Gaza: Europe and the Arabs – Agencies

The ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip entered its 56th consecutive day, amid US efforts to move to the second phase of the agreement.

Israel sent a delegation to Cairo "to discuss the return of the body of the last captive held" in the Gaza Strip, an Israeli policeman killed in the fighting of October 7, 2013.

US President Donald Trump had confirmed that the start of the second phase of the ceasefire agreement would be "very soon," while the Axios website reported that Trump intends to announce the transition of the Gaza peace process to its second phase before Christmas, according to US officials.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced yesterday the appointment of his military secretary, Major General Roman Gofman, who has no experience in intelligence, as director of the Mossad. Regarding the latest developments in Gaza and the West Bank, the Brussels-based European news network Euronews reported, under the headline "Israel Seizes Ancient Columns from Palestinian Town in Central West Bank," that "Israeli forces seized ancient stone columns on Thursday after raiding a mountainous area in the town of Al-Mazra'a Al-Sharqiya, east of Ramallah, in the central occupied West Bank." Under the headline "Hebrew Media: Netanyahu Trying to Convince Trump He's Being Persecuted to Intensify Efforts for His Pardon," the news site quoted the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth as saying that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's statements on Thursday evening were "aimed at convincing US President Donald Trump that he is being persecuted during his trial, in order to intensify efforts to pardon him."

On Thursday evening, Netanyahu posted a video on his X platform page, speaking in English and claiming that his trial is "political, began six years ago, and could last another four years."

In the video, Netanyahu said, "My trial is a political trial aimed at removing me from political life," according to his claim. In response, the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth quoted unnamed political sources as saying that "Netanyahu's statements in English are aimed at convincing the United States that he is being persecuted and harassed."

The newspaper added that "Netanyahu is trying to rally public opinion in the United States and is attempting to pressure President Trump to intensify his efforts to secure a pardon for him."

Local sources reported that Israeli artillery intermittently shelled the Tuffah neighborhood in eastern Gaza City and the eastern areas of Khan Younis for several hours starting at dawn on Friday. A series of airstrikes were also launched on Rafah.

The Arab48 website published an article titled "Continued Israeli Violations: Raids on Rafah and Shelling of Eastern Gaza and Khan Younis Cities," stating, "On Friday, the Israeli army shelled areas east of Gaza City in the northern Gaza Strip and Khan Younis in the south with artillery fire. It also launched a series of airstrikes on Rafah.

Local sources reported that Israeli artillery shelled the Tuffah neighborhood east of Gaza City and the eastern areas of Khan Younis intermittently for several hours, starting at dawn on Friday.

Witnesses stated that Israeli gunboats fired several shells off the coast of Khan Younis, while Israeli helicopters fired heavily east of the city.

The Gaza Ministry of Health announced in its latest statement that hospitals in the Strip received eight martyrs in the past 24 hours, including six new martyrs and two bodies recovered, in addition to 16 injuries, as a result of the ongoing Israeli aggression against the Strip. A woman was also martyred, and several injuries, some critical, were recorded late Thursday." The occupation army opened fire in the Al-Tuffah neighborhood, east of Gaza City.