An official close to Hamas confirmed to Agence France-Presse on Thursday that the movement still wants to discuss a ceasefire in the war in the Gaza Strip, after Israel rejected its initial proposals.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Wednesday his rejection of the movement’s ceasefire proposal, describing it as “strange,” pledging to continue military action until “complete victory.”

The Palestinian official said, “The first round of indirect negotiations between Hamas and the Israeli delegation will begin Thursday in Cairo.”

According to the source, the Hamas delegation will meet with Egyptian officials, and that a Qatari delegation will join later in an attempt to bring views closer between the two parties.

He expected that “the negotiations will be very complex and difficult, but Hamas is open to discussions and is keen to reach an end to the aggression, a permanent ceasefire, and the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.”

The official close to the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) indicated that “the two parties will hold several rounds of indirect negotiations.”

On his fifth visit to Israel since the outbreak of war on October 7, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken met with Netanyahu and high-level Israeli officials to broker a truce agreement.

The war broke out after an unprecedented attack launched by the movement against Israel, which resulted in the killing of more than 1,160 people, most of them civilians, according to a tally prepared by Agence France-Presse based on official Israeli figures.

Also, about 250 hostages were taken into custody in the attack, and Israel says that 132 of them are still in Gaza, and at least 29 of them are believed to have been killed, according to figures issued by the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office.

Israel responded to the attack with a concentrated bombing campaign followed by a massive ground attack in the Gaza Strip, resulting in the death of 27,840 people, the majority of whom were women and children, according to the latest tally of the Hamas Ministry of Health.

The Palestinian official residing in the Gaza Strip said that the first phase of the proposed truce requires a “six-week ceasefire,” during which talks will be held on the exchange of civilian prisoners of women and children who are under 18 years old.

He pointed out that “Hamas’ response, which reached Egypt and Qatar and was reviewed by the United States and other parties, included an offer to release detained Israeli children, women, the elderly, and the sick, and in return, Israel would release a number of Palestinian prisoners, which will be discussed starting today (Thursday).”

According to the official, the first phase proposal also includes allowing the entry of “400-500 trucks of food, medicine, and fuel aid daily,” amid great concerns about a humanitarian crisis in the Strip.

Also, at this stage, the agreement on the withdrawal of the Israeli army from the Gaza Strip and the return of the displaced will be discussed.

The New York Times quoted American officials as saying that intelligence officials had confirmed that Israel had weakened the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) but had not come close to eliminating it.

American officials added that the goal of weakening Hamas' fighting capacity may be more realistic than eliminating it.

US President Joe Biden described the Israeli response in the Gaza Strip as exceeding the limit, in unprecedented statements criticizing Israeli behavior. Biden added that he is working to reach a sustainable cessation of fighting. He revealed that Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi did not initially want to open the Rafah crossing for aid to enter Gaza, but he spoke to him and convinced him to open it, according to what he said.

In a surprise speech at the White House on Wednesday evening, Biden said that he had put strong pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, where “there are many innocent people, women and children, who are starving and in dire need of it,” as he put it.

The American President spoke about the contacts he has been conducting since the beginning of the war with Qatari, Egyptian, and even Saudi officials, in order to bring humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, stressing that he is pushing hard to bring aid into the Strip.

He added during his speech that he was pressing hard to reach a truce agreement that included the release of detainees held by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).

After Washington announced its full support for the Israeli war on Gaza and its rejection of a permanent ceasefire, the pressure on the US President’s administration increased and in recent weeks some differences in priorities began to appear between the White House and the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and American statements witnessed a change in Washington’s language towards Netanyahu’s government. .

Rafah operation

Earlier Thursday, the White House said that it would not support any Israeli plans to carry out major military operations in Rafah, and that negotiations were continuing regarding the release of detainees and the completion of a truce agreement in Gaza.

Strategic Communications Coordinator for the US National Security Council, John Kirby, said that parts of Hamas' response "were very positive and others require more work," noting that work is being done around the clock, and that Washington is optimistic about reaching an agreement.

Kirby stressed, "Any major military operation in Rafah at this time, and under these circumstances, and with the presence of more than a million - and perhaps more than a million and a half - Palestinians seeking asylum and looking for shelter in Rafah without taking into account the duty of their safety, will be a disaster, and will not "We support it."

He said that US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken made clear the United States' concerns about such operations.

On Thursday, the Israeli occupation forces bombed areas in the border city in the southern Gaza Strip, where more than half of the Strip’s population took refuge, but Kirby pointed out that Washington did not see convincing plans that the Israeli army was about to launch a military operation in Rafah.

The devastating Israeli war on Gaza has entered its fifth month, and most of its victims are children and women, according to the Palestinian authorities. It has also caused “massive destruction and an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe,” according to the United Nations.

In the latest statistics, the Ministry of Health in Gaza said yesterday, Thursday, that at least 27,840 Palestinians were killed and 67,317 were injured in the Israeli aggression on the Strip since October 7.

Source: Al Jazeera + agencies

US State Department spokesman Samuel Warburg revealed Washington's position regarding the Israeli army's threat to invade the Palestinian Rafah region in the coming days, coinciding with the implementation of a series of raids and fire belts on the city located in the southern Gaza Strip.

Earlier on Wednesday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant said that the army plans to expand its military operations, and "will reach places where it has not fought, especially in the last center of gravity, Rafah."

Sources told Sky News Arabia that “the Qatari mediator conveyed to Hamas an Israeli threat, saying that if the deal was rejected, Rafah would be invaded.”

Warburg said, "The United States generally emphasizes the need for Israel to take all possible precautions to avoid harming civilians during its operations."

The US State Department spokesman stressed, "This certainly includes civilians and humanitarian infrastructure in Rafah, where more than a million people are currently present."

More than 1.3 million people currently live in the city of Rafah, which originally had a population of a quarter of a million, according to United Nations figures, after hundreds of thousands were displaced there as a result of the escalation of military operations in the northern and central areas of Gaza.

The newspaper "Israel Hayom" reported that Israel is considering evacuating the residents of Rafah to the northern Gaza Strip before a possible attack on the city, but the newspaper said, citing sources, that such a step will not take place before next March.

Egypt fears that an Israeli military operation in Rafah will lead to the influx of large numbers of Palestinian refugees into the Egyptian Sinai.

The Israeli newspaper explained that Egypt "recently sent strong messages to Israel stating that the passage of Palestinian refugees from Gaza to Sinai will jeopardize the peace agreement between Egypt and Israel."

On the other hand, the US State Department spokesman commented on Israeli reports regarding the study of moving the Rafah crossing to the Kerem Shalom area, and its impact on Israeli operations if the invasion is carried out.

Warburg said: "We were very clear that the Rafah crossing is an important corridor for the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, and it is also an important corridor for foreign citizens, including Americans, to be able to leave Gaza safely."

He added: "We would of course like to see Israel take these matters into account and take them into account during any military operation."

This news raised Egyptian concern, as an Egyptian official denied what Israeli media reports mentioned about discussions between Egypt, the United States, and Israel to transfer the Rafah crossing to the triangle border in the Kerem Shalom area on the Egyptian-Israeli border.

Palestinian Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh also expressed his fear that Israel would move the Rafah crossing, four months after the fierce war was declared.

