And it then took days to correctly identify some of the abused, mutilated and decomposed bodies.
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Post-Shabbat update:
👉 One of the most senior terrorist commanders in Jenin was eliminated in an overnight Israeli air strike on the northern Samaria city. The IDF rarely uses Air Force strikes against targets in the so-called "West Bank."
👉 At least 21 Hamas and allied terrorists were eliminated since this morning in expanded IDF operations in northern and southern Gaza.
👉 Iron Dome intercepted 5 Gaza rockets fired at the coastal city of Ashkelon.
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One-by-one: The IDF targeted another senior Hezbollah official on the Lebanon-Syria border. His fate is still unknown.
Under siege: Hezbollah launched a number of attack on the Israeli border region, though the intensity was less than in previous days.
No horizon: American mediators informed Lebanon that they would not return in the short-term as there was little point in negotiating with Hezbollah at this time.
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Trouble in paradise: War Cabinet minister Benny Gantz will give an urgent press conference this evening. He's expected to set firm red lines to his continued participation in Netanyahu's government.
End the war? Opposition leader Yair Lapid is urging Gantz to quit Bibi's government immediately. And that would mean the government falls, and the war ends in line with the current American policy of seeking a long-term truce and hostage-prisoner exchange.
Huge victory: On Arab social media, there's rampant talk of the imminent fall of Netanyahu's gov't and an end to the war, resulting in a "huge victory" for the Palestinians.
‼️ Were the war to end today under present circumstances, that would indeed be perceived, and perhaps even constitute a victory for Palestinian terrorism.
💥 And that would in turn make all but inevitable the next terrorist invasion of Israel.
👉 One of the most senior terrorist commanders in Jenin was eliminated in an overnight Israeli air strike on the northern Samaria city. The IDF rarely uses Air Force strikes against targets in the so-called "West Bank."
👉 At least 21 Hamas and allied terrorists were eliminated since this morning in expanded IDF operations in northern and southern Gaza.
👉 Iron Dome intercepted 5 Gaza rockets fired at the coastal city of Ashkelon.
---
One-by-one: The IDF targeted another senior Hezbollah official on the Lebanon-Syria border. His fate is still unknown.
Under siege: Hezbollah launched a number of attack on the Israeli border region, though the intensity was less than in previous days.
No horizon: American mediators informed Lebanon that they would not return in the short-term as there was little point in negotiating with Hezbollah at this time.
---
Trouble in paradise: War Cabinet minister Benny Gantz will give an urgent press conference this evening. He's expected to set firm red lines to his continued participation in Netanyahu's government.
End the war? Opposition leader Yair Lapid is urging Gantz to quit Bibi's government immediately. And that would mean the government falls, and the war ends in line with the current American policy of seeking a long-term truce and hostage-prisoner exchange.
Huge victory: On Arab social media, there's rampant talk of the imminent fall of Netanyahu's gov't and an end to the war, resulting in a "huge victory" for the Palestinians.
‼️ Were the war to end today under present circumstances, that would indeed be perceived, and perhaps even constitute a victory for Palestinian terrorism.
💥 And that would in turn make all but inevitable the next terrorist invasion of Israel.
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128 hostages remain in Gaza. 38 of them are known to be deceased.
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Israel Today
The IDF has located and returned to Israel the body of Ron Binyamin, who was abducted to Gaza on Oct. 7 and murdered by his terrorist captors. May his memory be a blessing.
Ron's body was found along with those of Shani Louk, Itzik Galrenter and Amit Buskila.
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War Cabinet minister Benny Gantz has given Netanyahu three weeks (until June 😍 to present a workable plan and that will meet the following goals:
1️⃣ Return all the hostages.
2️⃣ Topple Hamas and ensure Israeli security control in Gaza.
3️⃣ Along with maintaining Israeli security control, establish an American-European-Arab-Palestinian administration that will manage civilian affairs in Gaza and lay the foundation for a future government that is not Hamas or Abbas.
4️⃣ Return the residents of the north to their homes by September 1 and rehabilitate the Western Negev.
5️⃣ Promote normalization with Saudi Arabia as part of a comprehensive move that will create an alliance with the free world and the Arab world against Iran.
