Diplomatic sources tell Al Jazeera that Qatar will not accept becoming a tool to pressure negotiating parties.
Qatar has stressed that it will not accept becoming a tool to pressure any party and that it is committed to maintaining its role as an honest mediator in its mediation between Hamas and Israel, diplomatic sources told Al Jazeera Arabic.
The sources indicated on Sunday that Qatar affirms it does not impose itself on the parties and cannot undertake any mediation unless asked to do so, and this includes the current mediation between Hamas and Israel.
The sources said Qatar would not allow interference from any party that would affect the integrity of its role.
The diplomatic sources said Qatari mediation disturbed certain parties which have worked to criticise and attack it, to pressure it to transform from an honest mediator to a tool for exerting pressure on a party, something that Qatar has not done in the past, successful mediations, both international and regional, including the Palestinian file.
Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani has said Doha is in the process of evaluating its role in this mediation, stressing that Qatar sees this mediation as being misused for narrow political interests, as they put it.
On Saturday, an informed official revealed to the Reuters news agency that Qatar might close the Hamas movement’s political office in Doha as part of a broader review of the mediation between the movement and Israel.
Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis discusses Greece’s close ties with Israel, peace efforts in the Middle East.
Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis emphasises his country’s robust defence ties with Israel amid its war on Gaza. He asserts now is not the time to revisit their largest defence deal, including a $1.6bn contract for Greek air force training.
Gerapetritis highlights Greece’s peace efforts in the Middle East and stresses the importance of high defence spending due to geopolitical dynamics and Greece’s extensive Mediterranean coastline.
The Greek foreign minister, Giorgos Gerapetritis, talks to Al Jazeera.
Protests, rallies, sit-ins, marches, and disruptions date from the early days of what would become the United States.
They have continued to the sights and sounds echoing across the landscapes of US colleges and universities today. Protest camps have sprung up and been forced down over Israel’s war on Gaza, which has been going on since early October.
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators at US schools have been calling on their administrations to cut economic and other ties with Israel or companies they say support the war. The protest encampments started on April 17 at Columbia University and have rippled nationally.
Just as much as protest has been a part of US history, protest is being met with irritation, condemnation, anger, and even the use of law enforcement and aggressive tactics.
“Dissent is essential for democracy. But dissent must never lead to disorder,” President Joe Biden said on Thursday, summing up the enduring national paradox.
Administrators, under pressure to “restore order” close to college commencements, say they support the right to speak but not to disrupt life for other students or violate conduct rules. Police have been called to clear campus encampments all over the country, with more than 2,300 people arrested.
The right to assemble, speak out, and to petition for the redress of grievances is enshrined in the first of the US constitutional amendments and past social actions that brought about advances towards equality by previous generations made, often at risk of life and limb, are lauded.
But those same actions can cause anger and outright opposition when they cause interruptions, and those speaking out can be seen as outsiders looking to sow chaos and influence impressionable minds.
That does not mean protests have not had an effect over time, says Robert Shapiro, professor of political science at the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University and expert on public opinion in US politics.
The Occupy Wall Street protest of 2011, for example, “drew attention to economic inequality in the United States”, Shapiro says. “[E]conomic inequality in the United States has become, and remains, more visible.”
“Public opinion changes on the issues as a result of the effectiveness of the protests doing one very important thing: raising the visibility and salience of the issues.”
‘If you’re watching this… then Al Jazeera has been banned in Israel’. Correspondent Imran Khan recorded his last report from occupied East Jerusalem pre-empting the Netanyahu government’s unanimous decision to close Al Jazeera in Israel.
Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet has unanimously voted to shut down Al Jazeera’s operations in Israel. Earlier the Knesset passed a law allowing the temporary closure of foreign broadcasters considered a threat to national security.
Deir el-Balah, Gaza – The word is a weary wish in Gaza, as much a source of searing disappointment as the last emblem of hope.
It has also been on the lips of protesters worldwide, who for months have demonstrated against the carnage of Israel’s war on Gaza.
