Hamas expected to free three hostages, Israeli forces foil planned terror attacks

Israeli officials expect Hamas to deliver on Friday a list of three hostages to be released on Saturday, an Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post on Thursday. Qatari Prime Minister Al-Thani is expected to send the list to Mossad chief David Barnea.

The release that is expected during the weekend follows Hamas' threat earlier this week to withhold the hostages unless Israel fulfills its humanitarian obligations. Hamas claims that Israel has not allowed all the agreed-upon humanitarian aid to enter the Gaza Strip as stipulated in the agreement.

On Thursday, Hamas stated that Israel had agreed to allow pre-fabricated housing and heavy equipment for rubble removal into Gaza. However, Prime Minister’s spokesperson Omer Dostri dismissed these reports as "fake news" in a post on X.
 
Later, an Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post that, "as of now," nothing will enter through the Rafah border crossing, but "things might change in the coming days." The sources added that any equipment and housing units if allowed entry, would come through an Israeli border crossing, where they would be inspected and cleared by security personnel before reaching Gaza.

After 477 days of uncertainty, endless prayers, and relentless struggle, Shira Albag wakes up from a dream—only this time, it is not a nightmare. She is finally waking up next to her daughter, Liri.

"You know, waking up with your daughter after so long, feeling her presence—it’s overwhelming," she says. "I keep telling myself, I’m in a dream."

Liri Albag, the IDF lookout soldier kidnapped from the Nahal Oz outpost on October 7, has not returned to the life she once knew. She is no longer the same girl who enlisted a year and a half ago. Despite the smiles and reunions with friends, something in her has changed.

"Yes and no," Shira says when asked if her daughter is starting to return to herself. "The moment I saw Liri and she shouted at us, ‘Liri Number 1’—our private joke at home—I thought, that's my daughter. I was afraid of what I would get back, but it’s her. It’s my Liri."

Israeli military presence in five points across southern Lebanon is directly dependant on the actions of the Lebanese government, an official in the Trump administration told The Jerusalem Post on Thursday.

"Israeli presence in the five points directly bears on whether the government of Lebanon ultimately does what it has promised to do, and unlike the Biden administration, we will not be grading on a curve."

The official further said that the US thinks Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has a "once-in-a-generation" opportunity to lead Lebanon away from Hezbollah and Iran's stranglehold.

"We believe that President Aoun has the mandate to do that."

Israeli security forces arrested an illegal resident in Hadera who was suspected of planning to carry out a terror attack, Walla reported on Thursday.

He was taken into Shin Bet custody for further questioning.

An indictment was filed at the Lod District Court against two Israelis from the Triangle area after they planned to carry out a terror attack against IDF soldiers, Israeli media reported on Thursday.

According to the indictment, one of the Israelis arrested, Ratib Omar, 18, began associating himself with the terror group Hamas after the war began by watching inciting content online and delving into extremist propaganda.

He bought a green headband, a military uniform, Islamic inscriptions, and more to use in videos where he expressed his support for Hamas.

This is a developing story.

France has put together a proposal for United Nations peacekeepers, including French troops, to replace Israeli forces at key points to ensure those forces leave Lebanon by a February 18 deadline, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Thursday.

Under a truce deal brokered by Washington in November, Israeli troops were granted 60 days to withdraw from southern Lebanon, where they had waged a ground offensive against terrorists from Lebanon's Hezbollah since early October.

Hezbollah terrorists were to leave the zone, and Lebanese troops were to deploy in the area within the same period.

For nearly 500 days — a year and four months since October 7 — the family of Alon Ohel, an Israeli hostage held in Gaza, had not received any indication of his well-being. However, the recent release of Eli Sharabi, Or Levy, and Ohad Ben Ami from Hamas captivity brought the family their first sign of life.

"It was an unimaginable relief," says Ronen Ohel, Alon's younger brother, in an interview with Walla News. But along with this relief came the shocking and devastating reality of Alon's condition, as described by the released hostages.

"They told us he has been held in a tunnel since November 2023, with his legs shackled in chains. He is suffering from severe malnutrition, surviving on barely a single piece of pita bread per day. They have no access to the outside world and no sunlight. And Alon is wounded—he has shrapnel in his body and an injury that has left him nearly blind in one eye.

"This makes one thing very clear," Ronen continues, "something we always knew but perhaps others did not—he is a humanitarian case, without question. We don't know how much time he or the other hostages have left. His time is running out."

IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi will meet with the five female field observers released from Gaza captivity on Friday, KAN News reported on Thursday evening.

Israeli officials have made it clear in recent months that the IDF has the capabilities to attack Iranian nuclear sites, but for now, is waiting on US President Donald Trump’s diplomatic opening with Tehran, say top sources.

No Israeli official will give an exact timeline to how long they will give Trump to reach a new and more acceptable nuclear deal with the Islamic Republic.

However, a statement by Defense Minister Israel Katz on January 26, reports on Thursday from the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post, and a report in late January from Al Arabiya have all indicated that potential action could come in the upcoming months.

Katz hinted at potential action versus Iran in the "upcoming months" in his initial congratulatory letter to incoming US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.

"Iran and its partners continue to threaten...regional and global stability. The upcoming months present us with challenges that require military readiness and opportunities that allow us to further our strategic goals. I am confident that together we can succeed, creating long-term stability and a better future for the region," said Katz in the letter to Hegseth.

Up until Monday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in addition to his concern for the national interest and the well-being of the Hamas-held hostages, had to consider two other main factors when deciding whether to proceed to the second phase of the ceasefire/hostage deal: public opinion and coalition stability.

Regarding the public, various polls over the last week indicated that, with all the pain involved, it overwhelmingly supports going through to stage two of the deal – which is negotiating the release of the remaining hostages in exchange for an end to the war, a withdrawal of IDF forces from Gaza, and the release of hundreds of more Palestinian terrorists.

On Friday evening, before the national gut punch of seeing an emaciated Or Levy, Ohad Ben Ami, and Eli Sharabi released, 70% of the public backed moving forward. Twenty-one percent opposed. Notably, support extended even to coalition voters, with a 54%-36% split in favor.

A Channel 13 poll two days after last Saturday’s release found similar results: 67% backed proceeding to the second stage, while 19% preferred resuming the fighting in Gaza after the first stage.

So as far as public sentiment goes, Netanyahu has little doubt – a majority wants the deal to continue.