6️⃣ Advance legislation that would compel all Israelis to serve the state and contribute to the national effort - ie. military conscription for ultra-Orthodox Jews.
1️⃣ Return all the hostages.
2️⃣ Topple Hamas and ensure Israeli security control in Gaza.
3️⃣ Along with maintaining Israeli security control, establish an American-European-Arab-Palestinian administration that will manage civilian affairs in Gaza and lay the foundation for a future government that is not Hamas or Abbas.
4️⃣ Return the residents of the north to their homes by September 1 and rehabilitate the Western Negev.
5️⃣ Promote normalization with Saudi Arabia as part of a comprehensive move that will create an alliance with the free world and the Arab world against Iran.
6️⃣ Advance legislation that would compel all Israelis to serve the state and contribute to the national effort - ie. military conscription for ultra-Orthodox Jews.
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If Netanyahu fails to present a plan that can realistically meet these goals in a way that is acceptable to his party, Gantz will leave the government, and it will likely fall, leading to early elections.
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A couple of points regarding Gantz's outline:
👉 His position on the "day after" in Gaza stands somewhat in opposition to that of the Americans. Gantz calls it "security control," but even if Israel does not reestablish civilian settlements in Gaza, the world will see the prolonged presence of Israeli soldiers as an "occupation."
👉 Saudi Arabia has conditioned normalization on Israel ending the Gaza war and withdrawing from the territory. It is unlikely to alter that position, unless someone else is elected to the White House in November.
👉 The residents of the north are not returning home until Hezbollah stops attacking their towns. And that won't happen until Israel either destroys Hezbollah or pushes it north of the Litani River (ie. war).
👉 The ultra-Orthodox parties will bolt Netanyahu's government if he advances the mandatory conscription of yeshiva students, which would mean the government falls.
👉 His position on the "day after" in Gaza stands somewhat in opposition to that of the Americans. Gantz calls it "security control," but even if Israel does not reestablish civilian settlements in Gaza, the world will see the prolonged presence of Israeli soldiers as an "occupation."
👉 Saudi Arabia has conditioned normalization on Israel ending the Gaza war and withdrawing from the territory. It is unlikely to alter that position, unless someone else is elected to the White House in November.
👉 The residents of the north are not returning home until Hezbollah stops attacking their towns. And that won't happen until Israel either destroys Hezbollah or pushes it north of the Litani River (ie. war).
👉 The ultra-Orthodox parties will bolt Netanyahu's government if he advances the mandatory conscription of yeshiva students, which would mean the government falls.
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Netanyahu responds harshly to Gantz for causing a political rift in the middle of a war, and asks three pointed questions:
1️⃣ Is he ready to complete the operation in Rafah to destroy the remaining Hamas battalions, and if so, how is it possible that he is threatening to dismantle the emergency unity government in the middle of the operation?
2️⃣ Is he opposed to Palestinian Authority rule in Gaza, even without Mahmoud Abbas?
3️⃣ Is he ready to accept a Palestinian state in Judea, Samaria and Gaza as part of the normalization process with Saudi Arabia?
---
Netanyahu goes on to stress that his own position on all three critical issues is already clear:
👉 He is determined at all costs to destroy Hamas;
👉 He opposes the entry of the Palestinian Authority into Gaza; and
👉 He rejects the establishment of a Palestinian state that will inevitably become a terrorist haven (even for the sake of normalization with Saudi Arabia).
1️⃣ Is he ready to complete the operation in Rafah to destroy the remaining Hamas battalions, and if so, how is it possible that he is threatening to dismantle the emergency unity government in the middle of the operation?
2️⃣ Is he opposed to Palestinian Authority rule in Gaza, even without Mahmoud Abbas?
3️⃣ Is he ready to accept a Palestinian state in Judea, Samaria and Gaza as part of the normalization process with Saudi Arabia?
---
Netanyahu goes on to stress that his own position on all three critical issues is already clear:
👉 He is determined at all costs to destroy Hamas;
👉 He opposes the entry of the Palestinian Authority into Gaza; and
👉 He rejects the establishment of a Palestinian state that will inevitably become a terrorist haven (even for the sake of normalization with Saudi Arabia).
