Al Mayadeen – February 9, 2025
Casualties from Israeli genocide near 160,000 in Gaza
The Palestinian Ministry of Health reports new martyrs, bringing the total to 48,181 martyrs and 111,638 injuries.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza announced that over the past 48 hours, 26 martyrs—22 recovered from beneath the rubble and four newly martyred—along with five injured individuals, were brought to the Strip's hospitals.
The Ministry further reported the addition of 572 martyrs to the cumulative toll, after their data was verified and approved by the judicial committee overseeing reports of missing persons.
As a result, the death toll from the ongoing Israeli aggression since October 7, 2023, has surged to 48,181 martyrs and 111,638 injuries.
The Ministry underscored that countless victims remain buried beneath the rubble or stranded on the streets, as Israeli attacks and the blockade on essential recovery equipment continue to impede the efforts of ambulance and Civil Defense teams.
This deliberate obstruction, the Ministry stressed, represents a clear and flagrant violation of the ceasefire agreement, further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.
Israel hindering humanitarian operations
Hamas accused the Israeli occupation of delaying relief and reconstruction efforts, which were stipulated in the ceasefire agreement.
In a statement released on February 3, the movement said that "Israel" had failed to fully adhere to various relief measures and had not allowed any rebuilding efforts or the entry of essential medical supplies.
Hamas further noted that the amount of fuel entering Gaza was significantly less than agreed, adding that almost no aid had reached northern Gaza and that none of the designated heavy machinery had been allowed in.
The statement warned that the Israeli occupation's refusal to permit the entry of excavation equipment prevents the recovery of martyrsﾒ bodies and hinders the retrieval of remains needed for potential exchanges at the end of this phase.
Moreover, the Director-General of the Ministry of Health in Gaza, Munir al-Barsh, stated on February 3 that essential supplies needed to operate hospitals—such as fuel and oxygen stations—have not reached northern Gaza.
Al-Barsh added that around 40% of kidney failure patients have died due to a lack of dialysis machines, emphasizing the urgent need for field hospitals as many medical centers in the north have ceased operations.
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/casualties-from-israeli-genocide-near-160-000-in-gaza
Iranian Foreign Ministry – February 9, 2025
Iran calls for OIC meeting on Gaza
The Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, discussed and exchanged views with the Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Hissein Brahim Taha, as part of his intensive phone consultations on Saturday evening on the developments in the occupied Palestinian territories and the dangerous joint plot by the Israeli regime and the US for the forced displacement of the Palestinian people.
The Iranian foreign minister condemned the disgraceful US-Zionist plan for the ethnic cleansing of Gaza and the elimination of Palestine, emphasizing the necessity of adopting a coordinated and unified stance by the Islamic community to thwart the evil plot.
Araghchi reiterated the grave responsibility of Islamic countries to support the legitimate and fundamental rights of the oppressed Palestinian people, particularly the right to self-determination and to live safely on their own land.
He added that the forced displacement plan of Palestinians from Gaza is not only a great crime equivalent to “genocide,” but also poses dangerous consequences for the stability and security of the region and the world.
The Iranian foreign minister urged the OIC to promptly hold an extraordinary meeting with the participation of the foreign ministers of member states to make a decisive and effective decision to defend the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.
Referring to his intensive talks on Saturday with the foreign ministers of some Arab and Islamic countries, Araghchi asked the OIC secretary general to make maximum efforts to hold a meeting of the organization’s foreign ministers as soon as possible.
For his part, the OIC head condemned the crimes committed against the Palestinian people, rejecting the conspiracy of forced displacement of the people of Gaza as completely unacceptable and invalid.
Taha welcomed the proposal by the Islamic Republic of Iran to hold an extraordinary consultative meeting of the OIC member states’ foreign ministers and stated that he would hold talks with the member states of the organization on the matter.
https://en.mfa.ir/portal/newsview/761092/Iranian-FM-OIC-secretary-general-discuss-extraordinary-meeting-on-Gaza
Al Mayadeen – February 9, 2025
Israel expands incursions in Syria's Quneitra
Israeli forces advanced into Ain al-Nourieh in Syria’s Quneitra countryside, destroying former Syrian army positions and increasing military presence amid reports of new settlement outposts.
