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Israel preparing to receive bodies of four hostages on Thursday, security official says

Relatives and supporters of Israeli hostages held captive in Gaza since the October 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas rally calling on the government for a deal to secure the captives, outside the prime minister residence in Jerusalem on February 17, 2025, which marks the 500th day since their abduction. (AFP)
Relatives and supporters of Israeli hostages held captive in Gaza since the October 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas rally calling on the government for a deal to secure the captives, outside the prime minister residence in Jerusalem on February 17, 2025, which marks the 500th day since their abduction. (AFP)
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Updated 18 February 2025

Israel preparing to receive bodies of four hostages on Thursday, security official says

Israel preparing to receive bodies of four hostages on Thursday, security official says
  • Ceasefire deal, reached with the help of Qatari and Egyptian mediators, has remained on track despite a series of temporary setbacks

JERUSALEM: Israel is preparing to receive the bodies of four hostages from Gaza on Thursday and is working on bringing back six living captives on Saturday, an Israeli security official said on Monday.
If the two handovers are successful, only four hostages, all presumed dead, would remain in Gaza of the 33 due to be released in the first phase of a ceasefire agreement reached last month to halt the war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
The ceasefire deal, reached with the help of Qatari and Egyptian mediators, has remained on track despite a series of temporary setbacks and accusations on both sides of violations to the agreement that have threatened to derail it.
Hamas has accused Israel of blocking the delivery of housing materials for the tens of thousands of Gazans forced to shelter from the winter weather among the ruins left by 15 months of Israeli bombardment.
Israel has denied the accusation but Zeev Elkin, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet, confirmed that a quantity of mobile homes was standing at the border.
He said Israel would use “any leverage†it had over Hamas to secure the return of the 33 hostages due to come out in the first phase of the deal, which includes the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees and the withdrawal of Israeli troops.
“Israel has a goal of bringing forward the release of the first phase hostages, certainly the living ones,†he told public broadcaster Kansas
So far, 19 Israeli hostages have been returned, as well as five Thais, who were handed over in an unscheduled release. Hamas has said 25 of the 33 hostages due for release in the first phase are alive.
The ceasefire deal has been overshadowed by US President Donald Trump’s call for Palestinians to be moved out and for Gaza to be taken over as a waterfront development under US control.
But officials say work has begun on the second phase of the deal, which would would address the return of the remaining hostages and the Israeli withdrawal.
An Israeli team has already traveled to Cairo and the security cabinet also cleared a high-level Israeli delegation to travel to Qatar for talks on the second phase.
“We all want to proceed to phase two and release the hostages, the question is under what conditions is the war ended,†Elkin said. “This is the main issue for the negotiations of the second phase.â€
The hostages were taken in the Hamas-led cross-border attack on October 7, 2023, which also killed about 1,200 people in southern Israel, according to Israeli tallies.
Israel’s retaliatory assault on Gaza has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, according to Palestinian health officials, laid waste to much of the enclave, and displaced hundreds of thousands.


Global religious summit urges swift action to end Gaza conflict

Global leaders urged governments and religious leaders to condemn the war in Gaza and act urgently to stop the massacre. (SPA)
Global leaders urged governments and religious leaders to condemn the war in Gaza and act urgently to stop the massacre. (SPA)
Updated 5 sec ago

Global religious summit urges swift action to end Gaza conflict

Global leaders urged governments and religious leaders to condemn the war in Gaza and act urgently to stop the massacre. (SPA)
  • Al-Issa announced two initiatives. First is to strengthen the spiritual and moral role of religious leaders worldwide
  • Second is to protect minorities in countries with religious, ethnic, and cultural diversity

RIYADH: Global leaders urged governments and religious leaders to condemn the war in Gaza and act urgently to stop the massacre, pressing the Israeli occupation government to end the crisis. They said the tragedy exposes the failure of international law and accountability.

The statement concluded the second International Summit of Religious Leaders, “The Role of Religious Leaders in Conflict Resolution,†held in Kuala Lumpur by the Malaysian Prime Minister’s Office in cooperation with the Muslim World League, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

The summit was inaugurated by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and the secretary-general of the MWL, Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, with 400 prominent religious leaders from around the world in attendance.

In their statement, the religious leaders urged the international community to pressure the Israeli occupation government to comply with international and human rights treaties, end the suffering of the Palestinian people, guarantee their legitimate rights, and establish an independent state in line with relevant international resolutions.

They expressed support for the final document of the high-level international conference on the peaceful settlement of the Palestinian question and the two-state solution, hosted by º£½ÇÖ±²¥ and France at the UN in New York.

