
Exclusive: Families of Israeli captives reach out to Hamas over fate of ceasefire talks
Sources told MEE that the third party reached out to Hamas after the captives' families feared Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin was trying to torpedo a possible deal.
A senior figure within Hamas told the representative to relay to the families that it was "serious" about reaching an agreement to end the war and release the captives, but that it was facing "intransigent Israeli positions", sources told MEE.
"Hamas is serious about reaching an agreement to end the war and establish arrangements that ensure calm and stability. It has demonstrated significant flexibility and positive responsibility during the negotiation rounds," the sources quoted Hamas as saying.
"Israel has insisted on continuing the war, destroying the Gaza Strip, displacing its population, and imposing a state of hunger, suffering, and ongoing massacres that have not ceased for a single day."

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Middle East Eye
44 minutes ago
- Middle East Eye
Sudanese businessman detained by RSF calls on UK to sanction its leaders
A Sudanese-Dutch businessman detained and tortured by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) at the outset of the war in Sudan is calling on the British and Dutch governments to sanction individuals he says are complicit in the war. Yaslam Altayeb, who now lives in the UK, was held captive by the RSF at a Khartoum military base for 15 days in April 2023 following the outbreak of the war. In an interview with Middle East Eye conducted shortly after his release, he said he had been abused and tortured while in detention, and that on more than one occasion he was convinced he was going to be killed. The founder of a media network and a range of companies, from construction to wholesale meat, Altayeb's diabetes worsened in captivity, and he now suffers from chronic pain in his back and neck as a result of being beaten. He has been diagnosed with PTSD. Altayeb's legal team has submitted a formal application to the British and Dutch foreign ministries to sanction 23 men, including top RSF officials and senior officers from the United Arab Emirates, the Sudanese paramilitary's main patron. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Included in the list is Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the leader of the RSF better known as Hemedti, and his brother Abdul Rahim Hamdan Dagalo. Two RSF officers named in the submission, Abdelmonem al-Rabee and Omran Abdallah, are based in the UK. 'I'm coming to kill you': Life as a hostage of Sudan's Rapid Support Forces Read More » Al-Rabee called on social media for the murder of West Darfur governor Khamis Abakar, who was then brutally killed in RSF captivity. There are seven Sudanese individuals currently on the UK's sanctions list, including former Janjaweed commander Musa Hilal, but none are top level figures in either the RSF or the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). By contrast, the United States has sanctioned army chief Abdul Fattah al-Burhan and his arch-rival Hemedti, who Human Rights Watch has said is involved in 'crimes against humanity'. In January, the US determined that a genocide was being perpetrated by the RSF, with the White House sanctioning Hemedti for his role in 'systematic abuses' against the Sudanese people. Abdul Rahim Dagalo, who is also Hemedti's second-in-command, is also under US sanctions. UAE involvement in Sudan Altayeb told Middle East Eye that the 23 individuals he is calling for sanctions against were all – directly or indirectly – involved in his detention. 'They are profiting a lot from this war,' he said. 'All of them. Profiting and benefitting.' In his application for sanctions, Altayeb's legal counsel states that the businessman was subjected to 'serious human rights violations', including torture and physical assault. These violations have had a 'significant negative impact on his mental and physical health', the legal team said. 'The UK cannot stand idly by in the face of such abuses and must act now' - Rodney Dixon, legal counsel Altayeb said that the two Emirati officers named in his submission both visited the base he was held captive in. One of the officers, the Dutch Sudanese businessman said, is a pilot based in the Emirate of Sharjah, who has helped train RSF fighters and who has been involved in the supply of weapons from the UAE to the paramilitary group. Middle East Eye and other publications including the New York Times have reported extensively on the routes used by the UAE to supply the RSF. Abu Dhabi continues to deny these and other reports, which the United Nations have found credible and used in their own internal reporting. Last week in the British parliament, Foreign Secretary David Lammy was asked about the UAE's involvement in the war in Sudan. 'The United Kingdom is in a unique position to be able to deal with a range of partners, and I want to protect that position,' Lammy said in response. 'We ask that the Foreign Secretary David Lammy and the FCDO (UK foreign office) use their powers to swiftly sanction those responsible for these grievous human rights abuses,' Rodney Dixon, Altayeb's legal counsel, said. Sudan's shadow war: Drone strikes reveal escalating tensions between UAE and Turkey Read More » 'The UK cannot stand idly by in the face of such abuses and must act now. The application of such sanctions on these key individuals is essential to deter further crimes and protect the lives of countless civilians in Sudan.' Altayeb said that the suffering he endured 'stands as a testament to the cruelty and abuse of so many at the hands of the RSF, which was aided and abetted by the UAE. 'There is no excuse for inaction and the UK must immediately apply sanctions in order to ensure respect for human rights and protect the lives of millions of innocent civilians in Sudan.' Middle East Eye understands that other RSF detainees are set to come forward and call for sanctions on individuals connected to the paramilitary. The war in Sudan has led to what has been described as the largest humanitarian crisis in the world, with more than 12 million people forced to flee their homes.


