Netanyahu announces war entering “second stage”: Israel’s ground incursions intensified as IDF troops entered Gaza from the northeastern town of Beit Hanoun and in the central area of al Bureij overnight Friday.

• In parallel, the IDF confirmed that it has hit over 450 Hamas targets in the past day, including command centres, observation posts, and anti-tank guided missile launch positions.
• 150 underground targets in the northern Gaza Strip were hit, including “terror tunnels, underground combat spaces and additional underground infrastructure” which resulted in the deaths of several Hamas members.
• The IDF also confirmed that overnight Friday, Head of Hamas’ Aerial Array, Asem Abu Rakaba was killed in an airstrike. IDF fighter also jets struck Ratib Abu Tzahiban, Commander of Hamas’ Naval Forces of the Gaza City Brigade.
• Netanyahu, speaking alongside Minister Benny Gantz and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, emphasised that the goals are clear: “destroying Hamas’s military and governing capabilities, and bringing the captives back home.”
• Gallant said that “the strength of the fire shook the ground in Gaza, and it’s different from anything Hamas has experienced since its creation… IDF forces are maneuvering in the relevant places, and are striking Hamas arrays right now, above ground and underground.”
• “This will not be a short war,” Gallant said. “It is a long war that will require us to be strong, as individuals, as a society, as leaders.”
• Yesterday, incoming rocket alerts sounded in numerous southern communities, including the coastal cities of Ashdod and Ashkelon. A rocket launched from the Gaza Strip landed on a home in Ramat Gan. Rockets also landed in the central cities of Kiryat Ono and Holon.
• In total, some 7,800 rockets have been fired towards Israel since October 7.

The hostages: Netanyahu also met families of the hostages held in Gaza, promising to  “utilise every opportunity to return our kidnapped brothers and sisters to their families’ embrace.”

• The representatives of the families urged Netanyahu to agree to an “everyone for everyone” prisoner exchange with the Hamas terror group, trading Palestinians incarcerated in Israel for security offences for the hundreds who were abducted from Israel on October 7.
• Hamas spokesman Abu Obeida demanded that Israel release all Palestinian security prisoners in return for the Israeli hostages. In a statement broadcast by the Hamas-run Al-Aqsa television channel, he said “the price to pay for the large number of enemy hostages in our hands is to empty the (Israeli) prisons of all Palestinian prisoners.”
• Qatar’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari said that the parties involved in negotiations for the release of hostages are considering the possibility of a prisoner exchange deal. According to him, Hamas’ handling of the hostage issue is being conducted in a chaotic manner.
• “Talks are ongoing with all parties around the clock to make sure we reach an agreement, and we hope to succeed,” Al-Ansari said, adding that the expansion of Israeli military activity in Gaza makes this difficult.

Regional: In the north, the IDF said it struck a compound belonging to the Hezbollah terror group and a number of observation posts in southern Lebanon in response to four separate rocket and missile attacks yesterday. Rockets were fired from Lebanon toward Shtula earlier in the day, setting off sirens in the northern community.

• Hamas deputy chief Saleh al-Arouri met in Beirut with Nabih Berri, the speaker of Lebanon’s parliament and a Hezbollah ally. Berri, head of the Shiite Amal movement, congratulated Hamas for its brutal onslaught against Israel on October 7, in which 1,400 Israelis were killed, most of them civilians.
• The US moved a 2nd strike group into the Mediterranean. The USS Eisenhower passed Gibraltar, along with USS Gravely and USS Mason. The Ford carrier strike group is operating west of Cyprus.

Diplomatic:  A Jordanian resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, which made no mention of Hamas, was overwhelmingly passed by the United Nations General Assembly on Friday.

• It called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all civilians, the protection of civilians and international institutions, and ensuring the safe passage of humanitarian aid into the Strip.
• 120 voted in favour of the non-binding resolution, while just 14 — United States, Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Fiji, Guatemala, Hungary, Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay and Tonga — voted against it. 45 countries abstained, including the UK.
• Canada sought to have an amendment added to the resolution to include a condemnation of Hamas and a majority of members backed the proposal, but it fell short of the two-thirds majority needed to be adopted. 88 countries voted for the amendment, 55 voted against and 33 abstained.
• On Saturday, Foreign Minister Eli Cohen announced that Israel was recalling its diplomats from Turkey to “reassess relations”, after Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan made another speech attacking Israel for its actions in Gaza.

Context: Contrary to last week’s initial ground incursion in which troops withdrew to Israel at the conclusion of their mission, on this occasion troops remained inside Gaza.

