The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor called for the formation of an independent international investigation committee into the Israeli occupation army’s detention of the bodies of dozens of Palestinian dead during its aggression against the Gaza Strip since last October 7, and suspicions of the theft of organs from them.

The Euro-Mediterranean Observatory documented the occupation’s detention of the bodies of dead from the Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza, the Indonesian Hospital in the northern Gaza Strip, and others from the vicinity of the displacement corridor to the center and south of the Gaza Strip, which it allocated on the main Salah al-Din Road.

Euro-Med reported that the occupation army also exhumed a mass grave that had been established more than ten days ago in one of the courtyards of the Shifa Medical Complex, and extracted the bodies of the dead from it and detained them.

He pointed out that while dozens of bodies were released by handing them over to the International Committee of the Red Cross, which in turn transported them to the southern Gaza Strip to complete the burial process, the Israeli occupation army is still detaining the bodies of dozens of other dead.

The Euro-Mediterranean Observatory raised suspicions of the theft of organs from the bodies of dead, including observations made by doctors in Gaza who conducted a quick examination of some of the bodies after their release and noticed the theft of organs such as the cornea of the eye and the cochlea, and other vital organs such as the liver, kidneys, and heart.

Doctors working in several hospitals told the Euro-Mediterranean team that the forensic medical examination is not sufficient to prove or deny the theft of organs, especially in light of the presence of previous surgical interventions on several bodies.

The Euro-Mediterranean Observatory transmitted observations from doctors in Gaza who conducted a quick examination of some bodies. The observations indicate that the occupation has stolen organs such as the cornea of the eye, the cochlea, and vital organs such as the liver, kidneys, and heart.

They stated that it was impossible for them to conduct an accurate analytical examination of the bodies of the dead that were being held by the occupation army under intense air and artillery attacks and the continued influx of wounded, but they detected several signs of possible organ theft.

The Euro-Mediterranean Observatory said that “Israel” has a long history of detaining the bodies of dead Palestinians, as it detains the bodies of at least 145 Palestinians in private refrigerators, in addition to about 255 in the Numbers Cemetery and 75 missing persons, and refuses to acknowledge the detention of their bodies.

The organ trade empire...Israel is behind all this!

He pointed out that Israel relies on detaining the bodies of dead Palestinians by burying them in what it calls “enemy fighters’ graves,” which are secret mass graves located in specific areas, such as closed military zones, in which burials take place anonymously, with numbers engraved on metal plates attached to the bodies or remains.

Euro-Med reported that it had previously been observed that the Israeli authorities deliberately released the bodies of dead to their families from West Bank residents after a period of detention, and they were frozen at a temperature that could reach minus forty, with the stipulation that the bodies not be dissected, which may hide the theft of some organs.

It highlighted that "Israel" has resorted in recent years to legalization that allows for the development of justifications for detaining the bodies of Palestinian dead and stealing their organs, including the decision of the Supreme Court in "Israel" issued in 2019, which allows the military ruler to detain the bodies and bury them temporarily in what is known as the number cemeteries. At the end of 2021, the Knesset enacted legal legislation authorizing the police and army to keep the remains of “dead Palestinians.”

In recent years, there have been reports of illegal exploitation of the bodies of Palestinian dead held by Israel, including stealing organs from them and using them in the laboratories of medical colleges at Israeli universities.

In her book (On Their Dead Bodies), Israeli doctor Meir Weiss revealed that organs were stolen from the bodies of Palestinian dead to be transplanted into the bodies of Jewish patients, and used in medical faculties at Israeli universities to conduct research on them.

But what is more dangerous than that is what Yehuda Hess, the former director of the Abu Kabir Institute for Forensic Medicine in Israel, admitted regarding the theft of human organs, tissues, and skin from Palestinian dead in different periods of time, without the knowledge or consent of their families.

In 2008, the American CNN network published an investigation showing that “Israel” is considered the largest global center for the illegal trade in human organs, and that it was involved in stealing internal organs from Palestinian dead for the purpose of illegally benefiting from them.

The Euro-Mediterranean Observatory confirmed that “Israel”, which is the only country that detains the bodies of the dead and practices this as a systematic policy, and is classified as the largest global center for the illegal trade in human organs, is content with justifying the policy of detaining dead bodies as “an attempt at security deterrence,” ignoring international charters and agreements that prohibit this. .

It stressed the necessity of binding the Israeli occupation to the rules of international law, which stipulate the necessity of respecting and protecting the bodies of the dead during armed conflicts, while the Fourth Geneva Convention stresses the need for the parties to the conflict to take all possible measures to prevent the plundering of the dead and the mutilation of their bodies.

The Euro-Mediterranean Observatory also confirmed that refusing to hand over the bodies of dead to their families to bury them with dignity and in accordance with their religious beliefs may amount to collective punishment prohibited in Article 50 of the Hague Regulations and Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.

A delegation of senior Qatari officials holds discussions in Tel Aviv on the second day of the truce in the Gaza Strip, in light of reports of “positive signs” regarding extending the truce in the Gaza Strip for a day or two.

Today, Saturday, a high-level Qatari delegation held discussions with officials in Tel Aviv about the truce agreement in the besieged Gaza Strip, and the deal to exchange Israeli prisoners and hostages in the Gaza Strip for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons, according to what Israeli reports reported, on the second day of the truce in the Strip. Gaza.

According to the Israeli Public Broadcasting Authority (“Kan 11”), a private Qatari plane including a delegation of senior Qatari officials arrived at Ben Gurion Airport earlier today, coming from Larnaca Airport in Cyprus, after it had taken off in the morning from the Qatari capital, Doha.

