Russia has begun withdrawing significant amounts of military equipment and troops from Syria after the fall of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, according to U.S. officials and a Western official familiar with the intelligence.

Officials described the Russian withdrawal as "large-scale" and significant, and said it began last week, but it is not clear whether it will be permanent, the officials told CNN.

US and Western intelligence indicate that Russian officials were trying to determine whether Hayat Tahrir al-Sham was open to some kind of negotiated settlement that would allow Russia to remain in some of its key bases, according to the sources.

These bases include the Russian Hmeimim air base in Latakia, and the port of Tartus.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said at a news conference last week that Russia was in contact with militants in Damascus.

"We have to maintain contact with those who control the situation on the ground because, as I mentioned, we have facilities and personnel there," he said.

Two US officials said the Russians had begun moving naval assets from Syria to Libya.

The official said that if they do not obtain a base in a Libyan port, and if they are forced to abandon Tartus in Syria, the Russians will be left without a Mediterranean port to project their power on NATO's southern flank.

The defense official said that losing Tartus, even temporarily, would make it difficult for Russia to move weapons between Russia and Africa.

CNN reported last week that Russia appeared to be loading and preparing aircraft to leave its military bases in Syria, according to satellite images captured by Maxar on Friday.

Five citizens, including two women, were killed and others were injured on Monday evening in an Israeli bombardment that targeted a residential apartment in the Intelligence District northwest of Gaza City, and a house in the Sabra neighborhood south of the governorate.

In a similar bombing, two citizens were killed and others were injured, when a house belonging to the Qazaat family was targeted in the Sabra neighborhood, south of Gaza Governorate.

Earlier this evening, 4 citizens were killed and 15 others were injured when the Israeli occupation forces bombed a group of citizens in Aaydiya Street in Al-Shati camp, west of Gaza City.

The occupation forces have continued their aggression on the Gaza Strip by air, land and sea since October 7, 2023, which has led to the death of 45,028 citizens and the injury of 106,962 citizens, in an incomplete toll with thousands of martyrs still under the rubble.

A young man from Askar refugee camp was martyred after being shot by Israeli occupation forces on Monday evening during their raid east of Nablus.

Local sources reported that the occupation forces stormed the popular housing area and Askar Hill east of the city with several military vehicles, and fired live bullets, sound bombs and tear gas, which led to the martyrdom of the young man Muhammad Yasser Abu Kishk (18 years old) who succumbed to his critical injury from live bullets. The occupation forces also assaulted a citizen.

Sources in the Palestinian Red Crescent Society reported that the young man Abu Kishk was shot by live occupation bullets in the Talat Askar area east of Nablus, where the occupation forces prevented ambulance crews from approaching him to treat him, and he died as a martyr from his injuries.

Later, ambulance crews transferred the martyr Abu Kishk to Rafidia Hospital.

Israeli sources revealed growing optimism about reaching a deal to release the hostages in Gaza, which could lead to an agreement with Hamas in the coming weeks or days.

According to estimates, the deal will include a ceasefire for about a month and a half, the release of dozens of Israeli hostages, and the release of hundreds of Palestinian detainees.

The new agreement will also specify the mechanisms that will ensure supervision of the return of Gaza residents to the northern part of the Strip, according to Israeli sources.

According to reports, Hamas agreed to a "reduced" Israeli military presence along the axes, including the Philadelphi corridor, although no precise details were provided regarding the size of the forces that would remain.

Channel 14 Israel published the new details:

• The release of dozens of Israeli prisoners in exchange for 700 to 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in batches.
• Among the Palestinian prisoners to be released are prisoners with "high life sentences."
• 60-day ceasefire.
• The return of the displaced to the northern Gaza Strip according to a security system that will supervise this.
• The implementation of the agreement will be in simultaneous stages by both parties to ensure compliance.

Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz revealed on Monday that a ceasefire agreement in Gaza and the return of the hostages were closer than ever, and called for not sharing the details.

"There will be an overwhelming majority in favor of the deal on the table and we are the closest we have ever been to it," Katz said in a closed meeting with Knesset members.

He stressed that "it is better to talk as little as possible."

Israel is seeking, through mediators, to locate the remains of spy Eli Cohen, an Israeli soldier who was reported missing after disappearing in Syria in 1982, a Palestinian official said, preferring to remain anonymous.

The Palestinian official confirmed on Monday that "we were contacted through mediators in order to help find the remains of a third Israeli soldier who went missing in 1982."

The official, who is currently residing in Damascus, added, "There are other contacts to find out the location of the remains of the well-known Israeli agent, Eli Cohen," according to what was reported by "Agence France-Presse."

Another Palestinian official, who also preferred to remain anonymous, said that the mediation is taking place through Russia and with Palestinian officials outside Syria.

Israel has been trying for many years to find out the location of the remains of the spy Eli Cohen, who was hanged in Damascus in 1965 after he succeeded in infiltrating Syria's elite society in the early 1960s.

In the summer of 2018, the Hebrew state announced that it had recovered Cohen's watch, which was part of his "false Arab identity," thanks to a "special operation carried out by the Mossad in an enemy state."

At the time, information circulated about negotiations being conducted by Israel with Russia, an ally of the Syrian regime, in order to recover other personal belongings of Cohen, and even his remains.

In 2019, Israel released two Syrian prisoners, after recovering via Russia the remains of Israeli soldier Zachary Baumel, who had been missing since 1982 in Lebanon.

Baumel was lost in a battle between Israeli and Syrian forces near the Lebanese village of Sultan Yacoub, close to the border with Syria, in June 1982, after the Israeli army invaded Lebanon.

This evening, Monday, a number of citizens suffered from suffocation, after the Israeli occupation forces stormed the town of Qusra, south of Nablus.

Local sources reported that the occupation forces stormed the town amidst the firing of bullets, toxic gas and sound bombs, which led to the outbreak of clashes in the area, and the suffocation of a number of citizens.

The village is constantly exposed to repeated raids by occupation soldiers, which lead to the outbreak of confrontations, during which citizens are injured by live bullets and suffocation.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) said on Monday that its supplies of baby milk are almost finished in the Gaza Strip, putting the lives of more than 8,500 infants at risk.

The agency indicated in a post on the "X" platform that only 6 boxes of baby milk are left, while about 8,500 infants in the sector depend on them to obtain milk.

UNRWA stressed that the shortage of supplies is endangering the lives of infants and more than 200,000 people who depend on its services in the Gaza Strip.

It said that about 19,000 children in the Gaza Strip were hospitalized due to severe malnutrition during the past four months, stressing that the number has doubled from what it was at the beginning of this year.

Aid to Gaza remains near an all-time low a month after the United States said it would not halt arms transfers to Israel because it had seen "some progress" in enabling humanitarian aid to reach the devastated enclave, the Financial Times reported on Monday.

Washington said at the time (12/11/2024) that it expected Israel to work to improve conditions for Palestinians in the blockaded territory. But humanitarian officials say conditions have worsened, with looting choking off supplies at a key aid access point and Israeli forces killing Palestinians guarding convoys against theft.

About 1,700 trucks have entered the Strip this month through December 12, according to U.N. data, just over 100 more than the previous month, when aid deliveries reached their lowest levels since the start of Israel's war with Hamas.

“It got to the point where we were lucky if we could get half a truck in,” said Louise Waterridge, UNRWA’s emergency officer in Gaza. “People can’t have a day where they just know: ‘My family is going to eat.’”

Central and southern Gaza, where most of the population now lives, have faced increasing hunger. Desperate Palestinians have stormed bakeries, some even being crushed to death. Three people suffocated in a food queue in central Gaza on 29 November.

Flour is so scarce that a single bag costs $162, according to a joint report by more than a dozen aid groups including Save the Children and the International Rescue Committee published on Dec. 13.

On October 13, the US secretaries of state and defense wrote to the Israeli government, which controls all crossings into Gaza, giving it 30 days to “increase all forms of humanitarian assistance” to the Strip and “end the isolation of northern Gaza” immediately, warning that military aid could be at risk if conditions did not improve.

