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Local. Against the backdrop of rising tension and security alertness during the first week of the Muslim month of Ramadan, efforts continue to promote a hostage/prisoner deal. For the first time, senior US officials are directly criticizing the Israeli leadership but are not imposing an absolute veto on military action in Rafah. The IDF continues dismantling terrorist infrastructure and eliminating senior Hamas officials.
After weeks of waiting, Qatari and Egyptian mediators on Thursday delivered Hamas’ response to the proposed deal framework and its list of demands for the release of hostages. According to a report published by Al-Jazeera, the Qatar-based media outlet identified with Hamas, the agreement for the release of the hostages would include three stages, each lasting 42 days.
In the first stage, the terrorist organization demands the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Al-Rashid and Salah Al-Din streets, two important transportation routes that cross the Strip from north to south. Women, children, the elderly and those in need of medical treatment would be released in return for the release of 700 to 1,000 Palestinian security prisoners, including at least 100 terrorists serving life sentences, according to a Reuters report.
Before implementation of the second stage, Hamas demands a permanent and absolute ceasefire. Only after that would it free soldiers held hostage. In the third stage, the organization demands reconstruction of Gaza and the “lifting of Israel’s siege.”
Although the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office stated Friday that “Hamas is continuing to hold to unrealistic demands,” it confirmed the departure to Qatar of an Israeli delegation, headed by Mossad chief David Barnea, with the aim of continuing negotiations to achieve a deal that will bring a pause in fighting and the release of hostages held by Hamas for more than 160 days. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also approved operational plans presented by the IDF for action in Rafah, where an estimated 1.4 million Palestinians currently reside. Despite international pressure against military operations Rafah, Netanyahu vowed to “complete the elimination of the remaining Hamas battalions, restore security and bring absolute victory to the people of Israel and the State of Israel.”
At the same time, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stressed the need for a plan to move the civilian population of Rafah before any such operation. In recent weeks, there has been much tension with “vocal disagreements” between the U.S. and Israel regarding a possible military operation in Rafah, Hamas’ last stronghold where many terrorists have fled from areas taken over by the IDF. According to a report published in Politico, however, the U.S. has conveyed messages through senior administration officials that it will support such a move on condition that it is focused and avoids harm to civilians. Although details of the conversation remain unknown, Biden and Netanyahu spoke today for the first time in a month.
According to the report, the Biden administration “could support a plan more akin to counter terrorism operations than all-out war” that would minimize civilian casualties and prevent images of widespread destruction and ruin that might increase pressure on President Joe Biden and undermine support for Israel from Western governments. The U.S. Understands that military action in Rafah is a vital step towards removing Hamas from power in Gaza.
A senior Democratic Party official openly and sharply criticizes Netanyahu. Senator Chuck Schumer, who for many years has been considered an enthusiastic supporter of Israel, delivered a sharp speech in the Senate last Thursday in which he claimed that the Israeli Prime Minister has “lost his way” and called for early elections in Israel. Schumer, the Democratic majority leader in the Senate and the first Jew to hold that position, claimed that Netanyahu is “an obstacle to peace” who puts his personal interests over the good of Israel. Schumer’s remarks, the sharpest criticism of Netanyahu by a high-ranking American official since October 7, won the support of President Biden, who said that the Senator “made a good speech and expressed a serious concern shared not only by him but by many Americans.”
In reply, Netanyahu chastised critics abroad who, he alleged, were hurling false accusations at him, the IDF and the Israeli government in an attempt to end the war and bring about elections. “To our friends in the international community, I say: Are your memories that short? Have you so quickly forgotten October 7, the most horrific massacre of Jews since the Holocaust?…Are you so quick to deny Israel the right to defend itself against the Hamas monsters? Have you so quickly lost your moral consciences?”
Meanwhile, a poll by an Israeli news station indicates a large majority of the Israeli public in favor of early elections. In the poll, the leader of the “National Unity” party, Benny Gantz, Netanyahu’s political rival and partner in the war cabinet, received 41% support, compared to 29% support for Netanyahu, who has served as prime minister for 13-1/2 of the last 15 years.
The first humanitarian aid ship docked Friday near the coast of Gaza with hundreds of tons of equipment. The ship, which loaded in the port of Larnaca in Cyprus, contained 130 pallets of humanitarian equipment and 115 tons of food and water, which was transferred to 12 trucks of the World Food Organization for distribution in the northern Gaza Strip. In coordination with Israel, the United Arab Emirates has taken the lead in broadening the humanitarian effort in Gaza.
