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Syrian researchers and academics affirmed that the Emergency Arab-Islamic Summit to be held in Doha this Monday highlights the importance of reshaping a unified Arab and Islamic position toward the Israeli aggression that targeted residential compounds of several Hamas leaders in the Qatari capital, to confront Israeli policies, support the Palestinian people and their rights, and underscore Qatar's pivotal role in mediation efforts since the outbreak of the war.Speaking to Qatar News Agency (QNA), Dean of the Faculty of Media at Damascus University Dr. Khaled Za'rour said that holding the summit at this time carries significant implications, noting that it follows directly after the Israeli attack on a residential compound for Hamas members in Doha, marking the importance of both timing and content.He added that the summit includes consensus on rejecting and condemning the aggression, considering it a pivotal shift in the series of Israeli attacks, as it targeted a state hosting negotiations and acting as a mediator.Dr. Za'rour explained that the summit will send a message of unity within the Arab ranks and that the Arab heart beats strongly in solidarity.He noted that the aggression has influenced the Arab and Islamic stance by exposing the false Israeli narrative attempting to justify its attacks, emphasizing that positions will not be complete unless translated into practical steps, including full political and economic boycott, redrawing military and political alliances to identify the most loyal partners, and leveraging the economic power and geographic position of Arab states to strengthen the stance.The dean pointed out that the aggression attempted to weaken Qatar's role but instead strengthened it, as Arab ambassadors' statements at the UN General Assembly showed that Qatar emerged from this aggression with a stronger and more influential position, reinforcing the Palestinian cause.He stressed that the political and diplomatic response should focus on containing the aggressor and exposing its claims, not merely preventing recurrence of the attacks.Similarly, political researcher Omar Idlibi from the Harmoon Center for Studies said that the emergency summit reflects a rare unity in the Arab and Islamic stance and clear solidarity with Qatar in facing aggression that crosses all red lines.Idlibi explained that convening the summit following Qatar's political and diplomatic efforts and international condemnations demonstrates the participating states' determination to coordinate positions to confront Israeli aggression toward the Palestinian people and regional states, highlight the plight of Palestinians in the West Bank, and engage the international community in serious efforts to revive the two-state solution and the Palestinian right to an independent state.He added that the participating states possess various instruments of influence, notably economic leverage, to create tangible impact on international approaches to regional issues and curb leniency toward Israeli aggression.Idlibi emphasized that Qatari diplomacy demonstrated great capacity in responding to the aggression through official statements denouncing it as a treacherous attack, and extensive diplomatic efforts in capitals and the UN Security Council to garner support for Qatar's position, culminating in the call for the Arab-Islamic summit to discuss and coordinate responses and support the Palestinian people against Israeli policies.He noted that Qatari mediation had previously succeeded, in partnership with Egypt and the United States, in achieving a partial ceasefire agreement and the release of several prisoners and hostages.The recent Israeli aggression represented a severe blow to the mediation process but also an opportunity to mobilize Arab and international positions to pressure the occupation and engage in serious negotiations to end the Gaza war tragedy and pave the way for a comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue.Idlibi added that the success of these efforts requires Qatar to maintain a firm stance and leverage the widespread condemnations of the aggression to secure international support for mediation efforts and concrete guarantees compelling the occupation to halt undermining negotiations, a goal the Doha summit can achieve with Arab and Islamic backing.The expert on Israeli affairs Khaled Khalil told Qatar News Agency (QNA) that the Israeli attack on a residential compound in Qatar crossed all boundaries, reaching an unprecedented level of criminality.He emphasized that this treacherous and sudden aggression against the mediator and negotiating party constitutes a serious criminal precedent, sounding the alarm for Arab and Islamic national security, particularly Gulf security.Khalil explained that the scale of Israel's crimes in Gaza and the region is directly proportional to the absence of countermeasures, making it imperative to activate available deterrence tools through all political, diplomatic, and economic means.He added that the call for an emergency meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which includes 57 countries and forms the largest political bloc after the United Nations, represents a key step to confront the aggression, especially as the OIC's ministerial council has played an increasingly prominent political role in recent years.Khalil highlighted the need to build alliances with the European Union and Western countries that have shown growing criticism of Israel, leveraging international opinion to politically, economically, and diplomatically pressure Israel. This is particularly crucial amid rising accusations of genocide in Gaza and the recent recognition of the Palestinian state by six European countries within less than two weeks, coinciding with UN General Assembly sessions.He pointed out that the extensive condemnation and multiple visits from Islamic states demonstrated broad support and solidarity with Qatar.Khalil warned that if Israel does not face firm political and diplomatic pressure, it will continue its crimes without restraint.Khalil described the attack on Qatar as a historic warning, highlighting the need for serious Arab and Islamic