A month later, the United States said it would not withhold military aid, saying it had seen "some progress," despite warnings from aid groups that conditions were deteriorating.

Aid workers said most of the little food that does enter the Strip is stolen because Israel only allows aid trucks to follow routes rife with looting by organized gangs.

Meanwhile, Israel regularly blocks or delays humanitarian missions from reaching Gaza, with all UN attempts to deliver aid to the besieged north denied or obstructed between November 13 and December 10, the report said.

The United States has pointed to Israel's opening of the Kissufim crossing into central Gaza as a sign of improvement, but only 67 trucks entered through there last month. Looting has also hampered deliveries there.

“It is not enough for Israel to drop aid at the border and open one gate,” Bushra Khalidi, Oxfam’s head of policy, told the newspaper. “They need to open all land routes simultaneously and ensure protection for the unfettered response of aid inside Gaza as well.”

UNRWA halted aid deliveries through the Kerem Shalom crossing, the main entry point for humanitarian aid into the southern and central Gaza Strip, on December 1 after looting made it impossible to operate. The World Food Programme had already suspended aid pickups at the crossing.

A senior UN official told the Financial Times that subsequent US pressure may have prompted Israel to allow the organisations to take an alternative route into Gaza from the Kerem Shalom crossing.

Four senior humanitarian officials and a Palestinian transport official said aid convoys on the alternative route had reached their destinations with unprecedented success for two days.

They said a convoy of more than 100 trucks reached their destination without any being looted on Wednesday night after community members lined the streets to protect the aid from thieves.

But the next day, before a third convoy was due to set off, Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinians planning to provide protection for the trucks, four humanitarian officials and a Palestinian transport official said.

Two aid workers said at least 20 people were killed. Only one of more than 70 trucks in the convoy made it through, while the rest were looted. Asked about the incident, the Israel Defense Forces said it had struck Hamas operatives who were planning to steal the aid trucks.

"The IDF continues to operate with precision against the Hamas terrorist organization and takes every measure to minimize harm to uninvolved civilians, and will continue to act in accordance with international law to enable and facilitate the transfer of humanitarian aid to the residents of the Gaza Strip," he said.

The Israeli military body responsible for humanitarian affairs in Gaza, known as COGAT, did not respond to questions about humanitarian aid and looting.

The Israeli occupation forces are preparing to deploy dozens of weapons systems throughout the occupied West Bank that can be operated automatically or remotely.

According to a report from the Libertarian Institute in Washington, the Samson autonomous weapons stations will be deployed at dozens of checkpoints, entrances to settlements and key control points. This will be the first deployment of the system capable of firing lethal shots without human intervention.

The Israeli occupation army has previously used the "Samson" system, which can fire 5.56 mm, 7.62 mm and 12.7 mm bullets, BMG 50 mm machine guns, 40 mm automatic grenade launchers, and anti-tank missiles on the Israeli border with Gaza.

Since October 7, 2023, Israel has carried out a large number of military operations in the West Bank, killing more than 800 Palestinians. The occupation authorities have also intensified their expansion of Jewish settlements and the destruction of Palestinian homes in the occupied territories.

Israel’s policy of increasing raids, building Israeli settlements and demolishing homes has led to more conflict between armed Palestinians and the occupation forces. Some Israeli officials have discussed Tel Aviv’s move to annex the West Bank during the incoming Donald Trump administration. “2025 will be, with God’s help, the year of sovereignty in Judea and Samaria,” Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said, using the biblical name for the West Bank. He added that he had “no doubt that President Trump, who has shown courage and determination in his decisions in his first term, will support the State of Israel in this move.”

An Israeli drone raided the outskirts of the town of Najjariyah in southern Lebanon this afternoon (Monday), wounding three people.

Israeli forces blew up and destroyed a number of houses in the town of Naqoura in southern Lebanon. An Israeli drone raided a valley on the outskirts of the southern town of Najariyeh.

Israeli forces also blew up houses in the town of Naqoura in southern Lebanon, while Israeli tanks entered the town. An Israeli infantry force combed the town of Naqoura with heavy machine guns from midnight last night until noon today, according to the official Lebanese National News Agency.

The Public Health Emergency Operations Center of the Ministry of Public Health announced in a statement that the Israeli raid carried out by a drone on the town of Al-Najariyah in Sidon District, "resulted in the injury of three people."

It is noteworthy that US President Joe Biden had announced on November 26 a ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel. The ceasefire began to be implemented at dawn the next day. Israel has been violating the ceasefire agreement on a daily basis since it came into effect.

Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa and the European Union Representative Alexander Stutzmann chaired the 7th meeting of the European-Palestinian Investment Platform today, Monday, at the Prime Minister’s Office in Ramallah, in the presence of representatives of Palestinian and European public institutions, as well as the Palestinian private and banking sectors, to discuss investment opportunities through various European instruments.

The Prime Minister pointed out the government's priorities during the coming period, which are enhancing relief and humanitarian efforts for our people in the Gaza Strip, restoring basic services, early recovery and reconstruction immediately after the aggression stops, achieving financial and economic stability, in addition to institutional reform and the development and improvement program in order to raise the level of services and develop it.

Mustafa said: “This platform is a good example of cooperation with international partners and the private sector, and we want to enhance cooperation and support international partners and friends in the next stage, once the aggression against our people stops, to implement the comprehensive plan for the reconstruction of Palestine.”

For his part, the European Union Representative Alexander Stutzmann said: “In these difficult political and economic times, the European Union confirms its strong commitment to supporting the Palestinian government and people’s programme to achieve economic recovery and stability, and to continue supporting reform efforts.”

“The Palestinian Financial Sustainability Initiative is a concrete step toward empowering the Palestinian private sector and creating opportunities for economic recovery across the occupied Palestinian territory, enhancing access to finance for Palestinian small, medium and micro enterprises, with a focus on Area C, East Jerusalem and, when conditions permit, the Gaza Strip, which continues to face a dire humanitarian and economic situation. However, sustainable economic development cannot be fully achieved without a political solution,” Stutzman added.

“The European Union remains steadfast in its support for a two-state solution with an independent, viable and sovereign Palestinian state, and that economic progress and a political solution go hand in hand, and today’s investment is a testament to our belief that promoting stability and growth is an essential part of this vision,” he continued.

The European Union and the European Investment Bank, together with the Palestine Monetary Authority, signed a €28.3 million agreement to support the Palestinian Financial Sustainability Initiative and finance Palestinian small, medium and micro enterprises, with a focus on Area C, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip.

The initiative confirms the commitment of the European Union and the European Investment Bank to support the government’s efforts to stabilize the Palestinian economy in the current difficult situation, in line with the Palestinian government’s reform agenda. The Palestinian private sector in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip will directly benefit from this initiative, which will also contribute to the recovery and growth of the Palestinian economy, while confirming the European Union’s engagement in supporting the reconstruction and economy in Gaza, as soon as this becomes possible.

The EU-Palestine Investment Platform serves as a collaborative mechanism to identify and promote investment opportunities, leverage the EU External Investment Plan and mobilize public and private finance for Palestine’s development priorities. In this context, the EU, its Member States and European financial institutions have contributed nearly €1.15 billion in ongoing loans and innovative financial instruments to vital sectors of the Palestinian economy since its launch in December 2020 as an EU-Palestine collaborative initiative.

Türkiye on Monday denounced an Israeli plan to double the population of the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, describing it as an attempt to "expand its borders."

A statement from the Turkish Foreign Ministry said: “We strongly condemn Israel’s decision to expand illegal settlements in the Golan Heights, occupied since 1967. This decision represents a new stage in Israel’s goal of expanding its borders through occupation.”

She added, according to Agence France-Presse, that "Israel's current steps seriously undermine efforts to establish peace and stability in Syria, and exacerbate tensions in the region. The international community must respond."

