Israel Weekly News Roundup - Feb 21, 2025

Five things you need to know

Israel at War - Day 503

Gaza Ceasefire - Day 33

1. Ariel and Kfir Bibas Confirmed Dead and Released from Gaza, Shiri’s Body Is Still Missing

The remains of the bodies of the two babies who were abducted on October 7th from their home in Kibbutz Nir Oz are confirmed dead, and their bodies were released to Israel on Thursday morning. But the body of Shiri, their mother, was not among the released bodies, and the body released did not match any of the other hostages. Israel claims that this was a severe violation of the ceasefire agreement.

Ariel was only 4 years old on and Kfir who was 9 months were taken with their mother and father to Gaza during the attack on their Kibbutz. The footage of the terrifieed mother holding her two red headed babies, trying to cover them with a blanket to protect them became iconic all over the world. Civilian women and children that were abducted on October 7th were the first to be released during the first hostage deal, 50 days into the war, but Shiri and the two babies were not among them. Hamas said then that the organization doesn’t hold them, that they were taken by another Gazan Islamic faction, that Hamas cannot reach them, and believes that they are dead. The pathological report confirmed that the two children - Ariel and Kfir - were murdered by their captives on November 2023. They were held by a small Islamic faction in Gaza.

Yarden Bibas, the father of the two babies was taken separately. He had no idea as to their fate. He was released two weeks ago, as part of the current hostages deal. He has lost a lot of weight, and it was published that during his captivity he was told by Hamas that his family did not survive and that they are not alive. When the bodies were released, they were taken to the national pathology institute for identification.

2. The Body of Oded Lifshitz From Kibbutz Nir Oz Was Released and Identified

Oded Lifshitz, 83, was one of the founders of Kibbutz Nir Oz. He was a journalist, and expressed left-wing views. He strongly believed in the two state solution. He was convinced that a diplomatic agreement with the Palestinians is feasible, possible and sorely needed. After he retired, he dedicated much of his time to build warm relations with the Palestinians on the other side of the fence in the Gaza Strip. He also volunteered to take ill Palestinians from Gaza for treatment in Israeli hospitals. Lifshitz was also an amateur pianist, and liked to play for his family and grandchildren every time they came to visit. Lifshitz was taken alive to Gaza. He was wounded, but did not survive.

His wife, Yocheved was also taken hostage on October 7th, but she was released with another woman even before the first hostages deal last year.

Nir Oz was the place that suffered the most on October 7th. Three waves of militants from Gaza invaded the small community, murdered people, burned their homes and took more than 30 people hostage. A quarter of the people of the Kibbutz were either kidnapped or murdered on October 7th.

And the army was not there to protect them. The soldiers first arrived only hours after the last Palestinian invaded, destroyed and left. Twenty of the hostages who are still held in Gaza are from Nir Oz.

It is important to mention here that PM Netanyahu has never paid a visit to the small Kibbutz, despite personal invitations from the people living there.

3. Release of Israeli Hostages Continues as PM Netanyah Removes Senior Security Officials from Negotiations’ Team

Three Israeli male hostages – Sagui Dekel Chen, Iair Horn and Alexander "Sasha" Troufanov – were released last Saturday after 498 days in Hamas captivity. As in previous hostage releases, the three men were brought on stage, before being handed over to the Red Cross. This time, the banner on the stage read: "No migration except to Jerusalem," referring to U.S. President Donald Trump's proposal to displace Palestinians from Gaza and resettle them in other countries. The three men were reunited with their families and were then taken to a hospital in Tel Aviv for assessment and treatment.

Later that day, Israel released 369 Palestinian prisoners and detainees from the West Bank and Gaza. Thirty six of them were serving life sentences.

This coming Saturday, six living Israeli hostages are to be released as part of the Israel-Hamas Ceasefire/hostage deal, including Abera Mengistu (38) and Hisham Al-Sayed (37) who have spent ten years in Hamas captivity. Both have a history of coping with mental illness, and both crossed the border to Gaza before they were captured by Hamas.

Earlier this week, PM Netanyahu removed Mossad Chief David Barnea and Shin Bet Chief Ronen Bar from the ceasefire/hostage negotiations, and replaced them with his close confidant, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer. In a statement made under the attribution of a "senior Israeli official," PM Netanyahu lashed out at Barnea and Bar, saying that they led a "give-and-give" rather than a "give-and-take" strategy with Hamas, and "caused Hamas to entrench its positions." The statement also claimed that the release of the bodies of four dead hostages and six living ones is the result of the changes made by PM Netanyahu in the leadership of the negotiation team.

4. Shin Bet Investigation Opened Regarding Alleged Relations Between PM Netanyahu’s Closest Aides and Qatari Regime

Four of PM Netanyahu closest advisors are suspected of working for the Qataris at the same time that they were working for Israels Prime Minister. The three are suspected of establishing a public relations firm, which worked for the Qatari government in Qatar during the Olympic Games in order to improve the reputation of Qatar and make it more welcoming to Western tourists. According to investigative journalists, they are also suspected of working for and with Qatar recently. It is important to understand that Qatar is the host and financier of Hamas in Gaza, and is also one of the mediators for the hostages deal and the ceasefire between Israel and Gaza.

The aides have access to highly classified material as part of their job at the Prime Minister offices, and therefore the investigation is lead by the Shin Bet. If those allegations are found to be true, this may be a criminal offense

5. Coalition Promotes Laws Targeting Israeli Human and Civil Rights Groups, and International Agencies and Institutions

A draft bill has been approved in a preliminary hearing this week, that would make it harder for NGOs opposing the government to petition the courts. The bill, presented by MK Kellner of the Likud governing party, targets NGOs that receive funding from foreign countries, the vast majority of which are human rights NGOs. Another clause in the bill would subject these donations to an 80% tax, in contrast to the current situation, according to which they are tax-exempt like any other NGO. However, the sanctions will not apply to NGOs that also receive government funding.

Kellner said in the plenary that "these organizations are not human rights organizations, but delegitimization (organizations)." According to him, the organizations are turning the Israeli court into a playground for foreign countries. "This is a funded legal revolution against the State of Israel," Kellner said , adding that the law “is not a law against civil society, it is a law in favor of civil society and against its distortion. This law will return democracy to Israeli society."

Ahead of the vote, dozens of civil society organizations addressed Knesset members, writing that the bill was intended to "harm anyone who criticizes and challenges the government's conduct through a mechanism that harms the activities of those who do not receive financial support from the government." According to the organizations, the bill should be seen "as part of the overall measures of the government and the current coalition against the institutional and civil balances and checks in Israel."

The Israel Democracy Institute published a brief against the bill, stating that it will lead to the closure of organizations that work for the rights of women, workers, the elderly, Holocaust survivors, and more. It is unconstitutional and could harm Israel's relations with Western countries.

Also, this week, the Knesset approved a law that prohibits entry and residence in Israel for anyone who does not have Israeli citizenship, and who, or the organization on whose behalf they act, has published statements denying the October 7 massacre or the Holocaust, or has supported putting security forces members on international trial. The law was approved without opposition, and it expands the amendment passed in 2017, according to which a visa and residence permit of any kind will not be issued to a person who is not an Israeli citizen or has a permanent residence permit in the country, if they or the organization on whose behalf they act has called for a boycott of the State of Israel.