Latest news with #Qaddoumi
Economic Times
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Economic Times
Hamas leaders met Pakistani terror groups in PoK before Pahalgam attack, says Israel envoy
IANS New Delhi, April 25 (IANS) The deadly alliance between terror outfit Hamas and Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), now expanding its network and operations from the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) to the streets of Bangladesh, lies exposed once again after Tuesday's barbaric killing of innocent civilians in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam. The terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, which left 26 civilians dead, bears striking similarities to the Hamas-led massacre in Israel last year, according to Israel's Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar.'There are similarities between the Pahalgam attack and what happened on October 7 [2023] in Israel. Innocent tourists were enjoying their vacation in Pahalgam, while in Israel, people were celebrating at a music festival,' Azar told PTI. Around 1,200 Israelis were killed in that attack, sparking Israel's long and ongoing war in warned that global terror outfits are now collaborating more closely. Speaking to NDTV, he said, "The terrorists are collaborating at all levels and trying to be copycats of each other. I am sure the intelligence agencies are working together to defeat them."According to a TOI report, investigations revealed that two months before the Pahalgam attack, senior Hamas figures had travelled to PoK for a public gathering. Indian intelligence reports highlight that Hamas spokespersons Khalid Qaddoumi and Naji Zaheer, along with leaders Mufti Azam and Bilal Alsallat, attended a rally at Rawalakot on 5 February 2025. The rally, titled 'Kashmir Solidarity and Hamas Operation Al Aqsa Flood,' was reportedly attended by nearly 100 foreign militants. Qaddoumi and others addressed the gathering, which coincided with Pakistan's annual observance of 'Kashmir Solidarity Day'.Photographs and footage from the event, reported by showed Hamas leaders wearing shawls adorned with the flags of Pakistan, Palestine, and Hamas. This marked an unprecedented moment: it was the first known visit of Palestinian militant leaders to gathering is seen by Indian security officials as a deliberate move to link Pakistan's jihadi campaign in Kashmir with Hamas's struggle against Israel, portraying both as 'resistance against occupation.'This event in Rawalakot was not an isolated instance. Hamas representatives have made repeated visits to Pakistan over the past year, especially after their October 2023 assault on Israel.A Hamas team recently visited the Jaish-e-Mohammed headquarters in Bahawalpur, where they also toured a Pakistani Army facility inaugurated by Army chief Asim Munir. This facility lies close to Rajasthan and is strategically vital for Pakistan's another development in January 2024, Hamas spokesperson Qaddoumi was invited to address Pakistan's Parliament. During the session, a Pakistani MP claimed that the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) was intended to counter China's Belt and Road Initiative and declared, 'That plan is now buried under the rubble of Gaza.'A security source told TOI that Hamas leaders had also organised an 'Al-Aqsa Million March' in Karachi, with Qaddoumi praising Pakistan as an "elder brother" for hosting 15 Palestinian prisoners freed under a ceasefire agreement with timing of these Hamas visits coincides with heightened Pakistani political and military activity in PoK.A day before the Rawalakot rally, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army chief Asim Munir made a rare joint visit to Muzaffarabad, diverging from the traditional low-key observance of Kashmir Solidarity link this urgency to India's increasingly assertive claims over PoK following the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir's special status under Article 370. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had said last year that PoK would 'on its own' seek to join India once it witnesses the development happening across the Line of Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, speaking at Chatham House in London, reinforced this message. He said, "Look, in Kashmir, we have actually done a good job solving most of it. I think removing Article 370 was step number one. Then, restoring growth, economic activity, and social justice in Kashmir was step number two. Holding elections with a very high turnout was step number three."He added, "I think the part we are waiting for is the return of the stolen part of Kashmir, which is under illegal Pakistani occupation. Once that is done, I assure you — Kashmir will be solved."Following the revelation of Hamas leaders' visit to PoK, Israel has once again urged India to formally classify Hamas as a terrorist India condemned the October 7 attacks and expressed strong solidarity with Israel against terrorism, it has yet