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Gaza Health Ministry official says hospitals “flooded with an influx of dead bodies”. Israel’s military widens its ground offensive in southern Gaza as Palestinian officials say more than 800 people killed since Saturday. Israeli forces arrest more Palestinians in overnight and early morning raids across the occupied West Bank. At least 15,899 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since October 7. In Israel, the official death toll stands at about 1,200. 1.9 million people displaced in Gaza since October 7: UNRWA The UN agency that provides relief to Palestinian refugees says the figure represents more than 80 percent of the population of the besieged coastal enclave. “A staggering 1.2 million people are sheltering in 156 UNRWA installations across all five governorates – including in the North and Gaza City,” it added. Click here to share on social media Telecom services in northern Gaza down: Paltel One of Gaza’s main telecommunications companies has said that all telecom services in Gaza City and the northern areas of the besieged coastal enclave are down “due to the disconnection of main elements of our network in light of the ongoing aggression”. This affects land lines, as well as cellular and internet services. Patel said it its technical teams were working “relentlessly by all available means to restore services”. Photos: Displaced Palestinians gather at Rafah tent camp [Fatima Shbair/AP Photo] [Fatima Shbair/AP Photo] [Fatima Shbair/AP Photo] Click here to share on social media More from Health Ministry spokesperson Here’s what else Ashraf al-Qudra had to say: Seventy percent of the victims of Israeli attacks are women and children. The number of injured has risen to 42,000 since the start of the war. The continued brutal Israeli aggression has completely incapacitated the health system in the Gaza Strip. Israeli forces are still detaining 35 medical personnel, including the director-general of al-Shifa Hospital Mohammed Abu Salmiya, under very harsh conditions. We call on the United Nations and the World Health Organization to pressure for the release of our teams in occupation prisons We demand that a safe passage be provided for the entry of medical supplies and fuel and the exit of the wounded. We demand the protection of hospitals, health and humanitarian teams. Palestinians wounded in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip are brought to the hospital in Deir al Balah on Sunday [Hatem Moussa/AP Photo] Click here to share on social media Gaza death toll rises In his latest update, Ashraf al-Qudra, spokesperson for the Health Ministry in Gaza, says at least 15,899 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks since October 7. Palestinians pray over the bodies of 13 members of the Hams family, killed in an Israeli air strike on a residential building in Rafah overnight, during their funeral early on Monday [Mahmud Hams/AFP] Click here to share on social media1 Click here to share on social media Update: One Palestinian killed in Israeli raid in Qalandiya camp A 33-year-old Palestinian has been killed in an Israeli raid of the Qalandiya refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, according to the health ministry. Wafa news agency, quoting local sources, said 40 Israeli army four-wheel drives, accompanied by a bulldozer, raided the camp and the neighbourhood in the morning. Bullets and tear gas were fired by the army, resulting in injuries to at least 17 Palestinians. We’ll bring you more on this as soon as we can. Israeli soldiers operate during a raid, in Qalqilya in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, in this screen grab obtained from a video released on Monday [Video Obtained by Reuters] Source:https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2023/12/4/israel-gaza-war-live-israel-expands-ground-attack-in-southern-gaza

Civil bureaucracy comes under fire in Senate over lavish spending. ISLAMABAD  –  Caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani Friday informed the Senate that Pakistan had actively engaged in ending the Gaza crisis and resolution of the Palestine issue. Responding to a notice raised by Senator Mushtaq Ahmed the siege of land, sea, and air routes of Gaza by the Israeli occupying forces and the killing of innocent Palestinians by dropping phosphorus bombs on residential units, hospitals, schools, refugee camps, and mosques which is worst form of terrorism and violation of International Law and Human Rights, the minister said, “Pakistan has been actively involved in the resolution of Palestine issue for several years, particularly in the last month and a half.” Highlighting Pakistan’s contributions, he said, “Pakistan, along with Saudi Arabia, co-sponsored the OIC extraordinary session of foreign ministers held last month in Jeddah, and the extraordinary session of OIC was also held in Jeddah due to efforts of Pakistan”. He said Pakistan played a crucial role among the eight foreign ministers who collaborated on a unanimous document during the OIC summit. 