The Israeli occupation army announced, this Tuesday morning, the killing of 4 of its soldiers in battles in the northern Gaza Strip.

According to an Israeli military spokesman, the soldiers were killed when an anti-tank shell was fired at a house where they were holed up.

This brings the death toll to 5 since yesterday evening, after an officer was announced killed in a similar attack.

The four dead were from the Samson Battalion in the Kfir Brigade.

Israeli media reported that two people were injured in a run-over attack near the town of Al-Khader, west of Bethlehem.

The Israeli army claimed that a vehicle ran over two Israeli soldiers and fled towards Hebron.

Five citizens were killed, Monday evening, and others were injured, in an Israeli air strike on a tent housing displaced people west of Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip.

Medical sources said that the occupation forces bombed a tent housing displaced people who were gathering to obtain internet service, near the southern Asdaa gate, west of Khan Yunis city, south of the Gaza Strip, which led to the death of 5 citizens and the injury of others.

Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, is seen as more ideologically fervent in her support for Israel than Trump’s former U.N. ambassador, Nikki Haley.

“I am honored to nominate Committee Chairwoman Elise Stefanik to serve in my administration as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations,” Trump said in a statement. “Elise is a strong and extremely smart fighter for America First.”

New York Congresswoman Stefanik, the fourth-ranking Republican in the House, was a staunch ally of the president-elect and a major fundraiser for the GOP.

Stefanik has played a pivotal role in launching what experts say is a “crusade” to stoke anti-Semitism over the past year, and has lavished millions of dollars on Stefanik’s campaigns with awards that have allowed her to infiltrate Trump’s political machine.

There are no obvious substantive differences between Stefanik and Haley; Stefanik has strongly denounced the Biden-Harris administration for not adequately arming Israel, has alleged that Biden has kowtowed to China—and has condemned his withdrawal from Afghanistan on principle. Nor are there any obvious policy differences between Stefanik and Liz Cheney, her predecessor as House Republican Conference chair.

According to experts, the only notable difference is that Stefanik has spent the past several years trying to get close to Trump in every way possible — politically, legislatively, in donor circles, and internationally (she went to Israel to brag about how close she is to Trump as a partner).

It is an approach that has clearly borne fruit, even if the substantive political dimension is largely irrelevant.

President-elect Trump said on Saturday that he would not invite Nikki Haley, his former ambassador to the United Nations, or Mike Pompeo, his former secretary of state, to join his next administration.

Trump's announcement on his social media platform, Truth Social, was an early sign of the president-elect's decision-making process as he navigates ideological differences within the Republican Party.

Stefanik’s selection signals a more aggressive US stance toward the UN. Stefanik has been a frequent critic of the international body, particularly over its criticism of Israel, and said last month that the Biden administration should consider a “complete reassessment” of US funding for the UN if the Palestinian Authority continues to seek to have Israel revoked from the UN.

Stefanik, the House Republican Conference chair, has for years been one of Trump’s staunchest supporters in Congress. Her aggressive performance during his 2019 impeachment hearings made her a “Republican star,” as Trump himself called it at the time. She again rose to Trump’s side after his 2020 defeat, when she objected to the House certifying President Joe Biden’s victory and promoted Trump’s false claims of election fraud.

Stefanik said she was "honored" to accept Trump's nomination and looked forward to "gaining the support of my colleagues in the U.S. Senate," which must vote on her nomination to make it official.

“America remains a beacon to the world, but we expect and must demand that our friends and allies be strong partners in the peace we seek,” Stefanik added in a statement provided to the right-wing New York Post.

The New York congresswoman does not have extensive experience in foreign policy or national security. She has served on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

Since the October 7, 2023 attack, Stefanik has become one of the most outspoken supporters of Israel in Congress, gaining national attention as she led congressional hearings into college presidents’ handling of pro-Palestinian protests on campus.

The final statement of the extraordinary joint Arab-Islamic summit held in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, today, Monday, affirmed in the strongest terms the horrific and shocking crimes being committed by the Israeli occupation army in the Gaza Strip, in the context of the crime of genocide, including mass graves, the crime of torture, field execution, enforced disappearance, looting and ethnic cleansing, especially in the northern part of the Strip, during the past weeks.

The Security Council called for the formation of an independent and credible international investigation committee to investigate these crimes, and to take serious steps to prevent the concealment of evidence and proof, hold the perpetrators accountable, and ensure that they do not escape punishment.

He stressed the centrality of the Palestinian cause and the firm support for the Palestinian people to achieve their legitimate and inalienable national rights, foremost among which is their right to freedom and an independent, sovereign state on the lines of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital, and the right of refugees to return and compensation in accordance with the relevant international legitimacy resolutions, especially Resolution 194, and to confront any attempts to deny or undermine these rights, and that the Palestinian cause is like all just causes of peoples struggling to be freed from occupation and achieve their rights.

He reiterated the full sovereignty of the State of Palestine over occupied East Jerusalem, the eternal capital of Palestine, and rejected any Israeli decisions or measures aimed at Judaizing it and consolidating its colonial occupation of it, considering them null and void and illegitimate under international law and relevant United Nations resolutions, and that Holy Jerusalem is a red line for the Arab and Islamic nations, and the absolute solidarity in protecting the Arab and Islamic identity of occupied East Jerusalem and in defending the sanctity of the Islamic and Christian holy sites there.

The final statement affirmed absolute support for the Lebanese Republic, its security, stability, sovereignty and the safety of its citizens.

He stressed the decisions issued by the first extraordinary joint summit in Riyadh in November 2023, and renewed the confrontation of the brutal Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, and working to end its disastrous humanitarian repercussions on civilians; children, women, elderly and defenseless civilians, and continuing to move, in coordination with the international community, to put an end to the serious Israeli violations of international law and international humanitarian law, and Israel’s endangerment of regional and international peace and security, and reaffirming the decisions of the 33rd Arab Summit held in the Kingdom of Bahrain in May 2024, and the 15th Islamic Summit held in the Republic of Gambia in May 2024.

He warned of the danger of the escalation sweeping the region and its regional and international consequences, and of the expansion of the aggression that has lasted more than a year on the Gaza Strip, and has extended to include the Lebanese Republic, and of the violation of the sovereignty of the Republic of Iraq, the Syrian Arab Republic and the Islamic Republic of Iran, without decisive measures from the United Nations and with the failure of international legitimacy.

