AFP Asia Business

Israel PM vows to ‘take control of all’ of Gaza

Israel said Monday it would “take control” of the whole of Gaza as it intensified attacks across the territory, where aid trickled in for the first time in over two months after the easing of a total blockade.With supply shipments blocked by Israel since March 2, the World Health Organization warned Gaza’s “two million people are starving”.Israel, facing mounting criticism over the humanitarian crisis, announced it would let limited aid into Gaza and said the first five trucks entered Monday carrying supplies “including food for babies”.UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher said in a statement that nine trucks had been “cleared to enter… but it is a drop in the ocean of what is urgently needed”.UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric, who was unable to confirm the number of trucks inside Gaza, said that “none of the aid has been picked up” at a designated zone as it was “already dark” and due to “security concerns, we cannot operate in those conditions”.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said aid had resumed because “images of mass starvation” could harm the legitimacy of Israel’s war effort.The leaders of Britain, France and Canada issued a harsh condemnation of Israel’s conduct of the war, slamming its “egregious actions” in Gaza, particularly the expanded offensive and the “wholly inadequate” resumption of aid.They warned of “concrete actions” if Israel did not ease its stepped up offensive. Netanyahu called their joint statement a “huge prize” for Hamas.A group of 22 countries, including France, Britain, Canada, Japan and Australia said in a joint statement that Gaza’s population “faces starvation” and “must receive the aid they desperately need”.- ‘Methodical destruction’ -In southern Gaza, the Israeli military issued an evacuation call to Palestinians around Khan Yunis city ahead of what it described as an “unprecedented attack”.Gaza’s civil defence agency said 91 people were killed in Israeli attacks across the territory on Monday.Netanyahu, in a video posted on Telegram, said that “the fighting is intense and we are making progress”. “We will take control of all the territory of the strip,” he added.Israel’s military said on Monday it had struck “160 terror targets” in Gaza over the past day.The UN’s OHCHR rights office said Israel’s actions were “in defiance of international law and tantamount to ethnic cleansing”.Netanyahu said that Israel “will not give up. But in order to succeed, we must act in a way that cannot be stopped”, justifying to his hardline supporters the decision to resume aid.- Famine risk -Israel has said its blockade aimed to force concessions from Hamas — whose October 2023 attack triggered the war — but UN agencies say there are critical shortages of food, clean water, fuel and medicines.”Tonnes of food is blocked at the border, just minutes away,” World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.”The risk of famine in Gaza is increasing with the deliberate withholding of humanitarian aid.”Last week US President Donald Trump, a key ally of Netanyahu, acknowledged that “a lot of people are starving”.Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir argued against any resumption of aid, saying on X that “our hostages receive no humanitarian aid”.But Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, also of the far right, defended the decision, saying it would “allow civilians to eat and our friends in the world to keep giving us diplomatic protection”.- ‘Like apocalypse’ -Khan Yunis resident Mohammed Sarhan told AFP that Gaza’s main southern city “felt like the apocalypse”.”There was gunfire coming from every apartment, fire belts, F-16 warplanes and helicopters firing,” he said.Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee called on Gazans in the city and nearby areas to “immediately” leave the “dangerous combat zone”.AFPTV footage from Khan Yunis’s Nasser Hospital showed a young boy in a tracksuit being treated as two other boys, both barefoot and bleeding, sat on the floor.Further north in Deir el-Balah, Ayman Badwan mourned the loss of his brother in an attack.”We are exhausted and drained — we can’t take it anymore,” he told AFP.Hamas’s October 2023 attack on southern Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.Militants also took 251 hostages, 57 of whom remain in Gaza including 34 the military says are dead.Gaza’s health ministry said Monday at least 3,340 people have been killed since Israel resumed strikes on March 18, taking the war’s overall toll to 53,486.With negotiators meeting in Qatar in recent days, Netanyahu has signalled that Israel was open to a deal that would include “ending the fighting”, with all hostages released, Hamas leaders exiled and Gaza disarmed.

