Israel and Hamas Near Agreement on Cease-Fire Deal, Qatar Says, The New York Times
Mediators had “managed to minimize a lot of the disagreements between both parties,” Majed al-Ansari, the Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman, told reporters. The talks on Tuesday were focused on “the final details of reaching an agreement,” he said.
Blinken To Present Post-War Plan for Gaza on Tuesday, Axios
Blinken’s plan is based on establishing a governing mechanism that will include the involvement of international community and Arab countries that could also send troops to Gaza to stabilize the security situation and deliver humanitarian aid. The speech will call for reform of the Palestinian Authority, while making clear the PA must be a part of any future government in Gaza.
Egypt Set to Open Rafah Border Crossing to Receive Released Israeli Hostages, Haaretz
Egypt is preparing to open the Rafah border crossing to receive the Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners if a cease-fire is secured, according to Egyptian sources speaking to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed news.
ICC Chief Prosecutor Wants Israeli Objections Over Netanyahu Warrant To Be Rejected, AP
Karim Khan submitted his formal response late Monday to an appeal by Israel over The Hague-based court’s jurisdiction after judges issued arrest warrants last year for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defense minister and Hamas’ military chief, accusing them of crimes against humanity in connection with the war in Gaza.
At UN, Israel Accuses Hezbollah of Trying To Rebuild With Iran’s Help, Reuters
Lebanon’s Hezbollah is trying “to regain strength and rearm with the assistance of Iran,” Israel’s U.N. ambassador told the Security Council on Monday, declaring that the militants remain a “serious threat” to Israel and regional stability.
Five Israeli Soldiers Killed in Northern Gaza Strip, Eight Wounded, Haaretz
In the past week 15 soldiers were killed in Beit Hanoun, 11 of them from the Nahal Brigade. A total of 405 soldiers have been killed in the ground operation in the Strip, which began October 27, 2023.
Israeli Minister Ben-Gvir Threatens to Quit Netanyahu Cabinet Over Gaza Deal, Reuters
Ben-Gvir, whose departure would not bring down Netanyahu’s government, urged Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich to join him in a last-ditch attempt to prevent a ceasefire deal, which he described as a dangerous capitulation to Hamas.
Civilian Casualties of Explosive Weapons at Highest Level in More Than a Decade, The Guardian
Israeli military action accounted for 55% of the total number of civilians recorded as killed or wounded during the year at 33,910, while Russian attacks in Ukraine were the seconded highest cause of death or injury at 19% (11,693).
Trump’s Mideast Envoy Forced Netanyahu to Accept a Gaza Plan He Repeatedly Rejected, Haaretz
Chaim Levinson writes, “Witkoff is a Jewish real estate investor and developer who is close to Trump. He doesn’t have the background of the kind of people who usually fill diplomatic roles. ‘Witkoff isn’t a diplomat. He doesn’t talk like a diplomat, he has no interest in diplomatic manners and diplomatic protocols,’ says a senior Israeli diplomat who spoke on condition of anonymity. ‘He’s a businessman who wants to reach a deal quickly and charges ahead unusually aggressively.’”
Biden Promised to ‘Turn the Page’ on Trump. What Went Wrong?, The New York Times
In an interview on the Ezra Klein show, Biden’s National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, says, “Now that does not lessen Israel’s responsibility to minimize civilian harm. Too many civilians have died in this war, and too many civilians have struggled to get the necessary lifesaving sustenance, food, water, medicine, etc. And we have pushed hard — and I believe have made a substantial difference — in the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza to stave off the worst effects of famine that were predicted over the course of many months.”
Some Israeli Soldiers Refuse To Keep Fighting in Gaza, AP
Sam Mednick and Julia Frankel write, “Yotam Vilk says the image of Israeli soldiers killing an unarmed Palestinian teenager in the Gaza Strip is seared in his mind. An officer in the armored corps, Vilk said the instructions were to shoot any unauthorized person who entered an Israeli-controlled buffer zone in Gaza. He saw at least 12 people killed, he said, but it is the shooting of the teen that he can’t shake.”
Saudi Perspective: The Palestinian Issue Cannot Be Pushed Aside, The Jerusalem Post
Abd Al-Aziz Al-Ghashian writes, “The images of death, destruction, and the loss of innocent Palestinian and Israeli lives are painful for all. Some members of the Israeli government talk of resettling Gaza and annexing more territory in the West Bank. This is not only repugnant to us but has two additional effects: It increases the sense of grievance toward Israel and the potential for further extremism in the region.”