After two years of war in Sudan, the world can no longer plead ignorance
Two years ago this week, a conflict erupted in Sudan that few anticipated would escalate so rapidly or persist for so long. What began as a violent power struggle has become one of the worst and most neglected humanitarian crises of our time. The country has been plunged into a state of devastation marked by mass displacement, hunger, violence and disease. The numbers are staggering. More than 30 million people need humanitarian aid. At least 15 million people are currently displaced. Some 11.3 million are displaced inside Sudan and 3.9 million people have fled to neighbouring countries, making this the world’s largest displacement crisis. More than 20 million people urgently need access to healthcare. Behind these numbers are millions of individual stories. Parents fearing for the life of their child suffering from severe malnutrition. Families stranded in areas with no food, safe water or medical care. Women, men and children dying because it is too dangerous to go to a health centre. A whole generation of children missing out on routine vaccinations. Advertisement When I visited Sudan last September, I met Soueda, a bright nine-year-old girl who fled her hometown and was living in a displacement camp in Port Sudan, where the World Health Organization (WHO) is supporting primary healthcare services. She left everything she knew behind and told me she hadn’t been to school in two years. In Port Sudan, WHO colleagues spoke with Ashwa and her youngest child, who was being treated for severe acute malnutrition at one of the WHO-supported stabilisation centres operating there. “When my baby stopped taking any food or drink, and stopped moving, with swelling in his arms, I knew his life was in grave danger,” she said, while holding her son. “I feared I would lose him until we came to this hospital where he is getting special milk and medicines. He is now able to move, has resumed breastfeeding and can even smile. Without the care at this stabilisation centre, I would have lost him.” Yet, too few of these stories reach the headlines. This silence is dangerous. It breeds indifference and will cost more lives. The war has left Sudan’s health system devastated, especially in hard-to-reach areas. In assessed states, 62 percent of health facilities are partially functional and the remaining 32 percent are not functional, with a lack of clarity from other hard-to-reach areas like the Darfurs and Kordofans. Patients can’t access basic treatments due to ongoing fighting and repeated attacks on health facilities and health workers. Two-thirds of all states in Sudan are experiencing more than three different disease outbreaks, including cholera, measles, malaria, dengue and diphtheria. Cholera alone has killed at least 1,500 people. Advertisement Malnutrition is widespread among children, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers. Famine has been confirmed in five areas and is projected to expand to 17, with tens of thousands of lives at immediate risk. With our partners, WHO is in Sudan, working to ensure people can access the required care. Despite severely restricted access to people in need and ongoing attacks on healthcare facilities, we deliver life-saving medical supplies, support hospitals and health centres, and run vaccination campaigns. Since the conflict started, with WHO’s support, over one million patients have received treatment in hospitals, health centres and mobile clinics. Some 11.5 million children have been vaccinated against polio and measles, and 12.8 million people have received cholera vaccines. WHO is supporting stabilisation centres, where during the last two years, 75,000 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition with medical complications have received treatment. WHO’s response to this crisis has been made possible by generous contributions from partners like the Central Emergency Response Fund, the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, the European Union, France, Germany, Italy, the United States and others. Yet, continuous support is critical in 2025 for WHO’s $135m response plan, 79 percent of which is unfunded. WHO is determined to continue supporting Sudan’s people but we need access to and protection of civilians, humanitarians and medical personnel. Since the conflict started, WHO has verified 156 attacks on health facilities, ambulances, staff and patients, resulting in 318 deaths and 273 injuries. Health workers and facilities must never be targets. In fact, they are protected under international humanitarian law. But there has been blatant disregard for these obligations. Advertisement Sudan’s crisis is no longer a national tragedy, it has become a regional threat. The conflict threatens to destabilise neighbouring countries and risks fuelling further displacement, disease and insecurity. A week after my mission to Sudan, I was in Chad, which is hosting over 750,000 Sudanese. I met families who had walked for days to cross the border in search of safety. Some said their homes had been burned, crops destroyed and animals stolen. They left, and arrived with nothing. When I asked what they needed most, the awful answer I heard again and again was: “Food. We are hungry.” We can’t say we don’t know what’s happening. The facts are clear and the stories are harrowing. What is missing is more action. We need sustained, unhindered humanitarian access to reach those in greatest need, adequate funding to supply life-saving aid, and above all, a high-level commitment to ending the war. The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance. Adblock test (Why?)
