Medical sources announced today, Monday, that the death toll in the Gaza Strip has risen to 48,346, the majority of whom are children and women, since the start of the Israeli occupation aggression on October 7, 2023.

The same sources added that the number of injuries has risen to 111,759 since the beginning of the aggression, while a number of victims are still under the rubble, and ambulance and civil defense crews cannot reach them.

It pointed out that 7 dead arrived at Gaza Strip hospitals, 5 of whom had their bodies recovered, and 6 injuries during the past 24 hours.

It is noteworthy that the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip entered into force on January 19, and since it came into effect, a number of citizens have been killed and injured in various parts of the Strip.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar confirmed that the conditions for the day after can be achieved in the Gaza Strip through political or even military means.

Sa'ar stressed, in press statements today, the necessity of completely disarming Gaza and the surrender of Hamas and Jihad, stressing that disarming Gaza and the surrender of Hamas and Jihad is a condition for moving to the next day in the Strip, according to Al Arabiya channel.

Sa'ar stressed that the war in Gaza will not stop before all prisoners are released.

Yesterday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his intention to dismantle Hamas's authority in Gaza.

He added in a speech to a class of army graduates that Israel is "prepared to return to intensive fighting at any moment," according to a report in The Times of Israel.

He also stressed that Hamas will not rule Gaza, noting that his forces will dismantle its fighting force. He also indicated that "victory can be achieved through negotiations or other means," as he put it.

Today, Monday, the Israeli occupation forces set fire to a building in Jenin camp.

The occupation forces also destroyed the infrastructure in Qabatiya, south of Jenin, during their aggression on the area.

About 120 homes were completely demolished in Jenin camp, and dozens of other homes were partially demolished, as part of the Israeli military operation in the West Bank.

The Israeli occupation authorities continue to escalate their arrests and field investigations, particularly in the Jenin governorate and its camp, and Tulkarm and its camps, since the beginning of the current aggression. These operations constitute an extension of the systematic arrest policy, which escalated in level after the war of extermination.

The Prisoners Club stated that in the context of the occupation’s announcement of expanding its military operation in the northern governorates, the number of arrests in the governorates of Jenin and Tulkarm reached about 365 arrests.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates said on Monday that the continuation and deepening of the occupation's aggression against our people will not resolve the conflict or achieve peace, as the Israeli government continues to escalate its aggression against our people, whether in the Gaza Strip or the West Bank, including Jerusalem, and its pillars boast of their incitement to continue the crimes of genocide, displacement, settlement and annexation, by expanding and deepening the aggression in the northern West Bank, and preventing 40,000 citizens from returning to their homes in their camps after they were displaced from them by force of arms.

She added that this comes in the context of an attempt to liquidate the refugee issue on the path to liquidating the Palestinian issue, and to undermine any opportunity to embody the Palestinian state on the ground.

The Ministry considered that the international community's coexistence with the occupation's aggression against our people amounts to complicity, and encourages the Israeli government to persist in implementing its map of interests in the occupied West Bank, which casts doubt on the credibility of countries that claim to adhere to the two-state solution, as long as they do not exert real pressure on the occupying state to stop its aggression and comply with regional and international demands calling for consolidating the calm, and engaging in a real political process that leads to ending the occupation and embodying the State of Palestine on the borders of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The Ministry stressed that international and American recognition of the State of Palestine and enabling it to obtain full membership in the United Nations constitutes a real lever and a necessary prelude to resolving the conflict and achieving peace.

The ceasefire agreement in Gaza entered its 37th day on Monday, while Israel continues to postpone the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners under the seventh batch of the first phase agreement, as the resistance factions released 6 Israeli kidnapped.

All eyes are on the visit of US President Donald Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, who will head to the Middle East on Wednesday to discuss extending the first phase of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

The first phase of the truce ends in early March, and the second phase of the agreement has not yet been agreed upon, as Washington is pushing to extend the first phase. Witkov said: “The first phase must be extended. I will go to the region this week, perhaps on Wednesday, to negotiate that.”

In addition, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened to resume the war on the Gaza Strip, and his office confirmed the postponement of the release of Palestinian prisoners from the first phase agreement, due to what he described as repeated violations by Hamas.

In contrast, Hamas, through its leader Mahmoud Mardawi, said that the movement will not hold any talks with Israel through mediators regarding any step before the release of the Palestinian prisoners who were agreed to be released on Saturday.

US National Security Council spokesman said that US President Donald Trump expressed his support for Israel's decision to postpone the release of 600 Palestinian prisoners.

He added that the US President "is ready to support any path Israel chooses regarding Hamas."

EU High Representative Kaya Kallas and EU foreign ministers should unequivocally condemn Israel’s horrific crimes and other serious violations of international law when they meet with Israel’s foreign minister today at the EU-Israel Association Council, Human Rights Watch said.

“Kallas and the EU foreign ministers must signal that the EU no longer hesitates to recognize and begin to address Israeli war crimes, crimes against humanity – including apartheid – and acts of genocide,” the organization added.

“They should also make clear to Sa’ar that there are consequences for past and current violations, including sanctions on officials involved in ongoing violations and suspension of arms sales. They should also announce a review of Israel’s compliance with its human rights obligations under the EU-Israel Association Agreement, following the request for suspension by Spain and Ireland in February 2024, due to Israel’s serious violations.”

“Business cannot continue as usual in dealing with a government responsible for crimes against humanity, including apartheid, and acts of genocide,” said Claudio Francavilla, associate EU director at Human Rights Watch.

Its current prime minister is wanted by the International Criminal Court for serious crimes. The sole purpose of this Association Council meeting should be to expose those crimes and announce long-overdue measures in response.”

In a letter to EU leaders and member states, 125 civil society organizations, including Human Rights Watch, urged the EU to focus its discussions with Sa’ar on the potential suspension of the treaty. Article 2 of the treaty lists human rights and democratic principles as “essential elements” of the treaty, violations of which could lead to suspension. The EU never responded to Spain and Ireland’s requests.

Human Rights Watch has documented serious violations by Israeli authorities and forces during the hostilities in Gaza and the region, including war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity, including extermination, as well as acts of genocide. Israeli authorities have also ignored three binding orders from the International Court of Justice to take steps to prevent genocide in a case brought by South Africa over Israel’s alleged violation of the UN Genocide Convention.

The Prisoners Club said that the repression operations have escalated significantly in Ofer Prison recently, as an extension of the policy of repression and raids, which constitute one of the most prominent systematic policies against prisoners in the occupation prisons, which reached its peak during the war of extermination and the comprehensive aggression that continues to this day.

The Prisoners Club revealed some details of the repression operations that were recorded in the prison, based on a group of testimonies that the Prisoners Club’s lawyers obtained during the past period, specifically regarding the repression that the prisoners were subjected to on the evening of February 16.

He explained that the suppression operation resulted in varying degrees of injuries among the prisoners, after the heavily armed suppression forces of the occupation prison administration stormed several sections, using police dogs, bombs, and severe beatings. In addition, the cold weather cast its shadow over the suffering of the prisoners inside the prisons, with the prison administration continuing to refuse to bring in sufficient clothing, as well as blankets suitable for the weather conditions, as the prison administration uses the bitter cold as a tool to torture them, in addition to a set of systematic tools and policies that fall within the framework of the crime of torture.

The Prisoners Club had previously highlighted how the prison administration turns prisoners’ injuries into a tool for torturing them. During visits to a number of the injured, they confirmed that they are living in torment due to the constant pain and the lack of necessary treatment for them, in light of the medical crimes that the prison administration is practicing against them, in a systematic manner, and the exacerbation of their suffering due to the severe cold.

The Prisoners Club reviews a group of testimonies from prisoners in Ofer Prison who were recently subjected to repression, in addition to testimonies from wounded detainees and how their conditions worsened due to the lack of treatment and the extremely cold weather conditions.

To view the statements, please see the attached report: https://www.ppsmo.ps/home/studies/17115?culture=ar-SA

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared before the Tel Aviv District Court on Monday to answer corruption charges against him.

The Israeli Army Radio said that this is the 12th time that Netanyahu has appeared before the court (since December 10, 2024).

Netanyahu appears in court for three hours a week to answer corruption charges against him, but Israel's Channel 12 said that Netanyahu requested that his court appearances be reduced from three days a week to two days.

She added that Netanyahu requested a closed session of the court judges in the presence of the Minister of the Occupation Army, Yisrael Katz, to justify the reasons for his request to reduce the number of days he will appear before the court.

She pointed out that the court judges decided before the start of the hearing that the sessions would not extend to more than 14 additional hearings, including Monday.

She pointed out that Netanyahu's defense team is demanding 24 sessions.

The charges in Case 4000 relate to providing facilities to the former owner of the Israeli Walla news website, Shaul Elovitch, who was also an official at the Bezeq telecommunications company, in exchange for positive media coverage.

Netanyahu's trial resumed last December, as he appeared in court twice on December 11 and 12, while his third appearance was on December 16, the fourth on the 18th, and the fifth on the 23rd.

Netanyahu is expected to remain in court until his testimony on the charges against him is completed.

Netanyahu faces charges of corruption, bribery and breach of trust in three corruption cases known as Cases 1000, 2000 and 4000, the most serious of which were filed by former Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit in late November 2019.

"Case 1000" relates to Netanyahu and members of his family receiving valuable gifts from wealthy businessmen, in exchange for providing facilities and assistance to these figures in various fields.

In "Case 2000," he is accused of negotiating with Arnon Moses, publisher of the private Hebrew newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, to obtain positive media coverage.

1. Netanyahu's trial in these cases began in 2020 and is still ongoing. He denies it, claiming that it is a "political campaign aimed at overthrowing him."

Today, Monday, settlers, under the protection of occupation soldiers, burned an agricultural room in the village of Abu Shaban, east of the town of Yatta, south of Hebron.

According to local sources, heavily armed settlers infiltrated under the protection of occupation soldiers, burned down an agricultural room belonging to citizen Ali Ayesh Qaraish, and wrote inflammatory and racist slogans on it.

She pointed out that the settlers, as part of their ongoing attacks aimed at displacing the citizens of Masafer Yatta, south of Hebron, burned the vehicle of citizen Majed Al-Dababseh several days ago in the same area, wrote racist slogans on his house, and tried to storm the house of the Al-Adra family.

In the Jordan Valley, settlers stole a residential tent and its contents last night in Humsa in the northern Jordan Valley.

The settlement file official in Tubas Governorate, Moataz Basharat, reported that the settlers stole an “uninhabited” residential tent, a water tank, and other contents belonging to the citizen Yasser Mahmoud Muhammad Abu Lakbash.

