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Built in 1952, the Khan Younis Municipal Stadium in Gaza is no longer a venue for sports events but has rather become an unequipped shelter centre for displaced Palestinians fleeing the Israeli bombardment in various parts across the Strip.

Packed mainly with displaced Palestinians from the eastern areas of the Gaza Strip, the stadium, whose facilities and surrounding buildings were destroyed, lacks safe drinking water, bathrooms, and other necessities of life.

Mohammed Qadih, a displaced Palestinian who fled to the stadium, said, “We were forcibly displaced in the evening, and we only found roads to sleep on sought refuge in the nearest place. Among the very close places that we took refuge in was this stadium. We set up our tents in it and have been staying here for 3 days. It is a shelter devoid of water, bathrooms, or aid.”

He added, “No one has contacted us to send us relief, especially for infants, pregnant women and women who lack money. A very large number of people here lack the money to help them support themselves. No one cares about us.”

Qadih continued, “We appeal to the whole world and all the free people of the world, not only the Arab countries but all the countries of the world that claim humanity and are compassionate towards animals, cats and dogs, which they view with a human dimension, to look at the Palestinian people who are now being struck by bombs, planes, tanks, and the most powerful American weapons without anyone caring about us.”

Umm Abdullah al-Najjar is another displaced Palestinian in the stadium who recalled better times.

She said, “This stadium used to host \[sports\] tournaments. Players practiced football in it, and it was a destination for athletes of all ages. Now it has become a shelter for the displaced from the eastern regions, such as Khuzaa, Abasan, Bani Suheila, Abasan al-Saghira, and the rest of the eastern regions. They fled to this stadium that you see.”

She added, “The displaced are spread throughout the stadium, where they stay in tents. The sun beats down us from everywhere. There are displaced people of all ages here, and there is no water or food. Our living conditions are not suitable for humans. I swear to God, we have to travel a long distance to the Nasser Medical Complex to fetch water. There is no drinking water available, so we are forced to drink salty water. We are helpless. We were displaced from Khuzaa in the far east of the Strip.”

Khan Younis Stadium Overwhelmed with Displaced Palestinians from Eastern Gaza Strip

Osama al-Sharmi, Yemen’s Deputy Minister of Information, said that the Israeli strikes targeting Houthi locations on Saturday harmed Yemen’s infrastructure and the legitimate government rather than weakened the Iranian-backed Houthi militia.

In an interview with AWP, al-Sharmi said that the Israeli assault hampered the Yemeni government’s efforts to regain control over the Houthi-ruled Yemeni coast.

The Yemeni official said, “We view Israel’s strikes as violent strikes, through which Israel wants to restore the previous balance of deterrence that existed between it and the pro-Iranian camps and groups in the Arab region, but we were harmed by them as the Yemeni people, and as a Yemeni government.”

Al-Sharmi accused Houthi militias of turning the coastal city of Hodeidah into “a platform for launching Iranian missiles.”

“The gravest thing that the Houthi militia is doing now on the western coast of Yemen is turning the city of Hodeidah into a platform for launching, storing, and reassembling missiles that come from Iran,” he continued.

Al-Sharmi said, “The Houthi militia is threatening international navigation, practicing piracy, clearly executing Iranian plans, and using our people in Hodeidah as human shields. Our infrastructure is used \[by the Houthi militia\] as a means to launch its missiles, drones, and boats against international trade and navigation.”

The Yemeni official called on “the international community to understand that Iran is using the Houthi group as a platform to threaten and blackmail the world and pass on many of its files, including the Iranian nuclear file, the ballistic missile file, and the sanctions on Iran.”

Al-Sharmi warned, “We will get stuck in a never-ending vicious cycle unless the international community supports the legitimate government in liberating its entire territory from the Houthi group, ending the Iranian threats from Yemen at least, and liberating at least the entire western coast in the near future.”

He concluded, “Our message to the international community is that it is possible. The liberation of the entire western coast is possible with minimal resources. We just want the green light, no more and no less.”

Israeli aircraft bombed Houthi targets near the Port of Hodeidah on Saturday. The rebel group said that the strikes hit the power station, the port, and fuel tanks, killing at least six people and wounding dozens.

The Israeli raid came a day after a Houthi drone attack was launched against Israel, which killed one person in Tel Aviv.

