Trump Confirms Intelligence Knows Location of Last Israeli Hostage Body in Gaza

Following remarks made by U.S. President Trump's that U.S. intelligence believes it knows the location of the last remaining hostage, Ran Gvili, parents Itzik and Talik Gvili said, "President Trump's statement confirms what we have been saying for the past three months: Hamas knows exactly where our son is and has knowingly and deliberately violated President Trump's framework and the agreement to return all hostages." The parents of Ran Gvili called on the governments of Israel and the United States to "exert the full weight of their authority to ensure that Hamas fulfills its obligations under the agreement, or guarantee that serious sanctions are imposed on Hamas" to ensure the return of his body. They called on Israel to "refrain from any steps toward implementing Phase Two until Rani has returned." At a White House briefing marking a year since U.S. President Donald Trump's inauguration, Trump said he prevented mass executions in Iran, warning the Islamic regime that it would "be a very bad day" if they would "hang 837 people." "We let them know if that happens, it will be a very bad day for them. They decided not to do it. I can't tell you what's gonna happen in the future, but supposedly they took it off the table." "We're just gonna have to see what happens with Iran. Is the military operation off the table? I don't know," he added. Regarding Syria, Trump called President Ahmed al-Sharaa a "strong guy, tough guy. Pretty rough resume, but you're not gonna put a choirboy in there and get the job done." "I spoke with him yesterday about the prisons. We have some of the worst terrorists in the world in those prisons, and he's watching them," he said. When asked about protecting Kurdish rights, he said, "We get along with the Kurds, and we're trying to protect the Kurds." He added, "I like the Kurds. But just so you know, the Kurds were paid tremendous amounts, given oil and other things, so they were doing it for themselves moreso than they were doing it for us." Here are Tuesday's updates on Israel, the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and the Middle East: ■ Former Supreme Court President Asher Grunis, who was supposed to oversee the appointment of the new Mossad chief, has been hospitalized in serious condition. ■ At the White House briefing marking a year since his inauguration, U.S. President Donald Trump said that only the body of deceased hostage Ran Gvili remains in Gaza, and "we think we know where it is." ■ Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara called the government's decision to close the Army Radio "illegal," in her response to petitions filed regarding the closure of the radio station. ■ More than 75 Democrats from both chambers of Congress urged the Trump administration to push back against Israeli efforts to annex the West Bank, demanding more involved U.S. action in the form of sanctions to preserve the "viability of a future Palestinian state." ■ The government informed the High Court that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will establish a ministerial team to review imposing additional civil and economic enforcement measures to increase military conscription amongst ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students. ■ Seventeen former heads of Israel's security establishment have issued a public call to the head of the Shin Bet, the chief of staff and the police commissioner to establish a dedicated investigative team to probe the Qatargate affair. ■ After comments that French President Emmanuel Macron does not plan to join the Board of Peace, U.S. President Donald Trump said, "If they feel hostile, I'll put a 200 percent tariff on his wines and champagnes and he'll join." ■ U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is considering not joining Trump's Board of Peace after Russian President Vladimir Putin was invited to join, according to a report from the Financial Times. U.K. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said, "Putin is not a man of peace, and I don't think he belongs in any organisation with peace in the name." ■ A State comptroller report found that Israeli police used intrusive surveillance technology for years to break into private devices without authorization to extract information outside of their legal authority. At the White House briefing marking a year since his inauguration, U.S. President Donald Trump said that only the body of deceased hostage Ran Gvili remains in Gaza, and "we think we know where it is." "We got all 20 living hostages returned to their families. The remains…they all came out. We got the 20 living hostages. The 28 hostages – they have one left, we think we know where it is. Amazing. It looked like we weren't going to get anything near that," he said at the press conference. Trump added, "We just created the Board of Peace, which I think is gonna be amazing. Wish the United Nations could do more, wish we didn't need a Board of Peace. With all the wars I settled, the United Nations never helped me with one war." When asked if the Board of Peace would replace the United Nations, Trump responded, "It might, the UN just hasn't been very helpful. I'm a big fan of its potential, but it just hasn't lived up to its potential." He added, "You gotta let the UN continue because the potential is so great." Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara called the government's decision to close the Army Radio "illegal," in her response to petitions filed regarding the closure of the radio station. "The government decision was made hastily, without examining alternatives, and is part of a series of steps to restrict freedom of the press in Israel and to 'cool off' free media outlets," she wrote. Last month, the High Court acceded to the attorney general's request and issued an interim injunction on the closure of Army Radio. "I have concluded that the request should be granted and that the government's decision should be frozen, with all that this entails, until further notice," wrote Supreme Court President Justice Isaac Amit. This followed the government's decision that the station's broadcasts would end by March 1. Defense Minister Israel Katz had argued that the "Army Radio no longer serves as a mouthpiece and ear for soldiers and broadcasts political and divisive content that is not in line with IDF values." More than 75 Democrats from both chambers of Congress urged the Trump administration to push back against Israeli efforts to annex the West Bank, demanding more involved U.S. action in the form of sanctions to preserve the "viability of a future Palestinian state." The lawmakers jointly urged the U.S. to communicate to Israel the negative consequences of pending Knesset legislation and the planned construction of settlement housing units in the E1 area of the West Bank outside of Jerusalem, as well as calling for the U.S. to reimpose Biden-era sanctions and to condemn acts of de-facto annexation undertaken by Israeli settlers. "U.S. leadership is crucial at this moment. We need tangible steps to back these words with action, if we are to preserve the cease-fire in Gaza and the possibility of a negotiated two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict," wrote the lawmakers, led by Sen. Peter Welch and Rep. Ro Khanna. "Despite the United States' opposition to annexation, segments of the Israeli government have recently reaffirmed their commitment to advancing Israeli sovereignty in the West Bank," the lawmakers' statement said. "Alongside the Knesset's preliminary approval of two draft bills to impose Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank, that body is also considering dozens of other proposed bills which, if enacted, would formalize various forms of annexation." They emphasized their concern for bills that would "absorb settlements north, east, and south of Jerusalem to create an expanded municipality under Israeli control." The lawmakers continued: "Combined with the recent approval of the E1 settlement project directly east of Jerusalem, these proposals would divide the West Bank into northern and southern enclaves, severing the contiguity of Palestinian land and – quite deliberately – undermining the viability of a future Palestinian state." "While this legislation is under consideration, de-facto annexation through targeted violence, intimidation of Palestinian communities, and forced displacement is already widespread." The statement emphasized, "Throughout the West Bank, Israeli settlers are driving Palestinians off their land and expanding Israeli settlements, including in Taybeh, Wadi Foquin, Silwan, and Al-Walaja."