Hamas Stresses Acceptance of Dedicated Committee to Manage Gaza
The Hamas movement reiterated on Saturday its willingness to reach a comprehensive agreement that would include a full prisoner exchange in return for a ceasefire, an Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and the start of reconstruction efforts.
In a statement, it expressed readiness to immediately implement an Egyptian proposal to form a special committee of independent figures to manage Gaza following such an agreement.
The statement also confirmed that a Hamas delegation, led by senior official Mohammed Darwish, met in Türkiye with Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin.
Kalin reiterated Ankara's support for the Palestinian cause and its solidarity with the Palestinian people. He also emphasized his country's firm rejection of Israeli expansionist policies and any new attempts at occupation or annexation, said Hamas.
Separately, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas' military wing, announced Saturday that the fate of Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander remains unknown.
In a statement, Qassam spokesperson Abu Ubaida said: 'We managed to recover the body of a martyr who was tasked with guarding the prisoner Edan Alexander. The fate of the prisoner, along with the other captive fighters, is still unknown.'
Hamas said on Tuesday that it had lost contact with the group holding Alexander after Israeli forces bombed the location in Gaza where he was believed to be held.
Alexander, a 21-year-old Israeli soldier from New Jersey, has been held hostage by Hamas.
'We are trying to protect all the captives and preserve their lives despite the brutality of the aggression,' Abu Ubaida said. 'But their lives are in danger due to the enemy army's criminal bombardment.'
He again accused the Israeli military of being responsible for the deaths of hostages — an allegation Israel has denied, instead blaming Hamas for killing those in its custody.
Alexander's case was reportedly a key point of discussion in recent talks between Hamas leaders and US Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs, Adam Boehler, held last month.
In a related development, the Qassam Brigades published a video on Telegram showing an Israeli hostage alive. The video, lasting more than four minutes, shows the hostage seated in a confined space, speaking in Hebrew over the phone with family members and a friend, pleading with them to continue efforts to secure his release.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Asharq Al-Awsat
24 minutes ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Pressure Mounts on Netanyahu as Opposition Moves to Dissolve Parliament
A member of Israel's right-wing coalition threatened to quit the cabinet on Wednesday and support an opposition motion to dissolve parliament tabled for next week, piling pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Latest opinion polls suggest that Netanyahu's coalition would lose power if an election was held today, with many voters unhappy over the continued war in Gaza prompted by the attack by Hamas on southern Israel in October 2023. United Torah Judaism, one of two ultra-Orthodox parties in the coalition, said it would withdraw from the government unless it secured last-minute concessions formalizing an exemption for ultra-Orthodox men from military service. The opposition party Yesh Atid, led by former prime minister Yair Lapid, put forward a parliamentary vote for next week to topple the government, even as the Israeli army continues battling Hamas in the Gaza Strip. It would require the support of 61 out of the 120 members of the parliament to succeed. "This Knesset (parliament) is finished. It has nowhere to go," Lapid said. Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister, has remained silent on the looming crisis. A spokesperson for United Torah Judaism leader Yitzhak Goldknopf told Reuters the party would vote in favor of dissolving parliament unless exemption legislation was passed. With a week until the vote, Netanyahu and his allies still have time to negotiate over an issue that has dogged the coalition for months. A source close to the government said, on condition of anonymity, that negotiations within the coalition were continuing. Netanyahu's coalition of secular right-wing and ultra-Orthodox parties holds an 8-seat majority in parliament. United Torah Judaism has 7 seats while its ally, Shas, the other ultra-Orthodox party, has 11. BETTING ON A BLUFF The coalition is sharply divided over whether young ultra-Orthodox men who are studying in religious seminaries should be exempt from mandatory military service. Failing to pass an exemption risks a walkout by ultra-Orthodox lawmakers, while approving it could trigger a protest exit by secular parties. Coalition member Ohad Tal of Bezalel Smotrich's Religious Zionism party criticized Goldknopf for threatening to trigger elections and called on the ultra-Orthodox lawmaker to resign. He urged others to negotiate a new arrangement but that a blanket exemption from military service could no longer stand. Former Knesset member Ofer Shelah said Netanyahu was likely betting the ultra-Orthodox lawmakers were bluffing, given the polls suggested they faced defeat in any early election. In March, ultra-Orthodox lawmakers threatened to bring down the government over the same issue, but time passed without any action. Resentment over the informal exemption given to religious seminary students is growing and lawmakers from the ruling coalition and opposition ranks say it is no longer tenable. Netanyahu won election in 2022 and does not have to return to the polls until 2026. Historically, few Israeli governments serve a full term. He has faced widespread criticism for failing to prevent the surprise October 2023 Hamas attack that killed roughly 1,200 people, and is facing growing calls from protesters and families of hostages still held in Gaza to end the war to secure their release. But some in his coalition say the war must continue until Hamas is eradicated. Political analysts say that the ultra-Orthodox lawmakers could simply quit the government to protest their failure to secure concessions, without toppling the ruling coalition.
Al Arabiya
3 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Israel arms exports hit all time high in 2024: Defense ministry
Israel's defense ministry said Wednesday that its arms exports hit an all-time high of more than $14.7 billion in 2024, despite international criticism of Israel's ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza. 'Israel again reached an all-time peak in defense exports in 2024, marking the fourth consecutive record-breaking year in the scope of defense agreements,' the ministry, which oversees and approves the exports of Israel's defense industries, said in a statement. For the latest updates on the Israel-Palestine conflict, visit our dedicated page. A majority -- 56.8 percent -- of the deals signed were 'mega-deals' valued at at least $100 million each, the ministry said, adding that 'operational achievements' in the Gaza war had driven the demand. Since the outbreak of the war, sparked by militant group Hamas's attack on October 7, 2023, the ministry said it had been operating on 'emergency mode, mobilizing for the war effort with round-the-clock IDF production while maintaining foreign client manufacturing.' 'The war's operational achievements and the proven battlefield performance of Israeli systems have driven strong international demand for Israeli defense technology, concluding 2024 on a remarkably high note with record-breaking export deals,' it said. The ministry said that demand for its missiles, rockets, and air defence systems had 'reached a new significant milestone' and accounted for some 48 percent of the total number of exports, up from 36 percent in 2023. Additionally, 'satellite and space systems exports saw substantial growth, representing 8 percent of deals in 2024 compared to 2 percent in 2023,' the ministry said. A breakdown of the regions to which the arms were exported showed that European countries made up more than half. Sales to countries considered part of the Abraham Accords appeared to have risen from 3 percent in 2023 to 12 percent. 'Precisely during a difficult and complex year of war, Israel has broken an all-time record in defense exports,' Defense Minister Israel Katz said in the statement. 'The world sees Israeli strength and seeks to be a partner in it,' he added.
Arab News
4 hours ago
- Arab News
Israel defense ministry says arms exports hit all time high in 2024
JERUSALEM: Israel's defense ministry said Wednesday that its arms exports hit an all-time high of more than $14.7 billion in 2024, with a sharp rise in deals with Arab Gulf states, despite international criticism of Israel's ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza. 'Israel again reached an all-time peak in defense exports in 2024, marking the fourth consecutive record-breaking year in the scope of defense agreements,' the ministry, which oversees and approves the exports of Israel's defense industries, said in a statement.
