Al Mayadeen – January 17, 2025
Russia, Iran sign Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement
Russian President Vladimir Putin described the new comprehensive strategic partnership treaty with Iran as a "truly breakthrough document" that will "create the necessary conditions for the stable and sustainable development of Russia and Iran, as well as our entire common Eurasian region."
On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a landmark agreement on comprehensive strategic partnership, replacing the 2001 bilateral relations treaty.
The new accord aims to strengthen cooperation in various fields, including trade, energy, defense, technology, and infrastructure, with a focus on constructing the North-South International Transport Corridor (INSTC).
A New Chapter
Speaking at a press conference after the signing ceremony in Moscow, President Pezeshkian described the agreement as a pivotal moment in the relationship between the two countries. "Today's major agreement that was signed will open a new big chapter in our relations, especially in terms of trade and economic relations between Iran and Russia," he stated.
The Iranian president also noted that the talks included discussions on financial and investment matters, as well as the possibility of introducing a visa-free regime. "As for customs issues, as for banking and monetary issues, as well as our investment projects, as well as the visa-free regime between our countries - we discussed these issues, and within the framework of this agreement we will have the opportunity to discuss these topics in the future," Pezeshkian added.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the agreement would provide a framework for long-term stability and progress. "This truly breakthrough document aims to create the necessary conditions for the stable and sustainable development of Russia and Iran, as well as our entire common Eurasian region," Putin said.
He expressed confidence that the agreements reached would enhance the entire spectrum of Russia-Iran relations, stating, "We are satisfied with the outcome of the current negotiations. I am confident that the agreements reached will further strengthen the entire range of Russian-Iranian relations and ties."
Both leaders highlighted the need for actionable measures to increase trade and economic collaboration. President Putin stressed the importance of reducing bureaucratic hurdles, remarking, "The point of the agreement signed today is precisely to create additional conditions, basic additional conditions for the development of trade and economic ties. To put it simply, there needs to be less bureaucracy and more specific cases."
President Pezeshkian expressed optimism about future cooperation and underscored Russia's importance within Iran's regional strategy. "I hope that our bilateral contacts will continue within the framework of mutual interests, and from today onwards, we will see a broader opportunity for the development of these relations. As part of Iran's neighborhood policy, Russia is of great importance to us," he said, adding that the exchange of delegations between the two nations would continue.
A Solid Bond
The signing of the comprehensive strategic partnership marks a significant milestone in the evolving relationship between the two nations. Relations between Russia and Iran date as far back as the 16th century.
The imposition of Western sanctions has prompted Russia and Iran to seek alternative markets and strengthen bilateral trade. In 2022, the trade volume between the two countries reached a record $4.6 billion, with Iranian exports accounting for $1.3 billion, reflecting a 15% increase.
This upward trend continued into 2023, with both nations striving to enhance economic cooperation. Notably, in the first nine months of 2023, trade exchanges between Iran and Russia increased by 30%.
Read more: Russia-Iran trade surpasses $4 bln with 96% in national currencies
A significant development in their economic relations is Russia's plan to supply up to 55 billion cubic meters of gas annually to Iran. Putin stated that initial deliveries would start with smaller volumes, potentially increasing to the full capacity over time.
"If we talk about the volumes of possible supplies, we believe that we need to start with small volumes - up to 2 bcm, but in general this can reach supply volumes of 55 bcm of gas per year," Putin said after signing the treaty.
Despite recent advancements in bilateral relations, several challenges persist, such as infrastructural limitations and financial constraints. Nonetheless, the comprehensive strategic partnership treaty aims to address these issues by enhancing cooperation across various sectors, including trade, military, science, education, and culture.
Al Mayadeen – January 17, 2025
Israeli media reveal prisoner exchange details: Phase one Sunday 4 pm
A statement from the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirms that "the deal can proceed according to the planned mechanism on Sunday, pending cabinet approval."
The ceasefire agreement in Gaza, signed in Doha last night between Hamas and "Israel", is set to take effect as planned on Sunday, with no delays expected despite the timing of Israeli government meetings, according to Israeli media.
A statement from the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that "the deal can proceed according to the planned mechanism on Sunday, pending cabinet approval."
Mediators announced the agreement on Wednesday, with implementation scheduled for Sunday at 12:15 pm local time.
Israeli Channel 12 reported that the first phase of the prisoner exchange, which is expected to include the release of three Israeli women, is set to take place at 4:00 pm on the same day.
Finalized terms of the prisoner exchange
Israeli media unveiled details of the finalized prisoner exchange agreement between "Israel" and Hamas. The deal reportedly includes the release of Palestinian detainees with heavy sentences in exchange for sick and wounded Israeli captives in Gaza.
The Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation reported that the agreement was reached after hours of negotiations in Doha, which included disputes over detainee lists.
The finalized terms include:
- Release of 110 Palestinian detainees serving life sentences in exchange for 9 sick and wounded Israeli captives.
- Release of 1,000 Palestinian detainees arrested after October 7, who "were not involved in combat operations."
- Exchange of 3 Palestinian detainees serving life sentences for each adult Israeli captive.
- Complete withdrawal of invading Israeli units from the Philadelphi Axis within 50 days of the agreement's implementation.
- Establishment of a security zone between Gaza and Israeli settlements, 700 meters wide, except for five areas where the width will extend to 1.1 kilometers.
Key details emerge
In a related context, Haaretz reported that 290 detainees serving life sentences are set to be released under the exchange deal. Additionally, 600 Palestinian detainees with sentences exceeding 15 years will also gain their freedom as part of the agreement.
Early this morning, Hamas announced that obstacles caused by "Israel's" failure to comply with the ceasefire terms had been resolved through mediation efforts. The movement confirmed that the lists of Palestinian detainees to be released in the first phase of the exchange will be published incrementally by the Prisoners' Office.
Netanyahu’s promises vs. agreement realities
Israeli media highlighted stark contradictions between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s public assurances and the actual terms of the agreement with Hamas, which include significant concessions.
The Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation also reported that Netanyahu’s earlier pledge to avoid withdrawing from the Philadelphi Axis contrasts with the agreement's phased withdrawal plan. The first stage involves gradual withdrawal, culminating in a full pullout during the second phase.
Moreover, "Israel" has dropped its prior demand to impose monitoring.
Journalist Sam Husseini says 'in no way expected' being hauled out of Blinken presser
Sam Husseini, an independent journalist based in Washington, DC, says he was shocked at the treatment he received during US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s farewell press conference on Thursday.
Speaking to the Press TV website, the veteran Palestinian-origin journalist said he expected being ignored when calling out questions—but not being manhandled and dragged out of the briefing room by armed guard
s.
A video of Husseini, a familiar face at US State Department press briefings and a well-known media figure in Washington, went viral on Thursday, showing him being forcibly removed from the press conference.
"I'm a journalist, not a potted plant," he was heard saying as officers tried to remove him and he gripped the table where he sat.
"Criminal! Why aren't you in The Hague?" he shouted at the outgoing top US diplomat, even as he was being dragged out following the intervention of State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller.
Husseini has been an outspoken critic of the Joe Biden administration’s support for Israel’s genocidal war against Palestinians in Gaza, which has killed nearly 47,000 people, most of them children and women, so far.
He has consistently documented Zionist war crimes in Palestine committed with US-made weapons. Yet, even with his history of challenging authority, he was stunned by the response to his questions at the conference.
"I was expecting to call out questions and be ignored. I’ve posted past examples on my X (formerly Twitter) feed. I in no way expected this," he told the Press TV website.
In a Substack post following the incident, Husseini noted that his intention was to press Blinken with tough questions at every opportunity during the press conference.
The issues he intended to raise included inquiries about the US obstruction of the May 24 International Court of Justice (ICJ) order, its refusal to apply the Geneva Conventions to Gaza, and the International Criminal Court (ICC) accusations of extermination and genocide against the Israeli regime in Gaza.
The veteran journalist told the Press TV website that Blinken "orchestrated the imperial Israeli genocide of the last year, sabotaged the Genocide Convention, the Geneva Convention, and other parts of international law to achieve it."
"See my questions on my Substack. One in particular was about Blinken’s family which is filled with Zionist operators. His step father was connected with Robert Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein, both connected to Mossad," he stated.
Despite his known credentials and reputation as a veteran journalist, mainstream American media—including CNN—dismissed Husseini’s presence at Blinken's press conference as "cringeworthy heckling by activists."
"CNN and co obviously know who I am, they know I ask very well-researched questions," he told the Press TV website.
"They are simply trying to dismiss my work to hinder the US public from seeing the reality of the slaughter coming from US policy and they don’t want people to know what actual adversarial journalism looks like."
When asked if this incident would set a precedent for how tough, critical questions—especially those concerning US policy on Israel—are handled in the future, Husseini said he is uncertain about the long-term ramifications.
During the press conference, he was joined by Max Blumenthal, chief editor of The Grayzone, who also confronted Blinken.
“Why did you allow the Holocaust of our time to happen? How does it feel to have your legacy be genocide," he was heard asking.
“You too, Matt. You smirked through the whole thing. Every day. You smirked through a genocide," he added, referring to Miller.
Yemen conducts 4 retaliatory operations against Israeli, US targets
The Yemeni Armed Forces spokesman says they have carried out four military operations against Israeli and US targets in retaliation for the genocide in Gaza and anti-Yemen strikes.
In a statement on Friday, Brigadier General Yahya Saree said “four cruise missiles” were fired at “vital” Israeli targets in the city of Umm Rashrash, also known as Eilat, in the southern part of Occupied Palestine, describing the operation as “successful.”
He added that two other drone attacks “successfully” hit Israeli targets in occupied Yaffa (Tel Aviv) and Asqalan.
Meanwhile, Saree announced that the Yemeni naval forces targeted the American aircraft carrier "USS Harry S. Truman" in the northern Red Sea, using a number of drones. “The operation achieved its goals successfully.”
The operation came after US warplanes launched multiple airstrikes on Yemen's northwestern province of ‘Amran.
Saree reiterated the armed forces’ readiness to respond to any anti-Yemen Israeli or US escalatory actions, and also vowed to retaliate in case Israel intensified its attacks on Gaza.
He made the remarks during a pro-Gaza rally in the capital Sana’a.
On an almost a weekly basis, Yemenis have been staging mass protests across the country to decry the Israeli atrocities in Gaza, and to reiterate their support for their country’s retaliatory operations.
Since the onset of Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip in October 2023, Yemeni forces have carried out scores of operations in support of the war-hit Gazans, striking targets throughout the occupied Palestinian territories, in addition to targeting Israeli ships or vessels heading towards ports in the occupied territories.
Israel launched a genocidal war on Gaza on October 7, 2023 after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas waged the surprise Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the occupying entity in response to the Israeli regime's decades-long campaign of bloodletting and devastation against Palestinians.
The regime’s bloody onslaught on Gaza has so far killed at least 46,788 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured more than 110,453 others. Thousands more are also missing and presumed dead under rubble.
Despite the announcement of a ceasefire deal on Wednesday, Israel has intensified its airstrikes and artillery shelling on Gaza, killing dozens of people.
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2025/01/17/741094/Yemen-four-retaliatory-operations--Israel-US-targets
Israel kills over 100 Palestinians in Gaza despite ceasefire deal announcement
Despite the announcement of a ceasefire deal, Israel has intensified its airstrikes and artillery shelling on Gaza, especially its residential buildings, killing more than 100 Palestinians.
Gaza’s civil defense said on Friday at least 101 Palestinians, including 27 children and 31 women, have been killed by Israeli strikes in Gaza since the ceasefire announcement on Wednesday.
The attacks have also left more than 264 injured, according to the rescue agency.
Most of the killings came in Gaza City.
The report comes as Israeli attacks have shown no sign of slowing on the ground, with dozens of strikes reported on Friday.
In northern Gaza’s Jabalia, nine members of a Palestinian journalist’s family, including women and children, were killed.
Two more Palestinians were killed in a separate Israel airstrike in the Jabalia al-Balad area, in the north of Gaza.
Jabalia has come under fierce attack since the Gaza ceasefire announcement this week. On Thursday, at least 20 were killed in one attack in the area.
At least five others were also killed in another attack that targeted a home, east of Khan Younis City, in Southern Gaza on Friday.
To the west of Khan Younis, three people were killed in attacks on tents housing displaced people.
Another tent was targeted in Nuseirat camp in central Gaza, killing one person.
