Al Mayadeen – February 6, 2025
Netanyahu proposes ending Gaza war in return for exiling Hamas leaders
The proposal was made to none other than the US president who wants to turn Gaza into the "Riviera of the Middle East."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu proposed a plan to US President Donald Trump aimed at ending the war on Gaza and securing the release of high-profile Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the exile of senior Hamas leaders from the territory, Israeli news site Walla! reported.
According to Walla!'s correspondent Barak Ravid, Netanyahu sought to reach an understanding with Trump and his administration officials on maintaining the ceasefire agreement and prisoner exchange deal. The deal hinges on introducing modifications that align with the new US administration’s policies.
Senior US officials told Walla! that Netanyahu’s plan for the next phase of the agreement includes a proposal for Hamas’ senior leaders to relinquish power in Gaza and leave the territory.
Meanwhile, US Middle East envoy Steve Whitkoff is expected to meet with Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Miami to discuss the second phase of the agreement following his talks with Netanyahu.
An Israeli source told the Israeli news website that the second phase of the deal would proceed only if Hamas agreed to give up control of Gaza. If the group refuses, the Israeli occupation forces will not withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor, using this point as leverage.
Trump-Netanyahu meeting details
US news site Axios, citing Israeli and American officials, revealed details from the Tuesday meeting between Trump and Netanyahu in Washington.
A senior Israeli official familiar with the meeting said Trump assured Netanyahu that his goal was to secure the release of all captives held in Gaza. While he did not elaborate on the different phases of the deal, Trump expressed confidence in Whitkoff’s ability to negotiate the captives’ release.
For his part, Netanyahu reaffirmed his willingness to engage in serious negotiations regarding the second phase of the agreement, the official added.
US officials reported that Netanyahu wants to extend the first phase of the ceasefire beyond the initial 42-day period to facilitate the release of additional captives. Some 33 captives were freed in the first phase. The Israeli occupation, in return, would release more Palestinian prisoners under yet-to-be-determined conditions.
An Israeli official involved in the negotiations indicated that the Israeli regime may secure the release of only two or three additional captives based on their medical conditions.
Hamas willing to give up civilian governance
Israeli officials claim that Hamas has expressed willingness to relinquish civilian governance and reconstruction efforts in Gaza, transferring these responsibilities to an alternative entity such as the Palestinian Authority or an independent administration. However, according to Walla!, the Resistance movement is not willing to give up its military power or its weapons.
At the same time, Israeli officials believe that the chances of Hamas leaders in Gaza agreeing to leave are extremely low, which could jeopardize the deal and lead to a prolonged war.
Under the terms of the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and the Israeli occupation—whose first phase took effect on January 19—indirect negotiations for the next stage were set to begin Monday.
While the talks did not kick off on Monday, Hamas expressed its readiness to begin negotiations on the second phase of the ongoing truce in Gaza.
"Hamas has informed the mediators, during ongoing communications and meetings held with Egyptian mediators last week in Cairo, that we are ready to start the negotiations for the second phase," one official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the talks.
The official called on mediators to "ensure that the occupation adheres to the agreement and does not stall." A second Hamas official added that the group was "waiting for the mediators to initiate the next round" of discussions.
Palestinian Information Center – February 6, 2025
Hamas: Israel is racing against time to execute the annexation and displacement plan in the West Bank
AMALLAH, (PIC): Haroun Nasser Al-Din, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, has confirmed that the Israeli occupation authorities are racing against time to expedite the implementation of the annexation and displacement plan in the West Bank.
In a statement on Thursday, he explained that the establishment of a new settlement outpost in the “Gush Etzion” settlement bloc between Al-Khalil and Bethlehem is the first of its kind in 20 years.
Nasser Al-Din emphasized the importance of steadfastness among the Palestinian people in the West Bank and Jerusalem, and not succumbing to the threats of the Israeli occupation and attempts to displace the population. He pointed out that “the resilience of our people is the safety valve to thwart the occupation’s ambitions to empty the West Bank in favor of further settlement projects.”
He added, “Our cause is going through a critical and sensitive phase, especially with the increased ambitions of the occupation to seize more land in the West Bank, and the reliance on the United States and the illusions that Trump promotes to the Zionist public.”