action that goes beyond statements.He noted that the current Israeli leadership pursues extremist ideological projects under a historical and religious cover, disregarding strategic and rational calculations, a suicidal path that risks further regional escalation.He underlined that targeting a residential compound of Hamas members in Qatar, a mediating state and active diplomatic player, as well as a major Washington ally outside NATO, represents a dangerous development that could reignite the Arab-Israeli conflict, which Israel has sought to confine to its bilateral conflict with Palestinians.Khalil added that the attack stains the extremist Israeli right and underscores the role of Qatar in activating necessary tools to hold aggressors accountable and push for a firm collective Arab stance, ensuring Israel cannot impose a de facto reality or solidify new security facts.He emphasized that the current stage presents a historic opportunity for Arab and Islamic states to use international forums to condemn Israel, hold it accountable for its crimes, enhance its global isolation, and translate Arab and Islamic solidarity into practical measures that protect Palestinian rights and restore the issue to the international agenda.Experts concluded that the Emergency Summit in Doha represents a critical opportunity to unify Arab and Islamic positions, transform solidarity into concrete steps supporting Palestinian resilience, halting Israeli attacks on Gaza, and strengthening Qatar's role as a pivotal and effective mediator in political and diplomatic efforts.Analysts noted that the targeting of the residential compound in Qatar did not weaken its position; rather, it reinforced its regional and international role, making the summit a key platform to coordinate responses to Israeli aggression and activate political, diplomatic, and economic pressure tools against Israel, ensuring the protection of Palestinian rights and reaffirming adherence to international law and UN resolutions.

Egyptian experts and analysts emphasised the importance of Qatar hosting an emergency Arab and Islamic summit this week to reaffirm the support of the Arab and Islamic worlds for Doha's actions in international and regional forums in response to the Israeli aggression that targeted residential compounds of several Hamas leaders in the Qatari capital last Tuesday.The experts and analysts told Qatar News Agency (QNA) that the Doha summit convenes at a highly sensitive moment requiring a unified Arab stance that goes beyond traditional condemnation statements to practical steps to confront the ongoing Israeli aggression, stand with Qatar in solidarity, and endorse all measures it takes to protect and defend its sovereignty against Israeli threats.They stressed that the summit should emphasize the importance of safeguarding Arab national security as a whole, in addition to defending Palestine as a central cause in confronting Israeli crimes.In this context, Egyptian thinker and strategic expert Dr. Samir Farag told QNA that the emergency Arab and Islamic summit in Doha following the blatant Israeli attack aims to send important deterrence messages, while establishing an Arab strategy to secure Arab and Islamic states against threats, both direct, represented by Israel, and indirect threats to Arab national security.Farag emphasized that adopting a strategy of unity in Arab action politically, economically, in media, and militarily is crucial under the current delicate regional circumstances.He noted that unifying these elements would achieve the necessary deterrence against the ongoing Israeli aggression, which escalated sharply with the recent attack on Qatar.Meanwhile, former Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt Ambassador Hussein Haridy told QNA that Arab states must stand with Qatar in solidarity and support all measures it takes to protect and defend its sovereignty against Israeli threats.He pointed out that convening an emergencyArab and Islamic summit in Doha confirms the support of the Arab and Islamic worlds for Qatar's international and regional moves in rejecting the Israeli aggression last Tuesday.Hreidi expressed hope that the emergency summit would take practical steps to support Qatar and confront Israeli threats to Gulf and Arab states, while strongly supporting the Palestinian people's right to resist Israeli occupation and adopting comprehensive boycott measures against Israel until it halts its aggression on Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.For his part, Editor-in-Chief of Al Ahram Weekly Ezzat Ibrahim commented that the Doha summit convenes at a critical time requiring a unified Arab stance that goes beyond traditional condemnation statements to practical steps to confront the ongoing Israeli aggression, which has extended to the attack on sisterly Qatar.He noted that the summit's goal is not only to defend Palestine as a central cause, but also to protect Arab national security as a whole, as continued aggression without deterrence could lead to greater chaos and provide cover for ethnic cleansing policies and the dismantling of national identities.He stressed that the Doha summit must adopt a clear political stance rejecting forced displacement of Palestinians and set red lines against any Israeli military expansion toward neighboring countries.He also emphasized that the summit should revitalize the Arab Peace Initiative within a new framework aligned with regional and international developments, and make full use of diplomatic and economic tools, including relations with major powers and pressure through international institutions, to remind the global community that occupation and settlement are the root causes of regional crises.He added that it is essential for the summit to establish a practical mechanism to coordinate humanitarian and media efforts amid the unprecedented humanitarian tragedy in Gaza, noting that Israel exploits control over the narrative to justify its crimes.He underscored that the summit should create a unified Arab platform to document violations, support field journalists, and ensure unrestricted delivery of humanitarian aid, holding the world accountable for its legal and moral responsibilities.

