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Friday, December 05, 2025 | Daily Newspaper published by GPPC Doha, Qatar.

Tag Results for "assault" (9 articles)

Gulf Times
Region

Palestinian injured in assault by Israeli occupation forces South of Tubas

A young Palestinian man was injured after being severely beaten by Israeli occupation soldiers in the town of Tammun, south of Tubas in the West Bank.The Palestinian news agency (WAFA), citing medical sources, reported that Palestinian Red Crescent teams responded to the incident and transferred the injured man to hospital for treatment.Israeli occupation forces have been carrying out a large-scale raid in the Tubas Governorate since midnight, involving a significant deployment of troops in the area.

People prepare to travel about 250 km south to Adre, on the Chad-Sudan border, at a transport station in Tine, eastern Chad, November 25, 2025. The movement comes amid the ongoing conflict between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese army. REUTERS
International

Fresh clashes in Sudan as US presses for truce

Sudan's army said Tuesday it repelled a paramilitary assault on a key southern city, as Washington urged both sides to accept a ceasefire proposal aimed at stemming one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.Since April 2023, the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have been locked in a brutal conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced nearly 12mn.Speaking in Abu Dhabi Tuesday, US Africa envoy Massad Boulos said neither of Sudan's warring parties have accepted a new truce proposal from the Quad group that includes the US, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt."We appeal to both sides to accept the humanitarian truce as presented without preconditions," the US envoy said.His remarks came hours after RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo declared a unilateral three-month truce, before the army reported his fighters subsequently attacking a key base in the country's south.Recent days have seen renewed diplomatic activity after US President Donald Trump said last week he would move to help end the war, following discussions with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during a visit to Washington.The Sudanese army Tuesday said it repelled an RSF assault on its infantry base in the strategic West Kordofan town of Babanusa, its last major stronghold in the region.Babanusa lies on a vital transport corridor linking the capital Khartoum through the Kordofan region to Darfur, where the army last month lost El-Fasher — its last stronghold in the western region.Over two years of conflict, both sides have repeatedly violated every ceasefire agreement. Diplomatic efforts to halt the fighting have failed to make any breakthrough.A US-backed plan put forward on behalf of the Quad in September called for a three-month humanitarian truce, followed by a permanent ceasefire and a nine-month transition to civilian-led governance.The army rejected the proposal, which also hinted at excluding both the army and the RSF from Sudan's post-war political roadmap.Burhan this week said he had dismissed a plan put forth by Boulos this month as "the worst yet", accusing him of parroting the UAE's talking points.Boulos Tuesday spoke alongside UAE presidential adviser Anwar Gargash, whose country has repeatedly denied widespread reports that it arms the RSF.Boulos rejected Burhan's accusations of bias."He was making reference to something that does not exist, that has never been presented by us. So we have no idea what he is talking about," the US envoy said."We have to overlook those comments and remarks and focus on the heart of the matter which is the humanitarian crisis," he added.

