Based on current assessments, the Israeli hostages are held in at least three separate locations across the Gaza Strip, and uncertainty persists over whether Hamas will gather them for a unified release or transfer them to the Red Cross at multiple sites.​

Security sources indicate Hamas has not yet transmitted to Israel the names of the deceased captives it intends to return.​ Simultaneously, Israeli security officials are tracking closely the enforcement mechanism American negotiators are presently formulating. On Friday, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner addressed the matter with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and on Saturday the subject arose during discussions between the two senior American envoys and IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir.​

Israel's goal is for the developing mechanism to mirror the framework established in Lebanon, though substantial differences between the two theaters may hinder this objective.​

Who becomes the enforcer?

First, Lebanon functions as a sovereign state, allowing Israeli grievances relayed through the Americans to reach the Lebanese government and Lebanese Armed Forces, which bear enforcement responsibility. In Gaza, however, no governing authority exists apart from Hamas, leaving unclear whether and how Israeli complaints will be addressed and enforced.​

Second, Israel successfully imposed an on-the-ground enforcement doctrine in Lebanon against every breach – targeting not merely immediate dangers but also weapons accumulation. In Gaza, Israel may lack this capability given the commitments it made in the agreement, particularly as the deployment of foreign personnel from nations including the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Turkey and others may restrict Israeli actions.​

In the interim, until tomorrow morning, Israeli Air Force operational guidelines remain exceptionally stringent, as avoiding any risk to the hostage release remains paramount throughout Israel.​

Following their release and return to Israel, the nation will transition into a phase of establishing security arrangements with Hamas. Israel's fundamental priority is Gaza demilitarization and operations against any weapons buildup, regardless of scale. An additional unresolved matter will inevitably be determining Gaza's future governance.​

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Dr. Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, a senior representative of the United Arab Emirates authorities, arrived at the shiva (seven-day mourning period) in Jerusalem on Friday to express his sincere condolences to the family of Rabbi Zvi Kogan, the Chabad emissary who was killed in Abu Dhabi on November 24, 2024, emphasizing the UAE's unwavering commitment to coexistence and rejection of extremism.

During his conversation with family members, Nuaimi emphasized that the UAE will continue to advocate for coexistence and never allow extremists to divide us. "The state and its citizens are more committed than ever to the values of openness and peace and will increase their efforts to ensure that Rabbi Zvi's legacy continues and that all communities live in harmony in the UAE," the senior official said.

Former Israeli Ambassador to the UAE, Amir Hayek, joined Nuaimi's visit to the Kogan family home. Nuaimi holds the position of Chairman of the Defense Commission of the Federal National Council's Internal and External Relations Committee. In practice, he can be described as a senior advisor whose words reflect the position of the president of the UAE, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Nuaimi was among the major proponents of the Abraham Accords and is known as a harsh critic of radical Islam. For instance, in a special interview marking the first anniversary of establishing relations with the UAE, he said of radical Islam: "This is not Islam, and it does not serve the interests of Muslims worldwide. Instead of religion uniting all human beings, they developed a narrative of hatred."

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On the surface, Israel and Saudi Arabia appear to be sworn enemies. They don't share borders, values, or culture, and for decades, Saudi officials have even made inflammatory claims about Jews. However, behind closed doors, the two countries have been secretly collaborating for years, driven by a shared pragmatism and the need to counter common threats.

Saudi involvement in the 1948 War of Independence

Even before Israel became a country, David Ben-Gurion was looking for potential allies, including Saudi Arabia. The Saudis were seen as pragmatists who didn't want other Arab countries to have too much power in the region, and the presence of a friendly state like Israel could potentially advance Saudi Arabia's interests. However, King Ibn Saud rebuffed every attempt to make contact and even sent troops to fight against Israel in its war of independence.

Yemeni Civil War

The first significant milestone in the secret relationship came in the early 1960s when civil war broke out in Yemen. Rebels had just overthrown the government, and the country was in chaos. Most of the countries in the region, including Saudi Arabia and Israel, were not fans of the rebels. Saudi Arabia quietly opened its airspace to the Israeli planes that dropped aid to the Yemeni government fighters. This was the first time that Saudi and Israeli interests aligned and it wouldn't be the last.

Khartoum Resolution, the "3 No's"

In 1967, the entire Arab League formally adopted the Khartoum Resolution, also known as the "3 No's": no peace with Israel, no recognition of Israel, and no negotiations with Israel. Behind the scenes, however, Israel was working overtime to build bridges with the Saudis. They passed on information about local attempts to overthrow the Saudi government and warned the Saudis about a plot to assassinate the Jordanian king.

Saudi pragmatism

The Saudis, known for their pragmatism, eventually realized that Israel was here to stay. In 1977, the Saudi king admitted that no one was trying to wipe Israel off the map anymore. The Israeli foreign ministry, however, remained silent, waiting for the Saudis to make the first move.

Failed Saudi proposal for peace

In 1981, the Saudi prince sent Israel a concrete proposal: if Israel withdrew from all the territories it acquired during the Six-Day War and handed over Jerusalem to be the capital of a Palestinian state, the region would be at peace. However, the Israeli prime minister rejected the offer immediately, citing concerns about Israel's security and the importance of Jerusalem.

The Gulf War anti-Sadam coalition

A decade later, the Saudis and the Israelis found themselves on the same side again, both being targeted by Saddam Hussein, who had invaded Kuwait. Saudi Arabia joined a coalition of more than 30 countries to pressure him to leave, and when Saddam shot at Israel, the Jewish state didn't retaliate, preventing the Arab states in the coalition from having to choose sides.

The Madrid Peace Conference

Later that year, the Saudis and the Israelis sat in the same room for the first time at the Madrid Peace Conference, a joint effort by the US and USSR to end the Arab-Israeli conflict. Though no peace came out of the conference, the relationship between Saudi and Israel was warming, and behind closed doors, they kept talking about joint projects that would bring in money if they could just nail down a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

2nd failed Saudi proposal for peace

In 2002, the Saudis repeated their offer from 1981: withdraw from all the territories won in 1967, give up Jerusalem, and the Arab world would make peace. Again, the Israeli government rejected the offer, citing concerns about security and the ongoing Second Intifada.

Anti-Iran coalition

It took another war to bring the Jewish state back to the negotiating table. When the Iran-backed terror group Hezbollah kidnapped two Israeli soldiers in 2006, Israel responded with a massive show of force. The war revealed that Hezbollah was stronger and more powerful than anyone had realized, putting both Saudi Arabia and Israel in the same precarious boat, directly threatened by the Islamic Republic of Iran. This shared threat finally brought the two countries together to discuss how to stop the Iranian regime.

The 2020 Abraham Accords

In 2020, the United States brokered a historic agreement between Israel and multiple Arab countries, two of which border Saudi Arabia: the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. Though the Saudis weren't part of the deal, there were hints that they too might normalize relations with Israel, allowing the accords to go through and hinting that a normalization deal would come once Israel worked out its problems with the Palestinians.

Movement toward Saudi-Israeli normalization

In 2023, the Saudis openly stated that they were willing to normalize ties with Israel, indicating that the two countries were getting closer to making their relationship official. The only question was what it would take to seal the deal.

Motive behind October 7

Many analysts have suggested that Hamas's devastating attack on Israel in October 2023 was engineered to tank a potential deal between Israel and the Saudis, as the Arab world harshly criticized Israel's response to the terrorist group.

Gaza War condemnations

The war between Israel and Hamas has cost tens of thousands of lives, and the entire Arab world has harshly criticized Israel's response, with some countries condemning the "indiscriminate bombing of Palestinian innocent civilians in Gaza."

Defending Israel against Iran's attack

However, when Iran attacked Israel in April 2024, multiple Arab countries, including some with no public ties to the Jewish state, came to Israel's defense, passing on intelligence, allowing Israel to use their airspace, or even actively helping to track and intercept the Iranian missiles. This suggests that the Saudi-Israeli relationship may have deeper roots than previously known.

Is a Saudi-Israeli alliance on the horizon?

The relationship between Saudi Arabia and Israel has been an open secret for years, with both countries recognizing the mutual benefits of an alliance. As the Iranian regime continues to threaten regional stability, the incentive for the two countries to make their partnership official has never been greater. The only question is when they will finally take the plunge and go public with their long-standing cooperation.