Advisor to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr Majid bin Mohammed al-Ansari announced that Doha will host the emergency Arab-Islamic summit Monday, which is being held in light of recent developments in the region.Dr al-Ansari told Qatar News Agency (QNA) that the summit will discuss a draft statement on the Israeli attack on Qatar, submitted by the preparatory meeting of Arab and Islamic foreign ministers, which will be held Sunday.Preparatory meeting of foreign ministers today to draft statement on the Israeli attack on Qatar "The emergency Arab-Islamic summit to be hosted by Doha on Monday, carries a message of full solidarity with Qatar in the face of the brutal attack by the Israeli occupation forces"The Advisor to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasised that the convening of the Arab-Islamic Summit at this time has its significance, as it reflects the broad Arab and Islamic solidarity with Qatar in confronting the cowardly Israeli aggression that targeted the residential headquarters of several Hamas leaders, and these countries' categorical rejection of the state terrorism practiced by Israel.Spokesman for the Secretary-General of the Arab League Jamal Rushdi affirmed yesterday that the emergency Arab-Islamic summit to be hosted by Doha on Monday, carries a message of full solidarity with Qatar in the face of the brutal attack by the Israeli occupation forces targeting the residential compounds of members of the Hamas Political Bureau in Doha last Tuesday.In remarks to QNA, Rushdi said that the convening of this summit aims primarily to discuss the consequences of the unprecedented, dangerous and cowardly Israeli aggression on Qatari sovereignty, by targeting Hamas leaders on Qatari territory.Egyptian experts and analysts emphasized the importance of Qatar hosting an emergency Arab and Islamic summit to reaffirm the support of the Arab and Islamic worlds for Doha's actions in international and regional forums in response to the Israeli aggression.The experts and analysts told QNA that the Doha summit convenes at a highly sensitive moment requiring a unified Arab stance that goes beyond traditional condemnation statements to practical steps to confront the ongoing Israeli aggression, stand with Qatar in solidarity, and endorse all measures it takes to protect and defend its sovereignty against Israeli threats.Lebanese officials and analysts emphasised the necessity for the emergency summit in Doha to produce decisions and measures commensurate with the Israeli aggression.They highlighted the importance of Qatar hosting the summit, noting that the Israeli attack marked a dangerous turning point with repercussions extending beyond the Palestinian issue to the broader political developments in the region.They pointed out that Qatar serves as a mediator for halting the aggression in Gaza and is a leading country globally in promoting peace and stability.Iraqi officials and analysts affirmed Iraq's full support for Qatar in facing the Israeli aggression, stressing that the attack represents a blatant violation of Qatari sovereignty and a breach of international law and the UN Charter.In statements to Qatar News Agency (QNA), they emphasized the need for the Emergency Arab-Islamic Summit in Doha this Monday to serve as a strong platform to confront the aggression and enhance security and stability, calling on the Arab and international community to take firm action against these hostile acts.Syrian researchers and academics affirmed that the Emergency Arab-Islamic Summit to be held in Doha highlights the importance of reshaping a unified Arab and Islamic position toward the Israeli aggression, support the Palestinian people and their rights, and underscore Qatar's pivotal role in mediation efforts since the outbreak of the war.Speaking to QNA, Dean of the Faculty of Media at Damascus University Dr Khaled Za'rour said that holding the summit at this time carries significant implications, noting that it follows directly after the Israeli attack, marking the importance of both timing and content.

