Two people were killed and nine others were injured in Lebanon, following raids launched by the Israeli army on the Bekaa Valley, east of the country, on Thursday-Friday night.

The Lebanese Civil Defense confirmed that "two people were killed and nine others were injured as a result of Israeli occupation raids last night in the Bekaa Valley," east of Lebanon.

The Lebanese News Agency reported that "the Israeli Air Force launched two raids on the Wadi Khaled area late at night and at dawn," noting that "the first raid targeted a truck loaded with batteries and scrap in the Al-Wawiyat area, and the second targeted the 'Jab Al-Ward' crossing in the outskirts of the town of Hanider."

The Lebanese agency also reported this morning that "enemy warplanes raided the eastern mountain range in the Bekaa at three o'clock after midnight."

15 Israeli violations of the ceasefire on Thursday

On Thursday, the Israeli army committed 15 violations of the ceasefire in Lebanon, bringing the total since the agreement came into effect 66 days ago to 823 violations.

This comes according to statistics based on announcements by the official Lebanese News Agency.

According to various news published by the agency, the Israeli violations of the agreement were concentrated on Thursday in the districts of Marjeyoun, Bint Jbeil, and Hasbaya in the Nabatieh Governorate, and the Tyre District in the South Governorate.

The violations included drone attacks, bombings and bulldozing of homes and buildings, firing artillery shells, flares and an interceptor missile, combing with machine guns, and burning a poultry farm.

In Marjeyoun district, two citizens were slightly injured when an Israeli drone threw a bomb near their motorcycle on the outskirts of Taloussa town.

An Israeli drone also targeted a rescue team from the Lebanese Civil Defense in the town of Taybeh while they were working on the excavators they were using to search for missing people under the rubble.

Civil defense personnel were forced to withdraw from the area for their own safety, while fires broke out in the drilling rigs as a result of the targeting.

Israeli forces carried out an operation to blow up houses and buildings in the towns of Kfar Kila and Taloussa, in addition to bulldozing houses and combing operations with machine guns in the town of Markaba.

An Israeli interceptor missile exploded over the town of Burj al-Muluk, and the Israeli army fired flares in the skies over the town of Adaisseh.

Israeli forces set fire to a poultry farm in the Nazlet Tal Nahas area in the town of Deir Mimas.

In Bint Jbeil district, the Israeli army carried out a bombing operation against houses and buildings in the "Al-Hariqa" area on the outskirts of the town of Aitaroun.

He also shot two citizens while they were inspecting their farm in the town of Rmeish.

In Hasbaya district, Israeli artillery launched shelling targeting the outskirts of Shebaa town.

In Tyre district, the Israeli army carried out bulldozing operations in the towns of Dhahirah and Al-Bustan.

Meanwhile, an Israeli drone threw a bomb at a drilling rig operating in the town of Yarin, without causing any injuries.

The Israeli army announced this morning, Friday, that air force fighter jets attacked a number of Hezbollah targets in the Lebanese-Syrian border area last night.

According to the Israeli military, "IAF fighter jets, based on intelligence directives from the Military Intelligence Division, carried out raids last night on a number of targets belonging to the Hezbollah terrorist organization in the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon, which posed a threat to Israeli territory and IDF forces."

He pointed out that "among the targets that were targeted: a military site that includes underground infrastructure for developing and producing combat equipment, in addition to infrastructure for crossing the Syrian-Lebanese border, which Hezbollah uses to try to smuggle weapons into it."

The army added that "the Hezbollah reconnaissance drone, which was on its way to Israeli airspace yesterday (Thursday) and was shot down by the air force, is considered a violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon."

The General Authority of Civil Affairs announced, this Friday morning, the death of two young men by Israeli occupation bullets in Jenin camp.

According to the Commission, the two young men are Yazan Hatem Atiya Al-Hassan and Amir Ahmed Abdul Rahman Abu Hassan, noting that the occupation has detained their bodies.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for the immediate evacuation of 2,500 children from the Gaza Strip to receive medical treatment.

In a post on the X platform, Guterres said: “2,500 children must be evacuated immediately (from the Gaza Strip for treatment) with the assurance that they can return to their families and communities.”

He said that he was affected by the testimonies of doctors who worked in the Gaza Strip, praising their efforts and great sacrifices.

On January 19, a ceasefire came into effect in the Gaza Strip, after a 15-month Israeli war of extermination that left 47,460 martyrs, 111,580 wounded, thousands missing, and widespread destruction and a humanitarian disaster in the Strip.

This morning, Friday, the Israeli occupation forces arrested two brothers after besieging a house in the town of Qabatiya, south of Jenin.

According to local sources, a number of occupation military vehicles stormed the town from the Dotan military checkpoint, after discovering a special force from the occupation army near the Zakarneh Diwan, adding that the occupation forces surrounded the house of citizen Alaa Ahed Alawneh in the eastern neighborhood of the town, and targeted the vehicle of citizen Ayman Alaa Alawneh with an "Energa" shell, which led to its burning, before arresting the two brothers Hassan and Ayman Alawneh.

On a day when tears of joy were mixed with the liberation of more honorable Palestinian prisoners, news came from the Gaza Strip, announcing the martyrs of the resistance and symbols of its military leaders who were announced yesterday evening by the military spokesman of the Martyr Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, coinciding with the funeral of the ten martyrs of Tamoun, and in light of the continued sinful aggression on Jenin and Tulkarm, the features of the homeland were drawn with pride on a map whose title is loyalty to the sacrifices of our great people who are still patient, steadfast, and seeking reward from God, with all the signs of loftiness, pride, and honor, the martyrs of freedom and the great jihad, the heroic leaders from the members of the General Military Council of the Martyr Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, foremost among them the martyr Muhammad al-Deif and his brave comrades. And in another painting, embracing the prisoners who conquered the darkness of prison and triumphed over the oppression and injustice of the jailer, their inner voice repeating the piece of the late national poet Darwish, which was given free rein by the committed musician Marcel Khalifeh (Oh you with bleeding eyes and hands, the night is passing… Neither the detention room nor the chains remain), until the end of the poem, the inevitability of which we affirm in absolute terms (For the grains of an ear of wheat dry up… The valley will be filled with ears of wheat), and this is the secret of our people’s plant that insists on multiplying and remaining within the range of loyalty to the noblest issues related to the prisoners.

If the voice of freedom is louder than all voices, no matter how much the nights of injustice rage over it and how far it covers all distances, then the martyrs knocked on the doors of glory with the drums of victory, to go to sleep, reassured of the protection of their dreams as they caress the homeland, to become the anthem of those who have no anthem.

On the day of liberating prisoners and bidding farewell to martyrs, feelings are mixed, but they were and still are an expression of the truth of our people who cling to their rights, believe in the justice of their cause, and continue on the path of return and freedom. From here the secret of this pride, greatness and dedication emerges, for in every location there was a story, they destroy so we build, they arrest and try so we are liberated, they kill so we are born, and thus the scene is renewed with all determination and resolve.

It is natural for Israel to be disturbed by the Palestinian scenes in all locations. The rubble and destruction in Jabalia did not prevent the resistance from releasing the Israeli soldier Agam Berger, and sending a message to the world about the need to take action to end the catastrophic situation in the northern Gaza Strip. The release of the elderly man Gadi Moses, the civilian Arbil Yehud, and the five Thais from the heart of Khan Yunis, where the home of the martyr Yahya Sinwar is located, is a symbol of loyalty to the achievements of the leader and the need for the resistance to continue on his path, in a clear message to the occupation that the will of the Palestinian people and their resistance cannot die.

Yesterday, the resistance and the people of Gaza presented a model of concern for the dignity and safety of Israeli and foreign prisoners based on international law that guarantees their dignity and the protection of them, and based on the instructions of the true Islamic religion. In the end, they arrived in Israel. Despite the slight delay caused by the large crowds in Khan Yunis, Netanyahu and his extremist ministers insisted once again on procrastinating in implementing the release of Palestinian prisoners, in addition to the malicious incitement campaigns by the Israeli media and some ministers against them, not to mention the torture practices carried out by the prison administration against them and its unjust measures that deprive them of all their rights, even in moments of freedom, when the army and police prevent their families from expressing their feelings and joy at their return to the arms of their loved ones.

Despite everything, our people yesterday presented an immortal day of memories, which will remain recorded in a story that deserves to be the story of a nation.

