Why is Halevi Visiting Washington Weeks Before He Steps Down?

Israeli Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi is set to travel to Washington on Sunday for talks with US military officials, the army said.

A military statement said Halevi will meet with the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Commander of the US Central Command (CENTCOM), and other senior officials to discuss key strategic and operational issues.

Halevi “will take the opportunity to express his gratitude to his counterparts for their support, commitment, and personal ties,” the statement said.

The three-day visit comes a few weeks before Halevi steps down.

Last month, the army chief of staff said he would resign as of March 6.

The visit comes as a ceasefire agreement took effect in Gaza on Jan. 19, halting Israel’s genocidal war, which has killed more than 48,200 Palestinians, most of them women and children, and left the enclave in ruins.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave according to Anadolu.

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‘All Hell Won’t Be Breaking Loose After All’

The crisis arising from a prisoner exchange deal between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas seems to be heading toward a resolution, Israeli media reported late Wednesday.

“After Hamas announced that it would suspend the release of prisoners, the crisis that erupted in the prisoner swap agreement appears to be on the path to being resolved,” said Israel’s Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper.

The report also said that three Israeli prisoners are expected to be released on Saturday.

An unnamed Israeli official was quoted as saying that both Israel and Hamas want the first phase of the agreement to succeed and Hamas has sent messages indicating its willingness to continue the deal.

The official also said US President Donald Trump’s threat that “all hell is going to break out” if Hamas does not release the remaining hostages by noon Saturday “put Israel in a dilemma.”

Israel’s Channel 12 also reported that international organizations are expected to deliver urgently needed fuel and medical supplies to Gaza on Thursday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened Tuesday to end the Gaza ceasefire deal if Hamas failed to release hostages by Saturday at noon.

The threat came a day after Hamas said that it would delay the next hostage release in response to Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement.

Palestinian authorities have listed a series of Israeli violations of the deal, including the shooting of civilians and denying access to relief materials, including tents for displaced civilians in Gaza.

Under the first phase of the ceasefire deal, 33 Israeli hostages are to be released in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.

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Amnesty Slams White House For Hosting ‘War Criminal’ Netanyahu

Amnesty International criticized the US on Tuesday for hosting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in connection with his army’s genocidal war in Gaza.

“The Biden administration flouted any efforts at international justice for Palestine. Now, by not arresting Netanyahu or subjecting him to US investigations, President Trump is doubling down, welcoming him as the first foreign leader to visit the White House since the inauguration,” said the UK-based organization in a statement on X.

The first six-week phase of the ceasefire agreement took hold in Gaza on Jan. 19, halting Israel’s war that killed more than 47,500 people and left the enclave in ruins according to Anadolu.

The ICC issued arrest warrants last November for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.

Amnesty emphasized that the US has a legal obligation under the Geneva Conventions to prosecute or extradite individuals accused of war crimes. “There must be no ‘safe haven’ for individuals alleged to have committed war crimes,” the statement read.

The human rights group also condemned the US for supplying weapons used in Israel’s deadly offensive in Gaza, calling it a violation of the obligation to prevent genocide.

Amnesty said compliance with ICC arrest warrants is “crucial” to address Israel’s actions in Gaza and its treatment of Palestinians and to hold those responsible for Israel’s “unlawful occupation and system of apartheid.”

Netanyahu’s visit to the White House, the first by a foreign leader since Donald Trump’s inauguration, comes amid ongoing violence in Gaza and the West Bank. The two leaders are expected to discuss the Gaza conflict, hostages held by Hamas, and regional tensions involving Iran and Lebanon.

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IDF Kills Israeli Contractor by ‘Accident’

The Israeli army “accidentally” killed an Israeli worker on Tuesday from a construction company in the central Gaza Strip, according to media reports.

“Earlier today a worker from a construction company carrying out engineering tasks for the Israeli army, commissioned by the Ministry of Defense, was killed in central Gaza,” the army said in a statement.

“A military police investigation has been opened into the incident under the direction of the military prosecution,” it added without providing details about the circumstances of the death.

The Israel Hayom newspaper identified the victim as 38-year-old Jacob Avitan.

Channel 12 cited initial investigations that suggested Avitan was killed in an operational accident, where he was shot due to a misidentification by Israeli forces.

The report said he was shot by soldiers while working in the Nitzarim Corridor in central Gaza.

The Israeli military withdrew from most of the Nitzarim Corridor on Monday, allowing more than 300,000 displaced civilians to return to northern Gaza under a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement with Israel.

The first six-week phase of the truce took effect Jan. 19, suspending Israel’s genocidal war that has killed more than 47,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children.

The Israeli onslaught has left more than 11,000 people missing, with widespread destruction and a humanitarian crisis.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November last year for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave as reported in Anadolu.

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Israeli Minister Forced to Cancel Brussels Trip Over ICC Ruling

Israeli Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli canceled a planned visit to Brussels over fears of arrest, according to the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office. The office cited “concrete warnings” and guidance from security officials but did not provide specific details. Chikli was scheduled to attend an event at the European Parliament and meet with Brussels’ zionist lobby.

Belgian authorities reportedly informed Israel that Chikli would not enjoy diplomatic immunity, as his visit was not an official state trip. Security sources told Israeli media that the National Security Headquarters warned of attempts to arrest Chikli, though no direct threat was identified.

The incident follows the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in November. The ICC warrant cited  crimes against humanity and war crimes committed between October 8, 2023, and May 20, 2024. Several countries, including France and Hungary, have stated they would not enforce the warrants, while others, like Germany and Norway, indicated they would comply.

Although several western countries announced that they would not comply with the ICC warrant, dozens of rights groups and activists have been filing lawsuits against Israeli officials and soldiers, resulting in many if them canceling their trips according to the Quds News Network.

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