At least 28 drones have successfully entered the Gaza Strip in recent months despite dozens of Israeli interception efforts, <a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-901044#google_vignette">raising concerns</a> among Israeli security officials that many of them could be used by Hamas terrorists.
Army Radio reported Wednesday that the drones crossed into Gaza through multiple routes, including from Egypt and from within Israel. According to the report, Israeli defense officials believe most of the drones that successfully entered the strip ultimately reached Hamas, though it remains unknown what cargo many of them were carrying.
Israeli officials say the drones themselves could become valuable operational assets even if they were not transporting weapons or other supplies. According to Army Radio, Hamas has increasingly used drones to observe Israeli troop movements and carry out attacks by attaching explosives to the aircraft.
The report said Israeli authorities have thwarted 89 drone smuggling attempts since January. Combined with the 28 drones believed to have entered Gaza, that represents at least 117 known drone smuggling operations during the first half of the year. Israeli officials also cautioned that the figures only include known cases, meaning the real number of attempted or successful smuggling operations could be higher.
&#8220;The IDF claims that all smuggling attempts intercepted so far contained drugs only,&#8221; Army Radio reported. &#8220;However, as noted, dozens were not intercepted, and these figures represent only the cases known to the military.&#8221;
The report added that Israeli officials acknowledge some drones may have entered Gaza without ever being detected. <a href="https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/429465">Security officials also said</a> it is impossible to determine what the drones that reached Gaza were carrying, according to Israel National News.
Israeli authorities have recently stepped up efforts to disrupt the smuggling networks. In June, Israel Police and the Defense Ministry confiscated property linked to drone smuggling into Gaza, while Defense Minister Israel Katz imposed economic sanctions on individuals accused of participating in the operations.
&#8220;Anyone who smuggles weapons, equipment, or funds to terrorist organizations in Gaza is part of the terrorist network itself and will pay a heavy price,&#8221; Katz said in a statement.
<a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-897758">The concerns come as Israeli military leaders</a> continue to warn about the growing role of drones in modern warfare. Hamas is reportedly studying Hezbollah&#8217;s use of explosive drones in Lebanon, where such attacks have killed 16 Israeli soldiers and wounded many more in recent months, according to the Jerusalem Post.
In May, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir described Hezbollah&#8217;s first-person-view drone capabilities as &#8220;a challenge&#8221; but said the military already has &#8220;operational and technological solutions&#8221; in development to counter the threat.
&#8220;The drone threat is a challenge, but we will overcome it,&#8221; Zamir said. &#8220;The battlefield is unpredictable and always will be, but we are dedicating the IDF&#8217;s best resources, minds, and capabilities to this issue.&#8221;
Israeli officials have increasingly pointed to drones as one of the evolving threats facing the military, both from Hezbollah in Lebanon and from Hamas in Gaza, as armed groups continue adapting commercially available technology for military purposes.

Hamas fighters carry a drone as they attend the military

Hamas Gets Hands On Dozens Of Drones That Israel Worries Could Be Used In Future Attacks

