Israel News for 7-8-2024
News Update
IDF forces launched an operation in Gaza City to root out Hamas and Jihad terrorists who have reestablished terror bases and positions there, around 6 months after Israeli forces had reportedly cleared the terrorists out of the city. Civilians were warned to evacuate ahead of the operation. Troops killed at least 30 terrorist and destroyed weapons, rocket launchers and military infrastructure. The air force eliminated the deputy head of the Hamas run Gaza labor ministry, Ihab al-Ghussein.
IDF Soldiers Killed:
Maj. Jalaa Ibrahem, 25, a company commander in the Combat Engineering Corps’ 601st Battalion, from the Druze village of Sajur.
Prime Minister Netanyahu issued a public statement on Sunday night listing the principles that Israel will not compromise on, in the negotiations for a hostage-ceasefire deal.
1. Any deal will allow Israel to resume fighting until all of objectives of the war have been achieved.
2. There will be no smuggling of weapons to Hamas from Egypt to the Gaza border.
3. There will be no return of thousands of armed terrorists to the northern Gaza Strip.
4. Israel will maximize the number of living hostages who will be released from Hamas captivity.
5. The plan that has been agreed to by Israel, and which has been welcomed by U.S. President Joe Biden, will allow Israel to return hostages without infringing on the other objectives of the war.
Many officials are criticizing the timing and content of Netanyahu’s announcement, claiming that it will make negotiations much more difficult and possibly scuttle a potential hostage release deal. The Prime Minister believes that a tough stance will benefit Israel’s negotiating position. Hamas has appeared to have dropped its demands for a an end to the war as part of the ceasefire deal. Demonstrations were held throughout the country yesterday demanding that the government reach a deal to release the hostages and calling for new elections.
Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar left for Cairo today, at the head of a security delegation, for meetings with Egyptian officials. They will be discussing the Rafah border crossing and are expected to raise Israel’s request for an underground barrier to be built along the Philadelphia corridor, to prevent the use of new tunnels to bring weapons into the Strip.
Hezbollah continues to fire rockets at northern Israel and the IDF continues to strike Hezbollah in Lebanon. It is believed that a ceasefire in Gaza would most likely lead to a ceasefire in the north.