In an article of mine a month ago, I mentioned that there are many ways and tools to annex West Bank lands, including legal and judicial amendments. This law (the law allowing settlers to register lands in the West Bank) came as a tool to accelerate the annexation of the West Bank:

1. When the West Bank was occupied, Jordanian law was and still is in effect, and according to the Jordanian Land Law of 1953, the sale and purchase of land is prohibited except for citizens residing in the West Bank.

2. Under international law, the occupying power must apply the law in force in the occupied territories on the eve of the occupation, i.e. Jordanian law.

3. In 1971, the military governor issued a military order amending Jordanian law to allow companies registered in the Israeli Civil Administration (the de facto governor of the West Bank) to own land and register it in their names, provided that they obtain a purchase permit from the Land Authority, approved by the Minister of War, so as not to give settlers free rein to impose control over the land and security.

4. This proposed law circumvents international law by explicitly stating in its first clause that the military governor is to issue a decision annulling the Jordanian law of 1953. In this case, it was formulated in this manner to prevent the claim that the government passed legislation that applies outside its sovereign borders (the West Bank), while another article of the same law stipulates that “all citizens have the right to purchase and register land in the West Bank in their names.” This means that a law issued by the Knesset by members elected by the Israelis is applicable in the West Bank to the lands of Palestinian citizens who had no role in electing the Knesset members who passed this law, meaning that a law issued by those with the right to vote is applicable to individuals without rights!

5. This law gives the opportunity to extremist settlers who do not hesitate to seize Palestinian property by force, by intimidation, by carrying out extensive fraud operations, stealing large amounts of land, registering it, and building settlement outposts on it, to obstruct the dream of a state, especially since the text of the law exempts settlers from obtaining a purchase permit, as before, and is satisfied with obtaining a real estate transaction license, which is a purely formal procedure.

6. The law in its current form violates international norms and is considered a “West Bank Annexation Law.”

7. This law allows settlers to be owners of the place, and not to be trespassers on Palestinian lands.

8. This law means privatizing sovereignty and security and granting them to settler gangs.

9. This law must be repealed, and the Palestinian Authority must announce the cancellation of the Oslo Agreement, because this law is an explicit declaration of the invalidity of the Oslo Agreement.

In a completely different context, the Swedish capital, Stockholm, witnessed an incident in 1973, when gunmen took four employees of a Swedish bank hostage. They were released after a period of no more than a week. The detainees showed sympathy for the gunmen and defended them before the authorities and the media. The phenomenon was interpreted at the time as a psychological condition, through which the detainees sought to form a bond with their captors as a survival strategy. The researchers added that in the context of long and complex conflicts, “Stockholm Syndrome” may appear as a controversial psychological phenomenon. Given the reality of the Israeli prisoners in Gaza, questions may be raised about the possibility of the emergence of this type of phenomenon, and its consequences on the human and political levels.

In Gaza, the issue of Israeli prisoners is one of the most interesting issues, locally and even internationally, especially for countries supporting the war on Gaza, as is evident from their public discourse. It is a new and unprecedented issue in the history of the Palestinian struggle, at least quantitatively. In contrast, the issue of Palestinian prisoners remains an ongoing situation that has accompanied the occupation since its first day, and does not receive the same attention, despite the very large and unprecedented numbers.

The Israeli prisoners, whether soldiers or otherwise, who were captured on October 7 from military sites or settlements surrounding Gaza, lived and are living a captivity experience that is completely different from the traditional cases in which “Stockholm Syndrome” may appear. However, there are several factors, psychological, social and political, that form the captivity environment, which may affect the prisoners themselves and push the possibility of its appearance to the forefront. The first is the complete dependence on their captors to meet their basic needs, such as food, drink and health care. This was evident in the video of the female prisoners who were released on Saturday, January 25, which may create a feeling of gratitude, especially if the treatment was humane, which is what it seemed to be, at least according to the scenes we saw. The second factor is the extension of the period of captivity, which is a factor that increases the possibility of the phenomenon forming, as the prisoners may stop seeing their captors as “enemies”, as they preserve their security and lives, and are exposed to many risks in order to do so. As for the third factor, it comes in the context of the battle of the narrative, and presenting a completely different narrative, in fact the opposite of what was promoted during the long months of war. Rather, as a party that deals with prisoners in accordance with the values of Islam, the rules of international humanitarian law, and finally, the fourth factor, which is due to personal communication between prisoners and their captors, which increases the opportunity for that, if there is a common language for verbal communication, which may lead to bridging the gap and open the door to the emergence of a state of sympathy.

Hence, this highlights the role of political and media considerations. From the perspective of the Palestinian resistance, the issue of prisoners is more than just a humanitarian file, and is inseparable from their values with religious, moral and legal foundations. It is a compulsion, not a choice, that comes in the context of its commitment to Palestinian prisoners, which made it a pressure card and a military and political bargain, during which it was keen to present a superior moral model in dealing with prisoners, in contrast to the other model, the occupation model, which words fail to describe. This may make this positive image formed an impregnable barrier in the face of Israeli and Western propaganda, which has tried and is trying hard to demonize it and strip it of its moral and humanitarian character. Consequently, this may create a shock within Israeli society, shaking its confidence in the political and military leadership, which is already wavering, and sweeping away with it the foundations of the “official” narrative, with evidence from within, closer, for long periods, which constitutes an additional pressure card during negotiations, due to internal and external pressure.

On the contrary, the chances of this syndrome appearing among Palestinian prisoners are completely unlikely, and the simultaneous scenes of the release of prisoners from both sides are the best evidence of that, and it is not difficult to explain that. If we look at the psychological, cultural and political factors that shape and control the experience of captivity, we find that it is far removed from any sympathy or gratitude, and hostility is still its essence, which has been and continues to be consecrated by public and private policies, which have emerged in recent months in particular. Palestinian prisoners are portrayed and treated far from being “human beings,” which is clearly evident in the intentional oppressive environment, inhumane detention conditions, in addition to physical and psychological torture, and “stripping” them of their humanity, which has reached a great extent, reaching the point of murder or less, in addition to deprivation of their basic needs at their minimum.

In addition to the above, Palestinian prisoners see themselves as part of a long struggle and an extension of a collective awareness. They are not just an individual case or cases, but rather they constitute symbols of steadfastness in the Palestinian narrative and their cultural and popular heritage, which made them more fortified against that. The religious factor also played an important role in supporting them psychologically, as they saw their suffering as part of a sacred struggle, with noble goals, tools and objectives, coupled with a firm belief in the justice of their cause and the legitimacy of their struggle. Despite the efforts of prison administrations to create divisions among them, to scatter them, silence their voice, and facilitate control over them or isolate them from their surroundings, they succeeded in building an internal support system, in addition to other practical measures, which were manifested in organizing and managing their daily affairs collectively, which strengthened their sense of belonging, which was accompanied by overwhelming popular support and consensus on their cause and demands, despite the “differences” here and there. All of this embodied the image of heroism in the popular conscience, and reduced the chances of the emergence of such tendencies, which made building any positive or humane bond with their jailers an extremely difficult, if not impossible, matter.

110 Palestinian prisoners were released in the third batch of the prisoner exchange deal between Israel and Hamas on Thursday, after the resistance factions in Gaza released 3 Israeli prisoners and 5 Thai workers under the ceasefire agreement in the Strip.

Among the released prisoners are 32 prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment, 48 prisoners with long sentences, in addition to 30 child prisoners. This exceptional batch was approved in exchange for the return of the displaced to the northern Gaza Strip, in light of Israel’s pretext of not releasing the prisoner Arbel Yehud in the previous batch.

This comes after the occupation obstructed the procedures for the release of Palestinian prisoners by a decision from the political level, and justified this "in order to ensure a safe exit for the Israeli hostages in subsequent batches." The Red Crescent Society announced that its crews dealt with 14 injuries in Beitunia, near Ofer Prison, during the occupation army's suppression of Palestinians who were awaiting the release of the prisoners, including 3 injuries from live bullets, 3 from rubber bullets, and 8 cases of suffocation from tear gas.

These Israeli measures are part of the occupation's ongoing approach to targeting any Palestinian manifestations of joy over the release of prisoners, as its forces have previously intensified their suppression, arrests, attacks, and raids on the homes of the families of released prisoners when previous batches of the deal were implemented.

The Advisory Commission of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) called on the Israeli government, as the occupying power in the Palestinian territory, to suspend the implementation of Israeli legislation that limits the Agency’s operations in the occupied Palestinian territory.

The committee said in a press statement on Friday that if this legislation is implemented, it will severely impact the humanitarian response in Gaza, could jeopardize the ceasefire, and ultimately undermine prospects for regional stability.

