In May, a paper produced by two noted Israeli academics, Eugene Kandel and Ron Tzur, suggested that given,
1. the divisions produced by the country’s war on Gaza
2. and attempts by Netanyahu’s government to untether itself from judicial oversight,


“There’s definitely been a moral corruption within Israel,” said Dr Guy Shalev, the executive director of Physicians for Human Rights Israel, which has documented the denial of medical aid and torture of Palestinians.

“The loss of life on this scale and the government’s disregard of the lives of the [Israeli] hostages, eroded what we call in Hebrew,
‘arvut hadadit’, which refers to the sense of mutual responsibility that binds all Jews,”

“The devaluing of human life, especially Palestinian life, which wasn’t regarded as worth much before the war, has been dramatic,”

Shalev added, “I think that fundamentally, if Palestinians lives don’t matter, then eventually all lives matter less.”

Israel votes in favor of hostage-ceasefire deal
The Times of Israel 18 January 2025

Extracts:

• Government ministers vote in favor of approving hostage-ceasefire deal with Hamas

The Prime Minister’s Office issued a brief statement after 1AM confirming the government approved the deal after meeting for more than 7 hours, which Hebrew media outlets reported 24 ministers voted in favor of and 8 opposed, including 2 members of ruling Likud party

The full Israeli government voted early Saturday in favor of approving the hostage-ceasefire agreement with Hamas, after the security cabinet gave its blessing to the deal on Friday

Now that the government has approved the agreement, opponents of the deal can petition the High Court of Justice against the release of Palestinian security prisoners who are set to be freed, though the court is unlikely to intervene

Additionally, the premier reportedly said,
Channel 12 quoted IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi as having said,

Israel votes in favor of hostage-ceasefire deal
The Times of Israel 18 January 2025

Extracts:

• List of terrorists being released

The list includes numerous terrorists serving life sentences for murder. among them, members of,
1. Hamas
2. Palestinian Islamic Jihad
3. and the Palestinian Authority’s ruling Fatah movement
4. along with women and children being held in Israeli jails

• notorious Fatah terrorist Zakaria Zubeidi

One of the headline names of the list is notorious Fatah terrorist Zakaria Zubeidi, who was part of a prison break from a high-security detention facility in northern Israel in 2021 before Zubeidi and the five Islamic Jihad members, he escaped with were again apprehended

The six later received five-year sentences for the jailbreak

The list published online states that Zubeidi will not be sent abroad, allowing him to return home to the northern West Bank city of Jenin, where he was the commander of Fatah’s Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades and masterminded terror attacks during the Second Intifada

The IDF last year killed Zubeidi's son, Mohammed alongside several other gunmen in a drone strike, describing the younger Zubeidi as “prominent terrorist from the Jenin area” which has been a hotbed of terror activity over the past year and where his brother Daoud was fatally wounded in an exchange of fire with Israeli forces

Israel votes in favor of hostage-ceasefire deal
The Times of Israel 18 January 2025

Extracts:

• 'Moral debt’

Mossad chief David Barnea and Shin Bet head Ronen Bar, who both returned from Qatar following the signing of the deal, also addressed ministers, with the former saying they had a moral imperative to support the agreement

Barnea said, according to Channel 12
Hebrew media reports cited Bar as saying during the earlier security cabinet meeting that 82 percent of the 1,027 Palestinian security prisoners released in the 2011 Israel-Hamas deal to free captive IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, returned to terror activity

Twelve percent of those former prisoners actively participated in terror attacks after their release and even over 50% of the prisoners released abroad returned to terror activity

Bar said,
Despite all of that the security chiefs,
1. stressed they adamantly back the agreement
2. insisting that Israel is prepared to deal with the security consequences

They also argued that Hamas has an interest in abiding by the terms of the first phase in order to reach the second, when it will be able to secure the release of far more prisoners, in exchange for the remaining living Israeli hostages

Extracts:
Israel votes in favor of hostage-ceasefire deal
The Times of Israel 18 January 2025

Extracts:

• Trump-Netanyahu 'second' deal

According to leaks! from the cabinet meeting carried by Hebrew media outlets, Netanyahu told ministers,
While Trump himself has not publicly made such a pledge, his incoming national security adviser stated this week that the US will back Israel if it needs to reenter Gaza

Netanyahu was also quoted saying that Trump decided when he takes office on Monday,

Israel votes in favor of hostage-ceasefire deal
The Times of Israel 18 January 2025

Extracts:

• hostage-ceasefire deal phases

During the first phase, Israel and Hamas are supposed to hold negotiations regarding the terms of the second phase during which the remaining living hostages will be released

The mediators will serve as guarantors to ensure that the parties remain at the table until an agreement on the second phase is reached, allowing the ceasefire to extend

The second phase would conclude with a permanent ceasefire.

