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Israel army publishes map it says advises Gazans of safe evacuation areas

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Israel army publishes map it says advises Gazans of safe evacuation areas

Jerusalem (Reuters) – The Israeli army said on Friday that with the resumption of fighting it had published a map to advise Gazans of safe areas for their evacuation.

Its statement linked to an Israeli army website in Arabic showing an Evacuation Zone Map. It said an Arabic-language video had been released on social networks and the map was being distributed by the army in Gaza.

“This divides the territory of the Gaza Strip into areas according to recognizable areas to enable the residents of Gaza to orient themselves and understand the instructions, and to evacuate from specific places for their safety if required,” the statement said.

On Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, on his third visit to the Middle East since war began on Oct. 7, told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel’s campaign in southern Gaza must not repeat the massive loss of civilian life and displacement seen during its offensive in the north.

Blinken said he had laid out clear steps for Israel to minimise civilian casualties but did not say whether he was assured the steps would be taken.

Israel resumed combat operations against Hamas in Gaza on Friday after accusing the Palestinian militant group of firing rockets at Israel and reneging on a deal to free all women held as hostages, violating their temporary truce agreement.

A week-long pause had allowed for the exchange of dozens of hostages held in Gaza for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and facilitated the entry of humanitarian aid into the coastal strip.

Much of Gaza, an enclave of 2.3 million people, was reduced to wasteland in an Israeli offensive in retaliation for an Oct. 7 Hamas assault in which Israel says 1,200 people were killed and about 240 taken hostage.

Gazan authorities say Israel’s bombardment has so far killed more than 15,000 people in the Hamas-run enclave.

UAE president announces $30 bln fund to bridge climate finance gap

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UAE president announces $30 bln fund to bridge climate finance gap

Dubai (Reuters) – United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, whose country is hosting the COP28 climate summit, announced on Friday a $30 billion climate fund that aims to attract $250 billion of investment by the end of the decade.

Dubbed ALTÉRRA, the fund will allocate $25 billion to climate strategies and $5 billion to incentivise investment flows into the Global South, a statement by the COP28 Presidency said.

In collaboration with global asset managers BlackRock (BLK.N), Brookfield (BAM.TO) and TPG (TPG.O), ALTÉRRA has committed $6.5 billion to climate-dedicated funds for global investments, including the Global South, the statement said.

The fund aimed “to steer private markets towards climate investments and focus on transforming emerging markets and developing economies,” where it said higher perceived risks had deterred traditional investment.

BlackRock said in a statement ALTÉRRA would put $1 billion into its Climate Transition-Oriented Private Debt strategy, and had also committed $1 billion to invest in, or co-invest alongside, BlackRock’s infrastructure equity business.

BlackRock Chief Executive Larry Fink said the fund could be transformative.

“The opportunities in the under-served part of the world need much more attention,” Fink told reporters at the event.

Brookfield Asset Management said it was launching a new Catalytic Transition Fund, to focus exclusively on developing countries, with up to $1 billion of ALTÉRRA cash. ALTÉRRA has also committed to invest $2 billion into its second Brookfield Global Transition Fund.

ALTÉRRA was established by Lunate, a newly set up Abu Dhabi-based alternative investment manager with over $50 billion in assets.

Lunate is owned by its senior management and Chimera Investment LLC, which is part of a business empire overseen by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE’s national security adviser and the president’s brother.

The UAE has drawn criticism for its plans to expand oil and gas production as the world struggles to contain the climate-damaging carbon emissions these fossil fuels produce.

Against that backdrop, the UAE has been keen to encourage finance and business more broadly to commit money to the climate fight and was expected to open its own chequebook throughout the two-week U.N. climate summit.

For daily comprehensive coverage on COP28 in your inbox, sign up here for the Reuters Sustainable Switch newsletter.

