News

Foreign Minister Participates in Doha Forum Doha, 10 Dec (ONA) --- Sayyid Badr Hamad Al Busaidi, Foreign Minister, took part today in the 21st edition of the Doha Forum, held in the State of Qatar. The two-day forum is themed “Building Shared Futures”. The opening ceremony was held under the auspices of Sheikh Tamim Hamad Al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar. Further, the forum focuses on a number of topics, namely economic development, environmental sustainability, food security, artificial intelligence and exploring possible solutions for current issues in the ...

UNICEF: Massive Child Casualties in Gaza New York, 4 Dec (ONA) --- James Elder, Spokesperson for the United Nation's Children's Fund (UNICEF) said "This is the worst bombardment of the war right now in south Gaza. I am seeing massive child casualties." "We have a final warning to save children; and our collective conscience," said the Spokesperson for UNICEF. The UN official had previously said there is panic among people, and they do not know where to go and are almost in a state of astonishment, describing the state of despair that dominates Palestinian families and ...

Oman Participates in Ministerial Meeting to Prepare for GCC Supreme Council’s 44th SessionDoha, 3 Dec (ONA) --- The Sultanate of Oman today participated in a meeting of the 158th session of the ministerial council tasked with preparing for the 44th session of the GCC Supreme Council.The meeting was held in Doha in the presence of GCC foreign ministers.Oman’s delegation to the meeting was led by Sayyid Badr Hamad Al Busaidi, Foreign Minister.The preparatory ministerial session dealt with topics of concern to GCC states, as well as issues that will be submitted for discussion at ...

Swiss President Commends Role of Omani-Swiss Relations in Promoting World Peace Muscat, 30 Nov (ONA) --- Dr. Alain Berset, President of the Swiss Confederation, hailed the positive role of Omani-Swiss relations in promoting international peace and stability. The President commended the two countries’ commitment to neutrality in regional and international issues, noting that Oman and Switzerland share common grounds that contribute to the consolidation of bilateral cooperation. The President made the statement during an event at the Diplomatic Club marking the conclusion of ...

GCC States Affirm Joint Stance Calling for Termination of Aggression Against Gaza New York, 28 Nov (ONA) --- The GCC states have reiterated their common position demanding an end to the brutal aggression staged by Israeli occupation forces against the Gaza Strip and rejecting the claim that this aggression constitutes self-defence. This was stated during the UN General Assembly’s discussion of Item 35 titled “The Palestinian Issue”. The statement was delivered on behalf of the GCC states by Khalid Saleh Al Rabkhi, Deputy to the Permanent Representative of the Sultanate ...

Oman Denounces Targeting UNRWA-Affiliate Al-Fakhoura School in GazaMuscat, 19 Nov (ONA) --- The Foreign Ministry has voiced the Sultanate of Oman’s denunciation and rejection of the persistent, unjustifiable military assaults launched by Israeli occupation against the Palestinian people, including the heinous massacre that took place at Al-Fakhoura school, which is affiliated to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).The assault killed many civilians who had been displaced from the Gaza Strip.While expressing its condolences to the ...

WHO Assessment Team Visits Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza, Describes it as 'Death Zone' Geneva, 19 Nov (ONA) --- A humanitarian assessment team visited Al-Shifa Hospital in northern Gaza and saw signs of the Israeli shelling and gunfire in what was described as a "death zone," the World Health Organization (WHO) said today. The WHO-led team, which included public health experts, logistics officers and security staff from various UN departments, was able to spend only an hour inside the hospital on Saturday due to security concerns, WHO said in a statement. The team described ...

UN Bodies Renew Call for Humanitarian Ceasefire in Gaza New York, 19 Nov (ONA) --- After the killing and wounding of dozens in Israeli attacks on two schools in Gaza, the heads of several major United Nations (UN) bodies stressed the need to stop attacks on schools, children and shelters, and called for an immediate ceasefire for humanitarian reasons. Adele Khader, UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa said that the scenes of death and destruction following the attacks on the Al-Fakhoura and Tal Al-Zaatar schools in Gaza, which resulted in the deaths of ...

Foreign Minister, Kuwaiti Counterpart Underline Depth of Historical Bilateral Relations Kuwait, 16 Nov (ONA) --- As part of his current visit to the State of Kuwait, Sayyid Badr Hamad Al Busaidi, Foreign Minister, held a meeting here today with Sheikh Salim Abdullah Al Jaber Al Sabah, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Kuwait. During the meeting, the two ministers underscored the fact that relations between Oman and Kuwait are deep-rooted in history. They also underlined the two countries’ keenness to enhance relations in all fields of interest. The two ministers ...

Oman Denounces Israeli Occupation Forces’ Storming Al Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza CityMuscat, 16 Nov (ONA) --- With great rejection, the Sultanate of Oman’s Foreign Ministry followed up the Israeli occupation forces’ attack on Al Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza City.The ministry expressed the Sultanate of Oman's condemnation of this attack and deplored Israel’s persistent inhumane practices against patients, workers and refugees in the complex.The ministry also voiced Oman’s denunciation of Israeli forces' bombing the area adjoining the Jordanian Field Hospital, noting ...

