President Radev and Ambassador of Palestine discussed the release of two Bulgarians and the crew of 'Galaxy Leader'

President Rumen Radev and the Ambassador of Palestine to Bulgaria, Nasri Khalil Salim Abu Jaish, discussed aspects concerning the process of releasing the two Bulgarian citizens and the crew of the ship "Galaxy Leader," who have been detained by the Ansar Allah movement in Yemen for more than a year, the Head of State's press secretariat said on January 16.

During the meeting, initiated by the Bulgarian president, Rumen Radev welcomed the agreement reached for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages. During the meeting, the identified phases concerning the practical implementation of the agreement were also discussed.

President Radev expressed the hope that the agreement reached will lead to the creation of the necessary conditions for the urgent provision of the necessary humanitarian assistance to the civilian population of Gaza, while guaranteeing the unconditional release of all hostages.

President Radev expressed hope that the agreement would create the necessary conditions for urgently delivering humanitarian aid to the civilian population in Gaza while ensuring the unconditional release of all hostages.

It was hoped that, in the long term, practical implementation of the agreement could open prospects for establishing a lasting peace based on the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, respecting international law. In this context, the possibilities for supporting the reforms outlined in the Development and Reform Plan of the Palestinian Authority, as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, were also discussed.

Two Bulgarians on the hijacked cargo ship in the Red Sea, one of them is the captain

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'Galaxy Leader' crew remains captive for more than a year. On November 19, 2023, while travelling through the Red Sea, armed Houthis boarded the 'Galaxy Leader' commercial ship via a helicopter.

Its 25-member crew includes nationals from the Philippines, Mexico, Ukraine, Romania, and Bulgaria.