Category: news and analysis

An American-Israeli dual citizen is among the three hostages most recently released by Hamas … Hamas Releases U.S. Hostage Keith Siegel; Rafah Crossing Reopens for Gazan Patients (Washington Post) … but the bodies of the Palestinian detainees released by the Israeli government in exchange reflect an “unprecedented … level … [of] starvation crimes, systematic medical…

Border officials asked three men returning to the U.S. “inappropriate religious questions, including whether they are Muslim, whether they attend a mosque, whether they are Sunni or Shi’a, and how often they pray”: Muslim Americans Urge Ninth Circuit to Hold Government Accountable for Illegal Religious Questioning by Border Officers (ACLU) Four Israeli hostages released by…

“The IDF destroyed everything… They destroyed the trees, the buildings, and the human beings”: Palestinians Return to Ruined Homes in North Gaza as Ceasefire Sparks Exodus “from One Hard Place to Another” (CBS News) As Trump continues to push for the “forced relocation of Palestinians from the war-torn Gaza Strip to Egypt and Jordan, despite…

After a two-day delay due to a dispute over the order by which Hamas had release hostages, Palestinians are finally allowed to return to whatever may be left of their homes … Middle East Latest: Israel Allows Palestinians to Return to Heavily Destroyed North of Gaza Strip (AP) … to the distress of  Israel’s “ultranationalist…

Israel meanwhile released 70 Palestinian prisoners into Egypt … Hamas Frees 4 Female Israeli Soldiers as Part of the Gaza Ceasefire (AP) … but “Palestinian families are prepared to be arrested at any moment,” said … one of 90 women and teenagers released by Israel during the first phase of the ceasefire deal” … Freedom…

“Trump pressured Netanyahu to accept a ceasefire, but with the understanding that once it took effect, the US would support Israel’s decision to end it if Netanyahu deemed Hamas’ compliance unsatisfactory”: Will the Gaza Ceasefire Reach Its Final Phase? (Arab America) The Zionist war on free speech continues … Historians’ Council Vetoes Gaza Scholasticide Condemnation…

Even the Trump administration appears vulnerable to the Zionist war on free speech, and neither Imam Al-Husainy nor the Trump inauguration officials are responding to inquiries about his abrupt cancellation … Dearborn Imam Left Off Trump’s Inauguration Program amid Criticism for Hezbollah Stance (Detroit Free Press) Imam Who Backed Trump Absent from Inauguration, Removed from…

“Hamas had released the hostages, the first of 33 set to be released during a six-week break in hostilities, to the International Committee of the Red Cross” … Gaza Ceasefire Begins; Three Israeli Hostages Arrive in Israel (Washington Post) “The families of 90 Palestinian prisoners are waiting anxiously in the occupied West Bank for them…

“The 33-member cabinet deliberated for more than seven hours into early Saturday before green-lighting the agreement” on a vote of 24-8 … Israel Approves Ceasefire and Hostage Release Deal with Hamas, Beginning Sunday (CNN) … and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is eager to extend his puppet rule into Gaza … Palestine’s President Abbas Says Ready…

Although a cease-fire has been inked, Israel has yet to approve it, and it would not start until until Sunday in any case, and even then will not undo the damage: LIVE: Israel Delays Cabinet Vote on Ceasefire Deal; Dozens Killed in Gaza (Aljazeera) Israel’s Smotrich Demands Resuming Gaza War, Displacing Palestinians (Middle East Memo)…