[Webinar] Emergency Briefing: Gaza Ceasefire and Hostage Deal, J Street
We were joined by former White House advisor Ilan Goldenberg and Middle East policy and Gaza expert Celine Touboul to analyze the intricacies of the announced ceasefire and hostage release deal – and the challenges it faces going forward.
North Jersey Activists Are Hand-Wringing, and Hopeful, About Ceasefire in Gaza, The Record
“Mark Lurinsky, a member of the steering committee of the New Jersey chapter of J Street, a liberal Jewish advocacy group, was also ‘optimistic that despite the hiccups that have been reported, it will go forward.’ ‘We look forward to hostage families being reunited with loved ones and some badly needed relief for Gazans who have seen so much mayhem,’ he said.”
Israel’s Security Cabinet Approves Gaza Ceasefire and Hostage Deal, NPR
“After examining all political, security, and humanitarian aspects, and understanding that the proposed deal supports achieving the war objectives,” the security cabinet recommends the government approve the ceasefire deal, a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said. The full Israeli cabinet will meet later Friday to consider the deal, the statement added.
Israeli Strikes Kill 86 in Gaza Since Ceasefire Announced, Officials Say, ABC News
Israeli strikes killed at least 86 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip since the announcement of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas on Wednesday, Gaza’s Civil Defence body in the Hamas-run territory said. More than 250 other people were injured in Israeli attacks, they added.
Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Deal Brings Hope for Devastated Northern Gaza, The Washington Post
Under the terms of the deal, more than 500 trucks of humanitarian aid will be delivered to Gaza every day, said State Department spokesman Matthew Miller, with roughly half of those supplies expected to be directed north. The area has been home to thousands of people without access to food, water, electricity or health care amid an Israeli military siege, according to the United Nations.
Netanyahu Faces a Political Crisis Over the Gaza Cease-Fire Deal, The New York Times
Itamar Ben-Gvir, the minister for national security, announced on Thursday night that his ultranationalist Jewish Power party would resign from Mr. Netanyahu’s coalition should the cabinet approve the cease-fire deal.
ICC Prosecutor Sees ‘No Real Effort’ by Israel To Probe Alleged Gaza War Crimes, Reuters
International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan has defended his decision to bring war crimes allegations against Israel’s prime minister, saying Israel had made “no real effort” to investigate the allegations itself.
Satellite Photos Show the Gaza Strip Before and After the Devastation of the Israel-Hamas War, AP
As the war progressed, Israel ordered people to move farther south. Today, the result of that movement can be seen in images of Muwasi, just north of the strip’s southern border with Egypt. There, the sandy coast and surrounding farmland have been overtaken by thousands of tents, all visible from space.
Biden Says He Urged Netanyahu to Accommodate Palestinians’ ‘Legitimate Concerns’, The New York Times
Mr. Biden, who put the cease-fire deal on the table in May, said on MSNBC that he had told Mr. Netanyahu repeatedly that “he has to find a way to accommodate the legitimate concerns” of Palestinians. He called Mr. Netanyahu a friend but said, “We don’t agree a whole lot lately.”
‘Wake Up, Hala’: Man Pleads for Sister Killed in Israeli Strike Shortly After Ceasefire Agreement Announced [Video], CNN
Hours after the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement was announced, a “relentless” Israeli bombardment on Gaza killed more than 70 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Civil Defense.
Defense Chief Cancels Administrative Detention for Settlers Ahead of ‘Terrorists’ Release in Gaza Hostage Deal, Haaretz
Katz said he made the decision to “send a clear message of strengthening and encouraging settlement, which stands at the forefront of the battle against Palestinian terrorism and growing security challenges. It is better for the families of Jewish settlers to be happy than it is for the families of released terrorists.”
IDF in Crisis, Despite a Cease-fire: Why Fewer Israelis Were Turning Up to Fight in Gaza, Haaretz
Dahlia Scheindlin writes, “The loss of faith in the war aims has ricocheted around Israeli society and the army alike. Last month, the INSS found that only 56 percent of Jews would encourage a family member who has already served in the reserves to go back again. The August survey found that just 57 percent of Jewish Israelis would encourage their kids to get drafted at all.”
A Gaza Deal Closed, but No Closure, The Atlantic
Gershom Gorenberg writes, “The previous agreement, in November 2023, furnished only a pause. This one could be similar – a six-week hiatus, after which the fighting and destruction resume, while the rest of the hostages remain in Gaza. A more lasting settlement would require political arrangements in Gaza that Netanyahu has so far studiously avoided discussing.”
How Biden and Trump Secured an Israel-Hamas Cease-fire – and Who Deserves the Credit, Haaretz
Ben Samuels writes, “Trump may feel like he threw a major monkey off his back before his inauguration, clearing the path toward more exciting regional projects like Israeli-Saudi normalization. However, unless he takes the cease-fire’s implementation and next steps seriously, he will learn lessons that Biden learned the hard way: Even if you don’t want to deal with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the conflict will still find its way to your desk.”