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Arab World

Israel’s Netanyahu Warns Gaza City Residents to Leave Now

A Palestinian woman reacts as smoke rises, while a residential building collapses after an Israeli air strike, in Gaza City, September 7, 2025. (Reuters)
A Palestinian woman reacts as smoke rises, while a residential building collapses after an Israeli air strike, in Gaza City, September 7, 2025. (Reuters)
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Israel’s Netanyahu Warns Gaza City Residents to Leave Now

A Palestinian woman reacts as smoke rises, while a residential building collapses after an Israeli air strike, in Gaza City, September 7, 2025. (Reuters)
A Palestinian woman reacts as smoke rises, while a residential building collapses after an Israeli air strike, in Gaza City, September 7, 2025. (Reuters)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Monday residents of Gaza City to leave now, hours after Israel said it would ramp up airstrikes on the enclave. 

He said: "I say to the residents of Gaza, I take this opportunity and listen to me carefully: you have been warned — leave now!” 

Netanyahu said forces are now organizing and assembling into Gaza City for a ground "maneuver". 

Earlier on Monday, Israel's defense minister told Hamas to lay down its arms or face annihilation, after US President Donald Trump said the group must accept a deal to release hostages in Gaza.  

The warnings came as the Israeli military intensified its bombings and operations around Gaza City, which it has vowed to capture in a bid to finally defeat Hamas after nearly two years of devastating conflict.  

At least 48 people were killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza on Sunday, while another 10 were killed in strikes around Gaza City overnight, the civil defense agency reported. AFP has contacted the Israeli military for comment. 

Hamas, whose unprecedented October 2023 attack on Israel sparked the war, said shortly after Trump's comments that it was ready for immediate talks, but the terms it gave for a deal appeared largely unchanged from previous rounds of negotiations. 

"This is a final warning to the Hamas murderers and rapists in Gaza and in luxury hotels abroad: Release the hostages and put down your weapons -- or Gaza will be destroyed and you will be annihilated," Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on X.  

"Today, a massive hurricane will hit the skies of Gaza City and the roofs of the terror towers will tremble," he wrote, adding that the military was "preparing to expand" operations to conquer Gaza City.  

Israel has not publicly announced the start of its offensive to seize the city, but on Sunday it bombed a third high-rise in as many days, saying it was being used by Hamas "to monitor the location of... troops in the area".  

Hamas has denied using residential buildings for military purposes.  

Trump said Sunday he was issuing a "last warning" to the group, insisting it accept a deal to release the hostages seized during fighters' October 2023 attack. The Israeli military says 47 hostages remain in Gaza, including 25 believed to be dead.  

"The Israelis have accepted my terms. It is time for Hamas to accept as well. I have warned Hamas about the consequences of not accepting. This is my last warning," Trump said on social media, without elaborating further.  

- Ready to negotiate -  

In a statement released shortly after Trump's, Hamas said it was ready to "immediately sit at the negotiating table" following what it described as "some ideas from the American side aimed at reaching a ceasefire agreement".  

In exchange, it said it wanted "a clear declaration of the end of the war, a full withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and the formation of a committee of independent Palestinians to manage the Gaza Strip, which would begin its duties immediately".  

US news outlet Axios reported that White House envoy Steve Witkoff sent a new proposal for a Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal to Hamas last week.  

The White House has not released any details about the proposal, but late Sunday Trump said "you'll be hearing about it pretty soon", portraying the negotiations in a positive light.  

"I think we're going to have a deal on Gaza very soon," he told reporters.  

In early March, Trump issued a similar ultimatum to Hamas, demanding it free all living hostages immediately and turn over the bodies of the dead, saying if not, "it is OVER for you".  

Hamas agreed last month to a ceasefire proposal that involved a 60-day truce and staggered hostage releases. 

Israel, however, has demanded the group release all the hostages at once, disarm and relinquish control of Gaza, among other conditions.  

Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures.  

Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed at least 64,368 Palestinians, most of them civilians, according to figures from the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza that the United Nations considers reliable.  

Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties in accessing many areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify the tolls and details provided by the civil defense agency or the Israeli military. 

 

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Arab World

Lebanon's LF Urges State to Clarify Circumstances of Party Member’s Killing

Citizens call for uncovering the truth behind the killing of Elias al-Hasrouni in the town of Ain Ebel in South Lebanon in 2023 (File photo – Al-Markazia).
Citizens call for uncovering the truth behind the killing of Elias al-Hasrouni in the town of Ain Ebel in South Lebanon in 2023 (File photo – Al-Markazia).
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Lebanon's LF Urges State to Clarify Circumstances of Party Member’s Killing

Citizens call for uncovering the truth behind the killing of Elias al-Hasrouni in the town of Ain Ebel in South Lebanon in 2023 (File photo – Al-Markazia).
Citizens call for uncovering the truth behind the killing of Elias al-Hasrouni in the town of Ain Ebel in South Lebanon in 2023 (File photo – Al-Markazia).

