Officials in Cyprus are currently conducting an investigation into reports suggesting that a Sudanese citizen, who holds a stake in a Cypriot-based company, may have connections to financing the militant group Hamas. This information was confirmed by government spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis during a news conference on Friday.

The probe comes in response to a CNN report indicating that Abdelbasit Hamza, a known Hamas-linked financier, is allegedly involved in a network of business interests in Europe, including one in Cyprus, despite being under US sanctions.

Cyprus has recently become a focal point in the conflicts between Israel, Hamas, and Iran. Earlier this month, the Israeli Prime Minister's office announced that the Cyprus security service, with assistance from the Mossad, successfully disrupted an Iranian plot to launch attacks against Jewish targets on the island.

On Friday, it was revealed that a senior Hamas official, Hassan Atrash, responsible for trade, manufacturing, and weapon supplies for the group, was reportedly killed by the Israel Defense Forces near the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza. According to the IDF, Atrash was involved in smuggling weapons into the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

In another grim development, it was reported that Gad Haggai, a 73-year-old Israeli American citizen, died while in captivity by Hamas. Gad's wife, Judi Weinstein Haggai, remains among the hostages held by the militant group. Her family continues to hope for her safe release. Judi, who holds Israeli, American, and Canadian citizenship, is the last American woman believed to be held hostage in Gaza, alongside six other American men.

Efforts have been made to secure the release of the hostages, including a recent agreement that led to the release of two Americans. However, Judi was not included in the deal. Israel proposed a one-week pause in military operations for the return of 35 hostages, but Hamas rejected the proposal, insisting on an end to Israel's military operation before discussing any prisoner swaps.

US officials remain hopeful about the possibility of securing the freedom of more hostages, but for now, Judi's family can only wait, praying for her safe return.

In light of the escalating conflict, Thomas White, the director of affairs in Gaza for the main United Nations agency, criticized the Israeli military's call to evacuate parts of central Gaza. White expressed concern that such evacuations would affect over 150,000 people, including those who have already been displaced. He emphasized that no place in Gaza is truly safe, given the ongoing airstrikes.

Israeli officials have stated that a widening ground offensive is on the horizon in Gaza, where the humanitarian crisis continues to worsen by the day. Tragically, fresh Israeli strikes near the newly designated evacuation areas in central Gaza claimed the lives of at least 18 individuals, as confirmed by hospital officials.

The investigation into the Sudanese citizen's ties to Hamas financing remains ongoing in Cyprus. As the region grapples with escalating tensions and violence, the search for peaceful solutions and the safe return of hostages remains paramount.