"Houthis Turned Hodeidah into a Platform for Launching Iranian Missiles", Says Yemeni Official 

Former Secretary General of the Lebanese Higher Council for Privatisation, Ziad Hayek, announced his presidential bid in a press conference held at the journalists’ syndicate in Beirut on Monday.

The Lebanese presidency post has been vacant since the end of the former president Michel Aoun’s tenure in October 2022, as the numerous parliamentary sessions that took place to elect his successor were all marked by failure.

Hayek said that he met with leaders of all Lebanese political parties to demonstrate and discuss his presidential programme.

He similarly called on parliamentarians to set their political differences aside in order to elect a new President at a time when Lebanon is struggling with a deteriorating security and economic situation.

“I performed my duty by touring \[to meet\] all national leaders and political parties, without any exception, and presented to them my vision for getting Lebanon out of the dark tunnel we are in. They all know me, and I have long experience as a first-class employee in the executive authority, and I spent 13 years in the government palace, directly reporting to four heads of government,” Hayek said during the presser.

“I was a member of several ministerial committees over many years in which I dealt with all political parties on many issues, so I am not far from politics. I have lived closely and know its ramifications. I have close ties with all political parties, and they know my integrity and reputation,” he added.

The former governmental official stressed that his candidacy comes as no surprise, adding that the current challenges the country is facing dictate the necessity of electing a new president.

“My candidacy is nothing new. I was nominated two years ago, and of course I am in constant and continuous communication with all political parties. There is nothing new for politicians with everything I talked about today,” he confirmed.

“It \[electing a president\] is an urgent necessity for several considerations: the collapsed economy, secondly the social and security problems we face, the situation in the south, and fourthly the Syrian displacement and its repercussions on the Lebanese economy and society, and relations with sisterly Syria, and all of these matters we need to address,” Hayek added.

Former Lebanese Senior Official Announces Presidential Candidacy

 Saleh Ali al-Jaash was forced to travel a long distance away from his usual fishing spot off the coasts of Rudum district in the Shabwah province, southeastern Yemen, due to an oil spill that has polluted the water and killed marine life in the area.

The coasts of Ayn Bamabad are facing an environmental disaster after large quantities of crude oil spilled over hundreds of meters due to a dilapidated oil pipeline that links the production fields in the area of Ayadh, west of Shabwah, to the export port in Nashima overlooking the Arabian Sea.

Jaash complained, “We have been harmed a lot by this oil slick. Our livelihoods rely on fishing in the area of Nashima. We have not seen any officials follow up on the developments on the ground or explain what is happening.”

He continued, “Oil spots have started to show up on some fish, and others are migrating from the Nashima and Jaalah areas. This has forced fishermen to sail longer distances despite high fuel prices. We had to leave and travel a long way, away from our homes and areas.”

Fishermen are demanding serious action to address the catastrophic effects of the environmental pollution off the Shabwah coast and the damage caused to marine life amid fears of future risks if the problem is not quickly remedied.

Fisherman Farish Bamabad urged relevant authorities to quickly intervene to handle the effects of the oil spill and prevent its spread to other areas in the sea, which he described as the sole source of income for him and his family.  
“There is damage from this oil spill. It certainly affects the sea, fishermen, customers and citizens,” he said in an agonized tone.

Fishermen in the area reported that oil slicks have formed on the water surface near the coasts of Ayn Bamabad, Jaalah and Bir Ali, which are all key habitats for migratory birds and many marine creatures.

They also noted the smell of diesel suddenly invading the coastal air while clumps of crude oil have piled up on the beach alongside perished birds and fish.

Community activist Mohamed Abed warned of the dangers of the oil slick and its short-term effects on the health and environment, accusing the authorities of “failing to act quickly and seriously before the problem worsens.”

He said, “The oil spill off the coasts of Shabwah, in the area of Ayn Bamabad is an environmental disaster for the marine ecosystem. It has severely harmed fishermen who rely on fishing as their only source of income.”

Abed continued, “We, the people of Rudum district and Shabwah province, call for increased awareness and urge the relevant authorities to expedite the treatment of this spill to avoid greater harm and the possibility of it spreading to other areas and causing further damage to marine life and coral reefs.”

Oil spills impact the productivity of fisheries and lead to reluctance of customers to buy fish due to contamination concerns. They also cause fishing activities to cease in polluted areas as fishermen fear damaging their equipment and tools.

