1️⃣0️⃣1️⃣ HOSTAGES 🎗️Day 425🎗️/

• An Israeli delegation headed by Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar will arrive in Cairo tomorrow for talks on a potential hostage-ceasefire deal, al-Araby al-Jadeed newspaper reports. https://lnk.sk/hlls 
• The first priority for the Trump administration will be the release of the hostages immediately, with no further delay, President-elect Donald Trump‚s newly-appointed Middle East adviser, Massad Boulos, told French paper Le Point in an exclusive interview on Tuesday. https://lnk.sk/mat1    

SYRIA 🇸🇾 /

• Syrian government forces launched a counterattack against Islamist-led rebels around the key city of Hama after suffering a string of staggering losses, a war monitor says. https://lnk.sk/odp6 
• Recent advances by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham forces in Syria show that the backers of the country’s President Bashar Assad, namely Russia and Iran, are distracted, US State Secretary Antony Blinken said. https://lnk.sk/zj18 

IRAN 🇮🇷 /

• The Israel Security Agency said Monday that it had identified more than 200 Iranian phishing attempts against senior Israeli officials in a bid to secure their personal details. https://lnk.sk/rfx9 

HEZBOLLAH IN LEBANON 🇱🇧 /

• US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says on the sidelines of a NATO meeting in Brussels the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah “holding,” despite a series of incidents. https://lnk.sk/qfj5 
• While French diplomatic sources contend that Israel’s use of UAVs in Lebanese airspace constitutes a violation of the ceasefire, Israel emphasized that the country will maintain its monitoring operations to prevent Hizbullah’s weapons buildup. https://lnk.sk/kazx 
• Hundreds of Iran-backed Iraqi fighters crossed into Syria on Monday to help the government fight rebels who seized Aleppo last week, but Lebanon’s Hizbullah has no plans to join them, according to sources. https://lnk.sk/usx8 

ISRAEL 🇮🇱 /

• The Israel Defense Forces warned some 30 soldiers and officers who fought in the Gaza Strip to avoid traveling abroad after anti-Israel, pro-Palestinian groups filed complaints against them for alleged war crimes, according to a Wednesday report. https://lnk.sk/cxah 
• The series of bills that make up the 2025 budget were officially brought to the Knesset for them to begin their legislation process, over a month after the final deadline permitted by law. https://lnk.sk/aijf 

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

• During the interrogation of Islamic Jihad spokesperson Tariq Salami by Israeli security forces, he explained that the media in the west approved Hamas‘ terms regarding international coverage of the conflict. https://x.com/lizarosen0000/status/1863892037524664527?s=48 

GREECE 🇬🇷 UN 🇺🇳 /

• Greece will NOT arrest Netanyahu and rejects the ICC arrest warrants for top Israeli officials. “Israel has the right to defend itself against terrorism and prime minister Netanyahu is welcome in Greece!” https://x.com/realMaalouf/status/1862236113844543913 
• UN watchdog to conduct probe into sexual misconduct allegations against ICC prosecutor. Karim Khan’s wife previously worked with oversight body selected to investigate him, prompting human rights groups to express concerns over conflict of interest. https://lnk.sk/r259 

Sources: al-Araby al-Jadeed, Le Point, Times of Israel, Jerusalem Post, IsraelHayom, Reuters, „X“ and the sources cited directly in some reports

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