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These past few days, world leaders and the international media have been busy with the growing tensions between Russia and Ukraine, but in our own region, a security drama is developing that will have more than a few ramifications for Israel.

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It all has to do with the long civil war in Yemen between the Houthis (or as they call themselves, the supreme political council), whom Iran supports, and the Yemeni government, which has lost control over some parts of the country but is still recognized by most countries in the world, and is supported mainly by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

In the past few months, the Saudi-led coalition forces have stepped up their offensives against Houthi strongholds. The response was swift: rockets were launched at the Saudi capital Riyadh, as they were several times in the past, and now combined attacks on Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE. In the first attack, three foreign citizens were killed and six were wounded, and in the second, two ballistic missiles fired at the city were intercepted.

The Houthi spokesman made it clear that his organization had adopted a new strategy. "We gave the Emirates a chance to retreat," a senior Houthi official said in an interview to Arab media. "They did not heed our advice, so we recommend that investors in the Emirates leave because the country is no longer safe for them."

On Sunday, President Isaac Herzog is scheduled to arrive in Abu Dhabi for his first state visit, after Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid both visited in an official capacity and a number of defense and security officials visited under the radar.

These meetings, and their intensity, reveal a new aspect of the stormy romance between Israel and the Emirates. Those who follow Amir Hayek, Israel's industrious ambassador in Abu Dhabi, on social media can get a glimpse at how deeply ties are being formed, and their bilateral nature. The Emiratis are just as eager as Israel is to see the new relations flourish and bear fruit in the fields of defense, economics, agriculture, technology, and basically every possible sector.

The Emirates have two main things to offer Israel – an important diplomatic foothold in the moderate Sunni world, and money. A lot of money. They want two important things in return – defense help, in various forms, and access to Washington. The second issue, the Americans, has soured somewhat in the past few months, but not because of Israel. For reasons of its own, the Biden administration is less eager than its predecessor to foster Gulf leaders. This is also the reason why officials in Israel think that unless something changes unexpectedly, Saudi Arabia won't be in any rush to bring its relations with Israel into the open.

The increasingly frosty relations between Washington and Abu Dhabi took practical form last month, when it was announced that the sale of F-35 fighter jets to the Emirates had been frozen. The Americans wanted to restrict the use the Emiratis would make of the planes, while the Emiratis claimed that it was an attempt to extort them over their extensive economic ties with China – which the US has declared to be a major challenge.

Behind this tension – which could be resolved, since it's just trade negotiations – there are many other weighty regional strategic issues. The Americans have been in a drawn-out process of pulling up stakes in the Middle East. It started with the Bush administration, continued under Obama and Trump, and has reached new levels with the current administration's panicked and disastrous pullout from Afghanistan, as well as the creeping, just-as-disastrous withdrawal from Iraq.

The Americans are making it no secret that they're tired of the Middle East and tired of wars (not necessarily in that order). Having cut off their dependence on Arab oil, they are increasingly focused on China (and Russia) and domestic matters (the economy, and in the last two years, COVID), Washington has very little interest in the endless Middle East headache. Like always, they refuse to believe what is obvious – that the Middle East pursues anyone who abandons it.

In the meantime, a number of countries in the region have been left exposed. If in the past it was obvious that the American sheriff would step in and restore order when one bully or another (Saddam Hussein in Kuwait, Al-Qaida, ISIS) went crazy, the sense today in Arab capitals is that they have been forgotten. When Saudi Arabia was attacked by dozens of Iranian missiles and drones in September 2019, suffering heavy damage to its national oil company, ARAMCO, Washington did nothing even though it knew Iran had carried out the attack from its own territory.

That is also the sense that prevails now, not only in Riyadh, but also the Emirates and other countries. The Americans might be leaving considerable forces and enormous command centers, but there is little chance they will deploy to defend any of the local governments. This vacuum has been identified by both China and Russia, and much more worryingly, Iran. As it does, Tehran is holding diplomatic talks at various levels with the Sunni regimes while also attacking them through its satellites, mainly from Yemen.

For Israel, these developments comprise both dangers and chances. The American weakness is bad for Israel, and good for its enemies, and also increases the chance that different countries will be tempted to cooperate with Iran to avoid being attacked by it. But it also opens the door for Israel to increase its influence in the region, and create important alliances that will build a wall against Iran that is stronger than the sum of its parts.

