War Summary, Day 698: Hamas again touts fake offer to release all hostages, IDF prepares reservists and new equipment for battle in Gaza City, Houthis launch two missiles including cluster bomb, operation in Shechem, debates over Judea & Samaria annexation as Trump admin won’t object and UAE threatens end to Abraham Accords, and busy day in south Lebanon with at least 5 airstrikes plus ground operation.

By Mrs Bruria Efune

48 held captive in Gaza.
26 hostages confirmed murdered held in Gaza.
148 living hostages rescued.
59 hostage bodies rescued.
1,918 Israelis killed.
461 fallen soldiers and police in the battle in Gaza.
88 fallen soldiers in Northern Israel.
18 fallen soldiers and police in Judea & Samaria.
32,374 estimated projectiles fired at Israel.
1 Jewish nation united in prayer, charity, and good deeds.

Top Headlines

– Hamas again touts fake offer to release all hostages
– IDF preparing reservists, new equipment, for battle in Gaza City
– Hamas blocking evacuation, preparing terrorists
– Fourth head of the Mujahideen eliminated
– Aid flows into Gaza, including fuel
– International Association of Genocide Scholars resolution turns out to be a total sham
– IAEA warns that Iran may have enough enriched uranium for 10 nuclear bombs, if they aren’t supervised
– Houthis launch two missiles, including cluster bomb
– Operation in Shechem
– Debates over Judea & Samaria annexation: Trump admin won’t object, UAE threatens end to Abraham Accords
– Netanyahu blocks Macron visit to Israel
– Busy day in south Lebanon: at least 5 airstrikes, plus ground operation

Hostages

Once again: Hamas put out a statement that they’re ready to release all hostages in exchange for a ceasefire, and again, many fell for the claim.

However, the details governing a different story. Here’s what Hamas’s offer actually looks like:
– Half of the hostages released gradually over a six week phase, the rest released gradually in a second phase with a series of guarantees for a permanent ceasefire.
– The IDF withdraws completely from Gaza, including from the Philadelphi Corridor (the border between Gaza and Egypt), and the newly formed buffer zone (made to keep Hamas away from Israeli border towns).
– The release of thousands of terrorists from Israeli prison, including infamous killers.
– Open border crossings, including the Rafah crossing into Egypt, free of inspections.
– Construction supplies for Hamas to rebuild Gaza.

Caveats to this offer:
– There is no way to ensure that the second half of hostages are actually released, since the IDF will have fully withdrawn beforehand.
– Hamas remains armed and in full control of Gaza.
– Hamas can freely import weapons through Egypt.
– Hamas is given construction supplies, with which they can rebuild their vast tunnel network.
– Hamas gets senior terrorists returned, to help rebuild.
– The IDF will likely be unable to return to Gaza, until Hamas does something really bad. By then, most achievements in Gaza will be lost, and the IDF will face great losses all over again.

The response from the Prime Minister’s Office:

“Unfortunately, this is yet another spin by Hamas that contains nothing new.

The war can end immediately under the conditions set by the government cabinet:

1.⁠ ⁠Release of all the hostages.
2.⁠ ⁠Disarmament of Hamas from its weapons.
3.⁠ ⁠Demilitarization of the Gaza Strip.
4.⁠ ⁠Israeli security control in the Gaza Strip.
5.⁠ ⁠Establishment of an alternative civilian government that does not educate for terror, does not harm Israel.

Only these conditions will prevent Hamas from rearming and repeating the October 7th massacre again and again, as the promise to do.”

It seems that someone in Hamas’s propaganda arms knows how to continue Abu Obeida’s old tricks. In this case, Hamas is taking advantage of Israeli desperation to free the hostages, in order to sew discord and put domestic pressure on the Israeli government to withdraw from Gaza.

Hamas has also released threats and warnings that entering Gaza City will harm the hostages.

Gaza

IDF reservists are gradually arriving at their bases to begin training and preparation for upcoming operations.

As part of preparations, the IDF procured newer and more advanced weapons, including FPV drones for company commanders to use in battle. Over the last 20 months, soldiers have been increasingly using drones in battle, donated by supporters worldwide, and demonstrated the powerful advantage they bring to the war. The IDF’s higher-ups saw this, and worked through diplomatic and bureaucratic challenges to obtain a large number of drones for surveillance purposes. These still cover only some areas of need, and many gaps remain, but this is already a huge and welcome improvement.