Drones

Gaza

Hamas

Israel

An Al Jazeera cameraman mourned as a journalist killed by Israel was also a Hamas sniper operative, <a href="https://x.com/IDF/status/2068442916977275317">according to the Israel Defense Forces</a>.
Ahmed Washah was killed Saturday in central Gaza after an Israeli drone targeted a home in the Bureij refugee camp. Al Jazeera and multiple media outlets described him as a cameraman for Al Jazeera Mubasher, Al Jazeera’s Arabic-language live channel. Al Jazeera said two other people were also killed and others were wounded.
But the IDF says Washah was not simply a journalist and was targeted in the strike because he was “a terrorist in Hamas’ military wing who served as a sniper operative.” The IDF also said Washah had recently advanced sniper attack plans and worked alongside his brother, Mohammed Washah, whom the military described as a key terrorist in Hamas’ rocket and weapons production headquarters. Ahmed was <a href="https://honestreporting.com/ahmad-washah-hamas-terrorist-who-masqueraded-as-an-al-jazeera-journalist/">reportedly</a> killed alongside Siba’i Abu Hasna, a member of Hamas’ <a href="https://honestreporting.com/ahmad-washah-hamas-terrorist-who-masqueraded-as-an-al-jazeera-journalist/">Shadow Unit</a>, which is responsible for guarding hostages kidnapped into Gaza.
Ahmed was widely presented as an Al Jazeera cameraman killed by Israel. While leaving out his ties to Hamas, NBC News <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/world/gaza/israeli-airstrike-kills-al-jazeera-cameraman-rcna350990">reported</a> that Ahmed was an Al Jazeera cameraman killed by Israel and noted that his brother Mohammed, an Al Jazeera Mubasher correspondent, was killed in a separate Israeli strike in April. Al Jazeera, meanwhile, <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/6/21/kind-principled-palestinian-journalists-remember-slain-gaza-journalist">said</a> Ahmed became the 12th network employee killed by Israel and said he had covered numerous stories for the outlet, including what Al Jazeera described as “several massacres” committed by Israel in Gaza.
The IDF <a href="https://x.com/IDF/status/2068442916977275317">posted</a> publicly that Ahmed “served as an Al Jazeera photojournalist” while simultaneously operating as a Hamas sniper. The IDF also described Mohammed as “a key terrorist in Hamas’ rocket and weapons production headquarters” and said he also operated “under the guise of an Al Jazeera journalist” before he was killed in April.
After the IDF’s claims about Ahmed were challenged online, it <a href="https://x.com/IDF/status/2069422062117003612">posted</a> a photo of his apparent military ID and a video showing him firing a rifle into the air. 
That context has received less attention from the legacy media than the initial description of Ahmed as a journalist killed by Israel. A Google AI Overview shown for a simple search of “Al Jazeera journalist” described Ahmed as “an Al Jazeera cameraman who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in central Gaza” and listed him among “recent notable and slain journalists from the region.” The summary does not mention the IDF’s claim that he was a Hamas sniper operative.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-1122099 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/IMG_8248-907x576.jpeg" alt="" width="907" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/IMG_8248-907x576.jpeg 907w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/IMG_8248-300x190.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/IMG_8248-768x488.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/IMG_8248.jpeg 1093w" sizes=" (max-width: 907px) 100vw, 907px" /></div>
The same pattern appeared in headlines from major outlets. NBC headlined its article, “<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/world/gaza/israeli-airstrike-kills-al-jazeera-cameraman-rcna350990">Al Jazeera cameraman killed in Gaza months after his journalist brother died in a separate strike</a>.” The Guardian’s headline read, “<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/20/al-jazeera-cameraman-ahmed-wishah-killed-in-israeli-strike-on-gaza">Al Jazeera cameraman Ahmed Wishah killed in Israeli strike on Gaza</a>.”
An Associated Press report carried by <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/israeli-army-confirms-journalist-killed-in-gaza-calls-him-hamas-terrorist-11665140/amp/1">NDTV</a> also identified Ahmed as an Al Jazeera cameraman killed in an Israeli strike. The report said the Israeli military asserted that Ahmed had been part of Hamas’ military wing and had posed a threat to troops in the area.
Al Jazeera has denied Israel’s claims about Ahmed, according to NBC News, and condemned his killing, calling it an attempt by Israel to silence and intimidate journalists. NBC also reported that a source close to Hamas told the Committee to Protect Journalists that Ahmed had no affiliation with the organization.
 Prominent anti-Israel figures, including New York City <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/06/23/us-news/al-jazeera-journalist-that-mamdani-mourned-was-allegedly-hamas-sniper-idf-claims/">Mayor Zohran Mamdani</a>, portrayed Ahmed as a journalist killed by Israel while criticizing the IDF. 
“More than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli military since the so-called ceasefire,” Mamdani said Monday. “Even an Al Jazeera journalist, Ahmed Washah, was killed this past Saturday by an Israeli strike.” Mamdani did not mention the IDF’s claim that Washah was a Hamas operative.
The IDF’s claim does not erase reports that Ahmed worked for Al Jazeera. But those reports also do not erase the IDF’s claim that he served in Hamas’ military wing and had recently advanced sniper attack plans against Israeli troops.
Since the first reports described Ahmed as a journalist without including Israel&#8217;s claim that he was also a Hamas sniper, many readers were left with a narrow version of the story. Israel&#8217;s account presents a very different version of the strike than the one circulating online.

Al Jazeera ‘Cameraman’ Killed In Gaza Was Hamas Sniper Operating Under Press Cover, IDF Says

Al Jazeera

Israel Defense Forces (IDF)

Media Bias

Zohran Mamdani

Chilling testimonies emerging from the Gaza Strip have uncovered a systemic campaign of sexual violence and coercion orchestrated by Hamas-affiliated clerics and officials. According to investigative reports and filmed testimonies, the terror group is allegedly using the rape of young boys and the sexual exploitation of vulnerable women as a tool of political control and recruitment.
The investigation by <a href="https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-15758543/Gaza-families-say-children-raped-Hamas-affiliated-clerics-parents-intimidated-silence.html?ns_mchannel=rss&amp;ns_campaign=1490&amp;ito=social-twitter_mailonline">The Daily Mail</a>, bolstered by footage obtained from Jusoor News, reveals a horrifying pattern of abuse within Hamas-run mosques. Young boys, some as young as nine and ten, describe being lured by religious figures under the guise of Koranic study, only to be sexually assaulted in mosque restrooms and upper floors.
One nine-year-old victim recounted being led away by a Sheikh who promised him &#8220;something nice&#8221; before undressing and raping him. A ten-year-old victim described similar &#8220;filthy things&#8221; being done to him by a cleric, an ordeal that only ended when a mosque attendant interrupted them.
Beyond the physical trauma, the abuse is reportedly used as a mechanism for blackmail. Hamza Abu Howidy, a writer who fled the enclave, explained that the phenomenon is so well-known locally that such predators are derisively called &#8220;Mosque Tennis players.&#8221; The victims are often coerced into joining the Hamas movement to prevent their abuse from being made public in a society where such topics are strictly taboo.
Parents who attempt to seek justice face immediate and violent retribution. One father from Khan Younis, whose son was left bleeding and bruised by a head Imam, was met with death threats when he confronted the perpetrator. &#8220;I’ll send Al-Qassam Brigades to you&#8230; We’ll just say you were an Israeli collaborator,&#8221; the Imam allegedly warned. The following night, armed militants arrived at the father&#8217;s home, threatening to &#8220;wipe his family off the face of the earth&#8221; if he spoke another word.
As these accounts of child abuse surface, a <a href="https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-15732903/Women-living-Hamas-rule-Gaza-Mail-sexually-abused-terror-groups-fighters-forced-sex-return-food-aid.html?ns_mchannel=rss&amp;ns_campaign=1490&amp;ito=social-twitter_mailonline">parallel story</a> of the systematic exploitation of women has also come to light. Human rights organizations estimate that up to 60,000 women in Gaza are currently vulnerable to sexual blackmail, particularly widows and those displaced by the ongoing conflict.
Testimonies describe &#8220;aid-for-sex&#8221; schemes where Hamas members and officials from affiliated charities demand sexual favors in exchange for food parcels, medicine, or small sums of money. One displaced mother, Noor, described seeking help from an Islamic charity only to be harassed by an elderly cleric. When she threatened to expose him, he reportedly replied: &#8220;You cannot expose me; I am the government here.&#8221;
Other witnesses described a &#8220;disgraceful&#8221; scene in Deir al-Balah where a group of Al-Qassam members were found taking advantage of a displaced widow inside a tent. Even members within the military wing expressed disgust, yet were ordered by leadership to remain silent to protect the group’s image.
&#8220;Hamas has lied about everything,&#8221; said Abdullah, a journalist currently in hiding. &#8220;They stole the aid, created the famine narrative, and take advantage of the most vulnerable while the West remains gullible.&#8221;
Despite the &#8220;shame culture&#8221; and the &#8220;iron fist&#8221; of Hamas rule, Gazans are increasingly breaking their silence. Investigators warn that as formal registration systems collapse, the exploitation of women and children is only worsening, leaving a generation of victims with no recourse for justice under a regime that uses sexual violence as a pillar of its authority.