The Emiratis don't need the IDF to defend them. Should that ever come to pass, both sides will have to keep it on the DL, just like Egypt does about the hundreds of strikes that foreign reports say the Israeli Air Force has carried out against the Islamic State in Sinai in the past few years. They do need Israeli systems and know-how to upgrade their ability to defend themselves.

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There are plenty of these systems, most notably Iron Dome. For now, Israel has refrained from selling it to the Emirates, and that's a mistake. The diplomatic-defense-economic benefits would be enormous compared to the relatively small concern, according to experts, that knowledge and technology could be leaked. It would also be an opportunity for the defense establishment to better cope with cutting-edge Iranian weapons – cruise missiles, rockets, drones, and more – that are being distributed en masse throughout the region and which we might encounter here at some point.

Israel would also do well to grant licenses to sell offensive cyber capabilities in the Gulf. The concern that it might infuriate the Americans is understandable, but Israel is a sovereign state that needs to look out for its own interests first and foremost. The main concern is not only that a few Israeli cyber companies might collapse and there might be an ensuing brain drain to foreign countries and firms, but rather that the Gulf states might transition from a near-total dependence on Israeli technology to a dependence on Chinese technology. Surprisingly, this is not a major concern for Washington right now. When they wake up, it might be too little, too late.

It appears that Israel is afraid to make waves in the American pool to avoid thwarting attempts to exert influence on the Iranian nuclear issue. That's an error, not only because the Americans will listen, but they won't implement Israel's recommendation, and certainly won't miss any obstacle or minefield on their way to securing a new deal. This is a true, possibly one-time, opportunity for Israel to dramatically increase its standing in the region, in the face of that very same Iran and the threats it poses. 

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Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met Monday with Crown Prince of the United Arab Emirates Mohamed bin Zayed in Abu Dhabi, the first meeting the two leaders have held.

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Upon landing in Abu Dhabi, Bennett was greeted by an honor guard and Emirati Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed.

"I appreciate your warm welcome," Bennett said, adding that he was "very excited" to be there on his first visit as the leader of Israel.

In an interview to the official Emirati news outlet WAM published Monday, Bennett said, "The message that I wish to deliver to the UAE leaders and Emirati citizens is that mutual partnership and friendship are natural … The period since the signing of the Abraham Accords is the best evidence that developing bilateral relations is a precious treasure for us and the entire region."

"The values of tolerance, peace and dialogue are common, and that is why the friendship that unites us developed at such a high speed," Bennett said.

Bennett told WAM that the accords provided a "new, deep and solid structure for diplomatic, economic and cultural relations" in the region.

"In my opinion, this is the peace and the new reality this region is witnessing, and we are working together to ensure a better future for our children," Bennett said.

Bennett said that Israeli-Emirati relations have strengthened in all sectors, with many agreements signed for cooperation in trade, research and development, cybersecurity, health, education, aviation and more.

"I look forward to the continued development and consolidation of relations," the prime minister said.

In his meeting with the crown prince, Bennett expected to present information about the deployment of pro-Iranian militias and drone units recently discovered by the Israeli intelligence apparatus.

High-ranking Israeli officials say that the information will be presented in an attempt to keep the UAE from moving closer to Iran.

Bennett and bin Zayed were also expected to discuss additional cooperation in the fields of trade, tourism, and a number of diplomatic and security issues. Some Israeli officials are worried that the Emiratis will step up pressure for Israel to sell them its Iron Dome and David's Sling defense systems, in a deal that could be worth billions.

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Norwegian chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen confirmed his long-held reputation as the best chess player in the world by retaining the world championship on Friday.

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The tightly wound contest – held at the Dubai Expo in the United Arab Emirates – was expected to end in a draw before Carlsen's challenger, Russian Jewish chess player Ian Nepomniachtchi, made a dire blunder.

It was Carlsen's fourth win against the Russian chess grandmaster of their 11 encounters in Dubai, The Guardian reported. After their first five meetings ended in draws, Carlsen reached the fourth decisive result in the next six games.

The Norwegian's winning score of 7½-3½ is the most lopsided result in a world championship chess match since Jose Raul Capablanca's triumph exactly 100 years ago in Havana. 

