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The Cradle is an online news magazine covering West Asian geopolitics from within.
Security forces at Beirut Airport demanded that a Lebanese citizen remove a photo of Hezbollah's former Secretary-General, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, from her hand or leave the premises.
The woman was among the Lebanese passengers stranded in Iran after an Iranian flight was barred from landing at Beirut Airport.
❗️Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar:
"A difficult day in which we witnessed in Gaza another horrific and disgusting scene of distorted and brutal minds. This is the result of a deep illness. It is clear that the systematic poisoning of the young generation in Palestinian society (in Gaza as well as in the West Bank) is destroying any chance for peace.
A radical solution is needed. The Palestinian terror armies must be eliminated and defeated. Gaza must be completely demilitarized. Freedom of choice must be given to those who wish to emigrate from the 'Gaza hell.'
The entire Palestinian society must undergo a profound process of de-radicalization and move away from the poison of incitement and the methodology of terrorism. Every person in the country or in the world who wants a better future for our region must support these principles."
❗️Internationally wanted war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu laments the handover of the four Israeli captives killed by Israel during its genocidal war on Gaza.
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Egypt's Gaza proposal for Trump: 'Redistribution, not displacement'
The plan does not include a full disarmament of the Palestinian resistance, and is likely to face backlash from Israel
❗️Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education in Gaza, Dr. Khaled Abu Nada announces that students will begin returning to their schools in the coming days.
The educational process will resume on February 23, and the date for the high school final exam will be determined in the coming days, most likely in March.
Rabbi Asher Lopatin, an ardent and staunch supporter of Israel and the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, is currently visiting Syria.
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The moment an Israeli military vehicle rammed into a Palestinian civilian vehicle in the Tulkarem refugee camp in the occupied West Bank.
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❗️Saudi Press Agency (SPA) citing an official source:
Saudi Crown Prince MbS has invited the leaders of the Gulf states, Egypt and Jordan to an informal meeting tomorrow, Friday, in Riyadh.
⭕️ According to Al-Araby al-Jadeed, Egypt has developed a plan for the reconstruction of Gaza, which will be presented to US President Donald Trump as an alternative to his vision to ethnically cleanse the strip.
The plan is structured in two phases: the first focuses on large-scale reconstruction over ten years, including infrastructure, housing, and creating "safe spaces" in northern Gaza. A key part of this stage involves addressing the weapons issue, imposing restrictions on weapons depots while not disarming Palestinian resistance factions. European and Egyptian authorities would jointly supervise these depots. An Arab committee, led by Egypt, would also handle disputes between local security and Palestinian resistance factions.
The second phase includes setting a timeline for a "two-state solution" and establishing connections between Gaza, the West Bank, and Jerusalem.
The plan also proposes continued US security involvement but limits its role to monitoring specific locations, including points of contact between Gaza and Israeli settlements. The Egyptian plan faces criticism from an unnamed Gulf state, which opposes Egypt's rejection of proposals aimed at encouraging the migration of Gaza's residents.
Israel also opposes the plan, demanding full control over the reconstruction process to prevent Hamas from strengthening militarily. Egypt is seeking Arab support for the plan, which will be discussed during upcoming summits in Riyadh and Cairo. The aim is to secure enough backing to pressure the US to convince Israel to accept the proposal.
❗️Meeting between the leadership of the Amal movement and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon:
○ "The ongoing occupation of significant portions of Lebanese territory by the enemy constitutes state terrorism and underscores the aggressive and premeditated nature of this adversary’s intentions toward Lebanon."
○ "We strongly condemn the persistent Zionist violations of Lebanese sovereignty, which blatantly contravene UN Resolution 1701 and the ceasefire agreement."
○ "We reiterate our unwavering rejection of any occupation remaining on Lebanese soil, particularly in the south."
○ "The international community and the nations overseeing the ceasefire agreement bear responsibility for addressing Israeli violations and must take immediate action."
○ "Rebuilding what has been destroyed by Israeli aggression and providing compensation to those affected must be a top priority on the new Lebanese government’s agenda."
Gaza resistance hands over bodies of four Israeli captives to Red Cross
The Qassam Brigades says that the four captives were killed by Israeli army airstrikes on Gaza during the war
❗️Yedioth Ahronoth correspondent:
One of the intelligence commanders of Hamas's military wing appeared at the body handover ceremony today, despite the army having announced his assassination in September 2024.
IRGC dismantles US–Israeli spy ring in Iran's north
Tehran says the US and Israel are seeking to conduct espionage operations 'under the guise of foreign nationals and displaced persons'
A few Egyptian bulldozers have arrived in northern Gaza to aid in rubble removal and reconstruction, as the Israeli occupation permits only a limited number to enter the strip.
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⭕️ Scenes from the handover of the bodies of four Israeli captives—Oded Lifshitz, Shiri Bibas, and her two children, Ariel and Kfir—by the Palestinian resistance to the Red Cross in the Gaza Strip.
A banner depicting a monstrous, bloodied Netanyahu looming over the deceased captives serves as a stark reminder of who they were killed by.
Restoring Maximum Pressure: Can Iran withstand the economic squeeze?