International Red Cross

Hamas Accused Of Unspeakable Crime Against Young Boys As Method Of Coercion

Crime

Sexual Abuse

World

President Donald Trump announced Sunday that member states of his newly-formed Board of Peace have pledged more than $5 billion toward humanitarian and reconstruction efforts in Gaza.
Trump said the commitment will be formally unveiled on Thursday, February 19, at the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace in Washington, D.C. In addition to financial pledges, Trump said participating nations have committed thousands of personnel to both an International Stabilization Force and to local police units to maintain security and peace for Gazans.
“On February 19th, 2026, I will again be joined by Board of Peace Members at the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace in Washington, D.C., where we will announce that Member States have pledged more than $5 billion toward the Gaza Humanitarian and Reconstruction efforts,” said President Trump.
Trump outlined what he described as the board’s early achievements.
“The Board of Peace has unlimited potential. Last October, I released a Plan for the permanent end to the Conflict in Gaza, and our Vision was unanimously adopted by the United Nations Security Council. Shortly thereafter, we facilitated Humanitarian Aid at record speed, and secured the release of every living and deceased Hostage. Just last month, two dozen distinguished Founding Members joined me in Davos, Switzerland, to celebrate its official formation, and present a bold Vision for the Civilians in Gaza, and then, ultimately, far beyond Gaza—world peace.”
Trump ratified the board&#8217;s charter during a ceremony at the World Economic Forum in Davos; the organization, he says, is designed to bring long-term peace and economic prosperity to Gaza, which has had an economy largely supported by aid. “85% of the GDP of Gaza has been aid for a long time,” said Senior Board Official and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. “That’s not sustainable. It doesn&#8217;t give these people dignity; it doesn’t give them hope.”
According to the board’s leadership structure, there are seven executive members tasked with overseeing different areas of Gaza’s transition, including reconstruction, funding, and capital mobilization. Those members include Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, former U.K. Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair, Marc Rowan, Ajay Banga, and Robert Gabriel.
Member states listed as participating were Morocco, Argentina, Bahrain, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Hungary, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Pakistan, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and Mongolia. Many European countries are not on the list, and some have even <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/22/who-is-on-trumps-gaza-board-of-peace.html">rejected</a> invitations to participate.
 The BBC reports countries cited Russian President Vladimir Putin&#8217;s invitation as a reason for hesitating to join the board. France <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/us-president-donald-trump-threatens-tarrifs-french-wine-emmanuel-macron-peace-board/">claimed</a> the decision was that the board would undermine the United Nations framework. Shortly after, Trump made a comment that he would put a 200% tariff on his wines and champagnes, and then French President Emmanuel Macron would join.
&#8220;We have taken note of Mr. Trump&#8217;s statements on wines and champagnes,&#8221; responded a French official. &#8220;As we have always emphasized, tariff threats to influence our foreign policy are unacceptable and ineffective.&#8221;
Critics call the board &#8220;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/20/trumps-board-of-peace-is-an-imperial-court-completely-unlike-what-was-proposed">a vanity project</a>&#8221; that will not actually bring peace to Gaza.