On Thursday, IDF forces secured the entry of 31 humanitarian aid trucks containing food and supplies for distribution to Gazans in the northern Strip. Shortly before the arrival of the aid convoy to the humanitarian corridor, Palestinian gunmen opened fire near waiting Gazan civilians, after which the crowd began looting the trucks. According to the IDF, trucks ran over some of the civilians. Contrary to unverified reports circulated in media outlets identified with Hamas, an in-depth initial investigation by the IDF found that Israeli forces on the ground did not shoot at the crowd.
Meanwhile, the IDF continues to operate in the central Gaza Strip and Khan Yunis area. During recent operations to dismantle Hamas’ military infrastructure, IDF forces have focused on the prestigious Hamed neighborhood in Khan Yunis which, since it was established with Qatari funding in 2017, has since served as a base for terrorist activity for many senior Hamas officials. IDF forces have raided buildings in the neighborhood, killed hundreds of terrorists and captured dozens more. The captured terrorists, including a commander in the Nukhba special forces, have provided important intelligence. At the same time, counter-terrorist units have operated deep in the city of Khan Yunis.
Estimates are growing that, Marwan Issa, Hamas’ Chief-of-Staff, died in a recent IDF attack. Last Monday, the IDF reported that Israeli fighter jets had attacked an underground complex used by senior Hamas officials in the central Gaza Strip. Israel believes that Issa, who also was deputy to Mohammed Deif, head of Hamas’ military wing, was inside at the time with Aziz Abu Tama’a, who previously served as the commander of the Central Camps Division and now is the head of all Hamas’ combat equipment in Gaza. The two also were among the planners of the October 7 massacre. Although Hamas has not responded to claims of their possible deaths, estimates are increasing that they were killed in the attack.
Prime Minister Netanyahu officially took Israeli responsibility for the elimination of senior Hamas official Saleh al-Arouri two months ago and hinted at Issa’s killing. ”On the way to this victory, we have already eliminated Hamas’ number 4,” Netanyahu declared in a video posted on social network X. “3, 2, and 1 are on the way. They are all doomed, we will get to all of them,” threatened the Prime Minister.
Hamas military chief killed in hospital raid. After first warning hospital staff, the IDF on Sunday night again raided Shifa Hospital, where Hamas gunmen had regrouped. During the operation, IDF troops killed Faack Mabhough, Hamas’ chief of internal security, and captured 80 gunmen.
In contrast to the fighting in the Gaza Strip, now at at a significantly lower intensity than before, the fighting against Hezbollah has escalated on the Israel-Lebanon border. In the past week, the Hezbollah terrorist organization launched hundreds of rockets at military posts and civilian areas in Israel. In response, the Israeli Air Force attacked two military headquarters, military buildings and terrorist infrastructure of Hezbollah deep in Lebanon, about 60 miles from the border. According to a report by Sky News Arabia, two Hezbollah operatives were killed during the attacks. The IDF believes that more than 300 Hezbollah terrorists have been killed and more than 750 wounded, including five senior commanders, since October.
World.
A surge in terrorist activity in Europe; Israeli and Jewish targets in the cross hairs. Since October 7, authorities in Europe have been reporting an alarming and rapid increase in security alerts and threats faced by security forces, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. The threats, say the report, are mainly directed against Israeli and Jewish targets. So far, security agencies have thwarted the terrorist plots, linked to terrorist elements identified with the Iranian regime, Hezbollah and Hamas. Law enforcement authorities in Austria and Bosnia recently arrested Afghan and Syrian refugees in possession of weapons and ammunition, including assault rifles and pistols.
As Houthi attacks on maritime trade routes continue, the U.S. urges Iran to restrain the Yemeni terrorist group.According to a report by the Financial Times, secret, indirect talks have taken place in recent months between senior U.S. and Iranian officials. In the talks, led by White House National Security Advisor Brett McGurk, the U.S sought to convince the Iranian delegation, headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani, to use Tehran’s influence on the Houthi militia to bring about a cessation of hostile activity and the incessant, destructive attacks on trade routes. Despite the critical influence of the Iranian regime, which has provided the Shiite organization with immense security, military, political and economic assistance over the past decade, the talks ended in a deadlock. The Houthis justify their attacks on commercial shipping as support for Hamas in its war against Israel.
Technology.
Another giant acquisition in the Israeli cyber industry continues to show strong performance even during the ongoing war. Last Thursday, the American cloud security giant Zscaler
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This is the third and largest acquisition made by American cyber giants in Israel. Just in the last two weeks, CrowdStrike
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Itai Zehorai, Alan Sacks