Oil Spill Off Yemen’s Shabwah Coast Threatens Local Fishermen’s Livelihoods

Television footage obtained by the Arab World Press (AWP) showed fires and thick smoke billowing during the initial moments after an Israeli airstrike targeting the western Yemen port of Hodeidah on Saturday, followed by a series of raids on several targets in the province.

“The Israeli bombing raids on Hodeidah targeted the Houthi political security building, arms depots and a power station,” a Yemeni military source told AWP.

The source added, “The raids targeted the port of Hodeidah, government facilities taken by the Houthi group to store oil, weapons and ammunition as well as gatherings of Houthi militants in several areas in the Houthi-controlled city of Hodeidah.”

The source confirmed that Israeli airstrikes targeted a dock, and tanks for unloading oil derivatives that were stored in large quantities at Hodeidah port, which has been controlled by the Houthi group for nine years.  
“A huge fire erupted in the mobile and fixed tanks,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Houthi group’s military spokesman, Yahya Sarea, announced on Sunday that “important” targets in the southern Israeli city of Eilat were bombarded with a number of rockets, adding the strikes “achieved their goals successfully.”

“The Israeli attack on Hodeidah will not dissuade Yemen from its firm stance towards the plight of the Palestinian people,” he said.

Sarea warned, “The response to the Israeli aggression on our country is inevitably coming and it will be immense and great.”

The military source stated, “Our naval operations against Israeli, U.S. and British ships, or those heading towards the Palestinian ports will not stop unless the aggression on Gaza ceases and the blockade is lifted.”

Al-Masirah TV channel, which belongs to the Houthis, on Sunday quoted a medical official as saying the Israeli raid on Hodeidah on Saturday killed three people and injured 87 others.

Footage of First Moments After Bombing of Yemen’s Hodeidah Port

Markets in the south-western Yemen city of Taiz are recovering as locals of al-Houban and areas under the control of the Houthi group as commodities and goods were available at lower prices.

Ahmed al-Hemeidi, who owns a store selling fabrics, said trade activities have been reinvigorating in the city since the blocked roads between al-Houban and Taiz were reopened last month.

“Customers flowed into Taiz for shopping, making the best use of the exchange rate differential. I have received a large number of shoppers,” he said.

Fouad Jammi comes to central Taiz on a daily basis to buy his needs on the market, where commodities are available at rates less than his original area of al-Houban after the road between the two cities were reopened following nine years of closure.

“After the blocked roads were open and we entered Taiz, we noticed that the prices of commodities in the city were much less compared to other areas. We obtained prices here in central Taiz much less than outside. Things became better than outside Taiz,” he indicated.

Abu Jayyad keeps was optimistically watching the crowded roads in Taiz, where he lives, and wished the resumed economic activities would help decrease currency exchange rates and prices of commodities are brought down.

“We are witnessing a great recovery on the markets after customers flowed in from al-Houban and the areas under the Houthis’ control. Prices went up thanks to a flurry of buying and selling activities in the city,” he said.

“The Saudi riyal and U.S. dollar exchange transactions have been on the rise, denoting a siege on the city. I think if the currency exchange rate becomes unified, it will decrease. If it decreases, there would be more demand,” he added.

However, the crowdedness that hit Taiz after years of stagnation due to the war and blockade sparked concerns by some citizens, including Abdel-Rahman al-Aghbari, who said the presence of a large number of people in the city caused some crises.

“The flow of Houban people into the city caused us several crises. First, they went on a shopping spree over consumer commodities, pushing their prices up. Second, they caused a crowd,” he complained.

Qassem Ibrahim, Director of Taiz Governorate’s Media & Public Relations Department, blamed the Houthi group for the price hike and citizens’ frail purchasing power in the areas under its control due to duties they levy on the people under several pretexts.

“The prices in the areas under Houthis’ control are high due to the extortion they are practicing under numerous religious terms. This has troubled merchants and consequently led to a price hike,” he explained.

“Moreover, the purchasing power is plummeting and the currency is scarce as the citizens in Houthi areas were unable to get money easily. This has brought about a recovery on the markets of the liberated Taiz city and a trade boom in all activities,” noted Ibrahim.

Taiz Markets See Boom as Houban Shoppers Flow

Along with his family of six, Mohammed Nasrallah made the long and dangerous journey on foot from al-Shujaiya in the north of the Gaza Strip towards Khan Younis in the south, to escape famine and the ongoing Israeli bombardment.