18th Capt Usman Ali inter-collegiate declamation contest held The minister said, “Pakistan played a pivotal role in the passage of the resolution presented by Jordan at the United Nations, garnering support from numerous countries.” “I have received calls of appreciation from around 10 to 15 foreign ministers globally for our efforts in building consensus at the UN on the Jordan resolution in UN” he said. He said, “There is no doubt that Israel has committed aggression against Palestinians. In fact, it amounts to genocide against the innocent people of Palestine. The situation in Gaza is dire, with a severe lack of water, health facilities, and food, leading to a major humanitarian crisis.” Condemning Israel for war crimes in Gaza, he urged, “Israel must be held responsible for these actions, and we call upon the international community to focus on the Palestine issue and play a decisive role in ending the crisis. We express hope that the pressure exerted by OIC countries on Israel will yield positive outcomes.” MDCAT test held peacefully in 11 centres in KP The minister said that Qatar had played an OIC-mandated role on the issue of Palestine. He said that protests had been carried out in the USA and Europe in favour of the people of Palestine, and the issue of Palestine had emerged center stage in the last one and a half months. The minister revealed ongoing efforts, and said, “Pakistan is in contact with Egyptian and Jordanian authorities to provide humanitarian assistance to Palestinians. Unfortunately, Israel is currently hindering the delivery of aid to Gaza.” He said Pakistan had also extended offers of medical assistance, including airlifting the injured to Pakistan and establishing a hospital in Gaza, but Israel had not granted permission for these initiatives. Regarding the reported casualties, he shared, “As per reports, around 15,000 people have been killed, and 40,000 injured by Israeli forces. UN workers and hospital staff have also fallen victim to the violence, with 37 hospitals and schools destroyed in Gaza, including one in Indonesia.” Countrywide anti-polio campaign begins In a firm stance, the FM demanded, “Israel must immediately cease its violence against Palestinians, allowing the international community to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza. Pakistan reiterated its position, insisting that Israel respects international law by recognizing the right of self-determination for the people of Palestine, he added. IMF Stand-By Arrangement Caretaker Minister for Finance and Revenue Shamshad Akhtar on Friday informed the Senate that International Monetary Fund (IMF) Executive Board approved the Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) worth $3 billion, of which $ 1.2 billion had been disbursed. Replying to various questions during Question Hour, she said the duration of the program was 9 months. The SBA would have two reviews which would be held/ completed in November 2023 and March 2024, she added. The minister said the completion of each review would lead to disbursement of the remaining amount. Govt seeks private sector involvement for mechanized agriculture The principal repayment was due within 3.25 years of disbursement in eight equal quarterly installments while the interest rate currently stood at 4.198%, she added. She said “We have met the target of primary deficit in line with the standby arrangement reached with the IMF,” adding the government had also managed to reduce expenditures. The minister said the prices of essential commodities would now gradually come down as a result of the government effective policies. To another question, Shamshad Akhtar told that State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) was a body corporate, established under the State Bank of Pakistan Act, 1956 (Act). The oversight of the affairs and functions of the Bank was entrusted to the Board of Directors under the Act, she said. Moreover, the Board of Directors was empowered, among other things, to make regulations regarding recruitment, compensation and terms of service of employees, she added. ‘Civil bureaucracy’ Palestinian Red Crescent dispatches 50 aid trucks to Gaza Civil bureaucracy on Friday came under fire in the Senate for its lavish spending and lucrative salary packages under management position (MP) scales with the warning that there should be an end to calls of resource reallocation for the provinces as it is the federal government that needed its course correction. The lawmakers from different political parties expressed concerns over the massive disparity in pay and privileges among employees of different state organizations. The salary packages under different MP scales and of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) came under criticism besides those retired civil and military officers getting pensions in dollars while living abroad. The issue came under discussion during question hour when the details of the salary packages of SBP officers were placed on the floor of the Senate, and culminated with the call attention notice moved by PPP Senator Mian Raza Rabbani. Referring to a recent notification issued by the Ministry of Finance that increased salaries and perks of top bureaucrats in MP scales by

