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☆ UN Chief to Visit Gaza Border in New Plea for Truce
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-22 | by ( March | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

CAIRO (Reuters) - United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will visit Egypt's border with Gaza on Saturday to renew pleas for a ceasefire that could bring relief to a territory devastated by more than five months of war between Israel and Hamas. His trip comes as Israel threatens to launch a major military operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, just over the border from Egypt, despite international appeals against such an attack. He is expected to visit a hospital in Al Arish and meet U.N. humanitarian workers in Rafah. More than 32,000 people have been killed by Israel's military campaign in Gaza, many of them women and children, according to local health authorities. Guterres, who made one previous trip to Egypt's border with Gaza shortly after the war broke out, is visiting Egypt and Jordan as part of an annual "solidarity trip" to Muslim countries during Ramadan.

Persons: Antonio Guterres, Guterres, Jordan, Aidan Lewis, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: United Nations, Hamas, Palestinian Locations: CAIRO, Egypt's, Gaza, Israel, Rafah, Egypt, Arish, Sinai, Al Arish, United States, Cairo, Sudan, Darfur

☆ EU to Bolster Egypt Ties With Billions in Funding
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-16 | by ( March | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

The agreement is designed to enhance cooperation in areas including renewable energy, trade, and security while delivering grants, loans and other funding over the next three years to support Egypt's faltering economy. War in Israel and Gaza View All 222 ImagesInflation has been running close to record highs and many Egyptians say they struggle to get by. Of that, funding from the European Union is expected to total $5-6 billion, Finance Minister Mohamed Maait told Asharq Business. Egyptian officials say Egypt deserves recognition for hosting an estimated nine million foreign residents and largely shutting off irregular migration from its north coast since 2016. CROSSINGS VIA LIBYABut there has been a surge in Egyptians trying to cross to Europe via Libya, and the European Union is already providing funding aimed at reducing those flows.

Persons: Ursula von der, Mohamed Maait, Abdel Fattah al, Egypt's, Patrick Werr, Philip Blenkinsop, Renee Maltezou, Aidan Lewis, Nick Zieminski Organizations: IMF, Diplomats, Cypriot, European, Asharq Business, Rights Watch Locations: CAIRO, Egypt, Cairo, Israel, Gaza, Sudan, Qatar, United States, European Union, LIBYA, Europe, Libya, Crete, Gavdos, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Tunisia, Mauritania, U.S

☆ Sudanese RSF Brings Down Telecoms Networks Across Sudan - Sources
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

The RSF did not comment, while an RSF source said the paramilitary had nothing to do with the outages. The two telecoms sector sources said the RSF was able to shut down the networks without causing permanent damage. The RSF has also forced Sudan's third main provider, Kuwaiti-owned Zain Sudan, to stop service in River Nile state and Port Sudan city, both controlled by the army, the sources and SUNA said. "MTN Sudan is actively engaging with relevant stakeholders to minimise the duration of this interruption," it said. The war has made Sudan the world's biggest internal displacement crisis and both sides have been accused of war crimes.

Persons: Nafisa Eltahir, SUNA, Sudani, Sudan's, Zain, Aidan Lewis, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: Communications, Rapid Support Forces, MTN Sudan, MTN, Facebook, MTN Group, Reuters, Medical Locations: Nafisa Eltahir CAIRO, Darfur, Khartoum, Kuwaiti, Zain Sudan, Nile, Port Sudan, Sudan, Zamzam

☆ With Government Relocated, Egypt Set to Unveil Overhaul of Downtown Cairo
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

The area, modelled on Paris in the 1860s, is filled with elegant but crumbling buildings constructed over the subsequent seven decades. The Sovereign Fund has already taken control of three prime properties in central Cairo, and received ownership of 11 former ministry buildings in a decree published this week in the official gazette. "Some of the buildings are already evacuated, but there is a mobilisation plan for relocating into concentrated locations for whoever is staying and not moving to the new capital," Soliman said. Work on the ground would begin "probably within the first half of this year," Soliman said. It would include a three-star Moxy hotel by Marriott, the first in Egypt, Soliman said.

