Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said Wednesday's recognition of Palestine's statehood by Spain, Ireland, and Norway was a historic decision, Agencia Brasil reported Thursday. The South American leader also said that the measure will have a positive effect on efforts to find peace in the Middle East.
Argentine national Lior Rudaeff, one of the victims believed to be in the hands of the terrorist group Hamas after the Oct. 7, 2023, incursion into Israeli territory, was actually killed during that attack, the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires confirmed Wednesday. Aged 67, Rudaeff became the 38th fatality out of the 132 people kidnapped into Gaza.
Brazilian authorities Sunday confirmed the landing in Sao Paulo on a commercial flight of a 30-year-old woman and her children, aged 4, 2, and a baby born on Dec. 24 last year, who fled the war-torn Gaza Strip through Cairo, Agencia Brasil reported.
Six Argentine nationals were among the 11 hostages released Monday by the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas with assistance from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in another exchange with Israel for 30 prison inmates held by Tel Aviv. The humanitarian ceasefire for further swaps has been extended for another 48 hours, it was also reported.
The pro-Palestinian terrorist group Hamas Saturday released another batch of hostages, consisting of 13 Israeli citizens and 4 Thais, in exchange for another 39 prison inmates held by Tel Aviv, matching the 1:3 ratio agreed upon for the duration of the humanitarian truce. The exchanges took longer than expected, it was reported.
By Gwynne Dyer - If you are wondering why Hamas launched its all-out assault on Israel on Saturday, I wrote it right here last week. “The Arab world has basically abandoned the Palestinians to their fate, whatever that may be. Six Arab countries have established diplomatic ties with Israel and several more, including Saudi Arabia, are on the brink of doing so.”