The head of the Mossad David Barnea will arrive this morning Qatar to take part in the hostage talks. The news comes as a Palestinian source told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that “today is a decisive day for the negotiations.” The parties have reportedly managed to fill the remaining gaps, the anonymous source told the Qatari newspaper, and are now waiting for a decision from Israel after consultations scheduled for today Benjamin Netanyahu with top security leaders in Tel Aviv. Almost 15 months after the start of the war in Israel, the fear of being involved in an unresolved conflict with Israel is growing Hamaswhich continues to demonstrate remarkable recruiting ability. According to new intelligence assessments, initially reported by Channel 12 News, Hamas has recruited between 12,000 and 23,000 new fighters. With the support of Islamic Jihad Palestinianthe total number of operational forces in Gaza is estimated to be between 20,000 and 23,000. This is an impressive growth compared to the Jerusalem Post’s recent estimate of 12,000 members. Both sources are based on internal Israeli military information. Given that the militiamen are paid, it is clear that the money sent by its financiers to pay the new soldiers continues to arrive in the Gaza Strip. The US State Department has said that Hamas raises funds in other Gulf countries and receives donations from Palestinians, other expatriates and its own charities, as well as from Iran, Qatar, Turkey and Malaysia – to name just a few some. Hamas also owns a globally distributed portfolio of real estate and investments, despite international restrictions. Furthermore, the organization uses the cryptocurrencies to hide some of its financial transactions, ensuring greater anonymity in transactions. These funding flows have been documented by US officials and experts in the Region.
Iran awaits Donald Trump’s arrival at the White House
Speaking of Iran: in Tehran we are preparing to face a particularly challenging year, characterized by the confrontation with the new administration led by Donald Trump. 2024 has left the country in a delicate situation, marked by a deep domestic economic crisis and a series of strategic setbacks in the Middle East. As the Wall Street Journal writes, the new US leadership intends to intensify sanctions against Tehran, adopting an even harder line to counter its financial and military support for militant groups in the Region. Although Iran’s position is less strong than in the past, it still poses a significant threat to US allies and partners, particularly Israel. However, many of Tehran’s foreign policies are increasingly unpopular among the Iranian population. The president Masoud Pezeshkian, elected in July with a program focused on social reforms, economic recovery and political opening towards the West, he is facing a rapid decline in the population’s expectations. Six months after taking office, Iranians’ hopes of improving their living conditions are fading. The persistent economic crisis has triggered the risk of social unrest, a growing source of concern for Iranian authorities. Protests against galloping inflation have seen traders as protagonists, while pensioners and workers in the oil sector demonstrate over delays and cuts in payments. The Iranian currency, often considered a thermometer of the country’s real economic situation, hit a historic low in 2024, closing the year at 821,500 riyals per dollar, a decline of 40% compared to the beginning of the year. Gross domestic product per capita, meanwhile, contracted 45% from 2012, the year international sanctions over Iran’s nuclear program intensified, standing at $4,465.60 last year, according to Bank data World.
The war continues every day
Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) continue operations against Hamas cells. On Saturday, troops destroyed a compound located in the so-called “Officers’ Quarter” in northern Gaza, used as a command center by terrorists. The operation, conducted by the Kfir Forces Special Operations Command and the Yahalom Unit under the 162 Division, neutralized a facility that housed anti-tank missile emplacements, booby traps, tunnels, explosives and rocket launchers aimed at Israeli territory. Hamas is struggling to maintain control in the areas of Jabaliya, Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun, put under pressure by aggressive IDF incursions. Most of the militants are trying to flee towards Gaza City. While the IDF reports having eliminated hundreds of terrorists in the last week, Hamas has planted explosive traps in most of the remaining structures, making the work of dismantling the terrorist organization even more complex, which can only be destroyed (at least militarily) by preventing that he gets the money he needs to wage war. Meanwhile, President-elect Donald Trump’s team is examining a series of options, which also include possible air strikes, to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
