War Summary, Day 655: Witkoff preparing to close a hostage deal, soldiers advance in Deir al-Balah, Hamas is allowing 950 trucks of aid to wait and rot, hints of future attacks on Iran, Houthi drone and missile intercepted, IDF attacks Houthi targets, many terrorists arrested and attacks prevented in Judea & Samaria, weapons smugglers detained near Syrian border, and Indian-Gulf-Israeli global trade route to rival China.

By Mrs. Bruria Efune

50 held captive in Gaza.
28 hostages confirmed murdered held in Gaza.
148 living hostages rescued.
57 hostage bodies rescued.
1,912 Israelis killed.
456 fallen soldiers and police in the battle in Gaza.
88 fallen soldiers in Northern Israel.
18 fallen soldiers and police in Judea & Samaria.
32,355 estimated projectiles fired at Israel.
1 Jewish nation united in prayer, charity, and good deeds.

Top Headlines:

– Witkoff preparing to close a deal
– Advances in Deir al-Balah
– Hamas is creating a famine-950 trucks of aid waiting and rotting
– Hints of future attacks on Iran
– Houthi drone and missile intercepted
– IDF attacks Houthi targets
– Many terrorists arrested and attacks prevented in Judea & Samaria
– Weapons smugglers detained near Syrian border.
– Indian-Gulf-Israeli global trade route to rival China

Hostages:

According to multiple reports, U.S. Envoy Steve Witkoff is soon heading to the region aiming to close a hostage-ceasefire deal.

Israel Hayom reports that the main issue is still the withdrawal lines. Hamas wants the IDF to vacate all positions in Gaza, except for a thin strip of just 800 meters along the border. Israel has already conceded on this significantly, but needs more than 800 meters to be able to protect Israeli border towns.

The issue of “humanitarian aid” might have been solved, with an agreed humanitarian corridor.

When it comes to terrorists, Israel is ready to release 125 terrorists who are serving life sentences for murder, and 1,100 terrorists who were arrested after October 7th.

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The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) claims to have lost contact with the terror cell who are holding Rom Braslavski hostage. In the past, Hamas falsely claimed the same about Edan Alexander, and also falsely claimed that Daniella Gilboa was murdered. This is typically a psychological warfare tactic meant to pressure Israel into a ceasefire agreement.

Gaza:

In the last two days, the IDF announced the names of two heroes who fell in Gaza:

Staff Sgt. Amit Cohen, 19, from Holon
Sgt. Maj. Vladimir Loza, 36, from Ashkelon

In the last 24 hours there’s been just “dozens” of airstrikes in Gaza—a decrease from recent days. The airstrikes were all to assist troops on ground, and targets included terrorists, booby-trapped buildings, anti-tank missile launch positions, combat tunnels, and other terror infrastructure.

Division 98 is operating in the Shejaya and Zeitoun areas of Gaza City, where they have eliminated dozens of terrorists and destroyed Hamas infrastructure—including tunnels and rocket launch sites.

Division 162 appears to be in the Jabalia area and Beit Hanoun.

Division 99 is operating in Beit Hanoun, and in Central Gaza. Most of Beit Hanoun has been cleared, with a small pocket in the west side remaining. While the IDF hasn’t specified, there are reports that troops of the division are advancing into Deir al-Balah.

Division 36 is operating in Khan Younis, where they haven’t been advancing much in the last week, but are instead focused on destroying Hamas infrastructure in the ground they’ve already gained, so that there’s nothing for the terrorists to return to.

The Gaza Division (143) are operating in Rafah and the buffer zone. During operations in Rafah today, three combat engineering soldiers were injured—two seriously, and one moderately.

Humanitarian Aid:

Hamas has been running a massive “hunger campaign,” with reports all over the media claiming that Israel is starving Gazans. The IDF’s COGAT Division released an extensive statement explaining that a significant amount of aid is being delivered to Gaza, but the UN organizations are failing to even pick it up to distribute.

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) says that they’ve been doing their best, and are distributing over 2 million meals daily. The GHF wants to expand their program in order to reach all of Gaza, and sends a daily request to UN organizations to partner up—but the UN continues to refuse and boycott them.

The IDF is still transferring aid to Gaza specifically for UN aid organization to distribute. In recent days, nearly 4,500 trucks of aid entered Gaza, carrying flour for bakeries, 2,500 tons of baby food, and other high calorie foods.

Currently, the contents of around 950 humanitarian aid trucks are awaiting collection on the Gaza side of the Kerem Shalom (south) and Zikim (north) crossings. But UN organizations in Gaza are failing to pick them up. The UN is supposed to pick up and distribute between 70-80 trucks per day, but in practice, is only picking up 30.

An IDF official told the Times of Israel that the food sitting and waiting is enough to feed all of Gaza for two and a half weeks. According to IDF assessments based on previous deliveries and the work of the GHF, there should still be enough food in Gaza for everyone to eat, but if the UN continues as is, that will change.

