Israel delays release of Palestinian prisoners, citing 'humiliating' handovers of hostages
Israel says the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners is delayed "until the release of the next hostages has been assured, and without the humiliating ceremonies" at handovers of Israeli captives in Gaza.
The statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office early Sunday came as vehicles apparently carrying prisoners left the open gates of Ofer prison, only to turn around and go back in.
The release of 620 Palestinian prisoners had been delayed for several hours and was meant to occur just after six Israeli hostages were released Saturday. It was meant to be the largest one-day prisoner release in the Gaza ceasefire's first phase.
Israel's announcement abruptly put the future of the truce into further doubt.
The Palestinian Authority's commission for prisoners' affairs confirmed the delay "until further notice." The Associated Press video, recorded in the West Bank, showed prisoners' families, waiting outdoors in near-freezing weather, apparently dispersing. One woman was shown walking away in tears.
The six were the last living hostages expected to be freed under the ceasefire's first phase, with a week remaining in the initial stage. Talks on the ceasefire's second phase are yet to start.
The six included three Israeli men seized from the Nova music festival and another taken while visiting family in southern Israel during the October 7, 2023, attack led by Hamas, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization, that triggered the 16-month war in Gaza. The two others were held for a decade after entering Gaza on their own.
Omer Wenkert, Omer Shem Tov and Eliya Cohen were released together. Cohen's family and friends in Israel chanted "Eliya! Eliya! Eliya!" and cheered.
"You're heroes," Shem Tov told his parents as they later embraced, laughing and crying. "You have no idea how much I dreamt of you." His father, Malki Shem Tov, told public broadcaster Kan his son was held alone after the first 50 days and lost 17 kilograms (37 pounds).
Earlier Saturday, Tal Shoham, 40, and Avera Mengistu, 38, were freed. Mengistu, an Ethiopian-Israeli, entered Gaza in 2014. His family told Israeli media he has struggled with mental health issues. The Israeli-Austrian Shoham was taken from Kibbutz Be'eri. His wife and two children were freed in a 2023 exchange.
Later, Israel's military said Hisham Al-Sayed, 36, was released. The Bedouin-Israeli entered Gaza in 2015. His family had told Israeli media he was previously diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Accusations of 'stalling'
Israel's government didn't respond to questions about the delay in releasing prisoners. Hamas accused Israel of violating the ceasefire deal, with spokesperson Abdel Latif Al-Qanou accusing Netanyahu of "deliberately stalling."
The hostage release followed a heartrending dispute when Hamas on Thursday handed over the wrong body for Shiri Bibas, an Israeli mother abducted with her two young boys. The remains were determined to be those of an unnamed Palestinian woman. Netanyahu vowed revenge for "a cruel and malicious violation." Hamas suggested it was a mistake.
Israeli forensic authorities confirmed a body handed over Friday was Bibas. Dr. Chen Kugel, head of the National Institute of Forensic Medicine, said they found no evidence Bibas and her children were killed in an Israeli airstrike, as Hamas has claimed. Kugel did not give a cause.
Difficult talks likely
The ceasefire deal has paused the deadliest and most devastating fighting ever between Israel and Hamas, but there are fears the war will resume. Negotiations on the ceasefire's second phase are likely to be more difficult.
Hamas had said it will release four bodies next week, completing the truce's first phase. After that, Hamas will hold over 60 hostages — about half believed to be alive.
Hamas has said it won't release the remaining captives without a lasting ceasefire and full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Netanyahu, with the backing of U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, says he's committed to destroying Hamas' military and governing capacities and returning all hostages, goals widely seen as mutually exclusive.
Israel's military offensive has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's Hamas-run Health Ministry, which doesn't distinguish between civilians and combatants. Israel says it has killed more than 17,000 Hamas terrorists, without providing evidence.
The offensive destroyed vast areas of Gaza, reducing entire neighborhoods to rubble. At its height, the war displaced 90% of Gaza's 2.3 million population.
