Day 336 — Friday, September 6

Chants of “fight, fight, fight” echoed with the applause welcoming former President Donald Trump [who appeared via satellite] to the Republican Jewish Coalition’s annual summit in Las Vegas on Thursday.

Delegates waved signs, including “Kamala… oy vey!” and “We are Jews for Trump.”

Trump began his remarks by paying tribute to Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who was murdered by Hamas terrorists.

“As we speak today, we’re all devastated by the horrific death of our fellow American, Hersh Goldberg, and this is so sad to even say Hersh Goldberg-Polin,” he said. “I’ve been watching the parents. I’ve been watching everybody talking about it for so long, and it’s just so sad to see the five other innocent hostages slaughtered late last week at the hands of Hamas.”

Hersh was a brother, a son, and an American citizen, Trump said.

After being held captive for nearly a year following the “monstrous October 7 attack on Israel,” Hersh was “barbarically executed with a bullet to the back of his head,” he said.

“To Hersh’s family and everyone touched by these atrocities, we pray that God will grant you comfort, healing, and peace, and as for the evil savages responsible for these murders, may they never know peace or comfort ever again,” he added.

Trump reiterated his opinion that any Jewish supporters of President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris should have their heads examined.

“They’re not going to win because they can’t win, because we wouldn’t have a country any longer, and then Israel would not have an ally,” he said.

If Harris wins, terrorists will wage an “unceasing war to drive Jews out of the holy land,” he said.

“And you know it, and we’ve had a great relationship with Israel, but I can say honestly that we got 25% of the vote,” Trump said. “We got 26% after four years, after I did more for Israel than any other president, by far, and this year, we’re probably around the 50% mark.

“But I only ask you, who are the 50% of Jewish people that are voting for these people that hate Israel and don’t like the Jewish people? Why are they? Why are they voting?”

Harris will “totally abandon Israel,” he said, adding that “you’re going to be abandoned if she becomes president.”

“And I think you have to explain that to your people, because they don’t know it,” Trump said. “They have no idea what they’re getting into.

If Harris wins, terrorists will wage an “unceasing war to drive Jews out of the holy land,” he said.

“And you know it, and we’ve had a great relationship with Israel, but I can say honestly that we got 25% of the vote,” Trump said. “We got 26% after four years, after I did more for Israel than any other president, by far, and this year, we’re probably around the 50% mark.

“But I only ask you, who are the 50% of Jewish people that are voting for these people that hate Israel and don’t like the Jewish people? Why are they? Why are they voting?”

Harris will “totally abandon Israel,” he said, adding that “you’re going to be abandoned if she becomes president.”

“And I think you have to explain that to your people, because they don’t know it,” Trump said. “They have no idea what they’re getting into.”

Jerusalem Post

Day 336 — Friday, September 6

This past weekend, IDF soldiers operating in Rafah retrieved the remains of six murdered captives held by Hamas terrorists. World Israel News (WIN) reported, that on Sunday, “IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said that the six captives appeared to have been executed by their captors ‘a short time’ before they were located by Israeli soldiers.”

They further went on to report that “the remains of the six hostages were returned to Israel at approximately 4:00 a.m. Sunday, and were immediately brought for forensic testing and identification.”

“The examinations revealed, according to the report, that the six hostages had been shot in the head sometime within the prior 48 hours,” WIN detailed. “The remains of the six captives were found without the benefit of intelligence information when a unit of IDF soldiers were traversing a tunnel under Rafah.”

Tragic. Our hearts and our prayers are out for the families whose loved ones were murdered by Hamas terrorists. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday said that he was sorry that he was unable to bring the six hostages home alive and asked for forgiveness.

Is the world sympathetic to him? No. They are more sympathetic to the Hamas terrorists. They blame Benjamin Netanyahu, not the demonic maniacs, because, in their eyes, this happened because of his failure to secure a ceasefire for a hostage deal. You have got to be kidding me!

Joe Biden, when asked if Bibi is doing enough, cold-heartedly said, “No.”

To let Hamas live to fight another day is the most vile, disgusting, non-sympathetic, and unloving thing that anyone could ever ask of Israel. They didn’t start this war. Hamas started this war.

For almost 20 years, Hamas has squandered and stolen billions of dollars of foreign money to make their leaders rich and build hundreds of miles of network tunnels under Gaza homes, mosques, schools, and UNRWA facilities. And Hamas has done all this with one intent: to destroy the Jewish State.

Come on, Joe Biden! Come on, media! Come on, you the left! Wake up, stand with Israel, and give Prime Minister Netanyahu the backing he needs to finish the job and eliminate Hamas.

Hamas has done nothing to help the people in Gaza. They could have built a beautiful tourist destination, built infrastructure to help give the people a future, and created countless good-paying jobs; instead, they created the largest terror battleground on the planet. To top that off, they use their own people as human shields. Yet, the world blames the Israeli Prime Minister.

Has the world forgotten what took place on October 7th? Have they forgotten that it was Hamas who brutally murdered the six hostages? Even a lot of the media simply said that the hostages “died.” No, they didn’t just simply “die.” They were brutally murdered by a demonic death cult called Hamas—plain and simple.

To make matters worse, in Israel, over the past couple of days, progressive left-minded Israelis resumed protests against Netanyahu. These protesters are behaving as though Netanyahu is the one preventing an end to the war and a return of the hostages. If you want an end to the war, tell Hamas to surrender and return the remaining hostages! It’s that simple; the war would be over. That’s not happening, is it? Instead, they want to blame Bibi. Pinch me! I must be in a bad dream. How can people be so foolish and ignorant?

Blame Hamas. Blame Hezbollah. Blame the Houthis. Blame Iran. Blame all the anti-semites. But stand with your Prime Minister, for goodness’ sake! He’s trying to prevent another October 7th from ever happening again.

Day 336 — Friday, September 6

A gunman opened fire near the Israeli consulate in Munich on Thursday and was killed by police, in a suspected terror attack on the 52nd anniversary of the deadly terror attack there during the 1972 Olympics. No one else was hurt.

State Interior Minister Joachim Herrman later said at a press conference that German authorities are treating the shooting as a “possible attack on an Israeli institution.”

In a later statement, German police said that they are assuming the man was planning “a terrorist attack” on the consulate.

“It is assumed to be a terrorist attack involving the Consulate General of the State of Israel,” Bavaria state police and prosecutors said in a joint statement.

Speaking to reporters at a press conference on Thursday, Munich police chief Thomas Hampel said the gunman was an 18-year-old Austrian man.

German media outlets reported that the suspect was known to security authorities as an Islamist. The suspect lived in Austria’s Salzburg area near the border with Bavaria and had recently traveled to Germany, the reports said.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Thursday that “antisemitism and Islamism have no place here.”

“The quick reaction of the emergency services in Munich may have prevented something terrible from happening today,” Scholz posted on X.

According to a police spokesperson, officers were alerted to a person carrying a “long gun” in the Karolinenplatz area, near downtown Munich, at around 9 a.m.

There was then an exchange of shots in which the suspect sustained fatal injuries, but there no was no indication that anyone else was hurt, spokesperson Andreas Franken told reporters.

The man, who was carrying an old make of firearm with a repeating mechanism, died at the scene. Video showed the man with a rifle with a bayonet attached.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the incident, and said that the consulate was closed at the time for the annual ceremony commemorating the 11 Israeli athletes killed by Palestinian terrorists during the 1972 Munich Olympics.

At those Games, eight members of the Black September terror group broke into the Israeli Olympic team’s residence, immediately killing one coach and one member of the weightlifting team, and taking nine more Israeli team members hostage. All were killed during a botched rescue operation, as was a West German police officer.