The Rafah crossing is the only outlet for the Gaza Strip to the outside, and is currently used for the exit of residents of the Strip after exceptional permits approved by Israel, which also have Palestinian and Egyptian approval.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that the situation is getting worse in Gaza, and that famine and disease are harming the Palestinians, in addition to death and destruction.

Guterres expressed concern about reports that the Israeli army intends to focus on Rafah in southern Gaza in the next phase of its attack on the Palestinian Strip.

"Such a measure would exacerbate what is already a humanitarian nightmare, and would have untold regional consequences," he told the 193-member UN General Assembly.

The Secretary-General of the United Nations said that the situation in Gaza is a festering wound in our collective conscience and threatens the entire region, and that half of Gaza’s population is now crammed into Rafah, with nowhere to go, no homes, and no hope.

He stressed that nothing justifies what he described as the horrific terrorist attacks launched by Hamas on Israel on October 7, just as there is no justification for collective punishment of the Palestinian people. However, Israeli military operations resulted in destruction and deaths in Gaza on a scale and speed unparalleled since To become Secretary General.

The UN official once again called for an immediate ceasefire on humanitarian grounds and the unconditional release of detainees in Gaza.

"It is time for an immediate ceasefire on humanitarian grounds and for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. This must quickly lead to irreversible measures towards a two-state solution based on UN resolutions, international law and previous agreements," he added.

The Ministry of Health in Gaza said on Thursday that at least 27,840 Palestinians were killed and 67,317 were injured in the Israeli aggression on the Strip since October 7.

The ministry added in a statement that about 130 Palestinians were killed and 170 others were injured during the past 24 hours.

It stated in the statement that "the Israeli army committed 15 massacres against families in the Gaza Strip, resulting in 130 killed and 170 injuries."

The Ministry also stated that "there are still a number of victims under the rubble and on the roads, and Israeli army is preventing ambulance and civil defense crews from reaching them."

In the same context, the government media office in Gaza announced that the number of journalist killed since the start of the war on Gaza had risen to 124.

Reporters Without Borders strongly condemned the Israeli army's elimination of journalism and freedom of access to information in the Gaza Strip.

The organization called on countries and international organizations to increase pressure on Israel to stop this massacre immediately.

The White House issued a statement on Thursday, stating that US President Joe Biden will receive the Jordanian King, King Abdullah II, and his wife, Queen Rania Al Abdullah, next Monday, February 12, 2024, at the White House.

The White House said in a statement, a copy of which was received by Al-Quds.com: “President (Joe Biden) and First Lady (Jill Biden) look forward to welcoming His Majesty King Abdullah II Ibn Al-Hussein and Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah, Queen of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, to the White House.” On February 12, 2024.”

The statement added, “This year, the United States and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations, and the two leaders will discuss how the United States and Jordan can continue to deepen our strong bilateral relations. President Biden and King Abdullah II will also discuss the ongoing situation in Gaza and efforts to reach an end to "To this end, the two leaders will discuss US efforts to support the Palestinian people, including by enhancing humanitarian aid to Gaza and a vision for a lasting peace that includes a two-state solution while ensuring Israel's security."

The Jordanian Royal Court announced that King Abdullah II began a tour Thursday that includes the United States, Canada, France, and Germany.

Palestinian human rights organizations said on Thursday that Israeli licenses for exploratory natural gas exploration off the coast of Gaza are “illegal” as they violate international laws and plunder Palestinian natural resources.

This came in a joint statement issued by Al-Mezan Center, Al-Haq Foundation, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, and the Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel (Adalah), on Thursday.

The statement called on "the companies that won the licenses to immediately refrain from participating in the plunder of the sovereign natural resources of the Palestinian people."

It explained, "On October 29, 2023, in the midst of the Israeli military attack on Gaza, the Israeli Ministry of Energy announced that it had granted licenses to six Israeli facilities and international companies for exploratory exploration for natural gas in areas considered under international law to be Palestinian marine areas."

It added: "Among the companies are the Italian Eni, the British Dana Petroleum (a subsidiary of the South Korean National Petroleum Company), and the Israeli Racio Petroleum."

The human rights organizations' statement pointed out that "Israel granted licenses for gas exploration in Area G, which is a marine area adjacent to the shores of Gaza."

It said, "62 percent of Area G lies within the maritime borders declared by the State of Palestine in 2019, in accordance with the provisions of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, to which Palestine is a signatory."

The statement continued: “In addition to the licenses already granted in Area G, Israel has also issued tenders for Areas H and E, where 73 percent of Area H is located within the declared maritime borders of Palestine, along with 5 percent of Area E.”

It continued: "Despite not being a party to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, Israel responded to the Palestinian declaration (regarding its maritime borders) by saying: Since Israel does not recognize Palestine as a sovereign state, it lacks the authority to declare its maritime borders and waters."

Accordingly, Palestinian human rights organizations confirmed that the Israeli position “directly contradicts the established principles of international law.”

It pointed out that, on Monday, Adalah sent a letter to the Israeli Minister of Energy and the Israeli government’s judicial advisor, requesting the cancellation of gas exploration licenses granted in Area “G,” according to the same statement.

It said that the letter also demanded “the cancellation of any ongoing tenders in the areas that fall within the maritime borders of Palestine, and the immediate cessation of any activity involving the exploitation of gas resources within the maritime borders of Palestine, as these areas do not belong to the State of Israel, and Israel does not possess any sovereign rights.” over them, including exclusive economic rights.”

The human rights organizations considered in their statement that "gas exploration and exploitation in Palestinian maritime areas blatantly violates the fundamental right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, which includes managing their natural resources."

The human rights organizations pointed out that an international law firm representing Al-Haq Foundation, Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights, and the Palestinian Center for Human Rights sent notices on Tuesday to foreign companies “demanding them to stop carrying out any activities in Area (G), which is located within the maritime areas of the State of Palestine, and to emphasize Such activities would constitute a flagrant violation of international law.”

It noted that "Israel's unilateral demarcation of its maritime borders to include Palestinian maritime areas and natural resources not only violates international law, but also perpetuates a long-term pattern of exploiting Palestinians' natural resources for its own financial and colonial gains."

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli side on the statement of human rights institutions.

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak criticized the policies of his current counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu, stressing that his failure to reach a prisoner exchange deal was a "disgrace" on Israel, and warning that the course of the war might herald "the country sinking into the Gaza quagmire."

This came in an article by Barak to be published by Haaretz newspaper tomorrow, Friday, in which he called for the necessity of holding early elections in Israel “before it is too late,” noting that the elections will be held in 2026.

Barak said: “The war is entering its 15th week, and on the battlefield we see inspiring and courageous work and sacrifices, but in Israel we see despair, and the feeling that despite the gains achieved by the Israeli army, Hamas has not been defeated and the return of hostages is declining.”

He pointed out that, "For about 3 months, Netanyahu has been preventing discussion of the day following (the end of the war) in the mini-cabinet, which is unreasonable."

Realistic goal

Barak warned against Netanyahu's policies, explaining: "The Israeli army cannot improve the odds of victory when there is no specific political goal, and in the absence of a realistic goal, we will end up drowning in the Gaza quagmire."

He also noted the dangers of "fighting simultaneously in Gaza, Lebanon, and the West Bank, which leads to the erosion of American support and jeopardizes the Abraham Accords and the peace agreements with Egypt and Jordan."

