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Saudi Arabia contradicts Trump, vows no ties with Israel without creation of Palestinian state

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Saudi Arabia said it would not establish ties with Israel unless a Palestinian state is created, shooting down U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim that the Saudis were not demanding a Palestinian homeland when he floated the idea of the U.S. government taking control of the Gaza Strip.

Trump said on Tuesday at a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he wants the U.S. to take over the Gaza Strip, which has been ravaged by the Israel-Hamas war, after Palestinians are resettled in other countries.

“The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it, too,” Trump said at the White House. “We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous, unexplored bombs and other weapons on the site.”

“Level the site and get rid of the destroyed buildings, level it out, create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area,” he said. “Do a real job. Do something different. Just can’t go back. If you go back, it’s going to end up the same way it has for 100 years.”

‘LEVEL IT’: TRUMP SAYS US WILL ‘TAKE OVER’ GAZA STRIP, REBUILD IT TO STABILIZE MIDDLE EAST

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) poses prior to a working lunch with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Presidential Palace on June 16, 2023, in Paris, France. (Getty Images)

Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Wednesday that the country rejects any attempts to displace the Palestinians from their homeland, stressing that its position on the Palestinians is not up to negotiation.

The statement noted that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has affirmed the kingdom’s position in “a clear and explicit manner” that does not make other interpretations possible under any circumstances.

TRUMP’S MIDDLE EAST ENVOY EXPLAINS GAZA TAKEOVER PROPOSAL: ‘MORE HOPE’ FOR PALESTINIANS’ FUTURES

Any proposed displacement of Palestinians, an idea Trump has suggested multiple times since retaking office last month, is a highly sensitive matter for both Palestinians and Arab countries.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu answer questions during a joint press conference in the East Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., February 4, 2025. ( REUTERS/Leah Millis)

Trump said on Jan. 25 that he wanted Jordan, Egypt and other Arab nations to accept more Palestinian refugees from the Gaza Strip, potentially moving out enough people to “just clean out” the area.

“You’re talking about probably a million and a half people, and we just clean out that whole thing and say, ‘You know, it’s over,’” he said at the time.

Amid the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, Palestinians feared they would suffer from another “Nakba,” meaning catastrophe in Arabic, which refers to the displacement and dispossession of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians during the 1948 war at the birth of the State of Israel.

‘PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH’: TRUMP AND NETANYAHU EXPECTED TO DISCUSS IRAN, HAMAS AT WHITE HOUSE MEETING

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the East Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., February 4, 2025. (REUTERS/Leah Millis)

The U.S. had led months of diplomacy to convince Saudi Arabia to normalize ties with Israel and recognize the Middle Eastern country. But the war in Gaza, which began with Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on the Jewish State, prompted the Saudis to abandon the matter amid Arab anger over Israel’s offensive.

Trump wants Saudi Arabia to follow in the footsteps of countries including the United Arab Emirates, a Middle East trade and business hub, and Bahrain, which signed the Abraham Accords in 2020 and normalized ties with Israel.

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Saudi Arabia establishing ties with Israel would be a grand prize for the Jewish State because the kingdom has huge influence in the Middle East and the wider Muslim world, and it is the world’s biggest oil exporter.

Reuters contributed to this report.

February 5, 2025
United Airlines first US carrier to resume service to Israel

Fox News senior strategic analyst Gen.Jack Keane (ret.) on President Donald Trump’s meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Ukraine-Russia conflict and Iran reportedly developing nuclear missiles that can reach Europe.

United Airlines is restarting service from New York and Newark, New Jersey, to Tel Aviv next month, and says it is “the first U.S. airline to resume service this year.”

The announcement comes on the same day Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House.

United’s daily flights to Israel resume on March 15, “with a second daily flight planned to begin March 29,” a press release from the airline said.

“This resumption follows a detailed assessment of operational considerations for the region and close work with the unions who represent our flight attendants and pilots,” the release added.

US AIRLINE INDUSTRY IMPLEMENTING EFFECTIVE ‘BOYCOTT’ OF ISRAEL BY SUSPENDING DIRECT FLIGHTS: DEM REP

United Airlines Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner takes off from Los Angeles International Airport on Jan. 24, 2025. ( AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images / Getty Images)

The flights between the U.S. and Israel will be on Boeing 787-10s, United said.