Persons: Patrick Werr CAIRO, Ayman Soliman, Soliman, We're, Patrick Werr, Aidan Lewis, Alex Richardson Organizations: Sovereign Fund, Misr Insurance, Reuters, European Bank for Reconstruction, National Democratic Party, NDP, Marriott Locations: Paris, Cairo, Egypt

☆ Agencies Consider New Aid Route Into Sudan as Humanitarian Crisis Worsens
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-15 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

By Aidan Lewis(Reuters) - Aid agencies are looking at delivering aid to Sudan on a new route from South Sudan as they struggle to access much of the country, a senior U.N. official said on Monday, nine months into a war that has caused a major humanitarian crisis. More than 7.5 million people have fled their homes, making Sudan the biggest displacement crisis globally, and hunger is rising. Aid agencies lost access to Wad Madani, a former aid hub in the important El Gezira agricultural region southeast of Khartoum, after the RSF seized it from the army last month. Diplomats and aid workers say that the army and officials aligned with it have hampered humanitarian access as both sides pursue their military campaigns. They say the RSF does little to protect aid supplies and workers, and that its troops have been implicated in cases of looting.

Persons: Aidan Lewis, Rick Brennan, Madani, Brennan, We've, Martin Griffiths, Christina Fincher Organizations: Reuters, Rapid Support Forces, World Health Organization, WHO, ., Diplomats Locations: Sudan, South Sudan, Port Sudan, Cairo, Khartoum, El Gezira, South Kordofan, Chad, Darfur, Kordofan

According to three regional sources, Israel related its plans to its neighbours Egypt and Jordan, along with the United Arab Emirates, which normalised ties with Israel in 2020. He declined to offer details when asked whether those plans had been raised with international partners, including Arab states. A U.S. official, who declined to be identified, said Israel had "floated" the buffer zone idea without saying to whom. The regional sources compared the Gaza buffer zone plan to the "security zone" Israel once had in south Lebanon. "The buffer zone could make (Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu's forces a target also in the zone," he said.

Persons: Ronen, Israel, Abu Dhabi, Ophir Falk, Benjamin Netanyahu, Lebanon's, it's, Mohammad Dahlan, Benjamin, Netanyahu's, Samia Nakhoul, Ahmed Mohamed Hassan, Jonathan Saul, Dan Williams, Aidan Lewis, Humeyra Pamuk, Steve Holland, Edmund Blair, Daniel Flynn Organizations: REUTERS, Israel, United Arab Emirates, Saudi, Reuters, U.S, Lebanon's Hezbollah, Hamas, Palestine Liberation Organization, PLO, Palestinian Fatah, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Gaza Israel, Egypt, Jordan, UAE, Saudi Arabia, U.S, DUBAI, CAIRO, LONDON, Israel, Riyadh, Arab Turkey, Qatar, Qatari, Turkish, Palestinian, Cairo, Lebanon, PLO, Dubai, London, Jerusalem, Washington

☆ Negotiators pushing for new two-day extension of Gaza truce - Egyptian statement
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A mosque destroyed in Israeli strikes during the conflict lies in ruin, amid a temporary truce between the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas and Israel, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip November 29, 2023. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem Acquire Licensing RightsCAIRO, Nov 30 (Reuters) - Egyptian and Qatari negotiators are pushing for a new two-day extension to the truce in Gaza along with more prisoner releases and an increase in the delivery of humanitarian aid, a statement from Egypt's state media body said on Thursday. The efforts follow the last-minute extension of the truce for a seventh day on Thursday. "Egypt will continue to exert its utmost efforts to ensure the continued flow of humanitarian aid to the north and south of the Gaza Strip," the statement said. Reporting by Aidan Lewis; Editing by Alex RichardsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Khan Younis, Mohammed Salem, Diaa Rashwan, Aidan Lewis, Alex Richardson Organizations: Hamas, REUTERS, Rights, Qatari, Thomson Locations: Palestinian, Israel, Gaza, Rights CAIRO, Egypt

Survivors recounted executions and looting in Ardamata, which they said were carried out by RSF and allied Arab militias. The RSF developed from Arab militias known as the Janjaweed that helped Sudan's army crush a rebellion in Darfur in the 2000s. Atta said the UAE had funnelled unspecified supplies to the RSF through Uganda, the Central African Republic (CAR) and Chad. Sudan's army, Chad and the CAR did not immediately respond to requests for comment. While the UAE backed Sudan's aborted political transition after the 2019 overthrow of Omar al-Bashir, it has remained publicly quiet on the war.