President Isaac Herzog spoke with his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier after the shooting, and thanked security forces for quickly neutralizing the gunman.

“On the day our brothers and sisters in Munich were set to stand in remembrance of our brave athletes murdered by terrorists 52 years ago, a hate-fueled terrorist came and once again sought to murder innocent people,” Herzog wrote on X.

He also thanked the German security services “for their swift action,” writing, “Together we stand strong in the face of terror. Together we will overcome.”

Speaking at an unrelated news conference in Berlin, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said that “the protection of Jewish and Israeli facilities has the highest priority.”

Times Of Israel

Day 336 — Friday, September 6

This week, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave what I believe to be the most powerful speech of his political career. Two days earlier, six hostages had been executed by gunshots to the back of their heads because Hamas felt the IDF was getting too close to discovering them. It shocked the world and outraged the nation. In response, and under fire from Israeli leftists, families of hostages, international governments, and the United States’ White House, Netanyahu risked his political life by taking the unpopular stand against appeasement for the sake of hostage returns. As the saying goes, “With friends like these….”

There was one truth that Netanyahu communicated that could not be misunderstood. As long as he is prime minister, Israel will not back down. Despite the liberal politicians, Bibi’s stand will stay strong. And despite IDF generals who prefer plotting with one another rather than listening to the government, the PM is going to ensure that the military serves the government’s wishes rather than the government serving the military’s. After listening to the speech numerous times, I believe there are four main takeaways:

1.    Unity is vital to winning the war. This was a message to the Israeli public, and it came in the wake of protests and a failed labor strike that the courts declared illegal and political. The majority of our citizens agree with Netanyahu that we must remain strong together as we push to finish this war. Unfortunately, those who stand contrary to him – leftist media, big-mouth politicians, and buttinsky foreign governments – have the microphones and the television screens and the news sources.

2.    We received a detailed explanation of the history and importance of keeping the Philadelphi Axis in the hands of the IDF. It is through that area along the Egypt-Gaza border that most of Hamas’s armaments pass into the country. It provides the military oxygen that keeps the terrorists breathing, so it must remain cut off. Passing it back over to Hamas is like committing martial suicide for the IDF.

3.    Israel Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant, U.S. President Joe Biden, and all the others exerting political pressure on Netanyahu need to back off and let him work. As always, the left-wing media took up the cause of the anti-Bibis and grilled the PM mercilessly. But Netanyahu responded masterfully. No matter how hard they tried to trip him up, he was able to communicate his point clearly and concisely.

4.    Yahya Sinwar now knows in no uncertain terms that he is a walking dead man. No pressure from the U.S. or our own far-left elements will change Bibi’s stance on the Philadelphi Axis or on the removal of Sinwar from this planet. By saying it so publicly, Netanyahu has locked himself in and he can never go back.

Again, I think it is the best I have ever seen the prime minister.

Once again, I am angered and heart-broken at the barbaric loss of life. But I am not surprised. In fact, I remain optimistic, because biblically I know that we must win this smaller war for the big one of Ezekiel 38 to begin. A time of peace and security is coming for Israel. Once that is finally achieved, Russia, Turkey, Iran, and others will pour out of the north with the intention of destroying and pillaging Israel. All that has happened, God knew before. And He has planned out the perfect path that will ultimately lead to His people crying out to Him, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” (Luke 13:35).

Day 335 — Thursday, September 5

The long-suffering residents of Israel’s northern regions, who have not yet been evacuated from their homes, experienced another day under Hezbollah fire, as the terror group fired over 100 rockets into the Upper Galilee on Wednesday. The rocket fire did not result in any casualties but destroyed at least one building and caused several fires.

The largest attack occurred around noon, when 65 rockets were launched in a short time toward the Upper Galilee region near the city of Kiryat Shmona. Most of the rockets landed in open areas, sparking several fires.

Army Radio reported that a large fire erupted after one home sustained a direct hit. The homeowner told Walla News that his newly built house was heavily damaged, but that his family was evacuated from Kiryat Shmona last year and wasn’t directly affected.

The IDF’s aerial defense array also shot down a drone approaching the border while still over Lebanese territory.

Following the first large barrage targeting Kiryat Shmona, Israeli Air Force (IAF) jets struck rocket launchers in Kounine and Kabriha, which were used to fire at Israel.

All Israel News

Day 335 — Thursday, September 5

The IDF found the shaft to the tunnel in which the bodies of the hostages Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Eden Yerushalmi, Carmel Gat, Almog Sarusi, Alexander Lobanov, and Ori Danino, were found Saturday in a children’s yard, the IDF reported on Wednesday. 

In a published video, a soldier explained that the IDF received clear intelligence about the location of the tunnel shaft, leading the IDF to operate in that precise location.

“As you can see, the tunnel was hidden in a child’s yard, a place where a child should be safe, and not used as a human shield for Hamas,” the soldier said in the video.

The IDF’s 162nd Division and the Shin Bet located the shaft in a children’s yard, in a civilian area filled with traps. 

The IDF stated, “This is another example of Hamas’s cynical use of civilian space for terrorist activity.”

The IDF retrieved the bodies of the hostages from a tunnel under the city of Rafah in Gaza. They were likely slaughtered by Hamas shortly before the IDF got to them in Rafah.

The bodies were found only one kilometer from where Kaid Farhan al-Alkadi, age 52, from Rahat, was found last week. Since Alkadi was found, the IDF put out instructions to be extra careful in the area, but it is possible that Hamas killed the six, knowing that the military was close by and that the hostages might be taken by the IDF alive.

Jerusalem Post

Day 334 — Wednesday, September 4

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday blasted the British government for its decision to suspend some arms licenses to Israel, calling it a “shameful” move that will not deter Israel and will embolden Hamas.

“This shameful decision will not change Israel’s determination to defeat Hamas, a genocidal terrorist organization that savagely murdered 1,200 people on October 7, including 14 British citizens,” the premier wrote on X.

“Instead of standing with Israel, a fellow democracy defending itself against barbarism, Britain’s misguided decision will only embolden Hamas,” the post read.

Announcing the move on Monday, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the decision to suspend 30 of 350 licenses did not amount to a blanket ban or an arms embargo, but only involved items with concerns over their use during the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

“It is with regret that I inform the House (of Commons, the lower house of parliament) today the assessment I have received leaves me unable to conclude anything other than that for certain UK arms exports to Israel, there does exist a clear risk that they might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law,” Lammy said.

In his post, Netanyahu stressed that Israel was conducting a “just war with just means, taking unprecedented measures to keep civilians out of harm’s way and comporting fully with international law.”

The prime minister also compared Israel’s battle against Hamas, sparked by the terror group’s October 7 massacre, to Britain’s fight against the Nazis in World War II.

“With or without British arms, Israel will win this war and secure our common future,” he vowed.

Netanyahu’s post followed similar reactions from Israeli officials on Monday, with Foreign Minister Israel Katz saying Israel was “disappointed” by recent decisions made by the UK government relating to the war in Gaza.

“Israel is a state of law that operates in accordance with international law and has an independent and respected judicial system,” Katz said in a statement, adding, “A step like the one taken now by Britain sends a problematic message to the Hamas terrorist organization and its handlers in Iran.”

Times Of Israel 

Day 334 — Wednesday, September 4

The US Department of Justice is preparing to file criminal charges against senior Hamas leaders, including Yahya Sinwar and his associates, for their role in the Oct. 7 onslaught on Israel in which terrorists killed over 40 American citizens. The indictment, submitted to a federal court in New York, includes charges of conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization resulting in death.

The Justice Department’s statement specifically mentioned dual American-Israeli citizen Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who was killed by Hamas last week after being held captive for nearly 11 months.

