Latest news with #Egyptian-led
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First Post
07-06-2025
- Politics
- First Post
Israeli forces retrieve Thai hostage's body amid ongoing airstrikes
Israel has in recent weeks expanded its offensive across the Gaza Strip as U.S., Qatari and Egyptian-led efforts to secure another ceasefire have faltered read more Palestinians search for casualties at the site of an Israeli strike on a house, in Gaza City. Reuters The Israeli military has retrieved the body of a Thai hostage who had been held in Gaza since Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack, Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Saturday, as Israeli airstrikes killed 55 people, according to local medics. Nattapong Pinta's body was held by a Palestinian militant group called the Mujahedeen Brigades, and was recovered from the area of Rafah in southern Gaza, Katz said. His family in Thailand has been notified. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Pinta, an agricultural worker, was abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz, a small Israeli community near the Gaza border where a quarter of the population was killed or taken hostage during the Hamas attack that triggered the devastating war in Gaza. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), the U.S.- and Israeli-backed aid group, said on Saturday it was unable to distribute assistance to Palestinian civilians, blaming threats by Hamas, which Gaza's dominant militant group denied. Israel's military said Pinta had been abducted alive and killed by his captors, who had also killed and taken to Gaza the bodies of two more Israeli-American hostages that were retrieved earlier this week. There was no immediate comment from the Mujahedeen Brigades, who have previously denied killing their captives, or from Hamas. The Israeli military said the Brigades were still holding the body of another foreign national. Only 20 of the 55 remaining hostages are believed to still be alive. The Mujahedeen Brigades also held and killed Israeli hostage Shiri Bibas and her two young sons, according to Israeli authorities. Their bodies were returned during a two-month ceasefire, which collapsed in March after the two sides could not agree on terms for extending it to a second phase. The military said on Saturday it had killed As'ad Abu Sharaiya, who served as the head of the Mujahideen, but there was no confirmation from the group. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Israel has in recent weeks expanded its offensive across the Gaza Strip as U.S., Qatari and Egyptian-led efforts to secure another ceasefire have faltered. Medics in Gaza said 55 people in total were killed in Israeli airstrikes across the enclave on Saturday. At least 15 Palestinians were killed and 50 wounded by airstrikes in the Gaza City district of Sabra in the northern Gaza Strip on Saturday, local health authorities said. More than one missile landed in the area. The target seemed to have been a multi-floor residential building, but the explosion damaged several other houses nearby, according to witnesses and media. The Israeli military did not immediately comment. It later warned people to evacuate the nearby district of Jabalia, saying it was going to strike there after rockets were launched by militants in the vicinity. The Palestinian Health Ministry said on Saturday that Gaza's hospitals only had fuel for three more days and that Israel was denying access for international relief agencies to areas where fuel storages designated for hospitals are located. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD There was no immediate response from the Israeli military or COGAT, the Israeli defence agency that coordinates humanitarian matters with the Palestinians. Meanwhile, the Israeli military said it had uncovered 'an underground tunnel route, including a command and control center from which senior Hamas commanders' operated beneath the European Hospital compound in southern Gaza. It added that it had located several bodies of militants whose identities were 'under examination'. The Israeli government and military said last month it had killed Mohammad Sinwar, Hamas' Gaza chief, but Hamas did not confirm his death. US-backed aid group halts distributions The United Nations has warned that most of Gaza's 2.3 million people are at risk of famine after an 11-week Israeli blockade, with the rate of young children suffering from acute malnutrition nearly tripling. Aid distribution was halted on Friday after the GHF said overcrowding had made it unsafe to continue operations. The GHF, which has been fiercely criticised by humanitarian organisations for alleged lack of neutrality, said it was unable to distribute any humanitarian aid on Saturday because Hamas had issued 'direct threats' against its operations. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'These threats made it impossible to proceed today without putting innocent lives at risk,' the GHF said in a statement in which it also said it intended to resume aid distribution 'without delay'. A Hamas official told Reuters he had no knowledge of such 'alleged threats'. On Wednesday, the GHF suspended operations and asked the Israeli military to review security protocols after Palestinian hospital officials said more than 80 people had been shot dead and hundreds wounded near distribution points between June 1-3. Eyewitnesses blamed Israeli soldiers for the killings. The Israeli military said it fired warning shots on two days, while on Tuesday it said soldiers had fired at Palestinian 'suspects' who were advancing towards their positions. The Israeli military said on Saturday that 350 trucks of humanitarian aid belonging to the U.N. and other international relief groups were transferred this week via the Kerem Shalom crossing into Gaza. The war erupted after Hamas-led militants took 251 hostages and killed 1,200 people, most of them civilians, in the October 7, 2023 attack, Israel's single deadliest day. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Israel's military campaign has since killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, most of them civilians, according to health authorities in Gaza, and flattened much of the coastal enclave.