The airline says passengers can also connect to Tel Aviv through partners like Lufthansa Group airlines, and will evaluate restoring additional flights “based on demand.”

UNITED, DELTA SUSPEND FLIGHTS TO ISRAEL AS MIDDLE EAST TENSIONS RISE

Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International Airport, center, and surrounding urban areas in Lod, central Israel, on April 5, 2024. (Roy Issa/AFP via / Getty Images)

The airline did not immediately respond to a FOX Business request for more information.

American Airlines’ flights to Tel Aviv have been halted until September, according to The Times of Israel. The media outlet reported in January that Delta announced it would resume services to the Israeli city on April 1.

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UAL UNITED AIRLINES HOLDINGS INC. 104.83 -1.01 -0.95%

A United Airlines airplane passes by two El Al airplanes after arriving at Newark Liberty International Airport on Dec. 2, 2023, in New Jersey. (Gary Hershorn / Getty Images)

The U.S. airline industry’s suspension of all direct flights to Israel was in the wake of the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attacks.

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Unlike in 2014, when the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) directed all U.S. carriers to suspend flights to Israel due to safety concerns amid rocket fire toward Tel Aviv, American, Delta and United decided on their own to stop all direct flights from the U.S. to Israel since the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks, absent of an order by the FAA.

Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., took the airlines to task for the suspensions, saying in November that it had “the practical effect of a boycott.”

Fox Business’s Danielle Wallace and Fox News’ Amelie Botbol contributed to this report.

February 4, 2025
Palestinians flock to northern Gaza after Israel lifts closure

Thousands of Palestinians are streaming back into the northern Gaza Strip Monday after Israel lifted its closure as part of the cease-fire and hostage release deal with Hamas.

Starting at 7 a.m. local time, Palestinians were allowed to cross on foot without inspection via a coastal road passing through part of a military zone bisecting the territory just south of Gaza City, that Israel carved out early in the war. A checkpoint for vehicles opened later on Gaza’s main north-south highway, where traffic was backed up for around 2 miles.

“The transfer of militants or weapons via these routes to the northern Gaza Strip will be considered a breach of the agreement. Do not cooperate with any terrorist entity that may try to exploit you to transfer weapons or prohibited materials,” Israel’s military warned in a statement, according to Reuters.

Hamas is calling the return “a victory for our people, and a declaration of failure and defeat for the (Israeli) occupation and transfer plans,” according to the Associated Press.

ISRAEL, HAMAS REACH DEAL TO ALLOW PALESTINIANS TO RETURN TO NORTHERN GAZA

An aerial photograph taken by a drone shows displaced Palestinians returning to their homes in the northern Gaza Strip on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, following Israel’s decision to allow thousands of them to go back for the first time since the early weeks of the 15-month war with Hamas. (AP/Mohammad Abu Samra)

Yasmin Abu Amshah, a mother of three, told the AP that she walked about four miles to reach her damaged but still habitable home in Gaza City, where she also saw her younger sister for the first time in more than a year.

“It was a long trip, but a happy one,” she said. “The most important thing is that we returned.”

Around a million people fled to southern Gaza in October 2023, while hundreds of thousands remained in the north, which had some of the heaviest fighting and the worst destruction of the war. In all, around 90% of Gaza’s 2.3 million people have been displaced, the news agency says.

Israel had delayed the opening of the crossing, which was supposed to happen over the weekend, saying it would not allow Palestinians north until a female civilian hostage, Arbel Yehoud, was released. Israel said she should have been released before four young female soldiers, who were freed on Saturday.

ISRAELI VICTIMS OF TERROR CONCERNED WITH MURDERERS’ RELEASE FROM PRISON, RELIEVED 7 HOSTAGES BACK HOME

Displaced Palestinians return to their homes in the northern Gaza Strip on Monday. (AP/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Hamas in turn accused Israel of violating the agreement by not opening the crossing.

