The conflict was triggered by Hamas’s brazen terror attacks on southern Israel on October 7, 2023 that killed almost 1,200 people

India on Thursday welcomed the ceasefire deal reached between Israel and Hamas and reiterated its call for a return to a path of dialogue and diplomacy.

Negotiators from Israel and Hamas have agreed on a 42-day truce and hostage release, and the deal will come into effect on January 19, US President Joe Biden and Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani said on Wednesday. The truce comes after more than 460 days of war that has devastated Gaza.

“We welcome the announcement of the agreement for the release of hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza,” the external affairs ministry said in a brief statement.

“We hope this will lead to a safe and sustained supply of humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza. We have consistently called for release of all hostages, ceasefire, and return to a path of dialogue and diplomacy,” the statement said.

The conflict was triggered by Hamas’s brazen terror attacks on southern Israel on October 7, 2023 that killed almost 1,200 people. More than 46,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s retaliatory attacks and bombardment of the Gaza Strip.

Qatar’s prime minister told reporters that Israel and Hamas were still to conclude some logistical matters related to the ceasefire, while the office of the Israeli prime minister said in a statement that a number of details of the agreement remained unresolved. The deal also needs to be formally ratified by the Israeli cabinet and the government.

The initial phase of the ceasefire, set to last six weeks, will see a limited prisoner exchange, partial withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and a surge of aid into the region. Thirty-three Israeli nationals taken hostage during the October 7 attacks will be released in exchange for a large number of Palestinian prisoners, according to reports.

Around 100 Israeli hostages are thought to be still in Gaza, though Israeli authorities believe some if them are dead.

India initially expressed solidarity with Israel after the attacks by Hamas, in line with its “zero tolerance” policy on terrorism, but it adopted a more nuanced position subsequently because of concerns expressed by Arab partners.

India has strong strategic ties with Israel while Arab states are key sources of energy and have developed stronger defence and security ties with India in the past decade. India also had significant concerns about the potential expansion of the conflict because West Asia is home to nine million Indians, with almost six million of them concentrated in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

As the war dragged on, India repeatedly urged Israel to be mindful of humanitarian concerns in its response. The Indian side also called for the unimpeded provision of humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza and a return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy aimed at finding a two-state solution.

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Donald Trump will be inaugurated as the 47th President on January 20th, with heightened security measures following assassination attempts.

Donald Trump is set to be inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States on January 20th. Preparations for the momentous day are already underway, with a particular focus on security, especially following two assassination attempts on the incoming president during his political campaign.

Trump’s inauguration ceremony will be reportedly secured by a private security company, with significant costs borne by the government to ensure the safety of the incoming president.

Trump inauguration event hires private security firm
TMZ has obtained federal procurement documents revealing that the Secret Service has hired Arcus Group LLC, a private security company, to help with the upcoming inauguration. The event which will kick off with a service at St. John’s Church, a historic Washington DC church, followed by tea at the White House is set to welcome several high-profile figures including former US Presidents and First Ladies.

This company as per the data has secured an $8.1 million contract for the task, primarily focused on securing the event’s perimeter.

Who is Arcus Group?
Arcus Group specialises in providing temporary security perimeters for high-profile events, which is why they’ve been selected for Trump’s inauguration. Their services include setting up security barriers, anti-scale fencing, barricades, and even mobile command posts.

According to their website, their “security services include a complete threat assessment to ensure attendee safety.” For all event sizes, they prioritise “crowd control and provide 8’ – 12’ anti-scale fences or bike rack barriers. Our team can assist you in selecting the most appropriate security setup.”

The costs of private security have risen, with the Secret Service spending $7.5 million for Joe Biden’s inauguration. Meanwhile, apart from Trump and his wife Melania, other prominent figures like incoming Vice President JD Vance, former President George W. Bush, Bill and Barack Obama alongside Joe and Jill Biden, former First Lady Hillary Clinton are expected to attend Trump’s inauguration.

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During his speech, Rahul Gandhi said that the Congress was fighting the Indian state itself and not just the BJP or RSS’s ideology

Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman and other Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders sharply reacted to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s comments on the RSS and BJP during an inaugural speech for the new headquarter of the party in Delhi.

Speaking to reporters, Hardeep Singh Puri remarked that Rahul Gandhi should “get his mental stability checked” in response to the latter’s comments at the new ‘Indira Gandhi Bhawan’.

During his speech, Rahul Gandhi attacked RSS leader Mohan Bhagwat, who had earlier stated that India’s independence should be celebrated on the day of the Ram temple consecration and not on August 15.

He stated that the comments made by Bhagwat were treasonous and said that the Congress was fighting the Indian state itself and not just the BJP or RSS’s ideology, which had proven harmful to democracy.

Union health minister JP Nadda also expressed his anger at Gandhi’s claims and said in a post on X, “Hidden no more, Congress’ ugly truth now stands exposed by their own leader. I ‘compliment’ Mr. Rahul Gandhi for saying clearly what the nation knows- that he is fighting the Indian state!”

He alleged that Rahul Gandhi had ties to urban naxals and the deep state through which he was trying to sow division and discredit India.

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman also questioned Gandhi, who is the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, saying, “The LoP, who was sworn in by taking oath on the Constitution, is now saying, “We are now fighting the BJP, the RSS and the Indian State itself. So what for are you carrying a copy of the constitution in your hand?”

BJP’s IT cell chief Amit Malviya also took to X sharing a clip of Rahul Gandhi’s speech and said, Rahul Gandhi has now declared an open war against the Indian State itself. This is straight out of George Soros’s playbook.”

Rahul Gandhi’s speech
“The people in power today don’t salute the tricolour, don’t believe in the national flag or the constitution, and have a vastly different vision for India. They want India to be controlled by a secretive society, run by one person, and crush the voices of our nation,” Gandhi said during his speech.

He also emphasized that the Congress party was the only alternative to the BJP-led central government.

“The people in this room are facing systematic attack and assault on their lives because they are in the Congress party, and they are not surrendering to the BJP and the RSS,” he added.

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