Marco Rubio: Taliban holding more U.S. hostages than has been reported
JERUSALEM – Middle East/Israel Morning Brief
Marco Rubio: Taliban holding more than U.S. hostages than has been reported
Just hearing the Taliban is holding more American hostages than has been reported. If this is true, we will have to immediately place a VERY BIG bounty on their top leaders, maybe even bigger than the one we had on Bin Laden.
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@secrubio) January 25, 2025
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio threatened the heads of the Taliban with a “very big bounty” after hearing that more American hostages are being held by the group, the New York Post reported.
“Just hearing the Taliban is holding more American hostages than has been reported,” the secretary wrote on X.
“If this is true, we will have to immediately place a VERY BIG bounty on their top leaders, maybe even bigger than the one we had on Bin Laden,” he threatened.
Last week, two Americans held by the Taliban were freed in a prisoner swap.
Report: Hamas cold-bloodedly executes several Gazans accused of ‘collaborating with Israel’
Hamas affiliated social media feeds show video of their gunman executing Gazans they claim “collaborated” with Israel. They’re gunning them down in the streets but there is no apparent outrage from the UN. pic.twitter.com/EbbnNcU3LG
— Eben Brown (FOX) (@FoxEbenBrown) January 24, 2025
Hamas terrorists recently executed several individuals accused of being “collaborators” with Israel in the Gaza Strip, as shown in a video on a Telegram account, reported Israel National News.
According to a report in Times of Israel, the video, posted to Gaza Now’s Telegram account, depicts more than a dozen armed Hamas terrorists, many wearing uniforms, firing on three men who are lying on the ground.
The accompanying caption reads: “The moment of punishing the agents of the Zionist occupation who caused the killing of thousands of our Palestinian people in Gaza.”
The authenticity of the video has not yet been independently verified.
Hamas, which took over the Gaza Strip in a bloody coup in 2007, regularly claims to have captured “Israeli spies,” and many times it tries them and sentences them to death.
In September 2022, Hamas authorities executed two Palestinian Arabs who were convicted of assisting Israel by giving it information which resulted in the deaths of two people.
Trump urges Egypt, Jordan to accept more Palestinian refugees from Gaza
*TRUMP SAYS HE IS PRESSING JORDAN AND EGYPT TO TAKE IN PALESTINIANS FROM GAZA, FLOATS PLAN TO “JUST CLEAN OUT” TERRITORY — AP pic.twitter.com/KAOoj6mKoi
— Investing.com (@Investingcom) January 26, 2025
U.S. President Donald Trump said Saturday he’d like to see Jordan, Egypt and other Arab nations increase the number of Palestinian refugees they are accepting from the Gaza Strip – potentially moving out enough of the population to “just clean out” the war-torn area and create a virtual clean slate.
The proposal has to date been a red line for Arab states, particularly Jordan and Egypt, which have viewed the mass migration of Palestinians to their countries as a potential existential threat, the Times of Israel reported. They have pointed to Israel’s refusal to publicly commit to allowing any Palestinians who leave the Strip to later return, and don’t want to be seen as complicit in an exile of Palestinians.
The fear of being unable to return has also deterred many Palestinians from leaving. Some did try during the war that started Oct. 7, 2023, and more than 100,000 succeeded in entering Egypt, though they were forced to pay exorbitant fees to do so and have largely not received any assistance upon arrival, as Cairo refuses to recognize them as refugees.
4 female Israeli hostages who warned about Oct. 7 Hamas attack in real-time released
The hostages released today by Hamas terrorists are back in the arms of their parents. pic.twitter.com/flY3nkbUno
— WeAre StrongTogether (@OYesWeAreStrong) January 25, 2025
Four female IDF soldiers held hostage by Hamas for 477 days—Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag – were released on Saturday under the second phase of a fragile ceasefire-hostage exchange agreement. The soldiers, abducted from the Nahal Oz base during Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, assault that claimed over 1,400 lives, were handed over to the Red Cross after being paraded in Gaza City in a heavily orchestrated display by Hamas, according to The Media Line.
Unlike the chaotic scenes during the previous release of hostages last week, Saturday’s handover was tightly stage-managed. Dozens of armed Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad operatives formed a cordon around a stage in a central Gaza square, while drones distributed candy to the gathered crowd. The four soldiers arrived in separate vehicles, dressed in olive-green uniforms resembling IDF garb and holding “gift bags” from Hamas.
After being handed over to the Red Cross, the four soldiers were transferred to IDF special forces and escorted across the border to Israel, where they reunited with their families at the Re’im IDF facility. There, they underwent brief medical checks. The IDF announced earlier it had completed its preparations for the hostages’ return, with the Manpower Directorate and Medical Corps coordinating initial reception points.