Israeli Channel 12 indicated that the plane arrived from Cyprus so that the direct flight from Doha to Israel would not constitute a historical precedent. However, no attempt was made to hide the flight belonging to Qatar Airways, as it was possible to monitor it in all technologies related to flights. This is within the framework of the mediation carried out by Qatar between Hamas and the Israeli occupation authorities.

According to Channel 12, the plane, which can accommodate only eight passengers, stayed in Israel for a short period, then took off from Tel Aviv back to Larnaca, while the channel quoted unnamed sources that the Vice Chairman of the Qatari Committee for the Reconstruction of Gaza, Khaled Al-Hardan, will arrive in the Gaza Strip Later, today, under the ceasefire.

The channel referred to the shuttle visits made by the head of the Mossad, David Barnea, and the reserve general, Major General Nitzan Alon, who were appointed to negotiate the issue of Israeli hostages and prisoners held by the resistance factions in the Gaza Strip. These reports also come in light of the anticipation of the implementation of the second batch of the exchange deal. Which was concluded with Qatari-Egyptian mediation.

On the other hand, press reports stated that the Qatari delegation discussed extending the truce in exchange for the release of more detainees. The Israeli Broadcasting Authority reported that Qatari officials discussed with their counterparts in Tel Aviv “possible future deals in the next few days,” referring to the possibility of extending the days of the truce in exchange for the release of more hostages.

An official familiar with the discussions held by the Qatari delegation, who spoke to Reuters, said that the Qatari operations team also coordinated with Israeli officials to ensure the continuation of the truce and the release of detainees without obstacles.

In a related context, the Egyptian Information Service announced today, in a statement issued by it, that Cairo had received “positive signals” from all parties regarding extending the truce in the Gaza Strip for a day or two. Noting that Egypt is holding intensive talks with all parties to reach an agreement to “extend the truce.”

Qatar, the main mediator along with Egypt and the United States, reached a truce agreement, which began on Friday and will last for four days, subject to extension. The truce stipulates the exchange of 50 hostages held in Gaza for 150 Palestinian prisoners. It also stipulates that the truce be extended by one day for every 10 Israeli hostages released from the Gaza Strip.

Earlier today, it presented to the Qatari and Egyptian mediators a list of the names of 14 hostages scheduled to be released, while the Israeli media referred to a list of the names of 13 hostages, and the list was sent to Israel, according to an Egyptian official who spoke to the Associated Press and described it as He is “informed” of the details of the ongoing negotiations regarding the release of the hostages.

Five citizens were injured by live bullets, this Saturday evening, during the Israeli occupation forces’ storming of the city of Jenin and besieging the Martyr Khalil Suleiman and Ibn Sina Governmental Hospitals.

According to local sources, large forces from Israeli army stormed the city from several directions amidst firing bullets, and surrounded the government hospital, the headquarters of the Red Crescent Society, and Ibn Sina Hospital. They also deployed their snipers on the roofs of some high-rise buildings.

The same sources indicated that the sky of the city is witnessing intense flights of reconnaissance aircraft.

The director of Al-Razi Hospital, Dr. Fawaz Hammad said that 5 injuries from live bullets arrived at the hospital, including a serious injury.

The Al-Qassam Brigades, the military arm of the Hamas movement, announced on Saturday that it was delaying the release of the second batch of Israeli prisoners, without specifying a specific date for the continuation of the process.

This came in a brief statement by Al-Qassam on the Telegram platform, after Palestinian media outlets, including Al-Aqsa Radio, announced the start of handing over the second batch of Israeli prisoners to the Red Cross in Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip.

Al-Qassam said in the statement that it "decided to delay the release of the second batch of prisoners until Israel adheres to the terms of the agreement related to the entry of relief trucks into the northern Gaza Strip, and because it did not adhere to the agreed-upon standards for releasing prisoners."

Earlier on Saturday, an Israeli official told the private Hebrew channel 12 that there were “technical reasons” behind the delay in starting the process of releasing Israeli detainees in Gaza.

It explained that the second batch would be released today (Saturday), and that "everything will be fine."

Earlier on Saturday, Hebrew media, including Channel 12 and Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, reported that a dispute between Israel and Hamas led to the postponement of the date of the release of the second batch of prisoners detained in Gaza.

Yesterday, Friday, the temporary humanitarian truce between Israel and the Palestinian factions entered into force at 07:00 local time (05:00 GMT) and will last for 4 days, subject to extension.

The temporary humanitarian truce agreement includes the release of 50 Israeli prisoners from Gaza, in exchange for the release of 150 Palestinians from Israeli prisons according to seniority, and the entry of hundreds of trucks loaded with humanitarian, relief, medical and fuel aid to all areas of the Strip.

The Israeli authorities released 39 Palestinians, 24 women and 15 children, on Friday, as part of an exchange deal with Hamas, which was concluded through Qatari-Egyptian-American mediation.

In return, Hamas released 13 Israeli women and children, some of whom hold dual citizenship, in addition to 10 Thais and one Filipino, who had been detained in Gaza since last October 7.

The United Nations Interim Force in South Lebanon (UNIFIL) announced today, Saturday, that its patrol came under fire from the Israeli army in the vicinity of the town of Aitaroun in southern Lebanon, without causing any casualties.

UNIFIL explained, via the “X” platform, that none of its soldiers were injured in the incident, but their car was damaged, noting that this incident occurred at a relatively calm time along the Blue Line.

UNIFIL condemned the attack, and said, “This attack on peacekeeping forces, which are working hard to reduce tensions and restore stability in southern Lebanon, is deeply disturbing.”

