War Day 515: Israel and US Bombing Exercises, Hamas Jenin Head Eliminated

War Summary, Day 515: Israel says it would agree to second phase but Hamas refuses to disarm, Egypt holds Arab emergency summit, Israel says encouraging relocation, IDF operation in Shomron eliminates Hamas head in Jenin, US unfreezes $95 million for Lebanese Armed Forces to fight Hezbollah, ran taps Russia to negotiate nuclear deal with US, and Israel and US Air Forces carry out mass bombing exercises today.

By Mrs. Bruria Efune

59 held captive in Gaza.
35 hostages confirmed murdered held in Gaza.
147 living hostages rescued.
49 hostage bodies rescued.
1,828 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:

– Israel says it would agree to second phase, but Hamas refuses to disarm
– Egypt holds Arab emergency summit, introduces plan for Gaza
– Plan includes establishing a Palestinian State
– Arab states support Egypt’s plan
– Hamas likes Egypt’s plan
– Israel rejects the plan
– Israel points out that the plan is the same as what failed until now, and does not address Hamas
– Israel facilitates helicopter evacuations from Gaza to Jordan, says encouraging relocation
– IDF operation in Samaria eliminates Hamas head in Jenin
– 19 terrorists arrested in Samaria
– Radwan terrorist eliminated in Lebanon
– US unfreezes $95 million for Lebanese Armed Forces to fight Hezbollah
– Israel’s northern border residents still hesitant to return home
– Iran taps Russia to negotiate nuclear deal with US
– Israel and US Air Forces carry out mass bombing exercises today
– IDF enters further into Southern Syria
– Syrian ruler complains to Arab countries about Israel, calls for support to remove IDF

Hostages:

Foreign Minister Sa’ar told International press that Israel is willing to move forward to the second phase of the ceasefire, but with the condition that Hamas completely demilitarize Gaza, and release all the hostages. Hamas are the ones who don’t agree to this.

Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri on Tuesday rejected the demand to disarm, claiming that Hamas’s “right to resist” was not negotiable.

Hamas now had three days of a ceasefire for nothing in return. While the trucks of aid and other shipments have stopped, Hamas is well stocked with up to half a year of food supplies. Last year Hamas also got a free unofficial ceasefire over Ramadan, and probably expected Israel to just give it again this year.

On Sunday, the Israeli security cabinet will meet with the new IDF Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir, to discuss the next steps.

Emergency Arab Summit:

Egypt hosted an emergency Arab summit in Cairo, primarily to address Trump’s relocation plan for Gaza. At the summit, Egypt proposed a Gaza reconstruction plan of their own, which would keep all Gazans in Gaza. Egypt announced that all Arab parties at the summit approved their plan.

Egypt’s plan calls for a budget of $53 billion, to be contributed by the International community, in order to rebuild Gaza. The rebuilding process would start with a six month plan to clear rubble and install temporary housing for 1.5 million people in seven designated locations across Gaza. Then, within just two and a half years, Egypt things they can rebuild 200,000 housing units in Gaza. For extra measure, they also add in a seaport to assist in construction deliveries.

For the governing of the Gaza Strip, Egypt recommend establishing a technocratic committee under supervision of the Palestinian Authority (PA), to govern Gaza for the first six months. This committee would have no official political affiliation, but would prepare for the PA to retake full control of Gaza (no plan was proposed to ensure that Hamas messengers don’t take over the committee). Meanwhile, Egypt and Jordan will train PA Police Officers for deployment in Gaza.

Also as part of the plan, Egypt proposes that the UN Security Council (not known for their effective stance against terrorism) will deploy an international peacekeeping force to both Gaza and Judea and Samaria, as part of a framework to establish a Palestinian State. A ceasefire agreement would include all areas with PA residents—including in Samaria.

No real solutions were proposed to disarm Hamas. Egypt simply proposed that some kind of credible political process will be set up to attempt on it.

Hamas seems delighted with Egypt’s plan, and said they would support the formation of a technocratic committee to control Gaza, stating: “We have repeatedly stressed our support for what serves the interests of our Palestinian people in removing the effects of the aggression and the war.”

Senior Hamas official Mahmoud Mardawi clarified to Al Jazeera: “All factions, including the Palestinian Authority, must be consulted before approving the deployment of international forces in Gaza and the West Bank. The fate of the resistance’s weapons will only be decided after a Palestinian state is established.”

Israel’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman out out a statement rejecting Egypt’s plan as a same-old failure. Key issues listed:

– The summit completely failed to address Hamas’s brutal October 7th attack, or condemn any of their atrocities since.
– Egypt is continuing to rely on the PA and UNRWA, both of whom have shown deep corruption and support for terrorism.
– The plan is simply so tat the Arab states can continue their 77 year tradition of using Palestinians as pawns against Israel, by condemning them to eternal “refugee” status.

So long as Hamas remains standing, especially in Gaza, there is no chance of security or stability in the region.

