News Digest — 1/17/25
Israel’s Cabinet To Convene Friday To Approve Ceasefire Agreement
Israel’s Cabinet is expected to convene on Friday (17th) to approve the arranged Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal after reports surfaced on Thursday evening (16th) that there has been a resolution to previous disputes that prevented the arrangement from coming to fruition earlier.
Israel said it had delayed holding the initially planned cabinet meeting on Thursday (16th) that would have finalized the deal, blaming Hamas for the hold-up.
The setback involved a disagreement on the identities of several prisoners Hamas demanded to be released, a US official said earlier on Thursday (16th), according to a Reuters report.
However later on Thursday evening (16th) Axios reported that the final disputes had been resolved, citing an unnamed US official.
In line with this report, MK and head of Shas political party Aryeh Deri said he received a message that all disputes over the final stages of the deal with Hamas have been resolved.
“On the way here [to a Shas party conference] I received a message that, thank God, all disputes have been resolved, even on the final points,” Deri said.
“The negotiations have been concluded, and they are now working on drafting everything before issuing an official announcement. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made one of the toughest decisions he has ever faced,” he added.
Fate Of Bibas Kids: Gaza’s Youngest Hostages Grips Israel As Deal Set To Return Them
The fate of a baby and his four-year-old brother taken by Hamas on October 7, 2023, have been on everyone’s mind in Israel since the announcement of a Gaza ceasefire.
Kfir Bibas , whose second birthday falls on Saturday (18th), is the youngest of the 251 hostages seized by terrorists during Hamas’ brutal and unprecedented attack on southern Israel more than 15 months ago, which killed over 1,200 people and began the war in Gaza.
Hamas said in November 2012 that Kfir, his brother Ariel and their mother Shiri were killed in a military strike in Gaza, but since the military did not confirm their deaths, many are clinging to the hope they are still alive.
“To imagine them coming back alive brings me immense joy,” Hila Shlomo, a musician, told the news media on Thursday (16th).
“What happened to these children is a symbol of man-made evil, but also of the victory of life if we manage to free them,“ said the 23-year-old, visibly moved.
The boys and their mother are on the list of 33 hostages to be released during the first stage of the ceasefire deal, as is the boys’ father, Yarden Bibas, though that does not guarantee they are among the living.
Hostages released during the November 2023 truce said Yarden Bibas was kept separate from his family and Hamas has not said he is dead.
For several days now, countless messages of support accompanied by photos of Kfir Bibas have been circulating on social media, a sign that many are still holding out hope.
Footage published by Hamas of a fearful Shiri Bibas tightly holding her two red-headed boys, as they were taken from their house in Kibbutz Nir Oz, became one of the lasting images of the tragedy that struck Israel that day.
“All the hostages are in our hearts,” Nelly Ben Israel, a librarian at Jerusalem’s Hebrew University, said in Tel Aviv, “but I think I’m not mistaken when I say we think first of the young Bibases.”
What’s Left Of Hamas After 15 Months Of War?
With a ceasefire agreement and hostage release negotiations completed, attention turns to the current state of the Hamas terrorist organization in Gaza following approximately 15 months of war. As of Thursday (16th), Israeli strikes have eliminated close to 20,000 terrorists from various organizations, decimating most of Hamas’ senior leadership in Gaza.
Despite these losses, the organization maintains control over humanitarian aid distribution and commands thousands of terrorists who now primarily operate as guerrilla fighters rather than an organized force. Before the war, Hamas commanded approximately 30,000 terrorists structured as a military force. According to Hamas sources, while eliminated commanders – including brigade and battalion leaders – have been replaced, these new leaders no longer maintain the same command and control structure.
Gaza’s civilian institutions descended into chaos, with no functioning judicial system. Hamas terrorists now impose impromptu street justice to intimidate opposition within the population. These forces periodically engage in armed confrontations with local groups attempting to gain control of humanitarian aid supplies.
A police force numbering several thousand focuses primarily on controlling humanitarian aid distribution. Currently, there is no effective control over Gaza Strip borders, including the Egyptian one. Under the proposed agreement, withdrawal from the Philadelphi corridor would commence only after the release of all 33 hostages in the first phase, concluding on day 50 of the ceasefire – during either the second phase or its negotiation period. Beyond the police force and the terrorists, Hamas also maintains control over a civilian emergency services system under its direct command.
Political leadership: The head of the Political Bureau Yahya Sinwar and Government head Rawhi Mushtah are dead, as well as seven bureau members. Six bureau members escaped abroad before the war. Four bureau members remain alive: Mahmoud al-Zahar, an education official, the head of women’s affairs, and another relatively minor figure. Hamas police chief, his deputy, and several station commanders are dead, as well as Hamas’head of the Legislative Council. The head of the internal security apparatus Tawfiq Abu Naim remains alive.
Military leadership: Military wing commander Mohammed Deif and deputy wing commander Marwan Issa are dead. However, Southern Gaza commander Mohammed Sinwar, who was recently “promoted” as Hamas’ de facto leader, is alive. Northern Gaza commander Ahmed Ghandour, Central Gaza commander Ayman Nofal and his replacement are dead, along with Khan Younis brigade commander Rafa Salameh. Gaza brigade commander Izz al-Din Haddad who was “promoted,” is alive, and so is Rafah brigade commander Mohammed Shabaneh. Chief of Operations Staff Raad Saad’s fate remains unknown, while the head of Intelligence Staff Mohammed Khamis Dababesh is dead.
Khamenei Hails Ceasefire Deal As Defeat For Israel
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, hailed the ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas as a defeat for Israel.
“It will be written in books that there was a mob who once killed thousands of children and women in Gaza,” Khamenei wrote on social media site X.
He attributed the ceasefire to “the patience of the people and the steadfastness of Palestinian resistance and the resistance front.”
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also hailed the ceasefire as a “victory” for the Palestinian Arab cause and a defeat for Israel.
“The end of the war and the imposition of a ceasefire… is a clear victory and a great triumph for Palestine and a bigger defeat for the monstrous “Zionist regime,” the IRGC said.
Iran has long been known to be one of the main benefactors of Hamas and has transferred hundreds of millions of dollars to the group and its leaders.
After years of strained ties, the relations appeared to have improved in 2017, when the Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh thanked Iran for its “unlimited” support for the Al-Qassam Brigades and its contribution to the development of Hamas’ military capabilities.
Former Hamas deputy leader Saleh al-Arouri, who was eliminated in Lebanon last year, made several visits to Iran in recent years in which he met with senior officials, including Khamenei, another indication that the rift is over.
Hamas’ “Resistance” Has Achieved Nothing For The Palestinian People – Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib
When a ceasefire in Gaza is announced, Hamas’ fascists will do everything they can do to frame this as their ultimate victory. They will wear their military uniforms, emerge from their tunnels, stop hiding in schools and displacement centers, and very quickly reassert their control. They’ll even get a few Gazans to celebrate and dance for them.
The reality, however, is that no Gazan will seriously celebrate after 15 months of death and destruction. Every single person in Gaza has not only experienced the most traumatic chapter of their lives, but has been directly impacted by the destruction of 70% of the Strip and the death of tens of thousands, with every single person having a relative or close family member who was affected in one way or another – killed or injured.
The reality is that the Islamist terrorism of Hamas, masquerading as “resistance” has achieved nothing for the Palestinian people except for billions of dollars in wasted resources and tens of thousands of needless deaths, with Gaza in ruins 20 years after the withdrawal of Israel in 2005.
Hamas’ propaganda machine, run by Qatari state media Al-Jezeera, will work overtime to turn a catastrophic disaster into a victory, desperately seeking to promote the armed resistance narrative as one that is heroic and valiant when it is “cowardly and ineffective.”
The writer, a Palestinian-American humanitarian activist, is a non-resident Senior Fellow with the Atlantic Council (X)
(X.com)
Rafael Inks Major Deal To Supply Israel With Iron Dome Missiles Using US Aid
The Israeli Defense Ministry signed a contract with Rafael Advanced Defense Systems to expand the Serial production of Iron Dome interceptors. This move, funded by a portion of the recently approved $8.7 billion US-aid package for Israel, aims to bolster the country’s air defense systems, including the Iron Dome, David’s Sling and the advanced “Iron Beam”laser system currently under development.
The deal signed on Wednesday (15th) will see Rafael supply a substantial number of interceptors to the IDF and the package includes $5.2 billion earmarked specifically for enhancing Israel’s air defense capabilities.
MG (res.) Eyal Zamir praised the agreement. “The Iron Dome contract is a cornerstone in an unprecedented effort led by the Defense Ministry, Rafael and other defense ministries to strengthen Israel’s capabilities while engaged in combat,” he said.
“The Iron Dome has transformed the battlefield, protected vital infrastructure, and saved countless lives. This deal will further enhance its capabilities, and I extend my gratitude to Rafael for their immense contribution to Israel’s qualitative edge.”
Rafael CEO Yoav Turgeman also welcomed the agreement. “We are proud to collaborate with the US Missile Defense Agency and Israel’s Defense Ministry on this procurement deal. Since the war began, our air defense systems – Iron Dome and David’s Sling – have repeatedly demonstrated their exceptional ability to neutralize diverse threats. Expanding the production of Iron Dome underscores its effectiveness, and we remain committed to safeguarding Israel’s security.”
This deal marks the first in a series of projects funded by the US aid-package, ensuring Israel’s air defense systems remain robust against evolving threats.
Turkey’s New Threat To Israel- Yoni Ben Menachem
Following the fall of the Assad regime, senior Israeli security officials have expressed alarm over Turkey’s growing involvement in the region. According to the Jacob Nagel Committee’s report on Israel’s defense budget, published on January 6, 2025, Turkey’s ambitions to “restore the ottoman crown to its former glory” present a pressing security challenge. The report highlights the possibility of an extremist Syrian regime with an anti-Israel ideology replacing Assad’s government.
Reports in the Turkish press indicate plans to establish military bases in Syria equipped with air-defense systems, ostensibly to protect against Israeli airstrikes. Erdogan has also pledged support for the new rulers of Syria by providing weapons and assistance in building a Syrian army weakened by Israeli strikes,
The Assad regime’s secular governance over five decades contrasts starkly with the ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood. The Brotherhood’s influence under al-Julani has already sparked opposition among Syrians, particularly due to efforts to introduce Sharia law into schools and public life. Popular resistance to these changes echoes the Brotherhood’s failures in Tunisia and Egypt.
The Turkish army, one of the largest and most formidable in the Middle East, represents a significant challenge to Israel’s security, with 425,000 active personnel and an additional 380,000 reservists. Western intelligence sources suggest Erdogan harbors ambitions of reviving the Ottoman Empire, seeking to position himself as a modern-day sultan or caliph overseeing Sunni forces in the Middle East, including Jerusalem, which was part of the Ottoman Empire. (Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs)
(jcpa.org)