The Gulf nation of Qatar, a key mediator with Hamas, then announced early Monday that an agreement had been reached to release Yehoud along with two other hostages.

Hamas also handed over a list of information about the hostages to be released in the ceasefire’s six-week first phase.

Palestinians are seen Monday walking along a road to northern Gaza. (AP/Abdel Kareem Hana)

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Under that phase, Hamas is to free a total of 33 hostages in exchange for the release of nearly 2,000 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. So far under the truce, the terrorist organization has released seven hostages in exchange for more than 300 prisoners. Shiri Bibas and her children Ariel and Kfir were expected to be released over the weekend, but that did not happen. Shiri’s husband, Yarden Bibas, is also among the hostages.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Greg Norman is a reporter at Fox News Digital.

January 27, 2025
Israel, Hamas reach deal to release hostages. Palestinians to return to Gaza Strip

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced Sunday that an agreement has been reached with Hamas to release additional hostages starting this Thursday, while also allowing Palestinians to return to the northern part of the Gaza Strip beginning Monday morning.

Qatar helped mediate the agreement, which is expected to ease the first major crisis of the fragile ceasefire between Hamas and Israel.

“After firm and determined negotiations led by Prime Minister Netanyahu, Hamas has backed down and will conduct an additional phase of hostage releases this coming Thursday,” Netanyahu’s office said. “As part of this phase, Israeli citizen Arbel Yehud, soldier Agam Berger, and one additional hostage will be released.”

The statement also noted that three additional hostages will be released on Saturday as part of the agreement.

ISRAELI MILITARY CHIEF STEPS DOWN OVER OCTOBER 7 HAMAS MASSACRE: ‘WEIGHS ON ME EVERY DAY’

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel and Hamas reached an agreement for the release of additional hostages and for Palestinians to return to the northern part of the Gaza Strip. (Getty Images)

Israel confirmed Hamas handed over a list that specified the condition of the hostages expected to be released in the first stage. Local media also reported the list specified the number of living and dead hostages, though names were not included.

Israeli officials claim most of the 26 remaining hostages are alive, which coincides with the list Hamas provided.

Netanyahu’s office also said Israel will allow Palestinians to return to the northern part of the Gaza Strip beginning Monday morning under the agreement with Hamas.

CEASEFIRE DISPUTES BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS, HEZBOLLAH THROW REGION INTO TURMOIL

Hamas is believed to be holding 26 hostages, as of Sunday. (Reuters/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/File Photo)

Netanyahu reiterated that Israel will not tolerate any violation of the agreement between the two parties, adding that he will continue to push for the return of all hostages, dead or alive.

Likewise, the White House released a statement on Sunday afternoon saying the arrangement between Israel and Lebanon will be monitored by the U.S. and will remain in effect until Feb. 18, 2025.

“The Government of Lebanon, the Government of Israel, and the Government of the United States will also begin negotiations for the return of Lebanese prisoners captured after October 7, 2023,” the statement read.

HAMAS RELEASES 4 FEMALE HOSTAGES AS PART OF ISRAEL CEASEFIRE

President Donald Trump shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate on July 26. (Amos Ben-Gershom (GPO) / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)

The agreement between Israel and Hamas comes after the former accused the latter of changing the order of hostages it had planned to release. As a result, Israeli forces blocked thousands of Palestinians from returning to northern Gaza.

Israeli forces also announced Friday that they would not withdraw from southern Lebanon as the ceasefire requires until the Lebanese government fully implements its own responsibilities. According to the agreement, both groups were expected to make withdrawals by Sunday.

“IDF troops operating in southern Lebanon fired warning shots to remove threats in a number of areas where suspects were identified approaching the troops,” the IDF wrote in a statement earlier Sunday.

BITTERSWEET REJOICING AS FIRST HOSTAGES RETURN TO ISRAEL AFTER 471 DAYS IN CAPTIVITY

President Donald Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his Mar-a-Lago estate back in July. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

The disputes came just after President Donald Trump called for Egypt and Jordan to accept refugees from Gaza to “clean out” the region.

“I’d like Egypt to take people,” Trump said. “You’re talking about probably a million and a half people, and we just clean out that whole thing and say, ‘You know, it’s over.’”

