Israel and Hamas at War – Day 587

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded on Wednesday to comments made by French President Emmanuel Macron the day before, accusing him of spreading “blood libels” against Israel and siding with Hamas, following Macron’s condemnation of Israel’s Gaza policy.

Macron denounced Israel’s handling of humanitarian aid in Gaza as “unacceptable” and “shameful,” even suggesting that the European Union should consider imposing sanctions. His remarks recieved immediate backlash from the Israeli government.

In a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, Netanyahu accused the French leader of “once again” echoing Hamas propaganda.

“Macron has once again chosen to side with a murderous Islamist terror organization and echo its false propaganda, while accusing Israel of blood libels,” the statement read.

The Prime Minister’s Office reiterated his position regarding Israel’s actions during ongoing war: “Israel is waging a multi-front battle for its existence following the horrific massacre carried out by Hamas against innocent civilians on October 7, including the murder and abduction of dozens of French citizens.”

“Instead of standing with the democratic Western camp fighting Islamist terror organizations and calling for the release of the hostages, Macron is once again demanding that Israel surrender and reward terrorism.”

At least 70 Palestinians were killed across the Gaza Strip on Wednesday in a wave of Israeli airstrikes, according to Gaza health authorities, marking one of the deadliest days in recent weeks as US President Donald Trump visits the region.

The majority of casualties occurred in the Jabalia area of northern Gaza, where medics said homes were flattened in a barrage of Israeli airstrikes. Among the dead were multiple women and children, health officials said.

The IDF confirmed on Wednesday that it carried out a targeted drone strike in southern Lebanon, killing a senior Hezbollah operative.

The strike took place in the town of Qaaqaait al-Jisr and specifically targeted a commander believed to have led Hezbollah’s forces in the nearby area of Qabrikha, according to an official IDF statement.

Hezbollah has yet to publicly confirm the death or comment on the incident.

The Israel Defense Forces confirmed on Monday that it conducted a targeted strike on the European Hospital in southern Gaza, claiming it was aimed at a Hamas underground command center located beneath the medical facility.

According to defense sources to the Times of Israel, the operation specifically targeted Muhammad Sinwar, a top Hamas military commander and younger brother of former Gaza leader Yahya Sinwar. Sinwar is believed to have assumed leadership of Hamas’s military wing following the death of top commander Muhammad Deif and the subsequent killing of his brother.

“The Hamas terror organization continues to use hospitals in the Gaza Strip for terror purposes, cynically and cruelly exploiting the civilian population in and around the hospital,” the IDF said in a statement.

The military added that it employed precision munitions, extensive aerial surveillance, and other intelligence tools to minimize civilian harm during the strike.

US special envoy Steve Witkoff and US hostage envoy Adam Boehler met with families of the hostages still held in Gaza and expressed cautious optimism ahead of a new round of indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas, the Hostage and Missing Families Forum said Monday.

The two American officials are en route to Doha, where renewed talks—facilitated by Qatari mediators—are set to take place amid mounting pressure for a breakthrough.

Witkoff “assured the families that if he and Boehler didn’t believe there was a genuine chance for progress in negotiations, they wouldn’t be making the trip to Doha,” according to a Forum statement describing the nearly two-hour meeting.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a phone call Monday with freed hostage Edan Alexander and US envoy Steve Witkoff, celebrating the 21-year-old’s return from Hamas captivity while warning that Israel is prepared for renewed fighting if no broader hostage deal is reached.

In a video of the call released by the Prime Minister’s Office, Alexander, still recovering in an Israeli hospital, appears weak but expresses determination to heal. “Craziness, craziness, it’s unbelievable,” Alexander says. Asked how he feels, he responds: “I’m okay. Weak, but little by little, I’ll get back to what was before. It’s all a matter of time.”

Netanyahu commended Alexander’s resilience and praised the medical teams assisting in his recovery. “You really sound like you’re on the right track,” he told the former hostage, urging him to follow doctors’ orders.

Israeli military officials have begun logistical preparations to receive Edan Alexander, the Israeli-American soldier expected to be released by Hamas later today, according to an unnamed defense source quoted by several Hebrew-language outlets.

Channel 12 reports that a designated building at the Israel Defense Forces’ Re’im base has been readied for Alexander’s arrival. The base has previously served as a first point of contact for freed hostages, offering privacy and initial medical assessments before transport to a hospital.

Alexander, believed to be the only living American hostage still held in Gaza, was abducted during the October 7 attacks.

The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office confirmed on Monday that the expected release of Israeli-American soldier Edan Alexander is imminent, emphasizing that it will occur without Israel offering any concessions in return.

In a statement translated from Hebrew, the Prime Minister’s Office credited the pending release to “the vigorous policy that we have led with the backing of President Trump” and “the military pressure of IDF soldiers in the Gaza Strip.”

The government clarified that Israel has not agreed to a ceasefire or to the release of Palestinian prisoners. Instead, it has permitted only a temporary safe corridor to facilitate Alexander’s extraction from the Gaza Strip.

A US-Israeli plan to distribute food in Gaza has been met with widespread opposition from Palestinians, who say the initiative lacks neutrality and undermines their dignity. The operation, announced by US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, aims to feed 1.2 million people—around 60% of Gaza’s population—through four distribution centers run by a newly formed private foundation. The centers would be secured by US contractors and surrounded by Israeli military forces.

