President Donald Trump: “I was surprised that Jordan and Egypt did not welcome my proposed plan for Gaza, while we give them billions of dollars every year.” For the US president, the two million Gazans remain a bundle. In response to the US plans to build Gaza, Arab countries held a meeting in Riyadh to discuss Egypt’s plan to rebuild without evacuating Gazans.
According to Haaretz, Netanyahu is waiting for the new Chief of Staff of the Israeli army, Eyal Zamir, to take command and define a detailed strategy. The plan includes the destruction of all buildings in Gaza City, the refugee camps in central Gaza and Khan Yunis, both through air strikes and ground operations. Israeli media sources also reported that due to the security situation that emerged during the secret session, tomorrow’s session of Netanyahu’s trial has been canceled. The news was confirmed by sources at the Central Court in Tel Aviv who agreed to cancel tomorrow’s sessions of Netanyahu’s trial for “security reasons”, following a request from the head of the IDF’s Military Intelligence Division.
And again, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich: “You will be surprised by the strength, precision and lethality of the military operation to occupy Gaza when we decide the right time to retake it, and I tell you that the army is preparing for this, under the leadership of the appointed Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, and with the political support of Trump.”
Yediot Aharonot confirmed the news: “According to an Israeli official, a message was conveyed to the mediators that Israel is ready to release 620 Palestinian prisoners, whose release has been postponed since Saturday, in exchange for the bodies of four slain prisoners, and on the condition that no offensive ceremonies be held for the bodies.” The same newspaper said that “Israeli” security services are continuing to pressure Netanyahu to conclude the exchange deal.
Avigdor Lieberman said in a statement: “The first to end his term is Prime Minister Netanyahu, any sane person would have resigned.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on February 24, calls for the immediate release of all remaining Israeli prisoners in a single phase. If this fails, Netanyahu’s alternative, aligned with the so-called “generals’ plan”, is to resume intense military operations, create safe zones for civilians and limit the distribution of humanitarian aid to areas under international supervision. The Netanyahu government also on February 24 calls for the handover of the bodies of four Israeli prisoners to free the seventh group of Palestinian prisoners, while Hamas insisted on their release before handing over the bodies.
According to Benny Gantz: “It is crazy to link the extension of the first phase of the exchange agreement to the approval of the budget to save the government. More forces must be sent to fight and strengthen the defense of cities in the West Bank and on the border.” Also on the subject of domestic politics, the Minister of Communications in the Israeli government, Shlomo Karai, said: “The dismissal of the government’s legal adviser will begin in the next two or three weeks. The ruling coalition and the (right-wing) parties believe that the legal advisor prevents them from passing laws and procedures, while the opposition parties, journalists and former officials believe that the aim of excluding them is to pass the plan (coup) to the Israeli institutions led by Netanyahu”.
No incidents were recorded at the funerals of Hezbollah Secretary General Seyed Hassan Nasrallah and the head of the organization’s executive council Seyed Hashem Safieddin, which were held at the Camille Chamoun stadium and attended by about 1.2 million people. The most important delegation was the Iranian one, in addition to Foreign Minister Araqchi and Speaker of Parliament Qalibaf: Deputy Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Ali Fadavi, Senior Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force Masjidi and Deputy Foreign Minister Karibabadi.
Naim Qassem, leader of Hezbollah speaking in Lebanon said: “The resistance is present, it is strong in numbers and equipment, and the inevitable victory is approaching, and Israel must withdraw from the territories it still occupies”. Hezbollah confirms its broad lines, no changes in the Jerusalem and Palestine, resistance until victory and solid opposition to American interventions.
During the ceremony, Israeli F-15I and F-35I fighter jets flew low over Beirut.
On February 24, the funeral ceremony of Hashem Safi al-Din took place first in his hometown of Deir Qanun al-Nahr. The Representative of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Muhammad Hassan Akhtari: “We have been instructed by His Eminence Imam Khamenei to share with Lebanon and the resistance this great tragedy and great condolences for the great departure of the two dear martyrs Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and Sayyed Hashem Safi al-Din.”