Netanyahu had previously pledged to continue the war until Hamas’s military and governing capabilities have been dismantled
Netanyahu has reportedly indicated to his far-right coalition partners that he still plans to do so after the first phase

• Israelis mixed on whether deal will last but want it to

A survey aired by the Kan public broadcaster Friday, showed that 62% of the public supports the deal thus far, compared to 18% who are opposed and 20% who said they are undecided

The Kan poll also asked: which party was responsible for the fact that it took nearly 470 days to reach the agreement - 36% said it was Hamas 25% said it was Israel 22% said both sides equally while 17% said they didn’t know

Saudi demands for Israeli normalization increased
Haaretz by Ben Samuels 17 January 2025

Extracts:

• Saudi demands for Israeli normalization increased since 7 October 2023 - Price has gone up

In an interview with the New Yorker's David Remnick, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said,
Blinken said, He has sat with the leader of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, on many occasions before and after October 7
1. And before October 7 having that credible pathway for a Palestinian state was important
2. But since then, since October 7 the price has gone up and it's more than important; it's essential
3. And before October 7 they were not focused on Palestine, on the cause of Palestinian self-determination
4. Since October 7 they've been fixated on it

And in order for Salman to be able to proceed with normalization:
1. It's very clear that Salman has to have at the least, a credible pathway to a Palestinian state
2. And that, I think, is more deeply felt, more strongly felt now than it was before October 7

Smotrich: Cease-fire/hostage deal with Hamas is 'a bad and dangerous deal' "We oppose it with all force."

In May, a paper produced by two noted Israeli academics, Eugene Kandel and Ron Tzur:

From: The Associated Press January 19, 2025
Dozens of Israelis protest ceasefire deal in Jerusalem

Dozens of Israelis protested the ceasefire deal in Jerusalem on Saturday night, briefly blocking a main road as they shouted for,
1. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resign
2. and the war to continue.

Many carried faux coffins draped in the Israeli flag as well as banners calling the ceasefire a “betrayal” of Israeli soldiers killed in the war.

Yehoshua Shin, whose son was killed fighting Hamas militants on October 7 criticized the deal for releasing Palestinians from prison and called on American president-elect Donald Trump to scrap the deal until there is “total victory” over the Hamas militant group.

From: Haaretz January 18, 2025
Israeli Justice Ministry releases list of 735 Palestinian prisoners to be released

Bereaved families appeal to top court against release of terrorists

Israeli families of individuals killed in terrorist attacks appealed to the country's top court ahead of the expected release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, many involved directly in terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians.

From: Reuters January 19, 2025

Thirty-three of the 98 remaining Israeli hostages, including women, children, men over 50 and ill and wounded captives, are to be freed in the first phase of the ceasefire.

In return, Israel will release almost 2,000 Palestinians from its jails.

They include 737 male, female and teen-aged prisoners, some of whom are members of militant groups convicted of attacks that killed dozens of Israelis, as well as hundreds of Palestinians from Gaza in detention since the start of the war.

Israel's Justice Ministry published their details early on Saturday, along with the ceasefire agreement, which said 30 Palestinian prisoners would be released for each female hostage on Sunday.

From: Haaretz January 18, 2025
High-profile Terrorists Are Among 735 Palestinian Prisoners to Be Released in Israel-Hamas Cease-fire. Who Are They?

Set to be released terrorists include,

Zakaria Zubeidi, who escaped Gilboa Prison but was recaptured after five days;
He was the commander of Fatah’s Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades and masterminded terror attacks during the Second Intifada

Mohammad Abu Warda, responsible for two 1996 Jerusalem bus bombings that killed 45;

Mahmoud Attalah, recently accused of sexually assaulting and raping prison guards

From: The Palestine Chronicle Janaury 17, 2025
Israeli Foreign Minister Concedes Failure to Achieve Gaza War Objectives

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar recognizes Israel’s inability to fulfill its war objectives, emphasizing the significant responsibility of the Israeli far-right government.

He confessed on Friday that Israel has not reached its war objectives, despite what he characterized as strong strikes against Hamas.

