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Oman to Lift Internal Travel Restrictions, Reduce Curfew

Oman will on Saturday lift a domestic ban on travel between provinces. (ONA)
Oman will on Saturday lift a domestic ban on travel between provinces. (ONA)
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Oman to Lift Internal Travel Restrictions, Reduce Curfew

Oman will on Saturday lift a domestic ban on travel between provinces. (ONA)
Oman will on Saturday lift a domestic ban on travel between provinces. (ONA)

Oman will on Saturday lift a domestic ban on travel between provinces, imposed on July 25 to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus during the Eid al-Adha holiday, the state news agency ONA said on Wednesday.

From Saturday it will also reduce its curfew for a week to between 9 pm and 5 am (1700-0100 GMT), instead of 7 pm to 6 am (1500 to 0200 GMT). A full lockdown of the Dhofar province in the south will be maintained until further notice.

Oman, a country of 4.7 million people, has recorded almost 80,000 coronavirus infections and 421 deaths.

It introduced lockdowns in March in some regions such as Muscat, Dhofar, Duqm and some tourist towns. Since April, it has gradually allowed commercial centers to reopen and lifted some lockdowns.

But it tightened measures for the long Eid holiday after infection numbers rose through June.

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Qatar’s Chief Negotiator Says ‘Frustrated’ by Pace of Gaza Talks

The al-Atal family's tent is seen after it was struck overnight in an Israeli airstrike that killed several family members, in the Jabalia refugee camp, Gaza City, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP)
The al-Atal family's tent is seen after it was struck overnight in an Israeli airstrike that killed several family members, in the Jabalia refugee camp, Gaza City, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP)
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Qatar’s Chief Negotiator Says ‘Frustrated’ by Pace of Gaza Talks

The al-Atal family's tent is seen after it was struck overnight in an Israeli airstrike that killed several family members, in the Jabalia refugee camp, Gaza City, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP)
The al-Atal family's tent is seen after it was struck overnight in an Israeli airstrike that killed several family members, in the Jabalia refugee camp, Gaza City, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP)

Qatar's chief negotiator voiced frustration over talks for a truce in Gaza in an interview with AFP, a month after Israel resumed its strikes on the Palestinian territory and another round of negotiations ended without a deal.

"We're definitely frustrated by the slowness, sometimes, of the process in the negotiation. This is an urgent matter. There are lives at stake here if this military operation continues day by day," Mohammed Al-Khulaifi said on Friday.

Qatar, with the United States and Egypt, brokered a truce in Gaza between Israel and Hamas which came into force on January 19 and largely halted over a year of war triggered by Palestinian gunmen’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.

The initial phase of the truce ended in early March, with the two sides unable to agree on the next steps.

Hamas has insisted that negotiations be held for a second phase to the truce, leading to a permanent end to the war, as outlined in the January framework.

Israel, which had called for an extension to the opening phase, resumed air and ground attacks across the Gaza Strip on March 18 after earlier halting the entry of aid.

Late on Thursday, Hamas signaled the group would not accept Israel's newest proposal for a 45-day ceasefire. Israel had wanted the release of 10 living hostages held by Hamas, the group said.

"We've been working continuously in the last days to try to bring the parties together and revive the agreement that has been endorsed by the two sides," the Qatari minister of state said.

"And we will remain committed to this, in spite of the difficulties," he added.