The former Israeli minister considered that "this type of behavior drags Israel's security into the abyss."

In this context, Barak revealed that “two months ago the United States presented to Israel a proposal that meets the common interests of the two countries,” indicating that this offer “is still on the table.”

He explained that the American proposal stipulates that “after eliminating the capabilities of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), an Arab force will be formed from members of the stability axis that will be established to manage the Strip for a limited period.”

He explained that according to the proposal, “during this transitional period, Gaza will return to the control of the Palestinian Authority, and will gain international recognition, taking into account the security arrangements acceptable to Israel,” pointing out that according to the American proposal, “Saudi Arabia and the UAE will support and strengthen the Palestinian Authority financially, and ensure the reconstruction of infrastructure.

Barak believed that “between Israel and the possible solution (in Gaza) stand Netanyahu himself and his blackmailers, Ministers (National Security) Itamar Ben Gvir and (Finance) Bezalel Smotrich,” he said, adding that they (the two ministers) “are preventing Israel from taking action for the sake of its security.” In coordination with the United States, they are dragging it into the abyss to serve their own interests.”

He said: "Netanyahu realizes that the reactivated Palestinian Authority (in Gaza) means the loss of Ben Gvir and Smotrich and the acceleration of the end of his government."

Families' anger

He added: "There must be early elections, and this will happen when the hostage families, the displaced communities, the reservists, and the large numbers of Israelis who remember October 7, 2023 well, are outraged."

Barak's article comes after Netanyahu announced Thursday that he informed Washington of his opposition to the establishment of a Palestinian state "within any scenario for the post-war period in Gaza," contrary to the American desire and his insistence on continuing the war in Gaza in order to achieve a "decisive victory over Hamas."

Source: Anadolu

By Naddaf Tamir

Israeli citizens and their voting trends are the least of Netanyahu's concerns currently. The Prime Minister has in mind one audience consisting of only 6 people: Ben Gvir [leader of a Jewish force]; Smotrich [leader of religious Zionism]; Deri [Shas party leader]; Ghafni [HaTorah Judaism]; Goldknoff [Agodat Yisrael Party]; And Donald Trump. He needs to have politicians in the coalition who allow him to continue holding his position, and for the winner of the US presidential elections in November to be kind to him.

Netanyahu understood that his position in the opinion polls had not changed fundamentally, and he also realized that he had no reason, or personal political interest, in holding elections, at a time when his term witnessed the greatest catastrophe in the history of the State of Israel, and therefore, the only card that was still up his sleeve. It is Trump's return to the White House, followed by the political rapprochement between the two emerging dictatorial rulers.

It is true that Netanyahu was somewhat late in congratulating Joe Biden on his election victory, but Bibi and Donald did not remain close friends as they were. Netanyahu realizes that in addition to preserving the coalition, he must prove to Trump his “repentance” and “return to the bosom of his old friend,” and this is a very dangerous matter for us...

Netanyahu watches the polls in the United States and the damage to Biden's standing as a result of the war. He sees and wants the war to continue because that means less political talk in Israel, less internal accountability, as well as less support in the United States for Biden, whose sincere concern for Israeli citizens led him to stand by our side, and now, he feels that he was stung by the scorpion, Netanyahu. But the danger lies not only in the continuation of the fighting, but also in the delay in the arrival of US aid amounting to about 14 billion dollars, which the US administration no longer wants to continue defending in Congress, which is obstructing it for its own reasons.

Netanyahu is interested in ambiguity and procrastination, which, even if they alienate voters from him, bring Ben Gvir and Smotrich closer together, who do not want to leave Gaza, nor do they want a plan for Palestinian civilian control in the Strip. For them, what would happen if soldiers continued to be killed without a clear purpose for fighting, what if the kidnapped remained in captivity, and what if the Israeli economy, in need of oxygen, remained without the promised American billions? What is important is that the partners in Israel, and those we are courting in the United States, are satisfied. 

For us as Israeli citizens, the lesson is that elections in the United States are not only about the future of the American people, but also about our future. We must understand that we will soon witness the US administration moving away from the Netanyahu government. We must understand and accept that this is the only way through which Biden will try to win back voters who are wary of unequivocal American support for Israel, and now, in the face of Netanyahu’s coldness, he no longer has a reason to continue this support.

We must remember that if Biden does not reach the White House, it is reasonable that we will not have democracy because Netanyahu will feel strong, and will return to pushing forward the judicial coup, whether through enacting laws, or through steps on the ground, and he can get encouragement from a supporter of dictatorship if he reaches the White House. 

We will remain with the shock of October 7, and with a state that has nothing to do with the Zionist vision of the democratic national state for the Jewish people.

According to Arab media sources, the Israeli army began a ground attack on the western parts of the city of Rafah.

These sources said that the attack coincides with the ongoing operation on Khan Yunis, adding that it aims to control the Philadelphia axis and the Rafah crossing.

Israel claimed that there were more than 12 tunnels, which it described as strategic, in Rafah, used to transport weapons into the Gaza Strip from Egypt and Sinai, according to Channel 14 of Israeli television.

Winsland: Although the Israelis know the situation well, they are planning a war in Rafah, where 1.2 million people are gathering...

The United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wensland, said that the possible Israeli attack on the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip would constitute a “real disaster.”

Wensland said during a press conference on Wednesday that he is at the United Nations headquarters in New York to discuss how to chart a way out of the current crisis in Gaza with the permanent members of the UN Security Council and Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

He indicated that he knows very well what are the obstacles that prevent this from happening politically, stressing the need to overcome these obstacles.

The UN coordinator believed that the solution “will not be quick or easy, and it will require some very hard diplomatic work,” calling for action with the active parties on the ground.

Regarding Israel's readiness to launch an attack on the city of Rafah, he said: "Although the Israelis know the situation well, they are planning an active war in Rafah, where 1.2 million people are gathered."

He pointed out that the Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossings are the only active entry points for aid, warning that the Israeli attack on Rafah would constitute a "total catastrophe."

He said, "It is difficult to find words to say to the people in Gaza who have lost everything," and continued, "It is very difficult to preach hope when you are sitting in a safe place, to people sitting in the middle of hell."

Earlier Wednesday, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned of the consequences of any Israeli action on the city of Rafah.

While the American website "Axios" said that Secretary of State Anthony Blinken informed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Defense Minister Yoav Galant of Washington's "deep" concern about the expansion of military operations in Rafah.

Since October 7, 2023, the Israeli army has been waging a devastating war with American support on Gaza, which, as of Wednesday, left “27,708 killed and 67,147 injured, most of them children and women,” according to the Palestinian authorities, and caused “massive destruction and an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe.” According to the United Nations.

A US drone strike in Iraq killed a high-ranking Kataib Hezbollah commander as Israeli bombing of Gaza enters fifth month.