Displaced residents and local aid workers argue that introducing foreign contractors and military personnel into the process sends the wrong message and risks politicizing humanitarian assistance. Many say aid should be managed by established international organizations like the United Nations, not by those perceived as parties to the conflict.

Tensions around aid delivery have grown as Gaza’s humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate. With Israel tightening its blockade in March, food and fuel shortages have worsened, driving up malnutrition rates and deepening public frustration.

International relief agencies have warned repeatedly against politicizing humanitarian aid, noting that existing mechanisms, though strained, have delivered food and medical supplies to civilians despite logistical challenges.

Local observers say that using non-neutral actors in aid delivery may backfire, fueling resentment and suspicion rather than trust. Many Gazans now see the plan as part of a broader attempt to exert foreign influence rather than a genuine response to urgent humanitarian needs.

The Israel Defense Forces said Thursday it struck more than 150 targets across the Gaza Strip over the past 72 hours, in what marks an intensifying phase of the military’s ongoing campaign against Hamas.

Targets included “terrorist cells, buildings used by terror groups, and critical infrastructure,” according to a military statement. The IDF did not provide details on the precise locations of the strikes, but said many were concentrated in central and southern Gaza.

Among those killed was senior Hamas operative Nasser Juma, who the IDF identified as a veteran member of the group’s rocket production unit. Juma was targeted in a drone strike on Wednesday in the Deir al-Balah area of central Gaza, the military said.

The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza claimed nearly 200 Palestinians have been killed in the past three days.

Israel will launch an expanded military operation in Gaza aimed at dismantling Hamas, securing the release of hostages, and maintaining permanent control over captured areas, Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday. The operation was approved earlier this week by Israel’s Security Cabinet, and Katz made his comments during a planning session with senior commanders.

“We will act with full force and will not stop until all objectives are achieved, including the voluntary emigration plan for Gaza residents,” Katz said. He added that Israel Defense Forces troops would remain in any areas they seize, signaling a shift toward long-term presence inside the enclave.

The minister said Israel is offering a short window for a potential hostage deal, tied to the so-called Witkoff plan, before US President Donald Trump’s regional visit from May 13 to 16. Named for US envoy Steve Witkoff and introduced in early March by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the plan envisions a 50-day ceasefire and renewed talks toward a longer truce. It includes the phased release of Israeli hostages but does not provide for the release of Palestinian prisoners or the withdrawal of Israeli forces—two central Hamas demands.

Katz confirmed that even if a deal is reached, “Israel will not withdraw from the security buffer zone,” referring to land inside Gaza that Israeli forces currently hold.

The announcement comes against the backdrop of growing international concern over Gaza’s worsening humanitarian crisis, as aid access remains blocked and fears of famine escalate.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has strongly criticized Israel’s proposed new system for distributing humanitarian aid in Gaza, calling it inadequate to address the growing hunger crisis. On Tuesday, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said, “The manmade and politically motivated starvation in Gaza is an expression of absolute cruelty,” adding that “it cannot be addressed by weaponizing humanitarian assistance.”

Since March 2, Israel has blocked goods and supplies from entering Gaza, following the end of the initial phase of a ceasefire with Hamas. The United Nations has warned of worsening food insecurity, particularly for children. According to a recent UN statement, Israeli authorities are seeking to reroute aid through military-run distribution hubs instead of letting UN agencies and aid groups manage deliveries. UNRWA argues this undermines the humanitarian principles of neutrality and independent access for all in need.

Airstrikes were reported late Monday night in the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah, according to several local media outlets. The strikes, which targeted sites near the coast, were quickly attributed by Yemeni sources to Israel.

The timing of the reported attack is notable, coming just one day after the Iran-backed Houthi movement in Yemen fired a ballistic missile that struck near Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport, injuring several civilians and temporarily halting flights.  consultations, including discussions of possible retaliatory options.

Israel will not pull out of the Gaza Strip even if another hostage deal is reached, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said Sunday, declaring that Israel is “finally going to occupy the Gaza Strip” and calling on the public to stop fearing the word “occupation.”

Speaking at a conference organized by the right-wing Besheva newspaper, Smotrich told journalist Amit Segal of Channel 12 that Israel must maintain its military presence in Gaza regardless of future diplomatic or hostage negotiations.

“We are finally going to occupy the Gaza Strip. We will stop being afraid of the word ‘occupation,’” said Smotrich, a far-right member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.

He insisted that Israel’s military operation should include full control over humanitarian aid to prevent resources from reaching Hamas. “We are separating Hamas from the population, cleansing the Strip, returning the hostages — and defeating Hamas,” he said.

Yemen’s Houthi group announced Sunday it would escalate attacks on Israeli airports, declaring a “comprehensive air blockade” targeting aviation infrastructure, especially Ben Gurion Airport. The statement followed a missile strike that struck a roadway near the main terminal in central Israel, injuring four people and damaging vehicles. Israeli air defense systems failed to intercept the projectile, which the military attributed to a technical malfunction.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said the group aims to force international airlines to cancel flights to Israel. “We will work to impose the blockade by repeatedly targeting airports, most notably Ben Gurion Airport,” he said on al-Masirah TV.