Netanyahu set for White House meeting with Trump, discuss Saudi deal
According to Israel’s Channel 12 News, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to meet U.S. President Donald J. Trump in late February to talk Gaza, Lebanon, and tensions in the wider Middle East. pic.twitter.com/5337YoA9Nv
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) January 25, 2025
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet U.S. President Donald Trump early in February although a date has not yet been set. Israeli officials say the meeting is important and the two nations would attempt to agree on a number of burning issues including the threat from Iran.
Trump does not want to see an Israeli military strike but is willing to impose severe sanctions on Tehran while in Jerusalem, the officials said the sanctions must come with a credible threat of military action, Ynet reported.
Netanyahu’s visit will coincide with the start of negotiations for the second phase of the cease-fire deal in Gaza. Trump has said he agrees Hamas must not remain as the rulers in the Strip but had also said he wants to see the agreement fulfilled in full rather than a resumption of the war if the talks fail.
Hamas in ceasefire breach over failure to supply list of hostages for release
Hamas breaches deal
Hamas violated the ceasefire agreement by releasing four female IDF soldiers while keeping civilian Arbel Yehud captive. Movement of Gazans between southern and northern Gaza is prohibited until Yehud is freed.
Get the FULL STORY by @ZakenDanny91125 ⇢… pic.twitter.com/lSMR3nHAj6
— Jewish News Syndicate (@JNS_org) January 26, 2025
Hamas on Saturday failed to provide Israel with a list detailing the status of the remaining 26 hostages slated to be released during the first phase of the ceasefire, in a second breach of the agreement within 24 hours, local media reported on Sunday.
According to the terms of the deal, Hamas was to inform Jerusalem by Saturday which of the remaining hostages, all of whom fall into the humanitarian category – female, children, elderly and sick – are alive.
The terrorist group also breached the agreement by releasing four female Israel Defense Forces soldiers on Saturday while keeping Israeli civilian Arbel Yehud in captivity. Under the terms of the deal, Hamas was obligated to release civilian women and children hostages before freeing the female troops.
Despite the breach, Israel has maintained the agreed ratio of Palestinian terrorists to be released from its jails. The initial terms stipulated that more terrorists would be freed in exchange for soldiers than for civilians.
Trump: ‘It would be nice’ to solve Iranian nuclear conundrum without Israeli attacks
JUST IN
Trump: “It would be nice if issues with Iran can be worked out without Israel striking military facilities.” pic.twitter.com/PIyA1VpHk6
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) January 23, 2025
Trump was asked by reporters in the Oval Office if he would support Israeli strikes, and responded, “We’ll have to see. I’m gonna be meeting with various people over the next couple of days. Hopefully, that can be worked out without having to worry about it.”
“It would really be nice if that could be worked out without having to go that further step,” Trump said. “Hopefully that can be worked out. Iran hopefully will make a deal, and if they don’t make a deal, I guess that’s OK too.” Implying that an Israeli strike is still an option on the table.
Opinion divided on whether Trump’s set to give Witkoff Iran file
Trump to put Witkoff in charge of Iran file, officials say https://t.co/fDz1gPk6pa
— Financial Times (@FT) January 23, 2025
President Donald Trump refuted reports that Steve Witkoff, his Middle East envoy, will take over the Iran file, while also lauding Witkoff for his work helping negotiate the cease-fire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas, according to the Jewish Insider.
“No,” Trump said on Thursday after signing a series of executive orders, when asked by a reporter whether he would put Witkoff in charge of Iran strategy and speaking directly with the Iranians. “But he’s certainly somebody I would use. He’s done a fantastic job. He’s a great negotiator.”
Trump declined to answer a question about whether he would support an Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Instead, he said he hopes for a diplomatic solution with Iran.
“It would really be nice if that could be worked out without having to go to that further step,” Trump said, regarding the possibility of strikes. “Iran hopefully will make a deal. I mean, if they don’t make a deal, I guess that’s okay, too.”
At least 11 killed as southern Lebanon residents ignore warnings to push on IDF positions after withdrawal deadline expires
WATCH
Lebanese army marching alongside Hezbollah supporters pic.twitter.com/xkfGbUasXg
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) January 26, 2025
At least eleven people were killed and around 83 wounded in southern Lebanon by the IDF on Sunday, the Lebanese Health Ministry said, as troops opened fire on crowds of Lebanese rushing back to their towns after the original deadline for the Israeli withdrawal expired overnight.
Despite the 60-day deadline ending Sunday morning, Israel declared Friday: “Since the ceasefire agreement has yet to be fully enforced by the Lebanese state, the gradual withdrawal process will continue, in full coordination with the U.S,” according to All Israel News.
The statement also noted that the agreement included “the understanding that the withdrawal process could possibly continue beyond the 60 days.”
In the past days, the IDF reiterated its standing instructions to Lebanese civilians not to return south and enter the zones that are still being occupied by Israeli troops.
