Abbas welcomes Canada's 'historic' decision to recognise Palestinian state: Wafa
Abbas "appreciated Canada's historic position in recognizing the State of Palestine, which will enhance peace, stability, and security in the region", the official Palestinian news agency said.
AFP
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L'Orient-Le Jour
21 hours ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Israel to 'take control' of Gaza City: Initial reactions
Israel's military will "take control" of Gaza City under a new plan approved by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet, touching off a wave of criticism Friday from both inside and outside the country. Nearly two years into the war in Gaza, Netanyahu faces mounting pressure to secure a truce to pull the territory's more than two million people back from the brink of famine and free the hostages held by Palestinian militants. Hamas denounced the plan to expand the fighting as a "new war crime," while staunch Israeli ally Germany took the extraordinary step of halting military exports out of concern they could be used in Gaza. Under the newly approved plan to "defeat" Hamas, the Israeli army "will prepare to take control of Gaza City while distributing humanitarian assistance to the civilian population outside combat zones", the premier's office said Friday. Before the decision, Netanyahu had said Israel planned to seize complete control of the Gaza Strip, but did not intend to govern it. "We don't want to keep it," the premier told US network Fox News on Thursday, adding Israel wanted a "security perimeter" and to hand the Palestinian territory to "Arab forces that will govern it properly without threatening us". Israel occupied Gaza from 1967, but withdrew its troops and settlers in 2005. Netanyahu's office said a majority of the security cabinet had adopted "five principles," including demilitarization of the territory and "the establishment of an alternative civil administration that is neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority." The new plan triggered swift criticism from across the globe, with China, Turkey, the UK and the UN's rights chief issuing statements of concern. In a major shift, meanwhile, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced his country was halting military shipments to Israel, saying it was "increasingly difficult to understand" how the new plan would help achieve legitimate aims. "Under these circumstances, the German government will not authorize any exports of military equipment that could be used in the Gaza Strip until further notice," he said. EU chief Ursula von der Leyen called on Israel on Friday to reconsider its plan. "The Israeli government's decision to further extend its military operation in Gaza must be reconsidered," she said on X. She also urged the release of all hostages and the "immediate and unhindered access" for humanitarian aid in Gaza. "A cease-fire is needed now." Saudi Arabia condemned any Israeli move to take control of Gaza, the foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday. The kingdom "categorically denounces Israeli occupation authorities' persistence in committing crimes of starvation, brutal practices, and ethnic cleansing against the brotherly Palestinian people," it said in a statement. 'March of recklessness' Reactions in Israel were more mixed. Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid denounced the cabinet's move as "a disaster that will lead to many other disasters." He warned on X that it would result in "the death of the hostages, the killing of many soldiers, cost Israeli taxpayers tens of billions, and lead to diplomatic bankruptcy." The main campaign group for hostages' families also slammed the plan, saying it amounted to "abandoning" the captives. "The cabinet chose last night to embark on another march of recklessness, on the backs of the hostages, the soldiers, and Israeli society as a whole," the Hostage and Missing Families Forum said. An expanded Israeli offensive could see ground troops operate in densely populated areas where hostages are believed to be held, local media have reported. Other Israelis, meanwhile, offered their support. "As they take control of Gaza, they will eliminate Hamas completely — maybe not completely, but at least a good percentage of them," said Chaim Klein, a 26-year-old yeshiva student. The Israeli army said last month that it controlled 75 percent of the Gaza Strip, mainly from its positions in the territory along the border. Out of 251 hostages captured during Hamas's 2023 attack, 49 are still being held in Gaza, including 27 the military says are dead. 'Extremist agenda' Gaza residents said they feared for the worst, as they braced for the next onslaught. "They tell us to go south, then back north, and now they want to send us south again. We are human beings, but no one hears us or sees us," Maysa al-Shanti, a 52-year-old mother of six, told AFP. Hamas on Friday said the "plans to occupy Gaza City and evacuate its residents constitutes a new war crime". It warned Israel that the operation would "cost it dearly", and that "expanding the aggression means sacrificing" the hostages. International concern has been growing over the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza, where a UN-backed assessment has warned that famine is unfolding. The World Health Organization said at least 99 people have died from malnutrition in the territory this year, with the figure likely an underestimate. In late July, Israel partially eased restrictions on aid entering Gaza, but the United Nations says the amount allowed into the territory remains insufficient. Amjad Al-Shawa, head of the Palestinian NGO Network in the Gaza Strip, told AFP that lengthy inspection procedures at entry points meant few trucks could come in -- "between 70 to 80 per day -- carrying only specific types of goods". The UN estimates that Gaza needs at least 600 trucks of aid per day to meet residents' basic needs. Israel's offensive has killed at least 61,258 Palestinians, according to Hamas-run Gaza's health ministry. The 2023 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.