In response, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed retaliation against the Houthis and their ally Iran. Several European carriers suspended flights following the incident. The Houthis, who control northern Yemen, have launched frequent attacks against Israel since November, citing support for Palestinians in Gaza as their justification.

Organizers of a “Freedom Flotilla” attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip allege that their ship was struck twice by a drone in international waters overnight, sparking a fire and causing significant structural damage. The vessel, now reportedly sinking, is said to be carrying 30 pro-Palestinian activists.

The group has not directly accused Israel or any other party of carrying out the strike. However, the mission was organized under a media blackout, which the coalition said was intended to “limit Israeli sabotage,” implying concern over potential interference by Israeli forces.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that 18 individuals have been arrested on suspicion of deliberately setting the wildfires that have ravaged areas west of Jerusalem over the past two days.

The fires, which have forced widespread evacuations and destroyed thousands of acres of forest and farmland, are still burning in several locations.

Speaking at the annual Bible Contest in Jerusalem, Netanyahu stated that one of the suspects was apprehended in the act of committing arson: “There is harm to nature and also harm to people, and we’re holding 18 people at the moment who are suspected of arson—one of whom was caught in the act.”

“We’re doing everything we can to thwart the fire and rehabilitate what was destroyed.”

​Israel has confirmed conducting an airstrike on April 30 in Ashrafiyat Sahnaya, a town southwest of Damascus, targeting what it described as an extremist group preparing to attack the Druze community. The strike followed days of sectarian violence in the region, which reportedly resulted in dozens of deaths. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the operation was a “warning” to the Syrian regime, emphasizing Israel’s commitment to protecting the Druze minority.​

Syrian state media reported injuries among civilians, including members of the Druze community, due to the airstrike. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitoring group, reported that at least 39 people had been killed in recent sectarian clashes in areas including Jaramana, Sahnaya, and Ashrafiyat Sahnaya. The violence was reportedly sparked by the circulation of an audio recording, allegedly from a Druze individual, containing remarks considered offensive to Islam.​

In response to the escalating violence, Syrian forces, supported by allied paramilitary units, launched operations to secure Ashrafiyat Sahnaya, conducting searches and sealing off the town’s entrances and exits. A ceasefire was later brokered by Druze leaders and government officials, aiming to restore calm to the area.

Israel on Tuesday released Asaad al-Nsasrah, a Palestinian medic detained since March, following a deadly incident in which Israeli forces killed 15 rescue workers in southern Gaza and buried them in a mass grave. Al-Nsasrah, affiliated with the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, was among 10 detainees freed and returned to Gaza.

His detention followed a March 23 Israeli operation that left eight Palestinian Red Crescent medics, six Civil Defense personnel, and one United Nations staff member dead. The victims were reportedly killed while responding to emergencies, and their bodies—along with their destroyed ambulances—were bulldozed and buried by Israeli troops. International rescue teams reached the site nearly a week later to recover the remains.

The Red Crescent confirmed al-Nsasrah’s release, while Israeli authorities provided no public comment on the circumstances of his detention. Other detainees returned alongside him were taken to Aqsa Hospital for medical evaluations. Some reported being held for five to six months.

Palestinians released from Israeli custody have said they were instructed not to speak to the media and feared retaliation or re-arrest. Human rights groups have repeatedly raised concerns over the treatment of Palestinian detainees and the lack of due process in many arrests carried out during Israel’s military operations in Gaza.

Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer led a delegation in Cairo on Monday for talks with Egyptian officials about a new ceasefire proposal for Gaza, according to Egyptian sources. Egypt’s latest plan calls for a six-month truce in exchange for the release of half the Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

The new offer comes after Israel rejected an earlier Egyptian initiative proposing a five-year ceasefire and the release of all hostages. Egyptian officials say the latest plan includes a phased Israeli military withdrawal and steps for Gaza’s reconstruction.

The meeting, hosted by Egypt’s intelligence chief Hassan Mahmoud Rashad, follows recent discussions between Egypt and a Hamas delegation led by Khalil al-Hayya. Hamas reportedly agreed to the earlier five-year deal, which Israel declined.

Israel resumed airstrikes in Gaza on March 18 after accusing Hamas of rejecting an extension of the first phase of a January truce. Indirect talks mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the US remain ongoing.

Israeli forces launched an airstrike on Sunday targeting a building in the Hadath area of Beirut’s southern suburbs, claiming it housed precision missiles stored by Hezbollah. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a joint statement that the missiles posed a “significant threat” to Israel’s security.

Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that Israeli warplanes fired three missiles, destroying a hangar and damaging nearby buildings and vehicles. No casualties have been confirmed.

Before the strike, Israeli Military spokesperson Avichay Adraee warned residents to evacuate the area. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the attack, urging the United States and France to pressure Israel to halt its operations and warning of regional instability.

The strike comes despite a ceasefire declared on Nov. 27, 2024, intended to end cross-border fighting. Lebanese officials say Israeli strikes have killed 149 people since the truce, including 71 civilians.

Late Saturday night, Yemen’s Houthi rebel movement announced it had fired a missile toward Israel’s Nevatim air base in the Negev Desert.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said the group “targeted a key Zionist military installation” in retaliation for Israel’s actions in Gaza.

