The US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Karim Khan, on Thursday.

On February 7, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court for issuing an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Galant on November 21 on charges of committing war crimes in the Gaza Strip.

Trump accused the international court of "unlawful and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel."

Trump claimed in a statement last Friday that the ICC “baselessly and unlawfully targets the United States and its close allies like Israel.”

The US Treasury Department said in a statement on its website on Thursday evening that it had included Karim Ahmad Khan on the sanctions list of the department's Office of Foreign Assets Control.

Karim Khan is a prominent British lawyer, born in 1970. He held the position of British Crown Counsel, and is the third public prosecutor at the International Criminal Court, and the first to be elected by secret ballot.

Karim Khan served as Deputy Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court in 2007, and served as a legal adviser to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda during the investigation of war crimes, and led investigations into crimes committed in Ukraine, Syria and South Sudan.

The United States enabled Israel to drop more than 85 explosive devices on the besieged Gaza Strip between October 7, 2023, and January 19, 2025, killing more than 48,000 Palestinian civilians, most of them women and children, and wounding more than 100 citizens, the overwhelming majority of them also women and children. The Ministry of Health in Gaza also reports that there are 14,000 missing.

Hebrew media reported on Thursday that the occupation air force launched an air strike targeting the central Gaza Strip.

The Israeli occupation army claimed that it had detected a rocket being launched from the middle of the Gaza Strip, and that it fell inside it.

According to a statement by the occupation army, a short time later it attacked the platform from which the missile was launched, according to its claims.

For its part, Palestinian sources confirmed hearing an explosion east of Al-Bureij camp as a result of the bombing.

A number of citizens suffered from suffocation, Thursday evening, after the Israeli occupation forces stormed the town of Qusra, south of Nablus.

Anti-settlement activist Fouad Hassan said that the occupation forces stormed the town of Qusra, amidst heavy gunfire and tear gas bombs, which led to a number of citizens suffocating.

He stated that the occupation forces were deployed in large numbers in the middle and at the entrances of the town, and seized the roofs of a number of houses.

Hebrew media reported on Thursday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held security deliberations in the Southern Command, with the participation of senior officials in the occupation army and security services, regarding field developments in the Gaza Strip.

According to Hebrew media, the meeting discussed security developments and scenarios for dealing with a possible escalation.

The meeting was preceded by a security assessment session chaired by the Israeli Minister of War, Yisrael Katz, in preparation for a meeting with Netanyahu.

The meeting was also attended by the current Chief of Staff, Herzi Halevi, and the appointed Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir, along with a number of officials in the occupation's Ministry of War.

A child was killed on Thursday evening, as a result of an explosion of an object left behind by the Israeli occupation in the Gaza Strip.

According to local sources, the child Hamouda Alaa Saud (14 years old) was killed as a result of the explosion of an object left behind by the occupation in the Nuseirat camp in the central Gaza Strip.

The Director of the United Nations Mine Action Service in the occupied Palestinian territory, Luke Irving, warned at the end of last month about the remnants of the occupation army and their impact on the lives of civilians.

It explained that these munitions caused "the killing and wounding of civilians, and the obstruction of humanitarian operations, and that initial reports document 92 victims since October 2023."

Medical sources announced today that the death toll in the Gaza Strip has risen to 48,239, most of whom are children and women, since the start of the Israeli occupation aggression on October 7.

It added that the number of injuries has risen to 111,676 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.

At a time of rising uncertainty and unpredictability, stable supply chains are critical for managing costs, boosting economic efficiency, and sharing growth opportunities around the world.

by Yi Xin

Where there is smoke, there is fire. If you do not see a flame, consider why it is smothered.

In a recent article, The New York Times slammed China as "waging supply chain warfare" by imposing sanctions on U.S. drone company Skydio, without mentioning the company's involvement in U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, which violates China's sovereignty and the China-U.S. joint communiques.

This is but another stock-in-trade of some Western media outlets -- twisting the facts to please their readers or sponsors.

While we are on the subject of "supply chain warfare," we might as well take stock of the real situation to identify who the instigator is.

In 2018 alone, the United States imposed tariffs on as much as 250 billion U.S. dollars' worth of Chinese imports, covering consumer goods, electronics, and industrial products, even though American importers and consumers bore nearly 93 percent of the tariffs' costs.

While escalating the trade war with China the next year, the United States shifted its focus to supply chains. Advanced technology, pharmaceuticals, and other strategic industries became the target. Restrictions were imposed on private companies such as Huawei.

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the vulnerability of global supply chains, underlining the necessity to reinforce them. Yet the U.S. government still pushed forward the reshoring of manufacturing, causing distress for American producers dependent on components not manufactured domestically.

In 2022, the U.S. Congress enacted the CHIPS and Science Act as part of its broader strategy to block China's access to cutting-edge semiconductor manufacturing. This month, Washington announced a new semiconductor export control package against China, curbing exports to 140 companies. These policies raise questions about what future measures might be forthcoming.

The America-First supply chain aggressions against China punish rather than protect Americans. At a time of rising uncertainty and unpredictability, stable supply chains are critical for managing costs, boosting economic efficiency, and sharing growth opportunities around the world.

China's commitment to high-standard opening up and stable global supply chains provides a win-win alternative to "America First."

The China International Supply Chain Expo, the world's first supply chain-themed expo, is part of China's efforts to contribute to stable global supply chains for the benefit of all. The expo promotes trade, investment, and innovation by connecting companies along the upstream, midstream, and downstream of supply chains.

This year's expo attracted more than 600 companies from some 70 countries and regions, with foreign exhibitors making up a third of the participants. Fortune Global 500 and industry leaders accounted for over 60 percent of attendees, and American companies topped the list. Apple CEO Tim Cook said that the company "could not do what it does without" its Chinese partners as over 80 percent of its 200-plus major suppliers operate in China.

The expo showed that healthy collaboration along supply chain can spark ingenuity and make the whole greater than the sum of its parts.

A prime example of this is the joint effort between British-Australian mining corporation Rio Tinto, Shanghai-headquartered China Baowu Steel Group, German engineering giant Bosch and Chinese EV maker XPENG. Together, they set up a booth at the smart vehicle exhibition area to showcase the results of their cooperation. "Beyond simple transactions, we also engage in joint research and development projects and collaborative innovation with our partners," said a staffer at XPENG.

Globally, China has helped address choke points in international supply chains by laying the groundwork for streamlined logistics. The recently-inaugurated Chancay Port in Peru, a Belt and Road Initiative cooperation project, is expected to significantly reduce shipping time from Chancay to Shanghai while cutting costs by at least 20 percent.

Since the establishment of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation 24 years ago, Chinese companies have built or upgraded some 10,000 km of railways, 100,000 km of highways, 1,000 bridges, and 100 ports in Africa, helping connect Africans with the world. Since last year, the United States has pitched in on the Lobito Corridor in Angola to ship critical minerals for U.S. strategic industries.

Research from the World Bank indicates that a 1-percent increase in global value chain participation raises global per capita income by over 1 percent. As the world battles rising unilateralism and protectionism, stable, open, and collaborative supply chains are increasingly vital for humanity's shared prosperity. It is never too late to join hands with China in contributing to it.

