Israeli delegation arrives in Doha for Gaza ceasefire talks
An Israeli delegation arrived in Doha on Wednesday to negotiate a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, according to Israeli media reports.
Abdel Rahman Shadid, a senior Hamas leader, confirmed that a new round of ceasefire negotiations had begun, emphasizing that the group is approaching the talks 'positively and responsibly.' He expressed hope that this round would lead to tangible progress and pave the way for the second phase of the agreement. He also acknowledged the role of US envoy Steve Witkoff in facilitating the talks.
Meanwhile, violence in Gaza has continued despite ceasefire efforts. The Gaza Ministry of Health reported that 36 people were killed in the past 24 hours—including 32 bodies recovered from rubble—bringing the total death toll to 48,503, with 111,927 wounded since 7 October 2023.
Hamas has also condemned the prolonged power outage in Gaza, describing it as a 'war crime' that threatens a humanitarian catastrophe due to dehydration. The group stated that the severing of the limited power line supplying the Deir al-Balah desalination plant exacerbates the crisis, accusing Israel of using water and food as weapons against civilians.
Salama Maarouf, head of Gaza's government media office, claimed that Israeli forces have repeatedly violated the ceasefire agreement since its inception, leading to dozens of casualties. He reported that Israeli actions over the past week had resulted in the deaths of 20 Palestinians and that, between January 19 and March 11, there were over 1,300 alleged ceasefire violations.
Meanwhile, Yemen's Ansar Allah group (commonly known as the Houthi) announced the resumption of attacks on Israeli-linked ships in the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, Bab al-Mandab, and the Gulf of Aden. The group declared that its operations would continue until crossings into Gaza were reopened and humanitarian aid, including food and medicine, was allowed into the territory.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Egypt Today
an hour ago
- Egypt Today
Maritime traffic through Red Sea by 60%: EU's Red Sea Aspides mission
Cairo – June 10, 2025: Since August 2024, maritime activity in the Red Sea has significantly increased, with daily vessel numbers rising by about 60%, now averaging between 36 and 37 ships per day. This marks a notable improvement from the 20 to 23 ships seen each day during the low point in August of the previous year, according to Rear Admiral Vasileios Gryparis, who leads the EU's Red Sea Aspides mission. Despite this upward trend, current traffic levels still fall short of the 72 to 75 vessels per day that were typical before Houthi-related disruptions intensified in late 2023, indicating that full recovery has yet to be achieved. The Iran-backed Yemeni rebel group began targeting commercial ships in the Red Sea in November 2023, citing support for Palestinians amid Israel's war in Gaza. Rear Admiral Gryparis attributed the improvement in traffic partly to a ceasefire deal between the Houthis and the United States, which has reduced the frequency of missile and drone attacks. The last known assault on a commercial vessel occurred in November 2024. Nonetheless, he warned that no absolute guarantees can be made regarding ship safety in the region. Since its launch, the mission has provided armed escorts to nearly 500 ships, intercepted four ballistic missiles, and neutralized multiple aerial and maritime threats, including drones and remote-controlled attack boats. In February 2025, its mandate was expanded to include the interception of illegal arms shipments and vessels carrying sanctioned Russian oil. In a related effort to restore commercial confidence, Egypt's Suez Canal Authority introduced a 15 percent discount on transit fees starting May 15, applicable for large container ships for a period of 90 days. The move, responding to industry requests, aims to attract major shipping lines back to the route. Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty later emphasized that restoring stable traffic through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal is essential to global trade, especially amid ongoing geopolitical tensions that have strained Egypt's economy.
