Tag: Israel and Hamas

Gaza

CIA, Mossad, Qatar PM Join Talks In Paris Over Gaza Hostages

By LokMarg

A crucial meeting is currently underway to explore a potential second deal between Israel and Hamas, focusing on the release of 136 hostages in Gaza and a temporary cessation of hostilities, The Jerusalem Post reported.

The closed-door talks involve key figures such as CIA Chief William Burns, Mossad Chief David Barnea, Shin Bet Chief Ronen Bar, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed Al-Thani, and the head of Egyptian Intelligence Services Abbas Kamel.

The participation of Maj.-Gen. (res.) Nitzan Alon, responsible for intelligence issues related to the Gaza hostages, remains uncertain. Teams from Qatar and Egypt arrived on Saturday, with Israeli and American representatives joining on Sunday.

As of Sunday noon, no unusual activity has been reported near the American embassy or ambassador’s residence in Paris, according to The Jerusalem Post.

Reports suggest Mossad Chief David Barnea’s multiple visits to Qatar since October 7, with a meeting reported in Oslo on December 16 but later clarified to have taken place in Paris. The duration of the stay for the talks in the French capital is yet to be determined.

The Israeli team’s objective is to emphasise the need for additional pressure on Hamas to accept what Israel considers a reasonable deal. The meeting aims to initiate a move, bring forth ideas, and propose solutions to break the current deadlock, The Jerusalem Post, cited KAN NEWS.

Recent reports indicate a potential deal is closer, envisioning a two-month suspension of fighting in Gaza. The release of hostages would occur in two or three phases. In the initial 30-day stage, fighting would cease, and women, elderly men, and sick or injured hostages would be released. Simultaneously, details for the second phase would be finalised during another 30-day suspension of hostilities.

The release of female soldiers remains unclear, and the final phase would involve the release of male soldiers and the bodies of deceased hostages. However, a major obstacle lies in Hamas’s demand for a complete end to fighting in Gaza, a condition Israel categorically rejects. The proposal for Hamas leaders to leave the Strip is reportedly no longer part of the ongoing discussions, The Jerusalem Post reported. (ANI)

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Israel Hamas

US Supports Extension In Israel-Hamas Conflict Pause: White House

By LokMarg

The United States supports further extension in the operational pause between Israel and Hamas to secure the release of all the hostages in captivity, the White House said on Tuesday.

“We want to see all the hostages released. And so, if there can be extended pauses beyond these two-day extensions…we’re in favour of that. And we’re going to keep working on this, as I said, hour by hour with all our partners in the region,” White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said.

On being asked about the upcoming visit of Secretary of State Antony Blinken to the Middle East, Kirby said that his fourth visit will primarily focus on reaffirming US support to Israel and facilitating humanitarian assistance into Gaza.

He further added that Blinken will meet with his Israeli counterparts and other counterparts in the region.

“It is about making sure that, number one, Israel knows that they continue to have the support of the United States, that they continue to get the tools, the capabilities, and the weapon systems that they need to continue to defend themselves against Hamas. Number two, it’s all about getting that humanitarian assistance in,” Kirby said.

He added, “And so, the President has directed the entire team all across the administration, certainly in the national security agencies, to continue to work that. And I think you’ll see that those will be the prime focuses of Secretary Blinken on his trip”.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will be making his fourth visit to Israel this week. He will also visit West Bank, Belgium, North Macedonia and UAE during his trip.

White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said that President Biden and the entire national security team are engaged in the situation in the Middle East regarding humanitarian aid, operational pause and the release of hostages.

He further informed that the first of three military flights, C-17s, landed in Egypt on Tuesday with humanitarian assistance: food, water, medicine, and supplies.

“Some 54,000 pounds on the first aircraft. We expect two more aircraft to come in coming days,” Kirby said.

He added, “Also, on the ground, another 200 trucks got in through Rafah, and another 200 joined 200 that are in the queue. So, now there are 400 trucks in the queue to get into Rafah”.

The White House spokesperson also thanked Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi for his support in allowing humanitarian aid to enter the Gaza Strip through the Rafah crossing.

“And we couldn’t do it without the help of President Sisi of Egypt, both in terms of the ground movement and this air movement now — this US military aircraft that we’re using. So, we thank him and — and his government greatly for that,” he said.

Regarding the hostage situation, he said that 12 individuals were released on Tuesday but it didn’t include any Americans.

“We are on the first day of this two-day extension of the deal. Another 12 individuals got out today: 10 Israelis, 2 from Thailand. No Americans, unfortunately, got out today. But we are hopeful. You know, tomorrow is another day. And we certainly hope that we can see some more Americans come out,” he further said.