China’s Xi hails ‘new golden era’ with Malaysia during trade tour
Xi’s visit to Malaysia is part of a regional diplomatic charm tour amid stinging US tariffs. Chinese President Xi Jinping has met Malaysia’s King Sultan Ibrahim in Kuala Lumpur as part of a regional push to shore up Beijing’s trade relationships. The diplomatic stop on Wednesday marks the second leg of Xi’s three-nation tour, which also includes Vietnam and Cambodia, and comes amid sharp tariffs imposed by the United States that are reshaping the global economic landscape. Sultan Ibrahim welcomed Xi in a colourful ceremony at the golden-domed Istana Negara palace before his meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at the administrative capital of Putrajaya. Xi touted a “new golden era” of Chinese-Malaysian relations, following the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties last year. The king announced new cooperation between the countries in various fields, including artificial intelligence. Chinese President Xi Jinping inspects an honour guard during the official welcoming ceremony at the national palace in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, April 16, 2025 [Vincent Thian/Pool via Reuters] “This is a hugely significant visit,” said Al Jazeera’s Rob McBride, reporting from Putrajaya. “It takes place during this unprecedented trade war that is developing with the United States, with both Malaysia and China finding themselves in the middle.” Advertisement Khoo Ying Hooi, an associate professor in the department of international and strategic studies at Malaya University, said the visit offered a chance to “test the waters for regional solidarity” amid the US trade disruptions. “It’s not just about friendship, it’s about realigning the regional centre of gravity towards Beijing,” she said. ‘Wake-up call’ Malaysia is the current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) bloc, whose members are among the hardest hit by new US tariffs. ASEAN member Vietnam, a manufacturing powerhouse, was slapped with 46 percent tariffs, and Cambodia, a significant producer of low-cost clothing for big Western brands, was hit with a 49 percent duty. Malaysia, Southeast Asia’s third-largest economy, was hit with a lower tariff of 24 percent. Though the measures have been paused for 90 days, President Donald Trump has warned that no country is “off the hook”. McBride said Malaysia, a longstanding US ally, was likely “genuinely alarmed to find itself on this list of reciprocal tariffs” and saw it as “a wake-up call … to deepen ties with its biggest trading partner”, China. Despite robust economic ties, the two countries have had tensions over the South China Sea, where Beijing claims sweeping sovereignty over waters also claimed by Kuala Lumpur. “There has been an extraordinary sea change here, with a lot of the norms of international trade completely upended in a few short months,” McBride said. In Asia Pacific generally, he added, countries that usually align with the US economic model are increasingly turning to Beijing as a reliable trade partner. Advertisement Xi’s next trip will be to Cambodia, one of China’s staunchest allies in Southeast Asia and where Beijing has also extended its influence in recent years. On Thursday, he is expected to meet Cambodia’s King Norodom Sihamoni as well as the prime minister and head of the senate. Adblock test (Why?)
