Overview
President Biden addressed the American public Friday evening, calling for the end of the war and for Israel and Hamas to accept the latest 3 stage ceasefire proposal. Biden said that Hamas no longer is a serious threat as it cannot carry out an October 7th style attack “at this point”.
The New York Times reported that in the attack on the Tel Sultan camp, Israel used a GBU-39 bomb, at the request of the US, to minimize civilian casualties.
Next week, representatives from Israel, the US, and Egypt are expected to meet in Cairo to discuss the future of the Philadelphi Corridor and the opening of the Rafah crossing.
The IDF has taken control of the Philadelphi Corridor, achieving ‘operational control’. The remaining task is to capture the last 30% of the route approximately 3.5 kilometers.
IDF discovered more than 20 tunnels and 100 tunnel shafts along the Philadelphi Corridor.
The brigade operation in the Sabra neighborhood in Gaza City has expanded into a full divisional operation.
Division 98 has completely withdrawn from Jabalia, where over 500 terrorists were eliminated, hundreds of terrorist infrastructures were destroyed, 7 hostage bodies retrieved, and a total of 12 kilometers of tunnel routes were uncovered and destroyed (including two attack tunnels located a few hundred meters from the fence).
In the Tulkarm area, 17 illegal aliens climbed over the fence and crossed into Israeli territory, all of whom were caught on the spot.
Palestinian shooting attacks targeting residential communities have expanded to include Nablus attacking neighboring Jewish communities; Jenin targeting communities in the Jezreel Valley, and from Tulkarm towards communities in the Sharon region, including Bat Hefer.
An extensive network of terrorist infrastructure aiming to target Israeli-associated sites and assets in Europe has been exposed. Under the sponsorship and direction of the Iranian regime, criminal organizations in Europe are promoting terrorist attacks against Jews and Israeli embassies worldwide.
International
The Danish parliament rejected a proposal to recognize a Palestinian state, backing the government’s view that the necessary conditions were not in place.
Mexico joined South Africa’s lawsuit against Israel in the International Court of Justice in The Hague. Violent protests which included Molotov cocktails thrown at the Israeli embassy in Mexico City took place, following the incident in Rafah.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that “the US opposes imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court in The Hague following the prosecutor’s request to issue arrest warrants for Israeli leaders.” Last week, Blinken told senators that he “is willing to work with Congress on an appropriate response to the prosecutor’s request.”
France bans Israel from participating in a major arms exhibition. France canceled the participation of Israeli defense companies in the Eurosatory 2024 arms exhibition, scheduled to be held in Paris next June. According to the French agency, no less than 74 Israeli companies were supposed to participate in the exhibition.
The Arab-Chinese conference began in Beijing, with the participation of Arab leaders. Bahrain’s official news agency reported that Bahrain is attempting to restore diplomatic relations with Iran.
The UK, France and Germany released statements supporting Biden’s speech calling for the end of the war.
Gaza Strip
Diplomatic
Biden’s Speech- Analysis
US President Joe Biden made a speech on Friday evening, calling for the end of the war and for Israel and Hamas to accept the latest 3 stage ceasefire proposal. Biden mentioned that Israel had agreed to it. Biden said that Hamas is no longer a serious threat to Israel and claimed that it cannot carry out an October 7th style attack “at this point”, without suggesting how such a capacity will be prevented in the future. Biden made these statements as Hamas fighters have renewed shooting rockets at Israeli communities in the South and the IDF is still fighting Hamas in Jabalia and Rafah. Biden also said that the 6-week ceasefire would be sponsored by Qatar, and Egypt which is an assurance that Hamas would comply with the conditions. Biden took a swing at Netanyahu’s “total victory” saying that it is vague and will bog down Israel’s troops in Gaza for a long time which would increase Israel’s diplomatic isolation and hurt its economy. Biden blamed “radicals” in the Israeli government (in high probability referring to ministers Smotrich and Ben Gvir) for wanting to prolong the war and continue it indefinitely and to fulfill their plans of occupying and resetteling Gaza in the long term.
The speech was made Saturday in Israel, meaning that Jews who observe the Sabbath and government members could not respond to the speech in real time. The Prime Minister’s Office released a statement on Saturday in English, an exceptional occurrence, which read:
“Israel’s conditions for ending the war have not changed: The destruction of Hamas military and governing capabilities, the freeing of all hostages and ensuring that Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel”. The statement continues, “The notion that Israel will agree to a permanent ceasefire before these conditions are fulfilled is a non-starter”.
This statement was released after an initial statement which reiterated Israel’s desire to return the hostages as soon as possible, “The Prime Minister authorized the negotiating team to present a proposal to that end, which would also enable Israel to continue the war until all its objectives are achieved, including the destruction of Hamas’s military and governing capabilities.
