Flurry of resignations by Gaza war commanders further jolts Israel
Press TV – January 23, 2025
Israel’s largest newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth has listed the most high-profile Israeli military figuers who have resigned over failures in the run-up to the Gaza war and after that.
It named chief of the general staff Herzi Halevi, commander of the southern region Yaron Finkelman, commander of the Gaza division Avi Rosenfeld, head of the military intelligence division Aharon Haliva, commander of intelligence unit 8200 Yossi Sariel, and commander of the northern brigade in the Gaza Strip Haim Cohen.
Halevi, according to the paper, took over as chief of staff of the Israeli army at a chaotic time, and was appointed by a transitional administration.
He assumed office at a time when the chief of staff was clashing with the political echelon and in the midst of the judicial overhaul controversy that shook Israel and created serious divisions, it said.
The Israeli military failed miserably in confronting a surprise attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023, which dealt a serious blow to the regime’s myth of invincibility.
Reserve Israeli army general: We are on brink of civil war
Meanwhile, reserve general in the Israeli army Isaac Barak warned of an imminent civil war in the settler society.
He said while Gaza-based Hamas and Islamic Jihad resistance movements have returned to their pre-war status, the Israeli army has fallen apart and that any action to return to war would be disastrous.
“Hamas and Islamic Jihad were able to recuperate. The Israeli society is on the brink of a civil war. The reality is that if the war had continued, the Israeli army would not have been able to defeat Hamas,” Barak said.
The Israeli army, he said, is unable to remain in the places it occupied in the Gaza Strip, and cannot destroy hundreds of kilometers of Hamas tunnels.
If the Gaza war had continued, hundreds more people [a category to which Palestinians semmingly do not belong] would have been killed by the Israeli army; all our prisoners would have died; and Israel would have suffered a terrible disaster, the Israeli general stated.
“The Israeli army failed in its objective of weakening Hamas. Hamas continues to dominate the underground cities in the Gaza Strip with the upper hand, and with thousands of young people joining the ranks of the movement, the losses that Hamas suffered during the war have been offset,” Barak said.
He emphasized that the Israeli army is tired and worn out.
“Any attempt to return to war in the Gaza Strip has already failed, and will result in the deaths of hundreds of more Israeli troops and the injury of thousands more.”
Hamas’s strategic survival drives Israel crazy
The Cradle | January 23, 2025
The release of three Israeli female prisoners in Gaza by Hamas’s military wing, the Qassam Brigades, in exchange for 90 Palestinian detainees, triggered a media frenzy in the occupation state.
The dramatic “scene” – fighters emerging amidst the ruins of war, surrounded by a jubilant crowd – undermined official Israeli narratives about the war, its goals, and the treatment of Israeli captives. It raised a sobering question for Israelis: What were we doing in Gaza for 15 months?
The Qassam Brigades orchestrated every detail of the event to maximize impact. From the branded gift bags to the polished uniforms of the fighters, the display exuded calculated precision. A military procession was even held in Saraya Square – an area heavily besieged by Israeli occupation forces. The site’s selection was deliberate, showcasing continued resilience in a location meant to symbolize Tel Aviv’s defeat in its longest military campaign ever.
Sources in Hamas inform The Cradle that the selection of Gaza City – positioned north of the Gaza Valley and the Netzarim axis, a divide created by the Israeli army to split the strip into two sections, soon expected to be dismantled – was a deliberate and symbolic decision, chosen over other alternatives for its strategic and political implications.
Of course, Hamas had the option to release the female prisoners in “safer” locations, such as central or southern Gaza, but it intentionally chose the square.
Strength through strategy
The delay in handing over the three Israeli prisoners for several hours caused confusion among Israelis, leading to multiple violations of the ceasefire agreement. The Qassam Brigades then surprised the Israeli public by announcing the prisoners’ names before the Israeli government, military, or Hebrew media could do so. Minor logistical issues also briefly delayed the release of the 90 male and female Palestinian prisoners but were quickly resolved.
The three Israeli captives were handed release certificates in both Hebrew and Arabic – mirroring Israeli practices with Palestinian prisoners – and were given souvenirs from Gaza, including a detailed map of the entire strip. According to the sources, these “deliberate and carefully planned steps” were intended to send a clear message to Israel: Hamas is neither defeated nor on the brink of elimination.