It added: “We remind all parties of their obligations to protect peacekeepers and avoid endangering the men and women working to restore stability.”

This comes amid relative calm in the border area between southern Lebanon and Israel for the second day in a row, coinciding with a temporary truce in Gaza between the Hamas movement, other Palestinian factions, and Israel.

The Lebanese-Israeli border has witnessed escalating clashes since October 8 between the Lebanese Hezbollah and Palestinian factions, against the Israeli forces, coinciding with the Israeli attack against the Gaza Strip.

Relatives of Israeli prisoners, who were released in the first batch of the exchange deal between Israel and the Hamas movement, revealed that their families were not subjected to any “ill-treatment” or assault during their detention in the Gaza Strip, since the “Al-Aqsa Flood” operation at dawn on Saturday, October 7. 2nd 2023.

At a time when the occupation imposes a media blackout on the released Israelis on the evening of Friday, November 24, 2023, the Israeli “Walla” website published, on Saturday, November 25, a report conveying testimonies narrated by some of their families.

After It met the 13 prisoners who were released on Friday, a relative of a released prisoner quoted what he narrated about his period of detention in Gaza, saying: “At first they were not with many people, and at some point more were added to them. They had radio and television there, and they hear news from Israel. Ruthie heard on the radio that her son (Roy Monder) had been killed."

As one relative confirmed, citing another released elderly prisoner, they “did not go through anything unpleasant, they were treated humanely, and there were no horror stories that we thought there would be.”

Professor Gilat Livni, Director of the Department of Returned Children at Schneider Hospital, said, “The released abductees talked about the ‘experiences’ they went through.” We don't ask many questions, but they: "They tell stories and we listen to them, and sometimes we cry with them, but I can't share the stories."

Tel Aviv asked all released Israeli prisoners not to speak to the media, after two female prisoners who were released several weeks ago revealed that they had been treated humanely, which belies the occupation’s narrative that describes resistance fighters and the people of Gaza as “human animals.”

The Israeli settler, Yocheved Lifshitz, who was released by the Al-Qassam Brigades on October 23, 2023, revealed how resistance members treated her during her detention period inside the Gaza Strip, and confirmed that she was not subjected to abuse.

Lifshitz said: “Hamas treated us kindly, met all our needs, and I underwent a medical examination during my detention.” She added that the Al-Qassam members “assured me that they were Muslims and would not harm us, and we ate the same food as them,” as she put it.

(Arabic Post)

Today, Saturday, global cities and capitals witnessed demonstrations denouncing the Israeli occupation’s aggression against Palestine people, and in solidarity with Palestine.

In the British capital, London, thousands participated in a demonstration to demand a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, and they also denounced the massacres committed by Israel against Palestinian people.

In the German capital, Berlin, a massive public march was launched demanding that the occupation’s aggression against Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip be stopped, and that the occupation be held accountable for its crimes.

In France, the capital, Paris, witnessed a massive demonstration denouncing the crimes of the occupation against Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, and demanding international protection for our Palestinian people.

In the Philippine capital, Manila, hundreds participated in a demonstration in support of Palestine, denouncing the occupation’s aggression against Palestinian people, demanding a permanent ceasefire, and holding the occupation accountable for its crimes against Palestinian people.

In the Croatian capital, Zagreb, a march was launched in which participants carried Palestinian flags and demanded an end to the occupation’s aggression against Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, and that it be held accountable for the crimes it committed against Palestinian people.

Adam Boulokos, director of UNRWA affairs in the occupied West Bank, said on Saturday that “there is no place in the West Bank that Israel has not touched and controlled.”

Polukos added, "With settler violence and Israeli military incursions increasing significantly during last October, there was an 'almost complete closure' in the West Bank."

He stressed that "there is no place in the West Bank that Israel has not touched and controlled."

He explained, "The occupation means that every person's daily movement is restricted."

The Israeli army continued its raids and arrest operations in the West Bank, as the humanitarian truce in the Gaza Strip entered into force on Friday morning.

Today, Saturday, the Israeli occupation forces bulldozed more than 100 dunams, and uprooted about 150 olive trees, in the villages of Imatin, Farata and Jit, east of Qalqilya.

The head of the Imatin Village Council, Fathi Ghanem, said that the occupation forces bulldozed these dunams located in the eastern region of the villages, in order to expand the “Havat Gilad” colony, which is located on the village’s lands, and uprooted more than 150 olive trees, more than 50 years old.

Ghanem added that these dunams and olive trees belong to the Sawan family.

US President Joe Biden said on Friday that calls to place specific conditions on aid to Israel are an “interesting idea” amid the war in Gaza, but he also hinted, in a press conference marking a four-day truce in the Gaza war, that these conditions could... Obstruct diplomacy.

“I think this is a worthwhile idea,” Biden said, “but I don’t think that if I had started with this, we would have gotten to where we are today.”

Biden is under enormous pressure from a growing group of Democrats who have criticized the Biden administration for its strong support for Israel in the conflict, despite the growing number of civilian casualties in Gaza.

Biden certainly did not support imposing stricter conditions on US aid to Israel. By contrast, he is urging Congress to pass a bill, currently tied up in partisan budget disagreements, that would provide Israel with $14 billion in emergency military aid.

But Biden's refusal to mock the idea of making aid conditional seemed like a marked break from his previous rhetoric. As a presidential candidate in 2019, Biden told the Wall Street Journal that taking advantage of US aid to Israel to limit settlement growth would be “outrageous.”

“The blank check approach must end,” Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vermont) wrote in a New York Times op-ed published on Wednesday. He added: “The United States must make clear that although we are friends of Israel, there are conditions to this friendship, and that we cannot be complicit in actions that violate international law.”

