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Just In: Israel Bombs Gaza On Eid Day Despite US Rebuke

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As the Muslim community marked the conclusion of Ramadan, Israeli military operations in Gaza continued unabated, coinciding with critical remarks from US President Joe Biden regarding Israel’s conduct in the ongoing conflict.

The region, under the strain of over six months of warfare following Hamas’s October 7 assaults, saw Palestinians in Gaza observing Eid al-Fitr prayers amidst destruction.

In east Jerusalem, annexed by Israel, the Al-Aqsa mosque compound witnessed an influx of tens of thousands for morning prayers.

Rawan Abd, a nurse present at the site, described this Eid as the “saddest ever,” noting a palpable sense of mourning among the attendees.

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The Al-Aqsa mosque, a site of profound religious significance for Muslims and also revered by Jews as the Temple Mount, became a place of solace rather than celebration this year.

The Israeli military maintained its offensive, executing air strikes on Gaza following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s pledge to continue the offensive against Hamas and secure the release of hostages.

Netanyahu emphasized the determination of Israeli forces to target Rafah, a city in southern Gaza, despite it being a refuge for many displaced Palestinians.

Amid these escalations, diplomatic efforts for peace and hostage negotiation are underway in Cairo with the participation of the US, Egypt, and Qatar.

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Meanwhile, President Biden expressed severe disapproval of Netanyahu’s aggressive strategies, highlighting the extensive civilian toll and humanitarian crisis engendered by the prolonged conflict.

“I think what he’s doing is a mistake,” Biden told Spanish-language TV network Univision in an interview that aired Tuesday night after being recorded last week. “I don’t agree with his approach.”

He urged Netanyahu to “just call for a ceasefire, allow for the next six, eight weeks, total access to all food and medicine going into the country.”

The war broke out with Hamas’s October 7 attack against Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli figures.

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Palestinian militants also took about 250 hostages, 129 of whom remain in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli army says are dead.

Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed at least 33,360 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry.

Another 14 people were killed – including small children – in a strike on a home in Nuseirat camp in central Gaza, the health ministry said.

The army said Wednesday that “Israeli troops are continuing to operate in the central Gaza Strip and killed a number of terrorists over the past day.”

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It added that aircraft had “struck dozens of terror targets in the Gaza Strip, including military sites, launchers, tunnel shafts and infrastructure.”

Israel has imposed a siege that has deprived Gaza’s people of most food, water, fuel, medicines and other essential goods.

Humanitarian groups have accused Israel of using starvation as a weapon of war in Gaza, where UN experts say half the population is facing “catastrophic” food insecurity.

Washington’s recent tougher line with Israel, its main ally in the region, has brought some results, according to the US Agency for International Development.

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Recent days had seen a “sea change” in aid deliveries, said USAID administrator Samantha Power, with Israel reporting 468 trucks entering from Egypt on Tuesday.

However, Power stressed that Israel needs to do more, saying that “we have famine-like conditions in Gaza, and supermarkets filled with food within a few kilometres away” in southern Israel.

Washington has also resumed funding to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees after cutting it weeks ago after Israel claimed that some UNRWA staff took part in the October 7 attack.

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Lawmaker, Dennis Agbo hails NBA’s visionary leadership

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The Lawmaker representing Igboeze North/Udenu Federal Constituency of Enugu State, Rt. Hon. Dennis Nnamdi AGBO (FCA) has praised Governor Peter Ndubisi Mba’s “visionary leadership” in Enugu State.

Agbo highlighted the governor’s focus on human capital development, security, and infrastructure as crucial to achieving his goal of growing the state’s economy from $4 billion to $32 billion by 2027.

“This ambitious goal of the Governor will be far fetched if the residents do not optimise the number of working days in the week, and the working hours in the day. Hence the government has ensured from the onset the termination of the Monday sit at home, and deployed enough security to bring in night life into the economy of the State.
Other enabling environment is provided to make Enugu State a tourist and investment destination of choice.” He affirmed.

The lawmaker further noted that Governor Mba’s initiatives have set him apart as a role model in the Southeast stressing that the governor’s use of technology to enhance security, build smart schools, and establish state-of-the-art healthcare centers, was commendable.

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Hon. Agbo emphasized that the state government’s investment in security has enabled residents to move freely and conduct businesses without restrictions, five days a week.

He expressed optimism that Enugu State would become the premier investment destination in the Southeast due to the progress made in infrastructure, security, and ease of doing business.

Notably, Agbo’s praise for Governor Mba remains significant, given that he is a member of the Labour Party, which claimed to have been robbed of its victory in Enugu State.

His comments no doubt reflect his commitment to governance over politics, echoing the words of the President that “time for politics is over”

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Hon. Agbo who spoke to journalists in Abuja, also enjoined the Enugu State indigenes both home and abroad to support what the Governor was doing to move the state forward adding that the over all interest of the state should be placed above politics.

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2025 Budget is ambitious, growth sustaining -Prof Nnamchi

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Professor Paul Sunday Nnamchi, a federal lawmaker, has praised the 2025 national budget proposal, calling it ambitious and growth-sustaining.

He believed that the budget was aimed at reassessing the government’s transformation agenda, its impact on the production and the overall economy in addition to making sure that the government’s monetary and fiscal policies were in tandem.

The proposed budget according to him, “is expected to bring down interest rates, support investments, promote production, and sustain growth and reduce inflation. He stressed.

Professor Nnamchi also acknowledged the progress made in security, particularly in the Niger Delta region, which has contributed to the increase in oil production from 1.2 barrels a day to 1.8 barrels a day.

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Key highlights of the budget proposal include: A significant allocation to security, which Professor Nnamchi observed that it was crucial for addressing food security concerns and reducing the cost of staple foods.

“Increase in oil production and agriculture due to improved security situation in the troubled areas will raise our GDP significantly, which could bring down inflation from 39% to 15 % going by medium term expenditure frameworks”
He noted stressing that the budget outlined proposed measures that would also support investments, promote production, and sustain growth while reducing inflation.

Such measures, he stated includes investments in infrastructure development, which were expected to stimulate economic growth and attract foreign direct investments.

“While ambitious, this budget is grounded in sound economic principles, and its successful implementation will depend on our collective resolve as representatives of the people to ensure that every naira allocated serves its purpose and delivers tangible benefits to Nigerians.”

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Overall, Professor Nnamchi emphasized the need to prioritize national interest and work towards moving the nation forward urging that Nigeria should be placed above sectional interest.

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Work for Peace and Unity of Nigeria’, Obi tasks Ohaneaze president, Mbata

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The leader of the opposition Labour Party and the 2023 Presidential flag bearer, Peter Obi, has admonished the newly elected leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide led by Senator John Azuta Mbata to work towards peace and unity of the nation.

Writing on his X handle in a congratulatory message to the Executive, Obi urged the new Executive to leverage their position, which shows the people’s confidence in them to strengthen the Igbo family and unite the country.

“On behalf of my family and the Obedient movement, I congratulate the Newly Elected President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Senator John Azuta-Mbata; the Deputy President General, Prince Okey Nwadinobi; the Secretary-General, Emeka Sibeudu, and other newly elected executive members, on their emergence as the leaders of the noble organization.

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“Their emergence as the leaders of Ohaneze Ndigbo, the umbrella body that unites the Igbo people, underscores the level of confidence and hope the people have in their leadership ability and their commitment to the development of the region and the nation in general.

“I pray that they will leverage their new offices to continue to work for the peace and unity of our nation and contribute immeasurably to ideas that will drive development, peace, and progress among the people.

“May God give you all, the wisdom and strength to serve the people.
A New Nigeria remains Possible.

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