Dear A.,

The IDF pushed its ground operation deeper into the northern and southern parts of the Gaza Strip, raiding Hamas operations centers and killing several senior Hamas commanders who orchestrated the October 7 massacre.

In the south, the IDF pushed into the center of Khan Yunis, a densely populated city where Israel believes more Hamas leadership is hiding and many of the remaining 137 hostages may be held.

The head of the IDF’s southern command said that today was “the most intense day of fighting” since the ground operation began. IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi added, “Anyone who thought that the IDF would not know how to resume the fighting after the truce was mistaken. Hamas is feeling this strongly.”

America must continue to stand with Israel as it fights to achieve its three objectives: Returning all of the hostages, destroying Hamas, and eliminating the threat from Gaza.

Earlier today, President Biden called for global condemnation of Hamas’ barbaric sexual violence against Israeli women.

“The world can’t just look away at what’s going on,” he said. “It’s on all of us — government, international organizations, civil society and businesses — to forcefully condemn the sexual violence of Hamas terrorists without equivocation. Without equivocation, without exception.”

President Biden’s comments come two days after Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal failed to unequivocally blame Hamas when pressed by CNN’s Dana Bash.

Jayapal is among a group of members calling for an “immediate ceasefire” with Hamas. Notably, those demanding a permanent truce with the terrorists continue to willfully ignore the fact that Hamas broke the ceasefire on October 7, and broke the pause in fighting last week.

“Let me be crystal clear,” President Biden said. “Hamas’ refusal to release the remaining young women is what broke this deal and ended the pause in the fighting.”

Calls for a ceasefire now will only help Hamas rearm and prepare for future attacks – they must be rejected.

Hostages were drugged by Hamas: During a Knesset session today, an Israeli Health Ministry representative revealed that the freed hostages were given tranquilizer pills to make them appear happy and upbeat after suffering physical abuse and psychological terror for more than 50 days in Gaza.