Shortly afterward, the Israel Defense Forces confirmed that an anti‐ship missile launched from Yemen was detected over the southern Negev. “Air defenses successfully intercepted the projectile before it entered Israeli airspace,” an IDF statement said.

Sirens sounded across the Arava region and along the Dead Sea, prompting brief civilian evacuations to nearby shelters. No damage or casualties were reported on the Israeli side.

The Israel Defense Forces announced on Thursday that Master Sgt. Asaf Cafri, 26, a tank driver in the 79th Battalion of the 14th Reserve Armored Brigade, was killed by sniper fire near Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza.

Three other soldiers were wounded in the same engagement: a reservist from the 79th Battalion and an officer in the Yahalom combat engineering unit suffered serious injuries from anti-tank rounds, while a reservist from the Gaza Division’s 8239th Battalion was moderately hurt.

According to an initial IDF investigation, Cafri was struck as his unit operated close to an Israeli-held buffer-zone post. The cell responsible opened fire and then slipped away before troops could mount a pursuit. Cafri, of Beit Hashmonai, is the second soldier killed in the renewed northern Gaza offensive; Warrant Officer G’haleb Sliman Alnasasra was fatally wounded by a roadside bomb on April 19.

An Israeli airstrike on northern Gaza’s Jabalia refugee camp struck a joint Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad command center, the Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet announced.

According to Israeli military sources, the facility—formerly Jabalia’s police station—was used by terrorists to plan and coordinate attacks on Israeli civilians and soldiers. Palestinian media confirmed the target and reported that at least nine individuals were killed, though their identities have not yet been independently verified.

In a statement, the IDF said it employed a “precision munition, aerial surveillance, and additional intelligence” to minimize civilian casualties. “The terror organizations systematically violate international law while taking over civilian infrastructure and brutally exploiting the civilian population as a human shield for their terror attacks.”

Arnon Bar-David, chair of Israel’s powerful Histadrut Labor Federation, has warned he will not hesitate to call a third nationwide strike should the government refuse to comply with High Court of Justice decisions he says are crucial to preserving democracy.

In a Thursday interview with Maariv, Bar-David said his “red line” is the government’s failure to adhere to court rulings, a scenario he believes would lead the country toward “anarchy.” He insisted that while he won’t threaten strikes over every disagreement, he has already used the strike weapon twice when he judged democracy to be under existential threat.

“Democracy is still in danger and under attack every day, and the justice system and the security establishment are those who suffer the blows,” Bar-David said, citing recent clashes between ministers and both the Shin Bet and the Attorney General. “If this happens, we will head toward anarchy. If needed—I won’t hesitate to announce a strike.”

Since the hard-line government took office, the Histadrut has staged two general strikes: one in March 2023 during mass protests over the brief firing of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and another in September over the government’s failure to secure a comprehensive hostage-release deal after militants in Gaza killed six captives.

In a new propaganda push, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military arm of Hamas, on Tuesday released a video showing Israeli captive Omri Miran.

Miran was abducted from Kibbutz Nahal Oz during Hamas’s October 7, 2023 assault, and previously appeared in a similar video in April.

Following the most recent temporary ceasefire and partial hostage releases, Miran’s family received word from freed captives who had been held alongside him as recently as July that he remains alive.

Under Israeli media ethics rules, broadcasters and newspapers have withheld sharing footage or still frames from Hamas’s video without the explicit consent of Miran’s family.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Wendesday called on Hamas to release its Israeli and American hostages, denouncing the ongoing Gaza offensive as a “war of extermination” and accusing the group of providing Israel with a pretext to continue its campaign.

Speaking at the opening of the PLO Central Council meeting in Ramallah, Abbas demanded an immediate halt to the bombardment he said was killing “hundreds every day.” “The first priority is to stop the war of extermination in Gaza,” he said. “Why don’t you hand over the American hostages?”

Addressing Hamas directly, Abbas lashed out: “You sons of dogs—release those you’re holding and put an end to this story. Shut down their excuses. End it.”

Abbas also warned against what he called a “new Nakba,” accusing Israel of seeking to uproot Gaza residents from their homes. “We reject this. It’s an inseparable part of our land—what’s happening in Gaza is also happening in Jenin, everywhere.”

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich declared on Wednesday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “is the one who is ultimately responsible” for Israel’s conduct in the Gaza war—and warned that if the government does not occupy the territory and install a temporary military administration, “this government has no right to exist.”

Smotrich’s remarks followed a heated exchange in Sunday’s security cabinet meeting between Defense Minister Israel Katz and IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir over the resumption of humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza. Katz argued that Israel would have to restart aid shipments within the next week or two, while ensuring none of the supplies reached Hamas. Zamir responded that the military could not be tasked with distributing civilian aid.

“The army does not choose its missions,” Smotrich reportedly shot back, insisting that the IDF must oversee aid distribution to prevent goods from falling into Hamas’s hands. He reiterated that “managing the civilian effort in Gaza in a way that does not fall into the hands of Hamas was and remains the most critical component for defeating Hamas and winning the war.”

Smotrich, leader of the far-right Religious Zionism party, said he had secured an explicit cabinet decision last year instructing the IDF on the issue, but accused Netanyahu of failing to enforce policy implementation, adding, “I have no complaints about the chief of staff. My criticism is of the prime minister.”

