The head of the Egyptian Information Service, Diaa Rashwan, said that the agreement to extend the truce for two additional days includes the release of more prisoners and hostages from both the Palestinian and Israeli sides.
Rashwan explained that the extension stipulated “the daily release of 10 women and children detainees in Gaza, compared to 30 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons, which makes the total of those released on the two days of the extended truce, 20 Israelis compared to 60 Palestinians.”
The Hamas movement announced , in a statement yesterday, Monday, that “it was agreed with the brothers in Qatar and Egypt to extend the temporary humanitarian truce for two additional days under the same conditions as the previous truce.”
The Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that the Hamas movement released 69 Israeli prisoners, while Israel released 150 Palestinian women and children, during the first four days of the truce agreement that the two parties reached with Qatari-Egyptian-American mediation, and which entered into force last Friday morning.
The former Mauritanian president denies charges of illicit enrichment against him in a final plea before the ruling
Former Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz strongly denied all charges against him related to illicit enrichment, in his last plea before the court in a case in which a ruling is expected to be issued soon.
Ould Abdel Aziz (66 years old), who ruled the country located between sub-Saharan Africa and the north of the continent between 2008 and 2019, is facing legal troubles during the era of his successor, current President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani.
After the Public Prosecution requested that he be sentenced to 20 years in prison, Ould Abdel Aziz said before an anti-corruption criminal court in Nouakchott that “all these charges are false, incorrect and fall within the framework of a conspiracy against me,” in the presence of a large number of his supporters.
In response to the corruption charges, Ould Abdel Aziz asked in his Arabic plea, “Where is the evidence of this corruption?” He was rarely interrupted when those present in the hall tried to help him translate ideas he expressed in French, which every time sparked a protest from the prosecution.
“I am directly targeted,” Ould Abdel Aziz said, noting that none of his predecessors were held accountable.
Since January 25, Ould Abdel Aziz, along with ten people, including two former prime ministers, former ministers, and businessmen, have been facing charges of “illicit enrichment,” “abuse of office,” “exploitation of influence,” and “money laundering.”
Ould Abdel Aziz, the son of a merchant, amassed a huge fortune estimated at about 67 million euros when he was charged in March 2021. He is one of the few heads of state who appeared before the court to face charges of illicit enrichment, and the Public Prosecution requested that he be imprisoned for 20 years with effect, as it requested. Confiscation of assets owned by him.
The defendants are invited to give their final statements in the case, before the session is adjourned for deliberation and the issuance of a ruling that could be pronounced within a few days, according to parties in the case.