U.S. to impose visa bans soon on Israeli extremist settlers for West Bank violence

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U.S. to impose visa bans soon on Israeli extremist settlers for West Bank violence

Dubai (Reuters) – The Biden administration has informed Israel that Washington will impose visa bans in the next few weeks on Israeli extremist settlers engaged in violence against Palestinian civilians in the occupied West Bank, a senior State Department official said.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his war cabinet have let them know that the United States will take its own action against an undisclosed number of individuals.

The West Bank, among the territories where Palestinians seek statehood, has experienced a surge of violence in recent months amid expanding Jewish settlements and a nearly decade-old impasse in U.S.-sponsored peacemaking.

The violence, at a more-than-15-year high this year, surged further after Israel hurtled into a new war in the separate enclave of Gaza in response to Palestinian militant group Hamas unleashing the deadliest day in Israel’s history on Oct. 7.

Asked for a response, Israeli government spokesman Eylon Levy said he had no comment on the matter but said that Israel firmly condemned any vigilantism or hooliganism or attempts by individuals to take the law into their own hands.

The United States has repeatedly expressed its concern over the rising violence in the West Bank, saying it must stop. U.S. President Joe Biden, in a Nov. 18 Washington Post opinion piece threatened to take action against the perpetrators.

“I have been emphatic with Israel’s leaders that extremist violence against Palestinians in the West Bank must stop and that those committing the violence must be held accountable. The United States is prepared to take our own steps, including issuing visa bans against extremists attacking civilians in the West Bank,” Biden wrote.

The State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, said Washington wanted Israel to prosecute perpetrators but had yet to see such a step. The bans could come in the next few weeks, the official said.

Daily settler attacks have more than doubled, U.N. figures show, since Hamas, which controls the coastal enclave of Gaza to Israel’s southwest, killed 1,200 Israelis and took about 240 hostage. Israel has since bombed and invaded Gaza, killing more than 15,000 people.

Belgian PM says he told Israeli president ‘no more civilian killings’ as fighting restarted in Gaza

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Belgian PM says he told Israeli president ‘no more civilian killings’ as fighting restarted in Gaza

Dubai (Reuters) – The Belgian prime minister on Saturday said that he had spoken with Israel’s president following the resumption of fighting in Gaza and told him there could be no more killing of civilians.

A week-old temporary truce between Israel and Hamas collapsed on Friday after mediators were unable to extend the pause. Israel and Hamas have traded blame over the collapse.

“I’ve addressed my concerns about the fact that violence has started again and I’ve again repeated what I said at the Rafah gate: no more civilian killings,” Belgium’s Alexander De Croo told reporters at the COP28 U.N. climate summit in Dubai.

Israel’s foreign ministry summoned the Belgian and Spanish ambassadors over remarks made by their prime ministers last week at the Egyptian-controlled Rafah border crossing into Gaza.

De Croo said at the time that Israel must respect international humanitarian law, that the destruction of Gaza was unacceptable and the killing of civilians had to stop.

An Israeli official said on Friday that the military abides by international law and that its sought to minimise the loss of civilian lives.

On Saturday, De Croo said Israel has “the right to eliminate the terrorist threat originating from Gaza” but that everything should be done to make sure that no more civilians were killed.

Israeli warplanes have pounded areas of Gaza since the end of the temporary truce, killing hundreds of people, according to health officials in the coastal strip. Sirens warning of rocket fire sounded in Israeli communities near Gaza on Saturday but there were no reports of serious damage or casualties.

“It’s unfortunate that the violence has started again. We hope that as soon as possible, more hostages can be liberated. We hope that the humanitarian access could be a permanent humanitarian access,” De Croo said.

Israeli shells hit southern Lebanon in second day of violence after Israel-Hamas truce ends

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Beirut (Reuters) – Israel shelled southern Lebanon in a second day of violence after the collapse of a truce between Palestinian group Hamas and Israel, as Hezbollah said one of its fighters was killed.

A spokesperson for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) told Reuters that there was shelling from Israel on Saturday morning that hit close to its headquarters near the coastal town of Naqoura and around the border village of Rmaych.

