Israel welcomed home four young women on Saturday who endured 477 days as captives of the jihadist terror organization Hamas, part of a ceasefire deal that included an exchange of 33 Israeli hostages for nearly 2,000 Palestinians imprisoned for crimes in Israel. The women were identified as soldiers Karina Ariev, 20, Daniella Gilboa, 20, Naama Levy, 20, and Liri Albag, 19. The four were taken captive during the Hamas siege of Israel on October 7, 2023, while serving at a security post at Nachal Oz. The Israeli government published moving videos of their parents embracing them for the first time since their capture on Saturday following their release from captivity in Gaza. Prior to their release, Hamas published propaganda videos showing the women immediately prior to their release from captivity. According to the Times of Israel, Hamas forced the women to thank the terrorists for their release and sent them off with a commemorative Palestinian flag keychain for their trouble. Masked terrorists paraded the women in front of a crowd of jihadis before releasing them, displaying them in front of a sign celebrating the atrocities Hamas committed on October 7. The women were freed in exchange of 200 Palestinians imprisoned under Israel’s judicial system – not taken hostage – who Gazans welcomed enthusiastically on Saturday. The exchange is part of a larger deal for a ceasefire in Gaza, where the IDF has been operating since declaring war on Hamas, the governing body of Gaza, on October 8, 2023, to prevent another attack. A loud cheer swept through the crowd gathered at a Tel Aviv plaza known as Hostage Square, as giant screens livestreamed the long-awaited release of four Israeli hostages on Saturday, the latest to be freed under a Gaza ceasefire deal. Hundreds had arrived in the square in early morning in anticipation of the four women soldiers’ release. Many wore yellow T-shirts with the words “You are not alone” printed in Hebrew. Many Israelis began to breathe a sigh of relief as the ceasefire and hostage release deal, which also sees Palestinian prisoners freed, got underway last Sunday after a 15-month ordeal. “I’m super excited, waves of excitement and happiness,” said Shlomi Ben Yakar, 54. “We didn’t believe in the past it felt like a dream, and now it’s a good dream that is coming true.” All eyes had been fixed anxiously on the screen for hours, awaiting the arrival of an International Committee of the Red Cross convoy at a square in the centre of Gaza City. As soon as the four women’s silhouettes appeared on the screen, cries of joy erupted, with many embracing one another tearfully in celebration. Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, all aged 20, and Liri Albag, 19, waved, smiled, and gave thumbs up as they were paraded on a stage in Gaza City, flanked by masked and armed militants. “The feeling is great, excitement, tears and joy, it’s all at once,” said Sima Ben Naim, a 70-year-old from Tel Aviv. “It’s not only happiness, we also have tears, and I hope all (the hostages) will return.” https://www.breitbart.com/news/israelis-rejoice-at-emotional-release-of-second-group-of-hostages/ Many are applauding President Donald Trump’s “bold” proposal that Egypt and Jordan play a central role in resolving the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict by absorbing refugees from war-torn Gaza, with some calling it the “only real way to achieve peace.” On Saturday, President Donald Trump, who has previously brokered historic agreements in the region, suggested that Gaza could be cleared out after the devastation of the war started by Hamas on October 7, 2023, with Palestinians resettled in neighboring Arab nations for humanitarian reasons. In a gaggle with reporters on Air Force One, Trump said: I’d like Egypt to take people and I’d like Jordan to take people. You’re talking about probably a million and a half people and we just clean out that whole thing and say, “You know it’s — over the centuries, it’s had many, many conflicts. And … something has to happen.” It’s literally a demolition site … So I’d rather get involved with some of the Arab nations and build housing in a different location, where they can maybe live in peace. … Could be temporary, could be long-term. Egypt and Jordan’s participation in the initiative could bolster their regional influence and attract significant international support, with large-scale resettlement projects leading to the creation of jobs, upgrading of infrastructure, and stimulating economic growth. The plan also offers a path toward lasting stability for Palestinians and the region. The notion of Egypt and Jordan stepping in is not new. Prior to 1967, Egypt administered Gaza, while Jordan governed the West Bank. Historically, both nations have played pivotal roles in the Palestinian issue, yet direct involvement waned after the Oslo Accords in the 1990s shifted the focus to an independent Palestinian state. Trump’s statement reignites this regional approach, advocating for Gaza’s residents to be given opportunities in safer, more stable environments. “President Trump’s proposal to resettle