President Trump And EPA Administrator Zeldin Make An Announcement From The White House

Inside Trump’s $5 Billion Gaza Move That Could Shape Middle East’s Next Chapter

Donald Trump

Global Politics

Jared Kushner

Middle East

After leveraging a false claim that he witnessed the Israeli military shoot a child dead at an American-run aid site in the Gaza Strip for national attention, Anthony Aguilar is now running for political office.
Aguilar went viral last year with his claim that he saw a young Gazan boy named Amir “gunned down” by Israel’s military at a Trump administration-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) aid site. His tale landed him on major media outlets like NBC News, and on prominent podcasts, including two appearances on the Tucker Carlson Show. It also won him meetings with members of Congress, where he recounted the incident in vivid detail.
The Daily Wire, however, found <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-new-evidence-calls-into-question-viral-story-of-gazan-boy-amir-killed-at-ghf-aid-site">major inconsistencies in his story</a> and later confirmed that the incident never happened. In fact, the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-viral-story-of-gaza-child-gunned-down-by-israel-officially-debunked-the-boy-is-alive">child he claims was shot dead is alive</a>.
Now that his media tour has slowed down, Aguilar is running in North Carolina as a Green Party candidate.
“I stand with the 62% of Americans who want a choice outside the two-party establishment,” Aguilar told The Daily Wire. “By running as a Green, I can fight for the solutions people are literally dying for — like healthcare as a human right and an end to endless war—solutions the billionaire donors will not stand for.”
In July, Aguilar set the internet ablaze when he first began telling the story of the child he said was named “Amir.” The child&#8217;s name was actually Abdul Rahim Muhammad Hamden. According to Aguilar, he met the boy while working at a GHF aid site on May 28, only to watch him killed moments later. He told an emotional story of an intimate interaction with the boy before his death.
On a podcast, Aguilar said he told the boy, “People care. You’re a human being and people care about you.&#8221; He said that “Amir” responded by kissing him and saying thank you in English, before he walked away and was shot dead.
“He sets his food down, and he places his hands on my face — on the side of my face, on my cheeks — these frail, skeleton, emaciated hands, dirty. And he puts them on my face, and he kissed me. He kissed me, and he said, ‘Thank you,’ in English. Thank you. And he collected his items, and he walked back to the group, and then he was shot at with pepper spray and tear gas and stun grenades and bullets — shot at his feet and in the air — and he runs away, scared.”
Aguilar vividly recounted the same story on several large platforms, including MSNBC, the Tucker Carlson Show, and even <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=sByloGU3f60OfLFI&amp;v=cWVC5d4490Y&amp;feature=youtu.be" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in an interview</a> with a sitting Democrat senator, Maryland’s Chris Van Hollen.
<a href="https://x.com/tcnetwork/status/1951284710149333292?s=46&amp;t=o-U3qwC25WnWaylJ0oeG7Q" target="_blank" rel="noopener">On Carlson’s show</a>, released July 31, Aguilar went even further with the story, comparing the child to his own son and stating definitively that he saw the death first-hand.
“I see my son’s face when I look at him,” Aguilar said. “I didn’t get this second-hand. I didn’t see it from afar and then assume. I saw it. I touched it. I felt it.” He said “Amir” was killed by the Israel Defense Forces.
Almost none of what Aguilar said turned out to be true. In video footage from the day obtained by The Daily Wire, “Amir” was seen walking up to another security contractor next to Aguilar and kissing his hand. He then turns to Aguilar for a brief interaction — with none of the details Aguilar laid out taking place.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
The contractor wearing the body cam told The Daily Wire that Aguilar’s story is “fabricated.”
&#8220;There is no profound English dialog, kneeling at his level, nor does the boy drop his aid to kiss Tony and say ‘thank you’ to him in English.&#8221;
Side-by-side video👇 <a href="https://t.co/YaQpDmw4CN" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pic.twitter.com/YaQpDmw4CN</a>
— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/1954734297379918285?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">August 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
Aguilar continued to tell the fictional story in various interviews, and even added details. In an August 23 interview, Aguilar said the boy ran into a “wall of bullets” and that he suffered “a shot to the torso, a shot to the leg, dead.”
A few weeks later, The Daily Wire reported on video showing the boy was alive.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Remember ex-GHF contractor Tony Aguilar&#8217;s claim that he saw a little Gazan boy named &#8220;Amir&#8221; run into &#8220;a wall of bullets&#8221; and suffer &#8220;a shot to the torso, a shot to the leg, dead?&#8221;
Well it&#8217;s not true. “Amir” is alive and well.
My latest for <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@realdailywire</a>: <a href="https://t.co/OMxdNvHIOk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pic.twitter.com/OMxdNvHIOk</a>
— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/1963572845230878943?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">September 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
While NBC News took down its reporting on Aguilar&#8217;s claims and issued an on-air correction, Carlson has made no mention of Aguilar&#8217;s story falling apart. Aguilar, likewise, is presenting his false claim as a reason for people to vote for him.
He touts his status as a &#8220;whistleblower,&#8221; with no mention that his claims have been proven false.
“I became a whistleblower because I saw war crimes being committed,&#8221; Aguilar’s website states. “My decision to speak up was a choice to put integrity and the Constitution over silence. We need that same courage in Congress today to restore a clean democracy that answers to the people.”
On his campaign website, Aguilar emphasizes his experience as a Green Beret and touts the Sam Adams Award For Integrity he won for “demonstrating moral courage while serving as a security contractor in Gaza.”
Aguilar said he wants to replace Republican Rep. Brad Knott because Knott is “more concerned with partisan survival and pleasing the party establishment than addressing the urgent needs of working families.”
In September 2025, Aguilar was arrested for interrupting a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, shouting that the “United States government is complicit in genocide.”
“Off to jail,” Chairman Jim Risch (R-ID) responded at the time.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Earlier today, Retired Green Beret Anthony Aguilar — the ex-GHF subcontractor fired for &#8220;creating a hostile work environment&#8221; and who lied about key parts of his story — was escorted from a Senate hearing after interrupting and falsely accusing the U.S. of complicity in genocide <a href="https://t.co/uO6OzmeN1E" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pic.twitter.com/uO6OzmeN1E</a>
— Eitan Fischberger (@EFischberger) <a href="https://twitter.com/EFischberger/status/1963352549500883270?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">September 3, 2025</a></blockquote>
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation commenced a search for the boy after Aguilar began telling his story in America, fearing that the child’s life was at risk due to Aguilar’s story. Aguilar&#8217;s story was being used as a propaganda tool by terrorist groups like Hamas, in an effort to undermine both Israel and U.S.-backed efforts to deliver food to Gazans.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation says Aguilar’s contract was terminated on June 13, and that it started to receive threats.  On June 22, for example, Aguilar wrote to a GHF employee: “I can be your best friend, or your worst nightmare. Stop F-ing around, put me back to work, and let’s get this mission done.”
Aguilar claims he was not fired, but resigned.