Nearly a week after an earthquake killed more than 2,200 people in Afghanistan and left tens of thousands homeless, the United States has not taken the first step to authorise emergency aid, and it was unclear if it plans to help at all, two former senior US officials and a source familiar with the situation told Reuters.The lack of response by Washington to one of Afghanistan's deadliest quakes in years underscores how President Donald Trump has forfeited decades of US leadership of global disaster relief with his deep foreign aid cuts and closure of the main US foreign assistance agency, said the source and the former officials.The US Agency for International Development was officially shuttered on Tuesday.The State Department on Monday extended its "heartfelt condolences" to Afghanistan in an X post.As of Friday, however, the State Department had not approved a declaration of humanitarian need, the first step in authorising US emergency relief, said the former officials, both of whom worked at USAID, and the third source, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal.Such a declaration is usually issued within 24 hours of a major disaster.The sources said State Department officials had considered recommendations for US disaster aid for Afghanistan. One former senior official said the White House also has considered the issue, but decided against reversing a policy of ending aid to Afghanistan. When asked if the US would provide any emergency aid to Afghanistan following the magnitude 6 quake on Sunday, which was followed by powerful aftershocks on Thursday and Friday, a State Department spokesperson said: "We have nothing further to announce at this time."The United States was, until this year, the largest aid donor to Afghanistan, where it fought a 20-year war that ended with a chaotic US withdrawal and the Taliban's seizure of Kabul in 2021. But in April, the Trump administration ended virtually all aid totaling $562mn — to Afghanistan, citing a US watchdog report that humanitarian groups receiving US funds had paid $10.9mn in taxes, fees, and duties to the Taliban.Asked whether the US would provide emergency relief for earthquake survivors, a White House official said, "President Trump has been consistent in ensuring aid does not land in the hands of the Taliban regime, which continues to wrongfully detain US citizens.”United Nations aid chief Tom Fletcher said the Afghan earthquake was "the latest crisis to expose the cost of shrinking resources on vital humanitarian work.”"Massive funding cuts have already brought essential health and nutrition services for millions to a halt; grounded aircraft, which are often the only lifeline to remote communities; and forced aid agencies to reduce their footprint,” he said in a statement on Thursday.The Trump administration also has yet to respond to a request by the International Rescue Committee humanitarian organisation to send $105,000 worth of US-funded medical supplies following the first earthquake.The materials include stethoscopes, first aid supplies, stretchers, and other essentials, said Kelly Razzouk, vice president of policy and advocacy for the IRC."The stocks are stuck in storage," said Razzouk, who served on former US President Joe Biden’s National Security Council. "In recent memory, I can't remember a time when the US did not respond to a crisis like this."The IRC needs Washington’s permission to send the equipment to Afghanistan because it had been funded by an unrelated US grant that the Trump administration had since canceled."Beyond the loss of life, we have also seen basic infrastructure and livelihoods destroyed," Stephen Rodriguez, the representative in Afghanistan for the UN Development Programme, told reporters on Friday.He said donations of money, goods, and services have come from Britain, South Korea, Australia, India, Pakistan, Iran, Turkiye, and other countries."Far more is needed."

Turkiye’s economic growth remained resilient in the second quarter despite an emergency interest-rate hike by the central bank in March.Gross domestic product expanded 1.6% on a quarterly basis, up from a revised 0.7% in the preceding three-month period when adjusted for seasonality and working days, Turkiye’s statistics office said on Monday. The median estimate in a Bloomberg survey of economists projected an expansion of 0.6%.The economy grew 4.8% annually, compared with the median estimate of 4.1% in the survey and a revised 2.3% in the preceding quarter. The acceleration was largely down to the higher number of working days Turkiye had this year compared to 2024, QNB Turkiye economists led by Erkin Isik said in a research note ahead of the data release.The surprise boost came after the Turkish central bank raised interest rates in an unscheduled meeting in March to mitigate the market fallout following the jailing of a prominent opposition politician, reversing a cycle of rate cuts it had just begun. Even so, domestic demand climbed at the fastest pace in more than a year, leading the surge in annual growth. The central bank resumed its cuts in July, lowering the main policy rate to 43% from 46%.Spending by households, which is the main driver of Turkiye’s economy, rose 5.1%, the highest rate since the first quarter of 2024, Turkstat said.“On the surface, Turkiye’s especially strong growth data for the second quarter could be seen as reason to derail the central bank’s easing path. But activity is likely to post slower gains ahead and we maintain our call for rate cuts at all remaining meetings this year amid falling inflation,” says Selva Bahar Baziki, economist, Bloomberg Economics.“Today’s figures provide worrying evidence that domestic demand is too strong, which may prevent the current account deficit from narrowing further and inflation from falling as quickly as policymakers want,” Capital Economics’ chief emerging markets economist William Jackson said in a note. Though August inflation figures, which will be released on Wednesday, will give a better sense of that, Monday’s GDP report suggests the central bank “will not lower interest rates as quickly as we currently expect,” he said. Jackson currently sees the main policy rate reduced to 37% at the end of the year.Gross fixed capital formation, a measure of investments by businesses, soared by nearly 9% in the second quarter from a year earlier, while exports of goods and services increased by 1.7% from a year earlier, and up from 0.1% the prior quarter.The lira was little changed after the data release, trading 0.1% higher at 41.1182 per the US dollar at 10.57am in Istanbul.Monday’s release marks the first time Turkstat published revised growth data, which the agency said was carried out for better compliance with international peers.

