Skip to main content

Featured

Humanitarian Aid on Trial in Greece

  File photo: Migrants from Afghanistan is towed by rescuers of the Refugee Rescue NGO, on the island of Lesbos, Greece. Twenty-four humanitarian aid workers have gone on trial in Greece, facing felony charges of migrant smuggling, money laundering, and membership in a criminal organization . The case, unfolding on the island of Lesbos, targets former volunteers of the now-defunct NGO Emergency Response Centre International (ERCI) , which operated search-and-rescue missions between 2016 and 2018. Among the defendants are Sarah Mardini , a Syrian refugee and professional swimmer whose story inspired the Netflix film The Swimmers , and Seán Binder , a German-Irish rescue diver. Both were arrested in 2018 for their involvement in helping migrants and refugees arriving by sea from Turkey. If convicted, the defendants face up to 20 years in prison . Greek prosecutors allege that the group facilitated illegal entry into the country by monitoring coastguard communications and relaying ...
Post a Comment
Read more

article

Labels

Gaza Ceasefire Commences After Delay, Hopes Rise for Peace and Hostage Release

 

After a tense delay, a long-awaited ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has finally come into effect in the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire, which was initially set to begin at 8:30 a.m. local time, was delayed by three hours due to disagreements over the release of hostages. The truce, which started at 11:15 a.m., aims to halt the ongoing violence and facilitate the gradual release of hostages held by Hamas.

The ceasefire deal, brokered by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt, is seen as a significant step towards ending the 15-month conflict that has resulted in the deaths of over 46,800 Palestinians and extensive destruction in Gaza. The agreement includes the release of 33 Israeli hostages in exchange for 1,904 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

Despite the delay, celebrations erupted across Gaza as some Palestinians began returning to their homes. The ceasefire is expected to bring much-needed humanitarian aid to the war-torn region, with 600 trucks of aid set to enter Gaza daily.

The first phase of the ceasefire will see the release of three female hostages later on Sunday, with additional hostages expected to be freed in the coming days. The hope is that this ceasefire will pave the way for lasting peace and reconciliation in the region.



Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment