Friday, May 17, 2024

05/17 Links Pt1: Israel recovers bodies of Shani Louk, Amit Buskila, Yitzhak Gelerenter; Sinwar in Exchange for Rafah; House passes bill to force Biden to arm Israel

From Ian:

Lee Smith: Sinwar in Exchange for Rafah
Israel’s plans for the “Day After” are clearly irrelevant, since Biden and his aides have formulated their own scenario: Hamas “technocrats”—i.e., the leadership in Doha—will constitute the Iranian-backed component in a Palestinian unity government in tandem with the U.S.-backed faction that now rules the West Bank, Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian Authority.

Hamas, therefore, is a pillar of the U.S.-Iran condominium in the Middle East. This includes Lebanon—where Washington funds the army and intelligence services, which are run by Iran’s asset, Hezbollah—as well as Iraq and Syria, where U.S. forces are deployed to protect Iranian allies and proxies from the regional Sunni majority.

If Israel finishes off Hamas, the Biden administration’s efforts to complete Obama’s Middle East security architecture will collapse. From that perspective, Team Biden prefers to sacrifice Sinwar and save Obama’s most important strategic initiative, which aims to override the traditional U.S.-led order of the Middle East and give birth to a new and unholy anatomy, tying America to an anti-American terror-state that embodies Jew hatred.

The problem for Biden is that he is trying to realize a vision that is fundamentally unstable, not to mention insane. Iran is weak, and so are its proxies—or else the White House wouldn’t have to expend so much energy deterring Israel.

It can hardly be lost on any careful reader of this recent White House information operation that the powers now being attributed to Sinwar belong rather to the American government. Sinwar, writes the Times, “has emerged not only as a strong-willed commander but as a shrewd negotiator who has staved off an Israeli battlefield victory while engaging Israeli envoys at the negotiating table.”

But Sinwar hasn’t been near any negotiating tables; he’s been hiding in tunnels inside Gaza. Rather, it is the White House that has prevented an Israeli victory, and it is Biden aides who have thwarted Jerusalem with their diplomatic entreaties to formulate a plan for feeding Palestinians, moving them to safety, and ensuring their political rights with a plan for the “Day After.” Were it not for Biden’s repeated interventions, Hamas might have been destroyed months ago—and many lives on both sides might have been saved.

The most important takeaway from Biden’s offer of Sinwar in exchange for Rafah is that Barack Obama’s vision of a new Middle East, which the Biden administration has insisted on following, entails tying the U.S. not only to an obscurantist anti-American and Jew-hating terror regime but to a military force and its proxy armies that, like U.S. policymakers, can’t win wars. Like his former boss, Biden is intent on saddling America with a deadly loser. Israel’s decision then isn’t just about whether to take Sinwar or forfeit Rafah, but whether to crash Obama’s project, or to let Hamas survive along with the programmatically apocalyptic delusions of its superpower backer.
A military expert on why the US view on Israel’s fight against Hamas is a turning point for the world
Since Hamas’ attack on southern Israel on October 7, military expert John Spencer has been carefully observing the Israel Defense Forces’ war against the terror organization, including on two trips he made to the Gaza Strip as an embed with the IDF over the winter.

Spencer tells CNN Opinion that he sees a military with the capability to rapidly eviscerate Hamas’ army being held back by the international community. He feels that the US bears some of the responsibility for the devastation in Gaza because of how it’s slowed down and limited Israel’s ability to win the war. It’s a restraint that he says the US hasn’t imposed on its own military campaigns, and it has the effect of increasing Palestinian casualties and suffering by dragging out the fighting.

Spencer makes these assessments after 25 years of service as an infantry soldier, including two combat tours in Iraq. He’s now the chair of urban warfare studies with the Modern War Institute at West Point, and his personal experience and research has been key to his perspective on Israel’s campaign and how it compares to American military operations.

The US pressure on Israel has come to a head in Rafah, the southern Gaza city believed to be Hamas’ last major stronghold and a key point for weapons smuggling across the Egyptian border. But the US is withholding some types of arms that it fears could be used by Israel in Rafah as part of a bid to prevent a major IDF offensive there, even as it is reportedly readying a significant sale of other weapons. The US is warning that a large-scale ground incursion is sure to cause more death and suffering among Gaza civilians, hundreds of thousands of whom have been taking refuge in the city.

Spencer argues that, by taking this approach, the US is inadvertently paving the way for a Hamas victory. “War is hell,” Spencer affirms. But, he notes, war is also deeply engrained in human nature. When democracies are attacked, as they inevitably will be, they must conduct wars in ways that quickly bring victory in order to achieve lasting peace.
Bassam Tawil: Why the Palestinian Authority Should Not Return to Gaza
The Israeli government, according to reports, is being pressured by the Biden administration to send the money to the PA. This addled and dangerous proposal amounts to expecting the Jews to support the same people who are murdering them. The Biden administration has also been launching a legal and diplomatic offensive to discredit, isolate, and penalize Israel for trying to defend itself against terrorist attacks.

Meanwhile, the PA, instead of acknowledging that it is terrified to go back to the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, is trying to pressure Israel into accepting the creation of a Palestinian state and releasing the tax revenues. Unbelievably, the PA and the Biden administration apparently want Israel to grant Palestinians a state that will be ruled by the same murders, rapists and kidnappers who invaded Israel on October 7, 2023.

Abbas might one day return to the Gaza Strip – but only when he sees that Hamas has lost all military might and is no longer in control. Meanwhile, he feels safe and secure being in the West Bank, where Israel is in charge of overall security and is fighting against Hamas and other Iran-backed terrorist proxies. He knows that without Israel's security presence in the West Bank, Hamas would have killed him and toppled the PA long ago.

Allowing Hamas to win its war against Israel would delight two countries deeply committed to supporting terrorism. The first is Qatar, an oil-field protected by a US air base, and a country with which President Joe Biden's brother, James, according to court testimony, might reportedly have had business dealings

The second country is Iran, repeatedly designated as the "leading state sponsor of terrorism" and currently racing toward nuclear weapons capability. The Iranian regime – which presently controls four Middle East capitals in addition to its own -- Sanaa, Damascus, Beirut and Baghdad -- wishes to take over the Middle East, as well as oil-and-mineral-rich Sudan. Iran's rulers would undoubtedly not only pave the way for more October 7-style atrocities against Israel, but also other neighbors -- Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Egypt and Bahrain -- especially if Iran obtains nuclear weapons.

Abbas, fearful of being called a traitor, is reluctant to take action against the terrorists. It might mean his death. Additionally, he is most likely not pursuing the terrorists because they do not directly threaten him or the PA.

If a Palestinian leader does not even have the bravery to condemn the unimaginable Hamas atrocities of October 7, how can one expect him to confront terrorism emanating from his Palestinian Authority?

The Gaza Strip needs moderate and pragmatic leaders who will embark on a process of deradicalizing and reeducating Gazans to lead peaceful, prosperous and constructive lives, freed of subjugation by their leaders, who will finally prepare their people for peace in the region. At the moment, unfortunately, among the Palestinians, no such leaders exist.


Israel recovers bodies of Shani Louk, Amit Buskila, Yitzhak Gelerenter
Israel recovered the bodies of 22-year-old Shani Louk, 28-year-old Amit Bouskila and 56-year-old Itzhak Gelerenter during an overnight operation in Rafah, in southern Gaza, according to multiple official Israeli sources.

The three hostages, all of whom attended the Nova music festival, were killed on Oct. 7, according to the Israel Defense Forces. Their bodies have now returned to Israel.

“The bodies of the abductees were recovered during a joint operation by the IDF forces and the Shin Bet’s operational unit, based on information that also emerged in the Shin Bet’s investigations of terrorists arrested in the Gaza Strip and under the intelligence guidance of the Captives and Missing Persons Command of the Intelligence Division,” the IDF wrote in Hebrew.

It added that medical officials at the National Institute of Forensic Medicine and the Ministry of Health identified the bodies. “IDF representatives notified their families during the day,” the Israeli military said. “The IDF and Shin Bet share in the grief of the families at this difficult time.” (The Shin Bet is the Israel Security Agency.)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the losses are “heartbreaking.”

“My wife Sara and I grieve with the families; all of our hearts are with them in their hour of heavy sorrow,” he stated. “We will return all of our hostages, the living and the deceased alike. I commend our brave forces whose determined action has returned the sons and daughters to their own border.”

Lt. Col. (res.) Peter Lerner, an IDF spokesman, wrote that the moment was “bittersweet” and “not just about closure. It is about justice and humanity.”

“When we bring our fallen home, we reaffirm our commitment to these principles. We send a clear message to Hamas and the world that we will not abandon our own, that we will stand by each other in life and in death,” he said. “These are our values.”

“In these moments of heartbreak and loss, we also find hope. Hope in the determination of our forces, the unwavering spirit of our men and women, and in the enduring power of our resolve,” Lerner said.

“We will bring our loved ones back. Shani, Itzik and Amit will be laid to rest in the soil they called home, and in doing so, we will honor their memory and reaffirm our commitment to bring back all of our hostages,” he added.

A dual German-Israeli national, Louk was declared dead in late October after the Israeli ZAKA victim-identification team recovered a fragment of her skull. The fates of the other two victims were previously unknown.

Photographs and videos of Louk’s body being taken into Gaza were among the most harrowing and controversial images of Oct. 7. Videos showed a half-naked woman, seemingly unconscious and face-down in the back of a pickup truck in Gaza filled with armed men. Louk’s mother identified her in the video based on her tattoos and dyed hair.


IDF confirms recovery of bodies of Amit Buskila, 28; Shani Louk, 22; and Itzik Gelerenter, 58
IDF announces it has found and retrieved the bodies of Gelerenter Itzhak, 56, Amit Buskila, 28, and Shani Louk, 22
Yitzhak Shani and Amit were at the Nova party, where, according to verified information, they were murdered by Hamas terrorists and kidnapped to Gaza




Seth Mandel: The Very Important Job That Nobody Wants: Governing Gaza
So Gallant is right about the ideal solution, but Bibi can’t force Abbas to take the handoff.

We’ve been running around in this particular circle for a while now. The next-best option after immediate Palestinian self-government would be some kind of stewardship by Arab allies who oppose Hamas. That rules out Qatar. Egypt, which occupied Gaza before Israel took over between 1967 and 2005, doesn’t seem to want Gaza back. What about a broader Arab coalition, such as the Arab League? Well, earlier today, the Arab League called for the United Nations to do it. UN peacekeepers are such a bad idea that the Biden administration couldn’t even pretend to consider it. “Candidly, the addition of security forces could potentially put [Israel’s current] mission [against Hamas] into compromise,” a State Department spokesman said.

What about a more limited coalition of trusted Arab partners? We actually got a bite on that line yesterday. According to the Financial Times, quoting a “Western” official: “Arab states have said it should be US-led so the US is trying to work out how it can lead it without having boots on the ground. Three Arab states have had initial discussions, including Egypt, the UAE and Morocco, but they would want the US to recognize a Palestinian state first.”

So the idea is: Until there’s a Palestinian state, these Arab states would take joint custody of the Strip—but refuse to do so unless the U.S. recognizes a Palestinian state, which would make the need for an in-between peacekeeping force unnecessary. Is this a riddle?

Gaza is starting to remind me of the Red Lobster in Silver Spring, which today sold off the entire contents of its location for a paltry $7,000. Then again, at least the Red Lobster found a taker. Maybe Gaza will too.
Arab League calls for UN troops in Judea, Samaria, Gaza, J’lem
The 22-member member Arab League on Thursday called on the United Nations to dispatch soldiers to Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and the Gaza Strip, AFP reported.

The group’s “Manama Declaration” called for “international protection and peacekeeping forces of the United Nations in the occupied Palestinian territories” until a two-state solution is implemented.

The statement, issued during a summit in Bahrain, unilaterally blamed the Jewish state’s “obstruction” for the failure to reach a truce deal with the Hamas terror organization.

“We stress the need to stop the Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip immediately, withdraw the Israeli occupation forces from all areas of the Strip [and] lift the siege imposed on it,” the Arab League said.

“We strongly condemn Israel’s obstruction of ceasefire efforts in the Gaza Strip and its continued military escalation by expanding its aggression against the Palestinian city of Rafah,” it added.
Mahmoud Abbas says Hamas gave excuse for Israel to attack and asks for Arab countries to support PA
Palestinian Authority chief Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday demanded that Arab countries increase their financial support for his organisation, saying Ramallah has not received the funding it expected.

“It has now become critical to activate the Arab safety net, to boost the resilience of our people and to enable the government to carry out its duties,” he told leaders at an Arab League summit in Bahrain.

Abbas slammed Israel’s decision to freeze millions in tax revenue that Ramallah planned to send to the Gaza Strip, saying the measure meant to prevent funds from reaching Hamas has led to a “dire situation.”

The PA chief also told Arab leaders that Hamas’s Oct. 7 attacks gave the Jewish state “more pretexts and justifications to attack the Gaza Strip.”

Abbas described the slaughter of some 1,200 people, primarily Israeli civilians, as a “military operation which Hamas unilaterally carried out,”

In addition to the funds earmarked for Gaza, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has paused a transfer of some 170 million shekels ($46 million) to Ramallah in protest of its support for anti-Israel moves at the International Criminal Court.

“Those who act against our soldiers and commanders in The Hague should not receive any assistance,” sources in Jerusalem told Channel 12 last week.

Meanwhile, funding from international donors has also been squeezed, falling from 30 per cent of the $6 billion annual budget to around 1 oer cent, then-P.A.-Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said in February.

The Biden administration has demanded that Israel transfer the sum withheld by Smotrich to the Palestinian Authority.


Caroline Glick: INNER STRIFE: Is the Israeli Defense Minister Rebelling Against Netanyahu
Defense Minister Gallant goes behind the Prime Minister's back and joins forces with Biden to end the war. Netanyahu fires back. Is this just political bickering or is there something bigger taking place? Should the Netanyahu government fall, what is at stake?


Call Me Back PodCast: SPECIAL EPISODE: Gallant Strikes (Again) – with Nadav Eyal
Hosted by Dan Senor
Last night, Israel time, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant took the exceptional step of publicly declaring his view that the current war trajectory is leading to one of two scenarios in Gaza: Hamas rules Gaza OR the IDF rules Gaza – both, Gallant says, are catastrophic outcomes.

Gallant set an ultimatum for Prime Minister Netanyahu by saying that he would oppose Israeli military rule in Gaza, signaling that this is his red line and he blamed Netanyahu for what Gallant believes is a lack of a post-war plan.

In this special episode, we asked Nadav Eyal to: A. Analyze Gallant’s dramatic speech. B. Discuss what this means for the war, and C. Where this could lead politically.

NADAV EYAL is a columnist at Yediiot. Eyal is one of Israel’s leading journalists, and a winner of the Sokolov Prize, Israel’s most prestigious journalism award. Eyal has been covering Middle-Eastern and international politics for the last two decades for Israeli radio, print and television news. He received a master’s degree from the London School of Economics and a law degree from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Denying Israel's right to self-defense dangerous and 'unthinkable,' legal expert warns ICJ
Stripping Israel of the right to defend itself against Hamas, would prevent it from rescuing the hostages and halting another October 7-style attack, the country’s legal team told the International Court of Justice at the Hague on Friday.

“To deny Israel, that inherent right” of self-defense, “is unthinkable,” Foreign Ministry legal adviser Tamar Kaplan Tourgeman told the ICJ.

“Can it really be maintained that if hostages are brutally held captive in Rafah, Israel cannot come to their rescue,” she asked.

“Can it really be maintained that if Hamas continues to use Gaza as a launching pad for its indiscriminate attack Israel cannot defend itself against them?”

Tourgeman spoke as she wrapped up the two-day hearing on South Africa’s request for the ICJ to demand that Israel halt its war on Hamas in Gaza and fully withdraw its forces from the enclave.

Ordering Israel to stop its military campaign would “condemn the hostages to near certain death," she said, adding, "What would it mean for the women still held in captivity?"

“Granting South Africa request would be to side with a terrorist organization, which will no doubt celebrate any such decision.”

She urged the ICJ not to "legitimize, protect and reward Hamas for Hamas’s despicable method of warfare.”

Her statement was interrupted by a protestor who had managed to enter the court and screamed out, “Liar.”


Top US Nazi hunter tells ‘Post’: Israel is obligated to stop Hamas's genocide
Israel and much of the world have a legal obligation under international law to stop the genocidal intent of Hamas in the wake of the October 7 massacre, former United States Justice Department Office of Special Investigations director Eli Rosenbaum told The Jerusalem Post in an interview on Wednesday, in which he also decried the abuse of international criminal law to attack Israel and rejected the allegations of genocide against the Jewish state.

Rosenbaum, whose 38-year career with different incarnations of Department of Justice war crimes investigatory departments saw him prosecute Rwandan génocidaires, Russian war criminals, and more World War II Nazi criminals than the rest of the world combined, explained that not only does Israel have a right to pursue the destruction of the Hamas terrorist entity if it can, “but Israel has a legal obligation under international law as a signatory of the Genocide Convention [1948, the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide].

“The treaty obligates all signatory nations not just not to commit genocide and punish it, but to prevent it,” said Rosenbaum. Hamas proves that it is committed to genocide

On October 7 Hamas proved that it was committed to its genocidal founding charter, and its spokesmen promised to commit further Operation Al-Aqsa Floods until Israel’s destruction, said Rosenbaum. The indiscriminate targeting of civilians regardless of age or gender during the pogrom, and the nature of the murders, were indicative not just of genocidal intent, but of genocidal acts.

“Hamas intentionally carried out an attack that was so gruesome, so far beyond what anyone could have imagined in terms of cruelty, attacks that rivaled and even exceeded the cruelty seen at the hands of Nazi forces in World War II,” said Rosenbaum. “And I feel fairly well qualified to opine on that, having studied and investigated and prosecuted Nazi cases for some 40 years.”

Israel is not alone in its legal obligation to ensure that Hamas’s genocidal aspirations do not reach fruition.

“Every country that signed the Genocide Convention, which is the vast majority of the countries of the world and that has the capability to act, has a treaty obligation that is an obligation under international law,” said Rosenbaum. “To quote the International Court of Justice, if they’re aware or should normally have been aware of the serious danger that acts of genocide would be committed, those countries are obligated to employ all means reasonably available to them to prevent genocide within the limits permitted by international law.

“And I would say that a few countries, in addition to Israel, have taken this obligation seriously, most notably the United States – initially through President [Joe] Biden sending naval power, closing in on the Mediterranean [Sea] and reportedly warning off both Hezbollah and Iran.“But there are other countries that are well resourced and well positioned to help prevent genocide and that are signatories to the convention.”


40% of total Gazan deaths based on unverified data
GMO figures, Epstein said, have always conflicted with Ministry of Health data. On December 11, the Ministry reported 5,577 men killed according to the hospital/morgue system, while the GMO claimed 18,396 total deaths, including 8,000 children and 4,200 women, leaving a maximum of 4,196 men. "To reconcile the GMO claims with the available Ministry of Health data, 1,381 men would need to come back to life," Epstein said.

Epstein noted that the gaps between Ministry of Health data and GMO claims continue. On May 3, ministry data showed 10,008 men killed, while GMO claims indicated a maximum of 9,829 men, meaning "179 men would have to come back to life to reconcile the GMO and the Ministry of Health." He criticized OCHA for returning to GMO claims in March, saying they are pretending the Ministry's data just became available when it has been consistently updated since mid-December.

The Ministry of Health uses three primary sources to calculate its death toll reports, Epstein explained. “The first is the hospital/morgue system that identified victims, cataloged the data, and uploaded to a central database. This is the system in place in peacetime and in all previous conflicts. It’s considered relatively robust, particularly given Gaza’s overall low level of development. This methodology currently accounts for roughly 60% of the reported deaths in Gaza,” he added.

“The second method is self-reporting via a Google Form by relatives of the deceased and missing. This methodology was introduced on January 5, and the first tranche of data collected via the form was released on April 1. This methodology currently accounts for roughly 10% of reported deaths,” Epstein continued.

Epstein explained that the most problematic source for Hamas' Ministry of Health is reports from "reliable media sources." Disclosed on December 11 in an Arabic-language PDF on the Ministry of Health Telegram channel, this methodology likely began on November 3, soon after the IDF’s ground invasion. "No further details have been given regarding this methodology, and no data from it has ever been released. This methodology, which the Ministry of Health rebranded as 'unidentified' deaths on April 1, accounts for roughly 30% of all reported deaths," Epstein concluded.

Most online sources have not updated their statistics to reflect the new data, which reduced the number of dead children and women in Gaza by more than half. For instance, Wikipedia's main article on the Israel–Hamas war still claims over 35,000 Palestinians killed, including over 15,000 children and 10,000 women. However, the updated OCHA data reports 4,959 women and 7,797 children killed and introduces the category of "unidentified" deaths.

Speaking in a recent interview, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his stance on the civilian toll, asserting that around 30,000 people have died in Gaza, with Hamas fighters comprising nearly half of that number. He said Israel was making efforts to reduce civilian casualties while pursuing its legitimate military goals under difficult circumstances, and estimated that around 14,000 combatants and 16,000 civilians had been killed.
World Health Org admits 10,000 ‘unidentified’ Gazan fatalities not yet found
As part of its explanation of why fatality data published by Hamas-run offices overcounted Gazan fatality figures by nearly 100%, the United Nations told JNS that the “fog of war” was to blame and later said that some 10,000 newly classified “unidentified” casualties accounted for discrepancies in the counts.

Christian Lindmeier, a spokesman for the World Health Organization, said during a press briefing on Tuesday that many of the 10,158 “unidentified” Gazan corpses aren’t in Hamas’s possession and likely haven’t been counted physically.

“The numbers are huge,” he said. “People are under the rubble, dead in mass graves, somewhere out there on the side of the road—couldn’t get picked up in a conflict area, in a so-called safe zone, but yet still not reachable because there is firing going on—as long as all this is happening, there are still people out there who can’t be identified … this accounts for the 10,000 the health ministry talks about as not yet identified.”

Lindmeier’s statement raises questions about Hamas’s method of accounting for Gazan fatalities.

The United Nations, citing Hamas’s health ministry, had been regularly noting a separate category—“under the rubble or missing”—in its Gazan casualty updates. It specifically noted that the category is not included in the fatality tolls.

Lindmeier initially said on Tuesday that people “under the rubble” were already among the 10,000 or so categorized as “unidentified” fatalities.

Based on that statement, the World Health Organization—an agency of the United Nations—appears to include those “under the rubble” in its listing of “unidentified” fatalities. If that is indeed how the organization tallies the dead in this instance, the United Nations would appear to double count thousands of alleged fatalities—both as “unidentified” and as “missing” or beneath rubble.
UN "Revises" Gazan Children Casualties By Almost 50%
In a bombshell report, the UN has revised the number of child casualties by almost half blaming the "fog of war" for the mistake. Is this another example of so-called international humanitarian groups of deliberately slandering Israel?

JNS CEO Alex Traiman and Middle East correspondent Josh Hasten dissect this story along with
- Biden withholding weapons from Israel and Congress fighting back
- Israel reentering Northern Gaza
- Rafah operation




House passes bill that would force Biden to release arms shipment to Israel
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill on Thursday intended to force the Biden administration to deliver a paused arms shipment to Israel.

The Israel Security Assistance Support Act condemns U.S. President Joe Biden’s decision to withhold the delivery of 3,500 bombs to Israel amid the administration’s concerns that the Jewish state would use them in a military operation in the south Gazan city of Rafah.

The act would cut off funding for the Pentagon, U.S. State Department and National Security Council if Biden does not release the shipment or if he withholds any future shipment of arms from Israel.