RAWALPINDI: Security forces killed eight terrorists in an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in South Waziristan on Sunday. Security forces conducted the operation in general area Sararogha, South Waziristan District, on reported presence of terrorists, stated the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). During the conduct of the operation, intense fire exchange took place between troops and terrorists resulting in the killing of eight terrorists. The slain terrorists remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities against security forces as well innocent civilians. The security forces also recovered arms, ammunition and explosives from their possession. The operation is being carried out to eliminate any other terrorist found in the area as the security forces of Pakistan are determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country, the ISPR added. Source:https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1132953-8-terrorists-killed-in-s-waziristan

Israel says it received list of additional names of Palestinian prisoners for release The Israeli PM’s office has confirmed it has received another list of names of Palestinian prisoners to be released and that discussions are continuing. Earlier, Israeli media reported that Hamas had not yet provided the names of 11 captives held in Gaza expected to be released on Monday. Click Israel vs Hamas: Battle for narrative supremacy | The Listening Post Click Israel waiting for Hamas’s response to extending truce: Israeli Army Radio Israeli Army Radio is reporting that the government is awaiting Hamas’s response on extending the four-day truce for an additional day in exchange for the release of 10 detainees. We’ll bring you more on this soon. Click Extension to truce will help secure supplies, grieve Hani Mahmoud Reporting from Khan Younis, southern Gaza Palestinians in Gaza are looking to have a few extra days just to allow them to deal with the sheer amount of destruction around them. They are taking this opportunity to secure necessities such as food and water. It’s also an opportunity to grieve properly and to hold proper funerals. There is also a unanimous agreement here that as long as people who evacuated to the south are unable to go back north  – to their homes and embrace their relatives and loved ones – it is an incomplete and unfair truce. Reporting from occupied East Jerusalem We’ve had some shows of strength from Netanyahu and Hamas, and also indications that extension to the ceasefire deal is still alive. Hamas, by releasing captives, is essentially saying to Israel: Do you think you can convince people that you’ve won in the north of the Gaza Strip? Well, we’re still here. By going to Gaza himself, Netanyahu is doing that classic tough guy, commander-in-chief thing. He’s making a point of being the first Israeli PM to go there since before 2005. Netanyahu reiterated the war aims but did talk about the possibility of extending that ceasefire agreement. The terms are an extra day of truce for every 10 captives released and Hamas would want to see the same deal applied for its prisoners in Israeli jails, with a ratio of one to three. We understood that the Israeli war cabinet is going to be meeting later on at some point to discuss these negotiations. Each side has its own agendas and each side is also fairly sure that this is not going to be the end of the fighting. Click US police searching for suspect in shooting of Palestinian students Police in the US state of Vermont have provided new details about the shooting of three students of Palestinian descent near a university on Saturday. Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad said on Sunday that the students were walking to the home of one of the victim’s relatives when they were confronted by a white man armed with a handgun. “Without speaking, he discharged at least four rounds from the pistol and is believed to have fled,” Murad said. “All three victims were struck, two in their torsos and one in the lower extremities.” Murad said two of the victims were in a stable condition and the other suffered “much more serious injuries”. Murad said police did not yet have any information to suggest a motive for attacking the students, two of whom were wearing Palestinian keffiyeh scarves. “In this charged moment, no one can look at this incident and not suspect that it may have been a hate-motivated crime. The fact is that we don’t yet know as much as we want to right now,” Murad said. “But I urge the public to avoid making conclusions based on statements from uninvolved parties who know even less.” Click Rhetoric from Israel shows desire to continue fighting: Analyst An extension to the ongoing four-day truce is unlikely to happen despite growing calls for Israel to extend it past Monday, according Northwestern University in Qatar’s Professor Ibrahim Abusharif. “The rhetoric coming out of the Israeli leadership suggests they’re going to continue with their bombing and carnage. I don’t have a lot of hope,” he told Al Jazeera. “I also think a ceasefire is not the same as putting out the fire to the original spark – the original point of conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. If they are just extending the truce for a few days, and resuming the carnage, it doesn’t seem like an effective way to move forward. It’s not moving forward at all.” Click here to share on social media HRW says Ahli Hospital blast