The actual proposal put forward by Israel, including the conditional transition from one phase to the next, allows Israel to uphold these principles.”
The speech was intended not only for the American and international audiences, but also to the counter anti-government protestors. The President urged Israeli citizens to pressure the government to reach a ceasefire (even if Israel’s conditions for ending the war are not met). This was a clear reference to the anti-government protests which have prioritized a deal with Hamas irrespective of the costs. The speech was immediately congratulated by Israel’s Left, and the counter government protest leaders.
Other observations:
Netanyahu received a formal invitation to address a joint session of both Houses of Congress on Saturday after the speech. The invitation was meant to create the political setting and political atmosphere in which Netanyahu could speak in Congress, while pressuring him not to directly clash with Biden. Netanyahu’s office issued a statement confirming the invitation, noting that Netnayahu will be the first foreign leader ever to address a joint session of Congress four times.
This speech was given shortly after minister Benny Gantz’s ultimatum speech with the apparent appearance of some form of coordination between Gantz and other opposition leaders with the Biden Administration.
Hamas’ Response to the Speech
Hamas released a statement saying that they viewed Biden’s speech positively: “Hamas confirms its readiness to deal positively and in a constructive manner with any proposal that is based on the permanent ceasefire and the full withdrawal [of Israeli forces] from the Gaza Strip, the reconstruction [of Gaza], and the return of the displaced to their places, along with the fulfilment of a genuine prisoner swap deal if the occupation clearly announces commitment to such deal”.
As Hamas sees Biden turning the heat towards Israel, it only discourages them from negotiating from the position of weakness that they are in on the battlefield, but instead from a position of strength bolstered by the President of the United States as they believe they could get a better deal through the application of American pressure.
“Hamas sees Biden’s position now more focused on pressuring Israel to return to negotiations with a different attitude, or they (Israel) could risk clashing with the Americans,” a Palestinian official close to the mediation efforts told Reuters.
Hamas has not budged from its principles for ending the war which include its survival both as a military organization and as governing entity, the withdrawal of the IDF from Gaza and free passage of Gazans in all of the strip. In other words, Hamas’ conditions are the undoing of all of Israel’s military achievements and return to the Pre-October 7th situation where Hamas would rearm in order to carry out more October 7th style attacks in the future.
By pressuring Israel, Biden is not only harming Israel and American allies, but undermines other moderate forces that could replace Hamas from playing a constructive role in the region. These forces cannot begin to present a viable alternative to Hamas if Hamas is seen as likely to survive, and is supported by ‘the west’.
Next week, representatives from Israel, the US, and Egypt are expected to meet in Cairo to discuss the future of the Philadelphi Corridor and the opening of the Rafah crossing. Egypt continues to demand Israel’s withdrawal from the crossing and the entire route to allow the entry of humanitarian aid, while Israel insists on remaining in control of the area that they have just liberated from Hamas control. Egypt has prevented humanitarian aid from going into Gaza as long as Israel controls the Rafah crossing. Biden has expressed a desire to build an underground wall to prevent any smuggling or future tunnel construction. Biden also wants to maintain the delicate peace between Israel and Egypt and for Egypt to play an active role in the reconstruction and management of the Gaza Strip post-conflict.Defense Minister Yoav Gallant had a phone conversation with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. Gallant emphasized the importance of finishing the operation in Rafah, noting that there are many hostages in the area. Austin stressed the importance of opening the Rafah crossing for humanitarian aid, noting that since its capture on May 7th , there has been a 67% reduction in aid entering the Gaza Strip. It is important to highlight that Egypt is refusing to allow trucks through the crossing, and is therefore responsible for the decrease in humanitarian aid.
The Hamas Hostage Deal
Two videos of hostages were released this week: one by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorist group, featuring 28-year-old Russian-Israeli citizen Alexander Trufanov; and a Hamas video that includes an audio recording of 26-year-old Israeli hostage Noa Argamani.
On Monday, Israel passed a proposal to Hamas through Qatar for a hostage deal. According to the proposal, Hamas would release 20 living hostages and an unspecified number of hostage bodies in exchange for a six-week ceasefire. During this period, negotiations would take place for the release of additional hostages and a ceasefire that could last up to a year, during which some IDF forces would withdraw from areas in the Gaza Strip. Hamas has not yet responded to this proposal.