See - Sada Elbalad
2 hours ago
- See - Sada Elbalad
China Introduces Visa-Free Regime for 4 Gulf Countries
Ahmed Emam Starting 9 June 2025, China launched a trial phase of a unilateral visa-free policy for citizens of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain, according to the "Global Times" , a media outlet affiliated with TV BRICS. Under this new arrangement, ordinary passport holders from these four Gulf countries can enter China without a visa for up to 30 days. Permitted travel purposes include tourism, business, visiting relatives, cultural activities, or transiting through the country. The pilot program will remain in effect until 8 June 2026. With this move, China has now extended visa-free access to all six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Previously, in 2018, China had established mutual visa exemption agreements with the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. In a statement, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said that his country warmly welcomes visitors from the GCC, highlighting that the growing scope of visa-free policies reflects the country's broader commitment to openness and international engagement. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt News Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly Inaugurates Two Indian Companies Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks News Shell Unveils Cost-Cutting, LNG Growth Plan Videos & Features Video: Trending Lifestyle TikToker Valeria Márquez Shot Dead during Live Stream Technology 50-Year Soviet Spacecraft 'Kosmos 482' Crashes into Indian Ocean
Egypt Independent
2 hours ago
- Egypt Independent
Israel attacks suburbs of Beirut, targeting alleged Hezbollah ‘drone factories'
CNN — The Israeli military carried out strikes on Hezbollah 'drone factories' in southern Lebanon and suburbs of Beirut on Thursday, as large plumes of smoke could be seen rising from the Lebanese capital. The Israeli attack marked its biggest escalation in Lebanon since the US-brokered a ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah in November. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it was striking 'terror targets of the Hezbollah Aerial Unit (127)' in the southern Beirut suburb of Dahieh. NNA news reported strikes from Israeli drones, saying that a 'series of warning strikes, numbering more than seven' had targeted the city's southern suburbs. The news outlet also said that Israeli drones carried out an airstrike on the town of Ain Qana in Lebanon's Iklim Tuffah region. There were no initial reports of casualties related to the strikes, the spokesperson for Lebanon's Ministry of Public Health told CNN early on Friday morning. The Israeli military had previously warned of a coming strike in the area, intended to target alleged 'underground UAV production facilities' controlled by Hezbollah. The aftermath of Israeli strikes in the Dahieh suburb of the Lebanese capital on Friday. Hassan Ammar/AP IDF Arabic Spokesperson Avichay Adraee issued an 'urgent warning' via social media earlier on Thursday, urging residents of 'Al-Hadath, Haret Hreik, and Burj Al-Barajneh,' neighborhoods to immediately evacuate buildings marked in red on attached maps and adjacent structures, and to stay at least '300 meters (328 yards) away' for safety. A second 'urgent warning' was issued by the Israeli military via a post on X accompanied by a satellite photo of Lebanon with highlighted zones they said showed the locations of Hezbollah sites. The warning urged residents to evacuate nearby buildings 'immediately and stay at least 500 meters away from them.' The announcement prompted widespread panic and evacuations, according to NNA. Social media video captured Thursday night showed dozens of cars leaving neighborhoods in the city's south. The strikes were carried out as Muslims in Lebanon prepared to celebrate Eid al-Adha, known as the Feast of Sacrifice, on Friday. Most Muslims in Lebanon usually celebrate the eve of Eid which fell on Thursday evening local time. The Lebanese army warned that it could suspend its cooperation with a committee led by the United States and France to monitor the ceasefire provisions that include disarming Hezbollah. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam both condemned the Israeli strikes, with Aoun saying that they were a 'blatant violation of an international agreement, as well as the basic tenets of international and humanitarian laws and resolutions' on the eve of an important religious occasion. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz responded to Aoun, saying: 'Mr. President – there will be no calm in Beirut, no order and stability in Lebanon without security for the State of Israel. Agreements must be respected. If you do not do what is required – we will continue to act, and with great force.' Lebanon's new government has vowed to disarm paramilitary groups in the country such as Hezbollah and Palestinian factions. Last week, Salam said that his government had dismantled 500 pieces of weaponry north of the Litani river in southern Lebanon. Israel previously struck the same neighborhood, a Hezbollah stronghold, in late March. A ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon had been brokered in November 2024, but strikes on southern Lebanon targeting Hezbollah militants and facilities have continued. CNN's Charbel Mallo and Lauren Izso contributed to this report