Israel’s Channel 12 called the ceasefire agreement a “bag of sarcastic surprises,” but the prisoner exchange’s strength lay elsewhere. For months, Israeli negotiators had tried through Qatari and Egyptian mediation – and failed – to extract a list of the Palestinian prisoners to be freed.
Hamas refused, citing security risks, and forced Israel to pay a far higher price than in earlier deals. The initial truce on 24 November 2023 saw three Palestinians exchanged per Israeli. Now, after 15 grueling months of war, Israel had to release 10 times that ratio, a clear indication of Tel Aviv’s lost leverage.
That first, brief six-day truce gave Palestinian resistance factions a chance to regroup. Sources reveal that several battalions, battered by relentless Israeli bombings, managed to regain their operational footing during the break. While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had pushed for continuous pressure without any pause in Israel’s brutal military campaign, the short truce showed Hamas was resilient enough to spring back into form quickly.
Did Hamas achieve victory in Gaza?
All of this raises the central question: Did Hamas achieve victory in Gaza, and if so, how and why? To answer fully, one must first analyze the foundational and evolving sources of the resistance movement’s strength, examine the mechanisms behind its adaptability and renewal, and finally consider who currently leads the organization, particularly within the Gaza Strip.
Hamas today remains deeply present not only in the Palestinian street but also across the broader Arab and Islamic worlds. Despite the devastation of war, Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, which was launched on 7 October 2023, continues to resonate strongly, shaping public and personal sentiment across the globe. Moreover, sources tell The Cradle that these events have fueled significant recruitment, with thousands of young Palestinians joining Hamas’s ranks.
Even Hebrew media, despite its often propagandistic tone, has acknowledged this phenomenon. While much of Israel’s narrative aims to justify prolonged conflict or the potential resumption of war, occasional admissions reveal the growing appeal of resistance among Palestinians.
Hamas sources argue that Israel has created “a vendetta for generations,” describing the war as not merely a battle against the resistance movement, but a war on all citizens of Gaza. The widespread massacres and destruction have unified the Palestinian street, blurring distinctions between Hamas supporters and others.
“Those who are not part of Hamas inevitably become part of the resistance,” one source explains, emphasizing that even if Hamas were to cease, a new and perhaps stronger movement would emerge in its stead.
A European security official reportedly shared similar concerns with a Hamas representative in Lebanon. The official warned that Gaza’s estimated 18,000 orphans, created by this war alone, could form a new “liberation army” within a decade, one even fiercer than its predecessors.
Adaptability and strategic learning
Hamas has leveraged this dire situation for reconstruction and renewal, refining its strategies and operations. By the sixth month of the war, it was evident that its focus extended beyond ammunition and weaponry to the cultivation of leadership and cadres.
The Qassam Brigades has prioritized the safety of fighters and the efficiency of operations, ensuring that resources are not squandered and that retreat paths remain secure. Israel’s starvation policy, particularly in northern Gaza, aimed to weaken resistance fighters by restricting vital nutritional elements like animal proteins. Despite these tactics, Hamas adapted swiftly, mitigating the impact through preemptive measures.
Another critical factor in Hamas’s resilience is its systematic approach to leadership development. Before the war, its military arms, particularly the Qassam Brigades, operated training programs and maintained a semi-official military academy.
This structure allowed the group to maintain high-caliber leadership despite the assassination of many of the movement’s commanders. Expertise in manufacturing weapons and missiles was rapidly transferred, ensuring continuity in operations.
Intel warfare
Hamas’s intelligence apparatus also played a pivotal role, in which “secrecy” was maintained over key information. Sources tell The Cradle that the movement’s security infrastructure, including the intelligence arm of the Qassam Brigades, General Security, and Internal Security, was critical in preserving the organization’s structure and integrity throughout the war.
“As long as the security apparatus is strong, the movement will endure,” one source notes. Even as Israeli forces targeted intelligence members, Hamas adapted, employing thousands, securing prisoners, and transferring money – within its existing security frameworks and new methods developed during the war.
