over what the agreement entailed. A Hamas…
TEHRAN: UN atomic watchdog chief Rafael Grossi is set to arrive in Iran on Monday, where he is expected to speak at a conference and meet officials for talks on Tehran’s nuclear program.The visit comes at a time of heightened regional tensions and with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) criticizing Iran for lack of…
EL HENCHA, Tunisia: When Mohamed Lafi vanished at sea one fateful night, it marked yet another tragedy for a Tunisian town struggling with the exodus of its youth. Mohamed’s disappearance adds to the deepening despair in El Hencha, situated just 150 kilometers (90 miles) from the Italian island of Lampedusa. His sister, Ines, stayed behind,…
The World Food Program is one of the many humanitarian groups trying to get aid into Gaza The chief of the United Nations’ food program has warned of a “full-blown famine” in northern Gaza and reiterated calls for a ceasefire in Israel’s war against Hamas. “There is famine, full-blown famine in the north and it’s…
WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Hamas was the only holdup to a Gaza ceasefire as the militants prepared to send a delegation back to Cairo on Saturday for talks.“We wait to see whether, in effect, they can take yes for an answer on the ceasefire and release of hostages,” Blinken said late…
The severity of the situation gradually eased from Thursday evening, when it receded in the north and east of the country The UAE’s National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority has announced an end to unstable weather conditions in the country. This was achieved by authorities who stepped up monitoring and follow-up operations, aiming to…
BEIRUT: The EU has announced an aid package for Lebanon of 1 billion euros ($1.06 billion) to help boost border control and halt the flow of asylum-seekers and migrants from the country across the Mediterranean Sea to Cyprus and Italy. It comes against a backdrop of increasing hostility toward Syrian refugees in Lebanon and a…
GAZA: The United Nations said Thursday that the post-war reconstruction of Gaza would require an international effort unseen since the aftermath of World War II, estimating it could cost up to $40 billion. It came as Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh struck an optimistic tone over a possible truce and captive release deal for Gaza, after weeks…
A gang of Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank attacked two humanitarian aid convoys on Wednesday traveling from Jordan to Gaza, the Jordanian government said. Israel earlier reopened the sole crossing on the northern edge of the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, allowing aid trucks to pass through the Erez checkpoint following US demands to…
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken praised Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani on Monday for his country’s “genuinely tireless efforts” in Gaza. Blinken’s remarks came during a joint ministerial meeting in Riyadh between the Gulf Cooperation Council and the U.S. over the latest developments in the region, especially in Gaza. “I want to thank the chair…