The October 7, 2023, terrorist attack killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians. Hundreds of Israeli soldiers have died in the war.
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Voice of America
14-03-2025
- Voice of America
US envoy says Hamas misrepresented release of hostage
U.S. special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff said a Hamas statement issued Friday announcing it had agreed to release an American-Israeli soldier was, in reality, a condition of a "bridge" ceasefire proposal offered by U.S. officials earlier this week. Early Friday, the U.S.-designated terrorist group Hamas issued a statement saying it had agreed to release Edan Alexander, believed to be the last living American hostage held in Gaza, as well as the bodies of four other hostages after receiving a proposal from mediators to resume negotiations on the second phase of a Gaza ceasefire deal. The statement said the proposal had been offered by unnamed mediators as part of the work in Qatar to restart ceasefire negotiations. The United States, Egypt and host Qatar have been mediating the ceasefire talks. Hamas expressed its "complete readiness to begin negotiations and reach a comprehensive agreement on the issues of the second phase." Later Friday, in a joint statement issued along with the National Security Council, Witkoff's office explained he and National Security Council Senior Middle East Director Eric Trager had presented the bridge proposal to extend the current ceasefire beyond Ramadan and Passover and allow time to negotiate a framework for a permanent ceasefire. In the statement, Witkoff said that under the proposal, Hamas would release additional living hostages in exchange for prisoners, and that the extension of the phase-one ceasefire would allow more time for humanitarian aid to resume into Gaza. He said the U.S. had its Qatari and Egyptian mediating partners convey to Hamas "in no uncertain terms" that the new proposal would have to be implemented soon and Edan Alexander would have to be released immediately. "Unfortunately, Hamas has chosen to respond by publicly claiming flexibility," Witkoff said in the statement, "while privately making demands that are entirely impractical without a permanent ceasefire." In a statement released on the X social media platform, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said that while Israel had accepted "the Witkoff framework," Hamas "continues to wage psychological warfare against hostage families." The statement went on to say that the prime minister would convene his ministerial team Saturday evening for a detailed briefing from the negotiating team and "decide on steps to free the hostages and achieve all our war objectives." Hamas is believed to be holding 24 living hostages taken in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that triggered its war with Israel. The group also is holding the bodies of 34 others who were either killed in the initial attack or in captivity, as well as the remains of a soldier killed in 2014. In comments to FOX Business news Friday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said she was wary of taking Hamas statements at face value but emphasized that U.S. President Donald Trump was working "diligently" to bring hostages home. Witkoff told reporters at the White House early in March that gaining the release of Alexander was a "top priority." A ceasefire has been in place since January. During the first phase of the three-phase ceasefire, Hamas exchanged 33 Israeli hostages and five Thais for some 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. Israel has been pressing Hamas to accept an extension of the first phase, which ended March 2. Hamas had said it wanted to move to the second phase of the agreement, which would involve the release of more hostages and Israel's withdrawal from Gaza.
Voice of America
13-03-2025
- Voice of America
Under what circumstances can a US green card be revoked?
