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Israeli Lobby Seeks to Restore Jewish Settlement in Gaza

Displaced Palestinians are seen at a temporary tent camp in the Al-Mawasi area in Gaza. (AP)
Displaced Palestinians are seen at a temporary tent camp in the Al-Mawasi area in Gaza. (AP)
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Israeli Lobby Seeks to Restore Jewish Settlement in Gaza

Displaced Palestinians are seen at a temporary tent camp in the Al-Mawasi area in Gaza. (AP)
Displaced Palestinians are seen at a temporary tent camp in the Al-Mawasi area in Gaza. (AP)

A so-called “Parliamentary Lobby for the Israeli Victory Project,” which operates in Israel and the United States, decided to submit a demand to the US administration and the Israeli government to “seriously consider a project of voluntary transfer of Palestinians,” claiming that it was the best humanitarian solution for Israel and the Palestinians.

The lobby warned of the American plan to allow the Palestinian Authority to rule Gaza and to establish the two-state solution, claiming that this is “a recipe for repeating the Hamas attack on October 7, several times.”

These positions were announced on the eve of the meeting of the Israeli Mini Ministerial Council for Security and Political Affairs, on Thursday, to discuss the post-Gaza war stage. The lobby announced its adoption of the plan drawn up by Intelligence Minister Gila Gamliel, the author of the official project to deport the people of Gaza.

According to Gamliel, Hamas’ rule of the Gaza Strip should end, along with the complete destruction of its sites and tunnels and the dissolution of municipalities and village councils. She added that the entire agricultural land must become a security belt for Israel, while the Israeli army must remain in control of all border crossings and be able to continue its operations.

Transferring UNRWA materials

Gamliel stressed that transferring governing powers to the Palestinian Authority would be very dangerous for Israel.

She noted that the PA leaders share views as Hamas, saying: “They even expressed their support for the October 7 massacre. We did not fight for all this period and pay the price in blood for the establishment of an authority that is hostile to us.”

The minister emphasized that her project required interim civilian rule in the Gaza Strip, led by the United States, Egypt and Jordan, with the Israeli army maintaining its security control.

She added that among urgent tasks will be a process of complete disarmament and the termination of the Palestinian refugee file, while transferring the resources that go to UNRWA to finance the voluntary migration project so that the refugees can build a new life abroad.

The Israeli Victory Project was founded in 2017 and includes a group of deputies from both the coalition and the opposition.

‘Unrealistic illusions’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a briefing to Israeli media, described calls for the displacement of Palestinians from Gaza launched by Israeli ministers, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, as “unrealistic illusions.”

Netanyahu claimed that Israel “does not work to displace the people of Gaza and resettle them in other places in the world.”

“Even if we wanted to, Israel does not have the ability to push the residents of Gaza to leave to another country,” he said, citing legal restrictions.

American figures

Since the creation of the lobby, there have been two American figures in its leadership: Daniel Pipes, president of the Philadelphia-based Middle East Forum, and Gregg Roman, Director General of the same institute, who is a former leader of Jewish institutions and worked as an employee in the Israeli Ministry of Defense and an advisor to the Israeli Foreign Minister.

The lobby believes that the Israeli government and the American administration failed to settle the conflict during 30 years of negotiations, because they “did not deal appropriately with the Palestinian policy” of rejecting proposals, while claiming that the Israelis had to constantly make concessions to the Palestinians.

Similar American lobby

The Israeli Victory Project works in partnership with a similar US lobby that has been established in Congress since 1988. It is led by figures in the American leadership, and funded by American support.

The intense campaign by the Israeli right to promote the voluntary deportation of Palestinians is “unsettling” the American administration and many forces in Israel, who believe it will politically and legally implicate Israel at international arenas.

A political source in the opposition said the call for deportation is no longer limited to a number of far-right ministers and representatives, but is now backed by political, popular and academic forces in Israel and the United States.

These forces are trying to give momentum to this project and refuse in any way to end the war with a political settlement, according to the source.