In the same context, Germany urged Israel, on Monday, to "abandon" the plan to double the population of the occupied Golan Heights in southwestern Syria.

"It is absolutely clear, under international law, that this area under Israeli control belongs to Syria, and that Israel is therefore an occupying power," said German Foreign Ministry spokesman Christian Wagner.

He added that Berlin calls on Israel to "abandon this plan" announced by the Israeli government on Sunday.

The Israeli government approved a plan on Sunday to double the population of the Golan Heights, but indicated that it did not want to enter into a conflict with Syria, after it took control of the buffer zone where the United Nations is deployed, following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime.

Israel occupied most of the Golan Heights in 1967 and declared its annexation in 1981, in a move recognized only by the United States.

In 2019, during Donald Trump's first presidential term, the United States became the only country to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan.

Former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said in his first statements since the fall of his regime that he did not leave Syria "in a planned manner" and "did not seek asylum" in Russia.

In a statement published on the presidency’s account, which appears to still be affiliated with the former regime, the account published, on Monday, a statement attributed to Assad, who fled to Syria as opposition forces advanced and entered Damascus on December 8.

The introduction to the statement read: “After several unsuccessful attempts to publish this statement through Arab and foreign media, the only available method was to publish it on the social media platforms of the former presidency.”

Assad said in the statement: "I did not leave the country in a planned manner as was rumored, nor did I leave during the last hours of the battles," noting that he remained in Damascus "pursuing his responsibilities until the early hours of Sunday morning."

He added: "With the expansion of terrorism inside Damascus, I moved in coordination with my Russian friends to Latakia to follow up on the combat operations from there. After moving to Hmeimim, it became clear that the forces had withdrawn from all the fighting lines and that the last army positions had fallen," he said.

He added that with the "deterioration of the field situation in that area and the escalation of the attack on the Russian base itself with drones, and in light of the impossibility of leaving the base in any direction, Moscow asked the base leadership to work on an immediate evacuation to Russia on Sunday evening, that is, the day after the fall of Damascus and after the fall of the last military sites and the subsequent paralysis of the rest of the state institutions."

He added, "During those events, neither he nor any party raised the issue of asylum or resignation, and the option presented was to continue fighting in defense of the terrorist attack."

Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz claimed on Monday that an agreement to exchange prisoners and ceasefire in the Gaza Strip is close.

"We are the closest to a significant deal since the previous deal," Israel's Army Radio quoted Katz as saying in a closed meeting of the parliamentary Foreign Affairs and Security Committee, referring to the first deal that began on November 24, 2023, and lasted 7 days.

Katz added: "The kidnapped are the first target of the war for us. We will do everything to bring them back. We support reaching an agreement, even if it is partial."

Israeli media outlets have indicated in recent days that there has been progress in indirect talks with Hamas in order to reach an agreement.

On the other hand, Israel's Channel 12 said that Katz will meet later today in Israel with Adam Boehler, US President-elect Donald Trump's special envoy for hostage affairs.

Israeli media reported in recent days that Trump wants a prisoner exchange agreement and a ceasefire in Gaza before he officially assumes his duties as President of the United States of America on January 20.

On Saturday, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan claimed that a prisoner exchange deal between Israel and Hamas was close to being reached, without official confirmation from Israel or Hamas.

In turn, Hamas confirmed, on Saturday, in a statement issued on the occasion of the 37th anniversary of its founding, that it would continue its "great" efforts to stop the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, saying that it "dealt with all initiatives with positivity and high responsibility."

She stressed her openness to "any serious and real initiatives to stop the aggression and crimes of the occupation against our people, while firmly adhering to the rights, principles and aspirations of our people, and loyalty to the blood of the martyrs and their sacrifices."

While the movement did not comment on allegations published by the Hebrew news website Walla, quoting two Israeli officials, who said that "Tel Aviv presented Hamas, last week, with an updated proposal for an agreement to release some of the remaining 100 hostages (Israeli prisoners) it is holding and to begin a ceasefire in Gaza."

"Israeli officials also claimed that Hamas has shown greater willingness to be flexible and begin implementing even a partial deal," according to the website.

Hamas has repeatedly confirmed its readiness to conclude a prisoner exchange and ceasefire agreement. Last May, it agreed to a proposal put forward by US President Joe Biden, but Netanyahu backed down and put forward new impossible conditions, including the continuation of the war and the failure to withdraw the Israeli army from Gaza.

Israel estimates that there are 100 prisoners being held in the Gaza Strip, while Hamas has announced that dozens of them have been killed in random Israeli raids.

The opposition and the families of the Israeli prisoners accuse Netanyahu of obstructing reaching an agreement, in order to preserve his position and government, as extremist ministers, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, threaten to withdraw from the government and bring it down if a complete end to the war is accepted.

With American support, Israel has been committing genocide in Gaza since October 7, 2023, leaving more than 151,000 Palestinians dead and wounded, most of them children and women, and more than 11,000 missing, amid massive destruction and famine that killed dozens of children and the elderly, in one of the worst humanitarian disasters in the world.

Today, Monday, the Israeli occupation authorities seized 47 dunums of Qalqilya land for the expansion of a settlement road.

Local sources said that the lands targeted for seizure are located between the city of Qalqilya and the village of Habla to the south, and that the occupation aims to expand the settlement road that serves the "Alfei Menashe" settlement, which is located on the lands of the villages of: Habla, Wadi al-Rasha, Ras Atiya, al-Dabaa, and Ras Tira, south of Qalqilya.

According to the Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission, the occupation authorities seized 177 dunums of citizens’ lands in Salfit and Nablus last November through two military orders. The first was an expropriation order that targeted 166 dunums of Salfit Governorate lands, while the second order targeted Nablus Governorate lands through a declaration of state lands that targeted 10 dunums of Burin village lands.

The Norwegian Refugee Council has confirmed that nearly one million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are facing the harsh winter without adequate shelter, with their suffering increasing in tents that do not provide protection from the cold and rain. The Strip is suffering from a shelter crisis, as only 23% of shelter needs have been met this fall, leaving many families vulnerable to harsh weather conditions.

According to a report by the Shelter Palestine group, an estimated 2,000 truckloads of tents or 200 truckloads of winter insulation are needed to provide basic protection for 1.13 million displaced Palestinians. By late November, only 285,000 displaced people had received shelter materials, while the ongoing Israeli military operation in the northern Gaza Strip since October has displaced an additional 100,000 Palestinians, bringing the total number of people in need of shelter to 945,000.

A winter storm in late November hit many displacement sites, flooding tents and makeshift shelters, forcing many families to relocate. For example, in the Deir al-Balah area in southern Gaza, one displaced Palestinian in the Deir al-Balah area in southern Gaza reported, “We woke up to find water flooding our tents, and our children were sleeping when the water reached them. We are now facing a lake of water, and we have no help.”

The blockade on Gaza has reduced the entry of basic shelter materials, with priority given to flour to combat famine. With Gate 96 being used as the main aid route, many families have been deprived of essential winter supplies.

As a result of the increasing needs and repeated displacement, many families left behind the supplies they received from relief organizations, damaging tents and other aid. Of the aid that reached Gaza between 1 September and 25 November, only 123 trucks, an average of 10 trucks per week, were delivered, most of which contained non-winter items such as mattresses and blankets, which were insufficient to meet the dire situation.

In this context, the head of the shelter cluster in Palestine, Euron Kwangir, urged donor governments to pressure Israel to allow the entry of essential shelter materials and ensure access for humanitarian workers to affected areas.

Call for immediate action

The Shelter in Palestine group called for urgent action to address the shelter crisis, warning that delays in providing essential supplies would put the lives of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians at risk amid harsh winter conditions.

The report mentioned some of the main facts about the conditions of the people of the Gaza Strip in light of the war of extermination waged by Israel with American support since October 7, 2023:

1.9 million internally displaced Palestinians live in the Gaza Strip.

There are 101 displacement sites in the southern Gaza Valley that are threatened by flooding.

