PDB Afternoon Bulletin | February 20th, 2025: Hamas Holds Sick Propaganda Ceremony For Dead Israelis & White House Designates Latin American Cartels As Terrorist Organizations

Summary

Podcast Summary: The President's Daily Brief Afternoon Bulletin | February 20th, 2025

Host: Mike Baker
Release Date: February 20, 2025

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1. Hamas's Provocative Propaganda Ceremony in Gaza

In today's bulletin, Mike Baker delves into the disturbing actions of Hamas as they orchestrate a propaganda spectacle in Gaza. Following the brutal 7 October 2023 terror attacks, Hamas returned the bodies of four deceased Israeli hostages in an event that has sparked international condemnation.

Details of the Ceremony: Hamas announced the return of four hostages, including Shiri Bibas, a 33-year-old mother, and her two sons, Ariel (4 years old) and Kefir (9 months old), alongside 83-year-old peace activist Oded Lifshus. The group transformed this solemn occasion into a theatrical display, parading the coffins before a crowd adorned with anti-Israeli slogans. The event was broadcasted live across Arab television channels, aiming to serve as a dark propaganda tool.

Visuals and Messaging: A stage was meticulously set up by Hamas, featuring:

• Coffins Display: Each coffin bore a photo of the respective victim with the text "Date of arrest October 7, 2023."
• Propaganda Banners: A striking banner depicted Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu as a vampire with the inscription, "War criminal Netanyahu and his army killed them with missiles and Zionist warplanes."
• Threatening Placards: Messages like "The return of the war equals the return of your prisoners in coffins" and "We never forgave nor forgot" underscored Hamas's hostile stance.

Public Reaction: Crowds cheered and expressed vehement anti-Israeli sentiments during the ceremony. Notably, among the spectators were Palestinian prisoners recently released under the current hostage ceasefire deal, including Muhammad Abu Wada, known for orchestrating a 1996 bus bombing that killed over 40 Israelis.

International and Domestic Response: The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) initially resisted participation, emphasizing the need for dignity and privacy, stating at [00:55] "We must be clear, any degrading treatment during release operations is unacceptable." However, faced with Hamas's threats to halt the transfer, the ICRC yielded, allowing the ceremony to proceed despite the compromised conditions.

Netanyahu's Statement: Upon receiving the remains, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed profound anguish:

"We embrace the families and the heart of the entire nation is torn. My own heart is torn, so is yours. And all the world's heart should be torn because this demonstrates who we are dealing with, what we are dealing with, with such monsters."
[07:08]

Condemnation from the Arab World: Saudi Arabia's Grand Mufti condemned Hamas's actions, declaring:

"What we saw today in Gaza is a disgrace to Islam, an act of blasphemy against Allah, and a sin."
This unprecedented denunciation highlights the broader regional outrage against Hamas's brutality.

Current Status: The remains are undergoing forensic examination in Tel Aviv to ascertain the exact circumstances of their deaths, though details remain unclear.

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2. U.S. Designates Latin American Cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations

Shifting focus to domestic security, Mike Baker outlines a significant move by the Trump administration to combat transnational crime by designating eight major transnational crime syndicates as foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs).

Background and Legal Framework: President Trump, on his first day in office, signed an executive order directing federal agencies to prioritize identifying violent criminal syndicates as FTOs. Secretary of State Marco Rubio responded by issuing an official designation under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, a legal mechanism that enhances federal authority to target these organizations with stringent penalties.

Designated Organizations: Among the eight groups named are:

• TDA
• MS-13: A notorious gang with deep roots in the U.S. and Central America.
• Mexican Drug Cartels: Including the Sinaloa Cartel and Trendro.

Implications of the Designation: This classification allows federal agencies, particularly the Department of the Treasury, to:

• Impose sanctions
• Freeze assets
• Enforce travel bans on members and affiliates

Additionally, the designation invokes the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, framing the issue as a national emergency and signaling a robust stance against these entities.

