Commander of Djibouti Coastguard: We Rescued Ships in Bab al-Mandeb, Ready to Confront Any Threats 

He told Asharq Al-Awsat coordination is ongoing between Saud Arabia and Djibouti to preserve marine security. 

A Djibouti coastguard patrol passes a trade vessel anchored in regional waters due to the tensions in the Red Sea. (Turki al-al-Agili)
A Djibouti coastguard patrol passes a trade vessel anchored in regional waters due to the tensions in the Red Sea. (Turki al-al-Agili)
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Commander of Djibouti Coastguard: We Rescued Ships in Bab al-Mandeb, Ready to Confront Any Threats 

A Djibouti coastguard patrol passes a trade vessel anchored in regional waters due to the tensions in the Red Sea. (Turki al-al-Agili)
A Djibouti coastguard patrol passes a trade vessel anchored in regional waters due to the tensions in the Red Sea. (Turki al-al-Agili)

Commander of Djibouti’s coastguard Colonel Wais Omar Bogoreh stressed that his forces have increased their patrols in the Bab al-Mandeb strait, Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in wake of the threats in the region.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, he underlined their vital importance to global trade, adding that the tensions in the region have limited impact on Djibouti.

Moreover, he said his forces have a high level of coordination with other naval forces in the regional water off Djibouti to secure global trade and navigation in the Mandeb Strait and Gulf of Aden.

Speaking from the headquarters of Djibouti’s coastguard, Bogoreh said his forces have in recent weeks offered assistance and security services and rescued several vessels that were affected by the rising tensions in the Red Sea.

He revealed that some ships are waiting “for security reasons” before setting sail again. “Others have been damaged and were taken in for maintenance before resuming their journeys. Some vessels have remained because our zone is safe.”

Coordination with Saudi Arabia

Bogoreh, who is a graduate of Saudi Arabia’s King Fahad Naval Academy in Jubail, expressed his gratitude to the governments of Djibouti and Saudi Arabia for their coordination, concern and massive efforts in securing marine navigation in this vital part of the world.

He took Asharq Al-Awsat on a tour to observe the coastguard at work, where it saw dozens of vessels that were anchored in Djibouti's regional waters, possibly awaiting the latest developments in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden to determine whether to resume or change course.

Bogoreh said plans and strategies have been drafted to confront any “current and future challenges”. He stressed that the Djibouti coastguard is tasked with securing sea navigation. “It is exerting efforts to carry out its sea duties, especially in its regional waters and in international waters.”

“We are exerting massive efforts to maintain marine navigation, save lives and implement national and international marine laws,” he stated.

Increasing patrols

He stated that the rising tensions in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandeb, Gulf of Aden and western Indian Ocean prompted his forces to increase their efforts to preserve marine security in regional and neighboring waters.

The coastguard is working with Djibouti’s navy and other marine forces deployed outside of the country’s regional waters. “We are coordinating, cooperating and exchanging expertise,” Bogoreh told Asharq Al-Awsat. “Our goal is to preserve marine security.”

Moreover, he said the tensions are having a limited impact on his country, expecting the situation to remain unchanged in the future, but suggesting that the economy could take a hit because “80 percent of it relies on marine trade. With some vessels changing course, our economy will certainly be affected.”

Ready to face challenges

Bogoreh acknowledged that instability in neighboring countries may inevitably impact Djibouti “in varying degrees”, but so far, his country has remained unaffected, crediting this to efforts carried out by the republic to secure its marine and land borders.

“We hope this will continue and for our neighbors to enjoy the same security and stability,” he added.

He stressed that Djibouti has “prepared plans and strategies to confront any challenges in this region.”

The government, coastguard and navy are fully prepared to confront any challenges that may arise.

“We must remain vigilant,” he added, acknowledging that challenges are present and “we are prepared for them now, and in the future.”

Asked if there were concerns that the foreign military bases in Djibouti may be targeted in attacks related to the Red Sea tensions and the Iran-backed Houthi militias in Yemen, he replied: “They have nothing to do with the developments at sea.”

“The bases are symbolic and are not involved in the problems. We are present at sea, while they are on land. They are our guests, and I don't think they will be affected by the developments in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb area,” he added.