The Israeli war on Gaza has led to the death of more than 14,000 Palestinians so far, including more than 4,600 children, since it began early last month, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza.

Biden said he repeatedly pressed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to better look into the lives of civilians in Gaza.

“I encouraged the prime minister to focus on trying to reduce casualties while trying to eliminate Hamas, which is an objectively legitimate use,” Biden said. “This is a difficult task.”

He continued: “I don’t know how long it will take.” He added: “My expectation and hope is that as we move forward, the rest of the Arab world and the region will also put pressure on all parties to slow this down and put an end to it as quickly as possible.”

Progressive Democrats pushed the Biden administration to call for a long-term ceasefire in the conflict because the Israeli military strategy puts many Palestinian civilians at risk. They were joined by hundreds of former Biden campaign staffers and sparked a split in the State Department.

In his op-ed this week, Sanders described the Israeli strategy as relying on “indiscriminate bombing.”

“The Netanyahu government, or hopefully a new Israeli government, must understand that not a single cent will come to Israel from the United States unless there is a fundamental change in their military and political positions,” Sanders said in the statement.

The United States already requires that all countries receiving military aid abide by international law. Progressives say this measure has been completely ignored in the case of Israel.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said the United States was applying conditions to “almost all other allies” but not Israel.

“The United States has a legal and moral responsibility to ensure that public resources do not facilitate gross violations of human rights and international law,” she wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

More than 10,000 people gathered in the “Children Above All” event, organized by the Education Above All Foundation, one of the major global institutions in the field of development and education, in the Oxygen Park in Qatar Foundation’s Education City, with the aim of shedding light on the conditions of children affected by the war on the Gaza Strip, providing them with the necessary support, and commemorating the innocent lives that were tragically lost in this war.

Ms. Taj Suleiman, Director of Partnerships at the Education Above All Foundation, said in a statement to Al-Raya: The event represents a movement that brings the community together to participate in sports, social activities, and moments of reflection, as the event provides an opportunity for individuals and families to actively participate in various activities.

She pointed out that two marches were organized during the event, the first at four in the afternoon, and the second at seven in the evening yesterday, in addition to a minute of silence to pay tribute to the victims of the war in Gaza, praising the families’ keenness in particular to attend, which enriched the event and played a major role in its success.

She pointed out that more than 25 schools participated in the event through the football league that was organized yesterday between these schools, in addition to organizing other sports competitions and allocating an art corner and games for children, in addition to the participation of 22 food stalls, restaurants and major stores, where proceeds are allocated. Sales are for donation to Gaza.

She also indicated that an auction of jewelry and valuables would be organized to be displayed to the public and bid on, and the proceeds would be allocated to the Gaza Strip as well, explaining that the event also included allocating a large wall for self-expression that would allow all participants to write one or more sentences to express solidarity with the Gaza Strip, in addition to embodying an empty classroom. of students Children represent students who died in Gaza.

She explained that the event also witnessed the allocation of toys for children at nominal prices, all of which proceeds will go to support Gaza, noting that participation in the event represents a strong message of solidarity with the children of the Gaza Strip, as it is an opportunity to collect donations and show firm support for this noble cause, explaining that solidarity is not limited to Not only do you have to participate in the event, but it represents an opportunity to transform feelings of sympathy into concrete actions.

Hamad Al-Jabbara, one of the volunteers affiliated with the Education Above All Foundation, said: There were more than 100 volunteers who participated in organizing the event in terms of organizing the entry and exit of the public and guiding them to the various event areas and available services, explaining that the role of the volunteers also focused on spreading awareness among the public on participating in donating and helping our brothers in Gaza and the feeling of happiness that results from the value of giving.

He praised the atmosphere of great participation by families and their keenness to support children in Gaza during this great ordeal they are exposed to. He also praised the participating stores and sales kiosks that also reduced their prices, in addition to donating sales proceeds.

Dhabiya Al-Maliki from the Education Above All Foundation said: This initiative is a small part of supporting the children of Gaza and rebuilding projects in the Strip through the donations that will be collected at the event, which included direct donations by the public or through indirect donations by purchasing exhibits in sales outlets. Participation as well as donations of jewelry and valuables.

She noted that the event included displaying a large document for signature to express solidarity with the ceasefire in Gaza, praising the presence of many sponsors of the event from many parts of the country to also express solidarity with the Gaza Strip.

Haya Al-Ansari - an advocate for youth issues at the Education Above All Foundation - pointed out that she and her colleagues at the Foundation helped the public, guided them to the event sites, and urged them to participate in donating for Gaza, noting that the large public’s eagerness to attend reflects the extent of awareness of the issue of Gaza and its children, and what they are exposed to. Violations.

Palestinians found dozens of bodies on Al-Rashid Street in Gaza City, while returning to their homes with the start of the temporary humanitarian truce between Israel and Hamas.

Eyewitnesses reported that while they were returning to inspect their homes in the western areas of Gaza City, they found the bodies of dozens of Palestinians who had been killed by the occupation army on “Al-Rashid” Street, west of the city.

Witnesses explained that the bodies were decomposed, indicating that they were killed several weeks ago during the exodus from Gaza City to the south of the Strip.

During the past weeks, the occupation army killed dozens of Palestinians as they fled to the south via “Al-Rashid” and “Salah al-Din” Streets, and left them in their places before their bodies were gradually transported via animal-drawn vehicles to the southern regions.

The Israeli army targeted displaced Palestinians and committed many massacres in the south, while promoting that the south was a “safe zone” in order to force the largest number of people from the north to leave.