Last month, settlers carried out 318 acts of vandalism and theft of citizens’ property, which affected large areas of land, and resulted in the uprooting of 969 trees, including 960 olive trees, 350 of which were in the Hebron Governorate, 328 in Bethlehem, 160 in Salfit, 100 in Nablus, and 31 in Ramallah.

The rampage of Israel and the actions of its government, ministers and army have reached an unbearable level, in all directions. Is this the healthy life that has been imposed on the peoples and countries on whose borders this rogue state was established, which is based on a policy of flexing muscles by extremists who do not know the meaning of humanity?

No and a thousand times no, our Palestinian people and our neighboring Arab peoples have the right to live with dignity and pride, not to remain oppressed by the actions of this state run by war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu and his reckless Defense Minister Yisrael Katz, who raised the tone and pace of their statements yesterday, and in a low-level language of defiance, without anyone moving a finger to deter Israel and return it to its reality as an occupying state with no rights, and to sever the world’s relations with it, instead of rushing to peace treaties and normalization relations based on American and Israeli blackmail, without achieving any gains or goals.

Netanyahu claims that Israel is fighting to secure its future against monsters that have risen, that it is waging a fierce war on seven fronts, that it is adhering to the goals of the war, which are returning the detainees and destroying Hamas’ capabilities, and that Israel will not abandon its duty to recover all the detainees. He thanks Trump, who has pumped in new and qualitative weapons that will have a major impact on the fighting, and threatens Iran with dismantling its infrastructure and not allowing it to obtain nuclear weapons, and Gaza with the end of Hamas’ rule and the resumption of aggression, and the West Bank with its occupation and the failure of the prisoner exchange deal, and Lebanon with the occupation army remaining in parts of its territory, and Syria with continuing to control Mount Hermon and not allowing the Druze community there to be threatened.

His Defense Minister Katz continues his threatening tone, saying that the agreement with Hamas aims only at the rapid release of the living and dead detainees, and that the fighting will not end except with two goals: the return of all the detainees and the end of Hamas’ rule in Gaza, and that Nasrallah’s funeral is a clear symbol of the defeat that Israel inflicted on Hezbollah, and that he will not allow the Palestinian population to return again to the camps that Israel occupied in the West Bank, in addition to the decision to expand the operation in the West Bank camps, and to send tanks to Jenin for the first time since 2002.

Yesterday, Israel repeatedly violated the ceasefire in Gaza, and continued to target civilians. Yesterday, it also refused to implement the agreement to release the sixth batch of prisoners. Yesterday, it violated Lebanese airspace and bombed a number of targets. It launched a number of its warplanes, which participated in the assassination of Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, to fly over the million-person funeral of the party’s spiritual father and deputy, Hashem Safieddine, in a provocative attempt.

Real estate investor Steve Witkoff, Trump's Middle East envoy, takes the stage to embrace the Israeli theory that Hamas will have no role in running the Strip at the end of the war, and to support Netanyahu in his quest to extend the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, to obtain the largest possible number of detainees.

The United States has allowed Israel to carry out actions that are outside international law, and that contradict charters, treaties and legislation. On top of that, it supports it with weapons and endorses its aggressive behavior in the region. The question is: For how long?

These dangerous statements by Netanyahu and Katz and the aggressive measures are only behind the plan of displacement, ethnic cleansing, liquidation of the refugee issue and the final elimination of the role of UNRWA.

What is required is a complete Arab and international move to boycott Israel, cancel all peace and normalization agreements with it, hold the United States accountable for its support and bias towards Israel, and curb the momentum of Trump and Netanyahu that is going in the opposite direction to humanity and human values.

Since the far-right Bezalel Smotrich presented his plan for the decisive victory in 2017, which included forcing the Palestinians to live as individuals without national rights, or to leave, or to submit to bloody oppression, these policies have been implemented with increasing brutality, until today, the matter has reached an unprecedented escalation in killings and displacement. The Israeli occupation no longer leaves the Palestinians with only two options: death or displacement. This is the bloody doctrine that is being implemented today on the ground in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and Jerusalem, where Israel is completing its plan to uproot the Palestinian presence.

As part of this strategy, Israel is implementing a systematic plan for 2025, which aims to demolish what the Palestinians are building in the West Bank faster than they can rebuild it, with the aim of creating a reality that makes life impossible. American support for these policies is clearly demonstrated by the delivery of a huge shipment of 1,800 MK-84 bombs, each weighing one ton, to the occupation, reflecting the intention to continue the aggression with the most deadly weapons.

American support was not limited to armament, but extended to reviving projects for the forced displacement of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to Jordan and Egypt, in a dangerous shift from the policy of managing the conflict to resolving it definitively in Israel’s favor, after decades of using time as a tool for evasion and usurping more land at the expense of Palestinian rights.

Despite the announcement of a ceasefire in Gaza, crimes continue, as occupation soldiers deliberately fire live ammunition randomly at residential areas and tents housing the displaced, as if it is just a pastime for them. Meanwhile, occupation bulldozers in the West Bank, especially in Jenin camp, continue to demolish homes and open military roads, as part of a plan aimed at dismantling the Palestinian social fabric and undermining any possibility of steadfastness and any appearance of adherence to the right of return, which is one of the central consequences of the right to self-determination. However, the West Bank and its camps continue to stand firm and refuse to surrender despite the destruction, to confirm once again that the land will not be abandoned and that blood will not be compromised.

In light of the ongoing Israeli crimes, new attempts are emerging to weaken the Palestine Liberation Organization, the latest of which was the so-called "National Conference" held in the Qatari capital, Doha, which seeks to implement external agendas that deepen the Palestinian division. The real solution lies in reform from within the Palestine Liberation Organization, while enhancing national political awareness to develop realistic and achievable strategies, in a way that rebuilds the comprehensive Palestinian national project, based on respect for intellectual pluralism and ensuring that a single vision is not imposed on the Palestinian people.

The emergency Arab Summit on March 4, 2025 is a crucial opportunity to reassess the role of the Arab League in addressing regional and international challenges, especially with regard to the Palestinian issue. If Arab countries are able to unify their positions and take effective decisions, this could represent a turning point towards enhancing Arab ability to influence the course of events at the political and diplomatic levels. However, the biggest challenge remains the ability of Arab countries to overcome the differences in their internal interests, which requires a new vision and collective courage to work to achieve the interests of the nation and confront foreign interventions and attempts to change the balance of power in the region.

What is happening today is not just a military escalation, but rather part of a programmed strategy to liquidate the Palestinian cause through the extermination of the Palestinian people or their forced displacement. The United States, which has always benefited from igniting wars to advance its economic and military interests, is a major participant in these plans through its continued support for Israel, which allows it to commit massacres without real criticism or actual deterrent measures from the West and the international community in general. The October 7 operation came in the context of a long conflict with the occupation, and was exploited to ignite hysteria against the Palestinians, just as the events of September 11 were exploited to justify wars in the region.

In conclusion, steadfastness remains the only option to confront attempts to erase the Palestinian presence, and strengthening national unity under the umbrella of the Palestine Liberation Organization forms the basis for building a comprehensive strategy aimed at establishing and protecting Palestinian rights. Popular political awareness and Arab and international solidarity remain essential factors in confronting American-Israeli brutality, and despite the great challenges, the Palestinian people remain steadfast in their positions, determined to defend their land and rights until achieving freedom and complete emancipation from the occupation and establishing an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.

The Arab Parliament will hold an emergency session on Palestine under the slogan "Rebuilding Gaza is a duty...and displacing its people is a crime" next Wednesday at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the Arab League in Cairo.

The Arab Parliament said in a statement that the emergency Palestine session will be preceded today by a meeting of the Palestine Committee to discuss developments in the Palestinian territories.

The White House announced on Sunday, on behalf of US President Donald Trump, the president's support for Israel's decision to postpone the release of more than 600 Palestinian prisoners.

The White House claimed that this came in response to the "brutal treatment" of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

"The postponement of the release of prisoners is an appropriate response to Hamas' actions," National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes said in a statement.

He also said that "US President Donald Trump is ready to support Israel in any path it chooses regarding the armed Palestinian movement."

For his part, Hamas leader Mahmoud Mardawi said on Sunday that the movement will not hold any talks with Israel through mediators (Egypt and Qatar) regarding any step before the release of the Palestinian prisoners who were agreed to be released yesterday, Saturday.

Mardawi added, in a statement published on the Telegram platform, stressing that "there will be no talk with the enemy through mediators in any step before the release of the prisoners agreed upon to be released in exchange for the 6 Israeli prisoners (released on Saturday and 4 bodies on Thursday)."

He added: "The mediators must oblige the enemy to implement the agreement."

During Thursday, Friday and Saturday, the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, handed over 10 Israeli prisoners, including 6 living ones, to the International Committee of the Red Cross to be delivered to Tel Aviv as part of an agreement stipulating that Israel release 620 Palestinian prisoners from its prisons.

Despite Hamas fulfilling its pledge under the agreement, Israel did not release the Palestinian prisoners.

On Sunday morning, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed in a statement that the decision to postpone the release of Palestinian prisoners would continue until the next batch was released, without what it described as “humiliating decrees.”

Netanyahu's office claimed that "Hamas deliberately insults the dignity of the prisoners and exploits them to promote political goals."

US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said on Sunday he would travel to the region in the coming days to try to negotiate an extension of the first phase of a ceasefire and hostage release agreement between Israel and Hamas, which is due to expire at the end of the week.

“We have to get an extension to Phase One, so I’ll be going to the region this week, probably Wednesday, to negotiate that,” Witkoff told CNN, later telling CBS that his trip would include stops in Qatar, Egypt, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.

This was the first time the Trump administration had publicly stated its goal of extending the first phase, amid growing speculation that this was Israel’s preference, given Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government’s aversion to even negotiating the terms of the second phase, let alone implementing it.

For his part, Witkoff has spoken of his desire to implement the second phase of the agreement, but he and other US officials have increasingly defended Israel's right to resume the war against Hamas, as disgust in Washington with the terrorist group has reached a fever pitch.

“We hope to have the appropriate time … to start phase two, to finish it and release more hostages,” Trump’s top aide said Sunday. “We will get to phase two … I think that will happen.”

1. The Israeli occupation forces arrested, at dawn today, Monday, a number of citizens in the West Bank governorates.

Local sources reported that the occupation forces arrested the young man, Muhammad Nasser Yousef Hamed (19), after storming his home in the town of Silwad, northeast of Ramallah, while they arrested the citizen Bilal Hosni Dar Yousef (48), after storming his home in the town of Kobar, northwest of the governorate.

The sources added that the occupation army raided several homes during its storming of the towns of Deir Dibwan, east of Ramallah, and Beit Rima, northwest of the city.