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Regarding peace with Saudi Arabia, if Israel waits just one more year, there's a reasonably-high chance Donald Trump will be back in the White House, and will compel the Saudis to normalize relations with Israel, even without a Palestinian state.
Netanyahu is no doubt aware of, and might even be relying on this.
Israel's other leaders appear to be more short-sighted, and believe that it's "now or never."
Netanyahu is no doubt aware of, and might even be relying on this.
Israel's other leaders appear to be more short-sighted, and believe that it's "now or never."
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The Israeli army has cleared for publication the names of two soldiers who fell yesterday in combat in the southern Gaza Strip:
🇮🇱 Nachman Meir Haim Vaknin, 20
🇮🇱 Noam Bitan, 20
May their memory be a blessing.
🇮🇱 Nachman Meir Haim Vaknin, 20
🇮🇱 Noam Bitan, 20
May their memory be a blessing.
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Egypt is reportedly "reviewing" its relations with Israel in light of the IDF ground offensive in Rafah, which borders the Egyptian Sinai.
One thing must be made clear: Egypt can threaten a downgrade in diplomatic relations, but the truth is that Cairo needs Jerusalem more than one might think. Egypt depends heavily on Israeli natural gas.
One thing must be made clear: Egypt can threaten a downgrade in diplomatic relations, but the truth is that Cairo needs Jerusalem more than one might think. Egypt depends heavily on Israeli natural gas.
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Media is too big
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Gaza markets are full of Israeli produce, and prices are falling. Five minutes in the Deir al-Balah market in the center of the Gaza Strip reveals the relative abundance.
The Palestinian man filming the video explains how the fresh goods come from Israel, not foreign humanitarian aid. This produce was bought from Israel by Gaza importers. And thanks to the influx of Israeli goods, the prices in the market have dropped dramatically.
According to him, there are fruits that have not been seen since the start of the war.
He goes on to stress that the residents of Gaza need even more high-quality Israeli produce to keep them fed and to keep prices relatively low.
The prices at this particular market:
Apples - €4 per kilo
Lemons - €5 per kilo
5 eggs for €2.5
Clementine - €5 per kilo
Avocados - €6 per kilo
Melons - €2.5 per kilo
Sugar - €2.5 per kilo
It's always nice to report on how Israel helps its enemies in need. But such images leave many Israelis wondering, how has this helped Israel?
The Palestinian man filming the video explains how the fresh goods come from Israel, not foreign humanitarian aid. This produce was bought from Israel by Gaza importers. And thanks to the influx of Israeli goods, the prices in the market have dropped dramatically.
According to him, there are fruits that have not been seen since the start of the war.
He goes on to stress that the residents of Gaza need even more high-quality Israeli produce to keep them fed and to keep prices relatively low.
The prices at this particular market:
Apples - €4 per kilo
Lemons - €5 per kilo
5 eggs for €2.5
Clementine - €5 per kilo
Avocados - €6 per kilo
Melons - €2.5 per kilo
Sugar - €2.5 per kilo
It's always nice to report on how Israel helps its enemies in need. But such images leave many Israelis wondering, how has this helped Israel?
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Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich: We need to give an ultimatum to Hezbollah (and the world), and if it is not met, we need to begin establishing security zones in southern Lebanon.
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Israel in 2000 unilaterally withdrew from the security zone it had maintained for 15 years prior in southern Lebanon, believing the move would gain it favor with the international community, foster peace and improve security for the Galilee.
How wrong everyone was.
How wrong everyone was.
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A local official from one of the evacuated communities in northern Israel writes:
"I served as a soldier in southern Lebanon in the 1990s. It was rough. But now, the village where I live feels like one of our besieged fortresses from years ago in Lebanon. The enemy has had the initiative [ever since we withdrew], and only needs to decide when and where to strike."
"I served as a soldier in southern Lebanon in the 1990s. It was rough. But now, the village where I live feels like one of our besieged fortresses from years ago in Lebanon. The enemy has had the initiative [ever since we withdrew], and only needs to decide when and where to strike."
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