News

Israeli soldiers and settlers attack Palestinian construction workers.

Published

3 years ago

05/07/2021

Mohammed Hassan, 21, and a group of local construction workers were bringing an end to their work for the day on Saturday afternoon, not long before sunset. They were working on Mohammed’s new home and it had been undergoing construction for quite some time. The house is located on the outskirts of the village of Qusra, in the northern occupied West Bank. Then the group was unexpectedly under attack by armed Israeli settlers.

“Dozens of armed Israeli settlers descended onto the area around the house, jumping through the fields and concealing themselves behind the olive groves,” Murad Adbelhamid Hassan, 44, Mohammed’s uncle, told Middle East Eye.

“They started throwing rocks at the house and the guys, and were attempting to break into the house,” Murad said, adding that just a few minutes after the settlers began their attack, a group of Israeli soldiers arrived in the area.

“The soldiers surrounded the house and completely blocked it off, not letting anyone in or out of the area as they watched the settlers continue the attack,” said Murad, who along with dozens of family members and neighbors, had by this point arrived in the area to try and intervene.

“Some of the workers managed to escape, but one of them was shot in the leg with a rubber bullet,” Murad said.

Meanwhile the settlers sustained constant barrage of rocks at the house. Mohammed locked the doors and went up to the rooftop, where he started throwing rocks at the settlers to defend his house and push the settlers back.

“We always hoped this would never happen to our family, but it was always a possibility. Living close to the settlement is very dangerous, especially in the past 10 years, as we’ve seen them grow more and more aggressive,” Murad said.

“Even the doctors and nurses from the town came and showed the soldiers their credentials, but they wouldn’t let them in to give first aid to Mohammed,” Murad said.

The Israeli soldiers moved Mohammed’s body from the rooftop only after an Israeli ambulance arrived before they brought him to an Israeli hospital. The family was notified many hours later that Mohammed had succumbed to his injuries. As of Sunday afternoon, Israeli authorities had still not returned Mohammed’s body to his family in Qusra.

“We have been trying to coordinate with the Palestinian authorities and the Israelis, but they are still refusing to return his body,” Murad said. “They are claiming that Mohammed attacked the settlers, and that’s why they’re holding his body.”

“Mohammed was only defending himself and his home, and they killed him for it, and are now accusing him of a crime,” Murad said. “It is cruel.”

Settler attacks against Palestinians rose significantly in 2020, with experts documenting 771 incidents of settler violence, causing injuries to 133 Palestinians and damaging 9,646 trees and 184 vehicles, according to data from the UN.

World

Hamas plans to suspend Gaza ceasefire negotiations if Israel attacks Rafah

Published

21 hours ago

02/05/2024

Hamas said on Wednesday that ceasefire negotiations with Israel would be suspended if Israel attacks the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.

Osama Hamdan, a senior Hamas official, said in an interview with Lebanon-based al-Manar TV that Hamas would halt all indirect negotiations with Israel if it launches military operations against Rafah.

Accusing Israel of seeking “to blackmail all the parties by its threats of attacking Rafah,” the official said “the resistance is still having its power to defend our people.”

On Monday, a Hamas delegation left Cairo and said they would return with a written response to the latest truce proposal.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is on his seventh visit to the Middle East, on Wednesday urged Hamas to accept the truce deal which would see 33 hostages released in exchange for a larger number of Palestinian prisoners and a halt to the fighting, with the possibility of further steps towards a comprehensive deal later.

“Israel has made very important compromises,” he said. “There’s no time for further haggling. The deal is there. They (Hamas) should take it.”

A senior Hamas official said on Wednesday that Hamas was still studying the proposed deal but said Israel was the real obstacle.

Israel is holding off sending a delegation to Cairo for follow-up truce talks, pending a response from Hamas’ leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, an Israeli official told Reuters.

Israel’s military chief of staff Herzi Halevi on Wednesday said that the country’s offensive operation in Gaza “will continue with strength” and that Israel was “preparing for an offensive in the north.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has previously said that Israel will enter Rafah and eliminate the Hamas battalions there “with or without” a deal with Hamas.

With an Israeli ground operation in Rafah on the horizon, United Nations (UN) aid chief Martin Griffiths said on Tuesday that Israeli improvements to aid access in Gaza “cannot be used to prepare for or justify a full-blown military assault on Rafah.”

More than one million people face famine after six months of the conflict, the UN has said.

As night fell on Wednesday, Israeli planes and tanks pounded several areas across Gaza, residents and Hamas-linked media said.

Medics in Gaza said at least 27 Palestinians were killed in strikes on Wednesday, with others likely hurt or killed in areas they were unable to reach.

To speed the flow of humanitarian aid into the besieged enclave, the U.S. military has so far constructed over 50 percent of a maritime pier that will be placed off the coast of Gaza, according to the Pentagon.

However, U.S. lawmakers have questioned whether the pier is a worthwhile endeavor. On the one hand, it will cost the American taxpayers at least $320 million to operate the pier for only 90 days; on the other hand, the U.S. military personnel could become targets of Hamas militants, Republican Senator Roger Wicker told Reuters.

Source(s): CGTN

News

Solih reassures MDP dedication to protecting workers’ rights

Published

1 day ago

01/05/2024

Former President and Advisor of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has reaffirmed the party’s commitment to safeguarding workers’ rights.

In a post on social media, Solih extended his congratulations to all Maldivian workers on International Labour Day, highlighting the advocacy of MDP for crucial policies like safeguarding workers’ rights and implementing a minimum wage. He also assured that the party remains dedicated to upholding the rights of workers

The world celebrates International Labour Day annually on May 1.

Source(s): PsmNews

News

Efforts underway to limit Hajj pilgrimage rates

Published

1 day ago

01/05/2024

Maldives Hajj Corporation (MHC) has initiated significant steps to substantially lower the prices of Hajj pilgrimage trips, aligning with President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s presidential pledge to reduce costs for travellers from Maldives.

In a post shared on social media, Managing Director Mohamed Shakeel announced the establishment of the “Hajj Fund,” aimed at reducing pilgrim expenses while creating income-generating opportunities for the corporation, thus strengthening its financial stability. He underscored that efforts are currently underway to minimise Hajj trip costs, with an increase in real estate investments.

Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed affirmed that restructuring the Hajj Corporation would substantially decrease Hajj pilgrimage rates. He further emphasised the Ministry’s proactive measures under the new administration to address this issue. This year, the Hajj Corporation has disbursed USD 4,537 with over 7,000 individuals on the waiting list. The government has officially allocated 100 quotas to the Maldives to mitigate the waiting list and alleviate high pilgrimage costs incurred.

Minister Shaheem stated that if additional quotas are to be granted, private entities will be engaged in organising pilgrimage trips, adhering to the list compiled by the Hajj Corporation.

Source(s): PsmNews