Israel’s tanks pushed into the heart of Jabalia in northern Gaza on Thursday, facing anti-tank rockets and mortar bombs from militants concentrated there, while in the south, its forces pounded Rafah without advancing, Palestinian residents and militants said.

The slow progress of Israel’s offensive, more than seven months after Hamas’ deadly cross-border raid prompted it, highlighted the difficulty of achieving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s aim of eradicating the militant group.

Armed wings of Hamas and its ally Islamic Jihad have been able to fight up and down the Gaza Strip, using heavily fortified tunnels to stage attacks in both the north—the focus of Israel’s initial invasion—and new battlegrounds like Rafah.

“We are wearing Hamas down,” Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said, announcing that more troops would be deployed in Rafah, where he said several tunnels had been destroyed.

Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri responded that the group would defend its people “by all means.”

Israel says four Hamas battalions are now in Rafah along with hostages abducted during the October 7 assault, but it faces international pressure not to invade the city, where hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinian civilians are sheltering.

South Africa asked the top UN court to order a halt to Israel’s Rafah offensive, saying it was “part of the endgame in which Gaza is utterly destroyed.” Israel has denied South African allegations of genocide in Gaza and said it had complied with an earlier court order to step up aid.

The Gaza death toll has risen to 35,272, health officials in the Hamas-run coastal enclave said, and malnutrition is widespread with international aid efforts blocked by the violence and Israel’s de-facto shutdowns of its Kerem Shalom crossing and the Rafah border crossing with Egypt.

Israel says it needs to eliminate the organization after the deaths of 1,200 people on October 7 and to free the 128 hostages still held out of the 253 abducted by the militants, according to its tallies.

Source(s): CGTN

Former Maldivian president Mohamed Nasheed during an interview with Sri Lankan media outlet ‘The Morning’, claimed China was “debt trapping” the Maldives, and added the island nation has weakened by distancing itself from India.

Nasheed alleged China was inflating project costs to exploit Maldives’ reliance on foreign allies in running developmental projects, while procuring their own equipment and personnel for the initiatives in a well-planned approach. Nasheed claimed this would eventually lead to debt traps set by China, which the Maldives would not be able to repay.

Ambassador Wang strongly rebutted Nasheed’s allegations during a press conference held by the Chinese Embassy in the Maldives on Thursday.

In this regard, Ambassador Wang inquired whether the people of the Maldives believe the remarks made by Nasheed, posing the question as to whether any Maldivian government is foolish enough to put the nation to debt.

She further said all projects carried out in the Maldives – whether be it via loans or grant assistance from China – are carried out at the request of Maldives, rather than on China’s own volition.

When President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu assumed won September’s presidential election, he was dubbed as a “pro-China” individual by international media outlets.

As these allegations heightened, President Muizzu undertook his first-ever state visit after assuming office to China.

The trip saw 20 agreements executed between the two nations, one of which pertaining to the current administration’s largest housing project, the development of Fushidhiggarufalhu.

Nevertheless, President Muizzu has refuted these claims, citing he is “pro-Maldives”.

Source(s): sun.mv

Housing Development Corporation (HDC)’s Managing Director Fazul Rasheed states the Island Project implemented at Hulhumale’ with funding from the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) will bring revolutionary changed to the suburb.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of Hulhumale’ Island Project on Thursday evening, Fazul said work undertaken under the project will pave the way to take Male’ area’s residents and businesses to “another level”, expressing hope for the project to create additional opportunities for businesses.

According to Fazul, a bridge linking Urban Isle and Hulhumale’ and channels will be developed under the project, funded by SFD. He added that the Hulhumale’ Island Project will serve as a path to expand and strengthen horizons which HDC and the government will utilize to revolutionize the area.

Fazul, in his speech, also thanked the Finance Minister, contractors involved in the project and individuals involved in the physical works of the project.

At Thursday’s ceremony, a plaque was presented to SFD’s CEO Sultan bin Abdul Rahman Al-Marshad for the continuous support rendered to the Maldives by the fund.

SFD has provided various assistance to the Maldives over the years. Last year, SFD decided to provide Maldives MVR 2.3 billion in financial assistance.

Additionally, the SDF has provided MVR 3 billion for the project to develop Maldives’ main gateway to the world, Velana International Airport.

Source(s): sun.mv