The Lebanese Forces (LF) has called on the Lebanese state to clarify the circumstances surrounding the 2023 killing of party member Elias al-Hasrouni, after Israel announced that Hezbollah was responsible for his assassination.

Party sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the claim “must be confirmed or denied by the Lebanese state, as al-Hasrouni was a Lebanese citizen.”
 
The Israeli military said Friday that Hezbollah killed al-Hasrouni in August 2023, a death initially reported as a traffic accident.

LF sources said the state’s security agencies were forced to verify the new information, noting that the party had demanded an investigation from the outset.

They argued that the inquiry stalled because “Hezbollah prevented the judicial process from reaching a conclusion,” despite what they described as strong indications of the group’s involvement.
 
They added that Israel’s announcement now compels the state to issue a clear position confirming or denying the claim, or declaring that investigations are ongoing.

“Al-Hasrouni was a Lebanese citizen, and it is the state’s responsibility to expose his killers and secure justice,” the sources said.
 
Elias al-Hasrouni, 72, was a senior member of the Lebanese Forces, led by Samir Geagea. His body was found on Aug. 2, 2023 in Ain Ebel, a Christian-majority village in southern Lebanon, which is a Hezbollah is stronghold.
 
Local media initially reported that al-Hasrouni had died in a car crash. Days later, the Lebanese Forces said he had been abducted, beaten, and killed before his body was placed back in his car.
 
On Aug. 20, 2023, Geagea insisted that Hezbollah was behind his death, saying: “Our comrade was murdered; he did not die in an accident.”

In September, Geagea said repeated inquiries to security agencies produced one answer: the investigation could not advance because authorities were “being prevented” from doing so.
 
Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee said on X that al-Hasrouni, “known for his strong opposition to Hezbollah,” was assassinated by Unit 121, which he described as Hezbollah’s special operations and internal security arm.
 
According to Adraee, members of the unit ambushed al-Hasrouni near his home on the night of Aug. 1, 2023, abducted him, and killed him by poisoning and breaking his ribs. They then placed his body in his car and staged a crash to conceal the operation.
 
Adraee added that Unit 121 conducts assassinations targeting journalists, officers, politicians, and other critics of Hezbollah. He also noted that Salim Ayyash, identified as the unit’s commander, was convicted in 2020 by the UN-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon for leading the team that assassinated former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

Arab World

Lebanon: Berri Asks Political Parties to Unite Against Israeli Violations, Schemes

Speaker Nabih Berri meets with the Council of the Order of Press Editors led by Joseph Kossaifi in Ain El-Tineh. (Parliament Office)
Speaker Nabih Berri meets with the Council of the Order of Press Editors led by Joseph Kossaifi in Ain El-Tineh. (Parliament Office)
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Lebanon: Berri Asks Political Parties to Unite Against Israeli Violations, Schemes

Speaker Nabih Berri meets with the Council of the Order of Press Editors led by Joseph Kossaifi in Ain El-Tineh. (Parliament Office)
Speaker Nabih Berri meets with the Council of the Order of Press Editors led by Joseph Kossaifi in Ain El-Tineh. (Parliament Office)

Speaker Nabih Berri on Saturday called on political parties to show unity against ongoing Israeli violations, and expressed surprise at the absence of a unified stance.

“What is neither understandable nor justifiable is that the Lebanese people do not have a unified stance regarding what Israel has done and is doing, and what it intends to do to Lebanon and the Lebanese people,” Berri said during a meeting with the Council of the Order of Press Editors led by Joseph Kossaifi in Ain El-Tineh.

“Give me unity, and then Lebanon will have nothing to fear, no matter the challenges and from whatever direction they come from,” he noted.

“Lebanon has done everything required regarding the ceasefire agreement in southern Litani, where the Lebanese army has deployed more than 9,000 soldiers and is carrying out its full duties in this area.”

“But, where and when has Israel adhered to a single clause of this agreement?” he asked. “This is the aggressive nature of Israel.”

Asked about Israeli claims that Hezbollah is rebuilding and reorganizing its structure, Berri said: “It is entirely normal for any party, movement, or political entity to rebuild and reorganize itself. After the Israeli aggression, Hezbollah is fully entitled to do so.”

As for allegations of weapons smuggling by sea, land, or air, they are false and baseless, he noted.

On the renewed Saudi and Arab engagement with Lebanon, the Speaker said: “Lebanon belongs to all Arabs. Our hand has always been, and remains, extended to all our Arab brothers.”

Berri affirmed that his relationship with Saudi Arabia has never been severed.

The Speaker revealed that for over 12 years, some parties have been inciting Washington to impose sanctions on him. “So be it,” he said.

Berri also stressed that parliamentary elections scheduled for May 2026 will be held on schedule, with no postponement or extension, and that there is absolutely no fear of internal strife.

He said the electoral law is a fundamental issue mentioned four times in the Constitution, and that such law can only be reached through consensus.

While the majority of Lebanon’s political parties have kicked off their preparations for next year's parliamentary elections, debate continues to rage over how many MPs expatriates will be able to vote for.