• While the families of the hostages fear an IDF offensive would hurt chances of reaching a deal, some Israeli professionals believe that the more Hamas is backed into a corner, the more it will try to use the cards it is holding to improve its situation, including by releasing hostages.
• At the same time, current estimates are that there are low chances of reaching a deal are low. Qatari-led negotiations continue.
• The IDF ground operation has been relatively slow due to:
  • The IDF’s understanding that this is going to be a long war and there is no reason to rush into an operation that could get bogged down.
  • The desire to ensure that Hezbollah does not capitalise on a full-blown ground incursion to Gaza to open a second front.
  • The understanding that a long war will require different military and civilian preparations. Reports suggest that the current plan is to get the public accustomed to functioning amid military activity in Gaza, and that if there is no escalation in the north, some reservists will be released and the Israeli economy will return to partial activity.
• Video footage released of the interrogation of two Hamas terrorists captured following October 7th appears to confirm the long-held assessment that Hamas’s main base of operations is situated underneath Gaza City’s Shifa hospital.
• Hezbollah’s escalation of hostilities in the north remains relatively contained. 58 Hezbollah terrorists have so far been killed in this war, and the IDF’s estimation is that it remains reluctant to pursue a large-scale escalation.
• Having last week said that Hamas was not a terrorist organisation, Erdogan this time told a pro-Palestinian rally that “Israel, we will proclaim you as a war criminal to the world.”
• Turkey has only recently fully restored diplomatic relations with Israel following many years of diplomatic tension.

Looking ahead: As its ground operations intensify, IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said Israel was “increasing the urgency” of its call for northern Gazans to move south.

• “Civilians in northern Gaza, in Gaza City should temporarily move south of Wadi Gaza to a safer area, where they can receive water, food, and medicine,” he said.
• Hagari also said that from Monday, “humanitarian efforts to Gaza, led by Egypt and the United States, will be expanding.”

What happened: Defence Minister Gallant stated that a ground war was approaching, that Israel would win the war, and it would make a “supreme effort” to return the hostages.

• “We are in decisive moments. This is a war for our home and we will win it. It’s either us or them,” Gallant said.
• Discussing a ground incursion, Gallant detailed that “additional stages in the war will also come, we are creating the conditions for them and we will carry them out. I am determined… to ensure the State of Israel is victorious over this tough and evil enemy — over this epitome of evil.”

In the south: The IDF conducted targeted raids in the Gaza Strip and struck dozens of terror targets belonging to Hamas. Yesterday, IDF ground forces, accompanied by IDF fighter jets and UAVs, conducted an additional targeted raid in the central Gaza Strip hitting Hamas targets in the Shuja’iyya area and throughout Gaza.

• The IDF announced it had killed five senior Hamas commanders yesterday in airstrikes, including three senior commanders in Hamas’s Daraj-Tuffah Battalion, which “played a significant role in the invasion and murderous attack against Israel on October 7th,” and is “considered the most significant brigade of the Hamas terrorist organisation.”. Those Daraj-Tuffah terrorists killed were:
  • The battalion’s commander, Rifaat Abbas.
  • The deputy commander, Ibrahim Jadba.
  • A combat support commander, Tarek Maarouf.

• Also killed in IDF strikes were:
  • Shadi Barud, the deputy head of Hamas’s intelligence directorate who planned the October 7 attacks with Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
  • Hassan al-Abdullah, the head of Hamas’s North Khan Younis rocket array.
• Hamas continued to fire missiles at the Israeli home front. Air raid sirens sounded yesterday in Tel Aviv, Rishon Lezion, Bat Yam, Givatayim, Ramat Gan, Holon and others, following a heavy barrage of rockets from Gaza. In total, over 7,000 rockets have been fired at Israel.
• A building in the central city of Petah Tikvah was damaged in a rocket attack on central Israel.
• President Herzog visited Rahat where he met with and offered sympathy to Bedouin leaders and families of hostages held by Hamas. “I say to everyone around the world, that this is not a war between Jews and Muslims. This is a war between the people of who seek to bring light and the people who seek to bring darkness. Between good and bad. Between good and evil. This is the war that we are fighting.”
• Officials confirmed a report that Israel is considering allowing fuel into Gaza in exchange for the release of hostages, if a large exchange deal is proposed, although no such concrete proposal is on the agenda.

In the north: The IDF carried out a drone strike against a Hezbollah cell which was preparing to launch an anti-tank guided missile attack against an army post on the northern border. Hezbollah has so far named 46 members killed by Israel since the war began.

• Gallant said Israel was “not interested in widening the war, but will deal with it if necessary,” emphasising that Israel was “ready for any eventuality”.

