Latest news with #MajedAl-Ansari
Daily News Egypt
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily News Egypt
Egypt, Qatar reaffirm joint mediation efforts amid escalating Gaza crisis
Amid the unprecedented escalation in the Gaza Strip, Qatar and Egypt have reaffirmed their joint mediation efforts between Hamas and Israel, seeking to end the war and address the deepening humanitarian crisis. In a joint statement issued Wednesday, the two countries emphasized that their mediation efforts are 'ongoing, consistent, and rooted in a unified vision' aimed at halting the unprecedented humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. The statement underscored the goal of achieving a comprehensive ceasefire and warned against attempts to undermine the mediation process through misinformation or political manipulation. 'Attempts to sow division among brothers through misinformation, distortion, or media escalation will not succeed,' the statement read, reaffirming the countries' full coordination with the United States toward securing a lasting agreement that safeguards civilians and ends the bloodshed. Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari confirmed that mediation efforts continue despite the escalating complexity of the situation. He pushed back against criticism from within Israel, labelling it a product of 'internal political polarization,' and reiterated that Qatar is internationally recognized as an impartial mediator. Al-Ansari pointed to contradictions in Israeli leadership, noting the divergence between President Isaac Herzog's praise of Qatar's mediation and more hostile rhetoric from the Israeli Foreign Ministry. 'We are fully aware of which parties are obstructing the path to an agreement,' he said, adding that several opportunities to reach a ceasefire have been deliberately thwarted. Meanwhile, the conflict on the ground intensified. On Wednesday, Hamas accused Israeli forces of committing a 'new barbaric massacre' after an airstrike hit a crowded restaurant in western Gaza City, killing and injuring dozens, including women and children. The group condemned the attack as part of a broader campaign of 'systematic genocide' that includes targeting civilian shelters and food distribution centres. Calling for urgent international intervention, Hamas accused the global community of a 'suspicious silence' and urged Arab and Islamic nations to escalate support for Palestinians through mass mobilization and diplomatic pressure. In a related development, 55 international humanitarian and aid organizations—including Oxfam, Save the Children, and the Norwegian Refugee Council—issued a joint statement condemning new Israeli restrictions on NGO registration and operations. They warned the measures jeopardize humanitarian access and violate international law. Additionally, six European nations—including Spain, Ireland, and Norway—voiced strong opposition to Israel's plans to expand its military control in Gaza, warning that any demographic or territorial changes would breach international law. Spain called for immediate action at the United Nations to halt the war. According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, 38 Palestinians were killed and 145 injured in the past 24 hours. Since fighting resumed on 18 March, the death toll has reached 2,545, with 6,856 wounded. Since the war began in October 2023, a staggering 52,653 people have been killed and 118,897 injured—marking one of the deadliest chapters in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Separately, Hamas' armed wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, released footage showing what it claimed was a complex ambush against Israeli soldiers and military vehicles near Al-Zahraa Mosque in the Al-Jeneina neighborhood of Gaza. The operation is reportedly part of a broader campaign dubbed 'Gates of Hell.'