“The charges unsealed today are just one part of our effort to target every aspect of Hamas’ operations. These actions will not be our last,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a video statement.

Additional Hamas leaders charged include Ismail Haniyeh, who was eliminated in Iran; Marwan Issa, deputy leader of Hamas’s military wing in Gaza; Khaled Mashaal, another deputy to Haniyeh and former leader of the organization; and others. 

The seven-count complaint marks the first legal action taken by the United States against those behind the attack on Israel. Charges also include conspiracy to murder US nationals and use weapons of mass destruction. The US additionally accuses Hezbollah and Iran of providing financial support and weapons, including rockets used in the attack.

Sinwar, who has been in hiding underground in Gaza since the war began, and Haniyeh will not stand trial. However, according to an Associated Press report, US officials say at least one individual, whose name was not disclosed, is expected to be brought to New York to face prosecution.

The Justice Department’s statement noted that Hamas has been designated as a foreign terrorist organization since 1997, with the goal of establishing an Islamic Palestinian state through violent means. The organization has employed rockets, suicide bombings, and other brutal tactics for decades, escalating threats to US national security.

Israel Hayom

Day 333 — Tuesday, September 3

Agreeing to the world’s demands to leave Gaza prematurely, even to have the IDF leave the Egyptian border area temporarily, would be a serious and strategic error that would embolden and resupply Hamas and put Israelis in grave danger.

That’s the case that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made last night in a nationally televised press conference in Hebrew.

A visibly emotional Netanyahu apologized to the hostage families and nation for not being able to get the six recently murdered hostages out in time.  He called the six “pure souls” and vowed Hamas would pay a heavy price for this “horrible massacre.”

However, the prime minister insisted that the only way to get back the remaining 101 hostages and protect all Israelis from future attacks by Hamas was not to surrender the vital gains the IDF has made so far.
His top priority right now?

The IDF absolutely must maintain control of the border between Gaza and Egypt called the Philadelphi Corridor, Netanyahu said.

He called it “the oxygen tube for Hamas” because through the smuggling tunnels on that border has come most of the weapons, ammunition, rockets, explosives, and other supplies that the terror group needs to fight Israel.

Cutting off those supply lines will suffocate Hamas and persuade them to make a deal, the prime minister insisted.

Israel must have control of this zone “or we are going to have another 7th of October and another 7th of October and another 7th of October, as Hamas has promised to do.”

“The axis of evil needs the Philadelphi Corridor and for that same reason we most control it.”

Netanyahu said that he has warned for more than 20 years that Israel must not surrender this corridor.

When he resigned from the government of then Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in 2005 over Sharon’s decision to unilaterally surrender Gaza and pull all Israeli soldiers and civilians out of the Gaza Strip, Netanyahu said that in his resignation letter, he demanded that Sharon never give up control of the Philadelphi Corridor.

When Netanyahu came back to power, he said he has led several campaigns to neutralize Hamas, say three times he tried to bomb and disrupt Hamas smuggling on the Egyptian border.

But “there was no international legitimacy” and “no national consensus” to send the IDF to invade the Gaza Strip and retake control of the Philadelphi Corridor.

“The world insists that we should not be there,” Netanyahu said. “But I insist that we will be there.”

Previous Israeli leaders said that the IDF would go back into Gaza “when Hamas fires the first missile,” Netanyahu noted, but “Hamas fired thousands of missiles and we did not go back in.”

That’s why Israel cannot leave now because “the world will impose tremendous political pressure on us” to prevent us from going back into the Philadelphi Corridor and retaking control of it.

“This line is different from all other lines. It decides our entire future. Its importance is huge for us.”

Giving up our control of the border with Egypt “will not bring our hostages back — just the opposite,” Netanyahu argued.

Hamas has only begun to negotiate and show any signs of willingness to compromise once we seized control of Rafah and the Philadelphi Corridor, he said.

“They thought that Iran will save them. Or Hezbollah will come save them. They are hoping that international pressure — or internal Israeli pressure — will affect it. But the first change for a possible [hostage deal] came because we took control of the Philadelphi Line.”

“Once we get out of it we will not be able to go back in,” Netanyahu said.

“I didn’t say Israel will be there 42 years,” Netanyahu noted.  “But when we left it last time we didn’t go back for 20 years.”

All Israel News

Day 333 — Tuesday, September 3

Hamas terrorists filmed the six Israeli hostages before executing them last week — a gruesome reminder of the tactics of psychological warfare once used by ISIS.

The Jerusalem Post reported:

Hamas has released a video on Telegram on Monday showing the six recently slain hostages speaking into a camera, while also announcing that it will release their “last message to the world” before they were killed.

In the video, all six hostages whose bodies were found by the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] on Sunday are seen confirming their identities before cutting to a still frame threatening to release their “last messages.”

The video ends with a threat to release the message in the coming hours.

As Breitbart News noted, the six hostages were murdered in cold blood before they could be rescued by Israeli soldiers. They included American-Israeli hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, and IDF Master Sergeant Ori Danino. All six were executed by being shot in the head.

The family of one hostage, Eden Yerushalmi, approved the release of a portion of the video in which she talks about how she loves her family.

The family of murdered hostage Eden Yerushalmi has authorized the release of a portion of the sick terror video that Hamas published earlier today.

The Yerushalmi family released this statement: “Our Eden, we love you too and we miss you like crazy. You are forever in our… pic.twitter.com/GT88ym1Opw

— Aviva Klompas (@AvivaKlompas) September 2, 2024

Previous hostage videos have included attacks on the Israeli government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, apparently intended to amplify internal protests within Israel and to pressure the Israeli government to give up the war.

Breitbart

Day 332 — Monday, September 2

Three Israeli police officers were killed in a drive-by shooting on Sunday morning near the Tarqumiya checkpoint, some 7.5 miles northwest of Hebron in Judea.

Magen David Adom paramedics treated a male and a female officer at the scene before pronouncing them dead. Another male officer was seriously wounded and evacuated to Soroka Medical Center in Beersheva, where he was later pronounced dead.

They were later named as Chief Inspector Arik Ben Eliyahu, 37, of Kiryat Gat, who is survived by his wife and three children; Command Sgt. Maj. Hadas Branch, 53, of Sde Moshe, who is survived by her husband, three children and granddaughter; and 1st Sgt. Roni Shakuri, 61, of Sderot, who is survived by his wife, daughter and granddaughter.

Shakuri’s other daughter, 1st Sgt. Mor Shakuri, 29, was killed on Oct. 7 while battling an attempt by Hamas terrorists to take control of the police station in Sderot, in southern Israel near the border with Gaza.

The Israel Defense Forces on Sunday initiated a search for the terrorists, who opened fire from a car at the police vehicle with the three officers inside on Route 35 and then fled on foot. The road was closed to traffic and security forces were preparing to search the nearby Palestinian village of Idna.

Later on Sunday, IDF and Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) fighters surrounded a house in Hebron where terrorists were believed to be holed up, the military said in a statement. At least one terrorist linked to Sunday morning’s attack was “neutralized“ at the site, the IDF stated.

According to reports, the terrorist who carried out the shooting was a member of Palestinian Authority chief Mahmoud Abbas’s “Presidential Guard,“ though it was unclear whether he still held the position.

Israel Police Commissioner Daniel Levy and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir arrived at the scene of the attack.

“I am certain and convinced that together with the IDF we will find and eliminate the despicable terrorists who harmed three of our good policemen,“ Levy said at the scene.

JNS

Day 332 — Monday, September 2

Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon is calling on the UN Security Council to assemble following the murder of six Israeli hostages by Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip.

In a letter to the President of the Security Council, Danon notes that Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Hersh Goldberg Polin, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, and Master-Sergeant Ori Danino suffered for almost 11 months, as did their families and loved ones with no sign of life being communicated, nor access granted to the ICRC.

