Anadolu Agency – February 14, 2025
Israel to release 369 Palestinian prisoners in Saturday's exchange
Group includes 36 prisoners serving life sentences, 333 detainees from Gaza arrested after Oct. 7, 2023, according to Palestinian Prisoners' Media Office
Israel is set to release 369 Palestinian prisoners on Saturday as part of the sixth batch of the first phase of the ongoing prisoner exchange deal between Hamas and Israel, according to Palestinian sources.
In a statement, the Palestinian Prisoners' Media Office, affiliated with the Hamas movement, stated that the released group will include 36 prisoners serving life sentences and 333 detainees from Gaza who were arrested after Oct. 7, 2023.
In exchange, Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian Hamas movement, announced earlier Friday the names of three Israeli captives scheduled for release on Saturday as part of the swap deal.
On Thursday, Hamas reaffirmed its commitment to implementing the agreement as signed, including the prisoner exchange according to the agreed timeline.
Hamas indicated that mediators from Egypt and Qatar have worked to resolve obstacles caused by Israel's violations of the agreement, describing the negotiations as "positive."
These mediation efforts followed Hamas' decision on Monday to suspend the release of Israeli captives until Tel Aviv ceases its violations and retroactively complies with the humanitarian protocol of the agreement.
The ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement has been in place in Gaza since Jan. 19, pausing the Israeli war that has killed more than 48,200 people, mostly women and children, and left the Palestinian enclave in ruins.
Hostages and resistance: The long history of Palestinian prisoner swaps
Prisoner exchanges between Israel and Palestine have long been a focal point of resistance, reflecting the broader struggle over occupation, control, and national identity.
Ahmet Yusuf Ozdemir
After 471 days of brutality in Gaza, Israel was forced to agree to a retreat from the enclave, with the exchange of hostages becoming a key component of the deal. 
In the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, Israelplans to release 1,977 Palestinian prisoners, including 290 serving life sentences, in exchange for 33 hostages held in Gaza. Prisons and prisoners are an integral part of the Palestinian resistance, with hunger strikes and prison break attempts becoming symbolic acts of defiance, but the incarceration of Palestinian activists has left an enduring mark on the social memory of Palestine.
Experiencing 76 years of settler colonialism, Palestinians—rightful owners of the land—have had to structure their resistance as an enduring struggle rather than a singular event. In response to the death and destruction unleashed on them by Israel, they have developed a form of steadfastness known as Sumud (Arabic for perseverance).
Israel tries to be in control of every aspect of Palestinian life. Examples range from restrictive checkpoints established within the occupied West Bank that severely hinder the free movement of Palestinians, separation walls dividing communities, and the blockade of Gaza from land, sea, and air.
This control even extends to the fate of people after they die in prison.
The case of Walid Daqqa serves as a striking example of this abusive treatment. Sentenced to 36 years in prison in 1987 at the age of 24 by an Israeli court, a Palestinian citizen of Israel, Daqqa, was due to be released in 2023. But Israel extended his sentence by two more years, which would complete in 2025. Daqaa died on April 7, 2024, yet Israeli officials initially announced that his body would be held captive until March 2025 “to complete his sentence.”
Despite an outcry by the human rights groups, Israeli authorities later stated that Daqqa’s body would be held as a bargaining chip. "The military command has the authority to order the holding of the bodies of terrorists for negotiations, including the bodies of terrorists who are citizens of Israel," the courtsaid in a ruling.
Prisoner resistance and defiance
In response to this harsh treatment, Palestinian resistance employs various methods to emphasise their resilience and determination to survive despite the occupation's efforts. The most common of these are hunger strikes. One of the most notable figures associated with this form of protest in recent years was that of resistance leader Khader Adnan, whodied after an 87-day hunger strike protesting his unlawful detention without trial.
Another act of defiance has been the smuggling of sperm from Israeli prisons. Many Palestinians, especially those who have been sentenced to life imprisonment and those with high-term sentences, have smuggled sperm out of Israeli prisons to have children, ensuring their legacy continues despite their confinement. Until May 2023, 76 Palestinian children were born through this method, including the child of Walid Daqqa, mentioned above.
Civil society and human rights organisations such asAddameer (Arabic for conscience) and the Palestinian Prisoners Club, were established to document and challenge the treatment of detainees. Despite their efforts, Palestinian armed resistance movements soon came to the realisation that the release of their citizens will only come through creating a different scenario.
Earlier agreements
Prisoner exchange agreements have been the most frequent and effective method during the conflict between Palestine and Israel. Since 1968, there have been more thanten such deals. One of the most symbolicearly exchanges was the release of Mahmoud Bakr Hijazi, a member of the Palestinian National Liberation Movement, captured by Israel in 1965.
Hijazi secured his freedom after the Fatah movement exchanged him for an Israeli soldier. In honour of his release, the Palestinian National Councildesignated April 17 as “Palestinian Prisoners’ Day,” which has been observed ever since as a national day to honour prisoners' freedom and advocate for their rights.
The largest prisoner exchange occurred in 1987, when the Israeli occupation released 4,700 Palestinians in exchange for six Israeli soldiers captured in Lebanon by Fatah.
And the most well-known exchange in recent history, known as Wafa al-Ahrar (Faithful to the Free) took place in 2011, when Israel released 1,027 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who had been held in Gaza for five years.
Among those freed was Yahya Sinwarafter 23 years in prison, where he wrote a novel about his personal experience titled The Thorn and the Carnation. He would go on to become the head of Hamas’s political bureau in Gaza in 2017. Sinwar, often referred to as the engineer of the Al-Aqsa flood, played a crucial role in orchestrating resistance operations. He was killedby Israeli forces in Gaza on October 16, 2024.
The role of prisoner exchanges
During Israel's assault on Gaza in 2014, Hamas claimed it held the remains of two Israeli soldiers, Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldi, as well as two Israeli citizens Ethiopian-Israeli Avera Mengistu and Bedouin Arab-Israeli Hisham al-Sayed, who crossed the border into the enclave. Hamas wanted to use these captives in a prisoner exchange, but in this case the Israeli government didn’t respond to these demands.
Abu Ubaydah, spokesman for the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) released video messages in2015 and2016 on Palestinian Prisoners' Day, reminding his audience about the importance of Palestinians held captive by Israel, reassuring his movement will never abandon them.
The next year, on the same day, in2017, around 1,500 Palestinian political prisoners detained by Israel went on hunger strike. Their keydemands included more family visits, improved prison conditions with better medical care, and the abolition of solitary confinement and administrative detention—imprisonment without charge or trial. Al-Qassam continued to warn the Israeli state by offering the exchange of Israelis in their custody, to no avail.
The conditions of Palestinians in Israeli prisons gained international attention after the Freedom Tunnel operation in 2021 when six Palestinian prisoners dug an escape tunnel dug using rudimentary tools. However, in two days’ time they were all recaptured.
In response, Abu Ubaydah made a speech where hestressed that “the heroes of the Freedom Tunnel will come out with their heads held high, and the Qassam leadership has decided that a future exchange deal will not take place unless these heroes are freed.”
True to its word, Toufan al-Ahrar (Flood of the Free) deal that came after al-Aqsa Flood Operation that started on October 7, 2023, indeed included three out of six Gilboa prison breakers.
Unity in resistance
Despite ideological differences between some Palestinian factions—ranging from Marxist-Leninist groups to Arab secular nationalists and Islamic movements—prisoner exchanges have demonstrated unity in the broader resistance struggle. The culture of steadfastness is evident in their commitment to ensuring that no member is left behind in Israeli prisons.
Note: Throughout this text, the terms "prisoner," "detainee," "hostage," and "captive" are used interchangeably. While the author acknowledges the nuances between these terms, this article focuses on the broader discussion of incarceration and its role in the Palestinian struggle. Palestinian resistance groups often use the term al-Asīr ("The Captive") rather than al-Sajin ("The Prisoner") to emphasise the illegitimacy of Israeli occupation.
Ahmet Yusuf Ozdemir is an Assistant Professor of Political Science and International Relations Department at Ibn Haldun University.
https://www.trtworld.com/opinion/hostages-and-resistance-the-long-history-of-palestinian-prisoner-swaps-18264656
Al Mayadeen – February 14, 2025
Yemen's military arsenal regains momentum: al-Houthi
Member of the Yemeni High Political Council Mohammad Ali al-Houthi asserted that Yemen remains beside the Palestinian people in the face of Trump's plan to uproot them from Gaza.
