Only Palestinian Authority can run post-war Gaza; not democratically elected Hamas: EU

In the competitive world of Indian engineering entrance exams, where lakhs aspire and only a few succeed, one extraordinary individual stands out. 

Satyam Kumar, the son of a farmer from Bihar, embarked on a journey that began at the tender age of 12 and culminated in an astonishing achievement – cracking the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology-Joint Entrance Examination (IIT-JEE) at just 13 years old.

A YOUNG RECORD-BREAKER

Back in 2013, Satyam Kumar made history when he secured the 670th rank in the IIT-JEE, becoming the youngest Indian to achieve this remarkable feat, breaking the record of Delhi's Sahal Kaushik who had achieved the feat at the age of 14 in 2010.

Satyam's journey was not without its share of challenges, but his unwavering determination and hard work were instrumental in his success. Born and raised in Bihar's Bhojpur district, Satyam set his sights on a brighter future through education.

Interestingly, this was Satyam's second time cracking the IIT exam at such a young age. He first cleared the exam in 2012, at the age of 12. But after achieving an all-India rank of 8,137, he decided to retake the IIT-JEE, aiming for a higher rank.

Satyam's journey continued as he pursued higher education. He completed his BTech-MTech Dual Degree in Electrical Engineering at IIT Kanpur in 2018, after which he set off for the University of Texas at Austin for his PhD.

He is currently specialised in brain-computer interfaces and working as a graduate research assistant. He worked on 3 projects in 2016 while at IIT: 'Electrooculogram based eye blink classification During EOG signal accuistion', 'Optimisation of electrode positions in Different Brain Computer Interfaces', and 'Imaginative Speech based Brain-Computer Interface'.

A BRIGHT CAREER AT APPLE

According to Satyam's LinkedIn profile, he embarked on a career journey that led him to prestigious institutions like ETH Zurich and Inria before landing a research internship at InterDigital Inc.

Most notably, he worked at Apple as a Machine Learning Intern until August 2023, highlighting his prowess in the tech industry.

THE YOUNG VISIONARY

In an interview with India Today in 2013, Satyam expressed his desire to make a significant impact in the world of technology, mentioning his aspiration to develop something akin to Facebook.

He also harbors ambitions of a future in bureaucracy and envisions teaching the children of his home district.

Satyam Kumar's remarkable journey is a testament to the power of determination and unwavering commitment. From a young boy with a dream to a professional excelling at Apple, his story continues to inspire the youth of India.

Jerusalem, Nov 23: Israel said a four-day Gaza truce and hostage release will not start until at least Friday, stalling a breakthrough deal to pause the war with Hamas.

Israeli national security adviser Tzachi Hanegbi indicated the release of at least 50 Israeli and foreign hostages held by Hamas was still on track, but would not happen on Thursday as expected.

“The contacts on the release of our hostages are advancing and continuing constantly,” he said in a statement.

“The start of the release will take place according to the original agreement between the sides, and not before Friday.”

A second Israeli official said that a temporary halt in fighting would also not begin on Thursday.

The delay is a hammer blow to families desperate to see their loved ones return home, and to two million-plus Gazans praying for an end to 47 days of war and deprivation.

The complex and carefully choreographed deal saw Israel and Hamas agree a four-day truce, during which at least 50 hostages taken in the Palestinian resistance group’s October 7 operation would be released.

For every 10 additional hostages released, there would be an extra day’s “pause” in fighting, an Israeli government document said.

Three Americans, including three-year-old Abigail Mor Idan, were among those earmarked for release.

In turn, Israel would release at least 150 Palestinian women and children and allow more humanitarian aid into the besieged coastal territory after weeks of bombardment and heavy fighting.

It was not immediately clear what caused the delay, which came after weeks of talks involving Israel, Palestinian militant groups, Qatar, Egypt and the United States.

Qatari foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari said Thursday that implementation of the accord “continues and is going positively.”

“The truce agreement that was reached will be concluded in the coming hours,” he said.

The agreement has been approved by Hamas leaders and by Israel — despite fierce opposition from some within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing government.

Minister for National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir described the deal as a “historic mistake” that would embolden Hamas and risk the lives of Israeli troops.

Netanyahu has backed the agreement with Hamas, but vowed the truce will be temporary and will not end the campaign to destroy Hamas.

“We are winning and will continue to fight until absolute victory,” he said on Wednesday, vowing to secure Israel from threats emanating from Gaza and Lebanon, home to Iranian-backed Hezbollah.

Tensions rose on Israel’s northern border early Thursday, after Hezbollah said five fighters, including the son of a senior lawmaker, had been killed.

Since the Israel-Hamas war began on October 7, the frontier between Lebanon and Israel has seen almost daily exchanges of fire, raising fears the Gaza war fuel a region wide conflagration.

Israel’s army said in statements Wednesday evening that it had struck a number of Hezbollah targets, including a “terrorist cell” and infrastructure.

In Washington, the White House said President Joe Biden had spoken to Netanyahu on Wednesday and “emphasized the importance of maintaining calm along the Lebanese border as well as in the West Bank.”

The White House has pressed Israel not to escalate clashes with Hezbollah, for fear of sparking a war that could drag in US and Iranian forces.

Biden also spoke to the leaders of Qatar and Egypt Wednesday, as he pushed for the truce to be “fully implemented” and to “ultimately secure the release of all hostages.”

Families on both sides grappled with a lack of clarity over how the releases would unfold.

“We don’t know who will get out because Hamas will release the names every evening of those who will get out the next day,” said Gilad Korngold, whose son and daughter-in-law are being held in Gaza along with their two children and other relatives.

Israel’s list of eligible Palestinian prisoners included 123 detainees under 18 and 33 women, among them Shrouq Dwayyat, convicted of attempted murder in a 2015 knife attack.

“I had hoped that she would come out in a deal,” her mother, Sameera Dwayyat, said, but added that her relief was tempered by “great pain in my heart” over the dead children in Gaza.

In Khan Yunis, southern Gaza, displaced Palestinians remained skeptical about the Israel-Hamas deal.

“What truce are they talking about? We don’t need a truce just so aid can come in. We want to go home,” said Maysara Assabagh, who fled northern Gaza for a hospital that now shelters about 35,000 displaced people.

Large parts of Gaza have been flattened by thousands of air strikes, and the territory faces shortages of food, water and fuel.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has held talks with Hamas politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh in Doha where he has traveled as part of a regional tour for consultations amid the Israeli invasion of Gaza.

The meeting on Thursday night (November 23) came as a breakthrough four-day truce in the war will start on Friday morning and an exchange of captives and prisoners will follow hours later.  

Qatari foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari said Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails will be released on Friday, adding a list of names has been approved, without saying how many.

Qatar’s Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani discussed the plan with Amir-Abdollahian and thanked Iran for its “pivotal role and valuable efforts in helping to achieve a humanitarian cessation of the war against Gaza”, Fars news agency reported.

“We have reached a good stage,” the Qatari minister said, adding the first priority is the ceasefire, and then “our effort is to extend the temporary ceasefire and stop the war and killing of Palestinians completely and prevent a return to war”.

Amir-Abdollahian welcomed the ceasefire, saying if the Israeli regime continues the war, “the situation in the region will become more tense and the reactions will be more widespread”.

He said Israel is not able to continue the war without the support of the United States.

Amir-Abdollahian said what had happened against the United States in the region in the last six weeks was the reaction of the resistance groups to US support for the genocide in Palestine and had nothing to do with Iran.

US forces in Iraq and Syria have seen an uptick in attacks since Israel launched its invasion of the besieged Gaza Strip, leaving scores of American troops injured, including over two dozen soldiers diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries.

Amir-Abdollahian said Hamas is a liberation movement which has emerged from within the civil society of the Palestinian nation.

Hamas, he said, cannot be eliminated and its enemies should not think they can achieve through political means what they failed during more than a month and a half of war.