Palestinian Authority slams Israel's escalation in Gaza
According to the official Palestinian news agency Wafa, presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh said the Israeli government's moves were 'an unprecedented challenge and provocation to the international will to achieve peace and stability.'
He went on to urge the 'international community, led by the UN Security Council, to urgently compel the occupying state to cease its aggression, allow the entry of aid, and work diligently to enable the State of Palestine to assume its full responsibilities in the Gaza Strip.'
The PA -- conceived as a first step towards a Palestinian state -- exercises limited administration over parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
The territory is home to about three million Palestinians, as well as around half a million Israelis living in settlements considered illegal under international law.
The PA, however, does not have a presence in Gaza, which has been governed by Hamas for nearly two decades.
Early Friday, the Israeli security cabinet approved plans for a major operation to seize Gaza City, triggering a wave of criticism across the globe.
Despite the backlash and rumors of dissent from Israeli military top brass, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has remained defiant over the decision.
In a post on social media late Friday, Netanyahu said 'we are not going to occupy Gaza -- we are going to free Gaza from Hamas.'
The prime minister faces mounting pressure to secure a ceasefire to bring Gaza's more than two million people back from the brink of famine and free the hostages held by Palestinian militants.
A statement issued on Saturday by the foreign ministers of Italy, Australia, Germany, New Zealand and the United Kingdom took aim at the decision to occupy Gaza City.
'This will exacerbate the catastrophic humanitarian situation, endanger the lives of hostages, and increase the risk of a mass exodus of civilians,' they said.
Israel's offensive has killed more than 61,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health ministry, figures the UN says are reliable.
Hamas' 2023 attack on Israel -- which triggered the war -- resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.
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Al Arabiya
an hour ago
- Al Arabiya
Thousands protest in Tel Aviv against Israeli govt move to expand Gaza war
Thousands took to the streets in Tel Aviv on Saturday to call for an end to the war in Gaza, a day after the Israeli government vowed to expand the conflict and capture Gaza City. Demonstrators waved signs and held up pictures of hostages still being held in the Palestinian territory as they called on the government to secure their release. For the latest updates on the Israel-Palestine conflict, visit our dedicated page. AFP journalists at the rally estimated the number of attendees to be in the tens of thousands, while a group representing the families of hostages said as many as 100,000 people participated. Authorities did not provide an official estimate for the size of the crowd, though it dwarfed other recent anti-war rallies. 'We will end with a direct message to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: if you invade parts of Gaza and the hostages are murdered, we will pursue you in the town squares, in election campaigns and at every time and place,' Shahar Mor Zahiro, the relative of a slain hostage, told AFP. On Friday, Netanyahu's security cabinet greenlighted plans for a major operation to seize Gaza City, triggering a wave of domestic and international criticism. Foreign powers, including some of Israel's allies, have been pushing for a negotiated ceasefire to secure the hostages' return and help alleviate a humanitarian crisis in the Strip. Despite the backlash and rumors of dissent from Israeli military top brass, Netanyahu has remained defiant over the decision. In a post on social media late Friday, Netanyahu said 'we are not going to occupy Gaza -- we are going to free Gaza from Hamas.' The premier has faced regular protests over the course of 22 months of war, with many rallies calling for the government to strike a deal after past truces saw hostages exchanged for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli custody. Out of 251 hostages captured during Hamas's 2023 attack, 49 are still being held in Gaza, including 27 the military says are dead. 'A new crime' The Palestinian Authority (PA) on Saturday lambasted Israel's plan to expand its operations in Gaza. According to a statement carried by the official Palestinian news agency Wafa, PA president Mahmoud Abbas said the plan 'constitutes a new crime,' and stressed 'the urgent need to take action to stop it immediately.' He also emphasized 'the importance of enabling the State of Palestine to assume its full responsibilities in the Gaza Strip.' In the same meeting that approved the Gaza City plan, the security cabinet adopted a set of principles for ending the war in Gaza that included establishing a new 'administration that is neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority.' The PA, conceived as a first step towards a Palestinian state, exercises limited administration over parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, but does not have a presence in Gaza. A statement issued Saturday by the foreign ministers of Italy, Australia, Germany, New Zealand and the United Kingdom again criticized the decision to occupy Gaza City. 'This will exacerbate the catastrophic humanitarian situation, endanger the lives of hostages, and increase the risk of a mass exodus of civilians,' they said. Russia also condemned the Israeli plan to take control of Gaza City in a statement Saturday. Implementing such plans 'risks worsening the already dramatic situation in the Palestinian enclave, which shows all the signs of a humanitarian disaster,' said a foreign ministry statement. Gaza's civil defense agency said at least 37 people were killed by Israeli fire across the territory on Saturday, including 30 civilians who were waiting to collect aid. Israel's offensive has killed more than 61,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health ministry, figures the United Nations says are reliable. Hamas's 2023 attack on Israel -- which triggered the war -- resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.