Here’s how things stand on Thursday, February 8, 2024:

Humanitarian crisis in Gaza

• Reports from the United Nations humanitarian agency OCHA show that the Palestinian casualties in Gaza between Tuesday and Wednesday were 123, taking the total number of Palestinian casualties in Gaza to 27,708 as of Wednesday.
• The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) reported that a paramedic was killed and two others were injured after Israeli forces opened fire directly at them in an area between Ahli Arab Hospital and al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City while on their way to evacuate the injured, Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.
• Israeli air attacks on two homes killed at least 12 Palestinians and injured many more in the Tal as-Sultan and Saudi neighbourhoods of Rafah in southern Gaza on Wednesday night, reported Wafa.
• Additionally, two Palestinians were killed and 10 were injured in an Israeli air raid on a home in Deir el-Balah in central Gaza.
• More than half of Gaza’s 2.3 million population is now sheltering in Rafah, where the original population was 250,000, according to a statement by UN humanitarian affairs chief Martin Griffiths on Wednesday.
• The Palestinian Digital Rights Coalition sent letters to Meta, X, Telegram, and TikTok regarding the proliferation of hate speech, dehumanisation, and incitement to violence and genocide against the Palestinian people on their platforms, Wafa reported.
• The coalition said the provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice present a necessity to address the urgent need for online platforms to fulfil their legal and moral responsibility in upholding human rights.
• The Israeli forces posted an excerpt from Herzi Halevi’s situational assessment on Wednesday where he said bringing back Israeli captives was not possible without exerting military pressure.

Regional tensions and diplomacy

• A US drone strike blew up a car in the Iraqi capital on Wednesday night, killing a high-ranking commander of the Kataib Hezbollah, the United States military said on Wednesday, adding that the group is responsible for “directly planning and participating in attacks” on American troops in the region.
• The stabbing of a 23-year-old Palestinian American, Zacharia Doar, merits the label of a hate crime, Austin police announced on Wednesday. Bert James Baker, 36, was arrested following the Sunday evening attack.
• Police in suburban Chicago arrested 33 people on Wednesday after they blocked streets for more than six hours outside a company, which, the protesters said, has a role in the deaths of thousands of civilians in Gaza.
• US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned Israel that it does not have “a licence to dehumanise others”, as Washington delivered one of its harshest critiques to date of Israel amid its war on Gaza. Blinken later posted on X reiterating his support for an independent Palestinian state.
• US President Joe Biden is sending senior aides to Michigan on Thursday to meet Arab-American and Muslim leaders. The visit comes as Biden’s handling of Israel’s war on Gaza has frustrated members of the community in a key constituency for the 2024 presidential elections.

Occupied West Bank

• Local sources reported that armed Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian shepherds and prevented their access to pastures south of Hebron in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday evening, reported Wafa.
• Two Palestinian men were killed on Wednesday night by Israeli forces in the Nur Shams refugee camp in Tulkarem city, in the northern occupied West Bank. Israeli forces shelled a home belonging to one of the men killed using Anerga missiles, causing fire on the top floor, as bulldozers proceeded to demolish other parts of the house.
• Wafa reported that a Palestinian man was wounded and another arrested during a large-scale incursion into the Wadi al-Fara area, south of Tubas governorate in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday.
• Israeli forces again stormed Jenin on Wednesday, arresting five citizens and damaging infrastructure.

SOURCE: AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES

The Israeli "War Council" discusses the deal today

Israeli sources: Procrastination in concluding a deal soon exposes the hostages to risks

Despite statements by Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejecting the Hamas movement’s conditions for concluding a deal, and emphasizing that Israel cannot accept it, he did not completely close the door on a possible deal, according to what a number of Israeli officials and commentators believe.

Political affairs correspondent for the newspaper "Haaretz" Yonatan Liss said today, Thursday, that Netanyahu has not closed the door on a deal despite his statements regarding the deal proposal that was included in the Hamas movement's response, and his clarification to US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and the public in general that the submitted proposal does not allow any progress in negotiations.

He stressed that Netanyahu did not announce the cessation of talks or that Israel was abandoning the proposal, nor did he clearly say that he would oppose the release of Palestinian prisoners who carried out operations that led to the killing of Israelis. He merely said that Israel did not commit to that.

The writer pointed out that since Israel received the paper submitted regarding the deal, the members of the government have not met to discuss it, and the “War Council” will only discuss it today, while political sources who spoke to the newspaper considered that Netanyahu’s statements against the deal may contribute to preparing the ground for negotiations in the coming days and weeks.

An Israeli official, who was not named by the newspaper, considered that Hamas had drawn up a paper that Israel could not accept, but which might contain indications that “the movement is ready to conduct negotiations and perhaps also serious negotiations later.”

According to another source, whom the newspaper did not name, the series of statements made by Netanyahu against Hamas’s proposal and the number of prisoners it demands to be released, especially his statements regarding the expected Israeli occupation army operations in Rafah and other refugee camps, “would increase the pressure on the movement in the hope of softening its position.” 

But the same source also indicated that “this is a dangerous adventure,” and that procrastinating in reaching a deal with Hamas in the coming month “will expose the hostages to serious risks, whenever the Israeli army surrounds the hiding places of the movement’s leaders. This may lead to the hostages being killed, injured or to deepen their suffering, until the parties reach understandings."

Adina Moshe, one of the detainees who was released, said in a press conference held by the families of the detainees yesterday, addressing Netanyahu: “I fear that if you continue with this path to eliminate Hamas, there will be no prisoners left for the sake of liberating them.”

“Hamas is not under the pressure we imagine.”

For his part, Michael Milstein, head of Palestinian Studies at the Dayan Center at Tel Aviv University, who spoke today to Hebrew Radio 103, believes that despite talk about Hamas receiving major blows, “in the end this organization provides a very negative response and does not They show any level of flexibility. I think they are not under pressure to the degree that we imagine. They (in Hamas) see a reduction in the Israeli army forces in Gaza and also the beginning of their return to the northern Gaza Strip, and perhaps the reality is not that bad. Today we are talking about the return of delegations from both sides to Cairo to negotiate.

He added: “Hamas indicates, in the wording that I passed a few days ago, that the main goal of the settlement is to end the war once and for all. In contrast to that, we heard the Prime Minister’s response yesterday that this is not something that can be accepted, and it seems that we can find a point in the middle... that remains an end.” The agreement is open.

More serious negotiations

Correspondent and political analyst Barak Ravid wrote on the Hebrew "Wala" website that Israeli officials were surprised by Hamas' response to the proposal and the conditions for releasing Israeli detainees, "which seemed like a list of exaggerated Ramadan gifts" by Hamas.

He added: “Although Netanyahu described it as ridiculous, he did not announce that he completely rejected it.” The writer also considered that American pressure to reach a truce would soon push the parties to indirect negotiations in Cairo regarding the details.

He pointed out that "quite a few senior Israeli officials believe that despite the current high tone, the parties will enter into more serious talks within several days than they are today."

"Netanyahu decided to sacrifice the kidnapped"

On the other hand, journalist Uri Misgav, in an article in Haaretz newspaper today, considered that Israel failed miserably in its attempt to liberate the detainees through a military operation, noting that a number of them were killed during attempts to reach them and release them.

Misgav considered that Netanyahu decided to sacrifice the detainees and that “the decision to sacrifice the kidnapped led to changing the declared goals of the war. Netanyahu stopped repeating the phrase defeating Hamas and returning the kidnapped, and moved on to talk about absolute victory. This goal was formulated vaguely and cannot be measured... with the aim of preventing the achievement of "To reach an agreement and prolong the continuation of the fighting to serve Netanyahu's own interests."

He also considered that the Israeli press leaks about the death of 32 detainees, and the presence of 20 others estimated to be dead, came “in order to reduce the urgency and feeling of necessity of the deal, as the number 84 (the number of living detainees) is much less than 136, and this reduces the price of the deal,” in the writer’s opinion. .

Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's handling of the war between Israel and Hamas, calling for his ouster.

In an interview with msnbc, Clinton said: “Netanyahu must go. He is not a trustworthy leader. The October 7 attack occurred during his watch. He needs to leave, and if he is an obstacle to a ceasefire, and if he is an obstacle to exploring what has to be done the next day, he definitely has to go."

After previously expressing her strong support for Israel's war efforts, she indicated in the interview that "we hope that there will be a ceasefire," considering that "if Hamas agrees to a ceasefire, there will be a ceasefire."

In response to a question about US President Joe Biden’s relationship with Netanyahu, she said: “I think Biden did everything he could do in order to respond to the legitimate concerns of the Israeli people after October 7, to ally with Israel in the face of a terrorist attack from a terrorist organization. But I think it is also clear “Biden is doing everything he can to influence Netanyahu.”

Source: "The Times of Israel"

At the conclusion of his visit to Tel Aviv, on Thursday, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken renewed his country's "commitment" to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel.

Blinken said in a post on the X platform, that during his seventh trip to Israel since October 7, 2023, he met with officials “in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv to discuss the latest developments, my trips and meetings this week with regional leaders, and the urgency of the work that awaits us.”

He added: "Many lives have been lost, the hostages (Israelis in Gaza) are still being held far from their loved ones, and civilians (in Gaza) are still suffering as a result of this conflict," as he put it.

Blinken stressed, "We must continue to work on finding solutions while keeping these challenges in mind."

He claimed that "the United States is committed to achieving lasting peace and security in the region," and stated that this would be through "an Israel integrated (in reference to normalization with Arab countries) in the region and an independent Palestinian state living side by side in peace with Israel with security arrangements for both peoples." 

During his tour, Blinken visited Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Egypt, the Palestinian territories, and Israel, as part of discussing the prisoner exchange deal and the ceasefire in Gaza.

On Tuesday, Hamas announced that it had delivered its response to Egypt and Qatar regarding the “framework agreement” for the prisoner exchange and ceasefire proposal, and the Israeli mini-ministerial council is scheduled to discuss Hamas’ response.

Tel Aviv estimates that there are about 136 Israeli prisoners in Gaza, while it holds no less than 8,800 Palestinians in its prisons, according to official sources from both parties, but there is no confirmation of the final number by both parties.

Today, Thursday, the Israeli forces arrested 6 citizens and seized 5 vehicles from Jenin and Tubas.

According to local sources, the Israeli forces arrested five citizens at a military checkpoint they set up at the Ya`bad-Kafirat intersection, south of Jenin. 

These forces also seized two vehicles, two trucks, and a concrete pump.

In Tubas, the Israeli forces arrested a young woman, a resident of the city of Nablus, while she was passing through the Hamra military checkpoint in the northern Jordan Valley.

The Israeli forces committed 15 massacres against families in the Gaza Strip, claiming 130 dead and 170 wounded, during the past 24 hours.

According to the Ministry of Health, the number of killed has risen to 27,840 and wounded to 67,317, since the start of the aggression on the Gaza Strip on the seventh of last October.

Thousands of victims remain under rubble and on the roads, as the Israeli army prevents ambulance and civil defense crews from reaching them.

Five citizens were killed, and others were injured, in the Israeli artillery shelling, which targeted the maintenance room in the Shifa Medical Complex.

The Al-Rimal neighborhood also witnessed violent bombardment by land, air, and sea, which led to the death of a number of citizens, and the injury of dozens. Ambulance crews were unable to reach them and take them to the hospital, due to the continued shelling and shooting.

Since this morning, dozens of citizens have been killed, and others sustained various injuries, in the ongoing Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip, which enters its 125th day.

The Israeli warplanes bombed homes in various neighborhoods of Gaza City, specifically in the neighborhoods of Al-Rimal, Al-Sabra, and Al-Zaytoun, resulting in dozens of Palestinians being killed, and others sustaining various injuries.

The Israeli artillery also fired shells at the Al-Rimal and Al-Sabra neighborhoods in Gaza City.

From yesterday evening until Thursday morning, the Israeli forces arrested at least (20) citizens from the West Bank, including a woman, and former prisoners.

The arrest operations were concentrated in the town of Azzun/Qalqilya, while the rest of the arrests were distributed in the governorates of Jenin, Hebron, Ramallah, Tubas, Tulkarm, and Salfit. In addition, the occupation forces continue to carry out widespread harassment operations, severe beatings, and threats against detainees and their families, in addition to operations Extensive vandalism and destruction of citizens' homes, and confiscation of money and vehicles.

Thus, the total number of arrests after October 7 rose to more than (6,920), and this total includes those who were arrested from homes, through military checkpoints, those who were forced to surrender themselves under pressure, and those who were held hostage.

Note that the ongoing and escalating arrest campaigns in an unprecedented manner come within the framework of the comprehensive aggression against Palestinian people and the ongoing genocide in Gaza, after October 7, which targeted all groups of children, women, the elderly, and the sick, in an unprecedented manner.

The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth said that Israel is still far from strategic victory in Gaza, 4 months after the start of the war, despite achieving tactical gains against the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).

In a report entitled “4 months after the outbreak of the war, the end is approaching in Khan Yunis... achievements and goals awaiting achievement, and strategic disappointment,” the newspaper wrote that the army has achieved many gains, but has not yet succeeded in achieving one of its main goals, which is eliminating senior Hamas leaders.

Senior Hamas leaders and detainees

The newspaper added that the army, upon reaching Khan Yunis, was now facing the western branch of the local Hamas battalion, and estimates indicate that it will be able to achieve its goal within a week and complete the second phase, that is, the invasion of the southern Gaza Strip, then move to the third phase, which will also include Khan Yunis, but two goals. Two essentials that he identified in the city itself were not fulfilled. The senior Hamas leaders were not eliminated, led by Yahya Al-Sinwar and Muhammad Al-Deif, and the place where the prisoners were held was not determined and they were not rescued.

The newspaper says that the Israeli army claims that intense military pressure through ground forces alone is sufficient to push Hamas to complete another deal, but the reality shows that the indications that it is approaching the detainees’ sites - even if they accumulate daily - have not led to them being captured alive.

No strategic victory

The army’s primary goal in the first and second phases - the newspaper recalls - was to eliminate the command and control capabilities possessed by “Hamas” and to destroy its bases above and below the ground, but in addition to the daily tactical achievements - such as reaching and destroying weapons manufacturing workshops - Israel remains completely far from strategic victory. The government refuses to discuss the next day in the Gaza Strip to find out who will rule its two million residents. Hamas has exploited the existing vacuum, and there are signs of the return of its authority in areas where the army had moved.

Yedioth Ahronoth quoted the Israelis as estimating that between 17 and 24 Hamas brigades had been eliminated, and what remained intact was moving in areas that the Israeli army had not entered by a deliberate decision, such as Deir al-Balah and Nuseirat in the center, and south of the explosive Rafah on the Philadelphia smuggling axis. Weapons from Sinai.