Also part of preparations are repairs for a significant number of battle-weary tanks. This is an urgent operation, as there is now a shortage of tanks that are in good enough shape for operational use.

**

The IDF Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, told soldiers today that the second phase of Operation Gideon’s Chariots has begun. He expressed that the IDF will continue to strike at Hamas’s power centers until they are defeated, adding that Hamas is getting the sense that they are being pursued everywhere.

IDF troops are taking position at the outskirts of the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in Gaza City, and gave a final warning to civilians the southern section of the neighborhood.

Airstrikes are heavy tonight—all the way in Be’er Sheva we (whoever is awake at 4 am) hear loud explosions, and our windows are rattling.

Hundreds of thousands of Gazans have evacuated Gaza City, but a majority still remain. The IDF published a phone call between a Gazan and an IDF officer, in which the Gazan says that he wants to head south, but Hamas is blocking the way out of the city.

**

Hamas is also preparing for the IDF’s move into Gaza City. Hamas sent instructions videos to Hamas terrorists, with directions to:
– Blend in with civilians
– Hide weapons and food throughout their area of operation
– Avoid carrying cellphones or other technological devices
– Hide all traces after leaving areas of operation

**

The IDF reported that an airstrike in Nuseirat, central Gaza, last week eliminated Musab Salim Musab Daiya, the leader of the Al-Mujahideen terror group.

Daiya was involved in recruiting terrorists in Judea and Samaria and within Israel, who he directed to carry out terror attacks. Inside Gaza, he directed his terror group in attacks against the IDF, alongside Hamas.

The terrorist took the position as head of the Al-Mujahideen after the three previous leaders were eliminated in IDF airstrikes in recent months.

The Al-Mujahideen played a significant role in the October 7th massacre and kidnappings, infamously kidnapping and murdering Shiri Bibas and her children. The terror group is now disintegrating, and disappearing from the battlefields.

Humanitarian Aid

On September 2nd:

– Over 300 humanitarian aid trucks entered Gaza through the Kerem Shalom and Zikim crossings.
– Over 300 trucks were collected and distributed by the UN and international organizations. The contents of hundreds of trucks are still awaiting collection on the Gazan side of the crossings.
– An undisclosed number of tankers of UN fuel entered for the “operation of essential humanitarian systems.”
– Separately, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation distributed over 1.5 million meals for free.

Every day, the IDF’s COGAT division allows the UN to import tankers of fuel into Gaza. COGAT does not disclose how many tankers are allowed in, and only says that they are for the “operation of essential humanitarian systems.”

It’s unclear what the “essential humanitarian system” are, but we do know that almost all electricity in Gaza today comes from generators powered by fuel. Somehow everyone in Gaza seems to have a charged smartphone, and many thousands of cars are on the road, all running on fuel.

If civilians are easily getting fuel, then Hamas (who are embedded every hospital) for sure are.

Hamas’s tunnels are powered by generators running on fuel. Without it, the terrorists would be forced to emerge from the tunnels, and move the hostages to more breathable above-ground locations. Hamas also uses fuel to launch rockets, and for generators to charge their phones, computers, and cameras, all used to coordinate attacks against the IDF and create harmful propaganda.

The International Association of Genocide Scholars

On Monday, dozens of mainstream news outlets published articles touting that the “International Association of Genocide Scholars” declared that Israel’s actions in Gaza met the legal definition of genocide.

The New York Times, BBC, CNN, Washington Post, and many others all rushed to publish the headline without any due diligence.

But it turns out that the International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS) is mostly an online forum that anyone can sign up to for just $30. No credentials are needed, and no background checks are done.

Salo Aizenberg of Honest Reporting first uncovered this, and within minutes became a “Genocide Scholar.” After that, several others on X decided to test it out, and had fun signing up all kinds of accounts, including one named Hitler, which was approved with no challenge.

After proving that anyone can become an IAGC Genocide Scholar, Aizenberg found some more interesting facts:

– Of over 500 members, a large number have no credentials at all, including at least 80 members from Iraq.
– Before October 7th, the IAGS, which was established in 1994, only had around 150 members. Somehow the association had a disproportionate growth spurt in the last couple years.

