Egypt's Al-Azhar Hails Success of Hajj Season

Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed El-Tayyeb speaks in Cairo. (Reuters)
Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed El-Tayyeb speaks in Cairo. (Reuters)
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Egypt's Al-Azhar Hails Success of Hajj Season

Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed El-Tayyeb speaks in Cairo. (Reuters)
Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed El-Tayyeb speaks in Cairo. (Reuters)

Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed El-Tayyeb congratulated Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz on the successful organization of the pilgrimage this year as the kingdom was keen on holding the Hajj season in accordance with preventive measures adopted to face the coronavirus pandemic and ensure pilgrims safety.

In June, Al-Azhar welcomed the Saudi Arabia's decision to hold Hajj this year and limit the number of worshipers residing in the Kingdom from various nationalities.

El-Tayyeb lauded the efforts exerted by King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, deputy prime minister and minister of defense, aiming at serving pilgrims and maintaining their safety.

He described the Kingdom’s decision as wise and considerate for refraining from disrupting the pilgrimage ritual.

El-Tayyeb also expressed in a statement on Twitter his sincere wishes to the Saudi King over his health.

"I congratulate Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz on the success of his surgery," he said in a tweet, wishing King Salman good health and wellness.



Netanyahu: Israel Retains Right to Resume Gaza Fighting

FILED - 03 March 2020, Israel, Tel Aviv: Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, delivers an address. Photo: Ilia Yefimovich/dpa
FILED - 03 March 2020, Israel, Tel Aviv: Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, delivers an address. Photo: Ilia Yefimovich/dpa
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Netanyahu: Israel Retains Right to Resume Gaza Fighting

FILED - 03 March 2020, Israel, Tel Aviv: Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, delivers an address. Photo: Ilia Yefimovich/dpa
FILED - 03 March 2020, Israel, Tel Aviv: Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, delivers an address. Photo: Ilia Yefimovich/dpa

Israel retains the right to resume war in Gaza with US backing should the second stage of the ceasefire prove pointless, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday.

"If we must return to fighting we will do that in new, forceful ways," Netanyahu said in a video statement.

"President (Donald) Trump and President (Joe) Biden have given full backing to Israel's right to return to combat if Israel concludes that negotiations on Phase B are futile," he said.

The ceasefire between Hamas and Israel will go into effect Sunday at 8:30 a.m. local time (0630 GMT), mediator Qatar announced Saturday, as families of hostages held in Gaza braced for news of loved ones, Palestinians prepared to receive freed detainees and humanitarian groups rushed to set up a surge of aid.
The prime minister had warned earlier that a ceasefire wouldn’t go forward unless Israel received the names of hostages to be released, as had been agreed.

The pause in 15 months of war is a step toward ending the deadliest, most destructive fighting ever between Israel and the Hamas militant group — and comes more than a year after the only other ceasefire achieved. The deal was achieved under joint pressure from Trump and the outgoing administration of President Biden ahead of Monday's inauguration.
The first phase of the ceasefire will last 42 days, and negotiations on the far more difficult second phase are meant to begin just over two weeks in. After those six weeks, Israel’s security Cabinet will decide how to proceed.
Israeli airstrikes continued Saturday, and Gaza's Health Ministry said 23 bodies had been brought to hospitals over the past 24 hours.