Egypt and the invasion of Rafah

According to the newspaper, the plans to enter Rafah and eliminate the Hamas battalion there - where the movement’s leaders are likely holed up after their departure from the north and center, according to Yedioth Ahronoth - have most likely been completed, but their implementation requires one of two conditions: Egypt’s approval, which may force Israel to show flexibility. On the issue of bringing in humanitarian aid, or Israeli approval for a Palestinian body ruling Gaza instead of Hamas, in addition to the evacuation of a million Palestinians who fled from the north and are now in the refugee camps surrounding Rafah.

The newspaper talks about another condition that it considers less important, which is the continued availability of international legitimacy under American auspices, which allows Israel to return to strong military action in Gaza, but renewing this “legitimacy” - which was made available under the shock of last October 7 - may be difficult because American distrust of the buffer zone plan and because of the destruction of thousands of homes, not to mention Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s insistence on refusing to discuss the future status of the Strip and handing it over to “moderate” elements from outside “Hamas,” and the right-wing in his government controlling most of the decisions, and this wing’s demand for settlement. Gaza.

Source: Yedioth Ahronoth

Yesterday, Wednesday, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Karim Khan, expressed great concern about the images coming from the Gaza Strip, four months after the Israeli war on the Strip.

Khan said - in an interview with Agence France-Presse - that everyone should feel very concerned about the images coming from Gaza, and be very concerned about the rule of law.

He explained that the court has an “active investigation,” commenting on the progress of investigations conducted by his office regarding war crimes that may have been committed in the Israeli war on Gaza.

Collect evidence

He added, "We are trying to collect evidence," and we will act when the evidence reaches the appropriate level, and this is a matter for the judges of the International Criminal Court to decide.

Khan stated that he made many statements and took many steps regarding the Israeli war on Gaza.

He said, "I was the first public prosecutor to go to Israel, enter Ramallah, and I went to the Rafah crossing."

The International Criminal Court, which was established in 2002, is the only independent court in the world established to investigate the most serious crimes, including genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.

In 2021, the court opened an investigation into Israel, the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), and other armed Palestinian factions on suspicion of possibly committing war crimes.

Khan previously indicated that this investigation “has expanded to include the escalation in hostilities and violence since the attacks that occurred on October 7, 2023.”

But ICC teams were unable to enter Gaza or conduct investigations in Israel, which is not part of the court.

For its part, at the end of last January, the International Court of Justice called on Israel to prevent committing any act that might amount to “genocide” in Gaza, and also called on it to allow humanitarian aid to reach the Strip.

The Palestinian resistance launched Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on October 7 on cities and towns surrounding the Gaza Strip, resulting in the killing of hundreds of Israelis, in response to the occupation’s incursions into Jerusalem and the West Bank.

Since then, the Israeli army has been waging a devastating war with American support on Gaza that, as of Wednesday, left 27,708 killed and 67,147 injured, most of them children and women, according to the Palestinian authorities, and caused massive destruction and an unprecedented humanitarian disaster, according to the United Nations.

The Palestinian resistance is engaged in fierce clashes with Israeli army forces south and west of Gaza City, north of the Strip, and in the vicinity of Nasser Medical Hospital in the city of Khan Yunis, which is witnessing intense battles in the south.

On Thursday, the Israeli war on Gaza entered its 125th day, as Israeli aircraft continued intense raids on various areas of the Strip, while Israeli artillery renewed its bombardment of residential areas and the vicinity of shelter centers.

The Israeli raids are particularly focused on Khan Yunis and Rafah governorates, amid the escalation of the humanitarian tragedy and the displacement of the vast majority of the Gaza Strip’s population, coinciding with renewed artillery shelling of populated areas, residential squares, apartments and infrastructure.

This comes as the Palestinian resistance is engaged in fierce clashes with Israeli army forces south and west of Gaza City, north of the Strip, and in the vicinity of Nasser Medical Hospital in the city of Khan Yunis, which is witnessing intense battles in the south.

In addition, Israeli forces continue to commit massacres against Palestinian civilians, which left dozens of dead and hundreds of injuries in the past 24 hours.

The Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip left 27,708 killed and 67,147 injured, most of them children and women, in addition to massive destruction and an unprecedented humanitarian disaster, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

In the context of Israeli losses, the Israeli army spokesman announced the death of an officer as a result of wounds he sustained in the Gaza battles, bringing the number of his announced deaths to 564 since October 7, 2023.

By Abdullah Aqrabawi

More than 10 days after receiving the “Paris meeting proposal,” the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) submitted its response to the proposed framework for stopping the aggression and exchanging prisoners, to mediators in Qatar and Egypt.

Hamas' response received a set of initial reactions, initiated by the Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, who said that Hamas' response "includes observations, but in general it is positive."

From Cairo, an Egyptian official reported that the response received by the Ministry of General Intelligence in Cairo reflects the positive spirit on the Palestinian side.

As for Washington, US President Joe Biden’s response was that Hamas’ response was “exaggerated,” while the Israeli side contented itself with announcing receipt of Hamas’ response. The Mossad’s comment stated, “Hamas’ response was received by the Qatari mediator, and its details are being studied in depth by all parties participating in the negotiations."

Response details

Al Jazeera had announced that it had obtained details of Hamas' response to the proposed framework for the truce agreement in Gaza, which it presented to the mediators yesterday, Wednesday.

Sources explained to Al Jazeera that the movement agreed to a framework agreement to reach a complete and sustainable ceasefire in 3 stages, each stage lasting 45 days, and including agreement on the exchange of prisoners and the bodies of the dead, ending the siege, and reconstruction.

Hamas demanded that the complete truce talks be completed before the start of the second phase, and that Israeli forces be ensured outside the borders of the Gaza Strip, and that the reconstruction process begin.

Signs and connotations

The first indication that emerged in Hamas' response to the proposed framework paper was the period of time the movement took to mature its response.

The period of more than a week indicates that Hamas did not submit its response under field or political pressure. It also engaged in in-depth and detailed internal and other dialogues with the resistance factions that included all the issues addressed in the framework paper.

The second indication lies in the ability to deal with the political interactions related to the war on Gaza and to confirm its presence as a political party leading the negotiations on the Palestinian side, something that the regional environment prevented during the summer 2014 war that Israel launched for nearly 50 days on the besieged Strip, where he headed the Palestinian delegation. The negotiator at that time was Azzam Al-Ahmad, representing the Palestine Liberation Organization.

At the same time, Hamas’s response to regional and international initiatives aimed at stopping the Israeli aggression on Gaza is determined by the movement - as stated in its response - to the central goal of a “comprehensive ceasefire.”

Hamas' response was expressed by "stopping military operations between the parties and achieving complete and sustainable calm."

Hamas had announced this position since the end of the last phase of the exchange deal sponsored by Doha and Cairo, under which a number of foreign detainees were released in addition to a group of Israeli women and children in exchange for temporary truces and the release of Palestinian women and children from occupation prisons.

Priority

Hamas's response indicates that this demand still occupies the main priority and that there will be no change in its position. In its response, the movement clarified its understanding of the ceasefire demand as a withdrawal of the Israeli army, a cessation of combat operations, and a halt to the flights of all types of aircraft.

Hamas's response also shows that it designed the attached appendix to the framework paper in a way that includes a guarantee that the movement will complete paths that it considers essential in order to accept the start of a qualitative exchange deal.

These paths are "the exchange of prisoners between the two parties, ending the siege on Gaza, reconstruction, the return of residents and displaced people to their homes, and providing shelter and relief requirements for all residents in all areas of the Gaza Strip."

