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US Mediates between Libya’s Parliament, High Council of State

The Libyan parliament meets in Tobruk on Tuesday. (Parliament's press office)
The Libyan parliament meets in Tobruk on Tuesday. (Parliament's press office)
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US Mediates between Libya’s Parliament, High Council of State

The Libyan parliament meets in Tobruk on Tuesday. (Parliament's press office)
The Libyan parliament meets in Tobruk on Tuesday. (Parliament's press office)

The Libyan Presidential Council sought US mediation to resolve the ongoing disputes between the Speaker of Libya’s House of Representatives (HoR), Aguila Saleh, and the Chairman of the High Council of State (HCS) Khalid al-Mishri.

The US and the international and local community fear an outbreak of a new armed conflict in Tripoli between militias loyal to the interim Government of National Unity (GNU), headed by Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah, and militias loyal to parliament-appointed Fathi Bashagha, who chairs the "stability" cabinet.

Member of the Presidential Council Abdullah al-Lafi discussed with US Ambassador Richard Norland the Council’s efforts to address Libya's political and security situation.

During a phone call, Lafi and Norland agreed that parties should avoid any step that could provoke violence.

Lafi sought to convince Norland to mediate between Saleh and Mishri after sources close to the two parties confirmed the failure of their recent meeting in Cairo.

Lafi and Norland commended the Council for its work in promoting national reconciliation and welcomed the African Union (AU) role in this regard.

The ambassador applauded the Presidential Council's engagement with key leaders and noted the intensive discussions that were held in Ankara, Cairo, and Libya.

"The US urges the GNU to continue engagement with Libyan institutions to pave the way for presidential and parliamentary elections as soon as possible," he remarked.

They stressed that work would continue to resolve all political issues that are impeding stability, paving the way for holding presidential and parliamentary elections and avoiding any escalation that might threaten the political process and the safety of civilians.

On Monday, Saleh and Mishri arrived in Cairo for a meeting aimed at discussing the Libyan crisis.

Saleh’s media advisor Abdul Hamid al-Safi said the meeting addressed the contentious constitutional issues, namely the case of dual nationals and the right of military personnel to vote.

Safi noted that Saleh and Mishri agreed to return to their councils for further consultation and to reach a final agreement on the draft constitution regarding the constitutional framework.

Well-informed sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that Saleh and Mishri would return to Cairo after ten days.

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UN Food Agency Says Its Food Stocks in Gaza Have Run out under Israel’s Blockade

A girl puts a pot to her head as Palestinians wait to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen, in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip, April 24, 2025. (Reuters)
A girl puts a pot to her head as Palestinians wait to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen, in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip, April 24, 2025. (Reuters)
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UN Food Agency Says Its Food Stocks in Gaza Have Run out under Israel’s Blockade

A girl puts a pot to her head as Palestinians wait to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen, in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip, April 24, 2025. (Reuters)
A girl puts a pot to her head as Palestinians wait to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen, in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip, April 24, 2025. (Reuters)

The World Food Program says its food stocks in the Gaza Strip have run out under Israel’s nearly 8-week-old blockade, ending a main source of sustenance for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in the territory.

The WFP said in a statement that it delivered the last of its stocks to charity kitchens that it supports around Gaza. It said those kitchens are expected to run out of food in the coming days.

Some 80% of Gaza’s population of more than 2 million relies primarily on charity kitchens for food, because other sources have shut down under Israel’s blockade, according to the UN. The WFP has been supporting 47 kitchens that distribute 644,000 hot meals a day, WFP spokesperson Abeer Etefa told the Associated Press.

It was not immediately clear how many kitchens would still be operating in Gaza if those shut down. But Etefa said the WFP-backed kitchens are the major ones in Gaza.

Israel cut off entry of all food, fuel, medicine and other supplies to Gaza on March 2 and then resumed its bombardment and ground offensives two weeks later, shattering a two-month ceasefire with Hamas. It says the moves aim to pressure Hamas to release hostages it still holds. Rights groups have called the blockade a “starvation tactic” and a potential war crime.

Israel has said Gaza has enough supplies after a surge of aid entered during the ceasefire and accuses Hamas of diverting aid for its purposes. Humanitarian workers deny there is significant diversion, saying the UN strictly monitors distribution. They say the aid flow during the ceasefire was barely enough to cover the immense needs from throughout the war when only a trickle of supplies got in.

With no new goods entering Gaza, many foods have disappeared from markets, including meat, eggs, fruits, dairy products and many vegetables. Prices for what remains have risen dramatically, becoming unaffordable for much of the population. Most families rely heavily on canned goods.

Malnutrition is already surging. The UN said it identified 3,700 children suffering from acute malnutrition in March, up 80% from the month before. At the same time, because of diminishing supplies, aid groups were only able to provide nutritional supplements to some 22,000 children in March, down 70% from February. The supplements are a crucial tool for averting malnutrition.

Almost all bakeries shut down weeks ago and the WFP stopped distribution of food basics to families for lack of supplies. With stocks of most ingredients depleted, charity kitchens generally can only serve meals of pasta or rice with little added.

World Central Kitchen -- a US charity that is one of the biggest in Gaza that doesn’t rely on the WFP -- said Thursday that its kitchens had run out of proteins. Instead, they make stews from canned vegetables. Because fuel is scarce, it dismantles wooden shipping pallets to burn in its stoves, it said. It also runs the only bakery still functioning in Gaza, producing 87,000 loaves of pita a day.

The WFP said 116,000 tons of food is ready to be brought into Gaza if Israel opens the borders, enough to feed 1 million people for four months.

Israel has leveled much of Gaza with its air and ground campaign, vowing to destroy Hamas after its Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel. It has killed over 51,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, whose count does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

In the Oct. 7 attack, gunmen killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251. They still hold 59 hostages after most were released in ceasefire deals.