The Israeli military said it carried out shelling near Naqoura as a warning after spotting “unusual activity” in the area.

UNIFIL then detected fire around 11 a.m. (0900 GMT) from the area of Tayr Harfa, about a mile from the Israeli frontier, toward Israel.

Lebanon’s heavily armed Hezbollah said in a statement on Saturday morning that one of its fighters was killed in south Lebanon but did not give details.

What are leaders saying at the UN climate summit?

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What are leaders saying at the UN climate summit?

Dubai (Reuters) – World leaders addressed the COP28 summit on Saturday, where their countries’ delegations are assessing progress towards meeting global climate goals.

Here are the latest comments:

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz

“For us it is important that this fund benefits the most vulnerable countries and that as many of us support this fund as possible,” he said via a translator on the climate disaster fund. “For the countries whose prosperity has grown enormously over the last decades and which have contributed to a large extent to today’s global emissions also bear responsibility: We need your support too.”

Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley

“Loss and damage alone, however, is only a part of the equation. Because for every dollar that we spend before disaster, we can save $7 in damage, and indeed loss of lives.

“The truth is that we are in danger of being sucked into an international media frenzy that allows us only to capture that which can be captured in a soundbite. Our world is more complex than that, and we continue to need significant funds for adaptations for countries that simply will not be met unless there’s a different approach to how we address both the capitalisation of the international financial institutions, the commitment of countries, and, indeed, the recognition that non state actors and individuals need to come to the table to add to the capitalisation.”

Pope Francis

In a speech read out by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin due to the pope’s ill health, he said: “I am with you because the destruction of the environment is an offence against God.”

“Brothers and sisters, it is essential that there be a breakthrough that is not a partial change of course, but rather a new way of making progress together.”

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris

According to an advance copy of her remarks to the summit, Harris will say:

“This is a pivotal moment. Our action, or worse, our inaction today … will impact the lives of billions of people for decades to come. So, for as much as we have accomplished … there is more work to do, and continued progress will not be without a fight.

“Around the world, there are those who seek to slow or stop our progress. Leaders who deny climate science, delay climate action, and spread misinformation. Large corporations that greenwash their climate inaction and lobby for billions of dollars in fossil fuel subsidies.

“It is clear: We. Must. Do. More.”

VP Harris to sketch out US vision of post-conflict Gaza at COP

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VP Harris to sketch out US vision of post-conflict Gaza at COP

Dubai (Reuters) – U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris on Saturday will lay out key American objectives for when the Israel-Hamas conflict ends and stress that the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank should ultimately be reunified under one governing entity.

Harris will make a series of appearances at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai, after being anointed by U.S. President Joe Biden to take his seat at the table as he focuses on the Israel-Hamas war.

The White House said Harris will carry a message about post-conflict Gaza as the region grapples with the fallout from a war that has upended the Middle East.

“She will emphasize that any post-conflict plan for Gaza must include a clear political horizon for the Palestinian people and ensure that Gaza and the West Bank are reunified under one entity,” a White House official said of her remarks.

The Western-backed Palestinian Authority governs parts of the occupied West Bank. Hamas seized control of Gaza in 2007 from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ mainstream Fatah party and has ruled the enclave ever since.

Harris’s role in the administration is coming under increased scrutiny as Biden, 81, runs for a second term. She has been tasked with helping to resolve a series of major challenges, from migration to abortion and voting rights at home. How post-conflict Gaza should realistically be managed is an issue that has confounded regional leaders and Middle East experts.

Palestinian Authority Future

U.S. officials have discussed bolstering the Palestinian Authority so it can widen its reach to include Gaza but no firm plan has been agreed upon.

Some U.S. officials have privately expressed doubts about the Palestinian Authority’s ability to govern Gaza post-war. Critics has accused the PA of corruption and mismanagement, and polls have shown its credibility low with the Palestinian people.

Harris will meet with regional leaders and consult with them on the latest developments in Gaza, including Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the president of the United Arab Emirates.

