Chaos in the delivery of the Israeli bodies by Hamas. One of the four does not correspond to the designated person but is of a woman from Gaza. Israel spoke of a clear violation of the agreements, while Hamas defended itself by saying that they do not have enough technological material to test DNA and that the bodies after the bombings are difficult to recognize. Hamas: “We are serious about the implementation of the agreement, but a mistake could occur and we are investigating”. The Deputy Secretary General of the Mujahideen Movement: “Due to the situation in the Gaza Strip, we do not have the materials and equipment to confirm the identity of the bodies”. The opposition to the government closed the issue. Lapid: “Israel must submit a request to the mediators to return all prisoners, dead and alive, as soon as possible and put an end to this nightmare.”
Also the IDF: “Contrary to Hamas’ lies, Ariel and Kfir were not killed in an airstrike. Ariel and Kfir Bibas were murdered in cold blood by terrorists. The terrorists did not shoot the two boys, they killed them with their bare hands. They then committed horrific acts to cover up these atrocities. This assessment is based on both the forensic results of the identification process and the intelligence that supports the results.”
Today, six more Israeli prisoners will be released: Elijah Maimon Yitzhak Cohen, Omar Shem Tov, Omer Finkert, Tal Shoham, Avera Mengistu, Hisham Al-Sayed. The White House: “The President has a team working with our Israeli partners and actively negotiating to stop the war in Gaza.” Also expected is the Palestinian release: 50 prisoners sentenced to life. 60 prisoners with high sentences. 47 prisoners of the Wafa freedmen who were rearrested. 445 prisoners from the Gaza Strip arrested after October 7.
Trump’s envoy for the hostage issue: “Hamas will pay the price for violating the agreement in a horrific way after handing over an unknown body.” Trump administration official in charge of prisoner affairs, Adam Buehler, told CNN: “Hamas’ decision to hand over a body that does not belong to a prisoner is a ‘horrific matter’ and a violation of the agreement. Hamas must release all prisoners, or it will face mass destruction.”
UN Secretary-General António Guterres: “Hamas’ parade of bodies and display of coffins of deceased Israeli prisoners is condemned. According to international law, the handover of the remains of the deceased cannot involve any cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, and the handover must ensure respect for the dignity of the deceased and their families.”
Yesterday in Saudi Arabia there was a meeting to discuss the Egyptian plan, which will be presented next month in Cairo. On the agenda: the creation of an “independent” Palestinian agency to manage the affairs of the Gaza Strip.
The chairman of the Israeli Democratic Party Yair Golan: “Netanyahu is not waging war for Israel’s security, but for its political survival. As long as Hamas controls Gaza, Netanyahu controls Israel. What is happening is not security, but politics at the expense of the lives of hostages, soldiers and Israelis.” The Israeli Institute for National Security Studies wrote that: “Israel has not achieved its basic goals in the war against Hamas.” And it advises: “At this stage, Israel must focus on defining the final framework for the return of the hostages. There is no alternative to continuing the implementation of the agreement by expanding the first phase or moving to the second.”
The Israeli army spokesman said in a press statement: “We will continue to prosecute all those who participated in October 7 in Gaza.” On Channel 12: At the request of the prisoners’ families, Member of Knesset Merav Cohen addressed Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana and asked to place the coffins of the dead prisoners whose families wanted to be placed in the Knesset Square and to allow the public to walk over them. Representatives of the Nahal Oz settlement in the Gaza Strip: “Our message is clear: Israel has neglected its citizens and must return those it kidnapped.”
Itamar Ben Gvir: “Hamas has blatantly violated the agreement, so what option is available other than returning to war? All aid must be stopped immediately. If the Prime Minister comes to his senses and Israel begins working to overthrow Hamas, we will return to government, otherwise this will no longer be a right-wing government, with all that that entails.”
Lebanon is preparing for the official funerals of Nasrallah and Deif. There are delegations from 90 countries that will arrive at Beirut airport to attend the funeral ceremony. The increase in the number of flights to Beirut International Airport indicates the number of delegations that will come to attend the funeral ceremonies. The preparations are almost complete, as confirmed by the organizing committee, and the streets have been prepared with Hezbollah flags in addition to the Lebanese flag and the slogan “We are committed to the pact.”
