Dear A.,

Today, President Biden announced a hostage deal has been reached that will see 33 hostages freed in the first phase of the agreement, with the first three coming home this Sunday.

The Israeli cabinet will meet tomorrow morning to formally approve the deal, and Prime Minister Netanyahu is expected to speak publicly on the agreement then. In an address to the nation, Israeli President Isaac Herzog lauded "the prime minister and the [Israeli] negotiating team for its efforts to reach a deal." 

The IDF has begun preparations to return the hostages as part of the agreement and has named the mission "Operation Wings of Freedom," while Israeli hospitals are preparing for all possibilities, since the mental and physical health of those returning is unknown.

President Biden said in a statement announcing the agreement, "[The deal] is the result not only of the extreme pressure that Hamas has been under and the changed regional equation after a ceasefire in Lebanon and weakening of Iran."

President-elect Trump said, "With this deal in place, my national security team... will continue to work closely with Israel and our allies to make sure Gaza never again becomes a terrorist safe haven."

AIPAC welcomes the announcement of the deal and is grateful these hostages are coming home, yet it is unconscionable that all those held by the terrorists have not yet been released. American and world leaders must increase the pressure on Hamas and its allies to ensure the terror group adheres to this deal and finally releases all the remaining hostages.

We appreciate the tireless efforts of the Biden administration to help negotiate this agreement together with Israel, and we applaud the administration and the overwhelming majority of Republicans and Democrats in Congress who have supported our democratic ally throughout this war. We also thank President-elect Trump for his forceful demands of Hamas to free the hostages and for dispatching his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff to advance the negotiations.

Backed by Iran, Hamas started this war on October 7, 2023, when it launched an unprovoked attack on Israel and committed the worst massacre of the Jewish people since the Holocaust. The terror group could have ended this war long ago had it freed the hostages and surrendered, yet it instead used Palestinian civilians as human shields and brought horrific death, destruction, and humanitarian crises to Gaza.

Today’s agreement is a direct byproduct of the tremendous progress of Israel’s military operation to degrade, destroy, and isolate the Iranian terrorist proxies of Hamas and Hezbollah. America must continue to stand with Israel as it fights a just and moral battle of self-defense against Iran and its proxies. 

As Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated last week, progress in these talks is a result of strong U.S. support for Israel, while the negotiations were routinely undermined by those who sought to create daylight in the relationship and place public pressure on Israel. Indeed, an ironclad U.S.-Israel relationship is the foundation for advancing American national security interests and building a better future in the Middle East.

American leaders must further strengthen the partnership between the United States and Israel and ensure the two allies work together to weaken our adversaries, strengthen our shared security, and expand peace and normalization across the region.
    

IDF seizes thousands of weapons in Syria

Over 3,300 weapons have been confiscated by IDF troops operating in Syria since the collapse of the Assad regime.

The weapons confiscated include Syrian Armed Forces tanks, anti-tank missiles, RPGs, and mortars.

U.S. Navy has engaged more than 400 Houthi drones and missiles since October 2023

The U.S. Navy’s surface fleet has fired nearly 400 individual munitions while battling Iran-backed Houthi terrorists in the Red Sea over the past 15 months.

Navy ships, aircraft and submarines have engaged more than 400 Houthi drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles.

The head of Naval Air Forces, Vice Admiral Daniel Cheever, said the Navy will take the lessons from the battle with the Houthis into America’s next conflict, "We’re not just looking at the Red Sea, we’re looking at how this applies to the future of warfighting, and how we need to learn. When you look at what’s happened over these 14 months and beyond, it gives me great confidence for what the future holds for any future fight."

The United States must increase the pressure on Iran and its Houthi proxy and continue to take military action when necessary to defend American interests and allies.

Hamas is smuggling cameras into Gaza to target IDF troops

Hamas is using advanced cameras smuggled into Gaza on humanitarian aid trucks to target IDF troops operating there, Israeli media reported today.

The cameras allow remote detonation of explosives, contributing to high casualties among Israeli soldiers. Since Sunday, nine soldiers have been killed and 14 wounded by explosives in northern Gaza.

CENTCOM commander visits Israel

Gen. Michael Kurilla, commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), visited Israel to meet with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi.

They discussed regional threats in the Middle East, how to further operational cooperation, and emphasized the importance of the strong strategic relationship between the two countries’ militaries.

U.S.-Israel cooperation helps keep both countries safe, secure and prepared to counter emerging threats. America's leaders must continue to work to expand the U.S.-Israel partnership.

Other notable headlines

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Sincerely,

Jake Braunstein
Director of Policy Communications