U.S. wants tougher sanctions against Hamas to free hostages

The administration of US President Joe Biden plans to tighten sanctions and take other measures against the Palestinian radical movement Hamas for the release of hostages from their captivity. White House National Security Council (NSC) spokesman Sean Savett said in a statement on Nov. 30.

"The war in Gaza will end tomorrow, and the suffering of Gazans will stop immediately and would have stopped months ago if Hamas had agreed to release the hostages," the statement said in response to a published video of the hostage, American-Israeli citizen Eden Alexander.

Savett also noted that the U.S. administration is "in contact" with the family of hostage Alexander.

According to the NSC official, President Biden and the United States will continue to work toward the release of the captive citizens, including through diplomatic efforts and increased pressure on Hamas terrorists through sanctions, law enforcement actions and other measures.

Hamas is not concerned: Israel will continue war in Gaza despite truce with Hezbollah

Can the cessation of hostilities in Lebanon at least be a starting point for a settlement in the Middle East

Earlier, on November 28, Dmitry Gendelman, advisor to Israeli Prime Minister Dmitry Gendelman told Izvestia that Israel has not changed its position on Hamas after the truce in Lebanon. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) added that the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon has nothing to do with Gaza. IDF spokeswoman Anna Ukolova told Izvestia.

On November 15, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called for the immediate release of Russians Alexander Trufanov and Maxim Kharkin, held captive in the Gaza Strip.

On November 13, a Palestinian radical group published a video message from Russian Alexander Trufanov, who has been held in the Gaza Strip for more than a year. This is the third video since the conflict in the Middle East escalated on October 7, 2023.

The situation in the Middle East escalated on the morning of October 7, when Hamas launched a massive rocket attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip, as well as invaded border areas in the south of the country and took hostages. That same day, Israel began retaliatory strikes against targets in Gaza.