For today, links to seven reports: from National Public Radio, Reuters, the Anadolu Agency, Middle East Monitor, and the Associated Press, and to two articles of commentary from Middle East Eye (with video) and Consortium News; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (LEBANON, SYRIA, WEST BANK and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down. GAZA 2-19-25 entry including a map is HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM
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Hamas releases the bodies of four Israeli hostages, including mother and young sons. Reported by Kat Lonsdorf and Daniel Estrin | NPR TEL AVIV — Hamas has handed over what it said are the bodies of four Israeli hostages, including a mother and her two young sons who had become a symbol in Israel of the plight of hostages held in Gaza. The bodies will undergo forensic testing in Israel to confirm their identity. Click HERE to listen and read, and HERE, HERE and HERE (scroll down in this last link) for reports from Reuters, Anadolu Agency and Middle East Eye.
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FROM FEB. 19 Israel killed the Bibas children, but is using the tragedy to derail Gaza ceasefire, say observers. From Middle East Monitor. The deaths of the Bibas children, killed by Israeli bombing in Gaza over a year ago, are being exploited in an attempt to derail the current ceasefire agreement, say observers. Israel and its allies are pushing a false narrative . . . READ MORE . . .
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Timeline: Trump’s remarks on plan to take over Gaza and displace Palestinians. From Reuters. WASHINGTON — On Jan. 25, President Donald Trump first proposed a U.S. takeover of Gaza while also suggesting a permanent displacement of Palestinians from the enclave. The plan has been condemned globally. Following is a timeline showing how Trump’s comments have evolved. READ MORE . . .
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FROM FEB. 19 Netanyahu appoints an adviser with Trump ties to lead ceasefire talks. From AP. An Israeli official said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has appointed a close confidant, U.S.-born Cabinet minister Ron Dermer, to lead negotiations for the second stage of the ceasefire with Hamas. READ MORE . . .
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FROM FEB. 19 Opposing Trump’s Nakba plan for Gaza is the only way for Jordan and Egypt to survive, by Raja Abdulhaq | Middle East Eye Within 24 hours of U.S. President Donald Trump meeting Jordan’s King Abdullah II, the White House released a recorded video of Trump praising the king after a humiliating exchange in front of the media. READ MORE . . .
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FROM FEB. 18 Trump’s vision for Gaza, by As`ad AbuKhalil | Special to Consortium News The idea of ethnic cleansing has been at the heart of the Zionist project since its inception. You won’t find one Zionist leader who did not refer in his or her published writings or diaries to the expulsion of Palestinians. READ MORE . . .
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