For now, links to 13 reports: from Middle East Eye, the Associated Press, Reuters, and National Public Radio, to commentary from the Cradle, Middle East Eye and Middle East Monitor, and to a virtual forum from Dialogue Works; other published material is accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (LEBANON entry for this date, so far, is HERE. GAZA 2-10-25 entry is HERE.) — MCM

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FROM FEB. 10  Egypt to host emergency Arab summit on Palestinian displacement, by Mera Aladam | Middle East Eye  Egypt has announced an emergency Arab summit to be held on Feb. 27 in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent call to expel Palestinians from Gaza. READ MORE . . .

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Hamas brushes off Trump and insists all parties must be committed to ceasefire. From AP. Hamas has brushed off President Donald Trump’s threat that “all hell” will break out if it does not release the remaining Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip by Saturday. Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said today . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE and HERE for reports from Reuters and the Cradle.

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‘Hell worse than what we have already?’ Gazans reject Trump plans, by Nadal al-Mughrabi and Hussam al-Masri | Reuters Any suggestion that Palestinians leave Gaza, which they want to be part of an independent state, has been anathema to the Palestinian leadership for generations, and . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM FEB. 10  Expel Hamas leaders, dismantle resistance’: Netanyahu sets terms for phase two of Gaza deal. From the Cradle. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin is set to present his demands for the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire to Israel’s Security Cabinet, with Hamas expected to reject them, according to a report by Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper on Monday. His conditions . . . READ MORE . . .

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Trump and Jordan’s king set for intense meeting on Gaza’s future, by Trevor Hunnicutt | Reuters  WASHINGTON — Donald Trump meets Jordan’s King Abdullah today for what is likely to be a tense encounter following the U.S. president’s Gaza redevelopment idea and threat to cut aid to the U.S.-allied Arab country if it refuses to resettle Palestinians. READ MORE . . .   Click HERE for report from Middle East Eye.

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UN chief calls on Israel and Hamas to resume negotiations. From Middle East Eye. UN chief Antonio Guterres called on Hamas today to proceed with the planned release of Israeli captives after Hamas accused Israel of violating the ceasefire deal and postponed further captive-prisoner exchanges. READ MORE . . .

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FROM FEB. 10  Erdogan rejects Trump’s call for ‘second Nakba.’ From the Cradle. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan again rejected a U.S. proposal on Monday to relocate Palestinians from Gaza and said Israel should pay for the damage it caused there, and that reconstruction must begin. READ MORE . . .

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FROM FEB. 10  Hamas suspends release of Israeli hostages. Reported by Kat Lonsdorf | NPR  The Palestinian militant group says it will delay the next planned release of Israeli hostages, citing violations by Israel in the terms of the fragile ceasefire agreement. Israel, in turn, accused Hamas of violating the agreement. Click HERE to listen and read, and HERE for report from the Cradle.

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FROM FEB. 10   Jordan begins flying medical aid into Gaza by helicopter. Reported by Jane Arraf and A Martínez | NPR  Gaza, devastated after more than a year of war, still has urgent shortages of food and medicine. Jordan has begun flying helicopters into Gaza with medical supplies. NPR joined one of the flights. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM FEB. 10  Trump acquits Israel, shifts Gaza problem to Arabs, by Khalil Harb | The Cradle  U.S. President Donald Trump has once again ignited global controversy by proposing the displacement of Gaza’s two million residents. The proposal, which would amount to ethnically cleansing Gaza, not only showcases . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM FEB. 10  The masks are off. Trump and Israel have turned the planet into real estate, by Hamid Dabashi | Middle East Eye  If you cared to watch the second inauguration of President Donald Trump, you did not have to look hard to see . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM FEB. 10  From Gaza to the West Bank: Israel’s unyielding war machine, by Ramzy Baroud | Middle East Monitor  “A year of combat” — this is how Israel’s new Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir, described 2025 at a conference organised by the Israeli Ministry of Defence. The exact sentence, translated from Hebrew, was: . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM FEB. 9  Trump’s greater Israel plan exposed: Why it will fail. Nima Alkhorhid of Dialogue Works lets economist Richard D. Wolff, retired U.S. diplomat Chas W. Freeman Jr. and former U.S. Marine Corps intelligence officer and former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter give their perspectives on U.S. and Israeli doings in the Middle East, including as they concern Gaza. Click HERE for video.