US strikes Iranian targets: Two US fighter jets struck weapons and ammunition facilities near Abu Kamal, a Syrian town on the border with Iraq on Friday morning, in response to attacks on US forces by Iranian-backed militia, as concerns grew that the Israel-Hamas conflict may spread in the Middle East.

• The Pentagon said that President Biden ordered strikes on the two facilities used by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps and militia groups that it backs. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said, “these Iranian-backed attacks against U.S. forces are unacceptable and must stop.”

Diplomacy: Israel criticised Russia for a meeting it hosted with Abu Marzouk, a member of Hamas’s political bureau in Moscow.

• “Israel sees the invitation of senior Hamas officials to Moscow as an obscene step that gives support to terrorism and legitimises the atrocities of Hamas terrorists,” tweeted Foreign ministry spokesman Lior Haiat.
• The Russian Foreign Ministry argued that the release of the hostages was discussed as well as the evacuation of Russian and other foreign citizens from Gaza.
• Foreign ministers of the UAE, Jordan, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt and Morocco blasted Israel for killing civilians. In a joint statement calling on the UN Security Council to implement an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, they argued that “self-defence does not justify violations of international law, and deliberate disregard for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.”
• Israel is seeking to block a General Assembly resolution. “The drafters of the resolution claim to be concerned about ‘peace,’” Ambassador Erdan said, “yet the depraved murderers who initiated this war are not even mentioned in the resolution.”

Context: This is the second night of a limited IDF ground incursion followed by a withdrawal.

• Israel continues to try and balance between its military aims of toppling Hamas in Gaza and releasing the over 200 hostages.
• Qatar is pressuring the Israeli government to agree to a deal to release the hostages at the expense of giving up on the ground operation. There is currently talk of a deal that will include women and children in exchange for humanitarian gestures. However, Hamas and Qatar are stalling in the belief this helps improve their negotiating power and postpones Israel carrying out a ground operation.
• In his speech on Wednesday, Netanyahu said that the war’s two aims were to “eliminate Hamas by destroying its military and governance capabilities, and to do everything possible to get our hostages back.”
• Yesterday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said at the UN that that if Israel’s offensive against Hamas did not stop the US would “not be spared from this fire”.
• US and coalition troops have already been attacked at least 19 times in Iraq and in Syria by Iran-backed forces in the past week. On Thursday, a US base at Kharab al-Jir in Syria was attacked for the second time in two days, and a base in western Iraq was also hit.
• Yesterday Opposition leader Lapid presented a plan for government to better support Israelis. The eight-part plan covers education, small business support, increased mental health care, and measures to ease the economic burden on families whose members have mobilised. These include small and medium-sized businesses being supplied with economic allowances and flexible grants, flexible economic allowances for families of reserve soldiers who were called up, and enlisting more therapists and transferring the responsibility and budget for them to local authorities.

Looking ahead: A (non-binding and generally symbolic) General Assembly resolution will be voted on today and is expected to pass. The text calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all civilian hostages, the protection of civilians and international institutions, and ensuring the safe passage of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

• The prime minister addressed the nation last night, pledging to deliver on two objectives: to “eliminate Hamas by destroying its military and governing abilities,” and “to do everything possible to bring our captives home.”
• Netanyahu confirmed that “we are preparing for a ground incursion. I will not detail when, how or how many, or the overall considerations that we are taking into account.”
• “The timing of the IDF action,” he continued, “will be determined unanimously by the War Cabinet, together with the IDF Chief-of-Staff. Together with the Security Cabinet, we are working to ensure the optimal conditions for our soldiers in the coming actions.”
• Netanyahu also reiterated Israel’s call for Gazan civilians to move south to the safe zone.
• “Even amidst the storm of battle,” he continued, “we do not forget for a moment the immense pain of the loss of over 1,400 of our brothers and sisters, who were massacred in cold blood and who heroically fell in battle against the bloodthirsty monsters who have risen up to destroy us. Cutting short their lives is like a hail of arrows at our heart. The soul of the nation is bleeding.”
• Amid widespread criticism both of the failures in intelligence which were exposed on October 7^th and of his own failure to take personal responsibility for them, Netanyahu said “This failure will be investigated thoroughly. Everyone will need to provide answers, myself included, but all of this will happen only after the war.”

In Gaza: The IDF has confirmed that infantry troops conducted a limited ground incursion in the northern Gaza strip last night. In a mission to prepare for the “next stages of the war,” troops, equipped with tanks, targeted terrorists, infrastructure and anti-tank guided missile launch positions. On completion of the mission, troops withdrew to Israel.

• Israel also continued its aerial attacks on Hamas positions in the Gaza Strip, the IDF confirming that in the last 24 hours it had hit over 250 Hamas targets.
• Rocket fire from Gaza also continues, 6 people being injured and 12 treated for shock following a heavy missile barrage on central Israel.