Gazans in Egypt and Jordan is not just a bold vision—it’s the only viable solution to free Palestinians from the grip of extremism and offer them a path to prosperity,” suggested the Israel Files, which provides insights on U.S. foreign policy and Israel-related topics. Tal also insisted that we “ask ourselves if we want to solve the Palestinian problem once and for all or continue to fool ourselves by repeating the same mistakes and allow Hamas to control Gaza which will only lead to more cycles of violence.” President Donald Trump said on Saturday that he would like Jordan, Egypt and other Arab nations to absorb Palestinian refugees to “clean out” Gaza. “I’d like Egypt to take people,” Trump said during a 20-minute question-and-answer session with reporters aboard Air Force One. “You’re talking about probably a million and a half people, and we just clean out that whole thing and say, ‘You know, it’s over.’” “Something has to happen,” Trump said. “But it’s literally a demolition site right now. Almost everything’s demolished, and people are dying there.” He added: “So, I’d rather get involved with some of the Arab nations, and build housing in a different location, where they can maybe live in peace for a change.” “We must ask ourselves if we want to solve the Palestinian problem once and for all or continue to fool ourselves by repeating the same mistakes and allow Hamas to control Gaza which will only lead to more cycles of violence.” Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich welcomed the plan of removing Palestinians from Gaza. “After 76 years during which the majority of Gaza’s population has been forcibly kept in harsh conditions to preserve the aspiration of destroying the State of Israel, the idea of helping them find other places to start new, better lives is an excellent idea,” he said in a statement. “For years, politicians have proposed impractical solutions like dividing the land and establishing a Palestinian state, which endangered the existence and security of the world’s only Jewish state, leading only to bloodshed and suffering for many. Only out-of-the-box thinking and new solutions will bring about peace and security,” he added. “With God’s help, I will work with the prime minister and the cabinet to develop an operational plan to implement this as soon as possible.” Relocating Gazans would facilitate the reconstruction of Gaza. The UN estimates that over 90% of residential buildings have been damaged or destroyed. Providing humanitarian aid has been complicated by Hamas which hijacks the aid, reselling it at exorbitant prices to fund its war against Israel. Regional countries have rejected accepting Palestinian migrants for fear they will radicalize their populations and cause internal strife. Potential host countries are also concerned about being seen as complicit in creating another refugee crisis. Palestinians and anti-Israel groups have also expressed deep reservations about any relocation proposals, fearing they might be permanently prevented from returning to their homeland, paving the way for Jews to be allowed to live in the region as they did before Gaza was ethnically cleansed in 2005. Relocating Gazans would facilitate the reconstruction of Gaza. The UN estimates that over 90% of residential buildings have been damaged or destroyed. Providing humanitarian aid has been complicated by Hamas which hijacks the aid, reselling it at exorbitant prices to fund its war against Israel. Regional countries have rejected accepting Palestinian migrants for fear they will radicalize their populations and cause internal strife. Potential host countries are also concerned about being seen as complicit in creating another refugee crisis. Palestinians and anti-Israel groups have also expressed deep reservations about any relocation proposals, fearing they might be permanently prevented from returning to their homeland, paving the way for Jews to be allowed to live in the region as they did before Gaza was ethnically cleansed in 2005. https://israel365news.com/399764/israel-praises-trumps-excellent-plan-to-relocate-gazans/ Amir Tsarfati's MidEast Update: Hostage Deal, Gaza's Future, and the Growing Threat from Hezbollah: [50 minutes] U.S. President Donald Trump invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to visit the White House on Feb. 4, the prime minister’s office stated on Tuesday. Netanyahu is the first foreign leader that U.S. President Donald Trump has invited for such a visit since Trump began his second term, Netanyahu’s office stated. “The most pro-Israel president picking up right where he left off: making the U.S.