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Tag: Israeli-Hamas conflict

  • 150 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails to be released; 50 captives held by Hamas set to be released

    150 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails to be released; 50 captives held by Hamas set to be released

    Humanitarian aid is beginning to reach Gaza as a Qatar-mediated four-day truce, marking the first pause after seven weeks of hostilities between Israel and Hamas, takes effect.

    Palestinians welcome the relief during this break in fighting, starting at 7 a.m. (05:00 GMT) on Friday.

    As part of the truce, 150 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails and 50 captives held by Hamas in Gaza are set to be released.

    The first releases, involving 39 Palestinians and 13 Israelis, are anticipated for Friday afternoon.

    Preceding the truce, Israeli airstrikes intensified in Rafah and Khan Younis in the south, with constant artillery shelling in the northern Gaza Strip.

    A video posted by Almog Boker, a correspondent for Channel 13, shows Israeli soldiers celebrating as buildings in the northern Gaza Strip were destroyed in the last hour before the truce began.

    The first pause in the fighting was met with huge relief by Palestinians, who were rejoicing to be safe from Israeli bombardment for the first time in weeks,  Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum reported from Khan Younis, southern Gaza.

    “This is the first time that we have not heard Israeli drones since the beginning of this round of fighting,” he said. “People sense that there is a glimmer of hope that this short-term pause will pave the way for a longer ceasefire.”

  • Council member of the FA resigns following suspension over Israeli-Hamas war post

    Council member of the FA resigns following suspension over Israeli-Hamas war post

    Football Association (FA) council member Wasim Haq resigned from his position on Thursday after being suspended over a social media post concerning the Israel-Hamas conflict.

    Haq, who had served as the BAME Football Communities Representative since 2019, faced suspension by the English soccer governing body for a post that stated “Adolf Hitler would be proud of (Israel’s Prime Minister) Benjamin Netanyahu,” a post he has since removed.

    Additionally, he was removed from his role as an independent councillor at the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA).

    Haq shared his resignation letter addressed to FA chair Debbie Hewitt on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday.

    “Recent events have left me bereft of energy and hope. I have felt overwhelmed at how this has transpired,” the letter read.

    “As someone who has worked closely with many Jewish people over the years and created meaningful and valued friendships, the most painful part of this process is knowing that some of those friends and colleagues may not forgive me for the misunderstanding and hurt I have unintentionally caused.

    “I take full responsibility and reiterate my apology to them and all those affected.”

    Haq added that his original post was a “direct criticism of a politician” and was not addressed to any race or religious group.

    “In expressing these feelings, I chose the wrong words entirely and that has impacted the leadership position that I hold at The FA,” Haq said.

    Haq also said that he was planning to engage with members of the Jewish community “to share and understand”.