Overview

• With the return of the remains of Ron Gvili for burial in Israel, for the first time since 2014, there are no Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip.

• Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that no Turkish or Qatari troops will enter the Gaza Strip. The new governing authority and anyone participating in its mechanisms will be subject to external oversight, while security control will remain in Israeli hands.

• The IDF stated that with the influx of approximately 600 humanitarian aid trucks per day – more than four times the amount required to feed the population, Hamas has significantly strengthened itself..

• Syrian President Mohammed Al- Julani achieved a decisive political and military outcome against the Kurds, reaching an agreement whereby the SDF will dissolve on February 2 and merge into four brigades within the Syrian Army.

• According to the Wall Street Journal, Trump has been briefed on a range of strike options against Iran, spanning from cyber operations targeting Iran’s banking system to large-scale attacks on IRGC bases and regime institutions.

• A series of “mysterious explosions” were reported in Tehran, Tabriz, and Bandar Abbas, with the latter incident injuring a senior IRGC naval commander. While officially attributed to gas leaks, similar incidents occurred during May–June.

Gaza