Hamas says ready for prisoner swap deal to end Gaza conflict

Hamas said on Thursday evening that it is ready to immediately begin negotiations on a deal to swap all Israeli hostages of an agreed-upon number of Palestinian prisoners, in a bid to completely stop the Gaza conflict.

Hamas expressed "readiness to immediately begin negotiations on a comprehensive package, whereby all prisoners held by the resistance and an agreed-upon number of Palestinian prisoners in the occupation's prisons are released," Khalil Al-Hayya, head of Hamas in Gaza, said in a video speech.

This is "in exchange for a complete cessation of the war against our people, a full (Israeli) withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, the start of reconstruction, and the end of the (Israeli) siege," Al-Hayya said.

Al-Hayya accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli government of "using partial agreements as a cover" for Netanyahu's "political agenda, which is based on continuing the war," adding that Hamas "will not be part of implementing this policy."

On Monday, Israel's state-owned Kan TV reported that Egyptian and Qatari negotiators had presented to Hamas a new deal proposal that includes the release of about 10 hostages and a temporary truce.

Hamas said in a statement that it was reviewing the proposal, and would submit its response after completing internal consultations.

On Tuesday, Hamas said it had lost contact with the group that captured Israeli-U.S. hostage Edan Alexander after an Israeli bombardment targeted their location.

On Wednesday, Netanyahu's office said the prime minister instructed Israeli negotiators to "continue the steps" for the release of hostages still held in Gaza.

Since Israel ended a two-month ceasefire with Hamas and resumed deadly air and ground assaults on Gaza on March 18, 1,691 people have been killed and 4,464 injured, Gaza health authorities said Thursday.

Gaza's civil defense agency reported that Israeli airstrikes killed at least 40 people on Thursday, most of them sheltering in displacement camps. In Khan Younis, southern Gaza's largest city, two missiles struck several tent areas, killing at least 16 people and injuring 23, many of them women and children.

Additional strikes were also reported across Gaza, including in al-Mawasi, Jabalia, Beit Lahia, and Gaza City.

Hamas says ready for prisoner swap deal to end Gaza conflict

Hamas says ready for prisoner swap deal to end Gaza conflict

Hamas says ready for prisoner swap deal to end Gaza conflict

China's first law on promoting the private economy, which was passed on Wednesday, aims to empower private firms to take a leading role in advancing the nation's scientific and technological innovations, according to lawmakers.

The Private Economy Promotion Law, which will take effect on May 20, 2025, clarifies the status of private sector as a major component and promoter of the Chinese economy, and highlights its contribution to scientific and technological development.

"(The law) makes it clear to support capable private enterprises to take the lead in undertaking major national research and development projects, and provide them with access to major national scientific research infrastructure. It also has provisions regarding providing services for their technological innovation, leveraging data empowerment, enhancing technological applications and cooperation, encouraging talent cultivation, and enhancing intellectual property protection," said Yang Heqing, head of the Economic Law Office of the Legislative Affairs Commission under National People's Congress Standing Committee.

In specific, the law stipulates that the government should ensure that public research and development platforms and common technology platforms remain open and accessible to all, and provide equal services to support scientific and technological innovations in private enterprises. The law also encourages all kinds of enterprises, higher education and research institutions, and vocational schools to work together in establishing innovative cooperation mechanisms to facilitate technological exchanges, the transfer and application of technological achievements, and promote the in-depth integration and cooperation among enterprises, universities and research institutions.

Furthermore, the law calls for strengthening the protection of the intellectual property rights of innovative achievements, implementing punitive compensation for intellectual property infringements, and punish violations of trademark, patent, copyright, and trade secrets, as well as counterfeiting and other illegal acts in accordance with the law.

New supportive law aims to empower private firms to take lead in technical innovation