The Hamas leader indicated that what the West Bank and Jerusalem are experiencing requires mobilizing all components of our nation and people, and confronting all attempts and plans of the occupation to liquidate the Palestinian cause and impose new facts on the ground in favor of the settlers.
Nasser Al-Din emphasized that the people of the West Bank will not give up an inch of their land and will not surrender to the occupation’s will to displace them, no matter the sacrifices and costs involved.
He stressed that the responsibility is growing for all parties, both internationally and locally, to confront the practices of the extremist occupation government and its colonial expansionist plans, which pose a grave threat to the region and the entire area.
https://english.palinfo.com/news/2025/02/06/333560/
Palestinian Information Center – February 6, 2025
174 Palestinians detained since the start of the Israeli aggression on Jenin and Tubas
The Palestinian Prisoner Society (PPS) reported that the Israeli occupation has arrested and detained 174 Palestinians from the Jenin and Tubas governorates in northern West Bank since the onset of the “Iron Wall” aggression on the two provinces.
The PPS said in a press release on Thursday that the number of detainees in Jenin and its refugee camp over the 17 days of aggression is no less than 120. In the Tubas governorate, the number of arrests has reached 54, mostly in the town of Tammoun.
It indicated that dozens of citizens in the two governorates have undergone field interrogations, with the majority of detainees subjected to severe beating and systematic abuse.
The occupation army continues its aggression on the governorates of Jenin, Tulkarm, and Tubas for more than two weeks, resulting in 29 martyrs, dozens of injuries, arrests, house demolitions, and forced displacement, amid widespread destruction of property and infrastructure.
Since the beginning of the aggression, the occupation army has imposed arbitrary measures at its military checkpoints near most entrances and exits of the governorates in the West Bank, closing most of the gates of villages and towns in an attempt to ignite the situation, paving the way for creating a state of violent chaos to facilitate the annexation of the West Bank. This has manifested in the brutal attacks carried out by terrorist settler gangs against Palestinian citizens, their towns, properties, homes, lands, and sanctities.
https://english.palinfo.com/news/2025/02/06/333557/
History Will Judge the Leaders of the Arab World Too,
Not Just Trump and Netanyahu
by Jack Khoury
The U.S. president's remarks a plan for Gaza's future have sparked alarm, but they also present an opportunity for Arab leaders to unite and push back. Now, they must put forward a strong counter-initiative
U.S. President Donald Trump's endorsement of removing Palestinians from the Gaza Strip – and his statement that he would not fundamentally object to Israeli annexation of the West Bank – have presented Arab leaders with an unprecedented challenge.
For these leaders – especially those of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan – the challenge doesn't just lie in the comments' content but also in their timing and public nature. The Arab public's views of its leaders will be significantly shaped by how they respond to the arrogance of a president like Trump – one who acts like he's the king of the world, able to impose his will on any global leader.
The Palestinians are all too familiar with plans for deportation, population transfer and annexation. Since 1948, these ideas have been discussed in research institutes, incorporated into right-wing political party platforms and even placed on the table in Israeli government discussions. Some have been partially implemented, while others have been blocked due to international pressure – sometimes from Washington itself.
Over the years, different U.S. administrations have affirmed Israel's right to self-defense while at least publicly distancing themselves from the settlement enterprise. Although Israel has generally managed to push forward with its own agenda, fending off international criticism and tightening its control over Palestinian lives, no American president had ever so openly called for the removal of Palestinians from their land – until Trump did so on Tuesday.
Furthermore, Trump claims his plan will be implemented with the support – and potentially the funding – of Arab states.
According to the president, the motive behind his plan is the welfare of Gaza's war-weary population. But in the eyes of the Arab and Muslim public, his intentions are clear – the U.S. under Trump is embracing the agenda of the messianic right, seeking to resolve the Palestinian issue not by managing it, as previous administrations did, but by eliminating it.
If that weren't enough, Trump is even floating the possibility of an American military occupation of Gaza.
Diplomatic responses were swift. Saudi Arabia was the first to reject Trump's proposal, with its Foreign Ministry making it clear that the kingdom will not establish diplomatic relations with Israel unless a Palestinian state is created within the pre-1967 borders. The Saudi response was quickly followed by reactions from Cairo, Amman and Ramallah.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas urgently flew to Amman, where King Abdullah II held discussions with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the emir of Qatar. Senior Egyptian officials also rushed to consult with their counterparts in Amman, with talks revolving around an emergency summit and the formation of a coalition to counter the U.S. president's plan.