The resistance movement also demonstrated remarkable counterintelligence capabilities. Israeli forces, dissatisfied with their aerial and technical surveillance, resorted to storming locations not just for military gains but to install surveillance equipment to try to fill their intel gaps. Meanwhile, Hamas prioritized operational secrecy, closely monitoring journalists and photographers among displaced communities to prevent leaks that could endanger fighters or their families. The source explains it thus:
“As long as the security apparatus is present and strong, the movement will remain fine … It does not matter how weak it is militarily, politically, or even financially; what is important is that security remains fine. After months of military combat, the battle turned into an intelligence war, specifically between the Qassam Intelligence and the Shin Bet.”
Leadership in Gaza: Who leads Hamas?
Following the martyrdom of Yahya Sinwar – the powerful and intelligent Hamas leader and ‘architect’ of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood – the resistance movement refrained from announcing a new political bureau chief, leaving questions about its leadership unanswered. The Cradle sources confirm, however, that the movement is currently governed by a five-member committee representing Gaza, the West Bank, and the diaspora, with Musa Abu Marzouk playing a key role in international relations.
Israeli media has frequently speculated about the role of Mohammad Sinwar, Yahya’s brother, portraying him as a central, uncompromising figure in Hamas’s decision-making. The younger Sinwar’s life is no less mysterious than that of the Qassam Brigades Military Commander Mohammed Deif, and he has also been subjected to six assassination attempts during the last 30 years.
While Mohammad Sinwar lacks a political or security background, his expertise as a brigade and operations commander has made him a formidable figure in Gaza’s resistance. Reports suggest that during negotiations, Israel even proposed deporting the younger Sinwar to resolve the conflict – an offer Hamas dismissed.
Although Israeli reports often personalize and exaggerate leadership roles – often right before an assassination attempt – insiders stress that Hamas operates as an institution, not as a personality-driven movement. This institutional framework has been key to its resilience, enabling it to withstand external pressure and internal challenges.
Despite the devastation wrought by the war, Hamas has succeeded in fortifying its institutional framework and maintaining cohesion – a rare feat among Palestinian factions. While Yahya Sinwar’s leadership during pivotal operations, such as Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, demonstrates the movement’s strategic acumen, the true source of Hamas’s strength lies in its collective and institutional structure. This framework has enabled it to endure even the most extreme challenges.
Without this institutional resilience, Hamas’s gains would likely have disintegrated early in the conflict, handing the occupation state the decisive political victory it sought – a victory that remains unattained.
Hamas commander’s reappearance on video belies Israeli claim of killing him
Press TV – January 23, 2025
The reappearance of a high-ranking commander of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas in a video clip has belied the Israeli military’s claim of killing him in the northern Gaza Strip last May.
The Palestinian media outlet Arab48 released footage of Hussein Fayyad at a funeral in northern Gaza on Wednesday as he was speaking among a group of people amid the ruins of a bombed-out building.
The video, which was widely shared on social media, showed Fayyad praising Gaza’s resistance against the Israeli regime’s months-long aggression and dismissing the onslaught as futile.
“When the strong do not achieve their goals, they are defeated, but the weak, which prevented the strong from achieving their goals, are the victors,” the Hamas commander said. “Gaza has emerged unbreakable. We all saw yesterday how Gaza stood victorious with its head held high.”
The Israeli occupation army claimed in May last year that Fayyad, the commander of the Beit Hanoun Brigade of the al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, had been “eliminated” in an underground operation in Jabaliya tunnel, north of Gaza City.
Following the release of the footage on Wednesday, the Israeli military was forced to admit that its claim of killing the Hamas commander was based on flawed intelligence.
Fayyad’s reappearance once again raised questions about Israel’s battlefield claims in Gaza as the regime has in the past erroneously claimed the killing of key Palestinian figures.
The Israeli regime was forced to agree to a ceasefire agreement with Hamas on Sunday, which put an end to more than 15 months of merciless aggression on the blockaded Gaza Strip.
Israel’s brutal onslaught on the besieged territory, which started on October 7, 2023, killed more than 47,000 Palestinians and wounded nearly 112,000 others.
The toll continues to climb as families return to the ruins of their former homes following the ceasefire, searching for the bodies of loved ones left in the aftermath. The Palestinian Ministry of Health has reported that around 10,000 bodies are still unaccounted for beneath the rubble.
Gaza’s unbreakable resistance: A historical perspective on the war and its aftermath
By Ramzy Baroud | MEMO | January 22, 2025
Israel lost the war in Gaza from every perspective
Regardless of the success of the ceasefire, the Israeli side is the defeated one.
