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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 ...

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Ceasefire Deal in Gaza: Hostages Freed and Prisoners Released


In a significant development in the Middle East, Hamas has released three hostages as part of a ceasefire deal with Israel. The hostages, Yarden Bibas, Ofer Kalderon, and Keith Siegel, were handed over to the Red Cross in the southern Gaza Strip. This release is part of the fourth round of exchanges under the ceasefire agreement, which also saw Israel releasing dozens of Palestinian prisoners.

The ceasefire, which began six weeks ago, aims to release a total of 33 hostages and nearly 2,000 prisoners, as well as facilitate the return of Palestinians to northern Gaza and increase humanitarian aid to the devastated territory. The next phase of negotiations will focus on releasing the remaining hostages and extending the truce indefinitely.

The Rafah border crossing with Egypt has also reopened, allowing thousands of Palestinians in need of medical care to access treatment. This development signals that the ceasefire agreement is gaining traction, although the situation remains fragile.

As negotiations continue, the hope is that this ceasefire will pave the way for a lasting peace in the region.



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