Only 23% of winter shelter needs have been met.

Temperatures in Gaza can drop to 6 degrees Celsius, with up to 53 cm of rainfall in winter.

There is a high risk of hypothermia and other serious illnesses, according to the World Health Organization.

Although Article 59 of the Fourth Geneva Convention stipulates that Israel, as an occupying power, must facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians in the occupied territories, it continues to prevent aid from entering Gaza under a suffocating blockade and a genocidal war.

Medical sources announced today, Monday, that the death toll in the Gaza Strip has risen to 45,028, the majority of whom are children and women, since the start of the Israeli occupation aggression on October 7, 2023.

According to local sources, the number of injuries has risen to 106,962 since the start of the aggression, while thousands of victims are still under the rubble.

The sources indicated that the occupation forces committed 7 massacres, which resulted in the death of 52 citizens and the injury of 203 others.

Major Spanish cities witnessed protests on Saturday and Sunday against the sale of weapons to Israel, during which protesters called for imposing sanctions on Tel Aviv due to its crimes in the Gaza Strip.

According to local sources, the protests included Spanish coastal cities such as Barcelona, Valencia and Cartagena, as well as the capital, Madrid.

The Spaniards took to the streets in response to the call of two non-governmental organizations, the Solidarity Network Against the Occupation of Palestine and the Palestinian Resistance Group, demanding an end to the sale of weapons that fuel the genocide that Israel has been waging in Gaza for more than a year.

In the Madrid protest, protesters gathered in front of the US embassy building and marched to the Ministry of Defense building, carrying Palestinian flags in their hands.

They chanted slogans such as “Stop the genocide in Palestine,” “Boycott Israel,” “No sanctions against Israel,” and “Free Palestine.”

Speaking at the protest, Isabel Serra Sanchez, spokeswoman for the European Parliament's Podemos party, accused the Spanish government of "lying by saying it does not sell weapons to Israel."

Sanchez said that Spain "allows weapons to pass through the ports of Valencia, Barcelona and Algeciras" despite Spanish government statements that it prevents ships carrying weapons to Israel from docking in Spanish ports.

"Human rights organizations show that the Spanish government's statements are a complete lie, and that arms purchase and sale agreements are still in place to finance the genocide committed by Israel against the Palestinian people," she said.

With American support, Israel has been committing genocide in the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, leaving more than 151,000 Palestinians dead and wounded, most of them children and women, and more than 11,000 missing, amid massive destruction and famine that killed dozens of children and the elderly, in one of the worst humanitarian disasters in the world.

Israel continues its massacres, ignoring two arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court on November 21 against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Galant, for committing war crimes and crimes against humanity against Palestinians in Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived at the Tel Aviv District Court on Monday morning to testify on corruption charges against him.

Netanyahu appeared before the aforementioned court on the tenth of this month, which is considered a precedent in the occupying state, where a prime minister is being tried while he is in office.

Netanyahu will testify in the case known as “Case 4000,” which involves Israeli telecommunications company Bezeq receiving extensive financial benefits in exchange for Netanyahu and his wife receiving positive media coverage on the Walla News website, owned by Bezeq owner Shaul Elovitch.

Today, Monday, settlers stormed the courtyards of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque in the occupied city of Jerusalem, under the protection of the Israeli occupation police.

According to local sources, dozens of settlers stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque in groups, carried out provocative tours in its courtyards, and performed Talmudic rituals, under the protection of the occupation forces.

As the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip escalates due to the ongoing occupation aggression, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) confirmed that about 19,000 children in the Strip were hospitalized due to severe malnutrition during the past four months. The number has doubled since the beginning of this year.

UNRWA also warned that the UN agency's baby milk supplies are running out, confirming that only 6 boxes remain to be distributed.

UNRWA said the remaining boxes were part of a batch it received three months ago, warning that the shortage of supplies poses a major threat to the lives of infants and more than 200,000 people who rely on its essential services.

While the aggression on the Gaza Strip continues, and the war of extermination and daily massacres continue, with more than 100 martyrs killed yesterday, Israel has decided to consider the West Bank a main battlefield, and this means deploying more Israeli army brigades and divisions to impose other military measures against the citizens of the West Bank.

Among these measures is what the occupation army radio revealed, that it recently acquired a technological system to deploy in the West Bank, called the “See and Shoot” system. This system contains watchtowers and mechanisms that allow for remote firing, and the army will deploy dozens of them at the entrances to settlements and areas of friction.

This measure and this decision simply mean turning the West Bank into a vast battlefield, to target the largest possible number of the Palestinian people.

The political and security cabinet headed by Netanyahu discussed the situation in the West Bank last Sunday evening, under the pretext of the possibility of internal fighting and tensions erupting, similar to the Syrian scenario, and the fear of a major event that must be prepared for, and the warning of the possibility of the collapse of the Palestinian Authority.

It turns out that these Israeli fears are just wishes to drag the West Bank into an additional war, in preparation for preparing the conditions for imposing sovereignty and annexation of the West Bank. This was revealed directly in public through the statements of the extremist minister Smotrich, who claimed in a letter he sent to Netanyahu last week that there are armed Palestinian groups operating in the West Bank, seeking to carry out a coup against the Palestinian Authority, demanding that this matter be discussed in an emergency session of the Israeli cabinet, which was actually held yesterday.

The deterioration of the situation in the West Bank, including daily raids, arrests, strict measures at Palestinian checkpoints and roads, and assassinations of activists and even civilians, is an inevitable result of the occupation, which is largely based on the provocative statements of the settlers and their extremist leaders who yesterday addressed a letter to the Israeli cabinet, demanding that it repeat the model of northern Gaza in the West Bank, i.e. expelling all residents and citizens from the refugee camps in preparation for campaigns of ethnic cleansing and displacement, to clear the field for Israel and its settlers to impose and extend Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank.

It is true that there are fears among the Israeli military establishment about taking such a step, because according to some it seems complicated because the West Bank is different from Gaza, and it is true that the next president of the White House, Donald Trump, sees this step as a mistake and will put Israel in a difficult international situation, but all previous experiences, especially what happened in Gaza and the West Bank so far, Israel did not pay attention to international legitimacy and violated all covenants, pledges and even norms, and carried out whatever killing, isolation and settlement operations it pleased, and accordingly, matters are dangerously likely to target the West Bank, especially its camps, but our Palestinian people, who are full of belonging and armed with dignity, will not accept such steps and measures and will overthrow them with their cohesion, steadfastness and conviction that the Israeli occupation must end sooner or later.

Israel, with its well-known opportunistic behavior, did not waste a single moment after the events in Syria exploded, exploiting them in three directions. First, occupying large parts of Syrian territory, including about 180 km2 in the Golan Heights, the summit of Mount Hermon, and other areas close to Damascus, until its tanks, according to Israeli media reports, reached a distance of 12 km from the Syrian capital.

Second, the complete and systematic destruction of all Syrian military capabilities, including the air force, ground forces, missiles, and navy. This included launching more than 400 air strikes that destroyed, without any resistance, most of Syria’s defense capabilities. Thus, within 48 hours, Israel changed the strategic balance in the region in its favor, carried out a new, broad occupation of Syrian territory, and declared its intention to maintain this occupation, confirming what we have said repeatedly that Israeli ambitions are not limited to the lands of Palestine, but extend to all neighboring and non-neighboring Arab countries.

Third, the ugly interference in Syria’s internal affairs by inciting the various segments of Syrian society against each other, and claiming that Israel is concerned about the interests of the Kurds and Druze in an attempt to pave the way for the fragmentation of Syria and its division into small states in a way that serves Israeli interests.

