War Summary, Day 590: Operation Gideon’s Chariots has begun, heavy airstrikes throughout Gaza, Israel back to allowing humanitarian aid delivery, Israel strikes Yemen for the 8th time, terrorist who murdered Tzeela Gez HYD might have been eliminated, and Trump team makes it clear that Iran won’t be allowed to enrich any uranium.

By Mrs. Bruria Efune

58 held captive in Gaza.
35 hostages confirmed murdered held in Gaza.
148 living hostages rescued.
49 hostage bodies rescued.
1,840 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:

– Hostage negotiations still ongoing, U.S. reportedly pushing for a compromise
– Operation Gideon’s Chariots has begun
– Heavy airstrikes throughout Gaza
– IDF entering from three sides
– Top eliminations seem confirmed
– Israel to allow humanitarian aid delivery already a week before the new mechanism is set up
– Israel strikes Yemen for the 8th time
– Yemen launches a drone and a missile at Israel, threatens more
– Trump team makes it clear: Iran won’t be allowed to enrich any uranium
– Iran not cool with that, talks may collapse
– Terrorist who murdered Tzeela Gez HYD might have been eliminated
– Police officer stabbed in Jerusalem Old City
– Terrorist arrests throughout Judea and Samaria

Hostages:

Israel’s negotiation team is still in Qatar, continuing negotiations.

Hamas is reportedly more desperate for a deal, and (reportedly) showing more flexibility, but is still demanding a lasting ceasefire and full IDF withdrawal—including from the expanded Philadelphi Corridor, and is refusing to disarm.

While Israel’s team claims to be sticking to the Witkoff framework (which releases 10 living hostages for a 45-day ceasefire and over 300 terrorists), they are also showing more flexibility. There are reports that Israel is considering allowing a longer ceasefire of up to two months, in exchange for just 7-8 hostages. Israel may also agree to end the war in exchange for the remaining hostages, if Hamas agrees to disarm and the leadership is exiled from Gaza.

The U.S. appears to be pushing a compromise, in which Hamas can gradually disarm over a period of time. These compromises allow Hamas to see a way out of the deal, expecting that over time nothing will be enforced anyway.

While Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is playing tough, and insisting that negotiations only happen under fire, he is also going to extremes to try and negotiate a deal to free more hostages. He already delayed the “full war” plans to defeat Hamas by three months in hopes that a deal would be made. Now he is still holding back complete action for a few days in case something new can come through.

The UAE Foreign Minister, Abdullah bin Zayed, agrees with Israel, and says that in order for the war to end, Hamas must release the hostages and leave Gaza.

Gaza:

Thank God, no fallen heroes were announced, despite heavy action!

Late Sunday afternoon, Hamas fired two rockets towards Kibbutz Kissufim, which is on the border near Khan Younis. One was intercepted, and one landed in an open area. The IDF then issued evacuation orders for the neighborhood of launch site in Khan Younis, and followed with airstrikes.

The IDF announced that Operation Gideon’s Chariots has begun.

(The name likely comes from Gideon, mentioned in Sefer Shoftim [Judges 6-8], who led a small army of just 300 brave and righteous men against a massive Midianite army which had been raiding and terrorizing Israel. Gideon’s army won a miraculous victory through Divine intervention, which caused the enemy panic and confusion.)

Addressing the soldiers, Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, stressed the operation’s goal to defeat Hamas everywhere, so that there will be no going back to October 7th. He stated that there are two main goals: returning the hostages, and completely defeating Hamas. The war, Zamir said, will be carried out in a way that will allow the political echelon the flexibility to advance a deal at any moment.

Over the last week, in preparation for the launch of Gideon’s Chariots, the IDF struck over 670 Hamas targets throughout Gaza. Beginning early Friday morning, two additional divisions entered Gaza, bringing the total to five active IDF divisions in Gaza.

The IDF did not announce where the forces entered on ground, and in general won’t be announcing much of it, in order to keep Hamas out of the loop. Reports from Gazans have the IDF advancing from at least three positions—in the north of the strip in the Jabaliya area; from eastern Khan Younis; and towards Nuseirat, in Deir al-Balah, Central Gaza where the IDF has not operated before. In other words, the IDF is coming in from the north, center, and south, all at once.

Hundreds of terrorists were eliminated in the last few days, with a few top hits. These were reported by media in Gaza, not yet confirmed by the IDF:

• Muhammed Sinwar: While not yet officially verified by the IDF, Saudi media reported that his body was found in the tunnel he was targeted in on the Tuesday airstrike. Sinwar became the de facto leader of Hamas in Gaza, after his brother Yahya was eliminated.
• Rafah Brigade commander, Muhammad Shabana, was eliminated alongside Sinwar.
• Ten of Muhammad Sinwar’s aids were eliminated with him
• Zakaria Sinwar, the third brother, was eliminated while hiding in a humanitarian zone in Nuseirat, Central Gaza.
• Hamas’s central Khan Younis commander, Mahdi Kawareh.