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Arab World

Lebanon PM Pushes for Further Implementation of Israel Deal in Rubio Meeting

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam (L) shakes hands with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio as they pose for photos before a meeting at the US State Department on September 28, 2026, in Washington, DC. (Getty Images/AFP)
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam (L) shakes hands with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio as they pose for photos before a meeting at the US State Department on September 28, 2026, in Washington, DC. (Getty Images/AFP)
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Lebanon PM Pushes for Further Implementation of Israel Deal in Rubio Meeting

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam (L) shakes hands with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio as they pose for photos before a meeting at the US State Department on September 28, 2026, in Washington, DC. (Getty Images/AFP)
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam (L) shakes hands with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio as they pose for photos before a meeting at the US State Department on September 28, 2026, in Washington, DC. (Getty Images/AFP)

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Monday called for the further implementation of a framework agreement with Israel in his meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington.

Tehran-backed Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the broader Middle East war in March this year by attacking Israel, which responded with massive airstrikes and a ground invasion that Lebanon says has killed more than 4,300 people.

Lebanon and Israel concluded a framework agreement in June under US auspices, providing for the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces and the disarmament of Hezbollah, but its implementation has stalled.

In a statement, Salam's office said that in his meeting with Rubio, he "stressed the need to move to the stage of implementation of the tripartite framework and translation of the principles of reciprocity and phased implementation into practical steps and tangible results on the ground, leading to the restoration of Lebanon's full sovereignty, the achievement of a complete Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory, and the confinement of weapons to the state throughout its territory."

In a post on X, Rubio said he reaffirmed "strong US support as Lebanon implements the Trilateral Framework - the only path to a durable peace with Israel."

"The United States stands with a sovereign Lebanon, free from Hezbollah and Iranian influence," he added.

The agreement also involves the deployment of the Lebanese army to the south, starting in test areas known as "pilot zones."

Earlier this month, US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa visited one of the "pilot zones" that recently came under Lebanese military control "to assess conditions on the ground and see firsthand the progress and challenges" there.

Salam "called for the establishment of a credible verification mechanism to monitor implementation and ensure compliance with the commitments" and stressed the importance of continued US support to the Lebanese military, tasked with the difficult mission of disarming Hezbollah.

The group refuses to lay down its weapons, and Israel still carries out strikes on Lebanon and occupies a swath of its south despite the agreement.

On Monday, Lebanon reported a large explosion set off by the Israeli army in the southern town of Mansouri, with the military saying it had completed an operation there and dismantled "terrorist" infrastructure.

Arab World

Hamas Members Struggle to Spend Cash Salaries

A Palestinian gives a child a sip of water from a bag bought for one shekel amid extreme heat in Gaza City in August 2025 (AP) 
A Palestinian gives a child a sip of water from a bag bought for one shekel amid extreme heat in Gaza City in August 2025 (AP) 
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Hamas Members Struggle to Spend Cash Salaries

A Palestinian gives a child a sip of water from a bag bought for one shekel amid extreme heat in Gaza City in August 2025 (AP) 
A Palestinian gives a child a sip of water from a bag bought for one shekel amid extreme heat in Gaza City in August 2025 (AP) 

Until three weeks ago, merchants in the Gaza Strip were still accepting cash from residents, even though much of it consisted of worn-out banknotes. But they began gradually refusing cash more than 10 days ago, hardening their stance over the past four days and turning instead to banking apps and electronic wallets.

The shift has coincided with intensified Israeli targeting and killing of Hamas financial officials in recent weeks, including some involved in delivering salaries to the group’s members.

Hamas employees told Asharq Al-Awsat that most government workers and members of its military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, receive their salaries in cash.

Several Hamas sources said government employees receive part of their salaries roughly every 100 days, amounting to only about 1,000 shekels ($328), often in worn banknotes. Al-Qassam members, meanwhile, are paid every 40 to 50 days, receiving up to around 60 percent of their salaries and no less than approximately 1,200 shekels, generally in banknotes in good condition.

People dealing with Gaza’s markets told Asharq Al-Awsat that some merchants had recently begun accepting cash from individuals and transferring the equivalent electronically through apps and e-wallets in exchange for commissions of up to 10 percent.

