Latest news with #IOF
Morocco World
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Morocco World
Trump Says Israel Agrees to 60-Day Gaza Ceasefire Deal, Hopes Hamas Will Accept
Rabat – US President Donald Trump has announced that Israel has agreed to a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza. Trump said that Israel had accepted the 'necessary conditions' for a temporary ceasefire and urged Hamas to do the same. However, he did not give further details about the plan. The goal of the 60-day ceasefire is to create space for talks between Israel and Hamas toward a permanent end to the war on Gaza. Trump explained that both sides would begin discussions during this period, which he said was an important part of the proposal. Previous efforts to reach a lasting ceasefire have failed, in large part because such talks never got off the ground, in addition to Israeli Occupation Forces repeatedly violating truce terms. Hamas has not yet accepted the deal. The Palestinian group has previously said it wants a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and full guarantees for the safety of civilians. Trump is expected to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu next week to discuss the agreement further. One of the key elements of the proposed ceasefire is the release of hostages. In recent weeks, there has been growing pressure on both sides to secure an exchange between hostages held by Hamas in return for Palestinian prisoners held in Israel. Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar expressed strong support for the new deal, writing on social media: 'A large majority within the government and the population is in favour of the plan to free the hostages. If the opportunity arises, it must not be missed!' Opposition leader Yair Lapid also backed the plan and offered to support Netanyahu in the Israeli parliament if needed to help the agreement pass. However, not everyone in the Israeli government is on board. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, both members of the far-right, have opposed the deal. Ben-Gvir called on Smotrich to work with him to block the ceasefire. Their opposition has sparked anger from the families of hostages, who are desperate to see their loved ones return home. Meanwhile, the Israeli Occupation Forces continue their relentless genocidal war on Gaza, mercilessly attacking civilians, including at aid distribution sites. Hundreds of Gazans have been shot dead while going to collect desperately needed food and supplies. Harrowing reports have surfaced on international media channels, of IOF members admitting to being ordered to shoot civilians dead at the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation 'aid' centers, which human rights NGOs warn have become danger zones for Palestinians. The death toll currently stands at around at least 56,531 Palestinians murdered by the IOF since October 7, 2023. Although the news of a potential ceasefire brings a glimmer of hope amongst the carnage, given Israel's past record of repeated violations , it provides little relief unless there is a guarantee from international powers that the terms will be upheld this time around. Tags: ceasefireGazaHamasIsrael
Roya News
a day ago
- Health
- Roya News
Red Cross: Gaza's healthcare system is collapsing under weight of continued violence, restrictions
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) issued a stark warning Tuesday over the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Gaza, as the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) operations expanded in Gaza City and Jabaliya amid growing international pressure for a ceasefire. In a statement from its Geneva headquarters, the ICRC said it was "deeply alarmed by the intensifying hostilities in Gaza City and Jabaliya, which have reportedly caused dozens of deaths and injuries among civilians over the past 36 hours." The renewed offensive follows calls from global leaders, including US President Donald Trump, for an immediate halt to the aggression and a new agreement to secure the release of captives still held by Palestinian factions in Gaza. Despite those appeals, the IOF has pushed forward with its campaign to dismantle Hamas. On Tuesday, Gaza's civil defense authorities reported that at least 20 people had been killed in 'Israeli' strikes, adding to an already mounting civilian toll. The Red Cross expressed grave concern for Gaza's health infrastructure, which it said is collapsing under the weight of continued violence and long-standing restrictions on medical supplies. "The intensification of hostilities comes as Gaza's already-decimated healthcare system struggles to absorb a relentless surge in critical cases," the ICRC noted. According to the organization, nearly all public hospitals have been either shuttered or severely damaged, while access to essential medicines, fuel, and equipment has been drastically limited. Even the few facilities that remain open, such as the ICRC's own field hospital, are reportedly "overwhelmed and running dangerously low on essential supplies, including fuel, and even body bags." "This severely compromises their ability to treat the wounded or ensure dignified management of the dead," the statement added. In addition to the medical crisis, the ICRC flagged serious concerns about ongoing evacuation orders that have forced displaced residents into increasingly crowded areas with limited access to food, shelter, and basic hygiene. These mass movements are also impeding emergency teams from reaching victims trapped in affected zones. "The ICRC urgently reiterates its call for the protection of medical personnel and medical facilities in Gaza," the organization said. The Red Cross also stressed that civilians forced to flee must be guaranteed adequate living conditions, including access to sanitation, healthcare, and food. "Many people in Gaza right now are injured, sick, or have disabilities. They are often unable to comply with evacuation orders. Constant care must be taken to spare them," the statement concluded.