Lebanese PM Calls on US to Pressure Israel to Completely Withdraw Troops from South Lebanon
On February 24, a note from the Department of National Relations reported that the Hamas group abroad led by “Ali Baraka” met with a delegation of the Popular Struggle Front leadership and discussed the developments of the Palestinian issue, Israel’s aggression in the West Bank, and Netanyahu’s statements regarding the implementation of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza.”
“The two sides called on the upcoming Arab summit to support the steadfastness of our people and reject the American Zionist plans to displace our people and praised the unified Arab position that rejects displacement and resettlement. The two sides called for uniting the Palestinian position in the face of the occupation and its plans to liquidate the Palestinian cause. The two sides announced their accession to UNRWA as an international witness to the refugee issue.” “Our position is clear. There will be no discussions with the mediators on the agreement, until after the release of the 600 prisoners.”
The Houthis launched their first surface-to-air missiles on February 22 against a US F-16 fighter jet and an MQ-9 unmanned aerial vehicle, senior Pentagon officials told Fox News. The Trump administration is currently debating how to respond: whether to opt for an aggressive response in the form of targeted killings of the perpetrators of the attacks or to continue the policy of attacks on Houthi infrastructure and targets.
And now a look at the military scenarios updated at 16:00 on February 24. Large demonstrations have begun in southern Syria, eastern Daraa and one in Quneitra against Israel after Netanyahu declared: “Israel will keep its troops in a buffer zone in the Golan “indefinitely” to protect itself from possible threats from Syria”.
Israeli aircraft attacked Hezbollah targets in eastern and southern Lebanon during the funeral of the movement’s former secretary general, Nasrallah, the Lebanese agency NNA reports. Lebanese sources report: “The Israeli defense forces attack the village of Zabkin in the south of the country”. Also on the morning of the 24th, Israeli air strikes were recorded in southern Lebanon.
The IDF said it monitored the launch of a missile from the Gaza Strip, which fell inside the lands of the Strip and the details are being examined. This is the second time since the beginning of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip that a missile has been launched from Gaza and also the last time, the missile fell in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli army announced that it was “determined to continue the ceasefire agreement”, justifying its decision to attack only the launch pad, without further military action against Hamas. Now the position of the ceasefire has changed. All prisoners in the neighborhood have been released.
Israeli attack on Tal Al Sultan, west of Rafah, another Israeli air strike on the northwest area of the city of Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip.
The situation in the West Bank is worsening. The Israeli authorities are building corridors similar to the Netzarim in Gaza. The spokesman for the Palestinian presidency, Nabil Abu Rudaina: “We call on the American administration to force the occupying state to immediately stop its aggression on the cities of the West Bank and to stabilize the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip if it wants to spare the region further tension and escalation because the alternative is the continuation of confusion and endless wars in the region”.
Israeli bulldozers continue to destroy infrastructure and property near a school in Tulkarem, West Bank. The area near the northern checkpoint in the city of Qalqilya was attacked by Israeli forces. One person was injured and one was arrested. A young man was shot by the IDF in the city of Qabatiya, south of Jenin. The IDF hit pro-Palestine journalists in the town of Qabatiya, south of Jenin, and confiscated their equipment.
Movements of IDF forces recorded in the Jabarat neighborhood of Jenin. An IDF infantry group assaults the Nour Shams camp, east of Tulkarm. Israeli bulldozers carry out clearing and sabotage operations near the Industry School, west of Tulkarm.
The media committee in Jenin camp complains that on the thirty-fifth day of the assault on Jenin, Israel pushed tanks into the Al-Jabaran neighborhood and the vicinity of Jenin camp, amid clearing operations and carving out large streets after destroying homes and residential squares. Israel is working to change the character of +Jenin camp and end the characteristics of the camp, with systematic destruction that has affected over 483 homes in part or in part. 20,000 Palestinians have been displaced from Jenin camp following the Israeli assault, with an estimated 90 percent of the camp’s residents affected, amid water and electricity cuts, severe shortages of food and basic needs, especially for children.
Antonio Albanese e Graziella Giangiulio
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