Local sources reported on Sunday that Israeli occupation forces have advanced into the village of Ain al-Nourieh in the northeastern Quneitra countryside, further escalating tensions in the region.
A Syrian source speaking to Al Mayadeen said Israeli forces destroyed remnants of two former Syrian army mortar and anti-tank missile units near the strategic hill of Ain al-Nourieh.
Sources also noted that Israeli forces remained stationed for hours on a key route connecting Quneitra’s countryside to Damascus via Khan Arnaba - Harfa, sparking fear among residents. The increasing frequency of Israeli incursions and patrols in Quneitra and Jabal al-Sheikh has exacerbated local concerns.
Two days earlier, residents of the village of al-Malaqah in Quneitra province rejected aid offered by Israeli forces, affirming that they do not accept assistance from an occupying force.
The village’s mayor, Khodor Obeida, told Turkey’s Anadolu Agency that Israeli soldiers enter and exit the village more than 10 times a day, conducting home searches and instilling fear among women and children.
Obeida added that the soldiers offered him relief supplies to distribute to the residents, but the villagers rejected the offer, expressing a preference for aid from the Syrian government and local organizations that provide essential services.
'Israel' builds bases in Syria: WashPo
On February 2, The Washington Post wrote that the Israeli occupation forces, who have invaded several Syrian villages beyond the buffer zone and Mount Hermon, appear to be preparing for a lasting stay in the territories as earthmoving Israeli vehicles have made their way across the Syrian border.
Satellite images reviewed by The Post revealed over half a dozen buildings and vehicles within a fortified Israeli base, with a nearly identical site located five miles to the south. The two bases are connected by newly constructed dirt roads leading to the occupied Golan Heights. Further south, a cleared area—identified by experts as the possible foundation of a third base—is also visible.
Israeli occupation forces now move in and out of the buffer zone, which, under the 1974 ceasefire agreement between the Israeli occupation and Syria, was meant to remain demilitarized. However, the Israeli occupation has declared the agreement void following the collapse of the Assad regime.
The two new construction sites appear to be forward observation bases, resembling those in the Israeli-occupied part of the Golan Heights, according to William Goodhind, an imagery analyst at Contested Ground. The base in Jubata al-Khassab is more developed, while the southern site is still under construction.
Goodhind noted that the former offers better visibility for troops, whereas the latter has easier access to the region’s road network—an advantage that a potential third base on the cleared land farther south would also share.
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/-israel--expands-incursions-in-syria-s-quneitra
Arab League condemns Netanyahu’s proposal to create Palestinian state in Saudi Arabia
The Arab League has condemned the Israeli prime minister’s recent suggestion that Saudi Arabia could create a state for Palestinians on its territory, saying such comments reflect their "complete detachment from reality."
In a TV interview on Thursday, Benjamin Netanyahu said Saudi Arabia owns a lot of land and it could establish an independent Palestinian state on its territory.
The right-wing TV host noded to Netanyahu's plan, saying that it was an interesting idea.
The Arab and Muslim world, however, responded with anger to the Israeli PM’s scheme to displace more Palestinians to grab their land, vehemently denouncing Netanyahu’s expansionist idea.
“The logic behind them is unacceptable and reflects a complete detachment from reality,” the Arab League’s chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit said in a statement.
The ideas proposed by Netanyahu in his recent TV interview "are nothing more than mere fantasies or illusions,” he added.
Netanyahu's remark follows US President Donald Trump's controversial statements about relocating Palestinians outside of the Gaza Strip under the guise of rebuilding the war-torn territory, a plot that has sparked strong international condemnation.
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry, for its part, said on Sunday that it categorically opposes all ideas about displacing Palestinians from their ancestral land Gaza.
During a meeting between Trump and Netanyahu last Tuesday in the White House, the US President said American troops could “take over” Gaza's control and relocate its inhabitants as part of a redevelopment plan to transform the war-torn enclave into what he called “the Riviera of the Middle East.”
Trump proposed that Gazans could be resettled in neighboring countries such as Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
Al Mayadeen – February 9, 2025
The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor
By Abdullah Ali Khan
The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is anticipated to boost both the economies of China and Pakistan and to foster goodwill between the two nations.
The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has been a framework for regional connectivity for nearly 10 years. This initiative will benefit not just China and Pakistan but also Afghanistan, Iran, India, and the Central Asian Republics. A tight relationship that goes beyond friendship, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is tied to the economic and social advantages of both nations.