In his speech, Ibrahim emphasized that all religions aim to promote humanity, stressing the need for unity among faiths against those who reject humanity’s shared values, and calling on religious leaders to defend the essence of humanity.

He warned against conflict-driven theories, such as the “Clash of Civilizations,†noting that the Gaza crisis reflects the international community’s waning commitment to justice and humanity.

Al-Issa also said that global peace is not optional but essential, tied to both human survival and the credibility of the UN Charter. He recalled that on June 26, 1945, the UN’s founding nations pledged to save future generations from war and to live together in peace.

Al-Issa expressed deep concern over global wars and conflicts that threaten world security and societal stability, noting that the extermination and starvation in Gaza set a dangerous precedent for human rights.

He said such events, unprecedented since the founding of the UN Charter, cast doubt on international legitimacy and threaten the cohesion of nations committed to justice under the charter.

He announced two initiatives: to strengthen the spiritual and moral role of religious leaders worldwide; and to protect minorities in countries with religious, ethnic, and cultural diversity.

The summit’s final statement expressed support for two historic MWL documents: the Makkah Declaration and the Charter of Building Bridges between Islamic Schools of Thought, both unanimously approved by Muslim scholars and sponsored by King Salman.

Participants recommended forming a permanent committee with representatives from the Malaysian Prime Minister’s Office and MWL to prepare for the third International Summit of Religious Leaders and develop strategies to address societal challenges from a spiritual perspective.

They also endorsed MWL initiatives to activate the spiritual and moral role of religious leaders in promoting peaceful conflict resolution and to protect minorities in countries with religious, ethnic, and cultural diversity, as outlined by Al-Issa.


Qatari emir, US CENTCOM commander discuss defense

Qatari emir, US CENTCOM commander discuss defense
Updated 15 min 5 sec ago

Qatari emir, US CENTCOM commander discuss defense

Qatari emir, US CENTCOM commander discuss defense
  • The emir of Qatar and Charles Bradford Cooper II addressed prominent regional and international developments

LONDON: Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani reviewed ties with the US during a reception for Adm. Charles Bradford Cooper II, commander of the US Central Command, at the Amiri Diwan in Doha.

During the meeting on Sunday, they discussed the strategic cooperation between Doha and Washington, as well as ways to enhance military and defense cooperation. They also addressed prominent regional and international developments, according to the Qatar News Agency.

In June, US President Donald Trump nominated Cooper to lead CENTCOM, overseeing the Middle East, including the Red Sea, Afghanistan, and Iraq.

On Friday, Cooper traveled to Bahrain to meet with Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa. Both Qatar and Bahrain host US forces: Al-Udeid Air Base is located southwest of Doha, while the US 5th Fleet is based in Manama.


US senators urge Rubio to push for baby formula deliveries to Gaza

US senators urge Rubio to push for baby formula deliveries to Gaza
Updated 31 August 2025

US senators urge Rubio to push for baby formula deliveries to Gaza

US senators urge Rubio to push for baby formula deliveries to Gaza
  • Senior Democrats call for use of ‘full power and authority’ to ‘protect most vulnerable’
  • Letter comes as Israel intensifies operations, refuses to facilitate further aid deliveries

LONDON: Five Democrat senators have written to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging him to help get more baby formula into Gaza.

Israel has intensified military operations in the Palestinian enclave, with fears mounting for vulnerable civilians and reports of famine coming from international observers.

The senators called on Rubio to use his “full power and authority†to allow a “massive surge†of baby formula to reach those most at risk, with 119 young children having died in Gaza of hunger-related causes since the start of the war in October 2023, according to local authorities.

The signatories are Ruben Gallego of Arizona, Peter Welch of Vermont, Tim Kaine of Virginia, Mark Kelly of Arizona and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts.

“We write to you today with urgency about the grave crisis that infants in Gaze face as a result of severe restrictions on the entry and distribution of humanitarian aid,†they said.

“We appeal to you not only in your capacity as a government official but as a parent,†they added. “No child should face the desperation and suffering we are witnessing in Gaza in real time.â€

They said they expect a reply from Rubio by Sept. 8. â€œThis moment demands moral clarity and decisive action,†they added. “We must use our leverage to ensure the most vulnerable are protected.â€

The letter comes after more than 100 Democrats in the House of Representatives issued a similar call to Rubio to scale up formula supplies last week.

US public opinion strongly supports the government sending aid to Gaza, with a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll finding around 65 percent of registered voters in favor. 

A Quinnipiac poll for the same period found that 60 percent of voters oppose the war in Gaza, and 77 percent of registered Democrats believe Israel is committing genocide.