In Nablus, occupation vehicles and machinery stormed several areas in the city twice in a row at dawn today and in the morning hours, including Rafidia, Al-Maajin, Imam Ali, Baker, and Abu Obeida streets. They raided a number of homes, searched them, and tampered with their contents. They also arrested two citizens whose identities are not yet known.

In Hebron, the occupation forces arrested the citizen Jihad Omar Jaradat in the town of Sa’ir, who is a former prisoner, and severely beat his son, seized his vehicle, and wreaked havoc on the contents of his home.

The Israeli occupation forces continue their aggression on the cities of Tulkarm and Jenin.

**Tulkarm**

The occupation forces continue their aggression on the city and its camp for the 29th consecutive day, and on Nour Shams camp for the 16th day, amid military reinforcements, and the continuation of house raids and targeting of infrastructure.

Local sources reported that the occupation forces sent additional military reinforcements to the city of Tulkarm and its two camps, Tulkarm and Nour Shams, and deployed infantry squads in the streets and neighborhoods, while continuing to raid and search citizens' homes, vandalize and destroy their contents, and even empty homes, turning them into military barracks.

The occupation forces are still imposing a strict siege on the Tulkarm and Nour Shams camps, preventing entry into or exit from them, and obstructing the work of relief crews while they are trying to deliver food and essential supplies to the residents who remained in their homes in some of the camps’ neighborhoods, amid daily appeals to secure the arrival of their basic needs of food, water, medicine and baby milk.

Eyewitnesses said that after searching and investigating the families who are still in their homes inside Tulkarm camp, it was found that they are distributed in the neighborhoods of Al-Hadaida, Al-Hamam, Qaqun, Abu Al-Foul, and Al-Rabaia, and one family in the Al-Madaris neighborhood, and another in the Daba Umm Jawhar area, and the majority of them are women, the elderly, and children, as they suffer from harsh and difficult living conditions amidst the siege and destruction, and the interruption of electricity, water, and communications services, and the prevention of their exit and movement, which deepens the extent of their suffering and exposes them to danger.

In Nour Shams camp, the occupation forces are still deployed in a number of its neighborhoods that are surrounded by destruction and vandalism, especially in Al-Manshiyya, Al-Shuhada, Al-Jami’ and Al-Joura. They raid homes, destroy their contents, abuse their residents and subject them to interrogation amid threats and intimidation.

The occupation forces also increased their military presence, including heavy machinery and bulldozers, along the Nablus Road that connects the Tulkarm and Nour Shams camps, especially around the residential buildings that they seize and turn into military barracks, obstructing the movement of vehicles, subjecting them to inspection and interrogation of their passengers, and in many cases abusing them.

In the context, the occupation forces deployed in the city streets, obstructing the movement of citizens and vehicles, which they deliberately damaged, while raiding shops in the southern neighborhood, abusing their owners and detaining them for hours before releasing them.

The occupation forces also stormed the Dhnaba suburb east of the city and toured its neighborhoods, searching and combing several intersections, without any arrests being reported.

The occupation forces continue to close the gate of the Jabara checkpoint at the southern entrance to the city of Tulkarm for the 17th consecutive day, isolating the city from the villages and towns of Al-Kafriyat and the rest of the West Bank governorates.

**fetal**

The Israeli occupation army continues its aggression on the city of Jenin and its camp for the thirty-fifth consecutive day, leaving 27 martyrs and dozens of injuries.

In an escalation of the aggression, the occupation army expanded its aggression on the governorate and stormed a number of its towns, amidst deliberate sabotage and destruction of the infrastructure and streets. In a dangerous development, the occupation sent a unit of tanks to the city of Jenin yesterday, Sunday, where it stormed the city from its western entrance, and reached the vicinity of Jenin camp and the Jabriyat area in the city.

The occupation army continued its storming of the town of Qabatiya, south of the city, for the second consecutive day, where the occupation stormed the town and imposed a curfew for 48 hours, while its bulldozers destroyed the infrastructure, water and electricity lines, and swept away streets and citizens’ properties. It also seized citizens’ homes and turned them into military barracks, and the occupation arrested a number of citizens, the identities of some of whom are unknown in light of the ongoing aggression.

The occupation forces sent military reinforcements accompanied by bulldozers to the town of Qabatiya, continuing their storming of it.

In the town of Al-Yamoun, west of Jenin, the occupation forces bulldozed the streets, deployed snipers and infantry squads in the town, raided citizens’ homes and interrogated them. The occupation forces also stormed the town of Al-Silah Al-Harithiya and forced citizens to close their shops.

This morning, the occupation forces stormed the town of Burqin, west of the city of Jenin, and its bulldozers carried out widespread destruction and sabotage in the streets and infrastructure, especially around the Al-Abarah roundabout.

On Saturday, the Israeli occupation isolated the homes of citizens west of Jenin camp with barbed wire after forcing them to evacuate them.

The extensive and massive destruction left by the occupation bulldozers inside the camp’s neighborhoods is revealed, as it destroyed citizens’ homes and properties, and greatly changed the camp’s landmarks and geography, and opened roads and streets in some neighborhoods, while expanding streets in other neighborhoods.

Infantry squads of occupation soldiers were deployed in several areas of Jenin camp, near Shireen Abu Akleh roundabout, Talat al-Ghabz, and the new camp.

For the 35th consecutive day, the occupation continues to seize a number of citizens’ homes and turn them into military barracks, especially in buildings close to and overlooking Jenin camp, while residents of the homes and buildings close to them face difficulties in entering, exiting and moving due to the constant presence of snipers, which puts their lives at risk. According to sources in the Jenin Municipality and the Jenin Camp Services Center, the occupation has completely demolished about 120 homes, in addition to partially demolishing dozens of homes and properties inside the camp.

It is estimated that the number of detainees in Jenin has reached approximately 160 citizens, as the occupation continues to carry out widespread arrests from the city and the rest of the towns and villages in the governorate on an almost daily basis.

During the 1987 Intifada, extremist Rabbi Moshe Levinger took up residence on the street opposite Deheishe camp, which was surrounded by barbed wire and towering iron gates that only allowed people to pass through individually.

The camp, which is inhabited by about 12,000 refugees, was and still is witnessing national unity among all colors of the national spectrum, as the desire to remain in it and expand it remained a goal for all forces, which viewed it like its three solid mountains, which the extended families of sons and daughters climbed, so the mountains became a fence and an extension rich with people.

Cities cannot be imagined without their camps, just as they cannot be imagined without their mountains, valleys, and plains. The camps have become a topographical extension of the cities, and a human, cultural, and militant reservoir that produces minds that have drawn from the wellspring of knowledge and science in UNRWA schools. Education was, and still is, a capital, and one of the largest fixed and solid assets for refugee families.

Destroying the camps, by reoccupying them, bulldozing them, and displacing their inhabitants, is a vengeful behavior, driven by impulses of arrogance and dreams of expansion, and an attempt to seize the keys to the ancient houses hidden in the depths of hearts, and hanging on the eyelashes of eyes, generation after generation.

The northern camps were emptied of residents, and tanks entered them to reside in them for a year, during which their homes were leveled to the ground, their features changed, and return to them was prevented, after the seals were removed from the guardian of dreams.

Away from the brassy language and throaty speeches, there is no weapon that disturbs Israel more than the weapon of demographics, whose numbers are increasing between the river and the sea in a promising geometric progression.

Dr. Ghassan Al-Khatib: Israel will return to its aggression on the Gaza Strip, whether before or after the second stage, because it did not achieve a sufficient victory

Dr. Abdul Wahab Al-Qassab: The outcomes of Trump’s visit to Riyadh may be a decisive factor in determining his position on the crisis in the Gaza Strip

Mansour Abu Karim: Hamas's actions are a provocation to the occupation, both its military and political institutions, and increase the chances of escalation

Dr. Saeed Shaheen: I rule out that the resistance will take any action that could give the occupation any pretext to violate the ceasefire agreement.

Abdul Marouf: The ceasefire agreement reached under American and Arab sponsorship has taken a path that is not easy to reverse

Wadih Awawdeh: The war option that the far-right government is threatening is not easy because its army is suffering from great exhaustion and bleeding

Anyone who follows the statements of Israeli officials, most notably Benjamin Netanyahu, and the threats and intimidation they issue, the latest of which was after the mistake of handing over a replacement body for the body of the Israeli Sheri Bibas, and after his theatrical storming of the city of Tulkarm, believes that a return to war is just around the corner, and that what is happening is nothing more than a “warrior’s rest” to recover the largest number of Israeli detainees before returning to the language of cannons, planes, bombing, killing, destruction, and perhaps forced displacement.

What increases these fears are the weekly “shows of force” carried out by the resistance, led by the Al-Qassam Brigades, during the operations to hand over Israeli prisoners, and the massive deployment of fighters with weapons they captured from the Israeli army and the unprecedented organization and arrangement that accompanies this, which provokes the ire of the occupying state at all its political and military levels, and at the same time provokes the anger of the Israeli street towards Netanyahu and his right-wing coalition, which has always boasted that it has inflicted heavy losses on the resistance, only to find out that all it has done is kill and wound nearly two hundred thousand Palestinians, the majority of whom are civilians, and cause massive destruction to all the buildings and infrastructure in the Strip.

Writers and analysts who spoke to "I" did not rule out that the occupying state would return to its aggression, considering that Hamas's measures constitute a provocation to the Israeli military and political establishments, and increase the chances of escalation again. However, they considered that the outcomes of Trump's visit to Riyadh could be a decisive factor in determining his position on the crisis in the Gaza Strip.

Resumption of the war on Gaza is a very high possibility

Political analyst Dr. Ghassan Al-Khatib believes that the resumption of the war on Gaza is a very high possibility, and unfortunately almost inevitable, pointing out that this may happen before or after the second stage.

Al-Khatib said, "It is not clear whether the negotiations will allow for a transition to the second phase, or will lead to a bridge between the two phases, or perhaps lead to a confrontation between them."

“Whether before or after the second phase ends, Israel will inevitably resume its aggression against the Gaza Strip,” he added, explaining that the reason for this is the internal political situation in Israel, which reflects a general feeling, both among the public and the political elite, that things are not going in Israel’s favor. The current balance also indicates that Hamas still controls the Gaza Strip, which Israel considers a defeat, or at least a failure to achieve a sufficient victory, which will push the Israeli leadership to modify its image, especially in light of the preparations for the upcoming elections, and to attempt to renew the fighting to adjust the balance in its favor.

Al-Khatib pointed out that the current ceasefire ended in an unfavorable way for Israel, according to the estimates of most political circles there, which was negatively reflected in the results of public opinion polls in favor of Netanyahu and those he represents.

