ISRAEL / (IINO)
SCREAMS BEFORE SILENCE Full Video [57:00] A documentary film on the sexual violence committed by Hamas on October 7th, Screams Before Silence is a documentary film led by American businesswoman Sheryl Sandberg, that explores the sexual violence by Hamas during the Hamas-led attack on Israel, on 7 October 2023, including events at the massacre at the Nova Festival and abductions to the Gaza Strip.
Hamas says Shiri Bibas and her children are dead. Many Israelis don’t believe it By Orly Halpern and Riley Stuart
January 23, 2025
The video was gut-wrenching: a mother, terrified and confused, cradling her two young red-headed children as armed militants surround them.
It was the moment they were kidnapped. By the time it was released, Shiri Bibas and her sons were already in Gaza.
It’s been estimated more than 250 hostages were taken as part of Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. The Bibas family is among the most high-profile.
They’re due to be released as part of the delicate and complex multi-phase ceasefire deal signed this month.
Whether they’re alive depends on who you talk to. If they’re not, it’s likely to unleash unbridled fury and sadness in Israel, where the family has become a symbol of the country’s darkest day.
“This is an ongoing nightmare,” Yifat Zailer, Shiri’s cousin, told the ABC.
“Until now, until today, no organisation, not the Red Cross, not UNICEF, not the Israeli intelligence, can tell us what their situation is.”
The Bibas family has become a symbol of Israel’s darkest day. (Supplied: Nizzan Cohen)
Images of baby Kfir Bibas, who was just eight months old when he was abducted, and his brother Ariel, who was four, adorn murals and posters around the country.
They were the youngest hostages taken and the video made headlines around the world.
The children are believed to have been held with their mother, while their father, Yarden, was also kidnapped, but kept elsewhere.
Over the past 15 months, Hamas has filmed and released videos of some of the hostages saying how difficult their situation is and asking Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu for a ceasefire deal and hostage-prisoner exchange.
In November 2023, Hamas published a video of Yarden Bibas being told his wife and children had been killed. Hamas said they were killed in an IDF air strike on Khan Younis, in southern Gaza.
Yarden broke down crying in the video. He is now among 11 male hostages under the age of 50 who are being released because they are physically or psychologically infirm. But it is not known for sure that any of them are still alive.
Hamas released a video of hostage Yarden Bibas. (Supplied: Telegram)
Ninety-four hostages remain in the Gaza Strip, including 91 taken as part of the 2023 attack and three captured earlier. The fate of many is unclear.
Hamas claimed it tried to release Shiri, Kfir and Ariel’s bodies as part of the first ceasefire at the end of 2023, but that Israel wouldn’t accept them. But it has not released videos or pictures of Shiri and her children either alive or dead.
“I don’t know whether I need to buy them clothes because they don’t have anything left here, their house is completely destroyed,” Yifat said.
“The uncertainty is completely paralysing.”
Israel’s government has said it does not know the family’s fate and has warned that Hamas’s announcements could be psychological warfare. Israeli authorities believe at least half of the 94 hostages in Gaza are alive.
A total of 33 hostages are expected to be released by Hamas as part of phase one of the ceasefire agreement in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians, who are either convicted prisoners or administrative detainees whom Israel has imprisoned without charges or trial.
“These weeks are moving very, very slowly and we hope for the best. We hope to see them, to hug them, to feel them, and to rehabilitate them from this nightmare,” Yifat said.
“All four of them.”
Hamas freed three living Israeli women last weekend, and announced it would release another four women on Saturday. That means neither the Bibas children nor the father will be released — so likely, not the mother, either.
Yifat and the Bibas family’s other relatives are trying to stay positive.
“We are trying to hold onto hope and think in the most positive way. But from week to week, from release to release, when we don’t know if they are the next ones in line [to be released] or not it becomes harder and harder,” she said.
According to the ceasefire agreement, the day before the transfers, both sides must release the names of the people they will be releasing.
There have been reports in Hebrew media that on Friday, local time, Hamas will provide the names of the four women, along with another list detailing the health status of the other hostages expected to be released in the first phase of the deal.
For all of the talk by Israel that it had decimated Hamas, the group’s militants have been front and centre since the ceasefire began. It may be down, but it’s certainly not defeated.
The Bibas family relatives are not alone in their fears over the fate of their loved ones.
“While we are filled with joy for the four hostages scheduled to be released, knowing that they will be reunited with their families, we simultaneously face the terrifying possibility of learning that some of our loved ones might not be alive,” a statement from Israel’s Hostage and Missing Families Forum read.
The group has been representing people captured and harmed as part of Hamas’s October 7 attack.
Some hostages are known to have been killed later by the Israeli military bombardment, three were mistakenly shot dead by Israeli soldiers, and six are believed to have been killed by their Hamas guards when Israeli soldiers came near.
Many Israelis are sceptical of Hamas’s claims that Shiri, Kfir and Ariel Bibas are among the dead.
That tragic question will soon be answered, if and when they are released.
What’s less clear, is how ready Israelis are for the worst.
Trump’s Gaza plan isn’t meant to work, but that’s the point By ALEX WINSTON
On the face of it, Trump’s plan for the US to occupy Gaza is not remotely feasible, but that could all be part of the president’s scheme.
FEBRUARY 5, 2025 The Jerusalem Post – US President Donald Trump dropped a bombshell on Tuesday when he announced that the United States will take over the Gaza Strip for the foreseeable future.
With his declaration, the president has once again thrown a diplomatic grenade into the Middle East conversation – not a particularly quiet region at the best of times and one beset by 15 months of war.
The proposal – one that envisions the US developing Gaza, creating jobs, and turning it into an international hub – immediately triggered widespread backlash. The Palestinians see it as a veiled attempt at forced displacement, Israel remains cautious, and Arab states like Egypt and Jordan swiftly rejected the idea.
On the face of it, the plan is not remotely feasible. The US military occupying Gaza is a logistical and political nightmare. Some 20 years of experience in dealing with Iraq and Afghanistan will have taught the upper echelons in the Pentagon that Arab states would never publicly accept a mass Palestinian exodus onto their soil.
Even Israel, despite its frustration with Hamas, understands the consequences of such a move.
But here’s the thing – Trump probably knows that, too. The president is not proposing a realistic strategy. He’s making an opening bid in a negotiation.
This is Trumpian negotiation 101, lifted straight from his 1987 book The Art of the Deal.
In his world, you start with an extreme demand – one that is so outrageous it shifts the boundaries of what was previously considered possible. Then, when the inevitable pushback comes, you negotiate down to something that, while far less extreme than your initial position, is still a big win. You aim for 100, knowing that landing at 50 is still a success.
TRUMP’S TRACK record in real estate and politics could suggest that his goal isn’t to occupy Gaza – it’s to force neighboring Arab nations, who have up until now dragged their feet, to take a more active role in solving the crisis. His assumption? That the shock of such a radical proposal will jolt Egypt, Jordan, and the Gulf states into stepping up in ways they have so far refused to.
For decades, Arab nations have loudly supported the Palestinian cause, but they have done little to materially improve the situation in Gaza beyond funneling money to Hamas.
Egypt, which once ruled Gaza, keeps its border tightly sealed, building barriers that make Israel’s security walls look lenient by comparison. Jordan, already home to a massive Palestinian population, wants no part of an influx from Gaza. Meanwhile, wealthy Gulf states, despite their enormous resources, have largely avoided offering Palestinian refugees permanent resettlement or serious infrastructure investments in Gaza.
By throwing out a seemingly preposterous plan, Trump may be forcing these countries to react – if only to reject his idea and propose an alternative. Suddenly, discussions about how to rebuild Gaza, who will govern it, and where displaced Palestinians might go shift from a vague, open-ended conversation to one with real stakes.
What are the obstacles?
To be very clear: The chances of the US taking over Gaza are close to zero. The idea is riddled with insurmountable obstacles.
First and foremost, Trump was reelected on his renewed position of America First. Changing trade agreements and diplomatic relationships with other countries is intended to improve the domestic lives of ordinary Americans. Suddenly switching to occupying a foreign piece of land is a cost that is unlikely to pass a Republican-controlled Congress eager to reduce overseas military entanglements. The American public has no appetite for another Middle East quagmire.
The comments also go against the military record of the previous Trump administration.
As president, Trump pushed for troop withdrawals in Syria and Afghanistan, criticizing prolonged US involvement abroad. Why would he now advocate for the most challenging US military intervention in decades?
EVEN AMERICA’S closest Arab allies – Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, and the UAE – would never sign off on a US-controlled Gaza. It would violate their long-standing position that Palestinians must control their own land.
Plus, there is regional stability to consider. An American military presence in Gaza would become an instant target for Iranian-backed militias, Hamas, and jihadist groups. The risk of constant insurgency-style attacks would make long-term governance impossible.
Regarding the president’s comments on Gaza itself, the enclave is in ruins, its infrastructure decimated. Rebuilding it would take a decade and billions of dollars, requiring international cooperation – something a unilateral US occupation would make nearly impossible.
Trump’s real calculation may be that the mere suggestion of US control over Gaza will shake the Arab world into action.
Egypt, which has taken a hands-off approach for years, might suddenly find itself pressured to open border crossings, facilitate aid, or help manage security. Jordan, wary of another Palestinian refugee crisis, could be pushed into a more active diplomatic role. The Gulf states, embarrassed by Trump’s framing of them as mere bystanders, might finally invest in Palestinian infrastructure instead of just issuing pro-Palestinian rhetoric at the UN.
The key to his thinking is not the literal implementation of his words, but their ability to reframe the debate. He doesn’t need to “win” the Gaza issue outright; he just needs to move the goalposts.
By aiming for an impossible maximum, the president makes the previously unthinkable suddenly seem reasonable. A few weeks ago, the idea of Egypt or Jordan taking a bigger role in post-war Gaza was off the table. Now, it may start looking like the moderate alternative.
This is classic Trump deal-making: start at the extreme, let everyone panic, then walk it back to something that, while less dramatic, still represents real movement in his direction.
So, will the US take over Gaza? If it does, then we are all in for a shock.
Will Trump’s declaration change the conversation and possibly push Arab nations into doing more?
That’s the real deal.
February 5, 2025 Yeshiva World News – New data from the IDF reveals that one in four Palestinian terrorists released under the November 2023 Israel-Hamas ceasefire has since been re-arrested or killed.
According to IDF Central Command statistics shared with Channel 13 News, 33 released terrorists have been detained again by Israeli security forces, while four were eliminated while carrying out new attacks. The alarming figures reinforce growing concerns that the mass prisoner releases—a key component of the 2023 ceasefire agreement—have strengthened terrorist organizations and fueled further violence.
Beyond the 25% who have already been re-arrested or neutralized, the Shin Bet reported earlier this week that at least 82% of the freed terrorists have returned to terrorist activity.
One such individual, Abed al-Hadi Kamil, was killed in an Israeli airstrike last Saturday night near Qabatiya, south of Jenin, as he and his terror cell prepared to launch an “imminent” attack. Kamil had been freed as part of the November 2023 ceasefire, only to resume his involvement in terrorism.
Since the start of the current ceasefire on January 18, 2025, Israel has released 583 Palestinian terrorists in exchange for 13 Israeli hostages kidnapped by Hamas during its October 7, 2023, cross-border massacre.
Notably, many of the terrorists released in this recent deal were sent off with identification bands inscribed with citations from Jewish sources. The Israel Prison Service confirmed on Friday that the bracelets featured inscriptions in Arabic and Hebrew, including “The eternal people do not forget” and “I pursued my enemies and overtook them”—a direct quote from Tehillim.
Among the prisoners released under the ongoing agreement, several were convicted murderers serving life sentences for attacks that killed hundreds of Israeli civilians. Under the terms of the deal, those with “blood on their hands” were deported and banned from re-entering Israeli-controlled areas.
While the government has prioritized securing the release of Israeli hostages, the growing list of freed terrorists who have re-engaged in violence raises serious concerns about the long-term consequences of these agreements.
EU RESPONDS TO TRUMP ON GAZA, WEATHER NOTICE
February 5, 2025 @ 2:24 p.m. ET ISRAEL REALTIME – Connecting to Israel in Realtime
( VIDEO – IDF testing anti-drone measures. After a competition launched by the ministry among the defense industries, technological interception solutions arrived for a test. )
WEATHER NOTICE – strong rains and heavy winds across the country. Areas subject to periodic flooding will or have flooded, very strong wind gusts may throw tree branches or trash cans around, and wadis and flash flood areas are flooding and should be avoided due to risk to life. Expected to continue through Thursday, tapering off Friday early morning.
EU COUNTRIES RESPOND TO TRUMP ON GAZA..
France: The expulsion of Gazans is a dangerous violation of international law. The future of Gaza should be under an independent state, under the auspices of the Palestinian Authority. We will continue to oppose illegal settlements as well as the annexation of the West Bank.
Britain: We must secure the future of the Palestinians in their homeland.
Spain: We reject Trump’s proposal to resettle Gazans elsewhere and turn Gaza into a “Riviera of the Middle East.”
TRUMP ON IRAN NUKES – I want Iran to be a prosperous country but one that does not have nuclear weapons. Reports that the US is working with Israel on an attack on Iran are exaggerated. I much prefer a nuclear agreement that would allow Iran to prosper in peace.
FOLLOWING THE US’s LEAD – Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced that Israel is withdrawing from the UN Human Rights Council. Noting that the UN HRC has some of the most horrific violators of human rights on Earth, such as: Eritrea, Libya, Sudan, Afghanistan, Cuba, and Venezuela.
.. Argentina is also following the US’s lead, leaving the WHO, UNRWA, and the UN HRC.
BROKEN GOVT – Business owners in evacuated communities in the Upper Galilee received a retroactive property tax demand for the war period, even though the business is closed and the community evacuated. They were told: you must pay, and once you have confirmation of payment you can request a refund. However, they don’t have money to pay as their businesses have been closed and inaccessible. [Emphasis added]
[Ed.: If (IF,) this is true (and I don’t believe that it is,) it is obscene, outrageous, and unacceptable. The IINO government should pay them reparations for allowing Hezbollah to build up their enormous stockpile of arms over 15 years, NOT TAX THEM!. What an insult! What chutzpah? The fact that the people cannot live in their homes and run their businesses is due to the IINO government negligence. This is the definition of ‘CHUTZPA’.
Does IINO have a ‘Deep State’? IINO IS A DEEP STATE. It’s only “Israel” in name only. In 2001, Daniel Bernard came to public attention when, as French Ambassador to the United Kingdom, he was quoted as saying: “All the current troubles in the world are because of that shitty little country Israel.” I don’t know about “all the troubles of the world,” but with regard to Israel’s structure of government, the military top brass, the not-so “Supreme Court,” and the way Jews are treated, he was spot on.] [2-cents-worth comment added due to “shittiness” in the so-called ‘Homeland of the Jews’!!]
THWARTED TERROR – In the last month alone: Shin Bet foiled about 90 significant attacks, 75 of which were in the Samaria region.
LARGE FIRE – TEL AVIV – this afternoon, on HaHagana street.
SYRIA & US TROOPS – a primer: What are US troops doing in Syria? US troops were originally deployed to Syria as part of the war against ISIS, primarily in the north east of the country and the south east near the Jordanian border, in support roles for the SDF – Kurdish Syrian force as they fought ISIS keeping the former Syrian regime and the Turks (who claim the Kurds are supporting Kurdish terror in Turkey) out of their areas.
The US forces tend to be deployed near the Syrian oil fields, theoretically denying access to the former Syrian regime and to ISIS, thereby providing an income stream to the SDF – Kurds.
Currently the SDF – Kurds are under attack by the Turks, and are threatened by the new Syrian regime to ‘fall in line’.
Various sources state there are 900 – 3,000 US troops deployed.
♦️IDF FIRE in Rafah, due to a ceasefire violation. Non-lethal.
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IDF embroiled in investigating itself in the wake of Oct. 7 ITAY ILNAI
How the Israeli Air Force was caught off guard by the Hamas terrorist onslaught.
Feb. 5, 2025 Israel Hayom – It started as another routine shift in the “pit,” the screen-filled underground chamber nestled deep beneath the Israel Defense Forces command center in the Kirya military base in Tel Aviv.
The career officer from the Israeli Air Force Intelligence Group sitting before one of those screens was likely quite bored. Suddenly, an alert flashed across her monitor: Something unusual was happening in the aerial array of the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip.
The large clock mounted on the wall showed it was the early hours of the morning. The date was Oct. 7, 2023.
For several years, the Air Intelligence Group had been closely monitoring the terrorist group’s aerial capabilities. While the organization didn’t have an air force, it possessed several dozen unmanned aerial vehicles, some of which were smuggled into Gaza after being manufactured in Iran.
These drones were primarily used for surveillance, but Hamas also possessed armed drones capable of attacking ground targets.
The officer followed protocol, passing along information about the unusual activity in Hamas’s aerial array. The intelligence reached the commander of the IAF’s central control room, also located in the pit, and the IDF’s Intelligence Directorate.
However, due to limitations in interpreting the signals detected by the Air Intelligence Group, the unusual activity in Gaza wasn’t recognized as a prelude to war. “They knew something unusual was happening but didn’t know what,” said a source familiar with the details.
[Ed.:
Israeli divorce rate rose 6.5% in 2024
Israel’s capital leads in terms of absolute numbers with 692 couples divorcing.
Feb. 5, 2025 JNS – Israel’s Rabbinical Courts’ Report for 2024 reveals a significant rise in divorce rates in 2024, with 11,542 couples divorcing, an increase of about 6.5% compared to 10,838 divorces in 2023.
Israel’s capital leads in terms of absolute numbers with 692 divorces, though it is in fact a 4% drop from 2023. Tel Aviv saw a significant increase of 15%, with 461 divorces.
Cities that saw particularly high increases were Beit Shemesh (45%), Kiryat Gat (45%), Holon (24%), Ashkelon (31%) and Ramat Gan (18%).
Other cities that also saw increases were Rishon Lezion (6%), Ashdod (11%) and Beersheva (9%).
The number of divorce cases opened in the rabbinical courts rose to 113,179 in 2024, compared to 102,901 the year prior. Joint applications for divorce grew by 11%, reaching 5,099 cases.
There were some positive figures in the report. A special unit dealing with agunot, or “chained women,” obtained divorce certificates for 221 women.
Agunot are women whose husbands have disappeared. According to Jewish law, these women can’t remarry as it is not known whether their husbands are still alive or not. Traditionally, such men were lost at sea or on long journeys.
Also on a positive note, rabbinical courts finalized over 99% of the divorce cases.
But there are still cases of refusals—specifically, men who refuse to grant their spouses a divorce. There were 67 as of January 2025, less than 0.5% of the number of divorce cases opened between 2021 and 2024.
Efforts to force these men to divorce have been taken, including restrictions on their ability to leave the country.
Abbas hails ‘courageous’ Riyadh for pressing Palestinian state
The Palestinian Authority boss welcomed “the kingdom’s rejection of Israeli colonialism [and] calls for displacement and annexation.”
Feb. 5, 2025 JNS – Palestinian Authority chief Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday thanked Saudi Arabia for contradicting U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim that Riyadh was not conditioning normalization with Israel on the establishment of a Palestinian state.
“Abbas welcomed what was issued by the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs this morning regarding the kingdom’s rejection of Israeli colonialism, calls for displacement and annexation, and any projects that affect the just and legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people, foremost of which is their right to self-determination, and the embodiment of the Palestinian state on the ground with East Jerusalem as its capital in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative, which is indispensable for achieving peace in the region,” Abbas said, as reported by Ramallah’s official Wafa news agency.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Saudi Foreign Ministry released a statement saying, “His Royal Highness emphasized that Saudi Arabia will continue its relentless efforts to establish an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, and will not establish diplomatic relations with Israel without that.”
Sitting alongside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Tuesday, Trump addressed Saudi-Israeli ties while answering questions from journalists on the subject.
“Well, we’re going to see, and we’re dealing with a lot of people, and we have steps to go yet, as you know. And maybe those steps go forward, and maybe they don’t. We’re dealing with a very complex group of people. Situation and people,” the president said.
Asked whether the Saudis are demanding Palestinian statehood in exchange for normalization of ties with Israel, Trump said no.
“No. No, they’re not. Everybody’s demanding one thing. You know what it is? Peace,” he said.
[Ed.: Delusional.]
Abbas hailed the “courageous and honorable Saudi positions, in addition to the great support provided by the kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the Palestinian people, the latest of which is the ongoing humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, in addition to the continuous support for the Palestinian cause in international forums, the establishment of the international coalition to mobilize recognition of the State of Palestine, and the holding of the international peace conference next June.”
(On Dec. 3, the U.N. General Assembly voted to hold a conference in New York on the implementation of a two-state solution on June 2-4, preceded by a preparatory meeting to be held in May. France and Saudi Arabia are to co-chair the conference.)
On Tuesday, Trump again called on Jordan, Egypt and other Arab nations to accept Gazans, asserting that Palestinians had no choice but to leave the coastal enclave, which has been devastated by nearly 16 months of war between Israel and Hamas.
While Amman and Cairo have rejected previous calls by Trump for them to accept Gazans, Trump said on Tuesday that “I think Jordan and Egypt will, I know they’ve spoken about it with you and they say they’re not going to accept it. I say they will. But I think that other countries will accept also.”
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohamad Mustafa on Wednesday emphasized the need to rebuild Gaza without displacing its residents.
Following their meeting in Cairo, Egypt’s Foreign Ministry stated that Mustafa presented a comprehensive plan for debris removal and reconstruction in collaboration with international organizations.
While not addressing Trump’s remarks directly, both men called for accelerating reconstruction and aid delivery while ensuring Palestinians remain in Gaza.
[1:13 AM, 2/5/2025] +972 50-997-7784: Israel Realtime
US President Donald Trump announces the United States will “take over, own” the Gaza Strip: “We’ll develop it, create thousands of jobs for everyone from all groups.” He says the U.S. will level the area, rebuild it, and create employment opportunities, calling the future of Gaza “The Riviera of the Middle East.”
Long term, President Trump says he “envisions people, the world’s people…Palestinians too” living in Gaza, describing it as an “international” place. He also claims other leaders in the Middle East “love the idea” of relocating Palestinians from Gaza.
President Trump stated: “If we don’t get ALL of the hostages – it will just make us more violent. We were made promises and we want ALL of the hostages.”
When asked about the possibility of deploying US troops on the ground in Gaza, President Trump responded: “We’ll do what’s necessary. If necessary we’ll do that… Continuing the same process over and over again ends up in the same place. We don’t want to see that happen.”
President Trump also commented on the current ceasefire, saying: “I can’t tell you if the ceasefire will hold… We’re dealing with very complex people. (Hostages) have come out damaged, but they will get out and get strong.”
He described his meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu as “wonderful,” emphasizing that the friendship between the United States and Israel is unbreakable.
On the Abraham Accords, President Trump expressed confidence: “Many countries will be joining this peace and economic development transaction.”
He called Gaza “a symbol of death and destruction for decades,” suggesting Gazans “go to other countries of interest with humanitarian hearts…paid for by neighboring countries with great wealth.”
A Hamas official rejected President Trump’s comments on taking over Gaza, calling them “ridiculous and absurd.”
Netanyahu: “You are the greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House.”
Netanyahu says that in his 2nd term, President Trump “picked up right where you left off” — bringing a hostage deal, revoking sanctions on settlers, pulling funding for UNRWA, and applying maximum pressure on Iran. “All this in just 2 weeks. Can you imagine where we’ll be in 4 years?”
“We’ve defeated some of America’s worst enemies,” Netanyahu says, referring to killing terrorists last year. He adds, “To secure our future and bring peace to the region we have to finish the job…I believe your willingness to puncture conventional thinking that has failed time and again, to think outside the box, will help us achieve these goals…You say things others refuse to say.”
Netanyahu also states, “Iran tried to kill us both…we’re both committed to rolling back Iran’s aggression in the region and ensuring Iran never has a nuclear weapon.”
Concluding his remarks, Netanyahu declares, “I think peace between Israel and Saudi Arabia is not only feasible, but it’s going to happen.”
“Trump: We are considering our position on Israel annexing Judea and Samaria. We will make an announcement about it soon. Trump said he will make a statement on the matter of Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria in the next 4 weeks.”
WHITE HOUSE ANNOUNCES MAXIMUM PRESSURE ON IRAN
[1:57 AM, 2/5/2025] +972 50-997-7784:
The White House: “Iran’s behavior threatens the national interest of the US. It is therefore in the national interest to impose maximum pressure on the Iranian regime to end its nuclear threat, curtail its ballistic missile program & stop its support for terrorist groups.”
Following President Trump’s statement on Saudi Arabia, the Kingdom issued a conflicting response. “The Foreign Ministry affirms that Saudi Arabia’s position on the establishment of a Palestinian state is firm and unwavering. HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister clearly and unequivocally reaffirmed this stance.”
The ministry underscored that Saudi Arabia will not establish ties with Israel unless a Palestinian state is first created.
US Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff highlighted the need for improving economic opportunities and overall quality of life for Palestinians, stressing that genuine peace hinges on tangible benefits rather than physical territory.
He stated: “Peace in the region means a better life for the Palestinians. A better life is not necessarily tied to the physical space that you are in today. A better life is about better opportunity, better financial conditions, better aspirations for you and your family. That doesn’t occur because you get to pitch a tent in the Gaza Strip and you’re surrounded by 30,000 munitions that could go off at any moment.”
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Saudi Arabia Rejects Trump’s Bold Vision for Gaza
February 5, 2025 Jewish Breaking News – President Donald Trump’s bold new plan for Gaza isn’t being too well received in the Arab world so far.
Standing alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, Trump expressed his desire for the United States to take control of Gaza.
“The US will take over the Gaza Strip and we will do a job with it too,” he stated. “We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site, level the site and get rid of the destroyed buildings.”
As for Gaza’s residents, Trump wants to see them provided with a “good, fresh, beautiful piece of land” to live while Gaza gets rehabilitated.
“I don’t think people should be going back to Gaza,” Trump said in the Oval Office moments before hosting Netanyahu. “I heard that Gaza has been very unlucky for them. They live like hell. They live like they’re living in hell. Gaza is not a place for people to be living, and the only reason they want to go back, and I believe this strongly, is because they have no alternative.”
“I mean they’re there because they have no alternative. What do they have? It is a big pile of rubble right now,” Trump said.
Saudi Arabia quickly condemned Trump’s plan for Gaza.
“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia reaffirms its unequivocal rejection of any infringement on the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, whether through Israeli settlement policies, land annexation, or attempts to displace the Palestinian people from their land,” a statement by the Foreign Ministry reads.
The Kingdom also warned it would not establish diplomatic relations with Israel if these conditions were breached. Before Hamas’s devastating October 7 massacre in 2023, Saudi Arabia and Israel were widely reported to be on the brink of a historic normalization agreement. But as Arab anger mounted over Israel’s subsequent defensive response, Riyadh put these groundbreaking discussions on hold.
For both Trump and Netanyahu, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Saudi Arabia represents the ultimate diplomatic prize in the Middle East. Saudi influence extends far beyond its borders, encompassing both the Muslim world and global oil markets.
While smaller nations like the UAE and Bahrain broke decades of precedent by normalizing relations with Israel through the 2020 Abraham Accords, securing Saudi recognition would be a breaking moment for Arab recognition of the one and only Jewish State. Notably, when asked directly during the press conference if the Saudis were demanding a Palestinian state, Trump replied simply, “No, they’re not.””
[Ed.: President Trump evidently has not paid attention what what Saudi Arabia said:
Yeshiva World News – Meanwhile….The Saudi Foreign Ministry affirms that Saudi Arabia’s position on the establishment of a Palestinian state is firm and unwavering, despite what Trump announced tonight.
SHOCKING: Trump Announces U.S. Takeover of Gaza Strip: ‘We’ll Own It’
In a significant policy shift, President Donald Trump declared that the United States will “take over and own” the Gaza Strip. He emphasized that “the same people” should not be responsible for rebuilding and occupying the territory.
This announcement follows previous proposals by Trump to relocate Gaza’s residents to neighboring countries, such as Egypt and Jordan, due to the extensive destruction in the area. These suggestions have been met with resistance from the involved nations and have sparked international debate.
The decision marks a notable change in U.S. involvement in the Middle East, with potential implications for regional stability and international relations.
President Trump on securing PEACE in Gaza: “The U.S. will take over the Gaza strip … and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous, unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site … create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area.”
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“I think the potential in the Gaza Strip is unbelievable.”
[Ed.: Trump just doomed the entire project. He ignored the fact that Hashem gave Gaza to Israel and not to a bunch of international real estate developers to make a “riviera”. Israel will own it because it was a gift and an inheritance from God. Remember: Trump doesn’t read the Torah. So, he doesn’t have a clue, or any concept of the Land of Israel. He’s only a dumb goy! The God of Abraham (Hashem) will correct him, but good! The whole thing is not only doomed, but cursed. Don’t get me wrong, Trump and Bibi will have many very positive results for Israel from their efforts. This is definitely good. This will get us through this phase of the clean-up. But blasphemy, will not be a part of the end results, the two men will inevitably learn in the end of this chapter.]
IDF BASE ATTACKED, HAMAS DEMANDS
[3:22 AM, 2/4/2025] +972 54-668-0334: ISRAEL REALTIME Connecting to Israel in Realtime
IDF BASE ATTACKED – in the northern Jordan valley. 7 soldiers injured in a shooting attack, 2 critical. Terrorist attacker eliminated. Injured evac’d by helicopter.
In Oct. 7 style, Arab observers were set up to video the attack from multiple sides.
The terrorist managed to penetrate the IDF compound, where he exchanged fire with IDF forces for minutes while wearing a military bullet proof vest.
♦️DRONE STRIKE – Arab media report an Israeli drone strike in the Samaria town of Tamun, not far from the site of this morning’s shooting attack.
WEAPONS – The Trump administration has asked congressional leaders to approve the transfer of $1 b…
NETANYAHU & TRUMP, update on BASE ATTACK
[2:47 PM, 2/4/2025] +972 54-668-0334: ISRAEL REALTIME – Connecting to Israel in Realtime
PM NETANYAHU & PRESIDENT TRUMP – to hold a joint press conference tonight, US time.
.. Before Trump and Netanyahu meet tonight, a senior US administration official briefed reporters: “The president is focused on releasing all hostages and ensuring that Hamas does not continue to control the Gaza Strip.”
IDF ON RELEASED TERRORISTS – almost 45% returned to terrorism, with some re-arrested and some eliminated.
.. According to Hamas, Pakistan has agreed to accept some of the deported terrorists, Tunisia refused to accept even one of them.
update of – IDF BASE ATTACKED:
.. Two HERO SOLDIERS fell in the attack:
Ofer Yung, 39, from Tel Aviv
Zvika Friedman, from Ein HaNatziv
May their families be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem, and may G-d avenge their blood!
Investigation: A few minutes before 6:00 AM, two soldiers leave a pillbox for the nearby checkpoint, as part of dawn checks. A terrorist ambushed them both at the entrance to the pillbox, wearing a military vest, an M-16 rifle, and with two magazines. The IDF estimates that the terrorist sneaked into the outpost during the night, and ambushed the fighters at first light.
At this point, an exchange of fire begins, which lasts for many minutes – between the terrorist, who is at the entrance to the pillbox, and the forces inside, a squad of 11.
Two alert terms rushed to the pillbox, surrounding the area. The terrorist tried to withdraw, one of the alert team soldiers threw a grenade at him – hit.
.. Conflicting reports on whether the ID of the terrorist is known, and the rumored possibility he is a released terrorist from a deal phase. According to one report, due to being hit by a grenade identification is problematic.
EGYPT WARNS ISRAEL – (this is via Egyptian media, there are possible doubts this is official) Egyptian sources told the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar: Cairo delivered an explicit warning to Israel during military coordination meetings – according to which any remaining on the Philadelphi Gaza-Egypt border corridor would be considered a “violation of the annexes to the Camp David Accords”, and that Egypt would not be obligated to continue coordinating with it regarding the status of its forces on the border.
♦️GAZA – Gazans report an IDF drone attack on a-Rashid Street in the Nuseirat camp, in the central Gaza Strip.
.. Multiple warning shots at uninspected cars trying to move north, boats trying to move north, and persons moving towards IDF positions.
♦️TULKARM – Arab reports that IDF forces blew up a house in Tulkarm.
♦️TAMON – (Arab town, northern Samaria) 4 air strikes!
♦️LEBANON – The IDF blew up Hezbollah structures in the village of Yaron in southern Lebanon.
SYRIA & TURKEY – Reuters reported today that the Syrian president will talk with his Turkish counterpart Erdogan about establishing Turkish military bases in Syria, including in the south in range of Israel.
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Before Leaving Power, Biden Regime Quietly Funneled $3 Mil to ‘Palestinian’ Government ‘Security Forces’ for Weapons, Training—After Its Members Carried Out Attacks on Israelis By Geller Report Staff
February 4, 2025 – Force for evil. The Biden Administration was absolutely despicable. And Antony Blinken was the worst and most immoral SOS in American history. Call your member of Congress and demand that all U.S aid to the Palestinian Authority is stopped. Designate the Palestinian Authority as a non-state sponsor of terrorism.
“Palestinian Authority Security Forces (PASF) members conducted more than 1,500 terror attacks against Israel in 2023—attacks that came with the Palestinian government’s backing
Biden Admin Quietly Funneled $3 Mil to Palestinian Government ‘Security Forces’ for Weapons Training—After Its Members Carried Out Attacks on Israelis By The Washington Examiner, Feb 3th, 2025
Trump admin ‘must conduct rigorous oversight of this type of funding, which the Biden administration quietly noticed at the 11th hour,’ says Rep. McCaul
The Biden administration, weeks before leaving power, funneled more than $3 million in taxpayer cash to the Palestinian Authority Security Forces (PASF), according to a nonpublic notice transmitted to Congress that was reviewed by the Washington Free Beacon. Those funds allowed the PASF to conduct “firearms and ammunition” training—and came after its members carried out scores of attacks against Israelis.
Trump Will Watch FILM of Hamas Oct. 7 Atrocities Before Meeting Netanyahu By Pamela Geller
February 3, 2025 – Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff saw the footage while in Israel last week and was left shocked, and decided that the president should view it as well.
This will change everything.
By Lazar Berman, Times of Israel, February 3, 2025;
US President Donald Trump will watch a documentary of Hamas October 7 atrocities before meeting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, says the Ynet news outlet.
According to the report, Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff saw the footage while in Israel last week and was left shocked, and decided that the president should view it as well.
The 47-minute IDF compilation of footage from Hamas’s October 7 onslaught, which saw some 3,000 terrorists burst across the border into Israel to kill some 1,200 people and seize 251 hostages, mostly civilians, amid acts of brutality and sexual assault, will be shortened to 20-30 minutes for the US president, Ynet reports.
The footage, first screened for foreign journalists in Israel on October 23, 2023, includes harrowing scenes of murder, torture and decapitation from the Hamas slaughter in southern Israel, including raw videos from the terrorists’ bodycams.
More from today’s Liveblog:
Days after her release from Gaza, Agam Berger attends IDF ceremony for her sister Bar
Trump pauses new tariffs after Mexico agrees to reinforce border with 10,000 troops to stop drug smuggling
Cousin of Scottish student killed in 2002 Tel Aviv attack decries release of terrorist who drove suicide bomber
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[Ed.: Here is the video:
SCREAMS BEFORE SILENCE Full Video [57:00] A documentary film on the sexual violence committed by Hamas on October 7th, Screams Before Silence is a documentary film led by American businesswoman Sheryl Sandberg, that explores the sexual violence by Hamas during the Hamas-led attack on Israel, on 7 October 2023, including events at the massacre at the Nova Festival and abductions to the Gaza Strip.
QATAR HAS RIGGED THE GAME, CAN NETANYAHU FLIP THE SCRIPT IN HIS MEETING WITH TRUMP? by David Mark
February 3, 2025 Israel Unwired – Prime Minister Netanyahu has already landed in Washington D.C. in preparation for his face to face meeting with President Donald Trump on Tuesday. According to reports the two will discuss the implementation of the second phase of the hostage deal signed with Hamas as well as a day after plan for the Gaza Strip.
Reports also indicate that President Trump’s favorite golfing buddy turned Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff will be there. Witkoff is not just any golfing buddy for the President, he is also Qatar’s point man inside the US administration. As I wrote a few weeks ago in my piece – Qatar Uses Witkoff To Force Israel Into A Dangerous Deal: “In August 2023, Witkoff sold the 610-room Park Lane Hotel in Manhattan for roughly $623 million, to the Qatar Investment Authority, a sovereign wealth fund. Interestingly, Witkoff gave the fund a 17.5 percent discount. Many observers acknowledge that the Qatari purchase was more like a bailout for Witkoff who had lost millions in his purchase of the hotel and other properties.”
Since heading up the task of ensuring this deal continues, Witkoff has continued to push Qatar’s interest, which is to leave Hamas in power. To make it more complicated, reports from last year have resurfaced that the Richardson Center for Global Engagement who has been advising the hostage families (the ones represented by the left leaning Hostage and Missing Families Forum) is also a major recipient of funding from the government of Qatar. The Richardson Center came onboard as an advisor at no cost and it seems at the behest of their Qatari backers.
So Qatar is either in direct or indirect control of Witkoff, Hamas, and the Hostage Families Forum – essentially rigging the game even before Netanyahu and Trump meet. The Prime Minister knows all of this of course and although he appears to always have another up his sleeve in his ongoing geopolitical chess game, this time his opponent, Qatar has determined the outcome. If this is the case, the best move to make is to refuse to play – clear the board and speak directly to President Trump. He can try explaining that Qatar and Hamas are the same thing and leaving Hamas in power might get Trump’s buddy an extra hotel or two, but it not only endangers the entire Jewish people, but will come back to haunt the US as well. The President appears to like straight talk – no games.
However, history shows that Netanyahu loves playing the game as much as anyone. He often believes he has the best move to make and thinks he can never lose. He may be right. But something tells me this time may be different, because this time his moves may endanger us all.
Ahlam al-Tamimi Extradition to U.S.
February 2, 2025 𝗜𝗦𝗥𝗔𝗘𝗟 𝗟𝗜𝗩𝗘 𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦
Justice at Last?: Jordan has informed Hamas that it intends to extradite to the USA Ahlam al-Tamimi, wanted for helping carry out the infamous Sbarro Pizza bombing, if Hamas cannot find a country to take her in by midnight.
TORTURE, UNRWA, ANTI-ISRAEL COALITION
February 3, 2025 ISRAEL REALTIME – Connecting to Israel in Realtime
HOSTAGE TORTURE – a topic we have avoided due to the sensitivity. The three hostages returned yesterday spoke of harsh conditions in captivity, a lack of food, and how they were constantly taken from place to place by Hamas terrorists – above and below ground, held in cages during their captivity, and experienced physical and mental abuse.
The terrorists would beat them for no reason, and there were days when they deliberately put them in dark places, even when they were in above-ground shelters, to disrupt their sense of time.
One of the female hostages described how she was hung upside down and beaten, while the torturer laughed about how Israel had provided his daughter with medical treatment saving her life while beating.
EGYPTIAN MILITARY BUILDUP – The Americans have begun investigating the violation of the agreement with Israel and demanded explanations from the Egyptians – at the same time, Israel is increasing intelligence gathering in the region and not waiting for the Americans. (News 14)
PM IN WASHINGTON – The Prime Minister has landed in Washington. Tomorrow the meeting with Trump Middle East envoy Witkoff, the day after a meeting with Trump. Also on the schedule – a meeting with families of the hostages, and meetings with senior figures in Congress and the Senate.
HAMAS COMPLAINS – A delegation of senior Hamas terrorist organization officials met with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Doha, Qatar. Hamas accused Israel: “the occupation’s delay in implementing the provisions of the humanitarian protocol, especially on basic issues such as the introduction of tents, prefabricated houses (trailers), fuel and the reconstruction of hospitals, water wells and heavy equipment.”
DRILL – UPPER GALILEE – A military exercise will begin today (Monday) from morning until noon in the Upper Galilee region. As part of the exercise, there will be a lot of movement of vehicles and security personnel in the area. IT’S A DRILL.
SIREN TEST – HERZLIYA – 11:05 in Herzliya Central and at 11:10 in Herzliya West. IT’S A TEST.
GAZA CITY MAYOR SAYS – “80% of the city’s infrastructure was destroyed as a result of the war.”
ANOTHER GUN SMUGGLER – after spotting police, a smuggler began throwing pistols out his car window. 13 Glock pistols recovered on Route 6 by the Yokneam tunnels, smuggler captured, a “resident of the south”.
UNRWA – now illegal to operate in Israel or in contact with any Israeli govt. agency. Members of parliament from 14 different European countries appealed to the UN Secretary-General demanding that “UNRWA be removed from the UN agencies.
.. Foreign Ministers of Britain, France and Germany decried the cessation of UNRWA’s activities in Israel and therefore lack of services in Jerusalem. The Min. Of Jerusalem Porush replied: “Your statement does not correspond to reality. The services we provide to the residents of East Jerusalem are much better than the poor services of UNRWA. The entire municipal territory of Jerusalem is under Israeli sovereignty, and as such all municipal services there are handled by the Jerusalem Municipality. I regret that you chose to publish a statement without real familiarity with the situation on the ground.”
JUSTICE vs. ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES – The Attorney General in a message to PM Netanyahu: I will oppose the reappointment of Ben Gvir as minister. If you consider reappointing Ben Gvir as minister, you will be required to re-examine whether he is disqualified.
VERSUS ISRAEL – First publication: 9 countries in S. America and Africa announced the establishment of a group that will fight Israel on the international stage, press for the arrest warrants for Israeli officials to be carried out, and declare the imposition of economic sanctions.
♦️SAMARIA – Al-Ain, Shechem: Arab reports, a fierce exchange of fire between the terrorists and IDF forces.
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Deported Hamas Terrorists Are Stuck In Cairo: “They Went From Israeli Jail To Egyptian ‘Jail’”
February 3, 2024 Yeshiva World News – Seventy Hamas terrorists with blood on their hands released from Israeli prisons and deported to Egypt as part of the ceasefire/hostage deal are stuck in a hotel in Cairo, Ynet reported.
“Not a single Arab country has agreed to accept even one deported Palestinian prisoner,” a Palestinian Prisoners’ Authority official told Ynet. He added that Turkey has agreed to accept terrorists from Jerusalem who were deported but first wants to review their backgrounds.
According to the official, all the terrorists are being housed in a hotel and are not allowed to leave, describing their situation as moving “from an Israeli prison to an Egyptian prison.”
He added that the terrorists were forced to continue wearing their Israeli prison uniforms and slippers for a long time after their arrival, adding, “The Egyptians are not treating them warmly.”
Meanwhile, another 23 terrorists who are slated to be deported abroad remain stranded in Gaza.
Qatar’s prime minister and Turkey’s foreign minister said they are willing to accept some of the terrorists but did not specify a number.
Ofer And Yarden Were Locked In Cages; Endured Brutal Physical & Psychological Abuse
February 1, 2025 Yeshiva World News – Snippets of the ordeals endured by Yarden Bibas, Ofer Calderon, and Keith Segal in Gaza were reported by Israeli media outlets on Motzei Shabbos.
The three men were constantly moved from place to place during the war and suffered from severe abuse and were given little food.
For part of the time, mainly during the first days of captivity, Yarden Bibas and Ofer Calderon were held together in Khan Younis. They said that the terrorists beat them and locked them in cages – as described by other hostages who were with them and returned in the previous deal. The two experienced severe physical and psychological abuse, especially Bibas as the terrorists would constantly taunt him about his wife Shira, and young children Ariel and Kfir, telling him that they were dead.
The two men were later transferred from place to place, in tunnels and buildings, along with other hostages. The terrorists treated Ofer as a reservist despite his age (54), which is why he was released in a mock IDF uniform.
It was also reported that Bibas learned Arabic while in captivity and held onto the hope of being released.
Keith Segal was held in Gaza City along with other hostages and was moved between tunnels and apartments. When in apartments, the terrorists would lock him in one of the inner rooms so if someone would enter, they wouldn’t find him.
Kan News reported that Keith said that for many months, he didn’t know what happened to his son Shai, who was at his home on October 7 in Kfar Azza. But then he heard him on the radio and realized he was alive and was felt extremely relieved.
It should be noted that Keith’s wife Aviva, didn’t know what happened to Shai until she was released in November 2023 and saw him.
Keith, who appeared visibly starved, also described how he was forced to eat meat despite being a vegetarian due to how little food he was provided.
All three men testified that they were exposed to media, mainly Al Jazeera, and saw the demonstrations for their release alongside their captors.