Egypt has assumed a leading role in the ongoing negotiations for the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, according to reports from The Times of Israel citing an official familiar with the deliberations.

The move came at the urging of both Israel and the Trump administration, who favored Egypt’s involvement over Qatar, believing Cairo can exert greater pressure on Hamas to agree to terms that would secure a deal.

An Israeli drone strike killed Hussein Atawi, a senior commander of the group Jama’a Islamiya, near the Lebanese capital of Beirut on Tuesday, the group confirmed in a statement.

Atawi, a high-ranking figure in the group’s armed wing known as the Fajr Forces, was targeted as he drove from his home to his office in Beirut. The Fajr Forces had previously launched rockets at Israel from southern Lebanon during the year-long conflict that concluded last year with a ceasefire agreement.

Israeli airstrikes have continued sporadically in Lebanon since the ceasefire, primarily targeting Hezbollah fighters and weapons caches. Israeli forces also maintain positions on five strategic hills in southern Lebanon.

The Israel Defense Forces confirmed Sunday that a senior Hezbollah commander, Hussein Ali Nasr, was killed in an Israeli drone strike in Kaouthariyet al-Saiyad, a town located between Sidon and Tyre in southern Lebanon.

Nasr served as the deputy chief of Hezbollah’s Unit 4400, a division responsible for smuggling weapons and funds into Lebanon to rebuild the terror group’s military capabilities, the IDF said in a statement.

According to the military, Nasr played a central role in coordinating smuggling operations in cooperation with Iran. This included moving arms and cash through the Beirut airport with the help of airport workers allegedly operating covertly on Hezbollah’s behalf. The IDF also said Nasr was involved in procurement deals with arms smugglers along the Syria-Lebanon border and oversaw key elements of Hezbollah’s military build-up.

Lebanon’s military says it has prevented the first attempted rocket strike on Israel since last November’s Egypt‑brokered ceasefire formally paused more than a year of cross‑border exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah.

In a statement on Sunday, the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) said troops raided an apartment on the outskirts of the southern port city of Sidon, seizing several rockets and launch pads and arresting a number of individuals involved in the plot.

Newly-appointed US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee visited Jerusalem’s Western Wall on Friday, just one day after arriving in the country to officially begin his diplomatic posting.

Huckabee placed a handwritten note from President Donald Trump into a crevice of the ancient structure, continuing a longstanding tradition at Judaism’s holiest site. “He wrote that with his own hand last Thursday and he sent me to place it here,” Huckabee told reporters. “So I do so with the best wishes of the president.”

Footage of the moment showed Huckabee solemnly inserting the note into the wall as he stood alongside Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch, the official rabbi of the Western Wall. “I can think of nothing I’d rather do than represent a prayer from the President of the United States on behalf of the American people to pray for the peace of Jerusalem,” Huckabee added.

The Western Wall, also known as the Kotel, is a sacred site where visitors frequently insert personal prayers and messages into the stones. Huckabee, a former governor of Arkansas and longtime political ally of Trump, has visited the wall before—but this marks his first official visit as ambassador.

The Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet announced on Wednesday that Yahya Fathi Abd al-Qader Abu Shaar, the head of Hamas’s smuggling unit, was killed in a precision airstrike in the southern Gaza city of Khan Yunis on Tuesday.

Abu Shaar had been responsible in recent years for facilitating the flow of weapons and military equipment into Gaza, materials the IDF says were used extensively by Hamas, including during its deadly October 7, 2023, assault on southern Israel.

The IDF released footage of the airstrike, stating that the operation was conducted using a precision munition, guided by aerial surveillance and additional intelligence to reduce civilian harm.

MK Zvi Sukkot (Religious Zionism) ascended the Temple Mount on Wednesday and openly recited Jewish prayers, declaring the moment proof of a “tremendous change” in long‑standing limitations at the flash‑point holy site.

Video posted by Sukkot shows the lawmaker bowing and prostrating himself on the esplanade—Judaism’s holiest site and Islam’s third holiest—despite the status‑quo understanding that bars overt Jewish worship there. Although Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government insists no formal policy has changed, quiet Jewish prayer has increasingly been tolerated in recent years by police stationed at the compound.

“Fourteen years ago I tried to pray here and was immediately arrested. Today Jews are prostrating, praying with a minyan; the Waqf doesn’t approach us. I see this with tears in my eyes,” Sukkot told reporters after the visit, referring to the group of 10 men required for male prayer within Orthodoxy.

Sukkot said he offered prayers for Israel Defense Forces troops fighting in Gaza and for the return of the remaining hostages held by Hamas.

Hamas announced Tuesday that it has lost contact with the group holding Edan Alexander, an American Israeli hostage, after an Israeli airstrike targeted their location in Gaza. According to Abu Obeida, spokesperson for the group’s armed wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, attempts are underway to regain communication with the captors.

“It seems that the occupation army is deliberately trying to kill him and hence relieve itself from the pressure caused by the dual-citizen prisoners in order to continue its genocide against our people,” the statement claimed.

Earlier, the Israel Defense Forces reported that a joint operation with the Shin Bet security agency killed Muhammad al-‘Ajlah, a Hamas commander in Gaza’s Shuja’iyya battalion. Al-‘Ajlah had previously led a combat support company and was said to be involved in arming fighters.