Gulf Times
Qatar

Hamad Hospital renews hope for Gaza amputees amid Israeli war

Leaning on crutches that he never imagined would replace his leg, 51-year-old Palestinian Tawfiq al-Sheikh walks slowly through the corridors of Hamad Hospital in Al Zawaida, central Gaza. His hope is to reclaim a semblance of his life before the Israeli assault, aided by a prosthetic limb that now supports his daily struggles. Al-Sheikh told QNA that he lived a normal life before the war, recalling the airstrike that hit his street at the start of the conflict. The blast led to an above-knee amputation and a long recovery, culminating in his referral to Hamad Hospital for prosthetic fitting. Getting the artificial limb, he said, helped him walk again and resume his life, even if partially. Al-Sheikh expressed gratitude to the hospital and the State of Qatar for their support, noting the care he received from rehabilitation to prosthetic installation. It changed his life, from someone disabled and dependent to someone who can function in society again. Established in northern Gaza in 2019 with funding from Qatar Fund for Development, Hamad Hospital is a leading center for rehabilitation and prosthetics. It offers free services to Palestinians suffering from amputations, neurological injuries, and spinal trauma. In May, the hospital sustained severe damage from Israeli shelling, halting its operations entirely. In October, the hospital announced the opening of a new branch in southern Gaza to expand access to medical and rehabilitation services for the wounded and disabled. Ahmed al-Absi, head of the prosthetics department at the hospital, told QNA that the unit provides artificial limbs, assistive devices, and spinal orthotics. After repairs in March, the department resumed operations and began receiving complex amputation cases, many resulting from Israeli strikes and high-impact weaponry. Since reopening, the department has fitted around 100 prosthetic limbs, focusing on above-knee and double amputations. Patients undergo full rehabilitation to adapt to their new limbs, restoring mobility and dignity in the face of war's lasting scars. Head of the Prosthetics Department at Hamad Hospital Ahmed al-Absi revealed that the facility has served over 5,000 cases since its establishment, with an annual average of 120 to 150 prosthetic fittings. Despite material shortages, the department resumed operations in March and is currently following up on 135 amputation cases in need of prosthetic limbs. **media[381394]** Al-Absi emphasized that many patients require reintegration into daily life, noting that rehabilitation marks the beginning of recovery and social reintegration. He cited numerous success stories, including students returning to school and employees resuming work after receiving prosthetics. He stressed the high quality of limbs provided by the hospital, which significantly aid patients in adapting and participating in society. However, he warned of severe challenges, particularly the critical shortage of prosthetic materials, which have not entered Gaza since 2023 due to Israeli restrictions. He said they are facing major difficulties, in a month or two, their stock will be depleted. Al-Absi urged relevant authorities to supply prosthetic limbs and the necessary materials to meet the growing demand, especially as the number of amputees in Gaza continues to rise due to ongoing conflict. In parallel, Assistant Undersecretary at the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza, Dr Maher Shamia said that around 6,000 amputation cases have been registered during the Israeli assault, most requiring urgent and long-term rehabilitation programs. Speaking to QNA, Shamia noted that Gaza now records the world’s highest rate of child amputations relative to population size, according to a WHO report published in early October. Children account for approximately 25% of all cases, while women represent 12.7%, figures that reflect the deep humanitarian toll on thousands of wounded individuals and their families. He stressed the urgent need for rehabilitation and psychosocial support, particularly for children facing permanent disabilities at a young age. Shamia called on international and humanitarian organizations, as well as health and rehabilitation institutions, to intensify efforts and expand emergency interventions to meet the needs of the wounded and ensure access to adequate care in line with the scale of the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. The Strip continues to endure a humanitarian crisis following the Israeli offensive, which left more than 170,000 injured amid a near-total collapse of the healthcare system, widespread shortages of medicine and medical supplies, and the destruction of hospitals. The Rafah border crossing remains closed, preventing patients from seeking treatment outside Gaza despite ceasefire agreements.

Trucks transport displaced people from El Fasher, in a camp in Al-Dabbah, Sudan
International

