War Summary, Day 585: Saudi Arabia submitted an end-of-war proposal which puts them in temporary control of Gaza, Muhammed Sinwar, leader of Hamas in Gaza, might have been eliminated in dramatic airstrikes, rockets over Ashkelon and Sderot, U.S. to end sanctions against Syria, and Trump calls Iran out as most destructive force in the Middle East.
By Mrs. Bruria Efune
58 held captive in Gaza.
35 hostages confirmed murdered held in Gaza.
148 living hostages rescued.
49 hostage bodies rescued.
1,838 Israelis killed.
422 fallen soldiers and police in the battle in Gaza.
88 fallen soldiers in Northern Israel.
18 fallen soldiers and police in Judea & Samaria.
30,725 estimated projectiles fired at Israel.
10,000 Israelis estimated remain displaced from their homes.
1 Jewish nation united in prayer, charity, and good deeds.
Top Headlines:
– Saudi Arabia submitted an end-of-war proposal, which puts them in temporary control of Gaza
– Muhammed Sinwar, leader of Hamas in Gaza, might have been eliminated, in dramatic airstrikes
– Rockets over Ashkelon and Sderot
– Notorious “journalist” terrorist eliminated in Gaza
– Netanyahu promised reservists that they will destroy Hamas
– Airstrikes in Lebanon
– U.S. to end sanctions against Syria
– Missiles from Yemen activate sirens from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem
– Trump calls Iran out as most destructive force in the Middle East
– Saudis sign $142 billion defense sales agreement with the U.S.
– Evidence revealed: ICC prosecutor only wanted to turn the world against Israel
Hostages:
Edan Alexander is recovering in the hospital, surrounded by his close family and friends. His family says that he will not be flying to Qatar, explaining that “his medical condition requires him to rest. He will meet with President Trump at a a later date in the U.S.”
An Axios report outlined some details of the negotiations that brought about Edan’s release:
– In an effort to influence U.S. President Trump, Hamas reached out to Bishara Bahbah, a Palestinian-American businessman who helped Trump make inroads with Arab voters in 2024.
– Bahbah spoke directly with Hamas chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya.
– Bahbah and Witkoff (Trump’s MidEast envoy), with the help of Qatar, convinced Hamas that releasing – – – Edan Alexander for free would carry a lot of weight with Trump.
– According to a Hamas official, the Trump administration told Hamas that of they freed Edan, then Trump would push for a deal with a longer ceasefire (up to 90 days, instead of 40), in exchange for just 10 hostages.
– The Hamas official also says that a new proposal would have negotiations for a second phase during the ceasefire of the first phase, and the ceasefire would last as long as negotiations continue.
– The U.S. hasn’t confirmed any of these details.
– The U.S. did not tell Israel about the negotiations, instead, Israel four out through its own intelligence sources.
– When Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer brought it up with Witkoff, Witkoff confirmed, but made it clear that Israel would not be made to give Hamas anything in return for Edan’s release.
– Sources in Netanyahu’s office insist that Trump is not pressuring Israel to end the war or cancel the expanded operational plans in Gaza. Most Israeli officials believe that the chances of a deal now are slim, since Hamas is still insisting on their continued survival as an armed power in Gaza.
– Netanyahu told Witkoff on Monday that he had four days to try and bring about a deal, and then Operation Gideon’s Chariot would begin.
Meanwhile this evening, Jacob Bardugo of Israel’s Channel 14 reported that Saudi Arabia presented the U.S. with a new proposal to end the war in Gaza, perhaps as a “Phase Two” of a hostage-ceasefire deal. The proposal has a coalition of moderate Arab countries take control of Gaza. The countries are: Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Morocco, and maybe Egypt. Qatar is not included.
The initiative is being made in coordination with the Palestinian Authority (PA), but they will not be practically involved. Instead, the Saudis want the PA to invite them to take control of Gaza, so that it won’t be viewed as a foreign occupation.
Hamas would be completely disarmed, and its leaders exiled from Gaza. They would play no role in the civil administration of Gaza.
The Arab coalition countries would establish a temporary governing mechanism in Gaza for a period of ten years, during which they would rebuild the strip, and rehabilitate the population with a more healthy mindset. By the end of the ten years, a new “Palestinian entity” would be established, that would not pose a danger to Israel, and would commit to preventing incitement—neither in mosques or in schools.
Netanyahu’s office has already received the main points of the proposal, but has not yet given a response. In recent days, Trump has hinted optimism about such a plan taking form.
It is unknown if the Saudis are demanding that Israel recognize a Palestinian State, and a path two a Two-State, as part of the agreement.
In reports from nearly a year ago, Netanyahu had tried to get the UAE and even Saudis to take control of Gaza, but the countries refused, since it would be a risk to their own security both domestically and within Gaza. Something significant must have changed, or be expected to happen, in order for them to take such a significant turn. This is a very preliminary report, expect there to be important details which have not yet been revealed.
For even more drama: In the next section you’ll read that the IDF may have eliminated Hamas’s leader in Gaza: Muhammed Sinwar. This could mean two opposites in regard to negotiations:
- Sinwar was the most stubborn in negotiations, insisting on Hamas’s continued rule of Gaza. With him out, a deal might have bigger chances of being made.
