Dear A.,

The body of murdered Israeli hostage Yair Yaakov was recovered by the IDF in Khan Younis today, along with the body of another hostage.

"In an operational activity by the IDF and Shin Bet in the Gaza Strip, the bodies of two of our abductees were returned to Israel - the late Yair Yaakov, and another abductee whose name has not yet been released," Prime Minister Netanyahu said.

Yair, 59, and his partner, Meirav Tal, were kidnapped by Hamas from Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7. Yair's sons, Or and Yagil, were also kidnapped.

Meirav, Or and Yagil were released as part of the November 2023 hostage deal.

The IDF previously confirmed in February 2024 that Yair had been killed. "Yair was brutally murdered by gunfire while heroically holding the door of the safe room in his home, trying to protect his family," the IDF said in a statement today.

There are now 53 hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza. The United States must increase the pressure on Hamas and its sponsors in Qatar, Turkey and Iran to release all the remaining hostages.

Also in Gaza today, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir visited Israeli troops on the ground and told them, "This week, I approved a broad plan for force build-up, the structure and organization of the IDF, including the establishment of an additional division, a tank brigade, an infantry brigade, and other frameworks."

"The State of Israel cannot exist on the basis of a minimal force, but rather needs broad defense margins," he added.

His comments come alongside an announcement from the IDF that it is making changes to its structure and expanding several units in response to lessons learned from the October 7 attack.

Meanwhile, the IDF killed two terrorists in Gaza who were dressed up as women near Hamas terror infrastructure. Troops also uncovered missile launchers and other weapons belonging to the terror group.

The United States must continue to stand with Israel for as long as it takes to drive Hamas from power and free all the hostages.

GHF delivers nearly 2.5 million meals

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) provided almost 2.5 million meals in Gaza today, for a total of more than 16 million meals distributed since it began operating.

"My hope is that we will maintain our momentum and continue to provide additional food aid to Gazans. Our operations are improving and I’m encouraged by our ability to provide a significant amount of aid on a daily basis. It proves that our system is working," GHF Interim Executive Director John Acree said.

U.S. authorizes departure of personnel from Middle East after threat from Iran

U.S. military and diplomatic installations across the Middle East are reportedly preparing for nonessential staff to depart amid heightened security risks in the region.

Reuters reported that the U.S. embassy in Iraq authorized some personnel to leave.

A U.S. defense official told Fox News: 
 

"The safety and security of our service members and their families remains our highest priority and U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) is monitoring the developing tension in the Middle East. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has authorized the voluntary departure of military dependents from locations across the CENTCOM [area of responsibility]."

The departure of personnel comes amid U.S. negotiations with Iran over the regime's nuclear program.
 

Iranian Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh said today that Iran would retaliate against U.S. bases in the Middle East if the talks fail and Iran is attacked.

CENCTOM commander General Michel "Erik" Kurilla said in congressional testimony yesterday that he has provided President Trump with a "wide range" of military options if the nuclear talks do not succeed.

Israel open to negotiations with Syria

Speaker of the House to address Israeli Knesset

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson confirmed today that he has accepted an invitation to address the Knesset on June 22.

He will be only the third Speaker of the House in history to deliver an address to the Knesset.

Speaker Johnson said:
 

"It will be one of the highest honors of my life to address the Israeli Knesset at this faithful moment. Our ties run deeper than military partnerships and trade agreements. We’re bound by the same beliefs, the same psalms, and the same sacred pursuit of liberty.

"Today, the State of Israel and Jewish people around the world face grave threats, and it is our moral imperative to stand by our sister democracy. As terror and vile antisemitic ideology threaten Western Civilization, Israel must know that when America said, 'Never Again,' we meant it."

Qatari state media praises Hamas leader, October 7

A new report from watchdog group MEMRI shows that Qatar's government-backed media continues to praise Hamas terrorists even following the October 7 massacre.

On Sunday, the Qatari Al-Raya government daily ran an article under the headline "Sinwar – Icon of the Palestinian Resistance," calling Hamas leader Muhammad Sinwar "an honorable and great warrior" and "an icon of the national struggle on the land of Palestine and in Gaza."

Muhammad Sinwar was involved in orchestrating the October 7 massacre and was recently killed by the IDF in Gaza. He is the brother of now-deceased top Hamas leader in Gaza Yahyah Sinwar.

The article even praises him as as "the planner and the mastermind – with his comrades the fighters – of the Al-Aqsa Flood operation on October 7, 2023… which restored to the Palestinian issue its brilliance and its glory."

Qatar is a longtime sponsor of Hamas, and continues to host the leaders of the terrorist organization.

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Jake Braunstein
Director of Policy Communications