During an interview on Israeli Channel 12, Sa’ar remarked,
1. “For months, we have not been able to bring back a single hostage alive.
2. Our responsibility is heavy as a government.”

Israel’s declared goals in its military campaign against Gaza included
1. the destruction of Hamas,
2. the return of captives,
3. and ensuring that the Gaza Strip would no longer pose a future threat.

These aims later expanded to include
1. the return of residents and settlers to northern Israel
2. and the enhancement of security in the West Bank.

From: Reuters January 18, 2025
Hezbollah chief says Gaza ceasefire deal shows 'persistence of resistance' against Israel

Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem congratulated Palestinians on Saturday over the Gaza ceasefire deal, saying in a speech that it proved the "persistence of resistance" against Israel.

The remarks were the first in public by the leader of the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group since Israel and Hamas reached the accord on Wednesday.

"This deal, which was unchanged from what was proposed in May 2024 proves the persistence of resistance groups, which took what they wanted while Israel was not able to take what it sought," he said.

From: Haaretz January 16, 2025
Hell and Bombs: Both Biden and Trump Now Know That Israel Only Understands Force

From Biden's bombs embargo to Trump's hollow but apparently effective threat of opening the gates of hell, it's now clear to the U.S. that only maximum pressure works with Netanyahu.

Faced with critical practical and policy issues, will coercion be the Trump administration's tool of choice for the unresolved
Israel-Palestinian conflict?

Outgoing Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivered the keynote remarks at a conference held on Tuesday by the Atlantic Council.

He said it was time "to forge a new reality for the Middle East – in which
1. all people are more secure,
2. all can realize their national aspirations,
3. all can live in peace.
4. Is that hard to achieve? Yes. Peace in the region always has been...
5. Is it impossible? No.
6. Is it necessary? Absolutely, yes."

Blinken - Israeli PM Netanyahu tends to lie for his own political expediency
Haaretz by Ben Samuels 17 January 2025

Extracts:

• Blinken the Gift that keeps on giving! More parting Gifts!!

Blinken also admitted that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tends to lie for his own political expediency, saying,

Houthis warn of ‘consequences’ if attacked during Gaza ceasefire
Agence France-Presse AFP 19 January 2025

Extracts: Houthis,
1. claim to strike US aircraft carrier
2. warn of ‘consequences’ if attacked during Gaza ceasefire

Yemen’s Houthi rebels claim an attack on an American aircraft carrier in the early hours of Sunday morning, and warn of “consequences” for any retaliation against it amid the imminent ceasefire-hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas

the Iran-backed rebels say in a statement

• Houthis claim USS Harry S.Truman and other “warships” targeted

The Houthis, who have attacked shipping in the Red Sea since November 2023 in a show of solidarity with the Hamas terror group amid the war in Gaza, say that they targeted the USS Harry S.Truman and other “warships” with drones and cruise missiles

the rebels’ statement says
On Friday, the Yemeni rebels warned they would keep up their attacks if Israel does not respect the terms of the ceasefire with Hamas, which is set to begin at 8:30AM on Sunday

Houthis warn Red Sea 'hostile forces' against aggression
Haaretz 19 January 2025

Extracts:

• Houthis warn Red Sea 'hostile forces' against aggression on Yemen during Gaza cease-fire

Yemeni Houthis in the early hours of Sunday warned what they called "hostile forces in the Red Sea" to avoid "any aggression" against Yemen during a cease-fire in Gaza

US forces launch attacks near Yemen’s capital
Al Jazeera by Lyndal Rowlands and Zaheena Rasheed 19 January 2025

Extracts:

• US forces launch attacks near Yemen’s capital: Report

The Houthi-run Al Masirah TV is reporting that US forces have launched four attacks on the Al-Azraqeen area north of the Yemeni capital Sanaa

Earlier, the Houthis said they had launched an attack on a US aircraft carrier in the Red Sea

State Attorney's office rejects petition against hostage deal
The Jerusalem Post by Bini Ashkenazi 19 January 2025

Extracts:

• State Attorney's office rejects petition against hostage deal

The State Attorney's Office, which represents the Israeli government, rejected the petition submitted to the High Court of Justice by those opposing the implementation of the hostage deal

The petition was submitted by the organization 'We Chose Life' which represents families of victims of terror

• A mix of emotions

truce supporters and opponents take to Israel’s Streets
Mood among relatives in Hostage Square is tense, while outside Netanyahu’s office protesters decry ‘surrender’

