GCC’s Red Crescent societies strengthen joint coordination
DOHA: Deputy Chairman of Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS) Anwar Al-Hasawi said on Thursday the meeting of the heads of GCC Red Crescent societies strengthened joint coordination of social and relief services. Al-Hasawi added in a statement to KUNA, following the conclusion of the 20th meeting of the Committee of Heads of Red Crescent Authorities and Societies in the GCC held in Doha, that the meeting discussed collective work to help the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and Syrian and Yemeni refugees in accordance with international humanitarian law.
He praised the GCC General Secretariat for the Human and Environmental Affairs sector and its role in coordination, consultation, and support of joint work with Red Crescent authorities and societies in the GCC. He pointed out that several decisions were discussed, aimed at increasing cooperation, joint work, and unifying positions in regional and international organizations, in addition to joint training and workshops.
In another development, the Arab League on Thursday affirmed its unwavering support for the Palestinian media, stressing the necessity to protect Palestinian journalists in the Gaza Strip and the
West Bank, in line with international humanitarian law. The league assistant secretary general, Ambassador Ahmad Khatabi, said in a statement marking “the world day of solidarity with the Palestinian media” that the illegitimate measures against the Palestinian media and other outlets constitute a breach of international covenants.
He indicated the International Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the United Nations in the aftermath of World War II, and various international pledges for safeguarding freedom of opinion. He called on various international organizations to campaign to bring the culprits of offenses against Palestinian journalists to account.
Khatabi affirmed that according to Resolution 58 issued by the Arab ministers of information in September 2022, May 11 has become the day for solidarity with the Palestinian media, which has also coincided with the occupation’s assassination of the Palestinian journalist Shirin Abu Aqleh.
Aqleh was fatally shot while covering incidents in the occupied territories for the Al-Jazeera network. Elaborating, Khatabi affirmed that 142 journalists were among the 34,000 martyrs who had fallen in Gaza since last October. The figure exceeds the whole number of journalists who have lost their lives in various hot spots throughout the world since 2023. — KUNA