Arab ministers condemn Israel ‘ban' on planned West Bank visit: Jordan
The foreign ministers of five Arab countries who had planned to visit the occupied West Bank this weekend on Saturday condemned Israel's decision to block their plans.
The ministers condemned 'Israel's decision to ban the delegation's visit to Ramallah (on Sunday) to meet with the president of the State of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas,' the Jordanian foreign ministry said.
Ministers from Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates had been expected to take part alongside Turkey.
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Asharq Al-Awsat
2 hours ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Over 30 Killed Near Aid Site in Gaza, Palestinian Health Authorities Say
More than 30 Palestinians were killed and dozens more injured on Sunday in southern Gaza near a humanitarian aid distribution site run by a US company, according to local health officials. Witnesses said the Israeli military had opened fire as Palestinians gathered to collect food. The military denied it had fired towards civilians and the US company running the facility said it had distributed aid without incident. Reuters could not independently verify what took place. The head of the UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, wrote on X that international medics in Gaza had reported there were "mass casualties including scores of injured & killed among starving civilians due to gunshots". A series of incidents have underscored the insecurity around aid delivery to Gaza, following the easing of an almost three-month Israeli blockade last month. "There are martyrs and injuries. Many injuries. It is a tragic situation in this place. I advise them that nobody goes to aid delivery points. Enough,' paramedic Abu Tareq said at Nasser Hospital in nearby Khan Younis city. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said paramedics had recovered the bodies of 23 Palestinians and evacuated another 23 injured people from the aid collection site area in Rafah. Local health authorities said at least 31 bodies had so far arrived at Nasser Hospital. The US-based Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which operates the aid distribution site in Rafah, denied anyone was killed or injured near its site and said that all of its distribution had taken place without incident. It accused Palestinian group Hamas of fabricating "fake reports". The entity released undated footage, which it said showed that aid was distributed at one site without incident. Reuters could not independently verify the footage, which appeared to show dozens of people gathering around piles of boxes. INITIAL INQUIRY Israel's military said in a statement that findings from an initial inquiry indicated soldiers had not fired on civilians while they were near or within the aid distribution site. GHF is a US-based entity backed by the US and Israeli governments that began providing aid in Gaza last month, bypassing traditional aid groups. The group has been widely criticized by the international community, with UN officials saying its aid plans would only foment forced relocation of Palestinians in Gaza and more violence. Residents and medics said Israeli soldiers fired from the ground at a crane nearby that overlooks the area, and a tank had opened fire at thousands of people who were en route to get aid from the site in Rafah. Reuters footage showed ambulance vehicles carrying injured people to Nasser Hospital. The Hamas-run Gaza government media office accused Israel of using aid as a weapon, "employed to exploit starving civilians and forcibly gather them at exposed killing zones, which are managed and monitored by the Israeli military". Israel denies that people in Gaza are starving because of its actions, saying it is facilitating aid deliveries and pointing to its endorsement of the new GHF distribution centers and its consent for other aid trucks to enter Gaza. US President Donald Trump said last month that a lot of people in Gaza were "starving". Israel accuses Hamas of stealing supplies intended for civilians and using them to entrench its hold on Gaza. Hamas denies looting supplies and has executed a number of suspected looters. Reda Abu Jazar said her brother was killed as he waited to collect food near the Rafah aid distribution center. "Let them stop these massacres, stop this genocide. They are killing us," she said, as Palestinian men gathered for funeral prayers. UNRWA's Lazzarini, condemned the deaths, saying in a statement on X that "aid distribution has become a death trap". He said aid distribution should be "only through the United Nations, including UNRWA". The Red Crescent also reported that 14 Palestinians were injured on Sunday near a separate site in central Gaza, also operated by GHF. CEASEFIRE TALKS FALTER Israel and Hamas meanwhile traded blame for the faltering of a new Arab and US mediation bid to secure a temporary ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza by Hamas, in exchange for Palestinians in Israeli jails. Hamas said on Saturday it was seeking amendments to a US-backed ceasefire proposal, but President Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff rejected the group's response as "totally unacceptable". Egypt and Qatar said they are continuing efforts to converge views and overcome disagreements to reach a ceasefire. 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Saudi Gazette
3 hours ago
- Saudi Gazette
Pledge of support for tripartite mediation efforts for lasting ceasefire in Gaza
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Arab News
3 hours ago
- Arab News
Saudi national team steps up preparations for Bahrain World Cup qualifier
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