War Summary, Day 310: A terrorist with an assault rifle shot at two motorists in the Jordan Valley and killed Yonatan Deutsch, 23, from Beit Shean was killed while on the way to visit his new kallah, signs of new Iranian military preparations indicate that Iran is getting ready for a large-scale attack within the next couple of days, and Yahya Sinwar announced that he rejects the invitation to join the negotiations summit on Thursday.
By Mrs. Bruria Efune
War Summary, Day 310:
115 held captive in Gaza.
41 hostages confirmed murdered in Gaza.
116 living hostages rescued.
24 hostage bodies rescued.
1,618 Israelis killed.
331 fallen soldiers and police in the battle in Gaza.
19 fallen soldiers in Northern Israel.
9 fallen soldiers in Judea & Samaria.
20,620 estimated rockets fired at Israel.
90,000 Israelis displaced from their homes.
1 Jewish nation united in prayer, charity, and good deeds.
Top Headlines:
- Hamas backing out of negotiations summit
- Iran showing signs of preparedness to attack
- IDF expands evacuation zone in Khan Younis
- Young Israeli killed in terror attack in Jordan Valley
Hostage Updates:
Hamas’s military and political leader, Yahya Sinwar, announced that he rejects the invitation to join the negotiations summit on Thursday. Israel sees this as a multi-faceted negotiations effort.
On the one hand, Sinwar is desperate for a deal. He knows that the IDF is closing in on him, and there is only so long he can stay under ground. Most of the people closest to him have already been eliminated. In addition, Hamas is extremely low on munitions, and is even resorting to using unexploded IDF ammunition. Sinwar desperately needs to reload. But, he can only do that if Israel evacuates the Philadelphi Corridor, from where Hamas smuggled ammunition in via Egypt. He also needs Israel out of the Netzarim Corridor, so that Hamas can rearm in Northern Gaza. Any deal without those two in his control means a slow and painful end to him and Hamas.
Simultaneously, as Hamas is nearing defeat, some of Sinwar’s biggest aspirations are about to happen—Iran and Hezbollah are gearing up for a heavy attack on Israel, which might lead to a full Lebanon war. However, the U.S. is trying to convince the two to wait until after the summit, so that they aren’t the ones who break up a potential ceasefire. If there is a ceasefire, they won’t attack anymore. Sinwar does not want to go to a summit if it’s going to be stopping an Iran attack and Hezbollah war.
It appears that Sinwar will only go to the negotiations if it is well worth it for him, and to be well worth it, he needs a guarantee that he will get the Philadelphi and Netzarim Corridors, a full ceasefire, and some major terrorist leaders out of Israeli prison.
Netanyahu as of now does not agree to evacuate the corridors in the first phase of the agreement, is not in favor of releasing arch-terrorist Marwan Barghouti, and wants the ability to restart the war after 6 weeks if Hamas doesn’t agree to fully disarm in the second phase.
The question is—who will the Americans (who are desperate for a ceasefire before elections) pressure the hardest, and who will cave to demands first? In the meantime, the summit might be off the calendar.
Iran & Proxies Attack Updates:
There are still no changes to Home Front Command guidelines for civilians in Israel. Civilians will be notified as soon as there are changes. If you’re in Israel, be sure to have the Home Front Command app installed on your phone, with the ability to send you notifications.
According to Barak Ravid of Axios, Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant told U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin that Israeli intelligence is seeing signs of new Iranian military preparations, which indicate that Iran is getting ready for a large-scale attack within the next couple of days. While the U.S. has thought similar already last week, this is the first time Israeli intelligence suggests this.
The Israeli intelligence also estimates that Iran will directly attack Israel with drones and missiles aimed at military targets throughout Israel, including in Central Israel, in areas near civilian populations—putting civilians at risk. The attack is estimated to be larger scale, and possibly last longer than that of April, maybe even 2-3 days. It’s also estimated that Hezbollah will attack together with Iran, though not necessarily at the exact same time, or for the same length.
Iran’s official news agency says that the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) are conducting military exercises in western Iran, which will continue until Tuesday.
The analysts who suggested that Iran may aim to attack on Tisha B’Av might turn out to be correct, as Tisha B’Av begins Monday night. On Tisha B’Av, the Jewish people mourn many tragedies that befell our nation on that day, chief amongst them the destruction of both the First and Second Beit Hamikdash (Holy Temples), which led to the exiles of the Jewish people from Israel. It is also prophesied by Zechariah that in the future, Tisha B’Av will turn into a joyous day.
