The U.S. State Department has formally notified Congress that it plans to move forward with more than $8 billion in arms sales to Israel, bypassing an informal review process that was still underway in a House committee.

The move came just two days after US President Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and said the US would “take over” the devastated Gaza Strip and turn it into the “Riviera of the Middle East.”

According to US media, the State Department officially notified Congress of its intention on Thursday. On the same day, the Pentagon issued two press releases, one saying it was selling Israel 3,000 Hellfire air-to-ground missiles worth $660 million, and the other saying it was sending bombs and guidance kits worth $6.75 billion.

The administration of former President Joe Biden gave Israel more than $20 billion in weapons between October 7, 2023, and mid-November 2024, according to the prestigious Brown University.

The Pentagon did not issue a press release for the artillery shell sale, which as a direct commercial sale did not require the department to issue a detailed statement. In total, the sales are worth more than $8 billion.

The Biden administration announced the $8 billion sale in early January, just before the end of his presidency, and then sent the entire package to the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for informal review. During that process, lawmakers can ask the State Department detailed questions about the sales before deciding whether to approve them. The two top Republicans on the committees gave their approval, and eventually the top Democratic senator did, too, but Rep. Gregory W. Meeks of New York, the committee’s top Democrat, decided to use the review process to ask more questions.

The State Department moved forward with the package after sitting in informal review for more than 20 days, the typical amount of time given to senior lawmakers to consider such cases.

The sales will almost certainly go ahead unimpeded, as Congress would need to muster a two-thirds vote in both houses to stop the orders.

Following the announcement that the sales would go ahead despite his suspension, Meeks sharply criticized what he described as an erosion of longstanding precedent, accusing the Trump administration of sidelining Congress in its decision to move forward with the arms transfer. “I continue to support Israel’s critical military needs in the face of a range of regional threats,” Meeks said in a statement. But his support, he made clear, was not unconditional. He engaged in what he called “close consultation” with administration officials on the sales, raising a number of concerns — only to find his inquiries met with silence. He said the administration had failed to provide meaningful documentation or justification for its decision.

The administration’s move to carry out the sales was legal, but Mr. Meeks said it showed “a blatant disregard for longstanding congressional privilege.” More than just a bureaucratic affront, he said, it was a fundamental challenge to the balance of power between the equal branches of government.

It is noteworthy that in 2019, during his first administration, Mr. Trump declared an “emergency” regarding Iran, allowing Mike Pompeo, then the secretary of state, to proceed with sending weapons to the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia despite the fact that Congress was still raising questions about the weapons in the initial review process. Mr. Pompeo’s move led to an investigation by the State Department’s inspector general.

The notice was sent Thursday without declaring an emergency. In 2023, the Biden administration used a similar mechanism to circumvent congressional oversight of arms sales to Israel by invoking the same emergency provision.

Aside from the $8 billion package, Congress is reviewing Israel’s request for a license to buy 5,000 assault rifles from American gunmakers. The State Department could soon submit more assault rifle license applications to Congress for informal review. During the Biden administration, the State Department halted a license that would have allowed Israel to buy 24,000 American-made assault rifles that were known to be destined for settlers.

The Israeli army began withdrawing from the Netzarim axis on Sunday, as part of the understandings of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, which entered its 22nd day, while talks on the second phase of the deal were renewed in the Qatari capital, Doha.

The Israeli army's withdrawal from Netzarim comes within the framework of the current round of the hostage deal, as Israel pledged to withdraw from the place after one year and three months since the "36th Division" penetrated the Netzarim axis towards the sea during the ground maneuver in Gaza, and the withdrawal is to be completed completely within the day.

The Israeli withdrawal from Netzarim came after the implementation of the fifth batch of prisoner exchange, as the Qassam Brigades - the military wing of Hamas - released 3 Israeli prisoners from the central Gaza Strip on Saturday, while Israel released 183 Palestinian prisoners.

Meanwhile, an Israeli negotiating delegation arrived in Doha, and Israeli officials said that the delegation had not received authorization to enter into the second phase of the agreement, while the families of the Israeli hostages in Gaza appealed to US President Donald Trump to intervene to complete the deal and prevent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from thwarting it.

In addition, a senior Hamas official said that Israel's "failure to implement" all the terms of the truce agreement puts the ceasefire in Gaza at risk of collapse.

Hamas political bureau member Bassem Naim warned that the agreement was in danger, but said the movement did not want to return to war.

Naim pointed out that "what we see of procrastination and lack of commitment in implementing the first phase and trying to create a political and international, diplomatic and media environment to pressure the Palestinian negotiators when entering the second phase, certainly puts this agreement at risk and thus may stop and collapse."

On Saturday, the Israeli occupation army continued its violations of the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon, as an air strike on the "Shaara" area in the Baalbek district in the east of the country resulted in the killing of 6 people and the injury of two.

While it continued to bomb and burn houses, launch raids with warplanes and drones, and drop a sound bomb in southern Lebanon, committing 6 violations today.

This brings the total number of violations of the agreement since it came into effect 75 days ago to 872, according to statistics prepared by Anadolu Agency based on announcements by the Lebanese News Agency.

The agency said, "Six people were killed and two others were injured in an Israeli air strike that targeted the Al-Sha'ra area adjacent to the town of Janta."

In the Marjeyoun district of the Nabatieh Governorate in the south of the country, Israeli forces carried out two waves of bombings and burning of houses in the town of Adaisseh, which led to dense columns of smoke rising that covered the area.

In the Tyre district of the same governorate, an Israeli drone dropped a sound bomb on a group of young men who were inside a café in the town of Aita al-Shaab, without recording any injuries.

The skies of Jezzine district also witnessed intensive flights of Israeli drones, especially over the Jabal al-Rayhan area.

While Israeli warplanes continued to fly at medium altitude in the southern skies.

A young man was injured, Saturday evening, during the Israeli occupation forces' storming of the village of Tal, southwest of Nablus.

According to local sources, the occupation forces stormed the village of Tal, amidst live bullets and toxic gas bombs, which resulted in a young man being injured by a live bullet fragment in his leg, and a number of citizens suffering from suffocation.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to eliminate Hamas in the Gaza Strip and recover all Israeli hostages still being held there, in a video message broadcast by his office on Saturday evening.

"We will destroy Hamas and get our hostages back," Netanyahu said in the message, which was presented after a new exchange involving three Israeli hostages and more than 180 Palestinian prisoners. "That's what we will do."

Before that, Netanyahu announced sending a delegation to Doha to conduct negotiations on the next stage of the truce between the Hebrew state and Hamas in Gaza, and its implementation began on January 19.

A statement from Netanyahu's office said that after a new exchange on Saturday of Israeli hostages in Gaza for Palestinians held by Israel, "Netanyahu ordered a delegation to be sent to Qatar, and intends to hold a security cabinet meeting on the subject upon his return from the United States on Sunday."

Hamas released today three Israeli hostages who had been held in the Gaza Strip for 16 months, while Israel released 183 Palestinian prisoners in the fifth exchange since the ceasefire agreement went into effect.

The three hostages, Or Levy, 34, Eli Sharabi, 52, and German-Israeli Ohad Ben-Ami, 56, were loaded onto trucks and carried onto a platform by Hamas fighters during a ceremony organised by the movement in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip.

They were then handed over to the International Red Cross, which in turn handed them over to the Israeli authorities.

In exchange for the release of the three hostages, Israel released 183 Palestinians, the Israeli Prison Service announced.

The Arab League revealed, on Saturday evening, that contacts are currently underway to hold an Arab summit to discuss the Palestinian issue.

This came according to what was stated by the Assistant Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Ambassador Hossam Zaki, during a telephone interview on the Egyptian "Cairo News" channel, the day after Bahrain announced its support for the proposal to hold an emergency Arab summit in Cairo in rejection of the displacement of Palestinians.

Zaki explained that "there are current contacts to hold an Arab summit to discuss the Palestinian issue, but the date has not been set yet."

He pointed out that the Arab League's moves aim to "confront Israel's allegations and affirm the principle of the two-state solution."

He stressed that "the Arab position is cohesive and everyone stands behind the Palestinians, Egypt and Jordan in rejecting the issue of displacement."

On Friday, Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani told his country's official news agency that Manama supports a proposal to hold an emergency Arab summit in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, days after US President Donald Trump revealed a plan to seize the Gaza Strip and displace Palestinians from it.

As the current chair of the Arab Summit after hosting it in May 2024, Bahrain has the right to call for other emergency summits in agreement with the rest of the member states of the Arab League, according to the Anadolu Agency correspondent.

Last Tuesday, Trump revealed in a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House that his country intends to seize Gaza after displacing Palestinians from the Strip to other countries, before announcing on Friday that he was “in no hurry” regarding the plan amid a flood of angry international reactions.

Since January 25, Trump has been promoting a plan to transfer the Palestinians of Gaza to neighboring countries such as Egypt and Jordan, which was rejected by both countries, and was joined by other Arab countries and regional and international organizations.

In line with Trump's plan, Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz ordered his country's army to prepare a plan to displace Palestinians from the Gaza Strip.

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

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced sending a delegation to the Qatari capital, Doha, to conduct negotiations on the second phase of the ceasefire deal.

The Hebrew website "Walla" reported that the Israeli occupation has estimates indicating Hamas' desire to release 3,500 Palestinian prisoners in the next stage.

The Hebrew newspaper said that estimates indicate that Hamas wants to release all prisoners serving life sentences in the occupation's prisons, as part of the second phase.

She considered that the possibility that Hamas would agree to evacuate its leaders from Gaza was "slim."

The Israeli occupation forces continued their repressive practices in the city of Tulkarm and its camp, targeting citizens and their property, during their ongoing aggression for the 13th consecutive day.

According to local sources, the occupation forces sent more military reinforcements, especially infantry soldiers, towards the city and Tulkarm camp, and deployed in the streets and neighborhoods, amidst the restrictions on citizens and obstructing their movement, in a scene that has been repeated daily since the beginning of the aggression.

The occupation forces pursued citizens in the city center, forced a number of shops to close their doors, deployed their vehicles in the streets and obstructed the movement of vehicles. They also raided a number of homes in the eastern neighborhood of the city, specifically in the Diab and Al-Maslakh neighborhoods, searched them and destroyed their contents, checked the identities of their residents, and seized surveillance camera recordings.

The occupation soldiers deployed on foot along Nablus Street adjacent to the entrances to Tulkarm camp, amid searches in agricultural lands and between homes and facilities, while they seized a residential building in the area and turned it into a military barracks and sniper positions.

The occupation forces continued their siege of the Martyr Thabet Thabet Governmental Hospital, as occupation soldiers are stationed at the hospital’s entrances, obstructing the work of ambulances and medical crews, while they continue to seize the surrounding commercial buildings.

In Tulkarm camp, the occupation forces are still deployed in large numbers in all its neighborhoods and alleys. They have also continued to raid homes, most of which have become empty and destroyed after their residents were displaced from them. They have also seized tall buildings and turned them into military barracks and places for sniping and firing live ammunition randomly.

The occupation forces continued to displace the remaining citizens from their homes, especially on the outskirts of the camp, and forced them to leave for the city, while reconnaissance planes flew over Tulkarm and its camps at a low altitude.

The situation of citizens who are still in their homes, including the elderly, the sick, women and children, has worsened due to the severe shortage of food, medical supplies, drinking water and baby milk.

Today, the Civil Defense, Police, and Palestinian Red Crescent Society teams were able to enter the camp and provide aid as part of a campaign to support and assist the steadfast families in the camps, and to secure the necessary needs of the affected families, including food, medicine, and drinking water.

Tulkarm camp is experiencing extremely difficult humanitarian conditions, after the occupation completely and partially destroyed homes and shops, blew up a number of them and burned others, coinciding with the complete destruction of the infrastructure, which led to the interruption of water, electricity, communications and the Internet, and it has become difficult for specialized crews from the municipality and others to reach it to repair it, because the occupation forces prevented them.

Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş said that the lands of Palestinian Muslims and Christians are not lands for sale to US President Donald Trump and his companies, but rather they are the property and homeland of the Palestinian people.

This came in a speech he delivered during an educational forum in the southern Turkish province of Antalya on Saturday, commenting on Trump's plan to seize the Gaza Strip and forcibly displace Palestinians from their lands.

Kurtulmuş stressed that the Gaza Strip belongs to its Palestinian residents and will remain so until the Day of Judgment.

He stressed that "the lands of Palestinian Muslims, and the lands of Palestinian Christians, are not plots of land for sale to Trump and his companies. They belong to the Palestinian people, and they are the homeland of the Palestinian people."

He pointed out that the Israeli army, which possesses the most deadly weapons and machines in the world, failed to implement its plan to occupy Gaza in the face of the resistance that has been ongoing for a year and a half, after it had believed that it would be able to do so in a few days.

He stated that there are attempts to save Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his aides after he became embarrassed before world public opinion after a year and a half, especially with regard to the issue of prisoner exchange.

Kurtulmuş also criticized Trump's pressure on the International Criminal Court over its decisions against Netanyahu and Israeli military leaders.

On Thursday, Trump signed an executive order imposing sanctions on International Criminal Court officials in response to the latter’s issuance in November 2024 of arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Galant for committing war crimes and crimes against humanity against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

Trump claimed that the ICC "baselessly and unlawfully targets the United States and its close allies like Israel."

Last Tuesday evening, Trump revealed in a press conference with Netanyahu at the White House that his country intends to seize Gaza after displacing Palestinians from the Strip to other countries, before announcing on Friday that he was “in no hurry” regarding the plan amid a flood of angry international reactions.

Since January 25, Trump has been promoting a plan to transfer the Palestinians of Gaza to neighboring countries such as Egypt and Jordan, which was rejected by both countries, and was joined by other Arab countries and regional and international organizations.

The Palestinian Prisoners Club said that the conditions of those released from Israeli prisons on Saturday reflect the level of "atrocities" to which they were subjected, noting that most of those released after the war of extermination suffer from health problems.