He stressed all relevant resolutions issued by the United Nations General Assembly, including Resolution No. 10/22-A/RES/ES on the protection of civilians and adherence to legal and humanitarian obligations dated 10 December 2023, and the resolutions issued by the Security Council, and the need for the Security Council to adopt a binding resolution under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, to compel Israel, the occupying power, to cease fire in the Gaza Strip, and to provide immediate and adequate humanitarian assistance to all areas of the Strip, and to implement Security Council resolutions 2735 (2024), 2728 (2024), 2720 (2023), 2712 (2023), which call for taking urgent steps to immediately allow the delivery of humanitarian assistance in a broad, safe and unhindered manner, and Resolution No. 2728, which calls for a ceasefire, as well as resolutions affirming the right of the Palestinian people to exercise their inalienable rights, including the right to self-determination, national independence and the right of refugees to return, and resolutions affirming the permanent responsibility of the United Nations. The United Nations on the Palestinian issue until it is resolved in all its aspects; calling on the Security Council to respond to the international consensus expressed in the United Nations General Assembly resolution dated May 10, 2024 that the State of Palestine is qualified for full membership in the United Nations by issuing a resolution granting the State of Palestine full membership in the United Nations, and urging member states to mobilize the necessary support to adopt the resolution.

He stressed support for the great and appreciated efforts made by the Arab Republic of Egypt and the State of Qatar in cooperation with the United States of America to achieve an immediate and permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages and prisoners, and to hold Israel responsible for the failure of these efforts as a result of the Israeli government’s withdrawal from the agreements reached by the negotiators.

He called on the international community to implement all the provisions of the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice dated 19 July 2024 towards ending the Israeli occupation, removing its effects, and paying compensation for its damages, as soon as possible.

He condemned the crime of enforced disappearance committed by the Israeli occupation forces since the beginning of the current aggression against thousands of Palestinian citizens in the Gaza Strip and throughout the occupied Palestinian territory, including children, women and the elderly, in addition to the abuse, repression, torture and degrading treatment to which they are subjected, calling on the member states of the United Nations to work at all levels to uncover the fate of the kidnapped, work to release them immediately, ensure the provision of protection for them, and demand an independent and transparent investigation into this crime, including the execution of some of them.

The statement strongly condemned the continued and persistent Israeli aggression against Lebanon and the violation of its sovereignty and the sanctity of its territories, and called for an immediate ceasefire and the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 (2006) in all its provisions, stressing solidarity with the Lebanese Republic in confronting this aggression and strongly condemning the deliberate targeting of the Lebanese army and its centers, which led to the fall of a number of martyrs and wounded in its ranks, as well as the killing of civilians, the systematic destruction of residential areas, the forced displacement of people, and the targeting of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), and stressing support for the Lebanese constitutional institutions in exercising their authority and extending the sovereignty of the Lebanese state over all its territories, and stressing in this regard support for the Lebanese Armed Forces as the guarantor of Lebanon's unity and stability, and emphasizing the importance of expediting the election of a president of the republic and the formation of a government based on the provisions of the Lebanese constitution and the implementation of the Taif Agreement.

He stressed his rejection of the displacement of Palestinian citizens inside or outside their land, considering it a war crime and a flagrant violation of international law, "which we will confront together."

He condemned the policy of collective punishment pursued by Israel and the use of siege and starvation as a weapon against civilians in the Gaza Strip, calling on the international community to take immediate practical steps to end the humanitarian catastrophe caused by the aggression, including forcing Israel to withdraw completely from the Gaza Strip and open all crossings between it and the Strip, and lift all restrictions and obstacles to safe, rapid and unconditional humanitarian access to the Strip, in implementation of its obligations as the occupying power, and in the same context, calling for the immediate withdrawal of the Israeli occupation forces from the Rafah crossing and from the Salah al-Din (Philadelphi) axis, and for the Palestinian National Authority to return to manage the Rafah crossing, and to resume work on the 2005 Movement and Access Agreement, in a manner that allows the regular work of relief organizations and the resumption of the flow of aid in a safe and effective manner.

He stressed the need to join efforts to implement the outcomes of the Emergency Humanitarian Response Conference in Gaza, hosted by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, jointly organized with the Arab Republic of Egypt and the United Nations on June 11, 2024, and to mobilize the necessary support for the humanitarian conference that Cairo will host on December 2, 2024, in the context of efforts to provide adequate humanitarian support to the sector.

He called on the international community to take effective action to compel Israel to respect international law, and to denounce the double standards in the application of international law, international humanitarian law, and the United Nations Charter, warning that this double standard seriously undermines the credibility of the countries that protect Israel and place it above accountability, and the credibility of multilateral action, and exposes the selectivity in the application of the system of humanitarian values.

He welcomed General Assembly resolution 10/24-A/RES/ES of 18 September 2024, which adopted the outcomes of the legal advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on the illegality of the Israeli occupation.

He called on all countries of the world, their legislative bodies, and all international institutions and organizations to abide by the resolutions of international legitimacy regarding the city of Jerusalem and its legal and historical status, as an integral part of the Palestinian territory occupied in 1967.

The Israeli occupation authorities announced today, Monday, the seizure of 546 dunums of citizens' land northeast of Salfit.

The head of the Yasuf village council, Wael Abu Madi, said that the occupation forces issued an “expropriation order” to seize 546 dunums of citizens’ lands in the villages of Yasuf, Marda, Kafel Haris, and Jama’in, with the aim of expanding the “Trans-Samaria 505” road, where the plan extends from the Za’tara checkpoint to the Kafel Haris roundabout.

He pointed out that the lands that will be included in the seizure are Basin No. (6) in the areas of Khallet Ibn Ahmed, Al-Kharbah, Al-Wajh Al-Qibli, Al-Ras, and Al-Duwair in Kafr Haris, and Basin No. (3) in the locations of Khallet Al-Kubra, Khallet Al-Lahm, Kafayef Asfour, Wadi Qasim, Kafayef Al-Abhar in Marda, in addition to Basin No. (4) in the location of Al-Malab.

