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Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan welcomes Israel-Hamas ceasefire accord
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The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) on Thursday welcomed the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, and said the accord was the result of “the historic struggle and sacrifices of the Palestinian people.”
The IEA’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement it is grateful for the efforts of the mediator countries, especially the governments of Qatar and Egypt.
The complex ceasefire accord between Israel and Hamas, which controls Gaza, emerged on Wednesday after months of mediation by Qatar, Egypt and the US and 15 months of bloodshed that devastated the coastal territory and inflamed the Middle East.
The deal outlines a six-week initial ceasefire with the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip, where tens of thousands have been killed.
Hostages taken by Hamas would be freed in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
According to a statement issued by the IEA, the “cease-fire agreement is the result of the historic struggle and sacrifices of the Palestinian people’s legendary tolerance and brave resistance in the Gaza Strip.
“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan congratulates the leadership of Islamic resistance and the patient people of Palestine for this great achievement.”
The IEA stated that it is now necessary that all phases of the agreement are fully implemented so that the cease-fire is permanent and humanitarian aid reaches the people of Gaza urgently.
“Considering the results of the previous agreements, the parties involved and the international community should ensure that the Israeli regime fulfills its commitments responsibly,” the IEA stated.
“Permanent peace and tranquility in the Middle East can only be achieved through a legitimate solution to the Palestinian issue and the independence of the Palestinian people,” the Islamic Emirate added.
In conclusion the IEA said it will continue to support an independent Palestinian state and the Palestinian people.
Wednesday’s ceasefire agreement calls for a surge in humanitarian assistance to Gaza. Both the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross said they were preparing to scale up their aid operations.
“A ceasefire is the start – not the end. We have food lined up at the borders to Gaza – and need to be able to bring it in at scale,” said Cindy McCain, World Food Program executive director, on X.
Global reaction to the ceasefire was enthusiastic. Leaders and officials of Egypt, Turkey, Britain, the United Nations, the European Union, Jordan, Germany and the United Arab Emirates, among others, celebrated the news.
At a news conference in Doha, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said the ceasefire would take effect on Sunday. Negotiators are working with Israel and Hamas on steps to implement the agreement, he said.
“This deal will halt the fighting in Gaza, surge much-needed humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians, and reunite the hostages with their families after more than 15 months in captivity,” US President Joe Biden said in Washington.
However, Israel’s acceptance of the deal will not be official until it is approved by the country’s security cabinet and government, with votes slated for Thursday, an Israeli official said.
The accord was expected to win approval despite opposition from some hardliners in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government.
While people celebrated the pact in Gaza and Israel, Israel’s military escalated attacks after the announcement, the civil emergency service and residents said.
Heavy Israeli bombardment, especially in Gaza City, killed 32 people late on Wednesday, medics said. The strikes continued early on Thursday and destroyed houses in Rafah in southern Gaza, Nuseirat in central Gaza and in northern Gaza, residents said.
Israel’s military made no immediate comment and there were no reports of Hamas attacks on Israel after the ceasefire announcement.
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OIC and UN special envoys discuss joint cooperation to support Afghanistan
The meeting focused on the efforts of both sides in disseminating the Jeddah Document on Women’s Rights in Islam, which was adopted in November 2023
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The Special Envoy of the Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to Afghanistan, Tarig Ali Bakhit, held discussions on Monday, with the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Afghanistan, Roza Otunbayeva, at the OIC office in Kabul.
The meeting focused on the efforts of both sides in disseminating the Jeddah Document on Women’s Rights in Islam, which was adopted during the International Conference on Women in Islam held on 6 – 8 November 2023, the OIC said in a statement.
This initiative is being advanced through a workshop that commenced Monday at the OIC Office in Kabul.
Both sides exchanged views on how the OIC and the UN can continue their joint cooperation to support the Afghan people and address the political, humanitarian, and security challenges facing Afghanistan.
In a post on X on Tuesday Otunbayeva said she held “important and constructive discussions with the OIC on the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan, where restrictions on education, work and access to health are causing long-term damage.”
She said “more engagement, and practical action, is urgently needed.”
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Senior IEA officials make first known visit to Japan since takeover
Japan however has been a substantial donor nation over the past few years and has maintained a diplomatic mission in Kabul.
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A delegation of high-level Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) officials have arrived in Japan, their host Japanese grant-making organization Nippon Foundation said Monday.
This is the first known visit by the IEA since their takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021.
Japan however has been a substantial donor nation over the past few years and has maintained a diplomatic mission in Kabul.
Nippon Foundation meanwhile told Japanese media that the visiting delegation is expected to seek insights for future nation building.
The Japanese government said its Foreign Ministry’s special representative for Afghanistan, Toshihide Ando, also plans to meet with the delegation.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said the visit is “meaningful”.
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Ministry says morality police may not violate citizens’ right to privacy
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The Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice said on Sunday that no muhtasib (morality police) is allowed to violate citizens’ right to privacy, warning that violators will face serious action.
Speaking on Ariana News’ Saar program, Saif-ul-Islam Khaibar, the ministry’s spokesman, said that public complaints regarding the behavior of muhtasibs have decreased, which indicates that they are behaving well.
“Breaching the privacy of individuals is spying. It is spying on what the individual does or does not do. Muhtasib does not have this right, and Islam has forbidden this, and Allah Almighty has also forbidden spying. Muhtasib is only responsible when he directly sees a wrongdoing and prevents it,” Khaibar said.
He also emphasized that the ministry has handled thousands of complaints in different sectors over the past three years and, in the area of protecting women’s rights alone, has prevented more than 5,500 cases of forced marriage and Baad practice in different regions of the country. Baad is a method of settlement and compensation whereby a female from a criminal’s family is given to the victim’s family as a servant or a bride.
“We cannot say that currently this is not happening in Afghanistan because it is a large country and the ministry has just started working. It is something that has existed for decades, but now it is not something that people can freely do,” Khaibar said.
He also claimed that some foreign media outlets and intelligence circles spread propaganda against the ministry in order to turn people against the ministry and muhtasibs.
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