The club added: "Today, after 183 prisoners were released (...), the prisoners' bodies, their health conditions, and the need for some of them to be transferred to the hospital, reflect the level of atrocities that the prisoners were subjected to over the past period in the occupation's prisons."

He stated in a statement that "the majority of the prisoners who were released as part of the deal, as well as the majority of those released after the war of extermination, suffer from health problems, and many of them had to be transferred to hospitals."

On January 19, a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip and a prisoner exchange between Hamas and Israel came into effect. 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.

The Prisoners Club referred to "crimes revealed by the relevant institutions and the testimonies and statements of released prisoners, most notably the crimes of torture, medical crimes, and the crime of starvation."

He continued: "In addition to the systematic torture and humiliation, including severe beatings carried out by the repression units, which aim to kill the prisoners, or cause them injuries and health problems that are difficult to treat later."

He pointed out that there are "more than ten thousand Palestinian prisoners in the occupation's prisons," not including "all the detainees in Gaza, as hundreds of them face the crime of enforced disappearance."

The Prisoners Club stressed that "the time factor is the main factor affecting the fate of prisoners in prisons. The more time passes in their continued detention, the more the level of risks to their fate increases."

He revealed that the occupation "was not satisfied with the crimes it committed against the prisoners, but also practiced organized terrorism against their families, through threats that reached the level of arrest and killing, and storming homes and carrying out acts of sabotage and destruction inside them."

Earlier on Saturday, the Israeli authorities released 42 Palestinian prisoners from the West Bank, via a bus belonging to the International Red Cross, as part of the fifth batch of the exchange deal within the framework of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement.

The deal included the release of 183 prisoners, 42 of whom were from the West Bank, three from Jerusalem, and 138 from Gaza, including 111 who were arrested after October 7, 2023.

The "Free Flood" deal, in its first phase, includes the release of 1,737 Palestinian prisoners, with this phase extending over a period of six weeks, in weekly batches.

A Palestinian official confirmed on Saturday that about 400 Palestinians were displaced from the Far'a refugee camp south of the city of Tubas in the northern West Bank, on the seventh day of the Israeli aggression on the camp.

Tubas and Northern Jordan Valley Governor Ahmad Al-Asaad said, "About 400 Palestinians from the Far'a camp have been displaced so far" amid the ongoing Israeli military operation.

He added: "The occupation forces have allocated what they call a safe passage, set up a military checkpoint at the entrance to the camp, and summoned citizens in groups."

Al-Asaad added: “Each group consists of five people, and they search them, check their identities, and arrest some of them. Today, they even shot at them and injured a displaced person with bullets.”

The Palestinian official continued: "Hundreds of citizens have been crowding in the corridor since the morning, waiting to be checked."

He pointed out that there are "circumstances that force residents to leave, including bulldozing homes, storming them, shooting in them, and spreading terror among residents."

Al-Asaad pointed out that "water has been cut off for the seventh consecutive day for the camp's residents, estimated at about 8,000 people."

As for the fate of the displaced from the camp, Al-Asaad confirmed that “schools have been opened in the city of Tubas and apartments have been rented for the displaced, while some are seeking refuge with relatives outside the camp.”

He stated that the Israeli occupation army "continues its aggression on the Far'a camp, causing great destruction to the infrastructure and electricity and water networks."

According to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), the number of registered residents of the Far’a camp is about 11,000, who come “from 30 villages in the northeastern areas of Jaffa,” whose inhabitants were displaced with the establishment of Israel in 1948.

Earlier on Saturday, the Israeli army withdrew all its forces from the town of Tamoun, south of Tubas Governorate, after 7 days of storming it and imposing a ban on movement and travel there.

On January 21, the Israeli army launched a military aggression on the northern West Bank, starting with the city of Jenin, its camp, and surrounding towns, which led to the killing of 25 Palestinians, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

Then the Israeli army expanded its aggression to the city of Tulkarm on January 27, where 5 Palestinians were martyred, while on February 2, it began another operation in the town of Tamoun and the Far’a camp in the Tubas governorate.

Ramallah 05 February 2025 – The Arab Palestinian Investment Company (APIC) and SOS Children's Villages Palestine have renewed their strategic partnership through the signing of a new three-year agreement, marking ten years of collaboration dedicated to supporting children who lost family care and those who are vulnerable. A meeting was held to commemorate this milestone, highlighting APIC’s long-standing commitment as one of the first private sector companies to support SOS Children’s Villages in Palestine.

APIC was also briefed on the organization’s interventions in the Gaza Strip and its ongoing efforts to support families and children in its care, as well as the possibility of providing support by APIC in other aspects.

More than just financial support for family houses within and outside the SOS Children's Village, sponsoring 24 children until the age of independence and graduation over the past ten years; APIC’s partnership with SOS has evolved into a holistic collaboration that aligns with APIC’s strategic approach to support its communities. In addition to funding, APIC provides in kind donations such as the installation of the solar panel system in the Children’s Village in Bethlehem reducing the operating cost of the village, internship opportunities for SOS beneficiaries and graduates – where two female beneficiaries interned at the Medical Supplies and Services Company in 2024, benefiting from training opportunities and ongoing engagement to equip young people with the skills and experience needed for a successful future.

Mr. Tarek Aggad, CEO and Chairman of APIC, emphasized the importance of this partnership: "APIC maintains its support of the communities where it operates using a proactive approach, this has been reflected in the partnership with SOS Children’s Villages, not only through financial contributions but also by providing opportunities that empower young people to build better futures. Our collaboration reflects our core values of social responsibility and sustainable impact, and we are proud to renew this agreement for another three years."

Mr. Mohammad Hamdan, Director of Fund Development and Communications at SOS Children’s Villages expressed gratitude for APIC’s continued support, stating: "APIC has been a pioneer in the private sector’s involvement with SOS, going beyond traditional sponsorship to create real opportunities for our youth. This partnership sets a strong example of how businesses can play a vital role in social development. We look forward to continuing this journey together to provide children and young adults with the care, education, and skills they need to thrive."

As APIC and SOS embark on the next phase of their collaboration, both organizations reaffirm their shared commitment to empowering the most vulnerable children and young people, ensuring they have the support and resources necessary for a bright and secure future.

A senior Hamas official confirmed on Saturday that the movement does not want to "return to war" with Israel, which began following the attack it launched on October 7, 2023.

Bassem Naim, a member of the Hamas political bureau, told Agence France-Presse, “Returning to war is definitely not our wish, nor our decision.”

He warned that Israel's "non-commitment" to the ceasefire in Gaza put it in danger of collapse.

He said: “What we see of procrastination and lack of commitment in implementing the first phase (...) certainly puts this agreement at risk, and thus it may stop and collapse.”

Hamas confirmed that it is "still ready" to participate in the second phase of the ceasefire negotiations. Bassem Naim said: "We are still ready to go (to the negotiations). But the occupation is delaying the start of these negotiations."

The ceasefire agreement went into effect on January 19, more than 15 months after the outbreak of the devastating war.

It stipulates the release of hostages held in the Gaza Strip in exchange for Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons, coinciding with the cessation of hostilities.

