Al Joumhouria” News Summary”
Thursday, 07-Mar-2024 22:26

The Israeli shelling on the southern Lebanese borders did not cease until Hezbollah responded to the attacks by targeting Israeli sites and gatherings, causing significant damage and confirmed direct injuries.

 

On a presidential level, ambassadors of the Quint countries held a meeting at the Qatari Embassy in Beirut, during which they reviewed the current developments in Lebanon, discussed the presidential file, reaffirmed the priority of electing a president, and expressed their continuous support for completing the presidential process as soon as possible.

 

Economically, the Ministry of Finance announced that it transferred the salaries of all public sector employees to the Central Bank of Lebanon, allowing individuals to receive them from their respective banks starting tomorrow.

 

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Najib Mikati chaired a meeting of the ministerial committee tasked with addressing the repercussions of the financial crisis on the public sector.

 

In another context, Deputy Michel El Murr visited the Synod of the Evangelical Community and its prestigious school, considered one of the distinguished academic institutions, emphasizing the longstanding and deep relationship for continuous cooperation benefiting society and future generations.

 

Regionally, the war in Gaza entered its sixth month amid dire conditions in both the northern and southern sectors, while negotiations continue on multiple fronts to reach an agreement for a ceasefire and the entry of aid before the month of Ramadan.

 

Simultaneously, a Hamas delegation left Cairo without reaching a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, according to the French news agency. The agency noted that the latest round of talks, which began on Sunday in Cairo without Israeli participation, ended without reaching a result, with Hamas confirming that Israel has not yet met the "minimum" of its demands.

 

Furthermore, Israeli Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi stated that there is no cessation of military operations, explaining that the Gaza war poses significant challenges to the Israeli forces, which achieve operational accomplishments every day.

 

According to an investigation by the Israeli newspaper "Haaretz", 27 Palestinians from Gaza have died in Israeli military detention centers since the beginning of the war on the sector.

 

Former head of the Israeli Shin Bet security agency, Nadav Argaman, called for replacing the government led by Benjamin Netanyahu, which prevents creating a different future in Gaza and forming an international alliance against Iran.

 

Meanwhile, the US Central Command announced that its forces conducted self-defense strikes against two drones in Yemen.

 

Iranian Defense Minister Mohammad Reza Ashtiani emphasized that seeking security solutions from outside the region will have a counterproductive effect, turning the region into a competitive arena among powers and exposing its stability to further challenges.

 

In contrast, the leader of the Ansar Allah movement in Yemen, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, considered Brazil's position, and that of its president, "clearer and bolder than the positions of some Arab leaders" regarding the events in Gaza.

 

Internationally, four US officials were quoted as saying that Washington does not currently intend to impose restrictions on military aid to Israel and is concerned with obtaining a "complete and accurate picture" of this aid.

 

A senior US official also stated that President Joe Biden will announce in his upcoming State of the Union address the establishment of a port in Gaza to deliver additional humanitarian aid, but it will not involve the deployment of US forces in the sector. The official said in a press conference, "Tonight, the President will instruct the US military to lead an urgent task to establish a port in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Gaza capable of receiving ships carrying food, water, and medicine."

 

In a notable stance, European Union spokesperson Peter Stano stated that expanding settlements does not fully align with ongoing efforts to reduce tensions, which is more important ahead of the upcoming religious celebrations in Ramadan and Easter. He called on Israel to reconsider its decision, emphasizing that settlements are illegal under international law and pose an obstacle to peace as they threaten the two-state solution.

 

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi described the Israeli war in Gaza as a "stain on civilization", reiterating Beijing's calls for an "immediate ceasefire."

 

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock stated that those seeking peace in Ukraine must provide Kiev with more air defense systems, ammunition, and long-range weapons.

 

South Korean Defense Minister Suh Wook called on his country's forces to conduct realistic exercises to ensure the crushing of the North Korean regime if it invades the South.

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