caused by misfired rocket Human Rights Watch claims that the explosion that caused mass casualties at Gaza’s Ahli Arab Hospital in October was caused by a misfired rocket similar to munitions used by Palestinian groups. It said in a report that the blast was caused by an “apparent rocket-propelled munition, such as those commonly used by Palestinian armed groups”, adding that further investigation is needed to determine who launched the apparent rocket. HRW said its investigation was based on publicly available photos and videos, satellite imagery, interviews with five witnesses, other analyses and expert opinion. Israel, the United States, France, the United Kingdom, and Canada said that intelligence assessments suggested the blast was caused by a failed Palestinian rocket, while Palestinian officials blamed an Israeli air strike. Investigations by Al Jazeera, the New York Times, The Washington Post and Channel 4 News found that a projectile captured in footage before the blast – cited as evidence to support the culpability of Palestinian groups – was likely not related to the explosion. Gaza’s health ministry said 471 people were killed in the explosion, a figure disputed by Israel. US intelligence officials estimated that 100-300 were killed. Israeli air raid kills at least 500 in Gaza hospital ‘massacre’ Click here to share on social media PHOTOS: Glimpses of destruction in Shati refugee camp The brief pause in Israeli’s bombardment of Gaza has allowed glimpses of the scale of destruction in and around

NEW YORK: US-Canada border crossings near Niagara Falls were closed Wednesday as terrorism investigators responded to a vehicle explosion at Rainbow Bridge, local and state authorities said. Two people were killed in the blast, according to US media citing authorities. Their identities were not yet clear. The cause of the incident was not immediately clear but New York Governor Kathy Hochul said state police and the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force were monitoring all points of entry into the state. US media cited law enforcement sources as saying there were two people in the car, which had passed through one border checkpoint where it was selected for a secondary check. The car then sped up, crashed into a barrier and exploded, the sources said, stressing it was unclear if the blast was the result of a device. “I am traveling to Buffalo to meet with law enforcement and emergency responders and will update New Yorkers when more information becomes available,” Hochul posted on social media. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau´s office said he had been briefed and was in contact with US law enforcement. Multiple Canadian agencies were supporting the investigation, it added. Witnesses reported hearing a deafening explosion and seeing a large cloud of smoke near the inspections station. Ivan Vitalii, a visitor from Ukraine, told the Niagara Gazette he and a friend were at a nearby convenience store on the US side when they saw a car exit a parking lot and travel toward the bridge. “We heard something smash,” he said. “We saw fire and big, black smoke.” Ron Rienas, of the Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority, told ABC News all four bridges connecting the two countries over the Niagara River have been closed. Dramatic images posted to social media, which AFP has not verified, purported to show thick plumes of black smoke rising from a large conflagration at the crossing. Source:https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1131507-two-killed-in-car-explosion-at-niagara-border-prompting-terrorism-task-force-response

RAWALPINDI: Two former officers of the Pakistan Army, Major (retd) Adil Farooq Raja and Captain (retd) Haider Raza Mehdi, were Saturday convicted and sentenced through Field General Court Martial (FGCM) under the Pakistan Army Act, 1952 for “inciting sedition”, the Inter-Services Public Relations said in a statement. According to the military’s media wing, the two retired officers have been charged with inciting sedition among army personnel from the discharge of duties and violation of the provisions of the Official Secrets Act, 1923 related to espionage and acts prejudicial to the safety and interest of the state. Raja has been sentenced to 14 years of rigorous imprisonment, while Mehdi was awarded 12 years of rigorous imprisonment. The court of competent jurisdiction, the ISPR said, convicted and adjudged both the individuals on October 7 and 9 this year, through the due judicial process. “Pursuant to the awarded sentence, the ranks of both officers have been forfeited on 21 November 2023,” the ISPR stated. Both the court-martialled former servicemen are based outside Pakistan at the moment. ‘Military trials of civilians start’ Senior journalist Mazhar Abbas, while speaking to Geo News, said both convicted officers were introduced to the public through social media. “If you watch their vlogs, they talked about the Pakistan Army, and especially the vlogs after May 9 targeted the establishment. In journalism we say that negativity always sells which can be seen [in their vlogs],” said Abbas. He said that he believes this is the beginning of the trials of people who were convicted after May 9 in military courts. “I