Hamas Says Ready to Free All Hostages at Once in Gaza Truce Phase Two

The sun sets behind heavily damaged residential buildings in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip on February 17, 2025, as people return to northern parts of Gaza during a current ceasefire deal in the war between Israel and Hamas. (AFP)
The sun sets behind heavily damaged residential buildings in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip on February 17, 2025, as people return to northern parts of Gaza during a current ceasefire deal in the war between Israel and Hamas. (AFP)
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Hamas Says Ready to Free All Hostages at Once in Gaza Truce Phase Two

The sun sets behind heavily damaged residential buildings in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip on February 17, 2025, as people return to northern parts of Gaza during a current ceasefire deal in the war between Israel and Hamas. (AFP)
The sun sets behind heavily damaged residential buildings in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip on February 17, 2025, as people return to northern parts of Gaza during a current ceasefire deal in the war between Israel and Hamas. (AFP)

Hamas signaled on Wednesday that it was willing to free all remaining hostages held in Gaza in a single swap during the next phase of an ongoing ceasefire.  

Israel and Hamas are currently in the process of implementing phase one of the fragile truce, which has held since taking effect on January 19 despite accusations of violations on both sides.  

Israel's foreign minister said on Tuesday that talks would begin "this week" on the second phase, which is expected to lay out a more permanent end to the war.

"We have informed the mediators that Hamas is ready to release all hostages in one batch during the second phase of the agreement, rather than in stages as in the current first phase," senior Hamas official Taher al-Nunu told AFP.

He did not clarify how many hostages were currently being held by Hamas or other armed groups.  

Nunu said this step was meant "to confirm our seriousness and complete readiness to move forward in resolving this issue, as well as to continue steps towards cementing the ceasefire and achieving a sustainable truce".  

Under the ceasefire's first phase, 19 Israeli hostages have been released so far in exchange for more than 1,100 Palestinian prisoners freed from Israeli jails in a series of Red Cross-mediated swaps.  

Wednesday's offer came after Israel and Hamas announced a deal for the return of all six remaining living hostages eligible for release under phase one in a single swap this weekend.  

Hamas also agreed on Tuesday to return the bodies of eight dead hostages in two groups this week and next.  

After the completion of the first phase, 58 hostages will remain in Gaza.  

The armed wing of Palestinian Islamic Jihad said on Wednesday that it would release the body of Israeli hostage Oded Lifshitz on Thursday. The group said Lifshitz was one of the hostages killed during Israeli strikes on Gaza.  

- 'Room to pressure Hamas' -  

Muhammad Shehada, of the European Council on Foreign Relations, said that after more than a year of devastating Israeli assault in Gaza, "Hamas wants to prevent the war resuming at any cost", albeit with some "red lines".  

"And one of those red lines is that they should continue to exist, basically, whereas (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu's position is that they should dismantle themselves," he said.  

Since the start of the war, Netanyahu has vowed to destroy Hamas's capacity to fight or govern, something the group has rejected.  

But the appearance that Washington is now in complete alignment with Netanyahu's government, as displayed by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's visit this week, strengthened the Israeli premier's hand in negotiations, according to Michael Horowitz, an expert at the risk management consultancy Le Beck International.  

It gives Netanyahu "more room to pressure Hamas", Horowitz said, adding that US President Donald Trump "prefers that the agreement moves forward, but he's leaving the field open to Netanyahu... as long as the ceasefire is maintained".  

- 'Held onto hope' -

Among the bodies Hamas said it would hand over on Thursday are those of Shiri Bibas and her two young sons, Kfir and Ariel, who have become national symbols in Israel of the hostages' ordeal.  

The boys' father Yarden Bibas was taken hostage separately on October 7, 2023, and was released alive during an earlier hostage-prisoner swap.  

While Hamas said Shiri Bibas and her boys were killed in an Israeli air strike early in the war, Israel has never confirmed this, and many supporters remain unconvinced of their deaths, including members of the Bibas family.  

"I ask that no one eulogize my family just yet. We have held onto hope for 16 months, and we are not giving up now," the boys' aunt, Ofri Bibas, wrote on Facebook late Tuesday following Hamas's announcement.  

Israeli authorities have confirmed that the remains of four hostages are due to be returned on Thursday, although they have not officially named them.  

The International Committee of the Red Cross, which has acted as go-between in the exchanges, called for a respectful handover of the hostages' remains.  

"We once again call for all releases to be conducted in a private and dignified manner, including when they tragically involve the deceased," it said.  

Hamas and its allies took 251 people hostage during the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, of whom 70 remain in Gaza, including 35 the Israeli military says are dead.  

The attack resulted in the deaths of 1,211 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.  

Israel's retaliatory campaign has killed at least 48,297 people in Gaza, the majority of them civilians, according to figures from the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory that the United Nations considers reliable.  

Since the war began, Israeli forces have detained hundreds of Gazans, some of whom have been released in previous rounds of hostage-prisoner exchanges.