Passenger train derails in Egypt, killing at least 3 and injuring 94

Passenger train derails in Egypt, killing at least 3 and injuring 94
Updated 31 August 2025

Passenger train derails in Egypt, killing at least 3 and injuring 94

Passenger train derails in Egypt, killing at least 3 and injuring 94
  • Egypt’s Health Ministry reported that 30 ambulances were dispatched, and the injured were taken to hospitals
  • Train accidents are common in Egypt due to an aging railway system

CAIRO: A passenger train derailed Saturday in western Egypt, killing at least three people and injuring 94 others, authorities said. It was the latest in a series of rail accidents in the country in recent years.
The train derailed as it traveled to Cairo from the western Mediterranean province of Matrouh, on the country’s north coast, railway authorities said in a statement. Seven of its wagons went off the tracks, with two of them overturning.
The Health Ministry released a separate statement detailing the casualty count, adding that 30 ambulances were dispatched to transfer the injured to hospitals.
The railway authorities’ statement said an investigation was opened to determine the cause of the derailment.
Train derailments and crashes are common in Egypt, where an aging railway system has also been plagued by mismanagement. Last October, a locomotive crashed into the tail of a Cairo-bound passenger train in southern Egypt, killing at least one person and injuring multiple others.
In recent years, the government announced initiatives to improve its railways. President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi said in 2018 some 250 billion Egyptian pounds, or $8.13 billion, would be needed to properly overhaul the country’s neglected rail network.


Ships bound for Gaza carrying humanitarian aid and activists prepare to set sail from Barcelona

Ships bound for Gaza carrying humanitarian aid and activists prepare to set sail from Barcelona
Updated 31 August 2025

Ships bound for Gaza carrying humanitarian aid and activists prepare to set sail from Barcelona

Ships bound for Gaza carrying humanitarian aid and activists prepare to set sail from Barcelona
  • The Global Sumud Flotilla will try to break the Israeli blockade and bring humanitarian supplies to Gaza
  • An Israeli official said Saturday that the country will soon halt or slow humanitarian aid into parts of northern Gaza

BARCELONA: A flotilla of ships was preparing to set sail for the Gaza Strip Sunday with humanitarian aid on board, while Israel stepped up its offensive on Gaza City and is limiting the deliveries of food and basic supplies in the north of the Palestinian territory.
The Global Sumud Flotilla will try to break the Israeli blockade of the Palestinian territory and bring humanitarian aid, food, water and medicine to Gaza.
The maritime convoy, made up of delegations from 44 countries, will be joined by more ships from ports in Italy, Greece, and Tunisia in the coming days, on its route from the western end of the Mediterranean to the Gaza Strip, according to organizers. They expect around 20 vessels in total once all are together.
Hours before their departure, boats flying Palestinian flags began docking in line at a pier in Barcelona, while hundreds of supporters wearing keffiyehs chanted “Free Palestine!†and “Boycott Israel!â€
“The story here is about Palestine. The story here is how people are being deliberately deprived of the very basic means to survive,†said Swedish activist Greta Thunberg at a press conference.
“The story here is how the world can be silent and how those in power ... are in every possible way betraying and failing Palestinians and all oppressed peoples of the world,†added Thunberg, who will be one of the most recognizable figures on the expedition, alongside actors Susan Sarandon and Liam Cunningham, as well as activists, politicians and journalists.
It is not the first time Thunberg will attempt to reach Gaza waters this year. She was deported in June when the ship she was traveling on with 11 other people, the Madleen, was stopped by the Israeli military.
In late July, the Israeli military stopped another aid ship, detained 21 international activists and reporters, and seized its cargo, including baby formula, food and medicine, according to Freedom Flotilla Coalition.
Earlier this month the leading authority on food crises said that Gaza City was in famine and that half a million people across the strip were facing catastrophic levels of hunger.
An Israeli official said Saturday that the country will soon halt or slow humanitarian aid into parts of northern Gaza, as it expands its military offensive against Hamas, a day after the city was declared a combat zone.
Gaza’s Health Ministry said at least 332 Palestinians have died from malnutrition-related causes during the war, including 124 children.
Cunningham, who will join the flotilla, played a video showing a girl singing while planning her own funeral. The girl, Fatima, died four days ago, he said.
“What sort of world have we slid into where children are making their own funeral arrangements?†Cunningham said to reporters.
The war began on Oct. 7, 2023, when an attack by Hamas militants inside Israel claimed the lives of 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and took 251 people hostage. Israel’s retaliatory military operation in Gaza has so far killed more than 63,000 people and displaced virtually the whole population, according to the territory’s health ministry.