On Saturday, the Swedish capital, Stockholm, witnessed a massive demonstration in protest against US President Donald Trump's plan to seize the Gaza Strip and forcibly displace Palestinians from their lands.

In the Odenplan area of Stockholm, hundreds of activists and citizens gathered to express their solidarity with the people of Gaza, and their rejection of what they described as a colonial plan to forcibly deport Palestinians from their homeland.

The demonstrators held up banners reading "No to American imperialism, No to the Zionist occupation," carried anti-Trump posters, and chanted slogans rejecting "forced displacement," before heading to the Swedish Foreign Ministry headquarters.

Swedish activist Karl Kjellén told Anadolu Agency that he participated in the demonstration in protest against what he described as "the genocide being carried out by Israel in Gaza and the West Bank."

Criticizing Swedish support for Israel, Kälin added: “I strongly condemn the Swedish imperialist government’s support for the Israeli occupation.”

He continued: "Despite the calm atmosphere that has passed in recent weeks, the imperialists have revealed their true colors once again. Trump said it clearly, he wants to erase the Palestinians from Gaza and turn it into a tourist resort. This proves that these politicians do not carry any human values. We must support the Palestinians with all our strength to confront this plan."

On February 4, Trump sparked widespread controversy when he suggested that the United States take control of the Gaza Strip and turn it into the “Riviera of the Middle East,” after displacing the 2.4 million Palestinians there to other places, especially Egypt and Jordan, without any plans to return them.

In the face of this proposal, Arab leaders adopted an Egyptian plan to rebuild Gaza at the Cairo Summit last Tuesday, which guarantees the return of the Palestinian Authority to the Gaza Strip.

Despite the adoption of the Arab plan, the US State Department said on Thursday that the Egyptian plan does not meet the aspirations of the Trump administration, indicating the continuing dispute between Washington and Arab countries over the future of the Strip.

With American support, Israel committed genocide in Gaza between October 7, 2023 and January 19, 2025, leaving more than 160,000 Palestinians dead and wounded, most of them children and women, and more than 14,000 missing.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will hold an assessment of the situation regarding the negotiations to release prisoners in the Gaza Strip on Saturday evening, on the eve of a scheduled meeting of the Security and Political Affairs Cabinet.

This was reported by the official Israeli Broadcasting Authority, at a time when Netanyahu continues to obstruct the transition to the second phase of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza and the exchange of prisoners, threatening to resume the war of extermination on the Strip.

Three citizens were injured by Israeli occupation bullets, Saturday evening, on Salah al-Din Street in the central Gaza Strip.

According to local sources, an Israeli occupation drone opened fire on citizens on Salah al-Din Street near the Shuhada Junction in the central Gaza Strip, wounding three of them.

A citizen was also injured by the occupation forces' bullets in the town of Abasan al-Jadida, east of Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip.

Seven citizens were injured with varying degrees of injuries in an Israeli drone attack on a bulldozer that was removing the rubble of a house in the town of Beit Hanoun, north of the Strip. They were transferred to the Martyr Kamal Adwan Hospital.

Earlier, medical sources announced that the death toll in the Gaza Strip had risen to 48,453 martyrs, since the start of the Israeli aggression on October 7, 2023.

The same sources added that the number of injuries has risen to 111,860 since the beginning of the aggression, while a number of victims are still under the rubble and on the roads, and ambulance and rescue crews cannot reach them.

It pointed out that 7 martyrs (6 new martyrs due to the occupation's bombing, and the recovery of the body of a martyr) and 8 injuries arrived at the hospitals of the Gaza Strip during the past 48 hours.

Three citizens were injured by Israeli occupation bullets, Saturday evening, on Salah al-Din Street in the central Gaza Strip.

According to local sources, an Israeli occupation drone opened fire on citizens on Salah al-Din Street near the Shuhada Junction in the central Gaza Strip, wounding three of them.

A citizen was also injured by the occupation forces' bullets in the town of Abasan al-Jadida, east of Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip.

Earlier, medical sources announced that the death toll in the Gaza Strip had risen to 48,453 martyrs, since the start of the Israeli aggression on October 7, 2023.

The same sources added that the number of injuries has risen to 111,860 since the beginning of the aggression, while a number of victims are still under the rubble and on the roads, and ambulance and rescue crews cannot reach them.

She pointed out that 7 martyrs (6 new martyrs due to the occupation's bombing, and the recovery of the body of a martyr) and 8 injuries arrived at the hospitals of the Gaza Strip during the past 48 hours.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates praised the joint statement issued by the Foreign Ministers of France, Germany, Britain and Italy, which welcomed the Arab Reconstruction Plan and called for benefiting from its advantages.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned in a statement issued today, Saturday, against any plans seeking to circumvent or bypass the outcomes of the Arab Summit.

It called on all countries to support and back the plan as adopted at the Arab Summit and the extraordinary meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and to mobilize political and material support for its implementation, in a way that ensures the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip by Palestinian hands firmly on the ground without displacing them, on the path to embodying the State of Palestine and building its institutions.

Citizens suffocated on Saturday when the Israeli occupation forces stormed the town of Beit Ummar, north of Hebron, in the southern West Bank, where they arrested a young man after assaulting him.

According to local sources, the occupation forces stormed the center of Beit Ummar and Safa roundabout, which led to the outbreak of clashes, during which the occupation soldiers fired live and rubber bullets, sound bombs and toxic tear gas, as dozens of citizens suffered from suffocation due to inhaling the toxic gas, and were treated in the field.

The sources added that the occupation forces arrested the young man Ibrahim Ahmed Sami Sabarna (23 years old) from inside his uncle's shop where he works selling vegetables and fruits in the "Tarbiqa Triangle", noting that the occupation soldiers severely beat the young man Sabarna during his arrest, and took him to a camp inside the "Karmi Tzur" settlement built on citizens' lands south of Beit Ummar.

The town of Beit Ummar witnesses daily raids by the Israeli occupation, and the occupation soldiers are obstructing the movement of vehicles at Safa roundabout.

Today, Saturday, Israeli occupation bulldozers began razing lands in the village of Madama, south of Nablus.

According to local sources, the occupation bulldozers began to level areas of the village's lands and uproot olive trees near the colonial road, adding that the occupation forces had been notified of the seizure of these lands about a week ago.

One person was killed and another was injured in an Israeli drone strike on southern Lebanon on Saturday.

A Lebanese source said that the march targeted a car in the Al-Jumaijma area, which led to the death of one person and the injury of another. He added that the ambulance teams were able to remove the body of the dead and transfer the injured person to the hospital for treatment.

Four European countries welcomed the Arab comprehensive plan to rebuild the Gaza Strip, which was adopted by the emergency Arab summit in Cairo.

This came in a joint statement issued by the foreign ministers of France, Germany, Britain and Italy.

The European ministers announced their "welcome" to the Arab plan for the path of recovery and reconstruction of the Palestinian sector, and considered it to be "a realistic path."

The Arab plan includes forming a "Gaza Administration" committee to manage the affairs of the Strip for a transitional period of 6 months. The committee will be independent and composed of non-factional "technocrats" working under the umbrella of the Palestinian government.

In this regard, the European statement noted that the Arab plan "reflects a realistic path for the reconstruction of Gaza, and pledges - if implemented - a rapid and sustainable improvement of the catastrophic living conditions experienced by Palestinians in Gaza."

The statement called for recovery and reconstruction efforts in Gaza to be based on "a solid political and security framework acceptable to both Israelis and Palestinians, and that provides long-term peace and security" for all parties.

He praised the "important message" sent by Arab countries by developing a "jointly" recovery and reconstruction plan.

In their statement, the ministers stressed "their countries' commitment to working with the Arab plan (for reconstruction in Gaza), the Palestinians and Israel" to address security and governance issues in the Strip.

They urged all concerned parties to benefit from the advantages of the Arab plan and consider it a "starting point," according to the same statement.

They explained that the common position of the aforementioned countries is based on "supporting the central role of the Palestinian Authority and supporting the implementation of its reform agenda."

AZERTAC reports that the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mr. Jeyhun Bayramov took part in and addressed an emergency meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, held on March 7, 2025 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

At the beginning of his speech, Minister Jeyhun Bayramov conveyed his best congratulations and wishes to the entire Islamic world on the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan.

The Azerbaijani minister stressed that the current humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip and Palestine, the mass casualties of innocent people, the destruction of infrastructure, and the shortage of food and water in the region remain a source of concern, and the use of force that causes the death of civilians is unacceptable, and he pointed out the importance of taking urgent and decisive steps to end this situation.