The military arsenal of the Yemeni armed forces is "restored to its full power and is set up on platforms, awaiting commands, with the targets already specified," asserted the member of the Yemeni High Political Council Mohammad Ali al-Houthi.
Al-Houthi reiterated Yemen's supportive stance towards Palestine, promising the United States that it will "see what it hasn't seen before from the Yemeni forces" during a crowded march in the city of Sa'ada in support of the Palestinian people and resistance.
He addressed Trump directly, stating, "[Trump's] military power and unwavering support for Israel will not compel the Palestinians to abandon their lands." He further highlighted the recent collision between the U.S.S. Harry Truman and an Egyptian commercial ship, as a reflection of the anxiety and disarray, gripping the American Navy following its confrontations with the Yemeni Armed Forces.
These remarks come after the leader of the Ansar Allah movement warned of Trump's plan to forcibly remove the Palestinians from their lands, threatening military actions if the United States went through with the idea.
He promised that "Yemen will immediately take a military course through its operations to target both the Israeli and American enemies if they launch an aggression against Gaza, whether on Saturday, before, or after," calling on the Yemeni armed forces to maintain full readiness in anticipation of any US aggression.
Trump plots, Yemen responds
Ansar Allah's response comes after Trump appears more determined to execute his plan of taking over Gaza to develop it into the "Riviera of the Middle East," while displacing Palestinians from the area and scattering them across Arab countries.
The leader of Yemen's Ansar Allah movement Abdul-Malik al-Houthi promised on Thursday that his country will act within its duty and will not be a bystander, adding that Trumpﾒs plan to uproot Palestinians from their homeland constitutes a violation of a fundamental right from which numerous other rights stem.
He described Trump as a "criminal accustomed to making statements that resemble nonsense and buffoonery," adding that "his plan is more akin to a joke" and naive rhetoric coming from the leader of a country "that presents itself as a civilized nation under false pretenses."
Al-Houthi emphasized that Yemen would immediately take military action should the US and "Israel" launch an attack on Gaza on, before, or after Saturday, calling the Yemeni Armed Forces to maintain full readiness to respond to any American aggression.
"We will not hesitate to strike both the Israeli and American enemies, and we will closely monitor the implementation of the agreement," he asserted.
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/yemen-s-military-arsenal-regains-momentum--al-houthi
Al Mayadeen – February 14, 2025
US threatens Egypt with military aid cuts if Gaza plot rejected
As Egypt maintains its stance of opposition to the forced displacement of Gazans to its lands, the United States has resorted to threats to enforce its scheme.
The US is pressuring Cairo to embrace President Donald Trump’s scheme for Gaza’s post-war future, including the forced displacement of Palestinians to Egypt, according to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, as reported by the Times of Israel.
Quoting Egyptian sources in Washington, the London-based outlet claims that the Pentagon has cautioned Egyptian military officials about potential restrictions on military aid if Cairo refuses to comply with Trump’s plan.
Specifically, the sources indicate that essential supplies for routine maintenance and spare weapons parts could be at risk.
Egypt, on the other hand, has launched an intensive diplomatic push to rally support for an Arab-led initiative to rebuild the Gaza Strip, prioritizing practical solutions over political concerns to counter a widely unpopular plan from US President Donald Trump.
Trump’s proposal—to have the US "take control of Gaza, redevelop it as an international destination, and relocate its Palestinian residents"—has upended regional dynamics surrounding the 16-month Israeli war on the Strip.
For Egypt, the stakes are especially high, according to The Wall Street Journal. Trump has repeatedly suggested sending Gazans to Egypt, despite Cairo’s firm opposition. When asked where Palestinians would go, Trump responded, "I believe we’ll have a parcel of land in Egypt."
Egypt’s proposal, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing sources familiar with the matter, aims to keep Palestinians in Gaza and establish a technocratic administration drawn from within the enclave. Security would be provided by Palestinians trained by Arab forces. Cairo is also seeking funding commitments from regional partners and plans to host a donor conference.