- With no clear leader in Gaza, there is no one to negotiate. It could take at least a few days until a consensus within Gaza is made, and by then, the given window will be closed, and the expanded operation will already begin.
Gaza:
Thank G-d, no fallen or injured heroes today!
Hamas fired three rockets at Israel today, activating sirens in the Ashkelon and Sderot areas. One landed in an empty area, and two were intercepted. No physical injuries were reported.
Following the rockets, the IDF issued an evacuation warning for the extended Jabalia area in Northern Gaza, from where the rockets were launched. Significant airstrikes soon followed.
The rockets were launched in response to Israeli airstrikes that may have eliminated Hamas’s de-facto leader in Gaza: Muhammed Sinwar. Muhammed Sinwar had first taken over military command when Muhammed Deif was eliminated, and then took full control when his older brother Yahya Sinwar was eliminated.
Around 6:40 p.m., the IDF suddenly carried out many extremely heavy airstrikes targeting tunnels underneath the European Hospital in Khan Younis (mostly under an empty wing of the hospital). The strikes used several heavy bunker-buster bombs, which destroyed the entrances to very deep tunnels under the hospital. The IDF announced that the tunnels under the hospital were being used by Hamas as a command and control center.
The strikes were designed to destroy the tunnels and trap whoever may be inside. After the initial strikes, the IDF continued attacks to prevent any rescue forces from nearing, in a similar method as to when Dief and Nasrallah were eliminated. Whoever was not eliminated in the initial strikes, would have eventually be killed from suffocation.
The strikes were a sudden operation, due to new intelligence that had to be acted on fast. Israel did not warn the U.S. ahead of the strike, since there was simply no time. Israel’s intelligence indicated that there were no hostages in the tunnel at the time of the strike, but there were several key Hamas officials. The IDF previously avoided this area of Khan Younis, and did not operate in it at all, due to suspicion that hostages were being held there.
The IDF has still not confirmed the elimination of Muhammed Sinwar, but chances are very high.
Earlier, in an overnight attack (Monday-Tuesday), the IDF struck Hamas tunnels under the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, where key terrorists were known to be operating and planning attacks against Israel.
Amongst the terrorists eliminated under the Nasser hospital, was Hassan Abdel Fattah Muhammad Eslaiah, notorious for posing as a journalist, even throughout his participation in the October 7th massacre, in Kibbutz Nir Oz. Eslaiah was working as a freelancer for the Associated Press, who actually paid for and published his photos from that day.
Meanwhile, though all the chaos, the IDF is still preparing troops to move ahead with Operation Gideon’s Chariots.
In a personal meeting with IDF reservists today, Prime Minister Netanyahu promised that in the coming days, Israel will enter Gaza in full force, and complete the job of destroying Hamas. He added that if Hamas agrees to release hostages, there will be a pause to take them, and then the war will continue. Netanyahu emphasized that Hamas will no longer exist in Gaza.
Netanyahu also said that half of the Gazan population is desperate to leave, but no countries are opening up to them.
Lebanon:
Israeli Air Strikes struck and eliminated two Hezbollah terrorists who were operating in Southern Lebanon. One in the Beaufort Ridge area, and one in the Houla area.
Syria:
During a speech in Saudi Arabia today, U.S. President Trump announced that he will end sanctions on Syria. Trump is expected to meet Syrian president Ahmad al-Sharaa (aka, al-Julani) in Riyadh on Wednesday.
Jonathan Schanzer Executive Director of the Federation for the Defense of Democracies, and a Former U.S. Treasury terror finance analyst, gave his quick assessment on this decision, in three points:
- It was too early. Not enough known.
- If things go badly, today paved the way for a Muslim Brotherhood-Sunni jihad state in the heart of the Levant.
- If things go well, Saudi just pulled Syria out of the clutches of Turkey.
Israel’s policy has been to approach the new regime (made of former Al Queda terrorists) with suspicion, and work to prevent militias from nearing Israel’s borders. At the same time, Israel was quietly holding indirect negotiations with the regime.
Yemen:
The Houthis in Yemen launched a ballistic missile towards Israel today. Sirens were activated across Central Israel, in the Tel Aviv and Jerusalem areas. Thank G-d, the missile was successfully intercepted.
Iran:
Although Trump has been touting positive negotiations with Iran, today in his speech in Saudi Arabia, he took a jab at them, telling his audience: “Our task is to unify against the few agents of chaos and terror that are left… the biggest and most destructive of these forces is the regime in Iran.”
Other:
Saudi Arabia signed a $142 billion defense sales agreement with the U.S., as part of a strategic economic partnership which includes $600 billion in Saudi investments in various U.S. sectors. This raises several security concerns for Israel.
A senior Western diplomat with firsthand knowledge of the ICC case against Israel told The Jerusalem Post that Karim Khan, that the arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant were issued for political reasons. The diplomat quoted the ICC prosecutor, Karim Khan, telling him: “You just wait and see. If I apply for warrants against Netanyahu, this would give countries like Germany and Canada the excuse they need to turn against the Israeli government.”
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