US hopeful of more hostage releases

Published November 29, 2023

About 159 hostages remain in Gaza. The White House said on Tuesday this includes eight to nine Americans, Reuters reports.

US national security spokesperson John Kirby said the US was hopeful Hamas would release more Americans, and the US government would work with Qatar to extend the pause in fighting.

“We want to see all the hostages out. The way to do that is these pauses,” Kirby told reporters travelling on the president’s plane on Tuesday.

 Newly released Palestinian prisoner Rouba Assi is carried by supporters during a welcome ceremony for prisoners freed from Israeli jails during a welcome ceremony in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank on Nov 28, 2023. — AFP
Newly released Palestinian prisoner Rouba Assi is carried by supporters during a welcome ceremony for prisoners freed from Israeli jails during a welcome ceremony in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank on Nov 28, 2023. — AFP

Opinion

Editorial

Holding the line
16 Mar, 2026

Holding the line

PAKISTAN’S long battle against polio has recently produced encouraging signs. Data from the national eradication...
Power self-reliance
16 Mar, 2026

Power self-reliance

PAKISTAN’S transition to domestic sources of electricity is a welcome development for a country that has long been...
Looking for safety
16 Mar, 2026

Looking for safety

AS the Middle East conflict enters its third week, the war’s most enduring victims are not those who wage it....
Battling hate
Updated 15 Mar, 2026

Battling hate

In the current scenario, geopolitical conflict, racial prejudice and religious bigotry all contribute to the threats Muslims face.
TB drugs shortage
15 Mar, 2026

TB drugs shortage

‘CRIMINAL negligence’ is the phrase that jumps to mind when one considers the disturbing consequences of the...
Chinese diplomacy
Updated 14 Mar, 2026

Chinese diplomacy

THERE are signs that China is taking a more active role in trying to resolve the issue of cross-border terrorism...