The statement pointed out that, in the midst of collective efforts to enhance the viability and sustainability of the ceasefire, one of the most immediate and urgent tasks of the international community is to alleviate the extremely deteriorating humanitarian situation of civilians in Gaza by providing assistance with the speed and volume required.

The statement stressed that UNRWA has facilitated more than half of the emergency response in Gaza over the past 15 months, and remains vital to the successful implementation of the ceasefire in order to provide humanitarian assistance and education to hundreds of thousands of children in Gaza and 50,000 children in UNRWA schools in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

The statement pointed out that UNRWA plays a crucial role not only as a humanitarian agency contributing to the sustainability of the ceasefire, but also as essential to the human and economic development of the Palestinians and to the path towards a permanent political solution.

The statement explained that the committee is convinced that until a just and lasting solution to the plight of Palestinian refugees is reached in accordance with international law and relevant United Nations resolutions, UNRWA remains essential in all five fields of the agency's work.

Dr. Jamal Harfoush: The Tamoun massacre is not a passing event, but rather comes within the context of a deliberate policy aimed at expanding the scope of massacres in the West Bank

Nabhan Khreisha: The nature of the aggression in Jenin, Tulkarm and Tubas shows the state of Israeli brutality as in its war on the Gaza Strip

Dr. Raed Nairat: Israel is implementing the annexation plan in the West Bank with security and military cover, amid the absence of Palestinian action to confront it

Imad Musa: What is happening in the West Bank is not just scattered military operations, but rather a war of extermination being carried out in stages to impose new demographic facts.

Dr. Raed Abu Badawiya: Israel realizes that annexation cannot be achieved without eliminating manifestations of armed resistance in the West Bank to create a safe environment for settlers

Hani Abu Al-Sabaa: The occupation practices bloody repression and soft pressure within the framework of a broader strategy to push Palestinians towards forced migration

The escalation of Israeli aggression in the West Bank reflects a dangerous shift in the occupation's policies, as the Israeli massacres, the latest of which was the massacre in the town of Tamoun, south of Tubas, which resulted in the martyrdom of ten citizens, now indicate the occupation's intention to carry out other massacres, in a development that reflects the escalation of systematic genocide operations aimed at annexation and displacement.

In separate interviews with “I”, writers, political analysts, specialists and university professors believe that the Israeli occupation is working on a comprehensive strategy aimed at weakening the Palestinian resistance and breaking the will of the Palestinian people through organized massacres, continuous restrictions, home demolitions, and widespread arrests, in addition to escalating settlement in different areas, which puts the West Bank at risk of actual annexation under a security and military cover.

They believe that Palestinian movements at the political and diplomatic levels are still insufficient to create real pressure on the occupation, which necessitates putting the internal house in order, intensifying legal, media and diplomatic efforts to reveal the extent of Israeli massacres and violations, and working to hold the occupation accountable before international courts.

Continuation of the crime of genocide

Professor Dr. Jamal Harfoush, Professor of Scientific Research Methods and Political Studies at the University of the Academic Research Center in Brazil, said that what the Palestinian people are being subjected to in the West Bank and Gaza Strip is a continuation of the crime of genocide committed by Israel, in clear defiance of all international laws and conventions.

Harfoush explains that the ongoing Israeli aggression on Gaza for more than 15 months, which has led to the martyrdom and injury of tens of thousands, coincides with a dangerous escalation in the West Bank, especially after Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz declared an "open war" against the West Bank.

Harfoush believes that these statements by Katz are not just empty threats, but rather reflect an official political approach adopted by the occupation to escalate violence and mass killing, and impose a new reality by military force.

Harfoush points out that the main goal of these crimes is to try to extinguish the flame of Palestinian resistance and strike the steadfastness of the Palestinian people, through systematic massacres supervised by the extremist occupation government.

Harfoush asserts that the recent Tamoun massacre is not a passing event, but rather comes within the context of a deliberate policy aimed at expanding the scope of massacres in the West Bank, under the official cover of the occupation government.

Harfoush asserts that the link between Katz’s statements and the execution of the massacre within hours reveals that these operations are not merely “security measures,” but rather part of a strategy aimed at genocide against the Palestinians, targeting their existence and identity.

Harfoush points out that Israel is betting on breaking the will of the Palestinians through excessive violence, but it fails to realize that these massacres have not led in the past, and will not lead in the future, to achieving its goals, but rather increase the Palestinians’ adherence to their right to resist and persevere in their land.

He warns that the continuation of Israeli massacres in the West Bank could lead to the outbreak of comprehensive confrontations, especially with the escalation of field executions, house demolitions, night raids, and the siege imposed on Palestinian towns and camps.

Harfoush explains that the extremist Israeli discourse, supported by America and Europe, reflects the occupation's intention to escalate violence in an unprecedented manner, which may result in a large number of martyrs in the coming period.

Harfoush points out that this escalation may redraw the map of regional and international alliances and positions towards the occupation, especially if the international community continues to turn a blind eye to Israeli crimes.

Harfoush believes that the world, despite its double standards, may be forced to reconsider its positions if the occupation continues to commit public massacres, which have become difficult to justify.

Harfoush stresses that confronting this Israeli escalation requires action on several levels, including political, diplomatic, legal, media, popular, Arab and Islamic.

Harfoush points to the necessity of intensifying Palestinian, Arab and international diplomatic efforts to document Israeli crimes, file legal cases against the occupation before the International Criminal Court, and work to impose political and economic sanctions on Israel, stressing the importance of mobilizing international support to restore the Palestinian cause and stop attempts to marginalize it from international agendas.

The importance of systematically documenting Israeli crimes

Harfoush stresses the importance of documenting Israeli crimes systematically, exposing the occupation’s policies through international media, and the need to benefit from social media networks to reveal the truth of what is happening.

Harfoush calls for strengthening the legal role in prosecuting Israeli war criminals, and demanding that countries abide by international law in holding human rights violators accountable.

Harfoush stressed that the Palestinian people in the West Bank are required to strengthen their steadfastness and intensify popular activism through all forms of legitimate resistance guaranteed by international law. He also stressed that national unity is an absolute necessity to confront the Israeli aggression, as there is no room for division and disunity in light of the policy of genocide that targets everyone without exception.

Harfoush criticizes the fact that Arab and Islamic positions are limited to statements of condemnation, calling for Arab and Islamic countries to move to the circle of effective political and economic action, by imposing real pressure on Israel, reactivating the weapon of economic boycott, and taking practical steps to stop the aggression and prevent the occupation from isolating the Palestinian people.

Harfoush asserts that what is happening in the West Bank is not just a passing military campaign, but rather part of the ongoing war of extermination that Israel is waging against the Palestinians, with the aim of liquidating their cause and imposing a new reality that serves the settlement project.

Harfoush believes that the continued silence of the international community and its failure to take serious measures against the occupation will make it a partner in these crimes, which history will not forgive and will not be forgotten by future Palestinian generations.

A systematic military campaign aimed at destroying the foundations of life

Journalist Nabhan Khreisha asserts that the nature of the ongoing Israeli attacks in Jenin, Tulkarm and their camps, and what happened in the town of Tamoun, south of Tubas, which reached its peak with the assassination of ten Palestinians in the town of Tamoun, reflects the state of brutality practiced by Israel, similar to what it did and is doing in its war on Gaza.

Khreisha points out that these operations come in response to pressure from the extreme right on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to continue the war on the Palestinians, especially after reaching a ceasefire agreement and prisoner exchange with Hamas.

Khreisha points out that the Israeli statements, whether from Netanyahu or Defense Minister Yisrael Katz, that the military operations in the West Bank aim to "defeat the militants funded by Iran" are nothing but flimsy justifications aimed at concealing the truth.

He explains that the reality on the ground reveals a systematic military campaign aimed at destroying the foundations of Palestinian life. The current aggression has also resulted in dozens of martyrs and wounded, the arrest of large numbers of Palestinians, the displacement of families from their homes, and the demolition and burning of many houses, which reflects the occupation’s efforts to empty cities and camps of their residents.

Khreisha confirms that these attacks coincide with the entry into force of the Israeli Knesset law banning the activities of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), which stipulates the confiscation of its properties and real estate in Jerusalem, and preventing it from operating in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Khreisha believes that this step reinforces the belief that Israel is targeting Palestinian camps in the West Bank as part of a systematic plan to eliminate the right of return, by emptying these areas of refugees and turning them into areas unfit for habitation, which contributes to ending the legal status of refugees.

