World
Israel rules out prisoner swap deal with Hamas
Jerusalem, Aug 28 (IANS) Israel’s Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman said in a statement on Sunday that he ruled out the release of Palestinian attackers jailed in Israel in exchange for Israeli citizens and bodies of soldiers.
Liberman said the return of Israeli citizens and bodies of soldiers continues to be a top priority.
“We cannot repeat the mistake of the Shalit deal,” Lieberman said, referring to the 2011 swap deal with Hamas, in which Israel released 1,027 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the release of soldier Gilad Shalit, Xinhua reported.
“1,027 terrorists were released including murderers and their activators such as Mahmoud Kawassmeh, who was released to the Gaza Strip and funded the kidnapping and murder of three youths, and Yahya Sanwar, who leads Hamas in Gaza.
Sanwar has now made stringent demands which cannot enable any kind of deal,” Liberman said.
“It is important to draw up definitive guidelines for the state and its representatives and to stand fast before our enemies and emphasize to them that we have no intention of compromising Israel’s security,” he said.
Soldiers Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin were killed in Israel’s offensive in Gaza in 2014. Their bodies are believed by Israel to be held by Hamas, the Islamist organization that controls the Gaza Strip.
Israel believes that two Israeli civilians, Abera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, who have voluntarily crossed into Gaza, are also being held there.
Hamas has officially denied holding Mengistu.
Last week, Lotan handed his resignation to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. No reason for the move was publicly cited.
Efforts to draft a deal through different brokers over the past years have yet to yield any results.
–IANS
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National
Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok
Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.