The urgency among Arab leaders is understandable. Until Tuesday, deportation and forced displacement were ideas largely confined to Israel's extreme right – championed by figures such as Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich and tacitly enabled by Netanyahu's characteristic silence and deniability.
Now, however, the leader of the world's most powerful nation is openly advocating such a plan, making the situation far more dangerous and complex for Arab states.
A population transfer plan on this scale is a powder keg. What begins in Gaza could quickly spread to the West Bank or even inside Israel's pre-1967 borders. Added to this is the campaign against UNRWA and the pressure to erase the refugee issue altogether. These plans have the potential to reshape the Middle East – and not necessarily for the better.
Centuries ago, American settlers succeeded in driving Native Americans into reservations, aided by the sheer vastness of the land. Colonial empires have followed similar patterns throughout history. Whether Trump can achieve a comparable outcome within a four-year term will depend on the nature and scale of the Arab and Muslim response, as well as the actions of the people of Gaza.
In principle, most Gazans remain deeply attached to their land. Those willing to leave overwhelmingly express a desire not to relocate to Sinai but to return to the places from which their parents and grandparents were expelled, such as Ashkelon and Be'er Sheva.
But beyond nationalist slogans and rhetoric, the people of Gaza need a viable future – and this must take the form of a counter-strategy to Trump's plan. A revamped Arab initiative, modeled on the Marshall Plan, could offer the Palestinians of Gaza real hope, presenting the world with a serious, well-structured, and fully funded alternative.
Such a plan would also require internal Palestinian reckoning, paving the way for a clear vision for the "day after," in which both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority acknowledge the gravity of this moment and acts accordingly.
Trump may have spoken from arrogance and brute force, sensing weakness in the Arab world and among the Palestinians. Yet, in doing so, he has inadvertently provided the region with an opportunity to push back against both him and Netanyahu. This is a defining test for those who claim leadership in the Middle East – from Mohammed bin Salman to Abdel-Fattah al-Sissi, King Abdullah II and Mahmoud Abbas. History will judge them, too – not just Netanyahu and Trump.
Israel hiding true extent of soldier deaths, injuries in Gaza onslaught
The discrepancy between the number of Israeli soldiers killed and wounded during the genocidal war on Gaza and the official casualty figures reported by the army shows that the Tel Aviv regime is concealing the true extent of its losses in the Strip.
Speaking at Work Programs Conference of the ministry of military affairs on Sunday, Israel's newly appointed chief of staff Major General Eyal Zamir admitted that the number of Israeli soldiers killed and wounded in Gaza is significantly higher than what the army has officially reported.
The Israeli military asserts that 844 soldiers have lost their lives and 5,696 have sustained injuries since the onset of the bloody Gaza onslaught on October 7, 2023.
In contrast, Zamir stated that there are a minimum of 5,942 officially recognized “bereaved families” – a designation used exclusively for the families of soldiers killed in action.
He also revealed that over 15,000 soldiers have been admitted to the rehabilitation system due to physical injuries and mental health problems, reinforcing assumptions that Israel has been deliberately underreporting its military losses.
This is not the first time that the actual casualties and damages sustained by the Israeli army far exceed the official figures.
Back in December last year, Haaretz reported that while the Israeli army claimed only 1,593 soldiers were wounded between October and December, hospital records showed the actual number was 10,548.
The newspaper had earlier exposed that about 1,000 wounded soldiers were being admitted to rehabilitation centers every month.
Israel's genocidal war on Gaza has led to the death of at least 47,583 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injury of 111,633 others since early October 2023.
A ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement went into effect in Gaza on January 19, halting Israel's aggressive campaign against the coastal region.
Since the beginning of Israel’s onslaught against Gaza in October 2023, at least 905 Palestinians have been killed across the occupied West Bank in attacks by Israeli forces and settlers.
Palestinian Information Center – February 6, 2025
Trump’s road map to a Jewish State
By Mohammad Balawi
Israeli Prime Minister and accused war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu has arrived in the United States, becoming the first foreign leader to meet the new American President, Donald Trump. Netanyahu’s visit comes after a resounding defeat in the Gaza Strip and amid a deeply divided Israeli society – not only due to the disastrous outcome of the war against Hamas and the growing rift between secular and ultra-religious Israelis, but primarily because Netanyahu deceived the public and shifted blame for his failures onto others, including Israel’s sacred institution, the Israeli army.