The bill passed on a mostly party-line vote of 224-187 after the White House issued a statement on Tuesday saying that Biden would veto the measure if it came to his desk.

“This bill could raise serious concerns about infringement on the president’s authorities under Article II of the Constitution, including his duties as commander-in-chief and Chief executive and his power to conduct foreign relations,” the White House stated.

Only 16 Democrats—many of whom are either noted pro-Israel advocates or moderates in swing districts—voted to force Biden’s hand and release the aid.

The three Republican “nay” votes came from Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Warren Davidson (R-Ohio), all of whom opposed the Israel foreign aid bill in April.


IDF sergeant Ben Avishay, of Nahariya, killed in Gaza
The Israel Defense Forces named Sgt. Ben Avishay, 20, as a soldier who was killed in the northern Gaza Strip on Friday.

From Nahariya in northern Israel, he was part of a paratrooper brigade, according to the IDF.

His death brings the death toll of soldiers, who have been killed in battle since the start of the ground invasion on Oct. 27 to 280 and to 628 on all fronts since the start of the war on Oct. 7.

On Wednesday, five Israeli soldiers were killed by friendly fire in Jabalia in northern Gaza.

A platoon commander and four soldiers from Battalion 202 of the Paratroopers Brigade died and eight additional soldiers were wounded by IDF tank fire, three seriously. The rest of the wounded soldiers were evacuated to the hospital in moderate and light condition.

Also Wednesday, a civilian contractor working for the Israeli Defense Ministry succumbed to his wounds after being critically wounded in a mortar attack earlier this week in the southern Gaza Strip.

Liron Yitzhak, 30, from Petach Tikvah in central Israel, was pronounced dead after being critically wounded on Monday, announced the Rabin Medical Center’s Beilinson Hospital.


Cairo’s double game in Gaza
When Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi took power a decade ago, he didn’t have good relations with Hamas. For years, Sisi fought militants in Sinai who were backed by Hamas with military training, weapons, and even media relations. But Cairo’s relations with Hamas improved after 2017, when Hamas released an updated charter disassociating itself from the Muslim Brotherhood.

Some elements close to the Sisi regime have benefited from Hamas control over Gaza and the Rafah crossing. Media reports indicate an Egyptian company run by one of Sisi’s close allies is making hundreds of millions of dollars by taxing Gazans fleeing the current conflict.

Adding to its financial incentive, the Sisi regime views the Rafah crossing as a crucial card in preserving Cairo’s regional standing. Holding it increases Egypt’s relevance to countries that want to send aid to the Palestinians and ensures Washington stays quiet about Egypt’s gross human rights violations so it can maintain a stable flow of U.S. assistance and weaponry. Egypt’s control of the Rafah crossing also forces Israel to rely on Egypt to keep Gaza quiet, in exchange for which Israel lobbies on Sisi’s behalf in Washington.

There are serious fears in Cairo that if Palestinians move to Sinai, they won’t leave — and, worse, could then use Sinai as a staging ground for attacks on Israel. Elements in the regime view this issue as integral to its survival: Domestic opposition in Egypt could destabilize Sisi’s rule if it appears Sinai is being given to Palestinians. This is especially important after the security apparatus peddled conspiracy theories about former Egyptian President and Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Morsi giving Sinai to Palestinians.

While it may be hard for policymakers in Washington to come to terms with Egypt’s double game, it’s a painful conversation that must be had. No serious effort to turn the page on Hamas will yield the desired results without cutting this umbilical cord between the Sisi regime and Hamas.

Hence, the Biden administration should reconsider its naive acceptance of Egyptian concerns at face value. Moreover, the Biden administration should have pushed Egypt at the very least to accept women and children, to address fears of Palestinian militants spilling over to Sinai. Instead, the Biden administration allowed Arab governments working on behalf of Egypt to force the U.S. to stay clear of a critical solution to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Strict monitoring of the Egyptian-Gaza border, either via Israel’s direct control or international troops, is a must for any successful effort to weaken Hamas. Otherwise, the whole Israeli effort will have been in vain, and Egyptian officials will simply go back to their old double game, juggling Hamas and Israel as the situation requires.


Aid begins arrives in Gaza via US-built pier
The first trucks carrying humanitarian assistance from the US military floating pier connected to Gaza have moved ashore, US Central Command and the UN said on Friday morning.

No US troops went ashore in Gaza for the delivery of aid.

"This is an ongoing, multinational effort to deliver additional aid to Palestinian civilians in Gaza via a maritime corridor that is entirely humanitarian in nature, and will involve aid commodities donated by a number of countries and humanitarian organizations," according to a statement from Central Command.

The World Food Programme will be managing a "logistics cluster" on behalf of different UN agencies and will facilitate the flow of aid, including the coordination of the arrival of empty trucks and the dispatch to warehouses across Gaza, a UN spokesperson said.

According to the UN, security arrangements are in place to protect the convoy of trucks leaving the floating docks.

