To view this email as a web page, go to the link below, or copy and paste it into your browser's address window.
[link removed]
Dear A.,
A Hamas delegation
[link removed]
arrived in Cairo today for hostage talks, after the Iranian-backed terror group said earlier this week that it would not release hostages on Saturday as planned.
President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu have threatened serious consequences if Hamas does not release the hostages.
According to
[link removed]
reports , Israel sent a message to Hamas via Qatar and Egypt that if the terror group abides by the agreement and releases the three hostages on Saturday, Israel will also continue to implement its part of the agreement.
"The president said all that we all need to know, which is Saturday, 12 o’clock he expects there to be something different occurring, and if it’s not there’s going to be a big problem," White House Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio added, "Hamas exists with a very clear purpose. That is the destruction of the Jewish state. Let's hope that we can overcome this hurdle over the next 72 hours. I know that a lot of countries in the region are weighing in, and hopefully we're going to have a good outcome on Saturday; and if not, then I think Hamas will be to blame."
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz
[link removed]
said , "If [Hamas] stop releasing the hostages, then there is no agreement, and there is war... The new Gaza war will be different in intensity from the one before the ceasefire – and it will not end without Hamas’ defeat and the release of all the hostages."
Prime Minister Netanyahu is
[link removed]
set to visit the IDF’s Southern Command tomorrow to oversee plans for a possible resumption of hostilities in Gaza should Hamas not free the hostages.
Meanwhile, the hostages released by Hamas so far are continuing their path to recovery.
Sharon Sharabi, sister of released hostage Eli Sharabi,
[link removed]
said , "Eli endured things the human eye and heart cannot comprehend." Eli emerged from captivity in Hamas' terror tunnels weak and emaciated, was reportedly tortured and abused by Hamas, and subsequently learned his wife, his two teenage daughters and his brother had been killed.
On October 7, Hamas terrorists broke into Eli's home, locked his wife and daughters in their safe room, and set the room on fire, burning them alive. His brother was killed after being taken hostage by Hamas.
"We’re mourning, but we will rise. Life is stronger than anything, and we will rebuild a future for him alongside the pain that will always remain. We won’t suppress the sorrow – we’ll learn to live with it," Sharon added.
[link removed]
76 hostages, including 6 Americans, are still held in captivity by Hamas in Gaza. The United States must increase the pressure on Hamas and its sponsors in Iran, Qatar and Turkey to release the hostages.
New bipartisan bill to strengthen U.S.-Israel defense cooperation
Today, Reps. Joe Wilson (R-SC) and Donald Norcross (D-NJ)
[link removed]
introduced the United States-Israel Defense Partnership Act of 2025 to expand the bilateral defense partnership between the two countries to help keep both safe and secure.
The legislation will strengthen cooperation on countering the threat of drones and tunnels, and expand joint research in emerging fields like cybersecurity, quantum computing and automation.
AIPAC thanks these bipartisan leaders for introducing this important bill and looks forward to working with them to pass it into law.
Iranian regime responds to Trump comments on nuclear program
On Monday, President Trump said in an interview that there are two ways of stopping Iran from developing a nuclear weapon: "With bombs or with a written piece of paper."
"I’d much rather do a deal that’s not gonna hurt them,” he said, adding, "I’d love to make a deal with them without bombing them."
Iran
[link removed]
said in a letter to the U.N. Security Council that, "These reckless and inflammatory statements flagrantly violate international law and the U.N. Charter... which prohibits threats or use of force against sovereign states," and threatened, "any act of aggression will have severe consequences, for which the United States will bear full responsibility."
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei said last week that, "no problem will be solved by negotiating with America."
Iran is the greatest threat to America and Israel in the Middle East, fueling violence and terrorism across the region while dangerously advancing its nuclear program.
The United States must work with our allies to increase the pressure on the Iranian regime, including by fully enforcing economic sanctions and establishing a credible threat of military action.
Bipartisan Senate resolution affirms Hamas can have no role in Gaza
AIPAC thanks Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Katie Britt (R-AL) for
[link removed]
introducing a bipartisan resolution affirming that Hamas cannot be allowed to have any political or military control of the Gaza Strip.
The resolution urges the president to use all economic and diplomatic tools to block funding for Hamas, especially from Iran, and expresses support for Israel as our ally continues to defend its sovereignty against attacks from Iran, Hamas and the regime's other terror proxies.
"One of the defining moments for the future of the Middle East and the world at large is to state directly and with moral clarity that Hamas – a terrorist organization – will no longer have political or military control of Gaza at the end of this conflict," Senator Graham said.
"Hamas is an anathema—to Palestinians and Israelis alike, indeed to all who live in the region...Eliminating Hamas ought to be common ground as a paramount goal," Senator Blumenthal said.
Israeli cabinet expected to approve new IDF chief soon
An Israeli government vetting committee
[link removed]
approved Maj.-Gen. (res.) Eyal Zamir to replace Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi as the IDF's next Chief of Staff, Defense Minister Israel Katz announced today.
This Israeli cabinet is expected to give its final approval of Zamir soon.
Zamir has held several of the senior-most positions in the IDF, and was nearly selected as Chief of Staff back in 2023.
Other notable headlines
-
[link removed]
South Africa vows to pursue Israel genocide case despite Trump pressure
-
[link removed]
U.S. reportedly denies Israel’s request to further push off deadline for Lebanon withdrawal
-
[link removed]
Fearing return to war, Hamas tells senior officials to stop using phones
Continue to
[link removed]
follow AIPAC on social media for the latest updates.
Jake Braunstein
Director of Policy Communications
[link removed]
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.
[link removed]
<!--
-->
<table width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" align="center">
<br>
<!-- FOOTER CONTENT -->
<tr>
<td style="color:#8a8a8a;"align="center" valign="top" width="100%">
<table class="container" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600">
<tr>
<td align="center" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; color: #959595; padding:0px 0px 25px 0px;">
<span>AIPAC<br>
</span>251 H St. NW • Washington D.C. 20001 • TEL 202-639-5200
<br>
<br>
<span style="color:#8a8a8a;"> To Manage Your Email Preferences... <a style="color:#8a8a8a;" href=[link removed] alias="Link">Click Here</a></span>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