“These innocent people were brutally executed just a few days ago by Hamas terrorists. Their vile and heinous murders have outraged Israel and its people and should equally shock the conscience of the world,” Danon wrote in the letter.

The Ambassador urged: “As our nation mourns the loss of these six beautiful lives, I call upon the Security Council to urgently convene a briefing to condemn Hamas in the strongest possible terms and to address the dire situation of the 101 hostages still held in captivity in Gaza. Despite the passage of nearly 11 months since the massacre of over 1,200 Israelis on October 7, the Council has yet to condemn Hamas nor act decisively for the hostages.”

He noted: “Three months ago, on May 27, with full backing from the United States, Israel agreed to a hostage release deal. Hamas refused.

Even after the United States updated the deal framework on August 16 – Israel agreed, and Hamas again refused. In recent days, as Israel has been engaged in intensive negotiations with the mediator in a supreme effort to reach a deal, Hamas continues to steadfastly refuse all proposals.”

Danon concluded: “The Security Council must not delay in taking action. I respectfully request that this letter be circulated as an official document of the Security Council. An identical letter has also been sent to H.E. Mr. António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations.”

Arutz Sheva

Day 331 — Sunday, September 1

The bodies of six hostages abducted alive by Hamas on October 7 were recovered from a tunnel in southern Gaza’s Rafah a few days ago, shortly after they were murdered by terrorists, the Israel Defense Forces announced Sunday.

The hostages were Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, Eden Yerushalmi, 24, Ori Danino, 25, Alex Lubnov, 32, Carmel Gat, 40, and Almog Sarusi, 27.

Goldberg-Polin, Yerushalmi, Lubnov, Sarusi and Danino (an off-duty noncommissioned officer) were abducted from the Nova music festival near Kibbutz Re’im, while Gat was taken from Kibbutz Be’eri.

IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said the six were “brutally murdered” by Hamas shortly before troops arrived — possibly only a day or two before they were found.

The IDF said that it had not had the exact location of the hostages but had indications of a general area where the six could be held, and was therefore operating carefully in the area.

“Since Farhan was found, troops were given an emphasis on operating carefully even more than usual, because of the understanding that additional hostages may be in the area. We did not have information on the exact location of the hostages,” Hagari said.

Troops began to search a tunnel complex on Saturday and found the hostages, dead, in the afternoon. Their bodies were extracted from Gaza overnight and brought to Israel for identification.

“According to an initial assessment… they were brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists a short while before we reached them. They were abducted alive on the morning of October 7 by the Hamas terror group,” Hagari said in a press conference.

The IDF said there were no clashes with Hamas terrorists inside the tunnel, and the guards who likely murdered the six had fled the area. However, troops battled terror operatives aboveground in the area where the tunnel was located.

Arutz Sheva

Day 331 — Sunday, September 1

A staggering 6,000 Gazans infiltrated Israel during the October 7 massacre, nearly double the previously estimated amount, according to a new probe by the Gaza Division that was submitted to IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi and published on Saturday on the N12 News site.

This revelation dramatically increases the scope of what was already considered to be one of the most severe breaches of the State of Israel’s security ever recorded.

Of the 6,000 Gazans who crossed into Israel, some 3,800 were identified as Nukhba terrorists – members of Hamas’s elite forces. Additionally, N12 disclosed that according to the findings, 4,300 rockets were fired by some 1,000 terrorists in Gaza, a significantly higher amount than earlier believed.

The probe also revealed that 2,200 Gazans, including both terrorists and looters, participated in the attack, further escalating the chaos and violence that marked the day. In another significant detail, 119 breaches were discovered in the border fence, almost twice the previously estimated number of 60.

“These numbers are simply inconceivable. They are double what we knew, and they further reveal the depth of the failure and the strength of Hamas’s raid,” N12 journalist Omri Maniv wrote in a post on X, reflecting on the new data. “The numbers are based on a thorough investigation by the Gaza Division submitted to the chief of staff.”

The IDF responded to the report, stating that “the operational investigation has not yet been concluded and continues in accordance with the situation assessment and operational constraints. Once it is completed, it will be presented to the public in full transparently.”

Jerusalem Post

Day 330 — Saturday, August 31

Two terrorist attacks unfolded Friday night in separate scenes in the West Bank, injuring three Israelis. One took place at a gas station at the Gush Etzion regional council. The other occurred at the entrance of Karmei Tzur, a Jewish community located north of Hebron.

IDF forces eliminated one Palestinian perpetrator in each location, with initial reports suggesting the two incidents might have been linked. The terrorists behind the suspected combined attack appeared to have plotted two large-scale car bombing attacks that were foiled.

Shortly after 11:30 p.m. local time, reports emerged that two people were injured and a car exploded near a gas station the Gush Etzion Junction.

According to a preliminary investigation, the Palestinian terrorist noticed that his car has caught fire and exited the burning vehicle. Footage from the scene showed him trying to attack people at the station.

IDF forces were dispatched to the scene, opened fire and eliminated the terrorist, the military said in  a statement. The forces then began conducting scans in the area to rule out the possibility of additional terrorists.

YNet News reported that following the fire exchange, two men – aged 34 and 24 – suffered minor and moderate gunshot wounds, respectively. They were taken by Magen David Adom (MDA) emergency services to Shaare Zedek Hospital in Jerusalem.

Only a few minutes after that sequence, at around 11:50 p.m., a second attack unfolded in the adjacent community of Karmei Tzur.

A Palestinian terrorist attempted to ram a local security guard who was stationed at the entrance gate of the community. His car – loaded with explosives – detonated when the guard opened fire. The terrorist was neutralized.

“Large IDF, Israeli Police, and ISA forces who were dispatched to the area, are conducting wide-range scans and blocking routes in the area,” read the statement from the IDF. “A number of injuries have been reported. The details are still under review.”

All Israel News

Day 330 — Saturday, August 31

Jewish campus groups and parents are criticizing a reported decision by the University of Maryland allowing a pro-Palestinian group to hold a rally on campus on October 7, the one-year anniversary of the Hamas attacks in Israel.

The permit was given to Students for Justice in Palestine, according to the campus Hillel and Jewish Student Union, who decried SJP on Instagram without criticizing the university directly.

“October 7 is a day of tragedy for the Jewish and Israeli community around the world. It is alarming to see that SJP has chosen this date, a day of Jewish mourning, to hold an event on campus,” the groups wrote Thursday on Instagram Stories.

They added, “While SJP followed university protocol in making this reservation, it is nevertheless condemnable that they did.” The Jewish groups also said their own October 7 memorial was in the works.

The SJP chapter confirmed to the Washington Post that it was planning an action on McKeldin Mall, the College Park campus’s main green, for October 7. The university declined to comment by press time on Friday.

Rabbi Ari Israel, director of Maryland Hillel, told the conservative news outlet The Daily Wire he expressed concern about the event to university leadership. Local Jewish leaders and parents say they fear that the rally might glorify the killing of 1,200 Israelis, a stance that other SJP chapters have taken over the past year.

“Any effort to celebrate the death of 1,200 members of our community on October 7, 2023, even within the context of celebrating ‘freedom fighters,’ ‘martyrs,’ etc., will be taken by the UMD Jewish community as a direct threat to the safety of the Jewish community at UMD,” reads an open letter to the school’s senior leadership currently circulating among Jewish parents and faculty.

This week, the university’s SJP chapter this week mounted a flag display on campus commemorating the “victims of Israel’s war in Gaza.” The display claimed Israel had killed upwards of 150,000 people in Gaza, drastically overstating even the Gaza Health Ministry’s own reported death tolls since the start of the war.