By Lucas Leiroz | Strategic Culture Foundation | January 18, 2025
After more than a year of bloody fighting in the Gaza Strip, both sides reached a ceasefire agreement. Hamas and Israel reportedly agreed to halt hostilities from January on, implementing a multiple step “pacification” plan to end the war. The agreement came after several bilateral talks mediated by Qatar. The final terms of the deal were highly unfavorable to Israel, which led to harsh criticism from the Zionist press and internal opposition, who described it as a “surrender.”
As a result of local political pressure, on January 16, Benjamin Netanyahu announced his interest in delaying the signing of the agreement due to unfounded accusations of “violations” allegedly on the part of Hamas. Additionally, new Israeli airstrikes occurred in Gaza on the same day, killing dozens of people. However, only a few hours later, reports emerged that the agreement had been signed in Doha.
It is still too early to say what the final outcome of this agreement will be. The fact that both sides agreed to temporarily stop hostilities does not mean the end of the conflict. For the Palestinians, the true war will only end when Israel withdraws from Palestine. For Zionists, the end depends on the success of the ethnic cleansing plan in Gaza and the West Bank. However, the halting of bombings and killings is a significant political victory for Palestinian Resistance, especially considering the favorable terms for Hamas.
The agreement, as outlined in its final terms, establishes a prisoner exchange system at a ratio of one Israeli for fifty Palestinians. Tel Aviv is required to completely withdraw from Gaza and stop attacks, while Hamas maintains its legitimate political authority in Gaza. In other words, the agreement includes substantial concessions from Israel, clearly showing that the winning side — i.e., the side in a position to demand its terms — was Hamas.
It is possible that the agreement will fail early. Even with both sides signing, Israel could withdraw at any time, given that Netanyahu is under constant pressure to disguise his political defeat. However, even if hostilities continue, Tel Aviv will still be viewed by all analysts as the defeated side in this war.
It is important to emphasize that war is a political phenomenon, not a military one. Military operations are merely some of the means through which a war occurs, but they are not the central point of a conflict. In fact, war is an extreme political mechanism, where two or more political entities confront each other using violence as a legitimate weapon.
Being a political event, the winner in a war is the side that achieves its political objectives, regardless of the military situation. In this sense, it is possible to lose all military battles but still win politically in the end. Something similar happened, for example, in Vietnam and Afghanistan. In both cases, the U.S. devastated the enemy countries, massacring the local populations through inhumane acts of violence. However, both in Vietnam, in 1973, and in Afghanistan, in 2021, Washington was defeated at the end of the war, leaving the battlefield without achieving its political objectives.
In Gaza, Israel devastated the civilian population and destroyed the infrastructure, but failed to achieve the political goals of its counterattack: eliminating Hamas, occupying Gaza, and freeing prisoners. No Israeli objective was achieved, so Tel Aviv lost. Meanwhile, Hamas achieved its political objectives of weakening the Zionist enemy and preventing the destruction of the Al Aqsa Mosque, clearly demonstrating that the Resistance won the war.
The situation is far from over. Only the end of the State of Israel — or its complete demilitarization and territorial reconfiguration — would represent a final victory for Hamas. But regardless of this, the current victory is important for the Resistance. If the ceasefire holds, Hamas will have relief and enough time to regroup and strengthen for the next battle. If the agreement fails, the war will continue in its status quo, where Hamas already has the advantage on the battlefield, efficiently preventing enemy territorial advances despite constant civilian casualties.
In the end, Israel is defeated from every perspective. Netanyahu criticizes the agreement because he knows he is committing political suicide by signing a disguised surrender pact. However, if he does not respect the ceasefire, Netanyahu will further harm his government and will have to accept the consequences of a permanent war.
Palestinian victory is the only certainty for now.
What legitimacy is the PA talking about?
By Ramona Wadi | MEMO | January 16, 2025
“While we are waiting for the ceasefire, it is important to stress that it won’t be acceptable for any other entity to govern the Gaza Strip but the legitimate Palestinian leadership and the government of the state of Palestine,” the Palestinian Authority’s Prime Minister, Mohammad Mustafa, stated during a meeting of the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution.