The UN claims that the IDF makes conditions too difficult to pick up the trucks. The IDF says that the conditions that the UN are failing to accept is 1. The IDF will not allow the UN organizations to use Hamas security escorts for the trucks, and 2. The IDF isn’t allowing the UN workers to bring in a new communication system for the truck drivers, out of concerns that the system will end up in Hamas’s hands.

A senior IDF source told me that the UN organizations in Gaza only operate with Hamas’s permission, and bring the aid to wherever Hamas allows/tells them to. If the aid isn’t being distributed, it’s because Hamas doesn’t want it to be.

IDF officials believe that Hamas is intentionally working to manufacture a famine in Gaza, in order to put international pressure on Israel to agree to a ceasefire. This appears to be working: On Monday, 28 countries including the UK, Japan, and Canada, issues a joint statement demanding that Israel accept a ceasefire and end the war in order to stop the “famine.” The statement put all the pressure on Israel, without including a condition that Hamas disarm or release the hostages.

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Hamas is also working to get the GHF shut down, and discourage Gazans from going to their aid distribution sites. Their main method is to convince everyone that Israel is shooting at people who go to GHF sites.

Again and again, the IDF and GHF have proven that this is not true, and that it’s only Hamas shooting at civilians.

Iran:

Iran International reports that Iranian scientist, Mohammad Reza Sadighi, who was eliminated just 3 hours before the war ended, was the one responsible for the final stage of bomb production. The paper describes him as having been “Iran’s hope for acquiring a nuclear bomb.”

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In an assessment of all war fronts today, IDF Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said that the IDF “will continue to maintain air superiority and continue the intelligence effort.” He later added, “Iran and the axis before our eyes—the campaign against Iran is not over.”

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According to a report in i24 News, U.S. President Trump has recently said that the U.S. will stop trying to persuade Iran to come to talks abut their nuclear program. “If they want, let them come,” Trump said.

Trump also recently threatened that the U.S. would attack the Iranian nuclear facilities again if necessary.

Yemen:

On Tuesday, Israel’s Air Force intercepted an attack drone launched by the Houthis in Yemen. On Wednesday, a ballistic missile was intercepted, after waking up all of Central Israel with sirens at 5 am.

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On Tuesday the IDF struck military targets of the Houthi terror regime in Yemen’s port of Hodeidah, destroying engineering tools, fuel tanks, vessels, and other infrastructure used for terror activities against Israel and international shipping. The port, repeatedly used to transfer Iranian weapons and conduct hostile operations, has been attacked multiple times due to its military exploitation. The IDF identified renewed Houthi efforts to restore this infrastructure and responded accordingly.

Judea & Samaria:

On Tuesday, 16 wanted terrorists were arrested in counterterrorism operations throughout Judea and Samaria. Among them:

In Bethlehem, Israeli security forces arrested a terror cell that was planning to carry out an attack.
In the Hebron area, forces arrested four wanted terrorists and seized a handgun and terror funds.
In the village of Amjun in Samaria, the forces seized an M16 rifle and additional combat equipment.

On Wednesday, forces operated in the Gush Etzion area. They confiscated 20 pipe bombs that were ready for use, and arrested the terrorists who were in possession of the bombs.

Special forces operated in the village of Tzurif to arrest four suspects involved in attacking Israeli civilians and setting fire to property near Beit Ayin.

In Tubas, forces arrested two terrorists who planned to harm civilians and security forces using bombs. Combat equipment was confiscated.

Not far from Jerusalem, IDF forces arrested two terrorists, and popular terror activists suspected of trading weapons and throwing stones.

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Allegations surfaced earlier this week, claiming that Israeli “settlers” set fire to a historic church in the town of Taybeh. This proved to be entirely false, as seen in footage released by the Israeli police, which shows the church to be untouched by fire.

Lebanon:

On Tuesday and IAF strike eliminated a Hezbollah terrorist in southern Lebanon who was attempting to restore terror infrastructure in the Bint Jbeil sector.
tuesday:

Syria:

Overnight on Tuesday, IDF forces from Division 210 and Unit 504 carried out an operation in southern Syria, arresting and interrogating arms dealers suspected of smuggling weapons. The operation was based on intelligence reports, and weapons were also confiscated at the scene.

Other:

Channel 14 reported on a major global economic plan in development, led by U.S. President Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, Indian PM Narendra Modi, Saudi Crown Prince bin Salman, UAE President bin Zayed, and others. Netanyahu has been hinting at a transformative “big plan” with global impact, which is now revealed as a strategic response to China’s Belt and Road Initiative—an ambitious infrastructure project that has given China a major trade advantage by investing over a trillion dollars globally.

The new plan envisions building a vast transportation and energy corridor from India and the Far East, through the Middle East, to Europe and the U.S., with Israel playing a central role due to its geographic location. It aims to connect ports, railways, highways, and energy grids, forming a strong economic and diplomatic alliance that counters China’s growing influence. A key component also includes joint efforts in artificial intelligence, with the goal of surpassing China in the race toward artificial general intelligence (AGI).

However, unless Israel ends the war in Gaza, Gulf nations like Saudi Arabia won’t commit their funding or participation. This may be one of the reasons why Netanyahu is so inclined to a ceasefire.

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