Israel News Monday December 29

Day 815

Trump/Netanyahu meeting: 

- President Trump to the Gavili family: "I am doing everything, and I will bring Ran home."

- Gavili family after their meeting with Netanyahu and Trump: "We received a listening ear and a willing soul from both leaders. We asked President Trump that just as he returned all the hostages, we also want our Rani at home. We urged him to apply all pressure levers on Hamas. We cannot move to stage B without Hamas fully fulfilling its part."

- President Trump: It was a great meeting, and we reached many conclusions. We are with you and will continue to be with you. We will succeed in maintaining peace in the Middle East. It is an honor for me to be your friend

- Trump: We will expand the Abraham Accords very soon. Saudi Arabia will also sign the Abraham Accords at some point

- Trump: "If Hamas does not disarm, it will be terrible for them. It will be really, really bad for them. Israel cannot be blamed," the president added

-Trump was asked about the voluntary migration plan and the transfer of Gaza residents to another country "Let's not talk about it, because we don't want the controversy. Right now we are helping Gaza. I think more than half of Gaza's residents would leave if they were given the opportunity."

- Netanyahu says Trump will receive the Israel Prize, marking the first time it has ever been awarded to a non-Israeli

-  Trump said the U.S. and Israel are doing everything possible to bring home the remaining hostage, Ran Gavili

Trump warned that if Iran continues its missile or nuclear programs, he would support an Israeli strike, calling immediate action necessary if nuclear activity persists

Trump predicted that President Isaac Herzog will grant Netanyahu a pardon, saying he was told it is already underway

On Gaza, Trump said deploying Turkish soldiers could work but depends largely on Netanyahu, while praising Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

Trump said moving to Phase B is possible, but only if Hamas is fully disarmed.

- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu begins his meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at Mar-a-Lago in Florida. Netanyahu is slated to meet US President Donald Trump at 1 p.m. local time  Reports say Netanyahu aims to convince Trump that only the threat of war can bring peace. Leaders agree Gaza must be demilitarized and Iran kept from rebuilding, but with Hamas digging in its heels and Hezbollah rearming, the PM wants enemies to fear more attacks

- PM Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara met in Florida with the parents of the fallen captive Ran Gavili, ZL, whose body is still held in Gaza by Hamas.

- Hamas admits 4 months after his elimination: Hamas military wing spokesman Abu Ubaida was eliminated.  Months after their respective assassinations by Israel, Hamas’s armed wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, officially confirms the deaths in May of its commander Muhammad Sinwar and Rafah brigade chief Muhammad Shabana, the death in June of senior Qassam officer Hakem al-Issa, and the death in August of Hudhaifa Samir Abdallah al-Kahlout  better known as Abu Obeida Qassam’s longtime spokesman.

 -“Hamas Gaza" has completed the internal elections in the Gaza Strip, which include the election of: Leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip and his deputy, Members of the Political Bureau, Hamas Shura Council, Hamas Military Council. The names of the elected have not been published…

- Israeli authorities have warned that many Israelis are receiving spam text messages apparently originating from Iran, offering cooperation with Iranian intelligence and telling people to contact Iranian embassies — and the National Cyber Directorate has told the public not to reply

- The IDF is launching a broad series of investigations into its ground maneuver during the war against Hamas in Gaza, the Ynet news site reports.

- Amid growing protests across Iran, the Mossad issued an unusual public message in Farsi, calling on demonstrators to take action and stating it stands “with you in the streets,” as economic pressure and public unrest continue to rise.

-Prime Minister Netanyahu: Mr. Elon Musk  accepted my invitation to participate in an innovative transportation conference to be held in March in Tel Aviv.