believe that this is the start of military trials of the civilians. So far, we don’t know how many other retired officers are under custody or are being court-martialled. However, I believe this is the start of the hearing of the people who were charged after the May 9 violence and we can expect that their trials will be fast-paced no matter if they are held in civilian or anti-terrorism courts. I believe that these cases will be concluded very soon,” added the senior journalist. ‘Clear message’ to saboteurs National Security expert Syed Muhammad Ali said that these punishments hold much importance as both of the convicts are retired army officers who escaped from the country and had a lot of corruption cases filed against them. “They started a campaign on social media to keep the attention away from their cases. Through this campaign, they spread hateful and fake propaganda against the army by sitting abroad,” Ali said while speaking to Geo News. “There are four important aspects of the national security in this regard. One of them is that their whole narrative from the last two years is to incite hatred and sedition among the people against the army and to damage the trust they have in the armed forces,” he mentioned. Their second goal, the expert added, was to spread misconception and sedition against the military among the army personnel and the third was to cover their corruption cases. The fourth one is that both these officers belonged to a family which had a lot of members in the army, he stated. “This is very embarrassing and a big mark on their families’ sacrifices. They were given multiple chances to defend themselves in the last couple of years, however, they did not come forward to defend themselves as all the proofs were available against them,” he added. “These punishments are important to maintain the morale of the rank and file of the army, to maintain discipline and to tell the people that if people within the army act against their institution, harm the national security, or promote foreign agenda then they will also be punished.” “But their case cannot be completely viewed in relation to the May 9 as since the last two years, almost every single one of their vlogs was to spread hatred against the army, mutiny among army personnel, malign the army, and harm Pakistan’s name internationally,” he added. When asked if they will be called back to Pakistan through Interpol, Ali said that the process has already been started as steps have been taken regarding their passports and ID cards. “Their red warrants will be issued through Interpol and they will be extradited to Pakistan so that they can be punished,” he said. Source:https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1132360-two-former-pak-army-officers-sentenced-for-inciting-sedition-ispr

Displaced Palestinians used short pause in fighting to return to their homes, only to find utter destruction. More prisoners and captives are set for release on the second day of four-day truce between Hamas and Israel, as humanitarian aid trucks arrive in northern Gaza. Thirty-nine Palestinians and 13 Israelis were welcomed home after release from Israeli prisons and captivity in Gaza, respectively. Ten Thais and one Filipino were also freed from Gaza and will soon be travelling home. More than 14,800 Palestinians, including 6,150 children, have been killed in Gaza since October 7. In Israel, the official death toll from Hamas’s attack stands at 1,200. What to know about the release of prisoners and captives now We are awaiting the release of a further Palestinian prisoners in Israel and captives being held in Gaza. It’s expected to be completed within the coming hours. Here’s what to know: Between 39 and 42 Palestinians held in Israeli jails are expected to be freed today. Fourteen captives held in Gaza are also expected to be handed to the Red Cross as part of their transfer to Israel. The exact timing of the releases is not yet clear. Yesterday, 39 Palestinian prisoners and 13 Israeli captives were released under the truce agreement. Hamas also released an additional 10 Thai nationals and one Philippine citizen outside the framework of that deal. Central Gaza market crowded with people Shoppers have flooded the Nuseirat market in the central Gaza Strip on the second day of the truce in order to secure much-needed food supplies. Photojournalist Attia Darwish captured the scenes in this video verified by Al Jazeera: PRCS delivers ‘largest’ batch of aid assistance to northern Gaza since war began The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said on social media that it had delivered a convoy of 61 trucks carrying aid assistance to “Gaza [City] and the North governates”, calling it the largest such delivery since the war began on October 7. The Gaza Strip is divided into five governorates: North Gaza, Gaza City, Deir el-Balah, Khan Younis and Rafah. The trucks were “loaded with food and non-food items, water, primary health care medicines, and emergency medical supplies,” the PRCS said on X. More than two million in Gaza need food assistance As part of the four-day truce deal between Hamas and Israel, 137 aid trucks entered Gaza on Friday. However, aid agencies say much more is needed to assist the 2.3 million people living in