Israel News for 1-13-2025
News Update
Qatar has reportedly handed Israel and Hamas a “final” draft of a cease-fire and hostage release agreement after a breakthrough was reportedly reached in talks in Doha late last night. Officials in Israel denied receiving the draft and said the final agreement is dependent on Hamas. Some of the issues that still could derail an agreement include the status of the Philadelphi quarter and northern Gaza, the number of Palestinian prisoners to be released and veto power over that process, and the number of live hostages to be released in the initial 33 set to be freed in phase one.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said he could not support the deal because he believes that it is catastrophic for Israel’s security. He tweeted, “We will not be part of a capitulation deal that would include the release of arch-terrorists, stop the war and dissolve its achievement won in blood while sacrificing the lives of many hostages,” he said in his post. “This is the time to continue in full force, conquer and purify the entire Strip and finally take control of the humanitarian aid from Hamas and open the gates of hell until Hamas is defeated and all the hostages returned.”
Qadura Fares, head of the Palestinian Prisoners Affairs Committee, who is responsible, among other things, for the issue of terrorists held in Israeli prisons, reportedly went to Qatar to meet with the negotiating team and prepare the list of Palestinian prisoners who will be released as part of a hostage deal. Fares claimed yesterday that more than 3,000 Palestinian prisoners will be released in the first phase of the deal.
President Biden spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu yesterday by phone. They discussed efforts underway to reach a deal to halt the fighting in Gaza and free the remaining hostages. The White House said that Biden “stressed the immediate need for a cease-fire in Gaza and return of the hostages with a surge in humanitarian aid enabled by a stoppage in the fighting under the deal.” They also discussed “the fundamentally changed regional circumstances following the cease-fire deal in Lebanon, the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, and the weakening of Iran’s power in the region.” Netanyahu also thanked Biden for his lifelong support of Israel and “the extraordinary support from the United States for Israel’s security and national defense.”
The IDF announced that 4 soldiers were killed in battle in Gaza’s Beit Hanoun by an explosive device detonated near their vehicle:
– Sergeant Major (res.) Alexander Fedorenko, 37, from Bat Yam, a truck driver in the 79th Battalion, 14th ‘Machatz’ Brigade.
– Staff Sergeant Danila Diakov, 21, from Ma’ale Adumim, a soldier in the 931st Battalion, Nahal Brigade.
– Sergeant Yahav Maayan, 19, from Modi’in, a soldier in the 931st Battalion, Nahal Brigade.
– Sergeant Eliav Astuker, aged 19, from Ashdod, a soldier in the 931st Battalion, Nahal Brigade.
Five more soldiers were wounded in the incident.
The IDF struck multiple locations across southern and eastern Lebanon, including areas far away from the border, last night. Targets included a rocket launch site, a military installation and transit routes along the Syria-Lebanon border used for smuggling weapons to Hezbollah.
Arkia Israeli Airlines is launching Tel Aviv – New York flights in cooperation with Tech-Air, the initiative of the DemocraTech high-tech protest movement. The new route will be launched from February until May with three weekly flights to the US on Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays. The flights will use new Airbus NEO 330-900 aircraft, which will be operated by the Spanish-Portuguese company Iberojet. Round trip fares begin at $1,199 including 20 kilograms of baggage.
