Trump Signs Executive Order Revoking Student Visas of Pro-Hamas Students, Jewish Journal
“J Street finds it deeply concerning that President Trump today called for deporting noncitizen students simply for participating in protests on campuses that we may find offensive or uninformed,” J Street posted to X. “We will be watching closely to see whether the actual executive order — which itself does not call for such deportations — is enforced in accordance with American laws & the Constitution. We oppose any deportation grounded solely in the content of a student’s beliefs & opinions.”
3 Israeli Hostages Freed, but Netanyahu Blasts Hamas for “Shocking Scenes,” Delays Palestinian Prisoners’ Release, CBS News
Three Israeli hostages, two female soldiers and an 80-year-old man were released in Gaza today as part of a hostages-for-prisoners exchange between Israel and Hamas, but the chaotic handover led Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to pause Israel’s participation. In response, Netanyahu delayed the release of over 100 Palestinian detainees until they could ensure the safe exit of Israeli hostages.
Thai Foreign Ministry Says It Got Confirmation That Thai Hostages Have Been Released, Haaretz
The Israeli Embassy in Thailand posted a video confirming the release of Thai hostages from Hamas captivity, which was later verified by the Thai Foreign Ministry. The ministry expressed gratitude to Qatar, Egypt, Iran, Turkey, the U.S., and other nations, along with the International Committee of the Red Cross, for their roles in securing the release and thanked Israel for its care and assistance in their return.
Israeli Strike Kills 10 Palestinians in West Bank, Health Ministry Says, BBC
An Israeli air strike killed 10 Palestinians in the city of Tamun, north of the occupied West Bank on Wednesday night, the Palestinian health ministry says. Video footage of the attack in Tamun, just north of the city of Jenin where Israel has increased its military operations in the past week, showed chaotic scenes, badly damaged buildings and bloodstained streets.
International UNRWA Staff Leave as Ban on Activity in Israel Takes Effect, The Guardian
UNRWA is now banned from operating on Israeli soil and International staff have been forced to leave as Israel had refused to issue visas or extend existing ones. While UNRWA said that it would continue working in Gaza and the West Bank for as long as possible, it added it had received no communications from Israel on how the ban would be implemented – most crucially over the delivery of aid to Gaza.
Trump Order Cracks Down on Antisemitism and Could Deport Foreign Student Protesters, NPR
An executive order signed yesterday by President Trump outlines a broad federal crackdown on antisemitism in the US, especially on college campuses. The executive order poses that some student protests could be considered a violation of federal law and that foreign students who take part in prohibited activities like supporting terrorist organizations could be deported. Critics immediately denounced the move as an overreach and as unconstitutional.
Norway Says Sending $24 Million to UNRWA After Israel Ban, The Times of Israel
The Norwegian government says that it will contribute $24 million to UNRWA the same day that Israel banned the group from operating on Israeli territory. “Gaza is in ruins, and UNRWA’s help is more necessary than ever,” Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide says in a statement.
Dozens of Jewish Groups Protest Trump’s Plans for Mass Deportation, Jewish Telegraphic Agency
The letter, published on Jan. 27, demonstrates that as Trump retakes office, a range of major Jewish organizations intend to continue to be vocal in opposing his policies on immigration. The signatories include a range of centrist and liberal Jewish groups with a national presence, including the leadership of the Reform, Conservative and Reconstructionist religious movements.
Israel’s War-Inflicted ‘Life-Threatening Danger’ on Pregnant Women and Girls in Gaza, Human Rights Watch Says, CNN
On Tuesday, Human Rights Watch released a 50-page report, titled “‘Five Babies in One Incubator’: Violations of Pregnant Women’s Rights Amid Israel’s Assault on Gaza.” CNN Journalist Sana Noor Haq writes, “HRW [Human Rights Watch] accused Israel of enforcing an unlawful blockade, a near-total ban on water, food and electricity, starvation as a method of war, attacks on the medical system, and repeated forcible transfer – violating the right to follow-up and postnatal care for pregnant women and girls, and their children.”
Trump Is Pushing Netanyahu to Pursue Stage Two of the Israel-Hamas Deal, Despite Political Risks, Haaretz
Jonathan Lis writes, “Evidence of the American pressure on Israel to advance the second stage of the hostage deal could be heard in what Trump’s special envoy for hostage affairs, Adam Boehler, said on Channel 12 News: the goal was to free all the hostages. Along with the firm messages coming from the Trump administration behind closed doors, Trump has been taking a public stance for now to draw Netanyahu closer and increase the cooperation between the two.”