The PA is not a legitimate leadership. In 2006, Hamas won the Palestinian legislative elections, disturbing the Western world’s preferred outcome. Democracy, according to the West, can only conform with Western expectations; therefore Palestinians got a taste of what the US does when democracy crashes imperialist expectations. Instead of respecting the electoral result, the US and Fatah embarked upon a series of destabilisation and coercion tactics, aimed at marginalising Hamas further and ultimately destroying the legitimate representation of Palestinians according to the 2006 electoral result.
While Hamas was shunned and its diplomatic efforts rebuffed, even though it combined resistance and political pragmatism, the PA intensified its efforts at forcing Hamas to relinquish power, enforcing sanctions on an enclave repeatedly bombarded by Israel. When Palestinians in the Occupied West Bank protested against such authoritarianism and cruelty, the PA unleashed its security services on civilians, and continues to do so. As the US and the EU continued funnelling funds to enhance the PA’s brutality under the guise of state-building, the PA continued harming Palestinians in the name of security, to the point of detaining, torturing and, at times, killing their critics.
All this was orchestrated because the international community sided with an illegitimate political representation under the auspices of democracy. Are we to assume that legitimacy and democracy change meaning according to colonial and imperialist interests? What of the importance of language, which is of equal importance in the anti-colonial struggle against Israel and the PA?
Back to the present. Since Israel started its genocide in Gaza, the PA has consistently sought to navigate the corridors of power by presenting itself as an alternative to Hamas. Yet, in doing so, it completely neglected the fact that its silence on the genocide is tantamount to tacit support. The PA merely reiterated the importance of the two-state paradigm as it has for decades, with no acknowledgement of the fact that not even the hypothesis can sustain itself, let alone implementation. Meanwhile, to garner favour with Israel and the international community, and possibly prove how relevant it is to post-genocide Gaza governance, the PA started its own attack against the Palestinian Resistance.
The question is, since legitimacy does not hold the same meaning for the PA and its accomplices, what does legitimacy mean in the context of its Prime Minister citing legitimacy as the reason why the PA should return to Gaza? There is no other acceptable entity, according to the PA – based on what parameters? Just as genocide became synonymous with human rights in the Israeli and international narrative, is the PA’s illegitimate rule becoming synonymous with democracy? Why hasn’t the PA suggested elections and why has the international community not voiced any concern over Ramallah wanting to extend its power to Gaza?
The PA’s attempts to prove itself purportedly worthy of governing Gaza are precisely the reason why it should not. The PA’s only foundations are foreign funding and Israeli colonialism. Having sold itself to the two highest bidders (not forgetting the tangible illegitimacy since 2006), what Palestinian leadership and legitimacy is the PA really talking about?
Gaza Ceasefire: What to expect?
Al-Manar | January 14, 2025
As the Israeli enemy’s war on Gaza enters its 466th day, the besieged enclave stands as a symbol of resilience against an unprecedented campaign of destruction and genocide, carried out with global complicity and silence.
Despite relentless attacks, Gaza has refused to surrender. The Palestinian resistance has engaged the Israeli occupation forces at close range, inflicting heavy losses and proving that its resolve cannot be broken. Over 46,000 Palestinians—children, women, men, and fighters—have been martyred, yet the resistance continues to strike back. Every time Israeli occupation forces believe they’ve secured a foothold, new resistance emerges, keeping them locked in a costly cycle of attrition.
Northern Gaza: A Testament to Failure
In northern Gaza, the Israeli enemy’s aim of “zero confrontation” through systematic genocide and forced displacement has also faltered. Last week in Beit Hanoun, the Israeli occupation forces faced significant setbacks, acknowledging their failure even as they tried to regroup their forces.
The Question of Prisoners
One of the Israeli enemy’s primary objectives has been the retrieval of its captives. However, its strategy of annihilation has failed to achieve this. Any resolution remains contingent on agreements dictated by the Palestinian resistance, which, despite enduring immense hardship, has maintained its strength and thwarted the Zionist entity’s attempts to establish full control, even over small areas of the enclave.
Ceasefire Talks Spark Internal Tensions
As reports emerge of a potential ceasefire agreement in the coming hours or days, tensions within the Zionist government are boiling over. Far-right ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich are threatening to resign if the agreement moves forward.
Ben Gvir criticized the deal as a “surrender,” urging Smotrich to join him in pressuring Zionist Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Meanwhile, Israeli Channel 12 reported that Smotrich is consulting with senior rabbis over the prisoner exchange deal.
