For today, links to eight reports: from the Anadolu Agency, Middle East Eye, the Cradle, the Associated Press, and Reuters, and to commentary from the Cradle; other articles are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (LEBANON and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down. GAZA 2-28-25 entry is HERE.) — MCM
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U.S. approves $3 billion military sales to Israel amid ceasefire talks, by Rabia Iclal Turan | Anadolu Agency WASHINGTON — The U.S. on Friday approved potential foreign military sales to Israel worth $3 billion, according to the State Department. The sales include . . . READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from the Cradle.
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Hamas says first phase of Gaza ceasefire will not be extended, by Alex MacDonald | Middle East Eye Hamas said it has no intention of extending the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal, which was set to expire today. A spokesperson there were no ongoing talks to begin the second phase of the ceasefire, which was supposed to guarantee . . . READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from the Cradle.
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Hamas reports no progress in talks with Israel on ceasefire’s second phase, by Samy Magdy and David Rising | AP CAIRO — The latest round of talks on the second phase of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has made no progress, and it’s unclear whether they would resume today, a senior Hamas official said. Phase one expires today, but . . . READ MORE . . .
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FROM FEB. 28 Israeli PM Netanyahu to hold security meeting after delegation returns from Cairo. From Reuters. CAIRO / JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was due to hold consultations with security chiefs and ministers on Friday after an Israeli delegation returned from Cairo with no agreement on extending the Gaza ceasefire, two Israeli officials said. READ MORE . . .
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FROM FEB. 28 Ex-Israeli army chief met UK news editors to ‘cultivate support’ for Gaza genocide: report. From the Cradle. Declassified UK reports that former Israeli chief of staff Aviv Kohavi held private meetings with the editors of several top British news outlets a month after the war in Gaza began, during a tour of the UK aimed at “cultivating support” for Israel and its genocidal campaign against the strip. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for Feb. 27 report from Declassified UK.
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FROM FEB. 28 Can Egypt rebuild Gaza without forcing Palestinians out? From the Cradle. An immediate issue is at play — the Egyptian-Arab plan for Gaza’s reconstruction, an initiative being framed as an alternative to Trump’s “Riviera” proposal to displace Gazans. The key question is whether Trump will accept it. Egypt’s role . . . READ MORE . . .
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