Trump has in principle opened the door to the displacement of the residents of the Strip

Al-Khatib stressed that US President Donald Trump had opened the door, in principle, to the issue of displacing the residents of Gaza, which is very tempting for Israel, but not necessarily in the same literal way that Trump spoke of, such as transferring two million Palestinians from Gaza to Sinai or Jordan.

He explained that Israel realizes that it has experience and knowledge that exceed this direct proposal, but it is concerned with the same principle, meaning that Trump approved the principle of displacement, but how to achieve it is a matter that Israel is planning in different ways.

According to Al-Khatib, what is currently happening in Israel requires two basic things: putting more pressure on the society in Gaza, to push it to accept the idea of leaving, and controlling all border crossings, whether land or sea, with the Gaza Strip, to arrange the immigration operations that Israel seeks.

A decisive and important visit to Riyadh

For his part, Dr. Abdul Wahab Al-Qassab, a member of the World Institute for Arab Renewal and a visiting senior fellow at the Arab Center - Washington, said that the outcomes of former US President Donald Trump’s visit to Riyadh could be a decisive factor in determining his position on the crisis in the Gaza Strip, especially since he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and a number of Arab leaders, under the auspices of the Saudi Crown Prince.

Regarding whether a return to war is possible given the risks of displacement through killing and opening safe passages for Gazans to exit via Israel, and whether this scenario is possible, Al-Qassab added: “What we expect to happen depends on the outcome of Trump’s visit to Riyadh, where he will meet with Russian President Putin, and perhaps other Arab leaders under the auspices of the Saudi Crown Prince, who will use his position as host and the capabilities of his country to change Trump’s position. This is possible, given that Trump is a deal-maker who looks at everything from the perspective of profit and loss, and hence cooperation with Saudi Arabia and adopting the Arab point of view may be a gain for him, not a loss.”

Trump faces pressure over support for war criminal

Al-Qassab explained that “Trump faces multiple pressures that he must take into account when making his decisions, especially since he supports a war criminal (Netanyahu) convicted by a court recognized and funded by the United States. Israel itself is stigmatized as an occupying entity under the decisions of the International Court of Justice in The Hague, an institution recognized by the United States and in which it has a representative when it ruled on the invalidity of the Zionist occupation of Palestine.

Therefore, these two factors constitute great pressure on the current American administration, despite the Zionist penetration into American decision-making circles.

He pointed out that there is clear discontent within the Republican Party, as some of its leaders have expressed dissatisfaction with Trump's clear bias in supporting a convicted war criminal, to the point that the latter has been forced to avoid flying over European countries that abide by the decisions of the International Criminal Court, for fear of executing arrest warrants against him.

Al-Qassab stressed that Trump has placed himself in obligations that are difficult for him to fulfill, especially with the escalation of internal challenges he faces in the United States, in addition to the dissatisfaction of Europe and Canada, two of Washington's most important allies, with his positions.

Al-Qassab concluded his statement to Al-Quds by saying: “As I mentioned previously, the Riyadh summit will be decisive in resolving this crisis, if the Arabs, led by Saudi Arabia, make good use of the opportunity provided to them by their presidency of this summit. Let us wait and see.”

Israeli and American threats to return to war in a more severe way

In turn, writer and researcher Mansour Abu Karim said that stopping the deal at the first stage is an expected scenario, especially in light of the Israeli and American threats to return to war more intensely, as a result of Israel not achieving its goals so far. In addition, the military parades in Gaza are a source of concern for the political and popular levels in Israel, and are fueling internal anger towards the Gaza Strip and Hamas.

Abu Karim added: The return of war and the end of the deal at the first stage is one of the options on the table due to the political changes within the Israeli government, and the continued Israeli popular anger towards Hamas’s practices, especially with regard to the prisoners’ file and the handover of the remains of Israelis.

He pointed out that Hamas's actions are considered a provocation to the Israeli military and political establishment, which increases the chances of a renewed military escalation.

He stressed that this scenario may help Israel implement Trump's plan to displace the residents of the Gaza Strip abroad, a plan that serves Israel demographically and strategically, because it reduces the population density on its southern borders, which has been a constant pressure factor throughout the conflict.

Focus on the West Bank after finishing Gaza

Abu Karim explained that removing the Palestinians from Gaza would enable Israel to focus on the West Bank and repeat the same scenario there, in light of Smotrich and Ben Gvir’s efforts to achieve what is known as the “conflict resolution plan,” which pushes for the forcible expulsion of the Palestinians from the West Bank for religious, political, and security reasons.

Abu Karim concluded his statement to Al-Quds by saying: The possibility of the deal stopping at the first stage and not moving to the second stage is expected, given the calculations within the Israeli government, Netanyahu’s efforts to maintain his government coalition, in addition to exploiting Trump’s presence in the White House as a contributing factor to achieving the war’s goals.

He added: This scenario may also contribute to the implementation of the forced displacement plan, which represents a major shift in the political, security and demographic landscape of the conflict.

The Palestinian resistance showed great flexibility.

For his part, Dr. Saeed Shaheen, Professor of Political Media at Hebron University, said that the Palestinian resistance showed great flexibility and made concessions in exchange for stopping the war of extermination that turned Gaza into an uninhabitable area.

He ruled out that the Palestinian resistance would take any action that would give the Israeli occupier any pretext to violate the agreement and start a new round of aggression against Gaza.

Shaheen added: "However, the option of resuming the war remains as long as Netanyahu responds to the blackmail of religious fascism and the extremists of the ruling right, who are looking to eliminate Hamas after the rounds of prisoner exchanges and the messages sent by the resistance to Israel and its allies that it still holds the reins of affairs and has not weakened as Israel and its supporters imagined.

Trump's threats embolden Netanyahu and his gang

He continued: What makes Netanyahu's extremist government more intransigent towards resuming the aggression is Trump's repetition of his provocative statement regarding turning Gaza into hell if the Palestinian resistance violates the agreement, which encouraged Netanyahu and his gang to try to evade the agreement by not adhering to its terms, especially the entry of relief supplies, the removal of rubble, and the evacuation of the wounded.

He believes that this matter is pushing Hamas to show great concern about implementing the terms of the agreement, for fear that Netanyahu, who is facing unprecedented pressure from the extreme right, will evade it, and that they will miss the opportunity to prevent the implementation of their threats and plans aimed at displacing the residents of Gaza.

Shaheen confirmed at the end of his statement to Al-Quds that the resistance still has the ability to enter into any future confrontation.

The Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip and the West Bank will continue in various forms

Writer and political analyst Abdul Marouf said that the immediate goal of the Israeli war of extermination in the Gaza Strip after October 7, 2023 is to release the Israeli prisoners and crush and destroy the Hamas movement and the Palestinian resistance factions in the Strip.

He pointed out that the strategic Israeli goal is to spread despair and frustration among the Palestinian people and achieve an advanced step towards liquidating the Palestinian national cause.

Marouf explained that the Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people will continue in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank in various forms, in light of the Israeli bet on its strength and coercion, and in light of the weakness and decline of the Palestinian political and military structure compared to what it was during the past years, or at least compared to the Palestinian capabilities before Operation Flood of Al-Aqsa.

He believes that Tel Aviv is betting on the continuation of its aggression on the state of Palestinian division and the inability of the factions to unify their position on fateful issues and political options.

He said: The Israeli occupation still believes that it is the strongest and in a victorious position, and is betting on its strength and coercion and on the state of Palestinian disintegration and division.

Military control over the Strip and opening safe corridors for migration

Marouf stressed that the conflict will continue in different forms in the Gaza Strip, but not in the form it was in last year, noting that the ceasefire agreement under American and Arab sponsorship took a path that is not easy to reverse, and there will be no chance for a large-scale war in the Gaza Strip, as there was during a year and a half.

He explained that the Israeli government will continue the aggression to achieve its goals through:

- Military control over the Gaza Strip by land, sea and air, and directing military strikes, air raids and ground incursions from time to time.

- Opening safe corridors in all directions to facilitate the voluntary exit and migration of Gazans from the Gaza Strip after life in the Strip turns into hell.

- Continued Israeli, American and Arab pressure on the Palestinian side to make more concessions that guarantee security and stability for the Hebrew state.

Marouf stated that in light of the current military and political scene in the Gaza Strip today and its extensions to the West Bank and the region, it is not expected that the second phase of the ceasefire agreement will be disrupted. He attributed this to the fact that both parties to the conflict have an interest in stopping the comprehensive war and continuing to implement the agreement, especially the exchange of prisoners between Tel Aviv and Hamas. He explained that the Israeli government is still under pressure from the families of prisoners held by the Palestinian factions, and Hamas and the factions are under pressure from the internal Palestinian political situation and the humanitarian conditions facing the Strip.

He added: "It is possible that Netanyahu's government will resort to procrastination, delay, and gain time and postponement, and Hamas and the factions in Gaza will continue to work to show off their strength, adhere to their principles and slogans, and reject the Israeli blackmail policy, but that will not prevent the implementation of the second phase of the agreement."

Escalation to pressure Hamas and the Arabs to make concessions

For his part, the expert on Israeli affairs, Wadih Awawdeh, confirmed that the war option that Israel is threatening is not easy from a practical standpoint, pointing out that the Israeli army is suffering from exhaustion and heavy bleeding, in light of the American administration’s rush to reach a broader political deal.

Awawdeh explained that the military escalation is part of the pressure on Hamas and the Arabs, with the aim of pushing them to make concessions, whether with regard to Hamas’s authority in Gaza or the weapons file.

He believed that the current priority is to exert pressure and move towards a settlement, but that is conditional on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu maintaining his government coalition, especially in light of the great internal pressures.

He pointed out that Netanyahu seeks to extend the first phase of the war and not move directly to the second phase, as stipulated in the original framework agreement, because the next phase includes decisive political dimensions, such as ending the war and a complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, which could lead to the disintegration of the Israeli government.

Israel is heading towards a settlement scenario!

Awawdeh added: Netanyahu is waiting to achieve several goals before taking any decisive step, most notably consolidating his internal coalition, obtaining more support and aid from Washington, in addition to intensifying American and Israeli pressure on Arab countries to find a solution to the Hamas issue, as the movement is being pushed to choose between remaining in power or the future of the entire Gaza Strip.

Awawdeh concluded his interview with Al-Quds by stressing that his reading, based on various Israeli data, leads him to believe that Israel is heading towards a settlement scenario, but it is still linked to complex internal and regional factors.

The Vatican announced on Sunday that Pope Francis, 88, remains in critical condition due to early kidney failure, based on the results of recent blood tests.

However, the statement confirmed that the Pope is awake and aware, and his condition is stable.

