Israel announced the arrival of three new F-35 fighter jets at the Nevatim Airbase, bringing its total to 42 out of the 50 it has ordered from the U.S. Although these jets arrived last week, the announcement was made on Sunday as part of a long-term agreement to expand Israel’s F-35 fleet from 25 to 50 aircraft. Three more jets are expected to be delivered within the next two months.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced plans to dismiss Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar on Sunday night. Bar still has 18 months left in his tenure and is currently leading the ‘Qatargate’ corruption investigation, where several of Netanyahu’s top aides are accused of receiving funds from Qatar. It remains uncertain whether Netanyahu can legally dismiss him, as Israel’s Attorney General or the Supreme Court may rule that removing Bar during the investigation constitutes a conflict of interest.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has directed his negotiation team to continue discussions on the release of hostages. This decision comes after US special envoy Steve Wiccoff proposed the release of 11 surviving hostages. Israel has stated that half of the living captives should be freed by mid-April, during the Passover holiday ceasefire extension. Hamas, in return, has proposed extending the ceasefire and releasing additional Palestinian detainees in exchange for the last surviving Israeli-American hostage, Edan Alexander, along with the bodies of four other Israeli-American dual nationals. However, both Israel and the US have rejected the proposal.

Families of Israeli hostages have issued a stern warning to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, declaring that they will not allow him to sabotage the Hamas ceasefire deal or turn Gaza’s tunnels into their children’s graves. They have called for protests in front of the Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv, accusing Netanyahu of threatening a new war, violating the ceasefire agreement, and endangering the hostages’ lives. According to Israeli sources, 59 hostages remain in Gaza, at least 22 of whom are confirmed to be alive.

As tensions escalate, Israel appears to be leveraging Syria’s internal conflict for political gain. Defense Minister Israel Katz accused Syrian leaders of disguising their true intentions while seeking a diplomatic middle ground.

Katz reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to maintaining a military presence in Syrian territories, including the Harmon Heights, to protect the Golan Heights and the Galilee region.

Meanwhile, newly appointed Israeli Army Chief Yaal Zamir has issued a stark warning, stating that 2025 will be a “year of war,” with conflicts likely to intensify in Gaza and Iran.

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar has dismissed international concerns over the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, rejecting UN and global agency warnings that Israel’s strict blockade could lead to yet another famine in the besieged region.

On Sunday, Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen announced that Israel would "immediately" cut off electricity supply to Gaza. Cohen stated, "We will take all necessary measures to bring back all hostages and ensure that Hamas no longer exists in Gaza after the war." Shortly after this declaration, Cohen signed the order to halt power supply to Gaza. According to The Wall Street Journal, Israel plans to first stop the entry of goods into Gaza, followed by cutting off electricity and water.

A new survey published on Wednesday reveals that if elections were held today, former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett would secure a sweeping victory, while Netanyahu’s ruling coalition would suffer a significant setback.

According to the poll, the Likud party would win 24 seats, Bennett’s party 24, Yesh Atid 11, The Democrats 10, National Unity 9, Shas 9, United Torah Judaism 8, Yisrael Beiteinu 8, Otzma Yehudit 7, Hadash-Ta’al 5, Ra’am 5, and the Religious Zionist Party 4.

In the race for prime minister, 36% of respondents favored Bennett, while 34% supported Netanyahu. The survey also indicates that Netanyahu’s coalition would secure only 48 seats in the 120-member Knesset, a decline from 51 seats in the previous poll.

A violent scuffle broke out between security personnel and family members of the October 7 attack victims as they attempted to enter Israel’s parliament during an ongoing session. At least two people were injured in the altercation. Opposition leader Yair Lapid shared a video of the incident, which was also reported by Al Jazeera. The chaos ensued when members of the NGO ‘October Council’ tried to gain access to the Knesset. They were later allowed in and protested during Netanyahu’s speech by turning their backs on him while holding up placards. The NGO represents over 1,000 families affected by the attack.

At the Arab Summit in Cairo, member nations adopted an alternative proposal for Gaza’s reconstruction, countering a plan previously put forward by former U.S. President Donald Trump. Israel’s Foreign Ministry criticized the summit, stating that it failed to condemn Israeli casualties and rejected the Arab-backed reconstruction initiative. The plan, endorsed by Arab representatives on Tuesday, includes a $53 billion budget for Gaza’s redevelopment, spearheaded by Egypt. Israel, meanwhile, reaffirmed its support for the U.S. proposal.

During a ceremony marking the 33rd anniversary of former Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin’s death, Israeli Defense Minister Katz stated that Israel would not allow Egypt to violate the 1979 peace agreement between the two countries. Katz referred to Egypt as ‘the largest and most powerful Arab nation’ and noted that the peace agreement had freed Egypt from the cycle of war, reshaping both the history of the region and the situation of the State of Israel.

Israel launched fresh airstrikes on Gaza today, Sunday, following the expiration of the first phase of the ceasefire, killing at least six people. Additionally, Israeli forces have blocked all goods from entering Gaza. Despite ongoing negotiations for a second ceasefire agreement on the 16th day since the January 19 ceasefire deal, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accused of crimes against humanity, violated the truce. He has threatened to resume intense attacks if Hamas does not agree to extend the ceasefire. Analysts argue that Israel lacks the capability to eliminate Hamas or fully occupy Gaza.

Under a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement in Gaza, the world’s longest-serving political prisoner was released from an Israeli jail on Thursday after 44 years. A key figure in the prisoner movement, he was arrested in 1978 and sentenced to life imprisonment for attacking an Israeli target. Although he was freed in a 2011 prisoner swap, Israel rearrested him on June 18, 2014, sentencing him to 30 months in prison. After completing that sentence, Israel reinstated an additional 18 years to his original life term. Even when his brother passed away, he was not allowed to attend the funeral.

Israel announced on Thursday that it would impose restrictions on Palestinian access to Al-Aqsa Mosque during the upcoming month of Ramadan. Every year, millions of Palestinians travel to Al-Aqsa, located in Israeli-occupied East Jerusalem, to observe prayers. Last year, due to heightened tensions over the Gaza conflict, Israeli authorities imposed strict entry controls, particularly on Palestinians from the West Bank. Despite the absence of war this year, Israel has maintained a similar stance, though specific restrictions have yet to be disclosed.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has expressed support for Bangladesh’s reform initiatives under Interim Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus. In a letter responding to an earlier communication from Yunus, Guterres acknowledged receipt through his special representative on the Rohingya crisis, Khalilur Rahman. The Secretary-General reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to Bangladesh’s reform process and highlighted ongoing concerns over the Rohingya humanitarian situation. He also confirmed his planned visit to Bangladesh in March.

A human rights report on Tuesday revealed that at least 59 Palestinian prisoners have died in Israeli jails since Israel’s military aggression in Gaza began in October 2023. Most of the deceased were residents of Gaza. The Prison Society reported that 38 of the victims were from Gaza and accused Israeli authorities of concealing their deaths. Since Israel occupied Gaza in 1957, at least 296 Palestinians have died in Israeli prisons, excluding thousands of others whose deaths have been omitted from official statistics.