The second aspect of the Israeli aggression is the escalation of the war of genocide and ethnic cleansing in the Gaza Strip. In addition to the brutal bombing of civilians, which claims the lives of about a hundred martyrs every day, the process of bombing and destroying all the neighborhoods and areas of the north has continued, especially Jabalia, Beit Lahia and Beit Hanoun. Israel is subjecting all the residents of the Strip to a dangerous mass starvation that is part of the genocide process, and is using biological warfare to facilitate the spread of diseases, and chemical warfare resulting from thousands of tons of its shells. All of this is happening in full view of the world, which is doing nothing to stop these massacres and the suffering that the Palestinians are suffering.

Israel's success in passing its aggression on Syria whets its appetite to attack other countries

What is surprising and strange is that the Arab and Islamic reactions to Israel’s violation of Syria, its sovereignty and lands, and its violation of the lives of Palestinians in Gaza, were limited to issuing timid statements, without any strategic response to the danger of imposing Israeli military, political and economic hegemony over the entire Arab world. The Arab world and will seem absent in a situation where the region appears to be an arena of conflict between three regional powers, Turkey, Iran and Israel, so that the Arab world becomes passive, rather than active in defending the interests of its homelands and peoples.

As for the Western countries, led by the United States, they did not utter a word of protest against the Israeli invasion of Syria and the escalation of genocide in the Gaza Strip, confirming the double standards in their policies and in their dealings with international law and their absolute bias towards Israel.

There are no examples in modern history of the Israeli aggression that has invaded the lands of Palestine, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria since its establishment, and has carried out air strikes on Libya, Iraq, Iran, Yemen and Sudan, except what Europe witnessed at the hands of expansionist fascism during World War II.

It is clear that Israel's success in passing its aggression against Syria whets its appetite to attack other countries. It is no coincidence that the Hebrew press has been filled for days with incitement against Jordan, accusing it of allowing the smuggling of weapons, and against Egypt, accusing it of strengthening its military capabilities on its land (Sinai) in violation of the Camp David Accords.

The fragility of the internal political structure of any country makes it vulnerable to the interference of others.

If there is someone who thinks that he can protect himself by ignoring the strategic risks posed by Israeli aggressive behavior, then he is committing a grave mistake, ignoring the lessons of history in the region and the world, and behaving like Chamberlain, who thought that talking about peace would numb the intentions of the aggressors, until he found his own capital being bombed by planes.

What happened in Syria proved once again that any ruler and any regime that does not respect its people and does not rely on their support, and practices dictatorship, oppression and torture against them, will not last no matter how long it takes, and that the fragility of the internal political structure of any country makes it vulnerable to the interventions, encroachments and greed of others, and ultimately leads to the destruction of homelands. However, the brazen Israeli violation, the details of which are lost in the Arab and international media, amidst the excitement over the developments in Syria, cannot be ignored, as it confirms for the thousandth time that Israel is targeting everyone, and when Netanyahu said in his speech, commenting on the events in Syria, that Israel has become the central state in the region, he meant that his project for the new Middle East is to divide its countries with a "new Sykes-Picot" that is more dangerous and worse, and to make Israel the dominant imperialist state in the region.

Is there a need to remind, once again, of the well-known proverb, “I ate the day the white bull was eaten”?

The occupation military barrier that blocks the Palestinians’ way is not just a security measure, but it is much deeper and more profound than that. The engineering of these barriers, their types, shapes, surrounding and accompanying infrastructure, and what happens during and in them, all work to violate the lives of Palestinians and rob them of their livelihoods, time, way of life, and the fabric of their lives. The occupation barrier reshapes the place, changes the public space, and destroys the natural development of growth and expansion. The barrier, in this sense, carries out a collective punishment process through fragmentation, separation, drying up communication, and preventing the natural relationship between people and their nurturing environment. There are more than a thousand permanent and flying barriers in the occupied West Bank, which, together, have been able to turn life into a real hell.

Although the barrier is not a siege in the literal sense, it does what a siege cannot do. The barrier - as the Israeli occupier imposes it on us and experiments with us - molds us in terms of adapting to the conditions imposed on us and forces us to look for different alternatives, lower the ceilings, and be satisfied with the meager and difficult alternative, turning us into competitors for opportunities and crumbs. The barrier here turns us into violent, selfish, and competitive blocs and brings out the absolute worst in us. I do not want to go into embarrassing and humiliating details.

The checkpoint is a form of soft occupation that always reminds you that there is an occupation, and that it can change your life at any moment, so that the open road turns into a great blessing, and that passing through a gate or an electronic or earthen checkpoint is winning paradise. This soft checkpoint quickly turns into an actual hell if the soldier wants to steal your day or your life from you without the slightest thought, review, self-assessment, sense of guilt, or fear of punishment. He knows, and you know, that this checkpoint is not for bringing security at all. The whole world has seen the occupier bomb cars deep in the cities. The soldier knows, and you know, that this checkpoint was put in place for punishment, torture, sabotage, and revenge. The soldier knows, and you know, that this procedure is inhumane. He takes revenge on the sick, pregnant women, and children, and ignites feelings of anger and congestion in the heart that explode from time to time.

The occupier is creative in the types and shapes of barriers. There are dirt ones that completely block the road, there are cubes that control speed and control who enters and who leaves, there are yellow iron gates that open and close according to a logic known only to God and the Israeli general who knows everything, there are electronic barriers, in which there are booths with soldiers on the ground, iron teeth that tear apart anyone who violates the so-called law, and all of this is surrounded by military vehicles and soldiers scattered in the four corners, and there are barriers that have been transformed into crossings separating occupied lands from other occupied lands, there is no difference between them except in the history of the occupation, which makes these barriers or crossings racist par excellence, and on the occasion of racism, Israel differentiates between roads and streets, there are streets for Palestinians that are poor and broken and without lights and without signs and without sidewalks and settlers cannot pass through them according to a sign raised at the beginning of the road warning them that entering is dangerous - exactly like that - while the roads for settlers are lit, paved and wide, and all of them have signs and banners written in classical Hebrew in a blatant attempt at Westernization, and some of these roads are forbidden to Palestinians are not allowed to pass through it at all. The occupier believes that emptying the place is emptying the awareness of identity, and for this reason, colonial road engineering works to alienate the place in order to expel its people and sever their connection to it.

Therefore, the roads, barriers, and infrastructure of all types, directions, and types have become effective colonial weapons in order to deepen and expand settlement and facilitate its development, and in order to oppress the Palestinians, deprive them of their land and wealth, and push them to emigrate, sooner or later.

Anyone traveling the streets of the occupied West Bank, its main and secondary roads, will be shocked when they see the speed of settlement construction, the controlling road network, and the number and types of checkpoints that turn every people, no matter how strong and rich, into a poor people who cannot live their lives at all. This traveler will be astonished when he sees that settlement construction controls the hills and mountain slopes, the sources of wealth, and the roads, and that the checkpoints cut off connections and violate privacy, the fabric, and even the future.

In this regard, the barrier, whatever its type and form, is no less dangerous than settlement construction, as it completes it, accomplishes its mission, facilitates its existence, and prolongs its existence.

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Roads, barriers, and their various types, directions, and infrastructure have become effective colonial weapons for deepening and expanding settlement and facilitating its development, and for oppressing the Palestinians, robbing them of their land and wealth, and forcing them to emigrate, sooner or later.

Israeli sources reported that the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked the military censor to prevent the publication of any details regarding the negotiations aimed at concluding a deal with the Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip.

The sources said that Netanyahu expressed his dissatisfaction with the media leaks, noting that they "harmed the security of the state."

This coincided with Israel launching new raids that resulted in the deaths of at least 11 martyrs in Gaza City, 9 martyrs in Beit Lahia, Beit Hanoun and Jabalia camp, north of the Strip, and two dead in Rafah, south of the Strip.

In a related context, Netanyahu's office announced that he had a phone call with US President-elect Donald Trump, during which they discussed developments in Syria, Iran and Gaza.

Meanwhile, Adam Boehler, who was appointed by Trump as special envoy for American detainees held by Hamas, arrived in Israel.

Headless bodies, burned bodies, and dismembered bodies are scattered in the streets and roads, and under the rubble of destroyed homes, schools, and shelters.