Sudanese city living in fear as RSF threat looms

Residents of the southern Sudanese city of El-Obeid have said they are living in fear as paramilitaries appear to prepare for an assault, with the army reporting shooting down a drone targeting the city on Saturday.The North Kordofan state capital, about 400km southwest of the national capital Khartoum, is a regional hub and a strategic prize for the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), at war with Sudan's army since April 2023.While the RSF announced Thursday it had accepted a truce proposal put forward by mediators, the UN subsequently said it saw "preparations for intensified hostilities", issuing a warning about the deteriorarting situation in the Kordofan region in particular."We are especially worried after what happened in El-Fasher," Soaad Ali, from El-Obeid's Karima neighbourhood, said referring to the RSF's capture of the last army stronghold in western Darfur after an 18-month siege.That takeover was followed by reports of mass killings, sexual violence, abductions and looting, triggering fears the conflict could spread into oil-rich Kordofan.El-Obeid, which hosts an airport, sits on a key supply route linking Darfur and Khartoum.Last month, the RSF captured Bara, north of El-Obeid, forcing more than 36,000 people to flee that town and four others in North Kordofan in less than a week, according to the UN.The group said last week it had massed forces in Bara to retake El-Obeid, "advising civilians to steer clear of military targets"."We are living in fear," said a resident of El-Obeid's Qubba neighbourhood, who asked to remain anonymous for security reasons."Officials try to reassure us, but... after what happened in Bara, our fears are growing."The fall of El-Fasher two weeks ago gave the RSF control of all five state capitals in the vast western region, in addition to parts of the south.The army controls most of Sudan's north, east and centre, including Khartoum.Since El-Fasher's fall, more than 80,000 people have fled the city and surrounding areas, according to the UN.The General Coordination for Displaced People and Refugees in Darfur, an NGO, said that more than 16,000 people had arrived in Tawila and were in dire need of food, water and medical care.El-Fasher had a population of around 260,000 before the RSF takeover.Little is known about the fate of thousands still trapped in the city, which has been largely cut off from communications.Mathilde Vu, advocacy manager for the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) in Sudan, told AFP that many families arriving in Tawila came with "children who are not their own".The children, she said, "have lost their parents on the way, either because they've... disappeared in a chaos, or they've been detained, or they've been killed".Survivors said that women and men were separated on the way out of El-Fasher, and that hundreds of men were detained in nearby towns.Army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan on Saturday visited displaced people from El-Fasher in Al-Dabba city, about 1,000km north.

Gulf Times
International

Zelenskyy says fierce battles underway against Russian Forces on Pokrovsk Front

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that Ukrainian forces are engaged in fierce battles against Russian troops on the Pokrovsk front in the east of the country.In his remarks, Zelenskyy said that Russian forces have concentrated their main assault capabilities on the Pokrovsk front, where intense fighting is ongoing even within the city, according to the Ukrainian National News Agency (Ukrinform).He added that Pokrovsk remains a key objective for Russia, noting that every success achieved by Ukrainian forces on this front represents a victory for all of Ukraine and for the nation’s overall defense.Ukraine has deployed new military reinforcements to the strategic city of Pokrovsk, as fighting intensifies following Russian incursions into the area, which serves as a major transport and supply hub in the Donetsk region.

Gulf Times
Region

Two years on: Gaza's cultural heritage under systematic erasure

Two years after Israel's devastating war on the Gaza Strip, the full scope of what observers describe as one of the most extensive acts of cultural erasure in modern history is becoming increasingly clear, as the destruction has not only leveled buildings but also torn through the collective memory, identity, and heritage of an entire people. Libraries have been burned, museums demolished, and cultural institutions leveled, in what Palestinian officials and rights groups describe as a systematic assault on the cultural and intellectual foundations of Palestinian society, aimed at erasing history and dismantling the cultural identity of Gaza and its people. Observers note that the Israeli occupation has long pursued policies designed to undermine Palestinian identity and suppress cultural expression, as part of a broader strategy targeting the intellectual and social pillars of Palestinian society. The repeated bombardment of cultural, artistic, educational, archaeological, and religious landmarks across Gaza serves, they say, as a tool for achieving wider political objectives. Gaza's cultural and historical heritage now faces severe peril amid ongoing destruction and deliberate targeting. The extensive bombing of cultural centers, museums, theaters, art galleries, historical landmarks, public and private libraries, printing presses, publishing houses, and places of worship has drastically reduced the ability of future generations to access their history and cultural legacy. All of Gaza's museums have been damaged or destroyed during the war. Among them is the National Museum housed in Qasr al-Basha, which contains tens of thousands of artifacts, and the Deir al-Balah Museum, operated by the local municipality. Many collections were either destroyed or looted and later transferred to Israeli museums. The offensive also wiped out dozens of public, private, and university libraries, as well as printing presses and publishing houses, an act cultural experts describe as a deliberate obliteration of Gaza's intellectual record. The destruction has also extended to hundreds of historical buildings and archaeological sites. According to local heritage authorities, at least 226 archaeological sites have been damaged, including Tell al-Ajjul, which dates back to the Middle and Late Bronze Ages. More than 1,000 mosques were completely or partially destroyed, among them the Great Omari Mosque, one of the oldest and most significant in historical Palestine. Additionally, eight cemeteries, including the Roman Cemetery dating back nearly 2,000 years, were obliterated. The education sector has faced unprecedented devastation. Around 18,000 students, 750 teachers, and more than 230 university professors have been martyred since the start of the war. Nearly 95% of schools, universities, and kindergartens have sustained damage or total destruction, depriving over 650,000 students of access to education. The deliberate targeting of Gaza's academics, artists, journalists, and scientists poses a grave threat to its cultural and intellectual future. The loss of these figures — the very transmitters of heritage and innovation — together with the destruction of their cultural and educational institutions and means of expression, has severely weakened Gaza's cultural, artistic, and academic foundations.