That's while Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would convene his cabinet later on Friday to approve the long-awaited ceasefire.
Israel launched a genocidal war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas waged the surprise Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the occupying entity in response to the Israeli regime's decades-long campaign of bloodletting and devastation against Palestinians.
The regime’s bloody onslaught on Gaza has so far killed at least 46,788 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured more than 110,453 others. Thousands more are also missing and presumed dead under rubble.
The ceasefire, announced on Wednesday, consists of three phases and would come into effect on Sunday over 42 days.
The truce deal stipulates that a large-scale prisoner exchange will occur, including the release of 1,000 prisoners from Gaza and hundreds of detainees serving lengthy sentences.
The first stage involves the release of 33 captives, including "children, women, female soldiers, men above 50, and the wounded and sick," as well as a gradual, partial withdrawal of invading Israeli units.
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2025/01/17/741072/Israel-kills-over-100-Gaza-despite-ceasefire--
Palestinian Information Center – January 17, 2025
60,000 Palestinians attend Friday prayer at the Aqsa Mosque
Dozens of thousands of Palestinian worshipers performed Friday prayer at the Aqsa Mosque in Occupied Jerusalem, despite Israeli restriction
s.
The Islamic Endowments Department in Jerusalem affirmed that around 60,000 Muslims performed the Friday prayer at the holy shrine.
A heavy contingent of Israeli police was deployed at the entrances, surroundings, and alleys of the city, as well as at the external gates of the Mosque.
The Israeli forces also arrested a young woman near Asbat Gate after preventing her from reaching the Mosque.
They also searched the bags of women before entering the Aqsa Mosque, checked the IDs of young men, and prevented a number of them from entering the holy site through Asbat Gate, coinciding with the Friday prayer.
Earlier Friday, a number of young men and women were forced to perform the Fajr prayers in the vicinity of Aqsa Mosque after being blocked from having access to the Mosque.
During the Friday sermon, the Mufti of Jerusalem, Sheikh Muhammad Hussein, welcomed the Gaza ceasefire deal that “will end the criminal war against our patient and steadfast people after thousands of them were killed, including children, women, elderly and men.”
“This resilient people chose to stay on their land despite all the challenges, hardships, disasters, fires, and flames,” he said.
https://english.palinfo.com/news/2025/01/17/332360/
The ceasefire agreement, explained
A ceasefire deal was announced on Wednesday, promising an end to more than a year of Israel's genocidal war on the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire is planned to take effect on January 19, pending a vote from the Israeli security cabinet.
By QASSAM MUADDI
After 476 days, the Israeli war on Gaza is closer than ever to ending, after a ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal was announced in Doha, Qatar, between Israel and Hamas. The deal will enter into effect next Sunday, January 19.
The Qatari Prime Minister, Mohammad Bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani announced the deal in Doha, late on Wednesday, January 15, following days of anticipation and intensified talks in Doha, which saw important breakthroughs on key issues that had been deemed ‘unsolvable’ in previous rounds of talks. Among such issues are Israel’s acceptance of withdrawing its forces from the Netzarim and Philadelphi corridors, and the return of displaced Palestinians to their destroyed homes in the north of the strip. Israel had insisted on refusing both conditions in past negotiations, which prolonged the war for months.
Shortly before the announcement of the deal, US president-elect, Donald Trump said in a post on Truth Social that “We have a deal for the hostages in the Middle East. They will be released shortly.” According to leaks, Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, directly pressured Netanyahu to move his positions and accept the deal.
According to reports, the ceasefire deal includes two phases. The first phase, lasting 42 days, will include a complete halt of hostilities, and a gradual release of Israeli captives in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian captives in Israeli jails. In this phase, Hamas and other Palestinian factions will release 33 Israelis who were captured on October 7, 2023, including all remaining five women, those aged above 50, and those with illnesses. It is not known yet who of them is still alive. Israel will simultaneously release hundreds of Palestinians, from the same category, reaching up to 1,000 prisoners and detainees.
