RETURN AGREEMENT 7️⃣6️⃣ HOSTAGES 🎗️Day 493/

• Hamas released three gaunt, frail-looking Israeli hostages and Israel freed 183 Palestinian prisoners Saturday in the latest exchange of a ceasefire agreement that has paused the war in Gaza. The hostages‘ condition and scenes of Hamas forcing them to speak in a handover ceremony sparked outrage in Israel.
• Eli Sharabi, 52; Ohad Ben Ami, 56; and Or Levy, 34, appeared in poorer condition than the 18 hostages previously set free. Sharabi’s wife and two teenage daughters were killed in the Oct. 7 attack. His brother Yossi was abducted and died in captivity. Levy’s wife was killed in the attack. Ben Ami’s wife was released during a ceasefire in November 2023.
• The Palestinian prisoners released include 18 serving life sentences for deadly attacks on Israelis, 54 serving long-term sentences and 111 Palestinians from Gaza detained after the Oct. 7 attack. https://lnk.sk/qks9 
• US President Donald Trump says the three Israeli hostages who were released Saturday by Hamas looking gaunt and frail resembled Jews under Nazi Germany, warning that “at some point, we’re gonna lose our patience.” (video) https://lnk.sk/guww
• Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon wrote an official appeal to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Feb. 8, calling on him to condemn Hamas’s „cruel and inhumane treatment“ of hostages.
• „All three were held in isolation…denied humanitarian visits by the Red Cross – a blatant violation of international humanitarian law. For over a year, the international community has been manipulated by a jihadist terrorist group, shielded and protected even within the halls of the UN, spreading false propaganda about so-called ‚starvation‘ in Gaza.“ https://lnk.sk/lpe4  
• More than 10,000 aid trucks have crossed into Gaza since the ceasefire took hold on Jan. 19
• Senior Hamas officials: ceasefire with Israel is at risk of collapsing, according to AFP. 
• Saudi media: Israel is no longer interested in the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal…
• …the shift in Israel’s stance comes immediately after Netanyahu’s visit to the U.S.
• According to Palestinian Media Watch, 734 terrorists released during the fourth round of swaps collectively received over $141 million from the Palestinian Authority’s “Pay to Slay” program, with nearly half accumulating more than a million shekels each. https://lnk.sk/qjm8

USA 🇺🇸 / 

• U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi launched Joint Task Force October 7 to seek justice for victims of the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack in Israel, address the ongoing threat posed by Hamas and its affiliates, and combat antisemitic acts of terrorism and civil rights violations in the U.S. https://lnk.sk/nm06 

ISRAEL 🇮🇱 /

• Government pushes off decision on Oct. 7 state commission of inquiry by 3 months https://lnk.sk/bwr0 
• National Unity chairman Benny Gantz slams the government’s decision to postpone a decision on establishing a state commission of inquiry into the failures surrounding Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack. https://lnk.sk/tzhk 
• Netanyahu returns to court for criminal trial testimony, says he is facing medical ‘challenges’ https://lnk.sk/qnq3 

TURKY 🇹🇷 /

• Erdogan: Trump’s plan to oust Gazans from ‘eternal homeland’ unworthy of discussion. ’Zionist lobby’ pressuring new White House into ‘preoccupations with nonsense,’ charges Turkish president, as Muslim world fumes; Ankara’s FM: Displacement is unacceptable

EGYPT 🇪🇬 /

• Egyptian military officials warned Israeli officials on Sunday that if Israel violates the Camp David Accords they would also violate them

JORDAN  🇯🇴 / 

• king of Jordan is traveling to the US to meet with President Trump

GAZA, JUDEA & SAMARIA (so-called West Bank) /

• After withdrawing from the entire Netzarim Corridor in the central Gaza Strip yesterday, the IDF again warns Palestinians against approaching troops and entering prohibited areas. https://lnk.sk/oegj 
• Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya says that the plans of the West — the United States — and US President Donald Trump for the Gaza Strip are “doomed.” “We will bring them down as we brought down the projects before them,” he says. https://lnk.sk/vbk0 

IRAN🇮🇷

• In an extensive interview with the New York Post, President Trump presents two options: a deal to denuclearize Iran or an Israeli attack 
• Iran’s foreign minister meets with Hamas delegation in Tehran
• Iranians mark anniversary of 1979 Islamic Revolution as they face new Trump term

LEBANON 🇱🇧/

• Hezbollah gains five ministries in new Lebanese government including the Finance Ministry. https://lnk.sk/zdgz  

MOROCO 🇲🇦 / 

• Morocco has chosen Israel’s Elbit Systems as its primary defense supplier, signing a deal to acquire 36 Atmos 2000 self-propelled artillery systems. This move follows increasing tensions the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces (FAR) and France’s KNDS, Morocco’s previous main arms provider. https://lnk.sk/kgv1 

🛫✈️🛬

• Ryanair and KLM are resuming flights to Israel in summer 2025. Ryanair will offer 23 European destinations, including seven in Italy and three in Greece, with one-way fares starting at €37.
• KLM will operate evening flights from Amsterdam to Tel Aviv, connecting passengers to 270 destinations via Schiphol Airport. https://lnk.sk/tzqw 

Sources: AP, U.S. Department of Justice, Times of Israel, La Tribune, Newsrael, Al Araby Al Jadeed, Memri and Israel Realtime

©️ ICEJ Slovakia; peter.svec@icej.sk