An Israeli military vehicle hit a Red Crescent vehicle on Saturday evening, while it was transporting a patient from Al-Far’a camp, south of Tubas.

According to the association, a military vehicle belonging to the occupation army hit a vehicle belonging to it while transporting a patient suffering from "thalassemia" from the Far'a camp.

For the seventh consecutive day, the camp has witnessed a large-scale military aggression, which resulted in the displacement of dozens of families and the destruction of infrastructure and citizens’ property.

The 21st day of the ceasefire in Gaza witnessed a new exchange of three Israeli detainees from the city of Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip. The Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, announced the handover of three Israeli detainees: Eliyahu Datsun Yosef Sharabi, Or Avraham Lesha Levi, and Ohad Ben Ami. Meanwhile, the Israeli occupation forces released 183 Palestinian prisoners today, Saturday, under the agreement, as hundreds of Palestinians received the prisoners’ buses in the center of the city of Ramallah in the central occupied West Bank, while ambulances transported some prisoners for treatment after arriving in the city. The fate of the prisoners from the Gaza Strip and the prisoners deported from Palestine is not yet clear.

Meanwhile, an Israeli working delegation is scheduled to head to the Qatari capital, Doha, on Saturday to discuss indirect negotiations on the continuation of the ceasefire in Gaza for the time being. According to the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation, the delegation includes officials from the intelligence services (Mossad) and the General Security Service (Shin Bet), and is not tasked with negotiating the second phase of the ceasefire, but is instead dedicated to clarifying the details related to implementing the current phase.

As Israel Hayom reported, the delegation that will leave for Doha to negotiate the second stage of the deal will be low-level, with most of its members newcomers who were not in the previous rounds in Qatar, and without the leadership of Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar or Mossad chief David Barnea, and also without Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, who is supposed to replace them.

On the other hand, US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he is in no rush to implement his proposal for the United States to control the Gaza Strip and evacuate its residents to “develop real estate projects.” Trump told reporters at the White House, while receiving Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, that there is “no rush at all” to implement the proposal. Trump added that his plan, which he described as “real estate deals,” has been “very well received.” It is unclear who he was referring to, after his plan was met with criticism from regional leaders, close allies, and some of his closest Republican allies in Congress. Continuing his controversial statements, Trump said that “Israel will give it to us (Gaza), and they will monitor the situation from a security standpoint.” He continued: “We are not talking about having boots on the ground or anything like that, but I think the fact that we are there, and that there are investments there, will contribute greatly to providing peace,” he claimed.

This comes as the US State Department announced its approval of two arms deals for the Israeli occupation, including missiles and military equipment worth a total of approximately $7.41 billion, as part of the US President Donald Trump administration’s move to strengthen its military support for Israel. He said in a previous statement that “a large number of things” that Israel requested from the United States are currently being delivered, after press reports indicated that his administration lifted the ban on a shipment of bombs weighing 2,000 pounds (907 kg).

Former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant said on Saturday that the deteriorating health of Israeli prisoners in the Gaza Strip had been known to Israel for a long time.

This came against the backdrop of statements made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and ministers in his government, which appeared as if they were surprised to see three prisoners released by Hamas on Saturday in poor health.

Galant said in a post on his account on the "X" platform: "The horrific images that the world was exposed to today show the difficult and worrying situation in which some of the kidnapped are living, and the deterioration in their health, which Israel has known about for a long time."

"This is another call to action on the path we must take to bring back the abductees," he added.

He considered that "the ransom of prisoners is the correct Jewish, humanitarian and moral act."

Galant continued: "This (returning the captives) is the declared goal of the war and the value on which generations of warriors were raised - not to leave any wounded on the battlefield. We will continue to strike at the Hamas organization and settle accounts with the murderers."

He concluded by saying: "I wish a speedy return for all the kidnapped, and I strengthen their families in the hope that they will embrace their loved ones soon."

On November 5, Netanyahu dismissed Galant from his position and appointed Yisrael Katz in his place.

A day later, Galant said in a televised speech that Netanyahu had fired him because of his commitment to "the return of the kidnapped soldiers held by Hamas."

He added at the time: "We must do this quickly and while they are alive. I say that this is achievable, and it is possible to return the kidnapped people with concessions, some of which are painful."

Earlier on Saturday, Hamas released the three Israeli prisoners, Eli Sharabi (54 years old), Ohad Ben Ami (56 years old), and Or Levi (34 years old). They appeared in a state of extreme emaciation and fatigue was evident on their faces during their release from the center of Deir al-Balah in the Gaza Strip earlier on Saturday.

"The shocking scenes we witnessed today will not go unnoticed," Netanyahu said in a statement from his office, while Israeli ministers expressed "shock" at the health condition of the three prisoners.

But opposition leader Yair Lapid wrote on X: "Netanyahu, did you just discover that the situation of the kidnapped soldiers is difficult? Didn't you know before? Because it is written in the intelligence documents that were placed on your desk in recent months. You saw these reports just as I did."

In a related context, the official Israeli Broadcasting Corporation said: "Medical officials expressed their concern about the health of Ohad, Eli and Or, following the reports they are receiving from medical teams on the ground."

"The three kidnapped people who returned today will undergo blood tests to assess their health condition and possibly imaging tests as well - an electrocardiogram or a CT scan," she added.

The Commission continued: "It is estimated that the condition of the abductees who are still in captivity is at least the same as that of those who were returned today."

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates condemned, on Saturday, the racist Israeli statements hostile to peace, which called for a Palestinian state on the lands of the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and considered them a flagrant violation of international law, United Nations resolutions and its Charter, and an aggression against the sovereignty, security and stability of the Kingdom and even all Arab countries.

The Ministry affirmed the State of Palestine's permanent support for the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in confronting the Israeli incitement campaigns that attempt to undermine its security and stability, and in an attempt to pressure the honest and courageous Saudi position in supporting, adopting and backing the just and legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people, foremost of which is their right to establish their state on the land of their homeland.

The Ministry called on all countries to condemn these anti-peace statements.

Today, Saturday, the Israeli occupation authorities forced two citizens from occupied Jerusalem to demolish their homes in Jabal al-Mukaber and Umm Tuba, to avoid a heavy fine.

Jerusalemite Omar Walid Bashir reported that the occupation municipality forced him to demolish part of his house, which houses him, his wife and his two daughters in Jabal al-Mukaber. The house is a room measuring 35 square meters.

In the same context, the occupation authorities forced a Jerusalemite citizen to demolish his house in the village of Umm Tuba, which has an area of 110 square meters and is home to 8 people, in the village of Umm Tuba, south of Jerusalem.

Hundreds of citizens were forcibly displaced today, Saturday, from Al-Far'a camp, south of Tubas, on the seventh day of the Israeli occupation's aggression and siege of the camp.

Local sources reported that dozens of families from the camp began to flee through a single passage, which is the eastern entrance to the camp, as the occupation forces set a time from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm for citizens to leave the camp.

She added that this comes during a continuous siege and aggression on the camp for seven days, during which the occupation forces destroyed the infrastructure and bulldozed the streets leading to and inside the camp, and also worked to destroy the infrastructure and cut off water lines.