Operational
The Rafah Fire Incident
The New York Times reported that in the attack on the Tel Sultan camp, Israel used a GBU-39 bomb, at the request of the US, to minimize civilian casualties. The incident, in which dozens of civilians were killed and injured in a fire, is prompting residents to leave. An IDF investigation revealed that the two terrorists killed in the airstrike were hiding among the population and storing weapons under their cover. The conclusions of the investigation indicate that the attack was carried out 1.7 kilometers from the humanitarian zone. The air force strike was 180 meters from shelters and tents, not where Hamas claimed the attack was carried out, and a rocket launcher and weapons of the terrorist organization were stored just 43 meters from the attack site. Secondary explosions caused the fire.
Other
The IDF has taken control of the Philadelphi Corridor, achieving ‘operational control’. The remaining task is to capture the last 30% of the route, or approximately, 3.5 kilometers. The rest of the route is not nearly as dense an urban environment, which will allow for rapid progress until reaching the sea. Division 162 is responsible for this operation and has uncovered significant underground terrorist infrastructure, including 20 tunnels leading to the Sinai uncovered just in the last week. Near the fence between the Kerem Shalom crossing and the Rafah crossing, 30 shafts and 6 launchers were found. In the last three weeks, Hamas has fired over 70 rockets and mortar bombs from the Rafah area into Israel. Nearly 100 shafts leading to the tunnels were also discovered.
The brigade operation in the Sabra neighborhood in Gaza City has expanded into a full divisional operation led by Division 99.
Despite claims in December-January of operational control in northern Gaza and the dismantling of 12 Hamas battalions, at least 3 have managed to restore their strength and reorganize.
Division 98 has completely withdrawn from Jabalia, where over 500 terrorists were eliminated, hundreds of terrorist infrastructures were destroyed, and a total of 12 kilometers of tunnel routes were uncovered and destroyed (including two attack tunnels just a few hundred meters from the fence). In these tunnels, the bodies of 7 hostages were found. The level of resistance from the militants was significantly higher than in the first stage of the operation or in other parts of the Strip. In the first week, the militants attacked the soldiers a total of 341 times, including firing 120 anti-tank missiles. A significant portion of the infrastructure and tunnels was only destroyed now, not in the first stage of the operation.
UNRWA school raided by Negev and Nahal fighters (3 Nahal fighters fell due to a booby-trapped house). The school contained weapons and shafts leading to a long tunnel.
The US announced that the humanitarian aid supply operations to the Gaza Strip have been halted until further notice due to the disconnection of the American pier. By now, over 1,000 tons of food had been transferred through it to UN warehouses in the Strip. Currently, with Israel’s assistance, the pier is being repaired to resume operations.
The American humanitarian organization WCK announced the suspension of its operations in the southern Gaza Strip due to the danger facing its workers and will now operate only in the north. As Hamas operatives continue to seek shelter behind civilians, and they observed the diplomatic pressure placed on Israel when it accidentally hit humanitarian aid workers in the past, it is likely that Hamas would try to lure the IDF into hitting humanitarian aid workers by continuing to operate against Israel in close proximity, which likely contributed to WCK terminating humanitarian services in the South.
The IDF Spokesperson in Arabic announced that Hamas has robbed two banks in Gaza City, stealing a total of 400 million NIS from the citizens it is purportedly fighting for, to continue funding its terrorist activities.
Domestic Arena
MK Benny Gantz issued an ultimatum to Netanyahu that if the government does not present a day after plan along with five other conditions, Gantz would leave the government by June 8th. The pressure on the government is mounting as their opposition leaders Lapid, Liberman and Saar are reportedly trying to goad Gantz to leave the government and pass a motion of no confidence.
Gantz made a reference of the need for an agreed upon date for elections this year. His party passed a motion for the dissolution of the parliament which means that if it passes there would be elections withing 90 days. After Gantz’s more bellicose stance towards the government including his ultimatum, his polls numbers tanked and he is now polling at only around 5 seats ahead of Netanyahu’s Likud.
Moreover, a recent poll by Channell 12 placed Netanyahu’s favorability as Prime Minister higher than Gantz for the first time since the beginning of the war. This could signal the electorate’s displeasure with Gantz’s political maneuvering of trying to leave the government while soldiers are still fighting in Gaza.
Lebanon
Operational
Hezbollah continued to attack numerous times, as many as 15 times a day. It launched a UAV towards the Acre area, which was intercepted. The Israeli Air Force struck a series of targets belonging to the Shiite terrorist organization in southern Lebanon, including a launcher that fired rockets at northern Israel on Friday. An IDF UAV was intercepted and fell in Lebanese territory.In three of the attacks, Hezbollah launched volleys of dozens of rockets, one of them with 25 rockets which targeted Kiryat Shmona, caused damage to an IDF base and civilian infrastructure in the city.