Policy Statement: The administration emphasized its unwavering commitment:

"It is the policy of the United States to ensure the total elimination of these organizations and their ability to threaten the territory, safety and security of the United States through their extraterritorial command and control structures."
[07:25]

Expert Analysis: Joseph Humayer, Executive Director of the Center for a Secure Free Society, commented on the significance of this move:

"Trump just put all of them on notice," adding, "We know you're here, we know you're up to no good and we're going to come after you."
[07:52]

Humayer views this as a fundamental shift in the U.S. approach to organized crime, providing law enforcement with enhanced legal tools to dismantle these violent syndicates effectively.

Long-Term Impact: While the immediate effects remain to be seen, the designation is expected to:

• Create significant operational challenges for the targeted organizations.
• Deter criminal activities through increased legal and financial pressures.
• Serve as a precedent for future actions against other transnational crime groups.

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Conclusion

Mike Baker's detailed briefing on February 20th, 2025, highlights two critical issues facing the United States and the broader international community:

1. Hamas's Despicable Propaganda: The orchestrated display of deceased hostages not only underscores Hamas's brutality but also ignites regional and international outrage, challenging existing perceptions and alliances.

2. U.S. Crackdown on Transnational Crime: The designation of major Latin American cartels as foreign terrorist organizations marks a pivotal shift in U.S. domestic and foreign policy, aiming to eradicate violent criminal syndicates through enhanced legal measures and international cooperation.

Baker's comprehensive analysis equips listeners with a nuanced understanding of these pressing challenges, emphasizing the importance of informed engagement in solving America's most urgent issues.

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For more insights and daily briefings, tune in to The President's Daily Brief with Mike Baker. Stay informed, stay safe, stay cool.

Transcript

[A]