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MAY BE CONTINUED

For today, links to four reports: from the Associated Press, Reuters, Middle East Eye and the Cradle, and to articles of commentary from Middle East Eye and Middle East Monitor; others are accessible by clicking on their names below. (IRAN, LEBANON, SYRIA, WEST BANK and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE. GAZA 2-9-25 entry is HERE.) — MCM

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NEWER  Trump says no right of return for Palestinians under his plan for U.S. ‘ownership’ of Gaza, by Zeke Miller and Sam Magdy | AP  WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said in an interview that Palestinians in Gaza would not have a right to return under his plan for U.S. “ownership” of the war-torn territory, contradicting other officials in his administration who have sought to argue that he . . . READ MORE . . .

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Trump says wants U.S. to own Gaza, could let Middle East states help rebuild, by Jeff Mason | Reuters  ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE — U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday said that he is committed to buying and owning Gaza, but could allow sections of the land to be rebuilt by other states in the Middle East. READ MORE . . .

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Hamas delays captive release ‘until further notice’ accusing Israel of violating terms, by Alex MacDonald | Middle East Eye  Hamas says it will delay the release of the next tranche of Israeli captives, accusing Israel of failing to comply with the terms of the ceasefire deal. READ MORE . . .

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Netanyahu sabotaging second phase of Gaza ceasefire: report. From the Cradle. Israeli sources believe Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu intends to sabotage the second phase of the prisoner release deal and derail the Gaza ceasefire, Haaretz reported on Sunday. “It’s a show,” said one. READ MORE . . .

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How Trump and Netanyahu forced Mohammed bin Salman to draw a line on Palestine, by David Hearst | Middle East Eye  A covert relationship claimed by the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with Saudi Arabia, years in the making, has been unravelling in a matter of days. He talked about it last week in Washington in an interview . . . READ MORE . . .

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The cost of ignoring history: Gaza, grievances and the threat of war, by Brian Palmer | Middle East Monitor  The Trump administration promised a bold new course in the Middle East, and now the United States stands at a perilous crossroads, echoing the policies and decrees that precipitated the deadliest terrorist attack on American soil and . . . READ MORE . . .

For now, links to reports from the Associated Press and Reuters, and to commentary from Indian Punchline with video links; other articles are accessible by clicking on their names below. (GAZA, LEBANON, SYRIA, WEST BANK and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE. IRAN 2-7-25 entry is HERE.) — MCM

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Iranians mark the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, by Nasser Karimi | AP  TEHRAN — The annual commemoration of the end of the rule of the American-backed Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and the creation of Iran’s Shiite theocracy comes this year as U.S. President Donald Trump returned to the White House and restarted . . . READ MORE . . .

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Iranian president says U.S. not sincere over readiness to engage, by Parisa Hafezi | Reuters  DUBAI — Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian today questioned the United States’ sincerity in seeking negotiations with Tehran as crowds of people, many chanting “Death to America”, rallied across the country to mark the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. READ MORE . . .

FROM FEB. 9  Trump talks the talk with Iran, but needs to walk the walk, by M.K. Bhadrakumar | Indian Punchline  A whiff of wariness bordering on pessimism about the prospect of reaching an enduring nuclear deal with the U.S. permeated the remarks by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Feb. 7 in Tehran in an address to the top military officials. Click HERE for article and two video links.

For now, a link to a report from the Cradle; others are accessible by clicking on its name below. (GAZA, IRAN, SYRIA, WEST BANK and UKRAINE entries are HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE. LEBANON 2-9-25 entry is HERE.) — MCM

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France offers mediation to ‘stabilize’ Lebanon–Syria border clashes. From the Cradle. France has offered its mediation to help put an end to the ongoing clashes that have been raging on the Syrian–Lebanese border in recent days. French President Emmanuel Macron offered Lebanon assistance in “stabilizing” the situation on its border with Lebanon — and . . . READ MORE . . .

