Five Thai nationals escaped, out of the 33 people Hamas was supposed to release in the first phase of the ceasefire agreement
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Eight people under the control of the Palestinian militant group Hamas were released on Thursday. Five Thai nationals and three Israeli nationals were released on Thursday as part of a January 15 ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched an unexpected attack on southern Israel and took 251 people hostage, including Nepali student Bipin Joshi. Of these, 109 were released by Hamas during a temporary ceasefire in November 2023. 8 people were freed by the Israeli army. 3 people who escaped from the control of Hamas were killed in an attack by the Israeli army.
According to the latest ceasefire agreement, eight hostages under the control of Hamas have been released. The released Thai nationals are out of the 33 people who were supposed to be released in the first phase of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. According to international media, Iran played a major role in releasing Thai citizens. Due to diplomatic relations between Iran and Thailand, Hamas reportedly released the Thai citizen at Iran's special request.
A cease-fire agreement was reached between Hamas and Israel on January 15 (on March 2) mediated by the United States, Qatar and Egypt. Qatar also mediated the earlier ceasefire agreement. Hamas agreed to release 33 hostages in the first phase of the six-week ceasefire agreement. Among them, 10 people, including five Israeli women soldiers, have been released. About 1,900 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons will be released in exchange for 33 hostages. Among the foreign nationals under Hamas control, 31 were Thai nationals. Of these, 23 Thais have been released during the first ceasefire in November 2023. They were also excluded from the list agreed upon in the negotiations between Israel and Hamas.
Even if the Thai nationals outside the list are released, it is not clear when Bipin will be released from captivity. Bipin's name is not included in the list of 33 people who are said to be released in the first phase. Since Nepal has a strong labor diplomatic relationship, it has been asking Qatar to take initiative for Bipin's release since the beginning. The latest prosperity achieved by Qatar is due to the hard work, honesty and perseverance of 1.9 million Nepalese workers in the past three decades alone.
Nepali migrant workers had a major role in determining the infrastructure of the 2022 World Cup and making the tournament a success. Qatar itself has been expressing its appreciation to the immigrant community, including Nepalis, for their contribution to its development on the national and international platforms. The Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani also reiterated the same issue with the newly appointed Ambassador Ramesh Chandra Poudel who came to the Amiri Diwan on January 13 to submit the certificate of rank. "It is a pleasure to welcome the Nepalese immigrant community," Ambassador Paudel told Kantipur, quoting Althani. Ambassador Paudel asked Amir and Qatar to facilitate the release of Bipin as soon as possible.
According to sources in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the issue of Bipin's release has been repeatedly conveyed from the Qatari Embassy in Bhainsepati (Lalitpur) to the Amiri Diwan in Doha. President Ramchandra Paudel and the then Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal requested Amir Althani, who arrived in Nepal last April, to facilitate the release of Bipin as soon as possible. After the second cease-fire between Israel and Hamas was confirmed on January 1, Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba called Qatar's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mohammad bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi and asked them to initiate the release of Bipin. It is not clear how seriously Qatar has taken Nepal's repeated requests.
Nepal's former ambassador to Qatar, Naradanath Bharadwaj, says that Qatar should not have too high expectations. "Qatar is looking broadly at the issue of ending the war between Israel and Hamas in a peaceful manner. When citizens of different countries are being held hostage by Hamas, it is natural for everyone to have expectations from Qatar," Bhardwaj told Kantipur, "our priorities and Qatar's should not be the same. In such a situation, it will be our highest expectation from Qatar to say that Qatar will extradite only one Nepali hostage.'
He said that Bipin's release will be a rare opportunity for Qatar to show respect to Nepalis. "Nepalese have made an incomparable contribution to Qatar's prosperity. This is a rare opportunity for Qatar to show respect for this contribution," he said. "If Bipin can be released as soon as possible on Qatar's initiative, it will bring the relationship between Nepal and Qatar to a higher level."
Bipin's father Mahanand Joshi said that they could not wait much longer. Bipin is not being released when the Thai citizen who was taken hostage with Bipin is released. We don't understand why this is happening," said Vipin's father. "We are waiting for Vipin. There would have been more initiative on the part of everyone.' He said that they are sitting on the fence about how the ceasefire will proceed.
It is mentioned in the agreement that the second phase of ceasefire talks will be held 16 days after the first phase begins. In the second phase, the rest of the hostages will be released and the Israeli army will be completely withdrawn from the Gaza Strip. The agreement mentions that the reconstruction of Gaza will be carried out in the third and final phase. At this stage, it is said that the rest of the hostages will be released and the bodies will be returned.
