The Palestinian authorities will maintain their insistence on securing the release of the two Bulgarians captured from the Galaxy Leader ship, according to Dr. Nasri Abu Jaish, the newly appointed Palestinian ambassador to Bulgaria. Discussions regarding the release of hostages, including the Bulgarian nationals, are set to occur during a meeting later this month between representatives of the Palestinian National Authority and Hamas in Cairo.

Ambassador Jaish emphasized that the two Bulgarians are civilians and not involved in the conflict. He mentioned that the Palestinian authorities have consistently urged the Yemeni Houthis for their release. Following the presentation of his credentials and coinciding with the first anniversary of the Gaza war, Jaish called upon the international community to pay attention to the ongoing situation in the Middle East. He reiterated that the Palestinian authorities oppose civilian casualties anywhere globally.

The ambassador highlighted that the toll of the conflict on the Palestinian side has reached 42,000, with 16,000 of those being children. “We have asked the Houthis, Iran, and Hamas for the release of hostages, including the Bulgarians. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and our diplomatic teams are making significant efforts for this Cairo meeting, where the hostage issue will be discussed. While I cannot predict the outcome, it will certainly be addressed,” stated Dr. Nasri Abu Jaish.