After almost all of Hamas’s leadership in Gaza has been eliminated, the lone top leader remaining is the Gaza Brigade commander, Izz al-Din Haddad. He will likely be succeeding Sinwar.

In Northern Gaza, IDF troops destroyed a strategic Hamas tunnel route, which was over 2 kilometers long.

The biggest challenge that troops are facing in Gaza, is booby traps, almost everywhere. The soldiers need to use drones to search every area and alleyway before they enter, in order to avoid explosive traps. (We are hearing stories of drones saving IDF lives daily, and of soldiers borrowing drones from other units since there’s not enough. We’re now focusing efforts primarily on fundraising for FPV drones, and aiming to equip front-line units so that every team of 20 soldiers has their own drone.)

Humanitarian Aid:

On Sunday evening, PM Netanyahu announced that Israel will allow humanitarian aid to be delivered in Gaza. The statement, released by his office, says that this is in order to avoid a hunger crisis in Gaza, which could endanger the ongoing operation. He emphasized that only the basic aid needed would be allowed in, and that the IDF would act (somehow?) to prevent Hamas from getting it.

For the next week only, the aid will be delivered by the UN World Food Program, World Central Kitchen, and other organizations who had previously been operating in Gaza (and all of which were previously found to have Hamas employees).

After that, Israel will begin with the new food program, in which aid will only be distributed within vetted humanitarian zones. The aid will be delivered by hired U.S. security professionals, who have already arrived in Israel to prepare.

While there is still plenty food in Gaza, definitely enough to last a week, Hamas is doing a great job at convincing the world that Gazans are starving. PM Netanyahu may be worried that could lead to international pressure on Israel to stop the war prematurely. He therefore would have calculated that its worthwhile to let food in for now, so that the IDF can act without threats.

Yemen:

On Friday, the IDF attacks the Houthis in Yemen for the 8th time. Fifteen fighter jets dropped over 30 munitions on the ports of Hodeidah and Al-Salif in Yemen, both used by the Houthis to import weapons.

At 2 a.m., early Sunday morning, sirens were activated in the extended area around Tel Aviv—from Netanya up north, down to Rechovot in the lowlands. One ballistic missile was launched by the Houthis in Yemen, and it was successfully intercepted. Thank G-d, no reports of injuries.

Around 3:30 a.m. on Shabbat, the Air Force intercepted an attack drone launched by the Houthis. No sirens were activated, since the drone was intercepted before it became an imminent threat.

The Houthis issued a graphic with some kind of threat today, but used a very bad translator, making it almost comedic. Either way, it’s clear they intend to continue firing missiles at Israel for now.

Iran:

U.S. President Trump’s team, including Steve Witkoff, finally made it clear that Iran will not be allowed to enrich any uranium at all.

Iran’s Foreign Minister and lead negotiator, Abbas Araqchi, said: “The uranium enrichment process will continue. If Washington’s demands are unrealistic, then it is clear that we will not reach an agreement.”

The U.S. already delivered a deal proposal to Iran, and is awaiting answers. Trump stressed that time is running out.

Judea & Samaria:

The IDF arrested several suspects in connection to the murder of Tzeela Gez HYD. During the arrest of a suspect in Borkin, a terrorist ran towards the IDF soldiers while shouting “allahu akbar!” The terrorist was holding a bag which was suspected to be an explosive, and so the soldiers fired and eliminated him. No soldiers were harmed. The IDF is investigating whether the eliminated terrorist might have been the same one who murdered Tzeela.

Last night, 15 wanted terrorists were arrested in raids throughout Judea and Samaria, and a large number of weapons and ammunition were confiscated.

At night after Shabbat, a group of terrorists threw large stones at Israeli vehicles driving along a major traffic route in Samaria. The IDF fired towards them, injuring two, and eliminating one.

On Friday, a terrorist stabbed a young Israeli police officer in the Old City of Jerusalem. The officer suffered moderate injures. The terrorist was neutralized.

Lebanon:

On Shabbat, an IAF airstrike eliminated a Hezbollah commander in Southern Lebanon who was attempting to rebuild local Hezbollah infrastructure.

Other:

There are talks that Libya might accept a million Gazans (but will Gazans agree to go there?)

Slowing down the Gaza migration policy: Israeli bureaucracy. COGAT (Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories) security rules only allow a maximum of 400 Gazans to leave via Israel per day, for security reasons. The Shin Bet is also posing restrictions, and other red tape issues are making the migration plan difficult to carry out.

The Wall Street Journal reported on a number of documents obtained from Hamas, which demonstrate that the October 7th attack which had long been in preparation, was launched in order to stop Saudi Arabia from normalizing with Israel.

Sponsored anonymously. May all of the hostages be safely returned—In honor of the Bas Mitzvah of Sima Cohen, daughter of Lazer & Mookie.

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