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Dozens killed as Israeli strikes continue ahead of Gaza ceasefire
Israeli air strikes are continuing in Gaza ahead of the ceasefire agreement and hostage deal with Hamas, which comes into effect on Sunday, subject to the Israeli cabinet’s approval.
The strikes killed 73 people overnight, following the announcement of the deal, Gaza’s Hamas-run civil defence agency reported.
Victims include 12 people who were living in a residential block in the Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood of Gaza City, the health ministry said.
The Israeli Defence Forces initially said “a fallen projectile” had been identified in southern Israel on Thursday, but later said it had been wrongly identified.
Israel has previously launched air strikes in the run-up to ceasefire arrangements taking effect, most recently in Lebanon, where heavy bombing hit the capital, Beirut, just hours before the ceasefire there in November.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was expected to ratify the Gaza ceasefire agreement in parliament on Thursday, but his office alleges Hamas has “reneged” on parts of the agreement, prompting a “last-minute crisis”.
It adds the cabinet will not convene until Hamas has accepted “all elements of the agreement”.
A senior Hamas official told the BBC that his movement was committed to the agreement announced by the mediators and that the head of its delegation, Khalil al-Hayya, had officially informed Qatar and Egypt of its approval of all the terms of the agreement.
Two hardline right-wing ministers, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, have long threatened to quit the government coalition if the ceasefire goes ahead.
That could prompt fresh elections in Israel, but their resignations will not block the deal if Netanyahu wants it to happen, observers say.
The prime minister of Qatar – which mediated negotiations – has called for “calm” on both sides before the start of the first six-week phase of the ceasefire deal.
This will see 33 hostages – including women, children and elderly people – exchanged for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
Israeli forces will also withdraw to the east, away from densely populated areas of Gaza.
Displaced Palestinians will be allowed to begin returning to their homes and hundreds of aid lorries will finally be allowed into the territory each day.
Negotiations for the second phase – which should see the remaining hostages released, a full Israeli troop withdrawal and a return to “sustainable calm” – will start on the 16th day.
The third and final stage will involve the return of any remaining hostages’ bodies and the reconstruction of Gaza – something which could take years.
Achim Steiner from the United Nations Development Programme told the BBC’s Newsday programme that the reconstruction of Gaza would be a huge challenge, given the massive destruction inflicted by the war.
He said 40 million tons of “toxic” rubble needed to be removed before Gazans could return to where their houses used to be.
“This is a very complex undertaking that we are now confronted with,” he said.
Israel launched a campaign to destroy Hamas – which is proscribed as a terrorist organisation by Israel, the US and others – in response to an unprecedented cross-border attack on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.
More than 46,700 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry.
Most of the 2.3 million population has also been displaced, there is widespread destruction and there are severe shortages of food, fuel, medicine and shelter, while aid agencies struggle to get help to those in need.
Israel says 94 of the hostages are still being held by Hamas, 34 of whom are presumed dead. In addition, there are four Israelis who were abducted before the war, two of whom are dead.
[BBC]
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China pledges continued support for Sri Lanka’s Sovereignty, Territorial Integrity, and Independence – Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China
Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China, stated that China is committed to supporting Sri Lanka’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence.
This statement was made during a meeting between President Anura Kumar Disanayake and Zhao Leji, which took place earlier today (16) as part of President Disanayake’s four-day official visit to China.
During the meeting, Chairman Zhao warmly welcomed President Disanayake, further emphasizing that working with Sri Lanka in a continuous and cooperative manner is a key expectation of the Chinese National People’s Congress.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism, Vijitha Herath; Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports, and Civil Aviation, Bimal Rathnayake; Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Qi Zhenhong; and Sri Lankan Ambassador to China, Majintha Jayasinghe, were also present at the event.
Business
$3.7 billion foreign direct investment secured during President’s first state visit to China
During President Anura Kumara Disanayake’s four-day state visit to China, Sri Lanka marked a significant milestone by securing the largest foreign direct investment to date. This significant achievement was formalized this morning (16) with the signing of an agreement between Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Energy and Sinopec, a leading Chinese international petroleum corporation.
Under this $3.7 billion investment, a state-of-the-art oil refinery with a capacity of 200,000 barrels will be constructed in the Hambantota region. A substantial portion of the refinery’s output is planned for export, further enhancing the nation’s foreign exchange earnings.
This major investment from China is expected to bolster Sri Lanka’s economic growth while uplifting the livelihoods of low-income communities in the Hambantota area. Moreover, the benefits of this project are anticipated to positively impact the overall Sri Lankan population in the near future.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Labour and Tourism Vijitha Herath, Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation Bimal Rathnayake and Director General of Government Information H. S. K. J. Bandara, alongside other dignitaries were present when the agreement was signed.
President Anura Kumara Disanayake extended an invitation to Chinese investors to explore investment opportunities in Sri Lanka, emphasizing the nation’s stable governance and transparent economy.
He made these remarks as the keynote speaker at the “Investment Forum” held today (16), jointly organized by Chinese state and private enterprises.
The forum was a significant event during President Disanayake’s third day of his four-day state visit to China, undertaken at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Prominent Chinese corporations, including China Tianying Inc. (CNTY), China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd., China Communications Construction Company Ltd., China Petrochemical Corporation (SINOPEC Group), Metallurgical Corporation of China Ltd., China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), China Energy International Group Company Ltd., Guangzhou Public Transport Group and Huawei BYD Auto participated in the event.
President Disanayake also engaged in cordial discussions with the leadership of these corporations.
The forum was attended by Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism Vijitha Herath, Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports, and Civil Aviation, Bimal Rathnayake, Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong, and Sri Lankan Ambassador to China Majintha Jayasinghe, among others.
Dozens killed as Israeli strikes continue ahead of Gaza ceasefire
China pledges continued support for Sri Lanka’s Sovereignty, Territorial Integrity, and Independence – Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China
$3.7 billion foreign direct investment secured during President’s first state visit to China
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