Straits Times
a day ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Brazil government challenges Congress' reversal of tax hike, escalating tensions
Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva walks on stage after giving a speech during the Blue Economy and Finance Forum (BEFF) at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco, June 8, 2025. REUTERS/Manon Cruz/Pool/ File Photo BRASILIA - Brazil's government filed a lawsuit with the Supreme Court on Tuesday challenging Congress' decision to overturn a tax hike on financial transactions, heating up tensions between the branches of power as the administration seeks ways to meet fiscal goals. The government believes that lawmakers overstepped their constitutional powers and created legal uncertainty by reversing President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's decree raising the so-called IOF tax, Solicitor General Jorge Messias told reporters. Lula hiked the tax levied on certain credit, foreign-exchange and private pension plan operations in May as a way to boost revenue and limit spending freezes needed to comply with the government's fiscal framework. The move, however, sparked immediate backlash from lawmakers, who said they would not approve the tax hikes and last week dealt the government a major blow by ultimately nixing the decree. "If we hadn't made this move, we would be allowing interference from one branch of government into another," Messias said about the lawsuit. "Our approach is strictly legal, not political." The government had estimated that the IOF hike, already scaled back from an initial proposal for even higher rates, would generate an additional 12 billion reais ($2.20 billion) in revenue this year. Deputy Finance Minister Dario Durigan said earlier on Tuesday that the measure, along with some other fiscal proposals put forward by the government, would ensure compliance with the fiscal target this year and next. Latin America's largest economy aims to eliminate its primary deficit in 2025 and deliver a primary surplus of 0.25% of gross domestic product in 2026, though economists have voiced skepticism about its ability to reach those targets. "The reversal of the decree ends up affecting the economic and tax policy under responsibility of the head of the executive branch, and leads to a violation of the principle of separation of powers," Messias said. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Reuters
a day ago
- Business
- Reuters
Brazil government to challenge tax hike reversal in Supreme Court
BRASILIA, July 1 (Reuters) - Brazil's Solicitor General Jorge Messias said on Tuesday that the government decided to file a lawsuit with the Supreme Court challenging Congress' decision to overturn a tax hike on some financial transactions. The government believes that lawmakers overstepped their constitutional powers and created legal uncertainty by reversing President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's decree raising the so-called IOF tax, Messias told reporters in Brasilia. Lula in May hiked the tax levied on certain credit, foreign-exchange and private pension plan operations as a way to boost revenue and limit spending freezes needed to comply with the government's fiscal rules. The move, however, faced immediate backlash from lawmakers, who said they would not approve the tax hikes and last week dealt the government a major blow by ultimately nixing the decree.
Morocco World
2 days ago
- Politics
- Morocco World
Palestine PM Renews Appreciation for Morocco's Unwavering Support for Palestine
Rabat – Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa commended today Morocco's unwavering support for the Palestinian cause and people. 'On behalf of President Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian people, I would like to reiterate my gratitude to his majesty King Mohammed VI for his sustained efforts in support of the Palestinian people, Mustafa said. He made his remarks today in Seville following his talks with Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch on the sidelines of the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development, which is running from June 30 to July 3 in Seville. The Palestinian official said his meeting with the Moroccan counterpart served as an opportunity to convey a message of esteem and appreciation to the Moroccan government and people for Morocco's tireless efforts in support of the Palestinian cause amid the genocidal war that the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) have been waging since October 2023. The Palestinian prime minister also emphasized the importance of ending the suffering of the people of Gaza to begin the planning construction, elevating the urgent need to revive the political process based on the two-state solution that seeks to establish a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. Morocco has been renewing its support for the Palestinian cause for years, condemning the IOF's ongoing genocidal war. In May, King Mohammed VI delivered a strong speech, read by Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita, Arab League Summit, in which he also renewed Morocco's unwavering support for the establishment of a Palestinian State with East Jerusalem as its capital. In his speech, the King condemned the IOF's continued aggression, calling for an immediate ceasefire through the revival of a dialogue to end the situation. He also called for an urgent intervention to put an end to the 'Israeli military aggressions against the West Bank, particularly the demolition of homes and the forced displacement of peaceful, unarmed populations living in areas under Israeli security control.' Meanwhile, the Moroccan people have also been rallying in support of Palestine's cause with protests across the country condemning Israeli war crimes, US compliance and full support, and global inaction to alleviate the constant suffering of the Palestinian people.