The Foreign Ministry reiterated Israel’s support for Trump’s relocation plan, which gives free will to the Palestinians, and brings a real opportunity for an end to the war. The closing words: “Israel urges responsible regional states to break free from past constraints, and collaborate to create a future of stability and security in the region.”

Gaza:

At least one terror suspect was directly hit by IDF fire, after repeatedly ignoring IDF warnings not to approach their positions in the buffer zone.

Israel allowed several helicopters full of Gazans to leave for medical treatment in Jordan today. In response to complaints, an Israeli official said this is simply part of a new policy of encouraging Gaza residents to leave to other countries, in the spirit of the Trump plan.

Judea & Samaria:

Overnight, the IDF, Border Police, and Shin Bet expanded operations in Samaria, to include additional areas in Jenin.

In a targeted intelligence-based operation, which included undercover Border Police, the Israeli security forces eliminated terrorist Isser Saadi, the head of Hamas in Jenin. Another terrorist was eliminated with him, and three additional wanted terrorists were eliminated.

In the raid of the building that followed, the forces eliminated another terrorist, and located several weapons, including an M-16 rifle and a pistol.

Several more arrests were carried out overnight, bringing the total to 19. In addition to violent terrorism, some of those arrested were accused of incitement to terrorism on social media.

On Tuesday afternoon, a terrorist fired at an IDF checkpoint near Burkha in Samaria. Troops responded with fire and eliminated him.

Thank G-d, despite the heavy activity and close-quarters combat, there were no casualties to the IDF.

Lebanon:

This morning, the IAF eliminated terrorist Hatcher Shaid Hasham, a commander in the Hezbollah naval forces in the elite Radwan force, who was actively engaged in terror activity against Israel. Hasham had over two decades of activity in Hezbollah under his belt, and was a key player in smuggling weapons to Hezbollah in Lebanon via the sea. He was eliminated in Tyre, Southern Lebanon.

The IDF continues to hold five strategic outposts in Southern Lebanon. According to reports, there is a quiet understanding between Lebanon and the IDF, that the IDF will remain in place until the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) stabilizes the situation in Southern Lebanon, and can ensure that Hezbollah is no longer a threat to Israel.

The U.S. State Department announced today that they would unfreeze the $95 million in military assistance to the LAF. The LAF is expected to use the funds in order to suppress Hezbollah, and prevent them from regaining support and restrengthening in Southern Lebanon.

Residents of Israel’s northernmost towns are expected to begin returning home now, but say it’s not so simple. The mayor of Metula explained, “The return to the north is important and needs to happen, there is no doubt, but it cannot happen so quickly. Restoring the enormous damage will take several months; more than 70% of the houses were damaged. Hezbollah flags have still been seen across the border since the IDF withdrew, and many of the residents are still afraid to return due to security concerns.”

Yemen:

U.S. Secretary of State Rubio declared the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization.

Iran:

Iran stated that they’ll participate in nuclear negotiations with the U.S., if Russia mediates. Senator Lindsey Graham on Fox News, in response: “There is zero chance of there being a nuclear agreement. The Nazi Ayatollahs want to destroy Israel. President Trump should give Israel the tools to destroy the Iranian nuclear program.”

Meanwhile, today Israel’s skies were particularly noisy as Israel and the U.S. held a major military exercise simulating joint strike operations. Dozens of aircraft took part in the exercise, including fighter jets, strategic heavy bombers, and refueling planes.

Syria:

According to Syrian sources, last night IDF forces reached as far as the Beit El Mal area, which is 18 kilometers east of Israel’s border—the furthest the IDF has operated the Daraa area. The reports say that the IDF troops set up checkpoints in the area, to prevent entry of militia or weaponry.

At the major Arab summit today, Syria’s new president (and former Al Queida terrorist), Ahmad Al-Sharaa, complained about Israeli action in Syria, and called on Arab states to help stop Israel. He also declared that the Syrian people will stand with their “Palestinian brothers” in every step towards “liberation and justice.”

Other:

– Secretary of State Rubio spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, and again emphasized that President Trump’s top priority remains support for Israel—as reflected in the decision to expedite the transfer of nearly $4 billion in military aid to Israel.
They then discussed Iran, and that the two countries will closely coordinate any action against the Iranian threat.

– Once again, IDF troops intercepted a drone which was smuggling 40 kilograms of drugs into Israel from Egypt. Egypt has been doing little to stop these smugglings of both drugs and weapons, while simultaneously proposing plans and claiming the ability to curb Hamas violence in Gaza.

– Maj. Gen. Eyal Zamir will begin his new position as IDF Chief of Staff tomorrow. Over the last two weeks, he took time to visit all the combat fronts to gain an understanding of the IDF’s readiness for action. Reports from various visits say that in response to several action plans he demanded that a more aggressive and thorough approach be prepared.

Sponsored in loving memory of Yaakov Leibel Ben Chaim Shmuel haLevi on his third Yahrzeit, by the Levin/Belfer Family.