“In her meetings, the vice president will outline our principles for post-conflict Gaza, lay out specific proposals that put Palestinian voices at the center, and build regional support for our efforts,” the White House official said.

In remarks later Saturday, Harris will express the U.S. desire to see a pause in the Israel-Hamas fighting restored in order to extract more hostages out of Gaza and to get a steady flow of humanitarian assistance back in.

“She’ll certainly be making it clear that as we’ve said many times before, that we believe the Palestinian people need a vote and a voice in their future and that they need governance in Gaza that will look after their aspirations and their needs,” White House national security spokesperson John Kirby told reporters in Washington.

Harris previously has carried important messages for Biden while on overseas travel. She told the Munich Security Conference in February that the Biden administration had formally concluded that Russia has committed “crimes against humanity” during its invasion of Ukraine.

UN Security Council lifts arms embargo on Somalia government

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UN Security Council lifts arms embargo on Somalia government

United Nations (Reuters) – The United Nations Security Council unanimously voted on Friday to remove the final restrictions on weapons deliveries to Somalia’s government and its security forces, more than 30 years after an arms embargo was first imposed on the country.

The council put the embargo on Somalia in 1992 to cut the flow of weapons to feuding warlords, who had ousted dictator Mohamed Siad Barre and plunged the Horn of Africa country into civil war.

The 15-member body adopted two British-drafted resolutions: one to remove the full arms embargo on Somalia and another to reimpose an arms embargo on al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab militants.

The resolution lifting the arms embargo spells out “for the avoidance of doubt, that there is no arms embargo on the Government of the Federal Republic of Somalia.”

It also expresses concern about the number of safe ammunition storage facilities in Somalia, and encourages the construction, refurbishment and use of safe ammunition depots across Somalia. It urges other countries to help.

“The lifting of the arms embargo enables us to confront security threats,” said Somalia’s U.N. Ambassador Abukar Dahir Osman. “It also allows us to bolster the capacity of the Somali security forces by accessing lethal arms and equipment to adequately safeguard our citizens and our nation.”

Al Shabaab has been waging a brutal insurgency against the Somali government since 2006 to try to establish its own rule based on a strict interpretation of Islamic Sharia law.

Somalia’s government had long asked for the arms embargo to be removed so it could beef up its forces to take on the militants. The Security Council began to partially start lifting measures Somalia’s security forces in 2013.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said last week that Somalia has one year to expel al Shabaab, with the deadline for remaining African Union peacekeepers to leave looming in December 2024.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak Meets with Regional Leaders to Address Gaza Crisis

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British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak Meets with Regional Leaders to Address Gaza Crisis

London – British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak held meetings with regional leaders on the sidelines of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai, where discussions focused on the ongoing crisis in Gaza. Downing Street announced that Sunak met with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad and expressed gratitude for Qatar’s instrumental role in facilitating the recent humanitarian pause in Gaza. This pause resulted in the release of numerous hostages and the crucial delivery of additional aid.

However, both leaders expressed deep regret over the collapse of the pause and emphasized the importance of continued efforts to secure the release of all hostages and ensure the uninterrupted flow of humanitarian assistance to those in need in Gaza. Prime Minister Sunak reiterated the need to work towards a two-state solution that guarantees the security and prosperity of both Israelis and Palestinians. He also stated that Hamas had proven itself to be an obstructive force in the pursuit of peace and had no future in Gaza.

Sunak also met with Jordan’s King Abdullah II, assuring him that the United Kingdom is actively pressing Israel to adhere to international humanitarian law and address settler violence in the West Bank. Downing Street released a separate statement acknowledging Jordan’s significant role in addressing the crisis in Gaza and praising their generous provision of humanitarian support to Palestinian civilians, including the establishment of military field hospitals.