The Palestinian man explained, “We’ve been in this state of continuous displacement for nine months until we decided to come to the south. We got sick of the situation we were in, and everyone advised us to flee towards the south.”

Mohammed added, “I was forced to flee with my children due to extreme hunger, thirst and helplessness. I have six family members with me, and I am unable to support them. Prices in Shujaiya have rocketed, so I moved towards the south.”

After walking under the scorching summer sun for hours, Mohammed’s children were given juice cartons to quench their thirst upon their arrival at the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis.

Recounting their ordeal, the children’s mother Nida Nasrallah said, “There is famine in al-Shujaiya. No water, no food, nothing. We lived there with difficulty. They did not spare any home, loved one, brother, or father. We lived in famine in al-Shujaiya.”

Nida lost the ability to feed her children or protect them from the continuous Israeli airstrikes, prompting the family’s decision to move south and away from the recurrent bombardments and evacuation orders.

She continued, “The children ask me for things, but I always say that I have no money or means. Their situation is heartbreaking. The day before yesterday we were targeted with missiles and today, we were forced to move towards the south. We crossed the Salah al-Din Road, and the \[Israelis\] were in front of us.”

Nida added, “There are many families in the Salah al-Din area. On our way out, the Israelis struck us with missiles, shells, stun grenades, and bullets. Also, on our way out of al-Shujaiya, they dropped a bomb from a drone, and three people were martyred in front of us.”

Despite the widespread destruction amidst the ongoing Israeli airstrikes and military operations since the beginning of the war last October 7, estimates indicate that there are about 350,000 people currently in northern Gaza.

On Foot: Palestinian Family Escapes ‘Famine’ in Shujaiya to Khan Younis

Many Iraqis are converting their vehicles to Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) systems due to their lower consumption costs and environmental benefits compared to gasoline fuel.

Despite several accidents involving cars using LPG, Zaid Naamah al-Musawi, PR and Media Officer at the Najaf branch of the Iraqi General Company for Gas Filling and Services, stresses that the system is completely safe.

He said, “As for the safety and security aspects, the fact is that car gas systems are imported from reputable sources, Turkish and Italian. The General Company for Gas Filling and Services has sought to import the system from these sources, which have very high safety aspects. In case of any defect in the gas system, it gets disconnected to prevent gas leakage.”

Al-Musawi confirmed the increasing demand for LPG systems, and said, “We advise all citizens to add this system and be part of this vital and important project, even though this project is currently witnessing significant demand. Because of this demand, the General Company for Gas Filling and Services has sought to open workshops and many other outlets to keep pace with the demand for liquid gas systems.”

At a car conversion centre in Najaf, Mazen Laftah Jabbar was among drivers installing an LPG system to his car. He said that he was encouraged by what he heard about the system.

He added, “From what we heard, it is a good quality system and the staff working here are highly experienced. Today we added a gas system to my vehicle to reduce consumption and expenses because the price of gas is much lower than gasoline.”

Sarmad al-Nadawi, the owner of a conversion workshop in Najaf, said, “The gas system has health and environmental benefits, especially the octane boost. Octane rating in gas systems reaches 110, compared to super gasoline where it reaches 90, and this greatly supports the engine in terms of performance fuel consumption.”

Iraqis Convert Cars to Run on Gas to Combat Increasing Fuel Prices

Israeli bombardment of the Bab Tnieh power station in Sahl al-Khiam, also known as the Marjeyoun power station, has left several towns in southern Lebanon without water and electricity.

The damaging strikes affected the area’s main supply of water at the Wazzani station, adding further burdens to the residents of towns that have been severely affected by the ongoing Israeli bombings since October 2023.

Sylvana Samaan, a resident of Marjeyoun, says that she had been receiving electricity for no more than seven hours a day through privately installed electric generators since the public Lebanon Electricity Company’s services were cut off.

“After what happened in Marjeyoun, and the bombing that targeted the Lebanon Electricity Company, we began to buy more water. We used to buy it once a week. Now we take it three times a week, and the electricity has been cut off, even alternative electricity through generators. We were receiving electricity until a.m., but the crisis became much greater,” she added.

Mahmoud Shaghouri, another resident of Marjeyoun, witnessed the Israeli bombing of the power station.  
“Two missiles hit there and did not explode, then they started bombing around the \[power\] station but did not hit it, behind the station,” he said.

