ISRAEL’S POLITICAL CONSIDERATIONS Negotiations have since stalled over how to proceed, with the two sides unable to agree on the next steps. Israel has vowed to keep fighting until it achieves all of its war goals, including the return of all the hostages seized by Palestinian militants during the OctContinue Reading
CAIRO: Israel and Hamas signalled on Saturday (Mar 8) they were preparing for the next phase of ceasefire negotiations, as mediators pushed ahead with talks to extend the fragile 42-day truce that began in January. Hamas said there were “positive indicators” for the start of the ceasefire’s second-phase talks butContinue Reading
“PARADING OF BODIES” The six Israelis released on Saturday were the last group of living hostages set to be freed under the truce’s first phase. At a ceremony in Nuseirat, central Gaza, hostages Eliya Cohen, 27, Omer Shem Tov, 22, and Israeli-Argentine Omer Wenkert, 23, waved from a stage, flankedContinue Reading
JERUSALEM: Israel said on Sunday (Feb 23) it was delaying the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners it had planned to free the day before until militant group Hamas met its conditions, underscoring the fragility of the Gaza ceasefire accord. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office released a statement in theContinue Reading
Some of the last Thai workers taken hostage by the Palestinian militant group Hamas have been reunited with their families after touching down in Bangkok yesterday. Sarusak Rumnao, 31, Sathian Suwannakham, 35, Pongsak Thaenna, 36, Watchara Sriaoun, 33, and Bannawat Saethao, 27, were abducted during Hamas’ deadly incursion into southernContinue Reading
Tens of thousands of Palestinian refugees in occupied East Jerusalem – whose annexation by Israel is not recognised internationally – also receive education, healthcare and other services from UNRWA. Touma said that its Palestinian staff in the West Bank and East Jerusalem are facing difficulties, citing examples of stone-throwing andContinue Reading
Five Thai nationals were released by the Palestinian militant group Hamas yesterday after nearly 16 months of captivity in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli military announced. The five, who were identified by Israeli government as Thenna Pongsak, Sathian Suwannakhan, Sriaoun Watchara, Seathao Bannawat and Rumnao Surasak, were kidnapped by HamasContinue Reading
JERUSALEM: Israeli captives Gadi Moses, Arbel Yehud and Agam Berger are set to be released from Gaza on Thursday (Jan 30) as part of the third hostage-prisoner swap between Israel and Hamas. Palestinian militants are also set to free five Thai citizens being held hostage, but their identities are stillContinue Reading
