Israel News for 3-5-2024

News Update

Hezbollah launched rocket barrages at Kiryat Shemona and other communities in the north. Some damage was reported in Kiryat Shemona. The barrages came shortly after Defense Minister Gallant met with White House special envoy Amos Hochstein, who is in the region to try and reach an agreement that would remove Hezbollah from the border with Israel and avoid a full-blown war. IDF jets strike multiple Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. Fighters also shot down a drone that entered the Golan from Syria.

The IDF said it struck 50 Hamas targets over the past day.

I published an article titled, “Can Hamas Actually Win the War?” in the Times of Israel. To read it, click here.

For a complete list of the soldiers killed in the ground offensive, click here.

UN envoy on sexual violence Pramila Patten published a 24 page report confirming that Hamas terrorists committed the barbaric rapes and other indescribable sexual crimes on Oct. 7 that we’ve all known about since that tragic day. Her report also found that hostages were also being raped. It stated, “Based on the first-hand accounts of released hostages, the mission team received clear and convincing information that sexual violence, including rape, sexualized torture, and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment occurred against some women and children during their time in captivity and has reasonable grounds to believe that this violence may be ongoing,” and that there were reasonable grounds “to believe that female hostages were also subjected to other forms of sexual violence”.

The report also included allegations by the Palestinian Authorities of sexual violence committed against Palestinian prisoners by Israel security forces. No evidence was found of any cases of rape by Israeli forces. For more, click here.

National Unity party leader Minister Benny Gantz met with U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday. Harris told him that a reliable and implementable humanitarian aid plan is required before any major military operation in Rafah can be started. She also called on Israel to take further steps in cooperation with the U.S. and international partners to increase the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza and ensure its safe distribution. [I don’t think she mentioned anything about the continued rape and torture of Israeli hostages being held captive in Gaza for over 150 days.]

Gantz also met with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell at the Capitol, and with U.S. President Joe Biden’s envoy to the Middle East Brett McGurk and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. Today he’s expected to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and will then depart for London to meet with the British Foreign Secretary. Gantz said, “This is an important visit, and it’s going well. I think I’m explaining Israeli interests, and how I see the U.S.’s interests in these contexts. I was received warmly.” For more, click here.

After heavy rains in February, the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) is less than one meter from full. The lake has risen by almost 1 meter over the past month and is currently 87.5 centimeters from its maximum level of 208.80 meters below sea level. All areas of northern and central Israel have already had well over their average annual rainfall.