The recent arrest of Palestinian activist and U.S. legal permanent resident Mahmoud Khalil, who played a prominent role in last year's Columbia University protests over the war in Gaza, has prompted questions about the limits of a green card. A green card holder since 2024, Khalil was granted lawful permanent residency status in the U.S. But green card holders can lose their status and face deportation if they violate immigration law. A federal judge on Wednesday extended efforts to halt Khalil's deportation, and the New York resident remains in detention in Louisiana although he has not been charged with any crime. It is not a criminal offense to disagree, even openly, with the U.S. government's policy or actions, and the Bill of Rights protects free speech and the right to assemble. The why Green cards can be revoked, New York-based immigration lawyer Linda Dakin-Grimm told VOA. 'It's not that common, but it also isn't rare. People lose their green cards most often when they're convicted of crimes. … A green card is not citizenship. It's seen as a privilege that you earn, but you can also lose it if you engage in conduct that is contrary to the conditions that green card holders live under,' she said. Examples of crimes that can cause a green card holder can lose their status include aggravated felonies, drug offenses, fraud, or national security concerns such as ties to a terrorist group. Green card holders can also lose their status and lawful permanent residency status for being deemed a threat to national security. If a green card holder is accused of a crime, their criminal case will go through the justice system. But the process to revoke their permanent status takes place in immigration court, where officials must present evidence to justify revoking a green card. The how Revoking a green card is a legal process that starts when the U.S. government determines that an individual has violated immigration laws. The case can come to the government's attention in different ways, either through a routine immigration check, law enforcement investigation, or whistleblower. 'It could theoretically be a whistleblower. Someone who has some information. … Could they call the State Department? Maybe. Could they call the ICE hotline? Maybe,' Dakin-Grimm said. The Department of Homeland Security usually initiates the process. The green card holder will receive a document known as a Notice to Appear in immigration court or, in serious cases, they may be arrested and detained. White House officials said Wednesday that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has the authority to revoke a green card or any visa if an individual's activities in the United States 'would have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences' to the country. Rubio has said that Khalil's case is not about free speech. 'No one has a right to a green card, by the way. … If you told us that's what you intended to do when you came to America, we would have never let you in,' Rubio said on Wednesday. 'If you do it once you get in, we're going to revoke it and kick you out.' The authority for the secretary of state to intervene in a case like Khalil's stems from the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952. A provision in the law allows the secretary of state to deem a non-citizen deportable if their presence or activities are believed to significantly harm U.S. foreign policy interests. According to Khalil's NTA, Rubio has made that determination. Khalil has been ordered to appear in front of an immigration judge on March 27 at the Lasalle Detention Facility in Louisiana. The court In immigration court, the burden of proof is on the government; it must show the person violated immigration laws. In a case like Khalil's, ICE attorneys will ask for deportation, but they will have to prove he is a threat to national security. The green card holder can also present a defense. In the criminal justice system, if a person cannot afford an attorney, the government must provide a public defender. In immigration court, however, immigrants have the right to their own attorney, but the government does not have to provide one. If immigrants cannot afford an attorney or cannot find one to represent them pro bono, they do will not have access to legal representation. Dakin-Grimm says the process can sometimes go fast, but it is also complex. In the immigration court system, the decision to revoke a green card is an administrative procedure conducted by the Department of Justice, under an office known as the Executive Office for Immigration Review. 'It's kind of like the government is prosecuting a case, and the judge is also the government,' Dakin-Grimm said. The outcome If the immigration judge rules against the green card holder, they can appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA). And if the BIA agrees with the government, the green card holder can appeal to a Federal Court of Appeals. Although the case can end up at the U.S. Supreme Court, Dakin-Grimm says that rarely happens, mostly because the Supreme Court has complete discretion over the cases it chooses. 'Most people can't afford to do this kind of legal work themselves. It's just very, very expensive — you know, hundreds of thousands of dollars to take a case from the trial court level all the way to the Supreme Court,' she said. 'But in the immigration space, you tend to see nonprofit agencies, law school clinics, working pro bono, working for free in significant cases like this.' A final decision If the green card is revoked and all appeals fail, the person is usually deported from the U.S. If the appeal is successful, the person keeps their green card and is allowed to stay in the country. Dakin-Grimm said many green card holders think because it is called 'permanent residency,' the status is actually permanent. 'But it's only permanent as long as you follow the rules,' she said. VOA White House correspondent Anita Powell contributed to this report.