The Israeli army will begin to withdraw its forces from the populated areas of the Gaza Strip on the first day of the ceasefire. The return of displaced Palestinians to the north will begin on the 7th day of the ceasefire. Israel backed down on its previous refusal to allow the return of Palestinians to the north, as well as previous stipulations around age restrictions. The displaced who return on foot only will be searched, but not those who will return in vehicles. The deal also stipulates the entry of humanitarian aid in the first days of the ceasefire, at a rate of 600 trucks a day. The aid that will enter in the first phase include medical supplies and necessary material to rehabilitate destroyed hospitals and bakeries.
Negotiations over the details of the second phase will begin on the 16th day of the ceasefire.The second phase will see the release of the remaining captives being held in Gaza, specifically Israeli army soldiers and officers, as well as the remaining bodies of killed captives. The names and numbers of Palestinian detainees to be released in this phase is yet to be negotiated. This phase will also include the beginning of reconstruction in Gaza. Israel will complete its withdrawal from the Gaza strip in the second phase, maintaining only a military presence in a 700 meter strip along the fence line of the strip, and in some parts of the Philadelphi corridor, which runs along the border with Egypt.
Israel will completely withdraw from the Rafah crossing point. US, Qatari and Egyptian mediators gave guarantees to secure the completion of Israeli withdrawal. The third phase will see negotiations for a permanent end of the war.
During the announcement of the ceasefire deal on Wednesday, Qatar’s Prime Minister thanked the US, and especially Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, as well as Egyptian mediators for helping secure the deal. He also affirmed that Qatar, Egypt and the US will continue to mediate talks over the second and third phase, and oversee the implementation.
Shortly after the announcement in Doha, the US president Joe Biden also released a statement, emphasizing that the deal will include the release of captives with US nationalities, and ill, elderly and female captives. He also said that his team and the efforts of his administration in providing military assistance to Israel, and weakening Hezbollah and Iran led to the deal.
For its part, Hamas said in a short statement that the deal is “the fruit of the legendary steadfastness of our people and its resistance,” considering it “a step towards our [the Palestinian] people’s aims of liberation and return [of refugees].”
In a televised speech, Hamas’s politburo chief Khalil Al-Hayeh said that the ceasefire deal came after “the most horrible genocide in modern history, which will remain a stain of shame on the front of all humanity, especially those who supported it with tones of bombs and weapons.”
Israeli president Yitzhak Herzog expressed in a televised speech his “support to Prime Minister Netanyahu and the negotiations team,” calling upon cabinet members to vote for the deal, which he considered “the right choice.” Netanyahu’s cabinet will meet on Thursday to vote on the ceasefire deal. In his address, Herzog said that “there is no bigger moral or human or Jewish obligation than returning our sons and daughters home,” in reference to the Israeli captives in Gaza.
On the ground in Israel, the deal stirred controversy since before its announcement. The families of Israeli captives have been protesting in Tel Aviv, demanding the release of all captives at once. A number of the captives’ family members also protested during a meeting with Israel’s war minister Yizrael Katz, accusing the Israeli government of cherry-picking the captives that would be released in the first phase.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benyanin Netanyahu has been holding a string of meetings with his political allies since Monday, especially his finance minister Bezalelel Smotrich and Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who have vocally opposed any ceasefire in Gaza, threatening on multiple occasions to resign from the cabinet if a deal is reached.
On Tuesday, Smotrich called the deal “catastrophic,” while Ben-Gvir called it “a capitulation to Hamas.” Ben-Gvir called upon Smotrich to resign from the government, in protest against the deal. Ben-Gvir also said that thanks to his pressure, Netanyahu sabotaged the ceasefire talks last July. Ben-Gvir’s statements contradicted Netanyahu’s and the US position that it was Hamas, not Israel, who caused the failure of the ceasefire talks.
Meanwhile, as Palestinians in Gaza celebrated the news of the ceasefire, Israeli warplanes intensified their strikes on the Gaza Strip, especially on Gaza City, shortly after the ceasefire announcement,ļ¾ killing dozens in a matter of hours. As of Wednesday, the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces since October 2023, rose to 4,6707 and 110,265 wounded, while 10,000 remained missing under the rubble. According to Palestinian health authorities, 70% of the killed are women, children, and elderly.
https://mondoweiss.net/2025/01/ceasefire-announced-after-476-days-of-genocide/?ml_recipient=143779564372362683&ml_link=143779537287645077&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_term=2025-01-17&utm_campaign=Daily+Headlines+RSS+Automation