Hamas aims to ensure that any step in the course of negotiations to stop the fire will be reflected in the Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel has placed them in very difficult circumstances.

With regard to the exchange of prisoners, Hamas was keen in its response to guarantee in the first phase the release of a specific number of Palestinian prisoners, including all prisoners in the occupation prisons, including women, children, the elderly (over 50 years of age) and the sick, who were arrested until the date of signing this agreement without exception. In addition to 1,500 Palestinian prisoners, Hamas nominates 500 of them to receive life sentences and high sentences.

Hamas's inclusion of the Al-Aqsa issue was in line with the goals of the "Al-Aqsa Flood" that it launched on October 7, 2023, and to confirm the importance of the issue and the validity of its narrative and intensify a national and Islamic issue that is subject to broad consensus.

Hamas's response also indicates that it was keen to include all issues under discussion by the parties and others related to the Palestinians and their rights. Its response was also detailed in response to the attempt at brevity sought by the “Framework Paper” issued by the Paris meeting.

In this regard, Hamas has taken the initiative to place its “detailed” response under discussion and discussion in what may sometimes be considered an explanation of the framework paper and an alternative to it in another angle.

The effects of Hamas’ response on Netanyahu’s position

It is clear that Hamas is well aware of the extent of the complications surrounding the Prime Minister of the occupying State, Benjamin Netanyahu, who is stuck between his position of rejecting the ceasefire in order to avoid facing investigation committees and corruption courts, and the position of his allies from the National Religious Movement and Religious Zionism, led by Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, who do not hide The principle of "blackmail" by which they impose their program on Netanyahu.

On the other hand, the voices of the members of the War Council who have joined the government since October 7, led by Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot, are besieging Netanyahu with their repeated demands that Netanyahu must answer the major questions related to the war.

These positions are summed up in pushing for a deal to exchange detainees at a high price, and the decision on who will control Gaza the day after the war, in addition to formulating a vision for the future Palestinian Authority, and deciding on the northern front, and the return of the residents of the north and south to their homes.

Amid this environment in the government and the war council, opposition leader Yair Lapid is exerting pressure on Netanyahu in a different way with his offers to join the government and providing everything necessary for Netanyahu to conclude an exchange deal, as attention turns to the escalating demonstrations carried out by the families of the prisoners to demand their release.

Demands for de-escalation

Although the American position expressed by the leadership of the administration rejects the ceasefire and replaces it with long truces, the Biden administration is willing, through its movements in the region, to return to reducing escalation and calm in the hands of its preparations for the most important elections in its history at the end of the year.

American fear increases as the month of Ramadan approaches, which usually witnesses an Israeli escalation in Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque, resulting in a Palestinian reaction, the form and duration of which may differ this year in light of the genocide and massacres committed by Israel in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas developed its response amidst this complex and sensitive environment surrounding Netanyahu, and it realizes that the details of its response, individually and together, constitute detonators and a minefield that makes the situation more difficult for Netanyahu.

In the press conference yesterday, Netanyahu seemed stuck in his position and repeated the same statements about the necessity of eliminating Hamas above all else. This has become the subject of widespread skepticism.

Four months after the aggression on Gaza, the occupation Prime Minister is searching for a way out of his crisis, either by surrendering himself to his extremist allies, to the corruption courts, or to Hamas’ conditions.

Source: Al Jazeera

An opinion poll published by Reuters showed that 51% of participants believe that the recovery of prisoners in Gaza should be the first goal of the war.

The poll showed that only 36% of participants believe that the goal of the war should be to overthrow the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).

The US State Department announced that Secretary of State Anthony Blinken discussed "the benefits of revitalizing the Palestinian Authority" during his meeting yesterday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah.

The ministry said in a statement published on its website: “Blinken met today (Wednesday) in Ramallah with Abbas, and conveyed the United States’ commitment to increasing the delivery of life-saving humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza.”

It reported that "Blinken affirmed the United States' support for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state as the best path to achieving lasting peace and security for Palestinians and Israelis alike. He also discussed the benefits of revitalizing the Palestinian Authority."

The minister stressed the United States' rejection of any forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza.

The official Israeli channel "Kan 11" revealed in its evening news, yesterday, Wednesday, that US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken received assurances during his meetings with the Israeli political leadership that Tel Aviv will not move in Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip, and the Philadelphia border axis (Salah al-Din axis) without  complete coordination with Egypt.

Netanyahu announced in his statements yesterday evening, Wednesday, that he had issued instructions to the Israeli army to move in Rafah.

According to the Israeli channel, Blinken expressed his concern about the upcoming operation in Rafah and whether civilian casualties could be reduced, and the message he heard came: “There will be no operation in Rafah when many people are there, and we are working to find a solution to evacuate the population.” Blinken also asked the Israeli Prime Minister to find a solution to the issue of preventing humanitarian aid from entering Gaza through the Kerem Shalom crossing.

The evening news of Kan 11 reported, “It does not seem that the operation in Rafah will be carried out any time soon. First of all, civilians will have to be evacuated, as Israel will not be able to act at a time when there are 1.2 million Gazans in the area, and the question is - According to the same source, where can the residents of Rafah be evacuated to? “Because returning to the northern Gaza Strip is not something Israel wants. The second matter, which is no less complicated, is coordination with Egypt.”

In recent days, Israel has held discussions with Egypt regarding the issue of the next day after the end of the war on Gaza. From the Israeli side, the talks were led by the head of the Shin Bet, Ronen Bar, and the coordinator of Israeli government activities, Ghassan Alyan.

Israel believes that Egypt is the most important factor the day after the end of the war, because Egypt is the only land entry and exit gateway to Gaza, and it acts as an influential and important factor in the Arab world.

Cairo announced late last month that any Israeli move towards occupying the Philadelphia Axis would lead to a serious and serious threat to Egyptian-Israeli relations. This came in the wake of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's talk about the necessity of controlling the axis completely, as he said, "The Philadelphia axis must be under our control. It must be closed. It is clear that any other arrangement will not guarantee the disarmament we seek."

It should be noted that in September 2005, after 18 months of negotiations, Egypt and Israel signed the “Philadelphia Agreement,” which allowed the presence of Egyptian forces with light weapons in the region. The agreement revolved around the two parties assuming responsibility for “combatting hostile activities related to smuggling, infiltration and terrorism from any territory of the two countries."

Source: Al Jazeera + Israeli press

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken considered on Wednesday that there was still “place for an agreement” between Israel and Hamas, after strongly worded statements made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Blinken said, "There are things that are clearly unacceptable in Hamas' response. We believe that this makes room for reaching an agreement, and we are working on that tirelessly until it is reached."

At the same time, Blinken said Wednesday that he warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government against actions that inflame tensions.

“In my conversations today with the prime minister and senior officials, I also raised our deep concerns about actions and statements, including from government officials, that are fueling tensions that undermine international support and impose greater restrictions on Israel’s security,” Blinken told reporters.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that complete victory in Gaza was within reach, and stressed that his government had not committed to any promises regarding the deal proposed by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) for a ceasefire, pointing out that negotiations were still continuing.

During a press conference held on Wednesday, Netanyahu renewed his pledge to continue the war until Hamas is eliminated, indicating that achieving Israeli goals in this war is a matter of months, and that there is no going back from victory in it.