Trump believes it’s up to China to open talks on trade, White House says
Hong Kong’s postal service says it will no longer accept US-bound goods in response to US ‘bullying’. United States President Donald Trump believes China must take the initiative to find a resolution to trade tensions between Washington and Beijing, the White House has said. In a statement on Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt quoted Trump as saying that “the ball is in China’s court”. “China needs to make a deal with us, we don’t have to make a deal with them,” Leavitt told a media briefing in remarks that she said came directly from Trump. “There’s no difference between China and any other country except that they are much larger. And China wants what we have – every country wants what we have – the American consumer. Or to put it another way, they need our money,” Leavitt said, adding that Trump had made it “quite clear” that he is open to a trade deal with China. Trump’s statement came shortly after he accused China of reneging on a deal with US aircraft manufacturer Boeing, following a report by Bloomberg that Beijing had directed Chinese airlines to stop taking deliveries of Boeing planes. Advertisement Boeing shares fell 2.36 percent after the report, which cited “people familiar with the matter”. Boeing and Chinese authorities have not confirmed or commented on the report. “They just reneged on the big Boeing deal, saying that they will ‘not take possession’ of fully committed to aircraft,” Trump said on Truth Social. The US and China have been locked in an escalating trade war since Trump’s return to the White House. Despite pausing most of his “reciprocal” tariffs on dozens of trading partners, Trump has ramped up import taxes on most Chinese goods to 145 percent. China has, in turn, hit US exports with a 125 percent tariff. In the latest escalation on Wednesday, Hong Kong’s postal service said it would stop carrying US-bound mail in response to the tariffs. “The US is unreasonable, bullying and imposing tariffs abusively. Hongkong Post will definitely not collect any so-called tariffs on behalf of the US and will suspend the acceptance of postal items containing goods destined to the US,” Hong Kong Post said in a statement. It added that it would stop taking surface mail with immediate effect and stop accepting airmail from April 27. China has said that it opposes protectionism but it is willing to “fight to the end” if the US continues to escalate its trade salvoes. In an op-ed published in Vietnam’s Nhan Dan newspaper on Monday, Chinese President Xi Jinping said that trade wars “yield no winners” and protectionism “offers no solutions”. “There is a need to resolutely protect the multilateral trading system, sustain the stability of global production and supply chains, and maintain an open and cooperative international environment,” Xi said in the op-ed, which was published to coincide with the Chinese leader beginning a five-day tour of Southeast Asia. Advertisement Adblock test (Why?)
Xi arrives in Malaysia with a message: China’s a better partner than Trump
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – China’s President Xi Jinping has arrived in Malaysia as part of a Southeast Asian tour which is seen as delivering a personal message that Beijing is a more reliable trading partner than the United States amid a bruising trade war with Washington. Xi arrived in the capital, Kuala Lumpur, on Tuesday evening in what is his first visit to Malaysia since 2013. He flew in from Vietnam where he had signed dozens of trade cooperation agreements in Hanoi on everything from artificial intelligence to rail development. On touching down, Xi said that deepening “high-level strategic cooperation” was good for the common interests of both China and Malaysia, and good for peace, stability and prosperity in the region and the world”, according to the official Malaysian news agency Bernama. Xi’s three-country tour and his “message” that Beijing is Southeast Asia’s better friend than the truculent administration of US President Donald Trump comes as many countries in the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) bloc are unhappy with their treatment after the US imposed huge tariffs on countries around the world. Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, shakes hands with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, left, as he arrives for a three-day state visit, at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia, on Tuesday evening [Handout/Department of Information Malaysia via Reuters] “This is a very significant visit. You can read many things into it,” said Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, a former Malaysian ambassador to the US and minister of legal affairs. Advertisement “China is telling us they are a reliable trading partner, more than the US. We never had problems dealing with them,” Abdul Aziz told Al Jazeera. “Under PM Anwar, Malaysia is getting very much closer [to China]. It’s a good thing,” he added, noting that “in the long run”, Washington’s “influence will be reduced”. With China, however, trade relations and diplomatic ties are getting stronger and both countries are benefitting, the former ambassador said. “We are very focused on China. That’s our mentality,” he said. Washington hit Malaysia with a 24 percent trade tariff, accusing it of imposing a 47 percent tariff on US imports, a rate that Malaysian officials rejected. Trump has more recently brought in a 90-day moratorium on the highest US tariffs imposed on countries around the world. Instead, they face a 10 percent tariff on goods exported to the US. That is except for China, which has been hit with levies of 145 percent on its goods. ‘Bypass America’ Xi will be in Kuala Lumpur for three days, during which he will meet with Malaysia’s King Sultan Ibrahim ibni Iskandar and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and attend state banquets before heading to Cambodia on Thursday. During his earlier visit to Vietnam, Xi urged Hanoi and China to “jointly oppose hegemonism, unilateralism and protectionism” and pushed for “economic globalisation that is more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial to all,” the official Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported. Trump was quoted by The Associated Press news agency as saying that China and Vietnam were trying “to figure out, how do we screw the United States of America?”