-Israel relationship great again,” the Republican Jewish Coalition stated. An image of what appeared to be an invitation that Trump sent to Netanyahu circulated on social media. “I would like to formally invite you to the White House next week,” states the letter, which is dated Jan. 28 and signed by Trump. “I look forward to discussing how we can bring peace to Israel and its neighbors, and efforts to counter our shared adversaries,” it adds. “It will be my honor to host you as my first foreign leader during my second term.” With Antisemitism Rising, Those Belittling The Holocaust Are No Longer Considered ‘On The Fringe Of Society’: In January of 1945, The Death Camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau was liberated. What should have been a harsh lesson learned by humanity has slowly eroded and is running the risk of becoming what the late French politician Jean-Marie Le Pen called “a hick up of history.” The torture, bloodshed, and ashes of the Holocaust should remain a scar on the face of humanity, but not an open wound upon which more salt is thrown. I will never apologize for reminding people about the horrors of the Holocaust. Sure, it probably has something to do with the loss of my maternal grandfather, Maurice Weinzveig, at Auschwitz in 1942. May his memory be a blessing! But it goes way beyond my loss and should hit a nerve with people of goodwill around the world, Jews and Gentiles alike. The memory must live on! Every year on January 27– the date of Auschwitz-Birkenau’s liberation–the world commemorates International Holocaust Remembrance Day, and this year marks the 80th anniversary of that day. Is 80 years a long time or a short time? If you consider that the vast majority of Holocaust survivors have now passed away or are primarily in their late eighties and nineties, it is a long time, and it presents a real danger; very soon, there will be no more first-hand witnesses of the Holocaust, facilitating the work of deniers and historical revisionists even more. It used to be that those belittling the Holocaust were not taken seriously. They were on the fringe of society and could easily be ignored. Things have changed as antisemitism is increasingly becoming more normalized. The Holocaust is becoming trivialized by people who, at one point in time, were trustworthy researchers and influencers. Their voices are still heard and influencing people, not in a good way. The influencers are also working with people who are poorly educated on the Holocaust, if educated at all. Did you know that if we were to recite the names of all the victims of the Holocaust, it would take us 10.5 years non-stop? NEVER AGAIN! Amir Tsarfati's weekly email snippets: The MidEast and the World It used to be that Israel was known for not negotiating with terrorists, but that began to change a number of decades ago. In 1968, an El Al plane in Algeria with 48 passengers on board was released in return for 24 terrorists who had no blood on their hands. Forty-one years later, the same price – 24 terrorists – was doled out simply to get video footage of a single kidnapped Israeli soldier. Talk about a horrific inflation! Giving in once means you’ll be forced to give in again and again at ever-increasing prices. The depths to which we sank was evidenced when Israel was forced in 2011 to turn over 1,027 Palestinian prisoners for the return of a single IDF soldier, Gil Shalit. Don’t get me wrong, I wept when I saw the helicopter flying overhead returning Shalit to our land. I am so grateful to have him and all hostages home. But our short-term gain has caused us long-term pain. In fact, Yahya Sinwar, the late, bloodthirsty leader of Hamas in Gaza, was among whose exchanged for Shalit’s life. For all the strength of our army, the terrorists know our weak spot. They take our people, and we’ll eventually cave. The most frustrating part about this is that I can see no way out of the mess we’ve gotten ourselves into. At least not with the way our government is now structured. We have a Supreme Court that puts hostages over safety. Worse, they put terrorists over Israel’s safety. Israel’s Supreme Court is filled with liberal left radicals who are self-perpetuating because they have the power to appoint one another. As long as we keep this insane judicial system the way it is, Israel will always be in danger. October 7 will just be the appetizer to what is likely ahead. We’re Living in Trump’s World These days have been good in many ways for Israel. The military equipment held back by the previous administration has been released to the IDF. Trump has also been the first world leader to admit that Gazans can’t live in Gaza anymore. Their cities are demolition sites thanks to the terrorists who hid in and under every building they could find. Gaza is 70 percent destroyed. Rafah is 80 percent gone. The president reached out to Jordan, Egypt, and Albania to take in as many Gazan refugees as possible, but these countries were quick to say, “Not a chance!” This is in spite of the fact that there are already more Palestinians in Jordan than there are Jordanians. And why would these nations want to take a chance on the most murderous people on the face of the earth? They know who the vast majority of the Palestinians are. Nearly every Palestinian is reared to hate the Jews. Liri Albag, a hostage who was just freed on Saturday, said, “I sat with children aged four and eight who were saying, ‘Spit on the Jew.’ There are two million terrorists in Gaza, don’t be mistaken. They’re all terrorists there.” Anyone can chant their slogans or make speeches about innocent civilians. But they’re basing their beliefs on a fiction of their own creation. They’ve never been there. They’ve never seen the children’s books about murdering Jews or witnessed Hamas soldiers training young boys in how to hold guns. They’ve never heard parents teaching their own children about how martyring themselves while killing Jews should be the ultimate goal of their lives. Israel’s neighboring nations know this about the Palestinians, which is why they were so quick to say no to the refugees. It’s likely their locked doors will be much more difficult for Trump to open that were those of Colombia. Ceasefire in Gaza I know I’ve talked about hostages in the previous two sections, but they are the subject of the day. Three more captives were released today. They are Arbel Yehud (29), Agam Berger (19), and Gadi Moses (80), along with five Thai citizens. It was previously reported that Gadi Moses was among the deceased hostages, but it appears that information was false. It is this kind of confused information that keeps me from releasing any names of murdered captives. In exchange for the return of these innocents, Israel was set to release 110 Palestinian prisoners, including 32 who were serving life sentences. However, Prime Minister Netanyahu ordered the buses carrying the Palestinians to turn around and go back to the prison. The reason? When our hostages were returned to us, they were forced to go through crowds in which they were almost lynched. Thousands of screaming people surrounded them, pushing and shoving. Said the Prime Minister, “I take the horrifying scenes from our hostages’ release with the utmost severity – another testament to Hamas’s barbaric cruelty. I demand mediators ensure this never happens again and guarantee our hostages’ safety. Anyone who dares harm them will pay with their own blood.” Finally, after a three-hour delay during which agreements had been reached, the Palestinians were released. Three more hostages will be released on Saturday, then more as the weeks progress. However, after phase one of the ceasefire, Hamas will still be holding 64 of our people – although less than 30 of those are believed to still be alive. Phase two of the deal essentially says, “Hey Israel, you can get the rest of your kidnapped hostages back if you’ll just leave.” I honestly can’t say what will happen when that time comes. I know how much we want our people back. However, we can’t just retreat and let all go back to how it was before. Hamas must not be left in power. Right now, we are witnessing the first time in history that military costs are being paid for hostages. Israel is giving up ground in return for its battered and bruised citizens. This truly is a messed-up world. Ceasefire in Lebanon Syria Liberation Day ...The IDF is determined to remain on the summit of Mount Hermon and down in the security zone for an unlimited amount of time, ensuring safety from that part of the border. The Ministry [Just over an hour] Calls to recognize Jordan as a Palestinian state have intensified recently, spurred by President Donald Trump’s suggestion that Amman accommodate displaced Gazans — a proposal that has been met with growing support from many who see it as the “only real way to achieve peace.” “Jordan IS Palestine,” wrote former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman. “It was formed from 72% of the land constituting Mandatory Palestine and most of its people are Palestinians.” “The problem is that Jordan is ‘Palestine’ — it has a majority Palestinian population and consists of land meant for that purpose during the mandate,” noted conservative writer David Harsanyi. “Why are Westerns the only people who can take refugees from the Islamic world? Let people return to their historic homelands.” “We already have a two state solution,” wrote researcher Dr. Eli David, noting that Israel is a Jewish-majority state while Jordan is a Palestinian-majority state. “Like Israel welcomes all Jews, Jordan should welcome all Palestinians,” he added. In 1922, the British divided the mandate into two administrative areas: west of the Jordan River, which became the Jewish national home (later, Israel); and east of the Jordan River, which eventually became the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Those on the east bank, just as the Jews and Arabs on the west bank, were considered Palestinians, subject to British control and carriers of Palestinian passports. In 1946, Britain established the Kingdom of Transjordan, with Abdullah as king, effectively turning a significant part of the Palestine Mandate into an Arab nation and leaving a much smaller portion, including the West Bank and Gaza, for Jewish statehood. The move marked a significant shift from the original mandate’s intent to create a Jewish homeland in Palestine. However, Jordanian monarch King Abdullah II, who has until now rejected proposals to resolve the longstanding Israeli-Palestinian conflict by transforming Jordan into a Palestinian homeland, reiterated on Monday that his government categorically rules out any possibility of offering shelter to displaced Gaza refugees.