Israeli media confirmed today that those who previously mourned Hamas “simply had to see this day after 49 days of fighting,” adding that “Hamas has proven that it is still strong and controls Gaza.”

Channel 12 noted that the Al-Qassam Brigades succeeded in “imposing a ceasefire in the south and north of the Gaza Strip,” noting that Al-Qassam knew how to bring its detainees at the specified time and to the appropriate place for them in Khan Yunis Hospital.

It denied that Hamas had “knocked on its knees,” adding: “This sentence is still very far away, unfortunately.”

Likewise, the Israeli Channel 12 reported that all the Israeli detainees in Gaza “were neglected by the Israeli government and were betrayed, and if they did not do everything possible to return them, it would be a second neglect and a second betrayal.”

For his part, Major General Reserve, Israel Ziv, stated that if Hamas currently succeeds in stopping the continuation of the fighting, “it has emerged victorious.”

Israel also expressed its fear that the Palestinians would return to their homes in the northern Gaza Strip, according to Israeli media.

Israeli media reported that since this morning, tens of thousands of Palestinians have been returning from the south of the Gaza Strip to the north, indicating that the Israeli “army” will take measures to prevent them from moving between the south and the north.

This afternoon, a member of the Israeli occupation Knesset from the Likud Party, Tali Gotliff, said that “Israel” provided everything to Hamas in the truce agreement “without receiving even a sign of life” from the prisoners in Gaza.

Gottliff added, “Agreeing to a ceasefire hours and introducing fuel are actions that strengthened Hamas, which interprets this as weakness on our part.”

This evening, the Al-Qassam Brigades and the Palestinian resistance in Gaza liberated 39 female prisoners and minors from the occupation prisons, as part of the first batch of the truce agreement and exchange deal with settler prisoners, which began today and will continue for four days.

The Palestinian female and child prisoners who were released from Ofer Prison arrived in the town of Beitunia, west of Ramallah in the West Bank, amid a massive public reception for the female and male prisoners, who chanted slogans for the resistance and Gaza, while the female prisoners raised signs of victory.

The Gaza Strip witnessed massive celebrations over the prisoner deal after the first batch of prisoners were liberated.

Source: Sama News

A US defense official said on Saturday that a container ship owned by an Israeli billionaire was attacked by a suspected Iranian drone in the Indian Ocean yesterday (Friday), according to the Associated Press.

The attack on CMA CGM Symi comes at a time when global shipping finds itself increasingly targeted in the weeks-long war that threatens to turn into a broader regional conflict, even with a truce to stop fighting and Hamas's exchange of hostages with Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

The defense official, who spoke to the Associated Press, said that the Maltese-flagged ship was suspected of being targeted by a Shahed-136 drone carrying a triangle-shaped bomb while it was in international waters. The drone exploded, causing damage to the ship without injuring any of its crew members.

“We continue to monitor the situation closely,” the official said, but refused to explain why the US military believed Iran was behind the attack.

CMA CGM, a major shipping company based in Marseille, France, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. However, the ship's crew members were acting as if they believed the ship was facing a threat, according to the agency.

Source: Alsharq Alawsat

Iran news, America's drone

“Among the dead are 6 female journalists, namely: Salma Mkhaimer, Salam Mima, Iman Al-Aqili, Alaa Al-Hasanat, Ayat Khadura, and Doaa Sharaf.”

The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate announced that 66 journalists have been killed in the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip since October 7.

It reported in a statement that "two journalists are missing, Nidal Al-Wahidi and Haitham Abdel-Wahed, while there are 31 captured journalists who were arrested by the occupation authorities in the Palestinian territories."

In addition, in its statement, the union called on “all international, Arab and Palestinian institutions working in the feminist and human rights sector to follow up and prosecute the Israeli occupation system for its crimes against fellow journalists who are being targeted for murder, arrest, persecution, beatings and assault on the basis of their journalistic work.”

More than a month has passed since this round of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the smoke of war still looms over the Palestinian territories, and China is still making unremitting efforts to explore the path to peace.

On the evening of November 21, President Xi Jinping attended the BRICS virtual extraordinary summit on the Palestinian issue, where he delivered an important speech entitled “Advancing a Ceasefire and Achieving Lasting Peace and Security.” Between November 20 and 21, the joint delegation of foreign ministers of Arab and Islamic countries chose China as the first stop for international mediation, where it met with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. The voice of justice and peace is rising from the East, passing through the clouds of war, and sending new hopes to Palestine.

China always stands for peace, justice and fairness.

President Xi Jinping said that the root cause of the developments in the situation in Palestine lies in the long-standing disregard for the rights of the Palestinian people to establish a state, stay, and return, and the main way out of the spiral of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict lies in implementing the “two-state solution,” restoring the legitimate national rights of the Palestinians, and establishing an independent State of Palestine. Lasting peace and stability in the Middle East cannot be achieved without a just solution to the Palestinian issue. Vice President Han Zheng said that China is ready to continue working with Arab and Islamic countries to advance the comprehensive implementation of relevant resolutions issued by the General Assembly and the UN Security Council, and make unremitting efforts to achieve a ceasefire, alleviate the humanitarian situation, and return to the "two-state solution." 

Comrade Wang Yi stressed that the top priority is the comprehensive implementation of the relevant resolutions issued by the General Assembly and the UN Security Council, and an immediate ceasefire. It is necessary to seriously adhere to international law, especially international humanitarian law. The UN Security Council must listen to the calls of Arab and Islamic countries and take responsible steps to calm the situation.