The occupation forces also raided homes and forced many families to leave them and use them as military barracks.

It also carried out many arrests, in addition to dozens of cases of detention and field investigations.

The Governor of Tubas and the Northern Jordan Valley, Ahmed Al-Asaad, condemned the occupation forcing families to leave their homes and forcibly evacuating them from Al-Far’a camp.

Al-Asaad confirmed that the Israeli occupation forces forced dozens of families in Al-Far'a camp to leave their homes, under threat of arms, and exit the camp, which has been suffering from a tight closure and siege for the sixth consecutive day.

He pointed out that in coordination with the Supreme Emergency Committee in the governorate, work was done to open three schools in the city of Tubas to house the "displaced" from the camp, and work was done to provide them with all the supplies they needed to help them.

For seven days, the citizens have been living in difficult humanitarian conditions due to the water being cut off from the camp, and the depletion of food and basic supplies, in addition to medicines and baby milk.

The Al-Qassam Brigades handed over 3 Israeli detainees to the Red Cross team in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip as part of the exchange deal.

The following were released: Or Levy (34 years old), Eli Sharabi (52 years old), and the German-Israeli Ohad Ben-Ami (56 years old).

The Israeli Prison Service began releasing 183 Palestinian prisoners as part of the fifth batch of the first phase of the ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal between Hamas and Israel.

The Hebrew newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth said: "The Israeli Prison Service began today to release Palestinian detainees from Ofer and Ketziot (Negev desert) prisons."

She added that the prisoners began to board the buses in preparation for their transfer by the Israeli security forces.

Today, 183 Palestinian prisoners are scheduled to be released from Israeli prisons in exchange for the release of 3 Israeli prisoners by the Al-Qassam Brigades.

In a follower’s profile on social media, a girl wrote that she could take my work to the top, introducing herself as a business developer. I really liked the idea and started looking for work she had done before, but the shock was that it hadn’t been a year since she graduated!

The great development we are witnessing in the field of artificial intelligence has made its tools provide immediate solutions and answers to various questions that humans ask. Thanks to the ease of access to these tools, a bubble of claiming knowledge has emerged that is based on direct answers without diving into the depths of real knowledge. Some people have come to believe that using artificial intelligence applications is sufficient to become experts in certain fields, which has led to underestimating the value of experience and underestimating the importance of the effort required to acquire real knowledge.

This bubble has clearly reflected our perceptions of expertise. In the past, acquiring the title of “expert” required years of study, practice, and deep analysis. Now, for example, we find people presenting themselves as experts in recruitment or marketing after a few months of using artificial intelligence tools. This trend appears in various fields, as it has become common for an ordinary user of these applications to make critical judgments on literary or scientific works based on ready-made answers from artificial intelligence instead of delving into them himself.

This phenomenon is similar to what the Holy Quran described as the foam that floats on the surface of water. Artificial intelligence provides a huge amount of information, but it does not give us the ability to distinguish what is useful from what is not, nor does it teach us how to analyze this information or link it to deeper cognitive contexts. The foam appears bright for a moment, but it does not last, unlike what benefits people and remains on the earth. This philosophical analogy clarifies the difference between true knowledge, which requires effort and understanding, and superficial knowledge that quickly disappears.

Over-reliance on AI tools may lead to intellectual laziness. Instead of seeking to understand and analyze information, people are satisfied with the results provided by these tools, believing that they represent the whole truth. This approach makes it easy for individuals to lose the ability to think critically and creatively, as they become mere consumers of information without the ability to produce or evaluate knowledge independently. AI tools are like fast food, which may satisfy us for a moment, but they do not give us the deep intellectual nourishment that comes from real research and learning.

However, the role of real experts remains essential in directing this technological development towards what benefits people. Real expertise is not just knowledge of available information, but rather the ability to employ it correctly and develop new insights that go beyond the surface to the depths. Experts must remain a voice that enhances the value of intellectual effort and shows the difference between temporary knowledge based on tools and permanent knowledge built on deep understanding.

Artificial intelligence tools represent a great technological breakthrough, but they are not a substitute for human thinking or individual effort. We must deal with them with caution and not be deceived by their temporary brilliance. True knowledge is that which is based on depth and experience, not that which is acquired easily and quickly.

The knowledge bubble promoted by AI applications may seem attractive, but in reality it does not replace hard work and critical thinking. We must always remember that what benefits people is what remains on the ground, and we must distinguish between the moment’s shiny foam and the solid foundation that remains. With this understanding, we can benefit from AI tools without losing the essence of the cognitive process.

Ashraf Al-Ajrami: The Israeli government has taken a decision to resolve the situation in the West Bank in favor of implementing broad annexation operations, drawing encouragement from Trump’s position

Dr. Ammar Dweik: The West Bank faces great danger not only because of the annexation plans but also because of the excessive force used by the occupation army in the camps

Imad Abu Awad: Developments herald a more dangerous phase, and the religious Zionist right is leading an intensive media campaign that pushes for a military resolution of the situation in the West Bank

Dr. Omar Rahhal: The occupation’s continued escalation of its violations of freedom of movement and travel may lead to forced internal migration from the countryside and Area C towards city centers

Amir Makhoul: Netanyahu's main project aims to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state, hence his refusal to link Gaza to the West Bank and his efforts to undermine the Palestinian Authority

The Israeli far-right government is escalating its aggression against the West Bank, based on racist colonial plans and visions, as it has given its army free rein to wreak havoc, destruction and demolition, in addition to imposing restrictions on movement, in a war on all the elements of survival for the Palestinian people on their land, while the settler militias have been given free rein to run riot after intensive armament campaigns against them.

Observers and analysts warned in interviews with “I” that field developments indicate that the West Bank is facing a great danger, not only because of the annexation plans, but also because of the excessive force used by the occupation army in the camps, especially since the religious Zionist right is leading an intensive media campaign that pushes for a military resolution of the situation in the West Bank.

They considered that the continuous round-the-clock restrictions in all cities and areas of the West Bank, which have become disjointed and surrounded by military barriers, aim to turn life in the West Bank into hell, and thus push citizens towards forced displacement.

They also warned that the Israeli Prime Minister's main project is more dangerous than the annexation project led by his extremist Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. In terms of the political dimension, Netanyahu aims to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state, and this is evident from his refusal to link Gaza to the West Bank and his efforts to undermine the Palestinian Authority or make it very limited.

Turning life in the West Bank into hell

Writer and political analyst Ashraf Al-Ajrami said that the Israeli government has taken a decision to resolve the situation in the West Bank in favor of implementing broad annexation operations, drawing encouragement from the position of US President Donald Trump, who stated that Israel's area is very small, and that it can consider expanding its area.

Al-Ajrami added that Israel sees what happened in the Gaza Strip, where it carried out a comprehensive destruction and war of extermination, as giving it, from its point of view, the opportunity to impose its policy in the West Bank.

He pointed out that the continuous round-the-clock restrictions in all cities and areas of the West Bank, which have become disjointed and surrounded by military checkpoints, represent an attempt to push Palestinians to leave the West Bank and turn their lives into hell, as is the case in the Gaza Strip.

