War Day 493: IDF on High Alert, PA Pretends to Cancel “Pay for Slay”

War Summary, Day 493: Hamas threatened not to release the next three hostages this Shabbat, Trump calls for ALL hostages to be released by Shabbat noon, IDF Southern Command on full readiness, high alert, PA pretending to cancel “pay for slay”, EU diplomats come out in support of pro-terror bookshop owner, and IDF demolishing Hezbollah homes in Lebanon.

By Mrs. Bruria Efune

76 held captive in Gaza.
35 hostages confirmed murdered held in Gaza.
138 living hostages rescued.
41 hostage bodies rescued.
1,821 Israelis killed.
413 fallen soldiers and police in the battle in Gaza.
87 fallen soldiers in Northern Israel.
18 fallen soldiers and police in Judea & Samaria.
30,683 estimated projectiles fired at Israel.
70,000 Israelis displaced from their homes.
1 Jewish nation united in prayer, charity, and good deeds.

Top Headlines:

– Hamas threatened not to release the next three hostages this Shabbat
– Trump calls for ALL hostages to be released by Shabbat noon
– IDF Southern Command on full readiness, high alert
– PA pretending to cancel “pay for slay”
– EU diplomats come out in support of pro-terror bookshop owner
– IDF demolishing Hezbollah homes in Lebanon

Hostages:

After Hamas threatened not to release the hostages this week, U.S. President Trump responded with a dramatic ultimatum: Release all the hostages by noon on Shabbat, or all hell will break loose. To be clear, this is a recommendation to Israel—Netanyahu will need to make the call whether he takes Trump’s unprecedented backing to do so.

Trump specifically specified all hostages, and “not in drips and drabs, not two and one and three and four and two…”

The drama started around 6pm today, when Hamas’s military spokesperson, Abu Obeida, announced: “Hamas is postponing the release of the hostages this coming Saturday until further notice because Israel is not committed to the agreement.”

Hamas’s complaints seemed largely desperate attempts to either sabotage the ceasefire, or buy time. The complaints:

1. Israel delayed the opening of the Netzarim Corridor to Northern Gaza. This was after Hamas had violated the agreement by not releasing Arbel Yahoud before the soldiers. Hamas admitted fault there, and compensated by releasing three hostages ahead of schedule.
2. Israel opened fire on Gazans attempting to cross to the north. Hamas knows full well that the fire was opened only on people who attempted to drive across unproved routes in order to avoid security checks.
3. Israel prevented aid from entering Gaza—this seems to be about a shipment of mobile homes from Qatar that was blocked. While there is little information about it, they were probably blocked because they contained materials which weren’t approved for shipping into Gaza at this stage of the deal.

Hamas’s announcement was not impulsive—it came after several Hamas leaders visited Iran for a consultation with Khameini. Hamas also made several small attempts at sabotaging, or at least at testing, the ceasefire until now. The most common were sending people to approach IDF positions, in increasingly large numbers each day.

Israel’s immediate response to Hamas’s announcement was to dramatically increase IDF alert and presence on the border, cancel all furlough for soldiers in the Southern Command, put reservists on notice, and cancel public events in the Israeli communities immediately bordering Gaza. Humanitarian aid was not stopped, and continues to flow into Gaza at 800 trucks per day (excluding on Shabbat).

Hamas then put out another statement, perhaps backtracking, explaining that they made the announcement on Tuesday in order to give Israel time to negotiate before the schedule hostage release on Shabbat.

There are many theories being floated as to why Hamas may be sabotaging the deal. Some say that Hamas is concerned after seeing the world’s reaction to the last three hostages who returned home looking like Holocaust survivors, and to their stories of horrific torture. They say that Hamas may be panicking because the next hostages are in even worse shape. It’s also likely that Hamas simply realizes that the second phase of the deal won’t be getting them what they want, because all of Hamas will be required to surrender and leave Gaza. Hamas is now deliberating between a fight for their lives in Gaza via war, or the end of their control of Gaza forever in the ceasefire deal.

Trump is now calling their bluff. When asked by reporters what “all hell will break loose” means, Trump simply said that Hamas will find out.

Netanyahu has not yet responded publicly to Trump’s call out, but the IDF is on high alert, and full preparedness. The question is now either Hamas will give in fully, or Netanyahu will agree to accept only some of the hostages, or whether it’s time for all hell in Gaza.