The crisis marks a reversal from the peak years of the war that began in October 2023, when Gazans struggled to convert money held in electronic wallets into cash. Commissions started at 10 percent and at times reached 60 percent before electronic transactions became more widespread.

In August, an Israeli military spokeswoman warned Palestinians in Gaza against using a category of old shekel banknotes marked with the letter “B,” in a move aimed at economically squeezing Hamas.

What Do We Do With Worn Banknotes?

Ahmed al-Najjar, 39, an employee of the Hamas-run government in Gaza, angrily questioned what employees were supposed to do with the worn banknotes they received.

“How long will things remain this way?” he told Asharq Al-Awsat. “We are the ones paying the price with our lives, and we find no one standing with us — neither officials nor merchants — while others fight us in different ways to make huge profits and gains.”

Israel has barred cash from entering Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, while banks suffered major thefts during the war. Israeli security authorities also sought to impose conditions on Gaza merchants after periodically allowing goods into the enclave, requiring payments through electronic applications in a move aimed at restricting Hamas.

Under the new circumstances, Hamas appears to be facing a serious cash shortage affecting its members and employees, coinciding with repeated Israeli killings of funding sources, money changers and prominent figures in its financial apparatus.

Hamas Warns Merchants

The Hamas-run police in Gaza issued a general directive warning shopkeepers and others against refusing cash. It stressed that they must accept different types of banknotes, old and new, provided they are not damaged, and threatened violators with strict legal measures.

A Hamas police official told Asharq Al-Awsat that the issue did not affect only government employees or Hamas members, but also families of orphans, war victims, wounded Palestinians and prisoners who receive financial assistance from various relief organizations but cannot find merchants willing to accept their cash.

Hamas-affiliated media in Gaza have also launched a campaign against banks operating under the Palestinian Monetary Authority in Ramallah, accusing them of encouraging merchants to switch exclusively to electronic payments and of closing hundreds of residents’ bank accounts. Some banks have repeatedly denied the allegations, reiterating days ago that no decisions had been made to close accounts.

The dispute has fueled an unprecedented social media campaign warning people against giving up cash in favor of banking apps and other electronic wallets. The campaign has included warnings that a new war between Iran and the United States could soon engulf the entire region again, potentially causing people to lose money held electronically.

An official banking source rejected those claims, telling Asharq Al-Awsat that funds held in banks would remain secure and that a shift toward electronic transactions was underway.

The source said banks were routinely updating customer information and identifying account holders’ activities amid concerns that some funds could be linked to money laundering. Banks, the source added, had instructions to facilitate Palestinians’ access to accounts as part of financial inclusion efforts taking place in both Gaza and the West Bank.

Israel recently killed Jabr Moqbel, the owner of a currency-exchange shop and a prominent Al-Qassam Brigades member in Gaza City, in a strike on a vehicle in Deir al-Balah. Mohammed Abu Alwan, a Hamas financial official, was killed in a strike in Khan Younis. A Palestinian Islamic Jihad financial official was seriously wounded Sunday in an attempted assassination west of Gaza City.

The Israeli military said in a recent statement that throughout the war it had killed 16 prominent financial operatives involved in transferring funds and financing Hamas’ military activities. It said the operatives had managed transfers worth more than $1 billion through a network of dozens of money changers in Türkiye and Gaza.

The military said it and the Shin Bet were focusing their efforts on damaging Hamas’ financing capabilities and preventing the rebuilding of its infrastructure and military capabilities.

Arab World

Yemen: Taiz Fronts Drain Houthis, Target Reinforcements

The Houthis suffer heavy losses during attacks on Yemeni government forces (AFP)
The Houthis suffer heavy losses during attacks on Yemeni government forces (AFP)
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Yemen: Taiz Fronts Drain Houthis, Target Reinforcements

The Houthis suffer heavy losses during attacks on Yemeni government forces (AFP)
The Houthis suffer heavy losses during attacks on Yemeni government forces (AFP)

Yemeni government forces have intensified air and artillery strikes against the Houthis in Taiz governorate as fighting continues along the province’s western, southern and eastern fronts, with no major change in territorial control reported in recent hours, according to military sources and government media.