Minister Jeyhun Bayramov stressed that the principles of international law regarding sovereignty, territorial integrity and non-use of force should be given priority, and that Azerbaijan positively assesses the ceasefire reached in January, stressing the importance of avoiding steps that would lead to escalation and violation of the ceasefire in the current sensitive situation.

Minister Jeyhun Bayramov noted the importance of the ceasefire reached as the beginning of a sustainable peace process based on international law, including the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people. He stressed that Azerbaijan has always supported the resolution of the conflict on the basis of the "two-state" principle, the norms and principles of international law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

The Azerbaijani minister also pointed to the importance of humanitarian aid efforts and said that Azerbaijan, as a responsible member of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and as the Chair of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in 2026, is always ready to support the brotherly Palestinian people. He stressed that in addition to previous years, since 2023, when the escalation began, Azerbaijan has provided assistance in the amount of 2 million US dollars to alleviate the humanitarian situation of the Palestinian people. The minister added that the Republic of Azerbaijan has also taken the initiative to support the Palestinian people in the field of education and healthcare, and in this direction, the Heydar Aliyev International Scholarship has been allocated to 15 students from Palestine for the period 2024-2025, and Azerbaijan has pledged to build a school for 600 people in Palestinian Nablus.

Minister Jeyhun Bayramov stressed in his speech that his country supports the Egyptian plan to rebuild Gaza, which was approved during the emergency Arab summit on March 4, 2025.

During his speech, the Minister conveyed his congratulations on Syria's return to the OIC membership at today's meeting. Support was expressed for Syria's territorial integrity and sovereignty, as well as for the restoration of lasting peace and stability in the country.

Medical sources announced today, Saturday, that the death toll in the Gaza Strip has risen to 48,453 deaad, since the start of the Israeli aggression on October 7, 2023.

The same sources added that the number of injuries has risen to 111,860 since the beginning of the aggression, while a number of victims are still under the rubble and on the roads, and ambulance and rescue crews cannot reach them.

It pointed out that 7 ded (6 new dead due to the occupation's bombing, and the recovery of the body of a dead) and 8 injuries arrived at the hospitals of the Gaza Strip during the past 48 hours.

Dr. Khadir Al-Marshadi: The Arab delegation’s success in changing Washington’s position seems unlikely in the short term given the steadfast American support for Israel

Dr. Kholoud Al-Obaidi: The conference achieved two goals: a clear collective Arab stance against displacement from Gaza and a practical plan for reconstruction.

Dr. Rifat Sayed Ahmed: The card of severing relations and normalization with Israel must be used as a political pressure measure in the next stage

Dr. Munther Hawarat: The summit adhered to the principles of the two-state solution, rejected the idea of displacement, and supported the presence of a Palestinian leadership in the Gaza Strip

Aziz Al-Assa: The Arab Summit represented a state of unity of position and rallying around the Palestinian cause, which is rarely repeated in the history of summits.

Dr. Mukhaimer Abu Saada: A final solution must be found for the Gaza crisis, with continued Arab coordination to overcome differences and ensure the implementation of the reconstruction plan

Opinions and assessments of the outcomes of the emergency Arab summit in Cairo on March 4 varied between those who considered it a major achievement in terms of restoring the unity of the Arab position in response to the dangers facing the countries of the region, and not just the Palestinian issue, following the announcement of the US President’s plan to displace the residents of the Gaza Strip to Jordan and Egypt and later to Saudi Arabia under the pretext that the Strip had become an uninhabitable place, and therefore it would be difficult to rebuild it while its residents remained inside, and of course without allowing them to return after the reconstruction was completed.

The consensus of the participants in the Arab Summit, despite the absence of many Arab leaders, on the proposed Egyptian plan as an alternative to the American plan based on displacement and migration and turning the Gaza Strip into the “Riviera of the East” as Trump wants, has not yet been dealt with as a final result, in light of the American and Israeli rejection of it. There are those who fear that the Arab delegation that will meet the American president will not be able to convince him of it, in addition to the fear of American pressure on the “capable” countries, to dissuade them from providing the necessary funding for the Egyptian plan that calls for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip within a few years while keeping its residents inside.

Writers and analysts who spoke to Al-Quds considered that the Arab summit represented a case of unity of position and rallying around the Palestinian cause, and that it achieved a clear collective Arab position against the displacement from Gaza and a practical plan for reconstruction. However, they saw that the success of the Arab delegation in changing Washington’s position seems unlikely in the short term due to the steadfast American support for Israel, and therefore the card of severing relations and normalizing relations with Israel must be used as a political pressure measure in the next stage.

A unified Arab position at the theoretical level only

Dr. Khadir Al-Marshadi, President of the International Institute for Arab Renewal - Iraq, said that the extraordinary Arab summit held in Cairo succeeded in presenting an Arab position that appeared to be unified only on the theoretical level, despite the absence of many Arab leaders from a conference that should have been the focus of their attention, as it came at a dangerous turning point in the conflict on the regional and international levels.

He explained that the Egyptian plan approved by the conference was intended to be a practical alternative to the US administration's orientations, and this alternative could receive international support, as the leaders who attended the summit believe, especially with the announcement of hosting an international conference to rebuild Gaza.

But Al-Murshidi pointed out that the Arab delegation’s success in changing Washington’s position seems unlikely in the short term, given the steadfast American support for Israel and Trump’s foreign policy record on the one hand, and the problematic American and Israeli decision to disarm the resistance, and even more so to expel Hamas from Gaza, which the resistance rejects and is right to do so after the great and enormous sacrifices made by the people of Gaza.

He continued, saying: In addition to this, there is a lack of confidence in the intentions of Israel and the United States and their position of refusing to recognize the right of the Palestinian people to establish their independent state with Jerusalem as its capital, which is the position that came in the Israeli response commenting on the outcomes of the summit when it indicated the impossibility of implementing the two-state solution project.

Elements of Arab economic and political power

On the other hand, Al-Marshadi said, “There may be a change in the American position in only one case, which is if the Arab countries continue to exert unified pressure and use their tools and elements of economic, political and diplomatic power to sever relations and stop normalization with sincerity, effectiveness and strong will, which unfortunately is not available in the Arab reality, because it requires coordination, will, clarity and non-subordination, which are the factors absent in Arab politics.”

Al-Marshadi stressed that the real impact of the summit may appear after the implementation of the stages of the agreement between Hamas and Israel, as well as what will result from the direct negotiations with the American envoy that were announced the day before yesterday, noting that this depends on the extent of the Arab countries’ commitment to implementing their decisions at the summit and their ability to confront American and Israeli pressures.

Al-Marshadi concluded his statement to Al-Quds by emphasizing that the dilemma facing any final solution to the conflict is limited to two main factors:

1- The two-state solution, which Israel explicitly rejects.

2- The resistance weapon, which is also rejected by Israel and America.

This is based on the current political dynamics in the region, which view both factors as a basic condition for any settlement of the Palestinian issue as a whole.

Effective solidarity diplomacy

For her part, Dr. Kholoud Al-Obaidi, a specialist in political science and international law, said that the question about Arab summits has a clear answer: it is an effective diplomatic solidarity act, noting that Arab summits are an annual, periodic tradition that Arabs have followed for decades and are an effective and successful means of achieving Arab solidarity and agreement on our Arab issues.

Al-Obaidi stressed that the emergency conference called for by the sisterly Arab Republic of Egypt in this context is important for the Arab countries themselves, which seek to strengthen their position, as they seek help from the Arab incubator.

She said: Palestine and Egypt sought the assistance of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, the European Council, and the presence of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, who stressed their rejection of displacement and support for the State of Palestine.

She pointed out that the conference achieved two goals: the first was a clear collective Arab position against the displacement from Gaza, and a practical plan for reconstruction and financial, material and political support to implement it.

Invitation to an international conference in Cairo

She added: The subsequent steps include calling for an international conference in Cairo for recovery and reconstruction in the Gaza Strip in cooperation with the United Nations and the international community, as well as calling on the Security Council to deploy international peacekeeping forces and hold legislative and presidential elections as soon as possible as part of its plan to preserve the lives of the Palestinian people.

Al-Obaidi described the meeting as successful firstly because it was practical and led by a Palestinian, Egyptian and Arab woman who has the potential and ability to rebuild.

Secondly, the financing project is available, unlike the American project, which does not have a source of financing.

Third, the conference had a good attendance, as some tried to detract from the conference due to absence.

She stressed that this issue should not please the enemy because the parties that were absent are more hardline parties, such as Algeria's position, and this is what the Foreign Minister confirmed in his speech.

