Wednesday
Yom Reva’ee
15 Tevet 5785
January 15 2025
BREAKING NEWS 8:00 PM ISRAEL TIME
As of this hour, there are multiple reports that a ceasefire/hostage agreement has been reached. We are waiting for the official announcement from Qatar–but incoming President Trump has already announced it. In any case, it has yet to be signed.
The ceasefire is for 42 days.
The basic agreement is for Israel to release some 1750 Palestinian prisoners (this includes approximately 1000 Gazan “detainees). Israel will release 30 of these 1750 for each civilian released, and 50 terrorists for each released female soldier.
More on this tomorrow.
UPDATE 9:00 AM ISRAEL TIME
Lest We Forget
On the Ground in Gaza
The ceasefire/hostage negotiations continue with Hamas now demanding more time to respond to the current proposal. The terror organization claims that some clauses are too ambiguous, and that Israel has not supplied maps showing where the IDF will withdraw to. This morning, the Prime Minister’s Office flatly denied that maps have not been provided.
Sadly, the IDF has apparently already been handed maps and has begun to withdraw troops and dismantle positions in the Netzarim Corridor.
The Israeli Ministry of Justice has already provided Hamas with the list of Palestinian terrorists who will be released. What a disaster . . . it is worthwhile remembering one of the terrorists who was previously released in the Gilad Shalit agreement:
How long until one of those being released this time become the next Yahya Sinwar?
Perhaps he will be one of these terrorists celebrating “victory” in the streets of Gaza last night:
On the Ground in Judea and Samaria
An IAF aircraft eliminated the Palestinian terror cell that murdered the Israelis in Al-Funduk last week. 6 terrorists were killed (two of the dead in the blurry photo below):
*Elsewhere, Palestinian terrorists blew up an IDF military vehicle in Kabatiya (near Jenin) with a roadside IED. Two soldiers were critically wounded, 1 more moderately.
*In the midst of surging Palestinian terrorism in Judea and Samaria, we had another Biden slap in the face just before he thankfully leaves office; yesterday the White House issued this fraudulent declaration targeting Jewish community members in Judea and Samaria:
“The situation in the West Bank, especially with regard to the high level of violence by extremist settlers, the forced displacement of residents from their villages, and the destruction of property, has reached intolerable levels that constitute a serious threat to peace and stability in the West Bank, Gaza, Israel, and the entire Middle East.”
This declaration allows the White House to extend sanctions against “settlers” by one more year.
Hopefully, incoming President Trump will immediately rescind this executive order.
Speaking of President Biden
Biden may be a lame-duck, but it is worthwhile remembering where we stand in the last few days of his administration:
Biden still refuses to send bunker-busting bombs to Israel.
Biden still refuses to withhold 132 D9 bulldozers from Israel (that Israel has purchased).
Biden has just placed restrictions of what kinds of computer chips can be sold to Israel.
Biden still demands more humanitarian aid be given to Hamas terrorists in Gaza.
Biden is still threatening to NOT veto an upcoming UN Security Council Resolution against Israel.
Blinken Lays Out The Biden Plan For Gaza’s Future
Biden’s increasingly egregious Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, laid out the Bidenite plan for the future of Gaza in a speech yesterday.
Two of the main points:
*In the short term, a pan-Arab security (aka armed) force consisting of perhaps led by the UAE would pave the way to a unification of Gaza and the PA (aka the PLO) in “the West Bank”.
*At the same time, U.S. would lead a new initiative to train, equip (aka “arm”) and vet a Palestinian-led security force for Gaza to focus on law and order that would take over from the interim mission.
In short, Gaza according to Biden will quickly become a heavily-armed center of Palestinian terrorism—which it already is.
And so it goes in Israel this morning . . . so far . . .
A student from Malawi, who had worked with an Israeli health volunteer in his country battling AIDS, came up to us as we walked down the street in the UC-Davis Picnic Day Parade and wanted to carry the Israeli flag.