Based on the decision of the Executive Committee of the Amal Movement, it was decided to ask for a large participation in the funeral ceremonies that will be held in Beirut and Jabal Amel for Sayyed Hassan and Sayyed Hashem. At the moment the count is: from the Republic of Iraq 140 thousand. Islamic Republic 106 thousand. Kuwait 18 thousand. Bahrain 9 thousand. Amman 9,000. Yemen 27,000. Other nationalities 80,000. A high-level delegation is arriving from Sana’a. Secretary General of the Islamic Jihad Movement, Ziad al-Nakhalah: “All Palestinian resistance forces will actively participate in the funerals of Hezbollah’s masters”.
The Lebanese stranded in Iran return via Baghdad: Mahan Airlines transported the Lebanese passengers to Baghdad airport, from where they were supposed to return to Lebanon with Middle East Airlines (MEA) flights.
Yesterday, a meeting was held between the President of the Republic Aoun and a delegation from the United States Congress, led by Senator Darrell Issa, and in the presence of the United States Ambassador to Lebanon, Lisa Johnson, where the president once again asked the United States to put pressure on Israel to withdraw its troops also from the five points where they have remained.
And now a look at the military scenarios updated at 16:00 on February 21.
The IDF said it attacked smuggling routes between Lebanon and Syria used by Hezbollah. But according to local Lebanese sources, the area attacked is a Sunni-majority area that is not friendly to Hezbollah and is not even in Syria itself but in Lebanon in Wadi Khalid. The recently secured Mahindra Armado vehicles received from the Indian peacekeeping contingent in Lebanon were spotted in southern Lebanon near Al-Hebbarai.
In Israel, three buses exploded overnight in the city of Bat Yam, south of Tel Aviv in central Israel, but no one was injured. The attackers were caught on surveillance cameras. The head of Israel’s Ministry of Transport ordered a halt to train and bus traffic after reports of a series of explosions on public transport.
According to Palestinian sources: “Several buses were destroyed in Israel with IEDs planted by someone from Tulkarem in the West Bank. One of the dismantled IEDs had written: Nasrallah – Hezbollah – Sinwar.”
Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper: Shin Bet arrests 3 Israelis suspected of aiding terrorists who planted explosive devices on buses yesterday. An Israeli court imposes a 3-week gag order on the ongoing investigation into the planting of explosive devices on buses. According to Zirat Hadashot: “The Tel Aviv prefecture has issued a gag order regarding the investigation into the bus bombings that occurred last night in Bat Yam and Holon, until March 25.” Ashkelon municipality raises alert status after events in Bat Yam city.
Israeli vehicles fired shots east of Abasan Al Kabira town, east of Khan Yunis, southern Gaza Strip. A woman from the Al-Ghouti family was killed in her home behind the Awad Tower in El-Geneina neighborhood by gunfire from tanks stationed on the Philadelphia Line, south of Rafah.
In the West Bank, the Israeli army said it had arrested 90 Palestinians from the northern West Bank over the past week. The Israeli army spokesperson: “According to the assessment of the situation, it was decided to reinforce the Central Command area with three additional battalions. The Israeli army continues to conduct a continuous assessment of the situation and is ready to expand offensive operations. The operation to counter terrorism in the northern West Bank is ongoing.”
The three combat battalions in the West Bank will strengthen the presence of forces on the contact lines. From Tulkarem Smotrich: “Our response must be an immediate return to the fight and systematic repression of terrorism until it is eliminated in Gaza and the West Bank.” Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz from the Tulkarem camp in northern West Bank: Yesterday’s dangerous attack attempt will not discourage us.
The Media Committee in Tulkarm Camp stated in its daily update: “The Israeli aggression continues in Tulkarm and its camp for the 26th day and in Nour Shams camp for the 13th day. The death toll has risen to 13. 10,500 citizens have been displaced from Tulkarm and 85 percent of the camp’s population has been displaced due to the ongoing Israeli aggression.” “The occupation demolished 603 Palestinian homes and structures and disrupted all basic services in the camp. During the military operation, the occupation arrested 147 citizens and raided 237 homes in and around Tulkarm. Jabara checkpoint south of Tulkarem closed for 14 days, cutting off the city from the villages of Al-Kafriyat and the rest of the West Bank.”
Antonio Albanese e Graziella Giangiulio
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