China has been taking a fair position on the Palestinian issue, being fair in words and deeds, and its relevant movements and efforts have become witnessed by everyone. Since the outbreak of this round of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, China has been steadfastly safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of Arab and Islamic countries, resolutely supporting the just cause of the Palestinian people to restore their legitimate national rights, making unremitting efforts to establish peace and ceasefire, providing urgent humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, and calling for, to quickly hold an international peace conference on a larger scale, and with greater effectiveness, and to set a timetable and roadmap for it. 

China,  as president of the Security Council in November, also pushed  to adopt the relevant resolution. Regarding the Palestinian issue, China has no special interest and does not take sides. It can be said that, as long as the matter contributes to promoting dialogue, achieving a ceasefire, and restoring peace, China firmly supports it, and as long as the matter contributes to implementing the "two-state solution" and advancing a comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the Palestinian issue, China will make every effort.

China's mediation efforts, policy and vision have been highly appreciated by the international community.

-- "Chinese wisdom" determines the direction for resolving the Palestinian issue.

Many members of the Saudi Shura Council said that China is a major country in the world and a permanent member of the UN Security Council, and China's efforts to mediate between Palestine and Israel will contribute to peace and stability in the region. The official media of the countries of the region, such as the Iranian Islamic Republic News Agency, also reported the important speech of President Xi Jinping at the BRICS summit, and paid great attention to his emphasis on the necessity of implementing the “two-state solution,” stressing the importance of the fair and balanced position of the senior Chinese leadership, the concept of The Community of Shared Future for Mankind, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative put forward by President Xi Jinping can provide useful inspiration for resolving the current crisis. Since China has succeeded in mediating between Saudi Arabia and Iran to restore their relationship, it can certainly provide ideas for finding a political solution to the Palestinian issue.

-- The "Chinese Vision" is an implementable plan to resolve the Palestinian issue. The advisor to the director of the Algerian News Agency said that President Xi Jinping presented his vision for resolving the Palestinian issue several times in international forums. It is a clear, rational and insightful vision, and it is completely consistent with the relevant resolutions issued by the United Nations, and is considered the “golden key” to resolving the Palestinian issue. The media outlets of Egypt, Kuwait and Oman also expressed high appreciation for the position of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who considers the Arab and Islamic countries a close friend and dear brothers, and recorded high appreciation for China’s permanent standing alongside the Arab and Islamic countries on the Palestinian issue. The former Tunisian Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs also praised the spirit of humanity to which China is committed in its peaceful efforts, and its genuine concern for the suffering of the people of Gaza, and expressed his admiration for China's efforts.

--"The Chinese Voice" is receiving increasing support from countries in the region. An Iraqi Foreign Ministry official, representative of the Independent Strategic Review Team of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq, said that the joint Arab and Islamic foreign ministers’ delegation’s choice of China as its first stop for international mediation reflects the extent of their confidence in China, and indicates that China has become an important force for mediation between Palestine and Israel. A Qatari international relations expert said during his interview with Al Jazeera that China's constructive participation in mediating between Palestine and Israel is evidence of China's growing voice and great influence in regional and international affairs. Professor Oraib Al-Rantawi, Director General of the Al-Quds Center for Political Studies, said that the presence of the Chinese leadership at the relevant BRICS summit indicates that the Palestinian issue is no longer in the hands of the United States alone. A multipolar global system has been formed.

The day after President Xi Jinping attended the virtual extraordinary summit of the BRICS countries on the Palestinian issue, the two sides of the conflict announced a 4-day truce, which is undoubtedly good and long-awaited news. We are confident that peace is not far-fetched, although the road leading to it is long and arduous, and the Palestinian issue should not become an unhealing wound to the world. As usual, China will adhere to a fair and just stance, maintain communication and coordination with all relevant parties, and make its positive contributions to protecting civilians, calming the situation, resuming peace negotiations, and achieving lasting peace and security.

The Palestinian Prisoners' Club said that the Israeli occupation forces arrested 17 Palestinians in the West Bank from yesterday evening until Saturday morning, bringing the number of detainees to 3,160 since the start of the war on October 7.

The arrests were concentrated in Askar Camp/Nablus, while the rest of the arrests were distributed among the governorates of Jenin, Hebron, Qalqilya, Jericho, and Jerusalem.

The club explained that these arrests were accompanied by widespread harassment, severe beatings, and field investigation, in addition to cases of sabotage and destruction of citizens’ homes.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriate Affairs, Ayman Al-Safadi, said that there is an urgent need to continue working with the international community to stop the aggression against Gaza.

Al-Safadi confirmed, on Saturday, in a joint press conference at the ministry’s headquarters with Slovenian Foreign Minister Tanja Vaillon and Portuguese Foreign Minister João Cravinho that this year is considered the bloodiest for the Palestinians in more than 10 years.

He stressed that Tel Aviv cannot remain above international law, pointing out that its boycott of the Union for the Mediterranean meeting in Barcelona is due to it.

According to Foreign Minister Ayman Al-Safadi, there is an attack from Tel Aviv on everyone who disagrees with them and demands a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, indicating that Tel Aviv does not want to listen but must face responsibility for the war crimes committed in Gaza, as it is within the legal term “genocide.” ".

Al-Safadi stated that expelling the people of Gaza from the Gaza Strip would not be a solution, but rather would make the situation worse.

Media reported that the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, was subjected to a major Russian attack using drones on Saturday morning.

Sky News quoted the local and military administration of Kiev as saying, "The capital is under a major attack using Russian drones."

Sky News reported that violent explosions were heard in Kiev.

The Ukrainian army was quoted as saying, "Air defenses are dealing with hostile targets in the skies of the capital, Kiev."

For its part, Reuters quoted a journalist affiliated with it as saying that the Ukrainian capital was subjected to a major attack by drones.

