Political initiatives underway for immediate temporary ceasefire in Gaza: Iran

News Network
November 2, 2023

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Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian says Iran and Qatar are working on political initiatives on establishment of an immediate temporary ceasefire in Gaza as the Israeli genocidal war in claiming more civilian lives.

Amir-Abdollahian said his earlier visit to the Qatari capital Doha featured discussion about the truce in the Israeli regime's war.

The top Iranian diplomat made the remarks upon return to Tehran from a two-way trip that took him to Qatar and Turkey.

"There is talk in Qatar about the idea of truce that could [possibly] lead to extensive transfer of humanitarian aid to Gaza," Amir-Abdollahian said.

The brutal war that the Israeli regime has been waging against the coastal territory has so far claimed the lives of nearly 8,800 people, including more than 3,600 children.

The regime launched the war after Gaza's resistance groups conducted Operation al-Aqsa Storm, their biggest operation against the occupying entity, after years of suffering under Israeli repression of occupation.

"Under the aegis of the truce, we will witness exchange of civilian prisoners between the two sides, which includes the release of all female Palestinians prisoners," the Iranian foreign minister said.

The Palestinian resistance, he added, is after the freedom of Palestinian women, adolescents, and children from Israeli prisoners.

Amir-Abdollahian said during his meeting with head of Hamas' Politburo, in Doha, Ismail Haniyeh said the Israeli regime's attacks on Gaza had so far resulted in the deaths of some 50 captives held by the Palestinian resistance.

"Some of these captives were being held in the basement of hospitals that were thought to be safe," Amir-Abdollahian noted.

Some of the victims perished during Israeli airstrikes against the al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza on October 17 that claimed the lives of at least 500 civilians, he said.

OIC extraordinary session on Gaza

Amir-Abdollahian also said preparations were underway for leaders of the members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to meet in Saudi Arabia "in near future."

The Iranian foreign minister said the Israeli regime was "madly" bombing civilians, including women and children, "due to the confusion and shock that they have received" from the resistance operation. 

In Qatar and Turkey, Amir-Abdollahian said, he followed up President Ebrahim Raeisi's earlier consultations with the leaders of various Muslim and Arab countries about holding of an extraordinary meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomed President Raeisi's proposal for "immediate" convention of the meeting, the foreign minister said.

Amid the prospect of such summit or even a meeting of the world's Arab leaders, the Palestinian resistance would take "appropriate decisions" in case of continuation of the Israeli regime's attacks on Gaza, Amir-Abdollahian said.

The Israeli regime's efforts to enter Gaza by land over the past three days have also been met with failure, he stated.

In a statement on Monday, the OIC said Israel’s relentless bombardment of the besieged Gaza Strip constituted war crimes and a flagrant violation of international law, describing the regime’s conduct as "butchering" of thousands of people. 

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News Network
February 3,2026

Bengaluru: Following reports of fresh Nipah virus (NiV) cases in West Bengal and heightened vigilance across parts of Southeast Asia, the Karnataka Health Department has placed the state on high alert and activated emergency preparedness protocols.

Health officials said enhanced surveillance measures have been initiated after two healthcare workers in Barasat, West Bengal, tested positive for the virus earlier this month. While no cases have been reported in Karnataka so far, authorities said the state’s past exposure to Nipah outbreaks and high inter-state mobility warranted preventive action.

Officials have directed district health teams to intensify monitoring, particularly at hospitals and points of entry, and to ensure early detection and isolation of suspected cases.

High Mortality Virus with Multiple Transmission Routes

Nipah virus is a zoonotic disease that can spread from animals to humans and has a reported fatality rate ranging between 60 and 75 per cent. Fruit bats, also known as flying foxes, are the natural reservoirs of the virus and can transmit it by contaminating food sources with saliva or urine.

Known modes of transmission include:

•    Contaminated food: Consumption of fruits partially eaten by bats or raw date-palm sap
•    Animal contact: Exposure to infected pigs or other animals
•    Human-to-human transmission: Close contact with body fluids of infected persons, particularly in healthcare settings

Symptoms and Disease Progression

The incubation period typically ranges from 4 to 14 days, though delayed onset has also been reported. Early symptoms often resemble common viral infections, making prompt clinical suspicion critical.

•    Initial symptoms: Fever, headache, body aches, fatigue, sore throat
•    Progressive symptoms: Drowsiness, disorientation, altered mental state
•    Severe stage: Seizures, neck stiffness and acute encephalitis, which can rapidly progress to coma

Public Health Advisory

The Health Department has issued precautionary guidelines urging the public to adopt risk-avoidance practices to prevent any local spillover.

Do’s
•    Wash fruits thoroughly before consumption
•    Drink boiled and cooled water
•    Use protective equipment while handling livestock
•    Maintain strict hand hygiene

Don’ts
•    Avoid fruits found on the ground or showing bite marks
•    Do not consume beverages made from raw tree sap, including toddy
•    Avoid areas with dense bat populations
•    Do not handle sick or dead animals

Preparedness Measures

Officials confirmed that isolation wards are being readied in major government hospitals and that medical staff are being sensitised to identify early warning signs.

“There is no cause for panic, but there is a need for heightened vigilance,” a senior health official said, adding that there is currently no approved vaccine or specific antiviral treatment for Nipah, and care remains largely supportive.

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