the besieged enclave, calling the conditions on the ground “catastrophic”. Here is a summary of the humanitarian situation in Gaza: More than 1.7 million people have been forcibly displaced. Many are seeking safety in UN schools and shelters, which are experiencing severe overcrowding. The United Nations says some 2.2 million people need food assistance to survive. More than 44,000 cases of diarrhoea and 70,000 cases of respiratory infections have been reported. Gaza civilians facing immediate risk of starvation: WFP Click Three lessons from day one of the truce Sultan Barakat, professor of Public Policy at Hamad Bin Khalifa University, told Al Jazeera that one thing learned from the first day of the temporary pause in fighting is that much of what was accomplished could have been “achieved without having to kill 14,000 people”. “And that’s lesson number one. They could have talked … and they could have resolved these issues without having to unleash this whole damage on Gaza,” he said, adding that from the beginning of the war, Hamas said they were willing to release captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Another lesson from the truce, Barakat said, is that it showed the similarities between captives taken by Hamas and Palestinian prisoners in Israel. Israel has “now released 17 minors, in Israel’s definition, children, that were captured by Israel over the last couple of years without going on trial. What’s the difference between them and other children being taken hostages [by Hamas]?” he said. The third lesson learned, according to Barakat, is that the exchange has highlighted that none of the prisoners released by Israel were “necessarily associated directly with Hamas”. “None of these people released by Israel have been caught after the 7th of October. They’re all a long-term issue in relation to the occupation,” he said. “And I think what Hamas is also trying to score here is that most of them are returning to the West Bank. None of them is returning to territories that are under control of Hamas.” Click here to share on social media Dozens of people have gathered outside the office of Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles in Geelong to protest against the government’s stance on Israel’s war on Gaza. The protesters wrote  “Shame on you” on the exterior wall of the office, where they also placed the Palestinian flag. Australia’s centre-left Labor government, led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, has been opposing calls for a ceasefire. Meanwhile earlier this month, Palestinian and Australian human rights organisations launched a legal challenge in Australia’s high court seeking to shed light on the country’s shadowy arms trade. Committee to press for permanent ceasefire at upcoming UNSC Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman Safadi says “security will only be achieved” by settling the conflict and the two-state solution. “Israel will not enjoy security by killing the Palestinians,” he said during a joint news conference with his Portuguese and Slovenian counterparts, Joao Gomez Cravinho, and Tanja Fajon. “This year is considered the bloodiest for Palestinians in more than 10 years,” Safadi added. He said at the upcoming UN Security Council meeting on Wednesday, the Arab-Islamic Liaison Committee will press for a permanent ceasefire. “Israel attacks anyone who does not agree with its policy, and it cannot remain above international law. We all want this truce to turn into a permanent ceasefire and a complete end to this aggression,” Safadi added. “If this decision is not taken, the Security Council is responsible for perpetuating this barbarity represented by the Israeli aggression against our people in Gaza.” Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi [Mazen Mahdi/AFP] Click

Seeing no end to insurgency in their own country, Afghan immigrants living in Pakistan for the past many years were hoping that they would become Pakistani nationals one day, however their dreams shattered as the current caretaker government suddenly decided to send them back to Afghanistan. Journalist Zia Ur Rehman made this remark during a talk at the Institute of Business Administration (IBA) on Thursday. Rehman along with economist Uzair Younus and lawyer Abira Ashfaq was on a panel for a discussion titled ‘No country to call home: Behind Pakistan’s expulsion of Afghan refugees’ moderated by IBA lecturer Yumna Fatima. The journalist shared the story of an Afghan immigrant man who went to buy vegetables but was stopped by police in the market for checking his identity document, which he did not carry, and was consequently forced to sit in a bus and sent along with other persons caught in a similar manner to the Chaman border for deportation to Afghanistan. “The man did not have any money and he contacted his family from Chaman and told them about the incident,” Rehman said, adding that in many Afghan immigrant families living in the country, some members are documented and some are undocumented, and the government’s repatriation drive have been dividing many such families. Besides immigrants, he added, there was another category of Afghan people, including former law enforcement and security personnel and journalists who arrived in Pakistan