Daily News Egypt
07-05-2025
- Health
- Daily News Egypt
Gaza faces humanitarian collapse amid escalating Israeli offensive, healthcare breakdown
Gaza faces an imminent humanitarian catastrophe as Israel's military campaign, now in its 19th consecutive month, continues to intensify. Escalating air and ground operations, coupled with deepening restrictions on civilian movement and aid access, are accelerating the collapse of Gaza's infrastructure and health services, while prompting widespread warnings from local authorities and international agencies. The Ministry of Health in Gaza issued an urgent appeal this week, warning that current fuel conservation efforts are no longer sufficient to keep hospital generators operational. Without immediate fuel deliveries, critical healthcare services are projected to cease within 84 hours. The Government Media Office echoed this warning, calling on the international community to act swiftly and deliver fuel to avert the complete breakdown of the enclave's healthcare system. According to the latest figures from the Health Ministry, 48 Palestinians were killed and 142 injured in the past 24 hours. The total death toll since 7 October 2023, has now reached 52,615, with 118,752 reported injuries. Since March 18 alone, 2,507 people have been killed and 6,711 wounded. On the diplomatic front, Egypt has received a new proposal from the United States intended to revive long-stalled mediation efforts between Hamas and Israel. Citing Egyptian diplomatic sources, Arab media reported that the proposal could serve as a preliminary framework for ceasefire negotiations and a potential pathway to political dialogue aimed at ending the war. Meanwhile, Qatar confirmed that its mediation efforts are ongoing despite what officials describe as deteriorating conditions. Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari said during a press briefing on Tuesday that Doha remains in close contact with key stakeholders, including the United States, in pursuit of a humanitarian ceasefire. He described the situation in Gaza as 'catastrophic by all standards' and acknowledged that serious obstacles remain in reaching an agreement. On the ground, the Israeli military announced plans to expand its offensive operations in Rafah, a densely populated area in southern Gaza where hundreds of thousands of displaced civilians have sought refuge. According to a military statement, the campaign will now include additional neighborhoods and targets within the city. This development follows Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's formal approval of expanded military action in Gaza, including plans to occupy the territory and push its population further south. In a highly controversial statement reflecting growing fears of forced displacement, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich declared at a settler conference that 'victory will be achieved when Gaza becomes absolute rubble and its population is concentrated south of the Morag axis and begins to leave en masse to a third country.' He emphasized the government's intent to 'eliminate Hamas and completely destroy Gaza.' Further supporting accusations of systematic displacement, Israeli army radio revealed a new aid distribution strategy aimed at accelerating population movement out of northern Gaza. Under this plan, humanitarian aid will be restricted exclusively to Rafah—particularly the corridor between Morag and Salah al-Din (Philadelphi)—an area now under full Israeli control. Aid recipients will be required to undergo stringent security screenings to ensure they are not affiliated with Hamas. Only three aid distribution centers are planned, all located in Rafah, with no provisions for aid in northern Gaza. The report indicates a possible temporary distribution center may be established in the north but will be dismantled once population transfers are completed. The international community continues to voice strong opposition. Hamas condemned the latest Israeli ground operations, calling them a 'decision to sacrifice Israeli hostages,' and accusing Israel of undermining ongoing mediation efforts. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) also rejected Israel's plan to shut down the existing aid mechanism in Gaza, stating that it violates essential humanitarian principles of neutrality, impartiality, and independence. The agency emphasized that any aid framework must meet these standards to effectively support civilians.
Egypt Today
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Egypt Today
Qatar says diplomatic efforts ongoing with all parties despite faltering negotiations
CAIRO – 6 May 2025: Qatar affirmed on Tuesday that it is continuing its political and diplomatic efforts in cooperation with Egypt and the United States, to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip despite the faltering negotiations and the escalation of Israeli military operations. Qatari Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari said in a press conference that the Qatari-Egyptian mediation remains effective despite the 'catastrophic humanitarian situation' in the Gaza Strip and the difficult political and field conditions. He noted that 'communications are ongoing with all parties, including the United States, particularly with US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.' Al-Ansari explained that the tripartite mediation focuses on reaching a comprehensive agreement that ends the ongoing war in Gaza and halts the worsening humanitarian catastrophe. He added that these efforts have already achieved tangible results, most notably the release of many detainees. The Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson stressed that Doha, in coordination with Cairo, is continuing its diplomatic efforts based on its role as an 'honest and internationally trusted mediator'. He also affirmed that 'humanitarian aid entering Gaza must not be used as a bargaining chip or a negotiating tool at any stage of the political process.' Al-Ansari pointed out that the first phase of the ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement between Hamas and Israel, which entered into force on January 19, was achieved through Egyptian mediation and Qatari and American support. The efforts faltered in March, with the expansion of Israeli military operations and Hamas's refusal to continue negotiations in light of what it described as a 'war of starvation' against civilians in the Gaza Strip. Despite the complexity of the political and field situation, Doha affirms that it remains committed to its role in pushing for a comprehensive political solution that ends the war and protects civilians, in full coordination with its partners in Egypt and the United States.