Pope Francis is suffering from pneumonia and a complicated lung infection, and the Vatican said he has not had any new respiratory crises since Saturday night, but he still needs to receive large amounts of supplemental oxygen.

Tests also showed a decrease in the number of platelets, which are necessary for blood clotting, but this decrease remained stable.

Doctors explained that the Pope's health condition is complex, which requires caution in forecasting the development of his health condition, with the need to monitor the effect of the drug treatments provided to him.

Pope Francis was transferred to the Gemelli Hospital in Rome on February 14, after suffering from breathing difficulties for several days, and was diagnosed with double pneumonia.

Due to his health condition, the Vatican announced that the Pope will not appear in public on Sunday to lead the usual weekly Mass, for the second week in a row.

It is worth noting that Pope Francis suffered from pleurisy in his youth, which led to the removal of part of one of his lungs, which makes him more susceptible to respiratory complications.

Under these circumstances, the Vatican continues to closely monitor the health of Pope Francis, expressing hope that his health will improve in the coming days.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on Sunday for "southern Syria to be completely demilitarized," saying that Tel Aviv would not allow the new administration's forces to deploy south of the capital, Damascus.

"We will not allow the forces of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham or the new Syrian army to enter the area south of Damascus," Netanyahu said in a speech to a new batch of officers in Holon, south of Tel Aviv.

"We demand complete disarmament in southern Syria," he continued.

"demilitarized zone"

With the fall of Bashar al-Assad on December 8, Israel sent forces to the demilitarized buffer zone in the Golan Heights in southwestern Syria on the borders of the plateau that Israel occupied in 1967 and annexed in 1981.

Netanyahu said that Israeli forces "will remain in the Mount Hermon area and its surroundings for an indefinite period of time to protect our towns and confront any threat."

He added that Israel will maintain its positions there as a defensive measure and as necessary.

Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad, Israel has launched hundreds of strikes on military sites of the former regime in Syria, stressing that it wants to prevent the arsenal from falling into the hands of the new administration's forces.

During the Syrian war that broke out in 2011, Israel launched hundreds of strikes targeting the positions of the Syrian army and its allies, especially the Lebanese Hezbollah and Iran.

Syria is demanding that Israel withdraw its forces from the country. The United Nations says that Israel's incursion into Syrian territory is a violation of international agreements and has called for the withdrawal of forces.

US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said on Sunday that the United States expects the second phase of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas to go ahead, revealing that he will visit the Middle East this week.

Witkoff made the remarks in an interview with CNN when asked about Israel's decision to delay the release of Palestinian prisoners and his expectations for how developments in the region would affect the ceasefire.

"The first phase must be extended... I will go to the region this week, maybe Wednesday, to negotiate that," he said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office had said that Tel Aviv would not hand over the seventh batch of 620 Palestinian prisoners and detainees "until the release of the next hostages is guaranteed, and without a humiliating ceremony." Hamas handed over six detainees from Gaza on Saturday.

Today, Netanyahu said at a graduation ceremony for officers in the Holon area, "We are prepared to resume intensive fighting at any moment. Our operational plans are ready."

"In Gaza, we have eliminated most of the organized Hamas forces, but there is no doubt that we will achieve the goals of the war in full, whether through negotiations or by other means," he continued.

Hamas: No talks before prisoners' release

Some Israeli detainees and Palestinian prisoners were released as part of a three-phase ceasefire in Gaza that went into effect before Donald Trump took office on January 20.

In contrast, Hamas leader Mahmoud Mardawi said on Sunday that the movement will not hold any talks with Israel through mediators (Egypt and Qatar) regarding any step before the release of the Palestinian prisoners whose release was agreed upon yesterday, Saturday.

Mardawi added, in a statement published on the Telegram platform: "There will be no talk with the enemy through mediators in any step before the release of the prisoners agreed upon to be released in exchange for the 6 Israeli prisoners (released on Saturday and 4 bodies)."

A number of citizens suffered from suffocation, Sunday evening, during the Israeli occupation forces' storming of the town of Qusra, south of Nablus.

Anti-settlement activist Fouad Hassan reported that the occupation forces stormed Qusra, firing gunfire and tear gas canisters at homes, which led to a number of citizens suffering from suffocation.

It is noteworthy that the town of Qasra is exposed to repeated daily raids by the occupation forces, which include confrontations and suffocation injuries.

Today, Sunday, the Government Communication Center issued its weekly report on the most important government developmental and advancement interventions during the past week, which included various sectors in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, most notably:

Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa directed the provision of shelters and the needs of the displaced in the northern West Bank, with a focus on the Jenin, Tulkarm and Nour Shams camps, stressing the need to prepare plans and resources to rebuild what was destroyed by the occupation and strengthen the steadfastness of the citizens.

This came during a meeting with the concerned ministers to discuss emergency government interventions, stressing the role of UNRWA in supporting Palestinian refugees.

The meeting reviewed the recent government interventions in northern Safa, where dozens of relief trucks were dispatched and a budget was allocated to secure shelters, in addition to interventions during the last three months exceeding 28 million shekels.

The Prime Minister briefed a delegation from the European Parliament on the developments in Palestine and the government's efforts to implement the relief and early recovery plan for the needs of our people in Gaza and the West Bank. He stressed the importance of strengthening the Palestinian-European dialogue and partnership, emphasizing that the priority in Gaza is to provide temporary shelter, restore basic services and prepare the infrastructure. He also reviewed the developments in the West Bank, pointing to the continued aggression of the occupation on the north, where more than 40,000 Palestinians have been displaced and homes and infrastructure have been demolished.

The Ministry of Social Development continues to implement its emergency plan to support displaced and affected families in the northern West Bank governorates, where thousands of food and health parcels have been prepared in the warehouses of the Development Directorate in Jenin, which are being distributed extensively to displaced families. Financial aid worth 2,381,864 shekels has also been provided by several donor institutions since the beginning of the aggression on the northern West Bank. The ministry has dispatched 17 trucks loaded with health, food and shelter parcels. Within the framework of the international partnership, the ministry signed an agreement with the Chinese government to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza worth 20 million yuan. Activities were also organized for the elderly in Nablus and training for abused women in Bethlehem within the "My Work, My Hope" project, in addition to implementing the "Warm Winter" campaign in Yatta to support needy families.

The Ministry of Education and Higher Education has opened several projects in Salfit Governorate, including Haris Boys Secondary School with European and French funding amounting to 800 thousand Euros, in addition to educational facilities at Deir Istiya School with local support. It also launched the "Our Blood is One" campaign to donate blood to our people in Gaza in cooperation with the Ministry of Health, and held a meeting with the Ministry of Jerusalem Affairs to discuss the challenges of education in the governorate.

A delegation from the ministry concluded training courses in Jordan on school theatre and participated in a meeting in Brussels on electronic twinning. The minister discussed with the presidents of the universities in the Gaza Strip ways to relieve education in the sector and return to face-to-face education.

The Ministry, in cooperation with the General Personnel Council, organized a training workshop on the performance evaluation system in education, due to its role in advancing Palestinian society. The Minister of Education signed a cooperation agreement with the Director of GIZ Programs, to complete the "More Job Opportunities for Palestinian Youth" program with support from the German government. Regarding the education of prisoners, the Minister met with the released prisoner Zakaria Zubeidi, who briefed him on the educational conditions in the occupation prisons.

The Ministry of Public Works and Housing continued to identify shelter sites in the Gaza Strip, where 186 sites were visited out of 245 proposed sites for temporary shelters, while ensuring basic criteria such as location, area, availability of basic services, and safety. The establishment of the first shelter center in Beit Lahia, with an area of 13 dunums and 215 tents, was also followed up, in partnership with the Arab International Reconstruction Authority and UNDP. The Ministry is in the process of developing a guide for managing temporary shelter sites in consultation with partners, in partnership with the Arab Reconstruction Authority, roads were opened and 40,000 tons of rubble were removed in Gaza City and Beit Lahia-Jabalia, and roads were opened and 26,000 tons of rubble were managed in partnership with UNDP, where 290 tons were used to prepare the roads.

The Minister of Agriculture inaugurated a number of solar energy units to operate agricultural wells in Marouj Jios and the village of Flamia in Qalqilya Governorate, with funding from the governments of Finland and Austria, supervision of the ministry and implementation by the United Nations Development Program.

The Ministry also completed the rehabilitation of three agricultural water collection tanks in Tamoun, with a capacity of 500 cups per tank, to serve more than 300 farmers, with funding from the German government. The Ministry and Agricultural Relief distributed agricultural production inputs (irrigation networks, nets, spray motors, water pumps, fertilizers, tanks) for the benefit of 28 farmers in Beit Ummar/Hebron with funding from the World Food Program, and distributed irrigation networks, water tanks and organic fertilizer to 15 farmers in Yatta in cooperation with the Palestinian Center for Economic and Social Development.

2,400 olive seedlings were distributed to farmers in Bethlehem in cooperation with the YMCA. The Ministry signed agreements with ARIJ to support farmers in Area C in Tubas and the northern Jordan Valley, in addition to rehabilitating 14 dunums of greenhouses and 8 agricultural ponds. The Ministry also held several training courses and workshops on agricultural insurance, beekeeping, and water management in home gardens. In the Gaza Strip, the Ministry completed the distribution of concentrated feed to 2,500 sheep and goat breeders, in addition to distributing production supplies to 180 farmers in the central and Khan Younis. The Ministry conducted 77 inspection tours, 80 advisory tours, and 29 damage documentation tours, and formed agricultural emergency committees in all governorates to deal with the repercussions of the expected weather conditions.

The Ministry of Transport and Communications continues to implement a set of important initiatives in light of the current situation, as it has identified the housing conditions of the ministry’s employees in the southern governorates and prepared the necessary reports.

It also participated in preparing the procedures manual for temporary displacement centers within the Displacement Centers Management Committee. The Ministry contributes effectively to the specialized committees emanating from the government operations room, especially in rubble management and damage assessment. The Ministry’s staff is working to establish and operate shelter centers in the Gaza Strip, in addition to replacing and renewing 58 driving licenses for citizens from the Strip.

Four engineering plans for new roads and 10 for existing roads were studied and approved, and 2,000 vehicles were inspected on the roads. The ministry also granted 236 import permits for vehicles and 162 permits for hybrid and electric vehicles, and began renewing the licenses of vehicles leased for financing.

The Minister of Local Government participated in organizing relief convoys to the camps of Nour Shams, Tulkarm, Jenin and Al-Far’a as part of the “Brotherhood, Steadfastness, Loyalty” campaign. The Ministry of Local Government discussed developing financial management mechanisms for local authorities through a service cost calculation model to ensure their financial sustainability and quality of services.