The Golani Brigade completed an exercise simulating a maneuver in Lebanon, incorporating lessons learned from the series of maneuvers conducted so far in the Gaza Strip.
Judea and Samaria
Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigade militants claimed responsibility for shooting towards Bat Hefer on Friday. In the Tulkarm area, 17 illegal aliens climbed over the ‘separation’ fence and crossed into Israeli territory, all of whom were caught on the spot.
This week, around 40 wanted individuals were arrested. There is increased security activity in the Tulkarm area and the seam line with the Sharon area to prevent further shootings and infiltrations (including by illegal aliens).
In Ramallah, 400,000 NIS intended for terrorist activities were intercepted and confiscated.
A vehicular attack at one of the entrances to Nablus resulted in the deaths of two 20-year-old soldiers from the Kfir Brigade.
Hamas announced that it would pay anyone who records themselves shooting at Jewish settlements and uploads the footage to social networks. During the war, Palestinian shootings targeting residential communities expanded from the city of Nablus attacking neighboring Jewish communities, then from Jenin targeting communities in the Jezreel Valley, and now from Tulkarm towards communities in the Sharon region, including Bat Hefer in the Sharon and Gan Ner in the Jezreel Valley.
The Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority, Mohammad Mustafa, and the Foreign Minister made an official visit to Italy. During the visit, Mohammad Mustafa met with the Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, in Rome and asked her to recognize a Palestinian state and join the countries that have already done so. Meloni emphasized her country’s support for the two-state solution. Mustafa then visited Brussels to participate in the donor conference for the Palestinian Authority. In his remarks at the conference, Mustafa called for emergency financial aid to the Palestinian Authority and demanded pressure on Israel to stop deducting Palestinian clearance funds. He stated that Israeli actions against the Palestinian banking system could lead to financial and economic collapse with severe consequences.
Iraq and Syria
A Shiite militia from Iraq fired a cruise missile that was intercepted in the southern Golan Heights.
The aerial defense system intercepted two UAVs launched from the east (likely from Iraq) aimed at the city of Eilat. Shiite militias in Iraq are preparing to resume attacks against American bases in Syria and Iraq
Global Jihad
An extensive network of terrorist infrastructure aiming to target Israeli-associated sites and assets in Europe has been exposed. Under the sponsorship and direction of the Iranian regime, criminal organizations in Europe are promoting terrorist attacks against Jews and Israeli embassies worldwide.
It is believed that there are cells on the ground attempting to carry out attacks, including at the Paris Olympics, which will take place in about two months. The Swedish crime organization “Foxtrot” is behind the efforts to promote terrorist attacks against Israeli targets, acting on behalf of Iran. The Mossad noted that “the modus operandi of recruiting heavy criminal elements for attacks and terrorist activities is a known tactic of Iranian terror bodies, which seek to avoid state linkage to terrorism and harm to innocents.”
Iran also employs this method with its proxy organizations, promoting attacks against Israel without having to carry them out itself or leaving any “fingerprints.”
Additionally, ISIS has issued threats recently, targeting major sporting events, including the European Football Championship in Germany, the Cricket World Cup, and the Paris Olympics.
Egypt
An Egyptian soldier was killed at the Rafah crossing area. After a joint investigation between Israel and Egypt, it was revealed that the soldier had independently decided to open fire. He was killed, and there were no injuries to the IDF. There are calls from Muslim Brotherhood affiliated organizations for more Egyptian soldiers to kill Israelis.
Egypt opposes the Israeli maneuver in Rafah and the Philadelphi Route, demanding that the Rafah crossing return to Arab control. Egypt has threatened to downgrade diplomatic relations with Israel and even join South Africa in its lawsuit at The Hague.
Iran
Iranian television reported that Iran has helped the Houthis in Yemen build ballistic missiles to target ships in recent years. The Houthis claimed to have attacked ships in the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea, and even the Mediterranean Sea. The US Central Command announced that it intercepted five UAVs from the organization, which claimed to have intercepted a US Reaper UAV over the Marib province in Yemen.
Humanitarian aid from Iran may pass through Egypt. Given the tenuous state of relations between Israel and Egypt, there are fears Egypt will look the other way when checking humanitarian aid which could include weapons.
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, sent a letter to American students protesting on campuses: “You are on the right side of history.”
The US announced sanctions against entities involved in Iran’s drone program.
Fallen Soldiers
This week, 10 Israeli soldiers have fallen: Sergeant first class Adar Gavriel, Sergeant Yehonatan Elias, Staff sergeant Amir Galilove, Staff Sergeant Betzalel Zvi Kovach, Staff sergeant Diego Shvisha Harsaj, Staff serg
Comments