In Jama’in, there is Basin No. (2) in the Shaab Al-Hariq site, and in Wadi Mardah: Basin No. (3) in the Al-Awil and Al-Khala Hariq sites.

The decision also includes Basin No. (2) in the Khallet Al-Fula site in Hawara, and in Yasuf: Basin No. (2) in the Za’tara area, Basin No. (12) in the Jabal Abu Al-Suwaid site, and Basin No. (14) in the Al-Jafri site.

Israeli Economy Minister Nir Barkat attacked the State of Qatar on Monday evening after the Foreign Ministry in Doha announced that it had informed the parties participating in the ceasefire negotiations in the Gaza Strip of its intention to temporarily freeze its mediation until they have the will.

Barakat said in an interview with the official Israeli Broadcasting Authority: Let the Qataris go to hell, and let us replace them with the Emiratis or the Saudis.

He added: The Emiratis and Saudis know how to spend their money away from terrorism, unlike Qatar, which embraces terrorists from all over the world.

The so-called "Ethics" Committee in the Israeli Knesset decided, on Monday evening, to impose severe penalties on Knesset member Ofer Cassif after his recent statements.

According to the official Israeli Broadcasting Authority, it was decided to freeze Kassif's membership for 6 months and deprive him of his salary for two weeks.

Kassif, a member of the Knesset for the Jewish-Arab Front for Change, had accused the Israeli army of committing war crimes in Gaza.

US President-elect Donald Trump has selected Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York to serve as US Ambassador to the United Nations.

"Elise is a strong, determined and smart fighter," Trump said in a statement Monday when announcing Stefanik's selection, according to the Associated Press.

Nikki Haley, who ran against Trump for the Republican presidential nomination, was among those who held the position during Trump's first term.

During a meeting of his party's faction in the Knesset today, Monday, the head of the Religious Zionism Party and Israeli Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, welcomed Donald Trump's victory in the US presidential elections, considering it an opportunity to annex the West Bank to Israel.

Smotrich, who also serves as Minister of Settlement Affairs in the Ministry of Defense, addressed his boycott and refusal to deal with him by the current US administration due to his extremist and fascist positions, and claimed that "after years during which the current administration chose to interfere in Israeli democracy and personally not to cooperate with me as Minister of Finance of the State of Israel, I expect strong joint work from the elected administration in the interest of strengthening economic and trade relations between the two countries."

"Trump's victory brings with it an important opportunity for the State of Israel. We were one step away from imposing sovereignty over the settlements in Judea and Samaria (during Trump's previous term), and now is the time to implement it," he continued.

Smotrich added, "There is now a broad consensus in the coalition and the opposition from all parts of the Knesset to oppose the establishment of a Palestinian state, which would pose a threat to Israel's existence."

He considered that "the year 2025 will be the year of sovereignty in Judea and Samaria. I have instructed the Settlement Directorate in the Ministry of Defense and the Civil Administration to begin a collective, professional and comprehensive effort to prepare the infrastructure required to impose sovereignty."

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said Sunday that the Biden administration will continue to push forward during its final 71 days in the White House to achieve ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon, and to support Ukraine.

“Our approach remains the same as it has been for the last two and a half years, which is to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position on the battlefield so that it can ultimately be in the strongest possible position at the negotiating table,” Sullivan told host Margaret Brennan on CBS’s “Face the Nation.”

President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to cut off aid to Ukraine soon after taking office, and has claimed he will end the war started by Russian President Vladimir Putin in a day, without specifying how. His son Donald Trump Jr. on Saturday shared a video on Instagram mocking Ukraine.

“It should be up to Ukraine to decide for the sake of its sovereignty and territorial integrity when and how to come to the negotiating table,” Sullivan said Sunday. “It should be up to the United States and the coalition of nations we have built to continue to provide Ukraine with the means to defend itself against Russia’s brutal aggression.”

Sullivan added that President Joe Biden and Trump plan to meet on Wednesday to discuss key domestic and foreign policy issues, including “what’s happening in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.” He stressed that by January 20, Biden plans to spend the full amount of resources and aid for Ukraine authorized by Congress, as well as make the case to the incoming administration that the United States should continue to provide that aid. “Withdrawal means more instability in Europe, and ultimately, as the Japanese prime minister said, if we walk away from Ukraine in Europe, the question of America’s commitment to our allies in Asia will grow,” Sullivan continued. Asked whether Russia would face consequences for interfering in the US election, he said that helping Ukraine “already does a lot of things to impose costs on Russia,” and emphasized US sanctions on Russia.

Sullivan also spoke about how U.S. involvement in the Middle East conflict might change with the next administration, emphasizing that at this point, Hamas is refusing to reach a ceasefire with Israel in Gaza. “What we need to do is get the rest of the world to continue to increase the pressure on Hamas to come to the table to negotiate an agreement in Gaza, because the Israeli government has said it is prepared to take an interim step in that direction,” Sullivan told Brennan.

Sullivan said he believes that “at some point, the Israeli government wants to make a deal to bring its citizens home. I don’t think they’re doing it for American policy. I think they’re doing it to try to secure Israel, and I expect in the coming weeks we’ll see progress.” He also said the United States has been actively engaged in discussions with the Israeli government regarding its conflict with Lebanon.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi stressed on Monday that his country will stand against all plans aimed at liquidating the Palestinian cause, stressing its condemnation of the "systematic killing campaign being practiced against civilians in the Gaza Strip."

This came in a speech at the extraordinary Arab-Islamic summit held in Riyadh.

He added that the summit "comes amidst a very complex regional situation and ongoing aggression for more than a year on the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and Lebanon, amid shameful silence and flagrant inability of the international community to carry out the minimum of its duties in the face of this serious threat to international peace and security."

He added, "Citizens in our Arab and Islamic countries, and all people of free conscience across the world, are asking, and they have every right to, about the usefulness of any talk about justice and fairness in light of what they see of the daily shedding of the blood of children, women, and the elderly."

He added: "We say it with complete frankness: The future of the region and the world is at a crossroads, and the unacceptable aggression taking place on Palestinian and Lebanese lands puts the entire international system at stake."

Al-Sisi stressed "Egypt's categorical condemnation of the systematic killing campaign being carried out against civilians in the Gaza Strip."