The Ukrainian authorities said that a large-scale attack by Russian suicide drones began at dawn on Saturday in Kiev and led to two wounded, as reported by Agence France-Presse.

Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko wrote on the Telegram platform, "So far two wounded have fallen in the Solomyansky district. They have received medical care at the scene," according to Agence France-Presse.

He explained that a residential building in this area was damaged by falling debris, while rescue teams were working to extract two women from the rubble.

Several fires broke out in the same area, one of them in a kindergarten, the mayor of the capital added.

Debris of drones shot down by Ukrainian air defenses also occurred in the Pechersky region.

A doctor was killed today, Saturday, and two others were injured, By Israeli occupation forces, in the town of Qabatiya, south of Jenin.

The director of Al-Razi Hospital in Jenin, Fawaz Hammad, reported that doctor Shamekh Kamal Abu Al-Rub (25 years old) was killed, and his brother Muhammad and another young man were injured by Israeli army following its storming of the town.

Abu Al-Rub was injured by live bullets in the abdomen while he and his brother were leaving their home, which led to his immediate death, while his brother was wounded by live bullets in the foot, and another young man in the thigh area.

It is noteworthy that Abu Al-Rub is the son of the Acting Governor of Jenin.

Local sources said that confrontations broke out between the occupation forces and young men, after a special Israeli undercover unit infiltrated the town and besieged a house near a Qabatiya girls’ school.

The same sources added that the occupation forces arrested the young man, Tariq Muhammad Ziyad Abu Al-Rub, after besieging his house in Qabatiya.

The head of the Hamas movement abroad, Khaled Meshal, rejected the participation of any international or Arab forces in the administration of Gaza, stressing that these plans “will be trampled upon by our heroes in the resistance, led by the Qassam Brigades.”

Meshaal pointed out, during a conference held by the International Islamic Forum yesterday evening, “the inability of the Arab leadership in the face of the Israeli incursion, starting from the Arab initiative until the last summits.”

He added that if the Algerians, Afghans and Vietnamese listened to "the advocates of defeatism who demand that we surrender, Algeria, Afghanistan and Vietnam would not have been liberated from colonialism and occupation."

He stated that "the impressive performance of the Qassam fighters and their confrontation with the ground forces invading Gaza demonstrates the quality of the training, pointing out their sincere faith and adherence to the Qur’an."

Mishal stressed, “(The Al-Aqsa flood) inflicted a psychological, military, and intelligence defeat on the occupation, and this defeat will be completed soon, God willing.”

He explained, "This war showed the occupation for its barbaric nature, turning it into a raging bull that brutalizes innocent people and targets schools, hospitals, churches, and all aspects of life in the Gaza Strip."

He stressed that "our tunnels, ammunition, and weapons are still intact, and we are still able to maneuver, launch missiles, and target invading tanks."

Meshaal noted "the occupation's failure to achieve its declared goals of eliminating Hamas and displacing all the residents of the Gaza Strip," pointing to the thousands of residents of the north who remained steadfast despite everything they were exposed to.

He mentioned the discussion by some Western politicians of the post-Hamas Gaza, calling on them to "save their time and effort in discussing the state of the region post-Israel."

Meshaal pointed out, "The Al-Qassam Brigades had expressed their willingness to release civilian prisoners since the beginning of the war, as they were not among the targets of the battle, but when we saw the brutality of the terrorist aggression, we said we must manage this card, serve the civilians in Gaza, and relieve them."

Regarding the truce, Meshaal said, “The truce achieves the release of children and women from occupation prisons, a temporary cessation of the aggression, and humanitarian relief for Gaza.”

Meshaal stressed “the necessity of supporting Gaza militarily, financially, and humanitarianly, and escalating the political, popular, and mass movement pressing to stop the aggression, denying that the nation should stand by and not contribute to the outcome of the battle.”

On the second day of the temporary truce in the Gaza Strip, calm prevails on the ground, while the Palestinian street awaits the release of the second batch of prisoners in the occupation prisons and the release of a new batch of detainees held by the Palestinian resistance in Gaza, a day after the occupation authorities released 39 Palestinian prisoners in exchange to 13 Israeli detainee.

Israel receives a list of the names of the hostages who will be released today

Officials said that Israel received a list of the names of prisoners scheduled to be released by Hamas in Gaza today, Saturday, after the release of 24 prisoners yesterday, Friday.

A statement issued by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said that Israeli security officials are reviewing the list.

20 Thais still detained by Hamas

The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Saturday that 20 Thai citizens are still being held by the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) after the movement released ten of them.

The ministry added that those who were released from Gaza yesterday, Friday, will return to their homes after spending 48 hours in the hospital.

The World Health Organization said - yesterday, Friday - that it has no information about the fate of the director of the Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza, Muhammad Abu Salmiya, who was arrested by Israel this week, and called for “full respect for his rights.”

The organization stated in a statement that the director of the largest hospital in the Gaza Strip was arrested on November 22, along with five other health workers, while they were participating in a United Nations-led mission to evacuate patients.

The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network expressed its concern about reports of the World Health Organization's possible involvement in the Israeli army's kidnapping of medical personnel in Gaza, including the director of the Shifa Medical Complex, Muhammad Abu Salamiya.

The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Observatory announced that, according to data from its field team in the Gaza Strip, the death toll in the Strip as a result of the Israeli aggression since last October 7 reached 20,031 dead, including 8,176 children.

The Observatory published on its account on the “X” platform (formerly Twitter), an infographic image showing detailed statistics of human and material losses in the Gaza Strip.