Monsters: Families of terror victims grapple with release of murderers as part of deal

Hamas delays providing list of the first three hostages
The Times of Israel 18 January 2025

Extracts:

• Hours before ceasefire begins, Hamas delays providing names of the first three hostages to be released Sunday

Hamas said to blame ‘technical reasons’ for delay in providing names of hostages

With Hamas still yet to provide a list of names of the first hostages it will free after the ceasefire deal starts Sunday at 8:30AM a source in the terror group claims to the Ynet news site that the delay is due to “technical reasons”

According to the source, Hamas,
Ceasefire due to begin Sunday morning and three women hostages to be freed at 4PM but PM Netanyahu says deal won’t advance until terror group sends names as agreed

From: Agence France-Presse January 20, 2025
‘Cynical game’: Israeli hostages given ‘gift bags’ by Hamas upon release

The three Israeli hostages were presented with “gift bags” by Hamas before their release – in what the survivors described as a
“cynical game”.

The first three Israeli hostages have reunited with their families in emotional scenes, after being released under the Israel-Hamas ceasefire following 471 days in captivity.

according to The New York Post:
Each of the hostages released by Hamas were given a “gift bag” before they were handed over to the Red Cross

Israeli outlet Ynet reported: The bags contained “gifts and souvenirs”, which included
1. photos of them in captivity,
2. a commemorative photo of Gaza itself
3. and some kind of certificate

All three hostages were filmed being loaded into the car, then, without a word, a Hamas terrorist handed each a paper bag with the group’s crest on it. Israeli media reports the hostages described the bags as a “cynical game”.

I reckon, they are bugged...

The three women look young and seem to be in fairly good physical shape
One of them was missing a couple of fingers though

From: Haaretz January 20, 2025
Hamas 'Gift Bags' to Women Hostages Spark Outrage, Praise Across Israeli-Palestinian Divide

Hebrew and Palestinian media reported: The three Israeli hostages who returned on Sunday were given bags containing,
1. photos from their time in captivity, they were made to pose with before leaving Gaza
2. a map of the Gaza Strip
3. and a 'certificate of appreciation'

It was a bizarrely personal moment from an otherwise chaotic scene.

In Gaza's Saraya Square, hundreds of Palestinian civilians and masked Hamas gunmen surrounded the Red Cross transport vehicle which held former hostages, waiting to be reunited with their families after 471 days in captivity.
1. Romi Gonen,
2. Emily Damari,
3. Doron Steinbrecher

From: The Times of Israel January 21, 2025
Witkoff: There’s more value in freeing hostages, solving disputes diplomatically than resuming war

Pressed to respond to criticism of the hostage deal, US Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff suggests:
"the sacrifices it requires of Israel are warranted in order to allow hostage families to reunite with their loved ones."

He says in the interview with Channel 12 news: “These families deserved to get these hostages home alive.

Hopefully, we prove today that there’s more value in getting those hostages home alive and being able to continue to talk to solve things than there is in continuing the war,”

Asked about his January 11 meeting with Netanyahu, which Arab officials familiar told The Times of Israel was critical in bringing the deal over the finish line because of the pressure that Witkoff placed on the premier, the Mideast envoy declines to disclose too many details.

“We had a discussion with the prime minister about how we needed to get focused in a short period of time and get organized so that we could get to the finish line.

He convened what looked to me like maybe 9, 10, 11 of the top commanders in the Israeli armed forces.
He gave direction to his team to be very proactive, and that was the difference maker,” Witkoff says.

“President Trump gave me the directive… to push forward a deal if a deal was attainable.
We needed to create the incentives for both parties to push forward and get that deal done,” he continues.

Netanyahu has reportedly told coalition partners that those incentives came in the form of US assurances that Israel can resume fighting after the first phase of the deal, which would appear to be a violation of its terms.

But asked to elaborate on the US incentives provided to Israel, Witkoff suffices with:
“The incentives were to get these people home.” “I don’t want to discuss promises that were made.

Witkoff says, the agreement speaks for itself, but I think that:
1. everyone is well motivated to negotiate in a good faith way
2. to see if we can resolve all of this amicably
3. and in a peaceful way and in a diplomatic way

Asked whether he believes Israel will withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor border stretch between Gaza and Egypt, Witkoff avoids answering directly. “That’s ultimately up to Israel,”

“The Philadelphi Corridor obviously has commercial significance to Egypt — as a trading partner — and also to the people who are living in Gaza. They’ve got to get materials in, but there are security issues around it, so we have to solve that,” Witkoff adds.