He continued, saying: Israel is destroying Palestinian camps and restricting freedom of movement, in an attempt to make life unbearable, especially on the economic and living levels.

He pointed out that this policy is linked to the position that Israel expects to obtain from the United States, with regard to supporting the expansion of its area by annexing additional areas in the southern West Bank.

Al-Ajrami explained that if we go back, the “deal of the century” announced by Trump spoke of annexing 30% of the West Bank, which is equivalent to half the area of Area C, and today many believe that the idea of deporting Palestinians to Jordan and Egypt has become a golden opportunity, in light of the US administration’s position supporting the annexation project, with the aim of forcing Palestinians to leave their lands, or at least remaining silent about the implementation of this policy and accepting it as a fait accompli.

The displacement plan is partially feasible.

Regarding the possibility of implementing the forced displacement plan, Al-Ajrami said that this scenario is partially feasible, explaining that many young Palestinians have already begun looking for job opportunities in other areas, in pursuit of a better life.

He added: There has been a gradual displacement process that has occurred over the past years, whether in the Gaza Strip before and after the war, or even in the West Bank, as a result of the difficult living conditions.

However, Al-Ajrami stressed that the Palestinian people will not leave their homeland, and that the majority of citizens will not leave their land, which will ultimately lead to the failure of the project based on mass displacement.

Analyst Al-Ajrami stressed that the migration of some individuals will not affect the demographic reality or national identity, and that this plan will not succeed in the end, because there is no security or stability in Palestine without achieving the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.

Fearing that the barriers would become permanent under the different colors of the gates

Director of the Independent Commission for Human Rights, Dr. Ammar Dweik, told AA: “We note that the West Bank has been subjected to a continuous Israeli attack since 1967, but after October 7, 2023, the attack increased significantly. This was evident in the sharp increase in the number of martyrs, as the number exceeded 900 martyrs in the West Bank, in addition to 14,000 detainees. Restrictions on military checkpoints and movement were also tightened, but now these measures have increased in an unprecedented manner since the announcement of the truce. The number of checkpoints and iron gates that were installed at the entrances to cities, intersections and villages reached about 900.”

Duwaik expressed his fear that these barriers would become permanent, especially since the gates are of different colors, and each color indicates a specific type of barrier.

He said: "We are talking about a new system for controlling and dominating the movement of citizens, which is much more difficult than previous levels, even more difficult than the days of the Second Intifada."

He pointed to fears that this situation could turn into a permanent structure aimed at dismembering the West Bank, in preparation for the annexation project, expanding settlements, and suffocating Palestinians in geographical enclaves separate from each other, which prevents any geographical continuity, and thus hinders the possibility of establishing a Palestinian state.

Regarding the behavior of the occupation soldiers, Duwaik stressed that the West Bank faces great danger, not only because of the annexation plans, but also because of the excessive force used by the occupation army in the Palestinian camps, through the operations of bulldozing and destroying the infrastructure, and displacing its residents, as part of an ethnic cleansing operation currently being carried out in the Jenin, Tulkarm, Al-Far’a, and Tammun camps.

He added: "We also see the danger of settler violence supported by the occupation army, as there are no longer clear distinctions between the soldier and the settler. Many soldiers are settlers, and many settlers are soldiers, and when they carry out attacks, they wear soldiers' uniforms or receive their protection."

Scenarios in the West Bank seem difficult

Duwaik explained that the upcoming scenarios in the West Bank seem difficult, warning of the possibility of massacres occurring at any time, especially in light of the great incitement practiced by settlers against the Palestinians, and the intensive arming of them, as more than 100 thousand weapons were distributed to settlers in the West Bank and within the territories occupied in 1948.

At the end of his talk to "I", Duwaik stressed the necessity of not normalizing relations with the occupation in light of the crimes it is committing, calling for international intervention to protect the Palestinians, and to conduct investigations into the crimes that have recently occurred, especially in the camps in the northern West Bank, which included killing, destruction, and forced displacement.

Duwaik also called on Arab and Islamic countries that have relations with the occupation to use their influence to pressure Israel to stop its unbridled crimes against the Palestinians.

Unprecedented escalation of aggression and number of checkpoints

The Israeli affairs expert, Imad Abu Awad, said that the West Bank is witnessing an unprecedented increase in the number of military checkpoints, in addition to the increase in cases of random shooting by Israeli soldiers returning from the war of extermination in Gaza, pointing out that these developments portend a more dangerous phase that may witness more violence and escalation.

Abu Awad said: There is an intensive media campaign led by the religious Zionist right, pushing towards resolving the situation in the West Bank militarily, which intersects with the fact that a large portion of the soldiers working in the West Bank belong to religious Zionism.

He added that this makes the rabbis' orders more influential than the military command's orders, which leads to the Israeli army in the West Bank becoming the "army of God" instead of the "army of the state."

Armed settlers have become part of the military establishment.

He pointed out that armed settlers have become part of the military establishment, as they serve in the army on the one hand, and at the same time work as militias within the settlements, which increases the risk of escalating violence against Palestinians.

Abu Awad spoke about a pivotal point in the Israeli army’s approach, which goes back to the case of the soldier Azaria, who executed a Palestinian in Hebron and was tried for his actions, explaining that this event sparked widespread controversy in Israel, and led to an escalation of demands not to hold soldiers accountable for killing Palestinians.

He added that this development gave the soldiers "absolute immunity" within Israeli society, which encouraged them to escalate the killings without fear of prosecution.

Israeli army admits it turned its soldiers in Gaza into 'human monsters'

Abu Awad pointed out that the Israeli media itself acknowledged that the Israeli army had turned its soldiers in Gaza into "human monsters," as the Strip witnessed systematic killings and dismemberment of Palestinians, especially children. He explained that this brutality has become part of the behavior of soldiers returning from Gaza, who now see shooting Palestinians in the West Bank as normal, even "simple compared to what happened in Gaza."

Abu Awad warned that these policies could lead to an explosion of the situation in the West Bank, and could also extend to the Israeli interior.

Collective punishment in violation of international law

In turn, Dr. Omar Rahhal, writer, political analyst and director of the Shams Center for Human Rights, warned that the continued escalation of the Israeli occupation’s violations of the Palestinians’ right to freedom of movement and travel could lead to forced internal migration from rural areas and areas classified as “C” towards city centers.

He pointed out that the occupation seeks, through these measures, to undermine the lives of Palestinians and push them to leave.

Dr. Rahhal believes that these barriers do not only hinder movement, but also represent a tool of collective punishment, as Palestinians are subjected to humiliating searches, arbitrary detention, and systematic humiliation, which constitutes a flagrant violation of human rights.

He considered these violations a clear violation of international humanitarian law and international agreements, and said: After October 7, 2023, the occupation forces significantly intensified their arbitrary and punitive measures against citizens by tightening military checkpoints around Palestinian cities, villages and camps.