Gulf Today
an hour ago
- Gulf Today
Calm returns to south Syria after violence
Calm returned to southern Syria's Sweida province on Sunday, a monitor and AFP correspondents reported, after a week of sectarian violence between Druze fighters and rival groups that killed more than 1,000 people. A ceasefire announced on Saturday appeared to be holding after earlier agreements failed to end fighting between longtime rivals the Druze and the Bedouin that spiralled to draw in the government, the Israeli military and armed tribes from other parts of Syria. AFP correspondents on the outskirts of Sweida city reported hearing no clashes on Sunday morning, with government forces deployed in some locations in the province to enforce the truce. The first humanitarian aid convoy entered the city on Sunday, Red Crescent official Omar al-Malki said, adding that it would be followed by others. He said the convoy came 'in coordination with the government bodies and the local authorities in Sweida', which are controlled by the Druze. The Syrian government meanwhile said a Druze group blocked its own convoy from entering the city. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that since around midnight (2100 GMT Saturday), 'Sweida has been experiencing a cautious calm', adding government security forces had blocked roads leading to the province in order to prevent tribal fighters from going there. The Britain-based Observatory gave an updated toll on Sunday of more than 1,000 killed since the violence erupted a week ago, including 336 Druze fighters and 298 civilians from the minority group, as well as 342 government security personnel and 21 Bedouin. Witnesses, Druze factions and the Observatory have accused government forces of siding with the Bedouin and committing abuses including summary executions when they entered Sweida days ago. Hanadi Obeid, a 39-year-old doctor, told AFP that 'the city hasn't seen calm like this in a week'. The interior ministry said overnight that Sweida city was 'evacuated of all tribal fighters, and clashes within the city's neighbourhoods were halted'. The Observatory had said Druze fighters retook control of the city on Saturday evening. Interim President Ahmed Al-Sharaa had on Saturday announced a ceasefire in Sweida and renewed a pledge to protect Syria's ethnic and religious minorities in the face of the latest sectarian violence since Islamists overthrew longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December. Agence France-Presse


Middle East Eye
2 hours ago
- Middle East Eye
UK expected to sign provisional Eurofighter deal with Turkey
Turkey and the UK are expected to sign a provisional agreement for Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets on Tuesday, according to sources who spoke to Middle East Eye. The agreement is due to be signed by UK Defence Secretary John Healey during his visit to the IDEF arms fair in Istanbul. Ankara has been in talks with the UK, the lead nation in the Eurofighter consortium, since 2023, over the procurement of the fighter jets. In 2024, the Turks overcame a German veto that was preventing the sale from taking place. Two sources familiar with the matter said Healey's visit signals the deal is ready to be signed. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Middle East Eye reached out to UK officials for comment on Healey's visit but received no definitive response as to whether an agreement was forthcoming. A separate source cautioned that while the principal agreement marks significant progress, the final price tag for the jets - reported to number 40 - could still be subject to negotiation. Accelerated defence procurement Earlier this year, the UK floated an initial price of around $12bn for 40 jets, which Ankara considered expensive. It remains unclear whether the two sides have reached consensus on pricing. Other points of negotiation include Turkey's demand for technology transfer associated with the planes and for the initiation of pilot training. Most Turkish people say Turkey should obtain nuclear weapons in new poll Read More » Turkish pilots have never previously flown European-made fighter jets, as Ankara traditionally operates US made F-16 aircraft and others. The proposed deal would include the latest model of the Eurofighter Typhoon, known as Tranche 4, featuring advanced avionics and radar systems. Turkey's air force is rapidly becoming outdated and urgently needs a stop-gap solution until its domestically produced Kaan fifth-generation fighter jet enters service in 2028. To speed up delivery, Ankara is also looking to acquire some second-hand Eurofighters from Gulf nations, such as Qatar. Despite Turkey's reservations about the price, a Turkish defence industry source told Middle East Eye that rising regional tensions - especially between Israel and Iran, along with recent Israeli air strikes on Damascus last week - are pushing Ankara to speed up defence procurements. Some in Ankara, including senior officials, have argued that Turkey should instead aim to finalise its F-35 deal with the US. They want Ankara to secure immediate delivery of six jets that were withheld by Washington after Turkey was removed from the F-35 programme over its purchase of Russian-made S-400 air defence systems.