Meanwhile, the IDF is on full preparedness, both in defense and offense, and has been carrying out extensive training exercises to increase readiness. The drills, which began on Friday, are being held in Kermansha province in the west of the country, close to the border with Iraq.
Gaza Front Updates:
Hamas did not successfully fire any rockets onto civilians in Israel today.
Thank G-d, the IDF did not announce any fallen heroes in Gaza today!
Four divisions of IDF troops are currently operating in Gaza: the 252nd Division along the Netzarim Corridor, and on pinpoint operations in Central Gaza; the Gaza Division in the buffer zone; the 98th Division in Khan Younis; and the 162nd Division in Rafah and along the Philadelphi Corridor. The IDF carried out over 30 airstrikes against Hamas targets in Gaza today, including against rocket launchers, anti-tank missile positions, weapons depots, and buildings used by Hamas terrorists.
The IDF expanded the evacuation warning for Khan Younis today, including to the al-Jalaa neighborhood, which was located in the designated humanitarian zone, and which the IDF says is now part of the combat zone, due to Hamas activity in the area, including firing rockets. The IDF made phonically, sent text messages, dropped leaflets, and used loudspeakers, all to spread the message and announce that the areas must be evacuated to ensure civilian safety. Hospitals are exempt from evacuation.
So far, troops in Gaza have been locating essential Hamas infrastructure, including tunnels, weapons caches, and rocket launchers—including the site used for launching at Kibbutz Kissufuim yesterday. These launchers are often extremely well hidden, under the sand or other camouflage, and are therefore hard to spot from above, without a ground search. Troops directed airstrikes to destroy the launchers, and a building used by Hamas’s rocket unit.
Sinwar is largely thought to be hiding in a tunnel many levels under Khan Younis, together with some hostages as a shield.
In Rafah, troops monitoring surveillance cameras (which were donated through our team at Chamal Gederot) spotted terrorists emerging from a tunnel shaft. The troops called in a drone strike to eliminate the terrorists. In another incident, troops spotted a cell of armed terrorists in a building, and called in an airstrike to blow it all up.
Gaza Humanitarian Efforts Updates:
Yesterday, 41 trucks carrying humanitarian goods, and 1 water tanker were transferred to Northern Gaza via the Erez crossing.
About 500 trucks are waiting for collection on the Gazan side of Kerem Shalom.
13 bakeries are operational (7 in northern Gaza and 6 in central Gaza), producing close to 3 million pita loaves a day.
1,500 blood units were transferred to Gaza on August 8th. This is in addition to the previous 1,000 blood units facilitated into Gaza, and other aid requiring unique delivery conditions.
Northern Front Updates:
Hezbollah in Lebanon fired several barrages of rockets at Israel’s far north, including a barrage of 30 at the Nahariya area. No injuries were reported, but at least one wildfire was started.
The IDF carried several airstrikes out against Hezbollah targets in Southern Lebanon, targeting launch sites, munitions storages, and terrorists—including two who were riding a motorcycle in Taybeh.
There are also unconfirmed reports of a UAV attack near the city of Buchmal in eastern Syria, targeting a vehicle belonging to the pro-Iranian militias, in which five militia terrorists were eliminated. This attack might not be Israeli, but rather American, after the same militia attacked a U.S. military base nearby.
Over the past week, IDF reservists of the 646th Brigade carried out a drill, simulating war in Lebanon. Troops practiced battles in mountainous terrain, and evacuation of the wounded under fire. Over the last weeks, many IDF brigades, both reserve and active-duty, have been practicing for war with Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Judea and Samaria Updates:
This afternoon, a terrorist with an assault rifle shot at two motorists in the Jordan Valley.
Yonatan Deutsch, 23, from Beit Shean was killed while on the way to visit his new fiancé.
Anas Jaramana, 32, from the northern Arab town of Muqeible, was lightly wounded.
Hamas took responsibility for the attack, though they provided no evidence. The IDF are still hunting for the terrorist.
International Updates:
The European Union’s foreign minister called for sanctions to be imposed on Israeli Ministers Betzalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir.
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