Egypt Eases COVID-19 Restrictions

A tourist wears a protective mask, following an outbreak of the coronavirus, during his visit to Luxor Temple in Egypt, March 9, 2020. (Reuters)
A tourist wears a protective mask, following an outbreak of the coronavirus, during his visit to Luxor Temple in Egypt, March 9, 2020. (Reuters)
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Egypt Eases COVID-19 Restrictions

A tourist wears a protective mask, following an outbreak of the coronavirus, during his visit to Luxor Temple in Egypt, March 9, 2020. (Reuters)
A tourist wears a protective mask, following an outbreak of the coronavirus, during his visit to Luxor Temple in Egypt, March 9, 2020. (Reuters)

The Egyptian government has started easing restrictions that were imposed to fight COVID-19 three months ago.

The new measures allow receiving customers at cafes, restaurants, and similar facilities until midnight. They also include shutting down the stores and shopping malls at 10 pm, and increasing the occupancy of cafes, and restaurants to 50 percent up from 25 percent.

Further, holding conferences and meetings is now allowed but with a maximum of 50 participants and with a limit of 100 people.

However, the government insisted on keeping occupancy at cinemas 25 percent and banning prayer of Eid al-Adha in squares.

Egypt has recorded 511 new COVID-19 infections, leaving the total of cases registered in the country since mid-February at 91,583, said the Egyptian Health Ministry.

In a statement, the Health Ministry said 40 patients died from the novel coronavirus in the past 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 4,558. Also, 933 patients were cured and discharged from hospitals, raising the total number of recoveries in the country to 32,903.

Meanwhile, Manpower Minister Mohamed Saafan said that 1,285 Egyptian workers in Kuwait are returning through eight flights that kicked off Sunday.



Independent Israeli Commission Blames Netanyahu and Others for October 2023 Attack

A protester walks between vehicles as people protest demanding the release of hostages who were kidnapped during the deadly October 7, 2023 attack, ahead of a possible ceasefire deal between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon, in Tel Aviv, Israel, November 26, 2024. (Reuters)
A protester walks between vehicles as people protest demanding the release of hostages who were kidnapped during the deadly October 7, 2023 attack, ahead of a possible ceasefire deal between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon, in Tel Aviv, Israel, November 26, 2024. (Reuters)
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Independent Israeli Commission Blames Netanyahu and Others for October 2023 Attack

A protester walks between vehicles as people protest demanding the release of hostages who were kidnapped during the deadly October 7, 2023 attack, ahead of a possible ceasefire deal between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon, in Tel Aviv, Israel, November 26, 2024. (Reuters)
A protester walks between vehicles as people protest demanding the release of hostages who were kidnapped during the deadly October 7, 2023 attack, ahead of a possible ceasefire deal between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon, in Tel Aviv, Israel, November 26, 2024. (Reuters)

The independent civilian commission of inquiry into the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel has found Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directly responsible for the failures leading up to the attack, alongside former defense ministers, the army chief and the heads of the security services.

The civil commission presented its findings today after a four-month probe in which it heard some 120 witnesses. It was set up by relatives of victims of the Hamas attack, in response to the absence of any state probe.

The commission determined that the Israeli government, its army and security services “failed in their primary mission of protecting the citizens of Israel.”

It said Netanyahu was responsible for ignoring “repeated warnings” ahead of Oct. 7, 2023 for what it described as his appeasing approach over the years toward Hamas, and for “undermining all decision-making centers, including the cabinet and the National Security Council, in a way that prevented any serious discussion” on security issues.

The commission further determined that the military and defense leaders bear blame for ignoring warnings from within the army, and for reducing the army’s presence along the Gaza border while relying excessively on technological means.

On the day of the Hamas attack, the report says, the army’s response was both slow and lacking.

The civil commission called for the immediate establishment of a state commission of inquiry into the Oct. 7 attack.

Netanyahu has opposed launching a state commission of inquiry, arguing that such an investigation should begin only once the war is over.