Two Palestinian prisoners slated for release in hostage deal refused to go back to Gaza
A Palestinian terrorist slated for release refused to go to Gaza, preferring to stay in an Israeli prison, Ynet reports. Another prisoner had to be released instead, the report says. Gaza is such a terrible place that even the Palestinians don’t want to go there….
— Israel Radar (@IsraelRadar_com) January 25, 2025
A Palestinian prisoner set to be released on Saturday’s hostage-prisoner exchange refused to board the bus to Gaza, according to the Jerusalem Post.
Originally, two prisoners – who were being held at Israel’s Ktzi’ot Prison – refused to be released as part of the deal with Hamas. However, one was ultimately persuaded and returned to Gaza, KAN added.
The other, however, remained and was replaced with another prisoner.
U.S. reportedly shares intel with new Syrian leadership to counter ISIS threats
U.S. shared secret intelligence with Syria’s new leaders
https://t.co/H4gaRxiwPN— FJ (@Natsecjeff) January 25, 2025
The United States has begun sharing classified intelligence with Syria’s new leadership, led by Hayʼat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an Islamist group formerly designated as a terrorist organization, according to the Algemeiner and originally reported in the Washington Post.
This unexpected collaboration comes in the wake of HTS overthrowing the Assad regime last month and reflects heightened U.S. concerns about a potential resurgence of the Islamic State.
According to sources, U.S. intelligence recently helped thwart a planned ISIS attack on a prominent Shiite shrine near Damascus.
Despite this cooperation, U.S. officials stress the intelligence-sharing arrangement does not signify full support for HTS, which has a controversial history of extremism.
HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, previously known by his militant alias Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, has made efforts to project a more moderate image, pledging to protect Syria’s religious minorities and stabilize the country.
However, skepticism remains about HTS’s ability to govern effectively and sustain efforts against ISIS.
Iran mulls inviting Elon Musk to Tehran as regime advocates for Trump negotiations
The Iranian daily Etemad, close to President Masoud Pezeshkian’s government, has urged officials to invite Elon Musk to Tehran, calling the outreach to the billionaire and Trump advisor a “golden opportunity” for the country.https://t.co/ag5JTRdbhy pic.twitter.com/NvYdmu8yWl
— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) January 25, 2025
The Iranian daily Etemad, which is close to President Masoud Pezeshkian’s government, has urged officials to invite Elon Musk to Tehran, calling the outreach to the billionaire Trump advisor a golden opportunity for the country, reported Iran International.
The proposal comes as Iranian officials and many commentators in Tehran advocate for negotiations with U.S. President Donald Trump to address differences with Washington and ease sanctions amid a deep economic malaise.
In an editorial titled “Iran: The Gateway for Elon Musk to the Middle East,” Etemad highlighted Musk’s global influence, describing him as “a world-renowned figure and an extraordinary, golden opportunity.” The editorial urged officials to act swiftly, stating, “Let us seize this chance ahead of competitors and invite him to Tehran, to Azadi Stadium.” It further remarked, “Just as he envisions carpeting Mars for humanity, we should not hesitate to roll out the carpet for him in Tehran.”
This proposal coincides with speculation about Musk’s indirect involvement in the release of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala, who was arrested in Iran last month and released in January.
Last week, the New York Times reported Musk reached out to Iran’s ambassador to the U.N., Amir Saeid Iravani, to facilitate Sala’s freedom – a claim Musk denied on X, writing, “I haven’t had any interaction with Iran. Just recommended support from the U.S. side.” Iranian officials have dismissed the reports as “media storytelling and fabrication.”
Iranian ships in China loaded with missile fuel ingredients prepare to set sail for Islamic Republic
Scoop: Two Iranian cargo vessels carrying a crucial chemical ingredient for missile propellant will sail from China to Iran over the next few weeks, according to intelligence from security officials in two western countries. https://t.co/JcAkgxp8CI pic.twitter.com/vMadSRod7E
— Financial Times (@FT) January 22, 2025
China continues to demonstrate its support for Iran as reports this week indicated that two Iranian ships docked in China had been loaded with a key chemical ingredient to produce solid fuel propellant for ballistic missiles, according to the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.
The ships, the Jairan and the Golbon, are expected to set sail for Iran in the coming weeks. The Financial Times and The Wall Street Journal reported the vessels are carrying 1,000 tons of sodium perchlorate – a chemical controlled by the Missile Technology Control Regime anti-proliferation body. This amount can produce 960 tons of ammonium perchlorate – which makes up 70 percent of the propellant from solid-fuel missiles – enough to produce approximately 260 ballistic missiles.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has focused its missile development on solid-fuel missiles, claiming that these are for its space program. In response to Iran’s second missile attack on Israel on Oct. 1, the Jewish state destroyed key facilities for producing solid-fuel missiles at Iran’s Parchin military site and the IRGC’s Shahroud ballistic missile and space center on Oct. 26, with U.S. officials saying the attack could delay Iran’s solid-fuel missile production by a year or more.
