According to Israeli media outlet Ynet News, Israel has proposed releasing 602 Palestinian prisoners if Hamas immediately returns the bodies of four hostages. Israel has stipulated that Hamas must return the bodies without any formal handover ceremonies, similar to how they returned the bodies of Bibas and Oded Lifshitz last week. Meanwhile, Tel Aviv has refused to release over 600 Palestinian detainees under the latest prisoner exchange agreement, citing alleged misconduct by Hamas during past handovers. In response, Hamas has stated that it will not engage in any further negotiations until all Palestinian prisoners are freed.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has announced that the Israeli military is prepared to take control of the Gaza Strip under the leadership of the new army chief, with backing from former US President Donald Trump’s administration. He claimed that Hezbollah is currently at its weakest, cut off from land supply routes in Lebanon and Syria. Smotrich also boasted about the forced displacement of thousands of Palestinians and warned of further military aggression.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reiterated that Israel is prepared to resume its military operations against Hamas. Hamas, on the other hand, claims that Israel is putting the five-week ceasefire at risk by suspending the prisoner exchange process.

The ceasefire’s first phase, which started on January 19, was supposed to end in early March, but no final agreement has been reached on the next steps. On Saturday, Israel suspended the release of 600 Palestinian prisoners under the initial deal.

“We have dismantled most of Hamas’ organized forces, and we will completely achieve our war goals—through negotiations or by other means,” Netanyahu stated.

Despite the scheduled release of over 600 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for six Israeli hostages, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has halted the process. Netanyahu stated that the recent hostage release ceremony was “disrespectful” and, as a result, Israel will not proceed with releasing Palestinian detainees at this time. He added that future exchanges will only occur if hostages are released without “offensive” ceremonies. The conflict, which has raged for nearly 16 months, saw a ceasefire beginning on January 19. Under this agreement, Hamas has so far released 25 hostages.

At least three empty buses exploded in Bat Yam, Israel, on Thursday evening (February 20). Fortunately, no casualties were reported immediately. The area remains tense, with heavy security deployed. Reports suggest that two other buses had explosive devices that did not detonate. Security forces are conducting extensive operations to apprehend suspects. Local media reported that an undetonated device carried a note reading, "Revenge from Tulkarm," referencing the West Bank city recently targeted by Israeli military operations.

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.