The hostages… Israeli troops retrieved from a Hamas tunnel in Gaza the body of Youssef Ziyadne, a Bedouin Muslim father of 19 who was taken hostage on Oct. 7, 2023. His son, Hamza, still remains in Gaza, his fate uncertain. Two other children who were also taken captive, Aisha and Bilal, were released as part of the weeklong ceasefire in Nov. 2023. (JTA)
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday he believes a deal to release the hostages is “very close.” (Times of Israel)
The families of the American hostages plan to attend the inauguration and meet with Trump administration officials while they are in D.C. (JTA)
In Lebanon… Lebanon has not had a president for two years. Its parliament convened today to elect a new one, with the head of the army favored to win. (New York Times, Haaretz, Reuters)
The Biden administration redirected over $100 million in military aid from Israel and Egypt to Lebanon to support the Lebanese army’s enforcement of a ceasefire with Hezbollah mediated by the U.S. (AP)
In Washington… A bill to impose sanctions on the International Criminal Court is expected to pass the House with bipartisan support today, but its fate in the Senate is uncertain. (Jewish Insider)
President-elect Donald Trump selected Eric Trager, a Jewish Republican Senate staffer and Egypt expert, as his Middle East adviser on the National Security Council. (JTA)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was expected to attend the inauguration, a rarity for a foreign leader, but now does not plan to make the trip, according to an aide. (Times of Israel)
And elsewhere… A Quaker group opted not to move forward with a pro-Palestinian ad in The New York Times after the paper allegedly refused to run it because it contained the word “genocide.” (Guardian)
In an address on Thursday, Pope Francis called the humanitarian crisis in Gaza “shameful” and said that “we cannot in any way accept the bombing of civilians.” (Reuters)
Poland’s president asked his government to ensure Netanyahu is protected from potential arrest for war crimes if he attends the 80th anniversary of Auschwitz's liberation later this month. Netanyahu does not currently plan to attend. (Bloomberg, Times of Israel)
Some Jewish film festivals are avoiding the hot-button topic of the Israel-Hamas war. But one in Miami, which opens today, is leaning into films about Oct. 7 and its aftermath. (Times of Israel)
A pro-Palestinian activist threw red paint on a wax figure of Netanyahu at a museum in Mexico City. (AFP)
Opinion | Members of the the largest group of historians in the U.S. accused Israel of committing “scholasticide,” alleging it destroyed much of the educational infrastructure in Gaza. The push to use all kinds of “cide” terms to describe Israel’s war efforts often doesn’t extend to other conflicts around the globe, writes our columnist Aviya Kushner. “Language is an intriguing mirror. It reflects not only what we want to focus on — but what we don’t.” Read her essay ► | 