For today, links to reports from the Associated Press and Reuters, and to commentary from Middle East Eye and Common Dreams; other articles are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (LEBANON, WEST BANK and UKRAINE entries for this date and a MEDIA entry are HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down. GAZA 2-20-25 entry is HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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Netanyahu decries release of wrong body as a ceasefire violation. Hamas pledges to investigate, by Areej Hazboun | AP  JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed revenge today for what he described as a “cruel and malicious violation” of the ceasefire agreement after authorities determined that a body released by Hamas was not an Israeli mother of two small boys, as the militant group had promised. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from Reuters.

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Trump is abandoning Europe. Europe should abandon its appeasement of Israel, by David Hearst | Middle East Eye  First came King Abdullah of Jordan. Now British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron are . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM FEB. 18  Why Trump’s plan for Gaza is so dangerous, by Ramzy Baroud | Common Dreams / Consortium News  What makes U.S. President Donald Trump’s comments about taking “long-term ownership” of Gaza to “clean out” the “mess,” dangerous is . . . READ MORE . . .