He stressed that "Egypt stands against all plans that aim to liquidate the Palestinian cause, whether through displacing the local civilian population, forcibly transferring them, or turning the Strip into an uninhabitable place... This is something we will not accept under any circumstances."

He added that "the necessary condition for achieving security and stability, and moving from a regional system whose essence is conflict and hostility... to another based on peace and development... is the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, on the lines of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital."

On Monday, the Israeli occupation army warned the residents of 21 villages in southern Lebanon to evacuate their homes immediately, in preparation for bombing them.

The Israeli army spokesman for the Arab media, Avichay Adraee, said in a post on the “X” platform that he is sending his warning to the residents of the villages of: Shehin, Jabin, Tyre Harfa, Abu Shash, Shama, Majdal Zun, Al-Mansouri, Zebqin, Al-Rashidiya, Al-Barghliya, Qasmiyya, Al-Bayada, Al-Naqoura, Bint Jbeil, Ainata, Kounin, Aitaroun, Al-Taybeh, Rabb Al-Thalathin, Markab, and Bani Hayyan.

He added: "You must evacuate your homes immediately and move to the north of the Awali River... You must evacuate without delay."

Adraee continued, without specifying a time frame for the residents to return to their homes: "We will inform you of the appropriate time to return to your homes once the appropriate conditions are available for that."

Since the start of the Israeli ground operation in southern Lebanon early last month, similar warnings have been issued to dozens of villages in southern Lebanon.

Several areas in Lebanon are witnessing a displacement movement, fleeing the ongoing Israeli raids.

After clashes with factions in Lebanon, including Hezbollah, the day after Israel launched a genocidal war on the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the martyrdom and injury of about 146,000 Palestinians, Tel Aviv expanded the scope of the genocide since September 23 to include most areas of Lebanon, including the capital Beirut, through air strikes, and it also began a ground invasion in the south.

Every day, Hezbollah responds by launching missiles, drones, and artillery shells targeting military sites, intelligence headquarters, military gatherings, and settlements. While Israel announces some of its human and material losses, military censorship imposes a strict blackout on most of the losses, according to observers.

The Israeli aggression on Lebanon resulted in a total of 3,189 dead and 14,078 wounded, including a large number of children and women, in addition to about 1,400,000 displaced persons. Most of the victims and displaced persons were recorded after September 23.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said, "We are working to establish mechanisms to administer the Gaza Strip under the jurisdiction of the State of Palestine and the PLO."

President Abbas called, before the Arab-Islamic summit held in Riyadh today, Monday, to ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, the complete Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and the return of the displaced.

Abbas said: "The international community has failed to stop the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip," noting that the Israeli attacks continue with the support provided by the United States.

He also called for empowering the State of Palestine and supporting its government in implementing its programs and pressuring the occupation to release its funds.

He added: "The international coalition must be supported to embody the State of Palestine and obtain its full membership in the United Nations," calling on the Security Council and the General Assembly to suspend Israel's membership in the United Nations unless it abides by international law.

He called on the countries of the world to review their relations with Israel due to its violations of international law.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said that "Israel's persistence in its aggression against the Palestinian people hinders peace efforts."

In a speech during the opening of the Arab-Islamic summit in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, today, Monday, Bin Salman stressed the need to "continue joint efforts to establish a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital," and stressed the rejection of diminishing the role of the Palestinian Authority.

The Saudi Crown Prince reiterated his rejection of the genocide committed by Israel against the Palestinian people, denounced the prevention of UNRWA and the obstruction of relief organizations from providing aid, condemned the military operations targeting Lebanese territory and violating its sovereignty, and rejected the attacks on Iranian territory.

The summit will be attended by a number of leaders and presidents, including the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, and King Abdullah II of Jordan.

Also participating are Chairman of the Sudanese Sovereignty Council Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, and Mohammad Reza, First Vice President of Iran.

Saudi Al-Ekhbariya channel reported that the summit will witness "the issuance of a final statement unanimously agreed upon by the 57 countries participating in the summit."

This summit comes as an "extension of the joint Arab-Islamic summit held in Riyadh on November 11, 2023," according to a statement by the Saudi Foreign Ministry yesterday.

One of the most important outcomes of last year’s summit was the establishment of a contact group on Gaza, including Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Palestine, Indonesia and Nigeria. The contact group continues to work to stop the Israeli genocide in Gaza and reach a two-state solution.

Today, Monday, the Israeli occupation forces intensified their attacks and aggression on various areas of the Gaza Strip, directly targeting hospitals, homes, health and civilian facilities, on a bloody day in which the number of dead and wounded rose rapidly.

Medical sources reported the martyrdom of Muhammad Zaher Muqdad this afternoon, after being shot in the chest by a drone near Al-Awda Hospital, in a dangerous development in targeting civilians around hospitals.

In the west of Al-Nuseirat camp, the house of citizen Shihab Abu Dalal was subjected to artillery shelling, which led to the death of three people and the injury of others.

In the same context, the occupation aircraft targeted the reception and emergency department at Kamal Adwan Hospital, which led to the injury of three of the medical staff working there, while the Israeli artillery continued to bomb the Al-Awda Hospital building in Al-Nuseirat, which put the lives of patients and workers at risk.

Earlier today, medical sources announced the death of eight citizens in the Nuseirat camp since the morning hours, with the intensification of the shelling and attacks on the area located in the middle of the Strip.

Since the beginning of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023, the number of dead has reached about 43,603, and more than 102,929 injured, the majority of whom are women and children. Efforts continue to recover victims from under the rubble despite great difficulties, as thousands are still trapped in places that cannot be reached due to the ongoing destruction.

Today, Monday, Israeli occupation bulldozers demolished a mosque and several facilities in the Arab al-Ara'ara community near the town of Jaba', east of Jerusalem.

Local sources reported that bulldozers demolished the mosque, an abandoned house, a guest house, and sheep pens.

Eyewitnesses also reported that the occupation forces demolished 5 sheep pens and a house abandoned since the 1960s.

The witnesses added that the Bedouin community is home to more than 80 families from the Jahalin Arabs, and that the occupation placed red marks on several facilities, apparently in preparation for their demolition.

More than 350 settlers stormed the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque today, Monday, under the protection of the occupation police.