The word is “ceasefire”, an end to the Israeli assault that has pummeled the Gaza Strip for seven months – killing at least 34,683 and injuring at least 78,018 more in a drawn-out Israeli retaliation for a Hamas-led attack on its territory on October 7.
Several rounds of ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas in recent months have failed to end the bloodshed or even achieve a temporary pause, as happened last November.
The source of the talks’ deadlock is that Hamas wants a permanent end to the war and the assurance that Israel will not invade Rafah, the refuge for nearly 1.5 million Palestinians.
In ongoing negotiations in Cairo, Egypt, Israel has agreed to only a 40-day pause in fighting and said it will forge ahead with its Rafah offensive regardless of whether a deal is reached.
A potential ceasefire keeps internally displaced person (IDP) Abeer al-Namrouti glued to her phone day and night, the displaced Gaza resident often falling asleep to news bulletins still playing near her head.
“I’m going to keep listening until I hear the word ‘ceasefire’,” al-Namrouti told Al Jazeera.
The 39-year-old, who has eight children, left the town of al-Qarara in Khan Younis after munitions struck her home, destroying it. The attack also injured her and her husband and they had to undergo weeks of treatment that is still ongoing for her husband.
From the tent they live in now in central Gaza’s Deir el-Balah, she heads to the nearby Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital to get the medication her husband still requires and administers them to him via IV. It is a difficult life, but she remains determined.
Al-Namrouti is hopeful about a ceasefire this time.
“[Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu is holding things up – every time things move a little, he puts obstacles in [place], but this time I’m more optimistic than the past,” she said.
While months of shuttle diplomacy have failed thus far, if a deal is reached, the family will go back to the town they lived in.
Al-Namrouti with her husband and one of her sons in April 2024 [Abdelhakim Abu Riash/Al Jazeera]
“I know we won’t have [even] a tent back there or anything, but all that matters is that we’re on the land that belongs to us.
“I’m going to go back there and set up a tent and just stay,” she concluded adamantly.
‘It’s never happened so far’
Wael el-Nabahin, 48, came to Deir el-Balah from Bureij with his family and set up a slightly unusual tent, the family has a television to watch the news, and even a washing machine.
“I wanted my family to be a bit comfortable and not live in abject disaster. We watch the news all the time to see what’s going on,” el-Nabahin told Al Jazeera.
But the father of four is sceptical of a ceasefire deal any time soon.
“There’s been talk of ceasefires before, but it’s never happened so far,” he said.
If there was such a deal, however, he is determined to return to Bureij, despite his house having been burned down.
Wael al-Nabahin set up as comfortable a tent as possible for his family [Abdelhakim Abu Riash/Al Jazeera]
“If there’s a ceasefire, the first thing we’d do would be to take our tents and go back to where our houses were. We’ll set up there,” said el-Nabahin.
It is this weariness that Louise Wateridge has seen among Palestinians she has worked with in Rafah. The spokesperson with the UN refugee agency for Palestinians, UNWRA, says a ceasefire is the minimum demand for the war-weary Palestinians.
“People here are so tired. There is continuous fear, continuous displacement. The only hope they have is a ceasefire … No matter who you are, the feeling here is we need an immediate ceasefire.”
‘It’s going to end, world war or not, it’s going to end’
For Mahmoud el-Khatib, simply staying alive to see the war end would be significant.
“My house has been destroyed, but it’s not about the house or a car or whatever, it’s more about how we now see that simply surviving is a victory,” el-Khatib told Al Jazeera.
The 55-year-old father of eight has been displaced from Juhor ad-Dik, forced to move between Deir el-Balah and Rafah in the south in the past few months.
“We’re all optimistic that there will be a ceasefire and that we’ll be able to go back to our homes, to the north, back where we belong,” he said.
Mahmoud el-Khatib feels that simply surviving is a victory [Abdelhakim Abu Riash/Al Jazeera]
“If I were to feel safe, everything would be fine, even if I’m in a simple tent.”