Britain, Canada, France warn Israel over ‘egregious’ Gaza tactics

The leaders of Britain, France and Canada on Monday condemned Israel’s “egregious actions” in Gaza and warned of joint action if it did not halt a heightened military offensive in the Palestinian territory.But Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hit back at British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, saying their joint statement was a “huge prize” for Hamas in the Gaza war.Starmer, Macron and Carney slammed Israel’s blocking of aid and comments by ministers in Netanyahu’s government who have threatened the mass displacement of Palestinians.”We will not stand by while the Netanyahu government pursues these egregious actions. If Israel does not cease the renewed military offensive and lift its restrictions on humanitarian aid, we will take further concrete actions in response,” the leaders said.They did not say what action could be taken but added: “We are committed to recognising a Palestinian state as a contribution to achieving a two-state solution and are prepared to work with others to this end.”The statement coincided with a joint demand by 22 countries — including Britain, France and Canada — for Israel to immediately “allow a full resumption of aid into Gaza”, noting that the territory’s population “faces starvation”.Israel has kept Gaza in a total aid blockade since March 2, but announced on Monday it would allow in a limited number of supply trucks.Netanyahu said the limited aid access was because “images of mass starvation” in Gaza could hurt the legitimacy of his country’s war.The British-French-Canada statement said Israel’s “denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable and risks breaching international humanitarian law”. It also slammed “abhorrent language used recently by members of the Israeli government, threatening that, in their despair at the destruction of Gaza, civilians will start to relocate”.The leaders said that “permanent forced displacement is a breach of international humanitarian law”.- ‘Total victory’ -Netanyahu gave a furious response in a statement released by his office.”By asking Israel to end a defensive war for our survival before Hamas terrorists on our border are destroyed and by demanding a Palestinian state, the leaders in London, Ottawa and Paris are offering a huge prize for the genocidal attack on Israel on October 7 while inviting more such atrocities,” he said, referring to the Hamas attacks in 2023 that set off the war.Netanyahu said “all European leaders” should follow US President Donald Trump’s example in supporting Israel.”The war can end tomorrow if the remaining hostages are released, Hamas lays down its arms, its murderous leaders are exiled and Gaza is demilitarised. No nation can be expected to accept anything less and Israel certainly won’t,” Netanyahu declared.”This is a war of civilisation over barbarism. Israel will continue to defend itself by just means until total victory is achieved.”Israel’s military has stepped up an offensive in Gaza as part of its prolonged response to Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack that resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.Gaza’s health ministry said on Monday at least 3,340 people have been killed since Israel resumed strikes on March 18, taking the war’s overall toll to 53,486.

US stocks edge higher while dollar dips after Moody’s downgrade

Wall Street stocks finished a meandering session higher Monday, shrugging off Moody’s downgrade of US sovereign debt, which could balloon further.Yields of US Treasury bonds spiked early in the day in a dynamic that revived talk of the “Sell America” narrative that unsettled markets in early April following President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariff announcements.But US …

US stocks edge higher while dollar dips after Moody’s downgrade Read More »

Israel will ‘take control of all’ of Gaza, PM says

Israel said Monday it would “take control” of the whole of Gaza as it intensified its campaign across the territory, where aid trickled in for the first time in over two months after the easing of a total blockade.With shipments of supplies to the war-ravaged Strip blocked by Israel since March 2, the World Health Organization warned the territory’s “two million people are starving”.Israel, facing mounting criticism over the humanitarian crisis, announced it would let limited aid into Gaza and said the first five trucks entered Monday carrying supplies “including food for babies”.UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher said in a statement that nine trucks had been “cleared to enter… but it is a drop in the ocean of what is urgently needed”.UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric, who was unable to confirm the exact number of trucks inside Gaza, said that “none of the aid has been picked up” at a designated zone as it was “already dark” and due to “security concerns, we cannot operate in those conditions”.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cited “practical and diplomatic reasons” for the resumption of aid, saying that “images of mass starvation” could harm the legitimacy of Israel’s war effort.The leaders of Britain, France and Canada issued a harsh condemnation of Israel’s conduct of the war Monday, slamming its “egregious actions” in Gaza, particularly the expanded offensive and the “wholly inadequate” limited resumption of aid.- ‘Methodical destruction’ -In southern Gaza, the Israeli military issued an evacuation call to Palestinians in and around Khan Yunis city ahead of what it described as an “unprecedented attack”.Gaza’s civil defence agency said 52 people had been killed in Israeli attacks on Monday across the territory as of mid-afternoon.Netanyahu, in a video posted on Telegram, said that “the fighting is intense and we are making progress”. “We will take control of all the territory of the strip,” he added.Israel’s military said on Monday it had struck “160 terror targets” in Gaza over the past day.The UN’s OHCHR rights office decried actions that are “in defiance of international law and tantamount to ethnic cleansing”, citing the latest attacks, displacement, the “methodical destruction of entire neighbourhoods” and denial of humanitarian aid.Netanyahu on Monday said that Israel “will not give up. But in order to succeed, we must act in a way that cannot be stopped”, justifying to his hardline supporters the decision to resume aid.- Famine risk -Israel has said its blockade was aimed at forcing concessions from Hamas — whose October 2023 attack triggered the war — but UN agencies have warned of critical shortages of food, clean water, fuel and medicines.”Tonnes of food is blocked at the border, just minutes away,” World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.”The risk of famine in Gaza is increasing with the deliberate withholding of humanitarian aid.”Last week US President Donald Trump acknowledged that “a lot of people are starving”, adding “we’re going to get that taken care of”.A group of 22 mostly European countries, including France and Germany, said in a joint statement on Monday that Gaza’s population “faces starvation” and “must receive the aid they desperately need”.Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir argued against any resumption of aid, saying on X that “our hostages receive no humanitarian aid”.But Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, also of the far right, defended the decision, saying it would “allow civilians to eat and our friends in the world to keep giving us diplomatic protection”.- ‘Like apocalypse’ -Khan Yunis resident Mohammed Sarhan told AFP that Gaza’s main southern city “felt like the apocalypse” on Monday.”There was gunfire coming from every apartment, fire belts, F-16 warplanes and helicopters firing,” he said.Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee called on Gazans in the city and nearby areas to “immediately” leave the “dangerous combat zone”.AFPTV footage from Khan Yunis’s Nasser Hospital showed a young boy in a tracksuit being treated as two other boys, both barefoot and bleeding, sat on the floor.Further north in Deir el-Balah, Ayman Badwan mourned the loss of his brother in an attack.”We are exhausted and drained — we can’t take it anymore,” he told AFP.Hamas’s October 2023 attack on southern Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.Militants also took 251 hostages, 57 of whom remain in Gaza including 34 the military says are dead.Gaza’s health ministry said Monday at least 3,340 people have been killed since Israel resumed strikes on March 18, taking the war’s overall toll to 53,486.With negotiators meeting in Qatar in recent days, Netanyahu on Sunday signalled that Israel was open to a deal that would include “ending the fighting”, with all hostages released, Hamas leaders exiled and Gaza disarmed.