Local sources reported that the occupation police closed the Mughrabi Gate in the face of worshipers since the morning, while allowing hundreds of settlers to storm its courtyards, desecrate them, and perform Talmudic and provocative rituals.

Since the beginning of the comprehensive Israeli aggression against our people in October 2023, the occupation forces have tightened their measures at the gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the entrances to the Old City.

Israeli Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi has approved the expansion of ground operations in southern Lebanon, the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation reported Sunday evening. This came after he approved new plans for the Northern Command aimed at expanding Israeli military maneuvers into new areas where Hezbollah activity is concentrated.

The new operation includes the deployment of thousands of regular and reserve soldiers, amid expectations that the expansion will lead to more intense confrontations with Hezbollah fighters in the targeted areas.

Channel 11 reported that high-level Israeli security sources indicated that expanding the operations aims to deepen "the achievements made by Israeli forces so far in Lebanon" and reach additional sites where Hezbollah is believed to be active.

Regarding the settlers, military officials told Israel's Channel 12 that returning them to the north is still out of the question at the moment. The officials justified this decision by saying that the security situation on the border remains unstable, with ongoing fears of possible attacks on northern towns.

Fires in the Galilee

On the ground, the Israeli army announced that a drone fell in an open area in the Western Galilee, confirming that firefighting crews are working to extinguish a fire at the site.

Israeli media reported that fires broke out after a drone fell and exploded near the town of Liman in the Galilee without activating the sirens.

This comes a day after dozens of rockets were fired from Lebanon towards northern Israel.

Hezbollah broadcast footage of targeting Israeli army gatherings around the border towns of Shebaa and Kfar Shuba.

Hezbollah also broadcast images of its fighters targeting the Israeli occupation army's Haifa technical base with "Fadi" and "Nasr One" missiles.

Israeli state radio said several people were injured when an anti-tank missile was fired at the town of Metula in the Upper Galilee.

The Israeli army said it had detected 10 rockets fired from Lebanon towards the Golan Heights, some of which were intercepted and the rest fell in open areas.

He also said that he had monitored about 15 rockets launched towards the Upper and Western Galilee, which fell in open areas, confirming that other rockets were intercepted.

The Nahariya Municipality in northern Israel reported that rockets fired at the east and north of the area were intercepted, while the Israel Hayom newspaper confirmed that 3 people were injured when a rocket fell in an open area near Nahariya.

Dozens killed in Lebanon

Yesterday, Sunday, Israel launched deadly raids on Lebanon, leaving at least 41 dead, including 23 in a single raid on a town north of Beirut.

The ministry said in a statement that "the Israeli enemy's raid on Almat in the Jbeil district in Mount Lebanon led, in a new toll (...), to the martyrdom of 23 people, including 7 children."

She added that "body parts were removed from the scene and their identities are being verified, which suggests that the number of martyrs may rise."

The Israeli aggression on Lebanon resulted in a total of 3,136 deaths and at least 13,979 wounded, including a large number of children and women, in addition to about 1.4 million displaced persons.

US President-elect Donald Trump and his ally, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have discussed “Iranian threats” in three phone calls since the US election results were announced last Wednesday. “We see with our own eyes the Iranian threat in all its components, and the danger it poses,” Netanyahu said in a statement.

This came at a time when the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, announced that he would head to Tehran on Wednesday to hold talks that he described as “very important” with Iranian officials.

Grossi's visit to Tehran comes at a sensitive time and amid uncertainty about the policy Trump will pursue with the faltering talks held by the Joe Biden administration aimed at returning to the nuclear deal, which Trump withdrew from in 2018.

In parallel, Iranian reports stated that Tehran conducted a test launch of an intercontinental missile on Friday evening, from the Shahroud Space Center, which was subjected to an Israeli strike last month.

US President-elect Donald Trump has announced his intention to appoint hardline former acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) director Tom Homan to his next administration.

Homan headed the agency charged with overseeing the US border during the previous Trump administration (2017-2021), during which nearly 4,000 migrant children were separated from their parents and placed in detention.

“I am pleased to announce that former ICA Director and Border Patrol stalwart Tom Homan is joining the Trump Administration and will be responsible for our Border Security,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform last night, calling him “Border Czar.”

"I have known Tom for a long time, and there is no one better placed to oversee and control our borders than him," he added, noting that he will be responsible for "all deportations and repatriations of illegal immigrants. It is a key part of his agenda, in addition to overseeing the southern and northern borders, maritime and air security."

Homan had been widely expected to be offered a border-related position, and Trump vowed to launch the largest deportation operation in the country’s history, adding “no doubt” that Homan “will do a great and long-overdue job.” Such a role would not require Senate confirmation.

Wait for me

In an interview with Fox News, Homan said, "The military will not round up and detain immigrants in the country illegally, and that Immigration and Customs Enforcement will move to implement Trump's plans in a humane manner."

"It will be a targeted, well-planned operation run by ICE officers, and the men and women of ICE do this every day. They're good at it, and when we go out there, we'll know who we're looking for. We'll probably know where they'll be, and it'll be done in a humane way," he added.

Earlier this year, at the National Conservative Conference in Washington, Homan expressed frustration with news coverage of a mass deportation.

“Wait until 2025,” he said, adding that while he believes the government needs to prioritize national security threats, “nobody is off limits. If you’re here illegally, you better look over your shoulder.”

"I have my word," he said. "Trump is coming back in January, and I will be on his tail when he comes back, and I will be running the largest deportation operation this country has ever seen."

Republican Trump will officially return to the White House in early 2025, after defeating Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris in the November 5 elections.

During his election campaign, Trump strongly attacked illegal immigrants, considering that they bring "bad genes" to his country and "poison" American blood.

The Commission of Prisoners' Affairs and Liberated Prisoners reported this morning, Monday, that female prisoners in Al-Damon prison are subjected to a series of attacks and punishments, as their privacy is violated and their psychological state is targeted, through a series of immoral and inhumane policies and procedures.

The lawyer of the Commission, who recently visited the prison, reported that the living and health conditions are poor, as they are detained in the rooms (23 hours a day), and the break is only one hour, including the use of showers for bathing and washing, and the food is bad and dirty, and there is a great shortage of blankets and clothes, and the rooms are witnessing great overcrowding, as (11 prisoners) are detained in one room, in addition to the deprivation of medical examinations, medicines and treatments.