Khreisha confirms that the scope of the Israeli aggression will not be limited to the northern West Bank, but will extend to its center, south, and the Jordan Valley region, within the framework of strengthening settlements and implementing annexation plans, which may receive American approval, which may receive the approval of the Trump administration.

Khreisha believes that the scenes documented by the Israeli attacks in Tulkarm and Jenin are not much different from those occurring in Gaza, where families flee from sniper fire, and the Israeli army relies on a policy of destroying and burning homes, and bulldozing roads and infrastructure.

Khreisha points out that the occupation, instead of carrying out quick operations and withdrawing, as was the case in the past, has adopted a new strategy that relies on long-term field control, by occupying Palestinian homes after expelling their residents, which indicates the occupation’s intention to prolong the duration of military operations, which means an increase in the death toll and the continuation of destruction for longer periods.

Khreisha calls on the Authority to reconsider its policies towards the occupation, stressing the need to stop security coordination, which is no longer logical in light of the ongoing Israeli escalation, which is rolling like an increasing snowball from the top of the mountain.

He stresses that the Israeli aggression does not only target the Palestinians, but also aims to undermine the national project and transform the authority from a political entity seeking to establish an independent state into a mere administrative body with limited functions similar to municipalities.

He warns against continuing to rely on a balanced American position towards the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, considering that US President Donald Trump’s statements about displacing Palestinians from Gaza to Egypt and Jordan, which may later include the West Bank, in addition to the repeated statements about legitimizing the annexation of parts of the West Bank to Israel, confirm that any illusions about a fair American role in resolving the conflict must be dispelled.

Khreisha points out that the rapid developments in the West Bank, from military escalation and displacement operations, confirm that Israel is continuing to implement its settlement and Judaization projects, without any regard for international law, which requires a unified Palestinian position capable of confronting these plans and resisting them by all possible means.

Imposing new facts on the ground in preparation for annexation

The writer, political analyst and professor of political science, Dr. Raed Nairat, confirms that all the measures implemented by Israel in the West Bank have a security and military dimension on the surface, but in essence they are linked to strategic political orientations that aim to impose new facts on the ground in preparation for the full annexation plan, pointing out that this is taking place amid the absence of Palestinian action to confront it.

Nairat explains that the occupation uses the security and military envelope as a tool to market its political steps, citing the recent Knesset decision that allows settlers to own land in Area C of the West Bank, which is a political decision par excellence, reflecting Israel’s treatment of the West Bank as if it were part of its state.

Nairat refers to the statements of the Israeli Minister of War, Yisrael Katz, regarding the continuation of the Israeli military presence in the "Harsh al-Saada" area after the end of the military campaign on the Jenin camp, and the establishment of a permanent camp there, which proves that the military operations are only a prelude to imposing a new political reality.

Nairat points out that calling the current military operation “Iron Wall” is reminiscent of Operation “Defensive Shield” in 2002, which launched a new phase of Israeli control over the West Bank, and this current operation has its own meaning in the new reality.

Nairat stresses that there is a connection between the two processes, as each separates two different political stages, during which policies of control, annexation and settlement are formulated.

Nairat stresses that the occupation's intentions towards the West Bank are clear, as all its movements are directed towards actual annexation, and these are policies that began even before October 7, 2023.

Nairat expressed his fears that the next phase will be more bloody, as Israel may resort to carrying out larger massacres, such that the number of martyrs becomes mere numbers, which aims to normalize the massacres and continue them without any noteworthy international reactions, which threatens greater massacres in the future.

Nairat stresses that confronting the policies of genocide in the West Bank and Gaza Strip requires achieving national unity and developing a clear national political program that defines the features of the next stage.

Nairat explains that this program must be based on strengthening the steadfastness of the Palestinian citizen in his land, increasing societal cohesion, in addition to unifying the Palestinian media discourse to confront Israeli propaganda, and working to convey the Palestinian point of view to international institutions and world public opinion.

Nairat points out that there is a complete absence of the required Palestinian action on all levels, which requires holding everyone accountable.

Katz seeks to achieve two main goals through escalation

Writer and political analyst Imad Musa asserts that the Tamoun massacre, which resulted in the martyrdom of ten citizens, comes within the context of the policy of genocide, ethnic cleansing and war crimes practiced by Israel, amid American political cover in international forums.

Musa stresses that this massacre in Tamoun is part of a comprehensive plan targeting the West Bank, through escalating killings and destruction to undermine the Palestinian National Authority, which enjoys international recognition and had succeeded in bringing Palestine to the United Nations.

Mousa points out that the Israeli Minister of War, Yisrael Katz, is seeking through this escalation to achieve two main goals; the first is to present himself to Israeli and international public opinion as a victor over unarmed civilians, in an attempt to promote the idea that his army is engaged in a confrontation with organized forces, while the truth indicates a systematic targeting of the civilian population and Palestinian infrastructure.

Mousa points out that Katz's second goal is to gain the support of the extreme right-wing movement and the settlers, by presenting his credentials as a political official capable of implementing more stringent policies against the Palestinians, in light of the competition within the extremist Israeli government coalition.

Musa asserts that Benjamin Netanyahu's government is still betting on implementing a strategy of genocide and forced displacement, as a means to achieve its ultimate goal of making Palestine free of its indigenous population, considering that what is happening in the West Bank is not just scattered military operations, but rather a war of extermination carried out in stages, with the aim of imposing new demographic facts.

Musa believes that the continuation of the aggression with such brutality may lead to dangerous regional repercussions, as neighboring countries will find themselves facing new waves of forced displacement of Palestinians, as happened in the 1948 Nakba and the 1967 Setback.

Musa points out that what is required at this stage is to achieve true national unity among the various Palestinian factions, and to unite under the slogan of thwarting the Israeli plan, through escalating the political and field confrontation, and working to mobilize international positions to stop the ongoing Israeli crimes.

Security preparations for essential political decisions

Dr. Raed Abu Badawi, professor of international law and international relations at the Arab American University, believes that the escalating Israeli military campaign in the northern West Bank, especially in Jenin, is no longer just a political response to appease the Israeli right led by Bezalel Smotrich, but has become part of comprehensive Israeli security preparations aimed at implementing fundamental political decisions, most notably the annexation plan.

Abu Badawiya points out that there are clear indications that the Israeli moves come in the context of completing the Israeli right's vision for the West Bank, amid American indications from President Donald Trump, hinting at Washington's readiness to offer a "political price" that satisfies the right-wing movement in Israel, including support for measures to annex the West Bank.

Abu Badawiya asserts that Israel realizes that annexation cannot be achieved without eliminating the manifestations of armed resistance in the West Bank, as the occupation government seeks to end all forms of Palestinian armament, with the aim of creating a safe environment for settlers, at a time when these measures coincide with giving settlers a green light to carry out their attacks against Palestinians, and lifting the restrictions imposed on them in the United States, especially after the Trump administration’s decisions to cancel some sanctions on settlers involved in violations.

Abu Badawiya believes that the escalation of Israeli military repression in the West Bank reflects a multi-dimensional strategy, including security pressure and repressive practices, with the aim of pushing Palestinians to emigrate. He pointed out that the Israeli army’s declaration of the West Bank as an open military confrontation zone, as well as the declaration of Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz, in which he spoke of an “open war” in the West Bank, translate into massacres against Palestinians, not only in Jenin, but also in other areas, as the army moves from one camp to another within the framework of the “preemptive deterrence” policy, which aims to terrorize citizens and deter them from even thinking about resistance.

Abu Badawiya points out that the next stage may witness additional restrictive policies, such as besieging Palestinians in major city centers, as a preliminary step to imposing annexation.

Abu Badawiya confirms that the Palestinian Authority is facing an internal crisis and Israeli pressures, warning against betting on the American or European positions, because Israel does not want a Palestinian political entity, but rather just an administrative entity to manage the affairs of the Palestinians in some areas.

Abu Badawiya stresses that the only way out for the Palestinians is to strengthen internal national unity, reorganize the Palestinian house, and review relations and agreements with Israel, in light of the clear intentions of the occupation seeking to impose a new reality on the ground.

Division weakens the ability to confront the occupation's plans

The writer and political analyst specializing in Israeli affairs, Hani Abu Al-Sabaa, believes that the Israeli escalation in the northern West Bank, the latest of which was the Tamoun massacre in which warplanes were used, falls within a systematic policy aimed at eliminating the resistance and weakening the popular incubator, within the framework of a broader strategy to pressure the Palestinians and push them toward forced migration.