Led by Oman in UN, GCC Demands Action to Halt Israeli Aggression in Palestine New York, 14 Nov (ONA) --- The GCC ambassadors to the United Nations (UN) in New York, headed by the Sultanate of Oman, held a meeting with António Guterres, UN Secretary-General. The meeting, which was held at the UN headquarters, reviewed the latest developments on the Palestinian scene in light of the continued Israeli aggression against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. For his part, the UN Secretary-General expressed his concern about the huge loss of civilian lives, ...

ICRC Urges Protection of Civilians in Gaza Strip Geneva, 13 Nov (ONA) --- The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) issued an urgent plea for the protection of civilians in the Gaza Strip, "trapped in fighting, whether they are trying to evacuate or staying where they are." In a statement, ICRC said the attacks are underway in densely populated areas and around hospitals which poses a risk to the lives of "the most vulnerable people, like medical staff, patients, the wounded, premature babies, people with disabilities, and the elderly." "An unbearable human ...

Attacks on or Near Gaza Hospitals Unconscionable, Reprehensible and Must Stop New York, 12 Nov (ONA) --- Martin Griffiths, UN Undersecretary General for Humanitarian Affairs said that there could be no justification for any "acts of war" in or around any healthcare facilities, amidst reports that Al Shifa Hospital; Gazas largest medical complex, has come under attack by Israeli forces. The UN relief and humanitarian affairs chief tweeted that in light of "horrific reports of attacks", there could be "no justification for acts of war in healthcare facilities leaving them ...

Foreign Minister Heads Oman’s Delegation at Joint Arab-Islamic Summit in RiyadhRiyadh, 11 Nov (ONA) --- Assigned by His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, Sayyid Badr Hamad Al Busaidi, Foreign Minister, headed the delegation of the Sultanate of Oman that participated in the extraordinary joint Arab-Islamic Summit held in Riyadh in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia today, in the presence of country leaders and heads of the delegations.During the summit, Sayyid Badr conveyed the greetings of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik to the leaders and heads of delegations who took part in the summit, ...

Oman Participates in Preparatory Meeting for Extraordinary Session of Arab Summit in Riyadh Riyadh, 9 November (ONA) --- The Sultanate of Oman participated in a meeting of Arab foreign ministers held in Riyadh to prepare for an extraordinary session of the Arab Summit. Oman’s delegation at the meeting was headed by Sheikh Khalifa Ali Al Harthy, Foreign Ministry’s Undersecretary for Political Affairs. The meeting discussed the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, a quest for urgent solutions towards a ceasefire and the delivery of humanitarian aid to the stricken population ...

Foreign Minister, US Counterpart Exchange Views on Tragic Situation in Gaza Muscat, 8 Nov (ONA) --- Sayyid Badr Hamad Al Busaidi, Foreign Minister today received a phone call from Antony Blinken, US Secretary of State.During the telephonic conversation, the two sides exchanged views on the tragic situation in the Gaza Strip and the danger of the continued Israeli military escalation, as well as the severe humanitarian catastrophe that civilians are experiencing, with thousands of them martyred and wounded, and deceasedbodies piling up under the rubble of bombed buildings and ...

A Top Chinese Military Official Visits Moscow for Talks on Expanding Ties Moscow, 8 Nov (ONA) --- A senior Chinese military official today talks in Moscow, praising strong ties between the countries during a visit that underlined growing cooperation between them. Gen. Zhang Youxia, China’s second-ranking military official and vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, said that relations between Russia and China are “at the highest level in the new epoch.” He said they “invariably support each other on issues of fundamental interest and key ...

Gaza Suffers Unprecedented and Unparalleled Brutality in History of Humanity in Recent Times New York, 8 Nov (ONA) --- Laila Bakr, Regional Director of the United Nations Population Fund for the Arab States said that the catastrophic situation that Gaza Strip has been going through is "an unprecedented and unparalleled brutality in the history of humanity in recent times." She said in an interview with the UN official published on the UN News website that 2.2 million people, amongst them 50,000 pregnant women, were besieged for one month. Bakr expressed concern about ...

Arab, Islamic Summits Seek Solutions for Tragic Situation in Palestinian Territories Muscat, 7 Nov (ONA) --- In the backdrops of mounting tensions and the persistent humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian territories in general and in Gaza Strip in particular, Arab and Islamic countries are preparing to hold two emergency summits. The two summits hoped to leverage political weight and launch urgent humanitarian initiatives to rescue the population in Gaza. The two summits seek to rally efforts to address the critical humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and forge a unified ...

Foreign Minister, Jordanian Counterpart Review Efforts Aimed at Halting Israeli Aggression against Gaza Muscat, 5 Nov (ONA) --- Sayyid Badr Hamad Al Busaidi, Foreign Minister, received a phone call from Ayman Al Safadi, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriate of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. During the telephonic conversation, the two ministers reviewed the latest developments of diplomatic and political efforts aimed at halting the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, in addition to achieving a truce that would allow the flow of humanitarian and ...

