Israel receives list of hostages to be freed by Hamas on Nov 25 - The Straits Times

GAZA/JERUSALEM - Israel has received a list of hostages set to be freed from Gaza on Nov 25 by Palestinian militant group Hamas, officials said, following the release of 24 hostages during the first day of a planned four-day truce on Nov 24.

Israeli security officials were reviewing the list, said a statement from the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose government promised to work toward the release of all hostages taken by Hamas in an attack on Israel on Oct 7.

The released hostages, including Israeli women and children and Thai farm workers, were transferred from Gaza and handed over to Egyptian authorities at the Rafah border crossing, along with eight staff the International Committee of the Red Cross in a four-car convoy, the organisation said.

They were then taken to Israel for medical checks and reunions with relatives.

Qatar, which acted as mediator for the truce deal, said 13 Israelis had been released, some with dual nationality, as well as 10 Thais and a Philippine national - farm workers employed in southern Israel when they were taken hostage.

Thirty-nine Palestinian women and children detainees were released from Israeli jails.

The freed Israeli hostages freed included four children accompanied by four family members, and five elderly women.

US President Joe Biden said there was a real chance of extending the truce and that the pause in fighting was a critical opportunity to get humanitarian aid into Gaza. The pause in fighting was the first break in the war that erupted seven weeks ago.

Mr Biden declined to speculate about how long the Israel-Hamas war would last. Asked at a press conference what his expectations were, Mr Biden said Israel's goal of eliminating Hamas was a legitimate but difficult mission.

The Palestine Red Crescent Society said that 196 trucks of humanitarian aid, including food, water and medical supplies, were delivered through the Rafah crossing on Nov 24, the biggest aid convoy into Gaza since Hamas' assault on Israel and Israeli bombardment of the territory in retaliation.

About 1,759 trucks have entered the enclave since Oct 21, it said.

Mixed emotions in Israel

The families of the hostages expressed mixed emotions, fearing for those left behind.

"I'm excited for the families who today are going to hug their loved ones," Ms Shelly Shem Tov, the mother of Omer Shem Tov, 21, said in an interview with Israel's Channel 12.

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2023-11-24 23:59:16Z
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'I'm not dead,' Thai hostage says after 'miracle' release in Gaza - CNA

The freed Thai hostages will return home after 48 hours in hospital, Thailand’s foreign ministry said in a statement. Four of them had not previously been confirmed by Israel to be in captivity.

"I'm very happy to hear about the confirmation of the release of 10 Thai workers who are being treated at Shamir Medical Center in Israel under the coordinated effort of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs," Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin posted on social media.

He called for the release of the remaining "innocent Thai hostages as soon as possible".

About 30,000 Thai nationals work in Israel, forming one of its largest groups of migrant workers, many in agriculture.

Vetoon told his family he had cried out "Thailand, Thailand!" when militants approached on Oct 7, and was captured and held in tunnels, though not injured or tortured, Roongarun recounted. He was given food and water and did not appear to have lost weight, she said.

His friends believed he had died, but the family followed the news "without sleeping", hoping he had been taken hostage.

"I saw the news hostages would be released, and then someone sent a photo," Roongarun said. "It was clearly my little brother."

The released captives included the only Thai woman known to be held by Hamas, a factory worker and mother from an impoverished rural area that many leave to seek opportunities abroad.

Photographs from the Thai foreign ministry showed them meeting doctors at a medical centre in Israel.

A source briefed on the negotiations said the release was unrelated to the truce deal with Israel and followed a separate track of talks with Hamas mediated by Egypt and Qatar.

The ministry thanked the governments of Egypt, Iran, Israel, Malaysia, Qatar and the International Committee of the Red Cross, as well as others involved in the "immense efforts" that led to the release.

Earlier reports had said about a dozen Thais had been released.

Thongkoon Onkaew told Reuters that the authorities said her son, Natthaporn Onkaew, a 26-year-old farm worker, was not among the first group released. But, she said, "I’m waiting for good news."

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2023-11-25 08:27:06Z
CBMiUWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vYXNpYS90aGFpLWhvc3RhZ2VzLWlzcmFlbC1oYW1hcy13YXItZnJlZWQtMzk0NTM5NtIBAA

Hamas frees first hostages, several Palestinian prisoners released as Gaza truce begins - CNA

Israel is set to free three times as many Palestinian prisoners - women and teenage boys - under a deal that followed weeks of talks involving Israel, Palestinian militant groups, Qatar, Egypt and the United States.

Key mediator Qatar confirmed Hamas had on Friday released a total of 24 hostages and that Israel had freed 39 women and children from its prisons.

"Those released include 13 Israeli citizens, some of whom are dual citizens, in addition to 10 Thai citizens and a Filipino citizen," its foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari said.

A White House official said, "we do not expect Americans to be among the first group released today but remain hopeful that there will be Americans among the 50 released".

Pictures released earlier by the Israeli army showed bright pink and blue headphones sitting on the seats of a helicopter ready for the released hostages to use, along with toys and teddy bears waiting at a reception centre where they were being taken.

Hamas broke through Gaza's militarised border with Israel on Oct 7 to kill, according to Israeli officials, about 1,200 people and seize around 240 Israeli and foreign hostages.

During a four-day truce, at least 50 hostages are expected to be freed.

In exchange, 150 Palestinian prisoners are expected to be released.

Of the 39 released on Friday, 28 were freed in the occupied West Bank, an AFP correspondent saw, while the other 11 were on their way to annexed east Jerusalem.

Israeli forces used tear gas to disperse a crowd of Palestinians gathered near an Israeli prison in the West Bank, where two coaches were later seen leaving watched by armoured vehicles.