Al-Ahram Weekly
25-05-2025
- General
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Coptic period structure unearthed in Assiut, Upper Egypt - Ancient Egypt
An Egyptian-led archaeological team unearthed the remains of a mudbrick structure in the Monqabad area of Assiut in Upper Egypt, believed to date back to the sixth and seventh centuries AD during the Coptic era in the country. Further excavation is underway to determine the exact function and significance of the mudbrick structure. Mohamed Ismail Khaled, the Supreme Council of Antiquities secretary-general, described the building as having two levels coated in white plaster. The archaeologists also found inscriptions and carvings on walls, which could shed new light on Coptic art and spirituality. These inscriptions and carvings include a unique depiction of multiple eyes surrounding a central face, which is interpreted as representing spiritual insight and inner vision, key themes in Coptic religious tradition. Another striking mural features a man holding a child, believed to represent Saint Joseph carrying the Christ Child. The mural is flanked by figures thought to be Jesus' disciples, with inscriptions in the Coptic language. Islamic, Coptic, and Jewish Antiquities Sector Head Gamal Mostafa said the upper level contains three parallel halls followed by two rooms, while the lower level features monastic cells and living quarters. Among the artefacts unearthed were also pottery fragments, stone objects, and a tombstone inscribed in Coptic, identifying a saint with the date of his death. Moreover, the excavation revealed several amphorae bearing Coptic letters and a stone frieze with animal carvings, including a deer and a lion, alongside domestic pottery vessels. Meanwhile, Mahmoud Mohamed, director-general of Islamic, Coptic, and Jewish Antiquities in East Assiut, noted that excavation and documentation efforts will continue in the coming weeks. 'We are still uncovering the story of this building and what it may reveal about Coptic life in Upper Egypt during this period,' he said. The Monqabad archaeological site, located approximately 12 kilometres northwest of Assiut city and about 22 kilometres from Assiut International Airport, has a long history of exploration. Systematic excavations at the site, which was first identified in 1965, began in 1976 and continued intermittently until 2010. Work resumed in 2024 under the current Egyptian-led archaeological mission. This latest discovery adds a valuable chapter to understanding Coptic heritage and monastic life in Egypt's early Christian era and underscores the continued importance of archaeological work in the region. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Al-Ahram Weekly
25-05-2025
- General
- Al-Ahram Weekly
6th or 7th century AD Coptic structure unearthed in Assiut, Upper Egypt - Ancient Egypt
An Egyptian-led archaeological team unearthed the remains of a mudbrick structure in the Monqabad area of Assiut in Upper Egypt, believed to date back to the sixth and seventh centuries AD. Further excavation is underway to determine the exact function and significance of the mudbrick structure. Mohamed Ismail Khaled, the Supreme Council of Antiquities secretary-general, described the building as having two levels coated in white plaster. The archaeologists also found inscriptions and carvings on walls, which could shed new light on early Coptic art and spirituality. These murals include a unique depiction of multiple eyes surrounding a central face, which is interpreted as representing spiritual insight and inner vision, key themes in Coptic religious tradition. Another striking mural features a man holding a child, believed to represent Saint Joseph carrying the Christ Child. The mural is flanked by figures thought to be Jesus' disciples, with inscriptions in the Coptic language. Islamic, Coptic, and Jewish Antiquities Sector Head Gamal Mostafa said the upper level contains three parallel halls followed by two rooms, while the lower level features monastic cells and living quarters. Among the artefacts unearthed were also pottery fragments, stone objects, and a tombstone inscribed in Coptic, identifying a saint with the date of his death. Moreover, the excavation revealed several amphorae bearing Coptic letters and a stone frieze with animal carvings, including a deer and a lion, alongside domestic pottery vessels. Meanwhile, Mahmoud Mohamed, director-general of Islamic, Coptic, and Jewish Antiquities in East Assiut, noted that excavation and documentation efforts will continue in the coming weeks. 'We are still uncovering the story of this building and what it may reveal about Coptic life in Upper Egypt during this period,' he said. The Monqabad archaeological site, located approximately 12 kilometres northwest of Assiut city and about 22 kilometres from Assiut International Airport, has a long history of exploration. Systematic excavations at the site, which was first identified in 1965, began in 1976 and continued intermittently until 2010. Work resumed in 2024 under the current Egyptian-led archaeological mission. This latest discovery adds a valuable chapter to understanding Coptic heritage and monastic life in Egypt's early Christian era and underscores the continued importance of archaeological work in the region. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Daily Tribune
