Hamas frees first batch of hostages under truce, including 13 Israelis, officials and media say
Rafah (Gaza Strip), Nov 24: Hamas on Friday released a group of hostages held captive in Gaza for weeks, including 13 Israelis, according to officials and media reports, the first stage in a swap for Palestinians prisoners in Israel under a four-day cease-fire deal.
The agreement brought the first respite for beleaguered residents of Gaza and opened the way for sorely needed aid to flow in. It was also a moment of hope for families in Israel and elsewhere worried about loved ones taken captive during Hamas' October 7 attack, which triggered the war. Also freed were 12 Thai citizens, their prime minister said.
There were no reports of fighting in the hours after the truce began. Gaza's 2.3 million Palestinians saw quiet after seven weeks of relentless Israeli bombardment, which has killed thousands, flattened vast swaths of the territory and driven three-quarters of the population from their homes. Rocket fire from Gaza militants into Israel went silent as well.
The release of the first group of Israeli hostages was to be followed in the evening by the freeing of 39 Palestinian prisoners 24 women, including some convicted of attempted murder for attacks on Israeli forces, and 15 teenagers jailed for offences like throwing stones.
The truce raised hopes of eventually winding down the conflict, which has fuelled a surge of violence in the occupied West Bank and stirred fears of a wider conflagration across the Middle East.
Israel, however, has said it is determined to resume its massive offensive once the cease-fire ends.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
China opens world's 'longest' expressway tunnel in Xinjiang
Beijing (PTI): China on Friday opened to traffic a 22.13-km-long tunnel, which it claimed to be the "world's longest", in Xinjiang province.
The Tianshan Shengli tunnel, which traverses through the central Tianshan Mountains in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, has reduced a treacherous mountain journey of several hours to about 20 minutes, official media reported.
According to Song Hailiang, chairman of China Communications Construction Company, the tunnel has “set two world records”.
“It is the longest expressway tunnel in the world and has the deepest vertical shaft for a highway tunnel,” Song said.
ALSO READ: Andhra govt issues NOC to Vedanta Ltd to drill 20 onshore oil, gas wells
The tunnel is a key part of the G0711 Urumqi-Yuli Expressway, which also became operational on Friday, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
The expressway serves as a major transport artery linking city clusters in northern and southern Xinjiang.
Stretching 2,500 km, the Tianshan Mountains span central Xinjiang, separating the provincial capital Urumqi, the largest city in the north, from Korla, the largest city in the south.
With the opening of the expressway, travel time between Urumqi and Korla has been reduced from around seven hours to about three hours, the report said.
The expressway, constructed over five years, is 324.7-km-long with a total investment of 46.7 billion yuan (about USD 6.63 billion).