Trump has invited Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to the White House, but Egyptian officials say no visit has been scheduled. El-Sisi remains cautious about the optics of meeting Trump amid heightened tensions over the Gaza issue.
Egypt will host a summit of Arab leaders on February 27 to discuss what it called "new and dangerous developments in the Palestinian issue."
Iran condemns Pakistan terrorist attack, urges stronger cooperation in fight against terror
Iran has strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Pakistan's Balochistan Province that claimed the lives of close to a dozen coal miners and left several others injured.
Esmaeil Baghaei, spokesperson for Iran's Foreign Ministry, expressed deep grief over the tragic incident that occurred on Friday near a coal mine in the province’s Harnai.
He denounced the attack in the strongest terms, emphasizing the Islamic Republic's firm stance against terrorism in all its forms, regardless of where it occurs.
n his statement, Baghaei extended condolences to the families of the victims, as well as to the people and government of Pakistan. He also wished a swift recovery for the injured.
Highlighting the importance of regional cooperation in combating terrorism, the official called for strengthened efforts and collaboration at bilateral and regional levels to prevent such acts of violence in the future.
The attack took place as a bomb exploded as a vehicle carrying the coal miners was passing through the Shahrag area of Harnai.
According to Balochistan’s police, at least 11 miners were killed and several others wounded in the explosion.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far, though separatist groups, including the so-called Baloch Liberation Army, have claimed responsibility for similar bombings and suicide attacks in the past.
Iran and Pakistan share a long border and have often cooperated on security issues, particularly in combating terrorism and cross-border militancy.
Iran has consistently voiced its support for Pakistan's stability and security, underscoring the need for joint efforts to tackle terrorism and protect innocent lives in the region.
Trump says US to dramatically increase military sales to India, including F-35 jets
US President Donald Trump says the country plans to ramp up weapons sales to India this year, including F-35 fighter jets.
During a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, Trump said, “Starting this year, we’ll be increasing military sales to India by many billions of dollars.”
“We’re also paving the way to ultimately provide India with the F-35 stealth fighters,” he said.
Modi, who had developed a close relationship during Trump’s first term in office, said, “Our vision for a developed India is to ‘Make India Great Again’ or MIGA. When America and India work together, when it’s MAGA plus MIGA, it becomes mega – a mega partnership for prosperity.”
The talks also revolved around the US trade deficit with India, currently standing at $45.7 billion. India reportedly cut average tariffs from 13% to 11% in its federal budget in a bid to pre-empt Trump's tariff moves.
He assured Trump of increased purchases of US energy products, targeting a $500 billion trade goal by 2030, Indian media reported.
Trump said, “The prime minister and I reached an important agreement on energy that will restore the United States as a leading supplier of oil and gas to India. Hopefully, it will be their number one supplier.”
The Indian leader also backed Trump’s plan for a new trade corridor linking India, the Israeli occupied Palestinian territories, Italy, and the United States, supposedly meant to rival China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
“We agreed to work together to help build one of the greatest trade routes in all of history,” Trump said.
"Security" issues were also on the table, as the US president said the two countries would work together on “the threat of radical Islamic terrorism”, with a focus on "Indo-Pacific counter-terrorism".
Additionally, the US vowed to share military technologies with India and assured New Delhi of participating in joint military exercises.
The timing of Trump’s remarks suggests a desperate attempt to counter Russian influence in India’s defense market.
Russia is historically the largest defense supplier to India. However, in recent years, New Delhi has sought other import sources and technological partnerships.
India, under growing Western influence, has announced plans to accelerate military procurement, including Javelin Anti-Tank Guided Missiles and Stryker Infantry Combat Vehicles, all to serve US interests in "rapidly meeting defense requirements."
The two nations are also pushing forward with a deal for six additional P-8I Maritime Patrol aircraft for India’s navy, further entrenching India's reliance on American military hardware.
Additionally, New Delhi and Washington are set to finalize a ten-year defense framework, solidifying the US-India partnership for the benefit of Western geopolitical agendas.
Despite already purchasing over $20 billion in US defense products since 2008, India is expected to spend over $200 billion on military modernization in the next decade—funds that Washington is eager to siphon.
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2025/02/14/742799/Modi-Trump-India-bends-Washington-demands