Editor's note: Yi Xin is a Beijing-based observer of international affairs.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Xinhua News Agency.

U.S. intelligence agencies concluded in the final days of the Biden administration that Israel was considering launching major strikes on Iranian nuclear sites this year, aiming to take advantage of Iran’s weakness, according to officials familiar with the report.

The finding was included in an analytical assessment prepared around the new year as the Biden administration nears its end, according to The Wall Street Journal on Thursday, with the analysis highlighting the risks of more high-risk military activity in the Middle East after Iran’s capabilities have deteriorated over the past year.

The intelligence analysis concluded that Israel would push the Trump administration to support the strikes, viewing him as more amenable to joining the offensive than former President Joe Biden and fearing that it would close the window to halt Tehran’s pursuit of a nuclear weapon, according to two people familiar with the intelligence told the newspaper.

The U.S. intelligence community (comprised of all U.S. intelligence agencies) also issued a second report, submitted during the first days of the Trump administration, confirming that Israel is considering such strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, according to one U.S. official familiar with the intelligence.

U.S. military officials say U.S. military support and munitions would likely be needed for an Israeli attack on Iran's heavily fortified nuclear sites.

It is noteworthy that Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz had stated last November: "Iran is more vulnerable than ever to strikes on its nuclear facilities. We have the opportunity to achieve our most important goal - to thwart and eliminate the existential threat to the State of Israel."

Iran has in the past threatened retaliation if its nuclear sites were struck, "but Tehran is now significantly weakened after Israeli strikes last year on its conventional military sites, and heavy losses suffered by its regional proxies, including Hezbollah and Hamas," the newspaper said.

During the presidential transition, some members of Trump’s team considered the feasibility of Israel launching preemptive strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, including having U.S. forces join Israeli aircraft in a bombing campaign. Now, as president, Trump has said he favors a negotiated solution. Last week, Trump signed a national security memorandum reimposing his policy of “maximum pressure” on Iran and did not rule out supporting Israeli strikes if his desired negotiations to end Iran’s nuclear work fail.

“Reports that the United States, in collaboration with Israel, is going to blow Iran to the ground are greatly exaggerated,” Trump wrote last week on Truth Social.

Tehran has indicated it is open to talks with the United States. Its foreign minister told state television last week: “If the main obstacle for the United States is Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons, this can be resolved. Iran’s position on nuclear weapons is clear.”

In December, U.S. intelligence agencies issued their strongest warnings yet that Iran could move to develop nuclear weapons. Iran has amassed a large stockpile of highly enriched uranium and is believed to have been working out the technical details of completing work on a bomb if it makes the political decision to go ahead. Iran has long renounced developing a nuclear weapon, but the December report concluded that the risks have increased the likelihood that it will change its mind about developing an effective deterrent, pointing to a public debate in the country about going nuclear.

According to experts, the timing and nature of any Israeli strikes on Iran are likely to be subject to negotiations between the United States and Israel and influenced by other factors, including the fate of the fragile ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon.

International development organizations have met in the French capital, Paris, to express their desire to work together to help rebuild Syria.

According to a statement by the French Foreign Ministry on Thursday, the organizations held a meeting in Paris within the framework of the Paris Conference on Syria, to discuss the challenges facing Syria in terms of humanitarian aid and reconstruction efforts.

The meeting, which was organized by France, was attended by French Minister of State for Francophonie and International Partnerships Thani Mohammed Souilehi, and Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani.

Representatives from the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the United Nations World Food Programme and a number of international development organisations participated in the meeting.

The participants expressed their desire to work together to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches all parts of Syria without any obstacles.

They stressed their keenness to help rebuild Syria by ensuring the lifting of sanctions on it in priority sectors such as energy, transportation and education.

Participants noted that the entire Syrian society should benefit from the country's reconstruction.

They stressed their desire for the safe and voluntary return of Syrian refugees to their country, and to help develop the country by working with the Syrian administration in various fields, such as health, education, work and preservation of cultural heritage.

Earlier on Thursday, Al-Shaibani met in Paris with his French counterpart, Jean-Noel Barrot.

Al-Shaibani's visit to France comes to participate in the Paris Conference on Syria.

This is the second meeting between the two ministers, after the last meeting that brought them together in Damascus, during Noel Barrot's visit to Syria with his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock, last January.

On December 8, 2024, Syrian factions took control of Damascus and other cities, ending 61 years of the bloody Baath Party regime and 53 years of Assad family rule.

On January 29, the Syrian administration announced the appointment of Ahmed al-Sharaa as president of the country during the transitional period, in addition to other decisions including the dissolution of the armed factions and security services of the previous regime, the People's Assembly (parliament), the Baath Party that ruled the country for decades, and the cancellation of the previous constitution.

Resigned Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said that the Israeli government pledged to bring 60,000 mobile homes (caravans) into the Gaza Strip, and also agreed that Hamas is responsible for determining the place to which Palestinian prisoners will be released.

This came in a post by Ben Gvir, on his account on the X platform, on Thursday, in which he attacked the Israeli government and accused it of surrendering to Hamas.

Ben Gvir's post came in response to what the private Hebrew Channel 12 reported that Hamas, which determines the destination of the released Palestinian prisoners whose deportation Israel stipulated as part of the ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal, said.

Ben-Gvir, who resigned from the government in January in protest at the signing of the deal, said that “every day another hidden clause in this illegal agreement, which is all surrender to Hamas, is revealed.”

"Suddenly it became clear that Israel had pledged to bring 60,000 caravans into the Strip," he added.

He continued: "Now it has become clear that Hamas will determine the place to which the terrorists (Palestinian prisoners) will be released."

Ben Gvir described the agreement as "a complete security, political and moral bankruptcy."

Ben Gvir's statements about Israel allowing 60,000 caravans to enter Gaza come shortly after Omer Dostri, spokesman for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, denied this.

Netanyahu's spokesman said: "As we have made clear many times: no caravans or heavy equipment will be brought into the Gaza Strip, and there is no coordination in this regard."

He added: "According to the agreement, no goods will be allowed to enter the Gaza Strip through the Rafah crossing."

Channel 12 revealed on Thursday that the Israeli National Security Council responded to a request made by the father of an Israeli soldier killed in an attack in 2016, and demanded the release of his son's killers to the Gaza Strip and not abroad as part of the deal.

The National Security Council said in its response: "The government decision that approved the plan to release the kidnapped Israelis set a condition regarding some of the terrorists, requiring their release to the Gaza Strip or abroad."

He added: "This condition does not include a mechanism for determining the destination to which the terrorist will be transferred - the Gaza Strip or abroad. Therefore, unfortunately, we cannot comply with your request."

On January 19, a ceasefire agreement began in the Gaza Strip and a prisoner exchange between Hamas and Israel. It includes three stages, each lasting 42 days. During the first, negotiations will be held to start the second and third stages, with the mediation of Egypt and Qatar and the support of the United States.

A number of citizens suffered from suffocation, today, Thursday, after the Israeli occupation forces stormed the village of Madama, south of Nablus.

According to local sources, the occupation forces stormed the village amid heavy gunfire and tear gas bombs, which led to a number of citizens suffering from suffocation.