In the north: Throughout the day yesterday, there were at least half a dozen incidents of anti-tank missile and rocket fire from Lebanese territory towards civilian and military positions close to the border.

• The IDF has continued to respond to every act of Hezbollah aggression, targeting the cells responsible for these attacks.
• Hezbollah has confirmed 44  of its operatives have been confirmed killed since this conflict began.

Context: This was Netanyahu’s first public commitment to a ground offensive.

• It was aimed at putting an end to the speculation that had suggested disagreements between Netanyahu and the military leadership over a ground operation.
• Nevertheless, he would not be drawn on timing. The delay is being explained by a number of factors. According to the Wall Street Journal, the delay is due to the US needing more time to deploy additional air defence systems into the region, to protect its own troops.
• The US position alludes to the complexity, that this war is not just Israel versus Hamas, but is part of a broader clash against Iran and her proxies. This is evidenced by aggression from Hezbollah, Iranian proxies in Syria and the Houthis in Yemen.
• In addition, since the October 7 massacre, US forces on the Syrian-Iraq border have also come under attack. There have been reports of around 25 injured US servicemen in a series of rocket and mortar attacks on their base.
• The second reason for a delay is related to US efforts to broker a hostage release via Qatari mediation. So far, four of the hostages have been released, with at least 220, including 30 babies and children still held hostage.
• Yesterday Israel’s National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi posted a message on X, “I’m pleased to say that Qatar is becoming an essential party and stakeholder in the facilitation of humanitarian solutions. Qatar’s diplomatic efforts are crucial at this time.”
• While not in a formal state of conflict with Israel, Qatar has long played a duplicitous role, leading anti-Israeli hostility and hosting Hamas’s external leadership. Whilst prior to October 7 they provided financial support for Gaza, with the Israeli government’s tacit approval.
• It is thought Hanegbi, a long-time confidant of Netanyahu, would only release such a statement in concert with the prime minister.
• There is speculation that Hamas could distinguish between hostages and agree to release non-Israelis, foreign workers, dual nationals, women, children, elderly people or hostages with health issues.
• In return, Israel would acquiesce to increasing humanitarian aid into Gaza and even possibly release Palestinian female prisoners or older or ill security prisoners.
• In Yediot Ahronot, Ronen Bergman questions the prime minister’s assertion, and argues that Israel faces two mutually exclusive options: it can either pursue a deal to bring all the remaining hostages home or proceed with the anticipated ground incursion. “It’s either/or, without any option between them.”
• Earlier this week, President Biden spoke with Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS). They confirmed the Gulf Cooperation Council’s contribution of $100 million to support humanitarian relief in Gaza.

Looking ahead: Israel is cooperating with the US effort to deliver more humanitarian aid to the Gazan civilians via Egypt.

• It is estimated that a ground offensive will begin in the next few day, but the range and extent remain classified.
• As part of part of President Biden and MbS’s conversation they recognised the importance of the path towards Israeli-Saudi normalisation resuming after the conflict is over. Any deal will now have to include a substantial sustainable peace between Israelis and Palestinians.
• The Defence Ministry has revealed this morning that evacuations of Israel’s northern and southern border communities will continue until the end of 2023, with some 200,000 Israelis already internally displaced by the threat on both borders.

Macron visits: Visiting Israel yesterday, French President Emanuel Macron joined Western allies in support for Israel.

• In a meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu, Macron said that “this fight against terrorism is obviously a matter of existence for Israel. But it’s a matter of existence for all of us.” He added that “this is an international coalition in order to fight against this terrorist group that we have to build.”
• Macron subsequently told reporters that “France is ready for the international coalition against ISIS in which we are taking part in operations in Iraq and Syria to also fight against Hamas.”
• Macron also called for a “decisive relaunch” of the Middle East peace process. “The Palestinian cause must be heard with reason,” he said, adding that the stability of the region would only be guaranteed if the Israeli response was “obviously security orientated and implacable in the face of terrorist groups, but also political”.

At the UN: Speaking at the Security Council, UK Security Minister Tom Tugendhat said that “Hamas rockets kill innocent Palestinians and Israelis. We judge the horrific al-Ahli Arab hospital explosion was likely caused by a missile launched from Gaza. We support Israel’s right to defend itself against terror, in line with international humanitarian law.”