International agencies and organizations have repeatedly said the aid distribution from the floating pier is not sufficient enough to replace ground transportation routes.


Paramount+ Lands ‘We Will Dance Again’ Documentary on Oct. 7 Music Festival Attack in Israel
Paramount+ has landed the world premiere of “We Will Dance Again,” director Yariv Mozer’s documentary about the Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel’s Nova Music Festival, which left more than 400 dead and dozens kidnapped.

The film, produced by Susan Zirinsky’s See it Now Studios, will premiere exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S. this fall.

“We Will Dance Again” recounts the horrific assault by Hamas terrorists through the accounts of more than a dozen survivors, many of whom recorded the attack as it unfolded. The Nova Music Festival killings were part of the broader Oct. 7 attacks that sparked the ongoing war between Hamas and Israel.

“The human cost of what happened on Oct. 7 in Israel and the war in Gaza has been catastrophic. We can’t tell everyone’s story. This film is about innocent young people forced to fight for their survival,” said Zirinsky, former CBS News president and a veteran producer. “It is a painful story of unfathomable tragedy and also of bravery, sacrifice and heroism.”

“We Will Dance Again” is a co-production of See It Now Studios, SIPUR and factual producer Bitachon 365 in collaboration with MGM Television and HSCC. Other co-producers include BBC Storyville, which will broadcast the film in the UK, and Hot Channel 8, which will air it in Israel.
Phelim McAleer’s Haunting ‘October 7’ Ignored by Press
If there’s a play in New York City about one of the most horrific days in recent memory it might be a story. If said play requires a police presence to keep the stars and audience safe, that’s your lede.

Tell it to the mainstream media. Reporters have collectively ignored “October 7: In Their Own Words,” McAleer’s new stage production about the Hamas attacks on Israel that killed 1,200 people.

A Google News search on the subject reveals coverage from right-leaning outlets like Fox News, Breitbart News, The New York Post and The Daily Mail.

The rest of the press? Crickets.

“It’s truly shocking that in 2024 a play about Israel is the only play that needs permanent police protection,” says McAleer, the driving force behind “Ferguson” and “FBI Lovebirds: UnderCovers.”

He says up to six police officers are on site for every show. Plus, the production hired additional armed security guards to ensure everyone’s safety.

McAleer reports audiences have been moved to tears by a play powered by interviews conducted with the survivors of the terrorist attacks.

It’s surprising no one has tried to shut the play down. Yet.

In recent weeks, several Jewish stars have seen their appearances canceled by pro-Palestinian activists, including Michael Rapaport, Brett Gelman and Matisyahu. Israeli singer Eden Golan had to hide in her hotel room during the recent Eurovision singing competition to keep her safe.
Ann McElhinney, Phelim McAleer on Their Play ‘October 7’: ‘Only Play Opening in New York that Needs Permanent Police Protection’
The new play October 7: In Their Own Words brings to life the Hamas terrorist attack through the actual words of Israelis who lived through the cataclysmic day. Based on interviews conducted by the play’s producers — Ann McElhinney and Phelim McAleer — the stage drama revisits what they call the “darkest day in Israel’s history.”

October 7, which runs through June 16 at the Actors Temple Theatre in New York, arrives at a time of surging anti-Israel and anti-Semitic sentiment in major cities and universities, with protestors clashing with law enforcement and, in some cases, even expressing sympathy for Hamas.

“It’s the only play opening in New York that needs permanent police protection,” Phelim McAleer said in an interview Wednesday with Mike Slater, host of Breitbart News Daily on Sirius XM Patriot 125.

“There’s a play about Jewish people, about Israel, opening in New York, and it’s the only play in 2024 that needs police protection. The world has changed, let me tell you.”

Ann McElhinney and Phelim McAleer — who also produced the Hunter Biden movie My Son Hunter — aren’t the type to shy away from confrontation.

“We wanted to put [the play] on stage in New York,” said McElhinney.

“New York needs to hear it. New York needs to know this day happened. The encampments in New York, the campus protests in New York, they look at October 8 and beyond,” she said. “People would be living in peace in Gaza now if it had not been for October 7. So it’s very important to remember that there would be no October 8 if there was no October 7.”
UN Security Council holds first meeting solely focused on hostages in Gaza
The U.N. Security Council achieved two milestones with respect to the Jewish state on Thursday.

First, the council devoted a meeting solely to the captives that Hamas terrorists are holding in Gaza for the first since Oct. 7.

And second, although the global body has long been accused of damning silence when it comes to the plight of Israelis and Jews, a U.N. diplomat’s silence and inability to complete his remarks on Thursday appeared to be reticence borne out of genuine concern for Jewish suffering.

Sangjin Kim, the South Korean deputy U.N. ambassador, choked up and appeared visibly shaken as he spoke of the Israeli-American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23 years old at the time he was taken. The diplomat was unable to continue with his prepared remarks.