The right-wing minister, who previously called the agreement a “disaster for Israel’s national security,” hinted at issuing an ultimatum to Netanyahu in the coming hours. He condemned the proposed terms, which reportedly involve releasing high-profile Palestinian prisoners, ending the war, and nullifying Israel’s so-called achievements.
Admission of Defeat
Through the voices of its leaders, the Zionist entity has effectively acknowledged its failure. The narrative of invincibility is crumbling as the war shifts from conquest to survival for an occupation increasingly entangled in its miscalculations.
Positive Progress in Doha Negotiations
Spokesman for the Qatari Foreign Ministry, Majed bin Mohammad Al-Ansari, announced today that discussions in Doha have entered the final stages. He described the talks as “productive and positive,” focusing on the last remaining details, and hinted that an official announcement of the agreement is imminent.
“We have overcome the primary obstacles in the disagreements between the parties,” Al-Ansari stated, adding, “When the agreement is announced, it will also mark the start of the ceasefire implementation.” He further noted that draft agreements have been submitted, and negotiations are now centered on resolving the final details regarding the Gaza ceasefire.
Urging both sides to finalize the deal, Al-Ansari emphasized the need to end the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza.
Latest Developments in Negotiation Talks
Amid these updates, US President-elect Donald Trump, in an interview with Newsmax, expressed optimism, saying he believes a deal on hostages and a Gaza ceasefire could be finalized by the weekend. Observers have noted that the negotiations are now entering critical hours.
Additionally, the deputy foreign minister of the Israeli occupation entity confirmed that Trump has pushed for the agreement to be concluded before his inauguration on January 20. “I cannot disclose details of the deal, as we want to avoid statements that could affect the morale of the hostages’ families,” she said.
A Closer Look at the Proposed Gaza Ceasefire Agreement
According to leaks from Israeli enemy sources, the initial phase of the agreement will see the release of 33 Zionist prisoners, including women, children, and the wounded. In exchange, Palestinian prisoners will be freed according to a specific mechanism, and a ceasefire in Gaza will be enacted.
Second Phase to Begin After 16 Days
An official from the Israeli occupation revealed that, 16 days after the agreement is implemented, negotiations will begin for the second phase. This will include the release of remaining live hostages—male soldiers and men of military age—along with the return of the bodies of those who died during captivity.
Gradual Israeli Withdrawal and Security Arrangements
The agreement outlines a gradual Israeli withdrawal, though forces will remain near the border. It also includes security arrangements for the “Philadelphi Corridor” (Salah Al-Din) on the southern edge of Gaza, with Israeli enemy withdrawal from parts of the area within days of the agreement’s enactment.
Return of Civilians and Restrictions
Civilians from northern Gaza will be allowed to return, with mechanisms in place to prevent weapon transfers. The Israeli enemy will also withdraw from the “Netzarim” area in central Gaza, which had previously been rejected in negotiations.
Prisoner Release Details
The deal includes the release of Palestinians convicted of killings or attacks resulting in death, although the number will depend on the number of remaining live hostages—still unknown. However, prisoners involved in the Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on October 7, 2023, will not be included in the release list. This marks a significant victory for the resistance, as the Israeli occupation had previously refused to release those it categorized as “convicted murderers” or sentenced to life imprisonment.
Progress Towards Final Agreement
These developments coincide with reports from inside Gaza that Zionist forces have begun dismantling some of their positions in the Netzarim area. Sources from the “Jerusalem Post” suggest that, barring last-minute changes, an announcement on the deal could come today.
Recent Diplomatic Efforts
Earlier on Monday, Axios reported that Zionist Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had agreed to concessions regarding withdrawals from the Philadelphi and Netzarim corridors and new terms for releasing Palestinian prisoners. This comes as Netanyahu consults with security leaders.
Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden spoke with Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, reaffirming that a deal is imminent. Qatar’s emir also met with a Hamas delegation, who expressed their positive stance on the ongoing negotiations in Doha.
Palestinian Resistance: No Compromise on Red Lines
A Hamas official told CNN on Monday that several points of contention remain in the ongoing negotiations. Key issues include Hamas’s demand for the Israeli occupation’s withdrawal from the Philadelphi Corridor and a call for a permanent ceasefire instead of a temporary halt to military operations.
