The IDF has completed a string of successful missions to kill or capture senior Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists over the past 72 hours. Operations in Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon have enabled several major achievements for the military.
Israel captured Mahmoud Qawasmeh, a senior Hamas member and mastermind behind the 2014 kidnapping and murder of Israeli teenagers Eyal Yifrach, Gilad Shaer, and Naftali Fraenkel. Qawasmeh was arrested by IDF soldiers in the Shifa Hospital.
The IDF also announced today that it killed five senior Hamas officials in a targeted strike in Rafah.
Meanwhile, in Jenin, the IDF targeted and killed four high-ranking Islamic Jihad operatives – including the terror group’s commander in Jenin who was responsible for murdering an Israeli father of two last summer.
And in Lebanon, Israeli jets struck multiple Hezbollah buildings, operation posts, and terrorists in response to the group’s continued attacks on Israeli communities.
Israel is determined to reach every terrorist threatening its families. America must continue to stand with our ally and ensure Israel has the resources it needs to win this war.
IDF Chief of Staff at Shifa Hospital
Over 90 terrorists have been killed by the IDF in the ongoing operation at Gaza’s Shifa Hospital, another 460 have been arrested, and over $3 million worth of cash has been seized – demonstrating the extent to which Hamas and Islamic Jihad exploited Gaza’s most vulnerable civilians by converting the largest hospital in the Strip into a terror base.
In an important symbolic statement, IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi visited troops inside the Shifa Hospital today and gave a briefing on the operation from inside, saying that the mission is causing damage to Hamas’ leadership and putting pressure on Hamas as hostage negotiations continue.
Watch IDF Spokesperson Daniel Hagari give an update outside the Shifa complex as the operation continues.
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U.N. failing to distribute aid transferred by Israel
Israel continues to transfer massive amounts of food and aid into Gaza, but the U.N. is only distributing some of the aid once it crosses the border.
Yesterday, 248 aid trucks were inspected by Israel and transferred to the Strip. But only 126 trucks were distributed by the U.N. aid organizations on the ground.
Of the 189 trucks transferred by Israel today, only 120 made it to Gaza’s civilians.
Israel has repeatedly said there is no limit to the amount of aid it can provide – the onus is on the U.N. to get it in the hands of those in need.
Rep. Wasserman-Schultz: 'Hamas hostages in Gaza are still enduring sexual violence. Believe the survivors.'
In a powerful new op-ed, Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz condemns the "scrutiny, threats and dismissal" faced by courageous Israeli women who have spoken out and shared stories of surviving unthinkable assault and violence.
"Women in Israel and in every corner of our world deserve better," she writes.
"We will not allow skeptics to silence us. We will not allow antisemites to commandeer our conversation, place our trauma in 'proper context' or decide which stories are worth telling and believing."
Poll: 71% of Palestinians say 10/7 attacks were correct
A new survey of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza shows Hamas having double the popular support of Fatah, with large majorities supporting the October 7 attacks and believing Hamas has committed no war crimes.
Below, Executive Director of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy Robert Satloff summarizes these survey results.
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