• He added, “Hamas use children as human shields. They have embedded themselves in civilian communities. They steal humanitarian aid meant for the Palestinian people. And their rockets murder civilians in Gaza as well as Israel. Hamas are no friends of the Palestinian people. It is a terrorist organisation that is not just a threat to Israel and Palestinians but to many others in the region.”
• Elsewhere at the UN, Israel reacted furiously to UN Secretary General António Guterres  saying at the Security Council that “it is important to also recognise the attacks by Hamas did not happen in a vacuum.” He added that “the Palestinian people have been subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation.”
• Israeli Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan called the speech shocking and said Guterres should resign. Guterres, he tweeted, “who shows understanding for the campaign of mass murder of children, women, and the elderly, is not fit to lead the UN. I call on him to resign immediately. There is no justification or point in talking to those who show compassion for the most terrible atrocities committed against the citizens of Israel and the Jewish people. There are simply no words.”

Gaza Strip: The IDF has kept up its airstrikes on Hamas targets. In the last 24 hours the Israeli Air Force (IAF) destroyed dozens more Hamas targets.

• According to the IDF Spokesperson, they “struck several terrorists and Hamas infrastructure, including terror tunnel shafts, military headquarters, weapons warehouses, mortar launchers and anti-tank missile launchers.”
• “Furthermore, overnight the IDF struck Hamas’ emergency operational apparatus, including war rooms, infrastructure and military headquarters.”
• Adding, “Hamas’ emergency operational apparatus was responsible for setting up blockades that prevented Gazans from evacuating to safer areas in the southern Gaza Strip. Additionally, the IDF struck military infrastructure and command centres of Hamas’ security apparatus, which is responsible for overseeing the terrorist organisation in the Gaza Strip and arresting and imprisoning Hamas’ opponents.”
• The IDF also released more names of Hamas operatives killed including,
  • Abed Alrahman – Deputy Commander of the Nuseirat Battalion, who took part in the Kibbutz Be’eri massacre.
  • Khalil Muhajez – Deputy Commander of the Shati Battalion.
  • Khalil Tatri – Deputy Commander of the Sheikh Radwan Battalion.
• There was another attempted infiltration attempt via the sea onto Zikim Beach, which the IDF were able to intercept, killing the terror cell.
• Despite the IAF strikes, Hamas have continued to fire rockets into Israel. Yesterday afternoon there was a heavy barrage directed towards Tel Aviv and the centre of the country.

Lebanon: The IDF continued to target terrorist cells operating on the Lebanese border.

• The IDF confirmed a “UAV struck two terrorist cells that carried out rocket and mortar shell launches toward IDF posts in the area of Netu’a and Elkosh in northern Israel. Furthermore, IDF tanks and artillery responded toward the sources of the launches.”
• “In addition, IDF forces struck an additional terrorist cell that attempted to launch anti-tank missiles toward Israeli territory adjacent to Kibbutz Yiftach.”
• Hezbollah announced 9 of their fighters have been killed in the last 24 hours; taking their tally to 38 operative killed so far. The number killed in Lebanon is thought to be higher as Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) are also operating in southern Lebanon and responsible for some of the attacks.
• Notably, there were no IAF attacks overnight.

Syria: Iranian proxy militias in the Syrian Golan fired a total of 5 rockets towards Israel. 3 fell in Syrian territory and 2 landed in Israel.

• In response the IAF struck military targets and mortar-firing sites belonging to the Syrian military.
• Syrian sources claimed 8 Syrian soldiers were killed and 7 others were injured.

West Bank: In the Jenin refugee camp, an IDF drone attacked a terror cell that had attacked Israeli forces. Palestinians reported four deaths.
 
Context: Macron’s visit follows comes in the context of many visits to Israel by foreign leaders and senior officials to show support. Since the October 7 attack by Hamas, President Biden, Prime Minister Sunak, German Chancellor Scholtz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and President Christodoulides of Cyprus have all come to Israel.

• After a storm of criticism, Gutteres tried to walk back his comments, tweeting that “the grievances of the Palestinian people cannot justify the horrific attacks by Hamas,” adding that “those horrendous attacks cannot justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people.”
• The US continues to block Security Council efforts to pass a resolution calling for a ceasefire. US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has proposed new language for a resolution, supporting Israel’s right to continue its campaign, by upholding the “inherent right of all states” to self-defence, but also calling for “humanitarian pauses”.
• As Israel continues to strike targets from the air, speculation remains as to when a ground incursion into Gaza will begin.
• The IDF is continuing to drop leaflets urging civilians to leave the northern Gaza Strip to flee south and avoid being caught in the fighting. Hamas, meanwhile, continues to hamper those efforts with road blocks.
• In the latest example of Hamas-Hezbollah coordination, Hezbollah released photos of Hezbollah’s leader Nasrallah, meeting with Saleh al-Aruri, the deputy head of Hamas and Ziad al-Nakhala, the leader of PIJ.
• Eight more trucks with aid entered Gaza from the Egyptian side, the fourth convoy so far.

