UNITED NATIONS: Israeli attacks on war-torn Gaza over the weekend killed at least six Palestinians, including children, despite a year-old ceasefire agreement, according to the United Nations.

 Meanwhile, in the occupied West Bank, settler violence continued through the ongoing olive harvest, with UN independent experts Tuesday urging Israel to protect Palestinian farmers.

In the Gaza Strip, deadly Israeli airstrikes, gunfire and shelling occurred alongside incursions, demolitions and reported shifts in the so-called “yellow line” imposed by Israel since the year-old ceasefire agreement.

The attacks raised concerns and risks of further displacement, according to the latest updates from the UN emergency aid coordination office, OCHA.

Local health authorities told OCHA 57 Palestinians were reported killed and 319 injured between 29 September and 12 October, bringing the total number of casualties since the October 2025 ceasefire agreement to 1,493 fatalities and 5,299 injuries.

Meanwhile, around 950,000 displaced people have been assessed as living in sites at medium to high risk of flooding, including over 400,000 at high risk.

Available supplies offered partial assistance to only 18 per cent of the 294,250 families requiring shelter support for the rainy season, OCHA reported.

Daily cooked-meal production has declined by 12 per cent to approximately 614,000 amid funding constraints, while shortages of fuel, engine oil and essential supplies threaten the continuity of health and water services, the UN agency said.

Five Palestinians were killed and over 240 injured by Israeli forces or settler attacks in the occupied West Bank over the past two weeks, OCHA reported.

During the same period, 160 olive harvest-related settler attacks resulted in casualties, property damage or both while record demolitions displaced 96 Palestinians, the agency said.

UN independent human rights experts warned on Monday that Palestinian farmers are facing renewed threats as the annual olive harvest gets underway, urging Israel to guarantee their protection and safe access to their land.

“The olive harvest should be a time when farmers can enjoy, in safety and dignity, the food and livelihoods their nature and land provide, not another season of fear, loss, violence and destruction,” said the UN Human Rights Council-appointed experts.

“Israel is under an international legal obligation to end its occupation of Palestinian land, immediately cease new settlement activities, evacuate settlers from the Occupied Palestinian Territory and provide full reparation for the damage caused by its violations, including by returning land and allowing displaced Palestinians to return to their homes,” the experts said in a joint statement.

“The international community, especially States with power and influence, must exercise maximum pressure to protect Palestinian civilians, halt and reverse the rapidly expanding policies and practices of annexation and ensure accountability for decades of violations of Palestinian rights under international law,” they said, warning that the situation could worsen following new Israeli orders for uprooting olive trees and restrictions on farmers in the West Bank.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the Maldives on Wednesday signed a series of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) aimed at deepening bilateral relations in multiple sectors, including defence, IT, cybersecurity, health, education, social protection, agriculture and tourism, among others.

The pacts were signed during the three-day state visit of President of the Maldives Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, which is the first visit by the country’s president in 11 years, coinciding with the 60th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic relations.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Dr Muizzu witnessed the ceremony as the representatives from both sides exchanged the pre-signed documents.

The two countries signed an MoU on cooperation in the fields of information technology, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, digital skills, and technology and innovation. An MoU was inked to strengthen cooperation in combating illicit trafficking and abuse of narcotic drugs.

The two sides also signed an MoU on social protection as well as on health cooperation and between the Maldives Food and Drug Authority and the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan.

Both nations signed MoUs focused on the recruitment of health professionals, strengthening defence ties and maritime security cooperation.

With a view to boosting agricultural cooperation, an MoU was signed on the subject between the two countries, besides another one on promoting fisheries cooperation.

To promote ties in technical and vocational education, an MoU on collaboration to promote technical and vocational education and training was signed, while another MoU was inked to promote educational cooperation.

The representatives of Pakistan and Maldives also exchanged documents on MoUs on cooperation in the field of youth and sports development, air connectivity, tourism and in the field of arts, culture and heritage.

The MoUs were signed between the National College of Policy and Law Enforcement of the Maldives Police Service and National Police Academy, Islamabad; Civil Service Commission of Maldives and the Federal Public Service Commission of Pakistan; and Civil Service Commission of Maldives and Civil Service Academy (CSA) of Pakistan.

In order to boost commercial engagement, an MoU was signed between the Maldives State Trading Organisation (STO) and Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) for cooperation in trade of agriculture commodities, food and other products, besides signing another pact aimed at boosting cooperation in the field of environment.

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Government Employees Housing Authority (FGEHA), through its Joint Venture Projects (JVP) Wing, held a MoU signing ceremony today at its headquarters in Sector G-10/4, Islamabad, for the development of a housing scheme in a prime location of Rawalpindi District.

The MoU marks an important step towards expanding quality residential facilities for federal government employees and the general public through collaboration with the private sector. Under the agreement, FGEHA and Future Development Holdings (Private) Limited (FDHL) will collaborate to develop a modern housing scheme on approximately 2,000 kanals of land situated within the limits of Capital Smart City, Tehsil and District Rawalpindi. The project will be developed under the Land Sharing Model, aimed at utilizing available resources effectively and facilitating the development of modern residential facilities.

The ceremony was attended by Executive Director FDHL, Brigadier (Retd.) Muhammad Nadeem Aslam, and senior officials of FGEHA. The MoU was signed on behalf of FGEHA by Chief Engineer Syed Muhammad Hassan and on behalf of FDHL by Executive Director Brigadier (Retd.) Muhammad Nadeem Aslam.

Speaking on the occasion, Director General FGEHA, Capt. (Retd.) Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, stated that Capital Smart City is a modern and well-planned residential development designed to provide residents with a high standard of living and a comprehensive range of essential and contemporary facilities.

He highlighted that the project offers a range of amenities, including quality educational institutions, community centers, mosques, parks, sports facilities, commercial areas, healthcare services and other essential civic amenities. Its wide roads, landscaped green belts, organized infrastructure and modern urban facilities contribute to a well-planned residential environment. He observed that Capital Smart City represents more than a housing scheme, offering an integrated urban setting designed to provide families with comfort, convenience, recreation and improved living standards.

The Director General further stated that the proposed housing project represents a significant step towards realizing the vision of providing affordable and quality housing to government employees. He emphasized that the agreement reflects the Federal Government’s commitment to advancing housing initiatives through public-private partnerships and effective utilization of available resources.

According to the FGEHA spokesperson, the project is expected to facilitate the provision of secure, reliable and modern residential facilities for federal government employees in Rawalpindi District and its adjoining areas. The MoU also marks a new phase in the development of modern housing projects for federal government employees, with a focus on quality, transparency and efficient implementation.

Capt. (Retd.) Muhammad Zafar Iqbal also informed the participants that FGEHA had made significant progress in providing residential facilities to federal government employees. Several housing projects in Islamabad and Karachi have been successfully completed, while a number of other projects are at advanced stages of completion.

He added that the Federal Minister for Housing and Works and the Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Works, have prioritized the provision of secure, quality and affordable housing for government employees. In this regard, clear directions have been issued to ensure the timely completion of development projects, with transparency remaining a foremost priority.

The Director General reaffirmed FGEHA’s commitment to completing its ongoing projects within the stipulated timelines and continuously improving residential facilities in line with modern standards. He underscored that collaboration with reputable private-sector partners would help strengthen the Authority’s efforts to provide well-planned, affordable and sustainable housing opportunities.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, the Director General, Capt. (Retd.) Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, thanked the journalists and media representatives for their participation and continued engagement in highlighting FGEHA’s housing initiatives.