On Monday, an anti-settlement watchdog reported that Israel has issued tenders for the construction of approximately 1,000 new settlements in the occupied West Bank.

The organization stated that the new settlements will increase the population of the Efrat settlement by 40%, negatively impacting the development of nearby Bethlehem. Israel has occupied the West Bank, along with Gaza and East Jerusalem, since the 1967 Middle East War. Palestinians claim these areas for their future state and view settlement expansion as a major obstacle to peace.

Despite international criticism, the Trump administration previously expressed support for Israeli settlement construction.

According to Al Jazeera, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is committed to former U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to seize Gaza and displace Palestinians. During a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Netanyahu praised Trump’s proposal as a "bold vision." Human rights organizations have condemned the plan, calling it a violation of international law and an act of ethnic cleansing. Meanwhile, Israel has reportedly decided to establish an office to facilitate the voluntary return of Palestinians.

As part of a ceasefire agreement, Hamas is set to return the bodies of five Israeli hostages on Thursday. Israel is making preparations for their reception. According to the agreement, the bodies were to be returned on the 33rd day of the ceasefire, which falls on Thursday. Israel’s Kan Public Broadcaster reported that, according to Hamas, most of the hostages were killed during Israeli attacks on Palestinians. Hamas has yet to disclose their identities. Once confirmed, Israel will hand over the bodies to their respective families.

A senior official has accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of deliberately delaying the second phase of a hostage exchange deal for political interests. The official stated, “Every time we think Netanyahu can’t go any lower, he proves us wrong.” According to the agreement, negotiations were to begin on February 3, but Netanyahu’s government has yet to initiate talks, violating the deal. The official warned that the delay could make it impossible to finalize the exchange by the March 2 deadline.

Israel has been preventing mobile homes and heavy construction equipment from entering Gaza, violating the ceasefire agreement, according to Israel’s Public Broadcasting Corporation. Viral social media videos show bulldozers, road rollers, and trucks carrying caravans stuck at the Rafah border for over two weeks, awaiting Israeli approval. The agreement initially allowed the entry of 60,000 temporary shelters and 200,000 tents. Gaza’s official media has condemned the blockade as a blatant breach of the deal.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reaffirmed his country’s commitment to fighting Iran with U.S. support. In a joint statement with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, he highlighted that Israel has struck Iranian activities forcefully over the past 16 months. Netanyahu expressed confidence that, under President Trump’s leadership, these efforts would continue. Echoing his stance, Rubio stated that Iran must not be allowed to develop nuclear capabilities, agreeing with Israel that Tehran remains a major source of instability in the Middle East.

In a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared that the Palestinian resistance group Hamas cannot continue to exist as a military or governmental force. He emphasized that former President Donald Trump’s stance on Hamas is clear— they must be eliminated entirely. Rubio also accused Iran of being the primary instigator of instability in the Middle East, stating that Tehran supports both Hamas and Hezbollah. He further blamed Iran for the unrest in Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, and the West Bank. Netanyahu, in response, called Trump the greatest friend of Israel in the White House.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Israel on Saturday night, marking his first visit to the Middle East, AFP reported. After landing at Ben Gurion Airport, Rubio is set to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The meeting will address the controversial Gaza occupation policy under the Trump administration. Prior to this, Rubio attended the Munich Security Conference. Meanwhile, Netanyahu had earlier met with Trump, expressing gratitude for U.S. support and endorsing the plan for Gaza's occupation.

A recent survey published by The Times of Israel on Saturday reveals that 61% of Israelis oppose resuming war with Hamas. Instead, they support moving forward with the second phase of the ongoing prisoner exchange to secure the release of hostages. The survey, conducted among 600 Israelis, found that only 18% support restarting military operations, while 21% remain undecided. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister announced the release of three Israeli citizens as part of the sixth phase of the prisoner exchange.

As part of an ongoing prisoner exchange under the Gaza ceasefire, Israel will release 369 Palestinian detainees on Saturday in exchange for three Israeli hostages held by Hamas. Among the Palestinians set for release, 36 were serving life sentences, while 333 were detained after October 7, 2023. The exchange is mediated by Egypt and Qatar. Since the ceasefire began on January 19, Hamas has released 21 hostages, while Israel has freed 566 Palestinian prisoners. The war has left over 48,500 Palestinians dead.

The year 2024 has been recorded as the most dangerous year for journalists, with at least 124 killed across 18 countries, according to a report by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). The report states that Israel is responsible for 70% of these deaths. In comparison, 102 journalists were killed in 2023, while 69 were killed in 2022. CPJ, which has been tracking journalist fatalities for three decades, noted that this year’s toll surpasses previous records, including the 2017 peak of 113 journalist deaths.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has threatened to resume military operations in Gaza if hostages are not released by February 15. The warning comes after Hamas indefinitely suspended hostage exchanges, accusing Israel of violating the ceasefire agreement. According to Al Jazeera, Netanyahu stated that Israeli forces would continue fighting until Hamas is completely defeated. The ceasefire, which took effect on January 19, was disrupted by Israel’s alleged violations, prompting Hamas to halt the exchange process. In response, Netanyahu issued an ultimatum, making it clear that military action will resume if no progress is made on hostage releases.

After a two-week suspension, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's corruption trial resumed on February 10. According to Turkey’s Anadolu Agency, as the trial commenced at Tel Aviv District Court, Netanyahu addressed the judges, stating that he was feeling politically strong despite enduring a physically challenging and exhausting week due to medical treatment. The court had previously postponed proceedings due to Netanyahu’s recent surgery. The long-running corruption case against Netanyahu dates back to 2019.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has suggested that Saudi Arabia has enough land to establish a Palestinian state, instead of doing so within Israel’s borders. Speaking to Channel 14 on Thursday, Netanyahu responded to Saudi Arabia’s demand for a Palestinian state as part of normalization talks, stating, “I will not agree to any deal that harms Israel. After October 7, a Palestinian state is no longer an option.” He further blamed Hamas, claiming that a Hamas-led Palestinian state resulted in the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. His remarks come after a meeting with former U.S. President Donald Trump, who reportedly discussed plans for Gaza’s governance.

Israeli forces have demolished 23 multi-story buildings in the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. The Palestinian Health Ministry reported that a 73-year-old man was killed earlier. Since mid-January, Israeli forces have killed 50 individuals. Local residents stated that they faced intense attacks and were in a state of war for two weeks. The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the actions strongly. Following the ceasefire in Gaza, Israeli forces have intensified attacks in the West Bank.