China is the largest importer of sanctioned Iranian oil and has provided critical assistance for Iran’s military, nuclear, and missile programs since the 1990s. In 2021, Iran and China signed a 25-year strategic agreement which promoted military, security, and economic cooperation. The U.S. Treasury Department continues to expose and sanction procurement networks and suppliers with ties to China that support Iran’s ballistic missile program.
Israel: UNRWA must leave Jerusalem HQ by Jan. 30
BREAKING: Israel officially announced that UNRWA must permanently cease its organization activities in Israel and must completely evacuate its headquarters in Jerusalem by January 30.
This is huge. Good riddance. pic.twitter.com/eQMcUvoLRv
— Vivid. (@VividProwess) January 24, 2025
Israel notified the United Nations on Saturday that it must evacuate all U.N. Relief and Works Agency, or UNRWA, premises in Jerusalem no later than Jan. 30, as Knesset legislation banning the agency’s operations within the Jewish state will take effect on Thursday.
“Israel expects that UNRWA take all the necessary steps to cease its operations in Jerusalem and evacuate all premises in which it operates in the city within the stated time frame,” wrote Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon in a letter addressed to U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, and reported in the Jewish News Syndicate.
Outlawing UNRWA in Israel “came as a direct response to the acute national security risks posed by the widespread infiltration of UNRWA’s ranks by Hamas and other terrorist organizations, and the agency’s persistent refusal to address the very grave and material concerns raised by Israel, and to remedy this intolerable situation,” the letter notes.
Syria says interdicted weapons shipment headed for Hezbollah
Syrian authorities seized a shipment of weapons heading to the Hezbollah terror group, the official SANA news agency says.
According to SANA, the shipment was heading to Hezbollah via smuggling routes on the Lebanon-Syria border, in the area of the border city of Sarghaya. pic.twitter.com/9QUOfhKHTL
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) January 26, 2025
Syrian authorities seized a shipment of weapons heading to the Hezbollah terror group in Lebanon, the official SANA news agency says, and reported in the Times of Israel.
According to SANA, the shipment was heading to Hezbollah via smuggling routes on the Lebanon-Syria border, in the area of the border city of Sarghaya.
Images show several assault rifles, RPG launchers, and ammunition.
Earlier this month, Syrian authorities said they captured a shipment of rifles, Iranian-made drones, and other weapons that was heading to Hezbollah.
U.S. resumes transfer of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel
BREAKING
The White House has approved the release of a 2,000-pound bomb shipment to Israel, previously frozen by Biden. – Axios pic.twitter.com/zJTn7zUkGZ
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) January 25, 2025
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar on Sunday hailed U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to lift a partial arms embargo the Biden administration imposed on Jerusalem during the war against Hamas, reported the Jewish News Syndicate.
“Thank you President Trump for yet another display of leadership by releasing the crucial defense shipment to Israel. The region is safer when Israel has what it needs to defend itself,” Sa’ar posted on X.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Saturday, Trump said he had lifted restrictions on sending 2,000-pound bombs to Israel. “We released them today,” he said.
When asked why, he replied: “Because they bought them.”
The decision to resume the shipments marks a departure from his predecessor’s policy. President Joe Biden suspended the delivery of these weapons in May to discourage an Israeli offensive in Rafah. “Civilians have been killed in Gaza as a consequence of those bombs and other ways in which they go after population centers,” Biden told CNN then.
A month later, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told then-U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken it was “inconceivable” for the administration to withhold weapons and ammunition during its war against Hamas in Gaza.
Electronic Intifada chief arrested in Switzerland as councilor says, ‘We don’t want Islamist Jew-hater calling for violence’
BREAKING: Ali Abunimah, executive director of The Electronic Intifada, was arrested by Swiss police.
The Head of the Department of Security said, “We do not want an Islamist Jew-hater who calls for violence in Switzerland.” pic.twitter.com/bLSAATYCoG
— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) January 26, 2025
Ali Abunimah, the executive director of the Electronic Intifada news website, was arrested in Switzerland on Saturday, his organization reported.
According to Electonic Intifada, Abunimah was arrested after he arrived in Zurich for a speaking engagement.
The organization claimed that the arrest is “part of a growing backlash from Western governments against expressions of solidarity with the Palestinian people.”
“The Electronic Intifada team stands in solidarity with Ali Abunimah. Speaking out against injustice in Palestine is not a crime. Journalism is not a crime,” it said.
State councilor and head of the Department of Security, Mario Fehr, told the newspaper NZZ, “We do not want an Islamist Jew-hater who calls for violence in Switzerland.”