Qatar and Egypt Say Assassinations Damage Gaza Truce Chances 

Iranians carry the portrait of late Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh and wave Palestinian flags during a protest at Tehran University in Tehran, Iran, 31 July 2024. (EPA)
Iranians carry the portrait of late Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh and wave Palestinian flags during a protest at Tehran University in Tehran, Iran, 31 July 2024. (EPA)
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Qatar and Egypt Say Assassinations Damage Gaza Truce Chances 

Iranians carry the portrait of late Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh and wave Palestinian flags during a protest at Tehran University in Tehran, Iran, 31 July 2024. (EPA)
Iranians carry the portrait of late Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh and wave Palestinian flags during a protest at Tehran University in Tehran, Iran, 31 July 2024. (EPA)

Qatar and Egypt, which have acted as mediators in ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas, suggested on Wednesday that the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh could jeopardize efforts to secure a truce in Gaza. 

"Political assassinations and continued targeting of civilians in Gaza while talks continue leads us to ask, how can mediation succeed when one party assassinates the negotiator on the other side?" Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani wrote on X. 

"Peace needs serious partners & a global stance against the disregard for human life." 

Egypt's foreign ministry said in a statement that a "dangerous Israeli escalation policy" over the past two days had undermined efforts to broker an end to the fighting in Gaza. 

"The coincidence of this regional escalation with the lack of progress in the ceasefire negotiations in Gaza increases the complexity of the situation and indicates the absence of Israeli political will to calm it down," the statement said. 

"It undercuts the strenuous efforts made by Egypt and its partners to stop the war in the Gaza Strip and put an end to the human suffering of the Palestinian people," it added. 

Qatar, Egypt and the United States have repeatedly tried to clinch a ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza, where Israeli forces have killed more than 39,000 Palestinians since Hamas-led fighters attacked Israel in October, killing 1,200 people. 

A final deal to halt more than nine months of war has been complicated by changes sought by Israel, sources have told Reuters, and there was no sign of progress at the latest round of talks in Rome on Sunday. 

Haniyeh, who mainly resided in Qatar, was assassinated in the early hours of the morning in Iran, raising fears of wider escalation in a Middle East shaken by Israel's war in Gaza and a worsening conflict in Lebanon. 

Qatar condemned Haniyeh's assassination in the Iranian capital Tehran, saying it was a dangerous escalation. 

His demise occurred less than 24 hours after Israel claimed to have killed a Hezbollah commander in Beirut whom it blamed for a deadly strike in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. 

Haniyeh had not been directly involved in the day-to-day Gaza ceasefire negotiations and was not leading the talks. The senior Hamas figure who has been central throughout ceasefire and hostage release negotiations is Khalil Al-Hayya, an official briefed on the talks told Reuters previously. 

Haniyeh's killing also came as Egypt's recently appointed Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty was in Qatar for talks on issues including the Gaza crisis. He discussed the assassination with Sheikh Mohammed, the Qatari foreign ministry said. 



Saudi Arabia: Former Public Security Director Convicted of Corruption

The ministry affirmed the Saudi government’s commitment to protecting public funds and combating corruption in all its forms. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The ministry affirmed the Saudi government’s commitment to protecting public funds and combating corruption in all its forms. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia: Former Public Security Director Convicted of Corruption

The ministry affirmed the Saudi government’s commitment to protecting public funds and combating corruption in all its forms. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The ministry affirmed the Saudi government’s commitment to protecting public funds and combating corruption in all its forms. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Saudi Ministry of Interior announced on Friday that a final ruling had been issued confirming the conviction of former Public Security Director General Lt. Gen. Khaled bin Qarar Al-Harbi for crimes including bribery, forgery, and abuse of power. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison, fined one million Saudi riyals, and ordered to return embezzled funds.

The ministry’s statement pointed to a royal order to terminate Al-Harbi’s service, retire him, and investigate him for numerous violations aimed at seizing public funds and personal gain. He was charged with several crimes, including forgery, bribery, and abuse of power. The Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority began investigating the former official and referred him to the appropriate court under the criminal procedures system.

A final ruling was issued against Al-Harbi, confirming his guilt on two counts: bribery and forgery. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison and fined one million riyals, to be deposited into the state treasury.

He was also convicted of exploiting his official position for personal benefit, involvement in government contracts, and embezzling public funds. For these crimes, he received an additional 10-year prison sentence, and the bribes he received, totaling SAR10,084,303, were confiscated and deposited into the treasury.

Additionally, Al-Harbi was ordered to return the embezzled amount of SAR2,827,000 to the state treasury. Gifts and other financial aid amounting to SAR175,000 given to his relatives as bribes were also confiscated, along with two agricultural lands he had obtained through these crimes. Furthermore, he was ordered to return another SAR584,000 to the treasury that he had acquired from these offenses.

The ministry affirmed the Saudi government’s commitment to protecting public funds, combating corruption in all its forms, and safeguarding society from those who exploit their positions for personal gain or to harm public interests. It emphasized that the legal systems would be applied to violators, regardless of their position or status.