The Knesset’s Constitution, Law and Justice Committee announced it will hold a public discussion on Sunday to address issues of “selective enforcement” following today’s reports of sensitive details from a classified leaks affair and the recent arrest of a Shin Bet official.

The hearing, chaired by Religious Zionism MK Simcha Rothman, will focus on concerns regarding leaks, the impact on journalistic freedom, and the right of investigators and Shin Bet officials to consult with legal counsel.

Rothman has invited a group to attend: Shin Bet Chief Ronen Bar, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, State Prosecutor Amit Aisman, Israel Police Commissioner David Levy, and Deputy Commissioner Boaz Balat, who heads the police’s Investigations and Intelligence Department.

Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar is expected to step down in the coming weeks, according to a report aired Sunday night on Israel’s Channel 12, citing several recent conversations Bar has had with close associates.

The development follows the High Court of Justice’s interim injunction issued last week, which blocked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s unprecedented attempt to fire Bar and ordered both the government and the attorney general to reach a compromise by April 20. The court also ruled that Bar must remain in office until further notice.

Despite the legal reprieve, Channel 12 reports that Bar has expressed deep concern that the continued political turmoil surrounding his position is inflicting lasting harm on the Shin Bet. He reportedly plans to inform the court of his resignation and its effective date in a formal brief expected next week.

Bar’s ouster—announced by Netanyahu in March—would mark the first time in Israeli history that a Shin Bet chief has been dismissed by the government. Netanyahu cited a loss of confidence in Bar, stemming from the agency’s failure to prevent Hamas’s deadly October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, which claimed more than 1,200 lives and triggered the ongoing war in Gaza.

However, critics contend that Netanyahu’s move to fire Bar is tainted by a conflict of interest, given that the Shin Bet is currently investigating allegations that some of the prime minister’s close aides conducted public relations work for Qatar while serving in official roles.

Following the capture of the Morag Corridor—the strategic stretch between southern Gaza’s Rafah and Khan Yunis—by the Israel Defense Forces, Defense Minister Israel Katz has issued an urgent call for Palestinians to “remove Hamas and release all the hostages” before the military expands its operations in the Gaza Strip.

“The IDF has now completed the capture of the Morag Corridor, which divides Gaza between Rafah and Khan Yonis, making the area between the Philadelphi Corridor and Morag part of our security zone,” Katz said in a statement. He warned that intensive military activity was imminent, stating, “Intensive IDF activity will soon expand to additional places in most of Gaza, and you will have to evacuate the combat zones.”

Katz further criticized Hamas by asserting that “Hamas is unable to protect the residents or the territory. Hamas leaders are hiding in tunnels with their families, and in luxury hotels abroad with billions in their bank accounts and are using you as hostages.” He stressed that the only way to end the ongoing conflict is for Hamas to be removed and for all Israeli hostages to be freed, declaring, “This is the final moment to remove Hamas and release the hostages and bring about an end to the war.”

The Israeli Defense Forces and Shin Bet announced that an airstrike in the Shejaiya neighborhood of Gaza City yesterday killed Haitham Razek Abd al-Karim Sheikh Khalil, the commander of Hamas’s Shejaiya Battalion.

Khalil, who led the notorious attack on Nahal Oz during the October 7 onslaught, is now the fourth battalion commander to be eliminated by the IDF during the current war.

According to the IDF, the strike targeted a Hamas command center located approximately one kilometer from Israeli troops operating in the area. “Several Hamas terrorists operated at the site to plan and execute terror attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF troops,” a military spokesperson stated.

Khalil was identified as the mastermind behind the infiltration into Nahal Oz and the planning of various attacks against IDF forces in Gaza.

The airstrike reportedly resulted in the deaths of approximately 30 Palestinians.

After Israel’s Air Force chief announced plans to dismiss any active reservists who signed a letter criticizing the ongoing war against Hamas, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has openly supported the decision. In a statement, Netanyahu declared, “Refusal to serve is refusal to serve, even if it’s only hinted at in whitewashed language. Statements that weaken the IDF and strengthen our enemies in a time of war are unforgivable.”

The letter, signed by a group of reservists, demanded that the government prioritize freeing hostages—even at the cost of ending the war with Hamas immediately—claiming that current military operations were politically motivated. Netanyahu, however, dismissed their objections, asserting that the signatories are “a group of fringe extremists” intent on undermining Israeli society. He argued that these dissenters have attempted similar tactics before October 7 and that such actions only signal weakness to adversaries.

An Israeli airstrike on Wednesday in the southern Gaza city of Rafah’s Shejaia neighborhood reportedly killed at least 29 Palestinians, including children, according to local health authorities. The attack targeted a multi-floor residential building, and medics confirmed that dozens were wounded, with many still reported missing and trapped under the rubble.

The Israeli military stated that the strike was aimed at a senior Hamas terrorist who was responsible for planning and executing attacks from the area, asserting that measures were taken to mitigate civilian casualties. The military added that the attack was part of a broader effort to combat militants operating in Gaza.

Local health authorities, however, reported that nine additional Palestinians were killed in separate strikes elsewhere in the enclave, pushing the day’s death toll to 38. The incident follows a week during which the Israeli military ordered residents in the area to evacuate, as part of an effort to create security zones in Gaza.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked the court at his corruption trial on Monday, to conclude his testimony early, citing exhaustion after an overnight flight back to Israel from Washington.