Earlier on Tuesday, Hamas released 12 more hostages, including two foreign nationals, on the first day of the extended truce between Israel and Hamas. Israel also released 30 Palestinian prisoners as part of the deal. (ANI)

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First Of Three US Military Planes To Arrive In Egypt With Humanitarian Aid For Gaza

By LokMarg

The White House on Tuesday announced that the first humanitarian aid flight facilitated by the US military is set to arrive in Egypt for civilians in Gaza amid the temporary truce between Israel and Hamas.

It is worth mentioning that the temporary truce has been extended by two days on Monday. Since Friday, the pause in the deadly fighting in Gaza has allowed for some hostages held by Hamas to be released and for a surge of humanitarian aid to get into Gaza.

It is notably going to be the “first of three flights” that are facilitated by the US military to bring medical supplies, food, and winter necessities to prepare for the impending winter in Gaza, The Hill reported.

The UN will subsequently distribute these supplies to the civilian population.

According to The Hill, a senior administration official told reporters that this is the first of three relief flights that would be “facilitated by the unique capabilities of the US military that will be arriving into North Sinai in Egypt.

The next two flights with humanitarian aid “will be coming in the coming days,” the official said further.

Since the start of the crisis, the United States has sponsored five commercial aircraft that have delivered products into Egypt; however, they are the first flights that are made possible by the military.

The military aircraft are en route to Egypt in the midst of Israel and Hamas’s two-day extension of their brief ceasefire in Gaza.

The cease-fire in the deadly fighting in Gaza that began on Friday has made it possible for a large amount of humanitarian assistance to enter Gaza as well as the release of several captives held by Hamas. Military aircraft carrying supplies are an addition to the 200 or so trucks that travel into Gaza every day to bring food, water, and gasoline, according to The Hill.

According to the White House, the decision to send military aircraft into the Middle East was made in response to the necessity to backfill supplies due to the increase in the flow of products into Gaza during the halt.

“The movement over the last four or five days of assistance has been so significant in volume that a backfill into El-Arish is now needed. These planes are part of that backfill,” The Hill quoted the official as saying.

El-Arish is a city in North Sinai, Egypt, where the United Nations will transfer humanitarian aid from the United States into civilian areas in Gaza.

The Israel-Hamas truce will be extended by two days, and

Qatar and the US confirmed the extension of the Israel-Hamas truce by two days and there is the likelihood of about 10 more Israeli hostages to be released per day.

As per the initial four-day truce agreement, which will expire today (Tuesday), Israel agreed to halt its military operations in Gaza for four days and emphasized that it would release three Palestinian security prisoners for each of the 50 hostages freed from Gaza, The Times of Israel reported.

Since Friday, over 50 hostages have now been released, whereas, 117 Palestinians have been freed.

US President Joe Biden on Monday welcomed the additional two-day truce between Israel and Hamas after Qatar’s successful mediation. Biden issued a statement, welcoming the extended truce, as reported by The Times of Israel.

“I have remained deeply engaged over the last few days to ensure that this deal–brokered and sustained through extensive US mediation and diplomacy–can continue to deliver results,” the US President said. (ANI)

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Israel and Hamas

First Group Of Israeli Hostages Handed Over To Red Cross

By LokMarg

As part of the hostage deal between Israel and Hamas, the first group of Israeli hostages has been handed over to the staff of the International Committee for Red Cross, The Times of Israel reported.

The 13 Israeli hostages in ambulances are heading from southern Gaza’s Khan Younis to the Rafah crossing into Israel, The Times of Israel reported citing an Israeli official.

The release of 13 hostages, who are mothers and children, is the first of four expected stages. Notably, Hamas has agreed to release some 50 hostages, which include women and children over the four days of the truce with Israel.

The sides agreed that Hamas might eventually free more hostages, in exchange for an extension of the ceasefire by an extra day for each 10 Israeli hostages, according to The Times of Israel report. The released hostages are only a small group out of some 240 people held hostage by Hamas terrorists since October 7, when Hamas launched an attack on Israel.

As per the news report, Israel is set to release 150 Palestinian prisoners held for terror offences. In return for 50 Israelis, all of the prisoners that will be released will be women and minors. Israel will release 39 prisoners in return for the first 13 Israelis to return.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant will closely monitor the management of the operation to bring the Israelis who have been released from Hamas captivity, Israel Prime Minister’s Office announced in a statement posted on X.

Taking to X, the Israel Prime Minister’s Office stated, “The Prime Minister and the Defense Minister will closely monitor management of the operation to bring the Israelis who have been released from Hamas captivity back to the country.”

He added, “During the operation, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant will be at the IDF Operations Branch control center at the Kirya in Tel Aviv.”

In addition to the 13 Israeli hostages, Egypt’s government media office said that it has successfully negotiated the separate release of 12 Thai hostages who were abducted during Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, the report said. Thailand said it believes 26 of its citizens were taken hostage on October 7.

Subsequently, Thailand Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said that 12 of the country’s citizens have been released. Meanwhile, the truce brokered by Qatar between Israel and Hamas went into effect at 7 am (local time). (ANI)

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