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Trump said he applauded Jordan for accepting Palestinian refugees but that he told the king: “I’d love for you to take on more, because I’m looking at the whole Gaza Strip right now, and it’s a mess. It’s a real mess.”

Fox News Digital’s Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.

Greg Wehner is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital.

Story tips and ideas can be sent to [email protected] and on Twitter @GregWehner.

January 27, 2025
Ceasefire disputes between Israel and Hamas, Hezbollah throw region into turmoil

Palestinian security prisoners arrive in Gaza

Gazans chant “The army of Mohammed will return!” as they celebrate the return of Palestinian security prisoners released by Israel as part of the ceasefire for hostages deal in Khan Younis, Gaza. (Video: Majdi Fathi/TPS-IL)

Ceasefire disputes between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah are threatening to derail deals Sunday as arguments break out over several key details.

Israel accused Hamas of changing the order of hostages it planned to release. As a result, Israeli forces blocked thousands of Palestinians from returning to northern Gaza.

Israeli forces also announced Friday that they will not fully withdraw from southern Lebanon as the ceasefire requires until the Lebanese government fully implements its own responsibilities. According to the agreement, both groups were expected to make withdrawals by Sunday.

“IDF troops operating in southern Lebanon fired warning shots to remove threats in a number of areas where suspects were identified approaching the troops,” the IDF wrote in a Sunday statement.

HAMAS RELEASES 4 FEMALE HOSTAGES AS PART OF ISRAEL CEASEFIRE

The ceasefire agreement between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah remains fragile as disagreements rise over details.

“Additionally, a number of suspects in proximity to IDF troops that posed an imminent threat to the troops were apprehended and are currently being questioned at the scene.”

BITTERSWEET REJOICING AS FIRST HOSTAGES RETURN TO ISRAEL AFTER 471 DAYS IN CAPTIVITY

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) expressed concern over the situation in a statement on X, saying Lebanese civilians had been attempting to return to their homes that were still occupied by Israeli forces.

“The IDF must avoid firing at civilians within Lebanese territory. Further violence risks undermining the fragile security situation in the area and prospects for stability ushered in by the cessation of hostilities and the formation of a Government in Lebanon,” UNIFIL wrote.

The disputes come just after President Donald Trump called for Egypt and Jordan to accept refugees from Gaza to “clean out” the region.

Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari, three Israeli hostages who were held in Gaza since the deadly Oct. 7, 2023, attack, return to Israel as part of a ceasefire deal with Hamas on Jan. 19, 2025. (REUTERS/Amir Cohen)

“I’d like Egypt to take people,” Trump said. “You’re talking about probably a million and a half people, and we just clean out that whole thing and say, ‘You know, it’s over.’”

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Trump said he applauded Jordan for accepting Palestinian refugees but that he told the king: “I’d love for you to take on more, because I’m looking at the whole Gaza Strip right now, and it’s a mess. It’s a real mess.”

Anders Hagstrom is a reporter with Fox News Digital covering national politics and major breaking news events. Send tips to [email protected], or on Twitter: @Hagstrom_Anders.

January 26, 2025
Hamas releases 4 female hostages as part of Israel cease-fire deal

The terrorist group Hamas released four additional hostages from Gaza on Saturday after a ceasefire deal with Israel took effect nearly a week ago.

Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy and Liri Albag — all of whom are members of the Israeli Defense Forces —were freed on Saturday in the second round of hostage releases.

In exchange, Israel was expected to free 200 Palestinian prisoners or detainees, including 120 militants serving life sentences after being convicted of deadly attacks.

The first round of hostage releases on Sunday freed Romi Gonen, Emily Demari, and Doron Steinbrecher.

Video from Palestine Square in Gaza shows the four newly released women hostages being taken from the cars. They are alive and walking, wearing uniforms.

HAMAS RELEASES NAMES OF 4 FEMALE HOSTAGES TO BE RELEASED NEXT, POSSIBLY VIOLATES DEAL

L: Daniella Gilboa, Karina Ariev, Liri Albag, Naama Levy. (Handout/Bring Them Home Now)

“The Red Cross has communicated that four Israeli hostages were transferred to them and are on their way toward IDF and ISA forces in the Gaza Strip,” the IDF and Israeli Securities Authority said in a joint statement.