Tony Aguilar and Amir

Disgraced Tucker Carlson Guest Who Lied About Child’s Death In Gaza Launches Bid For Congress

Anthony Aguilar

Elections

Gaza Humanitarian Foundation

The body of the final hostage held in Gaza was returned to Israel on Monday.
The body of Ran Gvili, a 24-year-old special-forces police officer who was killed in action on October 7, 2023, was returned to Israel, ending a long effort to force Hamas terrorists to hand over hostages. Gvili was killed while fighting off Hamas terrorists and Gazan civilians who crossed into Israel, massacring, raping, and kidnapping more than a thousand people near the Gaza border. His body was held captive for 842 days.
“We have returned Ran Gvili, of blessed memory, a hero of Israel,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in the Knesset. “There are no more hostages in Gaza.&#8221;
Netanyahu added that the yellow ribbon pin worn by people around the world to draw attention to the hostages held can now be removed.
“For &#8216;the sons have returned to their borders and the daughters have returned to their borders,’” Netanyahu said, quoting the Bible.
Israeli Defense Forces’s Southern Command completed Operation &#8220;Courageous Heart” to return Gvili after searching since October for his body. His body was found in a cemetery near Gaza City.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Footage of the IDF recovering the body of the final hostage.
The return of Ran Gvili means all of the hostages are home after 842 days. <a href="https://t.co/AvinMQxzPQ">pic.twitter.com/AvinMQxzPQ</a>
— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/2015849942795841629?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Gvili’s parents fought tirelessly to keep their son&#8217;s name in the news after the remaining living hostages returned in October. They met with Netanyahu, President Donald Trump, and other members of his administration.
Trump celebrated the news of the final hostage body returning to Israel, congratulating his “great team of Champions.”
“Just recovered the last Hostage body in GAZA. Thus, got back ALL 20 of the living Hostages, and ALL of the Dead!” he <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115962223670668620">posted</a>. “AMAZING JOB! Most thought of it as an impossible thing to do.”
Gvili was recovering from a serious shoulder injury on October 7, 2023, but left the hospital, put on his uniform, and headed south to join the fight against Hamas. He reportedly helped survivors of the Nova music festival before going to join the fight at Kibbutz Alumim.
At 10:50 a.m., he sent text messages saying he had been wounded in the leg. That was the final time his loved ones heard from him.
In total, 255 hostages from the Gaza Strip were rescued and brought back home – 168 of them alive and 87 deceased. Twelve Americans were kidnapped, with only eight being freed alive.
Gvili’s return marks the first time since 2014 that no Israelis are being held in Gaza. Before Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack, four Israelis were already in the Strip, including Hisham al-Sayed, a Bedouin Israeli who crossed into Gaza in April 2015, and Avera Mengistu, who entered in 2014. Both were later released alive in February 2025. Hamas had also held the bodies of the Israeli soldiers Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin, who were killed in the 2014 war and whose remains were returned in 2025.
Many of the hostages who have returned testified that they were held for long periods in dark tunnels and subjected to torture, severe starvation, and physical and sexual abuse.

The Israeli army found the body of the last Israeli hostage in Gaza

‘Most Thought Of It As Impossible’: Final Hostage Body Returns From Gaza After 842 Days