The Trump administration has reimposed its maximum pressure campaign on Iran, triggering a currency crash, soaring inflation, and worsening energy shortages, while Tehran scrambles to offset the impact by reducing dependence on oil exports (resistance economy) and strengthening economic ties with China and Russia.
By Vali Kaleji
Spain 'major transit port' for weapons shipments to Israel
Thousands of weapon shipments have been arriving in Tel Aviv via Spain for over 16 months, despite a ban on arms exports imposed by Madrid last year
WATCH | Quds Brigades publishes scenes from today's handover of the Israeli captives' bodies, as part of the Gaza ceasefire and exchange deal.
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❗️Israel's Channel 14, an Israeli political source:
○ "There will be no second phase of the exchange deal, and we will try to extend the first phase for two weeks to recover the largest number of [captives]."
○ "We will open the gates of hell on Gaza after the end of the first stage of the exchange deal."
❗️Hamas movement to the Bibas and Lifshitz families:
"We would have preferred your sons to return to you alive, but your army and government leaders chose to kill them instead of bringing them back. And with them, they killed 17,881 Palestinian children in their criminal bombardment of the Gaza Strip, and we know that you understand who is truly responsible for their departure. You were the victim of a leadership that does not care about its children."
‘We do not feel safe’: Israeli settlers reluctant to return to north
Settlers from Metulla have demanded that the Israeli government exempt them from the return protocol
⭕️ Gaza Ministry of Health:
○ “22 martyrs (whose bodies were recovered) and 16 wounded arrived at Gaza Strip hospitals during the past 24 hours."
○ “A number of victims are still under the rubble and on the roads, and ambulance and civil defense crews cannot reach them."
○ “The death toll from the Israeli aggression has risen to 48,319 martyrs and 111,749 injuries since 7 October, 2023."
A law barring entry into Israel for individuals who deny the Holocaust or support Hamas and 7 October was approved in its third and final reading in the Knesset, on Wednesday.
Sponsored by Israeli Knesset Member Mishel Buskila, the legislation expands an existing ban on entry for those advocating boycotts against Israel.
The law also applies to people working for organizations that openly support Palestine.
“The State of Israel, like any other country in the world, must defend itself, its citizens, soldiers, and national identity,” Buskila said on Wednesday.
“Many countries in the world prohibit the entry of hostile entities who harm their security forces. Israel is a democratic country, but it is not naive. Those who support Israel will be respectfully welcomed. Those who attempt to undermine our very existence, deny the horrors of the past, or harm our soldiers and citizens, have no place among us.”
Quds Brigades publishes photos of the handing over of the body of Oded Lifshitz, and the bodies of the Bibas family, as part of the Gaza ceasefire and exchange deal.
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❗️Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar on Israeli Channel 14:
"We are committed to achieving all the war goals and we want to completely evacuate Gaza of weapons."
The Qassam Brigades releases photos from the delivery of the bodies of the Bibas family and the body of the prisoner Oded Lifshitz as part of the first stage of the prisoner exchange agreement with Israel.
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⭕️ On 18 February, 2025, Israeli occupation forces carried out a series of demolitions in the southern West Bank village of Masafer Yatta, displacing families and exacerbating the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the area. Seven homes, a sheep pen, and a tent were demolished in the villages of Umm al-Khair, Shaab al-Batm, and Al-Tuwana, located south of Hebron. The demolitions are part of a wider Israeli strategy of expelling Palestinian residents from the area to make way for settlement expansion.
According to Osama Makhamreh, a prominent anti-settlement activist from Masafer Yatta, Israeli forces raided the village of Umm al-Khair and demolished three tin homes. The affected families are Ammar Shuaib al-Hathalin, Fatima Ali al-Maazi, and Hamid Shuaib al-Hathalin. Additionally, a house belonging to Fadl Ismail al-Najjar in Shaab al-Batm, which was home to nine people, was demolished. This house had been rebuilt only five months after a previous demolition by Israeli forces. A tent and sheep pen belonging to Yousef Mahmoud Al-Jabarin were also destroyed.
In the village of Al-Tuwana, three homes owned by Fadi, Ahmed, and Khaled Al-Amour were demolished, further displacing residents. Anti-settlement activist Fouad al-Amour highlighted the increasing frequency of these demolitions, which target both homes and infrastructure, including electricity and water facilities.
The broader context of these demolitions reflects the ongoing Israeli policy to exert control over the South Hebron Hills and other areas in the West Bank by systematically destroying Palestinian property. The Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission reported that in January 2025 alone, Israeli forces carried out 76 demolitions in the West Bank and Jerusalem, affecting 126 structures, including 74 homes.
Local residents have repeatedly denounced these actions as part of an effort to displace Palestinians and expand Israeli settlements. Basel Adra, a journalist and activist from Masafer Yatta, in an X post on 10 February, captured the dire situation, stating, "Masafer Yatta is disappearing in front of my eyes. Only one name for these actions: ethnic cleansing."
Heavy rains sweep across Gaza, worsening the plight of displaced Palestinians already facing harsh winter conditions amid ongoing destruction from the Israeli aggression on the strip.
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Scenes of the destruction in Tulkarem Camp caused by Israeli occupation forces during their ongoing invasion of Tulkarem.
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