Dramatic Images: Parents Hug Daughters Freed from Hamas in Step 2 of Israel Ceasefire Deal:
Israelis rejoice at emotional release of second group of hostages:
Trump’s ‘Bold’ Plan to Relocate Gazans to Jordan, Egypt Gains Support: ‘Only Real Way to Achieve Peace’:
Israel Praises Trump’s “Excellent Plan” to Relocate Gazans:
Netanyahu is first foreign leader invited by Trump to White House, Israel says:
• 52% of millennials cannot name one Ghetto or Camp.
• 22% of millennials have not heard of the Holocaust or can’t explain what it is.
• 65% of people surveyed couldn’t tell that 6 million Jews died in the Holocaust.
How did we get to this point where we are releasing such a great number of criminals for just a handful of hostages? Two words – bad policy! Every government and law enforcement agency in the world knows that you do not bargain for hostages. If you do and the bad guys actually hold up to their end of the deal, then you get a momentary dose of joy. But while you’re celebrating, the terrorists are plotting the next time when they’ll up the ante for a release.
It has been an amazing first week for the newly re-inaugurated U.S. president. Hundreds of bills have been signed, a cabinet unlike any that has come before is passing through the senate, and international leaders are testing the diplomatic waters only to discover that when this president talks you had better listen.
As the IDF dilutes its forces in Gaza, Hamas is coming back out of their holes. The white pickups are back all over Gaza, and uniformed men are once again being celebrated by young and old on the streets. It will be interesting to see whether that enthusiasm for Hamas will continue once the refugees returning to the north see what is left of their cities. Of course, fingers of blame will be pointed at Israel. But there will be many who put two and two together to recognize that it was the actions of their own local terrorist army that led to their homes being flattened like a piece of naan.
Sunday was the deadline for all IDF troops to be out of Lebanon, according to the western brokered ceasefire deal. However, Israel says that Lebanon is not holding up its end of the bargain, and the Lebanese are saying that the Israelis are dragging their feet on the withdrawal. When the deadline came, a mass march pushed toward the Israeli army after being warned away. The IDF opened fire and 22 people were killed. Now, the ceasefire deadline has been extended to February 18. Peace in the region will only come when the Lebanese in the south choose safety and normalcy over Hezbollah.
If you have your calendars handy, mark down December 8 as a special day. That is the holiday that newly installed (as of yesterday) president of Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has created to celebrate the fall of the Assad regime. Feel free to commemorate accordingly.
...Monday was International Holocaust Remembrance Day. While the holocaust has always been very real to all Israelis, most from my generation and younger didn’t have a clear understanding of what it was like to be so vilely attacked. Since October 7, we now do. So, this special day of remembering is even more somber and more relatable than ever. October 7 was also a wake-up call to many in the world, and more specifically in the church, to the rampant antisemitism that exists throughout the globe. Let’s join together and pray as we once did regarding the Holocaust and now do concerning October 7, “Lord, bless your nation, Israel, and, please, never again.”CONNECT Q&A with Amir and friends:
Calls to Recognize Jordan as De Facto Palestinian State Increase Following Trump’s Proposal for Gazan Relocation:
