UPDATE ON THE SITUATION – “Israel really wants to release the hostages, negotiations are progressing,” indicated Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar during a press conference.
Israel is “working hard” to secure a hostage deal, according to Gideon Saar, Israeli Foreign Minister. Oslo will host the third meeting on Wednesday January 15 aimed at encouraging the two-state solution, Israeli and Palestinian. Le Figaro takes stock of the situation.
Israel 'working hard' to secure hostage deal, foreign minister says
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar indicated this Monday, January 13, that Israel was working «dur» to obtain an agreement that would end the war in the Gaza Strip and allow the release of hostages held in the Palestinian territory.
“Israel is serious about releasing the hostages and is working hard to reach an agreement. Negotiations are progressing”he said during a joint press conference with his Danish counterpart, Lars Lokke Rasmussen.
Norway will host the third meeting of the«International Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution”
Norway will host on Wednesday January 15 the third meeting of an international alliance aimed at encouraging a two-state solution, Israeli and Palestinian, in the Middle East, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Monday.
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa, the head of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, and the UN envoy for the Middle East, the Norwegian Tor Wennesland, are expected in Oslo .
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This will be the third meeting of the“International Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution”the creation of which was announced last September on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The first two meetings of this international alliance took place at the end of October in Riyadh, then at the end of November in Brussels.
Israeli finance minister opposes any deal that would end the war
Far-right Israeli Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced on Monday that he opposed the agreement that would end the war in the Gaza Strip in exchange for the release of hostages as negotiations intensified in recent days.
“We will not participate in a surrender agreement that would include the release of hyper-terrorists, an end to the war, and the loss of what was gained through much bloodshed and the abandonment of a large number of hostages”wrote the Minister of Finance on his X account.
Hamas Health Ministry announces 19 deaths in 24 hours in Gaza
The Hamas government's Health Ministry for the Gaza Strip announced on Monday, January 13, that at least 19 people had been killed in the last 24 hours in the Palestinian territory, the scene of more than 15 months of war with Israel. .
This brings the total death toll to 46,584, he said in a statement, adding that 109,731 people had also been injured in the Gaza Strip since the start of the war, triggered by an unprecedented attack by the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas. in Israel on October 7, 2023.