Abu Al-Sabaa points out that this escalation coincided with Katz’s announcement that the occupation forces would remain in the northern West Bank even after the end of the military operations in Jenin. These statements were quickly translated into a bloody massacre in Tamoun, where the occupation forces launched an intensive air attack that led to a large number of martyrs and wounded.

Abu Al-Sabaa explains that the occupation seeks to achieve several main goals, including eliminating the resistance in the northern West Bank, punishing the Palestinians with collective punishment to deprive them of hope for steadfastness, and preventing the recurrence of what Israel calls the “October 7 scenario” in the West Bank, due to its proximity to the settlements. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also relies on an escalation strategy, doubling the use of force with every military failure, which has not yet led to ending the resistance, but rather has strengthened it.

Abu Al-Sabaa confirms that the Shin Bet and the occupation army acknowledged that the resistance in Jenin is still active despite the military strikes, pointing out that an attempt to carry out a shooting operation in Afula was thwarted, despite the strict security campaign on Jenin.

Abu Al-Sabaa believes that the Israeli campaign in the West Bank came immediately after the end of the truce in Gaza, as Israel fears that the resistance in the West Bank will draw inspiration from the momentum of the battle there. The West Bank also represents a soft underbelly for the occupation and a strategic threat to the settlements, which is pushing Netanyahu’s government, with the support of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, to seek to impose complete control over it in preparation for annexation.

Abu Al-Sabaa points out that the occupation is pursuing a dual policy: on the one hand, it practices brutal military repression, and on the other hand, it uses “soft pressure” to push Palestinians to voluntarily emigrate, through economic and living restrictions. Testimonies from Israeli soldiers also revealed that they shot Palestinians when there was no real threat, which reflects that killing has become a “hobby” for some of them.

Abu Al-Sabaa warns that the number of martyrs in the West Bank will continue to rise as the occupation continues to use warplanes and target residential areas, amidst suspicious Arab and international silence. Netanyahu is also exploiting the return of former US President Donald Trump to the political scene, as he seeks to meet with him on February 4 to secure American support for his plans, especially since Trump holds a dangerous vision for the Palestinian cause, which he previously expressed by saying that "Israel is small and must be expanded," which means support for forced displacement projects.

Abu Al-Sabaa points out that the occupation was disturbed by scenes of the return of the residents of southern Gaza to the north after the truce, which showed the Palestinians’ adherence to their land despite the massacres, which is what is pushing Israel to escalate military pressure in the West Bank as a preliminary step to impose soft displacement policies in the future.

In light of these developments, Abu Al-Sabaa calls for urgent Arab and international action to curb the Israeli aggression and expose its crimes, calling on the Arab League to activate international efforts against the occupation. He also urges the Palestinian Authority to support the steadfastness of citizens by alleviating the economic and social burdens, and enhancing support for affected families in Jenin, Tulkarm and other areas.

Abu Al-Sabaa stresses that national unity is the only way to confront the ongoing Israeli aggression, warning that the continuation of division serves the occupation and weakens the ability to confront settlement projects and forced displacement. He confirms that the occupation will continue to impose a fait accompli by force, unless it is confronted with real Palestinian, Arab and international action.

The eye cannot miss those very clear differences between two images: the image of the release of Israeli detainees, both male and female, and the image of the liberation of our imprisoned sons from the graves of the living.

While the faces of the Israelis appeared to be full of health and wellness, wearing “starched” clothes and with combed, flowing hair, those emerging from behind the curtains of darkness appeared to have thin bodies, ragged clothes, thick hair, and tired faces, from the effects of oppression, starvation, and torture.

Those released were those who appeared to be in a difficult psychological state, unable to respond to the overwhelming emotions that awaited them the moment they arrived.

The stark difference between the two images is the difference between two beliefs, one burning and merciless, embraced by criminal killers, and the other tolerant, just and merciful, drawing from an inexhaustible source of noble values and good morals in the school of virtue, represented by the commandments of the Master of Creation to treat prisoners well, providing them with food and clothing, in application of the Almighty’s saying: “And they give food, in spite of their love for it, to the poor, the orphan, and the captive.”

The two images, as much as they are indicative, are also revealing of the arrogance of power, and of the “Bangavari” doctrine, a companion of sadism, which enjoys torture and abuse, and seeing bodies wither and melt away from the effects of terror, intimidation, and starvation.

No matter how long injustice and darkness last, we will continue to believe in the inevitability of the victory of truth over falsehood, the homeland over occupation, the prisoner over the jailer, the eye over the awl, and the owner of values over the sword-bearer and the owner of the tank.

The Israeli army announced this morning, Friday, that air force fighter jets attacked a number of Hezbollah targets in the Lebanese-Syrian border area last night.

According to the Israeli military, "IAF fighter jets, based on intelligence directives from the Military Intelligence Division, carried out raids last night on a number of targets belonging to the Hezbollah terrorist organization in the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon, which posed a threat to Israeli territory and IDF forces."

He pointed out that "among the targets that were targeted: a military site that includes underground infrastructure for developing and producing combat equipment, in addition to infrastructure for crossing the Syrian-Lebanese border, which Hezbollah uses to try to smuggle weapons into it."

The army added that "the Hezbollah reconnaissance drone, which was on its way to Israeli airspace yesterday (Thursday) and was shot down by the air force, is considered a violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon.

The IDF remains committed to the understandings reached regarding the ceasefire in Lebanon, and will not allow the implementation of terrorist plans of this kind. The IDF is deployed in the southern Lebanon area, and will continue to work to remove any threat against the State of Israel and its forces."

The Ministry of Health announced, on Thursday evening, the death of two citizens, whose identities are not yet known, by the occupation forces’ bullets in Jenin camp.

He added that the occupation forces are holding their bodies.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres wrote on Twitter today (Thursday) that he was moved by the testimonies of doctors in the Gaza Strip. He wrote: “I was impressed by the dedication of four American doctors who worked in Gaza.”

He added: "2,500 children must be evacuated immediately (from the Gaza Strip) and ensured that they are able to return to their families and communities."

US President Donald Trump bragged on Wednesday that his administration had stopped $50 million worth of “condoms used by Hamas to make bombs in Gaza.” Trump offered no evidence for his claims — that condoms were being sent to Gaza or that Hamas was using birth control to make bombs — leaving many wondering what the US president was talking about.

DropSiteNews revealed Thursday that President Trump and the administration confused the Gaza Strip in southern Mozambique, to which health aid was sent, with the Gaza Strip of Palestine.

Trump made the contraceptive claim while listing his administration's accomplishments since taking office.

“We identified and stopped $50 million going to Gaza to buy condoms for Hamas. They used them as a means to make bombs. What about that?” White House press secretary Carolyn Leavitt made a similar claim Tuesday during her first press briefing. She said the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) “found that there was approximately $50 million in taxpayer money going to Gaza to fund condoms.”

In her first press conference, Levitt called the alleged aid a "ridiculous waste of taxpayer money."

Jesse Watters, a right-wing talk show host on Fox News, also said that Hamas is using nonexistent U.S. shipments to make “condom bombs” and launch explosive-laden balloons into Israel, without providing any evidence.

According to experts, Trump has been accused of portraying Gaza as an example of wasteful spending of U.S. foreign aid. His administration has justified its suspension of nearly all foreign aid by highlighting examples of “egregious funding,” such as contraception and reproductive health care programs.

The administration says it is conducting a review to ensure that tens of billions of dollars in U.S. foreign aid is consistent with Trump's "America First" foreign policy and not a waste of taxpayer money.

The United States is the world’s largest donor of aid. In fiscal year 2023, it disbursed $72 billion in aid worldwide on everything from women’s health in conflict zones to access to clean water, HIV/AIDS treatments, energy security and anti-corruption efforts.

Shortly after returning to office for a second term on January 20, Trump ordered a 90-day freeze on foreign aid to ensure that the aid was consistent with his administration's policies, which oppose abortion, transgender rights and diversity programs.

For his part, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a memo issued last Friday, January 24, 2025, that the United States is freezing almost all aid disbursements except for emergency food aid and military aid to Egypt and Israel.

Number of condoms that can be purchased for $50 million:

Refugees International President Jeremy Konyndyk, who oversaw USAID’s COVID-19 assistance portfolio for President Joe Biden’s administration, has refuted Trump and Levitt’s claims as unrealistic.