Qatar Presents Final Draft
An informed source involved in the prisoner swap negotiations in Doha stated that Qatar has delivered a “final draft” of the ceasefire and prisoner release agreement aimed at ending the war. According to Reuters, a breakthrough occurred in Doha after midnight, following talks between Israeli intelligence chiefs, US President-elect Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witztkopf, and Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.
Al Mayadeen obtains terms of Gaza ceasefire deal
Al Mayadeen | January 15, 2025
Al Mayadeen has obtained details of the Gaza ceasefire agreement with the Israeli occupation. The agreement, which outlines an eleven-clause framework, marks a significant step toward resolving the ongoing war and addressing the humanitarian crisis in the region.
Key terms of the agreement
- Israeli forces are required to fully withdraw from all areas of the Gaza Strip and return to the pre-war borders.
- The Rafah crossing must be reopened, with Israeli forces withdrawing entirely from the area.
- “Israel” is mandated to ease the travel of injured individuals for treatment abroad.
- “Israel” must permit the daily entry of 600 aid trucks, as per a humanitarian protocol backed by Qatar.
- “Israel” must facilitate the entry of 200,000 tents and 60,000 caravans for immediate shelter.
- A large-scale prisoner exchange will occur, including the release of 1,000 prisoners from Gaza and hundreds of detainees serving lengthy sentences.
- “Israel” is to release all women and children under the age of 19 from its prisons.
- Israeli forces must gradually withdraw from the Netzarim corridor and the Philadelphi Route.
- Displaced residents must be allowed to return to their homes, with guaranteed freedom of movement throughout the Gaza Strip.
- Hostile aircraft must vacate Gaza’s airspace for 8 to 10 hours daily.
- All hospitals in Gaza must be rehabilitated. Field hospitals, medical equipment, and surgical teams must be permitted entry.
Implementation phases
The first phase of the agreement, lasting six weeks, will involve the release of 33 Israeli captives, both living and deceased. This phase also includes the immediate return of displaced persons from southern Gaza to the north, facilitated by the withdrawal of Israeli forces from al-Rashid Street to the depths of the Netzarim corridor.
Subsequent phases will address the release of the remaining 66 captives held by Palestinian resistance factions.
If the deal succeeds, the gradual ceasefire could mark the end of more than a year of sporadic negotiations and result in the largest release of Israeli captives since the early stages of the war, when Hamas released roughly half of its captives in exchange for 240 Palestinian detainees.
In further detail, an Israeli official stated that negotiations were in advanced stages for the release of 33 of the remaining 98 Israeli captives, marking the first phase of the deal. In exchange, “Israel” will release 1,000 Palestinian detainees, according to a Palestinian source close to the talks, who added that the first phase would last for 60 days.
Meanwhile, Hamas fighters allegedly involved in Operation al-Aqsa Flood would not be released.
The Israeli official mentioned that the first stage of the agreement would involve 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.
Commenting on the number of detainees, The Times of Israel considered, citing a copy of the agreement obtained by The Associated Press, that “Israel” will pay a steep price to secure the release of female soldiers being held captive.
Among the 33 would be five female Israeli soldiers, each of whom would be released in exchange for 50 Palestinian prisoners, including 30 convicted security prisoners who are serving life sentences.
UK doctor suspended over posts praising slain Hamas and Hezbollah leaders as ‘legends’
MEMO | January 1, 2025
Dr Rehiana Ali, a British neurologist, was been suspended last week by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) following complaints about social media posts on Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. The interim suspension, lasting 18 months and subject to review, prevents her from practising medicine pending a full investigation by the General Medical Council (GMC).
A Palestinian year in review: Genocide, resistance and unanswered questions
By Ramzy Baroud | MEMO | December 26, 2024
Israel deliberately targeted captives in Gaza to ‘get rid of them’: Hamas
Press TV – December 14, 2024
The Israeli military has recently pounded a location in the Gaza Strip “deliberately and repeatedly” to eliminate regime soldiers held captive by resistance groups, according to a statement by Hamas’s armed wing.
Al-Qassam Brigades spokesman Abu Obeida said on Saturday that the regime’s forces “targeted a location where some enemy captives were held, bombing it multiple times to ensure that they were killed.”
He said they bombed the place “with the intent to kill the captives and their guards.”
According to the statement, the resistance fighters “made attempts to rescue the Israeli prisoners, successfully extracting one of them, but his fate remains unknown.”