Today, Thursday, a settler destroyed the drinking water network in the village of Kisan, east of Bethlehem.

According to local sources, a settler destroyed the drinking water network in the Deir Alla area in the Tekoa Desert, which serves 15 families.

It is noteworthy that the occupation forces have recently escalated their attacks on the village of Kisan, which included shooting at citizens’ homes, attacking shepherds, imposing heavy fines, and preventing citizens from accessing their lands.

Today, Thursday, the Israeli occupation forces seized a number of vehicles during their raid on the villages of Kafr Ni'ma and Bil'in, west of Ramallah.

Local sources reported that the occupation forces stormed the village of Kafr Naama, raided a number of homes and destroyed their contents, while the occupation soldiers climbed onto the roofs of the buildings.

The sources pointed out that these forces were stationed in the middle of the village, seized a number of vehicles, and destroyed others.

Another force from the occupation army stormed the village of Bil'in and seized a number of citizens' vehicles before withdrawing from the area.

The Ministry of Health in Gaza announced today, Thursday, that the death toll in the Gaza Strip has risen to 48,239 dead, the majority of whom are children and women, since the beginning of the Israeli occupation aggression on October 7.

It added that the number of injuries has risen to 111,676 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 17 martyrs (14 of whom were recovered, and 3 new dead) and two injuries arrived at Gaza Strip hospitals during the past 24 hours.

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

Two citizens were injured today, Thursday, after being beaten by the Israeli occupation forces at the Jalameh military checkpoint, north of Jenin.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said that its crews dealt with two injuries to citizens who were beaten at the Jalameh military checkpoint and were transferred to the hospital.

Last night, Red Crescent crews transferred a 13-year-old child who was being held by the occupation forces at the Jalameh military checkpoint.

The occupation continues its aggression on the city and camp of Jenin for the 24th consecutive day, leaving 25 dead, dozens of injuries and arrests, and unprecedented destruction of citizens' property and infrastructure.

US Secretary of State Mark Rubio began a tour of Europe and the Middle East on Thursday, including Germany, Israel, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Moving forward with the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire agreement will be at the forefront of his discussions.

Rubio will travel to Munich on Feb. 13 to participate in the Munich Security Conference, where he will "discuss a range of U.S. priorities with international partners," State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said in a statement.

The spokeswoman noted that while in Munich, Rubio will also participate in a meeting of G7 foreign ministers.

US allies expect the US administration to present a long-awaited plan to end the Russia-Ukraine war at the Munich Security Conference, according to people familiar with the matter, Bloomberg reported.

The sources said that Trump's special envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, will present the broad outlines of the plan to allies, but the sources did not specify how detailed the discussions will be or what form it will take.

Rubio will continue his diplomatic tour with visits to Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates from February 15 to 18.

The ministry said that Rubio will discuss with senior officials during his tour the release of Israeli detainees in Gaza and proceeding with the second phase of the agreement.

The US State Department statement noted that the US Secretary of State's meetings with senior officials "will enhance US interests in encouraging regional cooperation, stability and peace."

The statement said the trip would focus on the release of American detainees and all other detainees held by Hamas, progress toward the second phase of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, and combating what it described as "destabilizing activities by the Iranian regime and its proxies."

Rubio's visit to the Middle East comes after US President Donald Trump revealed his plan to displace Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, which was met with widespread condemnation.

The US Secretary of State had earlier called on countries criticising Trump's plan to offer proposals to help the besieged and devastated Strip.

Rubio said Trump was offering to rebuild because Gaza is currently "uninhabitable," explaining that Trump's controversial remarks were partly intended to encourage other countries with "economic and technological capacity" to also help with reconstruction.

The Palestinian Prisoners Club said that the Israeli occupation authorities have arrested about 380 citizens in the governorates of Jenin, Tulkarm and Tubas since the beginning of the current aggression.

The Prisoners Club explained in a statement issued today, Thursday, that this data includes those who were arrested and kept in detention by the occupation, and those who were released later, and included children, women, young men, the wounded, and the elderly.

He pointed out that the number of detainees and those who were detained in Jenin and its camp over the course of 24 days of aggression amounted to no less than 150, while in Tulkarm Governorate, on the 18th day, the number of arrests amounted to at least 125, while the number of arrests in Tubas, where the aggression continued for 17 days, amounted to at least 100 cases, in addition to the dozens who were subjected to field investigation in the aforementioned governorates. The arrests were accompanied by severe beatings and systematic abuse of the detainees and their families, in addition to the threats that constitute organized terrorism against citizens.

The Prisoners Club continued, saying that the occupation has adopted a series of policies in various areas where the aggression has escalated, the most prominent of which are field executions, assassinations, and systematic field investigations that have affected dozens of families, in addition to detaining citizens as hostages, and turning homes into military barracks, after forcing their owners to leave them and move to other areas. The targeting of homes was not only by turning them into military barracks, in addition to the deliberate destruction of infrastructure.

He pointed out that field investigations are today the most prominent policy implemented by the occupation in the various governorates of the West Bank, without exception, specifically in towns and camps, during which thousands have been targeted, in addition to organized arrest operations. Based on information documented by the Prisoners Club, the occupation army, when storming homes for the purpose of field investigation, forces families to leave the home, and carries out acts of terrorism against them, and acts of sabotage and destruction inside the homes, before the arrest or detention operation later, as a form of revenge policy, or collective punishment.

A citizen was injured by Israeli occupation forces' bullets, and his brother was arrested, today, Thursday, during the raid on Ramallah al-Tahta.

Local sources reported that an Israeli special force stormed Ramallah al-Tahta, raided a commercial store, fired live bullets and injured the young man, Mohammed al-Nubani, from the village of al-Lubban al-Sharqiya, south of Nablus, with live bullets. The nature of his injury is not yet known, while his brother, Amjad, a student at Birzeit University, was arrested.

Today, Thursday, the Israeli occupation authorities decided to deport 4 Jerusalemite journalists from Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The Jerusalem Governorate said in a statement that the occupation authorities deported four Jerusalemite journalists from Al-Aqsa Mosque as the holy month of Ramadan approaches.

Yesterday, Wednesday, the occupation authorities decided to begin procedures to deport three Jerusalemite prisoners outside the occupied city of Jerusalem. They are: the young woman Zeina Barbar from the town of Silwan, the prisoner Tasneem Odeh (22 years old) from Kafr Aqab, and the prisoner Muhammad Abu al-Hawa from the town of At-Tur, east of occupied Jerusalem, to the West Bank.

Two Palestinian sources familiar with the negotiations to salvage the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip reported on Thursday that progress had been made that could lead to a new exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners on Saturday as planned.

A source told Agence France-Presse that "the mediators held intensive discussions and obtained an initial Israeli pledge to implement the terms of the humanitarian protocol starting Thursday morning, while another source reported that "Hamas confirmed to the Egyptian officials its commitment to the agreement and to implementing the sixth batch of prisoner exchange on time on Saturday, as soon as the occupation commits."

On the 26th day of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, Israeli media reported progress in the negotiation process, and stated that 3 Israelis will be released next Saturday as agreed upon, and that the aid that Israel is withholding is supposed to go to the northern Gaza Strip.