“USAID buys condoms for about $0.05 apiece, and $50 million would buy a billion condoms,” he wrote on the X website on Wednesday. “What’s happening here isn’t a billion condoms for Gaza. What’s happening is that the guys at the State Department apparently can’t read government spreadsheets.”

Was the US really going to send $50 million worth of condoms to Gaza?

There is no publicly available evidence of plans to spend millions of taxpayer dollars to fund condoms in Gaza, and a State Department official did not respond to a request for evidence from Reuters.

However, there is a lot of evidence that seems to refute Trump's claim.

In a statement Wednesday, International Medical Corps (IMC), an organization that receives U.S. funds to provide medical care in Gaza, clarified its work in the blockaded territory. “No U.S. government funding has been used to purchase or distribute condoms, nor to provide family planning services,” it said.

The statement added that the International Medical Corps has received more than $68 million from USAID since October 7, 2023, which has been used to operate two large field hospitals in Gaza, including surgical care, treatment of malnutrition, and emergency care for mothers and newborns.

None of the reports available to ordinary researchers from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed by billionaire Elon Musk (the world’s richest man), or the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) reflect a plan to spend $100 million on IMC operations in Gaza.

Reports for fiscal years 2007 through 2023 on contraceptives and condoms shipped by USAID to the rest of the world also show no record of condoms shipped to Gaza.

Dana Stroul, former deputy assistant secretary of defense for Middle Eastern affairs, said in a post on X on Wednesday that USAID did not spend money on Gaza in fiscal year 2023.

A USAID report from April shows that the United States delivered $60.8 million in contraceptives and condoms to four regions — the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean — in the previous fiscal year.

The Middle East received just $45,681 while Africa received more than $54 million, or 89 percent, of contraceptives in FY23.

The report added that the $45,681 was provided in full to Jordan and included oral contraceptives and injectables but not condoms.

USAID reports also show deliveries to the Middle East in fiscal years 2019, 2013, 2012, 2009, 2008, and 2007, none of which mention any deliveries to Gaza.

Under the Trump administration, USAID provided $1.1 million to the Middle East in fiscal year 2019. All of the goods went to Yemen, including male and female condoms and multiple types of contraceptives.

Two children were injured, Thursday evening, by Israeli occupation bullets, in the town of Al-Khader, south of Bethlehem.

According to local sources, the occupation forces shot two children near the Bakoush area west of the town, which resulted in one of them (13 years old) being injured with 5 bullets in the foot and the other (15 years old) being injured with a bullet in the foot and another in the abdomen. They were transferred to Al-Yamama Hospital in the town.

He added that the occupation forces stormed the gate area in Al-Khader and fired tear gas and sound bombs, which led to a number of citizens suffocating.

US President Donald Trump's envoy to the Middle East said that rebuilding the Gaza Strip could take between 10 and 15 years, noting that the situation there is "uninhabitable" due to the widespread destruction and unexploded ordnance scattered throughout the Strip.

The envoy added, in statements reported by the Axios website, that humanitarian aid is entering Gaza according to the plan, and the displaced have begun to return to the northern Gaza Strip, in light of the security arrangements being made on the Netzarim and Philadelphi axes, which he described as "going better than expected."

He also stressed that his message to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the ministers he met was clear: the deal must continue to be implemented, noting that Netanyahu remains committed to the process of returning the detainees.

Regarding the future of Gaza, the envoy explained that he did not discuss with Trump the idea of transferring Palestinians from the Strip, but he stressed that the priority now is to complete the first phase of the plan and implement it properly, before moving on to the next phases.

Two young men were injured by live bullets, and a child was arrested, Thursday evening, during the Israeli occupation forces’ storming of the town of Kobar, northwest of Ramallah.

According to local sources, the occupation forces stormed the town and fired sound bombs and tear gas, which led to the outbreak of clashes, during which the occupation soldiers fired live bullets, resulting in two young men being injured by bullets in the lower limbs.

The same sources added that the occupation forces arrested the child, Kinan Bassam Nabhan Al-Barghouthi (13 years old), during their raid on the town.

In a related context, the occupation forces stormed the town of Silwad, east of Ramallah, coinciding with the arrival of the freed prisoner, Moamen Mahmoud Hamed, who was released this evening from the occupation prisons as part of the ceasefire agreement on the Gaza Strip.

While the far-right Deputy Mayor of West Jerusalem, Arieh King, gathered with his colleagues in front of the offices of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) to celebrate the start of the ban on the agency’s work in Israel, sources in Tel Aviv confirmed that there is confusion in the government about the decision to implement the ban and who will replace it. They have contacted the US State Department to make contacts on the issue with international bodies.

Israeli and Palestinian parties fear that a vacuum will emerge, starting in early February, that threatens the collapse of medical, educational and environmental services in the refugee camps as a result of the agency being banned and its senior staff leaving the region.

On October 28, 2024, the Israeli government passed two laws in the Knesset (parliament) to stop UNRWA’s activities. These laws received broad public support and were approved by a cross-party majority in the Knesset, despite pressure from the international community to prevent the move.

The first law prohibits UNRWA from operating branches, providing services, or engaging in any type of activity directly or indirectly on the sovereign territory of the State of Israel. This means that UNRWA will no longer be able to operate in East Jerusalem, and will be forced to cease all its activities in the city.

The second law prohibits authorities, bodies, and persons holding public office according to the law from establishing any contact with UNRWA or its representatives. This means that Israeli officials will not be able to communicate with UNRWA or any of its affiliates.

Accordingly, as of the end of January, the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Interior will not be able to issue entry or work permits to UNRWA employees. At ports and customs, they will not be able to receive or deal with UNRWA goods; banks in Israel will have difficulty providing banking services to them, and the Israeli military will be forced to sever working relations with them and coordinate activities with Palestinian entities through UNRWA.

The two laws are supposed to come into effect, banning the agency's activities in Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, and prohibiting any relationship between it and state authorities.

However, apart from repeated statements against these laws, the international community and the countries that fund the agency have no effective means to prevent this process. On Friday, 25 international employees working for the agency in the West Bank and East Jerusalem will leave after their entry visas expire.

In the Gaza Strip, Israel is determined not to allow new UNRWA employees to enter, but those who are there have no intention of leaving, and UNRWA plans to continue working there as long as possible.

UNRWA also announced that it does not intend to evacuate the buildings in which it is located in East Jerusalem, despite an explicit request from Israel that found explicit support from the United States. This is expected to be a cause for clashes with citizens affected by the Israeli decision.

But the problem is that in Israel, there is still no clear understanding of how these laws will be implemented. In a session held this week in the Finance Committee, it became clear that the Bank of Israel does not know whether the severing of ties with UNRWA also applies to banks.

This question could roll over and reach the government's legal advisor, and the prevailing assumption is that for this matter the banks are not considered an "authority" of the state.

According to UNRWA, Israel’s Bank Leumi has frozen $2.8 million belonging to the agency. It is unclear whether and how the state will deal with UNRWA’s refusal to evacuate its buildings in East Jerusalem. This question could very well end up in court. Then it will create a trap in the spirit of the times: “Is the court, which is undoubtedly a state authority, authorized to discuss matters related to UNRWA, which – according to the new laws – it is not authorized to contact?”

Haaretz reported on Thursday that Israel is trying to replace UNRWA with other UN agencies, but the international organization rejects this for political and anti-Israel considerations.

In contrast, the UN says that UNRWA's sole mandate, which enables it, among other things, to employ tens of thousands of descendants of Palestinian refugees, is non-replaceable, and certainly not by administrative decision.

Israel's Dilemma

In order to change the regimes and replace the organization founded in 1949, a new resolution from the General Assembly is needed. In any case, neither Israel nor the United Nations seems to expect to back down from their positions anytime soon. The newspaper adds that Israel has put itself in a bind; it is now paralyzing an institution like UNRWA, which is the second largest employer in the occupied territories.

According to many in the international community and in the agency itself, the possibility of completely separating UNRWA from the “Hamas” context can only occur when its functions are transferred to a Palestinian state, or at least to the Palestinian Authority, “the state that is on the way.”

This is exactly the solution that the Netanyahu government is doing everything it can to obstruct.

From a historical-political perspective, for Israel, the thwarting of UNRWA’s activities seems to be linked to removing the refugee issue – for which the agency was established – from the agenda. But the issue is not expected to be taken off the stage without the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Therefore, the process of closing UNRWA is a kind of deception, and is only expected to increase the chaos in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, especially during a period of dramatic historical process, when Israel is in dire need of calm and order, however fragile that may be.

The Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip announced today, Thursday, the arrival of 43 martyrs to the hospitals of the Gaza Strip, including 42 martyrs whose bodies were recovered, and one martyr who succumbed to his injuries.

The Ministry of Health reported the spread of the bodies of 42 martyrs from different areas in the Gaza Strip, while 9 citizens were injured by the occupation's military remnants during the past 24 hours.

The Ministry of Health stated that the death toll from the war of extermination waged by Israel on the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023, rose to 47,460, the majority of whom were children and women. While the total number of injuries reached 111,580.

It pointed out that thousands of victims are still under the rubble of destroyed homes and on the streets, and rescue teams are still unable to reach them.

The Ministry of Health called on the families of martyrs and missing persons from the war on Gaza to complete their data by registering, in order to complete all data through the Ministry of Health records.

Today, Thursday, the Israeli occupation authorities released the third batch of detainees as part of the ceasefire agreement.

According to the Commission of Prisoners' Affairs and the Prisoners' Club, the batch includes 110 detainees, 32 prisoners serving life sentences, 48 prisoners with various sentences, and 30 children.

The occupation forces turned the area near Ofer prison into a closed military zone, prevented the gathering of detainees' families, and fired live ammunition and tear gas canisters at them.

It also stormed the town of Beitunia and fired tear gas bombs at citizens, which led to the injury of about 20 citizens, including 3 with live bullets, while bulldozers closed side roads to prevent citizens from using them to reach "Ofer Prison" to receive the prisoners.

Hundreds of citizens and relatives of detainees gathered at the Ramallah Recreational Complex to welcome the prisoners released from Ofer Prison.

This evening, Thursday, the Israeli occupation forces sent more military reinforcements, including vehicles and bulldozers, to Tulkarm camp, coinciding with the ongoing aggression against it and the city, and the accompanying destruction of infrastructure, public and private property, and the displacement of citizens.

According to local sources, the camp is witnessing a large deployment of snipers on top of tall buildings inside and around the camp, after seizing them and forcing their residents to leave, amidst random gunfire, the bombing of a number of homes, bulldozing other entrances and closing them with dirt, and detaining their residents inside them in difficult conditions.

The occupation forces continue to force the camp residents to leave their homes and head towards the city, specifically from the neighborhoods of: Al-Akasha, Al-Ghanem, Al-Nadi and Al-Matar, which has exacerbated their suffering and humanitarian needs, especially the elderly, women and children.

The head of the Popular Committee for Services in Tulkarm Camp, Faisal Salama, told a WAFA correspondent that the conditions in the camp are still very difficult in light of the military reinforcements of the occupation that are arriving there, and the accompanying continuous destruction of the infrastructure and citizens’ properties.

He pointed out that thousands of citizens have left the camp so far, and were forced at gunpoint to leave the camp, and they are now scattered in all the suburbs of the city, from Aktaba, Al-Rashid neighborhood in Dhenaba, Al-Azab, and Shuwaika.

He explained that the Red Crescent Society is transporting the displaced from the camp to the suburbs, and transporting the elderly, women and children to Al-Rawda Mosque in the western neighborhood of Tulkarm, while providing them with food, drink and medicine.

Salama warned of a severe shortage of milk, baby diapers, food, drinking water and medicine for chronic diseases of the elderly inside the camp, and there are urgent appeals from citizens who are still in their homes, suffering from the cutting of water and electricity lines, which poses a danger to those with chronic diseases who live on oxygen cylinders.

In turn, the director of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, Tulkarm branch, Manal Al-Hafi, said, “We in the society, through the central operations room, receive numerous calls from citizens inside the camp and appeals to help them leave the camp, especially the elderly, people with disabilities and children, which constitutes a burden on our crews due to the difficulty of the infrastructure that was destroyed by the occupation, in addition to preventing us on many occasions from reaching some of the camp’s neighborhoods, especially the distant ones, despite being allowed to enter after coordination with the Red Cross.”

She added that the areas that the crews were able to reach were those adjacent to the entrance to the camp, despite the continuous appeals from the citizens to deliver their basic needs of milk, baby diapers, drinking water and medicines.

The Israeli occupation announced that it received guarantees from international mediators that the release of hostages held in the Gaza Strip will take place in the future in a safe manner, following the chaos that prevailed over the release of 7 hostages in Khan Yunis, today, Thursday.

"At the request of Prime Minister Netanyahu, the mediators have committed to ensuring the safe release of our hostages who will be released in the next stages," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said in a statement carried by Agence France-Presse, shortly after Netanyahu issued a decision to delay the release of Palestinian prisoners included in the exchange.

Three Israeli hostages and five Thais were released on Thursday after nearly 16 months in captivity in the Gaza Strip, in the third exchange of hostages with Palestinian prisoners under a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.

However, the process of handing over 7 of them in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip was marked by scenes of extreme chaos, which provoked Netanyahu's condemnation and prompted him to announce a delay in the release of the 110 Palestinian detainees who were supposed to be included in the exchange today.

The 20-year-old Israeli soldier, Agam Berger, who was kidnapped on October 7, 2023, while performing her military service near the Gaza Strip, was released in the Jabalia camp in the northern Gaza Strip, which has witnessed fierce and destructive battles between Hamas and Israel in recent months.

Hours later, Islamic Jihad handed over Arbel Yehud, 29, who was kidnapped in a Hamas attack on Kibbutz Nir Oz, and Gadi Moses, 80, in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip. Both also hold German citizenship.

Five Thai hostages were also released outside the agreement, having also been kidnapped during Hamas's unprecedented attack on Israel, followed by a devastating war in the Gaza Strip.

A crowd of Palestinians had gathered in Khan Younis near the destroyed home of Yahya Sinwar, the former head of Hamas who was killed by Israel in battle last October.

They were chanting, screaming and pushing to get closer to the cars that transported the hostages, amidst dozens of members of the Islamic Jihad movement that fought alongside Hamas, and of the Hamas movement. Chaos reigned, and it seemed that the operation was delayed.

After Israel received the released hostages, Netanyahu said: "I watch with great horror the shocking scenes during the release of our hostages. This is further evidence of the indescribable cruelty of the terrorist movement Hamas."

Immediately, the Israeli Prime Minister ordered the “postponement” of the release of the Palestinian detainees, “until the safe departure of our hostages is guaranteed in the coming stages.”

Israel is expected to release 110 Palestinian prisoners, according to the Palestinian Prisoners Club, which explained in a statement that 32 of them are sentenced to life in prison, 48 have been sentenced to varying prison terms, in addition to 30 minors. Twenty of them will be deported outside the Palestinian territories, similar to what happened last time.

The Prisoners' Information Office announced that the release of Palestinian prisoners will take place today at exactly 5:00 PM Jerusalem time.

This release comes within the framework of the ongoing agreements, as the families of the prisoners and the Palestinian people await the return of their sons to their arms after a period of detention.

It is expected that all eyes will be on the reception centers where the released prisoners will be received in an atmosphere of joy and welcome.

The concerned authorities continue to follow up on the implementation of the release process according to the specified timetable, while stressing the importance of this step within the framework of ongoing efforts to support the cause of Palestinian prisoners.

Steve Witkoff, the US President's envoy to the Middle East, expressed his hope on Thursday that the ceasefire agreement in Gaza would hold until the end.

Asked by reporters upon his arrival at the gathering place for the families of the Israeli prisoners in Tel Aviv whether he hoped the ceasefire agreement in Gaza would hold until the end, he said: "I hope it will hold."

"President Trump is committed to doing everything possible to help families," he added.

Regarding efforts to return Israeli prisoners who hold American citizenship, he said: "They are at the top of the priorities."

"One of them will be released tomorrow," he added, without giving further details.

It is noteworthy that the fourth batch of prisoner exchange will take place on Saturday.

Earlier today, the Al-Qassam Brigades handed over Israeli soldier Agam Berger to the Red Cross after she was taken out of a building destroyed by Israeli shelling in the Jabalia camp in the northern Gaza Strip.

The Al-Qassam Brigades announced on Wednesday evening that it would release on Thursday the soldiers Berger, Arbel Yehud and Musa Moses, in the southern Gaza Strip, in exchange for 110 Palestinian prisoners.

This came as part of the third batch of prisoners to be released in the first phase of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza and the prisoner exchange between Israel and Hamas.

Witkov arrived in Israel yesterday, met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and visited the Gaza Strip.

Today, Witkow met with Israeli Finance Minister and leader of the far-right Religious Zionism party, Bezalel Smotrich.

