Gaza, 2-1-25

For today, links to nine reports: from the Associated Press, Reuters, Middle East Eye, Middle East Monitor, National Public Radio, and the Anadolu Agency, and to commentary from Antiwar.com and ScheerPost; other published material is accessible by clicking on their names below. (SYRIA and UKRAINE entries for this date, so far, are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

   

Hamas frees 3 hostages and Israel releases Palestinian prisoners in 4th exchange of ceasefire, by Mohammad Jahjouh and Imad Isseid | AP  KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip — Hamas militants freed three male hostages held for more than a year in the Gaza Strip today and Israel released 183 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails in the fourth such exchange of a ceasefire deal that has halted 15 months of intense fighting. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from Reuters.

   

Bus of Palestinian captives leaves Ofer prison after Gaza ceasefire deal, by Mohammed Turkman, Fayha Shalash and Alex MacDonald | Middle East Eye  RAMALLAH — A bus carrying Palestinian captives arrived at the West Bank town of Beitunia today following the handover of Israeli captives in Gaza. They departed from Ofer prison in the occupied West Bank and arrived at Beitunia near Ramallah, where . . . READ MORE . . .

   

A U.S. dual citizen is among 3 Israeli hostages exchanged for Palestinian prisoners. Reported by Kat Lonsdorf and Daniel Estrin | NPR  TEL AVIV — The three Israeli hostages released by Hamas today after more than 15 months in captivity in Gaza are U.S. and Israeli dual citizen Keith Siegel, 65, Yarden Bibas, 35, and Ofer Kalderon, 54. Kalderon also holds French citizenship. Click HERE to listen and read report, which includes photos.

   

Nearly half a million people returned to northern areas of Gaza Strip: UN. From Middle East Monitor. The UN on Friday said “nearly half a million people have returned to northern areas of the Gaza Strip” since the ceasefire took effect, Anadolu Agency reports. READ MORE . . .

   

Palestinian Authority tells U.S. it is ready to ‘clash’ with Hamas for control of Gaza, by Sean Mathews | Middle East Eye  The Palestinian Authority has told the U.S. it is ready to “clash” with Hamas if needed to take power in the Gaza Strip, during a pitch to President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, at a meeting in Riyadh. READ MORE . . .

   

Trump and Netanyahu expected to meet once on Tuesday — U.S. official. From Reuters. WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet at the White House on Tuesday, a U.S. official said on Friday. The meeting is set to take place amid a fragile six-week ceasefire . . . READ MORE . . .

   

Palestinians worry about what Netanyahu’s visit to the White House signals for Gaza. Scott Simon of NPR speaks with Maha Nassar, a professor at the University of Arizona, about how Palestinians will view the Israeli Prime Minister’s visit to the White House next week. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

   

Sisi invites Trump to Egypt for talks on Middle East crises, by Yusuf Alioğlu and Rania R.a. Abushamala | Anadolu Agency  ISTANBUL — Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi received a phone call from Donald Trump, during which he invited the U.S. leader to visit Egypt to discuss ongoing crises in the Middle East, his office said today. READ MORE . . .

   

FROM JAN. 31  This is what Palestinian unity looks like, by Ramzy Baroud | Antiwar.com  Even those of us who have long emphasized the importance of the Palestinian people’s voice, experience, and collective action in Palestinian history must have been shocked by the cultural revolution resulting from the Israeli war on Gaza. READ MORE . . .

   

FROM JAN. 31  Thirty years of middle east lies just keep coming back to haunt, by Jonathan Cook | ScheerPost  The storyDid you believe it 30 years ago when they told you that the Oslo Accords would bring peace to the Middle East? That Israel would finally withdraw from the Palestinian Territories . . . READ MORE . . .

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