Persons: El Tayeb, Yassir al, Atta, RSF, General Abdel Fattah al, Burhan, Omar al, Bashir, Nafisa Eltahir, Khalid Abdelaziz, Maha El, Elias Biryabarema, Aidan Lewis, Alex Richardson Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Sudanese, United, Rapid Support Forces, Army, UAE, General Intelligence Service, Reuters, Central African Republic, Wagner Group, CAR, Thomson Locations: West Darfur, Adre, Chad, Ardamata, Arab, El, Rights CAIRO, United Arab Emirates, UAE, Darfur, Omdurman, Sudan, Chadian, Amdjarass, Uganda, Chad's, Ndjamena, Russia, Khartoum, Maha El Dahan, Dubai, Kampala

"The released hostages are on their way to hospitals in Israel, where they will re-unite with their families," the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement. Israel released 39 Palestinians - six women and 33 minors - from two prisons, the Palestinian news agency WAFA said. Saturday's swap follows the previous day's initial release of 13 Israeli hostages, including children and the elderly, by Hamas in return for the release of 39 Palestinian women and young people from Israeli prisons. On Friday Hamas also released a Philippine national and 10 Thai farm workers. Israel has said the ceasefire could be extended if Hamas continued to release at least 10 hostages a day.

Persons: Israel, WAFA, Srettha Thavisin, Thais, Thongkoon Onkaew, Natthaporn Onkaew, Joe Biden, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al, Osama Hamdan, Majed Al, Ansari, Maya Regev, Emily Hand, Hila Rotem, Emily, Raya Rotem, Shorouk Dwayyat, Emily Rose, Bassam Masoud, James Mackenzie, Maayan Lubell, Emma Farge, Aidan Lewis, Adam Makary, Nidal, Moaz Abd, Ali Sawafta, Sybille de La Hamaide, Jeff Mason, Humeyra Pamuk, Leslie Adler, Clarence Fernandez, William Mallard Organizations: Sunday, International Committee, Israel Defense Forces, West Bank, Hamas, Reuters, Brigades, IDF, United Nations, CNN, Al, Thomson Locations: Israel Egypt, Qatar, West Bank GAZA, JERUSALEM, Israel, Gaza, Egypt, Palestinian, Rafah, Al, Bireh, Ramallah, Philippine, U.S, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Al Jazeera, Nantucket , Massachusetts

☆ Egypt says it received 'positive signals' over possible extension of Gaza truce
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Israeli soldiers sit in Merkava tanks near the Israel-Gaza border, during a temporary truce between Hamas and Israel, in southern Israel, November 25, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko Acquire Licensing RightsNov 25 (Reuters) - Egypt said on Saturday it had received positive signals from all parties over a possible extension of the Gaza truce for one or two days. Diaa Rashwan, the head of Egypt's State Information Service (SIS), said in a statement that the country was holding extensive talks with all parties to reach an agreement over extending the four-day truce, which "means the release of more detainees in Gaza and Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails." Reporting by Aidan Lewis Editing by Mark PotterOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Alexander Ermochenko, Diaa Rashwan, Aidan Lewis, Mark Potter Organizations: REUTERS, Egypt's, Information Service, Thomson Locations: Israel, Gaza, Egypt

☆ Egypt president says future Palestinian state could be demilitarised
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Palestinians stand among the rubble of houses destroyed in an Israeli strike during the conflict, amid the temporary truce between Hamas and Israel, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip November 24, 2023. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa Acquire Licensing RightsCAIRO, Nov 24 (Reuters) - A future Palestinian state could be demilitarised and have a temporary international security presence to provide guarantees to both it and to Israel, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Friday. A political resolution which requires a Palestinian state based on the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, has remained out of reach, Sisi added. Arab nations have rejected suggestions that an Arab force provide security in the Gaza Strip after the end of Israel's current military operation there against the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which has controlled Gaza since 2007. Reporting by Aidan Lewis, Writing by Clauda Tanios Editing by Gareth JonesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Khan Younis, Abu Mustafa, Abdel Fattah al, Sisi, Pedro Sanchez, Alexander De Croo, Ayman Safadi, Aidan Lewis, Clauda, Gareth Jones Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, NATO, United Nations, Spanish, Belgian, Palestinian, Hamas, Jordanian, Thomson Locations: Israel, Gaza, Rights CAIRO, Palestinian, Cairo, East Jerusalem, London