. Advertisement Xi’s visit to Malaysia is in part an effort to “reinforce” the view that China can “offer to bypass America”, said James Chin, professor of Asian studies at the University of Tasmania in Australia, via a different international order such as BRICS – the 10-country intergovernmental organisation comprising Brazil, Russia, India and China, among others. There is also the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement – arguably the largest in the world – of which all 10 ASEAN nations are members along with China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. “Basically, this is all architectured to build a new international order… Trump has given China the excuse to push harder amongst countries around the world, especially developing countries,” Chin said. “One of the things they [the Chinese] are trying to do is to set up a bilateral trading system where they can stop using US dollars. Any country that trades with China can do a currency swap [where] you pay in your own currency or swap with the [Chinese] renminbi,” he added. ‘We make money’ with China Of the three countries Xi chose to visit this week, analysts said Malaysia is deemed to be the most important for China, given its sizeable 32 million population, its developing high-tech base and its current chairmanship of ASEAN. China is also Malaysia’s largest trading partner since 2009, and in 2024, China-Malaysia trade reached $212bn. “China hopes to jack up trade with Malaysia, which will make up for the expected downgrading of exports to the US,” said Willy Wo-Lap Lam, a senior China analyst with the US-based Jamestown Foundation and author of the book, From Confucius to Xi Jinping. Advertisement “Politically, Malaysia has a lot of influence among all 10 ASEAN states,” Lam said. “Including how countries that have territorial disputes with China in the South China Sea should respond to Beijing’s aggressive tactics in bolstering its hold over.” Alfred Muluan Wu, associate professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore, agreed, saying that Beijing also views Malaysia as being within its traditional sphere of influence, regionally. That includes economically in terms of Chinese investments and the “China Plus One” strategy, which involves Chinese companies diversifying their manufacturing bases and supply chains and setting up plants outside of China. Beijing sees the establishment of business enterprises in Malaysia and other Southeast Asian countries as a way “to spread” China’s influence, Wu said. Ei Sun Oh, principal adviser at the Pacific Research Center of Malaysia, a think tank, also believes that Xi’s visit is about encouraging Kuala Lumpur to look more towards Beijing and “not unduly take the US side”, which is something that may suit Malaysia, too. “Geopolitically, Malaysia might still toy with the idea of having a fling with China to deliberately antagonise the US over very remote
Sudan paramilitary declares rival government two years into civil war
Paramilitary Rapid Support Forces declares rival authority in areas under its control, as the United States expresses alarm over its alleged targeting of civilians in Darfur. Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has announced the formation of a rival government, two years since the country descended into a brutal war that has left tens of thousands dead and triggered what the United Nations calls the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. The RSF, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo — also known as Hemedti — declared on Tuesday the establishment of the “Government of Peace and Unity” in areas under its control. The move directly challenges the army-led administration headed by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. “On this anniversary, we proudly declare the establishment of the Government of Peace and Unity, a broad coalition that reflects the true face of Sudan,” Dagalo said on Telegram. The RSF and its allies had already signed a charter in Nairobi in February, laying out their intention to form an alternative authority. Dagalo said they had now endorsed a transitional constitution, which he described as a “roadmap for a new Sudan”. The document proposes a 15-member presidential council representing all regions of the country. Advertisement Experts have long warned that the protracted conflict risks permanently fracturing Sudan. Sharath Srinivasan, a Sudan specialist at the University of Cambridge, told the AFP news agency that the RSF’s entrenchment in Darfur could result in “de facto separation.” Since war erupted on 15 April 2023, nearly 13 million people have been displaced, with no political solution in sight. The fighting began after months of tension between Sudan’s military and the RSF, once close allies who jointly led the 2021 coup that derailed a civilian-led transition. US condemns RSF violence in Darfur As the RSF seeks to consolidate control in western Sudan, the paramilitary and its allied militias are facing renewed international scrutiny over their conduct in the war. The United States on Tuesday criticised the RSF for attacking civilians in and around the Zamzam and Abu Shouk camps – home to hundreds of thousands of displaced people – in the North Darfur region in recent days. The UN said at least 300 civilians were killed in the RSF attacks on the camps on Friday and Saturday. “We are deeply alarmed by reports the RSF has deliberately targeted civilians and humanitarian actors,” said US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce. She called for all parties to respect international humanitarian law and face accountability for violations. Donor conference With Sudan’s humanitarian crisis deepening, the United Kingdom hosted a donor conference in London, where international partners pledged to ramp up support. Advertisement The European Union pledged over $592m, while the UK committed an additional $158m. “We do need patient diplomacy,” UK Home Secretary David Lammy said. “We cannot resign ourselves to inevitable conflict. We cannot be back here, one year from now, having the same discussion.” Sudan’s military-aligned government criticised the gathering, noting that no representatives from either faction were invited. The conference’s co-chairs issued a unified call for an immediate ceasefire and a transition to civilian rule, stressing the importance of preventing Sudan’s partition and keeping external actors from interfering. Adblock test (Why?)