For today, links to reports from Middle East Monitor and the Associated Press; others are accessible by clicking on its name below. (GAZA, IRAN, LEBANON, WEST BANK and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE. SYRIA 2-9-25 entry is HERE.) — MCM

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Syrians returning to the town of Tel Rifaat find homes in ruins and underground tunnels, by Khalil Hamra | AP  TEL RIFAAT, Syria — The long anticipated return home for residents of the Syrian town of Tel Rifaat, displaced since 2014, has collided with a painful reality — scars of war, streets lined with rubble and ruins standing in place of . . . Click HERE for article and photos.

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Israel targets military airport in Syria. From Middle East Monitor. Syrian media reported explosions at the Khalakhla Air Base, in the north of Syria’s Suwayda province, as warplanes were heard flying over the area. Syria TV reported Sunday evening that Israeli occupation forces were attcking the airport. Earlier Sunday . . . READ MORE . . .

For today, links to reporta from the Cradle and the Associated Press; other articles are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA, IRAN, LEBANON, SYRIA and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE. WEST BANK 2-9-25 entry is HERE.) — MCM

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Israel expands West Bank ‘open-fire’ orders against unarmed civilians. From the Cradle. The Israeli army has expanded the scope of its “open-fire” orders in the occupied West Bank, leading to a rise in civilian deaths during Israel’s current assault across the territory, Haaretz newspaper reported today. READ MORE . . .

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After the ceasefire in Gaza, West Bank Palestinians face more Israeli barriers, traffic and misery, by Isabel Debre | AP RAMALLAH, West Bank  — Israel justifies its measures tightening the noose around Palestinian cities in the West Bank as essential to guard against militant attacks. Click HERE for article, a video and photos.

For today, links to seven reports: from Tass, the Associated Press, the Kyiv Independent, Politico, Reuters, the Moscow Times, and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA, IRAN, LEBANON, SYRIA and WEST BANK entries for this date are HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE. UKRAINE 2-9-25 entry is HERE.) — MCM   

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Russian forces pound Ukrainian military airfields over past day — top brass. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russian forces struck Ukrainian military airfields over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry said today in a broader statement. READ MORE . . .

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FROM FEB. 9  U.S. officials are bound for Europe for top-level talks on Ukraine. From AP. President Donald Trump’s national security adviser said Sunday top administration officials will meet with European officials this week about how to end the war in Ukraine, nearly three years after Russia launched an all-out invasion. READ MORE . . .

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Russia massing troops for new assaults in Chasiv Yar, military warns, by Tim Zadorozhnyy | The Kyiv Independent  Russian forces are concentrating troops for fresh assaults in Chasiv Yar in Donetsk Oblast, Lt. Col. Dmytro Zaporozhets, a spokesperson for the Operational Tactical Group Luhansk, said today. READ MORE . . .

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Inside the new plan to seize Russia’s shadow fleet, by Victor Jack and Gabriel Gavin | Politico  PORVOO, Finland — European countries are holding behind-the-scenes talks on large-scale seizures of Moscow’s oil-exporting tankers in the Baltic Sea, according to two European Union diplomats and two government officials. They also . . . READ MORE . . .

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U.S. funding freeze threatens investigations of alleged Russian war crimes in Ukraine. From Reuters. THE HAGUE / KYIV — The Trump administration’s freeze of foreign funding has begun impacting an international effort to hold Russia responsible for alleged war crimes in Ukraine, according to eight sources and a Ukrainian document seen by Reuters, halting dozens of jobs and tens of millions of dollars in aid. READ MORE . . .

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Russian prison authorities approved widespread brutality against Ukrainian POWs – WSJ. The Moscow Times. The approval of brutality and torture against Ukrainian prisoners of war came weeks after the Kremlin launched its invasion of Ukraine, the Wall Street Journal reported today citing three former prison officials. READ MORE . . .

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Ukrainians are closely following a homegrown map of the shifting front line. Reported by Joanna Kakissis | NPR  An incredibly popular map of the shifting frontline, created by two childhood friends, has become an essential tool for Ukrainians seeking a realistic view of where the war stands. Click HERE to listen and later read.

For today, a link to a report from the Cradle; others are accessible by clicking on its name below. (GAZA, WEST BANK and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE, HERE and HERE. SYRIA 2-5-25 entry is HERE.) — MCM

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‘State of panic’ among locals as Israel expands occupation of south Syria. From the Cradle. The Israeli army expanded its occupation of southern Syria on 9 February, continuing its campaign of destroying infrastructure belonging to the former Syrian Arab Army (SAA). READ MORE . . .