What results might arise from the meeting between Netanyahu and Trump? Netanyahu is a vindictive individual, and Trump values personal loyalty in his diplomacy. He openly stated that Netanyahu betrayed him after his loss in the previous presidential election, and he will neither forget nor forgive that. However, pro-Israel donors like Miriam Adelson, along with the wider pro-Israel lobby, exert considerable influence over Trump’s regional decisions. Thus, even if the meeting turns contentious, Trump aims to show his pro-Israel lobby and Israelis in general that he prioritizes their interests more than their own embattled prime minister.
The fragile Arab situation is in a great mess. Some of the most influential Arab countries where the Palestinian issue is concerned, such as Egypt and Jordan, are dependent on American financial assistance, while others – such as the Gulf countries, are dependent on American military support. The psychologically defeated Palestinian official leadership is cooperating with the Israeli occupation to fight their own countrymen in Jenin and other West Bank cities instead of putting an end to illegal Jewish settler rampage. Mahmoud Abbas, who is talking about enforcing law and order in the West Bank, was pleading to foreign nations in the United Nations to protect the Palestinian people under his own jurisdiction.
These factors allow Trump to easily sacrifice the Palestinian people on the altar of his personal ego and interests. After all, who will hold him accountable for that? The bully mentality driving Trump’s actions makes him flex his muscles before the weak and retreat when there’s a price to pay.
His shameless attempt to extort $500 billion from Saudi Arabia in exchange for his first foreign visit, along with his threats to allies like Canada and European nations to seize their land, reflects pathetic, gang-like governance. No one is spared from his reckless policies and thuggish intimidation. A growing, suppressed anger is building against America – not just in Russia and China, but also in North America, including Canada and Mexico, in Europe, and even within Arab countries.
The real question might be: What do Netanyahu and his backers expect from Trump? Many Israelis are dissatisfied with the ceasefire agreement with Hamas, which was achieved following pressure from Trump on Netanyahu, and they are now anticipating some form of compensation. They understand that American presidents, especially Trump, generally show little regard for the United Nations or international law, acting as they see fit. Therefore, offering the right incentives will likely lead him to fulfill Israel’s aspirations. Trump has a track record in this area, having moved the US Embassy to Jerusalem and recognized Israel’s occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights as legal, despite UN resolutions to the contrary.
What more do they expect from him? The three key demands they likely have are centered on solidifying their role as the region’s self-proclaimed leaders. First, they seek his help in normalizing relations with major Muslim countries like Indonesia and Pakistan, as this is essential before achieving their ultimate diplomatic goal: normalizing ties with Saudi Arabia.
Second, they want to isolate Iran through a maximum pressure campaign, punish the Houthis, and finally fulfill their long-standing ambition of transforming Palestine into a Jewish state by ethnically cleansing Palestinians not only from the Gaza Strip but also from the West Bank.
All these objectives might not be immediately attainable, given the complexity of regional dynamics and the shifting nature of international alliances. However, Netanyahu would be highly focused on securing at least a solid promise, if not a detailed road map, from Trump to move toward achieving these goals. A commitment, even if only verbal, would provide Netanyahu with political leverage back home, allowing him to present the illusion of progress to his supporters and deflect attention from his failures.
However, when it comes to Trump, nothing is certain, as the Palestinians may not be the easy target he assumes, and Arab nations could perceive his maneuvers as an existential threat, choosing to resist his agenda. Trump’s unpredictable behavior and habit of acting according to personal interests or shifting political tides mean that any commitments he makes could be quickly overturned. It wouldn’t be shocking if Trump abruptly changed course and retracted his promises, leaving Netanyahu’s ambitious plans in shambles. With a history of transactional dealings, Trump frequently discards allies when they no longer benefit his objectives. Despite Netanyahu’s political savvy, he risks becoming yet another victim of this recurring pattern.
After all, this is often the fate of those who rely on others to carry out their dirty work. Depending on external forces, especially those as volatile as Trump, is a dangerous gamble. Ultimately, Netanyahu’s dreams could very well turn to ashes, a harsh reminder of the perils of overdependence on unreliable allies.