Benjamin Netanyahu

October 7

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Jared Kushner, and U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff appeared at Davos on Thursday as President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace was formally unveiled at the World Economic Forum, where Kushner and Witkoff discussed future plans for Gaza.
The remarks by U.S. officials framed the Gaza agreement not simply as a ceasefire, but as the opening phase of an ambitious attempt to fundamentally reshape Gaza’s future. While Rubio emphasized President Trump’s role in breaking what many viewed as an intractable conflict, Kushner and Witkoff focused on security, governance, and economic transformation as the pillars of a postwar Gaza.
Witkoff described the Gaza deal as something “the world thought was impossible and unattainable,” recalling that when President Trump tasked him and Kushner with the effort, the directive was simple: “We had to try.” He emphasized that the outcome went beyond the return of hostages, saying, “We have achieved a peace deal in Gaza. We have brought the hostages home. All of the bodies, except for one, and we will bring that body home, too.”
But Witkoff stressed that the most consequential achievement was intangible: “Maybe most importantly, we have created a sense of hope for what the future can bring.” Kushner then outlined what comes after hope — implementation. Reflecting on the moment the deal was finalized, he said, “It was just over 100 days ago that we got the final deal done, and everyone was celebrating and joyous about the hostages coming home and the end to this long war that nobody thought was possible.” But he admitted that celebration quickly gave way to urgency: “Steve and I were panicking, saying, ‘What do we do next? How do you implement peace?’”
Economically, Kushner laid out a sharp break from Gaza’s historical dependence on aid. “Eighty-five percent of the GDP of Gaza has been aid for a long time,” he said. “That’s not sustainable. It doesn’t give these people dignity. It doesn’t give them hope.” Instead, the plan is to apply “free market economy principles” and bring private investment, jobs, and opportunity. “We want to bring the same mindset, the same approach, to a place like Gaza to give these people the ability to thrive and have a good life,” he explained.
“Hamas&#8217;s mission statement was: ‘We need to destroy the state of Israel,'&#8221; Kushner stated. “That has not worked well for the people, as we&#8217;ve seen. &#8230; But without security, nobody&#8217;s going to make investments, nobody&#8217;s going to come build there. We need investments in order to start giving jobs. &#8230; There&#8217;s a master plan. We&#8217;ll be doing it in phasing. In the Middle East, they build cities like this in three years. &#8230; We&#8217;ve already started removing the rubble and doing some of the demolition. And then New Gaza. It could be a hope. Could be a destination, have a lot of industry, and really be a place that the people there can thrive, [and] have great employment. Once this starts going, we think there should be 100% full employment and opportunity for everybody.”
Together, Witkoff and Kushner framed Gaza’s future as a test case for the implementation of peace itself — one that hinges not on speeches or resolutions, but on demilitarization, investment, and the belief that even the most entrenched conflicts can be solved.

Day Three Of World Economic Forum (WEF) 2026

‘New Gaza’: Trump’s Board Of Peace Unveils Ambitious Postwar Vision At Davos

Steve Witkoff

The Trump administration said Wednesday that the second phase of President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza has begun, a step aimed at establishing a “technocratic” Palestinian administration and launching the demilitarization and reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.
“Today, on behalf of President Trump, we are announcing the launch of Phase Two of the President’s 20-Point Plan to End the Gaza Conflict, moving from ceasefire to demilitarization, technocratic governance, and reconstruction,” Special Envoy Steve Witkoff <a href="https://x.com/SEPeaceMissions/status/2011478211075391845">announced</a>. 
President Trump is expected to soon unveil the leadership of Gaza’s new technocratic governing body, the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG). The group of unelected experts and professionals will oversee the transitional period as armed groups are dismantled and reconstruction begins.
Witkoff said the United States expects Hamas to “comply fully with its obligations,” including the return of the body of Ran Gvili, the final Israeli hostage held in Gaza.
“Failure to do so will bring serious consequences,” Witkoff said.
The Palestinian Authority <a href="https://x.com/HusseinSheikhpl/status/2011445660499775945">publicly welcomed</a> the launch of the second phase, signaling rare alignment with the Trump administration. 
In a statement, Palestinian Authority President Hussein Al Sheikh said the Palestinian Presidency “welcomes the efforts undertaken by President Donald Trump to complete the implementation of his peace plan,” and announced its support for the NCAG as well as the “Board of Peace.”
The new Gaza governing body will be supported by a Trump-led Board of Peace with former United Nations envoy Nickolay Mladenov as the representative on the ground, Axios <a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/12/26/trump-netanyahu-meeting-gaza-mar-a-lago">reported</a>. 
Al Sheikh said the Palestinian Authority worked in close coordination with Witkoff, Jared Kushner, and Mladenov to move into the second phase. 
“The Presidency expresses its deep appreciation and gratitude for the decisive leadership demonstrated by President Donald Trump, whose direct engagement and determination have contributed to creating a new opportunity for peace, stability, and good governance in Gaza,” Al Sheikh said.
At the same time, Al Sheikh added that he believes it’s important to link the Palestinian Authority institutions in the West Bank to the new governing structure in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-vows-total-victory-against-hamas-says-pa-rejects-israel-cant-rule-gaza/">publicly opposed</a> the Palestinian Authority having oversight in Gaza, citing its long practice of rewarding terrorists for killing Israelis.
Phase One of the plan, implemented in October, established a ceasefire, secured the return of all living hostages and most of the deceased, and delivered a surge of humanitarian aid. 
More than 20 countries signaled support for the ceasefire at President Trump’s Peace Summit in Egypt, including Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar, whose roles Witkoff described as having “indispensable mediation efforts that made all progress to date possible.”

