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23-02-2025
JERUSALEM/ CAIRO/ GAZA: Six Israeli captives are scheduled to be released in Gaza today in exchange for 602 Palestinians held in Israeli jails.
Israeli forces have killed two Palestinian children, both 13 years old, in the occupied West Bank’s Jenin and Hebron.
Gaza’s Health Ministry has confirmed 48,319 Palestinian deaths in Israel’s war on Gaza, while 111,749 people have been wounded. The Government Media Office updated its death toll to at least 61,709 people, saying thousands of Palestinians missing under the rubble are presumed dead.
At least 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks and more than 200 were taken captive.
On Thursday, Hamas handed the bodies of four Palestinians 83-year-old Oded Lifshitz, along with Shiri Bibas and her two young sons, Ariel and Kfir Bibas to the Red Cross in a ceremony in Khan Younis, southern Gaza.
Forensic experts examined the bodies upon their return to Israel, positively identifying Lifshitz and the Bibas boys.
The experts, however, accused Hamas of returning the body of an unidentified person in place of 32-year-old Shiri Bibas.
Prime Minister Netanyahu said Hamas would pay the “full price” for committing a “cruel and evil” violation of the ceasefire deal.
Hamas acknowledged on Friday there may have been “the possibility of an error or overlap in the bodies” as it promised to “clearly” announce the findings of a probe.
Hamas also blamed the Israeli military for the error, saying they believe the mixup may have occurred as a result of Israeli forces bombing “the place where the family was with other Palestinians”, combining the remains of several people.
The Red Cross confirmed later on Friday it had received another coffin from Hamas, which the Palestinian group has said contains the body of Shiri Bibas.
Forensics teams in Israel are now examining the new set of remains. The results of the examination are expected to be released on Saturday.
An important gathering that took place here in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, where GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) leaders listened to the plan that was presented by the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
It is going to be based on phases that start with clearing the debris all the way towards the final reconstruction of the entire area that was destroyed during more than a year and a half of relentless Israeli bombardment.
To be able to move forward, you need to have a financial contribution from wealthy GCC countries. There is an international estimate of about $53bn to be able to rebuild Gaza, a mammoth task, which is going to take up to 10 years but there’s absolutely no doubt that those GCC countries committed themselves to rebuilding Gaza will have conditions attached to the commitments they’re going to make. Particularly the terms of the reconstruction, but most importantly, the issue of who is going to take over Gaza.
There is a growing consensus now that it is about time to consider handing over control of the area to the Palestinian Authority. Now, when it comes to that particular issue, they’re going to go to the Egyptian capital Cairo on the 4th of March for a broader consensus.
They’re going to invite Arab leaders to come up with a unified stance, first of all, an alternative to the Trump proposal and number two, tackling the delicate issue of who takes over Gaza but this is undoubtedly an extremely important moment for the Arab region, and this explains why many people have been saying that the meeting that took place here in Riyadh could have huge ramifications on the entire region for many years to come. (Int’l News Desk)