This comes as a Hamas delegation headed by Khalil al-Hayya began meetings in Cairo with Egyptian officials to follow up on the implementation of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, while the Al-Quds Brigades confirmed that the fate of the Israeli prisoners in the Gaza Strip is linked to the behavior of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whether negatively or positively.

During the election campaign of President Donald Trump, and before he won the presidency of the United States of America and reached the White House, he confirmed during his meetings in his election tours with the Arab community in America, especially with the Arab community in the state of Michigan, that he would strive to establish peace and security and achieve economic recovery in the Arab East region, especially with regard to stopping the war and resolving the crisis in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria, and of course in addition to his plan towards other international crises. Therefore, it is noted that his vision towards the Arab East region, and in particular Gaza and its people, is linked to the importance of its strategic and geopolitical location, and viewing Gaza as a future real estate project for Donald Trump, and that America will control the strategic Gaza Strip without returning to a long history of bloody conflict in Gaza, but rather moving to a new phase titled the reconstruction of Gaza. There is no doubt that Gaza also has a distinguished location due to the presence of natural gas fields on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, in addition to the importance of the trade routes associated with it, as it is an important strategic link between Asia and Africa, and on the other hand, between it and the Middle East and Europe.

This corridor and the commercial and maritime transport link between Asia and Europe via the Middle Eastern countries is related to the new corridor to India, which is expected to compete with what is known as the Chinese Belt Road. There are also indications related to the development of the Marine gas field (the first field discovered in the waters of the Eastern Mediterranean in the late nineties of the last century, before the Egyptian and Israeli gas fields), which is located 5 kilometers from Gaza, specifically its coast inside the Mediterranean Sea. This strategic location is the focus of interest of real estate development investment companies concerned later with the reconstruction of Gaza, and the new Riviera projects on the Mediterranean coast, and other ideas that have been put forward about it, including the ideas of Jared Kushner and the idea of establishing an international coastal resort on the coast of Gaza. All of these factors combined explain Trump’s interest in rebuilding the destroyed Gaza and deporting the displaced people of Gaza after the demolition of their homes to Egypt, Jordan and other countries, as Trump proposes sending half a million Gaza residents to Jordan, and a million and a half to Egypt in the Sinai region adjacent to Gaza. This vision emerged in particular after October 7 and the developments that followed in the conflict between the Hamas movement and the Palestinian Authority. And Israel in the Gaza Strip, which became clear as a result of the massive destruction that swept through Gaza, and the displacement, homelessness and killing of many as a result of the devastating military war.

Recently, specifically on the evening of February 11 of this year, there was a summit meeting between US President Trump and the Jordanian King, His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein, and his Crown Prince, His Royal Highness Prince Hussein bin Abdullah II, may God protect them. This meeting was broadcast live on Fox News. During the meeting, President Trump stressed the importance of the strong historical relationship between Jordan and the United States of America, also stressing that His Majesty the King is a great leader who does great work for his Jordanian people. Trump also indicated that the issue of displacement is an independent matter for him that will not affect the solid relationship with Jordan, including American economic aid to Jordan, as King Abdullah II stated several times his firm and clear position (no displacement, no alternative homeland, and Jordan first). This was prominent and clear in the statements of His Majesty King Abdullah II during the meeting, and in a way that showed the importance and diplomatic wisdom of His Majesty in his response to the questions directed to His Majesty and President Trump by journalists from various international media outlets, as the events and details of that were broadcast live on the television channel. American, and His Majesty stated, with all diplomacy and clarity, that despite the great challenges facing the Arab East region, His Majesty sees signs of light and a glimmer of hope for the future of this region in order to achieve peace, stability and economic recovery for all, and His Majesty will be keen to work diligently and cooperate with President Trump to achieve these goals in our region.

During the meeting, President Trump, after being asked about the West Bank issue, confirmed that he would work to resolve the stalemate and move forward to achieve the best. During the meeting, His Majesty stated that the final decision would be made after the meeting of the Arab countries, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia and its Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, in order to reach a joint and unified Arab agreement after the Riyadh meeting. In addition to all of this, and in a diplomatic manner, His Majesty stated that America’s interests in the region would be taken into consideration, affirming His Majesty categorically the supreme interest of the Jordanian people. His Majesty stressed an important issue, which is that Jordan’s interest, stability and the protection of its people are above all considerations. At the same time, His Majesty also confirmed, in the context of this international summit that brought him together with President Trump, his support for the people of Gaza, announcing his efforts to provide treatment for about two thousand children from the Gaza Strip who are suffering from cancer and other diseases and injuries, for the purpose of humanitarian relief, which is to treat them and provide them with health care. There is no doubt that this Hashemite humanitarian gesture was a surprise to President Trump, who in turn appreciated this humanitarian gesture and valued His Majesty’s noble stance towards the children of Gaza. Trump commented on this with the word “Fantastic” in admiration and great appreciation for this Hashemite creation and humanitarian initiative.

In the meeting, President Trump also stressed that there will be progress in solutions with Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia regarding the Gaza file and issue, and that it is not a difficult issue in the end, especially with the presence of America controlling this large area of land in Gaza, which Trump sees in its control and strength the possibility of eventually leading to peace and stability, which will be the first in the Arab East after long years of wars and displacement in the destroyed Gaza, and this peace will provide life for the people of Gaza and a climate characterized by security and without the presence of wars, killing or displacement, which often happened every ten years due to the renewal of repeated confrontations, and from Trump's point of view, these proposals guarantee the people of Gaza to live in new homes and safe places for them, and without a state of wars, fighting, displacement and the threat of their displacement by the Hamas movement, as Trump sees and stated.

In response to a question directed at him, Trump said, stressing that he will not buy Gaza, but will preserve it and there will be peace in it, and the most important thing is to succeed in managing it and establishing economic projects on a large scale in this area of land, and it will include building hotels, housing, offices and various huge projects, and thus the result is the provision of peace in the Arab East region, Trump stressed that the reconstruction process in Gaza will be quick and will not take a long time, explaining that until the reconstruction is completed, the solution will be, temporarily, to take an area of land in Egypt and Jordan and perhaps other areas, considering that Gaza is currently, in his opinion, a trap for killing, and they will certainly be in areas that are better for them and better than their tragic reality now, and at the same time and within these proposals, Trump confirms that there will be no threat directed at Egypt and Jordan until a solution is reached, but rather the deep mutual American relations exceed all of that, and that America will pay huge sums to Jordan and Egypt as aid, in addition to the presence of several countries that wish to help and cooperate in support of the Palestinians, Trump explained in his comment on international conflicts that if he was present in the American government and administration, the conflicts would not have been The current crises are ongoing, including the events of October 7 and the Russian-Ukrainian war, and it is also believed that there are positive signs in this file as well. At the end of the meeting, His Majesty the King confirmed that the final decision will be after negotiations and a meeting with Egypt and the Arab countries, as it is a collective Arab decision. There is also interest from European countries, as they are also interested in helping the children of Gaza.

