Arab States Condemn Terrorist Attack in Egypt’s Sinai

Armored vehicles for the Egyptian army in Sinai. (Archival Photo - AFP)
Armored vehicles for the Egyptian army in Sinai. (Archival Photo - AFP)
TT

Arab States Condemn Terrorist Attack in Egypt’s Sinai

Armored vehicles for the Egyptian army in Sinai. (Archival Photo - AFP)
Armored vehicles for the Egyptian army in Sinai. (Archival Photo - AFP)

Several Arab states have condemned the terrorist attack that targeted a water pumping plant west of Sinai in Egypt, leaving one officer and 10 Egyptian soldiers dead and five injured.

The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly denounced the attack, affirming the Kingdom’s full support for Egypt towards everything that threatens its security and stability, and its appreciation for the role of the Egyptian Armed Forces in confronting such terrorist and sabotage acts.

“The Kingdom extends its sincere condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims and to the government and people of Egypt, and also wishes all the injured a speedy recovery,” it added.

The UAE also strongly denounced the attack. Its Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation asserted its constant rejection of all forms of violence and terrorism aimed at threatening security and stability in contravention of humanitarian values and principles.

The Ministry affirmed its solidarity with Egypt in confronting terrorists and taking all necessary measures to maintain security and stability.

Bahrain slammed the “cowardly” terrorist attack. Its Foreign Ministry expressed sincere condolences to the Egyptian government, people, and families of the victims, wishing all those injured a speedy recovery.

It affirmed Bahrain’s solidarity with Egypt in its war against terrorism, and its full support for all the measures it takes in confronting extremist terrorist organizations and maintaining the country’s security, stability and the safety of its citizens and residents.

Kuwait and Qatar also condemned the attack.

Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry confirmed its solidarity with Egypt and support to all the measures taken to maintain its security and stability and confront terrorism and extremism.

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry, for its part, reiterated the country’s firm stance in rejecting violence and terrorism.

Meanwhile, Jordan’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Haitham Abu Al Foul said the Kingdom strongly denounces this “cowardly” terrorist attack, reiterating its support for Egypt’s anti-terrorism efforts.

The Palestinian Presidency also denounced the attack in Egypt.

“President Mahmoud Abbas extends his deepest condolences to his brother, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and to the families of the victims of this heinous crime, which targeted a group of heroes of the Egyptian army,” it stressed in a statement.

It further affirmed the Palestinian people and leadership’s solidarity with Egypt in its war against terrorism, wishing the country, its people and its army continued stability and prosperity.



With Nowhere Else to Hide, Gazans Shelter in Former Prison

24 July 2024, Palestinian Territories, Khan Younis: Displaced Palestinians stay in Asda prison in Khan Younis after the Israeli army ordered them to leave their homes in the towns of Abasan, Bani Suhaila, Ma'an, Al-Zana and a number of other villages, amid Israel-Hamas conflict. (dpa)
24 July 2024, Palestinian Territories, Khan Younis: Displaced Palestinians stay in Asda prison in Khan Younis after the Israeli army ordered them to leave their homes in the towns of Abasan, Bani Suhaila, Ma'an, Al-Zana and a number of other villages, amid Israel-Hamas conflict. (dpa)
TT

With Nowhere Else to Hide, Gazans Shelter in Former Prison

24 July 2024, Palestinian Territories, Khan Younis: Displaced Palestinians stay in Asda prison in Khan Younis after the Israeli army ordered them to leave their homes in the towns of Abasan, Bani Suhaila, Ma'an, Al-Zana and a number of other villages, amid Israel-Hamas conflict. (dpa)
24 July 2024, Palestinian Territories, Khan Younis: Displaced Palestinians stay in Asda prison in Khan Younis after the Israeli army ordered them to leave their homes in the towns of Abasan, Bani Suhaila, Ma'an, Al-Zana and a number of other villages, amid Israel-Hamas conflict. (dpa)

After weeks of Israeli bombardment left them with nowhere else to go, hundreds of Palestinians have ended up in a former Gaza prison built to hold murderers and thieves.

Yasmeen al-Dardasi said she and her family passed wounded people they were unable to help as they evacuated from a district in the southern city of Khan Younis towards its Central Correction and Rehabilitation Facility.

They spent a day under a tree before moving on to the former prison, where they now live in a prayer room. It offers protection from the blistering sun, but not much else.

Dardasi's husband has a damaged kidney and just one lung, but no mattress or blanket.

"We are not settled here either," said Dardasi, who like many Palestinians fears she will be uprooted once again.

Israel has said it goes out of its way to protect civilians in its war with the Palestinian group Hamas, which runs Gaza and led the attack on Israel on Oct. 7 that sparked the latest conflict.

Palestinians, many of whom have been displaced several times, say nowhere is free of Israeli bombardment, which has reduced much of Gaza to rubble.

An Israeli air strike killed at least 90 Palestinians in a designated humanitarian zone in the Al-Mawasi area on July 13, the territory's health ministry said, in an attack that Israel said targeted Hamas' elusive military chief Mohammed Deif.

On Thursday, Gaza's health ministry said Israeli military strikes on areas in eastern Khan Younis had killed 14 people.

Entire neighborhoods have been flattened in one of the most densely populated places in the world, where poverty and unemployment have long been widespread.

According to the United Nations, nine in ten people across Gaza are now internally displaced.

Israeli soldiers told Saria Abu Mustafa and her family that they should flee for safety as tanks were on their way, she said. The family had no time to change so they left in their prayer clothes.

After sleeping outside on sandy ground, they too found refuge in the prison, among piles of rubble and gaping holes in buildings from the battles which were fought there. Inmates had been released long before Israel attacked.

"We didn't take anything with us. We came here on foot, with children walking with us," she said, adding that many of the women had five or six children with them and that water was hard to find.

She held her niece, who was born during the conflict, which has killed her father and brothers.

When Hamas-led gunmen burst into southern Israel from Gaza on Oct. 7 they killed 1,200 people and took more than 250 people hostage, according to Israeli tallies.

More than 39,000 Palestinians have been killed in the air and ground offensive Israel launched in response, Palestinian health officials say.

Hana Al-Sayed Abu Mustafa arrived at the prison after being displaced six times.

If Egyptian, US and Qatari mediators fail to secure a ceasefire they have long said is close, she and other Palestinians may be on the move once again. "Where should we go? All the places that we go to are dangerous," she said.