He pointed out that according to reports from international and Palestinian human rights organizations, the number of checkpoints and iron gates in the West Bank has reached (898) military checkpoints and iron gates, including (18) iron gates installed by the occupation since the beginning of 2025, and (146) iron gates installed by the occupation after October 7, 2023. There are also (26) checkpoints separating the West Bank from occupied Jerusalem and the 1948 territories.

Imposing restrictions as a primary tool for deportation

Dr. Rahhal considered that the restrictions imposed by Israel, as an occupying power, on the freedom of movement and travel of Palestinians are one of its basic tools to empty the land of its indigenous inhabitants.

He believed that these practices stem from a condescending and racist approach towards the Palestinians, as the objectives of the military checkpoints set up by the occupation army are not limited to obstructing the passage of civilians and increasing their suffering, but rather extend to humiliating and provoking them in a systematic manner, regardless of their age or gender.

He stressed that these barriers have turned Palestinian cities, villages and camps into isolated pockets, forcing thousands of citizens in the West Bank to use rough side roads to bypass the military barriers. However, they were not spared the pursuit of the occupation forces, as many of them were shot and chased, or forced to return from where they came, while others were killed, wounded, or arrested. He described these barriers as a form of collective punishment prohibited by the Fourth Geneva Convention, explaining that the danger of barriers is not limited to being a violation of the Palestinians’ right to movement, but rather one of the worst manifestations of human rights violations.

Rahhal said that these barriers are linked to a number of practices that directly affect the lives and dignity of Palestinians, as their role is not limited to restricting movement, but rather includes arbitrary measures such as detention, humiliating searches, humiliation, physical violence, verbal and physical harassment, the use of police dogs, screaming, firing sound and gas bombs, and abusing citizens.

He added: These barriers also disrupt service and educational institutions, and delay employees and students from their work and studies, which negatively affects economic and social life. They also hinder farmers from reaching their lands, especially during harvest seasons such as olive picking, which directly affects their livelihoods and food security.

Dr. Rahhal said: The checkpoints show us a shocking picture of Palestinian men, women and children waiting for a signal from a soldier to advance, and sometimes the checkpoints open and close at specific hours.

The current aggression on the West Bank is an eradication aggression.

For his part, Amir Makhoul, a researcher at the Progress Center for Policy, said: “If we rely only on Israeli intentions, it seeks to displace the residents of the West Bank, annex it, expand settlements, and practically end the Palestinian issue for Netanyahu, by ending the possibility of establishing a Palestinian state.”

He added: "I believe that the main project is not only annexation, but Netanyahu's project is more important than Smotrich's project in terms of the political dimension, as it aims to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state, and hence his refusal to connect Gaza to the West Bank, as well as his persistent efforts to undermine the Palestinian Authority or make it very limited."

“The aggression on the West Bank now is an eradication aggression in every sense of the word, as Israel is trying to delude the world that the West Bank constitutes an army and a real fighting front, and represents an existential threat to Israel. All of this aims to exaggerate and intimidate in order to create a public opinion that supports the invasion. Of course, this situation puts the Palestinian Authority under great pressure, and it seems that the Israeli escalation in the West Bank will expand and deepen, threatening any existing Palestinian entity,” Makhoul added.

“I think that the continuation of the Israeli approach in this way poses a great danger, but the questions that arise are: Can Israel implement this? Will it get an American green light? Will Trump agree to annex the West Bank in exchange for giving up peace or normalization with Saudi Arabia? These are fundamental and serious questions, and I do not think the answer to them is settled yet. On the other hand, the Palestinian effort to mobilize world public opinion remains a matter of utmost importance,” he continued.

The importance of holding the Saudi-French conference in June

He stressed the importance of the effort to hold the Saudi-French conference next June, which is supposed to lead to strengthening the idea of a Palestinian state. It seems that the Israeli right is not in the best phase, but rather in a phase of decline in the face of recognizing the limits of power.

Makhoul said: "If the right-wing project a few months ago was to settle Gaza and Lebanon, today it has somewhat backed away from that, while the West Bank remains the most important region for it."

Makhoul continued: “If we ask whether Israel can implement this project, the answer ultimately depends on what Trump will say, and whether he will agree to the annexation or not. Even if he agrees, this will not be the end of history. The settlement project and annexation began in 1948, and no matter what happens, the Palestinian issue will not be erased.”

The real estate developer and surprise creator never stops performing his amazing shows on the stage of life, which make you laugh until you lie on your back because of their strangeness and their opposition to reason and logic.

The real estate mogul and project developer has, within a few days of his tenure, become “the talk of the town” and the star of reality TV, to which he belongs in behavior, lightheartedness, and entertaining shows that attract ridicule, disapproval, and denunciation that have united people in the East and West of the world.

In vain, his spokeswoman tried to round out the sharp corners of his pathetic statements about the ethnic cleansing of the people of Gaza. As soon as she finished her arduous task, he surprised her with what the first founding fathers of the great state could not do, by declaring the seizure of control and possession of the country after expelling the people, and by exiting the Human Rights Council and imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court.

The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court and its judges could not have imagined, in their worst nightmares, that the highest global forum for redressing victims would become the victim of criminals, bandits and air-thieves.

Within the folds of his decisions lies his indictment, as withdrawing from the climate agreement means that he will pollute the climate, and his withdrawal from the Human Rights Council means that he is about to commit crimes against all of humanity, and his imposition of sanctions on the International Criminal Court contains a message of terror and intimidation for its president and judges, before he renews the license to exterminate his partner, to complete his mission of displacing people from the wounded sector, and handing it over to him to establish the “Riviera of ethnic cleansing” on it.

It is the madness that takes possession of the soul that commands triviality and immorality.

The New York Times reported on Friday that US President Donald Trump praised the 2020 Abraham Accords that established normalization and formal relations between Israel and four Arab countries as one of the biggest foreign policy achievements of his first term.

Like his predecessor Joe Biden, Trump is seeking to achieve his long-sought goal of persuading Saudi Arabia to join the normalization agreements, “but he may have dealt himself a serious setback. Trump’s proposal to transfer 2 million Palestinians from the Gaza Strip and then rebuild the enclave as a Middle Eastern Riviera has upset those he needs to seal the deal,” the newspaper said.

Trump’s idea of a quick exit from Gaza has been rejected by Arab states, including Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia issued a statement just before dawn after Trump floated the proposal Tuesday evening alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House.

The kingdom has made clear that it stands by its demand for a Palestinian state before normalizing relations with Israel. In a statement on Wednesday, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said the precondition the Saudis have insisted on for the past year is “non-negotiable and non-compromising.” The statement directly contradicts statements by Trump, who told reporters in Washington on Wednesday that Saudi Arabia had dropped its demand for a Palestinian state. One of the most influential members of the Saudi royal family, Prince Turki al-Faisal, a former Saudi intelligence chief, said what the US president is proposing would amount to “ethnic cleansing” of the Gaza Strip.

Prince Turki al-Faisal, a former Saudi intelligence chief and former ambassador to the United States, told CNN on Wednesday that Trump “will get a lot of criticism from the leadership here” not only about the lack of wisdom in what he is proposing but also the injustice of “ethnic cleansing.”