Jerusalem Post

Day 336 — Friday, September 6

Chants of “fight, fight, fight” echoed with the applause welcoming former President Donald Trump [who appeared via satellite] to the Republican Jewish Coalition’s annual summit in Las Vegas on Thursday.

Delegates waved signs, including “Kamala… oy vey!” and “We are Jews for Trump.”

Trump began his remarks by paying tribute to Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who was murdered by Hamas terrorists.

“As we speak today, we’re all devastated by the horrific death of our fellow American, Hersh Goldberg, and this is so sad to even say Hersh Goldberg-Polin,” he said. “I’ve been watching the parents. I’ve been watching everybody talking about it for so long, and it’s just so sad to see the five other innocent hostages slaughtered late last week at the hands of Hamas.”

Hersh was a brother, a son, and an American citizen, Trump said.

After being held captive for nearly a year following the “monstrous October 7 attack on Israel,” Hersh was “barbarically executed with a bullet to the back of his head,” he said.

“To Hersh’s family and everyone touched by these atrocities, we pray that God will grant you comfort, healing, and peace, and as for the evil savages responsible for these murders, may they never know peace or comfort ever again,” he added.

Trump reiterated his opinion that any Jewish supporters of President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris should have their heads examined.

“They’re not going to win because they can’t win, because we wouldn’t have a country any longer, and then Israel would not have an ally,” he said.

If Harris wins, terrorists will wage an “unceasing war to drive Jews out of the holy land,” he said.

“And you know it, and we’ve had a great relationship with Israel, but I can say honestly that we got 25% of the vote,” Trump said. “We got 26% after four years, after I did more for Israel than any other president, by far, and this year, we’re probably around the 50% mark.

“But I only ask you, who are the 50% of Jewish people that are voting for these people that hate Israel and don’t like the Jewish people? Why are they? Why are they voting?”

Harris will “totally abandon Israel,” he said, adding that “you’re going to be abandoned if she becomes president.”

“And I think you have to explain that to your people, because they don’t know it,” Trump said. “They have no idea what they’re getting into.

If Harris wins, terrorists will wage an “unceasing war to drive Jews out of the holy land,” he said.

“And you know it, and we’ve had a great relationship with Israel, but I can say honestly that we got 25% of the vote,” Trump said. “We got 26% after four years, after I did more for Israel than any other president, by far, and this year, we’re probably around the 50% mark.

“But I only ask you, who are the 50% of Jewish people that are voting for these people that hate Israel and don’t like the Jewish people? Why are they? Why are they voting?”

Harris will “totally abandon Israel,” he said, adding that “you’re going to be abandoned if she becomes president.”

“And I think you have to explain that to your people, because they don’t know it,” Trump said. “They have no idea what they’re getting into.”

Jerusalem Post

Day 336 — Friday, September 6

This past weekend, IDF soldiers operating in Rafah retrieved the remains of six murdered captives held by Hamas terrorists. World Israel News (WIN) reported, that on Sunday, “IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said that the six captives appeared to have been executed by their captors ‘a short time’ before they were located by Israeli soldiers.”

They further went on to report that “the remains of the six hostages were returned to Israel at approximately 4:00 a.m. Sunday, and were immediately brought for forensic testing and identification.”

“The examinations revealed, according to the report, that the six hostages had been shot in the head sometime within the prior 48 hours,” WIN detailed. “The remains of the six captives were found without the benefit of intelligence information when a unit of IDF soldiers were traversing a tunnel under Rafah.”

Tragic. Our hearts and our prayers are out for the families whose loved ones were murdered by Hamas terrorists. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday said that he was sorry that he was unable to bring the six hostages home alive and asked for forgiveness.

Is the world sympathetic to him? No. They are more sympathetic to the Hamas terrorists. They blame Benjamin Netanyahu, not the demonic maniacs, because, in their eyes, this happened because of his failure to secure a ceasefire for a hostage deal. You have got to be kidding me!

Joe Biden, when asked if Bibi is doing enough, cold-heartedly said, “No.”

To let Hamas live to fight another day is the most vile, disgusting, non-sympathetic, and unloving thing that anyone could ever ask of Israel. They didn’t start this war. Hamas started this war.

For almost 20 years, Hamas has squandered and stolen billions of dollars of foreign money to make their leaders rich and build hundreds of miles of network tunnels under Gaza homes, mosques, schools, and UNRWA facilities. And Hamas has done all this with one intent: to destroy the Jewish State.

Come on, Joe Biden! Come on, media! Come on, you the left! Wake up, stand with Israel, and give Prime Minister Netanyahu the backing he needs to finish the job and eliminate Hamas.

Hamas has done nothing to help the people in Gaza. They could have built a beautiful tourist destination, built infrastructure to help give the people a future, and created countless good-paying jobs; instead, they created the largest terror battleground on the planet. To top that off, they use their own people as human shields. Yet, the world blames the Israeli Prime Minister.

Has the world forgotten what took place on October 7th? Have they forgotten that it was Hamas who brutally murdered the six hostages? Even a lot of the media simply said that the hostages “died.” No, they didn’t just simply “die.” They were brutally murdered by a demonic death cult called Hamas—plain and simple.

To make matters worse, in Israel, over the past couple of days, progressive left-minded Israelis resumed protests against Netanyahu. These protesters are behaving as though Netanyahu is the one preventing an end to the war and a return of the hostages. If you want an end to the war, tell Hamas to surrender and return the remaining hostages! It’s that simple; the war would be over. That’s not happening, is it? Instead, they want to blame Bibi. Pinch me! I must be in a bad dream. How can people be so foolish and ignorant?

Blame Hamas. Blame Hezbollah. Blame the Houthis. Blame Iran. Blame all the anti-semites. But stand with your Prime Minister, for goodness’ sake! He’s trying to prevent another October 7th from ever happening again.

Day 336 — Friday, September 6

A gunman opened fire near the Israeli consulate in Munich on Thursday and was killed by police, in a suspected terror attack on the 52nd anniversary of the deadly terror attack there during the 1972 Olympics. No one else was hurt.

State Interior Minister Joachim Herrman later said at a press conference that German authorities are treating the shooting as a “possible attack on an Israeli institution.”

In a later statement, German police said that they are assuming the man was planning “a terrorist attack” on the consulate.

“It is assumed to be a terrorist attack involving the Consulate General of the State of Israel,” Bavaria state police and prosecutors said in a joint statement.

Speaking to reporters at a press conference on Thursday, Munich police chief Thomas Hampel said the gunman was an 18-year-old Austrian man.

German media outlets reported that the suspect was known to security authorities as an Islamist. The suspect lived in Austria’s Salzburg area near the border with Bavaria and had recently traveled to Germany, the reports said.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Thursday that “antisemitism and Islamism have no place here.”

“The quick reaction of the emergency services in Munich may have prevented something terrible from happening today,” Scholz posted on X.

According to a police spokesperson, officers were alerted to a person carrying a “long gun” in the Karolinenplatz area, near downtown Munich, at around 9 a.m.

There was then an exchange of shots in which the suspect sustained fatal injuries, but there no was no indication that anyone else was hurt, spokesperson Andreas Franken told reporters.

The man, who was carrying an old make of firearm with a repeating mechanism, died at the scene. Video showed the man with a rifle with a bayonet attached.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the incident, and said that the consulate was closed at the time for the annual ceremony commemorating the 11 Israeli athletes killed by Palestinian terrorists during the 1972 Munich Olympics.

At those Games, eight members of the Black September terror group broke into the Israeli Olympic team’s residence, immediately killing one coach and one member of the weightlifting team, and taking nine more Israeli team members hostage. All were killed during a botched rescue operation, as was a West German police officer.

