The appearance of fighters sporting face masks and the green headband band of Hamas during Sunday’s hand-over of three Israeli women hostages out of 98 women, men and child captives served as a reminder that the movement has not been eliminated.

The fate of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees, UNRWA, is uncertain as US-President-elect Donald Trump begins his second term in office next week . Last November the Israeli Knesset adopted a law which prohibits all contacts and cooperation with UNRWA.

 It is ironic that former US President Jimmy Carter should die at 100 and his funeral rites should take place during the remaining days of Joe Biden's presidency.

On December 10, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made his first regular court appearance in his forever trial for corruption.

 US President Joe Biden welcomed the shock ouster of his Syrian counterpart Bashar Assad but called it “a moment of risk and uncertainty” for this region.

Having agreed to the November 27th ceasefire with Hizbollah proposed by the US, its subservient ally, Israel promptly ceased abiding by the ceasefire by striking targets in Lebanon. On Monday, UN peacekeepers reported Israel had committed 100 violations of the ceasefire.

 The arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity are game changers.

 No one and nothing halt the Israeli juggernaut that is crushing everyone and everything in its path as it rolls across Gaza. More than 44,000 Palestinians have been killed, 105,000 wounded, and 11,000 are missing beneath the rubble of homes and shelters.

Donald Trump’s unpredictability is predictable.