The outcome of Trump's position and vision is that Gaza will be rebuilt, and this will be in cooperation with the Arab countries, and this is of course linked to its strategic importance on the Mediterranean Sea, as peace and stability will be present there in the future and resolving its crisis will be a contributing factor in encouraging peace in the Arab East region. The outcome of His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein's view and vision is that Gaza, despite its geographical distance from Jordan, is of His Majesty's interest in seeking peace in it and in the region, especially since he is a pivotal and essential Arab leader in the efforts to establish peace and stability in the region. Therefore, the importance of His Majesty's discussions with Trump comes in searching for ways to solve the peace dilemma in general, and what is happening in Gaza in particular. His Majesty reiterated that Jordan is against the displacement of the Palestinian people from the West Bank and Gaza, and this is an agreed-upon Arab position, and that the reconstruction of Gaza will be without displacing its people, whose number is estimated at more than two million people, and this is a fundamental issue that everyone must adhere to.

Today, the Jordanian people are preparing to receive His Majesty King Abdullah II, who is returning to his homeland and people from his visit to the United States of America. This genuine people has gathered around him and stands as one behind His Majesty’s leadership. Popular calls for this reception are still ongoing, expressing and supporting the positions of His Majesty, the distinguished man of peace.

Today, Thursday, a young man was killed by Israeli occupation forces south of Nablus, and his body was detained.

The General Authority of Civil Affairs informed the Ministry of Health of the death of the young man Issa Riyad Issa Jabali (28 years old) by the occupation forces’ bullets near the town of Hawara, and his body is being held.

With the death of the young man Jabali, the number of dead in the West Bank since the beginning of this year has risen to 73 citizens.

Jordanian King Abdullah II succeeded in putting things in perspective during his visit to the United States and his meeting with US President Donald Trump, by transforming the Palestinian challenge that arose due to Trump’s threats to displace the citizens of the Gaza Strip into an Arab challenge, by talking about the expected Egyptian plan, and thus he overcame the great difficulties he faced during the expected meeting.

Before the Arab Summit, on the 27th of this month, a five-party summit will be held, bringing together the leaders of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, Qatar and Jordan, in an attempt to approve the Egyptian proposal that sets out a comprehensive vision for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, the details of which are expected to be announced next week.

The Egyptian proposal includes a plan to rebuild Gaza over 3-5 years, and includes working in two phases to remove rubble and build residential complexes.

The outcomes of the five-party summit, if adopted and ratified at the Arab summit, will strengthen the Arab position and response to Trump’s plan, and there is no doubt that this will also strengthen the hardline and rejecting Palestinian position. Hence, Arab movements must continue to repel this suspicious American plan that targets the entire Palestinian cause.

It is widely believed that Trump is the one who succeeded in the test, when he forced the Arabs to move and come to the White House with alternative plans, and thus completely interfere in a crisis that the Arab countries had been afraid to deal with for long periods. If Trump, according to US National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, only aims to raise the pressure ceiling and motivate the Arab countries to present alternative proposals regarding Gaza, then this must pass through a complete Palestinian-Arab consensus, to confront the potential risks of ill intentions, through Trump's statements and Netanyahu's threats to eliminate any Palestinian role in the Gaza Strip, whether for the Palestinian Authority or the resistance. This matter is considered decisive, decisive and strategic for the Palestinians, as there is absolutely no alternative to a Palestinian role for the day after the war on the Gaza Strip, whether Trump wants it or not Netanyahu.

It is important for the Arabs to have an influential role in rebuilding the Gaza Strip, drawing a map for peace in the region, supporting the two-state solution, and assuming their responsibilities. But more important than all of this is not to fall into the trap of Trump and Netanyahu, who are playing on the chord of sabotaging and destroying the region and eliminating any horizon or initiative for security and peace, based on the great intentions of displacing and expelling the Palestinians, in an ethnic cleansing campaign unprecedented in history.

The Arab countries are at stake and facing a major test. They are responsible for developing alternative solutions to Trump and Netanyahu’s plans, which only go through rebuilding the Gaza Strip with a clear, serious, constructive and ambitious plan that preserves the Palestinians’ survival in their land, homeland and camps. Any solution other than that will put even the Arabs themselves in trouble with the Palestinians, because just as they have thwarted all American and Israeli plans over the past many years, which were interspersed with steadfastness and pride in all the wars that Israel has waged against the Palestinian people, the most recent of which was the aggression on the Gaza Strip, which our steadfast people thwarted, they are capable of thwarting Trump/Netanyahu’s plans at any price.

The visit of the Jordanian head of state, His Majesty the King, accompanied by the Crown Prince, to Washington and the meeting with US President Trump on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, was not easy, because its results were known in advance and estimated, and its outcome was difficult and confrontational in positions and options and a gap between the two official parties:

First, the American administration with its extremist stance in support of the Israeli colony, especially after Netanyahu’s visit to Washington, and the political and material generosity he received from President Trump, who is fond of siding with the colony’s policies and supporting it, and providing aid and needs as it wants in response to the American right-wing trends of Zionists and evangelical Christians who stand with the colony out of alleged misleading ideological motives, and in response to the political-religious team leading the colony.

Secondly, the head of state, His Majesty the King, who is visiting Washington armed politically with a clear Jordanian position, gives priority to preserving Jordanian national security, and preventing the colony’s tendencies and its attempts to throw the Palestinian cause outside Palestine, especially towards Jordan, after the late President Yasser Arafat succeeded in returning the subject, file, Palestinian cause and its institutions from exile to the homeland based on the struggle and activities of the first Intifada in 1987 and its sacrifices, and the gradual, multi-stage Oslo Accords in 1993.

His Majesty King Abdullah also conveyed the positions of the Arab parties, especially the results of the seven-member Arab ministerial meeting held in Cairo on February 1, 2025, in the presence of the foreign ministers of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Qatar, the Palestine Liberation Organization, and the Secretary-General of the Arab League, which announced the rejection of the US President’s statements to deport, transfer, and displace Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to Jordan and Egypt, or to third countries.

The firmness of the decisive Jordanian position in rejecting Trump’s position also depended on the positions of the United States’ allies and the colony’s European supporters: Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Spain, who rejected the US President’s proposals and considered the Gaza Strip, along with Jerusalem and the Palestinian West Bank, to be a single unit of the land and project of the Palestinian state, according to the two-state solution.

In the meeting and the open scene of the American-Jordanian summit, it was clearly evident on the faces and expressions of both parties that they were not in a state of mutual comfort, and they appeared tense, because each of them knew in advance the position of the other, and the lack of prior agreement on the hot issue that was the subject of discussion, dialogue and negotiation: the suffering of the people of the Gaza Strip and the repercussions of the colony war, the priority of urgent necessities in providing needs, reconstruction and the required political horizon.

It is clear that the bilateral summit meeting was limited in terms of time and date, and that each of them presented his vision without reaching any agreement that could be talked about or heralded, as the press conference was limited before the summit was held, and not after it, as is supposed to require talking about its results, which are clear and lie in the lack of agreement, and therefore the Jordanian position was confined between two fires: the fire of accepting the American offer, and the fire of clashing with President Trump.

What His Majesty the King said and wrote is that there is a plan that Egypt and Palestine will present regarding the Gaza Strip, which will be discussed at an emergency summit in Riyadh, to be presented and approved at the Cairo summit on February 27, 2025, to be presented to Washington and the rest of the international parties.

Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi also highlighted King Abdullah's position before President Trump, in emphasizing Jordan's constants towards the two-state solution, and that Jordan will not allow the displacement of Palestinians to its lands, and that Jordan's interests are based on the equation that Jordan is for Jordanians and Palestine is for Palestinians.

Former US President Donald Trump’s announcement of his plan to seize the Gaza Strip, displace its residents and turn it into a tourist resort under the name “Riviera of the East” has sparked widespread controversy. Here are the most prominent real and hidden reasons that may be behind this proposal:

1. Pressuring the Palestinians and Arabs to accept unfair settlements:

This proposal is likely to be a political blackmail tool aimed at pressuring the Palestinians and Arabs to accept the annexation of the West Bank to Israel, in exchange for Gaza becoming the only area allocated to them. The plan may include transferring the West Bank residents to Jordan or bringing them into Gaza after expanding it by annexing parts of the Negev Desert or Sinai, which would undermine the two-state solution and reduce Arab expectations regarding the final solution.

Trump could also offer to halt the displacement in exchange for normalization with Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries, in an attempt to transform normalization from a “barter for a Palestinian state” to a “barter for halting the displacement.”

2. To shock the Arab world, to push countries to rebuild Gaza and expel Hamas:

This approach reflects Trump's business mentality, which relies on creating crises and then offering alternative solutions on his terms.

Trump seeks to force Egypt, Jordan, and the Gulf states to engage actively in resolving the Palestinian crisis after avoiding taking decisive steps. This aims to transform the Palestinian issue from a “population” issue to a “housing” issue, with the Arab states bearing the cost of rebuilding Gaza, without any American or Israeli obligations. This proposal may also be part of a strategy to push Hamas out of Gaza by escalating the crisis, then offering solutions that are internationally acceptable.

3. Satisfying the Israeli far right:

The far right in Israel is promoting the idea of a “Greater Gaza” in which the population of the Strip would be displaced in exchange for expanding it to include lands from the Sinai, allowing Israel to have full control over the West Bank without significant international pressure.

4. Gaining the support of evangelicals and Zionist groups in America:

Evangelical Zionist groups in the United States play a major role in supporting Israel’s policies, and are one of Trump’s largest electoral bases. Many evangelicals believe that supporting Israel is a religious duty, and that the displacement of Palestinians from Gaza is part of “preparing for the coming of the Messiah.” So any step toward strengthening Israel, even if it involves displacing the indigenous population, will be widely welcomed in these circles.

5. Electoral motives: Giving back to his campaign’s major funders:

During his campaign, Trump received huge donations from prominent Jewish businessmen and women such as Sheldon and Miriam Adelson, who explicitly called for his support for Israel’s expansionist policies. During his first term, Trump implemented several key steps to advance this agenda, such as recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, recognizing Israel’s sovereignty over the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, and pressuring Iran. His plan for Gaza is part of this policy, especially after he previously hinted at annexing the West Bank.

6. The alternative canal project for the Suez Canal:

Israel has been considering for years the construction of a waterway linking the Red Sea to the Mediterranean via the northern Gaza Strip, as a possible alternative to Egypt’s Suez Canal. The project could be part of a rivalry with China’s “Silk Road,” as the United States seeks to counter China’s global economic influence. If implemented, Gaza would become a focal point for international trade, giving Washington and Tel Aviv greater control over strategic trade routes.

7. Economic ambitions for Gaza’s wealth:

Gaza has vast natural gas reserves, with gas fields discovered in at least two areas off the coast of the Strip. The United States and Israel are seeking to control these resources, given the importance of gas as a strategic energy source in the region, especially with the increasing tensions in global energy markets.

8. Exploiting the destruction of Gaza as a pretext to put forward the plan:

Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff recently visited the Gaza Strip and came away with a very negative impression, saying that the widespread destruction had made Gaza “uninhabitable.” Witkoff relayed this image to Trump, which may have prompted him to present his controversial plan under the guise of “finding humanitarian solutions,” even though it actually serves the interests of Israel and the United States.

9. Distracting American citizens from his internal issues:

Trump has long used controversial international issues, such as China, Mexico, Panama, and Greenland, to distract the American public from his domestic crises. Given the political and legal pressures he faces at home, reviving the Gaza issue may be part of his strategy to divert attention to foreign issues and cement his image as a strong leader capable of managing global crises.

Finally, Trump’s plan to occupy Gaza and displace its population is not just a passing political statement, but rather part of a broader vision aimed at pressuring the Palestinians and Arabs, serving Israel’s interests, pleasing Jewish donors and the Christian Zionist right in America, while achieving economic gains. In addition, this proposal reflects a broader strategy to reshape the political landscape in the region, in a way that serves the American and Israeli agendas in the long term.

My initial reaction to President Donald Trump’s proposals for Gaza was to dismiss them as bizarre—out of touch with reality, dangerously provocative, illegal, and indifferent to the humanity of Palestinians.

Indeed, his proposals have all of these characteristics. But since we know that this president is no ordinary man, it is wise to assume that there is a “method of his own.” Just as Trump did in his flurry of executive orders that left his opponents and the media scrambling to understand his intentions, I think the same logic may be behind his statements on Gaza.

This logic consists of two basic elements: the first is to confuse his opponents and weaken their morale. The second is to distract them - like carnival tricks - so that we turn our attention away from the real issues and become preoccupied with the illusion that is being created.

Based on this, I do not believe for a moment that Trump intends to send American forces to control Gaza and forcibly expel 1.5 million Palestinians. Nor will he be able to force Jordan and Egypt to receive these Palestinians and resettle them permanently.

All of these ideas are so far removed from reality and so dangerous that it is inconceivable that this president — who says he wants to keep America out of wars and bring peace to the Middle East — would try to implement any of them.

Some may attack me as trying to give President Trump the benefit of the doubt. To be clear, that is exactly what I am not doing. He may want to distract from the real issues with a bizarre Gaza plan, but instead of falling into the trap, we should focus on what is realistic and urgent. What I am saying is that instead of spending countless hours analyzing his words, criticizing his plan, or preparing for its implementation (which is exactly what he wants), we should ignore these statements and focus on the urgent issues facing us. The fragile ceasefire in Gaza must be preserved, and the parties must move to phases two and three of it. That means continuing to press for Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza and developing plans for reconstruction. It means directing our attention to de-escalating Israel’s repressive violence in the West Bank. And it means maintaining the focus on holding Israel and the United States accountable for the war crimes of the past 15 months.

Neither President Trump nor Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu want us to move on any of these urgent issues. They want to further frustrate the Palestinians, create chaos in the Arab states, and run out the clock on the first phase of the ceasefire plan. That would allow Netanyahu to resume his war to achieve what he calls “total victory” in Gaza, ensuring the survival of his governing coalition and his continued hold on power.

In other words, instead of dealing with the real issues that need our attention, Trump wants us to fall into his trap of distracting discussion, while Israel moves forward with its deadly game before our eyes.