According to Wassim Daher, General Director of the South Lebanon Establishment, Israel is intentionally cutting off water-generating resources to put the southern Lebanese residents under pressure.

“It is not the first targeting of electricity in the region. They targeted it in the town of Taybeh, which is close to Marjeyoun. The goal of cutting off electricity is to cut off water, which has become clear. The entire area was affected. Between Wazzani, Taybeh, Khiam, and Marj al-Khoukh, which supplies all of Marjeyoun, the water was cut off there,” Daher told AWP.

Daher explained that towns in the area were usually provided with electricity for 16 hours a day, during which they were uninterruptedly supplied with water, adding that alternative generators cannot meet this capacity given the frequency and diversity of Israeli attacks.

“We are running the generators, but they will not cover the need, and people will go through inevitable suffering, but we hope that the electricity company will be able to take the initiative and fix it \[the damages\] quickly,” he continued.  
On Sunday, the Lebanon Electricity Company said in a statement that the Israeli army targeted the Marjeyoun power station with artillery shells on Saturday, “which led to severe damage to transformers, cells, and high-voltage networks, causing them to be out of service”.

It added that it is assessing the station's technical status to take appropriate measures.

Israeli Strikes Leave Southern Lebanon Towns Without Water and Electricity

The five-day preparatory meeting to launch a political dialogue in Sudan was concluded at the headquarters of the African Union (AU) in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on Monday.

The final communique, signed by 14 Sudanese political blocs, expressed support for the state institutions, stressing that the top priority at present is for the immediate end to the war, easing delivery of humanitarian aid in urgent and unhindered manner and abiding by the Jeddah agreement signed on May 11, 2023.

The statement condemned “the flagrant violations committed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the foreign forces that support the rebellion and all atrocities and repercussions of the war.”

The conferees called for “forming an interim caretaker government whose tasks, line-up and timing will be subject to consultations among all sides concerned, taking into consideration the former transitional period experiences and without any partisan quota systems.”

During the meeting, Lawrence Korbandy, the special envoy of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to Sudan, renewed calls on the two sides of the conflict – the army and the RSF – to get into serious negotiations to bring an end to the war.

“We are reiterating the call on the two sides of the conflict to get engaged in negotiations without any preconditions. This conflict will not end except through negotiations,” he stressed.

Altom Hajo, the chairman of the central body of the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF), demanded that Sudan’s seat at the AU be restored so the sides that rule Sudan on the ground may take part in discussing the current crisis and reaching a solution to it.

“Basically, we demanded that Sudan must return to its previous status. The AU already has an attitude towards the rulers and the sovereignty \[Transitional Sovereignty Council\] in Sudan,” Hajo said in statements to the Arab World Press (AWP).

“Wisdom requires that a ban on the Sudanese government and political forces should be lifted. They actually exist on the ground and even the United Nations recognizes them \[the government\],” he added.

Mohamed Ibn Chambas, Chairperson of the African Union High-Level Panel of the Resolution of the Conflict in Sudan (HLP-Sudan), had said IGAD and the AU urged all Sudanese sides to place the country’s interests above all considerations and to work together to end the war between the army and the RSF.

“IGAD and the AU are committed to work with the parties concerned in Sudan in order to reach a reconciliatory solution to the current crisis,” he said, emphasizing that a solution to the crisis can never be military.  
The HLP-Sudan chief indicated that the AU will continue working with all sides concerned in order to set up a committee planning for an all-encompassing Sudanese dialogue.

Chambas warned that further infighting could exacerbate the suffering of the Sudanese people.

Sudanese Politicians’ Meeting in Addis Ababa Urges Interim Govt., End to War

The Khan Younis municipality headquarters in the southern Gaza Strip, hosted the signing of an agreement with the Palestinian National Committee for Partnership and Development (NCPD) to provide repair and maintenance services for water networks damaged in the Israeli war since October 2023.

The project costs $54,000, donated by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as part of Operation Chivalrous Knight 3 to give citizens in the Strip access to water under the harsh conditions due to the war.

Mohamed Rabie, NCPD Chairman, said during the signing ceremony, “We came here today to the Khan Younis municipality to sign an agreement to repair the dilapidated water pipes that were damaged during the recent aggression against Khan Younis. The municipality had made appeals to have these lines repaired as the governorate already suffers from an acute water shortage.”

