01/10/2025

WEDNESDAY | OCT 1, 2025

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Trump’s Gaza plan wins backing of Netanyahu

Luxembourg, France, Finland, Mexico and Malaysia. The flotilla emphasised that the operation was carried out smoothly thanks to the rapid coordination of the Turkish government and the contributions of the Turkish Red Crescent on the ground during the evacuation process. – Bernama-Anadolu telecoms infrastructure. Over the past weeks, internet connections have been extremely slow or intermittent. On Sept 16, Balkh provincial spokesperson Attaullah Zaid said fibre optic internet was completely banned in the northern province on the Taliban’s orders. “This measure was taken to prevent vice. Alternative options would be put in place across the country to meet connectivity needs,“ he wrote on social media. – AFP MOSCOW: Russian forces have taken control of two more frontline settlements in key areas of eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region, the Russian Defence Ministry said on Monday. Ukrainian officials did not address the Russian announcement concerning the two villages, but President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv’s counter-offensive operation near the town of Dobropillia, also in Donetsk region, made progress. Reuters could not independently verify battlefield accounts from either side. The Russian Defence Ministry said its forces are in control of Shandryholove and Zarichne, both northeast of the city of Sloviansk, one of the centres Moscow hopes eventually to capture in its drive westward through Donetsk region. Video released by Russia’s Defence Ministry purports to show Russian troops moving from building to building and holding aloft a Russian flag as they take control of Shandryholove. Moscow has been advancing slowly along the frontline crossing eastern and southern areas of Ukraine, announcing the capture of new villages nearly every day. It does not release casualty figures but Ukrainian and Western military analysts say the advances have come at a high cost in men and equipment. Ukraine’s military made no acknowledgment of Zarichne changing hands, but a lengthy media report on Saturday said the village was under Ukrainian control, although Russian soldiers had entered parts of it. Zelensky said Ukraine’s Dobropillia counter-offensive, near the key logistics centre of Pokrovsk, was proceeding, with Ukraine having recaptured 175 suqare kilometres. Russia now holds about 19% of Ukrainian territory. Zelensky also said the situation was “not easy” in Kupiansk, a town long under Russian attack in northeastern Kharkiv region, and in parts of Donetsk and Dnipropetrovsk region. He added that Ukrainian servicemen were “doing everything they can to defend their positions”. – Reuters Ukraine villages captured: Russia

could be battled over for weeks or months. For Hamas, the plan demands the militants fully disarm and be excluded from future roles in the government, although those who agree to “peaceful coexistence” would be granted amnesty. Netanyahu could also face trouble selling the deal to far-right members of his Cabinet. He stressed that Israeli forces would retain responsibility for Gaza security “for the foreseeable future” and cast doubt on the Palestinian Authority’s role. Trump’s plan leaves hope for Palestinian statehood, something he said Netanyahu had strongly objected to during the meeting. – AFP

questions from reporters as talks with key parties were ongoing. Trump’s plan sparked mixed reactions in a region scarred by nearly two years of war. A senior Hamas official said the group would “respond once we receive it”. Gaza residents expressed scepticism that Trump’s plan could end the war. “We as a people will not accept this farce,” said Abu Mazen Nassar, 52. The Palestinian Authority, which is based in the West Bank but would be set for a role in a post-war Gaza government, welcomed Trump’s “sincere and determined efforts”. But the deal is full of pitfalls for Hamas and Israel, and the details

o If Hamas rejects plan, our nation will finish job by itself, says Israel

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump managed to secure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s backing for a wide-ranging Gaza peace plan on Monday, and the leaders warned that Israel would “finish the job” against Hamas if the Palestinian militant group rejected the deal. Hamas has yet to give its judgment on the proposal that Trump unveiled at the White House alongside Netanyahu, leaving uncertainty swirling around the fate of the 20-point plan to end the war. The plan calls for a ceasefire, release of hostages by Hamas within 72 hours, disarmament of Hamas and gradual Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, followed by a post-war transitional authority headed by Trump. “I support your plan to end the war in Gaza, which achieves our war aims,” said Netanyahu in a joint press conference with Trump. “If Hamas rejects your plan or if they supposedly accept it and then basically do everything to counter it, then Israel would finish the job by itself.” Trump said Israel would have his “full backing” to do so if Hamas did not accept the deal. However, he insisted that peace in the Middle East is “beyond very close” and described the announcement of the plan as “potentially one of the great days ever in civilisation”. Reaction was global and swift. Eight key Arab and Muslim nations, namely Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Indonesia and Pakistan, KABUL: Afghanistan faced a second day without internet and phone service yesterday after Taliban authorities cut the fibre optic network. Taliban authorities began shutting down high speed internet connections to some provinces earlier in the month to prevent “vice”. On Monday night, phone signal and internet service gradually weakened until connectivity was less than 1% of ordinary levels, according to internet watchdog NetBlocks. It is the first time since the Taliban ISTANBUL: The Turkish Red Crescent on Monday provided food and medical supplies to the Global Sumud Flotilla, which is en route to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, Anadolu Ajansi reported. It delivered aid to the ships of the 50-strong flotilla, which are continuing their voyage through the Mediterranean in the area between

hailed the agreement’s “sincere efforts” in the wake of their own talks with Trump last week. Washington’s European allies voiced support, with the leaders of France, the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy sharing strong expressions of support for the plan. European Union Chief Antonio Costa urged all parties to “seize this moment to give peace a genuine chance”. However, after the announcement, Trump said the two leaders would not take

A Palestinian cooking next to children in front of a tent at a camp for displaced people in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. – AFPPIC

Taliban imposes communications blackout in Afghanistan

because we all understand that Gaza needs this and we are not giving up. Right now, there are over 40 vessels and hundreds of activists from all over the world are on board.” The Turkish Red Crescent and other authorities took action to coordinate the evacuation from the ship in distress, which carried passengers from countries such as AFP lost all contact with its bureau in the capital Kabul at 5.45pm (1315 GMT). “Because of the shutdown, I am totally disconnected with my family in Kabul,“ a 40-year-old Afghan living in Oman told AFP via text, asking not to be named. “I do not know what is happening, I am really worried.” Telephone services are often routed over the internet, sharing the same fibre lines, especially in countries with limited

there were 12 people on board. We transferred everyone to a safe vessel. After all this, I just want to return home to Marseille.” Yasemin Acar, one of the activists in the Global Sumud Flotilla, said their only goal was to reach Gaza. “The weather was rough, we were bombed. We were stopped several times, but morale is high. We are here “There is not any other way or system to communicate. The banking sector, customs, everything across the country would be affected,“ said the official who asked not to be named. Netblocks said the blackout “appears consistent with the intentional disconnection of service”. affecting phone services. The official said “eight to nine thousand telecommunications pillars” would be shut down, adding that the blackout would last “until further notice”.

Crete, the island of Cyprus and Egypt. On Monday, Turkiye coordinated the evacuation of passengers from flotilla vessel Johnny M after it called for help due to its taking on water. French captain Bernard Pierre Laguna said: “The water started pulling the boat downward. We lost control and everyone on board had to be evacuated. I was the captain and government won their insurgency in 2021 and imposed a strict version of Islamic law that communications have been shut down in the country. “We are blind without phones and internet,“ said 42-year-old shopkeeper Najibullah in Kabul. “All our business relies on phones. The deliveries are with phones. It is like a holiday, everyone is at home. The market is totally frozen.” In the minutes before it happened, a government official warned AFP that fibre optics would be cut,

Turkiye delivers food, medical supplies to aid flotilla