Gaza:

The IDF gave updated maps and instructions to Gazans after withdrawing from the Netzarim Corridor yesterday. Gazans can now cross into Northern Gaza on foot without inspection via the coastal road and the Salah a-Din road. Vehicles can only cross via the Salah a-Din road, subject to security checks from private American companies.

The IDF warned against attempting to cross on other roads or avoiding inspection. They also warned not to approach IDF positions, or go out to sea past the maritime boundary.

A security alert was issued in the Gaza border community of Yad Mordechai this afternoon, under suspicion of infiltration. After extensive scans, it was ruled out.

The IDF Southern Command is on high alert and readiness for a possible imminent return to war.

After Hamas’s announcement today, the streets suddenly cleared of uniformed and armed Hamas members, who went back into hiding, or plainclothes.

A return to war would most likely begin with heavy airstrikes agains Hamas positions, including against several which were newly discovered during the ceasefire. If the IDF does truly feel like it has full backing, the airstrikes will be extreme, in order to ensure the safety of IDF soldiers before they enter on ground. The IDF will need to retake the Netzarim Corridor, and that will include clearing out explosives and cameras which Hamas may have planted during the ceasefire.

On the plan to relocate Gazans, today Trump said “if Egypt and Jordan do not accept Palestinians into their territory, I will consider canceling aid to them.”

Judea & Samaria:

Operation Iron Wall is ongoing in Jenin, Tulkarem, Tubas, the Tamun area, Shechem (Nablus), and Nur Shams.

In Nur Shams, which the IDF entered on Sunday, special forces eliminated several terrorists and located a number of weapons in terror hotspots. In Tulkarem, IDF bulldozers were seen shoveling the paved roads, in order to remove roadside bombs left by terrorists. Many locals have evacuated.

Overnight, the IDF arrested several terrorists, including Alaa al-Bitawi, who is one of the heads of Hamas in Jenin. The raid and arrests took place in the village of Silat al-Harithiya, near Jenin. Bitawi was planning several attacks against IDF troops and Israeli civilians, on behalf of Hamas. He was found with a handgun and several explosive devices.

News announcements claim that Palestinian Authority (PA) President Abbas cancelled the “pay for slay” policy, in which the PA pays terrorists imprisoned for terror attacks.

The PA did announce a change in policy, in which welfare will be given according to need. They also announced that previous benefactors of assistance (which they named as families of prisoners, martyrs, and the wounded, in the Prisoners’ Law) will now get assistance from the Palestinian Economic Empowerment Foundation—a foundation which legally has its own board of trustees, but is ultimately just a way for the PA to pay terrorists without it being on their own books.

In a statement, the Foreign Ministery said, “This is a new fraudulent exercise by the Palestinian Authority, which intends to continue making payments to terrorists and their families through other channels.”

The Bookshop Incident:

Social media today flooded with complaints about an Israeli police raid of the Educational Bookshop in East Jerusalem. Activist claim that the owners are peace-seeking people, and Israel is suppressing free speech.

The owners of the bookshop were arrested for charges of incitement and disturbing the public order. A slew of European diplomats from the EU, UK, Italy, France, Switzerland, Belgium, Ireland, Netherlands, and Sweden went to the hearing in support of the shop owners.

While the diplomats called the owners “peace seekers,” the truth is that the owners were known for encouraging antisemitism and supporting terror. Several pro-terror books were found in the shop, including a children’s coloring book called “From the River to the Sea” which glorifies the Intifada, and children who “stand up against the Israeli occupation.”

Saul Sadya described a visit to an event at the Bookshop: “At an event meant for dialogue, he [the shop owner] ranted about “Jewish supremacist superiority complexes” and argued that Jews cannot criticize armed resistance (despite a wave of stabbings at the time).”

While Israel does protect free speech and dialogue, there are laws against incitement to terror, support for terror groups, and calls of “from the river to the sea.”

Lebanon:

Lebanese sources report that the IDF is blowing up Hezbollah homes in Yaroun, southern Lebanon.

Sponsored by ליבה sending healing & strength for the released hostages & those yet to be released & the IDF & IAF heroes (past, present & future) who continue to fight, defend & protect כלאל ישראל.