The British Prime Minister reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to work towards a lasting resolution to the conflict that upholds dignity, peace, and security for both Israelis and Palestinians. Sunak and King Abdullah II also emphasized the importance of continued close cooperation between the UK and Jordan, spanning trade, defense, and clean technology.

During talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Sunak reiterated the UK’s support for the humanitarian response in Gaza. He expressed gratitude for Egypt’s ongoing efforts to deliver much-needed aid to Gaza and secure the release of hostages. The UK has sent planeloads of aid, including warehouse facilities and forklift trucks, to Egypt for prepositioning at the border with Gaza. Sunak assured El-Sisi that the UK is ready to provide further support, emphasizing the need to prevent forced displacement from Gaza and ensure the unimpeded distribution of aid throughout the Gaza Strip.

Earlier on Friday, Sunak held discussions with Israel’s President Isaac Herzog regarding the conflict with Hamas and the conclusion of the humanitarian pause in Gaza. Downing Street stated that the prime minister reiterated the imperative of taking all possible measures to avoid civilian casualties and increasing the flow of aid to Gaza.

In a separate development, King Charles III, who is also attending COP28, met Sheikh Tamim on the sidelines of the summit to discuss bilateral relations and explore opportunities for further cooperation between the two countries and peoples. The meeting also touched upon key items on the summit’s agenda and various joint-interest developments.

Furthermore, UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron engaged in talks with Qatari counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman to address the latest developments in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories. Discussions focused on measures to deescalate tensions and achieve a ceasefire. Sheikh Mohammed emphasized Qatar’s commitment, along with its mediation partners, to ongoing efforts aimed at restoring calm. He stressed the condemnation of all forms of targeting civilians and underscored the unacceptability of killing innocent people, particularly women and children, and implementing policies of collective punishment. The Qatari Foreign Secretary also emphasized the necessity of establishing humanitarian corridors to ensure the delivery of relief and aid to Palestinians affected by the ongoing bombardment.

As the crisis in Gaza continues, international leaders are engaging in diplomatic efforts to mitigate the situation, provide humanitarian support, and work towards a lasting resolution that brings stability and security to the region.

Libyan Authorities Release Hamas Members Arrested for Arms Trafficking

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Libyan Authorities Release Hamas Members Arrested for Arms Trafficking

Tripoli – Libyan authorities have released four members of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, who were arrested in 2016 on charges of trafficking arms to Gaza, according to reports from Libyan media. The four individuals, identified as Marwan Al-Ashqar, his son Baraa, Mouayad Abed, and Nasib Choubeir, were detained in Tripoli in October 2016. Their arrest became public knowledge a few months later after being announced by the Libyan prosecutor’s office.

In February 2019, the four men were sentenced by a Tripoli court to prison terms ranging from 17 to 22 years on charges of arms trafficking and spying, as reported by Libyan media outlets. However, on Friday, news emerged that the individuals had been released at the request of the Libyan prosecutor’s office, following mediation efforts by Turkey.

Although there has been no official confirmation of their release from the government of Tripoli-based Prime Minister Abdelhamid Dbeibah, several Libyan media sources have reported their freedom. It is said that the men were released from the Mitiga detention center in Tripoli and subsequently departed for Turkey before heading to Qatar, which serves as Hamas’s political headquarters.

An image circulating on social media, although unverified, allegedly shows three of the released men aboard what appears to be a private jet.

The timing of their release is noteworthy, given the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The nearly eight-week-long war was sparked by an unprecedented attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7. Israeli authorities claim that approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed in the attack, with around 240 individuals taken hostage. The Hamas government in Gaza, meanwhile, alleges that Israeli retaliatory strikes have resulted in the deaths of over 15,000 people, primarily civilians.

Libya has been mired in chaos since the toppling of dictator Muammar Qaddafi in 2011. The country remains divided between Prime Minister Dbeibah’s United Nations-supported government in the west and a rival administration in the east, led by military strongman Khalifa Haftar. The release of the Hamas members underscores the challenges faced by Libyan authorities in maintaining security and stability in the country.

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