Looking ahead: Israel’s Security Cabinet is expected to meet again this evening, when a decision could be made regarding launching a ground incursion.

• Amid the deadlock in the UN Security Council, Jordan, and Russia are among the nations that have requested a meeting on Thursday of the UN General Assembly.

Hostages: Two elderly Israeli women Yocheved Lifshitz (85) and Nurit Cooper (79) both from Kibbutz Nir Oz were released last night.

• The Red Cross received them after they crossed into Egypt. They were then brought by helicopter to Ichilov hospital in Tel Aviv where they were reunited with their families after 17 days in captivity.
• Hamas said the release was achieved thanks to Egyptian-Qatari intervention and they were chosen due to their advanced age and bad health.
• However both their husbands, 85-year-old Amiram and 83-year-old Oded – who were kidnapped along with them – remain in Hamas captivity.
• Israel thanked Egypt and the Red Cross for their assistance in bringing about their release.
• Following their release Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke once again with President Biden who congratulated Netanyahu on the release and repeated his commitment to bring about the release of all the hostages. At the same time, the president stressed the need to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza.
• Eti Uziel the hospital’s chief nurse, told Channel 12 News, “We were very excited. They looked fine. Their medical condition is okay. They’re speaking. At first, we took them off the helicopter and we brought them to their families. It was a very moving meeting. Now we’re going to let them rest a bit with their families and afterwards we’ll do a full physical examination. They’ll spend the night here. We’re glad that they’re here with us.”
• Yesterday a third convoy of food water and medical supplies entered Gaza from Egypt. A forth is expected to enter today.
• In addition the UN is supplying 30 bakeries in southern Gaza with free flour.

Aerial attacks continue: The IDF confirmed that over the last 24 hours, it “struck over 400 terror targets and killed several Hamas commanders and numerous operatives preparing attacks.”

• The IDF described, “a wide-scale operation to dismantle Hamas’ terrorist capabilities” in which it “struck dozens of Hamas gunmen setting up to fire rockets and carry out terror attacks against the Israeli home front. Over the last day, IDF fighter jets struck dozens of terror infrastructure and Hamas staging grounds…furthermore, an IDF aircraft struck a Hamas operational tunnel shaft which gave terror operatives quick access to the coastline.”
• In addition, “IDF aircraft struck command centres used by Hamas operatives and staging grounds.”
• Despite the intensity of air strikes Hamas continue to fire rockets albeit at a slower pace, mainly short range rockets at the (almost empty) communities closest to the border. Most communities have been evacuated, but in some Kibbutzim a small number of members have stayed behind mostly to look after the animals.

In the north: Hezbollah continues to target the military and civilian sites close to the border.

• Attacks include anti-tank missiles, rockets and drones.
• In response the IDF is continuing to strike military targets belonging to Hezbollah. According to the Spokesperson’s office this included “a military compound, a military post, and an observation post used by Hezbollah.” The strikes were in responses to the continued rocket and anti-tank missile launches from Lebanon.
• Yesterday the IDF struck eight Hezbollah cells, seven before they even launched rockets.
• According to Hezbollah 32 of their fighters have been killed so far. Israel estimates the number to be much higher.

Context: Israeli appears poised to launch a ground incursion into Gaza.

• There is strong public support for the move, despite the understanding that it is highly likely that IDF soldiers will be killed.
• In parallel there are Israeli media reports that the delay in launching such an operation is exacerbating the crisis of trust between the government and the military as well as within the government itself.
• Disagreements between the political echelon and military reportedly relate to disagreements over the IDF’s readiness, the timing of a ground operation, and the government approving specific goals of the war. There are also reportedly tensions between Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defence Minister Gallant
• In response to these reports the prime minister, defence minister and IDF Chief of Staff released a joint statement that they are, “working in close and full cooperation, around the clock, to lead the State of Israel to a decisive victory over Hamas. There is total and mutual trust between the Prime Minister, the Defence Minister and the IDF Chief-of-Staff; the unity of the goal is clear. The media is requested to show responsibility and refrain from false reports that only harm our unity and our forces.”
• At the same time, the delay leaves a window of opportunity for a deal to free hostages. Reports suggest that work is underway to negotiating to release hostages that hold dual citizenship and / or Israeli women and children. This places Israel in a difficult moral dilemma, supporting their release, but by default neglecting their own citizens.
• Lifshitz and Cooper are the second pair of hostages released after two US citizens Judith Raanan and her 17-year-old daughter, Natalie were released. The pair from Chicago were visiting for the Jewish holidays. However six members of their extended family remain hostages inside Gaza.
• The cabinet and IDF have decided that Gaza remains their primary focus with Lebanon secondary.
• So far 120,000 Israelis have been displaced from the south and the north. With all of Israel’s hotels full there is growing pressure to find those in need with temporary accommodation. It is anticipated that if the war expands, more people will be evacuated.