Five Security Council members and 20 other countries co-sponsored the informal meeting, which Washington pushed. JNS learned from diplomatic sources that the meeting was held off for months due to U.S. concerns that it could upset ongoing, sensitive ceasefire and hostage release negotiations between Israel and Hamas.

Washington finally relented, apparently pessimistic about the current state of those talks, JNS was told.

“If the council truly wants this war to end, then bringing the hostages home should be the top priority,” said Gilad Erdan, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, who has railed against the council and the world body at large for their lack of concern about the condition of the hostages and their release.

Three Security Council resolutions have called for the immediate release of hostages, and all have also called for a ceasefire, which would prevent Israel from achieving its goal of rooting out Hamas in Gaza.


‘Very strange’: Douglas Murray criticises Joe Biden’s backtrack on Israel
Author Douglas Murray has criticised President Joe Biden’s “very strange” move to tell Israel the US would not provide weapons for a Rafah offensive.

US President Joe Biden has urged Israel not to go ahead with such an operation over fears it would exacerbate the humanitarian catastrophe in the Palestinian enclave.

Last week, Biden said the United States would not provide offensive weapons for a Rafah invasion, raising pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“It’s very strange,” Mr Murray told Sky News host Rita Panahi.

“The best interpretation of it is that for some time … the president has talked a bit of one talk and acted in another way.

“For those of us who want Israel to win in Gaza … sometimes the rhetoric has been unpleasant, but the actions have been supportive.”


The Israel Guys: Israeli Playground Takes Direct Hit from Hamas Rocket Out of Gaza | Full War Update
A missile from Gaza makes a direct hit on a playground in Israel’s south, plus the United States finishes construction of the pier in Gaza, the war with Hezbollah heats up, and the campaign in Rafah expands.




Former ABC director calls out broadcaster not examining anti-Semitism
Former ABC director Joe Gersh has called out the public broadcaster for not examining the explosion of anti-Semitism in Australia.

Mr Gersh said he is a supporter of a “strong, independent and impartial” ABC.

“I observed independently of you and put on social media my concern which is why has it fallen to Sky News?” he told Sky News host Sharri Markson.

“It is a matter of deep concern to me, as a member of the Jewish community, as a former ABC director, and as an Australian citizen that our national broadcaster has not fully understood and dealt with what I believe has reached crisis proportion.”




Bizarre moment Suella Braverman is blanked after confronting masked pro-Gaza activists who set up camp at Cambridge - as US-style protests force university to move graduation ceremonies
This is the bizarre moment Suella Braverman is blanked by pro-Gaza activists who have set up camp outside Cambridge University and forced bosses to move graduation ceremonies.

The former Home Secretary was filmed walking around the camp trying to engage with the protesters about what 'their message is'.

In the clip Ms Braverman introduces herself to one group of three masked protesters and says she is 'keen to understand your views and what you are protesting about.'

But when the camera pans around all three stand with their arms crossed staring blankly ahead, in complete silence.

She presses on with a new group, who are all also masked, this time asking specific questions: 'What's your message to Israel? To Hamas? Do you think the hostages should be released now?'

Yet again all her questions are met with blank stares and silence and she is forced to move on.


UK revokes Palestinian student’s visa after she expressed ‘pride’ over October 7 attacks
The UK has revoked the visa of a Palestinian student at the University of Manchester after statements she made during a pro-Palestine demonstration last year.

Final year law student Dana Abuqamar, 19, told Al Jazeera that the Home Office withdrew her visa over concerns that she poses a “national threat” after expressing pride for the October 7 Hamas attacks and saying, “We are full of joy at what has happened.”

“This is the first time that something like this happened in modern-day history – for 16 years Gaza has been under blockade and for the first time they’re actively resisting, they’re not on the defense, and that is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Abuqamar said during the speech in question. "We are both in fear of how Israel will retaliate, but also we are full of pride, and full of joy at what has happened.

Abuqamar, who leads the Friends of Palestine group at the University of Manchester, told Al Jazeera last week: “Essentially the Home Office claims that my presence in the UK threatens national security; they have said that the statements that I've made support some sort of extremist views,” she said. “Keep in mind, I am a 19-year-old law student – all I have done in life is go to school and receive an education and advocate for social justice.”

She added that her legal team has “launched a human rights appeal against the Home Office’s egregious decision” to revoke her student visa and called the decision “completely baseless.”

“Freedom of expression is a fundamental human right here in the UK, but it clearly does not seem to apply to people of colour or ethnic minorities, and especially not to Muslims and Palestinians like myself,” Abuqamar added.




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This blog may be a labor of love for me, but it takes a lot of effort, time and money. For over 19 years and 40,000 articles I have been providing accurate, original news that would have remained unnoticed. I've written hundreds of scoops and sometimes my reporting ends up making a real difference. I appreciate any donations you can give to keep this blog going.

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