He noted, “Khan Younis is considered the largest governorate with displaced people, as it, and the area of al-Mawasi have over one million displaced people. This urgent response came from the UAE through Operation Chivalrous Knight 3 to provide water for all citizens in the Gaza Strip.”

International organizations say the majority of citizens in the Gaza Strip, estimated at 2.3 million, live as displaced persons amid dire conditions since the outbreak of the war.

UAE-Supported Project for Repair of Damaged Water Networks in Khan Younis

An Israeli court has issued a ruling to evict dozens of Palestinians from their homes in the Batn al-Hawa neighborhood in the East Jerusalem district of Silwan. The residents, who are from the Rajabi family, insist on remaining in their homes, where they say have lived for decades.

They are waiting for a decision by Israel’s Supreme Court on an appeal they have filed.

Footage from the Arab World Press (AWP) showed Israeli soldiers in Batn al-Hawa next to the houses likely to be evacuated and demolished.  
Kayed al-Rajabi, the owner of one of the houses, said that 75 homes are affected by the evacuation order, with 1,100 people under the threat of eviction.

He said, “We will remain steadfast despite the Zionist Israeli violations and racism of the extremist government. We are here on our lands and will not leave until we die. At the conciliation court, the lawyer for the settlers offered to give me a blank cheque to write whatever figure I want, whether in dollars or Israeli shekels. Of course, I refused. This land is soaked with the blood of martyrs.”

Nasser al-Rajabi, another homeowner threatened with eviction, said he was born in his home 52 years ago and does not expect the Israeli courts to make a decision that will be fair to the Palestinian owners.

He said, “They filed a lawsuit claiming that these lands and the houses we live in belonged to them since the Ottoman period. This is what they are basing their case on. But, as you know, these are sham courts. They are just for show – from the prosecutors to the judges and lawyers. They gave us evacuation orders and we appealed to the District court but it gave us the same orders. We know how this goes.”

He added, “As for what we think about the future, all we can think of is staying in our homes. We are not thinking about leaving. All I am thinking about now is how to stay in, and live in, my house.”

Salem Ghayt, the owner of a house facing eviction, expressed hope that Israel’s Supreme Court would hand down a fair verdict.

He said, “We are going to the Supreme Court and I hope the verdict will be in our favor. We have been living here for so long and they claim these lands belonged to them 180 years ago.”

Jerusalemite Family Members Refuse to Leave Their Homes Despite Israeli Eviction Ruling

A Yemeni government official accused the Houthi group of “procrastinating” on the release of captives and exploiting the rounds of negotiations to resume their military operations, urging the UN to show a “firm stance in handling these militias.”

Nabil Abdel-Hafez, the Deputy Minister of the Yemeni Ministry of Human Rights, said in an interview with the Arab World Press (AWP), “The Houthi group does not abide by its commitments. Accordingly, we keep telling the UN and the international community that this issue will never be resolved except through international pressure.”

Early last week, a round of negotiations between the government and the Houthis regarding prisoner exchange was concluded in the Omani capital Muscat with no agreements reached.  
He revealed that this round will be completed in two months.

Abdel-Hafez explained, “The UN envoy’s office considered the round is still ongoing and that we would give time for the issue of Mr Mohamed Qahtan’s release. The talks will be within the framework of what was discussed during the 7th and 8th rounds regarding the exchange of 1,400 people. It will be held, God willing within two months, on the basis that the next meeting is an extension of the Muscat meeting.”

The Yemeni official described the decision to complete this round of negotiations as a “type of deception to consider that the round is still ongoing.”

Abdel-Hafez pointed out, “We had eight rounds and this is the ninth and we are still inside this vicious circle and find ourselves only serving these militias’ interests. The militias only work on taking advantage of each round of negotiations.”

He added, “The Houthis handle all rounds of negotiations, whether general negotiations or those within the framework of the prisoners and abductees dossier as a means of appeasement or to show a kind of acceptance of appeasement. However, they use this as an opportunity to wage more military or repressive operations, and to carry out abductions.”

The Yemeni deputy minister said those who were abducted during the past 9 or 10 years number around 22,000 people, in addition to those taken for brief periods and later released.

He noted, “Maybe the figure exceeds 30,000, but those kidnapped by the militias during the past period are over 22,000, some of whom were released while the rest are still languishing in prisons of these terrorist militias.”

“It is laughable that they keep talking about peace and negotiation while on the ground they are practicing the worst violations,” he said.