In this context, the Authority’s lawyer visited the prisoner (F.S.) from Ramallah, who is 48 years old, and who narrated the details of what she and her sister were subjected to when they were arrested on 1/13/2024, when their home was raided and vandalized. The raid was terrifying in terms of the number of soldiers and their appearance, and they were masked. They were transferred over the course of several days to Ofer Prison, then to Etzion Detention Center, and from there to Sharon, until they settled in Damon Prison.

The Commission’s lawyer quoted the prisoner as saying that she and her sister were subjected to insults, curses, and inhumane searches. They also spent a very long time handcuffed and blindfolded, all of which coincided with severe beatings all over their bodies. The investigators were venting their hatred through this brutal treatment. It is worth noting that the two sisters were arrested on the basis of television interviews after their brother was assassinated by the Israeli occupation, and they are still detained.

The Commission’s lawyer visited the prisoner (N. Z.) from Jericho Governorate, who is 37 years old and is still detained. It is worth noting that the charges against her are incitement via social media (Facebook). She was arrested after her home was raided, its contents were tampered with, vandalized, and her cell phones and computers were confiscated.

The prisoner (N.Z.) told the Commission’s lawyer that the method of arrest was terrifying, with strip searches, screaming, beatings all over the body, handcuffing, blindfolding, cursing, insults, and humiliation. Her health condition was not taken into consideration, as she told them upon her arrest that she had cancer and had undergone a removal operation, in addition to suffering from a stomach ulcer and farsightedness. The prison administration deliberately confiscated her glasses and prevented her from wearing them after she arrived at the detention center.

Taiwan's Justice Ministry's Bureau of Investigation said on Monday there was no evidence that Taiwanese companies were involved in producing pagers that exploded in Lebanon in September, targeting Iran-backed Hezbollah.

The office said in a statement that the Taiwanese company "Gold Apollo" has not produced "AR-924" pagers for years, and that the devices are produced by a company called "Frontier Group Intiti", which is a company outside Taiwan.

On September 17 and 18, booby-trapped pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah members exploded in Beirut’s southern suburbs and in southern and eastern Lebanon, where the pro-Iranian party has a strong presence. The two incidents killed 39 people and injured about 3,000, according to Lebanese authorities.

Israel has confirmed for the first time that it was behind the operation. Israeli media reported yesterday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu informed his government that he had approved the “Pager” operation and the assassination of Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, despite opposition from senior officials in the security establishment and the political echelon.

The Israeli occupation army announced today, Monday, the interception of 4 drones launched from Iraq and a missile launched from Yemen.

The "Islamic Resistance in Iraq", which includes factions loyal to Iran, had earlier today claimed responsibility for launching four drone attacks against targets in northern and southern Israel.

The factions issued four statements between 03:00 and 05:30 GMT, confirming the launch of drones towards “vital” targets that they did not specify, two of them in the north of the Hebrew state and two in the south, “in continuation of our approach to resisting the occupation, and in support of our people in Palestine and Lebanon.”

Later, the Houthis claimed responsibility for launching a ballistic missile at Israel. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said they targeted “the Nahal Sorek military base southeast of Jaffa in occupied Palestine (...) and the operation was carried out with a hypersonic ballistic missile (Palestine 2).”

Pro-Iranian Iraqi groups have been launching attacks on Israel since the start of the Israeli war on Gaza, in support of it, they say.

Fires near Jerusalem

In addition, the Israeli Fire Service announced that fires broke out west of Jerusalem as a result of fragments of “interceptor missiles or rockets,” according to Agence France-Presse.

The Jerusalem Fire Department statement confirmed that its personnel “are working to extinguish the fires... In parallel with the firefighting operations, the firefighters are conducting additional surveys in the area to verify that there are no other fires and damage caused by fragments of interceptor missiles/rockets.”

This morning, Monday, the Israeli authorities demolished the tents of the residents of the unrecognized village of Al-Araqib, which is threatened with uprooting and displacement in the Negev region, in the lands of 1948, for the 232nd time; under the protection of police forces and their affiliated units.

This is the tenth time that the Israeli authorities have demolished the tents and modest homes that house the people of Al-Araqib since the beginning of this year until today, after demolishing them 11 times in 2023, 15 times in 2022, and 14 times in 2021, in its repeated attempts to push the villagers to frustration and despair and displace them from their lands.

The first time the Israeli authorities demolished Al-Araqib was on July 27, 2010, while the previous demolition was carried out on October 13.

The people of Al-Araqib village insist on staying and clinging to their land, and they re-erect their tents each time from wood and nylon coverings to protect them from the intense heat in the summer and the bitter cold in the winter, and to confront plans to uproot and displace them from their land.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked the Jerusalem District Court today, Monday, to postpone his testimony in the corruption cases in which he is accused until next February, after the court had postponed, last July, the start of his testimony until December 2.

Netanyahu's lawyers justified the request for postponement by saying that "a series of extraordinary events occurred that made it impossible for the prime minister to prepare to testify in the case at the present time."

Among the events mentioned by Netanyahu's lawyers were the assassination of Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif, contacts regarding a prisoner exchange deal, the war in Lebanon and the direct confrontation with Iran. They claimed that "in recent months, information has accumulated in the security apparatus, the details of which will be able to be presented in a closed court session, and which will affect the form of the prime minister's testimony."

People close to Netanyahu have recently said that Netanyahu's testimony cannot take place on time because the War Department did not allow him to prepare to present it, and because his constant presence in court during this period poses a danger to his life and the lives of the rest of those present in the courtroom.

Last June, Netanyahu's lawyers requested that his testimony be postponed until next March, but the court rejected that. The judges said in their decision at the time that "there is a fundamental public interest in advancing the proceedings as much as possible."

The judges also rejected Netanyahu's request not to begin hearing his testimony until they consider a request to drop the charges against him, alleging investigative failures and selective law enforcement.

Netanyahu's trial began in January 2020. He is accused in Cases 2000 and 4000 of fraud and breach of trust due to suspicious deals with the publishers of the Walla website and the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper. He is accused in Case 1000 of receiving gifts from wealthy people. This case is also described as the "personal benefits case."