On January 19, the ceasefire agreement in Gaza and the exchange of prisoners between Hamas and Israel came into effect, with the mediation of Qatar, Egypt and the United States.

The agreement consists of 3 stages, each lasting 42 days, during which negotiations will take place to start a second and third stage, leading to the end of the war of extermination.

12 citizens were injured by live bullets and suffocation, after the Israeli occupation army attacked citizens in the town of Beitunia, west of Ramallah.

The Red Crescent reported that its crews dealt with 12 injuries in the vicinity of Ofer military prison, which is located on the lands of Beitunia, 2 of them with live bullets, 2 with rubber-coated metal bullets, in addition to 8 who suffocated with toxic tear gas.

Dozens of citizens gathered around the prison, awaiting the release of the third batch of detainees from Israeli occupation prisons, as part of the ceasefire agreement.

Medical sources announced today, Thursday, that the death toll in the Gaza Strip has risen to 47,460, the majority of whom are children and women, since the start of the Israeli occupation aggression on October 7, 2023.

The sources added that the number of injuries has risen to 111,580 since the beginning of the aggression, while thousands of victims are still under the rubble.

It pointed out that 43 martyrs arrived at hospitals in the Gaza Strip, including one dead who succumbed to his injuries, and 42 dead whose bodies were recovered, and 9 injuries arrived at hospitals, as a result of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip during the past 24 hours.

The sources explained that a number of victims are under the rubble and on the roads, and rescue teams are still unable to reach them.

The Israeli occupation army has intensified its repressive measures in the West Bank as the date for the release of 110 Palestinian prisoners approaches as part of the third batch of the prisoner exchange deal between Israel and Hamas, under the ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

Despite the completion of the handover of Israeli prisoners in the Gaza Strip under the exchange deal, and the arrival of 3 Israeli prisoners and 5 Thai workers to Israel, the political leadership in Tel Aviv issued instructions to the security services to postpone the release of Palestinian prisoners.

The Israeli political echelon issued instructions to delay the release of Palestinian prisoners, and a security source said that the buses carrying prisoners that left Ofer prison stopped for a long time before receiving orders to turn back, indicating a decision to freeze the operation at the last minute.

"Just as the release of our captives was delayed, we are also delaying the release" of Palestinian prisoners, Army Radio quoted a senior Israeli official as saying. Kan 11 reported that the decision to suspend the release of prisoners came in response to scenes of the release of Israeli prisoners in Khan Yunis.

The Israeli army dropped warning leaflets via drones in the area where the released prisoners will be handed over in Ramallah, stating: “We will not allow demonstrations to be held in support of terrorist organizations. Anyone who participates in these activities exposes himself to arrest. We have warned you, we are watching you.”

The Commission of Prisoners' Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoners' Club announced that specialized teams and institutions from the Ramallah Governorate are waiting to receive the third batch of released prisoners today, while a local source reported that an occupation force moved from Ofer Prison towards the town of Beitunia.

The Israeli occupation army issued a statement this morning, Thursday, stating that the forces of the "Judea and Samaria Division (occupied West Bank)" are continuing their preparations to confront what it described as the expected "security disturbances."

The occupation army indicated that its forces had carried out a series of "preemptive" arrests during the past week, targeting Palestinians who were alleged to be "inciters" to "stir up riots," and they were transferred for investigation by the Israeli security services.

The statement explained that the General Security Service (Shabak) held warning talks with the families of a number of prisoners expected to be released, in an attempt to deter any celebratory manifestations or popular mobilization, while military forces were reinforced in the West Bank, especially at checkpoints and barriers.

The Israeli army added that it "continues its intensive operations to confront any possible scenarios," whether "offensive or defensive," stressing that its forces will take "immediate action" against any attempts to protest or celebrate the release of the prisoners.

Palestinian sources reported that the Israeli occupation forces stormed the homes of Jerusalemite detainees in Silwan and Shuafat in occupied Jerusalem, who are included in the lists to be released today, as part of the prisoner exchange deal.

Local sources said that the occupation forces raided a number of homes of prisoners scheduled to be released today, including the homes of: prisoner Amir Faroukh, prisoner Muhammad Al-Abbasi from the town of Silwan, south of Jerusalem, and Muab Abu Khudair in the Shuafat camp.

The occupation forces summoned a number of families of the Jerusalemite detainees who are scheduled to be released in the third batch of the prisoner exchange, noting that 18 Jerusalemite detainees are scheduled to be released today, including prisoner Muhammad Faroukh, who was sentenced to 19 years, and prisoner Abd Duyyat, who was sentenced to 18 years, and who will be excluded.

The occupation forces also stormed the homes of prisoners Mustafa Abu Rida in the town of Qasra, and Hussein Nassar in the town of Madama, south of Nablus, who are scheduled to be released today. Local sources reported that the occupation forces threatened their families and asked them not to celebrate their release.

The sources added that the occupation forces fired gas and sound bombs in Qusra during the storming operation.

These Israeli measures come within the framework of the occupation's ongoing approach to targeting any Palestinian manifestations of joy over the release of prisoners, as its forces have previously intensified their operations of repression, arrests and attacks when implementing previous batches of the deal.

For its part, the Prisoners’ Media Office announced that the occupation will release tomorrow 32 prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment, 48 prisoners with high sentences, in addition to 30 child prisoners, as part of implementing the terms of the deal. It is worth noting that this exceptional batch was approved in light of Israel’s pretext for not releasing prisoner Yehud, in the previous batch, to obstruct the return of the displaced to the northern Gaza Strip.

A young man was injured today, Thursday, by Israeli occupation army bullets in Jenin camp.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society reported that a young man (40 years old) was shot by the occupation forces near the entrance to the camp, and was subsequently transferred to the hospital.

Local sources also reported that a warplane bombed a building inside Jenin camp with two missiles. It is not yet known what the bombing left behind, while the occupation aircraft are still flying in the skies of the camp.

It is noteworthy that the occupation forces have been completely besieging the camp for ten days, obstructing the arrival of ambulances inside it, and preventing press crews from entering it to cover the incident.

Democrats in the US Senate on Tuesday blocked a Republican-led effort to punish the International Criminal Court in protest over its arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defence minister, Yoav Galant, over Israel's war of genocide in Gaza.

The House voted 54-45 in favor of the bill, meaning the measure fell short of the 60 votes needed to advance to a vote in the 100-member Senate.

The only Democratic senator who voted with Republicans to advance the measure was Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, a staunch defender of Israel and a mouthpiece for Israel and the pro-Israel lobby group AIPAC. The Jewish-American Democratic senator from Georgia, Jon Ossoff, did not vote either negatively or positively.

The “Anti-Illegitimate Court Act,” introduced by right-wing evangelist Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas, would impose sanctions on any foreigner who investigates, arrests, detains or prosecutes American citizens or citizens of an allied country, including Israel, that is not a member of the court.

The House passed the bill earlier this month by a vote of 243 to 140, with 45 Democrats joining a majority of Republicans in support. In the Senate, Democrats said they agreed with much of the bill, but it was too broad, risked alienating key U.S. allies and imposed sanctions on lower-level court staff in the Netherlands.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), the top Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, said the party tried to reach a compromise with Republicans but couldn't.

Republicans said they hope the bill will pass in time for President Donald Trump to sign it into law, especially with Netanyahu due to visit him at the White House next Tuesday, February 4, 2025.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, the most senior Jewish American in the US political landscape, urged his colleagues to vote “no,” accusing the ICC of “anti-Israel bias that cannot be ignored.” However, he said the bill was poorly drafted and could also target American companies, such as those whose products help protect the court from foreign hackers.

It is noteworthy that the International Criminal Court is a permanent court that can prosecute individuals for war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and the crime of aggression in member states or by their nationals.

The court said its decision to pursue arrest warrants against Israeli officials was consistent with its approach in all cases, based on the prosecutor's assessment that there was sufficient evidence to proceed, and the view that seeking arrest warrants immediately could prevent ongoing crimes.

Republicans in Congress have condemned the ICC since it issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former defense minister, Yoav Galant, on November 21, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza conflict. Israel denies the allegations.

To urge support for the bill, Senator Jim Risch, the Republican chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, accused the ICC of pursuing the Israeli leader for political reasons.

"It is just another example of the politicization and anti-Semitism that has become endemic among a number of international organizations," he told reporters.

The war crimes court has taken steps to protect employees from potential US sanctions, paying salaries three months in advance as it prepares for financial constraints.