The Times of Israel is liveblogging Tuesday’s events as they happen.
Egypt said to propose Gaza ‘secure areas’ where Palestinians will live as Strip rebuilt
CAIRO — Egypt is developing a plan to rebuild Gaza without forcing Palestinians out of the Strip in a counter to President Donald Trump’s proposal to depopulate the territory so the US can take it over.
Egypt’s state-run Al-Ahram newspaper says the proposal calls for establishing “secure areas” within the Gaza Strip where Palestinians can live initially while Egyptian and international construction firms remove and rehabilitate the enclave’s infrastructure.
Egyptian officials have been discussing the plan with European diplomats as well as with Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, according to two Egyptian officials and Arab and Western diplomats. They are also discussing ways to fund the reconstruction, including an international conference on Gaza reconstruction, says one of the Egyptian officials and an Arab diplomat.
The officials and diplomats speak on condition of anonymity because the proposal is still being negotiated.
NYC mayor labels calls for him to resign a ‘modern-day Mein Kampf’
New York City Mayor Eric Adams rejects calls for his resignation after the US Justice Department moved to dismiss a corruption case against him, labeling them a “modern-day Mein Kampf.”
“If you tell a lie long enough, loud enough, people will tend to believe you,” he says at an event in Brooklyn.
Full quote of NYC Mayor Eric Adams at campaign event in Brooklyn, saying that the campaign for his ouster is the “modern day Mein Kampf.” ⬇️
He’s prob referring to Hitler’s “Big Lie” expression — “if you tell a life long enough, loud enough, people will tend to believe you.” pic.twitter.com/Riox4PVBIZ
— Jacob N. Kornbluh (@jacobkornbluh) February 17, 2025
Agencies contributed to this report.
World Bank to release damage assessment for Gaza in coming days
The World Bank will release an assessment of damages to infrastructure in Gaza in coming days, along with an updated assessment of damages in Ukraine on February 25, Anna Bjerde, the bank’s managing director of operations says.
Bjerde says the Gaza report, prepared together with the United Nations and European Union, would provide a fuller overview of damage to the Palestinian enclave after an interim report in April showed it suffered $18.5 billion in damages to critical infrastructure in the first four months of the war sparked by the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, terror onslaught.
Lebanon security official says Israel begins to withdraw from some southern areas
A Lebanese security official says Israeli troops have started to pull out from some border villages, as Lebanon’s army moved in, hours before a deadline to implement a Hezbollah-Israel truce.
“Israeli forces are beginning to withdraw from border villages, including Mais al-Jabal and Blida, as the Lebanese army advances,” the official tells AFP, requesting anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.
While withdrawing from some areas, the IDF says it will remain in five key positions for the foreseeable future.