Business Recorder
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Israel calls on Qatar to ‘stop playing both sides' in Gaza talks
CAIRO: Israel called on Qatar, a key mediator between Israel and Hamas, to 'stop playing both sides with its double talk and decide if it's on the side of civilization or if it's on the side of Hamas', the Israeli Prime Minister's office said on Saturday. Qatar rejected the statements as 'inflammatory'. Despite efforts by Egyptian and Qatari mediators to restore a ceasefire, neither Israel nor Hamas has shown willingness to back down on core demands, with each side blaming the other for the failure to reach a deal. Israel, which wants the return of 59 hostages still held in Gaza, has insisted Hamas must disarm and be excluded from any role in the future governance of the enclave, a condition that Hamas rejects. It has insisted on agreeing a lasting end to the fighting and withdrawal of Israeli forces as a condition for a deal that would see a release of the hostages. 'The State of Qatar firmly rejects the inflammatory statements issued by the Israeli Prime Minister's Office, which fall far short of the most basic standards of political and moral responsibility,' Qatar's foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari posted on X early on Sunday. Al-Ansari criticized the portrayal of the Gaza conflict as a defence of civilization, likening it to historical regimes that used 'false narratives to justify crimes against civilians.' Qatar's chief negotiator says 'frustrated' by pace of Gaza talks In his post, Al-Ansari questioned whether the release of 138 hostages was achieved through military operations or mediation efforts, which he said are being unjustly criticized and undermined. He also cited the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza represented by what he called a suffocating blockade, systematic starvation, denial of medicine and shelter, and the use of humanitarian aid as a tool of political coercion. On Friday, Israel's security cabinet approved plans for an expanded operation in the Gaza Strip, Israeli media reported on Friday, adding to signs that attempts to stop the fighting and return hostages held by Hamas have made no progress. Israel's campaign was triggered by the devastating Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023, that killed 1,200 people in southern Israel and saw 251 taken hostage. It has so far killed more than 50,000 Palestinians and devastated Gaza where aid groups have warned the Israeli blockade risks a humanitarian disaster.
AsiaOne
04-05-2025
- Politics
- AsiaOne
Israel calls on Qatar to 'stop playing both sides' in Gaza talks, World News
CAIRO - Israel called on Qatar, a key mediator between Israel and Hamas, to "stop playing both sides with its double talk and decide if it's on the side of civilisation or if it's on the side of Hamas", the Israeli Prime Minister's office said on Saturday (May 3). Qatar rejected the statements as "inflammatory". Despite efforts by Egyptian and Qatari mediators to restore a ceasefire, neither Israel nor Hamas has shown willingness to back down on core demands, with each side blaming the other for the failure to reach a deal. Israel, which wants the return of 59 hostages still held in Gaza, has insisted Hamas must disarm and be excluded from any role in the future governance of the enclave, a condition that Hamas rejects. It has insisted on agreeing a lasting end to the fighting and withdrawal of Israeli forces as a condition for a deal that would see a release of the hostages. "The State of Qatar firmly rejects the inflammatory statements issued by the Israeli Prime Minister's Office, which fall far short of the most basic standards of political and moral responsibility," Qatar's foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari posted on X early on Sunday. Al-Ansari criticised the portrayal of the Gaza conflict as a defence of civilisation, likening it to historical regimes that used "false narratives to justify crimes against civilians." In his post, Al-Ansari questioned whether the release of 138 hostages was achieved through military operations or mediation efforts, which he said are being unjustly criticised and undermined. He also cited the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza represented by what he called a suffocating blockade, systematic starvation, denial of medicine and shelter, and the use of humanitarian aid as a tool of political coercion. [[nid:716783]] On Friday, Israel's security cabinet approved plans for an expanded operation in the Gaza Strip, Israeli media reported on Friday, adding to signs that attempts to stop the fighting and return hostages held by Hamas have made no progress. Israel's campaign was triggered by the devastating Hamas attack on Oct 7, 2023, that killed 1,200 people in southern Israel and saw 251 taken hostage. It has so far killed more than 50,000 Palestinians and devastated Gaza where aid groups have warned the Israeli blockade risks a humanitarian disaster.
