EU Calls on Libyan Leaders to Deescalate Tensions

Libya's central bank governor Sadiq al-Kabir (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Libya's central bank governor Sadiq al-Kabir (Asharq Al-Awsat)
TT
20

EU Calls on Libyan Leaders to Deescalate Tensions

Libya's central bank governor Sadiq al-Kabir (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Libya's central bank governor Sadiq al-Kabir (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The European Union Delegation have urged all Libyan leaders to put national interests first, deescalate tensions, refrain from the use or threat of force, and lift the force majeure on all oil fields.

This came shortly after Libya's central bank governor Sadiq al-Kabir said he and other senior bank staff had been forced to leave the country to “protect our lives” from potential attacks, according to a report by the Financial Times.

On Friday, the EU Delegation and the diplomatic missions of EU Member States in Libya said they are gravely concerned about the deterioration of the situation in Libya amidst growing political fragmentation in the absence of unified institutions.

In a statement, the delegation urged all parties to engage constructively in good faith and seek a negotiated solution.

“We reaffirm our readiness to actively support this process, including to restore Libya’s path to the formation of a unified government and to national elections and call on all Libyan leaders to put national interests first, deescalate tensions, refrain from the use or threat of force, and lift the force majeure on all oil fields,” it added.

The delegation also warned that the intimidation of High Council of State members and CBL employees, the closure of oil fields, and disruptions in banking services are exacerbating an already fragile situation, threatening the economic lifelines of the Libyan people.

It then expressed support to UNSMIL’s call for urgent steps to deescalate and welcome the initiative to convene an emergency meeting of all relevant stakeholders to peacefully resolve the Central Bank crisis.

On Thursday, the Central Bank of Libya (CBL) administration, which is loyal to the Tripoli authorities, said it has regained control of all banking systems, after it was disrupted by the previous administration of the bank.

Tensions in Tripoli have forced al-Kabir to flee the country.

Al-Kabir told the Financial Times via telephone that “militias are threatening and terrifying bank staff and are sometimes abducting their children and relatives to force them to go to work,” referring to the kidnapping of director of his office, Rasem Najjar, and three employees.

The crisis over the control of the Central Bank of Libya renewed when the Tripoli-based Presidential Council moved this month to oust al-Kabir and replace him with a rival board.

The decision came against the wishes of Parliament which came to support al-Kabir by deciding to shut oilfields, suspend oil production and exports—the main source of revenue of the country.

However, al-Kabir chose to leave the country.

He said attempts by interim Prime Minister Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah to replace him were illegal, and contravened UN negotiated accords on control of the central bank.



Trump Says He Expects Hamas Decision in 24 Hours on 'Final' Peace Proposal

Children check the destruction at Mustafa Hafez school, sheltering Palestinians displaced by the war, after the school was hit during an overnight Israeli strike in Gaza City, on July 3, 2025, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas group. (Photo by Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)
Children check the destruction at Mustafa Hafez school, sheltering Palestinians displaced by the war, after the school was hit during an overnight Israeli strike in Gaza City, on July 3, 2025, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas group. (Photo by Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)
TT
20

Trump Says He Expects Hamas Decision in 24 Hours on 'Final' Peace Proposal

Children check the destruction at Mustafa Hafez school, sheltering Palestinians displaced by the war, after the school was hit during an overnight Israeli strike in Gaza City, on July 3, 2025, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas group. (Photo by Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)
Children check the destruction at Mustafa Hafez school, sheltering Palestinians displaced by the war, after the school was hit during an overnight Israeli strike in Gaza City, on July 3, 2025, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas group. (Photo by Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)

US President Donald Trump said on Friday it would probably be known in 24 hours whether the Palestinian group Hamas has agreed to accept what he has called a "final proposal" for an Israel-Hamas ceasefire in Gaza.

Trump said on Tuesday Israel had accepted the conditions needed to finalize a 60-day ceasefire with Hamas, during which the parties will work to end the war.

He was asked on Friday if Hamas had agreed to the latest ceasefire deal framework, and said: "We'll see what happens, we are going to know over the next 24 hours."

A source close to Hamas said on Thursday the group sought guarantees that the new US-backed ceasefire proposal would lead to the end of Israel's war in Gaza.

Two Israeli officials said those details were still being worked out. Dozens of Palestinians were killed on Thursday in Israeli strikes, according to Gaza authorities.

The latest bloodshed in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered in October 2023 when Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 and taking about 250 hostages, Israeli tallies show.

Gaza's health ministry says Israel's subsequent military assault has killed over 56,000 Palestinians. It has also caused a hunger crisis, internally displaced Gaza's entire population and prompted accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice and of war crimes at the International Criminal Court. Israel denies the accusations.

A previous two month ceasefire ended when Israeli strikes killed more than 400 Palestinians on March 18. Trump earlier this year proposed a US takeover of Gaza, which was condemned globally by rights experts, the UN and Palestinians as a proposal of "ethnic cleansing."