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Dear ,


U.S. Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs Adam Boehler
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is increasing the pressure on Hamas to "take the deal" on the table, already accepted by Israel, to release hostages in exchange for a ceasefire.


"They should take on the offer, take the offer that’s there. They haven’t in the past. Every single time they don’t take it, it goes down and goes down and goes down. So, my recommendation to Hamas would be, take the deal that Israel, that the United States is offering you," Boehler said.


"The Israelis want something done. Now, I will tell you, because I have been with them, Hamas is very hardheaded. They have been offered many things that they should take, and it’s time for Hamas to release the hostages," he added. "Israel at this point is bending over backwards" to reach an agreement.


In
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an interview on Friday , U.S. Ambassador to Israel Huckabee affirmed that "Hamas is the holdup" on a hostage agreement, saying, "they have been the impediment since October the 7th. And every time Israel puts something on the table, makes concessions, says, here's what we're willing to do, Hamas says, we will think about that. Then they come back and say 'no.'"


Hamas has still not responded to the latest hostage-ceasefire offer. Hamas' leaders in Qatar
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claim they have been unable to reach the terror group's leaders in Gaza.


Meanwhile, 25 Western nations including Britain, Australia, Canada, France and Italy issued a statement today
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calling for "an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire," while putting the blame for the conflict on Israel.


Ambassador Huckabee responded to the joint statement,
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calling it "Disgusting!"


"25 nations put pressure on Israel instead of savages of Hamas! Gaza suffers for 1 reason: Hamas rejects EVERY proposal. Blaming Israel is irrational."

Hamas
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applauded the statement.


The Israeli Foreign Ministry
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said :


"Israel rejects the joint statement published by a group of countries, as it is disconnected from reality and sends the wrong message to Hamas...


"There is a concrete proposal for a ceasefire deal, and Israel has repeatedly said yes to this proposal, while Hamas stubbornly refuses to accept it.


"The statement fails to focus the pressure on Hamas and fails to recognize Hamas’s role and responsibility for the situation. Hamas is the sole party responsible for the continuation of the war and the suffering on both sides."
Hamas is solely responsible for the situation in Gaza. The United States and the international community must increase the pressure on Hamas and its sponsors in Qatar, Turkey and Iran to release the hostages.

Tell Your House Member: Condemn "Globalize the Intifada"


Reps. Rudy Yakym (R-IN) and Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) are leading a resolution to condemn calls to "Globalize the Intifada" – a phrase used to incite violence against Israelis and Jews around the world.

Take 30 seconds to tell your House member to cosponsor this bipartisan resolution.

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Israeli defense minister's visit to Washington

Last week, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz visited Washington, D.C., where he met with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.

"On behalf of our team, we want to congratulate you on the incredibly successful [Operation] Rising Lion," Hegseth
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said .


"[It was] a 12-day war that changed the region and the world; and was an example of why Israel is a model ally that understands the threat, is capable and will act in defense of [not only] your own country, but also [recognizes] the collective security threats that we face," he added.


"I would like to thank you, again, for playing a key role in the partnership and friendship between the United States and Israel," Katz replied.


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John Spencer: "The forgotten slaughter of Syria’s Druze, and Israel’s moral response"

In an
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op-ed in The Jerusalem Post, urban warfare expert John Spencer explains Israel's recent actions in Syria, where the Jewish state has acted to help protect the Druze minority community:


"This past week, a brutal campaign of violence has unfolded in southern Syria. Hundreds of Druze civilians (members of a minority community indigenous to the Levant) have been murdered, kidnapped, or forced to flee their homes. Villages have been burned. Women and children were reportedly slaughtered in sacred sites where they had sought refuge. The perpetrators include radical Islamist militants, Bedouin gangs, and regime-backed elements, all empowered by years of state collapse and lawlessness.


"The carnage has been captured on video and is now spreading across social media. These are not vague reports or unverifiable claims. There is footage of Druze civilians being hunted down and executed...


"The situation remains extremely fragile. Armed militants are still roaming, revenge killings continue, and the underlying threats have not been resolved. The Druze must be protected.


"But not everyone has ignored the call for help...


"The exact nature of Israel’s full response is still emerging, but it has already included airstrikes against Syrian regime military positions both south of Damascus and within the capital itself. These strikes reportedly targeted forces involved in the attacks on Druze civilians. It may also involve intelligence support and other covert actions to deter further massacres. What matters more than the tactics is the principle. When a close-knit, historically loyal minority community within Israel cries out to the Jewish state for help as its kin are massacred just across the border, Israel does not turn away."

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​​​​​​​Read the full piece here.

Israel launches strikes on Houthi terrorists

This morning, Israel carried out
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airstrikes targeting Houthi infrastructure in Yemen.


Since Israel's last strike on the Houthis on July 7, the terror group has launched six ballistic missiles and multiple drones at Israel.


Israel hit the Hodeida port, targeting "engineering equipment working to restore port infrastructure, fuel tanks, and vessels used for military activity and [attacks] against the State of Israel and ships in the maritime area near the port," the IDF said.


This was Israel's thirteenth time striking the Houthis, but this attack was carried out using Israeli Air Force drones rather than fighter jets.

The United States must continue to ensure our ally has the resources needed to defend its people against this Iran-backed threat.

Iran to meet with Europeans on nuclear issue

Iran’s deputy foreign minister is
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set to meet this Friday in Turkey with counterparts from the U.K., France, and Germany after the three said they would initiate snapback sanctions on Iran by the end of August if there is no progress on nuclear negotiations.


Iran
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tomorrow will host a trilateral meeting with Russia and China to discuss the regime's nuclear program and the impending sanctions. Russia and China are key allies of Iran, and China is the main buyer of Iran's illegal oil exports.


Meanwhile, yesterday, Russian President Vladimir Putin
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met with Iranian official Ali Larijani, a senior adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, where they discussed Iran’s nuclear program.

The U.K., France, and Germany should immediately initiate snapback to reimpose U.N. sanctions and restrictions targeting Iran's nuclear and missile programs.


The United States must lead a global effort of our allies to impose maximum pressure on Iran and fully enforce sanctions, including on oil sales to China, until the regime permanently and verifiably has no domestic enrichment capabilities, abandons its ballistic missile program, and stops funding terror groups.

Israeli soldier, civilian detained in Belgium

Two Israelis — an IDF soldier and a civilian — were
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detained while vacationing in Belgium to attend a music festival.


Belgian authorities detained the pair following a complaint
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lodged against them by the anti-Israel Hind Rajab Foundation, absurdly accusing them of being "responsible for grave international crimes, including war crimes and genocide."

The United States must continue to stand with Israel in the face of weaponized lawfare targeting Israeli citizens abroad.


Continue to
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follow AIPAC on social media for the latest updates.

Jake Braunstein

Director of Policy Communications


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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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