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Dear A.,


An entire nation is anxiously awaiting details about the hostages who may be freed in the coming days, with the agony of not knowing their condition and who is still alive.



This morning, the Israeli security cabinet voted to approve
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the hostage deal . The full cabinet is meeting over Shabbat to vote on the agreement, which is expected to pass with a broad majority. The deal will then take effect on Sunday, with the first three hostages released.



Families of the 33 captives to be freed in the first, six-week phase were notified earlier today. The order of their release remains unknown, and the identities of the hostages in each wave may not be known until 24 hours before each release.



As part of its Operation Wings of Freedom, the IDF has
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established three medical complexes near the Gaza border where doctors, psychologists, and mental health officers are preparing to greet the hostages and provide them with initial treatment before escorting them to hospitals.



Dr. Hagar Mizrahi, head of the General Medicine Division of the Israeli Health Ministry, said the
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updated protocols for receiving the hostages differ "significantly" from those in November 2023. Medical teams will collect forensic evidence from any abuse inflicted on the hostages, and they will undergo tests for sexually transmitted diseases. Female hostages will also be given pregnancy tests.



"I don’t know how they are going to return," said Ofri Bibas, the sister of hostage Yarden Bibas. "We are beginning 42 days of an unimaginable nightmare."



Ofri’s nephew, baby Kfir Bibas, will spend his second birthday as a hostage in Gaza tomorrow.



"I harbor no illusions," Israeli President Isaac Herzog
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said today . "The deal will bring with it great challenges and painful, agonizing moments that we will need to overcome and face together."



"We must bring everyone back. Everyone! We will not rest or relent until this happens."


We will continue to provide real-time updates throughout the weekend on our
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social media feeds .



Am Yisrael Chai, and Shabbat Shalom.

Cory Meyer

Director of Communications

These are the 33 hostages to be released in the first phase

Today, the Israeli government notified the families of the
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33 Israeli hostages to be released in the first phase of the hostage deal.


All those on the list are women, children, elderly or sick. Hamas has not said how many of the 33 are alive, although Israel believes many are.


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The 33 expected to be released are: Romi Gonen, Emily Damari, Arbel Yehud, Doron Steinbrecher, Ariel Bibas, Kfir Bibas, Shiri Bibas, Liri Albag, Karina Ariev, Agam Berger, Danielle Gilboa, Naama Levy, Ohad Ben-Ami, Gadi Moshe Moses,Keith Siegel, Ofer Calderon, Eli Sharabi, Itzik Elgarat, Shlomo Mansour, Ohad Yahalomi, Oded Lifshitz, Tsahi Idan, Hisham al-Sayed, Yarden Bibas, Sagui Dekel-Chen, Yair Horn, Omer Wenkert, Sasha Trufanov, Eliya Cohen, Or Levy, Avera Mengistu, Tal Shoham, and Omer Shem-Tov.


There are 65 additional hostages held in Gaza by Hamas.

Israel signs new deal to upgrade missile defense with U.S. funding


The Israeli Defense Ministry
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signed a $5.2 billion deal with Rafael to upgrade Israel's multi-layered missile defense system.


The deal is intended to strengthen Iron Dome and David's Sling, and further development of Iron Beam, a laser-based interceptor system.


It's the first contract financed by the $8.7 billion in military aid for Israel
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we lobbied Congress to pass in April 2024 , following Iran's unprecedented direct attack on the Jewish state.


Maj. Gen. Eyal Zamir, director general of the Israeli Defense Ministry, thanked the United States for making the deal possible.

Israel's ability to defend itself is made possible in part by the funding we lobby Congress to provide. American security assistance is essential to ensuring Israel can replenish its stockpile of missile interceptors and further strengthen its missile defense shield.

Israeli fire experts deploy to Los Angeles


Israel
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sent a team of fire protection experts to California this week to help responders combat the devastating wildfires.


"In light of the deep, long-standing friendship and alliance between our nations... we would like to extend our support and help our friends in their time of need,” Raful Engel, the director general of the Israeli Ministry of Public Security
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said .


Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA) said, "Israel has offered us help that I very much appreciate, and now they’ve gone one step further and said that they would absorb the entire cost... Israel has gone even beyond Canada and Mexico and our closest friends in terms of not only wanting to help, but not wanting to be reimbursed for it."

Important Senate vote next week on ICC bill


The Senate is expected to vote next week on the Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act, passed by the House last week in a strong bipartisan vote.


The legislation imposes sanctions on those responsible for the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) outrageous attacks against Israel that threaten Americans too.



This vote comes less than two months after the ICC issued arrest warrants for Israeli officials on baseless charges of "war crimes" and "crimes against humanity" — reaching a new low in its morally bankrupt and politically motivated attacks against the Jewish state.

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Click here to email your senators and urge them to vote YES on this important bill when it comes up for a vote next week.


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#FreeTheHostages 🎗️

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These were the peaceful communities of southern Israel. On October 7, they were torn apart.



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John Spencer op-ed: Peace in Israel isn't possible until Palestinians stop paying terrorists to kill. Read and share.

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Hamas started this war. Hamas could have ended this war long ago.



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Support our work to keep Israel safe.



The mission of AIPAC is to encourage and persuade the U.S. government to enact specific policies that create a strong, enduring and mutually beneficial relationship with our ally Israel.


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