The tongue is unable to describe, and language fails to encompass all the horrors of the Day of Judgment, whose fire rages in bodies and buildings, and extends to all elements of life in an area placed under the “guillotine of the generals.”

The news leaking out is beyond imagination; families, mostly children and women, have been wiped out by belts of fire, and by merciless bombing of homes and overcrowded shelters.

For seventy-four days, the besieged people of Jabalia, Beit Lahia and Beit Hanoun have been starving and thirsty, and only three trucks of aid were allowed in. As soon as they entered, they were burned by savage drone strikes.

The killers are becoming more brutal, and the rate of burning in the raging incinerator increases, until the flames reach the last shelters in the Khalil Awida School in Beit Hanoun, and about 40,000 displaced people are now fighting for their lives in the incinerator.

Oh God... Stop the genocide now!

Expectations are rising that a ceasefire and exchange deal in the Gaza Strip is imminent, amid increasing American signals indicating pressure to achieve this goal, including recent statements by US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.

In separate interviews with "Ya", political writers and analysts believe that the Biden administration is striving to achieve this deal before Republican candidate Donald Trump returns to the White House and takes over the reins of power, but Netanyahu will not give him the opportunity to achieve any accomplishment.

Despite the absolute American support for Israel, writers and analysts point out that the American administration has become more strict towards Netanyahu's policies, which reflect blatant attempts to achieve personal and political gains.

They point out that pressure is increasing on Israel to end the war, especially with the escalating international criticism due to the repercussions of the war on the people of the Gaza Strip, which has accelerated talk of concluding the deal, while Sullivan's statements come as an attempt to whitewash Israel's criminal image and that it is not obstructing the deal, as well as an attempt to extend a lifeline to Netanyahu, especially after the International Criminal Court's decision to issue two arrest warrants against him and against former War Minister Yoav Galant.

Multiple messages aimed at improving Israel's image

Writer and political analyst Dr. Ahmed Rafiq Awad believes that the statements of US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan regarding the imminent conclusion of a swap deal in Gaza carry multiple messages, the essence of which is to improve Israel’s image and throw a lifeline to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in addition to achieving personal gains for Sullivan.

According to Awad, Sullivan seeks through his statements to whitewash Israel before the world and show Netanyahu that he is not responsible for delaying or obstructing the deal. Instead, Sullivan is trying to portray Israel as the party that is making efforts and showing a willingness to reach an agreement, while blaming Hamas as the main obstacle to progress, despite international and regional pressure on it.

Awad points out that these statements reflect an American attempt to present Netanyahu in a positive light, at a time when he is facing increasing international criticism over the war in Gaza.

Coercing the Palestinian people instead of negotiating with them

Awad says: “Sullivan wants to show that Israel is the responsible and initiating party, although the truth indicates that both parties, the Israelis and the Americans, do not want to enter into a real deal that leads to binding understandings, but rather aim to subjugate Hamas and the Palestinian people instead of negotiating with them.”

Awad believes that Sullivan's statements also have personal dimensions, as the American official seeks to improve his personal image and secure a future position in the American administration or in the private sector after the end of his current term.

Awad explains that "Sullivan is trying to present himself as an active and committed figure in Middle East issues, not only to support the current administration, but also to market himself as a figure capable of managing complex strategic and security files."

Awad believes that Sullivan's recent visit to Israel and his meetings with Israeli officials were not limited to discussing a prisoner exchange deal or a ceasefire, but rather addressed security and strategic issues that go beyond the current Biden administration.

Netanyahu will not give the Biden administration any political achievement

Regarding Netanyahu's position on the deal, Awad believes that the Israeli Prime Minister will not give the Biden administration any political achievement, noting that Netanyahu prefers to reach any agreement or major deal under the Trump administration, on whom the Israeli right is betting to achieve long-term strategic gains.

“Netanyahu realizes that any concession or progress in the deal in favor of the outgoing Biden administration could be interpreted as a free gift, so if he is going to enter into this deal, it will be when Trump takes office in the White House,” Awad says.

On the domestic front, despite repeated threats from Netanyahu's coalition partners, such as Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, to withdraw from the government if the deal is completed, Awad asserts that these threats are not serious.

Netanyahu's coalition looks largely stable

Awad explains that “Netanyahu’s government coalition seems largely stable, especially after Gideon Sa’ar joined, and despite Ben-Gvir and Smotrich’s threats to resign, these threats do not have much impact. Smotrich, for example, knows that any early elections could mean losing his political position and perhaps even leaving the Knesset.”

Awad believes that the biggest challenge facing Netanyahu is not the stability of his government coalition, but rather the growing threats he faces from the International Criminal Court, which could expose him to international prosecution for crimes committed in Gaza. Despite this, recent opinion polls indicate that Likud continues to lead its competitors, which strengthens Netanyahu’s position as the undisputed leader of the right-wing camp.

Real pressure to get the deal done.

Writer and political analyst Majed Hadeeb confirms that a prisoner exchange deal between the resistance and Israel is closer than ever, pointing out that the recent statements of US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan are not just a political maneuver, but rather reflect real pressure to achieve this goal.

Hadib explains that there are several reasons that are pushing the US administration to accelerate this process, the most prominent of which is Washington’s desire to end the file before President-elect Donald Trump assumes power again.

Hadib points out that the administration of President Joe Biden recently asked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to intervene to pressure Hamas and contribute to the success of the mediation, as Turkish efforts have already borne fruit, as is evident from the intensive visits made by American officials to Ankara, led by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, who held intensive meetings with the Turkish president and Turkish officials in this regard.

America's Deep State Realizes It's Time to End the War

Hadeeb explains that the deep state in the United States, for its part, has come to realize that the time has come to end the war, especially since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has exhausted almost all available options to continue the fighting, in light of his lack of more time to procrastinate. This was evident in the falsity of the timetables that Netanyahu presented to the American administration regarding achieving the goals of the war in Gaza.

Hadeeb believes that the recent approval by the Israeli cabinet to continue efforts to complete the prisoner exchange deal and give the green light to its completion reflects an Israeli attempt to please the American administration, whether the current or the next, as Israel sees this as an appropriate moment to conclude the deal, after it succeeded in restoring part of the deterrent power that was eroded following the October 7 operation.

Hadeeb points out that the proposed deal, which is presented in stages, is what Netanyahu has been seeking from the beginning, to give him the opportunity to return to military operations whenever Israel's interests require it.

Hadeeb believes that Netanyahu is still hinting at the possibility of intervening in Gaza if Hamas regains control of the Strip, whether administratively, militarily or security-wise.

Establishing a comprehensive political solution to the Palestinian issue

On the Arab level, Hadib points out that the Egyptian and Qatari efforts, supported by Saudi Arabia, are not only an entry point to stop the war on Gaza, but also lay the foundation for reconsidering a comprehensive political solution to the Palestinian issue.

Hadib believes that Saudi Arabia now sees itself as a pivotal center in the region and seeks to lead an Arab-regional axis in which Israel participates.

On the other hand, Hadeeb points out that the latest statement by Hamas, issued on the 37th anniversary of its founding, reflects a shift in the movement’s position, as it has begun to focus on the necessity of stopping the war on Gaza without adhering to the conditions that were considered red lines that could not be waived.

On the international level, Hadeeb explains that the recent vote in the UN General Assembly, and the Security Council’s call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, reflect growing international anger towards the US administration due to its absolute support for Israel in its war of extermination against the Palestinians.

Hadeeb points to the two summonses issued against Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant, along with calls by some countries to activate the decisions of the International Criminal Court, as one of the reasons for progress towards the deal.

Hadeeb believes that the US administration has become more strict towards Netanyahu, who has clearly not aimed to release the hostages as much as he seeks to impose new facts on the ground in Gaza that serve the project of the extreme Israeli right.

Netanyahu's policies are exposed to the Americans

Hadeeb points out that Netanyahu's policies have become exposed to both American administrations, whether the current Biden administration or the upcoming Trump administration.