Looking ahead: Israel continues to call for a full evacuation of Gazan civilians from the northern Gaza Strip, whilst there is growing anticipation of a ground incursion.

• French President Macron is the latest leader to visit Israel. He arrived this morning and will meet with French citizens who are relatives of hostages and people who were killed in Hamas’s assault.
• Afterwards he will travel to Jerusalem to meet with President Herzog, Prime Minister Netanyahu, Defence Minister Gantz and Leader of the Opposition Lapid.

What’s happening: The IDF has confirmed that over 320 military targets have been hit inside in the Gaza Strip in the last day.

• Targets have included, “tunnels containing Hamas terrorists, dozens of operational command centres, some of which concealed Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists, military compounds, and observation posts.”
• In addition, “the IDF struck targets that posed a threat to forces in the area surrounding the Gaza Strip who are preparing for ground operations, including dozens of mortar shell and anti-tank missile launch posts.”
• Yesterday there was also an exchange of fire close to the Gaza border fence.  One IDF soldier was killed after troops entered Gaza in an effort to collect intelligence on the kidnapped Israelis.
• There was also an incident of IDF mistaken fire towards an Egyptian observation tower. According to the Egyptian military statement, “several of the observation personnel were slightly injured. The Israeli side immediately expressed its regret for the unintentional incident and is conducting an investigation of the circumstances of the incident.”
• In parallel more humanitarian aid is entering Gaza from Egypt. Israel consents to food water and medical supplies under the condition that it goes to the civilian population and not to Hamas.
• President Yitzhak Herzog revealed yesterday in an interview to Sky News that Hamas fighters were carrying instructions on how to make chemical weapons. The material on a USB stick found on one of the terrorists from October 7 showed that Hamas planned to use cyanide against civilians. Herzog said, “It’s al-Qaida material. We’re dealing with ISIS, al-Qaida and Hamas.”
• Yesterday Hamas continued to fire rockets into Israel, now totalling over 7,600. No rockets were fired overnight, though sirens were once again in Ashkelon this morning.
• The IDF also confirmed that a total of 550 rockets have misfired and landed inside Gaza Strip.
• In the north the IDF continued to target cells of anti-tank missile launchers.
• Overnight Israel targeted Hezbollah military infrastructure including a military compound and an observation position.
• Last night Hezbollah announced their 27th fatality, with Israel claiming to have struck 20 Hezbollah cells along the border.

Context: The government has set the military two main objectives to destroy Hamas’s military capacity and removing Hamas from controlling the Strip.

• The aerial bombing campaign is currently only in its first stage, before an anticipated ground incursion.
• The latest confirmed number of hostages in Hamas captivity has risen to 222 including 30 babies and children.
• There is also concern over the connectivity between the north and the south. So far Hezbollah has joined the fighting but not the war. One scenario is that they are waiting for a ground incursion in the south to expand their range of targets deeper into Israel.
• With a potential escalation in the north, Israel faces a much more powerful and capable enemy, with advanced precision missiles and anti-aircraft munitions.
• Iran not only funds and supports Hezbollah and Palestinian terror organisations, but also backs the Houthis in Yemen that launched missiles and drones (intercepted by the US) towards Israel at the end of last week. They also sponsor militias in Syria and Iraq that could also attack Israel.

Looking ahead: The IDF has declared its ‘readiness’ for a ground incursion and is awaiting instruction from the political echelon.

• One reason for the delay could be related to international mediation via the US and Qatar over the release of some more of the hostages.
• Concern continues that Iran is encouraging its proxies to attack Israel, and with the international community distracted, they could also be using this time to advance their uranium enrichment, and even break-out over the nuclear threshold.

The IDF continues to attack Hamas inside Gaza, to respond and target Hezbollah in Lebanon, operate again terror infrastructure in Jenin and strike airports inside Syria. In addition, Israel acted on fifth front to prevent a cyber-attack on an Israeli hospital.   

Hamas releases two American hostages while Israel confirms an additional 210 (including 30 babies and children) remain held by terrorists inside Gaza.    

Gaza Strip: The Israeli Air Force (IAF) continued its bombing campaign again Hamas military infrastructure.

