GCC Condemns as War Crime Israel’s Attack on School in Gaza

Palestinians inspect the damage following an Israeli strike on the Al-Taba'een school in the Daraj Tuffah neighborhood of Gaza, 10 August 2024. (EPA)
Palestinians inspect the damage following an Israeli strike on the Al-Taba'een school in the Daraj Tuffah neighborhood of Gaza, 10 August 2024. (EPA)
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GCC Condemns as War Crime Israel’s Attack on School in Gaza

Palestinians inspect the damage following an Israeli strike on the Al-Taba'een school in the Daraj Tuffah neighborhood of Gaza, 10 August 2024. (EPA)
Palestinians inspect the damage following an Israeli strike on the Al-Taba'een school in the Daraj Tuffah neighborhood of Gaza, 10 August 2024. (EPA)

Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Mohamed AlBudaiwi strongly condemned on Saturday the latest Israeli targeting of a school sheltering displaced persons in Al-Daraj neighborhood, east of Gaza City, which left scores dead and injured.

He slammed as war crimes the ongoing violent attacks by Israeli forces against the Palestinian civilians in Gaza and the rest of the Palestinian territories, and their direct targeting of shelters and camps for the displaced.

"These actions highlight the dangerous criminal approach of the Israeli occupation forces and are a blatant violation of international and humanitarian laws and treaties. They disregard all legal, moral, and humanitarian values," he stressed.

AlBudaiwi called on the international community to assume its responsibilities and take immediate and serious action to arrive at a ceasefire, put an end to Israeli’s dangerous military operations, and hold accountable those responsible for violations of international laws.

An Israeli airstrike on a Gaza City school compound housing displaced Palestinian families killed around 100 people, the Gaza Civil Emergency Service said on Saturday.

The Muslim World League (MWL) also strongly condemned the attack.

In a statement by MWL Secretariat General, Secretary General and Chairman of the Association of Muslim Scholars Sheikh Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa strongly the condemned ongoing brutal attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure in Gaza in clear violation of international laws and humanitarian norms.

He urged the international community to promptly intervene and halt the ongoing killings by the Israeli military, stressing that it is imperative to cease the systematic atrocities against innocent people.



UAE to Try Criminal Gang for Terrorizing Victims, Collecting Illegal Payments

A general view shows Abu Dhabi's skyline in the Emirati capital, Jan. 24, 2022. (AFP)
A general view shows Abu Dhabi's skyline in the Emirati capital, Jan. 24, 2022. (AFP)
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UAE to Try Criminal Gang for Terrorizing Victims, Collecting Illegal Payments

A general view shows Abu Dhabi's skyline in the Emirati capital, Jan. 24, 2022. (AFP)
A general view shows Abu Dhabi's skyline in the Emirati capital, Jan. 24, 2022. (AFP)

United Arab Emirates Attorney-General Dr. Hamad Saif Al Shamsi ordered on Friday the referral of an organized criminal gang to trial before the Abu Dhabi Court of Appeal - State Security Department - for crimes threatening the state's security, public order, and societal peace.

A thorough seven-month investigation by the Public Prosecution revealed the involvement of over a hundred defendants in forming, managing, and joining a criminal organization known as the "Bahloul" gang, reported the UAE state news agency (WAM).

The group is accused of engaging in illegal activities, accumulating illicit funds, and distributing the proceeds among themselves by exerting power and influence in the areas where they operate.

They allegedly promote their criminal activities through social media platforms and use prohibited tools and weapons to instill fear in their victims, intending to extort money from them as a form of tribute.

Additionally, the gang is accused of laundering money to conceal the illicit origins of their criminal proceeds.

The UAE Attorney-General emphasized that the Public Prosecution will enforce the law decisively against anyone who commits criminal acts or harms and terrorizes people throughout the country.

Law enforcement authorities perform their duties with utmost vigilance and in accordance with legal procedures to maintain the state's security and ensure the safety of its residents, he stressed.

He urged all citizens and residents who consider the UAE their home to report any crimes as soon as they become aware of them, in order to prevent their dire consequences.