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2023-11-24 19:20:00Z
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Malaysia PM's Rival Muhyiddin to Step Down as Party President - Bloomberg

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1. Malaysia PM's Rival Muhyiddin to Step Down as Party President  Bloomberg
2. Malaysia opposition leader Muhyiddin to step down as Bersatu party president  CNA
3. Malaysia’s Muhyiddin Yassin to step down as opposition party president  South China Morning Post
4. Malaysia opposition party Bersatu rejects Muhyiddin's decision to step down as president  The Straits Times
5. Malaysia opposition leader to step down as party president  CNA
6. View Full coverage on Google News

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2023-11-24 06:55:47Z
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Taiwan opposition rushes to register candidates after talks implode on live TV - CNA

TAIPEI: Taiwan's opposition parties rushed to register their candidates for president on Friday (Nov 24) with hours to go before a deadline, after talks on running a joint ticket collapsed in dramatic fashion on live television amid bitter arguments.

The Jan 13 election is taking place as China, which views Taiwan as its own territory, steps up military and political pressure to force the island to accept its sovereignty claims.

The opposition Kuomintang (KMT) and much smaller Taiwan People's Party (TPP), both campaigning to forge better ties with China, had previously agreed to work together against the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) but had made no progress on plans for a united presidential ticket.

Late Thursday, the KMT walked out of last-ditch talks held in front of reporters at a hotel conference room and shown live on television with the TPP, after failing to reach an agreement.

The talks were brokered by the billionaire founder of major Apple supplier Foxconn, Terry Gou who is standing as an independent candidate.

In one of the most dramatic moments, the KMT's presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih read out a private text message from TPP candidate Ko Wen-je in which Ko said Gou needed to "find a reason" to drop out of the presidential race.

Hou and Ko will on Friday morning go to the election commission to register their separate presidential runs, ahead of a 0930GMT registration deadline. It is unclear who they will announce as their running mates.

Gou, who has trailed far behind in the polls, has not said whether he will also register.

By contrast, a united DPP has been charging ahead in its election campaign, having registered its presidential and vice presidential candidates on Tuesday.

The DPP's Lai Ching-te, currently Taiwan's vice president, has consistently led in the polls.

Speaking at a campaign event late Thursday, Lai talked about his team's busy schedule, discussing policy with voters and the media, and poured scorn on the opposition's disunity.

"Should we dare to hand over the business of running the country to these people?" Lai said. "Of course this is not OK."

Taiwan's stock market mostly brushed off the impact of the ongoing political drama, though travel-related plays dropped on concerns that relations with China would not improve and Chinese tourists would not return to Taiwan.

The tourism and hospitality sub-index was down more than 2 per cent on early Friday trade. The benchmark index was up 0.1 per cent.

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2023-11-24 02:43:10Z
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Taiwan opposition rushes to register candidates after talks implode on live TV - CNA

TAIPEI: Taiwan's opposition parties rushed to register their candidates for president on Friday (Nov 24) with hours to go before a deadline, after talks on running a joint ticket collapsed in dramatic fashion on live television amid bitter arguments.

The Jan 13 election is taking place as China, which views Taiwan as its own territory, steps up military and political pressure to force the island to accept its sovereignty claims.

The opposition Kuomintang (KMT) and much smaller Taiwan People's Party (TPP), both campaigning to forge better ties with China, had previously agreed to work together against the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) but had made no progress on plans for a united presidential ticket.

Late Thursday, the KMT walked out of last-ditch talks held in front of reporters at a hotel conference room and shown live on television with the TPP, after failing to reach an agreement.

The talks were brokered by the billionaire founder of major Apple supplier Foxconn, Terry Gou who is standing as an independent candidate.

In one of the most dramatic moments, the KMT's presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih read out a private text message from TPP candidate Ko Wen-je in which Ko said Gou needed to "find a reason" to drop out of the presidential race.

Hou and Ko will on Friday morning go to the election commission to register their separate presidential runs, ahead of a 0930GMT registration deadline. It is unclear who they will announce as their running mates.

Gou, who has trailed far behind in the polls, has not said whether he will also register.

By contrast, a united DPP has been charging ahead in its election campaign, having registered its presidential and vice presidential candidates on Tuesday.

The DPP's Lai Ching-te, currently Taiwan's vice president, has consistently led in the polls.

Speaking at a campaign event late Thursday, Lai talked about his team's busy schedule, discussing policy with voters and the media, and poured scorn on the opposition's disunity.

"Should we dare to hand over the business of running the country to these people?" Lai said. "Of course this is not OK."

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2023-11-24 00:52:49Z
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Muslims in shock over anti-Islam party's Dutch poll win - CNA

Mehdi Koc, a 41-year-old insulation installer, said he was shocked by the swing to the PVV, while Taheri said the vote sent different messages to Muslims, although the overwhelming emotion was of disappointment.

"In part, the message is that many people are xenophobic and don't want foreigners or Muslims. But another message is that people are very disappointed in 13 years of Rutte," he said.

However, Taheri, a member of the Labour party, said he could not really separate that from all the "nasty things" Wilders had said about banning headscarves and closing mosques.

After his surprise win, Wilders said he wanted to be prime minister for all Dutch people, but that appeared to do little to assuage concerns about what he might do later.

"If you say yes to Wilders now, then you will have to say yes later when he closes down all the mosques because then you cannot go back," Koc said, warning that Wilders will not lose sight of his eventual goals.

Some in the Netherlands think that the Dutch system of coalition government means Wilders will have to compromise on his most radical views, as political analysts also predict.

"He will not make the laws alone (other parties) will join and they have to cooperate," Kemal Yildiz, 54, said.

"It will be fine," Yildiz added.

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2023-11-23 20:44:43Z
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