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Trump Launches Phase Two Of Gaza Plan, Backed by Palestinian Authority

Palestinian Authority

A CNN panel discussion quickly veered off the rails when one guest claimed that Israel had invaded Gaza in much the same way that Russia invaded Ukraine.
The conversation took place on &#8220;CNN NewsNight,&#8221; hosted by Abby Phillip, and spiraled out of control when &#8220;The Majority Report&#8221; host Emma Vigeland argued that the United States lacked credibility in addressing the conflict between Russia and Ukraine after supporting Israel.
&#8220;I do think that the kind of elephant in the room here is the United States completely losing, and the Biden administration is immensely complicit in this as well, moral standing throughout the world due to our complicity in the genocide in Gaza. Which has made it very difficult for us to speak to Ukrainian sovereignty and having a bully like the Russian government invading their sovereign territory&#8221; she said.
Conservative commentator Scott Jennings was clearly taken aback, but when he attempted to debate the point, Phillip called him off and said there wasn&#8217;t time. Jennings pressed onward regardless, undeterred.
&#8220;We have to debate this, Abby. Oh, we don&#8217;t have time for the anti-Israel propaganda?&#8221; he began, and everyone at the table began talking at once. &#8220;Unbelievable. October the 7th was fine? Yeah, unbelievable.&#8221;
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&#8220;Oh well, we let it unspool for two minutes. But sure. I mean, honestly, I don&#8217;t understand. Israel is our ally. Not a single word in your speech for the atrocities that were committed on October the 7th. Not a single word,&#8221; Jennings continued.
&#8220;There shouldn&#8217;t be,&#8221; Vigeland doubled down. &#8220;We should cut off arms tomorrow.&#8221;
&#8220;Not a single word for the idea that Israel has every right to defend itself,&#8221; Jennings said, and Vigeland could be seen laughing as he added, &#8220;Not a single word for the fact that Hamas right now is killing people inside of Gaza — their own people. You seem to lay it all at the feet of Israel. Israel, a democratic ally, and your own country, and you have no negative word for the terrorists who raped and murdered and kidnapped, zero.&#8221;
Vigeland protested, saying that B&#8217;Tselem, an Israeli &#8220;human rights group&#8221; that has a clearly anti-Israel agenda, had referred to the situation in Gaza as a &#8220;genocide.&#8221;
&#8220;None, none,&#8221; Jennings said. &#8220;And you still don&#8217;t. You still don&#8217;t!&#8221;

ISRAEL-PALESTINIAN-CONFLICT-GAZA-HOSTAGES

CNN Panel Explodes When Liberal Guest Claims Israel Invaded Gaza Like Russia Invaded Ukraine

Media

Politics

Scott Jennings

Ukraine-Russia War

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the second phase of a U.S. plan to end the war in Gaza was close, but cautioned several key issues still needed to be resolved, including whether a multinational security force would be deployed.
Netanyahu, speaking to reporters alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Jerusalem, said that he would hold important discussions with U.S. President Donald Trump at the end of the month on how to ensure the plan&#8217;s second phase was achieved.
The prime minister&#8217;s office in November said that Trump had invited Netanyahu to the White House &#8220;in the near future,&#8221; although a date for the visit has not yet been made public.
Netanyahu said that he would discuss with Trump how to bring an end to Hamas rule in Gaza. A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is entering its second month, although both sides have repeatedly accused each other of violating the truce agreement.
Netanyahu said that it was important to ensure Hamas not only upholds the ceasefire but also follows through on &#8220;their commitment&#8221; to the plan to disarm and for Gaza to be demilitarized.
Israel retained control of 53% of Gaza under the first phase of Trump&#8217;s plan, which involved the release of hostages held by militants in Gaza and of Palestinians detained by Israel. The final hostage remains to be handed over are those of an Israeli police officer killed on October 7, 2023 fighting Gazan militants who had invaded Israel.
&#8220;We&#8217;ll get him out,&#8221; Netanyahu said.
Since the ceasefire started in October, the militant group has reestablished itself in the rest of Gaza.
According to the plan, Israel is to pull back further in the second phase as a transitional authority is established in Gaza and a multinational security force is deployed, Hamas is disarmed, and reconstruction begins.
A multinational coordination centre has been established in Israel, but there are no deadlines in the plan and officials involved say that efforts to advance it have stalled.
&#8220;What will be the timeline? What are the forces that are coming in? Will we have international forces? If not, what are the alternatives? These are all topics that are being discussed,&#8221; Netanyahu said, describing them as central issues.
Merz said that Germany was willing to help rebuild Gaza but would wait for Netanyahu&#8217;s meeting with Trump, and for clarity on what Washington was prepared to do, before Berlin decides what it would contribute but that phase two &#8220;must come now&#8221;.
Israel has repeatedly carried out air strikes since the ceasefire came into effect that it says are fending off attacks or destroying militant infrastructure. Gaza&#8217;s health ministry says 373 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire started. Three Israeli soldiers have been killed by militants.
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Netanyahu said that he would also discuss with Trump &#8220;opportunities for peace&#8221;, an apparent reference to U.S. efforts for Israel to establish formal ties with Arab and Muslim states.
&#8220;We believe there&#8217;s a path to advance a broader peace with the Arab states, and a path also to establish a workable peace with our Palestinian neighbours,&#8221; Netanyahu said, asserting Israel would always insist on security control of the West Bank.
Trump has said he promised Muslim leaders that Israel would not annex the occupied West Bank, where Netanyahu&#8217;s government is backing the development of Jewish settlements.
The &#8220;question of political annexation&#8221; of the West Bank remains a subject of discussion, Netanyahu said.
(Reporting by Alexander Cornwell and Andreas Rinke, additional reporting by Steven Scheer and Christoph Steitz; Editing by Louise Heavens and Philippa Fletcher)

Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu Meets With Trump At The White House

Phase Two Of Gaza Plan: Trump, Netanyahu Prep For Next Steps

CNN data guru Harry Enten said on Wednesday that President Donald Trump was blowing his competition out of the water — both Republicans and Democrats — when it came to his approval rating with regard to foreign policy.
Enten spoke with CNN anchor John Berman about the latest numbers, which show Trump, nearly ten months into his second term, has a 43% approval rating on his foreign policy positions. Berman asked for context, wondering how Trump stacked up against past presidents in their respective second terms.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Trump&#8217;s foreign approval rating is up like a rocket compared to term 1.
He has the highest foreign policy approval rating at this point in his term 2 of any 21st century president.
Big reason why: Israel-Hamas conflict. E.g. His net approval is 40 pts higher than Biden&#8217;s was. <a href="https://t.co/8rzNjCphEJ">pic.twitter.com/8rzNjCphEJ</a>
— (((Harry Enten))) (@ForecasterEnten) <a href="https://twitter.com/ForecasterEnten/status/1991165239224656200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;This is one of the areas in which Donald Trump is performing significantly better than he was in term one,&#8221; Enten explained, noting that during his first term in the White House, Trump&#8217;s approval rating on foreign policy had been significantly lower at 35%. &#8220;Up like a rocket, we&#8217;re talking about 43% now, that&#8217;s an eight-point rise. On the net approval rating, that&#8217;s a double-digit rise.&#8221;
Berman noted that it was almost expected for presidents in their second terms to pivot to foreign policy and do whatever they can to cement their legacies before leaving office — and he asked Enten how Trump stacked up in that regard.
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Enten showed a graphic comparing Trump to the two other 21st-century presidents who served two terms — George W. Bush and Barack Obama — who had foreign policy approval ratings of 36% and 37% respectively, at the same point in their second terms.
&#8220;This is something I think Donald Trump really likes to look at because the bottom line is this presidents like to build their legacies off of foreign policy, and at this particular point the American people like much more of what Donald Trump’s doing on foreign policy than either of the two other twenty-first century presidents who serve at least — or served two terms,&#8221; Enten explained.
Berman asked whether Trump&#8217;s high marks on that particular issue had anything to do with how he&#8217;d responded to the war between Israel and the Hamas terrorists controlling Gaza, and Enten said it had likely been a major factor.
&#8220;The American people liked what Trump was able to do between the Israelis and Hamas,&#8221; he said — and pointed to Trump&#8217;s net approval on the Israel-Hamas conflict (+3) compared to former President Joe Biden&#8217;s (-37). &#8220;Joe Biden was 37 points below water by the end of his presidency.&#8221;

Trump Just Beat The Last Three Presidents On One Key Issue

Barack Obama

George W. Bush

Harry Enten

Joe Biden

Polls

The terror group Hamas returned what it said were three bodies of hostages to Israel on Sunday.
Hamas militants gave the remains, which it said were the bodies of three Israeli soldiers, over to the Red Cross, which brought them into Israel. The prime minister’s office said that the remains would be taken to the Ministry of Health’s National Center for Forensic Medicine for identification.
“All of the hostages&#8217; families have been updated accordingly, and our hearts are with them in this difficult hour. The effort to return our hostages is ongoing and will not cease until the last hostage is returned,” the prime minister’s office <a href="https://x.com/IsraeliPM/status/1985061283482194380">said</a> in a statement. “The public is requested to respect the families&#8217; privacy and to refrain from spreading rumors and unofficial and unverified information.”
The hostage release comes just days after the terror group claimed to have found the remains of three other hostages that it turned over to the Red Cross. Forensic testing conducted on the bodies confirmed that none of the remains belonged to any of the hostages remaining in Gaza, however.
Hamas and Israel struck a ceasefire agreement last month in which Israel agreed to pull back forces from inner Gaza and Hamas agreed to turn over all of its hostages back to Israel, 20 living and 28 dead. While the living were returned, the terror group has returned just 16 of the dead. If the three bodies turned over on Sunday are confirmed, eight more will be left for Hamas to hand over.
Hamas has claimed that it needs time to find the bodies of hostages, which it has said have been buried in some cases below rubble. Drone footage <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/vance-provides-update-on-ceasefire-after-hamas-attack-in-gaza">released</a> last week showed Hamas militants burying remains that were soon dug up again and handed over to the Red Cross.
Israel has accused the terror group of being in breach of the ceasefire agreement for failing to return the hostages. Israel has also conducted strikes within Gaza twice since the ceasefire went into place in retaliation for attacks that have killed several Israeli soldiers.
The Trump administration, which mediated the ceasefire and potential peace proposal between Israel and Hamas, has tamped down concerns that the tit-for-tat strikes will threaten the ceasefire.
“The president achieved a historic peace in the Middle East, the ceasefire is holding. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t going to be little skirmishes here and there,” Vice President JD Vance <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/vance-provides-update-on-ceasefire-after-hamas-attack-in-gaza">said</a> last week. “We know that Hamas, or somebody else within Gaza, attacked an IDF soldier. We expect the Israelis are going to respond, but I think the president’s peace is going to hold despite it.”

Hamas Sends Remains Of Three More Bodies To Israel For Forensic Testing

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