Joel Gehrke is foreign affairs reporter for the Washington Examiner, with an emphasis on U.S. competition with China and Russia, Middle East policy following the U.S. withdrawal from the Iran nuclear agreement, and the crisis in Venezuela. Previously, he covered domestic politics for National Review Online.
Israel should agree to “humanitarian pauses” in Gaza as part of a wider effort to strike a deal for the release of the hostages whom Hamas seized on Oct. 7, Secretary of State Antony Blinken suggested on Friday.
Hamas seized more than 200 hostages in the course of a rampage across southern Israel in which more than 1,400 people were killed and 5,400 wounded, according to Israeli officials. Their plight has complicated Israeli operations during the war, with their families expressing fear that they will die in the operation and pressing Netanyahu to agree to Hamas’s demand for an “all-for-all” exchange.
Hamas politburo member Ghazi Hamad — who pledged recently that “there will be a second, a third, a fourth” attack of the sort perpetrated on Oct. 7 until the state of Israel is annihilated — insisted that the terrorists would not release anyone unless all of its demands are granted. "There is talk in Qatar about the idea of truce that could lead to extensive transfer of humanitarian aid to Gaza," he said, per Iran’s Fars News Agency media outlet. ”Under the aegis of the truce, we will witness exchange of civilian prisoners between the two sides, which includes the release of all female Palestinian prisoners.”
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Israel-Hamas war live updates: Blinken arrives in Israel; Israeli military describes 'lengthy battle' in GazaU.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to Israel comes as clashes between the Israeli Defense Forces and Hamas continue in Gaza.
Read more »
Israel-Hamas war live updates: Blinken raises concerns about civilians caught in Gaza fightingThis is additional taxonomy that helps us with analytics
Read more »
Israel accuses Hamas of stashing fuel under Gaza's biggest hospital as Blinken landsChris Irvine is managing editor of the Washington Examiner. He began his career across the pond at the Daily Telegraph in London in 2007, working on both the home news and foreign desks.
Read more »
Blinken urges Israel to do more to protect Palestinian civilians as it fights Hamas in GazaU.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said more needs to be done to protect Palestinian civilians in Gaza or else there will be “no partners for peace” as he urged Israel to ensure greater humanitarian aid to the besieged territory
Read more »
Israel-Hamas war live updates: Blinken raises civilian concerns in Gaza fightingThis is additional taxonomy that helps us with analytics
Read more »
Blinken arrives in Israel for third visit since Hamas attackIsraeli troops tightened their encirclement of Gaza City
Read more »