And while many diligently follow the news in hopes of a deal, Raed Abu Khousa has had to take a break. Keeping tabs on the war daily took a toll on his mental health.
The 45-year-old father of eight has been displaced for the last four months from Bureij after his home was badly damaged.
Despite now living in a tent, which he says is increasingly difficult with summer approaching, Khousa has cautious optimism about a truce deal.
“I’m not super optimistic, but it does feel like we’re closer to something. And if it’s not this time around, we’re closer to a solution,” he told Al Jazeera.
“It’s going to end, world war or not, it’s going to end. As Muslims, we believe that God will bring us success, and what is asked of us is that we are patient and wait for Him.”
Raed Abu Khousa stopped following the news daily when it became too stressful [Abdelhakim Abu Riash/Al Jazeera]
Police have dismantled the Gaza solidarity encampment at the University of Virginia and arrested several pro-Palestine protesters. Police were filmed spraying demonstrators with a chemical irritant.
Anthony Edwards’s 43 points led Minnesota Timberwolves’ 106-99 home win over Denver Nuggets.
Anthony Edwards scored 43 points, Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 20 and the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves took home-court advantage from Denver with a 106-99 win over the Nuggets in Game 1 of a Western Conference semifinal series.
Naz Reid scored 14 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter, Mike Conley had 14 points and 10 assists and Rudy Gobert grabbed 13 rebounds for Minnesota, which pulled away to begin the postseason 5-0.
“They are defending champs, they’re a hard team to beat. Great team. They got great players,” Edwards said of the Nuggets.
“They got the best player in the league with Nikola Jokic, they got the best closer with Jamal Murray, the best 3-point shooter with Michael Porter Jr So, it is tough to beat this team.”
Game 2 is in Denver on Monday.
Anthony Edwards puts on a show and drops a playoff career-high to lift the @Timberwolves to the Game 1 win in Denver!
Jokic had 32 points, Porter added 20 and Murray finished with 17, all in the second half, for the Nuggets, who are trailing in a playoff series for the first time since losing to the Golden State Warriors in the first round in 2022.
It was a tight game early in the fourth, but the Timberwolves were more poised down the stretch.
Conley hit his third 3-pointer of the game to give Minnesota an 80-77 lead, but Murray answered from deep and was fouled by Towns. He then proceeded to complete the four-point play.
Edwards, who had 25 points in the first half, hit a driving layup through traffic and a pullup 18-footer to put the Timberwolves back in front. Reid hit a pair of 3-pointers, converted a layup and dunked an Edwards miss to give Minnesota a 94-88 lead with 4:20 left.
Jokic converted a three-point play, but the Timberwolves then started to put the game away. Gobert made a layup and banked in a 13-footer and Edwards sank two free throws. Porter committed an offensive foul, and Edwards’ 14-foot fadeaway made it 102-91 with 1:36 left.
Jokic’s 3-pointer cut Denver’s deficit to 102-96 with 1:02 to go, but the Timberwolves closed it out.
Minnesota jumped out to an 18-4 lead with 5:12 left in the first quarter, but the Nuggets turned up the defence. They forced seven turnovers and held the Timberwolves to 22 points in the final 17 minutes of the first half to lead 44-40 at intermission.
Towns and Conley had 11 points apiece in the third quarter to help put Minnesota ahead 73-71 going into the fourth.
“An 18-4 start, so we get down early, fight like hell to take the lead at halftime, then we played no defense in the third,” Denver coach Michael Malone said.
As the war enters its 801th day, these are the main developments.
Here is the situation on Sunday, May 5, 2024:
Fighting
At least two people died after Russia launched attacks several attacks on Kharkiv, including a 49-year-old civilian in Slobozhanske, a village just northeast of the city.
Four others were wounded in the Kharkiv attack, including a 13-year-old hurt by falling debris. A two-storey civilian building was damaged and set ablaze, officials say.
