Abigail Mor Edan, the youngest U.S. citizen held by Hamas, was released as part of a cease-fire and hostage exchange agreement between Israel and the militant group. Abigail's parents were killed in Hamas' Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, and her release is part of a fragile truce between Israel and Hamas, which has seen Israel release Palestinian prisoners and allow aid into the Gaza Strip. Her release was confirmed by both President Biden and the Israeli military and was facilitated by Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.
Posts tagged as “Qatari”
Deputy National Security Adviser Jon Finer did not directly answer questions about the Israeli raid on Shifa Hospital in Gaza, which the Qatari Prime Minister called a "crime". Israeli officials released images of what they said were Hamas fighters taking captured Israeli military vehicles to the hospital on the same day, resulting in hundreds of patients, including 31 premature babies, having to be evacuated. Finer noted that several civilians took refuge at the hospital during the conflict, sparking a debate over whether Israel is breaking international law.
Today, world leaders from across the region are gathering in Cairo for a peace summit to discuss the escalating tensions between Israel and Palestine. The summit is being attended by key regional leaders, including Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, Jordanian King Abdullah, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, and Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. In addition to the summit, humanitarian aid is being provided by a number of international organizations to those affected by the conflict. The summit is seen as a crucial step in finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict, and is being closely watched by the international community.
The Biden administration and the Qatari government have reached an agreement to block Iran from accessing $6 billion in funds that were part of a prisoner swap deal last month. The decision comes amid pressure from both sides of the aisle to prevent Iran from accessing the money, as U.S. officials investigate whether Iran had any involvement in recent cyberattacks. The agreement does not provide a timeline for how long the funds will be blocked.