Abdel-Hafez remarked that these militias must understand that they are criminally accountable for all the actions they have committed.

He said, “In accordance with the United Nations Convention Against Torture, the Roman Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), international humanitarian law and all other relevant laws. They will be held accountable at local and international levels for all the violations they have perpetrated.”

Yemeni Official to AWP: Houthis are Stalling Prisoner Negotiations

The Israeli army targeted Mohamed al-Deif, the commander of the Ezz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), in a massive attack on the area of al-Mawasi, western Khan Younes, southern Gaza Strip, according to Israeli media.

Rafie Salameh, the commander of Hamas’ Khan Younes division, was in the company of Deif during the attack, reported the Times of Israel newspaper.  
According to the health ministry in Gaza, more than 71 people were killed in the Israeli attack on Mawasi Khan Younes.

In an area of displaced persons’ camps in Mawasi Khan Younes, where the bombardment took place, a displaced Palestinian man of the name Abu Ahmed al-Sheikh termed the attack as a “bloodbath.”

“This was considered to be the safest region. We have been displaced to it five months ago. All of the dead were women and children. The bodies scattered on the ground. What wrong did this woman or those elderly people do? Dead children are under the rubble. This is ridiculous! This must be stopped,” he said.

“I appeal to all nations with conscience, being Arab or European, and the UN Security Council to intervene to stop this bloodbath. Everywhere in sight there are bodies,” he added.

“A large number of people, including women, children, mostly crippled and elderly, were killed. We recovered their torn body parts from under the rubble. Where is conscience?” he complained.

Speaking on the conditions of the people in the Gaza Strip prior to the Israeli war, Sheikh said, “Our houses, lives and all that we had have gone! We lived so well, but now we are under zero.”

A total of 38,443 Palestinians were killed and 88,481 others wounded since Israel waged war on the enclave on October 7, 2023, the health ministry in Gaza announced on Saturday.

Raid on Khan Younes Leaves Casualties as Israeli Media Says Mohamed al-Deif Was Target

Qadura Fares, the President of the Palestinian Commission of Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners’ Affairs, said that Israeli authorities have arrested more than 12,000 Palestinians since the beginning of the war on the Gaza Strip in October 2023.

Fares said in an interview with AWP, “From what we were able to accurately track and the figures we’re responsible for, Israel made 9,600 arrests in the West Bank, Jerusalem and within the 1948 territories. In the Gaza Strip, more than 15,000 prisoners were arrested, most of whom were released, according to our estimates. Due to the policy of forced detention or the crime of forced disappearance that our people in Gaza are subjected to, the number of those still detained \[in Gaza\] is about 2,500. Therefore, the total number of prisoners is 12,000.”

Fares described the lives of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli detention centres as “collectively in danger” due to the Israeli practices against them.

He explained, “As for the crimes committed, the evidence supporting our claims is this large number of martyrs, and this large number \[of prisoners\] in the thousands with wounds, fractures, bruises and breaks.

These images that have begun to emerge from prisons are horrific and are a result of the series of crimes being committed inside detention centres. What concerns us more is that this has been going on and on for 9 months, and now we have entered the tenth month, which has put the prisoners’ lives collectively in danger.”

Fares also pointed out the need for an international will to prevent Israel from continuing its practices against Palestinian prisoners.

He similarly stressed the importance of the meeting held by the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates and the Commission of Prisoners’ Affairs with foreign diplomats accredited to Palestine to exert pressure in this direction.

He continued, “The importance of this is, firstly, for the world to know the details, and secondly, for holding accountability. We asked them today whether there are tools, institutions, structures, and legal texts that can ensure Israel is prevented from doing this. And we answered, yes, these institutions exist, but the question is, is there an international will to do this? The answer is no, because if there were an international will, Israel would not have gone this far.”

Fares concluded, “We called on them to take measures against Israel, to further recognise the State of Palestine, and to further isolate the occupying state until it understands that its project is a losing project. Otherwise, one should not bet on an awakening of conscience in a group of fascist cliques that rule the occupying state.”

Israel Arrested Over 12,000 Palestinians Since Start of Gaza War, Official Tells AWP

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Aati and his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi held talks addressing the war on the Gaza Strip and other regional issues during a meeting on Wednesday in Cairo.

The two ministers also discussed the risks of escalation in Lebanon and Syria, as well as the security situation in the Red Sea, as confirmed by the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates.