The four female soldiers were believed to have been, at least at one time, held all together.

Under the ceasefire deal, a total of 33 hostages are to be set free over the course of six weeks, including those already released, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari, three female hostages who have been held in Gaza, return to Israel as part of a ceasefire deal in Gaza between Hamas and Israel, January 19, 2025. (REUTERS/Amir Cohen)

Hamas agreed to release three female hostages on the first day of the deal, four on the seventh day and the remaining 26 over the next five weeks.

This is the second cease-fire achieved during the war that began more than a year ago.

SURVIVOR OF NOVA MUSIC FESTIVAL HAMAS TERROR ATTACK WINS SLOT TO REPRESENT ISRAEL AT EUROVISION

Naama Levy had been held hostage for more than a year. (The Hostages and Missing Families Forum)

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The 15-month-long war in Gaza started when Hamas launched a surprise attack against Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, prompting military retaliation from Israeli forces. Nearly 100 hostages remain captive in Gaza.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

January 25, 2025
Israel tells UN it’s shutting down all UNRWA operations in Jerusalem: ‘acute security risks’

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Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, has formally notified U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres of Israel’s demand for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) to cease its operations in Jerusalem and evacuate its premises by January 30, 2025.

The directive follows recent legislation passed by the Israeli Knesset, terminating Israel’s agreements with UNRWA and citing national security concerns.

In a letter addressed to Guterres, Danon outlined the rationale behind the decision, emphasizing “the acute national security risks posed by the widespread infiltration of UNRWA’s ranks by Hamas and other terrorist organizations.” He also accused the agency of failing to address Israel’s long-standing concerns and of compromising its “fundamental obligation to impartiality and neutrality beyond repair.”

STEFANIK PLANS TO PUSH TRUMP’S ‘AMERICA FIRST’ AGENDA AT UN, MAKE SURE IT ‘SERVES THE INTERESTS’ OF US PEOPLE

UN vehicle enters the UNRWA offices in Jerusalem. Jerusalem, Apr 2, 2024. (Photo by Yoav Dudkevitch/TPS)

President Donald Trumphas also been a vocal critic of UNRWA, withholding funding for it during his first term as president. The United States had previously been UNRWA’s largest donor, contributing more than $350 million annually. In March, Congress agreed to cut funding to the controversial agency for a year.

A spokesperson for the U.N. Secretary-General told Fox News Digital, “The Secretary-General has been clear in the need to maintain support for UNRWA, which is the backbone of U.N. operations in the occupied Palestinian Territory.”

Danon’s letter stated that “months of good-faith engagement” with the United Nations had failed to produce results, accusing UNRWA of abusing its immunity to bypass local laws and regulations. He underscored Israel’s legal position, asserting that “no state is required to assist and cooperate with an entity that undermines its national security.”

The IDF and ISA eliminated Hamas terrorist, Nukhba commander, Mohammad Abu Itiwi. He was involved in the murder and abduction of Israeli civilians on October 7th. Itiwi worked for UNRWA according to the Israelis. (IDF Spokesman’s Unit)

Anne Bayefsky, Director of the Touro Institute on Human Rights and the Holocaust and President of Human Rights Voices, told Fox News Digital said Israel’s move is a long time coming. “UNRWA is a cash cow for the United Nations, and also for Palestinian so-called refugees who—in marked contrast to refugees everywhere else in the world—supposedly inherit their refugee status as long as the Jews are still there. UNRWA schools have taught generations of Palestinians to hate the Jews next door and to spend their lives seeking to terminate Israel instead of cohabiting in peace.”

NEW REPORTS CLAIM UNRWA WORKS WITH TERRORISTS, TEACHES HATE AS AGENCY HITS BACK AT CRITICS

Israel Ambassador Danny Danon speaks to the members of the media before the United Nations Security Council meeting, following a ballistic missile attack on Israel, at U.N. headquarters in New York City, U.S., October 2, 2024. REUTERS/Stephani Spindel

The legislation passed by the Israeli Knesset includes two complementary bills that sever all ties between Israel and UNRWA, including the termination of diplomatic visas and services provided to the agency. The bills received overwhelming support from both coalition and opposition members of the Knesset.