The newspaper notes that by proposing to “cleanse” Gaza, Trump has earned nothing but suspicion and anger in Arab countries. Efforts by the US administration to ease the situation, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggesting that Gazans would only be temporarily relocated, have failed to calm the countries and peoples of the region.

The Palestinian issue and the Palestinians’ right to establish their independent state are the core issue for the Arabs, who consider the displacement of the Palestinians to be forbidden because it would liquidate the Palestinian issue and tear apart their hopes of establishing an independent state.

Egypt and Jordan, the two countries that Trump has suggested he could persuade to accept Gazans, have publicly insisted that they will never accept a mass exodus of Palestinians. Officials, journalists and analysts in both countries say history speaks for itself: When Palestinians were forced from their homes, they were not allowed to return.

It is also noteworthy that since Israel launched its brutal war on Gaza, the two countries have taken in Palestinians in need of medical care. Egypt has accepted at least 100,000 medically and health-related displaced persons, as well as others who have sought temporary refuge from the Strip. Jordan, whose population is mostly of Palestinian origin, is treating dozens of wounded from Gaza, according to the newspaper.

The newspaper quotes Abdel Moneim Saeed Ali, a pro-government Egyptian political analyst and writer, as saying that participating in any forced or permanent displacement of Palestinians from Gaza would be “morally and legally terrifying.” Given the broad support the Saudi public has for the Palestinians, it would be difficult for the government to accept any deal that does not address their aspirations for an independent state on their historical land.

“Public anger in the kingdom over the war, and now over Trump’s proposal to evacuate Gaza, has complicated the prospects of reaching an agreement with Israel that was already difficult to implement,” the newspaper says.

Before Trump took office for his second term, there was some reason for modest optimism that Saudi-Israeli normalization might move forward. A ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement was reached on the eve of Trump’s inauguration on January 20. “The new US president has for years fostered a good working relationship with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, but now some tensions appear to be emerging in that relationship.”

The Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), in the Gaza Strip have begun preparations to hand over three Israeli prisoners as part of the ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement, while the Israeli army has threatened to prevent any celebratory marches for the release of Palestinian prisoners in the occupied West Bank.

The newspaper "Israel Hayom" revealed that Red Cross crews are now heading to the delivery point in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip in preparation for receiving the Israeli prisoners.

This morning, members of the Al-Qassam Brigades were deployed in Deir al-Balah in the Gaza Strip in preparation for the handover of 3 Israeli detainees.

The three are scheduled to be released: Or Levy (34 years old), Eli Sharabi (52 years old), and the German-Israeli Ohad Ben-Ami (56 years old), in exchange for 183 Palestinian prisoners.

US President Donald Trump sought on Friday to temper expectations over his controversial plan to take control of the blockaded Gaza Strip after it was widely rejected.

Trump said his plan, which he described as "real estate transactions," had been "very well received," though it was unclear who he was referring to after regional leaders, close allies and some of the president's closest Republican allies in Congress criticized the plan.

“Israel will provide it to us. They will monitor it in terms of security,” he told reporters in the Oval Office, where he was hosting Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. “We’re not talking about boots on the ground or anything, but I think the fact that we’re there, that we’re investing there, I think, will go a long way in creating peace.”

This comes after he said on Thursday that “the United States will take over the Gaza Strip from Israel after the fighting ends,” and by that time, the Palestinians will have been “resettled” elsewhere in the region, particularly in Egypt and Jordan.

Cairo and Amman rejected the proposal, which also sparked international condemnation, with the United Nations warning against any "ethnic cleansing." It was also strongly rejected by Hamas and the Palestinian Authority.

The international community calls for the implementation of the two-state solution between Israel and Palestine, but Israel strongly opposes it.

It is noteworthy that in response to its firm position adhering to the establishment of a Palestinian state, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday that “Saudi Arabia has vast areas and can establish a Palestinian state there.”

This came in Netanyahu's response to a question from the Channel 14 presenter on Thursday evening regarding Saudi Arabia's insistence on establishing a Palestinian state in order to normalize relations with Israel.

"Saudi Arabia has vast areas, they can establish a Palestinian state there," Netanyahu said sarcastically.

He added in an interview with the Israeli channel close to him: "We cannot allow the establishment of a Palestinian state here after the events of October 7."

On February 7, 2025, Vice Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong had a group meeting with diplomatic envoys of Arab states to China at the latter's request. The two sides had an exchange of views on the Palestinian question.

Chen Xiaodong said that Gaza belongs to Palestinians and is an inseparable part of Palestinian territory. Any arrangements concerning the future of Gaza must respect the will of the Palestinian people, and any post-conflict governance plan for Gaza must follow the principle of "the Palestinians governing Palestine". 

President Xi Jinping has repeatedly stressed that China supports the just position of Palestine. China always firmly supports the legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people, supports the effective jurisdiction of the Palestinian National Authority over all Palestinian territories including Gaza and the West Bank, and supports the two-State solution as the fundamental way out to work for an early and just political settlement of the Palestinian question. In other words, China firmly supports the establishment of an independent State of Palestine that enjoys full sovereignty based on the 1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as its capital. China is ready to continue to maintain close communication and coordination with Arab states on the Palestinian question.

The diplomatic envoys of Arab states to China said that Gaza has been the territory of the Palestinian people since ancient times, and the Arab countries firmly oppose the policy of "cleaning out" Gaza, which seriously violates international law and international humanitarian law and also violates relevant resolutions of the United Nations. The legitimate rights of the Palestinian people are not to be deprived of, and the fairness and justice of the international community brook no infringement. The Arab side appreciates China's consistent and just position on the Palestinian question and expects China to continue to play a constructive role in safeguarding international fairness and justice and supporting Palestine's legitimate national rights.

Medical sources announced this evening, Friday, the death of the child Saddam Hussein Iyad Rajab (7 years old) from the town of Kafr al-Labad, east of Tulkarm.

The sources said that the child Rajab died of his critical injury from the bullets of the occupation forces in Tulkarm camp while he was in his grandfather's house on 1/28/2025.

Istanbul witnessed a demonstration on Friday denouncing US President Donald Trump's plan to seize the Gaza Strip and forcibly displace Palestinians from their lands.

The Turkish Anadolu Agency said that members of the Felicity Party branch in Istanbul gathered in Beyazit Square to protest Trump's plan and denounce Israel's crimes against the Palestinian people.

The demonstrators carried a banner reading "Gaza cannot be evacuated", as well as banners in solidarity with Palestine, chanting slogans against the United States and Israel.

The government media office in Gaza said on Friday that Israel's prevention of the entry of heavy equipment into the Gaza Strip to remove tons of rubble left by the war will hinder the recovery of the bodies of Israeli detainees who are supposed to be handed over under the ceasefire agreement.

Head of the Government Media Office, Salama Maarouf, said in a press conference: “Preventing the entry of heavy equipment and machinery needed to remove 55 million tons of rubble means the inability to remove the bodies of the martyrs and open the streets, and will undoubtedly affect the resistance’s ability to extract the dead prisoners who were bombed by the occupation from under this rubble.”