L'Orient-Le Jour
a day ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Israeli army will 'take control' of Gaza City
Israel's security cabinet has approved a plan proposed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the military to "take control" of Gaza City, his office said in a statement Friday. Under the plan to "defeat" Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli army "will prepare to take control of Gaza City while distributing humanitarian assistance to the civilian population outside combat zones," it said. Nearly two years into the war in Gaza, the Israeli prime minister faces mounting pressure at home and abroad for a truce to pull the Palestinian territory's more than two million people back from the brink of famine and to spare hostages held by Palestinian militants. As he convened his security cabinet on Thursday, Netanyahu said Israel planned to take full control of Gaza but did not intend to govern it. Ahead of the meeting, Netanyahu told U.S. network Fox News that the government intended to seize complete control of the Gaza Strip, where the military has been fighting Hamas since the Palestinian group's Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel. He added that Israel did not want "to keep" the Gaza Strip, which Israel occupied in 1967 but withdrew troops and settlers from in 2005. Netanyahu said Israel wanted a "security perimeter" and to hand the Palestinian territory to "Arab forces that will govern it properly without threatening us and giving Gazans a good life." "That's not possible with Hamas," he added. His office on Friday said a majority of the security cabinet had adopted "five principles for concluding the war: the disarming of Hamas; the return of all hostages – living and dead; the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip; Israeli security control in the Gaza Strip; the establishment of an alternative civil administration that is neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority. "A decisive majority of security cabinet ministers believed that the alternative plan that had been submitted to the security cabinet would neither achieve the defeat of Hamas nor the return of the hostages," it added, without giving further details. An expanded Israeli offensive in Gaza could see ground troops operate in densely populated areas where hostages are believed to be held, Israeli media reported. The reported plans to expand the war have sparked growing concern in Israel about what it means for the remaining hostages. As the cabinet meeting kicked off, hundreds rallied near the prime minister's office in Jerusalem, calling for a deal to free the hostages. "The only way to bring the hostages home is to halt the war and end the suffering of the hostages and all those living through this terrible conflict," said protester Sharon Kangasa-Cohen. In Gaza, fears grew over what an expansion of Israeli operations would entail. "Ground operations mean more destruction and death," said Ahmad Salem, 45. 'More destruction' Hamas, in a statement, said that "Netanyahu's plans to escalate the aggression confirm beyond any doubt his desire to get rid of the captives and sacrifice them in pursuit of his personal interests and extremist ideological agenda." Out of 251 hostages captured during Hamas's 2023 attack, 49 are still being held in Gaza, including 27 the military says are dead. Ahead of Thursday's meeting, rumors have been rife in the Israeli press about disagreements between the cabinet and Israel's military chief Eyal Zamir, who is said to oppose plans to fully reoccupy Gaza. Defense Minister Israel Katz weighed in on social media Wednesday, saying the military must ultimately respect any policies adopted by the government. In a statement released by the military Thursday, Zamir underscored his independence, vowing to "continue to express our position without fear." 'Unrealistic costs' International concern has been growing over the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza, where a U.N.-backed assessment warned that famine was unfolding. The World Health Organization said at least 99 people have died from malnutrition in the Gaza Strip this year, with the figure likely an underestimate. Displaced Gazan Mahmoud Wafi said that the prices of available food remained high and erratic. "We hope that food will be made available again in normal quantities and at reasonable prices, because we can no longer afford these extremely high and unrealistic costs," the 38-year-old told AFP. In late July, Israel partially eased restrictions on aid entering Gaza, but the United Nations says the amount allowed into the territory remains insufficient. Amjad Al-Shawa, head of the Palestinian NGO Network in the Gaza Strip, told AFP that lengthy inspection procedures at entry points meant few trucks could come in – "between 70 to 80 per day – carrying only specific types of goods". The U.N. estimates that Gaza needs at least 600 trucks of aid per day to meet its residents' basic needs. Israel's offensive has killed at least 61,258 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health ministry. The 2023 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.
LBCI
2 days ago
- LBCI
Putin says UAE could host Trump summit
Russian President Vladimir Putin Thursday named the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as a potential location for an upcoming summit with U.S. counterpart Donald Trump. "We have many friends who are willing to help us organize such events. One of our friends is the president of the United Arab Emirates," Putin said standing next to UAE leader Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, adding "it (the UAE) would be one of the quite suitable places." AFP