The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has completely transformed Pakistan. Since Pakistan's founding, unemployment has been a major issue. Every new government makes a pledge to end unemployment and advance society, but this has not always happened. In its 70-year history, Pakistan has alternatively emerged as one of Asia's most powerful economies and then weakened, lagging behind in the race for progress. The CPEC initiative, which is now helping Pakistan, has the potential to change the trajectory of events in the years to come.
The initial objective of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in the 1990s was to link the Arabian Sea with China's western regions. The first proposal was made in 1999. The development of Gwadar Port was completed at the beginning of the twenty-first century, and following 2010, numerous Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were signed.
On April 20, 2015, Chinese President Xi Jinping traveled to Pakistan, where the two countries agreed on a $26 billion CPEC project. At the time, this project was recognized as Pakistan's most significant endeavor.
Due to several internal and foreign crises that had a detrimental impact on its economic status, Pakistan was vulnerable internationally before the 21st century.
However, the CPEC project offered the region fresh optimism and gave Pakistan a new identity on a global scale. Longtime rival India has continuously opposed this project and attempted several strategies to thwart it, but India's plans have never succeeded. For regional growth, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is extremely important.
Regional connectivity, energy centers, logistics hubs, trade, peace and stability, cultural harmony, investment opportunities, industrial cooperation, financial collaboration, agricultural partnerships, tourism, education, human resources, healthcare, and people-to-people connections will all be improved by this project. Additionally, it will expand the prospects for livelihood, improve regional security and stability, and open the door to ending hunger and poverty.
CPEC 2.0, the second phase of CPEC, has started. While business-to-business ties are being fostered in the second phase, government-to-government links were created in the first. This phase involves the establishment of export-oriented industries in Pakistan's special economic zones. The Pakistani government wants to increase exports to the point where the nation is no longer experiencing a foreign exchange crisis, which will remove the need for recurrent IMF loans and build the groundwork for a stable and sustainable economy.
Internal and foreign dangers to this endeavor are also anticipated given the delicate nature of the situation. Attacks on CPEC have escalated since the Taliban took over Afghanistan. Several of these attacks have been attributed to the TTP, and Pakistan has confirmed on multiple occasions that attacks from Afghanistan have targeted and killed numerous Chinese workers. At first, there were rumors that these attacks were being carried out by the Afghan Taliban. The Afghan Taliban, meanwhile, have publicly acknowledged China as a friend and extended an invitation to China to invest in Afghanistan, demonstrating their lack of involvement in these events.
One of the most crucial components of the project is Gwadar Airport. The Pakistan Airport Authority claims that the 4,300-acre New Gwadar International Airport Project, which is well located close to Gurandani, is a centerpiece project of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Gwadar International Airport has opened for business. It can handle large aircraft like Boeing and Airbus thanks to its 3.6-kilometer runway. With a total area of 4,300 acres, it is the largest airport in Pakistan.
China has contributed $230 million to this project, which has won praise from all over the world and is considered to be one of the most significant components of CPEC. Soon, this airport will have easy access to international planes, enhancing Pakistan's standing internationally.
To present, 27 projects worth $19 billion have been completed under CPEC, and 63 projects worth over $35 billion are still in progress. According to a report by China Three Gorges South Asia Investment Ltd, seven of the completed projects focus on improving Pakistan's infrastructure, while 11 are in the energy industry. In addition to the three port projects at Gwadar, six welfare projects have been completed.
Pakistan aims to update road and rail infrastructure, establish new optical fiber networks, strengthen Gwadar and other ports, boost trade, finish four urban mass transit projects in important cities, and generate 17,045 MW of power through CPEC by 2030. Numerous corporate centers, medical facilities, and educational establishments are also planned. Some projects have already been completed, while others are still in the works.
The CPEC Master Plan through 2030 will shape Pakistan's economic future and could help the country restore its position as a significant Asian economic force. This project would not only revolutionize economic development but also provide the region with state-of-the-art infrastructure, significantly improving transportation and resolving other logistical challenges.
The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is anticipated to boost both the economies of China and Pakistan and to foster goodwill between the two nations.
https://english.almayadeen.net/articles/blog/the-china-pakistan-economic-corridor