All have been hit by a boycott campaign over Israel's military offensive in the Gaza Strip since the deadly Hamas attack in southern Israel on Oct. 7. Western brands are feeling the impact in Egypt and Jordan, and there are signs the campaign is spreading in some other Arab countries including Kuwait and Morocco. Videos have circulated of what appear to be Israeli troops washing clothes with well-known detergent brands which viewers are urged to boycott. In Kuwait City on Tuesday evening, a tour of seven branches of Starbucks, McDonald's and KFC found them nearly empty. Previous boycott campaigns in Egypt, the Arab world's most populous nation, had less impact, including those advocated by the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.

Persons: Mohamed Abd, Reham Hamed, Ahmad al, McDonald's, Jordan, Hossam Mahmoud, Sameh El Sadat, executive's, Issam Abu Shalaby, Farah Saafan, Sarah El Safty, Mai ShamsElDin, Suleiman Al, Ahmed Hagagy, Jonathan Spicer, Aidan Lewis Organizations: Hamas, REUTERS, Gaza, U.S, Kuwait City, McDonald's, KFC, McDonald's Corp, Reuters, BDS, Starbucks, TBS Holding, Malaysian, Cola, Nestle, Turkish, Israel, United Arab, Thomson Locations: Kentucky, Egypt, Gaza, Israel, Palestinian, Cairo, CAIRO, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Amman, Rabat, BDS Egypt, Egyptian, Malaysia, Putrajaya, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Tunisia, Khalidi, Danial Azhar, Kuala Lumpur, Kuwait City, Istanbul

☆ Arab nations say Israel-Hamas truce should be extended, aid ramped up
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A view of destroyed buildings in Gaza, as seen from southern Israel, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas, November 22, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Arab foreign ministers welcomed an agreement for a temporary truce between Israel and Gaza militant group Hamas on Wednesday but said it should be extended and become a first step toward a full cessation of hostilities. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said the humanitarian aid should be sustained and expanded, and it should not later become contingent on further hostage releases. "There must at no point be a reduction in this access based on progress for further release of hostages ... Reporting by Mark Bendeich and Aidan Lewis; Editing by Nadine Awadalla and Michael GeorgyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Alexander Ermochenko, Jordan, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Israel's, Mark Bendeich, Aidan Lewis, Nadine Awadalla, Michael Georgy Organizations: Palestinian, Hamas, REUTERS, Saudi Foreign, . Security Council, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, London

"They are innocent children, premature babies," an exhausted al-Saik said in a video interview provided by the Egyptian government. The babies, from a total of 31 moved on Sunday from the besieged Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City to a maternity hospital in Rafah, wore only nappies and tiny green hats. When doctors at Al Shifa raised the alarm about them, there were 39 babies. Like hundreds of thousands of others, al-Saik moved to the south of the Gaza Strip with her three other children, while the baby girl stayed at Al Shifa. FAMILY TORN APARTWith shortages of electricity, water, medicines and other basics, conditions at Al Shifa deteriorated and the baby lost weight and got sick.

Persons: Gaza's, Lobna, Saik, Rick Brennan, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Al Shifa, Jeremy Hopkins, Mohammad Salama, Helal, Salama, Nayera Abdallah, Clauda Tanios, Mai Shams El, Yusri Mohamed, Aidan Lewis, Estelle Shirbon, Janet Lawrence Organizations: Al Shifa, WHO, World Health Organization, Reuters, Al Shifa Hospital, Hamas, UNICEF, Emairati Maternity, Thomson Locations: Egypt, Al, CAIRO, GAZA, Gaza, Rafah, Gaza City, Cairo, Israel, Palestinian, Ismailia, London

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at the weekend that the PA in its current form should not take charge of Gaza. In the wake of Netanyahu's comments, Israeli officials have insisted that Israel does not intend to occupy the Gaza Strip. Dahlan has the backing of the influential United Arab Emirates to lead a post-war administration in Gaza, according to diplomats and Arab officials. So far, the U.S. and its allies have not seen any clear roadmap from Israel for its exit strategy from Gaza beyond the declared aim of eradicating Hamas, diplomats say. Not since the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003 has there been such widespread concern about military action raging across the Middle East, according to Arab officials and diplomats.

