War Day 202: Egypt Proposes Cease-Fire, Hamas Fire at Aid Workers

War Summary, Day Two Hundred and Two: Egypt has put together a new ceasefire proposal to release all hostages in return for a Palestinian state, the IDF’s COGAT division reported that terrorists fired mortars at a humanitarian work site in northern Gaza during a visit of UN personnel yesterday, and the IDF struck a number of Hezbollah sites in Southern Lebanon, and shelled Hezbollah positions along the border.

By Mrs. Bruria Efune

War Summary, Day Two Hundred and Two:

133 held captive in Gaza.
112 hostages freed.
12 hostage bodies rescued.
37 hostages confirmed murdered in Gaza.
1,492 Israelis murdered.
261 fallen soldiers in the battle in Gaza.
7 fallen soldiers in Northern Israel.
4 fallen soldiers in Judea & Samaria.
11,600+ injured.
13,540 estimated rockets fired at Israel.
102,100 Israelis displaced from their homes.
1 Jewish nation united in prayer, charity, and good deeds.

Top Headlines:

• Egypt proposes year-long ceasefire deal
• Two divisions ready for Rafah operation
• Israel will allow delegation to visit Nukhba terrorists in prison
• Smotrich threatens to collapse PA economy if ICC issues arrest warrants
• Humanitarian pier underway

Hostage Updates:

The leaders of 18 countries put out a statement calling on Hamas to release the hostages, which they say will end the crisis in Gaza and bring regional stability. The countries who took part in the statement are: the USA, Great Britain, Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Spain and Thailand.

According to various Israeli news channels, Egypt has put together a new ceasefire proposal which they think Hamas might agree to—but which is also unlikely for Israel to agree to, and could be a political disaster in Israel. Representatives from Cairo will be in Israel shortly to discuss it. The main elements of the deal are:

1. A year-long ceasefire, with no entry into Rafah even after it ends.
2. All the hostages will be released over a period of 10 weeks.
3. A joint declaration by Israel, Egypt, Jordan, and the Palestinian Authority that there will be a Palestinian state, with initial moves towards its establishment.

The IDF’s stated goals for the war are the release of the hostages and complete dismantling of Hamas. Such an agreement would accomplish the first goal, while allowing Hamas to not only continue to control Gaza, but gain further powers and abilities from the declaration of a Palestinian State. However, the fact that all hostages are offered for release in this framework will tear some hearts in Israel—especially those of family of hostages and of the small but loud camp who believe a deal to release the hostages must be made at all costs.

There appears to be another deal on the table, which Hamas is likely to turn down, but would lead to the release of 33 hostages in the “humanitarian” category—which includes those who are women, elderly, ill, or wounded physically or mentally. In exchange, Israel would allow the release of a large number of terrorists from prison, and an unrestricted return to Northern Gaza, all in the framework of a 6-week ceasefire. Israel is considering this offer.

Israeli officials have said that Israel will consider possible options brought to the table, but will at the same time continue to move forward with operations in Gaza until anything materializes.

Media filled up today with claims that Hamas agreed to disarm in exchange for a two-state solution. Aside from that Hamas is notorious for breaking ceasefires and not disarming when they say they will, this claim is not so simple. Khalil al-Hayya, a Hamas official, said that Hamas would lay down their weapons for five years if they are granted a two-state solution with full control over Gaza and Judea and Samaria in the pre-1967 borders—which includes East Jerusalem with the Western Wall and Old City, and a return of all Palestinian refugees and their descendants (an estimated 5 million) from around the world, including Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. While this proposal is beyond unrealistic, it to also very telling that Hamas will only offer five years without firing weapons even after getting all their demands of their own state in pre-67 borders.

Gaza Front Updates:

Over 30 airstrikes were carried out against various Hamas targets across Gaza today, including against snipers who were firing at IDF troops from positions in Gaza City and Nuseirat.

In Northern Gaza, pinpoint operations are ongoing in Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahiya, but the IDF hasn’t released new updates on activity.

The IDF’s COGAT division reported that terrorists fired mortars at a humanitarian work site in northern Gaza during a visit of UN personnel yesterday. The IDF ushered the UN personnel into safe spaces. This is an ongoing problem in Gaza, where Hamas terrorists intentionally disrupt humanitarian efforts.

In Central Gaza, IDF troops spotted two terrorists as they were preparing to fire rockets into Israel. The troops called an airstrike and eliminated the duo along with the rockets and launcher.

The Nachal Brigade, who have been operating along the Netzarim corridor, were withdrawn and replaced by two reserve brigades. The Netzarim corridor stretches from Kibbutz Be’eri directly to the Gaza coast, dividing the North and South of Gaza. The corridor has been expanded and renovated and now contains three complete IDF bases with full amenities, electricity, and high-speed internet. It is 6.8 kilometers long, and takes just seven minutes to cross it. Soldiers stationed on the corridor are both able to control movement between the north and south of Gaza, and easily monitor going-ons in the area and quickly jump into operations in the most critical areas.

The Nachal Brigade’s positions on the corridor are being replaced by the 679th “Yiftah” Armored Brigade and the 2nd “Carmeli” Infantry Brigade, who will operate under the 99th Division. The Nachal troops are now preparing with the rest of the 162nd Division for the Rafah operation, which is expected to be carried out by Divisions 162 and 98.

Rafah evacuations are expected to begin any day now (some rumors say next week), and humanitarian groups in Rafah have already begun preparing to move activities towards encampments near Khan Younis and Central Gaza.

In a first in two months, Prime Minister Netanyahu met with opposition head Yair Lapid for an update at the Kiryat base in Tel Aviv—a signal that major action is ahead.

