Libya: COVID-19 Forces Sabha Residents to Isolate Themselves

A worker wears a protective face mask and gloves at a factory for masks, as part of precautionary measures against coronavirus, in Misrata, Libya. (File photo: Reuters)
A worker wears a protective face mask and gloves at a factory for masks, as part of precautionary measures against coronavirus, in Misrata, Libya. (File photo: Reuters)
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Libya: COVID-19 Forces Sabha Residents to Isolate Themselves

A worker wears a protective face mask and gloves at a factory for masks, as part of precautionary measures against coronavirus, in Misrata, Libya. (File photo: Reuters)
A worker wears a protective face mask and gloves at a factory for masks, as part of precautionary measures against coronavirus, in Misrata, Libya. (File photo: Reuters)

Libya's National Center for Disease Control (NCDC) called on all citizens to remain in Sabha city until those who were in direct contact with individuals recently tested positive for COVID-19 were traced and the epidemiological situation stabilized.

The number of people infected with the COVID-19 virus in Sabha has increased Tuesday, after 10 new cases had been recorded in the city, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 168, with 52 recoveries and five deaths.

NCDC advised the residents of Sabha, south of Libya, to follow the preventative measures, including, curfew, social distancing, and rigorous adherence to personal hygiene to help stem the spread of the pandemic.

The Center indicated that its epidemiological monitoring and investigation teams as well as the rapid response teams are doing their best to track and identify cases.

It dedicated a free-of-charge emergency number for citizens who have any inquiry or suspect they have any of the virus’ symptoms.

Meanwhile, Justice Ministry of the Government of National Accord (GNA) said that the Ministry's health care unit continues to distribute a number of medical and preventive equipment to prisons and rehabilitation centers in Tripoli, including hand sterilizers and disinfectants.

The Ministry noted that these efforts aim to contain the pandemic and prevent its outbreak in prisons.

The supreme committee to combat coronavirus in the eastern region imposed a general lockdown in from 7 PM till 6 AM to help limit the spread of the virus.

The medical consultative committee said that 74 citizens left their hotel in Benghazi after 14 days of quarantine.

On Tuesday, the US Embassy in Libya announced that the US government has committed an additional $6.5 million in support of Libya’s COVID-19 response, which include helping municipalities formalize their crisis response functions, develop emergency management plans, and train teams in crisis emergency response.

The embassy noted that this additional support will also help to expand public awareness and provide assistance to migrants and refugees in Libya during the pandemic.

“The US Government continues to support Libya’s response to COVID-19, totaling over $12 million in assistance committed since the beginning of the outbreak.”



Israeli Leaders Applaud Trump Pledge on Hostages, Gazans Fear the Worst

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a news conference in Jerusalem on September 2, 2024. (AFP)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a news conference in Jerusalem on September 2, 2024. (AFP)
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Israeli Leaders Applaud Trump Pledge on Hostages, Gazans Fear the Worst

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a news conference in Jerusalem on September 2, 2024. (AFP)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a news conference in Jerusalem on September 2, 2024. (AFP)

Israeli leaders hailed on Tuesday a pledge by US President-elect Donald Trump that there would be "hell to pay" in the Middle East unless hostages held in the Gaza Strip were released ahead of his Jan. 20 inauguration.

The reaction in Gaza was less enthusiastic.

Writing on Truth Social, and without naming any group, Trump said the hostages had to be freed by the time he was sworn in.

If his demand was not met, he said: "Those responsible will be hit harder than anybody has been hit in the long and storied History of the United States of America."

During their deadly 2023 attack on Israel, Hamas-led fighters captured more than 250 people. Some have been released or freed but around half of them are still in Gaza, although at least a third of these are believed to be dead.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and many of his ministers publicly thanked Trump for his hard-hitting words.

"President Trump put the emphasis in the right place, on Hamas, and not on the Israeli government, as is customary (elsewhere)," Netanyahu said at the start of a cabinet meeting.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said Trump's statement had made clear to everyone who was in the right, and who was wrong.

"This is the way to bring back the hostages: by increasing the pressure and the costs for Hamas and its supporters, and defeating them, rather than giving in to their absurd demands."

Families of the missing hostages also expressed their gratitude. "It is now evident to all: the time has come. We must bring them home NOW," the families forum said.

NEGOTIATIONS STALLED

Israel and Hamas have held on-off negotiations since October 2023, but after an initial hostage release in November, little progress has been made with both sides blaming each other.

Responding to Trump's post, senior Hamas official Basem Naim said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had sabotaged all efforts to secure a deal that involved exchanging the hostages for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons.

"Therefore, we understand (Trump's) message is directed first at Netanyahu and his government to end this evil game," he told Reuters.

Gaza political analyst Ramiz Moghani said Trump's threat was directed at both Hamas and its backer Iran, and warned that it would embolden Israel to not expel Palestinians from swathes of Gaza but also annex the nearby, Israeli-occupied West Bank.

"These statements have serious implications for the Israeli war in Gaza and the West Bank," he told Reuters.

Mohammed Dahlan, like hundreds of thousands of Gazans, has had to flee his house because of the fighting and is desperate for the war to end. But he said he was shocked by Trump.

"We were hoping that the new administration would bring with it a breakthrough .... but it seems (Trump) is in complete agreement with the Israeli administration and that there are apparently more punitive measures ahead," he said.