It's Thursday, the 20th of February. Welcome to the PDB Afternoon Bulletin. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. All right, let's get briefed. First, Hamas provoked international outrage with a barbaric display as they returned the bodies of four deceased hostages on Thursday, including the two youngest captives taken during the 7 October 2023 terror attacks, parading their coffins in front of a crowd of cheering spectators in Gaza who shouted anti Israeli slogans. Later in the show, the Trump administration moves to designate TDA, Ms. 13 and a number of Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations in their latest crackdown on transnational crime. But first, today's afternoon spotlight. We'll begin in Gaza where Hamas turned the release of four deceased Israeli hostages, including a mother and her two young children, into a bizarre and barbaric spectacle. As we've been tracking on the pdb, Hamas announced earlier this week that they would be returning the bodies of four hostages on Thursday, including the two youngest captives taken during the 7 October attacks. Hamas decided to use the somber moment to stage a propaganda ceremony inviting local Gazans and militants to spectate and broadcasting the scenes across Arab television channels. That's according to a report from the Wall Street Journal. The Iranian backed terror group built a stage where they displayed four coffins containing the remains of Shiri Bibas, a 33 year old mother taken on the 7th of October along with her two sons Ariel and Kefir, who were just 4 years old and 9 months old when they were kidnapped by Hamas, as well as 83 year old Oded Lifshus, a peace activist. On the backdrop of this stage was a banner with photos of all four victims. Above that was a bloody picture of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu depicted as a vampire, with an inscription that read, quote, war criminal Netanyahu and his army killed them with missiles and Zionist warplanes. The coffins also had a picture of each victim with text reading date of arrest October 7, 2023, along with a photo of Netanyahu over which was written, quote, the killer. There was also a banner that threateningly read, quote, the return of the war equals the return of your prisoners in coffins, as well as a placard that said, quote, we never forgave nor forgot, end quote. As the coffins were placed on stage, crowds of spectators cheered and shouted anti Israeli taunts. Among the crowd were reportedly Palestinian prisoners recently released in the current hostage ceasefire deal and they were supposed to be exiled from Gaza under the terms of the agreement. Among those spotted was Muhammad Abu Wada, who orchestrated a 1996 bus bombing that killed more than 40 Israelis. Their remains were then transferred into the custody of officials with the International Committee of the Red Cross. Though the transfer was complicated by Hamas's display on Wednesday ahead of the handover, the Red Cross called for privacy and dignity in the release, saying, quote, we must be clear, any degrading treatment during release operations is unacceptable. When Hamas made it clear on Thursday that they intended to turn the transfer into a depraved spectacle, officials with the humanitarian group initially refused to participate. But Hamas subsequently threatened not to transfer the slain hostages at all. While Red Cross workers initially attempted to shield the remains from view with large white screens, an official eventually signed Hamas documents on the stage, and Khan Yunis put an end to the ordeal. The Red Cross then transferred the bodies to the custody of IDF and Shin Bet forces within the Gaza Strip, who brought the remains back to Israel for official identification. Upon arriving in Israel, the coffins were wrapped in Israeli flags and a rabbi recited Psalm 83. In a statement, Netanyahu said, quote, we embrace the families and the heart of the entire nation is torn. My own heart is torn, so is yours. And all the world's heart should be torn because this demonstrates who we are dealing with, what we are dealing with, with such monsters, end quote. Hamas's actions even provoked outrage in the Arab world. Saudi Arabia's Grand Mufti, the country's highest Muslim religious authority, condemned Hamas's barbarity, saying, quote, what we saw today in Gaza is a disgrace to Islam, an act of blasphemy against Allah, and a sin, end quote. All four of the victims had been taken during the brutal 7 October attacks from a kibbutz in southern Israel and spent 503 days in Hamas captivity. Many Israelis had clung to hope that Shiri Bibas and her two sons might still be alive, but those hopes were dashed on Thursday. Israeli officials are currently examining the remains of the victims at a forensic lab in Tel Aviv, though for now, the exact circumstances of their deaths remain unclear. Up next, the Trump administration moves to designate TDA, Ms. 13 and a number of Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. I'll be right back. Running a business isn't easy. I know that firsthand. As a business owner, I've seen how managing finances can turn into a time consuming headache with endless receipts, approvals and expense tracking slowing everything down. And that's where Ramp comes in. Ramp streamlines finance operations by automating the entire process. No more chasing receipts or manually logging expenses. RAMP takes care of it all instantly matching receipts, categorizing purchases and approving transactions while integrating seamlessly with your ERP for real time visibility. For finance teams that are buried in busy work, well, ramp flips the equation. 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21/ Terms and conditions apply welcome back to the Afternoon Bulletin. The U. S. State Department has officially designated eight transnational crime syndicates, including the Sinaloa Cartel and the Venezuelan gang Trendro, AUA or tda, as foreign terrorist organizations, all part of the White House's ongoing crackdown on transnational crime. The move follows President Trump's executive order signed on his first day in office, which instructed federal agencies to prioritize the classification of violent criminal syndicates as foreign terrorist organizations. The order set a 14 day deadline for Secretary of State Marco Rubio to coordinate with top national security officials, including the Secretaries of Treasury and Homeland Security, the US Attorney General and the Director of National Intelligence to develop a framework for these designations. Acting on that directive, Rubio issued a public notice in the Federal Register on Thursday declaring that these groups pose a quote, unusual and extraordinary threat to national security, foreign policy and economic interests. The designation was made under section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. It's a legal mechanism that expands federal authority to target these organizations with severe penalties. Among the eight groups named is MS.13, the notoriously violent gang with deep roots in the US and Central America. The designation grants sweeping powers to federal agencies, particularly the Department of the treasury, to impose sanctions, freeze assets and enforce travel bans on members and affiliates. The order also invokes the International Emergency Economic Powers act, framing the issue as a national emergency. It states unequivocally, quote, it is the policy of the United States to ensure the total elimination of these organizations and their ability to threaten the territory, safety and security of the United States through their extraterritorial command and control structures. Experts say the designations could redefine America's approach to combating cartel driven violence. Joseph Humayer, executive director of the center for a Secure Free Society, told Fox News that the move is a fundamental shift in how the United States combats organized crime. Humeyer stated, quote, trump just put all of them on notice and adding, quote, this said, we know you're here, we know you're up to no good and we're going to come after you, end quote. While the long term impact remains to be seen, the move provides law enforcement with a broader set of legal tools to financially and operationally dismantle these crime groups within America's borders. And that, my friends, is the PDB Afternoon bulletin for Thursday, 20 February. Now if you have any questions or comments, and I hope you do, please reach out to me at PDB the first tv.com and as you've no doubt heard from your friends and family to listen to the show ad free. Well become a premium member of the President's Daily Brief simply by visiting PDB premium.com I'm Mike Baker and I'll be back tomorrow. Until then, stay informed, stay safe, stay cool. It.