Gaza Front Political Updates:

After Al-Jazeera published Hamas claims that the IDF dug mass graves in Gaza hospitals, and the IDF said that those were actually dug before the IDF entered, and by hospital personnel, the US has called for claims to be investigated. The EU also backed a UN call for an independent investigation.

The ambassador of the Palestinian Authority in Cairo informed the French news agency that “between 80 and 100 thousand Palestinians from Gaza have arrived in Egypt since the beginning of the war.” On average, 700 people leave Gaza per day, via the Rafah crossing. While a few are allowed in to Egypt for medical treatment, the majority who leave are those who bribe Egyptian border officials with between $5-8,000 per person. Which means some Egyptians have profited at least $400 million off the war, and that most of the wealthy (usually Hamas-affiliates) or online-fundraiser-savvy Gazans are now in Egypt.

Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir has been banning imprisoned terrorists from Hamas’s elite Nukhba forces from having visitors. The reasoning is that Israeli hostages have not been allowed visits even by the Red Cross. However, due to international pressure, and unfounded claims that the terrorists are being tortured, the political government cabinet voted to allow an Israeli judge and two foreign observers to visit and learn about the terrorists conditions. However the Red Cross will not be allowed to visit until they visit the hostages.

Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich penned a letter to the Prime Minister, in which he wrote: If the International Court of Justice in The Hague issues an arrest warrant against an Israeli citizen or soldier as part of the case that the PA is handling against Israel, and/or if a unilateral decision is made in the General Assembly to recognize a Palestinian state, I will unilaterally and immediately stop the the transfer of all the liquidation funds to the PA and orders the cancellation of the indemnity given to the Israeli cross-fund banks that transfer funds to banks in Judea and Samaria [a move that would collapse the Palestinian Authority economy]. I would ask you to inform all the international authorities about this and to instruct the coordinator of the operations in Judea and Samaria to inform about this the PA officials with whom he is in contact

According to a Bloomberg report, Saudi Arabia will host a political summit on Monday to discuss the future of the Gaza Strip. US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken is expected to attend, as well as UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron. Representatives from the European Union, Jordan, Egypt, Qatar and the Palestinian Authority are also expected to participate. The summit is not expected to yield concrete decisions.

Gaza Humanitarian Efforts Updates:

352 aid trucks were inspected and transferred to the Gaza strip, yesterday (Apr.24)
The content of 250 aid trucks are waiting on the Gazan side of Kerem Shalom to be collected by UN aid agencies.
104 pallets containing tens of thousands of packages of food aid were airdropped over northern Gaza yesterday.
7 World Food Program trucks were coordinated through the fence road to Northern Gaza.
4 tankers of cooking gas and 2 tankers of fuel designated for the operation of essential infrastructure in Gaza, entered Gaza.
26 bakeries are currently operational in Gaza, providing close to 5 million breads, rolls, and pita breads daily.

The IDF agreed to a US plan to establish a humanitarian aid port on the shores of Northern Gaza. The US will build an offshore pier, and the IDF is expected to build the docking port, and to station a brigade at the port to guard the aid. Hamas is against construction of the port, and has been firing at troops while preparations for the port begins, but the IDF is expected to continue.

Northern Front Updates:

Hezbollah continued to fire heavily on Israel’s far north, but returned to containing fire to the border areas after earlier firing at Tzfat and up until the outskirts of Haifa.

The IDF struck a number of Hezbollah sites in Southern Lebanon, and shelled Hezbollah positions along the border. Lebanese media reported an alleged Israeli airstrike deeper into Lebanon, near Baalbek in the northeast.

There are now late night / early morning reports of ongoing exchanges of fire across the border, with possible casualties.

Houthi War Front Updates:

The Houthis in Yemen claimed that they attacked “the Israeli ship MSC DARWIN in the Gulf of Aden using naval missiles and UAVs.” They also claimed to have fired several ballistic missiles and cruise missiles at “Israeli targets in Eilat,” however no such thing was seen or heard.

Britain’s Defense Secretary, Grant Shapps, said that a British warship intercepted a missile fired by the Houthis, Iran’s proxies in Yemen, at a commercial ship in the area. The minister also added that his country “continues to be at the forefront of the international response to the Houthis’ dangerous attacks on commercial ships.

Judea and Samaria Updates:

Israeli special forces arrested a wanted person in Shechem (Nablus), using an undercover unit and Shin Bet intelligence. The man, who is suspected to be involved in planning terror attacks, was handed over to the Shin Bet for interrogation.

Overnight, Israeli security forces arrested eight wanted persons throughout Judea and Samaria for their involvement in terror groups, most of the arrests were in Tulkarm.

Iranian Front Updates:

The US, UK, and Canada have coordinated sanctions on Iran’s UAV industry. In a statement from the US Treasury Department, it was stated that the US sanctions will be imposed on 11 entities and individuals who play a central role in the financing and sale of Iranian UAVs.

The Parliament of the European Union voted in favor of a condemnation resolution against Iran following its attack on Israel. The decision, passed by a majority of 357 to 20, includes, among other things, a call to add the Revolutionary Guards to the list of terror organizations, the expansion of sanctions against the regime, and recognition of Iran’s role in destabilizing the Middle East.

International Updates:

Al-Jazeera reported that the “Freedom Flotilla” from Istanbul, which had planned to leave to Gaza tomorrow, has been postponed for several days due to “bureaucratic procedures.” The last time Turkey sent a flotilla it had several weapons on board, as well as equipment useful to create more.