a couple of years ago on visas to escape persecution at the hands of Taliban, but now their visas were not being extended. He said that stereotyping against Afghan immigrants had been taking place for long now and because of this, divisions were formed even in the civil society on the issue. The journalist said the authorities had warned landlords in many parts of the country not to rent out their places to Afghan immigrants or else they would face legal action. Abira was of the view that a narrative had been built to scapegoat Afghan immigrants for the failure of the authorities to curb crime and maintain governance. She called the ongoing repatriation drive an imperialist adventure. She added that many Sindhi and Baloch nationalists were divided on this issue, with some supporting the government’s deportation move while others opposing it. She said that instead of talking about the mining for petroleum and minerals happening in parts of Sindh and Balochistan causing harm to the environment and indigenous people, people had been indoctrinated through mass media to accept the state’s narrative. She advised the audience to look at things from a decolonisation lens. She said that Afghan immigrants were not allowed to go to public educational institutions, but they could opt for private ones if they could afford them. She remarked that this reeked of an institutional discrimination and a ‘racial apartheid’ against Afghan immigrants, even though they did contribute to the country’s economy through taxes. The lawyer said Pakistan’s immigration law had problems that led to structural discrimination. She maintained that there was currently no law that could protect Afghan immigrants from deportation, even those who were born in the country and lived here for generations. She asked the young audience to resist such moves, or else morality in society may die forever. Younus said that Afghan immigrants were being punished because a superpower, from which he apparently meant the US, was a bit salty over what happened to it in Afghanistan in the past 20 years. He said that Afghans were out of their country because they did not want to live under the Taliban rule, and now unfortunately were being forced towards it. He said the Taliban government in Afghanistan was running a budget deficit of USD8 billion annually with no access to international support. He opined that they would rely on drug trade and taxation on trade at border. He feared that they may also react aggressively through the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan against Pakistan to maintain coherence in their society. The economist said that anecdotal data suggested that Afghan immigrants worked in labour-intensive fields in Pakistan, with investments in local business. He added that when you expropriate business, it affected the economy negatively. He lamented tjat although Afghan immigrants contributed positively to the economy, a polling data showed deportation drive as a popular policy choice. He said that even in a half-decent democracy, this repatriation policy would have been discussed in Parliament before being implemented. Source:https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1131946-afghans-in-pakistan-wanted-to-escape-taliban-rule-but-we-shattered-their-hopes

An Australian warship has sailed through the Taiwan Strait, the sensitive and narrow waterway that separates Taiwan from China, provoking a warning from Beijing. Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence did not name the ship in a statement released on Friday but said it entered the strait the previous day and sailed through in a southerly direction. Taiwan’s military kept watch throughout, the statement added without giving details. end of list An Australian official, quoted by the Reuters news agency, confirmed that the Toowoomba frigate had transited the international waters of the Taiwan Strait as part of a regional deployment. China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the country’s position on the issue has been “consistent and clear”. “We urge the parties concerned to refrain from taking provocative actions and causing trouble towards the peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said in a regular briefing. The sailing came at a difficult time in Australian-Chinese relations even as the two countries seek to get their ties back on track. Last week, Canberra complained of an incident involving a Chinese warship and the same Australian navy vessel in Japan’s exclusive economic zone, in which an Australian military diver was injured. ‘Routine’ US transits The US navy sends ships through the strait about once a month in what it calls “routine” transits. China also routinely objects to the voyages. Euan Graham, a senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, said the Australian navy has regularly transited through the Taiwan Strait but “chooses not to publicise it”. The analyst told Reuters that the Australian navy uses the Taiwan Strait because it is the shortest route between the East China Sea and South China Sea, and he warned against reading too much into the timing of the latest sailing. “It’s a befitting coincidence but shouldn’t be misinterpreted as Australia going out of its way to make a point to China after the [earlier] incident,” he said. “Transits through the Taiwan Strait shouldn’t be controversial, just lawfully going from the East China Sea to the South China Sea via the shortest route.” Taiwan has complained over the past four years of repeated Chinese military activity around the the democratically governed island, especially in the strait. China considers Taiwan a breakaway province. Taiwan, which rejects China’s sovereignty claims, is gearing up for presidential and parliamentary elections on January 13. Source:https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/11/24/australian-warship-sails-through-taiwan

