Pakistan, Arab, Asian states join US-led Gaza peace mechanism, Netanyahu’s participation criticized
Washington: A group of countries from the Middle East and Asia have agreed to participate in a United States-backed peace mechanism for Gaza, endorsing efforts led by US President Donald Trump to work towards a permanent ceasefire and a political resolution to the conflict.
Al Jazeera reported that in a joint statement issued on Wednesday, the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Qatar confirmed their decision to join what has been described as a “board of peace” for the Gaza Strip. The ministers said their participation reflects support for initiatives aimed at ending hostilities, facilitating reconstruction in the war-hit territory and advancing a lasting settlement based on Palestinian self-determination and statehood under international law.
Kuwait later announced that it had also accepted Washington’s invitation to be part of the proposed body.
The developments come shortly after the White House disclosed details of the peace board, which forms part of a broader plan announced by President Trump to bring an end to Israel’s war in Gaza. The mechanism is expected to supervise a Palestinian technocratic committee that would handle the enclave’s administrative affairs.
According to US officials, the board will include senior presidential advisers Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, along with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. The composition of the body and the role envisaged for Israel have drawn scrutiny, particularly after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed that he would take part in the process.
With the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant against Netanyahu for war crimes, residents in Gaza have questioned about the initiative's reliability, while noting ongoing Israeli military operations and severe restrictions on humanitarian aid, as reported by Al Jazeera.
Abu Ramzi al-Sandawi, a resident of Gaza City, rejected Netanyahu’s participation, holding him responsible for the devastation in the enclave and describing him as the central figure behind the ongoing war.
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Epstein files allege email claims about Bill Gates seeking antibiotics; foundation denies charges
Washington DC: fresh set of documents released as part of the Jeffrey Epstein files has triggered renewed attention after screenshots of alleged self-emails attributed to Epstein made claims involving Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates.
The screenshots, circulating online and reported by several outlets, purport to show Epstein writing to himself in July 2013, alleging that Gates had contracted a sexually transmitted disease during encounters with women described as “Russian girls” and had asked Epstein to arrange antibiotics to be given discreetly to his then wife, Melinda Gates. The documents also contain claims of personal disputes and alleged requests that Epstein delete certain emails.
The authenticity of the screenshots has not been independently verified. The allegations contained in them remain unsubstantiated and are disputed by context and prior public statements from Gates. There is no confirmation from official records that the claims are factual.
According to reports, the screenshots are part of a larger tranche of documents released by the United States Department of Justice, comprising hundreds of thousands of pages related to Epstein. Epstein, a convicted sex offender, died in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.
The alleged email text includes Epstein expressing anger over Gates distancing himself from their relationship and claiming involvement in matters he described as morally or ethically inappropriate. The documents also reference marital tensions between Bill and Melinda Gates, though no independent evidence is provided to support the claims.
Bill Gates has previously acknowledged meeting Epstein and has said he regretted the association, while repeatedly denying any involvement in illegal or unethical activities. His philanthropic foundation has issued a strong denial in response to the latest claims, calling the allegations absurd and completely false.
Bill and Melinda Gates were married from 1994 until their divorce in 2021. Melinda Gates has publicly stated that Gates’s extramarital relationships and his association with Epstein were among the factors that led to the end of their marriage, without detailing specific allegations.
As with earlier Epstein-related disclosures, legal experts and media analysts have urged caution, noting that the presence of a name in released documents does not establish wrongdoing and that many claims in the material remain unproven.