President Isaac Herzog spoke with his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier after the shooting, and thanked security forces for quickly neutralizing the gunman.

“On the day our brothers and sisters in Munich were set to stand in remembrance of our brave athletes murdered by terrorists 52 years ago, a hate-fueled terrorist came and once again sought to murder innocent people,” Herzog wrote on X.

He also thanked the German security services “for their swift action,” writing, “Together we stand strong in the face of terror. Together we will overcome.”

Speaking at an unrelated news conference in Berlin, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said that “the protection of Jewish and Israeli facilities has the highest priority.”

Times Of Israel

Day 336 — Friday, September 6

This week, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave what I believe to be the most powerful speech of his political career. Two days earlier, six hostages had been executed by gunshots to the back of their heads because Hamas felt the IDF was getting too close to discovering them. It shocked the world and outraged the nation. In response, and under fire from Israeli leftists, families of hostages, international governments, and the United States’ White House, Netanyahu risked his political life by taking the unpopular stand against appeasement for the sake of hostage returns. As the saying goes, “With friends like these….”

There was one truth that Netanyahu communicated that could not be misunderstood. As long as he is prime minister, Israel will not back down. Despite the liberal politicians, Bibi’s stand will stay strong. And despite IDF generals who prefer plotting with one another rather than listening to the government, the PM is going to ensure that the military serves the government’s wishes rather than the government serving the military’s. After listening to the speech numerous times, I believe there are four main takeaways:

1.    Unity is vital to winning the war. This was a message to the Israeli public, and it came in the wake of protests and a failed labor strike that the courts declared illegal and political. The majority of our citizens agree with Netanyahu that we must remain strong together as we push to finish this war. Unfortunately, those who stand contrary to him – leftist media, big-mouth politicians, and buttinsky foreign governments – have the microphones and the television screens and the news sources.

2.    We received a detailed explanation of the history and importance of keeping the Philadelphi Axis in the hands of the IDF. It is through that area along the Egypt-Gaza border that most of Hamas’s armaments pass into the country. It provides the military oxygen that keeps the terrorists breathing, so it must remain cut off. Passing it back over to Hamas is like committing martial suicide for the IDF.

3.    Israel Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant, U.S. President Joe Biden, and all the others exerting political pressure on Netanyahu need to back off and let him work. As always, the left-wing media took up the cause of the anti-Bibis and grilled the PM mercilessly. But Netanyahu responded masterfully. No matter how hard they tried to trip him up, he was able to communicate his point clearly and concisely.

4.    Yahya Sinwar now knows in no uncertain terms that he is a walking dead man. No pressure from the U.S. or our own far-left elements will change Bibi’s stance on the Philadelphi Axis or on the removal of Sinwar from this planet. By saying it so publicly, Netanyahu has locked himself in and he can never go back.

Again, I think it is the best I have ever seen the prime minister.

Once again, I am angered and heart-broken at the barbaric loss of life. But I am not surprised. In fact, I remain optimistic, because biblically I know that we must win this smaller war for the big one of Ezekiel 38 to begin. A time of peace and security is coming for Israel. Once that is finally achieved, Russia, Turkey, Iran, and others will pour out of the north with the intention of destroying and pillaging Israel. All that has happened, God knew before. And He has planned out the perfect path that will ultimately lead to His people crying out to Him, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” (Luke 13:35).

Day 335 — Thursday, September 5

The long-suffering residents of Israel’s northern regions, who have not yet been evacuated from their homes, experienced another day under Hezbollah fire, as the terror group fired over 100 rockets into the Upper Galilee on Wednesday. The rocket fire did not result in any casualties but destroyed at least one building and caused several fires.

The largest attack occurred around noon, when 65 rockets were launched in a short time toward the Upper Galilee region near the city of Kiryat Shmona. Most of the rockets landed in open areas, sparking several fires.

Army Radio reported that a large fire erupted after one home sustained a direct hit. The homeowner told Walla News that his newly built house was heavily damaged, but that his family was evacuated from Kiryat Shmona last year and wasn’t directly affected.

The IDF’s aerial defense array also shot down a drone approaching the border while still over Lebanese territory.

Following the first large barrage targeting Kiryat Shmona, Israeli Air Force (IAF) jets struck rocket launchers in Kounine and Kabriha, which were used to fire at Israel.

All Israel News

Day 335 — Thursday, September 5

The IDF found the shaft to the tunnel in which the bodies of the hostages Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Eden Yerushalmi, Carmel Gat, Almog Sarusi, Alexander Lobanov, and Ori Danino, were found Saturday in a children’s yard, the IDF reported on Wednesday. 

In a published video, a soldier explained that the IDF received clear intelligence about the location of the tunnel shaft, leading the IDF to operate in that precise location.

“As you can see, the tunnel was hidden in a child’s yard, a place where a child should be safe, and not used as a human shield for Hamas,” the soldier said in the video.

The IDF’s 162nd Division and the Shin Bet located the shaft in a children’s yard, in a civilian area filled with traps. 

The IDF stated, “This is another example of Hamas’s cynical use of civilian space for terrorist activity.”

The IDF retrieved the bodies of the hostages from a tunnel under the city of Rafah in Gaza. They were likely slaughtered by Hamas shortly before the IDF got to them in Rafah.

The bodies were found only one kilometer from where Kaid Farhan al-Alkadi, age 52, from Rahat, was found last week. Since Alkadi was found, the IDF put out instructions to be extra careful in the area, but it is possible that Hamas killed the six, knowing that the military was close by and that the hostages might be taken by the IDF alive.

Jerusalem Post

Day 334 — Wednesday, September 4

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday blasted the British government for its decision to suspend some arms licenses to Israel, calling it a “shameful” move that will not deter Israel and will embolden Hamas.

“This shameful decision will not change Israel’s determination to defeat Hamas, a genocidal terrorist organization that savagely murdered 1,200 people on October 7, including 14 British citizens,” the premier wrote on X.

“Instead of standing with Israel, a fellow democracy defending itself against barbarism, Britain’s misguided decision will only embolden Hamas,” the post read.

Announcing the move on Monday, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the decision to suspend 30 of 350 licenses did not amount to a blanket ban or an arms embargo, but only involved items with concerns over their use during the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

“It is with regret that I inform the House (of Commons, the lower house of parliament) today the assessment I have received leaves me unable to conclude anything other than that for certain UK arms exports to Israel, there does exist a clear risk that they might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law,” Lammy said.

In his post, Netanyahu stressed that Israel was conducting a “just war with just means, taking unprecedented measures to keep civilians out of harm’s way and comporting fully with international law.”

The prime minister also compared Israel’s battle against Hamas, sparked by the terror group’s October 7 massacre, to Britain’s fight against the Nazis in World War II.

“With or without British arms, Israel will win this war and secure our common future,” he vowed.

Netanyahu’s post followed similar reactions from Israeli officials on Monday, with Foreign Minister Israel Katz saying Israel was “disappointed” by recent decisions made by the UK government relating to the war in Gaza.

“Israel is a state of law that operates in accordance with international law and has an independent and respected judicial system,” Katz said in a statement, adding, “A step like the one taken now by Britain sends a problematic message to the Hamas terrorist organization and its handlers in Iran.”

Times Of Israel 

Day 334 — Wednesday, September 4

The US Department of Justice is preparing to file criminal charges against senior Hamas leaders, including Yahya Sinwar and his associates, for their role in the Oct. 7 onslaught on Israel in which terrorists killed over 40 American citizens. The indictment, submitted to a federal court in New York, includes charges of conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization resulting in death.

The Justice Department’s statement specifically mentioned dual American-Israeli citizen Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who was killed by Hamas last week after being held captive for nearly 11 months.