In the Black Sea port of Odesa, three people were wounded after Russia launched rocket attacks on “civil infrastructure”, officials say.
Ukraine, meanwhile, said it downed 13 Shahed drones targeting Dnipro and Kharkiv, as well as a Russian Su-25 fighter-bomber over the eastern Donetsk region. An electrical substation in Dnipro was damaged in the drone attacks.
Russia launched eight missiles and nearly 70 guided aerial bombs in total, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Russian state agency RIA Novosti claimed troops struck a drone warehouse in Kharkiv that had been used by Ukrainian troops overnight.
A big fire engulfed a warehouse on the outskirts of the Russian-annexed Crimean city of Simferopol, Russian officials say. It is unclear what was stored at the warehouse but several emergency crews were dispatched to put it out.
Five people were wounded and hospitalised in Russia’s Belgorod after a strong blast on Saturday, officials say. About 30 residential buildings were damaged. It is unclear what caused the explosions. Russian journalists on Telegram channels speculated a bomb meant to be launched on Ukraine exploded by mistake.
Politics
Russia is opening a criminal case against Zelenskyy and has put him on a wanted list, officials say. Ukraine officials responding to the move called the decision “meaningless” and reminded Moscow that Russian President Vladimir Putin is on a wanted list by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
A spokesperson for Moscow separately said Russia will respond with “asymmetric measures” to the “hostile line” the Baltic countries of Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia have drawn, which has led to them cutting off ties with Russia, which once enjoyed considerable influence over them.
Just last week, Estonia accused Russia of violating international airspace regulations by interfering with GPS signals. NATO officials also said last week that Baltic countries are among those that are “deeply concerned” about activities they called “Russian espionage” on their soil.
Economy
New measures from Ukraine’s central bank meant to ease tough restrictions for businesses imposed after Russia’s invasion will take effect from May 14. Restrictions on imports of goods and services and foreign currency transfers will be among those to be softened.
Mexico’s Alvarez successfully defended his WBC, WBO, IBF and WBA super middleweight titles against compatriot Munguia.
Mexico’s undisputed super middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez has retained his titles with a unanimous victory over compatriot Jaime Munguia in Las Vegas.
Alvarez, who received scores of 117-110, 116-111 and 115-112 from the three judges to seal the win, sent his opponent to the canvas in the fourth round, the first knockdown of Munguia’s career.
“Jaime Munguia is a great fighter. He’s strong, he’s smart. But I take my time. I have 12 rounds to win the fight and I did. I did really good and I feel proud about it,” Alvarez said after handing Munguia the first defeat of his professional career.
“He’s strong but I think he’s a little slow. I could see every punch… That’s why I’m the best. I’m the best fighter right now, for sure.”
Saturday’s fight, which bettered Alvarez’s record to 61-2-2, was the 33-year-old’s first since beating American Jermell Charlo last year.
It was Alvarez’s fourth time defending his WBC, WBO, IBF and WBA super middleweight titles.
Munguia, whose 34 knockouts included victories inside the distance in four of his previous five fights, came out on the attack against the vastly experienced Alvarez, pushing him back with his jab and rattling the champion in the third round with a right to the jaw.
But Alvarez responded in the fourth. After Munguia connected with a pair of solid rights Alvarez followed a left hook with a massive uppercut that sent Munguia to the canvas.
The fifth round opened to chants of “Canelo!” ringing in the T-Mobile Arena, where support was evenly divided between the Mexican combatants in a fight coinciding with Mexico’s Cinco de Mayo festivities.
An Alvarez jab popped Munguia’s head back and, in the sixth, an Alvarez left hook had Munguia’s knees buckling briefly.
In a fight billed as a possible changing of the guard, Munguia – who has honed his aggressive style under the tutelage of longtime Manny Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach – continued to press.
But his vaunted power rarely bothered Alvarez, who repeatedly found a way past Munguia’s guard to land the more damaging blows.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie
Duration
Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