Riyadh is hosting an extraordinary Arab-Islamic summit today, a year after the previous summit, to discuss the continued Israeli aggression on Palestine and Lebanon, and regional developments. The summit aims to review the outcomes of the 2023 summit and assess the deteriorating situation in Gaza and Lebanon, where the number of martyrs in Gaza has exceeded 43,000, and in Lebanon more than 3,000.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan yesterday opened the preparatory ministerial meeting for the extraordinary Arab and Islamic summit in Riyadh, which will be held today, Monday. During the meeting, the Israeli aggression on the Palestinian territories and Lebanon were discussed, in addition to regional developments following the victory of US President Donald Trump.

The summit draft resolution was also discussed in preparation for presenting it to the leaders today, Monday, with coordination of positions between member states in a summit described as "fateful."

This summit is an extension of the joint Arab-Islamic summit held in Riyadh on February 11, 2023, which aimed to support efforts to stop the Israeli aggression, in coordination with the leaders of Arab and Islamic countries. The previous summit had issued decisions including breaking the siege on the Gaza Strip, allowing in humanitarian aid, calling on the Security Council to stop the aggression, and urging countries to stop exporting weapons to Israel. It also called for international investigations into Israeli war crimes, and called for holding an international peace conference based on the Arab Peace Initiative and implementing the "two-state solution."

Ministerial Meeting: Discussions and Expectations

The ministerial meeting discussed the agenda of the upcoming summit, which will address the most important issues up for discussion. The meeting was attended by Deputy Foreign Minister Eng. Waleed bin Abdul Karim Al-Khuraiji, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Political Affairs Ambassador Dr. Saud Al-Sati, Undersecretary of the Ministry for Multilateral International Affairs, General Supervisor of the Ministry’s Agency for Public Diplomacy Affairs Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Rassi, and Director General of the Office of His Highness the Minister Abdulrahman Al-Daoud.

At the opening session of the summit, Hussein Ibrahim Taha, Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, will deliver a speech, followed by speeches by Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary General of the League of Arab States, Palestinian Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Mohammad Mustafa, and Lebanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullah Abu Habib.

The importance of the summit and the role of Saudi Arabia

The summit is of strategic importance, said Hussein Ibrahim Taha, Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, who stressed that it reflects the commitment of Saudi Arabia and the member states of the organization to provide support to the Palestinians and enhance joint action to confront the Israeli aggression. Discussions will also focus on stopping the war in Gaza and Lebanon, coordinating positions in international forums, in addition to calling for the implementation of the two-state solution and holding the Israeli occupation accountable.

For his part, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the Arab League, said that the summit is an opportunity to review Arab and Islamic positions and approaches in supporting the Palestinians and the Lebanese. Jamal Rushdi, spokesman for the League, pointed to the failure of the international will to stop the Israeli aggression despite numerous attempts, which requires greater efforts to pressure Israel.

UNRWA's role at the summit

UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini is expected to participate in the summit to affirm Saudi Arabia's continued support for the agency in providing its humanitarian and relief services in various regions, including Palestine, Lebanon and Syria. UNRWA Media Advisor Adnan Abu Hasna stressed that Saudi Arabia is leading international efforts to protect the agency, noting that it has provided more than $1 billion to support UNRWA operations in the past decade.

Expected decisions

Today's summit aims to review the outcomes of the previous summit and evaluate the efforts made to stop the Israeli war in Gaza and Lebanon in light of the ongoing escalation. In this context, the preparatory meeting discussed the most important decisions expected to be taken at the summit, which include:

Intensifying international pressure to stop the Israeli aggression on Gaza and Lebanon.

Strengthening humanitarian support and opening channels for the entry of aid.

Calling on the Security Council to take decisive action to stop the war.

Call on the International Criminal Court to investigate Israeli war crimes.

Assigning a ministerial committee to formulate an effective international move towards a comprehensive and just solution.

Supporting the Palestinian demand and calling for holding an international peace conference as soon as possible, with the aim of achieving permanent peace in accordance with the approved international references.

In this context, the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, indicated that the chances of holding the conference are "very likely and feasible."

Twenty years have passed since the passing of Yasser Arafat, the immortal national leader, founder of the Palestinian entity, builder of the glories of the national dream, maker of the impossible revolution in impossible times, and captain of the ship that laid the foundations of the state and prepared for the Palestinian people the birth of their desired independence.

Twenty years have passed since the departure of the father of national identity, who performed miracles in a time of no miracles, and was able to accumulate national struggle in all arenas and platforms, in all roads and trenches, and in all the fields where Yasser Arafat left his mark as a Palestinian revolutionary in the face of the occupation, to become a solid pillar and a foundation in the world equation, which no one can bypass, a sign, a slogan, and a common legacy for every free person, every believer in justice, and every yearning for freedom. It is the Palestinian division and Yasser Arafat's immortal philosophy that has become an approach and a way of life, not just a slogan, and has formed a lifeline that continues to this day, as it is capable of facing challenges, and it is the incubator of the spirit of revolutionary creativity, and it is the compass that embodied the meaning of national struggle, and established the democracy of the jungle of guns, with Arafat's creativity that has no equal.

Twenty years have passed since the departure of Yasser Arafat, the man, the revolutionary, the leader and the chief. On his anniversary these days, we remember him as Gaza, which is being subjected to an ongoing genocide, remembers him. How much it loved him and he loved it, and how he was a towering, constructive knight on its land, establishing the Palestinian dream state, with an airport, a port and a building that shaped the image of modern Gaza, rising before the wreckage and devastation that befell it. He strengthened national unity with his well-known closeness to the masses who loved him and he loved them, and who stuck to him and he shortened the distances between him and them with the sincerity of his affection for them. He used to connect with the old and the young, visit the camp before the city, and meet with the youth before the official and international delegations, and he did not sever ties with anyone. This is the great Arafatist school with its principles, values, behaviour, and its struggle and humanitarian dimension.

Twenty years have passed since the departure of the founding leader, the builder, the inspirational one, the human being, the brave symbol. On this anniversary, Gaza is under genocide, exposed to death, killing, oppression and destruction, and is living through one of the most difficult chapters. The world is a witness and silent to all that has happened and is happening from massacres, slaughter, starvation and siege. On this anniversary, which is passing under the impact of the tragedy and suffering of our people, the determination to survive and persevere remains as a solid Arafatist, who refused expulsion, imprisonment and deportation, and preferred martyrdom, just as we are witnessing these days the people’s refusal to emigrate, be expelled and exiled, and they remain despite everything they are exposed to in the chapters of suffering and torment they are living.

