J Street works to promote an open, honest and rigorous conversation about Israel. The opinions reflected in articles posted in the News Roundup do not necessarily reflect J Street’s positions, and their posting does not constitute an endorsement from J Street.
J Street Welcomes Release of Three More Hostages Under Ceasefire Deal As Negotiations on Phase II Commence, J Street
J Street is relieved that three more hostages, Or Levy, Ohad Ben Ami, and Eli Sharabi, have been released today, but we are also deeply distressed by the condition of three men, demonstrating the devastating toll of 16 months of captivity. We feel profound pain as some of these men return to families that will never be made whole again, with children, siblings and partners killed on October 7 or while in captivity.
Fighting Fascism: One Person Can Make a Difference, Substack
J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami writes, “Team MAGA isn’t exactly hiding the strategy. Flood the zone. Overwhelm the defense. ‘Shock and Awe’ is a powerful opening gambit on offense, but it’s no guarantee of victory. Strong, patient defense can hold the line and turn the tide over time. Team Democracy can’t give in to despair in the early going. Team MAGA’s dream scenario is that its opponents simply abandon the field.”
Harming USAID Is a Dangerous Move That Will Impact Impoverished Populations Worldwide, The Jerusalem Post
J Street Israel Executive Director Nadav Tamir writes, “US foreign aid is an integral part of Washington’s security interests and its ability to maintain regional stability. The funds allocated to Gaza and the West Bank, as well as to key states such as Jordan and Lebanon, are not mere philanthropy. They serve as strategic tools to prevent further cycles of violence, strengthen American influence, ensure the survival of pragmatic governments, and protect states from falling into the hands of extremist forces. Other global players, such as China and Iran, would eagerly fill the vacuum left by a US withdrawal, significantly harming Israel’s interests and those of other pro-American countries in the region.”
Israel Completes Withdrawal From Key Road Dividing Gaza as Part of Ceasefire Deal, CNN
Israel completed its withdrawal from the Netzarim Corridor on Sunday, a militarized zone that splits Gaza in half, as part of its commitments under a ceasefire agreement with Hamas.
Another Three Israeli Hostages Released as Part of the Gaza Ceasefire Deal, Axios
The hostages, Ohad Ben Ami, Or Levy and Eli Sharabi, were released in a military ceremony held by Hamas. The three hostages, who looked gaunt, pale and frail were put on stage and were “interviewed” by a masked Hamas militant who asked them to describe the “good treatment” they received from Hamas while in captivity.
Trump: ‘I Am Committed to Buying, Owning Gaza’; When Palestinians Have an Alternative, ‘They Won’t Want to Return’, Haaretz
U.S. President Donald Trump insisted on Sunday that he is “committed to buying and owning Gaza,” adding that letting Palestinians currently living there go back once they are removed from the territory would be a “big mistake.”
Israeli Delegation in Qatar for Gaza Ceasefire Talks, Reuters
An Israel delegation arrived in Qatar on Sunday for more Gaza truce talks, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s spokesperson said, as its military withdrew from an important crossing point in the enclave, as agreed under the truce with Hamas.
Egypt Announces Emergency Arab Summit After Trump’s Gaza Plan Infuriates Key Allies, AP
Egypt announced Sunday that it will host an emergency Arab summit on Feb. 27 to discuss “new and dangerous developments” after U.S. President Donald Trump proposed to resettle Palestinians from the Gaza Strip.
Freed Israeli Hostage Was Unaware Wife and Daughters Killed, British Family Says, BBC
An Israeli hostage freed from Gaza did not know his wife and daughters were killed in the 7 October attack until after his release on Saturday, his British family said. Eli Sharabi was taken by Hamas 16 months ago and released on Saturday in Deir al-Balah, in Gaza.
Israeli Police Raid Palestinian Bookshops in East Jerusalem, The New York Times
The Israeli police have raided a pair of Palestinian bookstores in East Jerusalem, arresting two of their owners and confiscating books, in a move that came as Israel tightens its restrictions on free speech and cultural activities for Palestinians across the country.
IDF Fires at Gazans Entering Buffer Zone by Israel Border; Palestinians Say Three Killed, Haaretz
According to reports, and elderly woman was killed in the Al-Karara district of southern Gaza’s Khan Yunis, while the another two were killed in Gaza City. The IDF stated that soldiers in the northern Gaza Strip identified suspicious individuals advancing from hundreds of meters away and fired warning shots to disperse them.
Trump Administration Moves to Send $8 Billion in Arms to Israel, Bypassing Some Lawmakers, The New York Times
The State Department has given Congress formal notification that it plans to move forward with sales of more than $8 billion in weapons to Israel, bypassing an informal review process that was underway in a House committee.
Trump Has Given Netanyahu the Ultimate Gift, The New York Times
Shira Efron writes, “By presenting an idea so closely aligned with the goals of the Israeli far right, the president put forward a solution to two political problems for Mr. Netanyahu. The first was that the proposal was welcomed enthusiastically by two extreme-right politicians who had been threatening to make Mr. Netanyahu’s coalition government collapse: Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who had insisted he would quit if Israel ended the war in Gaza on terms that he disagreed with, and Itamar Ben-Gvir, who resigned as national security minister last month to protest the cease-fire deal – and is now laying the groundwork to rejoin the government.”
‘It’s Really Just Insanely Ridiculous’: Locals React to Trump’s Gaza Comments, The Boston Globe
Rabbi Toba Spitzer, of the Congregation Dorshei Tzedek in Newton, called Trump’s proposal “horrifying,” saying “it’s offensive to even suggest that the Gazan people will be displaced.” “The reaction both from American Jewish groups, from our allies, from Arab nations, from the Palestinian leadership makes it clear that this is a nonstarter,” she said. “I join others in wondering if this is serious or not because it’s so far-fetched.”