Cairo-set Cannes thriller takes aim at Egypt’s president

Director Tarik Saleh said he decided that, if he was going to address Egyptian politics head-on in his latest film, it needed to include Egypt’s current president.In his explosive political thriller “Eagles of the Republic”, which premiered in Cannes on Monday, the Swedish-Egyptian filmmaker used real footage of President Abdelfattah al-Sisi and even found a lookalike to briefly play him.”I don’t have a choice because he’s a constant. He will sit there until he dies,” the Sweden-based director told AFP ahead of the screening in the Cannes Festival’s main competition.His third Cairo-set feature — after 2017 “The Nile Hilton Incident” and “Cairo Conspiracy” which won best screenplay at Cannes in 2022 — includes a hair-raising twist that Saleh said surprised even him when he wrote it.Shot in Turkey with largely non-Egyptian actors, the film starts off following the fictional George Fahmy, Egypt’s most celebrated actor, who is pressured into starring in a propaganda film about the country’s leader.Fahmy — played by Swedish-Lebanese actor Fares Fares — looks nothing like the general turned president, and is much taller than him, but that does not seem to be a problem.The Egyptian military has for decades held a sizeable stake of the economy, and after Sisi seized power it “took over the film industry within a year”, Saleh said.He said he was inspired to write his film after a television series called “The Choice” came out in Egypt, in which actor Yasser Galal plays Sisi as he rises to power.”Galal, who’s this tall, very handsome actor, plays him. And when I saw that TV series, I was like, this is absurd. I mean, El-Sisi is 1.66″ metres (5ft 4ins) tall, Saleh said.The Egyptian leader was portrayed as “very noble in every interaction”, and the Islamist president he toppled in 2013, Mohamed Morsi, was depicted as “cross-eyed”, he added.- Sisi ‘under pressure’ -Saleh said he asked himself what he would have done if he lived in Egypt and the authorities asked him to direct such a story.The result is “Eagles of the Republic”, in which a filmmaker is also forced against his will to direct the propaganda film.Egypt has been ruled by a president hailing from the military since 1952 — with the exception of Morsi, who was elected after the 2011 Arab Spring uprising.Since the worst-ever Gaza war broke out after Palestinian militant group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, Egypt under Sisi has walked a diplomatic tightrope. It has condemned Israel and rejected US President Donald Trump’s proposal to take over Gaza and push its more than two million inhabitants into neighbouring Egypt and Jordan.But it has also mediated in truce talks and kept diplomatic relations with Israel.Sisi is “under pressure because of the conflict”, said Saleh.