Twenty years after the departure of Yasser Arafat, we remember him in his military uniform when he stood in the White House as a master and leader, and with the shoes of revolutionaries and the keffiyeh of the free, he sat on the throne of place and time, a symbol brandishing the victory sign that he never changed, and did not give it up to give it to generations as a legacy, a slogan and an identity, and on his waist was the pistol of the freedom fighter, and in his majesty was the dignity of the fighter for the rights of his people, and the features of the Palestinian in him did not change before or after, announcing since that day the birth of a new dawn, for the struggles of a people who led their national march with the competence of the leader who struggled for a free and dignified life for his people, and he broke the theory of colonialism and occupation that sought to consecrate the nonsense of "transient inhabitants in place" and a land without a people as they claimed, to a people with a complete formation, a freedom fighter in the field, builder of a state of institutions and law, preserving the legacy of the first, a language, culture and a solid civilization, with a national identity and eternal human values, the proof of which in meaning is a carefully tied keffiyeh, so there was no country in the world However, it submitted and gave its absolute recognition of our people’s right to their land and to enjoy freedom and independence.

Glory and eternity to Him.

The Lebanese Hezbollah party broadcast a video clip showing scenes of operations carried out by its fighters against the occupation forces in Kfar Shuba in southern Lebanon, and the occupied Lebanese Shebaa Farms.

According to the video clip, broadcast by Hezbollah and dating back to today, the tenth of this month, its fighters targeted gatherings of the Israeli occupation army around the border towns of Shebaa and Kfar Shuba.

The footage showed the fighters conducting an aerial reconnaissance of the target, then launching rocket barrages towards the Israeli target.

Hezbollah fighters continue to confront Israeli forces trying to penetrate Lebanese territory, while targeting Israeli settlements and strategic areas and centers inside Israel.

Earlier today, Sunday, the party announced that it had targeted a gathering of Israeli army forces between the towns of Houla and Markaba in southern Lebanon with a barrage of rockets, and that it had targeted the Upper Galilee.

Its fighters also targeted the settlements of Even Menachem, Zor'it, Shomera, Shtula and Kiryat Shmona in northern Israel with rocket barrages, and the Shraga base north of the city of Acre with a salvo of rockets.

With two clean, beautiful words, Qatar responded to the Israeli allegations through directed media targeting the Qatari role in efforts to support the Palestinian cause in general, and mediation efforts to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip in particular.

Qatar said (inaccurately) in response to the allegations published by most Israeli media outlets and some foreign stations about Qatar's withdrawal from the ceasefire negotiations in the Strip, and made it clear in an unambiguous manner that its efforts in mediation between Hamas and Israel were only suspended, explaining that everything that is rumored by Israel about Qatar's withdrawal is inaccurate, and aims to confuse its role, and it informed the partners of its position, which is based on the reality of the negligence and indifference of the Israeli side and the impossible conditions that Netanyahu sets to obstruct the negotiations that were close to success if it were not for Netanyahu's efforts to achieve his narrow political goals.

In response to the decision to expel the Hamas leadership and close its office in Doha, Qatar also clarified that these reports are inaccurate, and that the purpose of having a Hamas office in Doha is to have a channel of communication between all parties, and that this presence achieved a previous ceasefire and reached a truce last November. Once again, another chapter and story of the Israeli conspiracy against Qatar and its pivotal role in supporting the Palestinian cause is revealed. It is responsible for a long-term aid campaign, and it continues to represent an important and influential Gulf and Arab front and lever. Its role and great efforts in seeking to create calm and restore security and stability in the Middle East have clear fingerprints that cannot be underestimated or circumvented. Unfortunately, this is what Israel is seeking under the leadership of Netanyahu, who previously stated several months ago that Doha’s role is problematic. According to another Israeli minister, the Qatari capital is a center for supporting and financing terrorism. At that time, Qatar responded and regrettably denounced Netanyahu’s completely incorrect allegations, and said that if Netanyahu’s circulated statements are proven to be true, then the Israeli Prime Minister is obstructing and undermining mediation efforts for narrow political reasons instead of giving priority to saving lives, including those of the Israeli detainees.

Netanyahu had refrained from thanking Qatar in front of the families of the Israeli hostages, attributing this to the fact that Qatar is no different in essence from the United Nations and the Red Cross, but is in some ways more problematic.

The level of the false accusations by Israel increased when the extremist Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich accused Qatar of supporting and financing terrorism, claiming via the X platform that Qatar is largely responsible for the attack launched by Hamas on October 7, 2023, calling on Western countries to exert more pressure on it, and threatening that Qatar will not be involved in what happens in Gaza the day after the war.

As part of the media war directed against the Qatari role, Yair Netanyahu's son went beyond previous statements, when he said in a lecture he gave in the American city of Miami, that Qatar is the largest funder of terrorism after Iran, and that it is behind the anti-Israel protests in American universities.

Qatar did not remain silent about these lies and allegations, but rather strongly criticized them and clarified its position on the Qatari humanitarian aid that is being brought into Gaza through Israel itself, and that it was always under surveillance and was primarily directed to needy families in Gaza. Accordingly, Qatar does not have any problematic role in the region and does not support terrorism as Israel claims. It is clear that the problematic role that is hindering the negotiations is an American-Israeli role par excellence, as the United States is also seeking to pressure Qatar to close the Hamas office in Qatar, and according to the Qataris, this is a major blow to their efforts over many years. It seems that the campaign of criticism of the Qatari role is also related to Trump’s arrival to power in America and Israel’s readiness to benefit from his presence in the White House, after January 20th. Accordingly, it is in Netanyahu’s interest to obstruct Qatar’s role at least until Trump assumes his duties, hoping to give the new American president a diplomatic victory, through which he can blackmail Qatar and show Hamas as the obstacle to negotiations, at a time when the world is well aware of the reality of the Qatari diplomatic role, which the Palestinian leadership highly values. The Israeli news and allegations that diminish this role are nothing but misleading talk in impure newspapers whose goal is to divert the compass from a commendable Qatari effort.