Hadib confirms that American pressure on Netanyahu to end the war is also linked to the success of Israel's plans to strike Iranian strategic or nuclear facilities.

Hadib believes that Washington will not allow Israel to implement these plans without stopping the war on Gaza, to ensure the mobilization of international support for Israel if it carries out its strike on Iran.

On the domestic front, Hadeeb points out that members of the Knesset from the extreme right have begun to realize that Netanyahu's government is creating controversial issues to preserve the government coalition, even if that harms Israel, its security, and the unity of the Jewish people.

Hadeeb refers to the statements of the leader of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, Avigdor Lieberman, who stressed that the continuation of Netanyahu's policies threatens the unity of Israelis and the reputation of the state.

He also points to recent opinion polls and pressure from the Israeli street, which are now reinforcing the idea of a ceasefire, and it has become clear that the continuation of the war threatens Netanyahu's continued rule and increases the risk of international legal action against him and senior Israeli officials.

Media maneuver aimed at achieving political goals

Writer and political analyst Daoud Kuttab believes that the statements of US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan regarding the imminent conclusion of a deal regarding the Gaza Strip may be merely a media maneuver aimed at achieving political goals rather than reflecting a tangible reality.

The writers confirm that the American and Israeli record is full of similar statements, which often turn out to be false later, as such statements may be based on Israeli assurances provided by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s team, but he points out that Netanyahu and his team have a bad reputation for procrastination, delay and even misleading, which makes it difficult to trust such statements.

In the same context, writers believe that the United States often resorts to using the media as a tool to pressure different parties.

Writers point out that what we have witnessed over the past year reflects the failure of these attempts to achieve tangible results. According to writers, American media pressure has become a desperate strategy that is useless in confronting the complexities of the political and security situation, whether in Israel or the region.

An old tool used by Netanyahu to relieve pressure

Regarding the repeated threats from Netanyahu's coalition partners to withdraw, writers believe that this scenario has become an old tool used repeatedly by Netanyahu to ease pressure, whether internal from the Israelis or external from the United States.

Writers confirm that such threats do not carry any real weight on the ground, but are rather used as a means to prolong the crisis and escape from making fateful decisions.

Writers question the seriousness of American and Israeli statements about any tangible progress regarding the Gaza Strip.

Writers believe that without taking actual decisions on the ground, evasion and procrastination are still the most prominent features of Netanyahu's policies, which makes achieving a real breakthrough in the issue of concluding a deal in Gaza a distant matter in light of the current data.

Netanyahu may trade the deal for policies that serve the occupation

Journalist and political analyst Nabhan Khreisha believes that the statements of US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan about the imminent conclusion of a prisoner exchange deal between Israel and Hamas reflect the desires and dreams of US President Joe Biden's administration more than they reflect political reality.

Khreisha points out that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu does not intend to give the Biden administration, which represents the Democratic Party, this political achievement, but rather prefers to save it for Donald Trump, the Republican candidate who will enter the White House in 35 days.

According to Khreisha, Netanyahu may trade the deal for policies that serve the Israeli occupation in the West Bank, Gaza, or even in the region in general.

Khreisha asserts that during the 15-month war on Gaza, the Biden administration did not show seriousness in reaching a real ceasefire that would pave the way for implementing a prisoner exchange deal, and this reflects its lack of seriousness.

Khreisha points out that the United States has used its veto power more than once in the Security Council to prevent the issuance of resolutions calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Khreisha criticizes Washington's policy of hypocrisy towards the war, as it called on the one hand to avoid killing Palestinian civilians and provide them with humanitarian aid, while on the other hand it continued to supply Israel with weapons and ammunition that were used to kill the civilians it called for protecting.

Khreisha points out that Netanyahu is dealing with the issue of prisoner exchange and the war on Gaza from a purely internal political perspective.

Khreisha quotes former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger as saying: “Israel does not have foreign policies, but rather internal ones,” to confirm that Netanyahu’s calculations are primarily aimed at strengthening his grip on power.

Khreisha confirms that Israel, since Netanyahu's return to power at the end of 2022, has entered into the most complex crises in its modern history, both internally and regionally.

According to Khreisha, after his popularity fell to its lowest levels during the first months of the war on Gaza and Lebanon, Netanyahu was able to regain his position by intensifying his military operations that left massive destruction in Gaza, affecting people, trees and stones, in addition to his military escalation in Lebanon. With this military performance, he ignored the demands of the Biden administration, which tried to pressure him through proposals related to a ceasefire in three stages, which Netanyahu rejected outright.

Netanyahu's strategy: "playing for time"

Khreisha describes Netanyahu's strategy as "playing for time," as he adopted a method of procrastination and delay in his dealings with the American administration.

Khreisha points out that Netanyahu sees himself as similar to British leader Winston Churchill, but his opponents see Churchill as a real decision-maker, unlike Netanyahu, who relies on political maneuvering to remain in power.

With Netanyahu stalling, Khreisheh sees Sullivan’s statements about a prisoner swap being close to being reached as more “wishful” than realistic. Khreisheh points out that Netanyahu, who has refrained from helping the Democratic Biden administration during its time in office, will not give it any political gains before it leaves office in about a month.

As for the threats by Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, partners in the government coalition, to withdraw from the government if a ceasefire is reached in Gaza, Khreisha describes them as “media messages” directed at their voters rather than real messages targeting Netanyahu.

Ben Gvir and Smotrich's positions...an internal game

Khreisha points out that Ben-Gvir and Smotrich's positions largely match Netanyahu's, making these threats part of an internal political game aimed at media consumption.

Khreisha believes that the far-right parties participating in the Israeli government will not actually go as far as to overthrow the government, even if they disagree on some details, because their presence in this coalition represents a golden opportunity to implement their social and religious programs, in addition to expanding settlements in the West Bank and exploiting the situation in Syria and southern Lebanon.

Khreisha stresses that these parties realize that toppling the government means demolishing the temple of the ruling coalition over their heads, which is something they do not want.

Khreisha asserts that Netanyahu is still maneuvering to buy time and ensure his continued stay in power, while the Biden administration continues its desperate attempts to achieve any progress in the prisoner exchange file. However, political data indicate that Sullivan’s statements do not go beyond being American desires, in light of the complexity of the internal Israeli scene and the conflict of interests between the extremist parties that control the scene.

The current war bears clear American fingerprints.

Writer and political analyst Sari Samour asserts that the recent statements of US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan reflect the reality that there is a breakthrough in the path of the deal to end the Israeli war on Gaza, but this deal is not necessarily imminent or just around the corner.

Samour points out that the administration of US President Joe Biden is well aware that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu does not want it to achieve any political achievement as Biden's presidential term approaches its end.

According to Samour, although the current war bears clear American fingerprints, as it is fully supported politically and militarily, the Biden administration has the ability to end it even in the last moments of his term, but it is not exerting sufficient pressure on Israel, but rather prefers "soft" intervention through its various tools.

Sullivan's statements take the form of absolute support for Netanyahu

In light of Netanyahu's procrastination over the deal, Samour sees Sullivan's statements as taking on the character of absolute support for Netanyahu, assuring him that the United States stands by him and supports him in every possible way.

These statements, according to Samour, come at a time when Netanyahu is facing internal and external pressures, including arrest warrants from the International Criminal Court. Although the international system is full of contradictions and hypocrisy, these warrants cause Netanyahu an embarrassment that cannot be ignored, even if it is protocol-related.

Samour believes that the American messages aim to reassure Netanyahu that Washington's support for him will not wane, which will allow him to continue his current policies without fear of immediate legal or political repercussions.

Regarding the internal situation in Israel, Samour explains that the issue is not only related to the risk of the government coalition disintegrating, but also extends to the role of the Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, and the Minister of Finance, Bezalel Smotrich, who lack political experience and the rules of the game within the deep Israeli establishment.

Samour points out that Netanyahu attaches more importance to the movement represented by these ministers than to their personalities, as they are used as a front to achieve certain goals.