The Jordanian Foreign Ministry posted on its X account that Abdel Aati and Safadi discussed “the situation in the region and ways to intensify efforts aimed at stopping the Israeli aggression against Gaza and the resulting unprecedented suffering and humanitarian catastrophe.”

The Jordanian ministry also stated that they discussed “ways to deliver adequate and sustainable humanitarian aid to all parts of the Strip.”

Egypt and Jordan’s Foreign Ministers Discuss Gaza War and Regional Escalation Risks

The leader of the Sudan Revolutionary Front (RSF)’s centrist coalition chairman, Altom Hajo, announced approval by the Sudanese Transitional Sovereignty Council Chairman Abdel-Fattah al-Burhan to provide 10,000 pieces of weapons for the local vigilantes in the central Sudan states that includes Sennar, al-Jazirah and White Nile.

Speaking at a press conference in the city of Port Sudan on Monday, Hajo said Burhan has given clear instructions on the need for the local vigilantes to advance to liberate the central Sudan states from the grip of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which wielded control over huge swathes of the three states during the past few months.

“In all our meetings, including the recent one in the state of Sennar, the president was committed to everything he asked for at a limit of 10,000 pieces of weapons. He also made clear directives. I remember them because they are so important. He said he wants the people to keep advancing even for only 10 meters in one day. He does not want the people to stop,” Hajo added during the conference.

He criticized the Sudanese leadership’s failure to get the people in the three central states involved in decision-making and consultation.

He noted that he would set up a committee to follow up the central people’s dues in the forthcoming period, in reference to the new government expected to be formed during the next few days.

“The Sudanese people will not accept any negotiations in the light of continued systematic killing and forced displacement against the Sudanese citizens in general and those in the central Sudan states in particular,” he stressed.

He also rejected the deliberate failure of the agricultural season and starvation of citizens as one of the means of total war on the country.

For his part, Mohamed Sayed al-Jakoumi, the leader of the Sudan Revolutionary Front, revealed that a delegation of the political forces supporting the army will attend the African Union (AU) sessions on July 10-15 to “defend the Sudanese people’s issues.”

“A delegation of the Sudanese political forces supporting legitimacy and the army will head to Addis Ababa to attend the AU talks on July 10-15,” he added.

“I am telling you that your sons who take pride in being with you in your journeys, homelessness, hunger and plundering will defend the Sudanese people’s issue at international forums. The Sudanese Coordination of Civil Democratic Forces (Taqaddum) and its accomplices from global international intelligence agencies will not get a single foothold in Sudan,” stressed Jakoumi.

Army Ally Says Burhan Approved 10,000 Weapons for Supporters in Central Sudan

The Israeli popular movement “Standing Together” has been intensifying its efforts and activities on the streets to end the war on the Gaza Strip and achieve peace and equality between Arabs and Jews inside Israel.

Founded in 2015, the group has grown over the past few years to become one of the largest Arab-Jewish grassroots movements in Israel.

The movement organizes marches and protests to oppose the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories and seeks full equality between Arabs and Jews within Israel.

A member of the movement, Oren Shafir, said, “We want partnership between Arabs and Jews in this state and this is how the state will become a democracy.”

He added, “There is no democracy with such occupation. There is no democracy without the Arab community and the leftist positions that call for peace.” 

Another member of the movement, Sally Abad, pointed to several problems facing Arabs in Israeli society, noting, “There is a community that is suffering from crime and weapons that has taken the lives of 18 Arab citizens since the beginning of the year due to violence, organized crime and from brutal and politicized police, even here in Haifa.”

She added, “We believe that the police should be at the service of all citizens who live here and share in our future. We are here to fight for the integrity of this community and the two groups of people living here.” 

Ouded Bilvan, a university professor who supports the Standing Together movement, stressed “the need for achieving complete equality” despite the control of hard-line Jewish parties over the Israeli government.

He said, “The Nation-State law \[specifying Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people\] has made things more difficult and harmed the Arab community inside Israel. There is an official responsible for the West Bank, \[Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel\] Smotrich, and an official for the police, \[Israeli National Security Minister\] Itamar Ben-Gvir and this makes things even harder.”   
“We see that the Arabs do not enjoy the same rights that exist for the Jews,” he concluded.

Standing Together is a movement primarily spread in several major cities and their universities, such as Haifa, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

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