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Abbas Calls for ‘International Peace Conference’ on Palestine

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. (dpa)
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. (dpa)
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Abbas Calls for ‘International Peace Conference’ on Palestine

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. (dpa)
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. (dpa)

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has underscored on Sunday the need for convening an international peace conference that would ensure the Israeli withdrawal from Palestinian territories under international legitimacy resolutions and within a specified timeline.
During his meeting with the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland, Abbas stressed the urgency to enable the State of Palestine politically and economically to fulfill its responsibilities towards the Palestinian people in Jerusalem, Gaza, and the West Bank.
He also stressed the importance of preventing the displacement of Palestinians and stopping all attacks by occupation forces and settlers, as well as the release of all Palestinian clearance funds.
The President further urged UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to step up international efforts to stop the ongoing Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people, to withdraw Israeli occupation forces from the entire Gaza Strip, and not to confiscate any inch of its land.
Abbas also demanded increasing humanitarian and relief aid in Gaza “amid the current harsh weather conditions there”.

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Earthquake Strikes Syria, Rattling Nerves amid Memories of Last Year's Deadly Temblor

People look amid rubble as the search for survivors continues following an earthquake in Hatay, Türkiye, February 7, 2023. REUTERS/Umit Bektas
People look amid rubble as the search for survivors continues following an earthquake in Hatay, Türkiye, February 7, 2023. REUTERS/Umit Bektas
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Earthquake Strikes Syria, Rattling Nerves amid Memories of Last Year's Deadly Temblor

People look amid rubble as the search for survivors continues following an earthquake in Hatay, Türkiye, February 7, 2023. REUTERS/Umit Bektas
People look amid rubble as the search for survivors continues following an earthquake in Hatay, Türkiye, February 7, 2023. REUTERS/Umit Bektas

An earthquake shook central Syria late Monday, local authorities said, causing no major damages but rattling the nerves of residents who remembered last year’s devastating temblor that struck northern Syria and Türkiye, The AP reported.

Syria’s National Center for Earthquakes said a 5.5 magnitude quake struck 28 kilometers (17 miles) east of the city of Hama at 11:56 p.m. local time. The US Geological Survey put the quake's magnitude at 5.0 and said it had a depth of 10 kilometers.

There were no immediate reports of deaths. Local authorities in Hama and surrounding government-held areas reported no damages, Syria’s state-run news agency SANA said. In the country’s opposition-held northwest, the local civil defense agency known as the White Helmets also said there were no damages.

In Damascus and Beirut — the capital of neighboring Lebanon, where the earthquake was also felt — residents descended to the streets fearing a stronger quake that would collapse buildings. In Lebanon, nerves were already on edge due to fears of an escalation in the ongoing conflict between the militant group Hezbollah and Israeli forces that could pull the country into a full-on war.

On Feb. 6, 2023, a massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Syria and Türkiye, killing more than 59,000 people and worsening the devastation in already war-torn Syria.

Hama Health Director Maher Younes told the Sham FM radio station that 25 people suffered “minor and moderate injuries” as they panicked and attempted to escape the temblor.