A Hamas leader announced that a delegation from the movement will head to Cairo today, Saturday, to meet with senior officials from the Egyptian intelligence agency. The visit aims to review the progress of ongoing negotiations concerning a prisoner exchange deal and a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip. However, it does not involve direct participation in the negotiations mediated by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt. The source confirmed that Hamas and the resistance factions emphasize that any agreement must include a comprehensive and permanent cessation of aggression, a complete withdrawal of the occupation forces from the border areas, unrestricted return for displaced persons, as well as the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip and a genuine prisoner exchange deal.
Fares Fattouhi, president of the Fares Fattouhi Social Foundation, met with Patriarch Raï in Dimane to discuss the Syrian refugee crisis and its impact. Fattouhi presented his new project, which includes a free platform for municipalities to conduct accurate surveys of refugees, aiding in reporting violations, encroachments, and crimes. He noted that the lack of data from UNHCR could hinder the return process and is seen as a precursor to resettlement. For his part, Patriarch Raï emphasized the importance of the project and expressed his support.
Meanwhile, Gebran Bassil, head of the Free Patriotic Movement, urged Lebanese, especially Christians, to act "within the constitution and laws" to address the current situation, stating that action has become necessary. He mentioned that several months ago, he presented a paper titled "Resilience and Partnership" during Bkerke Document meetings, which includes a plan with media, political, parliamentary, judicial, and popular steps, with the possibility of civil escalation if there is no response.
Following the announcement of the results for the State Security Agency entrance exam, MP Faisal Karami, head of the "Karama Movement," criticized the selection of only five candidates from Tripoli out of a large number of applicants via his "X" account. Karami questioned the reason for marginalizing the city, accusing the government and its head of being responsible for this decision, and calling for a review of the results and fairness for the city's residents. He also criticized the inclusion of names from other regions, suggesting the potential use of "wasta" (connections). Karami concluded his statement by clarifying that he does not aim to incite discord, extending his greetings to Tripoli and its people, and recalling the statesmen Rashid and Omar Karami.
In another development, the French anti-terrorism prosecutor's office has opened an investigation into a "terrorist" assassination attempt following an explosion of a car containing a gas cylinder and a fire set in front of a Jewish temple in the south of the country, which injured a police officer. The statement from the National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office confirmed that the incident did not result in injuries among the five people inside the synagogue, including the rabbi. Surveillance cameras captured an individual setting fire to cars in front of the Beth Yaakov synagogue, with reports indicating that one of the cars contained a propane gas tank. Acting Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin described the incident as a "clearly criminal act" and reiterated the government's full support for the Jewish community, with increased security at Jewish places of worship across the country amid rising anti-Semitism.
Economically, Russian news agency reported that the Chinese envoy to Moscow confirmed that Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the BRICS summit, which will be held in Kazan, Russia, from October 22 to 24.
The BRICS group currently includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, and began expanding its membership last year by inviting countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, Argentina, and the UAE, with more than 40 countries expressing interest in joining. BRICS represents over 30% of the world's agricultural land, 40% of global grain and meat production, nearly 40% of dairy products, and 50% of the total fish and seafood production.