Samour asserts that the deep state in Israel does not hesitate to bypass ministers who hinder its interests, and therefore, if Israel’s interest requires getting rid of Ben-Gvir and Smotrich to facilitate the deal or any strategic move, this will be done easily, because they are considered by Netanyahu to be a “scarecrow” that can be dispensed with at any moment.

Netanyahu fears domestic repercussions of the "day after the war"

Samour points out that the main reason behind Netanyahu's insistence on continuing the war is not only to avoid trials and accountability in the Israeli judiciary, but also his fear of the repercussions of the "day after the war" phase in Israel.

Samour points out that stopping the war will reveal the extent of the losses incurred by Israel, whether economically or in terms of its international reputation, and will also show the extent of the internal division that could develop into internal fighting, which directly threatens Netanyahu's political future.

Samour asserts that Netanyahu's concern about the post-war phase is pushing him to adopt a procrastination approach, which the Biden administration is aware of, but it is not exerting sufficient pressure to end the war, leaving the region in a state of ambiguity and instability.

Continued US support for Israel

Writer and political analyst Samer Anabtawi believes that the US administration, since the beginning of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, has been practicing a policy of maneuvering to support Israel, which has allowed the occupation forces to continue committing massacres against Palestinian civilians under American cover.

Anbatawi explains that the US administration defended and supported Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Galant after the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants against them, which reflects continued US support for Israel.

Anabtawi believes that the administration of US President Joe Biden is currently promoting the idea of concluding a "deal" that includes stopping the war, even if temporarily, with the aim of achieving a major diplomatic achievement to be recorded for it before the end of its term. However, Netanyahu is ignoring these efforts and is practicing procrastination, at a time when the Israelis prefer to continue their aggression on Gaza, to achieve strategic goals, most notably displacing the residents of the northern Gaza Strip and implementing settlement projects there.

Anbatawi points out that the deep state in the United States is seeking to pressure Israel to reach an agreement before Donald Trump returns to the White House, as happened in the Lebanese file, where understandings were reached with clear American pressure.

Weak and ineffective US pressure

However, Anabtawi explains that this pressure is still weak and not effective enough to force Netanyahu to move forward with a deal.

Anbatawi asserts that the US administration is leaving room for Israel to continue carrying out massacres against the Palestinians with the aim of forcing the resistance to surrender completely, thus achieving the goals of the Israeli occupation on the ground.

On the other hand, Anabtawi believes that Netanyahu is facing increasing internal pressure to complete the prisoner exchange deal, amidst the escalation of voices inside Israel calling for an end to the war.

In contrast, Anabtawi points to repeated threats from ministers in his government to dismantle the government coalition if a deal is reached, but their threats do not worry Netanyahu, as he agrees with them and prefers to continue the war and stick to his settlement plans.

Netanyahu seeks to implement large settlement projects

Anbatawi believes that Netanyahu does not want to conclude any agreement at the present time, but rather seeks to implement large settlement projects, not only in the Gaza Strip, but also in the West Bank, with the aim of strengthening the occupation’s control over the Palestinian territories, amidst the ongoing war that provides him with cover to implement these plans.

Anbatawi points out that the current situation reveals the intersection of interests between Israel and the US administration, which prefers to achieve diplomatic gains at the expense of the Palestinian people, without exerting real pressure on the occupation to stop its crimes or change its aggressive policies.

11 citizens were killed and others were injured on Sunday evening, as a result of the Israeli occupation bombing of two houses east of Gaza City and in the middle of the Strip.

Medical sources reported that six citizens were killed, including children, and others were injured in an Israeli bombing that targeted the Al-Qarm family's house on Al-Beltaji Street in the Shuja'iyya neighborhood, east of Gaza City.

Five citizens, including a child, were killed and 13 others were injured as a result of the occupation's bombing of a house in the vicinity of the Qassam Cemetery in the Nuseirat camp, in the central Gaza Strip.

The Israeli occupation forces have continued their aggression on the Gaza Strip, by land, sea and air, since October 7, 2023, resulting in the death of 44,976 citizens, the majority of whom are women and children, and the injury of 106,759 others, in an incomplete toll, as thousands of victims are still under the rubble and in the streets, and ambulance and rescue crews cannot reach them.

According to the Wall Street Journal, strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities are being seriously considered within Donald Trump’s transition team. While there is no evidence that Tehran is trying to build a nuclear weapon, Washington and Tel Aviv are threatening to attack Iran’s nuclear energy infrastructure.

“The option of a military strike against nuclear facilities is now under more serious review by some members of his transition team,” The Wall Street Journal reported Friday. “Iran’s weakened regional position and recent revelations about Tehran’s burgeoning nuclear work have heightened sensitive internal discussions, transition officials said.”

Tel Aviv is engaged in intense discussions with Trump’s representatives on the subject. “The Israel Defense Forces believes that, with the weakening of Iran’s proxy groups in the Middle East and the dramatic fall of Bashar Assad’s regime in Syria, there is an opportunity to strike Iranian nuclear facilities,” The Times of Israel reported Thursday. “Therefore, the Israeli Air Force has continued to increase its readiness and preparations for such possible strikes in Iran.”

According to the Wall Street Journal, President-elect Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently discussed the possibility of attacking Iran. “Trump has told Netanyahu in recent phone calls that he is concerned about an Iranian nuclear war on his watch,” the report continues. “The president-elect wants plans that stop a new war, especially one that could draw in the U.S. military.”

The sources explained that the incoming Trump administration is considering two options: the first is to strengthen the American military presence in the Middle East while providing Israel with the ability to destroy Iranian nuclear sites without US assistance, and the other option calls for US threats to force Tehran to make concessions at the negotiating table.

Whatever option Trump chooses, he is also expected to increase sanctions on Iran because he believes he must cripple Tehran economically.

While US intelligence agencies, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Pentagon and Tehran say Iran is not developing nuclear weapons, the incoming Trump administration and Tel Aviv say they are concerned about the Islamic Republic getting a nuclear weapon. In addition, Trump believes Tehran was behind the assassination attempt on him.

But Trump and Netanyahu may see Iran as weak, given the ouster of Bashar al-Assad in Syria and Hezbollah’s concessions in the truce with Israel. Washington and Tel Aviv may, after recent events, try to attack Iran, believing Tehran is vulnerable.

“If you’re going to do something to neutralize a nuclear weapons program, this is it,” Mark Dubowitz, CEO of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (a powerful front for the Israel lobby), told the Wall Street Journal.

Netanyahu posted a video on Twitter in English on Wednesday telling the Iranian people that regime change could come much sooner than many think.

Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz said Sunday that threats to Israel from Syria remain despite the moderate tone of the leaders of the opposition forces who ousted President Bashar al-Assad a week ago, amid Israeli military measures to confront such threats.

"The immediate dangers facing the country have not disappeared and recent developments in Syria are increasing the strength of the threat, despite the moderate image claimed by opposition leaders," Katz told officials scrutinizing Israel's defense budget, according to a statement.

On Saturday, the commander-in-chief of the military operations department, Ahmed al-Sharaa, who is described as Syria's current de facto leader, said that Israel is using false pretexts to justify its attacks on Syria, but he is not interested in getting involved in new conflicts while the country is focusing on reconstruction.

Sharaa leads Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which led armed factions that ousted Assad from power last Sunday, ending the family's five-decade rule.

Since then, Israel has moved into a demilitarized zone in Syria established after the 1973 war, including the Syrian side of the strategic Mount Hermon overlooking Damascus, where its forces took control of an abandoned Syrian military post.

Israel, which has said it has no intention of staying there and describes the incursion into Syrian territory as a limited and temporary measure to ensure border security, has also carried out hundreds of strikes on strategic weapons stockpiles in Syria.

It said it was destroying strategic weapons and military infrastructure to prevent their use by the armed opposition groups that ousted Assad from power, some of which grew out of militant groups linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group.