"It's hard to feel that great joy when the situation was so comfortable to begin with, but I'm happy with a very good performance overall," Carlsen said, The Guardian reported.

i24NEWS contributed to this report.

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Turkey will take steps to improve ties with estranged rivals Egypt and Israel similar those in recent weeks with the United Arab Emirates, which led to investments, NTV and other broadcasters reported Monday.

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Last week, Ankara and Abu Dhabi signed accords for billions of dollars of investments and Erdogan said they would herald a "new era" in ties.

As part of a charm offensive launched last year, Turkey has also moved to repair ties with Egypt and Saudi Arabia, but those talks have yielded little public improvement.

Earlier this month, Erdogan also held a rare phone call with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett after Turkey's release of detained Israeli couple Natali and Mordy Oknin.

"They [UAE] put up a $10 billion investment plan. By putting this $10 billion into place, we will have built a very different future," Erdogan was cited as telling reporters on a flight back from Turkmenistan, adding he would visit the UAE in February.

"Whatever kind of step was taken with the UAE, we will also take similar ones with the others [Israel and Egypt]," he said, in response to a question about ties with Tel Aviv and Cairo.

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Israel, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates are slated to sign an energy cooperation agreement this coming Monday, in what will be the biggest regional project ever undertaken between Jerusalem and neighboring nations.

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According to sources, the project includes the establishment of a solar power plant in the Jordanian desert that will generate electricity for Israel, as well as a desalination facility in northern Israel to provide water for Jordan.

The deal is the result of secret negotiations between the countries over several months. It was reportedly supposed to be signed at the United Nations climate conference in Glasgow, Scotland, but Prime Minister Naftali Bennett requested it be delayed until after budget votes.

The plan sees the solar farm entering operation by the year 2026 and producing 2% of Israel's energy by 2030. In turn, Jerusalem will pay $180 million per year to be split between the Jordanian government and the Emirati company that will build the operation.

The deal is expected to be signed next week in Dubai with senior officials from Israel, Jordan and the UAE, and with US climate envoy John Kerry in attendance.

i24NEWS contributed to this report.

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Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked, currently visiting the United Arab Emirates, says in an exclusive interview to the Emirati news outlet The National that Israel under Prime Minister Naftali Bennett will not consider the establishment of a Palestinian state.

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Shaked told The National that the Bennett-Lapid coalition government had agreed not to tackle any issues that could cause rifts, including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

According to Shaked, the government's stance was that "economic peace" would improve the lives of the Palestinians and in favor of mutual industrial zones. However, she stressed that Israel would "definitely" not support a Palestinian "state with an army."

The National pointed out that Shaked rejects the labeling of Israeli settlements "illegal," preferring to call them "territory under dispute." In the interview, she called the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement against Israel "hypocrites."

"BDS is a new form of antisemitism," Shaked said.

The interior minister told the paper that Israel had gained first-hand experience that showed that whenever it withdrew from a contested territory, a terrorist organization would spring up in the vacuum, citing southern Lebanon and the Gaza Strip as examples.

"We will not repeat this experiment again," Shaked said.

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For the first time since signing the Abraham Accords, Israel and three of its new regional partners – the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco – delivered a joint statement at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva Wednesday, about women, peace, and diplomacy.

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Based on the UN Security Council resolution 1325 on women and security, the statement stressed the value of women's influence on human rights matters, peace, sustainable development, and security, and called on member states to integrate women in peace processes and conflict prevention.

Ambassador of Bahrain to the UN Yusuf Abdulkarim Bucheeri introduced the statement on behalf of the four nations.

"We call upon all member states to strongly commit to ensure that women have a seat at every table, that they are heard and that they can contribute to find solutions and prevent conflict," he said. "Only then, can we have a peaceful and equal society."

The statement had been endorsed by the UN's University for Peace and was supported by 52 member states, including Turkey.

Ankara's support at the UN instituted Turkey's second political "wink" toward Israel this week. On Sunday, the Turkish American National Steering Committee and the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce signed a cooperation agreement "based on shared values and solidarity in diversity."

According to the agreement, the two aim to "cooperate for the common good of Turkish Americans and Jewish Americans, and to support relations between our homeland the United States and our respective motherlands, Turkey and Israel."

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