Over the years of conflict, there has been a personal enmity that has formed between the occupation soldiers and the camp, an enmity driven by desires for revenge against the place that forms the memory of generations, and incites people to cling to the fringes of hope, no matter how high the columns of smoke rise, or how long the night is, or how deep the worries become, or how long the suspicions about the difficulty of achieving dreams grow, due to the accumulation of pain and conspiracies, and the operations of seizing the land, and confiscating the seals from the guardian of the refugees’ dreams, who warm themselves on the embers of longing, driven by the certainty of the inevitability of returning to the groves of figs and olives, and the orchards of sad oranges.

Scenes of forced displacement from the northern camps and the burning of homes stir up painful memories for those who lived through the first years of the Nakba, which were deeply etched into their souls as they endured the pain of loss, poverty, hunger and cold, in tents that did not protect against the heat of summer or the cold of winter.

We thought it was the last tents, and the end of sorrows, after the children of the displaced made their way to life, with the weapon of education in the UNRWA schools, which were like Noah's Ark for the refugees, before the flood came, and returned the issue to the pit of collapse, where there was killing, displacement, and waiting in line for food, with the arrival of Trump for four lean years, in which he threatened us with laying hands on the land after expelling the people.

Camps are not just places of shelter, but open offices, markets full of poetry, night owls, and life songs, and moments in which the poor and the well-off share joy, in morning meetings and Ramadan evenings. It is a relationship that goes beyond being social duties, to daily rituals, the temperature of which the people of the neighborhoods know, especially on dark nights.

Displaced Ayat Musa Maqsqas drowned in a sea of tears when she saw the pictures of her house that was completely burned by the occupation forces on Al-Madaris Street in Jenin camp, where the fire devoured its entire contents, and nothing remained of it. She said: “Our house is far from the main street and the heart of the camp, and no events took place there, and no one was present in it, so why this deliberate destruction and sabotage that turned our lives into hell?!”

The occupation forced the residents of Jenin camp to leave their homes on the third day of the siege and aggression on the city and camp of Jenin.

Citizen Umm Ali Maqsaqs told Al-Quds.com: “The occupation threatened to bomb and demolish our homes over our heads, and asked us to leave immediately, despite our patience and endurance of the tragic circumstances and the power and water cuts. We had no choice but to leave to avoid risking our lives.”

She added: "We were not able to take any clothes or belongings from our house. They did not give us a deadline. My husband, my four children and I left with our clothes on, to face the new catastrophe that we heard about from our grandparents and our families."

After a bitter journey of suffering, at the occupation points and inspections after forcing the displaced to leave the camp, "Umm Ali" arrived at her family's home in Jenin, watching the news and waiting in the hope of returning to the home that was built and founded with the hard work and fatigue of life for many years, and suddenly she experienced the shock of a lifetime, when activists on social media published a video clip showing her house burning.

She says, “We felt suffocated when they forced us to leave our homes and leave everything we had worked so hard to provide. We left with only our clothes on, and I spent my days in sadness and pain, hoping that the nightmare would end and we would return to our homes, as our souls and lives were there in the camp.”

She added: "I broke down crying and was in great shock when I saw the disaster that befell my house, which was completely burned. The soldiers stormed it, searched it and burned it for no reason. We did not even have any identification papers left, as the fire devoured everything."

Since the beginning of the aggression and the siege of the camp, the occupation forces have been storming homes and destroying their contents, then deliberately burning and blowing them up despite the displacement of their residents. She said: “We learned that the occupation forces burned my home even though there was no one in it. Within seconds, they destroyed the fatigue and hardship of a lifetime. Even after the end of the catastrophe, we do not know how we will live after they burned our home.” She added: “Before that black day, things were normal for us. We were patient and endured the pain of displacement. But after they burned our home, the real catastrophe occurred in our lives. They burned my heart and my life, and we had nothing left. What law or Sharia allows this injustice?”

She added: "The occupation wants to displace us and expel us from the camp, but this will not happen even in their dreams. These practices will increase our steadfastness and determination to return and rebuild what the occupation destroyed, and we will not live as displaced persons and refugees forever."

Three weeks later, the occupation is still demolishing, destroying and burning homes, shops and citizens’ property in Jenin camp.

According to local sources, the number of buildings and properties destroyed and burned by the occupation in Jenin camp exceeded 200 buildings.

US President Donald Trump sent a message to the Jordanian people on Wednesday, via a video clip from the White House in Washington, DC, praising the generosity and intelligence of the Jordanians.

Trump said: "To the great people of Jordan, you are an amazing people with great intelligence, and you have a great king, a true leader, with a great heart, and he loves you very much, and he loves his country."

He added: "King Abdullah II is one of the greatest leaders in the world, and I tell you from the bottom of my heart, you are very lucky to have him among you."

Trump released the video amid widespread anger in Jordan over his plan to resettle Gaza residents, and what they saw as Trump's unbecoming reception of their king.

With both in the crosshairs of US President Donald Trump, Jordan and Egypt are moving quickly — and with uncertain prospects for success — to dissuade him from forcing them to accept Palestinians from the Gaza Strip.

For the two Arab governments, who view Trump’s proposal to take in 2 million Palestinians as an existential threat, the strategy appears to be to appease the US president with offers to work together to rebuild Gaza, bring peace to the region and expand humanitarian aid efforts. Analysts say that could buy them time — perhaps enough to get Trump to abandon the idea as too complicated, or to acknowledge the strategic and security downsides of destabilizing two of America’s closest allies in the region.

Jordan’s King Abdullah struck a conciliatory tone in his Oval Office meeting with Mr Trump on Tuesday, telling the US president that his country would take in 2,000 Palestinian children with cancer and other illnesses from Gaza. However, he made no concessions on the resettlement of more Gazans, and later reiterated Jordan’s rejection of the plan in a statement on social media.

Jordan has treated a number of cancer patients from Gaza since the start of the war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, making the offer more symbolic than a real concession. But Trump described it as a "nice gesture."

Other world leaders have found that flattery of Trump helps them achieve their goals. King Abdullah appeared to follow suit on Tuesday, praising the president as “someone who can take us across the finish line to stability, peace and prosperity” in the Middle East.

While the king responded to Trump in the post to make clear that he rejects the mass and forced displacement of Palestinians, he indicated that the United States has a key role to play. “Achieving a just peace based on the two-state solution is the way to ensure regional stability. This requires US leadership,” he said in the post.

Egypt also said it wanted to work with Mr Trump “to achieve a comprehensive and just peace in the region by reaching a just settlement of the Palestinian issue,” according to an Egyptian statement issued later Tuesday.

But the Egyptian statement made no mention of participation in the Trump proposal, and reiterated Egypt’s position that peace can only be achieved by granting the Palestinians their own independent state. The Palestinians and many other Arabs have rejected Trump’s proposal for the forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza not only as ethnic cleansing, a war crime that contravenes international law, but also as a death knell for their long-held dream of a Palestinian state. Egypt has instead sought to offer an alternative to the Trump plan, saying in the statement that it would present “a comprehensive vision for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip in a way that ensures the survival of the Palestinian people in their homeland.” The Palestinian Authority joined its own plan to help Gaza recover from the war on Wednesday.

In recent days, as concerns about the US president's idea have mounted, Egyptian officials have stressed that Egypt is prepared to help rebuild Gaza, with which it shares a vital border crossing, as it has done after previous conflicts there.