Asharq Al-Awsat
2 hours ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Israel Faces Growing Global Condemnation over Military Expansion in Gaza
International condemnation grew Saturday over Israel's decision for a military takeover of Gaza City, while little appeared to change immediately on the ground in the territory shattered by 22 months of war. Health officials said that 11 Palestinians seeking aid were shot dead, and 11 adults died of malnutrition-related causes in the past 24 hours. US special envoy Steve Witkoff was expected to meet with Qatar's prime minister in Spain on Saturday to discuss a new proposal to end the war, according to two officials familiar with the talks, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak with the media. Mediators Egypt and Qatar are preparing a new ceasefire framework that would include the release of all hostages — dead and alive — in one go in return for the war's end and the withdrawal of Israeli forces, two Arab officials have told The Associated Press. 'Shut the country down' Families of hostages were rallying again Saturday evening to pressure the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu amid new fears over the 50 remaining hostages, with 20 of them thought to be alive and struggling. 'The living will be murdered and the fallen will be lost forever' if the offensive goes ahead, said Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan is held in Gaza. She called on Israelis to 'help us save the hostages, the soldiers and the state of Israel ... Shut the country down.' A joint statement by nine countries including Germany, Britain, France and Canada said that the 'strongly reject' Israel's decision for the large-scale military operation, saying it will worsen the 'catastrophic humanitarian situation," endanger hostages and further risk mass displacement. They said any attempts at annexation or settlement in Gaza violate international law. A separate statement by more than 20 countries including ceasefire mediators Egypt and Qatar along with Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and the United Arab Emirates called Israel's decision a 'dangerous and unacceptable escalation.' Meanwhile, Russia said Israel's plan will aggravate the 'already extremely dramatic situation' in Gaza. The UN Security Council planned an emergency meeting Sunday. And Germany has said it won't authorize any exports of military equipment to Israel that could be used in Gaza until further notice. Killed while seeking aid Officials at Nasser and Awda hospitals said that Israeli forces killed at least 11 people seeking aid in southern and central Gaza. Some had been waiting for aid trucks, while others had been approaching aid distribution points. Israel's military denied opening fire and said that it was unaware of the incidents. The military secures routes leading to distribution sites run by the Israeli-backed and US-supported Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. Two witnesses told the AP that Israeli troops fired toward crowds approaching a GHF distribution site on foot in the Netzarim corridor, a military zone that bisects Gaza. One witness, Ramadan Gaber, said that snipers and tanks fired on aid-seekers, forcing them to retreat. In Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, some aid-seekers cheered the latest airdrops of aid. Hundreds of people rushed to grab what they could, though many have called the process degrading. Aid organizations have called airdrops expensive, insufficient and potentially dangerous for people on the ground. Israel's military said that at least 106 packages of aid were airdropped Saturday as Italy and Greece joined the multi-country effort for the first time. Footage from Italy's defense ministry showed not only packages being parachuted over Gaza but the dry and devastated landscape below. 'This way is not for humans, it is for animals,' said one man at the scene, Mahmoud Hawila, who said he was stabbed while trying to secure an airdropped package. Barefoot children collected rice, pasta and lentils that had spilled from packages onto the ground. The United Nations and partners, whose existing aid delivery system has been criticized by Israel, has called repeatedly for more of the trucks waiting outside Gaza to be allowed not just into the territory, but safely to destinations inside it for distribution. More deaths from hunger Gaza's Health Ministry said that 11 more adults died of malnutrition-related causes over the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 114 since it began counting such adult deaths in late June. It said that 98 children have died of malnutrition-related causes since the war began with the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, with gunmen killing around 1,200 people and abducting 251. Israel is 'forcing Palestinians into a state of near-starvation to the point that they abandon their land voluntarily,' Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told a news conference in Egypt. The toll from hunger isn't included in the ministry's death toll of 61,300 Palestinians in the war. The ministry, part of the Hamas-run government and staffed by medical professionals, doesn't distinguish between fighters or civilians, but says around half of the dead have been women and children. The UN and independent experts consider it the most reliable source on war casualties. Israel disputes the ministry's figures, but hasn't provided its own.