• Despite over 3,000 targets struck in central and northern Gaza, Hamas has still been able to continue launching rockets directed primarily at the Gaza periphery but also sporadic attacks on central Israel.
• The IDF Spokesperson’s office announced that “fighter jets struck dozens of Hamas terror targets in the Gaza Strip, some located in multi-story buildings. Throughout the day, dozens of terror tunnel shafts, weapons, headquarters, command centres and mosques used as operational war rooms by Hamas terrorists were struck.”
• In addition, “the IDF killed two terror operatives near the security fence between Israel and the Gaza Strip, a Nukhba terror operative and additional terrorists.”
• The Shin Bet has formed a special new unit called Nili whose mission is to find and kill every single Nukhba commando who took part in the massacre on October 7.
• Last Saturday, the commander of Hamas’s Nukhba unit, Ali Qadhi, was killed. Qadhi was one of the people who led the assault on the Gaza periphery. The following day, Billal Al Kedra, who led the attack inside Kibbutz Nirim was killed too.

Lebanon: Hezbollah continued to escalate the fighting out of Lebanon.

• Hezbollah continued their attack including towards Har Dov yesterday, where 20 launches were identified.
• There were several more cases of anti-tank missiles aimed at IDF posts on the border.
• Hezbollah have so far fired over 200 rockets and mortars at Israel’s northern border.  There have been five attempted infiltrations, over 50 instances of anti-tank missiles fired. At least six Israelis have been killed.
• In response Israel has returned fire to the source and targeted the cells trying to infiltrate and fire anti-tank missiles. Hezbollah has admitted 16 operatives have been killed, whilst Israel estimates the number to around 30.
• Israel plans to evacuate another 14 communities close to the Lebanese border, in addition to the 28 communities already evacuated that lie within two km of the border.

Jenin: For the first time in almost 20 years the IAF carried out an aerial strike in the West Bank.

• The target was an underground terror compound underneath the Al-Ansar mosque in Jenin.
• According to the IDF, “The mosque contained a terror cell of Hamas and Islamic Jihad terror operatives who were organising an imminent terror attack.” Palestinian sources reported two people killed and three injured.
• The targets were responsible for several terror attacks over the last months, including last weekend when they planted an explosive device that was detonated remotely by a mobile phone.
• The mosque was used by the terrorists as a command centre to plan the attacks and as a base for their execution.

Syria: According to Syrian media, Israel attacked airports in Damascus and Aleppo last night.

• Although Israel does not formally take credit for these attacks, it is reported to be the third time in the last two weeks that airports have been struck, presumably to prevent Iran sending more shipments of weapons.

Cyber: Tel Aviv’s Sheba Hospital went offline yesterday over fears of an impending cyberattack.

• All of the computers in the hospital were disconnected from the internet.
• The National Cyber Authority and the Health Ministry confirmed, “proactive measures are taken to temporarily suspend the availability of remote connectivity. At this stage that has not impacted the hospital’s performance, and service to patients has continued normally.”

Context: Iran continues to encourage various terrorist proxies to keep up a sustained attack against Israel across a number of fronts.

• It is not yet clear if Hezbollah is waiting for a ground incursion into Gaza as the trigger to expand their targets.
• Although the fighting has escalated, they have not yet extended their rocket range beyond the border, or unleashed their elite Radwan forces into Israel.
• Hezbollah’s primary task is to serve to protect the Iranian regime if Iran was directly attacked. For this reason they are joined the fighting, but not the war… yet.
• More details emerged over another Iranian proxy. At the end of last week the Houthis in Yemen had fired four cruise missiles and 15 armed drones towards Israel. The attacks were intercepted by US warships based in the Red Sea, 1,000 km from Israel.
• The missiles and the drones were manufactured by Iran.
• This was the latest example of US support for Israel’s war effort.
• The two hostages released were both US citizens who were visiting Israel for the holiday period from Chicago. They were released following diplomatic pressure from the US on Qatar. The gesture is being interpreted as an effort by Hamas leadership in Qatar to improve Hamas’s image, despite still holding at least 210 hostages.
• Following visits last week by President Biden, Prime Minister Sunak, Chancellor Scholtz, the latest visitors to Israel included Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and President Christodoulides of Cyprus. Both leaders met with both Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Herzog.
• The first 20 trucks of humanitarian aid entered Gaza via Egypt through the Rafah crossing.

Looking ahead: The IDF has completed preparations for the ground incursion into Gaza. In the first phase the IDF will aim to take control of territory inside the Strip, then to dismantle Hamas’s operational and governmental infrastructure. This could take several months.

• The Israeli working assumption is that the Houthis are likely to try to fire more missiles and send more attack drones towards Israel.
• Shiite militias in Iraq could also join the offensive with missiles and drones from Iraqi territory.