During the 2022 elections, the expats were able to cast their vote for 128 candidates, while their options for the 2026 elections are being limited to six.

Asked about the depositors' funds and what is expected from the Parliament in terms of legislation, Berri assured that “deposits are sacred,” and that “no law that undermines anyone's deposit can pass.”

Arab World

Gaza Stabilization Force: Will UN Talks Yield a Breakthrough?

Palestinians amid rubble of destroyed buildings in Jabalia, northern Gaza Strip (AFP)
Palestinians amid rubble of destroyed buildings in Jabalia, northern Gaza Strip (AFP)
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Gaza Stabilization Force: Will UN Talks Yield a Breakthrough?

Palestinians amid rubble of destroyed buildings in Jabalia, northern Gaza Strip (AFP)
Palestinians amid rubble of destroyed buildings in Jabalia, northern Gaza Strip (AFP)

New developments have emerged in UN Security Council consultations on deploying a “stabilization force in the Gaza Strip,” after Arab and Islamic states signaled support for a US draft resolution, a day after Moscow circulated a similar proposal, amid fears that the effort could collapse under a Russian or Chinese veto.

Experts told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Arab-Islamic backing, which followed Egyptian talks with Palestine, Pakistan and the United States over the text expected to be put to a vote on Monday, is likely to remain suspended between a potential breakthrough driven by Arab-Islamic alignment with Washington’s proposal and the chance of winning Russian support, and a possible collapse if Moscow rejects any US influence and seeks to use the issue as a bargaining chip in the Russia–Ukraine crisis.

The second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, which has yet to begin, includes establishing an international security force in Gaza, disarming Hamas, an additional Israeli withdrawal from the Strip and the appointment of an administration to run the territory.

A source familiar with the talks told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Arab-Islamic group “leaned toward supporting the US draft because Washington is the only party capable of enforcing its resolution on the ground and pressuring Israel to implement it.”

The source said there is “firm American intent to deploy forces soon, even if that requires sending a multinational force should Moscow use its veto.”

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty discussed the draft resolution on Saturday in separate phone calls with his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar and Palestinian Vice President Hussein al-Sheikh, according to two statements from the Egyptian Foreign Ministry.

The United States, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Pakistan, Jordan and Türkiye said in a joint statement on Friday that they “jointly support” the US resolution, which would authorize the creation of an international stabilization force, among other provisions. They expressed hope it would be adopted “swiftly.”

The diplomatic activity comes ahead of Monday’s Security Council vote on the draft, which has been under discussion for about a week, diplomatic sources told Agence France Presse on Friday.

The resolution would allow member states to form a “temporary international stabilization force” working with Israel, Egypt and newly trained Palestinian police to help secure border areas and remove weapons from Gaza. Unlike earlier drafts, it also refers to the possibility of a future Palestinian state, according to the AFP report.

Ambassador Mohamed Orabi, former Egyptian foreign minister and head of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs, said the draft “faces difficulties,” adding that he hoped it would not “cement the division of the Strip.”

He noted that Arab support grew after US amendments that included moving toward a political track for the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Palestinian political analyst Dr. Ayman al-Raqab said the Arab-Islamic group’s support for the US draft, despite a competing Russian proposal, suggests the possibility of understandings and amendments, including references to future talks on a Palestinian state. He described the development as a cautious opening, given the continued risk of a Russian veto.

The US proposal challenges a rival Russian draft circulated to Council members on Thursday.

According to the text seen by AFP on Friday, the Russian draft does not call for establishing a peace council or for the immediate deployment of an international force in Gaza. It welcomes the initiative that led to the ceasefire.

The Russian resolution calls on the UN secretary-general to “identify options for implementing the provisions” of the peace plan and to report immediately, including on the feasibility of deploying an international stabilization force in Gaza.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz wrote in The Washington Post that any refusal to support this resolution is a vote to continue Hamas rule or to return to war with Israel, condemning the region and its people to perpetual conflict.

He added that any deviation from this path, whether by those seeking to play political games or revive the past, will come at a real human cost.

Obstacles may not come from a Russian veto alone.

According to Yedioth Ahronoth on Friday, key elements alarming Israel in the latest draft include language paving the way toward “Palestinian self-determination,” an expanded UN role in overseeing aid distribution and broader powers for the proposed “transitional governing authority” for Gaza.

Security Council resolutions require at least nine votes in favor and no veto from Russia, China, the United States, Britain or France.

Orabi said the Russian draft is more aligned with Palestinian aspirations but ultimately cannot compel Israel to implement anything.

He predicted that despite efforts to secure a UN mandate, Russia may veto the US text and China may abstain as part of broader tensions with Washington, prompting the United States to move toward deploying a multinational force.

Such an approach, he said, aligns with Israel’s preference to avoid implementing UN resolutions.

Al-Raqab said that if Moscow insists on using its veto to block any US influence or to employ the proposal as leverage in the Ukraine crisis, Washington would move immediately to create a multinational force without Security Council authorization.