For today, links to six reports: from the Anadolu Agency, the Associated Press, Reuters, and Middle East Eye, and to commentary from Consortium News and, via CN, an interview from the Chris Hedges Report; other published material is accessible by clicking on their names below. (WEST BANK, SYRIA and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE, HERE and HERE. GAZA 2-8-25 entry is HERE.) — MCM

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4 Palestinians killed by Israeli army fire in Gaza despite ceasefire, by Hosni Nedim and Betul Yilmaz | Anadolu Agency  GAZA CITY, Palestine — Four Palestinians were killed by Israeli army fire in the Gaza Strip today despite a ceasefire agreement in the enclave, a medical source said. READ MORE . . .

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Israeli forces withdraw from a key Gaza corridor as violence surges in West Bank, by Tian Goldenberg and Mohammad Jahjouh | AP  MUGHRAQA, Gaza Strip — Israeli forces withdrew from a key Gaza corridor today, Israeli officials and Hamas said. Separately today, the Palestinian Health Ministry said that two women in their 20s, including one who was eight months pregnant, were fatally shot by Israeli gunfire in the northern occupied West Bank. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE, HERE and HERE for reports from Reuters and Middle East Eye, and Reuters photos via MEE.

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FROM FEB. 8  2 children killed in wall collapse in Gaza City after Israeli strike, by Ahmed Asmar | Anadolu Agency  ANKARA — Two Palestinian girls were killed in the collapse of a concrete wall of a house struck by Israeli warplanes in Gaza City, local authorities said on Saturday. READ MORE . . .

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FROM FEB. 6  Trump wants more war for Gaza ploy, by Joe Lauria | Consortium News  Despite a worldwide outcry from friends and foes that his plan amounts to a war crime, and despite efforts by his own officials (who did not know he would announce the plan) to reframe his intentions . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM FEB. 7  Arab regimes & the betrayal of Palestine. Chris Hedges of the Chris Hedges Report talks with Farah El-Sharif, writer, academic and Visiting Scholar at Stanford about, among other things, the origins of “war on terror,” the Abraham Accords, and the experience of the Palestinians. Click HERE for video and transcript.

For today, links to five reports: from the Cradle, the Anadolu Agency, Middle East Eye, and the Associated Press; others are accessible by clicking on its name below. (GAZA, SYRIA and UKRAINE entries are HERE, HERE, and HERE.) — MCM

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Tulkarem officially enters circle of fire as Israel wipes out West Bank infrastructure, targets civilians. From the Cradle. The Israeli army expanded its incursions into the occupied West Bank city of Tulkarem today as part of a brutal, widescale operation across the territory, killing at least two, including a pregnant woman. An Israeli army spokesman . . . READ MORE . . .

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Israeli army expands assault in northern West Bank, by Aysar Alais and Ikram Kouachi | Anadolu Agency  ISTANBUL — The Israeli army expanded its assault in the northern West Bank today, staging an incursion into the Nur Shams refugee camp, east of Tulkarem city. READ MORE . . .

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Israeli forces raid village in Nablus. From Middle East Eye. Israeli forces have stormed the village of an-Nassariya in northeastern Nablus, in the occupied West Bank, Al Jazeera reported. READ MORE . . .

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Israeli forces withdraw from a key Gaza corridor as violence surges in West Bank, by Tian Goldenberg and Mohammad Jahjouh | AP  MUGHRAQA, Gaza Strip — Israeli forces withdrew from a key Gaza corridor today, Israeli officials and Hamas said. Separately today, the Palestinian Health Ministry said that two women in their 20s, including one who was eight months pregnant, were fatally shot by Israeli gunfire in the northern occupied West Bank. READ MORE . . .

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Over 20,000 Palestinians displaced by Israeli assault on Jenin refugee camp in West Bank: official, by Aysar Alais and Ikram Kouachi | Anadolu Agency  ISTANBUL — “The [Israeli] occupation has entirely destroyed the Jenin refugee camp and forcibly displaced over 20,000 residents, leaving behind their homes, documents, and personal belongings,” Jenin Deputy Governor Mansour al-Saadi said today. READ MORE . . .