She pointed out that those present represent the party that "accepts dialogue," and that there are more stringent Arab positions.

Al-Obaidi considered the absence of the King of Saudi Arabia, the Emirates and Kuwait, in my opinion, to have been coordinated with the Egyptian side for diplomatic purposes and not a lack of support for the project.

She said: The Saudi Crown Prince supported the Saudi Ministerial Council meeting and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia enthusiastically supported the Arab project in Gaza.

She added: Syria's entry into the arena with a statement by President Ahmed Al-Sharaa reflects the extent of solidarity, saying, "Egypt and Syria are two wings of one bird."

Another conference in Saudi Arabia

She pointed out that another conference will be held in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with the attendance of the Gulf States and Egypt to emphasize security solidarity, which means that the Arab position is escalating and strengthening and must not retreat.

She said: The popular position and the security necessity indicate continued adherence to the decisions of the Cairo Conference and the emphasis on continuing to deliver aid and support to our dear people in Gaza.

She believes that the conference is worrying the Zionist entity, as the reality is that the Zionist entity was unable to achieve victory in the Gaza war by military means, but it is resorting to the United States to achieve gains.

She stressed that the Zionist project is a project of ethnic cleansing and the seizure of not only Gaza, but also at a stage in which the people of the West Bank will be displaced, the idea of a Palestinian state will be abolished, and the Arabs will submit completely to the Zionist project.

She explained that the response to this project does not tolerate half-solutions. It requires an Arab stance to repel the aggression, including military intervention. She said that we must not postpone the confrontation any longer.

Al-Obaidi concluded by saying: I wish the Arab response had been stronger during the war, and the Arab support for Gaza had been greater so that we could avoid the situation that the Arab regimes are facing now. Therefore, the Arabs have no choice but to challenge the Zionist project.

Holding the summit is an achievement in itself.

In turn, the Egyptian nationalist writer and thinker Dr. Rifaat Sayed Ahmed said that holding the summit in itself is a great achievement that is primarily credited to Egypt, which is aware of the great danger resulting from the plans of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump to displace Palestinians from Gaza to Sinai.

He pointed out that the summit presented a comprehensive 91-page plan, prepared by Egypt, to rebuild Gaza without displacing its residents. This plan received Arab approval, which makes it an obligation on the Arab League and all Arab countries.

He explained that the most prominent outcome of the summit was the general agreement to reject displacement in parallel with supporting reconstruction, stressing that this achievement reflects a unified Arab position towards the Palestinian issue.

Sayed Ahmed added that implementing these decisions on the ground faces many difficulties, the most prominent of which is the connection of most Arab countries, especially the Gulf countries, to the United States through oil, which represents the strongest deterrent weapon in the face of Washington and Tel Aviv.

The summit represents the summit of warning.

He also called for using the card of severing relations and normalizing relations with Israel as a political pressure measure in the next stage.

Sayed Ahmed pointed out that the current thinking is wishful thinking, expressing his hope that these decisions will be implemented despite the challenges, because the issue is no longer limited to Gaza or southern Lebanon, but has become a threat to the thrones and governments of Arab countries, especially in light of Netanyahu's greedy and Trump's crazy policies.

The Egyptian writer stressed that this summit represents a warning summit, warning that failure to implement its outcomes will leave the door open for the implementation of Trump and Netanyahu's plans, calling on Arab rulers to meet and immediately begin the reconstruction of Gaza according to the Egyptian plan, which is estimated to cost about 55 billion dollars.

The Egyptian nationalist thinker concluded his statement to Al-Quds by saying: “If the Arabs do not begin rebuilding Gaza immediately, the displacement plan will begin and will be implemented individually on the Arab countries. Their strength lies in their unity and in implementing this great plan.”

A practical vision for the reconstruction of the sector

Jordanian writer and analyst Dr. Munther Hawarat believes that the Arab Summit presented a practical vision for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, with a primary focus on reconstruction.

He pointed out that the summit adhered to the previous principles related to the two-state solution, rejected the idea of displacement, and supported the presence of a Palestinian leadership in the Strip.

Dialogues explained that the problem lies in US President Donald Trump's adherence to his position, either out of ignorance or by implementing a well-thought-out Israeli plan.

He asked: How can the Arabs influence Washington's viewpoint, given its statement that there are no real mechanisms for reconstruction as long as the population is still present?

He believes that collective Arab pressure and the use of international support, such as the Europeans and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, may contribute to pushing Trump to change his position.

He added that Israel will work to obstruct the Arab move to rebuild Gaza, and may resort to re-igniting tension and aggression against the Strip under various pretexts and excuses.

Hawarat stressed that there is an Arab vision that can be crystallized and modified through negotiations, stressing the need to keep the channels of dialogue open.

Big deal for Israel

He pointed out that President Trump is seeking to achieve a great deal in favor of Israel, regardless of its impact on the Palestinians, but the Arabs have a great ability to establish constructive negotiations with the American administration, especially in light of the complexity of the field conditions in the event of a new aggression, which would be disastrous for the people of Gaza and the Palestinian cause as a whole.

He called for a serious and firm Arab position, with the use of available Arab pressure tools to influence the United States' conviction.

He concluded his interview by saying: “Although the current situation is bleak and uncomfortable, there are Arab parties that influence Washington and can use their influence to change the American position.”

Full Arab support for Palestinian demands

In turn, writer and researcher Aziz Al-Assa said that the Arab summit represented a state of Arab unity rarely repeated in the history of Arab summits, a state of rallying around the Palestinian cause, and full Arab political support for Palestinian demands for a permanent ceasefire.

Al-Assa explained that there is complete Arab consensus, including the Palestinian resistance, on the summit decisions that were directed towards rebuilding the Gaza Strip and restoring peace and stability to the Palestinians on their land, in the face of calls for displacement that the far-right organizations play to day and night.

He said: We have noticed the unity of the Israeli and American positions in rejecting the summit and its decisions, and this was reinforced by Israel’s blatant practice of starving and depriving the Gaza Strip of its water and cutting off its electricity, in full view of the summit, without anyone uttering a word.

He added: It is the responsibility of the Arab delegation heading to Washington to translate the decisions of this summit into actions at the dialogue table with the American presidency.

Al-Assa stressed that the bright side of the summit will evaporate, as if it never existed, if we submit to the American demands that always serve Israel's interests.

The Egyptian plan received broad Arab support.

Dr. Mukhaimer Abu Saada, Professor of Political Science at Al-Azhar University in Gaza, believes that the outcomes of the Arab Summit were good, especially with the adoption of an Egyptian plan to confront US President Donald Trump’s plan to displace Palestinians from Gaza, and to rebuild the Strip according to the vision of the US administration.

He stressed that the Egyptian plan had received broad Arab support, despite reservations from some countries such as Tunisia and Iraq, in addition to the absence of leaders of influential countries such as Saudi Arabia, the Emirates and some other Arab countries, which constitutes a problem in the Arab consensus.

He explained that the Egyptian plan aims to rebuild Gaza without displacing its residents, which has received support and welcome from most Arab countries.

Abu Saada pointed out that the biggest challenge lies in the position of the US administration, as the spokesman for the US National Security Council stated that the Arab plan does not address the current problem in Gaza, which is the destruction of the Strip and its unfitness for life.

The final US response has not yet been issued.

He added: "This statement was premature, and the final response from the US administration has not yet been issued, stressing the need to wait to know the official US position."

He pointed out that the US President indicated in one of the meetings that the idea of displacement is merely a proposal, and will not be imposed by force, especially in light of the Egyptian, Jordanian, Palestinian and Arab rejection of this plan.

Abu Saada stressed that there are existing Arab differences regarding disarming Hamas and the resistance factions before reconstruction, as some Arab countries fear returning to the confrontation square after the reconstruction of the Strip, as happened in previous times.

Abu Saada concluded his statement to Al-Quds by stressing the need to find a final solution to the Gaza crisis, along with the importance of continuing Arab coordination to overcome differences and ensure the implementation of the reconstruction plan away from any displacement plans.

The Israeli occupation forces continue their aggression on the city of Tulkarm and its camp for the 41st consecutive day, and for the 28th day on the Nour Shams camp, amid military reinforcements, raids on homes, and shooting at citizens.

The WAFA news agency said that the occupation forces sent military reinforcements towards the city and its two camps, deployed their vehicles and infantry units in the streets and neighborhoods, and were stationed around and at the entrances to the Tulkarm and Nour Shams camps, accompanied by the firing of live ammunition, sound and light bombs, and the sound of explosions being heard.

The occupation forces and heavy bulldozers continue to be present in front of the houses and residential buildings that they seized and turned into military barracks, on Nablus Street, which connects the two camps, where the soldiers stop and search vehicles, in addition to checking the identities of citizens and detaining them for interrogation.

In Tulkarm camp, the occupation soldiers chased groups of its residents as they entered the camp and tried to reach their homes to inspect them and collect whatever belongings they could from them.

Eyewitnesses reported that the occupation forces fired live bullets and sound bombs at the citizens, detained a number of them, forced them to leave the camp, and threatened to shoot them if they returned again.

Eyewitnesses added that occupation soldiers were seen installing surveillance cameras on the roofs of houses inside the camp, which they had seized and turned into military barracks.

The camp is witnessing a comprehensive destruction of the infrastructure, and of the houses that were completely and partially demolished, vandalized and burned, while the rest of them were converted into military barracks, accompanied by extensive bombing operations inside it, the sound of which can be heard at intermittent intervals.

The occupation forces sent military reinforcements to Nour Shams camp, which is witnessing a tight siege, accompanied by its continued raids on homes and forcing their residents to evacuate them by force, and turning them into military barracks, coinciding with the destruction caused by its bulldozers to the infrastructure and the complete demolition of homes in the Al-Manshiya neighborhood as part of its plan to pave roads and change the geographical features of the camp, as it demolished more than 28 homes in one week.

Local sources reported that after midnight, the occupation forces fired flares over the slaughterhouse neighborhood in Nour Shams camp, amid extensive search and combing operations in the area.

In a press statement, the Popular Committee for Services in Nour Shams Camp confirmed that the policy of house demolitions and forced displacement pursued by the occupation forces is part of the collective punishment aimed at displacing citizens and breaking their will.

The ongoing aggression on the city and the camps resulted in the martyrdom of 13 citizens, including a child and two women, one of whom was eight months pregnant, in addition to the injury and arrest of dozens, and the forced displacement of more than 9,000 citizens from Nour Shams camp, and 12,000 from Tulkarm camp.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) stated that the Jenin, Tulkarm and Nur Shams camps in the northern West Bank have become uninhabitable due to the ongoing aggression by the occupation forces.

She explained that this aggression is the longest and most destructive since the Al-Aqsa Intifada in 2000, and has resulted in the largest wave of Palestinian displacement in the West Bank since 1967, as the occupation forced about 40,000 people to be forcibly displaced from their homes.

UNRWA indicated that the camps of Jenin, Tulkarm and Nur Shams have been almost emptied of their residents, in light of the widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure, including homes. Under these circumstances, citizens face the possibility of having no place to return to.

Today, International Women's Day comes to my mind, and in a big way, but today it comes to my mind with great sadness, and with even greater pain, given what women are suffering, whether in the Gaza Strip or in the camps in the northern West Bank these days. I say to myself, how can this world remain silent, ignore, and turn a blind eye to what women are suffering from, a severe shortage of their basic needs, which are stipulated by heavenly and earthly laws alike?

My reproach is to the Arab and Islamic nation as it watches with its own eyes the Palestinian woman being oppressed, humiliated and deprived. My reproach is to those who take the Qur’an as their method and rise up in anger when women demand their freedom and rights, and then slink like ostriches into their holes when women’s rights are violated and their lives and futures are destroyed.

My reproach is to the world, or what is falsely called the first civilized world, which sees but does not see, watches but does not feel, does not move, and does not bat an eyelid at what women suffer in Nour Shams, Jenin, Jabalia, the beach, Nuseirat, and everywhere, at the hands of soldiers armed with fire, hatred, and malice towards the Palestinian woman, the origin of our story, its shepherd, and the waterer of its eternal, immortal beauty.

I imagine, contemplate and grieve that we are in the twenty-first century, and the rights of Palestinian women are still being violated as never before in the most horrific, bloody and destructive human experiences. This is not a reproach to time nor anger at the neutral geographic data that grants humanity a deeper dimension in awareness, conscience and humanity. It is a reproach and anger at those who write the history of these days and excel in explaining the data of human development in the world, progress, development and launching into greater horizons for the future. I wonder, what kind of future is this that the world and women are striving for that deprives them of their right to live and practice their great existential role in a world that preserves their dignity, rights and needs.

Instead, the Palestinian woman was robbed of her safe home, and the home of displacement was thrown in her face, without providing for her most basic needs, and without caring about her most basic dreams, feelings and concerns. The occupation has gone too far in its crimes of violating the most basic rights of women, children, youth, elderly and the Palestinian human being in all forms of their livelihood, time, life and place, in length, breadth and height. It has deprived them of their right to move, their right to learn and their right to walk a safe path, and has imposed on them the thugs of our time, its Tatars and Mongols. But unfortunately, this occupation has found a protector, a shepherd and a legislator in the far reaches of the earth, who turn a blind eye to its crime and continue their day with indifference that rises to the level of a crime.

On Palestinian Women's Day: Your Patience is Our Eternal Hope

Every year, the Palestinian woman is up to the challenge, difficulties and hope.

Before the "Gaza War" and the fascist aggressive attack of the colony on the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip stopped, the puzzling question, often repeated by observers, was: What comes after the war?? What comes after the second day of the war?? Who will take power in the Gaza Strip after Hamas??

I would answer that there are three possibilities:

The first is to install a Palestinian civil administration that has no connection to the resistance. I used to answer that this was an unlikely option, and that no civilian would be able to respond to such an option. In fact, no one had the courage to accept this adventurous option, in response to the Israeli demand.

The second is the return of the Palestinian Authority to Gaza as it was before the Hamas coup and its military option in 2007, but this requires understanding and coordination between the Fatah and Hamas movements, and it is the most realistic option.

The third, which observers ruled out, but I did not rule it out for two reasons: first, the results of the military battle and the field engagement, which reached the essence of the Palestinians holding out even if they did not win yet, and that the Israelis failed but were not defeated yet, and therefore the political battle will be an extension of the military battle with the same tools of engagement between the two parties, and second, the ceasefire negotiations are taking place between the colony and Hamas, and the truce agreement was reached between the colony and Hamas under American sponsorship with Qatar and Egypt, and therefore it is natural for the negotiations between them to continue to reach this level of understanding, acceptance and result, even if both of them were forced to do so.

Observers ruled out this option because the colony and Washington viewed Hamas as a “terrorist” organization. I said and I say that the colony and Washington were dealing with Fatah and the PLO as “terrorist” factions. However, the late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, head of Fatah and head of the PLO, was the one who was received at the White House and signed the Oslo Accords in 1993. Washington had previously negotiated with the “very terrorist” Taliban movement and handed it power in Afghanistan. These are examples of many similar models in the world, and the whole world is witnessing negotiations between enemies.

Here is Trump, the "political extremist" and "strongly" supporter of the colony, announcing that the United States is negotiating with Hamas, although this is accompanied by "extremist" terms that undermine Hamas, but it did not stop there, because it realizes that the most important content for it is accepting to sit at the table with the Americans as a party that decides and practices negotiations.

.........

The truce agreement was reached between the colony and Hamas under American sponsorship, along with Qatar and Egypt. Therefore, it is natural for negotiations between them to continue to reach this level of understanding, acceptance and result, even if both of them were forced to do so.

Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank is a highly complex issue that touches on international law, Palestinian rights, and regional politics. Under international law, the West Bank has been occupied territory since 1967, and its fate must be determined through negotiations. Voting or discussing Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank in an Israeli-only framework ignores Palestinian rights and UN resolutions that consider settlements illegal and call for a two-state solution. Such a discussion, if conducted without genuine Palestinian participation, would be a unilateral move that would increase tensions, rather than pursue a just political solution.

The problem is that “next Sunday, the bill to apply Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank is scheduled to be discussed in the Ministerial Committee for Legislative Affairs, where the campaign is led by Knesset members from the Otzma Yehudit party, and here in this descriptive analysis we will examine the legality of this measure.”

Legally, this procedure is in conflict with international law, but it is carried out within the framework of the internal Israeli legal system. Here is an explanation of the legal dimensions:

1- According to international law:

• The West Bank is considered occupied territory under UN resolutions and the Geneva Conventions, and therefore Israel does not have the legal right to impose its sovereignty over it unilaterally.

• Security Council Resolution 242 (1967) affirms the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by force, which applies to the West Bank.

• Security Council Resolution 2334 (2016) condemns settlements and considers them a violation of international law, meaning that the imposition of Israeli sovereignty would also be internationally illegal.

2- From the Israeli side:

The Knesset and the government can debate any bill, but passing it will not change the international legal status, but rather will be a domestic political move aimed at consolidating Israeli control over the West Bank. Israel has previously annexed East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights through unilateral decisions, but the international community has not recognized these decisions.

3- Possible repercussions:

Any move to annex the West Bank could lead to a dangerous escalation, whether within the Palestinian territories or at the diplomatic level with the countries of the world, and could result in international punitive measures against Israel, especially from the European Union or other countries that oppose the annexation, which could undermine any future possibility of a two-state solution.

The procedure is not legal according to international law, but it is possible within the Israeli political system, especially in the midst of Israeli disputes over the dismissal of the legal advisor and the targeting of the judicial system in Israel by extremists, although it may lead to serious consequences on the political, legal and security levels.

Addressing this situation:

Preventing this action requires action on several levels:

1- Palestinian level

Intensify diplomatic efforts: The Palestinian Authority must move quickly to the United Nations, the Security Council, and the European Union to request a clear condemnation of this project as a violation of international law.

Unifying the internal ranks: The Palestinian division weakens any international position, so achieving national unity may increase the ability to confront this step effectively. Activating peaceful popular resistance and organizing peaceful protests and movements on the ground may put pressure on Israel and attract the attention of the international community.

2- Arab and Islamic level

The Arab and Islamic countries, especially those that have relations with Israel, such as the UAE, Bahrain, Jordan and Egypt, are moving to pressure Tel Aviv to stop any steps towards annexation, and to activate the role of the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in issuing decisions and taking diplomatic measures against Israel.

3- International level

Escalating the file to the Security Council and the United Nations to impose sanctions or issue resolutions against Israel if it continues with this approach, to pressure the European Union to oppose any annexation step, and this can be used to impose sanctions or freeze economic agreements with Israel, legal action to file complaints with the International Court of Justice or the International Criminal Court against Israeli officials who push for annexation.

4- The internal Israeli level

Supporting opposing Israeli voices: There are Israeli parties and organizations that reject annexation for fear of its security and diplomatic repercussions. These voices can be supported internationally and in the media. Israel can be warned of the consequences if it becomes clear that this step will lead to international isolation. The Israeli government may back down from it, as happened in some previous attempts.

The confrontation requires a unified Palestinian move, Arab and Islamic pressure, activating international channels, and using legal and diplomatic tools to prevent this step before it becomes a reality.

........

The bill to apply Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank is scheduled to be discussed next Sunday in the Ministerial Committee for Legislative Affairs, where the campaign is led by Knesset members from the Otzma Yehudit party.

When Hamas won the legislative elections in January 2006 and formed the tenth government, many Western delegations, European ambassadors to the Palestinian Authority, and figures close to decision-making circles in the United States and the European Union flocked to meet with its prime minister and leaders.

Most of these meetings were conducted with extreme caution, and were often kept secret, for fear of being accused of communicating with a terrorist movement, especially since Hamas was subjected to continuous demonization operations led by Israel and its media arms in Western countries, along with what the Zionist lobbies and Jewish associations in America were doing in terms of targeting to distort the image of Hamas and incite against it, with the aim of isolating the movement and keeping it away from conveying its voice to the presidencies and parliaments of Western countries.

To establish justice, the Western media, which was surprised by the victory of Hamas and its dominance of the political scene in Palestine, was able to carry out a “notable campaign” to introduce the movement, its figures, its ideas, what its political vision represents, and what this victory means for an Islamic movement for the future of the conflict with Israel, and so on.

At the time, I was a political advisor to Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh (may God have mercy on him), and I was one of the most prominent figures in the government who arranged these meetings or who were contacted to conduct interviews and dialogues with them, as my official position as one of Prime Minister Haniyeh’s close associates, and one of the English speakers, gave them a lot of importance, which drew the attention of Western politicians and media professionals to be keen to sit with me and read the map of events and trends through me.

Accordingly, these meetings and media coverage were what opened the door to receiving invitations to visit some Western capitals.

In November 2006, I made my first visit to the British capital, London, which lasted for several days, during which I met with members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords, and there were also meetings with the media, especially the Guardian newspaper and some television channels.

I also travelled to Belfast, where I met a number of leaders of the Irish Republican Party (IRA) and Sinn Féin, to learn about their political and militant experience.

The main question in these political and media meetings was: Who is Hamas? What are its political and struggle goals? Will it recognize Israel? And other questions that reflect the absence of Hamas from the cognitive scene in the West.

After that, I was invited to visit Switzerland and enter into contacts regarding this European country’s vision of the possibility of achieving peace and finding a solution to the Palestinian issue.

Indeed, these meetings resulted in the Swiss proposal, which bore the name “Geneva-Ahmed Youssef Vision.”

Although this proposal is based on the idea of a three-year truce, during which the two-state solution would be achieved in three stages, the positions of the European countries were supportive of this step, while America remained silent, and it was understood that it did not oppose it, but Israel rejected it completely.

After that, the doors of Europe opened to receive Hamas figures, both parliamentary and governmental, and this encouraged the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister to send messages to many European countries, in which the government presented its political vision for achieving peace and closing the file of the Palestinian issue, but Israel continued to watch and warn these countries against the accusation of "dealing with terrorists"!!

As a testimony and documentation of the sessions that I attended, there were the meetings of the French special envoy to President Sarkozy with Prime Minister Haniyeh, who carried a message from him. Then we met him again in Geneva to hear from him about the results of that visit.

Among the high-level delegations was also the Dutch Foreign Ministry delegation, which we hosted in my office in Gaza, and then we met them later during an important meeting with Dr. Musa Abu Marzouk in Cairo, and there was also another meeting with the Swiss Special Envoy with Mr. Khaled Meshaal in Cairo.

In fact, the Norwegian ambassador to the Palestinian Authority in Jerusalem was one of the most active and communicative ambassadors with Hamas. He was always proactive and, like the Swiss ambassador, had new ideas.

Sweden, represented by parliamentary and party figures, was also among the first we met in Geneva and Gaza, and I also met German and British figures in Tunisia on the sidelines of a special dialogue forum that brought together Islamic and European figures.

As for the relationship with America, it remained limited to some contacts with figures who came wearing the cloak of scientific and academic research to communicate and conduct dialogues with the government, but - and this is what we learned through intermediaries - they were close to the White House, especially during the era of President Barack Obama.

I met some of them, and they indicated to me that their movements were with the knowledge of the official authorities.

In 2009, there was a visit by President Erdogan to the White House, which encouraged Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh to send a message from him to President Obama, which the Turkish President carried with him, who blessed such a step, considering that managing political crises always requires that communication channels remain open.

Only a few months after that letter, I received a call from an American expert on the Middle East (Prof. TS), with whom I had been friends during my time in Washington as director of the UASR Center for Research and Policy Analysis.

The summary of the call was: Ahmed, you need to get ready to travel, as there is a mission awaiting you in Europe, and an American delegation - officially - wants to meet with you in the Norwegian capital, Oslo.

I immediately replied: My friend, Oslo is not my favorite, because of its “bad” political reputation, linked to the historic Oslo Accords between the Palestinians and the Israelis. As for me, I would like the meeting to take place in the Swiss city of Zurich, where I can easily obtain a visa, and also guarantee the secrecy of the movement.

We agreed on that, and I told Prime Minister Haniyeh about the mission, who gave me approval to travel.

At that time in 2009, the relationship with Egypt was not at its best, which made our movements as government figures through the Rafah crossing extremely difficult.

In fact, my relations with the Egyptian intelligence men who were responsible for the Palestinian file were based on respect and appreciation, and Major General Mohamed Ibrahim was one of the most respected and appreciated figures in the Hamas movement, and the same was true of Colonel Ahmed Abdel Khaleq.

So, I had a feeling that my mission would go to its goal, and no one would hinder my travel.

I stayed at the Rafah crossing waiting for the approval decision and permission to pass to Cairo for more than four hours. Unfortunately, the response was a refusal.

I returned home, saying, “You never know… God might bring about something else.” I called the person close to the White House and told him about the refusal to allow me to pass, and that the matter required contacting General Omar Suleiman (may God have mercy on him), the head of the Egyptian General Intelligence Service, to facilitate my travel.

The response came quickly: The mission must remain secret and under absolute secrecy, and any reference to it here or there might reach the Israelis, and the problem of leaking it would create a scandal for the White House, and the Zionist lobby in America would exploit that to defame President Obama and accuse him of communicating with terrorists!!

Accordingly, the visit was postponed until travel was possible, but unfortunately, the relationship with Egypt remained tense and restrictions on the travel of government figures like us through the Rafah crossing were tightened.

In April 2009, there was an attempt by former US President Jimmy Carter to come to Gaza and meet with Hamas leaders there, but Israel prevented this from happening, claiming that there were security risks threatening his life!!

Accordingly, President Carter decided to travel to meet with Mr. Khaled Meshaal, head of the movement’s political bureau, at his residence in the Syrian capital, Damascus, and then meet with the movement’s leadership in the Gaza Strip in the Egyptian capital, Cairo.

The Cairo meeting was secret at the Semiramis Hotel, and I participated in its five-hour session with Dr. Mahmoud Al-Zahar and the brothers Dr. Khalil Al-Hayya and the martyr Saeed Siam (may God have mercy on him).

The president was interested in achieving a historic accomplishment similar to Camp David, but he clashed with an extremist Zionist mentality that does not seek peace and besieges anyone who seeks it.

President Carter enjoyed great respect among the Palestinians for his fair positions on our cause, which he expressed in many of his books published in the West.

In fact, these recent leaks about meetings between America and Hamas were not the first attempt at communication between the two parties, as the backstage backgrounds during the last three years witnessed some of these meetings, and Dr. Musa Abu Marzouk, the most prominent leader in the Hamas movement, was one of its witnesses.

For all of this, the recent contacts with the movement regarding negotiations to release Israeli soldiers of American origin are not the first and will not - of course - be the last, as they come in the context of American interests, which the Trump administration sees as coming first.

These meetings will have consequences, and will pave the way for openness and communication, even after a while, or as they say: There is more to come than meets the eye.

True, Trump has raised the slogan “America First,” and this seems to be the case in general, but the truth is that there is one exception to that rule, and that is Israel.

Many American politicians and academics have spoken about this issue, such as Professor Jeffrey Sachs of Columbia University, who indicated in more than one lecture and television interview that Israel is the one who directs the priorities of the United States in the Middle East, and he said: Unfortunately, America’s foreign policy is being made and driven today by the war criminal Netanyahu!!

And that America is complicit with him in the massacres he is committing against the Palestinians.

..........

These recent leaks about meetings between America and Hamas were not the first attempt at communication between the two parties, as the backstage scenes during the last three years have witnessed some of these meetings, and Dr. Musa Abu Marzouk, the most prominent leader in the Hamas movement, was one of its witnesses.

Last week, the Israeli army published the results of its investigation into the October 7 failures, but it turned out yesterday, Friday, that what the army published about its investigations was a small part of the results of the investigations. The results show that the “Al-Aqsa Flood” attack, on October 7, 2023, was carried out on land, at sea and in the air, during which Hamas forces also used gliders to cross the security fence surrounding the Gaza Strip.

A report published by Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper yesterday, Friday, shows that the failures of the Israeli army on October 7 and the period preceding the day of the attack were enormous, and in all branches of the Israeli army, especially in the intelligence field, according to what the Chief of Staff of the Israeli army, Herzi Halevi, said during a closed meeting with the participation of the commander of the Southern Command and the heads of the local authorities in the "Gaza envelope", before the end of his term, this week.

"We viewed Hamas as a limited military force, and we did not see a scenario of a large-scale surprise attack as a realistic scenario. If something like that happened, we would have received advance intelligence warning about it. Intelligence played a role in this war in the great failure. We wanted to receive advance warning, and we wanted to know from the intelligence that could have changed the reality. We did not," Halevy was quoted as saying by the newspaper. The head of the Southern Command, Yaron Finkelman, added during the meeting that military intelligence said that an attack by Hamas "will not happen in the immediate time frame."

According to the newspaper, during a discussion he held at 4:00 a.m. on October 7, Halevy believed that intelligence was wrong. The summary of the discussion reads, "At the beginning of his remarks, the Chief of Staff stressed that what was required at this stage was to delve into the cause of the events (i.e., indications of Hamas's actions), without relying on concepts that would make Hamas's initiative to attack illogical."

Halevi ordered the air force to "examine targets for a rapid response in the event of Hamas attack activity at dawn." The newspaper reported that Halevi's order was not carried out, and that Halevi did not order Israeli forces on the fence surrounding the Strip to raise their alert status. He did, however, instruct other intelligence agencies to review their information and hold further discussions in the morning.

"October 7th is a deadly disease that spread in the army."

While presenting the results of the investigations to the Israeli army officers last week, the commander of Unit 8200, Yossi Shariel, said that “October 7 is not an incident, but rather a terminal illness that has spread throughout the army. Contrary to the victory over Hezbollah and the claim that the entire Israeli army was victorious, the investigations (about October 7) suddenly show that the entire problem is intelligence.”

The Israeli army sought to mislead the public about the results of the investigations. Although the investigations’ results extended to thousands of pages, the army provided military correspondents with a 15-page summary of them, and dictated to the correspondents to write in their reports “in the name of the correspondent” that the investigations were the result of “continuous and in-depth work whose compass is the truth for the purpose of study and correction.”

Among the things that the army did not reveal to the public when publishing its investigations was that during the night of October 7, information was received indicating Hamas movements in the Gaza Strip. The Air Force Intelligence Unit was aware of a Hamas document, entitled “Jericho Wall,” which included details of a large-scale Hamas attack. Unit 8200 had intercepted it in April 2022, and a senior Air Force representative had seen it during discussions in the army’s Southern Command, held on September 3, 2023, during which it was said that there was a problem with the quality of intelligence in Gaza, and that “Hamas will strike when it believes it serves it.”

The IDF concealed from the public in its summary of the investigation findings that “the air force failed to intercept the glider incursion of Hamas’ elite fighters, or to shoot down Hamas drones that destroyed the ‘see and shoot’ sites on the Gaza border.” The IDF also concealed from the public that “the Iron Dome batteries failed to intercept half of the rockets fired from Gaza.”

The investigation, which was not included in the summary published by the army, according to the newspaper, stated that regarding the gliders and drones launched by Hamas, “the air force did not carry out the mission of defending the country’s skies.” The army did not mention the investigation’s findings that the air force attacked targets in the Gaza Strip that were present in the combat aircraft’s computer software, under the “Sword of Damocles” plan, even though it had no connection to the events of October 7, and while Hamas’s elite forces had already begun their attack inside Israel.

The investigations, which the army did not publish, confirmed that "the navy did not fulfill its defense mission at sea," and revealed that Hamas fighters sought to penetrate southern Israel from the sea with seven boats, and that the navy targeted five of them, while two reached the "Zikim" beach and Hamas elements seized a "Savannah" military vehicle and continued their attack in the "Gaza envelope." The newspaper indicated that the investigations into the navy were not presented to army officers when they were informed of their results.

"Where did the failure begin?"

Halevy asked the team investigating the failure to start in 2018, but the team began in 2002. In 2017, then-IDF Chief of Staff and current MK Gadi Eisenkot drew up a plan titled “Strategic Operational Framework for War in the Gaza Strip,” which included three scenarios that could lead to war against Gaza: Hamas initiating a surprise attack; the situation deteriorating as a result of a gradual escalation against Hamas; or Israel initiating a preemptive attack. The team found that the scenario of Hamas initiating a surprise attack, such as the one that occurred on October 7, was removed from Eisenkot’s plan.

In its speech, the Israeli army replaced the phrase “advance warning” with the phrase “intelligence superiority,” which is based on high intelligence capabilities that can know what is happening and any movement at any time. One of the reasons for the feeling of “intelligence superiority” is the so-called “secret tool,” which is a set of technological and operational capabilities aimed at reaching Hamas’s secrets. However, the army’s investigations confirmed that the “secret tool” did not provide advance warning of the “Al-Aqsa Flood” attack.

The investigation team also did not find any document or intelligence assessment in the Military Intelligence Division, the Southern Command, or the Gaza Division, stating that “Hamas is deterred.” This expression “seemed to appear out of nowhere, and was established as a fact, even in the political establishment.”

The army’s investigations into October 7 revealed that the aggression on Gaza in May 2021 created a perception in Israel that distorted reality. The perception has taken root in the security establishment and the political establishment in Israel, including Netanyahu, that this aggression ended with a fatal blow to Hamas, and that it will be deterred for many years.

But Hamas's perception of the results of this battle was the opposite. Hamas even considered that it had achieved a great accomplishment, according to the results of the army's investigations. It succeeded in launching rocket attacks, and caused rockets to be fired from Syria and Lebanon, and there was a state of turmoil in the mixed cities in Israel. The Israeli army conducted three investigations following this battle, which showed that "the success of the Israeli army in it may be a story told by the army and politicians, but in reality, the story was somewhat different."

Mossad also participated in the October 7 failure, as it was unable to detect “the resistance axis’ preparations for the attack.” Hamas’s sense of the May 2021 battle strengthened its ties with Iran and Hezbollah, and the leaders of the resistance axis began to crystallize what would later be described as a “sense of ability” to launch a large-scale attack. “Contacts began to take place between Gaza, Tehran and Beirut in order to build plans for a joint attack. Mossad completely failed to detect them.”

Hamas' insistence on the condition of stopping the war at the end of the second phase of the booby-trapped truce raises a series of pending questions.

The first of these questions: Is there anything in the rogue state’s biography throughout the years of conflict that would lead to the belief that it adheres to the agreements it signs, the most important of which is the Oslo Accords, which were signed publicly in the White House?

Didn't Hamas reinforce this certainty and urge it in its literature, speeches, and the sermons of its sheikhs on the pulpits on all religious occasions, that Israel does not fulfill its promises and does not abide by its covenants?

Isn’t Netanyahu’s retreat from what he signed in the first phase, and his fabrication of flimsy excuses to justify his not entering the second phase, enough to understand the approach of deception, lying, and fabricating excuses to overturn the agreements that are signed before the ink dries?

Do Hamas negotiators believe that Netanyahu will fail to find a way to create a pretext to return to war, as he has returned to it time and time again without justification, the latest of which was his war that he is waging on the camps in the north, under the pretext of bombing buses that he kept secret, after its threads were conveyed to Jews involved in it?

Isn't what the liar is doing today, starving and bombing from afar, a form of war?

The condition of stopping the war was not among the goals of the “liberation war” that Hamas launched on October 7, which it embarked on with a miscalculation and political bet on allies who were involved and whose calculations were exposed, who lost their assets, and who returned from the support war with broken teeth and amputated limbs.

Necessities, precise calculations, the disintegration of allies, and disappointment from brothers and friends, Arabs and Muslims, who were unable to bring in a bag of flour without Israel’s approval, dictate that Hamas proceed with ending the detainees’ crisis in exchange for clearing the prisons, because there is no value to any commitment or agreement that Israel signs today and turns against tomorrow in a world that buys its narrative, gives free rein to its crimes, and holds the victim responsible for the causes of his death!

The daily violations committed by Israel in southern Lebanon and the Golan Heights, with the approval of the Americans who have placed themselves in the position of both adversary and judge, are sufficient evidence of bad intentions.

Two citizens were killed and others were injured today, Saturday, as a result of an Israeli drone attack on a group of citizens east of Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip.

Wafa Agency said that the two martyrs are: Mahmoud Hussein Al-Hissi and Mahdi Abdullah Jarghoun, and they were killed in the Abu Halawa area in Rafah, and they were transferred to the European Hospital in Khan Yunis.

Since Friday evening, the city of Rafah has been exposed to heavy fire from Israeli tanks and drones, as the shells hit citizens' homes, especially in the neighborhoods of: Al-Janina, Al-Shawka, and Tel Al-Sultan.

US President Donald Trump acknowledged on Friday that he had sent a letter to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, seeking a new deal with Tehran to curb its rapidly advancing nuclear program and replace the accord the United States withdrew from during his first term in May 2018.

Iranian state media immediately picked up President Trump’s acknowledgment, contained in excerpts from an interview with Fox Business News that aired Friday, though there was no confirmation from Khamenei’s office that any message had been received.

The interview will be broadcast in full on Sunday.

It remained unclear how the 85-year-old supreme leader would react, given that former President Barack Obama kept his messages to Khamenei secret before starting negotiations that led to Tehran's 2015 deal with world powers.

Trump said on Friday that "something will happen with Iran very soon," expressing his hope for a peace agreement that would prevent Tehran from possessing a nuclear weapon.

Trump added in remarks he made at the White House that the United States is "in the last moments" of negotiations with Iran, and that he hopes military intervention will not be necessary.

Trump continued, saying: "We have a situation with Iran, something is going to happen very, very soon... You'll be talking about that soon, I think."

He expressed his hope for reaching a peace agreement, saying: “I am not speaking from a position of strength or weakness, I am just saying that I would rather see a peace agreement than the other option, but the other option will solve the problem,” without further clarifying what he meant by the other option.

Trump had said (earlier in an interview with Fox Business that aired Friday) that he wanted to negotiate a nuclear deal with Iran and that he had sent a letter to the Iranian leadership on Wednesday proposing talks with Tehran, which the West fears is rapidly approaching the ability to make nuclear weapons.

"I think they want to get that message across. The other alternative is that we do something, because we cannot allow another nuclear weapon," he continued.

Asked whether he had sent the message to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Trump replied, "Yes."

"There are two ways to deal with Iran: militarily or make a deal," Trump said. "I prefer to make a deal because I'm not looking to hurt Iran. They're a great people."

Last month, Trump reimposed a policy of “maximum pressure” on Iran, including efforts to cut off its oil exports to zero. But he also said in February that he wanted to strike a deal with Iran that would prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon.

The Israeli Broadcasting Authority reported on Friday that the political level has issued instructions in preparation for returning to fighting in Gaza. The Broadcasting Authority quoted security sources as saying that returning to fighting in Gaza would pose a threat to the lives of prisoners held in the Strip.

Earlier, a Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo on the eve of talks on a truce with Israel in the Gaza Strip, two officials in the movement said Friday.

"A high-level Hamas delegation headed by acting head Mohammed Darwish arrived in Cairo on Friday afternoon," one of the officials told AFP, noting that he would meet "on Saturday with officials in Egypt to consult on developments in the situation and the progress made in implementing the ceasefire agreement and regarding the start of the second phase." He added: "Hamas is demanding that the mediators compel the occupation to implement the agreement and start negotiations for the second phase in accordance with the agreement it signed, and to open the crossings to allow humanitarian and relief aid to enter the Gaza Strip."

After 15 months of war that erupted following Hamas's unprecedented attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, a ceasefire went into effect in the Gaza Strip on January 19, based on an agreement brokered by the United States, Egypt and Qatar.

The first phase of the ceasefire agreement lasted six weeks, and allowed the return of 33 hostages to Israel, including eight dead, while Israel released about 1,800 Palestinian prisoners who were in its prisons.

With the end of the first phase, Israel announced its desire to extend it until mid-April based on an American proposal, while Hamas insisted on the need to negotiate the second phase, which is supposed to put an end to the war.

During the Hamas attack, 251 people were kidnapped, including 58 who are still in Gaza, and Israel says that 34 of them were killed.

The next stages of the truce agreement collide with the conflicting positions of the two parties.

The Israeli occupation forces forced a citizen from the village of Bardala in the northern Jordan Valley to demolish part of his house.

Local sources reported that citizen Izzat Rashaida was forced, today, Friday, to demolish the third floor of his house, which was under construction, after he was notified by the occupation forces earlier.

The occupation forces stormed the village about two weeks ago, accompanied by crews from the so-called “Settlements Council,” and began photographing the house.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) announced that the Jenin, Tulkarm and Nur Shams camps in the northern West Bank have become uninhabitable due to the ongoing attacks by the Israeli occupation forces.

The agency said in a press statement, on Friday, that the extensive demolitions in these camps represent a new and disturbing pattern that leaves unprecedented effects on Palestinian refugees.

She stressed that these operations aim to permanently change the basic characteristics of these camps.

This aggression is the longest and most destructive since the Second Intifada, and has resulted in the largest wave of Palestinian displacement in the West Bank since 1967, as the occupation has forced about 40,000 people to be forcibly displaced from their homes.

UNRWA explained that the Jenin, Tulkarm and Nur Shams camps have been almost completely emptied of their residents, with widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure, including homes. Under these circumstances, Palestinians face the prospect of having no place to return to.

The agency indicated that its teams on the ground are working to meet the needs of the displaced, at a time when the humanitarian space in the West Bank continues to shrink continuously.

In a related context, the Minister of the Occupation Army, Yisrael Katz, announced that he had instructed the army forces to continue occupying Palestinian refugee camps in the northern West Bank until the end of this year.

Katz's statement came during his participation, on Friday, in the "Federal Zionism" conference in Tel Aviv, according to the newspaper "Israel Today".

Katz admitted that 40,000 people were displaced from the Palestinian refugee camps in Jenin, Tulkarm and Nur Shams, due to the ongoing aggression for about 50 days.

Since the start of the war of extermination on the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023, the Israeli occupation army and settlers have escalated their attacks in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, which led to the martyrdom of about 930 citizens, the injury of nearly 7,000 others, and the arrest of 14,500 citizens.

Although Americans are still more likely to say their sympathies in the Middle East conflict lie with the Israelis than the Palestinians, only 46 percent say they favor Israel, the lowest in 25 years of Gallup’s annual tracking of this measure in its World Affairs Poll. The previous low of 51 percent was last year and in 2001.

At the same time, the poll found, the 33 percent of American adults who now say they sympathize with the Palestinians is up six percentage points from last year, a two-point increase.

The latest reading from the most reliable and accurate polling organization of all types, Gallup, found that from February 3 to 16, while the temporary ceasefire and hostage exchange between Israel and Hamas that began in mid-January held, the poll began a day before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the White House, which included a joint press conference with President Donald Trump, in which Trump expressed his intention to take over Gaza, expel the Palestinians from it, and turn it into the Riviera of the Middle East.

The February poll also found that 40% of U.S. adults approve of Trump’s handling of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, down from 45% overall. Republicans and Democrats are sharply divided in their assessments of Trump’s performance, and they hold different views of Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories (including Gaza), with Republicans viewing Israel more favorably than Democrats (83% vs. 33%) and Democrats viewing the Palestinians and the Palestinian territories more favorably than Republicans (45% vs. 18%).

Republicans more sympathetic to Israelis, Democrats more sympathetic to Palestinians

Partisan sympathies for the Middle East follow a similar pattern to their positive assessments of both sides. That is, Republicans sympathize broadly with the Israelis (75%) versus the Palestinians (10%), while Democrats sympathize with the Palestinians nearly three times as much (59% vs. 21%). Independent sympathies are similar to national averages. Republicans and independents have consistently supported the Israelis since 2001, though independent support for the Israelis is now at its lowest point in world affairs polls, at one point. Democrats also leaned toward the Israelis until 2022, when roughly equal shares said they sympathized with each side. Since then, Democrats have consistently supported the Palestinians.

Initially, the decline in Democratic sympathy for Israelis was apparently a result of disapproval of the country’s right-wing political leadership under Benjamin Netanyahu. However, it has declined further over the past two years. In February 2023, Democratic sympathy for Israelis fell to 38%, while the reading for Palestinians jumped 11 points to 49%, marking the first time that sympathy for Palestinians has prevailed among this group. “Eight months later, on October 7, 2023, Hamas militants attacked Israel, killing more than 1,000 Israelis and taking nearly 250 hostage. Democratic sympathy for the Palestinian people had fallen by six points by February 2024. A year later, as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza continued, Democratic sympathy for Palestinians rose by 16 points, marking the first time it has reached a majority.

Americans continue to support the two-state solution in the Middle East

For years, a central tenet of Middle East peace proposals has been the so-called “two-state solution,” which would entail the creation of a Palestinian state, according to Gallup. Gallup has been measuring Americans’ views on this issue since 1999. Since then, more Americans have supported the creation of an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and that support continues today. Currently, 55 percent of Americans support the two-state solution, while 31 percent oppose it, and 14 percent of those surveyed said they had no opinion on the issue.

The latest poll finds that 55% of American adults support the creation of a Palestinian state, which is consistent with readings from 2020, which ranged from 52% to 55%. Before then, Americans were still more likely to support an independent Palestinian state than oppose it, but support was often below majority level. Support and opposition were broadly similar in 2015 and 2017.

Majority of Democrats and Independents Support Independent Palestinian State

Given their overwhelming sympathy for the Palestinians, according to Gallup, it’s only natural that Democrats also broadly support an independent Palestinian state. The poll found that about three-quarters of Democrats, 76%, support such a state, compared with 53% of independents. Meanwhile, 41% of Republicans support a Palestinian state, and 49% oppose it.

Democratic support for Palestinian statehood has been on an upward trend since 2021, while independent support has been relatively flat over the same period. Republican support has risen by 15 points after falling sharply last year.

Conclusion

The Gallup poll finds that American sympathy for Israelis continues to decline, largely due to declining support among Democrats for the Israelis in the long-running conflict with the Palestinians. Republicans remain overwhelmingly sympathetic to the Israelis.

Meanwhile, the creation of an independent Palestinian state still enjoys the support of a majority of Americans, though far more Democrats than Republicans. Discussion of a two-state approach to peace in the region has largely stalled in the wake of the October 7, 2023, attack, as world leaders grapple with how to secure Israel after the war, what role Hamas will play in Gaza, and how to govern the West Bank.

Today, Friday, settlers set up two tents and broke olive trees near the village of Jaba, northeast of Jerusalem.

According to local sources, settlers stormed the "Jabaa Plain" area, set up two new tents on lands east of the village, owned by a number of citizens, broke a number of olive trees, and prevented the landowners from reaching them.

She pointed out that the settlers have been trying for two weeks to seize the lands of Jaba' Plain and link them to the "Adam" settlement, which is located on the town's lands.

Two children were injured by Israeli occupation forces' bullets and another was arrested today, Friday, in the town of Ni'lin, west of Ramallah.

Local sources reported that the occupation forces stormed the center of the town, and clashes erupted during which the occupation soldiers fired live bullets and tear gas canisters, which led to the injury of two children (17 and 16 years old) with bullets in the lower limbs of the body, and they were subsequently transferred to the "Nilin Emergency Center", in addition to cases of suffocation.

She said that the occupation forces arrested a child "whose identity is not yet known", and set up a military checkpoint north of the town, stopped citizens' vehicles and checked their ID cards, which caused a severe traffic jam.

1. A Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo on Friday, on the eve of talks on a truce with Israel in the Gaza Strip.

The Egyptian State Information Service announced that "a delegation from the leadership of the Hamas movement arrived in Cairo to discuss the procedures for implementing the ceasefire agreement in Gaza and to push the negotiations to enter the second phase."

She added that the General Authority for Information said that "the Egyptian-Qatari efforts aim to provide the necessary guarantees to move to the second phase of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza."

Two officials in the movement said on Friday that "a high-level leadership delegation in the Hamas movement, headed by Mohammed Darwish, the acting head of the movement, arrived in Cairo on Friday afternoon," according to what was reported by Agence France-Presse, quoting one of them.

The same source indicated that he will meet "on Saturday with officials in Egypt, to consult on developments in the situation, the progress made in implementing the ceasefire agreement, and what is related to starting the second phase."

On Sunday, the Israeli government decided to stop the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, hours after the end of the first phase of the ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement between Hamas and Tel Aviv, and the latter’s obstruction of entering into negotiations for the second phase.

The war on Gaza left more than 160,000 Palestinian martyrs and wounded, most of them children and women, and more than 14,000 missing.

Washington said that the direct talks with Hamas were not for the purpose of negotiation but rather "to convey the American position in a different way."

This was stated by the spokeswoman for the US State Department, Tammy Bruce, in a press conference.

In response to a question about the meeting of the US Special Envoy for Prisoner Affairs, Adam Boehler, with Hamas leaders in Qatar, Bruce said on Thursday: “If I have a conversation with someone, this is not a negotiation, this is a transfer of the American position in a different way.”

Washington said that direct talks with Hamas were not for the purpose of negotiation but rather to "convey the American position in a different way."

This was stated by the spokeswoman for the US State Department, Tammy Bruce, in a press conference.

In response to a question about the meeting of the US Special Envoy for Prisoner Affairs, Adam Boehler, with Hamas leaders in Qatar, Bruce said on Thursday: “If I have a conversation with someone, this is not a negotiation, this is a transfer of the American position in a different way.”

She stressed that there was no change in the US position towards Hamas.

In response to a question about Washington's support for Israel's decision to block humanitarian aid to Gaza, Bruce said: "Aid can only be provided within a safe framework."

She claimed that the cessation of aid does not represent a renunciation, but rather a reflection of the ongoing situation on the ground, she said.

On Sunday, the Israeli government decided to stop the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, hours after the end of the first phase of the ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement between Hamas and Tel Aviv, and the latter’s obstruction of entering into negotiations for the second phase.

The war on Gaza left more than 160,000 Palestinian martyrs and wounded, most of them children and women, and more than 14,000 missing.

Two citizens were killed, Friday afternoon, when an Israeli drone bombed a group of citizens east of the Shuja'iyya neighborhood, east of Gaza City.

According to local sources, the two victims are Alaa Imad Aslim and his cousin Muhammad Subhi Aslim, who were killed in a bombing on Al-Mansoura Street, east of Al-Shuja'iyya neighborhood.

Thus, the number of dead in the Shuja'iyya neighborhood since yesterday evening until now has risen to five.