New Delhi, Jan 16: India on Thursday welcomed the ceasefire agreement in Gaza and the decision for the release of hostages between Israel and Hamas.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) expressed hope that this development would pave the way for safe and sustained humanitarian assistance to Gaza.

“We welcome the announcement of the agreement for the release of hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza. We hope this will lead to a safe and sustained supply of humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza,” the MEA stated.

India reiterated its consistent stance, advocating for the release of hostages, a ceasefire, and a return to dialogue and diplomacy.

“We have consistently called for release of all hostages, ceasefire, and return to a path of dialogue and diplomacy,” the statement added.

The ceasefire agreement was brokered through weeks of negotiations in Doha by Qatar, Egypt, and the US.

Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani announced that 33 Israeli hostages would be released in the first 42-day phase, which could potentially evolve into a permanent ceasefire.

The initial release prioritises women, children, elderly individuals, and those who are ill or injured.

US President Joe Biden confirmed the crucial development on Wednesday at a briefing, saying “it is a very good afternoon now”. He said: “Soon, the hostages will return home to their families.”

Biden said that Israel would release Palestinian prisoners in return.

The US President said that during the first phase of the ceasefire deal, “Palestinians can return home to their neighbourhoods and humanitarian assistance in the Gaza Strip will increase”.

Biden also said that Israel and Hamas will negotiate the necessary arrangements in phase two for what would be the permanent end to the war.

During the ceasefire, Israeli forces are expected to withdraw from densely populated areas of Gaza to facilitate prisoner exchanges, the return of displaced individuals, and the retrieval of remains.

The conflict, which began on October 7, 2023, has resulted in devastating casualties.

Hamas’ attack on southern Israel killed about 1,200 people and led to the abduction of approximately 250 individuals. Israel’s subsequent offensive in Gaza has caused over 46,000 Palestinian deaths, as reported by the Hamas-run Health Ministry.

The ceasefire is scheduled to take effect on Sunday at 12:15 pm local time, subject to approval by Israel’s Cabinet and Supreme Court.

New Delhi, Jan 16: Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam was given a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Thursday by President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, marking the beginning of his State Visit to India.

This visit, his first as President of Singapore, coincides with the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations.

Speaking to the reporters following his ceremonial welcome, the Singapore President said, “We will never forget that India was one of the first few countries to recognise Singapore’s independence in 1965, and since then, our relationship has grown by bounce. It is a natural partnership between small country Singapore and large country India, but we find ways to cooperate in our mutual interests.”

Stressing the bilateral ties between the two nations, he mentioned that Singapore is the largest investor in India, and the defence ties between the two nations are also strong, continuing to grow further.

“We are now on a new trajectory with India with the upgrade of our relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership, which was announced during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Singapore in September last year. We are exploring new initiatives going beyond the existing very active relationship that we have. We are working on cooperating in advanced manufacturing and semiconductors, new generation and net zero industrial parks, as well as on the skilling of the new industries that are involved,” he mentioned.

Stating the Indian and Singapore leaders “see eye-to-eye,” Shanmugaratnam also stated that both countries are working together in the field of digitalisation and sustainability.

“Singapore is invested in India’s ambition to be a developed country –Viksit Bharat 2047,” he added.

Tharman arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday evening and engaged in high-level discussions on Wednesday.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met the visiting President to discuss key areas of bilateral cooperation, including semiconductors, industrial parks, skilling, digitalisation, and trade development.

“Delighted to call on President Tharman Shanmugaratnam of Singapore today. Discussed our cooperation in semiconductors, industrial parks, skilling, digitalisation, and trade development. Confident that his State visit will add new momentum to our comprehensive strategic partnership,” Jaishankar shared on X after the meeting.

Accompanied by a high-level delegation of ministers, parliament members, and officials, the Singapore President is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with President Murmu and Prime Minister Modi later in the day. Following his engagements in New Delhi, he will visit Odisha on January 17-18.

The Ministry of External Affairs highlighted the robust relationship between the two countries, emphasising that it is rooted in friendship, trust, and mutual respect. The ties were elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Singapore in September 2024.

Prime Minister Modi had previously acknowledged the strength of bilateral cooperation in various sectors during his visit to Singapore. He noted the potential for further collaboration, particularly in areas like social and digital investments and India’s emergence as a leading global growth centre.

President Tharman’s visit is expected to strengthen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, fostering deeper collaboration in key areas of mutual interest.

Kyiv/Moscow, Jan 15: Russia launched cruise and ballistic missiles at Ukraine on Wednesday morning in a new massive attack, the Ukrainian Air Force said.

A series of explosions were heard in the eastern city of Kharkiv, while air defence systems were active near the city of Cherkasy in central Ukraine, public broadcaster Suspilne reported.

The missile attack followed overnight drone strikes by Ukraine.

The Ukrainian army carried out its “largest strike” on Russian military targets, 200 to 1,100 kilometres deep into the Russian territory on Tuesday, General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed on Facebook.

Targets of the strike included oil storage facilities, military plants and other locations in such areas as Bryansk, Saratov, Tula regions and the Republic of Tatarstan, according to a statement.

Russian Defence Ministry confirmed the attack on Tuesday, accusing Ukraine of using US and British-made long-range missiles and drones.

The Ukranian actions “supported by Western handlers will trigger retaliation,” the ministry said in a statement.

Dozens of drones were shot down overnight across multiple regions in Russia, with damage reported at industrial plants and residential buildings, TASS news agency reported, citing local officials.

No casualties were recorded, it added.

Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said during his annual press briefing on Tuesday that Moscow is prepared to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine, however it is important to agree on broader security issues to end the ongoing conflict.

Lavrov said that eliminating threats on Russia’s western borders would be essential, as this has been one of the root causes of the ongoing conflict. He noted that these threats can only be removed within the framework of broader agreements.

The Russian foreign minister noted that after US President-elect Donald Trump takes office, Moscow will study his official position on Ukraine.

He further said Moscow welcomes the fact that the incoming US administration has focused more on the realities on the ground in Ukraine within the context of a potential resolution to the Ukrainian crisis.

Lavrov reiterated that Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to meet Trump, adding however that there have currently been no proposals from the United States.