Persons: Israel tightens, Gaza's, Mahmoud Abbas, Fatah, Benjamin Netanyahu, Mohammed Dahlan, Israel, Dahlan, Joe Biden, Netanyahu, Gaza –, –, Abu Mohammad, We're, Biden, Jonathan Panikoff, government's, Biden's, Antony Blinken, Blinken, Abbas –, Abbas, Mohammad Shtayyeh, Abu Dhabi, Marwan Barghouti, Washington, Joost R, John Kirby, Nidal al, Humeyra Pamuk, Matt Spetalnick, Andrew Mills, James Mackenzie, Crispian Balmer, John Irish, Aidan Lewis, Alexander Cornwell, Samia Nakhoul, Daniel Flynn Organizations: Palestinian, Hamas, Israel Defense Forces, REUTERS, Authority, Palestinian Authority, West Bank, United, Israel, U.S, policymaking, Reuters, Atlantic Council, Gaza, Western, Israel ., UAE, North Africa, Crisis, House, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Gaza Israel, Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestinian, U.S, United States, Washington, Hamas, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, America, Egypt, Jordan, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Tokyo, Oslo, European, technocrats, United Nations, Middle East, Iran, GAZA, Doha, Jerusalem, Paris, Cairo, Dubai

CAIRO, Nov 16 (Reuters) - The United Nations is looking for ways to evacuate Al Shifa hospital in Gaza but options are limited by security and logistical constraints, a senior World Health Organization official said on Thursday. "We are looking at the case for full medical evacuation but there are a lot of security concerns, there are a lot of logistics constraints. Tents and shelters used by displaced Palestinians stand at the yard of Al Shifa hospital during the Israeli ground operation around the hospital, in Gaza City November 12, 2023. She said an ICRC medical convoy delivering supplies to a separate hospital in Gaza had come under fire last week. "It is difficult to answer how this would normally take place [medical evacuation in conflict], because this situation is anything but normal," she said.

Persons: Rick Brennan, Brennan, Ahmed El Mokhallalati, Mai ShamsElDin, Jennifer Rigby, Toby Chopra, Aidan Lewis, Christina Fincher Organizations: United Nations, World Health Organization, Palestinian, International Committee, WHO, Al, ICRC, Thomson Locations: CAIRO, Al Shifa, Gaza, Jerusalem, Egypt, Cairo, Gaza City, Shifa, Al Arish, Turkey

☆ Options for Evacuating Gaza's Al Shifa Hospital Limited - WHO Official
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

By Mai ShamsElDinCAIRO (Reuters) - The United Nations is looking for ways to evacuate Al Shifa hospital in Gaza but options are limited by security and logistical constraints, a senior World Health Organization official said on Thursday. One obstacle is that the Palestinian Red Crescent lacks sufficient fuel for its ambulances within Gaza to evacuate patients, WHO regional emergencies director Rick Brennan told Reuters. The WHO understood that there were still about 600 patients including 27 in critical condition at Shifa hospital, which Israeli forces entered this week following a days-long siege, Brennan said. Our options are rather limited but we hope to have some better news in the next 24 hours or so," he said. "The idea is that we would bring the majority of patients over days or weeks from Shifa," he added.

Persons: Mai ShamsElDin, Rick Brennan, Brennan, Aidan Lewis, Christina Fincher Organizations: United Nations, World Health Organization, Palestinian, Reuters, WHO Locations: Mai ShamsElDin CAIRO, Al Shifa, Gaza, Egypt, Cairo, Shifa

Hamas has agreed to the general outlines of this deal, but Israel has not and it is still negotiating the details, the official said. The wealthy Gulf state of Qatar, which has ambitious foreign policy goals, has a direct line of communication with Hamas and Israel. Such a deal would require Hamas handing over a complete list of remaining living civilian hostages held in Gaza. The Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Hamas political office in Doha declined comment. There was no immediate comment from Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Hamas political office in Doha.