Critics of the legislation, including the Biden administration, have warned that it could create a humanitarian crisis for the millions of Palestinians who rely on UNRWA for education, healthcare, and basic services.

During a U.N. press briefing on Friday, a spokesperson responded to questions regarding the situation, stating, “We are in touch, but we have continued to emphasize the indispensability of UNRWA.” When asked about contingency plans should the Israeli legislation be implemented, the spokesperson said, “We will see what the future brings. Obviously, we are doing our utmost and UNRWA will do its utmost to continue to provide aid to the people under our mandate, as much as we can.”

Photos released by the Israeli Defense Force show three individuals that the Israeli military claims are Hamas terrorists inside a UNRWA compound in Rafah. (IDF)

Before the Israeli letter was made public, an UNRWA spokeswoman had previously told Fox News Digital they didn’t have a plan in place for ongoing operations once the ban starts.

The spokesperson claimed that, “UNRWA has the most robust systems in place in comparison to other United Nations agencies when it comes to the adherence to the principle of neutrality with regards to our programs that we do and our staff.”

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In August, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini confirmed the probable involvement of UNRWA employees in the Oct.7 massacre. He later confirmed that at least nine UNRWA staffers were fired after an internal probe.

Danon called on the United Nations to “put an end to the unprecedented infiltration and abuse of a U.N. organ by terrorist organizations” to restore the U.N.’s credibility.

January 25, 2025
Survivor of Nova music festival Hamas terror attack wins slot to represent Israel at Eurovision

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A survivor of the Nova music festival terrorist attack by Hamas Oct. 7, 2023, has channeled her therapeutic journey through music and on Thursday secured the slot to represent Israel at the Eurovision Song Contest in Basel, Switzerland.

Yuval Raphael, 24, reportedly began singing as a way to cope with the trauma she endured after she, four of her friends and roughly 40 others attempted to hide in a roadside bomb shelter near Kibbutz Re’im after they fled the festival by car after the attack.

Raphael, who was forced to hide under the bodies of those killed in front of her for about eight hours before help arrived, has shared her story and described how Hamas terrorists repeatedly returned to the bomb shelter and opened fire on those hiding inside.

Eventually, the terrorists began throwing grenades into the concrete shelter, a story similar to what dozens endured that day, including American-Israeli Hersh Goldberg-Polin.

IDF KILLS HAMAS TERRORIST IT SAYS WORKED FOR UNRWA, LED CHARGE ON REIM BOMB SHELTER MASSACRE

“Music is one of the strongest ingredients in my healing process,” she said during the competition Thursday, The Times of Israel reported.

Despite having no previous experience as a singer, Raphael secured her top spot after singing “The Writings on the Wall” followed by a rendition of ABBA’s “Dancing Queen” dedicated to “all the angels” killed in the October 2023 terrorist attack.

Raphael had previously garnered international attention not with her powerhouse voice but by sharing her experience with the United Nations Human Rights Council in a move she said was not politically motivated but an attempt to bring attention to what innocent civilians endured that tragic day.

Pictures are displayed on the walls of a bomb shelter near Kibbutz Be’eri in southern Israel, April 7, 2024, where, six months earlier, people sought refuge before being killed during the deadly Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas terrorists from Gaza. (Reuters/Amir Cohen)

TRUMP ENVOY SAYS GAZA CEASEFIRE COULD PAVE WAY FOR MIDEAST NORMALIZATION DEAL: ‘INFLECTION POINT’

Yuval Raphael, 24, won the slot to represent Israel at the Eurovision music competition Jan. 23, 2023, after having no prior singing experience. (Ortal Dahan Ziv)

“I want to tell them the story of the country, of what I went through, of what others went through,” she reportedly said ahead of the final. “I want to tell the story, but not from a place of seeking pity. I want it to be from a place of standing strong in the face of this and in the face of the boos I’m 100% sure will come from the crowd.”