The Euro-Mediterranean Observatory said: “Our team in the Gaza Strip recently completed an updated statistic of the number of victims, including those we were able to count who were under the rubble, given the lack of chances of being alive. The number of dead reached 20,031, including 8,176 children, and the number is likely to rise as more victims and 36,350 wounded are recovered.” This number, together with the wounded, represents an average of 2.6% of the population in the Gaza Strip, which is equivalent to 11 million Arab citizens.

After 50 days of brutal Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, a 4-day temporary humanitarian truce entered into force on Friday morning, according to which a ceasefire and an exchange of prisoners took place between the Israeli occupation and the Palestinian resistance.

Since the first hours of this truce taking effect, pictures have been revealed that show the extent of the widespread destruction that occurred in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, and dozens of bodies that have reached the stage of decomposition scattered in the roads and under the rubble of the bombed homes.

Within the framework of the first phase of implementing the truce understandings, a group of 13 Israeli prisoners, including women and children, were handed over to the Israeli authorities, and the Hamas movement released 11 foreign citizens of Thai and Filipino nationalities on the sidelines of the prisoner exchange deal.

On the other hand, on the first day, the occupation authorities released 39 women and children detained in Israeli prisons, and 150 Palestinian prisoners are scheduled to be released over the four days of the armistice agreement.

(Sama news)

The municipality of the Spanish city of Barcelona agreed on Friday to "announce the suspension of relations with Israel until there is a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and respect for the basic rights of the Palestinian people."

This is not the first time that Barcelona has severed its relations with Israel. In February 2023, then-mayor Ada Colao suspended the city's relationship with Israel.

According to the approved Barcelona Statement, the main obstacles to lasting peace are the “occupation and colonization of Palestinian territories” and the “denial of the rights” of the Palestinian people.

Earlier Friday, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said that if the European Union does not recognize the Palestinian state, Madrid will do so.

This came during a statement to journalists in Egypt, which he is visiting with the Prime Minister of Belgium, Alexander De Croo, after their visit on Thursday to Israel and Palestine, to discuss the situation in the Gaza Strip, which has been subjected to a devastating Israeli war since last October 7.

The Belgian Prime Minister said on Friday during his visit to the Egyptian Rafah crossing, "The Israeli response in the Gaza Strip after the deadly attack launched by Hamas on Israel on October 7 must respect international humanitarian law."

He stressed that "the killing of civilians must stop."

For his part, the Spanish Prime Minister who accompanied him said that "the indiscriminate killing of innocent civilians (in the Gaza Strip) is absolutely unacceptable."

He considered that "finding a solution to the Gaza crisis is not enough," and insisted that Israel must be the first to take a "comprehensive approach" to resolve the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict, including "the West Bank and East Jerusalem."

Sanchez called for "the international community and Israel to recognize the State of Palestine."

Following the statements of the prime ministers of Belgium and Spain, Israel summoned the two countries' ambassadors to Tel Aviv to "reprimand" them, while Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albarez described in a statement the "Israeli government's accusations" against the Spanish and Belgian officials as "false, inappropriate and unacceptable."

The Israeli Foreign Minister's office said, "We condemn the false allegations of the prime ministers of Spain and Belgium, who provide support for terrorism."

He added, "Israel is acting in accordance with international law and is fighting a terrorist organization that commits war crimes and crimes against humanity... We will resume fighting after the ceasefire until the Hamas rule in the Gaza Strip is eliminated and all the kidnapped are released."

For his part, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office said, "Netanyahu strongly condemns the statements of the prime ministers of Belgium and Spain, who did not hold Hamas fully responsible for committing crimes against humanity and using Palestinians as human shields."

Medical sources in the Gaza Strip announced, this Friday evening, that the charred and decomposed bodies of seven dead bodies had arrived at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the center of the Strip, after they were recovered from the area near the southern Gaza Valley.

A video published by activists and media outlets on social media, on the evening of Friday, November 24, 2023, sparked widespread controversy after it showed an Israeli prisoner waving her hand as she left the Gaza Strip, where she was released with a first patch as part of an exchange deal between Hamas and Israel.

The shot sparked controversy on social media, while Israeli newspapers also spoke about it, criticizing her waving her hand smilingly at the people of Gaza while she was being transported in a Red Cross vehicle.

Previous footage showed another prisoner shaking hands with a Qassam fighter while she was being handed over to the Red Cross for her release from the Gaza Strip.

 (Arabic Post)

US President Joe Biden considered, on Friday, that there are “real opportunities” to extend the truce between Israel and Hamas, which entered into force on Friday and will continue for 4 days.

“We must end the cycle of violence in the Middle East,” Biden told reporters while spending the Thanksgiving holiday in Massachusetts. The US President added that the Hamas movement’s release of the first group of hostages it held during its attack on Israel “is only the beginning.”

He explained that the time has come to work on “renewing” the two-state solution, to establish peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

Today, Friday, the Israeli occupation forces arrested three journalists from the Hebron Governorate.

Local sources said that the occupation forces arrested journalists Musab Shawer Al-Tamimi, Taha Abu Hussein and Mahmoud Tamiza at a military checkpoint they set up south of Hebron.

Ghazi Hamad, member of Hamas’s political bureau, says the group is open to negotiating to release even more civilian captives currently held in Gaza, including men. 

However, in regards to Israeli soldiers held captive, Hamad told Al Jazeera, “This is another story”. At this phase, we are talking about the civilian hostages. Regarding others, we are looking for a comprehensive swap and exchange to release all [7,200] prisoners in Israeli detention centers. This is our goal and aim,” Hamad said. “But we will wait and see. We have full patience, power and energy to do that … Israel must release all the prisoners, and we are ready to release the Israeli soldiers.”