Sara Brown, who is a member of the IAGS, and has a Ph.D. in genocide studies, spoke with Jewish Insider to criticize the IAGS’s resolution. Brown says that the resolution process was deeply flawed, and political. Some key points:

– Only 129 out of over 500 IAGS members voted as part of the resolution. Of them, 108 voted in favor, 18 opposed, and three abstained.
– All paid members had a right to vote.
– Contrary to usual processes, no “town hall” discussion was held. When Sara Brown and others tried to publish dissent, it was deleted.
– Also contrary to the usual: the resolution was passed anonymously.

In other words, for just $3,240, any anti-Israel organization could have signed up 108 fake Genocide Scholars, and voted for a resolution, which was then touted in every mainstream newspaper as proof that Israel is carrying out a genocide.

After being exposed by Aizenberg and Brown, the IAGC quickly closed the signup option on the website, hid all the scholar profiles, and removed the new accounts made today. (Thankfully the internet is forever, and all the pages were already archived and are still accessible with a little bit of sleuth.)

Iran

The IAEA director, Rafael Grossi, told Reuters that the negotiations with Iran must move quickly, since Iran is not allowing inspections, and still has a dangerous level of enriched uranium.

Grossi said that on the day of Israel’s attack, Iran had slightly more enriched uranium than previously thought. Iran had 440.9 kg, which was enriched to 60%—a short from the 90% needed for a weapon. The 440.9 kg would have been enough to create 10 nuclear bombs.

In other words, on the eve of Israel’s attack, Iran was a small step away from 10 nuclear bombs.

Now, Grossi says he isn’t sure where the uranium is, and how much of it is accessible to the Iranians. While Israel destroyed all of Iran’s capabilities to complete the enrichment, there’s currently no way to ensure that Iran doesn’t rebuild those capabilities. Especially not without UN sanctions in place.

Meanwhile: Iran is still facing a major water crisis.

Yemen

The Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen launched two missiles at Central Israel today; once in the morning as children were settling into school, and once at night as the kids were settling into bed. Sirens were activated both times across central Israel, sending millions to shelter.

The IDF intercepted both missiles. Following inspection, the IDF determined that the first missile was a cluster bomb, with a warhead that splits into smaller bombs midair, for maximum harm.

While the Houthis are in a panic, they are doing their best to get a word in. The Home Front Command asks Israelis not to be complacent about Houthi missiles, and to follow instructions and go to shelter. The IDF also asked that everyone be diligent and not pick up pieces of fallen shrapnel, since they can carry unexploded ordinances—especially in the case of cluster bombs.

Judea & Samaria

Israeli special forces operated in Shechem (Nablus) to arrest a wanted terrorist, and raid the building where he was operating. During the raid and arrest, another terrorist stood on a rooftop of a nearby building, and threw heavy bricks at the forces. The forces responded with gunfire, and eliminated him.

**

Israel’s government cabinet is continuing discussions over annexing parts of Judea and Samaria. This would, in part, be a response to countries led by France who intend to unilaterally recognize a Palestinian State at the upcoming UN General Assembly.

PM Netanyahu, ever the cautious one, is staying quiet, while assessing the response of international partners.

According to Axios, U.S. Secretary Of State Marco Rubio has signaled in private meetings that the Trump administration does not oppose annexation, and won’t stand in the way. At the same time, the UAE warned that annexation could unravel the Abraham Accords.

The UAE joined the Abraham Accords in 2020 with an agreement that Israel wouldn’t annex any part of Judea and Samaria for four years. While Israeli officials say that the agreement expired, UAE officials say annexation would violate “spirit” of the accords.

Meanwhile, Kan 11 reported that French President Macron wanted to make a surprise visit to Israel last week, but Netanyahu did not allow it—not unless he would retract his plan to recognize a Palestinian State.

Lebanon

It was a busy day in southern Lebanon. Here are some of the terror targets hit by the Air Force, due to violation of the ceasefire agreement:

– A site used for the production of means needed by Hezbollah to rebuild and advance terror plots.
– Hezbollah terrorist Abd al-Manaam Musa Suwaydan, who was responsible for the financial side of cooperation between village residents and Hezbollah. For example, Suwaydan rented sections of civilian homes to store missiles, combat equipment, and surveillance equipment.
– A terrorist from the “Lebanese Brigades” terror organization, which works with Hezbollah.
– A Hezbollah site used to store engineering tools, which were being used by Hezbollah to rebuild their terror infrastructure, and to advance terror plots.
– A Hezbollah rocket launcher.

In addition, troops of the IDF’s Mountain Brigade operated overnight in the Lebanese side of the Mount Dov area. The troops destroyed several positions that were previously used by Hezbollah.

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