Gulf Times
Region

Death toll from Israeli assault on Gaza rises to 66055 says Gaza Health Ministry

The death toll from the ongoing Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip, which began on October 7, 2023, has risen to 66,055, with 168,346 others injured, the Gaza Ministry of Health has announced. The Ministry reported in a statement on Monday that 50 Palestinians were killed, and 184 others injured in the past 24 hours alone. Among them were five fatalities and 48 injuries involving individuals who had been waiting for humanitarian aid. This brings the total number of casualties among those seeking food aid to 2,571 killed and 18,817 injured. Between March 18, 2025, and today, the Ministry recorded 13,187 deaths and 56,305 injuries, highlighting the escalation in recent months. Health authorities emphasized that the current figures remain incomplete, as thousands of victims are still trapped under the rubble. Rescue efforts have been severely hindered by a lack of equipment and the continued targeting of emergency response teams by Israeli forces. The Ministry warned of an increasingly dire humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, with famine-like conditions taking hold and relief efforts unable to meet the scale of the crisis.

Gulf Times
Region

British Foreign Secretary condemns Israeli attack on Gaza, describes it as "Utterly Reckless and Appalling"

British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper strongly condemned the attack launched by the Israeli occupation forces on Gaza City on Tuesday morning, describing the operation as "utterly reckless and appalling."The new IDF assault on Gaza is utterly reckless and appalling. It will only bring more bloodshed, kill more innocent civilians and endanger the remaining hostages," she wrote on the social media platform X.Cooper added, "We need an immediate ceasefire, all hostages released, unrestricted humanitarian aid and a path to lasting peace."The British Foreign Secretary stressed that the international community must assume its responsibility in pressuring the Israeli occupation to stop its attacks, warning that the continued military escalation exacerbates the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and threatens the stability of the entire region.Cooper affirmed that London will continue to cooperate with its international partners to ensure respect for international humanitarian law, and called on all parties to exercise restraint and avoid any steps that could exacerbate the humanitarian suffering.For days, Israeli occupation forces have been launching violent raids on Gaza City. The occupation forces expanded the pace of destruction by bombing and detonating buildings, in an attempt to force Palestinians to flee south.

Gulf Times
Region

WHO says to remain in Gaza City

The World Health Organization (WHO) said Wednesday that its workers will remain in Gaza City despite calls from Israel's military for people to flee an assault it is mounting there. "To civilians in Gaza: WHO and partners remain in Gaza City," WHO said on its X account. WHO is appalled by the latest evacuation order, demanding that one million people move from Gaza City to a so-called "humanitarian zone" in the south designated by Israel. "The zone has neither the size nor scale of services to support those already there, let alone new arrivals," the UN agency said. "Crippled health system cannot afford to lose any of these remaining facilities," it added.