Links to five reports and an article of commentary: from the Associated Press, the Cradle, Reuters, and jonathan-cook.net; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (Scroll down for GAZA 1-23-26 and IRAN and UKRAINE.) — MCM
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U.S. officials urge Netanyahu to advance Gaza ceasefire deal, by Samy Magdy, Wafaa Shurafa and Melanie Lidman | AP CAIRO Top U.S. envoys met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday, urging his government to move into the second phase of the ceasefire deal. The biggest signal of the second phase would be the reopening of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.
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Belgium closes airspace to all Israel-bound arms shipments. From the Cradle. Belgium has formally banned all overflights and stopovers on its territory by aircraft carrying weapons and military equipment destined for Israel, the Belgian Foreign Ministry confirmed on Friday. READ MORE . . .
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UAE to bankroll first Israeli-approved surveillance ghetto for Palestinians in Gaza. From the Cradle. The UAE is set to fund the construction of a tightly surveilled ghetto for Palestinians on the ruins of Rafah in southern Gaza, providing a limited number of Palestinians with basic services as long as they submit to biometric data collection and security vetting, the Guardian reported today. READ MORE . . .
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FROM JAN. 23 Israeli army preps ‘rapid assaults’ in northern Gaza to confront continued Palestinian resistance: report. From the Cradle. Israel’s military is preparing a series of new attacks on the ruins of the northern Gaza Strip to “collapse” the ceasefire in order to deal with Palestinian resistance fighters, who have rearmed and reorganized in recent months. READ MORE . . .
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FROM JAN. 23 Israel aims to ensure that more Palestinians are let out of Gaza than back in, by Alexander Cornwell | Reuters TEL AVIV — Israel wants to restrict the number of Palestinians entering Gaza through the border crossing with Egypt to ensure that more are allowed out than in, three sources briefed on the matter said ahead of the border’s expected opening next week. READ MORE . . .
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FROM JAN. 23 Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ is Gaza’s nail in the coffin, by Jonathan Cook | Jonathan-Cook.net U.S. President Donald Trump has declared the three-month “ceasefire” in Gaza a great success, and now wants to move on to phase two of his so-called “peace plan.” What does success look like? READ MORE . . .
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