Blinken said he agreed with Arab foreign minister in Cairo to gather experts in coming days to identify urgent, practical & concrete steps needed to increase flow of assistance.’
Hamas said initial release of Israelis would include women, children, elderly, and ill hostages in exchange for release of 700-1000 Palestinian prisoners, according to proposal.
Senior Hamas official Bassem Naim said Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ‘doesn’t want to reach an agreement and the ball now is in the Americans’ court.’
Quoting Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, he said that more than 23,000 Palestinians have been killed and over 58,000 injured since Israel launched the offensive.
Israel’s assault on Gaza has killed at least 18,205 Palestinians, wounded nearly 50,000. Palestinian Authority welcomed the resolution and urged countries to pressure Israel to comply.
Arab states have renewed their push for immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, with UAE asking the UN Security Council to vote on Friday morning on a draft resolution.
The seven-day ceasefire, which began on 24 November and was extended twice, allowing for the exchange of hostages and prisoners, expired Friday, as neither side extended it.
105 hostages and 240 Palestinian prisoners have been freed by Hamas & Israel respectively during past 7 days of truce. Egypt and Qatar, who negotiated earlier ceasefire, are working to extend it.
Hamas has released 81 hostages & Israel freed 180 prisoners during 4-day ceasefire, which was later increased to 6. Israel says truce could extend if Hamas releases at least 10 hostages a day.
Hamas believed to have taken about 240 hostages during 7 Oct attack. Israel previously said it would extend 4-day truce which began Friday by one day for every 10 more hostages released.
Mineral security is no longer just an economic concern but a national security imperative, underpinning the country’s ambitions in clean energy, defence self-reliance, and advanced manufacturing.
Mini deal will likely see no cut in 10% baseline tariff on Indian exports announced by Trump on 2 April, it is learnt, but additional 26% tariffs are set to be reduced.
India-Russia JV is also racing to deliver 7,000 more AK-203 assault rifles by 15 Aug. These are currently being made with 50% indigenisation and this will surge to 100% by 31 December.
BJP has no dynastic succession, at least not at the top. You can trace this back to Vajpayee-Advani era. This act of spotting, empowering younger talent is even more striking with the choice of BJP presidents.
COMMENTS