-Dr Mohammad Makram Balawi is the Director General of League of Parliamentarians for alQuds (LP4Q). His article appeared in MEMO.
https://english.palinfo.com/opinion_articles/trumps-roadmap-to-a-jewish-state/
New drone carrier Shahid Bagheri joins IRGC fleet in Persian Gulf
Iran’s new homegrown drone carrier has joined the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps' (IRGC) naval fleet in the Persian Gulf.
The IRIS Shahid Bagheri named after Bahman Bagheri, an IRGC commander martyred in the 1980s war with Iraq, joined the force's naval fleet during a ceremony in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas on Thursday.
Equipped with a 180-meter-long runway, the Shahid Bagheri serves as a mobile naval platform for drone and helicopter missions in the oceans.
It is capable of carrying several squadrons of unmanned aircraft, using various types of patrol and combat drones, launching and retrieving light and fast combat vessels, and carrying different kinds of combat and support choppers.
Speaking at the event, Commander of the IRGC Navy Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri said it took two years to convert a commercial ship to the drone carrier.
An operational range of 22,000 nautical miles enables the carrier to conduct missions for a whole year in distant waters without the need to refuel, he added.
Tangsiri also noted that the carrier can engage with various types of small aircraft and air defense missiles as it is equipped with short- and medium-range air defense systems, as well as intelligence equipment and a flight control tower.
In addition to detecting electronic signals, the carrier can further carry and employ guided subsurface vessels, along with long-range surface-to-surface cannons and cruise missiles.
The Shahid Bagheri has specialized hospital and sports facilities, he said.
"The joining of this vessel to the IRGC Navy fleet is an important step in increasing the defense and deterrence capabilities of the Islamic Republic of Iran in distant waters and maintaining the security of the country's national interests."
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2025/02/06/742285/Iran-drone-carrier-joins-IRGC-naval-fleet
American Muslim group denounces Trump’s call to ethnically cleanse and occupy Gaza
The US Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO), the nation’s umbrella group of Muslim associations, today strongly condemned President Trump’s immoral, unlawful, and doomed proposal to expel over a million Palestinians from Gaza and turn their land into U.S.-occupied territory. USCMO also called on President Trump to drop this "insulting" idea and instead focus on completing the ceasefire agreement and initiating credible negotiations to establish a liberated Palestinian state free from Israeli occupation and oppression.
In a statement, USCMO Secretary General Oussama Jammal said:
“President Trump’s proposal to endorse the Israeli government's longstanding, barely concealed fantasy of removing Gaza’s indigenous people from their land is as unlawful under international law as it is odiously evil to the common human sense of decency.
“Just as alarming, however, is that it signals President Trump’s intent to pursue an Israel-First foreign policy instead of an America-First foreign policy. President Trump must stop repeating the mistakes of President Biden, who made the American people unwilling accomplices to the genocide in Gaza. President Trump should be building on his successful efforts to secure a ceasefire deal instead of thinking of new ways to ethnically cleanse Gaza."
"Those who have the real say in the future of Gaza, its the Palestinian people, instantly rejected President Trump’s deeply offensive provocations about ‘their home’ and ‘their land.’ So did every Arab and Muslim-majority nation whose consent would be required to go along with this unacceptable idea. Even U.S. allies and foreign countries worldwide
“The Palestinian people are religiously, culturally, historically, and emotionally bound to the Holy Land. They know better than anyone what colonialism sounds and looks like. And they well know they have the right to live free and with dignity on the land they and their forefathers have worked, lived, and prayed on for two thousand years. Gaza is not just a piece of real estate for them.
"We call upon our fellow Americans, our congressional leaders who have U.S. interests and moral ideals truly in their hearts, the Arab and Muslim nations, and the international community to loudly and clearly beat back this outrageous, unhinged, imperious proposal from Trump to ethnically cleanse the Palestinians from Gaza, as well as efforts to steal more Palestinian land through annexation."
Palestinians "know exactly what will happen to them if they repeat what happened in 1948 after the displacement of 70 percent of the Palestinian people,” Jammal added. “They ended up being refugees, humiliated, lacking dignity and basic resources. That will not happen again, God willing.”