Raphael’s comments were in reference to the pushback she and other Israelis have faced during the international competitions, including in 2024, following the terrorist attack and subsequent Israel Defense Forces’ (IDF) operations in Gaza.

Yuval Raphael, 24, won the slot to represent Israel at the Eurovision music competition Jan. 23, 2023, despite having no prior singing experience. (Ortal Dahan Ziv)

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Israel has faced calls to be banned from the international competition, but the European Broadcasting Union has rejected the push, affirming that Eurovision is a non-political music event. The 2024 Israeli contestant, Eden Golan, faced anti-Israeli protests and had to be granted a Shin Bet security detail.

Golan was also required to change the name of her song, “October Rain,” to “Hurricane” because event officials believed it was too political, The Times of Israel reported.

January 23, 2025
Israel Defense Forces will receive hostages Sunday

Israel Defense Forces prepare for return of hostages

IDF personnel in coordination with the Israeli Health Ministry prepared Saturday for the return of hostages. The hostages are expected to return to Israel from the Gaza Strip Sunday. (Credit: Israel Defense Forces)

The Israel Defense Forces, in coordination with the Health Ministry, additional government ministries and security authorities, completed final preparations Saturday to receive the first of the hostages being released by Hamas from the Gaza Strip Sunday.

The preparations included home-like conditions inside trailers for the hostages to sleep before they head to hospitals to be looked over and all the comforts of home, including baskets of toiletries and fresh clothes.

Inside the trailers, the hostages will have couches and potted plants for a bit of décor. Outside, they can sit on outdoor patio furniture accented with colorful oversize pillows.

The receiving locations also have necessary medical provisions.

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE HOSTAGES AND CEASE-FIRE DEAL BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS SET TO BEGIN SUNDAY

The receiving locations for the hostages were set up to feel like home. (IDF)

From there, the hostages will be taken to hospitals, where they will be reunited with their families.

The IDF said it requests “patience and sensitivity” from the public as the hostages return.

“We ask everyone to respect the privacy of the hostages and their families,” the IDF said. “The public is requested only to refer to official updates and announcements and refrain from sharing unverified information.”

ISRAEL-HAMAS CEASE-FIRE, HOSTAGE RELEASE DEAL REACHED: ‘AMERICANS WILL BE PART OF THAT’

An IDF soldier makes preparations at a site where hostages are expected to arrive Sunday. (IDF)

The hostages have been held by Hamas for nearly 500 days since Hamas’ unprovoked attack on Israel Oct. 7, 2023.

Three hostages are expected to be released first on Sunday after a cease-fire agreement was reached between Israel and Hamas Wednesday.

IDF personnel make preparations at the various sites and in the hospitals where the hostages will arrive. (IDF)

The first hostages released are expected to be female.

In all, 33 hostages will be released, including two Americans. More than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners will be returned by the Israelis.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saturday Israel wouldn’t move forward with the outline of the deal until it receives a list of the hostages to be released. That was agreed upon after the names didn’t arrive from Qatar as expected Saturday.

“Israel will not tolerate violations of the agreement,” he said. “The sole responsibility is on Hamas.

“In the … war, we make it clear to our enemies — we make it clear to the whole world — that when the people of Israel stand together, there is no force that can break us.

Thirty-three hostages are expected to be released by Hamas. (IDF)

“To date, we have brought home 157 of our abductees, of which 117 are alive. In the agreement now approved, we will bring home 33 more of our brothers and sisters, most of them alive.”

He also credited both President Biden and President-elect Trump with helping reach a cease-fire deal.

“As soon as he was elected, President Trump joined the mission of freeing the hostages,” Netanyahu said. “He talked to me on Wednesday night. He welcomed the agreement, and he rightly emphasized that the first step of the agreement is a temporary cease-fire. That’s what he said, “temporary cease-fire.’”

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Netanyahu said Biden and Trump “gave full backing to Israel’s right to return to fighting if Israel comes to the conclusion that negotiations on Phase B are futile.”