After seven weeks of war, Palestinians in bombarded Gaza welcome first truce agreed by Hamas and Israel with mixed feelings. Under the Qatar-mediated deal for a four-day pause, 39 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails and 13 captives in Gaza expected to be released in the coming hours, with aid trucks also crossing into Gaza. Gaza endures another night of heavy bombardment from air, land, and sea ahead of the start of the truce, while Israeli military raids continue across the occupied West Bank. More than 14,800 people killed in Gaza since October 7. In Israel, the official death toll from Hamas’s attacks stands at about 1,200. Palestinians shot by the Israeli army Many displaced Palestinians have attempted to reach their homes in northern Gaza, despite the Israeli military’s warnings. At least two people were shot and killed by Israeli troops and another 11 were wounded in the legs, according to AP. A journalist with the news agency saw the two bodies and the wounded as they arrived at a hospital. [Adel Hana/AP Photo] [Adel Hana/AP Photo] [Adel Hana/AP Photo] [Adel Hana/AP Photo] Click here to share on social media Photos: Israeli forces warn Palestinians against moving to the north This leaflet was dropped on Rafah in southern Gaza says the war is not over yet and calls northern Gaza a combat zone. [Abed Zagout/Anadolu via Getty Images] [Abed Zagout/Anadolu via Getty Images] [Abed Zagout/Anadolu via Getty Images] Israel says preparations for receiving captives completed The army says it has prepared several locations dedicated to the initial reception of the released captives, including with necessary medical provisions and support. “After the initial reception and medical treatment, the released hostages will continue to hospitals, where they will be reunited with their families,” it said in a statement. The Israeli army added that four helicopters with medical teams and soldiers on board will be tasked with completing the return of the captives after their reception. Click here to share on social media Hamas open to releasing more civilian captives including men Ghazi Hamad, member of Hamas’s political bureau, says the group is open to negotiating to release even more civilian captives currently held in Gaza, including men. However, in regards to Israeli soldiers held captive, Hamad told Al Jazeera, “This is another story”. “At this phase, we are talking about the civilian hostages. Regarding others, we are looking for a comprehensive swap and exchange to release all [7,200] prisoners in Israeli detention centres. This is our goal and aim,” Hamad said. “But we will wait and see. We have full patience, power and energy to do that … Israel must release all the prisoners, and we are ready to release the Israeli soldiers.” Click here to share on social media Click here to share on social media Foreign minister says unable to confirm if Thai captives will be freed Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara says he has not been able to confirm if the 23 Thai workers held as captives in Gaza are set to be released. Thailand’s foreign minister said preparations to receive the hostages if and when they are released are under way. Bahiddha-Nukara’s Iranian counterpart, serving as an intermediary with Hamas, told him there would be “good news soon”. He said Qatari officials, who mediated the truce agreement, will have a meeting about the matter, and by this afternoon, Thai officials are expecting to know more. A woman cycles next to a billboard calling for the return of the hostage in Tel Aviv, Israel [Ohad Zwigenberg/AP Photo] Click here to share on social media Where things stand right now It’s 12:25pm (10:25 GMT) in the occupied Palestinian territories and Israel, and these are the most significant developments in the past few hours: Displaced Palestinians are trying to get to their homes but Israel says movement to northern Gaza is not allowed. Gaza residents say their happiness about the pause in Israeli attacks is accompanied by feelings of grief and uncertainty about the future. Trucks carrying humanitarian aid, including tankers with fuel and cooking gas, are moving into Gaza from Rafah crossing. Families of Palestinian prisoners and captives held in Gaza wait for news of their loved ones ahead of expected release later on Friday of 39 and 13 people, respectively. Palestinians try to cross back into northern Gaza as an Israeli tank blocks the Salah al-Din road in the central Gaza Strip Source:https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2023/11/24/israel-hamas-war-live-israel-continues-gaza-attacks-ahead-of-truce.