International
Hamas announces the names of the three Israeli hostages who will leave Gaza tomorrow
The spokesman for the Hamas al-Qasam Brigades, Abu Obeida, announced this Friday the name of the three hostages who will be released tomorrow from the Gaza Strip, including one with dual German-Israeli nationality.
The chosen captives are the German-Israeli Ohad Ben Ami, 56 years old and kidnapped along with his wife, Raz Ben Ami (already released), from the Kibutz Beeri; Eli Sharabi, 53, who lost his children and wife in the Hamas attack on the same kibutz on October 7, 2023, and Or Levy, 34 years old and forcibly taken at the Nova festival.
In return, a total of 183 Palestinian prisoners and detainees will be released, although it is not yet known how many of them will be delivered to the occupied West Bank, returned to Gaza or deported to third countries such as Turkey or Egypt.
“After the Palestinian resistance handed over the names of the enemy’s prisoners, tomorrow 18 prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment, 54 prisoners with high sentences and 111 prisoners from the Gaza Strip who were arrested after the attack of October 7, as part of the first phase of the exchange agreement,” the prisoners’ press office, in charge of Hamas, will be released in a statement.
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed this Friday in a statement that the national intelligence service (the Mossad), as well as the Army, had received the list of kidnapped and said that the respective families had been informed.
Tomorrow will be the fifth exchange since the beginning of the ceasefire in Gaza, in force since January 19, thanks to which another 18 hostages (counting five Thais not initially included in the first phase of the pact) have already been released in an exchange for about 600 Palestinians.
However, in addition to the 33 hostages who must be released before March 1, only through new negotiations will male Israeli soldiers and those men between 19 and 50 years of age be able to leave Gaza in the second phase; something that relatives of the captives beg Netanyahu to happen.
“We have the sacred duty and the moral right to bring all our brothers and sisters home. We will not surrender or stop until all the hostages return, according to the agreement, until the last of them: the living for their recovery and the deceased for an appropriate burial,” said today the Forum of Hostages and Relatives of Missing, the main entity in defense of the hostage release agreement, after the announcement with the names of the three captives.
Although three days ago Netanyahu announced, after meeting with several US officials, that a negotiating team would travel to Doha at the end of this week to “discuss the technical details related to the continued implementation of the agreement,” that trip has not yet occurred.
Asked today by EFE, a senior Israeli official said he had no “news” about the alleged trip that should happen tomorrow, while Basem Naim, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, confirmed that negotiations “have not yet begun.”
International
WHO warns of increased disease outbreak risk in Venezuela amid low vaccination coverage
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned of an increased risk of disease outbreaks in Venezuela, including vaccine-preventable illnesses, due to low immunization coverage across the country.
“The vaccination coverage in Venezuela, particularly against measles and other diseases, was already low, so the risk of measles cases and other illnesses is currently high,” said Ciro Ugarte, director for emergencies at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the WHO’s regional office.
Speaking during a video conference with journalists, Ugarte said the risk is especially high in shelters, where overcrowding could significantly accelerate the transmission of infectious diseases.
He also highlighted water quality as an additional concern in the aftermath of the disaster, noting that safe drinking water is not guaranteed in the most affected areas.
“Unfortunately, supply is scarce, making it very difficult to assess conditions in all shelters. That is why evaluating the quality of water provided to the population, especially in large shelters, is a priority,” he said during a briefing in Geneva.
Ugarte suggested that targeted vaccination campaigns could be deployed against mosquito-borne and other vector-transmitted diseases, particularly in overcrowded shelters and in areas where people remain displaced.
According to PAHO, eight health facilities have been assessed so far, all of which require assistance, with three reporting structural damage.
He also stressed that the José María Vargas Hospital, one of Caracas’s major public reference hospitals, requires urgent support due to critical conditions. The facility is currently treating 96 patients in an eight-bed unit, while its blood bank is operating at extremely low levels.
In La Guaira, the Rafael Medina Jiménez Hospital has reduced its capacity from 108 to 35 beds. Additionally, 22 other health centers have reported severe shortages, underscoring the strain on Venezuela’s healthcare system.