A memorandum of cooperation was also signed between the Ministry and the Land and Water Settlement Authority to enhance institutional coordination in settlement projects. With regard to financial settlements, the Ministries of Local Government and Finance completed settlement procedures in three local authorities. The Ministries of Local Government and Communications discussed regulating the relationship between local authorities and telecommunications companies.

The Ministry of Culture participated in the Conference of Ministers of Culture of the Islamic World in Saudi Arabia, where it discussed supporting the reconstruction of Gaza, protecting heritage in Jerusalem and Hebron, and enhancing cultural cooperation for Palestine. It also organized a course to teach the municipal salon in Jifna to empower women, and opened the "Jerusalem Fingerprints" exhibition to support visual artists.

The “Key of Return” workshop was held in Qalqilya to enhance children’s national awareness, an artistic meeting entitled “The Language of Music” was held in Salfit to introduce students to committed Palestinian art, a symposium on “The Destruction of Cultural Heritage in Gaza” was held in Jericho in cooperation with Al-Istiqlal University, and a drawing and short story telling event was held in Bethlehem for students of the Frere School.

Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Wael Zaqout and Japanese Ambassador to Palestine Araki Katsuhiko signed two recovery support agreements worth $13.3 million to support the emergency recovery program in Gaza and the West Bank, and $1.6 million for the Infectious Waste Management Improvement Project, bringing the total budget for this project to $9.1 million.

The Water Authority continued to provide safe drinking water to citizens and displaced persons in the Gaza Strip, where the areas of Deir al-Balah, al-Nuseirat, al-Zawayda, Khan Yunis and Rafah were supplied with 3,180 cubic meters of fresh water via tankers, in addition to delivering 74,000 cups of Mekorot water via the Bani Suhaila water connection to the eastern villages.

Emergency needs in new shelters in southern Gaza were also assessed, including provision of potable water, sewage disposal, distribution of hygiene kits, rehabilitation of a well adjacent to the shelter and provision of a hybrid solar and generator system.

On the other hand, the Water Authority launched the design of two sewage treatment plants in Tulkarm and northwest Ramallah as part of a strategic plan to develop the sector, funded by the World Bank, with the aim of treating and benefiting from wastewater and reducing Israeli financial deductions.

The Ministry of Jerusalem Affairs followed up on the preparations for the 2025 high school exams in the city, where it organized a workshop with the participation of the Ministers of Jerusalem Affairs and Education and Higher Education and representatives of the education sector, to discuss mechanisms to ensure the success of the exams and provide a safe educational environment. The workshop concluded with important recommendations.

The Ministry also continued to support Jerusalemite institutions, as Minister Ashraf Al-Awar met with representatives of the Welfare Association to discuss the challenges of restoring homes in the Old City and ways of joint cooperation.

The General Authority of Civil Affairs continued its efforts to support Palestinians in the West Bank despite the ongoing challenges. In the Hebron Governorate, it succeeded in reopening shops in the Qaizoun area after a two-year closure. It also followed up on the occupation’s prevention of teachers and students from entering their schools through the Abu al-Rish checkpoint, and worked to bring maintenance staff into the Ibrahimi Mosque. In addition, it coordinated the entry of the Reconstruction Committee to restore the Ibrahimi School, which was threatened with collapse. The work is expected to continue for a month. In Tulkarm, it coordinated the entry of maintenance teams to repair the infrastructure and facilitate the movement of the Red Crescent without the need for prior coordination. In Jenin, it supported maintenance work on water and communications networks, and contributed to transporting an elderly woman from a demolished house to the hospital.

In Nablus, it also intervened to evacuate a student who fainted after the occupation forces stormed it. In Qalqilya, it coordinated a government delegation’s visit to the solar energy project, while in Salfit, it was able to recover detained agricultural equipment without paying fines. The Commission confirms its continued follow-up on humanitarian issues and its intervention around the clock to support the Palestinian people.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates continues its efforts to mobilize international support for relief in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, as Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohamed Mustafa held meetings with international officials on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, focusing on emergency response, providing shelter and basic services, and rehabilitating infrastructure.

Minister of State Fareseen Shaheen also participated in the fourth meeting of the International Coalition for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution in Cairo, stressing the need to support UNRWA and confront attempts to dismantle it, in addition to enhancing international support for the government’s emergency plan.

It held bilateral meetings to discuss coordinating joint positions and supporting the rights of the Palestinian people, while continuing its daily contacts with ambassadors, consuls and officials of international organizations to mobilize aid. Palestinian embassies also continue their efforts to mobilize humanitarian support, through communication with governments and officials and participation in international conferences, to ensure strengthening international solidarity with the Palestinian cause and providing consular services to those in need.

Interior Minister Major General Ziad Hab Al-Rih participated in the 42nd session of the Council of Arab Interior Ministers in Tunisia, where he met with a number of interior ministers in bilateral meetings to discuss security and regional developments, including the situation in the Gaza Strip and the northern West Bank. He also chaired a meeting of the Supreme Council for Civil Defense to follow up on preparations and plans to deal with emergency situations, in the presence of a number of officials, where potential challenges and coordination between the concerned parties were reviewed to ensure effective handling of emergency situations and developments.

The Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission delivered 6 tents to the Al-Minya community in Bethlehem, 20 solar energy spotlights and a hand-held spotlight to Tubas, in addition to 50 zinc panels and 60 wooden panels to two citizens in Hizma after the occupation demolished their livestock barracks.

During the period from 13-20 February 2024, the Ministry of Labor conducted field visits to shelter sites in northern Gaza and Khan Younis to identify new locations for the displaced. In northern Gaza, the visits included sites in areas such as Al-Karamah, Abu Obeida, Jabalia and Tel Al-Zaatar. In Khan Younis, 9 new sites were identified in the municipalities of Al-Fakhari, Abasan Al-Jadida and Khan Younis. The sending of life check requests for work-related injuries through the National Insurance Institute was also completed, and the “Emergency Employment for Early Recovery” project was implemented, funded by the International Labor Organization, to provide temporary job opportunities for graduates and technicians. The Ministry also chaired a meeting of the Youth Advisory Council for Youth Participation in the Labor Market, and signed an agreement with Oxfam to provide zero-interest loans to marginalized communities worth $1.5 million.

The Ministry of Justice organized a qualitative training on digital security in cooperation with the Arab Center for the Development of Social Media "Hamla" and in partnership with the Belgian Development for the Ministry's employees. It also held an introductory workshop on the "Legislation Platform" in partnership with the European Union and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) for civil society institutions in cooperation with the European Police Mission. The Ministry organized a dialogue workshop to enhance its role in policy-making and building the judicial observatory. The Ministry and the "Shams" Center, in cooperation with the Sawasya 3 Program, launched the Code of Conduct and Ethics for Arbitrators.

Minister of Justice, Counselor Sharhabil Al-Zaim, participated in the “Equality” conference on reforming and unifying the Palestinian justice system.

Under the patronage of the Minister of Industry, the Industrial Estates Authority announced the results of the second edition of the Palestine Creative Packaging Competition, which was implemented in the Jericho Agro-Industrial City in partnership with the Union of Paper and Packaging Industries and the United Nations Development Program, with funding from the Japanese government. The competition aims to raise awareness of modern packaging methods, encourage creative, environmentally friendly designs, improve food safety, and increase the competitiveness of Palestinian products.

On another level, the Ministry of Industry discussed cooperation with the German Institute for Standardization to launch the new phase of the project to enhance the quality infrastructure in Palestine, with funding worth 1.5 million euros. It issued 4 licenses to establish new industrial facilities, renewed 13 industrial licenses, and carried out 32 inspection tours of the facilities, in addition to issuing a license to renew a quarry and 12 certificates for a national product.

The Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs implemented several activities in various governorates. The Endowments of Ramallah and Al-Bireh, in cooperation with the Birzeit Education Department, organized a competition for memorizing the Holy Quran, while the General Administration for Women’s Work held a symposium in Nablus on domestic violence and its effects.

The Ministry also distributed eyeglasses to orphans as part of the “Eye Care” initiative, and the Women’s Work Department in Hebron organized a lecture on home economics. Interventions included an initiative to revive archaeological sites in Dura, the distribution of 5,650 food baskets through the Zakat Fund, and an entertainment event for children in Tulkarm camps. The Ministry also organized the “Women in the Hospitality of Abraham” event at the Ibrahimi Mosque, and contributed to rescuing rare manuscripts from the library of the Great Omari Mosque.

The State Property Department of the Land Authority in Jericho Governorate handed over a plot of land designated for public benefit to the Ministry of Interior, with the aim of using it to build the Central Armament Directorate. State Property crews determined the boundaries of the land and surveyed it in the field before handing it over to ensure the accuracy of the allocation and the integrity of the procedures.

The Minister of Tourism and Antiquities inaugurated the historic Al-Maskoubia building in Beit Jala after its restoration with support from the Arab Fund for Social and Economic Development, to become the headquarters of the Anad Center for Theater and Arts.

The Ministry also held a meeting of the Board of Directors to review the achievements of 2024, approve the work plan for 2025, and discuss the development of ongoing projects. In the context of protecting the cultural heritage in Gaza, the Ministry, through the Center for Popular Architecture - Riwaq, began implementing projects funded by international entities, including the rehabilitation of the Qaysariyya Market, the restoration of several historical buildings, and securing heritage sites with a fence to preserve them.

The Environment Quality Authority discussed with ministries, government institutions and partners the preparation of its cross-sectoral strategy 2025-2027 to enhance environmental strategic planning and integrate environmental policies with other development sectors.

It also carried out 55 inspection and control tours of facilities in various governorates, followed up on 8 environmental complaints, and granted 22 permits to import chemical materials since the beginning of January, in addition to organizing environmental awareness events for different age groups. In another context, the Environment Quality Authority discussed with its partners the launch of the design of the wastewater treatment plant project northeast of Ramallah.

The head of the authority, Nisreen Al-Tamimi, also discussed with the director of the Tourism and Antiquities Police the mechanisms for enhancing work in controlling environmental crimes and activating the coordination committee between the two parties.

The Palestinian Consumer Protection Council adopted a plan to control the market during Ramadan to ensure the availability of goods at fair prices. Meetings were also held with counterparts from Jordan, Libya, and Iraq to develop economic relations, in addition to a Palestinian-Swiss meeting.

The Ministry of Economy destroyed 36 tons of expired materials and dealt with 19 complaints through 74 inspection tours. 71 companies were registered, 434 services were provided in the field of companies, 120 import licenses were issued, and 116 commercial transactions with Türkiye were conducted.

A meeting was held between the Energy and Natural Resources Authority, the Palestinian Electricity Transmission Company, the Hebron Electricity Company, and the municipalities of Tarqumiya, Beit Ola, and Hebron, to discuss accelerating the implementation of the project to connect the city of Hebron to the Beit Ola station via a new power line. The project aims to meet the growing demand for electricity in the city, and contributes to bridging the shortage in electrical capacity and enhancing the stability of the current.

The Minister of Women's Affairs assumed the presidency of the Women's Committee at the League of Arab States, where she chaired the 44th session of the committee in Cairo, stressing the need to support Palestinian women in the relief and recovery phase from the repercussions of the aggression.

"Jerusalem, the Capital of Arab Women 2025-2026" was also announced, and the visual identity of the event was launched. In a meeting with the head of the Egyptian National Council for Women, discussions were held about launching an initiative to empower Palestinian women and support their rights. An agreement was also discussed with the Regional Director of UN Women aimed at increasing women's participation in the labor market from 17% to 22% through innovative projects to support women's economic empowerment.

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Israeli Knesset member and Labor Party MK Naama Lazimi revealed that Yair Netanyahu, the son of the Prime Minister of the occupation, Benjamin Netanyahu, was "exiled abroad after his father beat the Prime Minister, thus assaulting a symbol of power." While Netanyahu's office did not comment on what Lazimi said, the Likud Party accused her in a statement of "a despicable lie." It is worth noting that Netanyahu Jr. left Israel during the height of the protests against the "judicial coup" in the spring of 2023, and has since returned once, in November of the same year.

Lazmi's revelations came during her participation in a session held by the Knesset Finance Committee on Sunday, as part of the ongoing sessions to prepare the general budget proposal for a vote in the second and third readings. During that, she touched on the stay of Netanyahu's wife, Sara, for more than two months in Miami, USA, demanding to know who is funding her stay there, how much it costs, and from which budget exactly this funding is being deducted.

According to the Hebrew website Ynet, Lazmi returned to a report published about a year ago in which it was revealed that the annual funding for Yair Netanyahu’s security amounted to two and a half million shekels, and asked: “Is this amount still being paid to finance his security, and is there an intention to continue funding his stay abroad after he was exiled following his beating of his father, thereby insulting the symbol of power?” Lazmi’s statements were met with much shock by her colleagues in the Knesset, and while they tried to clarify further, the MK responded by saying: “Absolutely. He is exiled abroad and cannot return.”

In response to Lazimi's statements, the Likud party claimed in a statement that "this is an absolute and vile lie, and the lowest point of the left's sewer. Naama Lazimi must remove her immunity and pay the price, and like anyone who repeats this lie, she will be sued and she will pay the price as well."

The Israeli occupation army announced today, Sunday, that it had transferred a tank unit to Jenin, in the northern West Bank, to participate in what it called the "offensive effort," while the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation said that this is the first time that the occupation has deployed its tanks in the West Bank since Operation "Defensive Shield", which the occupation army carried out in 2002. The ongoing occupation aggression on the northern West Bank expanded to the town of Qabatiya, which its forces stormed at dawn today.

The occupation army said on Sunday in a statement on the X platform: "Forces from the Nahal Brigade and the Duvdevan Unit have begun operating in additional towns in the Jenin area, and at the same time a tank platoon will operate in Jenin as part of the offensive effort." He added, according to the Anadolu Agency: "IDF forces, the General Security Service (Shabak) and the Border Guard continue their operations to thwart terrorism in northern Samaria (the West Bank), and our forces are expanding their offensive activities in the area," noting the continuation of operations in Tulkarm: "The forces continue their work in the Jenin and Tulkarm areas."

Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz said, "I have ordered the army to prepare for a long stay in the refugee camps in the West Bank," adding that the occupation army "is expanding its activity in northern Samaria (the West Bank) and is also operating in Qabatiya since tonight, and is reinforcing its forces with an armored unit and additional troops." Agence France-Presse quoted the occupation army as saying that its forces will remain in some of the camps in the occupied West Bank "throughout the current year."

Expanding aggression to Qabatiya

On Sunday, Israeli occupation forces stormed the town of Qabatiya, south of Jenin, with a large number of vehicles and soldiers, causing widespread and unprecedented destruction to the town’s infrastructure. This comes in the context of the ongoing aggression on the northern West Bank. Qabatiya Mayor Ahmed Zakarneh told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, “The occupation forces stormed Qabatiya in an unprecedented military operation that began at around 3:30 a.m. on Sunday, as Israeli military vehicles and bulldozers were deployed heavily throughout the town.”

According to Zakarneh, the occupation bulldozers razed the streets, infrastructure and public squares, causing widespread destruction and cutting off water networks, without the ability of specialized crews to reach them due to the intense Israeli military tightening. Zakarneh explained that the occupation forces deployed their snipers in a number of homes, while infantry soldiers were deployed in the streets and the occupation forces carried out raids and searches of homes in several neighborhoods, during which field investigations were conducted with the residents.

Zakarneh pointed out that this raid is the largest of its kind in Qabatiya, given the extent of the destruction caused by the occupation forces to the infrastructure, main and side streets, and due to the heavy military presence and raids, while public life in the town has been disrupted, stressing that the town has not witnessed any clashes or injuries so far, and no arrests have been reported. Zakarneh appealed to international institutions to intervene urgently to stop what he described as the "systematic sabotage" that the town is being subjected to, warning of the repercussions of the continued occupation operations that could lead to total destruction in Qabatiya.

The forced displacement of Palestinian population centers and refugee camps, especially in the Jenin and Tulkarm governorates in the northern occupied West Bank, has escalated at an alarming rate, as the Israeli occupation forces forced the displacement of 40,000 Palestinians from the refugee camps at gunpoint, and the occupation is looking to remain in the camps and not allow the Palestinian residents to return to them.

“Since the start of the military operation ‘Iron Wall’ by the Israeli occupation forces on January 21, many refugee camps have been almost emptied of their residents. This operation, which has been ongoing for more than 4 weeks, is now the longest in the West Bank since the second intifada, according to the UNRWA agency.

The military operation began in Jenin camp, expanded to include Tulkarm, Nur Shams and Al-Far'a camps, and led to the displacement of 40,000 Palestinian refugees. The occupation forces had begun carrying out large-scale operations in the West Bank in mid-2023.

Since then, thousands of families have been forcibly displaced. Repeated and destructive operations have rendered refugee camps in the north uninhabitable, trapping residents in periodic displacement.

In 2024, more than 60% of displacements were the result of occupation forces’ operations, in the absence of any judicial orders.

This forced displacement comes amid deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the West Bank, where Israeli military operations have led to widespread destruction of infrastructure and homes, and a severe shortage of basic materials and medical services, exacerbating the suffering of residents who were forced to leave their homes.

Israeli Security Minister Yisrael Katz announced the displacement of 40,000 Palestinians from the Jenin, Tulkarm and Nur Shams camps, due to the intensive Israeli military operations in the northern West Bank.

Katz confirmed that the occupation army expanded its operations in the northern West Bank, especially in Qabatiya, noting that the Israeli forces were reinforced with additional armored units.

He also announced the suspension of the activities of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in the camps, in a move that further exacerbates the humanitarian crisis facing thousands of displaced persons. Katz explained that he had issued orders to the occupation army not to allow residents to return to the camps, stressing that the occupation forces would remain for a long time inside these areas, in what he described as "preventing the return of terrorism," in reference to the continued military repression and mass displacement of Palestinians.

UNRWA warned that the "Iron Wall" operation carried out by the occupation forces has led to the emptying of many refugee camps in the northern West Bank, adding that the forced displacement of Palestinian communities "is escalating at an alarming rate."

“Forced displacement in the occupied West Bank is the result of an increasingly dangerous and coercive environment,” UNRWA said. “The use of airstrikes, armored bulldozers, controlled explosions and advanced weaponry by Israeli forces has become commonplace – an extension of the war in Gaza. Such military tactics are inconsistent with the law enforcement context in the occupied West Bank, where at least 38 airstrikes were carried out in 2025 alone.”

UNRWA stressed the need to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure at all times, and that “collective punishment” is completely unacceptable. “Jenin camp is now empty of residents, evoking memories of the second intifada. This scene is set to be repeated in other camps,” it said.

The Ministry of Health in Gaza announced, on Sunday evening, that the death toll in the Gaza Strip has risen to 48,339 dead, since the start of the Israeli aggression on October 7, 2023.

It added that the number of injuries has risen to 111,753 since the beginning of the aggression, while a number of victims are still under the rubble and on the roads, and ambulance and rescue crews cannot reach them.

Today, Sunday, the Israeli occupation forces stormed the town of Yamoun, west of Jenin, and launched an arrest campaign.

Local sources said that the occupation forces stormed the town and deployed in its streets, raided a number of houses, and arrested a number of young men whose identities could not be known until this news was prepared, while students were unable to return from their schools due to the heavy deployment of soldiers, which prompted school principals to ask parents to go to the schools to transport their children for their safety.

Visions differ on the future of Gaza administration and reconstruction, as Egypt and donor countries insist on independent management of funds under international supervision, while Abbas insists on full control of the authority. In contrast, Cairo seeks alternative arrangements that include a major role for it and pressure on Hamas to make concessions.

Egypt's vision on the administration of the Gaza Strip and its reconstruction differs radically from that of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, as Cairo and donor countries refuse to grant the Palestinian Authority direct control over the funds allocated for reconstruction, which Abbas insists on considering it part of imposing the authority's sovereignty over the Strip.

The newspaper "Al-Araby Al-Jadeed" indicated, in a report published today, Sunday, that international donors are showing clear reservations about the Palestinian Authority's proposal, fearing the misuse of funds or turning them into a tool to enhance division and political polarization, especially in light of previous accusations of weak transparency and financial oversight within the Palestinian Authority.

In addition to financial issues, Cairo believes that the Palestinian Authority does not have the administrative capacity and human resources sufficient to manage Gaza, especially after its absence from the Strip since 2007, with Hamas controlling the joints of government there. In light of this reality, Egypt believes that returning authority to Gaza requires an effective administrative apparatus capable of dealing with the field conditions, which the Authority currently lacks, prompting Cairo to search for more realistic options than those proposed by Abbas.

The Egyptian vision: International administration under Egyptian supervision

Meanwhile, Egypt is working on developing a different vision for managing Gaza based on its primary role in supervision, with the participation of international donor agencies to ensure transparency in the management of reconstruction funds. According to this vision, infrastructure and reconstruction projects will be implemented through a technical committee under Egyptian supervision, with international oversight to ensure their implementation according to specific development plans.

The vision also includes selecting local cadres to manage the various sectors in Gaza, after subjecting them to a careful security review that includes coordination with Israel to ensure that individuals who are not wanted for security reasons are not included in the new administrative structure.