In a separate post on Telegram, Qassam Brigades released a footage showing a wounded Israeli captive, who was struggling to move amid the rubble most probably caused by the regime’s airstrike.
In a message along the footage, it said that prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli military’s chief of staff Herzi Halevi “are seeking to get rid of their captives in Gaza by all means.”
Hamas held captive around 250 people during its unprecedented operation against the occupied territories on October 7, 2023. The resistance released 105 of the captives during a week-long truce last November.
Six captives were killed in an Israeli airstrike on the southern Gaza Strip in September.
Hamas said at the time that Netanyahu “is directly responsible for the killing of dozens of captives due to bringing the ceasefire efforts to a failure.”
It has repeatedly said that there is no alternative other than “a ceasefire, the withdrawal of the occupation forces, and the implementation of a prisoner exchange agreement” in exchange for the release of the Israeli captives.
Netanyahu has long been obstructing mediation for a truce and a deal to release the captives still held by Palestinian groups in Gaza.
Ceasefire with Hezbollah ends Israel’s illusion of reshaping West Asia by force: Hamas
Press TV – November 27, 2024
The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas says the ceasefire Israel eventually clinched with Hezbollah has shattered Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “illusion” of reshaping West Asia by force.
On Tuesday, Netanyahu finally accepted the deal, which is expected to end the regime’s months-long deadly escalation against Lebanon.
It came after a meeting of his “security cabinet” to discuss a proposal put forward by the United States and France.
“The enemy’s acceptance of the agreement with Lebanon without fulfilling the conditions it set is an important milestone in shattering Netanyahu’s illusions of changing the map of the Middle East by force,” Hamas said in a statement published on its Telegram channel on Wednesday.
It said Netanyahu’s “illusions of defeating the Resistance forces or disarming them” were also sent to the oblivion.
The Israeli regime has killed more than 3,700 people in Lebanon, including 42 who perished across the country on Tuesday, besides wounding nearly 15,700 others.
“We commend the pivotal role played by the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon, in support of the Gaza Strip and the Palestinian resistance, and the great sacrifices made by Hezbollah and its leadership, led by the late Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.”
“We appreciate the steadfastness of the brotherly Lebanese people and their constant solidarity with the Palestinian people in confronting the Zionist occupation and its brutal aggression, asking God Almighty to protect Lebanon and its people from all harm and evil,” Hamas said.
Israeli military commanders had pledged to eradicate Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. However, they were ultimately compelled to accept the ceasefire agreement without achieving any of those goals.
“We affirm that this agreement would not have been achieved without the steadfastness of the Resistance and the popular support around it. We are confident that the Resistance Axis will continue to support our people and back their battle with all possible means,” Hamas said in its statement.
Hezbollah has been responding to the Israeli aggression with hundreds of successful retaliatory strikes against various sensitive and strategic military targets across the occupied territories.
The Lebanese resistance movement recently announced killing more than 100 Israeli troops and injuring upwards of a thousand others during the strikes.
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Elite Western universities are a corrupt, parasitic empire
Instead of high-quality education, these institutions are fostering a global neo-feudal system reminiscent of the British Raj
By Dr. Mathew Maavak | RT | May 30, 2025
In a move that has ignited a global uproar, US President Donald Trump banned international students from Harvard University, citing “national security” and ideological infiltration. The decision, which has been widely condemned by academics and foreign governments alike, apparently threatens to undermine America’s “intellectual leadership and soft power.” At stake is not just Harvard’s global appeal, but the very premise of open academic exchange that has long defined elite higher education in the US.
But exactly how ‘open’ is Harvard’s admissions process? Every year, highly qualified students – many with top-tier SAT or GMAT test scores – are rejected, often with little explanation. Critics argue that behind the prestigious Ivy League brand lies an opaque system shaped by legacy preferences, DEI imperatives, geopolitical interests, and outright bribes. George Soros, for instance, once pledged $1 billion to open up elite university admissions to drones who would read from his Open Society script.
China’s swift condemnation of Trump’s policy added a layer of geopolitical irony to the debate. Why would Beijing feign concern for “America’s international standing” amid a bitter trade war? The international standing of US universities has long been tarnished by a woke psychosis which spread like cancer to all branches of the government.
So, what was behind China’s latest gripe? ... continue
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