Government warplanes on Sunday targeted Houthi positions, gatherings and reinforcements across Taiz. Forces involved in the fighting said they had thwarted Houthi infiltration attempts on several fronts, while strikes extended to other positions in Lahj near Bab al-Mandab.

Military and local sources reported that airstrikes hit Houthi positions and gatherings east of Taiz city after the group brought in personnel and military reinforcements. The raids also targeted a Houthi camp and vehicles at Mawiyah Junction, positions on the Al-Akboush front to the southeast, and a reinforcement convoy on 60th Street north of Taiz.

Government forces had earlier announced strikes on a supply convoy on 60th Street, reinforcements in the Hanna area of Al-Wazi’iyah district west of the governorate, and positions and weapons, ammunition and missile depots at the Mawiyah and Al-Dhikra junctions to the east. A Houthi gathering in Al-Suwayda in Hayfan district to the south was also targeted.

Military sources said the raids destroyed vehicles and killed and wounded Houthi fighters, including field commanders, but provided no independently verifiable figures for the losses.

Government forces also used drones to target Houthi positions, vehicles and gatherings on several fronts, indicating an intensified use of airstrikes to counter the group’s military movements and reinforcements.

Infiltration Attempts

On the ground, the Taiz Military Axis command reported that government forces thwarted a Houthi infiltration attempt on the Al-Ahtoub front in Jabal Habashi district west of Taiz and targeted Houthi fighters as they tried to approach government positions in the Hazran area.

Government forces also struck a Houthi vehicle with a mortar round on the Al-Kaddahah front and targeted gatherings on the Al-Aqroudh front southeast of the city.

The developments came as the Taiz, Lahj and Bab al-Mandab fronts remained on high alert, with attacks and counterattacks continuing around high ground and forward positions, particularly along the Jabal Numan, Kahbub, Al-Alaqma and Rasin axes.

Available battlefield information showed no signs of a new Houthi advance. Fighting remained concentrated in forward areas and on the high ground surrounding Jabal Numan, while the Houthis continued attempts to retake parts of positions they had lost along that axis.

At Kahbub, on the road leading to Bab al-Mandab, the Southern Giants Brigades said they targeted Houthi gatherings and vehicles and destroyed an armored vehicle, killing those aboard. Fighting continued on the Al-Wazi’iyah and Al-Mudaraba fronts.

Fighting Expands

The pattern of strikes over the past two days shows the fighting extending from front lines to supply positions, gathering points, camps and weapons depots as Yemeni government forces seek to limit the Houthis’ ability to send fresh reinforcements to the Taiz and Lahj fronts.

Targets have included Mawiyah and Al-Dhikra junctions east of Taiz, Al-Hawban, 60th Street north of the city, Hayfan to the south and Al-Wazi’iyah to the west, as well as positions in neighboring Ibb governorate.

The fighting is therefore no longer confined to direct clashes over high ground, with Houthi supply lines and military movements repeatedly targeted by airstrikes.

The Houthis, meanwhile, continued attempts to pressure several fronts, particularly the western axes, which are important because of their proximity to the road leading to coastal areas and Bab al-Mandab, where they are seeking to secure their gains.

The intensified military operations come amid indications of rising Houthi casualties. The group acknowledged the death of Majd al-Din Hamid al-Hamzi, whom military sources said was head of operations for the Third Missile Brigade, along with several of his escorts following fighting on the western coast fronts.

Yemeni monitoring data indicated that Houthi media outlets and affiliated platforms announced funerals for 422 members of the group in September, including officers and military commanders.

Sources that compiled the figures said the number did not represent the Houthis’ total losses because the group does not regularly announce all its dead. Some funerals are delayed, while others are buried without media coverage, and bodies remaining in hospitals or combat zones are not included in the tally.

The sources reported that 60 Houthi fighters were buried last Friday alone after being killed on various fronts. Losses were particularly concentrated on the Taiz and Lahj fronts, according to local reports.

The fighting was also accompanied by reports of fighters’ bodies remaining in some combat areas, prompting local appeals for the Red Cross and Red Crescent to retrieve them amid fears of humanitarian and environmental consequences.