In addition, according to the report, Cairo seeks to convince the United States that the optimal solution for managing Gaza cannot be simply to restore the Palestinian Authority in its traditional form, but rather requires new arrangements that take into account the political and field realities within the Strip.

Egyptian pressure on Hamas and new security arrangements

Egypt is working to exert pressure on Hamas to accept concessions, especially with regard to its weapons, in addition to arranging to hand over the land crossings to a neutral party under international supervision, in order to ensure that previous stumbling scenarios in attempts to arrange the situation within the Strip are not repeated.

However, the main obstacle facing these arrangements lies in Abbas’s rejection of any vision that does not give the Authority full control over Gaza, in addition to the opposition of the Palestinian factions, especially Hamas, to any plan that does not give it political or military influence within the Strip.

Abbas’s vision: Restoring Gaza under the Authority’s control

For his part, Abbas seeks to restore the Palestinian Authority’s control over Gaza according to the model in effect in the West Bank, in confirmation of the unity of the Palestinian land under a unified political and legal jurisdiction. His plan includes the necessity of a complete Israeli withdrawal from the Strip, and the Palestinian Authority handing over all crossings, including the Kerem Shalom and Rafah crossings, to be operated in cooperation with Egypt and the European Union according to previous agreements.

The Palestinian government has also prepared a reconstruction plan that ensures the residents remain in the Strip, in coordination with Cairo and international bodies, such as the World Bank, the United Nations, and the European Union. This plan is scheduled to be presented to the extraordinary Arab Summit in Cairo on March 4 for official approval.

Palestinian efforts to organize an international reconstruction conference

In parallel, the Palestinian Authority is working with Egypt and the United Nations to organize an international conference to rebuild Gaza, with the participation of donor countries, within the framework of an international trust fund in cooperation with the World Bank. The Authority also stresses the need to support UNRWA, as the primary body providing humanitarian services in the Strip.

Hamas's position and obstacles facing Egyptian proposals

In light of these differences, the Vice President of the Arab Center for Political and Strategic Studies, Mukhtar Al-Ghabashi, wonders whether Hamas will accept giving up its control over Gaza, noting that "the scene of the prisoner exchange between the movement and Israel highlights the extent of Hamas's strength in imposing its presence inside the Strip, supported by broad popular support."

Al-Ghabashi believes that these facts strengthen Hamas' position in the ongoing negotiations, but at the same time they pose problems for the Egyptian plan that aims to reshape the administration of Gaza according to a new vision.

Source: Arab48

Although the vision of the "new realism" theory of the structure of the international system and the nature of international relations has been subjected to a continuous wave of criticism since the international system turned unipolar, which includes accusing it of bias towards the great and major powers and reducing the role of the rest of the countries, the course of events since Trump's return to the US presidency reinforces this vision and proves the importance of the foundations on which it is based.

"New realism" is based on five basic foundations. First, the world of international politics suffers from chaos resulting from the absence of an organizing body; a central global government, tasked and qualified to control the pace of international relations and impose world peace. Second, because of this absence, the struggle over limited resources controls international relations, which are driven by the interests of the conflicting parties, and moral considerations are absent from them, since achieving the interest is a goal that surpasses any consideration. Third, states form the basis of the international system and its most important actors, but dominance over it is centered in the great and major states, whose interactions, competitive and consensual, control the nature of emerging international relations. Fourth, a state can only be protected in a chaotic world by relying on itself, and it has no higher goal than being constantly preoccupied with maximizing its power, since its permanent mission in a world of conflicting interests and haunted by suspicion and doubt about the intentions of others, is not only to prepare for war, but to do everything it can to enhance its ability to win it when it occurs. Fifth, the best that can be obtained in this case of permanent turmoil in the world’s situation is a fragile international system in which world peace is achieved through a balance of power equation that guarantees mutual interests between the parties of the great and major states. But this equation is not absolute or fixed, but rather changes due to the changes that occur in the power of these countries, leading to an imbalance, which results in the opening of the latent conflict, which then ends, and the system settles on a new position, after reaching a new understanding. The international system is currently formed from a pyramid at the top of which sits one superpower, America, which enjoys an excess of economic and military power that no one has yet matched, and two major countries, China, the world's second-largest economy, but with limited military capabilities that are growing rapidly, on the one hand, and Russia, the military giant due to its nuclear arsenal, but an economic dwarf compared to America and China. This trio is followed by a limited group of powerful countries, some of which are based on their accumulated status from the past, such as the countries of Western Europe, and some of which are emerging in their regions and seeking to establish their new status, such as India and Brazil. The base layer of the pyramid is filled with the rest of the countries with limited influence on the international level, crushed and preoccupied with searching for a role that will help them repel foreign interventions and preserve themselves.

Since the overthrow of international bipolarity in the early nineties, Russia has been trying hard to restore as much of its lost international status as possible with the collapse of the Soviet Union. However, America, which has monopolized the international system, was not very concerned about the Russian attempts, as it considered them to have a limited impact on its status, due to the weakness of Russia's economic capacity, when compared to the real threat posed to it by China, due to its great economic power. Therefore, American interest has focused since the beginning of the millennium on containing China, its main competitor, and the one with the real potential to undermine its status, and share the top of the international system with it, if not completely displace it. Within the framework of this triangle of unequal conflict, the contexts of current international relations can be understood, and what is happening in different regions of the world in terms of American repositioning. After accusing the Biden administration of undermining America's international standing and causing a decline in its ability to resolve the tripartite conflict in its favor, Trump returned to the presidency armed, with a realistic approach par excellence, with the vision of "America First", and determined to restore his country's unique position. Although since assuming office, he has been taking measures and steps that appear to be inconsistent or inconsistent with each other, within the framework of a chaotic policy with no specific goal, in reality they all flow into one track, which is to fortify America internally to confront the rise of China, and to enhance its external capabilities to limit the continued expansion of China around the world. To achieve this goal, and based on his absolute belief that conflict, not cooperation with others, is the basis of international relations, and that reliance on force is the basis that determines position on the international level, Trump is carrying out an intensive campaign to rearrange the internal situation of the American state, including combating illegal immigration, "cleansing" the bureaucracy, and reducing its expenses "to be in line with his vision of America restoring its own strength. Externally, he is following several paths. The first is imposing customs tariffs on parties trading with his country, regardless of the traditional relationship with allies and traditional trading partners, some of whom are accused of leaking Chinese products to the American market. The second is improving his country's defense position by demanding control over the Panama Canal, Greenland, and Canada, which has so far achieved Panama's withdrawal from China's project called the "Belt and Road Initiative", and the readiness of the Greenland and Denmark autonomous authority to open negotiations to expand the American base on the island. The third is resolving the conflict in the Middle East in favor of Israel, reducing the status and role of Iran, an ally of China, ensuring American interests in the region, and achieving its stability and dependence by expanding the normalization of Arab-Israeli relations. The fourth is shaking the Russian-Chinese alliance by ending the Russian-Ukrainian war in Russia's favor, and enticing Russia to turn westward, by re-normalizing relations with it, and later lifting sanctions on it. Because the international system, according to the "new realism", is currently determined based on the relationship between the big three, Trump did not care about China's position, which he knew would remain confined to the circle of traditional condemnation, or the position of the Arab parties, which he does not give much importance or attention to, when he announced his intention to expel the Palestinians from the Gaza Strip and resettle them in Egypt and Jordan. Rather, he placed the burden on them to present an alternative plan for him, after appointing himself the reference to accept or reject it. As for Russia, which has an old interest in the region, its crossing to warm waters, after losing Assad's presence in Syria, and is still groaning under the weight of its ongoing war in Ukraine, he opened a dialogue with it that began in Riyadh, exploiting its weakening position, to conclude a direct deal with it that would be profitable for both parties, without the slightest interest in involving America's most committed and important allies, and the stakeholders from the Ukrainians and Europeans, but rather excluding them and jumping over their interests. America's interest is above all considerations, and as long as it is the most powerful country, it can impose its will on the followers, who will have no choice but to follow the path of appeasement.

The meeting between the US and Russian foreign ministers in Riyadh is interesting, as it represents a turning point that heralds the end of a period of tension between two international poles, and the beginning of paving the way for a new phase. When this happens between the “big boys,” others with less power and status in the international system should be concerned because they will be the ones to pay the price of the “barter deal” that will redraw the parameters of the exchange of interests between the two parties. If Russia wants to keep the land it occupied in the war in Ukraine, and Trump is prepared to give it the right to do so in order to dismantle its alliance with China, how can Russia reject what Trump intends to do in terms of recognizing Israel’s annexation of Palestinian lands, specifically in the West Bank?! It was striking that the official US envoy to Ukraine was absent from the Riyadh meeting, while the US envoy to the Middle East attended. What was even more interesting was the Kremlin spokesman’s response to an inquiry about the official position on Trump’s “project” for the Gaza Strip, by asking for a pause until aspects of it are still unclear! The "Riyadh meeting" and the arrangements that will follow and result from it remind us of the Yalta Conference that was held in 1945, which included America, Britain and the Soviet Union, and ultimately led to the division of Europe into spheres of influence between the parties. The difference between what happened then and what is happening now is that China, the third pole in the current international system, is currently the target of what will happen between America and Russia in terms of appeasement.

The lesson to be drawn from all of this is that wars are not the important thing in demarcating or re-demarcating international or even regional relations, no matter how many tragedies and horrors they entail. Rather, what is important is the settlements that result from the balance of power that they establish.

So do not rush to make judgments and dispute with each other about them, because soon the features of the settlement will become clear, the cover will be removed, and the door will be closed on continued speculation.

This is the solid truth of "new realism": power is the basis, and the interests of the "big ones" always undermine the rights of the "little ones."

The lawyer of the Commission of Prisoners' Affairs and Freed Prisoners reported after his last visit to the Al-Maskoubiya interrogation center that prisoner Fadi Zuhair Abu Attia (43 years old) from Al-Am'ari camp/Ramallah, was severely beaten when he was arrested at a military checkpoint, while returning from seeing a doctor in the city of Bethlehem on 02/11/2025. He was then transferred to a nearby camp, and was hung in the cold for more than 32 hours, then transferred to the Al-Maskoubiya interrogation center, and was brutally assaulted.

It is noteworthy that Abu Attia is a former prisoner who spent 13 years in the occupation prisons, and was released in 2018, for the occupation forces to re-arrest him in 2022, and sentence him to two years of administrative imprisonment, where he was released on 12/26/2024, i.e. 40 days before his current arrest.

The prisoner Abu Attia went on a hunger strike for 41 days in 2017, which caused him to fall into a coma that led to brain reactions. As a result, he began receiving certain medications and needed continuous follow-up and health care, while the prison administration deliberately deprived him of treatment, which negatively and significantly affected his health.