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Dear A.,
The last six living hostages set to be released in Phase 1 of the agreement are expected
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to be released on Saturday, Israeli and Hamas officials said today.
The
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six hostages are 39-year-old Tal Shoham, 22-year-old Omer Shem-Tov, 23-year-old Omer Wenkert, 27-year-old Eliya Cohen, 37-year-old Avera Mengistu and 37-year-old Hisham al-Sayed. Mengistu and al-Sayed have been held hostage in Gaza since 2014 and 2015, respectively, while the other four were kidnapped on October 7.
Hamas also said that it would release the bodies of four murdered hostages on Thursday.
Israel has not confirmed the names of the four murdered hostages to be returned Thursday, but has expressed "grave concerns" for the fate of Shiri Bibas and her two young children, Ariel and Kfir.
Shortly after being released from Hamas captivity on February 1, Shiri's husband Yarden said: "Sadly, my family hasn’t returned to me yet. They are still there. My light is still there, and as long as they’re there, everything here is dark."
73 hostages, including 5 Americans, are still being held in Hamas' hell under Gaza.
The United States must increase the pressure on Hamas and its sponsors in Iran, Qatar and Turkey to release the hostages.
Israel completes withdrawal from Lebanon, except for five strategic points
This morning, Israeli forces completed their
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withdrawal from southern Lebanon, remaining only in five key strategic points along the border close to Israeli towns.
These strategic points are critical due to their topography overlooking Israeli communities. The IDF presence will ensure Hezbollah cannot easily attack or approach the border area.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said, "Starting today, the IDF will remain in a buffer zone in Lebanon in five strategic outposts and will continue to enforce [the deal] forcefully and without compromise against any violation by Hezbollah."
The IDF has also strengthened its defenses on the Israeli side of the border, with additional new outposts in front of every Israeli border community, improved surveillance capabilities, and triple the number of troops compared to before the war.
Yesterday, the IDF
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killed a senior Hamas official, responsible for planning terror attacks against Israelis, in a drone strike on a vehicle south of Beirut.
Meanwhile, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar
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warned yesterday that, "There is an intensified Iranian effort to smuggle money into Lebanon for Hezbollah to restore its power and status. This effort is being carried out, among other channels, via Turkey and with its cooperation."
The United States must increase the pressure on Hezbollah and Lebanon to comply with the terms of the ceasefire and work with our allies to prevent Iran from rearming Hezbollah.
Members of Congress in Israel today
Following Secretary of State Marco Rubio's visit to Israel over the weekend, several congressional delegations were also in Israel today.
Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)
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met with Prime Minister Netanyahu and other top officials yesterday, before leaving Israel today.
Schiff said that "Hamas cannot be allowed to impose any authority in Gaza again; that is a nonstarter," while Graham said "no one expects Israel to make any kind of deal that would lead to another Oct. 7 and that would allow Hamas to stay in charge."
A delegation of Republican House members, led by Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH)
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met with Netanyahu and Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, who "thanked them for passing House legislation against the ICC, which is waging legal warfare against Israel."
And a bipartisan delegation led by Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA)
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met with Netanyahu today.
2,000-pound bombs delivered to Israel
A
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shipment of 2,000-pound bombs sent from the United States were unloaded at Ashdod Port and transferred to Israeli Air Force bases on Sunday.
"The munitions shipment that arrived in Israel tonight, released by the Trump Administration, represents a significant asset for the Air Force and the [Israel Defense Forces] and serves as further evidence of the strong alliance between Israel and the United States," said Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz.
America's leaders must continue to work in a bipartisan manner to strengthen and expand the U.S.-Israel relationship.
Iran's illicit oil exports to China
Privately-run terminals in China have taken deliveries from U.S.-sanctioned oil tankers, according to
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Bloomberg , as Iran and Russia continue their efforts to sell oil in violation of American sanctions.
Private port terminals, as opposed to Chinese state-run ones, have become more important as state-run operators come under pressure from recently passed AIPAC-backed U.S. sanctions.
China's purchases of crude from Russia and Iran made up a quarter of its total imports in 2024, but increased sanctions from late last year have forced Chinese buyers to be creative to continue purchasing the discounted oil, as the Chinese government looks the other way.
The United States must increase the pressure on the Iranian regime, including by fully enforcing economic sanctions.
Congress should pass the Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act of 2025 to further restrict Iran's illicit oil exports.
Continue to follow AIPAC on
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our social media feeds for the latest updates.
Sincerely,
Jake Braunstein
Director of Policy Communications
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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