His defense attorney, Amit Hadad, testified that the prime minister was “very tired” as he had not slept the previous night.

Hadad added that it was not in the court’s interest for a person to testify in such a “bleary-eyed” state. The court granted Netanyahu’s request, ending the session early.

The Israeli Defense Forces released the schedule of former Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, detailing his meetings following the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. The release, which marks the first time an IDF chief of staff’s diary has been disclosed under Israel’s Freedom of Information Law, came after a lengthy fight by nonprofit Hatzlacha – For the Advancement of a Fair Society.

The FOI petition, filed in February 2024, specifically requested Halevi’s administrative diary from October 2023 onward. After more than a year of silence, the IDF ultimately provided partial entries for the last three months of 2023, notably omitting any mention of meetings with journalists despite explicit requests to include such details. The IDF explained that the initial shock from Hamas’ onslaught led to incomplete documentation.

According to the published schedule, Halevi held his first meeting on October 7 at 7:00 a.m., just 30 minutes after the initial Hamas attack, to conduct a situational assessment. Later that morning, he met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at 9:45 a.m. Additionally, the diary shows that Halevi held a security briefing on the evening of October 5—only 36 hours prior to the onset of the war.

A significant minority of Jewish Israelis believe their government should defy a potential High Court ruling overturning the firing of Shin Bet security chief Ronen Bar, a new survey published by the Israel Democracy Institute (IDI) revealed on Tuesday.

The poll, which surveyed nearly 750 Hebrew and Arabic-speaking Israelis over the past week, shows that 36% of Jewish Israelis oppose obeying a possible High Court decision to reinstate Bar. Conversely, 54% believe the court’s ruling should be obeyed. Among Arab Israelis, support for complying with the court is considerably higher, with 71% in favor of obedience versus just 8% against.

The results also deep ideological divides: 96.5% of left-wing respondents support obeying a High Court ruling, compared to just 32% among right-wing respondents. The IDI noted that, according to voting patterns from the 2022 Knesset elections, no right-wing political party currently has a majority favoring compliance with the High Court.

The Israel Defense Forces dismantled a platoon of reservists and dismissed several officers for engaging in acts of vandalism during a counter-terror raid in the Deheisha refugee camp near Bethlehem last week.

According to the IDF, during the operation on April 2, soldiers exceeded authorized procedures by graffitiing slogans on camp buildings and vandalizing military equipment. The IDF described the actions as “grave,” noting that they contradicted the professionalism and values expected of its soldiers.

The operation was swiftly halted, and the illicit graffiti was covered up. Brigadier General Yaki Dolf, commander of the West Bank division, along with Colonel Gal Rich, commander of the Etzion Regional Brigade, launched an internal investigation into the incident. The findings were subsequently handed over to IDF Central Command Major General Avi Bluth, who stated, “This grave incident contradicts the level of professionalism and values expected of IDF soldiers.”

Likud party spokesman Guy Levy has vowed to push through a long-delayed bill regulating ultra-Orthodox military enlistment, asserting that “the army needs more soldiers but we are not willing to give up on the Torah world and Torah learners.”

Speaking on Radio Kol Barama, Levy said that while his party is championing the needs of the ultra-Orthodox community—even amid complaints that they are “fighting for the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) public more than for our own public”—Likud’s goal is to pass a “real enlistment law” that will ultimately increase the number of ultra-Orthodox recruits in the Israeli Defense Forces.

Ultra-Orthodox leadership currently staunchly opposes military service for their young men, fearing that such service could lead to secularization. Data presented to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee reveal that nearly all ultra-Orthodox men called up for service in recent months have declined to serve. Out of 10,000 initial draft orders issued between July 2024 and March 2025, only 205 ultra-Orthodox have enlisted. In total, only 1,721 ultra-Orthodox men have joined the army since the current recruitment cycle began, leaving approximately 66,000 eligible ultra-Orthodox men aged 18 to 24 yet to enlist.

Following revelations that police are investigating Jerusalem Post Editor-in-Chief Zvika Klein on suspicion of contact with a foreign agent as part of the “Qatargate” affair, several lawmakers have called for an urgent parliamentary hearing. Likud MK Amit Halevi demanded a review of what he termed “the arrest of the editor of a major newspaper in Israel,” highlighting growing concerns over press freedom.

In a letter to Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee chairman Simcha Rothman (Religious Zionism) Halevi described the incident as “no small matter.” Halevi pointed to reports that Klein’s phone was seized without a warrant, arguing that such measures require strict oversight to ensure they do not violate journalists’ rights.

Klein was questioned under caution on Tuesday as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged unlawful ties between Netanyahu’s senior aides and Qatar. Following the questioning, he was placed under five days of house arrest. A police source informed Haaretz that the necessary clearance had been obtained from the State Attorney’s Office to question Klein as part of the probe.

This development comes amid the broader Qatargate scandal, which has enveloped Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his inner circle. Critics argue that the investigation is part of a politically motivated campaign aimed at undermining the prime minister’s authority. Concurrently, Netanyahu’s Likud-led coalition is pushing forward several legislative proposals that critics say could further restrict press freedom, including bills targeting Army Radio and national broadcaster Kan.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir visited Jerusalem’s Temple Mount on Tuesday, sparking fresh controversy within the Israeli government coalition over the sensitive religious site, following nearly two weeks during Ramadan when access had been restricted to non-Muslims.