“The charges unsealed today are just one part of our effort to target every aspect of Hamas’ operations. These actions will not be our last,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a video statement.

Additional Hamas leaders charged include Ismail Haniyeh, who was eliminated in Iran; Marwan Issa, deputy leader of Hamas’s military wing in Gaza; Khaled Mashaal, another deputy to Haniyeh and former leader of the organization; and others. 

The seven-count complaint marks the first legal action taken by the United States against those behind the attack on Israel. Charges also include conspiracy to murder US nationals and use weapons of mass destruction. The US additionally accuses Hezbollah and Iran of providing financial support and weapons, including rockets used in the attack.

Sinwar, who has been in hiding underground in Gaza since the war began, and Haniyeh will not stand trial. However, according to an Associated Press report, US officials say at least one individual, whose name was not disclosed, is expected to be brought to New York to face prosecution.

The Justice Department’s statement noted that Hamas has been designated as a foreign terrorist organization since 1997, with the goal of establishing an Islamic Palestinian state through violent means. The organization has employed rockets, suicide bombings, and other brutal tactics for decades, escalating threats to US national security.

Israel Hayom

Day 333 — Tuesday, September 3

Agreeing to the world’s demands to leave Gaza prematurely, even to have the IDF leave the Egyptian border area temporarily, would be a serious and strategic error that would embolden and resupply Hamas and put Israelis in grave danger.

That’s the case that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made last night in a nationally televised press conference in Hebrew.

A visibly emotional Netanyahu apologized to the hostage families and nation for not being able to get the six recently murdered hostages out in time.  He called the six “pure souls” and vowed Hamas would pay a heavy price for this “horrible massacre.”

However, the prime minister insisted that the only way to get back the remaining 101 hostages and protect all Israelis from future attacks by Hamas was not to surrender the vital gains the IDF has made so far.

His top priority right now? The IDF absolutely must maintain control of the border between Gaza and Egypt called the Philadelphi Corridor, Netanyahu said.

He called it “the oxygen tube for Hamas” because through the smuggling tunnels on that border has come most of the weapons, ammunition, rockets, explosives, and other supplies that the terror group needs to fight Israel.

Cutting off those supply lines will suffocate Hamas and persuade them to make a deal, the prime minister insisted.

Israel must have control of this zone “or we are going to have another 7th of October and another 7th of October and another 7th of October, as Hamas has promised to do.”

“The axis of evil needs the Philadelphi Corridor and for that same reason we most control it.”

Netanyahu said that he has warned for more than 20 years that Israel must not surrender this corridor.

When he resigned from the government of then Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in 2005 over Sharon’s decision to unilaterally surrender Gaza and pull all Israeli soldiers and civilians out of the Gaza Strip, Netanyahu said that in his resignation letter, he demanded that Sharon never give up control of the Philadelphi Corridor.

When Netanyahu came back to power, he said he has led several campaigns to neutralize Hamas, say three times he tried to bomb and disrupt Hamas smuggling on the Egyptian border.

But “there was no international legitimacy” and “no national consensus” to send the IDF to invade the Gaza Strip and retake control of the Philadelphi Corridor.

“The world insists that we should not be there,” Netanyahu said. “But I insist that we will be there.”

Previous Israeli leaders said that the IDF would go back into Gaza “when Hamas fires the first missile,” Netanyahu noted, but “Hamas fired thousands of missiles and we did not go back in.”

That’s why Israel cannot leave now because “the world will impose tremendous political pressure on us” to prevent us from going back into the Philadelphi Corridor and retaking control of it.

“This line is different from all other lines. It decides our entire future. Its importance is huge for us.”

Giving up our control of the border with Egypt “will not bring our hostages back — just the opposite,” Netanyahu argued.

Hamas has only begun to negotiate and show any signs of willingness to compromise once we seized control of Rafah and the Philadelphi Corridor, he said.

“They thought that Iran will save them. Or Hezbollah will come save them. They are hoping that international pressure — or internal Israeli pressure — will affect it. But the first change for a possible [hostage deal] came because we took control of the Philadelphi Line.”

“Once we get out of it we will not be able to go back in,” Netanyahu said.

“I didn’t say Israel will be there 42 years,” Netanyahu noted.  “But when we left it last time we didn’t go back for 20 years.”

Day 333 — Tuesday, September 3

Hamas terrorists filmed the six Israeli hostages before executing them last week — a gruesome reminder of the tactics of psychological warfare once used by ISIS.

The Jerusalem Post reported:

Hamas has released a video on Telegram on Monday showing the six recently slain hostages speaking into a camera, while also announcing that it will release their “last message to the world” before they were killed.

In the video, all six hostages whose bodies were found by the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] on Sunday are seen confirming their identities before cutting to a still frame threatening to release their “last messages.”

The video ends with a threat to release the message in the coming hours.

As Breitbart News noted, the six hostages were murdered in cold blood before they could be rescued by Israeli soldiers. They included American-Israeli hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, and IDF Master Sergeant Ori Danino. All six were executed by being shot in the head.

The family of one hostage, Eden Yerushalmi, approved the release of a portion of the video in which she talks about how she loves her family.

The family of murdered hostage Eden Yerushalmi has authorized the release of a portion of the sick terror video that Hamas published earlier today.

The Yerushalmi family released this statement: “Our Eden, we love you too and we miss you like crazy. You are forever in our… pic.twitter.com/GT88ym1Opw

— Aviva Klompas (@AvivaKlompas) September 2, 2024

Previous hostage videos have included attacks on the Israeli government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, apparently intended to amplify internal protests within Israel and to pressure the Israeli government to give up the war.

Breitbart

Day 332 — Monday, September 2

Three Israeli police officers were killed in a drive-by shooting on Sunday morning near the Tarqumiya checkpoint, some 7.5 miles northwest of Hebron in Judea.

Magen David Adom paramedics treated a male and a female officer at the scene before pronouncing them dead. Another male officer was seriously wounded and evacuated to Soroka Medical Center in Beersheva, where he was later pronounced dead.

They were later named as Chief Inspector Arik Ben Eliyahu, 37, of Kiryat Gat, who is survived by his wife and three children; Command Sgt. Maj. Hadas Branch, 53, of Sde Moshe, who is survived by her husband, three children and granddaughter; and 1st Sgt. Roni Shakuri, 61, of Sderot, who is survived by his wife, daughter and granddaughter.

Shakuri’s other daughter, 1st Sgt. Mor Shakuri, 29, was killed on Oct. 7 while battling an attempt by Hamas terrorists to take control of the police station in Sderot, in southern Israel near the border with Gaza.

The Israel Defense Forces on Sunday initiated a search for the terrorists, who opened fire from a car at the police vehicle with the three officers inside on Route 35 and then fled on foot. The road was closed to traffic and security forces were preparing to search the nearby Palestinian village of Idna.

Later on Sunday, IDF and Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) fighters surrounded a house in Hebron where terrorists were believed to be holed up, the military said in a statement. At least one terrorist linked to Sunday morning’s attack was “neutralized“ at the site, the IDF stated.

According to reports, the terrorist who carried out the shooting was a member of Palestinian Authority chief Mahmoud Abbas’s “Presidential Guard,“ though it was unclear whether he still held the position.

Israel Police Commissioner Daniel Levy and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir arrived at the scene of the attack.

“I am certain and convinced that together with the IDF we will find and eliminate the despicable terrorists who harmed three of our good policemen,“ Levy said at the scene.

JNS

Day 332 — Monday, September 2

Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon is calling on the UN Security Council to assemble following the murder of six Israeli hostages by Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip.

In a letter to the President of the Security Council, Danon notes that Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Hersh Goldberg Polin, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, and Master-Sergeant Ori Danino suffered for almost 11 months, as did their families and loved ones with no sign of life being communicated, nor access granted to the ICRC.

