Kuwait Says to Open Abdali Border Crossing with Iraq

Kuwaiti Prime Minister during his visit to Abdali port on Thursday, December 16, 2021. (KUNA)
Kuwaiti Prime Minister during his visit to Abdali port on Thursday, December 16, 2021. (KUNA)
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Kuwait Says to Open Abdali Border Crossing with Iraq

Kuwaiti Prime Minister during his visit to Abdali port on Thursday, December 16, 2021. (KUNA)
Kuwaiti Prime Minister during his visit to Abdali port on Thursday, December 16, 2021. (KUNA)

Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sabah al-Khaled said Abdali border crossing with Iraq will be opened next week to boost economic cooperation, trade exchange and facilitate movement between the two countries.

Al-Khaled made an inspection tour of the northern border facilities. He was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Sheikh Hamad al-Ali and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Dr. Ahmed al-Nasser.

In this context, Head of Iraq’s Border Ports Authority Omar al-Waeli underlined the economic and commercial significance of this border checkpoint for both countries.

He told Asharq Al-Awsat that Safwan and Abdali border crossings with Kuwait were shut to travelers and trade at both countries’ request in March 2020, amid fears over the spread of coronavirus.

The recent decision will bolster bilateral commercial and economic cooperation, Waeli noted, affirming that both countries welcomed the decision.

Commenting on the importance of the border crossing in the future, Waeli pointed out that Kuwait has one border crossing with Iraq, making it crucial during all times.



Gaza's Health Ministry Says the Palestinian Death Toll from the War Has Surpassed 46,000

People search the rubble of a building destroyed in an Israeli strike on the Bureij camp for Palestinian refugees in the central Gaza Strip on January 8, 2025 as the war between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement continues. (Photo by Eyad BABA / AFP)
People search the rubble of a building destroyed in an Israeli strike on the Bureij camp for Palestinian refugees in the central Gaza Strip on January 8, 2025 as the war between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement continues. (Photo by Eyad BABA / AFP)
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Gaza's Health Ministry Says the Palestinian Death Toll from the War Has Surpassed 46,000

People search the rubble of a building destroyed in an Israeli strike on the Bureij camp for Palestinian refugees in the central Gaza Strip on January 8, 2025 as the war between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement continues. (Photo by Eyad BABA / AFP)
People search the rubble of a building destroyed in an Israeli strike on the Bureij camp for Palestinian refugees in the central Gaza Strip on January 8, 2025 as the war between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement continues. (Photo by Eyad BABA / AFP)

More than 46,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israel-Hamas war, Gaza's Health Ministry said Thursday, as the conflict raged into a 16th month with no end in sight.
The ministry said a total of 46,006 Palestinians have been killed and 109,378 wounded. It has said women and children make up more than half the fatalities, but does not say how many of the dead were fighters or civilians, said The Associated Press.
The Israeli military says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. It says it tries to avoid harming civilians and blames Hamas for their deaths because the militants operate in residential areas. Israel has also repeatedly struck what it claims are militants hiding in shelters and hospitals, often killing women and children.
The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting around 250. Some 100 hostages are still inside Gaza. Israeli authorities believe at least a third of them were killed in the initial attack or have died in captivity.
The war has flattened large areas of Gaza and displaced around 90% of its 2.3 million people, with many forced to flee multiple times. Hundreds of thousands are packed into sprawling tent camps along the coast with limited access to food and other essentials.
In recent weeks, Israel and Hamas have appeared to inch closer to an agreement for a ceasefire and the release of hostages. But the indirect talks mediated by the United States, Qatar and Egypt have repeatedly stalled over the past year, and major obstacles remain.