DUBAI: Israeli President Isaac Herzog met his Emirati counterpart on the sidelines of UN climate talks on Thursday as part of a diplomatic push to release hostages held by Hamas.
Herzog’s visit to the United Arab Emirates comes nearly eight weeks into the Israel-Hamas war and coincides with a day-long extension to a truce that has seen Israeli hostages freed in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners.
During his meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Herzog underlined “the necessity to act in any way possible to free the Israeli hostages held captive by the murderous terrorist organization Hamas,” a statement from his office said.
He “appealed” to his Emirati counterpart “to employ his full political weight to promote and speed up the return home of the hostages,” the statement said.
In a separate statement on X, formerly Twitter, Herzog said he would hold “a series of diplomatic meetings” in Dubai to push for the release of hostages.
More than 140 heads of state and government are due to address COP28 on Friday and Saturday, including Herzog, who is scheduled to make a speech lasting three minutes on Friday.
“In my meetings with world leaders I intend to raise the firm demand for the immediate and unconditional release of all the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza,” Herzog said.
“In addition, I will detail and emphasize efforts to provide more and more humanitarian aid to the civilians of Gaza,” he added.
Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas was also scheduled to speak at COP28 but his office said he was no longer going and his foreign minister would take his place.
Since the truce began on November 24, 70 Israeli hostages have been freed in return for 210 Palestinian prisoners.
Around 30 foreigners, most of them Thais working in Israel, have been freed outside the terms of the deal.
Israel has made clear it sees the truce as a temporary halt intended to free hostages, but there are growing calls for a more sustained pause in the conflict.
Fighting began on October 7 when Hamas and other militants from the Gaza Strip poured over the border into Israel, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping about 240, according to Israeli authorities.
In response, Israel vowed to destroy Hamas and unleashed an air and ground campaign that the Hamas government in Gaza says has killed nearly 15,000 people, also mostly civilians.
The war has cast a shadow over the UN climate talks in Dubai with activists demanding a permanent cease-fire and an end to Israel’s 17-year blockade of the Gaza Strip.
The UAE is one of the few Arab states to recognize Israel, having established ties in 2020 as part of the US-brokered Abraham Accords. But it is at pains to show solidarity with Palestinians.
It has dispatched a 150-bed field hospital to Gaza and has pledged to take in 2,000 Palestinians, including 1,000 children and an equal number of cancer patients, for treatment.
Israel’s Herzog meets UAE counterpart to push for hostage release
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Israel’s Herzog meets UAE counterpart to push for hostage release
- During his meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Herzog underlined ‘the necessity to act in any way possible to free the Israeli hostages’
- Since the truce began on Nov. 24, 70 Israeli hostages have been freed in return for 210 Palestinian prisoners
El-Sisi hails development of Egypt-EU relations
- El-Sisi and Kallas both stressed the need for full implementation of the Gaza ceasefire agreement to ensure regular and unrestricted flow of humanitarian aid into the enclave
CAIRO: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on Saturday praised the development of his country’s relationship with the European Union, “emphasizing the importance of sustaining efforts to deepen cooperation, especially after relations were elevated to a comprehensive strategic partnership,” according to state media.
El-Sisi made the remarks during a meeting with the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission Kaja Kallas.
El-Sisi and Kallas both stressed the need for full implementation of the Gaza ceasefire agreement to ensure regular and unrestricted flow of humanitarian aid into the enclave.
“During the meeting, Kallas expressed the European side’s appreciation for the ongoing cooperation with Egypt in various fields,” presidential spokesman Mohamed El-Shennawy said.
This cooperation was reflected in the holding of the first Egypt-EU summit in Brussels in October 2025, Kallas said.
The meeting addressed various other aspects of bilateral relations, with El-Sisi emphasizing the importance of implementing the outcomes of the first Egypt-EU summit and enhancing consultation and coordination on issues of mutual concern, particularly in political and security spheres, to support regional security and stability, according to the spokesman.
EU Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process Christophe Bigot was also present at the meeting, along with Rosamaria Gili, the deputy managing director for the Middle East and North Africa at the European External Action Service; Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty; head of the EU delegation to Egypt Ambassador Angelina Eichhorst; Christine O’Dwyer, a member of Kallas’ cabinet; and other senior EU officials.
Abdelatty said on Thursday that Egypt expects the remaining €4 billion ($4.66 billion) of a previously announced macro-financial assistance package from the EU to be disbursed in three tranches by 2027, and that he hoped the first tranche would be released “in the coming days” after Cairo completed its fifth and sixth program reviews with the International Monetary Fund, Reuters reported.
In 2024, the EU announced a €7.4 billion funding package for Egypt, including €5 billion in concessional loans. The package also includes investments and grants, and was partly a response to Egypt’s worsening financial position following the Gaza war, Red Sea tension and the economic fallout from the war in Ukraine.