“These innocent people were brutally executed just a few days ago by Hamas terrorists. Their vile and heinous murders have outraged Israel and its people and should equally shock the conscience of the world,” Danon wrote in the letter.

The Ambassador urged: “As our nation mourns the loss of these six beautiful lives, I call upon the Security Council to urgently convene a briefing to condemn Hamas in the strongest possible terms and to address the dire situation of the 101 hostages still held in captivity in Gaza. Despite the passage of nearly 11 months since the massacre of over 1,200 Israelis on October 7, the Council has yet to condemn Hamas nor act decisively for the hostages.”

He noted: “Three months ago, on May 27, with full backing from the United States, Israel agreed to a hostage release deal. Hamas refused.

Even after the United States updated the deal framework on August 16 – Israel agreed, and Hamas again refused. In recent days, as Israel has been engaged in intensive negotiations with the mediator in a supreme effort to reach a deal, Hamas continues to steadfastly refuse all proposals.”

Danon concluded: “The Security Council must not delay in taking action. I respectfully request that this letter be circulated as an official document of the Security Council. An identical letter has also been sent to H.E. Mr. António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations.”

Arutz Sheva

Day 331 — Sunday, September 1

The bodies of six hostages abducted alive by Hamas on October 7 were recovered from a tunnel in southern Gaza’s Rafah a few days ago, shortly after they were murdered by terrorists, the Israel Defense Forces announced Sunday.

The hostages were Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, Eden Yerushalmi, 24, Ori Danino, 25, Alex Lubnov, 32, Carmel Gat, 40, and Almog Sarusi, 27.

Goldberg-Polin, Yerushalmi, Lubnov, Sarusi and Danino (an off-duty noncommissioned officer) were abducted from the Nova music festival near Kibbutz Re’im, while Gat was taken from Kibbutz Be’eri.

IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said the six were “brutally murdered” by Hamas shortly before troops arrived — possibly only a day or two before they were found.

The IDF said that it had not had the exact location of the hostages but had indications of a general area where the six could be held, and was therefore operating carefully in the area.

“Since Farhan was found, troops were given an emphasis on operating carefully even more than usual, because of the understanding that additional hostages may be in the area. We did not have information on the exact location of the hostages,” Hagari said.

Troops began to search a tunnel complex on Saturday and found the hostages, dead, in the afternoon. Their bodies were extracted from Gaza overnight and brought to Israel for identification.

“According to an initial assessment… they were brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists a short while before we reached them. They were abducted alive on the morning of October 7 by the Hamas terror group,” Hagari said in a press conference.

The IDF said there were no clashes with Hamas terrorists inside the tunnel, and the guards who likely murdered the six had fled the area. However, troops battled terror operatives aboveground in the area where the tunnel was located.

Arutz Sheva

Day 331 — Sunday, September 1

A staggering 6,000 Gazans infiltrated Israel during the October 7 massacre, nearly double the previously estimated amount, according to a new probe by the Gaza Division that was submitted to IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi and published on Saturday on the N12 News site.

This revelation dramatically increases the scope of what was already considered to be one of the most severe breaches of the State of Israel’s security ever recorded.

Of the 6,000 Gazans who crossed into Israel, some 3,800 were identified as Nukhba terrorists – members of Hamas’s elite forces. Additionally, N12 disclosed that according to the findings, 4,300 rockets were fired by some 1,000 terrorists in Gaza, a significantly higher amount than earlier believed.

The probe also revealed that 2,200 Gazans, including both terrorists and looters, participated in the attack, further escalating the chaos and violence that marked the day. In another significant detail, 119 breaches were discovered in the border fence, almost twice the previously estimated number of 60.

“These numbers are simply inconceivable. They are double what we knew, and they further reveal the depth of the failure and the strength of Hamas’s raid,” N12 journalist Omri Maniv wrote in a post on X, reflecting on the new data. “The numbers are based on a thorough investigation by the Gaza Division submitted to the chief of staff.”

The IDF responded to the report, stating that “the operational investigation has not yet been concluded and continues in accordance with the situation assessment and operational constraints. Once it is completed, it will be presented to the public in full transparently.”

Jerusalem Post

Day 330 — Saturday, August 31

Two terrorist attacks unfolded Friday night in separate scenes in the West Bank, injuring three Israelis. One took place at a gas station at the Gush Etzion regional council. The other occurred at the entrance of Karmei Tzur, a Jewish community located north of Hebron.

IDF forces eliminated one Palestinian perpetrator in each location, with initial reports suggesting the two incidents might have been linked. The terrorists behind the suspected combined attack appeared to have plotted two large-scale car bombing attacks that were foiled.

Shortly after 11:30 p.m. local time, reports emerged that two people were injured and a car exploded near a gas station the Gush Etzion Junction.

According to a preliminary investigation, the Palestinian terrorist noticed that his car has caught fire and exited the burning vehicle. Footage from the scene showed him trying to attack people at the station.

IDF forces were dispatched to the scene, opened fire and eliminated the terrorist, the military said in  a statement. The forces then began conducting scans in the area to rule out the possibility of additional terrorists.

YNet News reported that following the fire exchange, two men – aged 34 and 24 – suffered minor and moderate gunshot wounds, respectively. They were taken by Magen David Adom (MDA) emergency services to Shaare Zedek Hospital in Jerusalem.

Only a few minutes after that sequence, at around 11:50 p.m., a second attack unfolded in the adjacent community of Karmei Tzur.
A Palestinian terrorist attempted to ram a local security guard who was stationed at the entrance gate of the community. His car – loaded with explosives – detonated when the guard opened fire. The terrorist was neutralized.

“Large IDF, Israeli Police, and ISA forces who were dispatched to the area, are conducting wide-range scans and blocking routes in the area,” read the statement from the IDF. “A number of injuries have been reported. The details are still under review.”

All Israel News

Day 330 — Saturday, August 31

Jewish campus groups and parents are criticizing a reported decision by the University of Maryland allowing a pro-Palestinian group to hold a rally on campus on October 7, the one-year anniversary of the Hamas attacks in Israel.

The permit was given to Students for Justice in Palestine, according to the campus Hillel and Jewish Student Union, who decried SJP on Instagram without criticizing the university directly.

“October 7 is a day of tragedy for the Jewish and Israeli community around the world. It is alarming to see that SJP has chosen this date, a day of Jewish mourning, to hold an event on campus,” the groups wrote Thursday on Instagram Stories.

They added, “While SJP followed university protocol in making this reservation, it is nevertheless condemnable that they did.” The Jewish groups also said their own October 7 memorial was in the works.

The SJP chapter confirmed to the Washington Post that it was planning an action on McKeldin Mall, the College Park campus’s main green, for October 7. The university declined to comment by press time on Friday.

Rabbi Ari Israel, director of Maryland Hillel, told the conservative news outlet The Daily Wire he expressed concern about the event to university leadership. Local Jewish leaders and parents say they fear that the rally might glorify the killing of 1,200 Israelis, a stance that other SJP chapters have taken over the past year.

“Any effort to celebrate the death of 1,200 members of our community on October 7, 2023, even within the context of celebrating ‘freedom fighters,’ ‘martyrs,’ etc., will be taken by the UMD Jewish community as a direct threat to the safety of the Jewish community at UMD,” reads an open letter to the school’s senior leadership currently circulating among Jewish parents and faculty.

This week, the university’s SJP chapter this week mounted a flag display on campus commemorating the “victims of Israel’s war in Gaza.” The display claimed Israel had killed upwards of 150,000 people in Gaza, drastically overstating even the Gaza Health Ministry’s own reported death tolls since the start of the war.

Jerusalem Post