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Tribune
Support Palestine and Rebuild Gaza : Foreign Ministry Briefs Lawmakers on Bahrain's UN Security Council Bid and Arab Summit Role
TDT | Manama Securing full United Nations membership for Palestine, rebuilding Gaza, and advancing Bahrain's bid for a Security Council seat were the key points of discussion at a joint meeting between lawmakers and Foreign Minister, His Excellency Dr. Abdullatif Al Zayani. The session drew together Parliament Speaker Ahmed Al Musallam, Shura Council Chairman Ali Al Saleh, and members from both chambers, with the foreign minister offering a detailed account of Bahrain's activity during its presidency of the 33rd Arab Summit and its role at the 34th Summit in Baghdad. Dr. Al Zayani said Bahrain had proposed a number of moves during its leadership of the summit in May 2024, including a call for an international gathering to address the Palestinian issue based on a two-state solution, and backing for Palestine's full seat at the UN. He added that Bahrain had also urged support for the Egyptian-led effort to rebuild Gaza and had presented ideas in areas such as education, health, and digital finance. Royal Efforts The Foreign Minister told the meeting that His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa had personally led follow-up efforts, travelling to Moscow, Beijing, London, and Paris to share the summit's outcomes and press for global support. A separate summit in Cairo, co-chaired with Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi in March this year, endorsed a detailed recovery plan for Gaza. In addition, Dr. Al Zayani revealed that Bahrain has formed a national committee, headed by the Foreign Minister himself, to keep track of the Bahrain Summit's outcomes. Full Report A full report was handed over to the Arab League and again during the Baghdad meeting. Bahrain also hosted several regional meetings, including the 54th Arab Information Ministers gathering and the 44th meeting of Social Affairs Ministers. Throughout the year, Bahraini diplomats have taken part in meetings with UN bodies, Arab-Islamic committees, and international groups focused on Palestine and Gaza. The country is now campaigning for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2026–2027 term. Dr. Al Zayani said the campaign rests on three aims: peace, human dignity, and long-term development. Members of both councils expressed support for the efforts and said they were ready to help Bahrain push its proposals through international and parliamentary channels.
Nahar Net
14-03-2025
- Politics
- Nahar Net
Egypt, Hamas, PLO hail Trump remarks on not 'expelling' Palestinians
by Naharnet Newsdesk 13 March 2025, 13:49 Egypt, Hamas and the Palestine Liberation Organization welcomed on Thursday remarks from US President Donald Trump after he said "nobody's expelling any Palestinians" from the Gaza Strip. It was not immediately clear whether Trump's remarks signaled backtracking from his proposed plan to take over the Palestinian territory, displacing its population to neighboring countries. "Nobody's expelling any Palestinians," Trump said in the White House on Wednesday, dismissing a question from a reporter who asked whether plans to "expel Palestinians out of Gaza" were under discussion with visiting Irish Prime Minister Michael Martin. Egypt, which with the United States and Qatar is mediating truce talks between Hamas and Israel, "expressed its appreciation for U.S. President Donald Trump's statements ... regarding not demanding residents of the Gaza Strip to leave." In a foreign ministry statement, it called Trump's statement a "positive direction" that must be built on to advance efforts for peace. Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem in turn applauded what he said was a "clear retreat" from the U.S. proposal for Gaza. "Trump's statements regarding not expelling Gaza's residents are welcome," he told AFP. Trump's proposal has been widely rejected, including by U.S. allies, and countered with an Arab plan to rebuild the Gaza Strip under the future administration of the Palestinian Authority. "We appreciate the statements of the U.S. president in which he confirmed that the residents of the Gaza Strip are not required to leave their homeland," Hussein al-Sheikh, secretary general of the PLO, a Palestinian umbrella group of factions that excludes Hamas, wrote on X. The Egyptian-led plan was put forward by the Arab League and adopted by the 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