Persons: Anas, Israel, Benny Gantz, Gantz, Benjamin Netanyahu, Andrew Mills, Gebeily, Aidan Lewis, Ahmed Mohamed Hassan, Dan Williams, Mayaan, Angus McDowall, Michael Georgy, Gareth Jones Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, U.S, Hamas, Qatari, Palestinian, Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Qassam Brigades, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Rights DOHA, CAIRO, Israel, Palestinian, Gulf, Qatar, Doha, Western, Beirut, Cairo, Jerusalem

A man walks while smoke rises above buildings after aerial bombardment, during clashes between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and the army in Khartoum North, Sudan, May 1, 2023. But analysts and diplomats say it is unclear how the RSF could govern a breakaway territory. "(Governing) means you take on responsibilities for food, health, and security," said Suliman Baldo of the Sudan Transparency and Policy Tracker. From late October the RSF took over army headquarters in Nyala, Zalingei and El Geneina, three of five Darfur state capitals. They say the RSF is seeking legitimacy in the talks, after public anger over looting, rape and detentions blamed on its troops.

Persons: Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, Yasir Arman, Abdelrahim Dagalo, Omar al, Bashir, El Geneina, Kholood Khair, Bashir loyalists, Jonas Horner, Nafisa Eltahir, Khalid Abdelaziz, Aidan Lewis, Gareth Jones Organizations: Rapid Support Forces, REUTERS, Sudan's Rapid Support Forces, Darfur, South, Reuters, Armoured Corps, Confluence Advisory, United Nations, Thomson Locations: Khartoum North, Sudan, Jeddah, CAIRO, Khartoum, South Sudan, Darfur, North Darfur, Port Sudan, Kordofan, Nyala, El Geneina, Jebel Awlia, Confluence, Saudi, West Darfur, Cairo, Dubai

☆ Exclusive-Qatar Seeking Israel-Hamas Deal to Release 50 Hostages and 3-Day Truce, Sources Say
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

The deal, under discussion, which has been coordinated with the U.S., would also see Israel release some Palestinian women and children from Israeli jails and increase the amount of humanitarian aid allowed into Gaza, the official said. It would mark the biggest release in hostages held by Hamas since the Palestinian militant group burst over the Gaza border, attacked parts of Israel and took hostages into the enclave. Hamas has agreed to the general outlines of this deal, but Israel has not and it is still negotiating the details, the official said. It is not known how many Palestinian women and children Israel would release from its jails as part of the agreement under discussion. (Reporting by Andrew Mills in Doha, Maya Gebeily in Beirut, Aidan Lewis and Ahmed Mohamed Hassan in Cairo; Additional reporting by Dan Williams and Mayaan Lubell in Jerusalem; Writing by Andrew Mills and Angus McDowall; Editing by Michael Georgy and Gareth Jones)

Persons: Andrew Mills, Aidan Lewis DOHA, Israel, Gebeily, Aidan Lewis, Ahmed Mohamed Hassan, Dan Williams, Mayaan, Angus McDowall, Michael Georgy, Gareth Jones Organizations: Reuters, U.S, Hamas Locations: CAIRO, Israel, Gaza, Palestinian, Doha, Beirut, Cairo, Jerusalem

☆ Qatar's emir holds talks in Egypt on ending Gaza violence
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Mohamed Wali | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani attends the Arab League Summit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, May 19, 2023. Qatar said "joint efforts to stop the aggression against Gaza, reduce escalation and bring in urgent humanitarian aid" were discussed. Since then Israel has launched an unrelenting bombardment and an armoured invasion of Hamas-ruled Gaza, where more than 10,000 people have been killed, according to Palestinian officials. Evacuations through Rafah restarted on Thursday following a pause after the Red Cross said one of its convoys escorting evacuees was targeted inside Gaza. The United Nations said 65 aid trucks entered Gaza from Egypt on Thursday, well below the number needed to address a deepening humanitarian crisis.

Persons: Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad, Thani, Abdel Fattah al, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Cross, Israel, Mohamed Wali, Nayera Abdallah, Nadine Awadalla, Aidan Lewis, Nick Macfie, Alex Richardson Organizations: Arab League Summit, Saudi Royal Court, REUTERS, Rights, U.S . Central Intelligence Agency, CIA, Hamas, United Nations, United, Thomson Locations: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Bandar, Rights CAIRO, Qatar, Egypt, Cairo, Gaza, Qatari, Doha, Israel, Hamas, Rafah, United States

The Gaza war on the border with Egypt's Sinai Peninsula comes after the impact of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the coronavirus pandemic exposed long-standing frailties in the Egyptian economy. "Foreign sentiment on Egypt is so weak, and now with this coming along it's last thing that Egypt needed. A foreign currency shortage has led to a $5 billion backlog of imports stuck at ports, and problems for foreign companies repatriating dividends, bankers say. So far, the Gaza war has affected the popular Sinai destinations of Taba, Nuweiba, Dahab and Sharm el-Sheikh but left the rest of the country relatively unscathed. Egypt's tourism minister told Reuters this week that the impact of the war was contained to under 10% of bookings.