Ben Gvir’s visit drew immediate criticism from within the governing coalition. Ultra-Orthodox lawmaker Moshe Gafni (United Torah Judaism) publicly condemned the visit, calling it “an attack on the sanctity of the holiest place for the Jewish people and on the status quo.”

Tagging Ben Gvir directly in his message, Gafni tweeted: “This visit does not demonstrate sovereignty; on the contrary, it constitutes desecration of holiness and causes unnecessary incitement in the Muslim world,” and appealed to the minister to “stop ascending the Temple Mount.”

Many ultra-Orthodox Jews consider ascending the Temple Mount to be religiously forbidden due to the site’s sanctity. Ben Gvir, however, has repeatedly publicized his visits to the site since becoming minister in December 2022, declaring support for expanded Jewish access and prayer rights on the Temple Mount.

The Temple Mount, located in Jerusalem’s Old City, is Judaism’s holiest site as the location of the two biblical temples. Known as the Noble Sanctuary in Islam, it houses the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam’s third-holiest site. Changes to the sensitive status quo at the location have historically triggered tensions and violence.

While Jewish prayer at the site is officially banned, Israeli police, under the authority of Ben Gvir’s ministry, have increasingly permitted limited prayer, drawing international criticism and warnings from Israel’s own security establishment about the potential for conflict.

Lebanese leaders have condemned an Israeli airstrike that targeted a building in southern Beirut, with both President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam calling it a serious escalation. The strike, launched early Tuesday morning, killed three and injured seven others, according to Lebanese health authorities.

Aoun decried the strike as a “dangerous warning,” urging international support for Lebanon’s sovereignty. He emphasized the need for greater global efforts to defend the country’s territorial integrity against Israeli actions.

Salam described the attack as a violation of the ceasefire that ended over a year of conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, labeling it a breach of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 war between the two sides.

Israel, however, justified the strike, claiming it targeted a Hezbollah operative involved in directing Hamas fighters, whom they said posed an immediate threat to Israeli civilians. The strike has heightened tensions in the region.

Roughly 2,000 demonstrators gathered in Jerusalem on Monday for anti-government and pro-hostage deal rallies, leading to the arrest of 12 protesters amid clashes with police. This comes after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was summoned by police for questioning over his aides’ alleged ties to Qatar and two aides were taken into custody earlier in the day.

Additionally, the demonstrations come following government’s advancedment of controversial legislation aimed at overhauling the judiciary after moving to dismiss Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar. Critics say these measures, alongside the resumption of fighting in Gaza where 59 hostages remain, highlight a broader trend of governmental overreach.

Among those detained was the cousin of freed hostage Arbel Yehoud, who was reportedly violently arrested after cursing a police officer for allowing a counter-protester into a restricted area. Additionally, two protesters were detained for blocking traffic on Begin Highway, holding a banner that read, “What about the hostages?”

Protesters voiced their anguish over the continuing conflict, with Merav Svirsky, whose brother Itay was killed in captivity, condemning the government for sacrificing hostages: “I am here to cry out that right now, 59 men and women—24 of whom are still alive—are being sacrificed to their deaths by a criminal government.”

Multiple members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition have condemned his choice of former Navy commander Vice Adm. (res.) Eli Sharvit as the next head of the Shin Bet security service. The controversy centers on Sharvit’s participation in protests against the government’s judicial overhaul, with critics arguing that his appointment would perpetuate problematic ideologies.

Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu of Otzma Yehudit slammed the nomination, stating, “Replacing a person with a Kaplanist worldview with another person with a similar worldview does not solve the problem, but only perpetuates it in a different framework.” Likud lawmaker Tally Gotliv echoed these sentiments, asserting that Sharvit is “not suitable to head the Shin Bet” and predicting that the appointment will ultimately be abandoned in favor of a more qualified candidate.

Likud MK Nissim Vaturi added, “If he protests, he will not be the head of the Shin Bet. Let him continue to protest,” emphasizing that active dissent undermines the credibility needed to lead such a crucial institution.

Sources close to the prime minister suggest that Netanyahu is now reconsidering the controversial appointment, making it increasingly unlikely that Sharvit will replace current Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar.

Lebanese Army Commander General Rodolph Haykal announced Saturday that several suspects have been detained in connection with Friday’s rocket fire from southern Lebanon into northern Israel. During a visit to military posts along the border, Haykal said the army was investigating the incident and warned that such attacks ultimately serve “the enemy.”

Haykal reiterated the military’s commitment to defending Lebanon regardless of political or sectarian divisions and to enforcing UN Security Council Resolution 1701. He also accused Israel of hindering the army’s full deployment in the south by occupying Lebanese land and violating national sovereignty.

Israeli airstrikes on Friday targeted sites in southern Lebanon and a building in Beirut’s Dahieh district after the rocket fire. Lebanese sources reported six people killed and 21 injured. The strike in Dahieh—Hezbollah’s stronghold—was Israel’s first there since November and marked a sharp rise in tensions despite a truce brokered by the US and France last year.