Voice of America
13-03-2025
- Voice of America
ຜູ້ພິພາກສາ ເລື່ອນຄຳສັ່ງຫ້າມເນລະເທດ ນັກສຶກສາ ມະຫາວິທະຍາໄລ ໂຄລຳເບຍ ອອກຈາກສະຫະລັດ
ຜູ້ພິພາສາສະຫະລັດ ໃນວັນພຸດວານນີ້ ໄດ້ເລື່ອນເວລາຄຳສັ່ງຂອງທ່ານ ວ່າດ້ວຍການກີດກັນເຈົ້າໜ້າທີ່ຂອງລັດຖະບານບໍ່ໃຫ້ເນລະເທດນັກສຶກສາມະຫາວິທະຍາໄລ ໂຄລຳເບຍ ທີ່ໄດ້ຖືກຄຸມຕົວຢູ່ນັ້ນ ໃນຄະດີທີ່ກາຍມາເປັນຈຸດຮ້ອນແຮງຂອງລັດຖະບານທ່ານທຣຳ ທີ່ໄດ້ປະຕິຍານຈະເນລະເທດພວກນັກເຄື່ອນໄຫວສະໜັບສະໜູນປາແລັນໄຕນ໌ ທີ່ເປັນນັກສຶກສາມະຫາວິທະຍາໄລ ຈຳນວນນຶ່ງ ອີງຕາມລາຍງານຂອງອົງການຂ່າວຣອຍເຕີສ. ຜູ້ພິພາກສາສານເມືອງ ທ່ານເຈສຊີ ເຟີຣແມນ ໄດ້ຫ້າມການເນລະເທດ ທ້າວມາມູດ ຄາລີລ ໄວ້ເປັນການຊົ່ວຄາ ເມື່ອຕົ້ນອາທິດນີ້ ແລະໄດ້ເລື່ນເວລາການຫ້າມດັ່ງກ່າວນັ້ນອອກໄປ ໃນວັນພຸດວານນີ້ ໃນຄຳສັ່ງທີ່ໄດ້ຂຽນອອກມາ ພາຍຫຼັງຈາກໄດ້ພິຈາລະນາຄະດີໃນສານນະຄອນແມນແຮັດທັນຂອງລັດຖະບານ ເພື່ອໃຫ້ທ່ານເອງ ມີເວລາຕື່ມໃນການພິຈາລະນາການຈັບກຸມນັກສຶກສານັ້ນ ບໍ່ຂັດກັບລັດຖະທຳມະນູນ ຫຼືບໍ່. ກະຊວງຮັກສາຄວາມປອດໄພພາຍໃນ ຫຼື DHS ກ່າວວ່າ ທ້າວຄາລີລ ອາຍຸ 30 ປີ ເປັນຜູ້ຕ້ອງຫາຖືກຄຸມຕົວ ພາຍໃຕ້ກົດໝາຍວ່າດ້ວຍການເນລະເທດ ທີ່ວ່າ ຊາວອົບພະຍົຍ ຜູ້ອາໄສຢູ່ໃນປະເທດ ເຊິ່ງລັດຖະມົນຕີກະຊວງການຕ່າງປະເທດ ເຫັນວ່າ ບໍ່ສອດຄ່ອງກັບນະໂຍບາຍການຕ່າງປະເທດນັ້ນ ອາດຖືກຂັບໄລ່ອອກໄປໄດ້ ອີງຕາມເອກະສານທີ່ອົງການຂ່າວຣອຍເຕີສ ໄດ້ເຫັນ. ເອກະສານຂອງ DHS ດັ່ງກ່າວ ລົງວັນທີ 9 ມີນາ ນີ້ ອ່ານວ່າ 'ລັດຖະມົນຕີກະຊວງການຕ່າງປະເທດ ໄດ້ກຳນົດວ່າ ການໄປມີໜ້າ ຫຼື ເຄື່ອນໄຫວໃດໆໃນສະຫະລັດ ຈະມີຜົນກະທົບທີ່ຮ້າຍແຮງຕໍ່ນະໂຍບາຍການຕ່າງປະເທດສຳລັບສະຫະລັດ' ຈຶ່ງສັ່ງໃຫ້ທ້າວ ຄາລີລ ໄປປາກົດຕົວຕໍ່ຜູ້ພິພາກສາຄົນເຂົ້າເມືອງໃນວັນທີ 27 ມີນາ. ເອກະສານດັ່ງກ່າວ ບໍ່ໄດ້ໃຫ້ລາຍລະອຽດຕື່ມອີກ. ກະຊວງ DHS ກໍ່ບໍ່ໄດ້ຕອບໃນທັນທີ ຕໍ່ການຂໍໃຫ້ມີຄວາມເຫັນກ່ຽວກັບເລື້ອງນີ້. ທະນາຍຄວາມຂອງທ້າວຄາລີລ ກ່າວວ່າ ການຈັບກຸ່ມລາວ ໃນວັນເສົາຜ່ານມາ ໂດຍເຈົ້າໜ້າທີ່ຂອງ DHS ຢູ່ດ້ານນອກສະຖານທີ່ພັກຂອງລາວ ໃນມະຫາວິທະຍາໄລ ທີ່ນະຄອນແມນແຮັດທັນ ນັ້ນ ເປັນການຕອບໂຕ້ຕໍ່ການເປັນກະບອກສຽງໃນການຕໍ່ຕ້ານການບຸກໂຈມຕີຂອງກອງທັບອິສຣາແອລ ຢູ່ເຂດກາຊາ ພາຍຫຼັງເກີດເຫດການໂຈມຕີຕໍ່ອິສຣາແອລ ໂດຍກຸ່ມຮາມາສ ໃນເດືອນຕຸລາ ປີ 2023, ເຊິ່ງສະຫະລັດ ໄດ້ລະບຸໃຫ້ກຸ່ມດັ່ງກ່າວ ເປັນກຸ່ມກໍ່ການຮ້າຍ, ແລະດັ່ງນັ້ນ ເປັນການລະເມີດສິດເສລີພາບໃນການປາກເວົ້າຂອງທ້າວຄາລີລ ພາຍໃຕ້ ມາດຕາດັດແກ້ທີນຶ່ງຂອງລັດຖະທຳມະນູນສະຫະລັດ. ທະນາຍຄວາມຂອງທ້າວຄາລີລ ທ່ານນາງ ຣາມຊີ ຄາສເຊມ ໄດ້ກ່າວຢູ່ໃນສານ ວ່າ 'ທ່ານຄາລີລ ໄດ້ຖືກລະບຸໂຕ, ໄດ້ຖືກຕົກເປັນເປົ້າໝາຍ, ໄດ້ຖືກຄຸມຕົວ ແລະກຳລັງຖືກດຳເນີນການເພື່ອເນລະເທດ ຍ້ອນວ່າ ລາວເຄື່ອນໄຫວເພື່ອສິດທິຂອງຊາວປາແລັສໄຕ.' ອ່ານຂ່າວນີ້ໃນພາສາອັງກິດ A U.S. judge on Wednesday extended his order blocking federal authorities from deporting a detained Columbia University student, in a case that has become a flashpoint of the Trump administration's pledge to deport some pro-Palestinian college activists. U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman had temporarily blocked Mahmoud Khalil's deportation earlier this week and extended the prohibition on Wednesday in a written order following a hearing in Manhattan federal court to allow himself more time to consider whether the arrest was unconstitutional. The Department of Homeland Security says Khalil, 30, is subject to deportation under a legal provision holding that migrants whose presence in the country are deemed by the U.S. Secretary of State to be incompatible with foreign policy may be removed, according to a document seen by Reuters. "The Secretary of State has determined that your presence or activities in the United States would have serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States," read the DHS document, dated March 9, ordering Khalil to appear before an immigration judge on March 27. The document did not provide additional detail. The DHS did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Khalil's lawyers say his arrest on Saturday by DHS agents outside his university residence in Manhattan was in retaliation for his outspoken advocacy against Israel's military assault on Gaza following the October 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas, a U.S.- designated terrorist group, and thus violated Khalil's right to free speech under the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment. "Mr. Khalil was identified, targeted, detained and is being processed for deportation on account of his advocacy for Palestinian rights," Khalil's lawyer, Ramzi Kassem, said in court.