Persons: Mohamed Abd El Ghany, Monica Malik, Moataz, Sharm, Karim ElMinabawy, Siamak Adibi, Egypt's, Olumide Ajayi, Malik, Patrick Werr, Sarah El Safty, Aidan Lewis, Toby Chopra Organizations: REUTERS, Abu, Tourism, Countrywide, Emeco, Middle East Gas, FGE, United Arab, Thomson Locations: Giza, Cairo, Egypt, CAIRO, Gaza, Ukraine, Dhabi, Taba, Dahab, Luxor, Aswan, Israel, Europe, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Gulf . Saudi

☆ Evacuations from Gaza Strip resume through Egypt's Rafah crossing
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

An ambulance for injured Palestinians who will be transported to receive treatments at Egyptian hospitals, waits to move towards the Egyptian side of Rafah crossing, in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, November 7, 2023. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsCAIRO, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Evacuations from the Gaza Strip into Egypt for foreign passport holders and Palestinians needing medical treatment resumed through the Rafah crossing on Thursday after being suspended for a day, Egyptian security and medical sources said. On Thursday, two sources said that 695 foreign passport holders and dependents, including Egyptians, were able to cross. Evacuations from Gaza through Rafah began on Nov. 1 for an estimated 7,000 foreign passport holders, dual nationals and their dependents, as well as a limited number of people needing urgent medical treatment. Rafah is also the only entry point for humanitarian aid going into Gaza.

Persons: Abu Mustafa, David Satterfield, Satterfield, Yusri Mohamed, Ahmed Mohamed Hassan, Aidan Lewis, Alex Richardson, Barbara Lewis, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Thursday Israel, United Nations, Aid, Thomson Locations: Rafah, Gaza, Rights CAIRO, Egypt, Israel

☆ Darfur refugees report new spate of ethnically driven killings
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Maggie Michael | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

On Tuesday, a Reuters reporter saw a trail of men crossing from Darfur into Chad at Adre, about 27 km (17 miles) west of El Geneina. More than 500,000 people have crossed into Chad, mostly from West Darfur, the IOM says. Chad border guards said the daily number of those fleeing from West Darfur had surged to 3,146 on Saturday. U.N. officials in Chad said thousands more were expected to cross but had been prevented from doing so by RSF forces demanding money. Toby Hayward, a senior U.N. official for Darfur, described reports and images emerging from Ardamata as "sickening".

Persons: El Tayeb, Chad Violence, RSF, El Geneina, El, Ardamata, Nabil Meccia, Meccia, Sharaf Eddin Adam, Adam, U.N, Mashaar Omar Ahmed, Sarah Adam Idris, Abdel Karim Rahman Yacoub, Toby Hayward, Maggie Michael, Nafisa, Aidan Lewis, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: REUTERS, Rapid Support Forces, Reuters, Saturday, International Organization for Migration, IOM, Thomson Locations: Chad, El, Sudan's West Darfur, Darfur, El Geneina, Adre, Ardamata, Ardamata's Kobri, Sudan, West Darfur, Ardamata's District

☆ US-Palestinian evacuees recount 'horror movie' of leaving Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Amina Ismail | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/5] Suzan Beseiso, a Palestinian holding a U.S. passport, waits for permission to leave Gaza, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, at the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, November 2, 2023. Since then a trickle of relief has been trucked into Gaza and some evacuees have left, though the arrangement is fragile and was suspended on Saturday before resuming on Monday. When the family left their house in Gaza her grandmother started shouting that she didn't want to go, and Beseiso had to plead with her. Born in Gaza but also holding U.S. citizenship, she acquired some land next to her house in 2005 where she grew olive, lemon and palm trees. "I hope people go to my house and take the dates and olives, so they don't go to waste."

Persons: Abu, Tell, Suzan Beseiso, Beseiso, Jana Timraz, Yusra Batniji, Youssef, Amina Ismail, Aidan Lewis, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Hamas, REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Palestinian, Rafah, Egypt, CAIRO, Cairo, U.S, United States, Qatar, Sinai, Jaffa

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