A senior leader of the militant group has told Al Jazeera that high-ranking officers are among its detainees
Hamas militants have reportedly captured so many Israeli soldiers, including high-ranking officers, that the group expects to negotiate a prisoner exchange for all Palestinians held in West Jerusalem’s jails.
“We have a big number of Israeli captives, among them senior officers,” Hamas deputy chief Saleh al-Arouri told Al Jazeera on Saturday. He added that the captives will be used as leverage to force the release of Palestinians incarcerated in Israel: “As to our prisoners, I say, your freedom is looming large. What we have in hand will see you set free. The longer fighting continues, the higher the number of prisoners will become.”
A public radio report indicated that captives were being held in three communities inside Israel and that some of the detainees were missing and had possibly been moved to Gaza. Hamas launched a surprise attack against Israel on Saturday, firing rockets from Gaza and deploying ground forces in several Israeli towns and military bases......more here
https://www.rt.com/news/584270-hamas-claims-many-israeli-captives/
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova earlier said that the treaty provides for various forms of bilateral cooperation.
The comprehensive strategic partnership agreement between Russia and Iran has entered into force, Iranian Ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali told Sputnik.
"It is already binding," Jalali said when asked about the date of entry into force of the agreement, as well as whether Iran had notified Russia of the completion of internal procedures.
He recalled that the treaty was ratified by both chambers of the Russian parliament, and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed it. At the same time, the document was ratified by the Iranian parliament, approved by the Guardian Council, and the president issued it as a law.
"Therefore, in both countries it currently has the form of a law and, naturally, has entered into force," Jalali said.
On January 17, Putin and his Iranian counterpart, Masoud Pezeshkian, met in Moscow to sign the Comprehensive Strategic ...
Defying the United States threats, ministers from more than 30 nations have packed Bogotá’s San Carlos Palace to charge the Israeli regime with genocide over its October 2023-present brutal military assault against the Gaza Strip.
The dramatic display of international solidarity saw dozens of high-ranking officials from across the globe convene inside the stately palace on Tuesday, determined to hold the regime accountable for, what they unequivocally called, a “war of genocide.”
The two-day emergency summit, organized under the auspices of The Hague Group -- a coalition co-chaired by Colombia and South Africa -- had representatives, ranging from such countries as Algeria and Brazil to Pakistan and Spain, in attendance.
The participants described the drive as a coordinated effort to stop the Israeli atrocities.
Behind closed doors, ministers and envoys, meanwhile, engaged in intensive sessions aimed at drafting collective measures to pressure the regime -- steps expected to be unveiled by ...