Barcelona and PSG reach Champions League semifinals; Dortmund and Villa out
Barcelona and Paris-Saint Germain have booked their places in the semifinals of the Champions League but were heavily tested by Borussia Dortmund and Aston Villa, respectively, in the quarterfinal second legs. Barca went through with a 5-3 aggregate win, despite losing 3-1 at Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday, with Serhou Guirassy hitting a hat-trick. Holding a 4-0 lead after a dominant performance in Catalonia, the visitors were made to sweat as Dortmund, and Guirassy nearly pulled off a stunning turnaround. Guirassy put Dortmund in front with a panenka from the spot, with 11 minutes gone, and headed them two goals clear early in the second half. Dortmund sensed a sensation but Barcelona hit back, with Fermin Lopez forcing Ramy Bensebaini into an own goal with just more than half an hour remaining. Guirassy reignited Dortmund’s belief with a third on the 76th-minute mark, and the final stages may have been different had Julian Brandt not been offside before scoring with 11 minutes remaining. Advertisement Despite losing their first competitive game in 2025, Barcelona are through to the semis, keeping their dream of a remarkable treble alive, 10 years after last completing the feat by winning the Champions League in Berlin. Dortmund’s Guinean forward, Serhou Guirassy, left, scores the opening goal from the penalty spot past Barcelona’s Polish goalkeeper, Wojciech Szczesny [Pau Barrena/AFP] Barcelona, considered the title favourites, will face either Inter Milan or Bayern Munich in the final four. Clearly outclassed in the first leg, Dortmund will take inspiration from Tuesday’s performance, not least the goalscoring form of Guirassy. The 29-year-old Guinean, who has spent most of his career bouncing between the first and second divisions in Germany and France, now has 13 Champions League goals this season, more than any other player. “I’m proud of what we were able to do. Barcelona are a strong team but we fought until the death. We showed what we can do,” Guirassy told Amazon Prime. Despite a big first-leg lead, coach Hansi Flick made good on his pre-match pledge to continue attacking, opting against resting any of his attacking trident of Robert Lewandowski, Lamine Yamal or Raphinha. With coach Niko Kovac admitting that Dortmund needed a “miracle” to reach the semis after the debacle in Catalonia, the hosts’ task got a little harder when captain and centre-back Emre Can was ruled out with injury just before the match. But Dortmund raced out of the blocks, with Guirassy and strike partner Maximilian Beier going close inside the opening 10 minutes before Pascal Gross was the victim of a clumsy foul in the box by Wojciech Szczesny. Advertisement Guirassy stepped up to the spot and was nerveless, calmly unleashing a panenka to get the hosts under way. Dortmund sliced Barcelona open repeatedly without reward until half-time but made it count four minutes into the second half, with Guirassy heading in a Ramy Bensebaini assist from a corner. With Dortmund’s 81,355-strong Westfalenstadion smelling blood, Barcelona’s familiar response was to send their attack down the right, and the move paid off almost immediately. After Yamal’s cross was half-cleared, Fermin Lopez found himself in the teenager’s channel, whipping a pass towards Lewandowski, which Bensebaini hit into his own net. With Barcelona content to control possession as the clock wound down, Guirassy relit the hosts’ hopes when he scored his third in the final quarter of an hour, blasting in from close range after some delightful dribbling from teenage winger Julian Duranville. The home fans erupted when Brandt scored three minutes later, but the midfielder was offside, allowing Barcelona a breather. Barcelona managed to hold on, despite waves of energetic Dortmund attacks in the final stages, to remain on track for the treble. PSG made to sweat by Aston Villa PSG kept alive their dream of a first Champions League title by squeezing past Aston Villa 5-4 on aggregate after a thrilling second leg of their quarterfinal, which the English side won 3-2. Ahead 3-1 from the first leg, PSG appeared to have sealed the contest within the first half-hour as their marauding fullbacks, Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes, scored from two flowing counterattacks to stun the Villa Park crowd. Advertisement But Youri Tielemans revived hope with a 34th-minute deflected goal before Villa stunned the visitors early in the second half, with two goals in two minutes from John McGinn and Ezri Konsa. Villa poured forward, drawing a string of outstanding saves from PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to preserve the aggregate win and enable his side to move into a semifinal against either Real Madrid or Arsenal. PSG were hot favourites to win the quarterfinal, given their first-leg advantage and recent form, including sealing a fourth straight Ligue 1 title and reaching the final of the French Cup. But Villa were not lacking belief themselves, especially at home where they were on a 17-match unbeaten run in all competitions. The hosts came out flying, nearly taking the lead from a corner in an early flurry of attacks. Ezri Konsa of Aston Villa misses a header as the home side presses for the equaliser [Dan Istitene/Getty Images] However, PSG struck first blood in the 11th minute when Hakimi stroked the ball in after Villa’s usually ultra-reliable goalkeeper, Emiliano Martinez, pushed it into his path. Sixteen minutes later, Mendes curled in Villa’s second goal off the post at the end of another fast-flowing counterattack. Tielemans’s first-half goal appeared unlikely to swing the tie but it inspired Villa to storm out in the second half, with McGinn letting fly from outside the box to score in the 55th minute, helped by a small deflection. Then Konza struck Villa’s third on the night after being set up with a brilliant dribble from Marcus Rashford. Advertisement One more goal would have put Villa level on aggregate but Donnarumma defied Rashford, Tielemans and then substitute Marco Asensio during a nerve-racking finale. “Very proud of the boys, of what we’ve done tonight,” said Konza. “Obviously, the two goals at the start killed us. But we
What is the regional impact of the war in Sudan?
Foreign powers back different sides, while fears grow that violence could spread. Sudan has been at war for two years. The military has been fighting the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and has made gains in recent weeks. Regional countries have been supporting different sides. What’s the impact on neighbouring countries? And is there a risk this conflict can spread? Presenter: Adrian Finighan Guests: Justin Lynch – Managing director of the Conflict Insights Group Mohy Omer – Served as senior Sudan policy adviser to the administration of former US President Joe Biden Elbashir Idris – Independent Sudan analyst Adblock test (Why?)
‘Ant Gang’ smugglers plead guilty to trafficking wildlife in Kenya
NewsFeed Four wildlife traffickers face sentencing in Kenya after being caught smuggling 5,000 rare queen ants. The species, native to Kenya, sells for over $130 each due to their size, bold colour, and demand in exotic pet colonies. Published On 15 Apr 202515 Apr 2025 Adblock test (Why?)
Hamas ‘lost contact’ with group holding Gaza captive after Israeli attack
The armed wing of the Palestinian group Hamas says it has lost contact with a group holding Israeli-US captive Edan Alexander in the Gaza Strip after “direct Israeli bombardment” targeted the area where he was being held. “It seems that the occupation army is deliberately trying to kill him and hence relieve themselves from the pressure caused by the dual-citizen prisoners in order to continue its genocide against our people,” Abu Obeida, spokesman for the Qassam Brigades, said on Tuesday. On Saturday, Hamas had released a video showing Alexander – a New Jersey native and a 21-year-old soldier in the Israeli army – alive. Alexander appeared to be under duress in the video and appealed to US President Donald Trump to get him out of Gaza and urged the US president not to believe “lies” told by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In his latest statement, Abu Obeida did not say where Alexander was being held in Gaza. The group’s armed wing later released a video warning families of the captives that their “children will return in black coffins with their bodies torn apart from shrapnel from your army”. Advertisement Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud, reporting from Gaza City, said Palestinians across the enclave believe that the US “has an interest” in securing Alexander’s release in a negotiated deal. “They believe this will increase pressure on the Israeli government to speed up the process and come to an agreement,” Mahmoud said. “If it is confirmed that Alexander has been killed, then the Palestinian groups will lose what they hoped would be a lever of pressure against the Netanyahu government to get him to sign a ceasefire agreement.” Hamas has previously blamed Israel for the deaths of captives held in Gaza, including as a direct result of bombardment, while also acknowledging on at least one occasion that a captive was killed by a guard. It said the guard had acted against instructions. Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff told reporters at the White House in March that securing the release of Alexander, believed to be the last living US hostage held by Hamas in Gaza, was a “top priority for us”. The potential release of Alexander was at the centre of earlier talks held between Hamas leaders and US negotiator Adam Boehler last month. Humanitarian situation at its ‘worst’ The announcement comes as Netanyahu said Israel would press on with its military offensive in Gaza to secure the release of captives and praised troops during a visit to the devastated north of the territory. “They are striking the enemy and Hamas will continue to suffer blow after blow. We insist that they release our hostages, and we insist on achieving all of our war objectives,” Netanyahu told soldiers in Gaza, according to a statement from his office. Advertisement In a phone call with Netanyahu, France’s President Emmanuel Macron said he told Israel’s leader that the suffering of the people in Gaza “must end”, and that only a ceasefire could free the remaining Israeli captives. Hamas released 38 captives under the last truce agreement that began on January 19. In mid-March, Israel’s military resumed its ground and aerial offensive on Gaza, abandoning the ceasefire and reimposing a total blockade of Gaza. Hamas decried the ongoing blockade, saying Israel has been preventing the entry of “all essential items necessary for life, including food supplies, medicine and fuel”. The United Nations has also warned that Gaza’s humanitarian crisis is spiralling out of control. “The humanitarian situation is now likely the worst it has been in the 18 months since the outbreak of hostilities,” said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Israeli forces continued to bombard areas across Gaza on Tuesday, killing at least 21 people, according to Gaza’s civil defence. Since Israel’s assault began in October 2023, more than 51,000 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Israeli officials say that the offensive will continue until the remaining 59 captives are freed and until Hamas is demilitarised. Hamas insists it will free hostages only as part of a deal to end the war permanently, and has repeatedly rejected demands to lay down its arms. Israel issued a truce proposal to Egyptian and Qatari mediators on Monday, offering a 45-day temporary ceasefire in exchange for Hamas disarming and releasing 11 Israeli captives still held in Gaza. Advertisement Hamas said in a statement it was “studying” the proposal, but senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Al Jazeera prior to the release of the official statement that Hamas would not accept any demand to disarm. Adblock test (Why?)
Iran ‘must stop and eliminate’ nuclear enrichment, says US envoy Witkoff
Washington, DC – United States special envoy Steve Witkoff has said that Tehran “must stop and eliminate” its nuclear enrichment programme to reach a deal with Washington, seemingly raising the bar of US demands ahead of another round of talks with Iranian officials. Witkoff’s remarks on Tuesday appear to contradict his suggestion a day earlier that the US would be satisfied with Iran enriching uranium at a low level to produce energy. “Any final arrangement must set a framework for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Middle East – meaning that Iran must stop and eliminate its nuclear enrichment and weaponization program,” Witkoff said in a statement on Tuesday. “It is imperative for the world that we create a tough, fair deal that will endure, and that is what President Trump has asked me to do.” Witkoff’s official title is special envoy to the Middle East, but US President Donald Trump has given him several high-stakes responsibilities beyond the region, including spearheading talks with Russia as well as Iran. Advertisement The US envoy held a round of negotiations with Iranian officials and was in direct contact with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Oman on Saturday. Further talks are scheduled for April 19. Later on Tuesday, the State Department also said that the US is seeking to “eliminate” Iran’s uranium enrichment. Moreover, the White House said Trump spoke to Omani Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said and stressed “the need for Iran to end its nuclear programme through negotiations”. ‘They do not need to enrich past 3.67 percent’ Speaking to Fox News on Monday, Witkoff suggested that the US wants Iran to cap its uranium enrichment, a process of changing the atomic composition of uranium to produce nuclear fuel. When enriched at 90 percent, uranium can be used for weapons. “They do not need to enrich past 3.67 percent,” Witkoff said. “In some circumstances, they’re at 60 percent. In other circumstances, 20 percent. That cannot be. And you do not need to run — as they claim — a civil nuclear programme where you’re enriching past 3.67 percent, so this is going to be much about verification on the enrichment programme.” That assertion garnered criticism from conservative hawks who have been calling for abolishing the Iranian enrichment programme altogether. Tehran and Washington have gone through talks and tensions over the nuclear programme for decades. Successive US administration have said that preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon is one of their top foreign policy priorities. Advertisement In 2015, the US was a key party in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a deal that saw Iran scale back its uranium enrichment to 3.67 percent in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions against its economy. The US administration of then-President Barack Obama, a Democrat, hailed that deal as a means of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. But Trump, a Republican, nixed the deal in 2018 during his first term. Since then, the US has been piling sanctions on Iran, and Tehran has escalated its nuclear programme in response. After returning to the White House for a second term this year, Trump re-launched his so-called maximum pressure campaign against Iran, with the aim of choking off Iranian oil exports, particularly to China. During his interview with Fox, Witkoff implied that the Trump administration is seeking concessions from Iran beyond the JCPOA, particularly over its missile programme. He said Washington is seeking “verification on weaponisation” from Iran, including “the type of missiles that they have stockpiled there”. However, his statement on Tuesday seems to indicate the US would like to see all uranium enrichment in Iran cease. While Iranian officials have been saying for decades that the country is not seeking a nuclear bomb, they have also stressed that their country has a right to use and create nuclear energy. Tensions between the two countries have been particularly high over the last month. In mid-March, Trump threatened to retaliate against Iran should one of its regional allies, the Houthi group in Yemen, continue its attacks on shipping vessels in the Red Sea. Advertisement “Every shot fired by the Houthis will be looked upon, from this point forward, as being a shot fired from the weapons and leadership of IRAN, and IRAN will be held responsible, and suffer the consequences, and those consequences will be dire!” Trump wrote on his platform Truth Social. Trump also indicated US could consider military action if the current round of nuclear talks falls through. “If the talks aren’t successful with Iran, I think Iran is going to be in great danger,” he said last week. Still, the US president has also stressed that he prefers a diplomatic deal to ensure that Tehran never acquires a nuclear weapon. ‘Negotiations may or may not yield results’ On Monday, Trump called for speedy negotiations to resolve the issue and again threatened to take “harsh” action against Tehran. With the talks under way, foreign policy hawks have cautioned Trump against drawn-out negotiations or entering a deal that resembles the JCPOA. Last week, nine Republican Congress members — including Claudia Tenney of New York and Barry Loudermilk of Georgia — penned a letter to Trump calling for “permanently stripping Tehran of the ability to enrich uranium”. “The regime in Tehran has mastered the art of delay and deception, using diplomatic negotiations as a shield while advancing its nuclear ambitions,” the lawmakers wrote. “We cannot afford another failed agreement that enables Iran to play for time. Nor can we repeat the mistakes of the past by permitting Iran to enrich uranium or maintain the capability to ever reconstitute its nuclear program.” Advertisement Israel — the US’s top ally in the region — is widely believed to have an undeclared nuclear arsenal. Iranian officials have also expressed doubt about a new deal, noting that Tehran lived up to its commitments under the JCPOA while the US abandoned the agreement. “The negotiations may or may not yield results,” Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei