News Digest — 2/3/26
Hamas Document Reveals Secret Plan To Maintain Control Of Gaza Administration Under NCAG’s Noses – KAN
Hamas plans to continue having administrative control of Gaza, contrary to what the ceasefire agreement establishes, according to a leaked document shared by KAN news on Sunday (1st).
The document outlines how officials affiliated with Hamas must act before the establishment of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) , including the dos and don’ts to avoid raising suspicions with the new government.
The document also states that NCAG members can’t be attacked, while activities must continue “as if nothing had changed.”
“No personal contact should be made, or information and news should be passed on to the NCAG, outside of the relevant channels,” the document stated.
The document shared on Sunday (1st) was reportedly a secret memo only to be seen by Hamas officials inside Gaza, KAN explained.
The NCAG revealed a new logo with Palestinian Authority symbols. The news comes as the NCAG prepares to take control of the administration of Gaza. On Monday (2nd) the committee unveiled its new logo which draws heavily on symbols used by the Palestinian Authority.
The logo features an eagle with a shield the colors of the Palestinian flag on its chest, and a banner on its talons. In previous iterations, the banner read “Palestine” in Arabic but the NCAG version reads “NCAG.”
NCAG’s previous logo featured a stylized bird in the colors of the Palestinian flag, rising from a city skyline.
First Time In 3 Years Chief Of Staff Holds Conference On Recent Operational Exercises
On Monday (2nd), the Chief of the General Staff, LTG Eyal Zamir, convened a conference attended by the IDF’s senior operational commanders’ forum, the head officers of the corps, and all division commanders.
The conference focused on summarizing recent exercises conducted by regional divisions across various sectors, as well as on operational learning and the extraction of key lessons.
This was the first such conference held in three years, marking the IDF’s return to a regular training and exercise cycle.
The conference opened with a presentation by the Head of the Doctrine and Training Division, BG Itamar Lasri, who outlined the General Staff framework, the training timeline, and guidance for the coming year as part of the IDF’s broader return to routine training and readiness for combat units.
Division commanders then presented key areas for review, operational lessons, and insights derived from the exercises, alongside lessons related to force development.
The day concluded with a discussion among operational commanders, followed by the Chief of the General Staff’s closing remarks.
The conference forms part of an ongoing effort to strengthen professional foundations and improve the IDF’s readiness for war through training and exercise. Operational learning remains a cornerstone of the IDF;s preparation for future challenges.
From the remarks of the Chief of the General Staff, LYG Eyal Zamir: “We are in a period of improving readiness for war. We must continue to draw lessons from the events of October 7th, strengthen the defense stability, and be prepared for a sequence of offensive operations across all theaters of the war. The IDF is preparing for several scenarios, and we must remain constantly alert and ready to achieve decisive victory in a multi-front war.
“In the upcoming multi-year plan, we will strengthen the operational capabilities of the divisions in command and control, effectiveness , and mobility.”
The Chief of the General Staff also noted that one of the key lessons for the plenary conference scenario is the possibility of a large-scale raid or a surprise war..
‘We are strengthening the foundations which is why we insisted on holding this important learning day. We are returning to training, reinforcing the basics, and maintaining a high level of alertness across all theaters. The purpose of today’s gathering, first and foremost, is mutual learning within the divisions, across the regional commands, and at the General Staff level. Above all, interactive learning is of paramount importance as the basis for our growth and improvement,” Zamir stated.
“This room brings together the IDF’s leading commanders, a group with immense operational experience that has been operating for a long time under sustained and exceptional pressure. At the same time, we are committed to continuously improving the army’s professionalism and readiness for war. We must strengthen our capabilities in both defense and offense in the face of the challenges ahead. Action without learning, drawing lessons, and implementing them is meaningless – that is our goal today, learning and lesson-drawing are the responsibility of all of us as commanders, in order to improve the IDF’s readiness and lead it to victory,” Zamir concluded.
Israel To Legalize 140 Farms In Judea And Samaria
The Israeli government is preparing to normalize the status of 140 Jewish farms across Judea and Samaria, Defense MInister Israel Katz announced on Monday (2nd), as part of a larger effort to combat unauthorized land seizures by Palestinian Arabs.
Katz addressed a conference on agriculture in Sanaria, organized by the Benjamin Regional Council, the Arutz Sheva media outlet, the government’s Ministry of Settlements and National Missions, and the Israeli Farms Association, lauding the “pioneering” spirit of agricultural workers in Judea and Samaria.
“Anyone who seeks to see Zionism at its best—that deep commitment to the Land of Israel, and what a true connection to the soil of the land looks like—will find all of this in the agricultural farms of Judea and Samaria,” Katz said.
“This tremendous and important endeavor is a direct continuation of pioneering settlement across generations, from the beginning of Zionism to the present day, and it also provides a tailwind that gives momentum to the entire settlement enterprise.”
The Defense Minister said the fledgling farms and other agricultural operations in Judea and Samaria made a major “strategic contribution to the security of the area, against the Palestinian enemy.”
Pro-Israeli activists have in recent months hailed the expansion of Jewish communities and farms in eastern Samaria, creating a territorial continuity from the Jordan Valley to the strategically important Tapuach Junction.
In contrast to new housing developments, which tend to have relatively high population densities and thus impact a elatively.limited amount of territory, the fledgling agricultural communities in Judea and Samaria have expanded the Jewish presence in the territories over a wide area, with a relatively small number of farmers and shepherds are having an outsized impact on illegal Palestinian construction.
Katz called the new farms a “fortified wall to safeguard our lands and strengthen our hold on our historic homeland,” while revealing the government’s plans to recognize more than 140 such farms..
“I am advancing, with the support of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and in close cooperation with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, the normalization of more than 140 farms in Judea and Samaria, another step in strengthening settlement and weakening Palestinian attempts to establish a foothold in the area.”
For Decades Israelis Were Told There Were “Partners For Peace” In Gaza – – Rachel Sapoznik
Vivian Silver, 74, was a life-long peace activist who built her entire identity around Jewish-Arab coexistence. She lived on Kibbutz Be’eri, just miles from Gaza, and was a founding leader of “Women Wage Peace” that advocates dialogue, reconciliation, and a two- state future. She also volunteered with the group “The Road To Recovery,” personally driving Palestinians from Gaza to Israeli hospitals for lifesaving care.
On Oct. 7, Hamas terrorists and ordinary Gazans set her home on fire and she was murdered. Her son, Yonatan Zelgen, was on the phone with her as the attack unfolded. They continued texting as Silver hid in a closet as terrorists moved through the house. Her final message to him was: “They’re inside the house. It’s time to stop joking and say goodbye.”
We are told that if Israelis show enough good will, enough restraint, enough empathy, enough “understanding,” then peace will follow. Silver dedicated her life to Palestinian welfare. She believed in coexistence until her final moments. It did not save her.
A viable solution requires moral reciprocity, the basic recognition that those who extend their hand in peace should not be murdered in return. Gaza society did not mourn people like Silver. In fact, her murder was celebrated there. You cannot murder your most committed allies and expect the world to keep pretending that nothing has changed.
The writer is founder of the Jewish Shield Action Alliance.
(jns.org)
Israeli Tourists Flocking To Azerbaijan, Baku To Up Flights To Tel Aviv, Official Says
“Despite regional conflicts disrupting flights to and from Israel, there was 139% increase in the number of Israeli tourists visiting Azerbaijan last year compared to 2024,” Florian Sengstschmid , CEO of the Azerbaijan Tourism Board and chief adviser of the Republic of Azerbaijan’s State Tourism Agency, told the Jerusalem Post Monday (2nd).
Slowly, Israeli tourists have been attracted to the country’s capital and largest city, which lies along the Caspian Sea, with travel picking up speed since Azerbaijan opened its first Tourism Board office outside the country in Tel Aviv in 2022. As the popularity of Baku is increasing, Sengstschmid told the Post that there were plans to double the number of weekly flights taking off from Ben Gurion Airport from 14 to 28.
Behind the rise in tourism, the tourism adviser said were “years of trustful relations and friendship” that extended well beyond tourism.
“Israeli travelers also feel that Azerbaijanis have a big passion for Israel and Israelis, and this does not come overnight: this comes over hundreds of years. This culture has been part of Azerbaijani daily life,” he explained, before describing the large Jewish community in the Red Village and Azerbaijan’s two active synagogues.
“When the world is kind of upside down, and a lot of geopolitical tensions, Azerbaijan feels like a safe haven,” he said, noting the diverse multiculturalism valued by the country. It “feels like a place where people of different nationalities, different religions, discuss and talk about topics, but in a social frame, which is what makes everyone feel comfortable.”
Despite sharing borders with Iran and Russia, the regional unrest has seemingly not impacted Azerbaijan’s tourism industry, which has continued to grow, though the country saw a 1% drop in Iranian visitors last year. Azerbaijan airlines was among the first to recommence flights to Israel while other companies chose to wait a little longer to see if the conflict had subsided. The country also started developing its reputation as a hotspot for medical tourism, offering an alternative to Turkey for cosmetic and dental procedures.
With such clear interest, Sengstschm explained that new efforts were dedicated to attracting young Israelis to the Land of Fire, and that it is also an adventurer’s dream, with multiple ski resorts, hiking spots, and extreme sports facilities – it is clear why the Federation of European Capitals and Cities of Sports named Baku as the World Sports Capital for 2026.
With the ability to drive from one side of the country to the other in only six hours, affordable travel options and reliable public transport, Sengstschmid said he thought it was a shame more visitors weren’t yet taking the time to see the black sand beaches, the mud volcanos, or the Hyrcanian Forest, one of the country’s five UNESCO world heritage sites
With expanded flight options, travel influencers highlighting the country’s beauty, and more and more Israelis returning home with positive experiences to share, Sengstschmid predicted a 10-15% increase over the 69,124 Israeli visitors recorded last year.