King Abdullah hinted several times during his meeting with Trump at the need to consult with Egypt and other Arab countries before responding to Mr. Trump’s proposal, pointing to an upcoming meeting in Riyadh with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Egypt has also called for a summit of Arab leaders to discuss the issue in Cairo on February 27.

Egyptian sources said that President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will not travel to Washington to hold talks with his US counterpart Donald Trump if the agenda includes a plan to displace Palestinians.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry stated that Cairo is determined to present a vision for the reconstruction of Gaza that guarantees the survival of the Palestinian people on their land. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry stressed that ending the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories and implementing the two-state solution is the path to stability in the region. It pointed out that Cairo is looking forward to cooperating with Washington for a just settlement of the Palestinian issue that takes into account the rights of the peoples of the region.

In a related matter, Democratic U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (R-Va.) confirmed on Wednesday that he had introduced a new bill titled The United States Will Not Control Gaza, criticizing President Donald Trump's plan.

The Democratic senator says in his bill that "the Palestinians have the right to self-determination, and that the occupation will lead to extremism, and there is no interest in a new war forever."

Tim Kaine pointed out that "it would be a big mistake for the United States to say that it will take it upon itself to do what Trump says regarding Gaza, and the purpose of the bill is to ensure that American money is not used to deport the people of the Gaza Strip or send American soldiers to Gaza."

He also stressed that "Gaza is an international issue that needs an international solution, and the United States should not suddenly say that it will solve it."

Senators Tim Kaine and Richard Blumenthal (Connecticut), Derek Durbin (Illinois), Jon Ossoff (Georgia), Bernie Sanders (Vt.), Chris Van Hollen (Maryland), Raphael Warnock (Georgia), Peter Welch (Vermont), Ron Wyden (Oregon), Tammy Duckworth (Illinois), and Jeff Merkley (Massachusetts) participated.

“Despite the president’s inner circle’s attempts to walk back his comments, Donald Trump continues to move forward with his preposterous proposal to take control of Gaza, which would create further chaos in the region, undermine our national security, and likely violate international law,” Senator Tammy Duckworth warned.

“Any suggestion that the United States should take control of Gaza is outrageous,” Senator Durbin added. “We must continue to press for a renewed focus on the future, and Congress must continue to pressure the President.”

According to Newsweek, Democratic Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) said earlier that "after hearing Donald Trump's proposal regarding the Gaza Strip, I couldn't find the right words to express my opinion." The Democratic Senator described the plan as "crazy," while Democratic Party representatives described Trump as "losing his mind" after his statements regarding the United States' control over the Gaza Strip and the displacement of Palestinians to a new land.

The Israeli occupation forces launched a campaign of raids and arrests in the West Bank at dawn and this morning, Thursday.

In Bethlehem, the occupation forces arrested citizen Hamza Adnan Mustafa Abu Surur (33 years old) after raiding his family's home in Aida camp.

In Nablus, the occupation forces stormed several neighborhoods in the city of Nablus and arrested the two freed prisoners, Jihad Iyad Al-Ahmad and Omar Mansour, after raiding their homes and searching them on Asira and Ibn Rushd streets.

The occupation also raided a number of houses in the Hashashin neighborhood in Balata camp, east of Nablus, and arrested citizen Nasser Hashash.

The occupation also arrested citizen Islam Al-Halabi, the wife of the detainee Ihab Al-Shouli, after raiding her house in the village of Asira Al-Shamaliya.

In Ramallah, the occupation forces stormed the village of Kafr Naama, arrested the two brothers, Anan and Uday Abu Adi, and assaulted their parents.

They also arrested the young man Ibrahim Shokha (27 years old) while he was passing through a military checkpoint between the villages of Ramon and Taybeh, east of Ramallah, and seized his vehicle.

Meanwhile, the occupation forces stormed the Jalazone camp in the north, and arrested the young man Mahmoud Jamal Yousef (35 years old), and raided the home of the citizen Jamal Al-Rumahi and destroyed and vandalized its contents.

The Israeli occupation forces continue their aggression on the city of Tulkarm and its camp for the 18th consecutive day and the fifth day on the Nour Shams camp, with the continuation of the siege, raids on homes and forced displacement of citizens, accompanied by a wide-scale arrest campaign.

This ongoing aggression has led to widespread destruction of infrastructure and property, and forced thousands of citizens to flee their homes in Tulkarm and Nur Shams camps at gunpoint.

This morning, the occupation forces arrested a number of young men from the Dhnaba suburb east of the city after raiding their homes. Among them were identified as: Ahmed Samir Abu Jarad, Hussam Al-Hajj Ahmed, Mustafa Al-Hajj Ahmed, and Jamil Al-Hajj Ahmed. They also arrested the young man Iyad Abu Zahra from his home in the western neighborhood of the city.

Last night, the occupation forces sent more military reinforcements to the city and its camps, and deployed infantry soldiers in the streets and neighborhoods, amidst extensive combing and search operations, concentrated in the eastern and northern neighborhoods of the city, in addition to the camps’ alleys.

The occupation forces continue their siege of the eastern neighborhood of the city, specifically Al-Muqata'a Street and Abu Safiya Junction, and are seizing residential buildings and turning them into military barracks. They are also knocking on the doors of homes, preventing citizens from leaving and moving around, and restricting them inside their homes, even preventing them from opening the windows.

At the same time, the occupation forces fired live bullets intensively and randomly in Tulkarm camp, specifically in the airport neighborhood, while raiding homes and wreaking destruction and vandalism in them, while continuing to seize a number of them and convert them into military barracks and sniper locations.

The suffering of the citizens who have not left their homes on the outskirts of the camp is exacerbated as a result of the tight siege and continuous attacks on the camp. Their appeals for the delivery of food supplies, drinking water, medicine and baby milk continue, in light of the exacerbation of the humanitarian suffering as a result of the interruption of all basic services, including water, electricity and communications, after the occupation destroyed the camp’s infrastructure.

In Nour Shams camp, the occupation bulldozers continue to demolish homes and destroy the infrastructure inside its neighborhoods, specifically Al-Manshiya, while the sounds of live bullets and huge explosions are heard.

The demolition and destruction coincided with the occupation imposing a tight siege on the camp and its outskirts, turning it into a military barracks, raiding and vandalizing homes, and forcing their residents to leave them by threats and intimidation, at a time when the camp is witnessing a large wave of displacement of residents, including women, children and the elderly, enduring the hardships of moving on foot amidst the great destruction of the streets, rain and bitter cold on the one hand, and the intimidation of the occupation, which is firing heavily on the other hand, exposing them to danger.

**fetal**

This morning, a drone bombed a vehicle in the eastern neighborhood of Jenin.

Local sources told Al-Quds.com that the vehicle was bombed three times in a row without causing any injuries.

The occupation continues its siege of the city and camp of Jenin for the 24th consecutive day, amidst large-scale raids and searches that have affected several homes in Jenin, during which the occupation has arrested several young men. It also threatened the families of the wanted persons with liquidation and punishment if they do not surrender themselves immediately to the Israeli army, which sent reinforcements to the area at dawn today, where the sound of explosions was heard and special flash bombs were fired near the Martyr Tawalbeh Mosque in the camp.