A spokesman for Qatar’s Foreign Ministry says that Israel should not be able to delay the move to the next stage of the ceasefire plan on the grounds that the bodies of two hostages are still held in Gaza. In an interview with an Al-Araby Al-Jadeed podcast, Majed al-Ansari says the issue of the two remaining bodies “is the most important” right now. “We don’t believe Israel should be allowed to obstruct the implementation of the agreement over these two bodies. At the same time, of course, the Palestinian side is working to retrieve the bodies and preempt any Israeli pretexts,” he says. “The current endeavor for Qatar and its partners in the region is to move from the first phase to the second [of the plan], and thus achieve a sustainable peace that can comprehensively end the state of war in the Gaza Strip,” he says. “There are significant challenges in reaching this stage of truce, but the focus now is on ma...
Tens of thousands of people have marched in cities across Europe, denouncing Israel's war on Gaza and demanding tougher global action against its continued and deadly violations of a US-brokered ceasefire. The demonstrations, held to mark the United Nations International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, came as the death toll from Israel's war on Gaza surpassed 70,000 people.
In London, organisers said that up to 100,000 joined the march demanding accountability for Israeli "crimes" against Palestinians. In Paris, an estimated 50,000 marched along the city's major streets, chanting "Gaza, Gaza, Paris is with you" and "From Paris to Gaza, resistance!".
Protests were also held in London, Geneva, Rome, and Lisbon. In Italy, mass demonstrations and union-led strikes have repeatedly mobilised against Israel's war. The UN's special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territory, Francesca Albanese, and climate activist Greta Thunberg attended the main demonstration in Rome. ¹
The rallies aim to denounce Western support for Israel's ongoing actions in Gaza, now entering its third year, and call for an immediate suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, an arms embargo, and targeted sanctions on Israeli officials responsible for war crimes and genocide.