Minister of Housing, Land, and Urban Development Dr. Ali Haidar Ahmed has underscored the obligation of every Maldivian to actively support Palestine’s defense. He made the remarks in an interview with PSM News.

The Maldives’ recent statement at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) garnered public acclaim for its steadfast stance. Numerous individuals lauded the statement, echoing similar sentiments.

During the interview, Minister Dr. Haidar extended gratitude to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for providing the opportunity to represent the nation’s support for Palestine. He expressed a sense of privilege in delivering the statement after Israel, allowing for a more impassioned delivery.

In the General Assembly, the Maldives voiced deep concern over the suppression of justice for Palestinians, lamenting the stifling effect of a single vote. It urged the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to consider abolishing the veto power, noting that the USA’s sole veto obstructed Palestine’s full UN membership.

Source(s): PsmNews

Prospects for a Gaza ceasefire appeared uncertain on Sunday as a Hamas delegation left Cairo.

A Palestinian source, who preferred not to mention his name, said the Hamas delegation, who departed Cairo on Sunday for consultations with the movement’s leadership in Doha, Qatar, will return with a “final response” to the Egyptian proposal two days later.

According to the source, during the two-day talks in Cairo, the Hamas delegation met with Egyptian security officials and addressed “all issues” that could hinder reaching an agreement on the Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange with Israel, confirming that “significant” consensus has been achieved between the delegation and the Egyptian mediators.

The Egyptian proposal consists of three stages, aimed at exchanging Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, taking necessary measures to reach a ceasefire, and restoring sustainable calm.

The first stage would span 40 days and bring out a temporary halt of military operations between the two sides, an exchange of hostages and prisoners, and the return of internally displaced civilians to their areas of residence in Gaza. It also includes facilitating the entry of sufficient humanitarian aid, relief materials and fuel into Gaza, as well as the equipment needed to remove rubble, establish camps for the displaced, and rehabilitate and operate hospitals, health centers and bakeries in the strip.

Also on Sunday, Hamas Political Bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh said in a statement that his movement is keen to reach a comprehensive agreement that ends the current conflict in Gaza and ensures a prisoner exchange with Israel. Meanwhile, he accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of “inventing constant justifications to continue the aggression, expand the scope of the conflict, and sabotage mediation efforts.”

Israel has not officially commented on the proposal. The main point of contention between the two sides remains the duration of the truce, with Hamas demanding that Israel halt the conflict, while Israel insists on continuing until it deems Hamas defeated.

Despite intensive mediation efforts and international calls for a ceasefire, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said on Sunday that Israel assesses the likelihood of reaching an agreement with Hamas as low, adding the order to launch an onslaught on Rafah, the enclave’s southernmost city, will be given “very soon.”

About 1.2 million people have been sheltering in Rafah, according to estimates by the United Nations, escaping Israeli bombardments in other areas as well as the famine-stricken northern Gaza.

World Food Program Executive Director Cindy McCain said in an NBC News interview broadcast on Sunday that based on the “horror” on the ground: “There is famine, full-blown famine, in the north, and it’s moving its way south.”

Also on Sunday, Israeli authorities raided a Jerusalem hotel room used by Al Jazeera as its office, an Israeli official and an Al Jazeera source told Reuters.

Netanyahu’s cabinet has agreed to shut down the network’s local operations for as long as the conflict in Gaza continues, saying it threatened national security.

Al Jazeera said the move was a “criminal action” and the accusation that the network threatened Israeli security was a “dangerous and ridiculous lie” that put its journalists at risk. It reserved the right to “pursue every legal step.”

Source(s): CGTN

Male’ Water and Sewerage Company (MWSC) was contracted to upgrade the water view of Addu City’s Hithadhoo and other linked islands to resolve the difficulties faced in the provision of water services across the city.

Fenaka said MWSC was contracted to resolve the difficulties in the provision of water services across Addu City within a one-year period, adding all prevailing issues in the provision of water services will be resolved at the conclusion of this project.

They further noted that efforts are underway to ensure there are no service interruptions while the work is ongoing.

Underscoring an increase in the usage of water in Addu City has been observed day-by-day, Fenaka said the usage of the water exceeds the capacity the plants established at the city have to produce water.

Fenaka strongly criticized the former administration’s failure to renovate the water plants or upgrade the water view in the past five years despite these conditions.

Water shortage in Addu City has posed its residents with various difficulties. It remains one of the most prevalent concerns of the residents, triggering continuous complaints.

Source(s): sun.mv