The US Secretary of State had called earlier Wednesday, after his meeting with Netanyahu and prominent Israeli officials in Tel Aviv, for “a commitment to do everything in our power to deliver the necessary aid to those who most need it, and the steps that are being taken and the additional steps that must be taken.” "It is the focus of my meetings here."

Blinken continued, "I visited Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Egypt, and I believe that there is a very positive future in which Israel integrates into the region, addresses its security concerns, and achieves the ambitions of the Palestinian people."

Blinken expressed his hope of reaching an agreement to liberate prisoners held by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and the rest of the Palestinian factions, but Israeli media said that Netanyahu informed him that Israel would not end the war on Gaza before eliminating Hamas.

Source: Al Jazeera + agencies

Today, Wednesday, US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, expressed his concern about imminent Israeli military action in the Palestinian city of Rafah, located on the Egyptian border.

On Wednesday evening, Israeli Channel 13 quoted Blinken during his meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying that every day, until the end of his life, he will ask himself daily about the children of Gaza who were killed without fault.

For his part, Netanyahu commented on the statements of the US Secretary of State, which came during his visit to Tel Aviv as part of a shuttle tour that included several countries, including Egypt, that responsibility for the killing of these children belongs to the leadership of the Hamas movement.

For its part, the Israeli channel explained on its website that it was shocked by Anthony Blinken's unprecedented statement regarding the children of Gaza.

Earlier today, Wednesday, Netanyahu’s office rejected US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken’s request to hold a private meeting with the Chief of Staff of the Israeli Army, General Herzi Halevy, as the Israeli newspaper “Israel Hayom” explained that Netanyahu rejected Blinken’s request during his visit to Tel Aviv, It requires holding a private meeting with General Halevy.

The newspaper quoted a prominent Israeli political official - which it did not name - that meeting with a foreign minister of military rank without the presence of a political official is unacceptable in relations between countries. The Israeli official commented on this matter, saying, "Israel is not a banana republic."

In a related context, Israeli media reported, today, Wednesday, that US President Joe Biden expressed his concern about the presence of 1.2 million Palestinians in the city of Rafah alone, as Israeli Channel 12 confirmed that Blinken had conveyed to Benjamin Netanyahu, during their joint meeting, in Earlier today, Biden feared the presence of 1.2 million Palestinians in the city of Rafah alone.

The channel noted on its website that the American President had expressed his annoyance or lack of understanding about how more than 1.2 million Palestinians could be evacuated from the city of Rafah alone, if the Israeli army attacked the city, which is located near the Egyptian border.

The Palestinian Prisoners' Club said that the number of administrative detainees in Israeli prisons reached 3,484 detainees as of the end of last January, including at least 40 children and 11 women.

The Prisoners' Club pointed out, in a statement issued this evening, Wednesday, to the significant increase in the number of administrative detainees, explaining that this number was not actually recorded even in the years of the first intifada that broke out in 1987.

The Club noted that the crime of administrative detention is the most prominent change in the level of detention operations in the West Bank, indicating that since the beginning of the comprehensive Israeli aggression against our people in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank on the seventh of last October, the Israeli authorities have issued more than 3,400 administrative detention orders (between new and renewal orders), and the month of November recorded the highest rate of issuance of administrative detention orders, amounting to 1,120 arrest orders.

The Club added that the number of administrative detainees as of the end of January reached 3,484 detainees, and the majority of those against whom the occupation issued administrative detention orders were those who were arrested after October 7, through which the occupation targeted all groups, including children, women, activists and journalists. , and representatives, noting that the number of detainees before October 7 reached approximately 1,320 detainees.

The Club explained that the number of children in administrative detention reached at least 40 children, the number of female administrative detainees reached 11, and the number of journalists who were transferred to administrative detention reached 21 journalists, including a female journalist.

The Palestinian Prisoners' Club said that the Israeli authorities use the policy of arbitrary administrative detention as a policy of oppression and control against the Palestinians, as Israel resorts to arresting Palestinians under the name of administrative detention, under the pretext of what it calls the "secret file."

In these hours, the State of Israel is struggling to achieve three decisive goals that are shaking it severely and degrading it to a level it has never known before: eliminating Hamas’ rule in the Gaza Strip; Freeing those kidnapped from Hamas captivity; restoring security and calm to the residents of the north.

What is meant is a reality the likes of which the state has not known since its establishment. During the past 76 years of its existence, the State of Israel has witnessed many difficult wars, crises and unrest. But we were fortunate that we had governments at the time, some good, others less good, that knew how to lead the country towards a much better reality.

The problem is that the State of Israel is now governed by a failed government, which lacks the capabilities to lead the state in the current situation. A government that does not enjoy a majority among the people, the majority of whom want to replace it as soon as possible. A government, whose president and his ruling party are caught between the clutches of their extremist partners who are tightening the noose around their necks and directing them according to their extremist doctrine, which would undermine the state due to irresponsible and delusional behavior.

What is painful about this difficult reality is that wherever you look, you do not find a possible way out of it or a solution. Elections during the war, while our soldiers are on the southern and northern fronts, are not on the table. Forming a pragmatic and effective national emergency government with the participation of the “There is a Future” and “Israel Our Home” parties, at the initiative of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is a dream far from reality, because it is clear that Netanyahu prefers to put his political future before the future of the state, and he is not ready to separate from his extremist partners who, for him, represent the stake of salvation.

On the other hand, whoever is looking for manifestations of national and civic responsibility and loyalty to the state among Likud Knesset members, it will be difficult for him to find an honest person among them who will say, “Enough, this behavior is offensive to the state.”

Meanwhile, we can see how the feeling of “together we win” [the war slogan] is beginning to dissipate. In the first days of the war, we felt it, and it created the impression that the events of the past year, such as the attempts to advance the judicial coup and the demonstrations against it, were behind us. But it is clear that the polarization within the people remains the same, and has even become more severe. The spread of conspiracies and lies about the Shin Bet’s intention to overthrow Netanyahu, and the talk about the phone call between Shikma Pressler’s husband and Sinwar, on the eve of the war, in addition to the attacks on the Chief of Staff, the Commander of the Central Region and others, prove that unity, calm and tranquility will not prevail here, even after the end of this war and achieving goals.

If we once talked about two states for two peoples as a solution to the Palestinian problem, it seems that after this war, we will be forced to talk seriously about two states for one people, a people divided, polarized and trapped...

Anyone who tries to search for the roots of the phenomenon, and for a solution to the difficult problem into which the state has deteriorated, and which is destroying everything that was built in it with blood, effort and tears over the years, will reach one conclusion, which is that the emerging situation and the trap in which we are stuck was created by one person, Benjamin Netanyahu. He held office for many years, and most of the time, he turned a blind eye, made promises that could not be fulfilled, and criminally neglected many areas. Netanyahu's main concern was to preserve his survival and glorify his name. He never admitted mistakes and shortcomings, and knew how to find those to blame when the situation was difficult and painful.

A prime minister who, in order to maintain his political survival, allied himself with extremist factions of the people who are on the margins of Israeli society, which led to their control over the agenda of the Israeli state. Because of it, Israel turned into an extremist and religious state.

The bulk of Netanyahu's supporters agree with these facts. All those who supported him for years and elected him, and like the entire people of Israel, stand today, in fear, in the face of this terrible collapse.