Netanyahu also said he appreciated Trump’s decision to “remove all remaining restrictions on the supply of essential weapons and armaments to the State of Israel.”

January 23, 2025
Hamas releases 3 hostages under Israel cease-fire deal

The terrorist group Hamas released three hostages from Gaza hours after a cease-fire deal with Israel took effect after a brief delay Sunday.

Romi Gonen, 24, Emily Demari, 27, and Doron Steinbrecher, 31, were freed to the Red Cross, which will then deliver them to the Israeli Defense Forces. A crowd watched the ongoing saga in Tel Aviv, cheering as good news emerged 15 months after the Oct. 7 massacre of civilians by Hamas.

Israel is expected to free some 90 Palestinian prisoners in return.

Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the Israeli Defense Forces that the cease-fire would not begin until Israel had the list of hostages expected to be freed. Since Hamas had not given the names of the hostages by the time the cease-fire was set to start, the IDF continued to operate, as it was still striking inside Gaza. At least eight Gazans have been killed in IDF strikes since the cease-fire was set to begin, according to a Hamas-run agency.

Hamas had said the three-hour delay in providing the names was due to “technical field reasons” and added that it is committed to the cease-fire deal announced last week.

WHAT TO EXPECT AS ISRAEL-HAMAS CEASE-FIRE GOES INTO EFFECT ON SUNDAY

Romi Gonen, Emily Demari, and Doron Steinbrecher. (Fox News)

The terror group released a statement after the cease-fire began, pledging to the people of Gaza “to be the trustees of their rights and defenders of them, until the complete liberation of the land and the holy sites.”

“The whole world today must stand in reverence for the legendary steadfastness of our people in Gaza, and in appreciation of their patience and sacrifices over the course of 471 days,” Hamas said.

“With the entry into force of the ceasefire, we affirm our commitment to implementing the terms of the agreement, which is the fruit of the steadfastness and patience of our great people, and the legendary steadfastness of our valiant resistance in the face of the zionist machine of terrorism and killing,” the statement continued.

Israel’s Cabinet approved the deal early Saturday morning for a cease-fire in Gaza that would include the release of dozens of hostages and pause the war with Hamas that began after the terror group’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack on the Jewish State.

The deal would allow 33 hostages to be set free over the next six weeks, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. The remaining hostages are set to be released in a second phase that will be negotiated during the first.

“Our heroic prisoners have an appointment with freedom starting today, and this is our firm pledge with them always, until they break the shackles of the jailer and breathe freedom in the skies of Palestine,” Hamas said in its statement.

People react as they watch news coverage of the release of Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari, three female hostages who have been held in Gaza since the deadly Oct. 7, 2023, attack, as part of a cease-fire deal in Gaza between Hamas and Israel, in Tel Aviv, Jan. 19, 2025. (REUTERS/Shir Torem)

Hamas agreed to release three female hostages on the first day of the deal, four on the seventh day and the remaining 26 over the next five weeks.

Hamas has said it will not release the remaining hostages without a lasting cease-fire and a full Israeli withdrawal.

This is the second cease-fire achieved during the war.

Gaza is expected to receive a surge in humanitarian aid when the cease-fire begins.

“We are monitoring the operations of bringing in aid and providing relief to our people with everything necessary, and we confirm that all efforts will be made to provide all the necessary support and assistance requirements to restore the cycle of life in the Gaza Strip to normal,” Hamas said in its statement.

ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES WILL RECEIVE HOSTAGES SUNDAY WITH EQUIPPED CAMPER TRAILERS AND COMFORTING SUPPLIES

A wall covered with photos of hostages held in the Gaza Strip after the deadly Oct 7 Hamas attack calling for the release of the hostages on January 17, 2025, in Tel Aviv, Israel. (Photo by Amir Levy/Getty Images)

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The 15-month-long war in Gaza started when Hamas launched a surprise attack against Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, in which roughly 1,200 people wer killed and about 250 others were abducted, prompting military retaliation from Israeli forces. Nearly 100 hostages remain captive in Gaza.

More than 46,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel’s offensive, according to the Hamas-run government’s local health officials, who do not distinguish between civilians and terrorists.

January 23, 2025