Newspapers review: Egyptian-brokered ceasefire focus of dailies

The Egyptian-brokered ceasefire that has ended the flare-up of violence in the Gaza Strip following a botched clandestine Israeli commando raid into the besieged enclave dominated the front page headlines in Palestinian Arabic dailies on Wednesday.

Al-Quds reported that Palestinian resistance factions have announced an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire as residents attended the funeral processions of those killed in the intensive Israeli airstrikes.

Al-Ayyam reported that calm prevails in the Gaza Strip following a new ceasefire agreement.

Also regarding the situation in Gaza, al-Quds reported that a Palestinian was killed and at least four others were injured in Israeli airstrikes targeting a group of Palestinians in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip.

Regarding Palestinian death toll, al-Ayyam said that four Palestinians were killed and 20 others injured in Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, while al-Hayat al-Jadida said that seven Palestinians were killed within 24 hours.

On the other hand, al-Hayat al-Jadida said that President Mahmoud Abbas decided to cut his trip to Kuwait and returned home to follow-up on the Israeli onslaught on Gaza, a theme that was also covered in al-Ayyam.

Regarding Abbas’ visit to Kuwait, al-Quds said that Abbas and Kuwait Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah discussed the latest developments related to the Israeli aggression on Gaza.

Al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida added that Abbas has called for an urgent meeting for the Palestinian leadership on Thursday to discuss ways to halt the Israeli aggression on Gaza.

Al-Ayyam said that Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki requested an emergency meeting for the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) over the Israeli onslaught on Gaza following Abbas’ instructions.

According to al-Hayat al-Jadida, the cabinet decried the Israeli escalation against Gaza and called on the international community to provide protection to the Palestinian people.

Additionally, al-Quds reported Euro-Mediterranean Monitor Spokeswoman Sarah Pritchett slamming Israeli spokesman Ofir Gendelman following his tweets threatening Gaza civilians that they would suffer the same fate as during the 2012 and 2014 Israeli onslaughts.

Regarding the settlement construction in Jerusalem, al-Quds highlighted the legal battle over the ownership of Karm al-Jaouni area of the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah.

It added that Israel has drafted a plan to build 500 new settler units over the area.

It also reported Palestinian national and Islamic factions warning against a plan envisaged by the private settler group Elad in the vicinity of Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

Furthermore, al-Quds said that clashes erupted between Israeli forces and Palestinians at the entrance of the southern West Bank refugee camp of al-Arroub and the East Jerusalem neighborhood of al-Issawiya.

It added that Israeli forces delivered demolition orders for residential structures and a barn in Masafer Yatta, south of Hebron.

Regarding the application of the controversial Social Security Law, the dailies reported the cabinet announcing its commitment to the timeline it announced for commencing the application of the law.

According to al-Ayyam, the law would enter into effect on November 19, 2018 for companies with 200 employees or more.

It said that Israeli Jewish settlers spray-painted racist graffiti on Palestinian property to the south of Bethlehem.