War Day 526: Fake Hamas Journalists Eliminated, Trump Threatens Houthis

War Summary, Day 526: Tal Shoham talks about captivity, Hamas counters proposal for just one living hostage, huge gaps said to still negotiations, but Netanyahu directs continuation, IDF airstrike eliminated 6 terrorists in Gaza including two who posed as journalists, over 100 suspected terrorists arrested in Judea and Samaria this week, Trump threatens Lebanon with IDF return to war, Trump threatens Houthis and begins largest series of airstrikes, airstrikes in Yemen could continue over a week, and possible Houthi leader eliminated.

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.
60,000 Israelis estimated displaced from their homes.
1 Jewish nation united in prayer, charity, and good deeds.

Top Headlines:

– Tal Shoham talks about captivity
– Hamas counters proposal for just one living hostage
– Huge gaps said to still negotiations, but Netanyahu directs continuation
– IDF airstrike eliminated 6 terrorists in Gaza, including two who posed as journalists
– Over 100 suspected terrorists arrested in Judea and Samaria this week
– Trump threatens Lebanon with IDF return to war
– Trump threatens Houthis. Begin largest series of airstrikes
– Airstrikes in Yemen could continue over a week
– Possible Houthi leader eliminated

Hostages:

Tal Shoham, who was recently released from Hamas captivity, gave an interview detailing his harrowing time in Gaza. Like the other hostages, Tal was beaten badly every day, and starved. He says that at one point his leg turned blue, yellow, and purple from internal bleeding. Hamas then gave him and the other two hostages with him blood thinners—out of fear that they would develop blood clots from prolonged activity. Then Hamas realize that the real problem was malnutrition. Instead of having the hostages more food (which they had plenty of, and made a point to feast in front of the starved hostages), Hamas gave them vitamin supplements for a week. The supplements tasted like dog food, but did improve the hostages health condition.

Tal also said that he was determined not to lose his humanity, even at the worst moments. “I decided that I am not a victim. Even if this is over, I will finish it with my head held high, I will look death in the eyes. They will not break me, and I will not give in to self-pity. We are stronger than the other side.”

Notably, Tal said that the terrorists never stopped digging and expanding tunnels. Even during IDF airstrikes and with battle above ground, the Hamas tunnel guards continued to dig.

Updates about the hostage negotiations were a real whirlwind today. First, Hamas turned down the Witkoff proposal and instead offered to release just Edan Alexander, who has American citizenship, and the bodies of four slain hostages with dual-nationality. This in exchange for a ceasefire until the end of April, along with the release of hundreds (or thousands) of murderous terrorists. And thousands of trucks of “humanitarian aid.” Israel and the U.S. turned down this proposal, since it releases far too few hostages, for too high a price.

Reports then came via Amit Segal that negotiations came to a halt, due to loo large a gap between Hamas;s demands, and Israel and the U.S.’s needs.

Not long after, Prime Minister Netanyahu announced that after an assessment and meeting with security officials, he sent the negotiating team back to continue the talks, and push for the Witkoff proposal to bring home 11 living hostages, and half of the murdered hostages.

(In my opinion, this is all very strange, and there is likely something else going on that we don’t know about, pushing the negotiations and de facto ceasefire to continue. It could be political or military considerations.)

Gaza:

Hamas is continuing to plant roadside bombs and other IEDs, as well as surveillance cameras around Gaza, in places where they expect IDF troops to travel through. The IDF uses airstrikes to target and eliminate terrorists who are spotted doing this in positions near IDF soldiers. On Friday, the IDF eliminated a group in the Netzarim area in Central Gaza near the IDF buffer zone. However, it’s possible that the IDF doesn’t see every group planting bombs. The IDF doesn’t either target bomb planters who operate at a safe distance from the buffer zone. Every day that the de facto ceasefire continues, Hamas plants more IEDs, threatening more IDF casualties.

On Shabbat, the IDF spotted a group of terrorists operating a drone in Beit Lahiya, in Northernmost Gaza. The drone posed a threat to IDF forces in the nearby buffer zone. The IDF called an airstrike to target the terrorists. Is terrorists were eliminated in the strike, one of which infiltrated Israel on October 7th, one had just been released from Israeli prison in the last exchange deal, and two posed as journalists while also being registered Hamas terrorists.

The Rafah Municipality (aka, the local Hamas government, which can rarely be trusted to tell the truth), reports that Israel stopped supplying electricity to operate private and agricultural water wells in the area. The municipality says that they provided fuel to operate 80 private water wells in places.

Judea & Samaria:

On Friday, a number of suspected terrorists were spotted outside Harsha, a Jewish town in Samaria. Infiltration warning sirens were sounded in the town, and IDF soldiers rushed to the spot, where they fired at the terrorists. The terror suspects fled, and the IDF began a search for them. No successful infiltration occurred.

Over the last week of operations in Judea and Samaria, IDF forces arrested 100 wanted terrorists, and eliminated 3. They also confiscated dozens of weapons and other means of warfare. Large targeted raids were carried out in the villages of Araba and Qabatiya.

Lebanon:

The IAF struck a Hezbollah terrorist who was engaged in terror activity in Kfar Kila, right on the border with Israel.

Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that the IDF will stay in Southern Lebanon at the 5 strategic points indefinitely. This is regardless of negotiations over the border, but simply a matter of protecting the nearby Israeli villages. The IDF was instructed to further fortify the five positions, to ensure they are prepared for a long-term stay.

The Saudi “Al-Hadath” channel reported that US President Trump is demanding immediate results from Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah. The reports say that no International aid will be sent to rebuild Lebanon until Hezbollah is disarmed. The reports also say that if Trump doesn’t see immediate strong action in Lebanon, he will encourage the IDF to act.

Yemen:

Trump issued a stark warning to the Houthis in Yemen, before launching a series of attacks against the terrorists. Trump wrote that the attacks against the Houthis were because of the “unrelenting campaign of piracy, violence, and terrorism against American and other ships, aircraft, and drones.”

The U.S. Central Command launched a series of the largest number of strikes yet against the Houthis in Yemen. The strikes were fired both from carrier-based aircraft and Tomahawk cruise missiles. Strikes were reported in Sanaa, the capital of Yemen; Saada, a Houthi stronghold; Dhamar; and Al-Bayda.

The strikes are not over yet, and are expected to continue for several more days or even weeks.

There are unverified reports that a prominent Houthi leader was eliminated in one of the strikes.

The Houthis claim that they are already preparing for a major retaliation in response to the U.S. strikes. U.S. bases in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, and Iraq were put on high alert.

Syria:

At Israel’s invitations, the IDF escorted a group of 60 Syrian Druze clerics to visit Israel—for the first time since before the Yom Kippur war, 50 years ago. The Druze delegation traveled to Majdal Shams in Northern Israel, where they met Sheikh Mowafaq Tarif, the spiritual leader of Israel’s Druze community. They then visited the tomb of Nabi Shuaib, the most sacred Druze site.

While most Syrian Druze are in support of a relationship with Israel, there are groups of opposition, and some strong opposed the visit. The Druze have a historical precedent for remaining loyal to their host country. Since Israel is an enemy of the new Syrian regime as well, some Druze think its too dangerous to be outwardly conected to Israel.

Other:

Again: IDF forces identified a drone attempting to smuggle weapons from Egyptian territory, into Israel. The drone was shot down. Two riffles were found inside.

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