In rolling out the most aggressive tariff regime in the US in nearly a century, President Donald Trump has leaned heavily on emergency powers that had never been used before to impose import taxes. Two federal courts ruled in May that he wrongfully invoked the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to justify sweeping “reciprocal” duties targeting America’s trading partners, as well as separate levies aimed at China, Canada and Mexico. The Trump administration appealed both decisions. Its appeal in the case brought by Democratic-led states and a group of small businesses went before the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which upheld in August that Trump exceeded his authority by using IEEPA to impose tariffs. The duties remain in effect for now and the appeals process could go all the way to the Supreme Court. If the IEEPA tariffs are ultimately deemed unlawful, the vast majority of the levies Trump has imposed so far in his second term could come undone. But there are other means by which his tariffs campaign could continue. While the Constitution gives Congress the power to levy taxes and duties, lawmakers have delegated some of their authority to the executive branch through a number of statutes. These laws give Trump at least five fallback options to try to justify his tariffs. In general, these alternatives come with more limits and procedural restrictions, meaning there’s less leeway for Trump to impose tariffs virtually immediately and set the rates as high as he chooses. “The difference between them is how much process they require,” said Ted Murphy, co-leader of the global arbitration, trade and advocacy practice at law firm Sidley Austin. “Why they chose IEEPA, I think in part, was because it comes with no required process. It’s a determination that the president can make on his or her own initiative: There’s no hearing, there’s no report, there’s no nothing.” Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 What it permits: Section 232 gives the president power to use tariffs to regulate the import of goods on national security grounds. Limitations: These tariffs can’t be imposed instantly — the president can only act after an investigation by the Commerce Department determines that importing these products threatens to impair national security. After a probe is initiated, the Commerce Secretary must report the conclusions to the president within 270 days. Unlike the blanket tariffs Trump imposed using IEEPA, Section 232 is designed to be applied to imports in individual sectors, rather than from entire countries. There’s no cap on the level of the duties or their duration. Current uses: Trump used Section 232 to set tariffs on steel and aluminium imports in 2018 during his first term in office. He resumed his focus on these two industrial metals upon returning to the White House, leaning on the findings of the 2018 investigations to impose 50% tariffs. He also introduced levies on imports of automobiles and auto parts based on the conclusions of a Section 232 investigation completed in 2019. Trump directed the Commerce Department in February to open a Section 232 investigation into copper imports, and after receiving the findings announced that a 50% tax would be charged on deliveries of semi-finished and so-called derivative copper products from August 1. There could be more Section 232 tariffs on the way. The Commerce Department has open investigations into the national security effects of imports of timber and lumber, semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, trucks, critical minerals, commercial aircraft and jet engines, unmanned aircraft systems, polysilicon (a key raw material for solar panels), and wind turbines. Section 201 of the Trade Act of 1974 What it permits: Section 201 authorises the president to impose tariffs if an increase in imports is causing or threatening serious injury to American manufacturers. Limitations: Section 201 tariffs can’t be rolled out immediately either. The US International Trade Commission must first conduct an investigation and has 180 days after a petition is filed to deliver its report to the president. Unlike the Section 232 probes, the ITC is required to hold public hearings and solicit public comments. Section 201 is also focused at the industry level rather than broad taxes on all imports from trading partners. The tariffs are capped at 50% above the rate of any existing duties. They can be imposed for an initial period of four years and extended to a maximum of eight years. If the levies are in place for more than a year, they must be phased down at regular intervals. Current uses: Trump used Section 201 to place tariffs on imports of solar cells and modules, as well as residential washing machines in 2018. The solar tariffs were extended and modified by President Joe Biden; the washing machine tariffs expired in 2023. Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 What it permits: Section 301 allows the US Trade Representative, under the direction of the president, to impose tariffs in response to other nations’ trade measures it deems discriminatory to American businesses or in violation of US rights under international trade agreements. Limitations: Again, this avenue doesn’t enable an instant rollout of tariffs as the USTR must first conduct an investigation. The agency is required to request consultation with the foreign government whose trade practices are being probed, and solicit public comments, which can result in public hearings. There’s no limit on the tariff rate that can be introduced. The duties automatically terminate after four years unless USTR receives a request for continuation, in which case the levies can be extended. Section 301 investigations focus on one country, but USTR can conduct parallel reviews of a common concern that relates to multiple countries. It did so during Trump’s first term, looking at the digital services taxes of 11 jurisdictions, including France and the UK. Current uses: The first Trump administration used Section 301 to impose tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars of imports from China in 2018, following an investigation into China’s policies on technology transfer, intellectual property and innovation. The duties on China are still in effect — though some are the subject of ongoing legal challenges — and during his term Biden increased tariffs on certain products from China including electric vehicles. In July of this year, USTR initiated a Section 301 investigation into Brazil, looking at the country’s trade and IP policies, deforestation practices, and ethanol market access. As that probe proceeds, Trump announced that 50% tariffs on many imports from Brazil would commence on August 6 and these duties were imposed using IEEPA. Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 What it permits: Section 122 gives the president the ability to impose tariffs to address “fundamental international payments problems”. Limitations: The president doesn’t need to wait for a federal agency to conduct an investigation before he can implement the tariffs. The conditions for using Section 122 powers are to remedy “large and serious” US balance-of-payments deficits, to help correct an international balance-of-payments disequilibrium, or to prevent an “imminent and significant” depreciation of the dollar. The tariffs are capped at 15% and can only be imposed for up to 150 days. Congressional approval is required to keep the duties in place for longer. Current uses: Section 122 has never been used before. In one of the challenges to Trump’s use of IEEPA to impose tariffs V.O.S. Selections, Inc v. Trump, the case brought by five small business owners and 12 states the US Court of International Trade pointed out that if Trump wanted to impose tariffs to remedy trade deficits, this would fall under the purview of Section 122, not IEEPA. Section 338 of the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930 What it permits: The Depression-era provision empowers the president to introduce tariffs on imports from nations “whenever he shall find as a fact” that these countries impose unreasonable charges or limitations, or engage in discriminatory behaviour against US commerce. Limitations: There’s no prerequisite for a federal agency to conduct an investigation before the president can apply tariffs. Section 338 duties are capped at 50%. Current uses: Section 338 has never been used before to impose tariffs. If Trump were to lean on this provision, such an unprecedented move may invite legal challenges. The possibility that Trump could tap Section 338 has alarmed some Democrats in the House of Representatives five lawmakers introduced a resolution in March to repeal this section of the 1930 law.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) announced Friday that the number of people registered as missing worldwide has exceeded a quarter of a million, marking an increase of nearly 70% over the past five years.Director General of the Committee Pierre Krahenbuhl stated that from Sudan to Ukraine, from Syria to Colombia, the trend is clear: the sharp rise in the number of missing persons is a stark indication that warring parties and their supporters are failing to protect people in times of war.The issue of missing persons is one of the most tragic humanitarian consequences of armed conflicts and disasters, with hundreds of thousands of individuals disappearing annually due to fighting, displacement, forced detention, or natural disasters.The ICRC plays a central role in registering cases of missing persons, communicating with their families, and working with conflicting parties to search for the missing or determine their fate.This crisis is particularly evident in prolonged conflict zones such as Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, and Colombia, where families suffer greatly due to the lack of information about their loved ones, making it an ongoing humanitarian emergency that requires urgent international efforts.Statistics reveal that the number of missing persons registered with the ICRC rose from approximately 169,500 in 2019 to around 284,400 by the end of 2024, an increase of more than 70%.In the past year alone, the Committee was able to locate around 16,000 missing individuals and reunite 7,000 of them with their families through the Restoring Family Links network in collaboration with Red Crescent and Red Cross societies.