to proscribe Hamas under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. India continues to maintain diplomatic ties with Palestine and reiterates support for a two-state contrast, Israel outlawed Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in 2023 for its role in the 2008 Mumbai attacks. At the time, Israel's Ambassador to India, Naor Gilon, said he hoped New Delhi would soon designate Hamas as a terrorist outfit, revealing that intelligence on Hamas activities had been shared with the Modi questioned about Hamas in Parliament, India's Ministry of External Affairs responded by stating that designation of any organisation under terrorism laws is considered in accordance with the provisions of the Act by the relevant government departments.(With inputs from TOI, PTI)
Time of India
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Hamas, Pak trying to link J&K terrorism to fight against Israel
Soldiers return after searches around Baisaran meadow on Wednesday NEW DELHI: With parallels being drawn between the terrorist attack at the picnic spot in Pahalgam and the Oct 7 attack carried out by the terror outfit Hamas in Israel, intelligence sources have pointed to multiple visits by senior Hamas functionaries to Pakistan over the past year. A Hamas team recently visited Jaish-e-Muhammed's headquarters in Bahawalpur besides a Pakistani Army facility, which houses their combat simulation centre, inaugurated by Army chief Asim Munir last month. The area hosts the Bahawalpur Corps, a Pakistani military formation tasked with border defence and rapid deployment due to its strategic proximity to Rajasthan. In Feb, top Lashkar-e-Taiba and JeM cadres gathered in Rawalakote, PoK, on ' Kashmir Solidarity Day ' for a speech by senior Hamas functionaries, sources said. The gathering, organized under the banner of Al Aqsa Floods — a reference to the mosque in Jerusalem, which is claimed by both Jews and Muslims and has long been an inflammable point of discord — was addressed by Hamas spokesperson Khalid Qaddoumi. Agencies here viewed the event as an attempt to link their jihadi campaign in J&K with the Palestinian fight against Israel, framing both as a 'resistance against occupation'. There have been clear indications of Hamas's increased presence in Pakistan in the last one year, especially after its Oct 7 terror attack on Israel in 2023. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Google Brain Co-Founder Andrew Ng, Recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Around Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo Last year in Jan, Qaddoumi was invited to address Pakistan Parliament. Significantly, welcoming Qaddoumi, a Pakistani lawmaker had claimed that India and Israel had planned an economic corridor — the Indian Middle East Eurpean Corridor — aimed at countering the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). 'That plan is now buried under the rubble of Gaza,' he gloated. Hamas leaders' visit to Pakistan came soon after Ismail Haniyeh, the then chief of Hamas, had sought help from Pakistan in their fight against Israel. When Haniyeh was assassinated on July 31, 2024, in Tehran, prompting Pakistan to declare a national day of mourning. 'Hamas leaders also held an 'al-Aqsa million march' in Karachi last year. Qaddoumi referred to Pakistan as an 'elder brother' in gratitude to Islamabad for agreeing to host 15 Palestinian prisoners freed under a ceasefire deal reached between Israel and Hamas,' a source recalled.
CairoScene
15-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
Tamara Qaddoumi Explores Loss & Identity in Her New SIngle ‘The Murmur
A hypnotic new single that navigates grief, transformation, and self-discovery. Mar 15, 2025 Tamara Qaddoumi returns with The Murmur, a deeply immersive track that takes listeners on a sonic journey through grief and harmony. Set for release on March 14, it serves as the first glimpse into her debut album, arriving April 25. Born in Kuwait with Palestinian, Lebanese, and Scottish roots, Qaddoumi's music is shaped by her multicultural background and theatrical storytelling. The Murmur unravels the tension between sorrow and acceptance, shifting between delicate harmonies and layered soundscapes that pull the listener into an emotional unraveling. Produced with Antonio Hajj, the track blends elements of trip-hop, dream pop, and electronic textures, weaving together haunting melodies with a sense of quiet intensity. It marks a new chapter in Qaddoumi's artistry, expanding on the experimental nature of her past work in Dust Bathing (2018), Soft Glitch (2021), and Sorry Signal (2024). As the album's title track, The Murmur sets the tone for what's to come—a project that balances fragility and strength, all told through a sound that is both intimate and expansive. Following the album release, Qaddoumi will embark on a European tour in May and June 2025, bringing her sound to audiences across Switzerland, Germany, and France. The full album will be arriving April 25.