OCHA: 5,143 Children Martyred Since Start of Israeli Aggression on Gaza Strip New York, 5 Nov (ONA) --- The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that the number of child martyrs in Gaza and the West Bank has reached 5,143 child martyrs since the seventh of last October as a result of the continuous Israeli raids. The OCHA report quoted the Palestinian Ministry of Health as saying that the number of children martyred as a result of the Israeli aggression on Gaza reached 3,900 child martyrs, in addition to the presence of 1,200 children ...

Palestinian People Have Right to Self-determination: Oman AffirmsNew York, 4 Nov ONA --- In its speech before the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, which convened to discuss Item (73) of the report of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the Sultanate of Oman, commended the central role of the ICJ in promoting peaceful settlements and resolving disputes by peaceful means in accordance with the provisions and principles of the UN Charter.Mohammed Ali Al Shehhi, member of the Sultanate of Oman’s permanent delegation to the United Nations in New York, underscored Oman’s commitment ...

Foreign Minister, his Chinese Counterpart Discuss Danger of Continued Military Escalation, Catastrophic Humanitarian Situation in Gaza Muscat, 1 Nov (ONA) --- Sayyid Badr Hamad Al Busaidi, Foreign Minister today discussed over phone call with Wang Yi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, the danger of continued military escalation, as well as the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and its surroundings. The two ministers also discussed the menace of the continued Israeli aggressive military operations against unarmed civilians. ...

Time to Take Practical Steps to Stop War on Gaza: Foreign Minister Affirms to UK OfficialMuscat, 1 Nov (ONA) ---- During a phone call with James Cleverly, the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, Sayyid Badr Hamad Al Busaidi, Foreign Minister, today stressed the importance of taking urgent, concrete measures to stop Israel’s war on Gaza and to focus on opening humanitarian corridors to address the life-threatening catastrophe experienced by civilians in Gaza. The two ministers exchanged views about the ongoing Israeli military ...

Oman Denounces Israeli Occupation Forces' Targeting Jabalia Camp in Gaza Strip Muscat, 1 Nov (ONA) --- The Sultanate of Oman has expressed its condemnation and denunciation of the Israeli occupation forces’ targeting Jabalia camp in Gaza Strip, leaving hundreds of innocent civilians dead or injured. In a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry today, Oman described the ongoing indiscriminate and brutal aggression against Gaza Strip and the rest of the occupied Palestinian territories as a war crime and a flagrant violation of the international law and the international ...

After 24 Days of Israeli Aggression on Gaza, Death Toll Rises to More Than 8,300 Martyrs Gaza, 30 Oct (ONA) --- The death toll from the violent and ongoing Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip for the 24th consecutive day has risen to more than 8,300 martyrs, most of whom are children, in addition to more than 21,000 injured. In a press statement today, the Palestinian Ministry of Health reported that the continuous Israeli artillery shelling and raids have so far left more than 8,300 martyrs, including 3,457 children and 2,136 women, in addition to more than 21,000 ...

Occupation Forces Launch Large-scale Arrest Campaign in West Bank Occupied Jerusalem, 30 Oct (ONA) --- The Israeli occupation forces today launched a large-scale arrest campaign in the West Bank. According to Palestinian news agency (WAFA), the occupation forces detained at least 64 Palestinians, including freed prisoners, in various parts of the occupied West Bank. The occupation forces detained 13 Palestinians in Hebron, and 12 others in Ramallah, including freed prisoners. The occupation also detained 11 Palestinians in Jerusalem, after raiding and ...

Israeli Occupation Pursues Scorched Earth Policy, Targets Vital Facilities in Gaza, Says Arab League Cairo, 29 Oct (QNA) --- The Arab League has asserted that the Israeli occupation is unmercifully pursuing the policy of scorched earth in Gaza Strip. It added that the massive destruction inflicted upon the vital infrastructures underscores an abhorrent intention to unleash devastation and make the remaining Palestinian territories uninhabitable by thinking that unleashing the despair through the barbaric punishment policies will trigger the Palestinians to surrender. Addressing ...

Israeli Occupation Threatens to Bombard Al Quds Hospital in Gaza Gaza, 29 Oct (QNA) --- The Israeli occupation today renewed its threat to bomb Al-Quds Hospital of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) in Gaza Strip. In remarks quoted by the Palestinian News Agency (WAFA), Director-General of PRCS, Dr. Bashar Murad, said he has received strong worded threats from the occupation forces to evacuate Al-Quds Hospital immediately in Gaza because it is going to be pounded. The hospital accommodates over 400 patients and 12,000 displaced people from civilians who ...

Cairo Summit Rejects Targeting Civilians, Calls for Securing Humanitarian Aid to Gaza StripCairo, 26 Oct (ONA) --- Cairo Summit for Peace, which was held in Cairo on 21 October 2023, issued a communique in the backdrops of the escalation that began on 7 October 2023 both in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, especially in the Gaza Strip, and in response to the growing number of innocent civilian casualties and the flagrant violation of the international law and international humanitarian law.The communique was issued by foreign ministers of the Sultanate of Oman, ...