Arab News
10 hours ago
- Arab News
Saudi Arabia's drive to build a defense powerhouse
JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia's military equipment manufacturing sector is undergoing a significant expansion, emerging as a pivotal element of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 economic diversification strategy to boost domestic industrial capacity. Supported by robust government backing, strategic global partnerships, and growing local innovation, the defense industry is becoming a critical contributor to national security and a promising source of non-oil revenue. Under Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia aims to localize 50 percent of its military spending by the end of the decade. The sector's regulator, the General Authority for Military Industries, reported notable progress, with localization rising from 4 percent in 2018 to 19.35 percent in 2024 — reflecting steady advances toward self-sufficiency in defense manufacturing. The Kingdom's military expenditure reached $75.8 billion in 2024, according to official estimates, representing 3.1 percent of global defense spending. Using its own methodology, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute estimates the figure slightly higher at $80.3 billion. The country has allocated about $78 billion for the military sector in its 2025 budget — 21 percent of government spending and 7.2 percent of gross domestic product — supporting its goals to diversify the economy and reduce oil dependence. GAMI is driving efforts to attract investment, support small and medium-sized enterprises, and develop a strong defense industry spanning aerospace, armored vehicles, and missile systems, as well as electronic warfare, and UAVs — boosting both national security and long-term industrial growth. Global defense spending hits $2.7tn According to its April 2024 report Trends in World Military Expenditure, SIPRI said global military spending exceeded $2.7 trillion in 2024, marking a decade of continuous annual growth and a 37 percent increase between 2015 and 2024. 'The 9.4 percent increase in 2024 was the steepest year-on-year rise since at least 1988. The global military burden — the share of the world's GDP devoted to military expenditure — increased to 2.5 percent in 2024. Average military expenditure as a share of government expenditure rose to 7.1 percent in 2024, and world military spending per person was the highest since 1990, at $334,' the report added. The US, China, Russia, Germany, and India are the top five military spenders, making up 60 percent of global defense expenditure. The US leads with $997 billion — more than three times China's $314 billion, while Russia's spending rose 38 percent to $149 billion. Germany and India spent $88.5 billion and $86.1 billion, respectively. SIPRI estimated Middle East military spending at $243 billion in 2024, up 15 percent from 2023. Saudi Arabia led the region with $80.3 billion, ranking seventh globally, just $1.5 billion behind the UK. 'Its spending was 1.5 percent higher than in 2023 but 20 percent lower than in 2015 when its oil revenues peaked,' the independent institute said. Sector key to economic diversification Khaled Ramadan, chairman of the International Center for Strategic Studies in Cairo and an economic expert, described the Saudi military industries sector as a cornerstone of the country's economic diversification efforts and a vital pillar of Vision 2030. 'Localizing military industries reduces reliance on imported weapons,' Ramadan said, emphasizing the sector's role beyond defense. 'It also supports advanced industries such as electronics, telecommunications, aviation technology, and advanced manufacturing, contributing broadly to non-oil economic growth.' amadan projected the military manufacturing sector will contribute SR14 billion ($3.7 billion) to the Kingdom's GDP by 2030, with military exports expected to reach $666 million. 'This will boost non-oil revenues and create more job opportunities for Saudi youth,' he said. He also said the sector had 300 licensed firms by 2024, reflecting rising investor interest, with 40,000 jobs expected by 2030, mainly in technical fields like engineering and electronics. 