From: Reuters January 20, 2025
Trump to lift pause on 2,000-pound bomb supply to Israel

US President Donald Trump is expected, to lift the Biden administration's freeze, on the supply of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel in his first days in office, Walla News reported on Monday, citing an interview with the Israeli envoy to Washington.

Trump is also expected, to reverse sanctions the Biden administration imposed against Israeli settlers accused of violent attacks against Palestinians, in the occupied West Bank, Israeli ambassador to the US Mike Herzog told Walla News.

From: The Times of Israel January 21, 2025
Trump revokes Biden executive order imposing sanctions on violent Israeli settlers

US President Donald Trump has revoked the executive order signed a year ago by his predecessor to impose sanctions against violent Israeli settlers in the West Bank.

The decision is part of a slew of executive orders signed by Trump during his first day in office, rolling back various policies from the Biden administration.

From: The Jerusalem Post January 19, 2025

President-elect Donald Trump wasted no time taking credit for the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal announced on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was happy to go along, anxious to please the incoming president.

Netanyahu held out long enough to have the deal done days before Trump’s deadline, his inauguration, although the plan was essentially put forward some six months ago by President Joe Biden.

Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steven Witkoff, made a high profile show of meeting Bibi and with Qataris leaders, to grab bragging rights for his boss.

Trump’s threats that “all hell will break loose” if there was no ceasefire before he took office worked best on Bibi, who knows how volatile and vindictive Trump can be – so he took the deal he’d been long avoiding.

Even when his extreme right partners threatened to bring down the government – which they won’t do because they’d lose their jobs and their power, and no new prime minister would ever want the likes of them.

Bibi vowed to eradicate Hamas. He failed.

Was Hamas afraid?
They feel they’re winning. One definition of victory for Hamas can be summed up in a single word: breathing.

1. They got world sympathy and attention they never had.
2. They’ve got the rest of the world ready to help rebuild Gaza.
3. They won’t have to govern, others will do that,
4. so they can concentrate on rebuilding their military force.

So who wins? Everyone does.

1. Biden can say he did it on his watch.
2. Trump can boast he was the catalyst.
3. Bibi can say he’s returning the hostages.
4. Families of hostages and their supporters win.
5. Hamas can say it survived to fight another day.
6. Qatar can say it was the peacemaker, leading the negotiations.
7. Egypt can say, “me, too.”

And don’t forget the arms industries.
1. War is good for business, and their factories will be working overtime to resupply all sides.
2. Weapons that performed remarkably, will be in high demand by other countries.

As will the contractors who will get the job of rebuilding after the massive destruction.

The real losers of the war
1. The losers are tens of thousands of dead and wounded Palestinians;
2. Israelis and other victims;
3. mostly innocent civilians; their families and friends;
4. also those whose homes, businesses, were damaged or destroyed;
5. schools, hospitals and infrastructure damaged or destroyed;

Israel’s international stature and political support, including in the US, its best friend and ally, suffered serious damage, as have Jews around the world who are faced with widespread antisemitism.

Most of all, there are the people of Gaza badly in need of food, shelter and health care, and the people of Israel who yearn to live free of terror missiles and drones from all directions and to return to their homes in peace.

Sherman was right – that “War is hell.” And that “total war” wins – at a high price.

From: The Times of Israel January 19, 2025
Trump’s national security adviser vows Hamas will never again govern Gaza

Mike Waltz says ceasefire should be ‘celebrated’ but adds:
‘if Hamas reneges’ on agreement, US ‘will support Israel in doing what it has to do’

US President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming national security adviser, Mike Waltz, said on Sunday that:
If Hamas reneges on the Gaza ceasefire-for-hostages deal, the United States will support Israel “in doing what it has to do.”

Waltz, who is currently a congressional representative for Florida, added in an interview with CBS’s “Face the Nation” that:
“Hamas will never govern Gaza. That is completely unacceptable.”

Waltz added that:
1. the ceasefire should be “celebrated.”
2. “We will see three women coming out alive,” of Sunday’s first release.
3. “Had we not entered this [agreement] these people would have died.”

Waltz said, the hostages held by Hamas have been captive longer than US hostages held during the Iranian crisis in 1979
“but now we’re going to have a Reagan moment.”

That was in reference to American hostages freed after 444 days when Ronald Reagan took office in 1981 in a deal that was largely negotiated by the outgoing president Jimmy Carter.