Israeli Military Revises Call on Gazans to Flee to Egypt

Palestinian security forces loyal to Hamas patrol near the border between Egypt and Gaza. (Reuters file photo)
Palestinian security forces loyal to Hamas patrol near the border between Egypt and Gaza. (Reuters file photo)
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Israeli Military Revises Call on Gazans to Flee to Egypt

Palestinian security forces loyal to Hamas patrol near the border between Egypt and Gaza. (Reuters file photo)
Palestinian security forces loyal to Hamas patrol near the border between Egypt and Gaza. (Reuters file photo)

( The Israeli military revised on Tuesday a recommendation by one of its spokespeople that Palestinians fleeing its air strikes in the Gaza Strip head to Egypt, saying in a follow-up statement that the main crossing on that border was currently closed.

Briefing foreign reporters, Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Hecht said he would advise Palestinian refugees to "get out" through the Rafah crossing on Gaza's southern border with Egypt, Reuters reported.

His office then issued a statement. "Clarification: The Rafah crossing was open yesterday, but now it is closed," it said.

On Monday evening, Egyptian security sources and a witness said operations at Rafah had been disrupted by what they described as a strike on the Gaza side.



Arab League to Convene Emergency Meeting to Address Israeli Threats Against Iraq

Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, Egypt. (Reuters file photo)
Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, Egypt. (Reuters file photo)
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Arab League to Convene Emergency Meeting to Address Israeli Threats Against Iraq

Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, Egypt. (Reuters file photo)
Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, Egypt. (Reuters file photo)

The permanent delegates to the Arab League will convene an extraordinary session on Sunday, chaired by Yemen, in response to a request from Iraq.

Arab League Assistant Secretary General Ambassador Hossam Zaki said on Saturday that the meeting will focus on a memo from the UN Security Council president, which contains the Israeli occupation's claims of increased attacks from Iraqi territory since September, SPA reported.

"The General Secretariat of the Arab League received Iraq's request to hold an extraordinary session of the Arab League Council.”

“The request was circulated among member states for consultation, and it was agreed to hold the meeting tomorrow at the General Secretariat," Zaki said, adding that several Arab countries have expressed support for Iraq's initiative.