'This is in addition to skills development through specialized training programs conducted in partnership with global institutions to enhance competencies in technologies such as artificial intelligence and cyber warfare,' he said, adding the sector's growth boosts demand in manufacturing and tech, supports private jobs, cuts unemployment, and promotes hiring of young Saudis. Qualitative partnerships and technology transfer In May, Saudi Arabia produced its first THAAD missile components with US-based aerospace and defense company Lockheed Martin, while agreements with Turkish firms Baykar, Fergani Space, and Aselsan will boost UAV, space, and defense electronics capabilities. Moreover, the launch of BAE Systems Arabian Industries, formed by merging BAE Systems Saudi Development and Training with the Saudi Maintenance and Supply Chain Management Co., aims to accelerate localization in maintenance and technical services. Highlighting how vital global collaborations are to Saudi Arabia's military manufacturing goals, Ramadan pointed to partnerships with leaders like Lockheed Martin for THAAD missile components, Boeing for aircraft support, and France's CMN for HSI32 fast interceptor boats, providing access to advanced technologies and expertise. 'These partnerships are examples of a balanced strategy combining foreign technology acquisition with domestic capacity building,' he said. This approach is supported by the establishment of 21 research centers focused on developing military technologies, especially in electronic warfare and drones, targeted for 2030. Ramadan said local and foreign investments in military manufacturing are projected to reach SR37.5 billion by 2030, with SR6 billion allocated by GAMI specifically for research and development. He added that domestic military procurement has already reached SR13 billion, with local production covering drones, defense systems developed by sustainability-focused firms, and fast interceptor boats. Despite this progress, Ramadan said that achieving localization goals will require intensified investments and overcoming legal and technical obstacles. Talent development and inclusion Launched by Saudi Arabian Military Industries in 2024, the Women in Defense program supports sector growth by empowering Saudi females through training and leadership initiatives. Overall, the military industries sector is expected to generate 60,000 indirect job opportunities by the end of the decade, supporting broader economic diversification goals. The economic expert described this initiative as part of SAMI's broader collaboration with international universities to enhance national expertise in engineering and advanced manufacturing. Ramadan said that the sector's expansion is expected to create thousands of jobs, particularly in high-demand areas such as engineering and electronics, while driving the need for labor in related industries and strengthening private sector participation. SAMI's transformation as a catalyst SAMI marked 2024 as a turning point, launching the Kingdom's first combat management system, expanding its workforce to over 7,000, and securing global partnerships. Echoing Ramadan's insights, Youssef Saidi, research fellow at the Economic Research Forum and a member of the Saudi Economic Association, told Arab News that the Kingdom is undertaking ambitious and wide-ranging initiatives to attract foreign investment into the defense sector. 'The Saudi Arabian Military Industries is leading these efforts through strengthening strategic partnerships and joint ventures with major global companies,' Saidi said, adding that the Kingdom is firmly committed to technology transfer, local defense manufacturing, and investing in national talent and research and development as integral parts of international defense contracts. He further said that GAMI is working to foster an attractive investment climate, support manufacturers, and leverage Saudi Arabia's considerable defense spending to position the Kingdom as both a regional hub and a global exporter of military products. Reflecting on SAMI's development, Saidi highlighted the company's 'profound transformation and rapid growth' since its establishment, which has made it a cornerstone of Vision 2030. 'SAMI has achieved remarkable growth in its revenues and contracts, expanded its employee base by 633 percent to reach 2,500 male and female employees by 2022, and successfully entered the list of top 100 global defense companies, advancing 19 places to rank 79 in 2023,' he said. Saidi added that, supported by the Kingdom's status as one of the world's top defense spenders, these efforts have shifted Saudi Arabia from a major arms importer into an ambitious, self-reliant player and trusted partner, making it an 'international prize' for global defense companies seeking strategic and profitable partnerships.