International
María Corina Machado’s attempted return to Venezuela reportedly halted amid US political concerns
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly pressured Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado and disrupted her planned return to Venezuela following recent earthquakes, amid concerns over a potential political crisis, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Sources familiar with the matter told the newspaper that a private jet carrying Machado from the United States to Curaçao was ordered to turn back last week after U.S. officials concluded she intended to continue onward to Venezuelan territory, effectively reversing her earlier departure route from December.
The opposition figure had reportedly spent months preparing to re-enter Venezuela in an effort to renew pressure for new elections, following the detention of then-president Nicolás Maduro under an order issued by Trump. The U.S. president has since stated that Washington’s relationship with Venezuela’s acting leadership, headed by Delcy Rodríguez, is “excellent.”
According to The Wall Street Journal, intermediaries close to the White House warned Machado that proceeding with her return plan could jeopardize her support from Trump and undermine broader U.S. strategy toward Venezuela, potentially delaying electoral plans.
Despite these warnings, Machado reportedly attempted a second route back through Panama. However, Copa Airlines declined to transport her to Venezuela, citing concerns over possible retaliation from Caracas against the airline, according to unnamed sources.
From Panama City, Machado stated on Monday that the Venezuelan government had closed commercial airspace to prevent her return, calling it “urgent” to go back to the country to “face this catastrophe together,” without addressing reports of U.S. pressure.
Axios reported that Trump administration officials viewed Machado’s attempted return as “grotesque political opportunism” in the aftermath of recent earthquakes that have left at least 2,595 people dead and thousands injured, while also delaying reconstruction efforts and potential electoral processes.
Since Maduro’s detention on January 3, President Trump has reportedly expressed support for Rodríguez, the former vice president, who has agreed to trade, mining, and oil agreements demanded by Washington. Trump has described Venezuela as effectively operating under U.S. oversight and has claimed the country is improving economically through increased oil production and exports.
Venezuelan opposition groups based in the United States have urged the Trump administration to reconsider its relationship with Rodríguez and criticized Washington’s stated satisfaction with reconstruction efforts following the June 24 earthquakes.
International
Rush for Air Conditioners Sparks Tensions at French Supermarkets Ahead of New Heatwave
Scenes of long lines, overcrowded stores and customer disputes unfolded across France on Thursday as shoppers rushed to buy air conditioners and fans ahead of another expected heatwave.
The buying frenzy comes as the country continues to recover from last week’s extreme temperatures, which exceeded 40°C (104°F) in several areas and produced the warmest night on record, with an average temperature of 22°C (71.6°F). Authorities have linked the heatwave to at least 1,000 excess deaths.
Demand for cooling appliances has surged in recent days, prompting heavy traffic at appliance retailers. The situation intensified on Thursday when German discount supermarket chain Lidl launched a promotion on portable air conditioners and electric fans.
Videos shared on social media showed large crowds gathering outside stores, with customers pushing and rushing to secure the discounted products.
“Lidl France regrets the incidents that occurred in its stores,” the company told AFP, adding that employees were forced to manage tense situations in what it described as a challenging environment.
Outside a Lidl store in northwestern Paris, dozens of customers began lining up as early as 7:00 a.m., two hours before opening, while police monitored the crowd, according to an AFP journalist at the scene.
Although many shoppers remained in good spirits, tensions escalated as some people attempted to cut in line. “I will not open the store until they leave,” a store manager reportedly shouted as frustrated customers protested.
The situation worsened after customers discovered that the store, located in a working-class district of Paris, had only two air conditioning units available for sale.
One of the successful buyers, Lassana, who declined to provide his last name, said he had queued since 4:00 a.m. to secure one of the units.
Another customer, 69-year-old Fatou, was only able to purchase a small fan after what he described as a struggle. He criticized Lidl’s advertising as “misleading,” claiming police had temporarily closed access to the store because of the crowds.
Lidl France attributed the shortages to its fixed annual purchasing cycle, explaining that the promotional products had been ordered a year in advance and were offered at predetermined prices, limiting the available stock.
WHO warns of increased disease outbreak risk in Venezuela amid low vaccination coverage
María Corina Machado’s attempted return to Venezuela reportedly halted amid US political concerns
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