New Delhi, Jan 14: Reacting strongly to reports of the death of an Indian national in Russia, India on Tuesday reiterated its demand for the early discharge of the remaining Indians currently serving the Russian Army in the conflict zones.

“We have learnt of the unfortunate death of an Indian national from Kerala who had apparently been recruited to serve in the Russian Army. Another Indian national from Kerala, who was similarly recruited, has been injured and is receiving treatment in a hospital in Moscow,” said Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.

Offering condolences to the family of the deceased, the senior diplomat stated that the Indian Embassy in Moscow is in touch with the families, and all possible assistance is being rendered.

“We are working with the Russian authorities for early transportation of the mortal remains to India. We have also sought the early discharge and repatriation to India of the injured person. The matter has been strongly taken up with the Russian authorities in Moscow as well as with the Russian Embassy in New Delhi today. We have also reiterated our demand for the early discharge of the remaining Indian nationals,” he added.

The plight of Indians fighting for Russia in the Ukraine war is a key concern for New Delhi.

India has maintained that the recruitment of Indian nationals into the Russian army in a conflict situation is not in consonance with the India-Russia diplomatic partnership, and has asked for the early release and return of all such Indian nationals.

Last year, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s landmark visit to Moscow, Russia had decided to release and facilitate the return of all Indians fighting for the Russian army against Ukraine.

The breakthrough was achieved when PM Modi raised the matter at a private dinner hosted by Putin.

Over the last few years, over two dozen Indians were believed to have been forced into fighting the war against Ukraine after being tricked by agents into going to the country on the pretext of getting high-paying jobs.

Strong action has been initiated against agents and unscrupulous elements who recruited them on false pretexts and promises, the authorities had confirmed, last year.

“As a result of concerted efforts by Government, most of the Indian nationals in the Russian armed forces have been discharged and several have been repatriated to India. According to available information, currently only 19 Indian nationals remain in the Russian armed forces. Government has requested the Russian authorities concerned to provide an update on the whereabouts of the remaining Indian nationals in the Russian armed forces and also ensure their safety, wellbeing and early discharge,” Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh told Parliament, last month.

Ankara, Jan 14: Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin held talks with Hamas’ political bureau officials regarding ongoing efforts for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, Turkey’s semi-official Anadolu Agency reported.

Kalin held phone talks with Hamas representatives, reviewing the progress and current status of the ongoing Gaza ceasefire negotiations.

Both parties reportedly agreed on the importance of continuing diplomatic efforts to achieve a ceasefire.

Indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel in Qatar’s Doha have made progress toward a ceasefire agreement, Palestinian and Israeli officials confirmed on Monday.

Hamas delivered a “positive” response to a draft of the Gaza ceasefire agreement offered by mediators in the Qatari capital Doha, a senior Hamas official said.

An official familiar with the negotiation process in Doha, who wished to remain anonymous, said, “Hamas did not express any objection to the draft, hoping that a ceasefire will be reached as soon as possible to end the suffering of the Palestinian people in the coastal enclave.”

“Currently, we are waiting for the final Israeli response,” he added.

Earlier on Monday, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar confirmed that “progress” had been made in the talks held in Qatar, and Israel “is working hard to reach a deal.”

Indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas resumed in Qatar on January 3, according to Hamas, days after Egypt hosted delegations from the movement and Israel with the aim of reaching a truce agreement in Gaza.

Over the past months, the efforts by mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and the US have failed to reach a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas since the first truce, which lasted a week between November and December 2023.

Hamas militants stormed southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking about 250 others as hostages. Of these, 98 remain in captivity in Gaza, with at least a third believed to have died.

Israel’s military campaign in response has caused widespread devastation in Gaza. Hamas-run health authorities reported on Monday that Israeli strikes had killed at least 46,584 people in Gaza.

United Nations, Jan 14: The United Nations and aid partners are responding to deadly Tropical Cyclone Dikeledi battering southeast Africa with high winds and heavy rain, UN humanitarians said.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the UN partners began working with local authorities after the cyclone made landfall on Saturday in northern Madagascar, the same area hit by deadly Cyclone Chido nearly a month ago.

OCHA’s latest ReliefWeb status alert reported that Dikeledi’s center was over the Mozambique Channel, approximately 75 km east of the coast of Nampula province in northeastern Mozambique. It passed just south of Mayotte, the island where Cyclone Chido inflicted heavy death and destruction.

The government of Madagascar reported that three people were killed and more than 350 displaced to several temporary sites. More than 5,200 people were directly affected, nearly 1,300 homes flooded, and five health centers were damaged.

Humanitarian partners distributed water treatment supplies and water, sanitation and hygiene kits.

OCHA said the world body and humanitarian partners in Mozambique continue to assist those affected by Chido, which killed more than 170 people in Madagascar, Mayotte and Malawi.

The World Food Programme reported reaching more than 190,000 Cyclone Chido victims in five districts with one-week food rations as of Saturday. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and its partners distributed more than 800 kits of core relief items to more than 4,000 people.

UNHCR also said it stepped up efforts to assess protection concerns in parts of Cabo Delgado province where displaced people are sheltering. Following Cyclone Chido, they lacked shelter or sufficient access to clean water and sanitation facilities.

The loss of livelihoods, particularly in agriculture, has compounded their challenges in rebuilding their lives.

The United Nations and its partners aim to provide humanitarian assistance to more than 400,000 people affected by Cyclone Chido. But to do that, they urgently need additional funding, OCHA said.