JERUSALEM: The Israeli military said on Thursday that its forces have killed around 40 Hamas militants who had been trapped in tunnels below Rafah in southern Gaza, in an area now under Israeli control.
Around 200 militants had been trapped in the tunnels for months, according to Israeli and US officials, although some have since emerged and been killed in clashes with Israeli forces or have surrendered, Israeli media has reported.
Washington and other mediators had been seeking to reach a deal for the Hamas fighters to lay down their arms in exchange for passage to other parts of the enclave, but those talks have faltered.
US special envoy Steve Witkoff had said the deal would be a test for a broader process to disarm Hamas across Gaza.
The killed militants included at least three local commanders, the Israeli military said on Thursday, as well as the son of one of Hamas’ exiled leaders, Ghazi Hamad.
Some Hamas sources confirmed the death of at least one commander, Mohammad Al-Bawab, though the group has not officially confirmed the report.
Hamas has not officially confirmed the number of those trapped or how many may remain.
A spokesperson for the group in Gaza declined to comment on Israel’s alleged killing of the 40 gunmen.
Israel says it killed around 40 Hamas militants trapped in Gaza tunnels
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Israel says it killed around 40 Hamas militants trapped in Gaza tunnels
- Around 200 Hamas militants had been trapped in the tunnels for months
- The killed militants included at least three local commanders, the Israeli military said
Morocco’s energy ministry puts gas pipeline project on hold
- The country’s natural gas demand is expected to rise to 8 billion cubic meters in 2027 from around 1 bcm currently, according to ministry estimates
RABAT: Morocco’s energy ministry said on Monday it has paused a tender launched last month for a gas pipeline project, without giving details on the reasons for the suspension.
The tender sought bids to build a pipeline linking a future gas terminal at the Nador West Med port on the Mediterranean to an existing pipeline that allows Morocco to import LNG through Spanish terminals and supply two power plants.
It also covered a section that would connect the existing pipeline to industrial zones on the Atlantic in Mohammedia and Kenitra.
“Due to new parameters and assumptions related to this project... the ministry of energy transition and sustainable development is postponing the receipt of applications and the opening of bids received as of today,” the ministry said in a statement.
Morocco is looking to expand its use of natural gas to diversify away from coal as it also accelerates its renewable energy plan, which aims for renewables to account for 52 percent of installed capacity by 2030, up from 45 percent now.
The country’s natural gas demand is expected to rise to 8 billion cubic meters in 2027 from around 1 bcm currently, according to ministry estimates.
