Operation Iron Swords - Day 195 - 18 April 2024

“At any point, Hamas could have ended this burgeoning tragedy to
surrender and release every hostage. …
Hamas instigated and owns this humanitarian catastrophe.”
Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA)

Contents

UPDATED - True Promise IR-IL NEW - War Termination NEW - Operations NEW - Operations - Gaza NEW - Operations - Judea-Samaria NEW - Operations - Lebanon NEW - Operations - Syria / Iraq NEW - Operations - Yemen UPDATED - Operations Maps NEW - By-Standers NEW - Axis of Resistance NEW - Allied for Democracy UPDATED - By the Numbers

Google terminated over 28 employees who demonstrated against the firm's cloud computing agreement with the "genocidal Israeli government and military". The dismissals followed an inquiry revealing that protests had been staged within Google's New York and Sunnyvale, California offices, calling for the cancellation of the company’s $1.2bn contract with Israel. In Sunnyvale, demonstrators reportedly entered the office of Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian, as disclosed by a post on X by the organizing group, No Tech For Apartheid. Banners held by protesters bore slogans such as "No More Genocide For Profit" and "We Stand with Palestinian, Arab and Muslim Googlers." A Google spokesperson informed CNN on Thursday that the protests were part of an ongoing campaign led by external groups and individuals largely unaffiliated with the company.

According to the spokesperson, a few employee protesters obstructed operations at several locations, prompting intervention to ensure office safety. "We have concluded individual investigations resulting in the termination of employment for 28 employees, and will continue to investigate and take action as needed," the spokesperson stated.

The group No Tech For Apartheid, which vehemently condemned the dismissals, highlighted Google and Amazon's $1.2 billion cloud computing contract with the Israeli regime and military, known as Project Nimbus. “This flagrant act of retaliation is a clear indication that Google values its $1.2 billion contract with the genocidal Israeli government and military more than its own workers,” the group said in a statement published on Medium Thursday. Furthermore, employees at the US-based tech giant and pro-Palestinian protesters have jointly organized demonstrations in California and New York. These protests aimed at urging the cancellation of Google's $1.2 billion contract with Israel's government under Project Nimbus.

Israeli Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has proposed Thursday the execution of Palestinian detainees as a way to address overcrowding in Israeli occupation prisons. In a post on X, Ben-Gvir asserted that imposing the death penalty on Palestinian detainees was the "right solution" to what he described as "the incarceration problem." His comments followed the Israeli authorities' approval of his plan to construct approximately 936 additional prison spaces for Palestinian detainees. "The additional construction will allow the prison service to take in more Palestinians, and will bring a partial solution to the prison crisis," Ben-Gvir wrote.

Israeli occupation authorities had earlier declared a state of emergency in some prisons due to significant overcrowding. Previously, the Israeli minister had called for the daily execution of the longest-serving Palestinian detainees for each day an Israeli captive remains held by the Palestinian Resistance in the Gaza Strip. According to a statement issued by the Government Media Office in Gaza, over 5,000 Palestinians have been abducted by Israeli occupation forces during their ongoing invasion of the besieged Strip. The statement underlined that the Palestinian detainees were undergoing "the worst kinds of torture" in Israeli occupation prisons.

Passover will begin in the evening of Monday, April 22, and will last through April 30 just after sundown. Jews in the land of Israel and some Reform Jews in diaspora will end Passover on the evening of Monday, April 29th. Passover, also known as Pesach in Hebrew, is a significant Jewish holiday commemorating the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt, as narrated in the biblical book of Exodus. It is one of the most widely observed Jewish holidays and is celebrated for seven or eight days, depending on tradition. The central ritual of Passover is the Seder, a ceremonial meal held on the first two nights (and sometimes the last two nights) of the holiday. During the Seder, the Haggadah, a text that recounts the story of the Exodus, is read aloud, and symbolic foods are eaten. These include matzo (unleavened bread), bitter herbs (to symbolize the bitterness of slavery), charoset (a mixture of fruits and nuts representing the mortar used by the Israelites in their forced labor), and others.

The prohibition of chametz (leavened food) is a significant aspect of Passover observance. This stems from the biblical command to eat only unleavened bread during the holiday. Many Jews thoroughly clean their homes before Passover to remove all traces of chametz, and some even perform a ritual search, called Bedikat Chametz, to ensure no chametz remains. Passover is also a time for Jews to reflect on themes of freedom, redemption, and renewal. It is a time for family gatherings, storytelling, and prayer, as well as for contemplating the relevance of the Exodus story to contemporary issues of justice and liberation.

War Termination

The United States used its veto power against a draft resolution that supports Palestine’s request for full membership in the United Nations, and acknowledges that the Security Council has submitted a recommendation to the General Assembly to grant them full membership in the United Nations. The draft resolution, drafted by Algeria, received the support of 12 members, while Britain abstained from voting, and the United States used its veto against it.

The President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, rejected the requests of the administration of US President Joe Biden not to proceed with a vote in the United Nations Security Council on accepting the State of Palestine as a full member of the United Nations, as four Palestinian, American and Israeli officials told the Axios website. The American website indicated an increasing state of "tension, frustration, and lack of trust" between the Abbas government and the Biden administration over the past three years. Abbas believes that the US administration “is not working” to advance a two-state solution in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The United Nations Security Council was expected to vote on Thursday on a draft resolution granting the State of Palestine full membership status in the United Nations instead of its current observer status. Diplomatic sources told Agence France-Presse on Wednesday that the session may be postponed until Friday, to make room for further deliberations. The Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority, which controls parts of the West Bank, applied for full membership in the United Nations in September 2011, but the UN Security Council did not vote on it. Obtaining full membership status, which is equivalent to UN recognition of a Palestinian state, requires a General Assembly resolution by a two-thirds majority, but only after a positive recommendation to that effect from the UN Security Council.

Diplomatic sources reported to Agence France-Presse on Wednesday that the session that the UN Security Council is supposed to hold on Thursday to vote on granting the State of Palestine full membership in the United Nations may be postponed until Friday to allow further deliberations. he recommendation is issued by the Security Council pursuant to a resolution that must be approved by at least 9 of the 15 members of the Council, provided that no permanent member state uses its veto to prevent it.

American and Israeli officials told the website that the Biden administration is trying to prevent the Palestinians from obtaining the nine votes so that the United States is not forced to veto the resolution. The same source indicated that the United States' use of its veto against such a decision, especially amid the war in Gaza, would bring sharp criticism to Biden at the international level and within his party, including some of his supporters.

The United States has long called for a two-state solution, one for the Israelis and the other for the Palestinians, and has said that the issue of establishing a Palestinian state must be resolved through direct negotiations. An American official revealed that the Biden administration has been exploring options in recent months for possible recognition of a Palestinian state, but not as a unilateral effort at the United Nations. The same official said that the administration looked at recognition scenarios as part of a broader regional agreement that includes the post-war plan and normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

American, Israeli, and Palestinian officials said that the Biden administration, over the past two weeks, had exerted “pressure” on Abbas and his advisors to back down from their request. Palestinian and American officials say that Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, raised this issue directly in a phone call with Abbas, and other officials also raised it with their Palestinian counterparts almost every day during the past two weeks. An American official said that the Biden administration made clear to the Palestinians that current American law forces the administration to veto such a decision or stop funding the United Nations.

According to officials, Abbas rejected US pressure, and his aides informed the Biden administration that they would go ahead with the vote. A senior Palestinian official said the Biden administration asked whether Abbas would suspend the offer if he was invited to meet Biden at the White House. He added that Abbas rejected this alternative, and said that he agreed to such an American proposal a year ago, but he never received an invitation. American officials admitted that they "failed to persuade the Palestinians to suspend their attempt to the United Nations."

A Palestinian official stated: "We wanted the United States to offer a substantive alternative to UN recognition. But they did not. We believe that full membership of Palestine in the United Nations is long overdue. We have waited more than 12 years since our initial request." The US State Department did not respond to a request for comment from Axios. The Palestinian request was expected to be supported by 8 members of the Security Council: Russia, China, Algeria, Malta, Slovenia, Sierra Leone, Mozambique and Guyana, according to a senior Israeli official. It was expected that the United Kingdom will abstain from voting. The same official said that the United States and Israel are pressuring France, Switzerland, Japan, South Korea and Ecuador to vote against or abstain from voting, so that the Palestinians do not receive nine votes. American, Israeli and Palestinian officials said that if these efforts fail, the Biden administration was expected to veto the resolution.

The United States, Britain and other G7 countries have not recognized a Palestinian state, although France and Britain indicated this year that they were considering it. Since 1988, 140 out of 193 member states of the United Nations have recognized the Palestinian state, according to a letter supporting the Palestinian request sent by the heads of the Arab Group at the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Non-Aligned Movement to the President of the UN Security Council, last week.

The American Wall Street Journal said that the White House was pressing to reach a historic agreement to normalize relations between Israel and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. American and Saudi officials told the newspaper that the Biden administration is pressing to reach a long-term diplomatic agreement in the coming months to push Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to accept a new commitment to establishing a Palestinian state in exchange for diplomatic recognition from Riyadh. As temptations to recognize Israel, the White House is offering Riyadh a more formal defense relationship with Washington, assistance in obtaining civilian nuclear energy, and a push toward establishing a Palestinian state, according to what the newspaper reported.

According to the Wall Street Journal , American officials reported that they are in the final stages of negotiations. US officials say the successful efforts by several countries to shoot down Iranian missiles and drones on Saturday should demonstrate to Israel that its security against threats from Tehran can be strengthened through close integration with Saudi Arabia. For President Biden, this maneuver provides an opportunity to achieve a major diplomatic breakthrough in the middle of the presidential campaign year, which would expand the “Abraham Accords” concluded by his Republican opponent Donald Trump while he was in office, and the agreements led to the normalization of relations between Israel and the UAE, Bahrain and Morocco.

The newspaper notes that convincing Netanyahu to embrace talks on establishing a Palestinian state remains a difficult obstacle, as right-wing members of his government and much of the Israeli public oppose the establishment of a Palestinian state after the October 7 attack. The Wall Street Journal reports that Saudi Arabia has emphasized for decades that a Palestinian state is a priority, and its senior diplomats have said that finding a path to a two-state solution is part of the price of normalization. Saudi officials said they had privately indicated to the United States that they might accept verbal assurances from Israel that it would participate in new talks on Palestinian statehood to secure other parts of the deal that mattered most to Riyadh.

The American newspaper explained that Saudi officials said that the agreement brokered by the United States may also help Israel with a possible exit strategy from Gaza once the war ends. It indicated that the United States has drawn up a post-war plan that would use forces from Arab countries to secure Gaza, but many potential Arab contributors say they will not consider participating without public moves by Israel toward establishing a Palestinian state, among other requirements. According to one idea being discussed within the Biden administration, “If the United States completes a deal with Riyadh but Israel declines to support the establishment of a Palestinian state, a senior US official might deliver a speech explaining the benefits Israel could receive if it accepted the diplomatic package.”

Netanyahu says that it is not possible to develop a post-war plan in Gaza without the complete dismantling of Hamas, and he also said that the chances of normalization with Saudi Arabia will improve after the defeat of Hamas. Netanyahu strongly opposes the creation of a Palestinian state, arguing that doing so would undermine Israel's security. In January, he said that Israel must maintain its security control over Gaza and the West Bank for the foreseeable future.

But the Israeli prime minister has also softened his opposition to Palestinian statehood several times during his previous terms as prime minister under pressure from Washington. However, doing so this time will likely require a reorganization of his current ruling coalition, which includes far-right parties. The most vocal supporter within the Israeli government of the normalization agreement with Saudi Arabia was Minister Benny Gantz, a member of the three-member war cabinet and a competitor of Netanyahu. In a statement issued at the beginning of this month, Gantz said that the normalization agreement with Saudi Arabia, as well as the international effort in which Arab countries are participating to provide security and aid in Gaza, are “within reach,” according to what the American newspaper reported.

Israeli media reported that the killing of three sons and a number of grandchildren of the head of the Hamas political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, affected negotiations regarding the release of the hostages. The Times of Israel newspaper, quoting a senior official, explained that “the killing of three sons and a number of grandchildren of the head of the Hamas political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, greatly affected the negotiations regarding the release of the hostages and a ceasefire.”

The newspaper pointed out that "last week's Israeli strike led to the killing of the sons of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, as well as his four grandchildren, and contributed to the continued disruption of the hostage negotiations." It added: "Israeli forces bombed Gaza at a crucial moment in these negotiations, when Hamas was supposed to present its response to the recent proposal prepared by mediators from the United States, Qatar and Egypt, while the official indicated that Hamas then decided to tighten its demands."

The American channel "NBC News" also reported, citing a high-ranking diplomat, that "negotiations for the release of the Israeli hostages and a ceasefire are almost frozen ." Ismail Haniyeh said earlier that Israel's massacres and crimes in Gaza reflect its strategic failure to achieve its goals and "it has not and will not eliminate Hamas and has not and will not recover the prisoners except through an honorable deal ." While he confirmed the continuation of negotiating a deal to release hostages and prisoners, despite the killing of his sons and grandchildren .

Although Qatar announced that it would re-evaluate its role as a mediator between Israel and Hamas to reach a ceasefire and release the hostages, it is “unlikely” that Doha will withdraw from its role as a mediator. The US State Department said on Thursday that "Qatar, from our point of view, is an indispensable mediator when it comes to the current conflict in Gaza." Doha said on Wednesday that “the negotiations are going through a sensitive stage” and that it is “reevaluating its role as a mediator,” noting fears that its efforts will be undermined by those seeking “narrow political interests.”

The Qatari announcement came after statements by an American politician who called for a “re-evaluation” of relations between the United States and Qatar if Doha failed to exert “pressure” on Hamas. American lawmakers have indicated over the past few months that Qatar supports Hamas, an accusation that Doha denies, according to a Reuters report. Qatari analyst writer, Abdullah Al Khater, said, “The Qatari model of mediation relies on integrity, impartiality, and the good faith of the negotiating parties and their trust in the Qatari mediator.” He added in an interview with Al-Hurra website that "pressure on Doha to harness the Qatari role to serve one side of the negotiation equation contradicts the ethical rules and general frameworks governing the concepts of negotiation."

Al Khater expressed his surprise at “distortions of the Qatari role for the sake of pressure,” pointing out that these practices are “neither wise nor logical.” He added, "Doha is right to review and evaluate the effects of its role in mediation, whether it will harm it as a state or harm the country's sovereignty."

The Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, had confirmed, on Wednesday, that the negotiations between Israel and Hamas regarding the truce and the exchange of prisoners in the Gaza Strip were witnessing “some faltering.” He continued, "Unfortunately, we have seen that there is a misuse of this mediation, employing this mediation for narrow political interests, and this required the State of Qatar to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of this role," explaining, "We are now at this stage to evaluate the mediation and also evaluate how the parties engage in this mediation."

US Congressman Steny Hoyer said on Monday that "if Qatar fails to exert pressure (on Hamas), the United States must re-evaluate its relationship with Qatar." Democratic Representative Hoyer said that Qatar, which is mediating with Egypt in the ceasefire negotiations in Gaza, should inform Hamas that there will be “repercussions” if “Hamas continues to obstruct progress towards the release of the hostages and reaching a temporary ceasefire.” He added in a statement, "The consequences should include cutting off funding to Hamas or refusing to grant Hamas leaders asylum in Doha. If Qatar fails to exert this pressure, the United States must reevaluate its relationship with Qatar."

In a statement on Tuesday, the Qatari embassy in Washington considered these statements by the US Congressman to be “unconstructive,” and said, “Qatar is only a mediator. We do not control Israel or Hamas. Hamas and Israel are the only ones responsible for reaching an agreement.”

CNN quoted analysts as saying that "Qatar is the only interlocutor capable of reaching an agreement because of its relations with Hamas and its alliance with the United States," and although it hosts the political office of Hamas, it also hosts an American military base that includes more than 10,000 soldiers. They stressed that "Qatar is unlikely to end its mediation role."

The Qatari embassy in Washington said in its statement on Tuesday, “Qatar is one of the most prominent non-NATO allies and is currently stationed with 10,000 American soldiers and the largest American military presence in the Middle East.” Anna Jacobs, Gulf affairs analyst at the International Crisis Group, told the network, “I think that (Qatar) will try to help and mediate as long as it can... but Doha is also concerned about the criticism directed at American politicians.” The Israeli diplomat, Daniel Schick, suggested that Qatar would not withdraw from the mediation role, as he spoke to the Israeli website "i24 News", noting that Doha "enjoys being in the spotlight." He added, although there are other players to mediate, "Qatar has the best position to play in these negotiations."

Qatar is leading mediation efforts with Egypt and the United States in an attempt to reach a truce agreement in Gaza and recover hostages taken by Hamas during its attack on Israel on October 7 in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons. The mediators hoped to reach an agreement before the start of Ramadan, but negotiations repeatedly faltered. On Wednesday, the Qatari Prime Minister stressed that there are limits to the role of the mediator, and said, "Mediators cannot provide things that the parties themselves are refraining from." He had said that the talks on the ceasefire in Gaza and the release of the hostages were going through a “delicate stage,” adding, “Unfortunately, the negotiations range between moving forward and faltering, and we are trying as much as possible to address this matter and move forward,” without going into details.

US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, had a call with his Qatari counterpart, the Prime Minister, on Tuesday, and they stressed “the strength of US-Qatari relations and the importance of continuing close work in the coming days to reach a ceasefire in Gaza that guarantees the release of all hostages,” according to a US State Department statement. Mediation efforts conducted by several international parties between Israel and Hamas are facing a new challenge after Qatar announced that it is “evaluating” its mediating role.

On Sunday, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu announced in a statement that Hamas had rejected the latest proposal to return the hostages. He said that Israel "will continue to achieve its goals in Gaza with full force," according to Reuters. The statement added, "The rejection of the proposal shows that Yahya Al-Sinwar, head of Hamas's political bureau in the Gaza Strip, does not want an agreement and is trying to exploit the tensions with Iran and escalate the conflict at the regional level."

On Saturday, Hamas announced that it had delivered to the Egyptian and Qatari mediators its response to a truce proposal with Israel in the Gaza Strip, stressing a permanent ceasefire. The movement affirmed in a statement its adherence to its demands "for a permanent ceasefire, the withdrawal of the army from the entire Gaza Strip, the return of the displaced to their areas and places of residence, intensification of the entry of relief and aid, and the start of reconstruction."

Israel rejects a permanent ceasefire and a complete withdrawal of its armed forces from Gaza. Netanyahu also announced his intention to carry out a ground operation in Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip, considering that the city constitutes the last major stronghold of Hamas.

Operational Update

Cyberspace has turned into a battlefield between Israel and Iran for years. The Israeli newspaper " Haaretz " said that psychological warfare efforts and external influence operations against the Israelis have escalated from agents likely to be Iranian, recently, by directing threats to public figures, retired military officials, and journalists. The newspaper added that Iranian efforts included sending packages or letters to the homes of the targets, as well as receiving threatening phone calls, surveillance, and other forms of harassment.

The newspaper indicated that, for example, the family of one of the hostages held in Gaza received a wreath of flowers accompanied by a letter of condolence earlier this month. The newspaper pointed out that an investigation by the Israeli General Security Service (Shin Bet) concluded that the package was actually sent by Iranian agents who used a mobile phone number to call a local store and asked it to send flowers to the home of the targeted family. The phone number was identified as belonging to an Iranian influence network, called the “Israeli Avengers Organization,” which operates on Hebrew-language social media sites and attempts to stir up discontent regarding Israeli internal political issues.

The same group was also able to infiltrate WhatsApp groups using local Israeli phone numbers to urge Israeli citizens to participate in political action and create public pressure on issues such as the anti-Netanyahu protest movement and pro-Israeli hostage demonstrations in Gaza. According to two sources who spoke to Haaretz, at least three other families of the hostages received wreaths in a similar manner along with messages of condolence.

The newspaper said that, simultaneously, a local news website reported that the “Israeli Avengers” also sent threatening letters to lawmakers from the ruling Likud Party, along with addresses and ID cards of other members of the coalition and even their family names. The newspaper reported that another Iranian influence group known to operate in Israel has intensified its operations to direct personal threats, including threats to the wife of a journalist, who recently published a report on the group, by sending a package containing a veiled threat to the life of his family.

The newspaper suggested that the Iranian agents had obtained the addresses and phone numbers of the victims by collecting intelligence information from open sources, such as photos of demonstrations and publications on social media. It also pointed out that some information may have been taken from databases of Israeli citizens that were leaked over the past years. The threats, which began to appear in recent days, included dozens of retired government employees from an unnamed government agency receiving harassing phone calls from numbers registered in the United States.

The newspaper said that people who answered the calls heard sirens, strange noises in the background, and recordings of phrases such as “You will not be able to escape.” According to information obtained by the newspaper, former employees of intelligence agencies, civilian employees in the Israeli army, academics and journalists were recently threatened with similar phone calls. An Israeli intelligence source told Haaretz newspaper, "Iranian intelligence is behind all this." He added, "This is part of an ongoing effort for years to harass, intimidate, sow chaos and division, and incite fear in Israeli society."

Israel has long accused its arch enemy Iran of being behind several failed attempts to hack the websites of a number of Israeli public institutions, in incidents that occurred in recent years. For years, cyberspace has turned into a battlefield between countries and parties hostile to each other, including Israel and Iran.

Iran’s Embassy in the Italian capital of Rome cautioned that counterproductive decisions toward the Islamic Republic and the West’s irresponsible alignment with Israeli actions could encourage Israel’s malice and adventurism, consequently increasing regional and global tensions. The statement was issued ahead of a meeting of the foreign ministers of Group 7 about the recent developments in the Middle East.

The full text of the Embassy’s statement is as follows:

"Over the past years, the Israeli regime has, in various ways and through flagrant violations of the fundamental principles of international law and peremptory norms, inflicted damage on the interests of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Among these, one can refer to multiple acts of sabotage in peaceful nuclear facilities, cyber-attacks on the country's infrastructure, the targeted assassination of a large number of nuclear scientists, and the most recent case of a terrorist attack on the building of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Damascus.

"The attack on the building of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Syrian Arab Republic is considered a flagrant violation of the international conventions governing the inviolability of diplomatic premises and the United Nations Charter. Following this barbaric act, the Islamic Republic of Iran, in pursuance of its principled policy of preventing the escalation of tension and war in the region, called for an urgent meeting of the Security Council, the condemnation of this act, and the punishment of that (Israeli) regime. Unfortunately, despite the efforts of the majority of members, the Council failed to fulfill its express duty under the United Nations Charter, due to the opposition of the US, the UK, and France.

"In this regard, Mr. Hossein Amirabdollahian, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, also called in two telephone conversations with the Secretary-General of the United Nations for appropriate action and the firm condemnation of the international community and the Security Council.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran, as a responsible member of the United Nations, is committed to the objectives and principles enshrined in the Charter of that organization and insists on its commitment to maintaining international peace and security. The response of the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the early hours of April 14, 2024, in the form of the exercise of the inherent right of self-defense under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter and after the disappointment in the condemnation of this norm-breaking act of the Israeli regime, is considered completed from the perspective of the Islamic Republic of Iran. It is clear that the Islamic Republic of Iran will use all its power and capacity within the framework of international laws and regulations to confront the possible repetition of the malice of that regime.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran is seeking a development in the credibility of diplomacy, and within the framework of the message of aspiration for peace, security, and progress for the region, it welcomes the remarks made on Tuesday, April 16, 2024, by Mr. Antonio Tajani, the Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Italy, in the presence of ambassadors of Islamic countries. Tehran, considering the position of the Italian government as the current presidency of the G7 and also its regional and international role as one of the most important European countries, calls for the efforts of that government to make its European (the European Union) and international (especially the G7 members) partners responsible in the face of violations of international law, the purposeful escalation of tensions in the region, and the continued killing of the innocent people of Palestine by the Israeli regime.

"Undoubtedly, the adoption of counterproductive decisions towards the Islamic Republic of Iran, on the one hand, and the silence and irresponsible alignment of Western countries in the face of the actions of the Israeli regime in violation of international law, on the other hand, will encourage that regime to persist in its malice and adventurism, and consequently increase tensions in the region and the world. The Middle East region is going through a turbulent period, and without a doubt, the responsibility and success of the Italian government in reducing tensions and establishing stability in this region will remain in the historical memory of the international community."

Operational Update - Gaza

The White House revealed the details of the meeting in which American officials expressed to their Israeli counterparts their concerns about the various paths regarding “Rafah.” The White House confirmed, in a statement Thursday, that Israeli officials took these concerns “into account,” as they discussed the Rafah issue in expanded meetings between the two countries’ government agencies.

Further discussions will be held between experts under the supervision of a special coordination group, and the statement suggested that the meeting of the American-Israeli Strategic Advisory Group will be held again soon. Although Rafah has remained far from ground military operations, it is constantly exposed to bombing. For weeks, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has confirmed his intention to launch a ground attack on the city, which is home to more than one and a half million people, according to the United Nations.

Israel cannot launch an attack until the 1.5 million displaced people who fled the war in Gaza are evacuated, according to the United Nations. But fierce fighting continues in central Gaza, and Israel still refuses the return of the displaced to the north. The American delegation at the meeting, which was held online, was headed by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, while the Israeli delegation was headed by Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi. In the meeting, they discussed “a series of issues in the wake of the unprecedented attack launched by Iran against Israel,” according to a White House statement.

Tehran launched an unprecedented direct attack on Israel at the end of last week, which it framed as “legitimate self-defense” after the destruction of its consulate headquarters in Damascus on April 1, in a strike it attributed to Israel. The statement indicated that "the discussions took place in the form of a small group to discuss the Iranian attack, and joint efforts to strengthen Israel's defense through advanced capabilities, in addition to cooperation with a broad coalition of international partners." According to the White House, Sullivan briefed the Israeli side on the details of the new sanctions and additional measures taken by the United States against Iran in coordination with members of Congress and the G7 countries. The United States and Britain announced Thursday the imposition of broad sanctions on Iran's military drone program.

The White House said that American and Israeli officials discussed, on Thursday, American concerns about the various courses of action in Rafah, concerns that Israel agreed to take into account and discuss further, adding that the officials will meet again soon.US President Joe Biden said in a statement on Thursday, “Today, we hold Iran responsible, and impose new sanctions and restrictions on exports.” He added, "Based on what I discussed with my fellow G7 leaders the next morning, we are committed to working collectively to increase economic pressure on Iran." New sanctions against Iran will be on the agenda of the G7 foreign ministers' discussions being held on the Italian island of Capri, off the coast of Naples.

The Israeli army announced that it had found underground tunnels and sites for making rockets and destroyed them, stressing the “expansion of operational control over the central corridor of the Gaza Strip” separating its north from its south. The Israeli army explained in a statement that “underground paths and sites for manufacturing rockets were found and destroyed, and the area of operational control over the central Gaza Strip corridor was expanded, with documentation from the precise campaign launched by the 162nd Division in the central Gaza Strip.”

In the last week, the fighters of the 401st Brigade's combat team, together with the Yehlam forces, cleared and destroyed more than 100 terrorist infrastructures and eliminated more than 40 terrorists in face-to-face battles and aircraft attacks. Among the terrorist infrastructures that were destroyed - several military targets of the terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip, among them, a post used for the production of rockets and weapons of the terrorist organization Hamas and a post used for the production of long-range rocket missiles of the terrorist organization Islamic Jihad.

The fighters raided an underground combat management complex located under the Gaza stream and designed to prevent our forces from crossing the stream. Many weapons of the Hamas terrorists were found in the fighting compound. During the operation, 17 shafts were destroyed, including offensive shafts. Also, the forces located a number of launchers and launch pits used by the terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip.

Before the troops entered the area and during the operation, the 215th Fire Brigade led the divisional fire plan and eliminated many terrorists. The forces of the brigade, fighter jets and air force aircraft attacked dozens of targets. The artillery units attacked terrorist infrastructures in the center of the Gaza Strip.

Following operational information compiled by the Southern Command, an Air Force aircraft attacked and killed this week, the terrorist Yosef Rafik Ahmed Shabat, responsible for investigating the internal security apparatus of Hamas in the Beit Hanun area. Shabat served as a security officer in the Hamas military intelligence unit in the Beit Hanun Battalion. This elimination constitutes a significant damage to the investigation department of the organization. IDF forces, the Shin Bet with the assistance of the 215th Fire Brigade, attacked a vehicle with ten terrorists in it. The attack was carried out after collecting accurate information that made the attack possible.

Fighter jets of the Air Force, in cooperation with the Fire Center of the Southern Command, yesterday attacked a mortar launcher in the area of the Rimal neighborhood, from which several launches were made at the forces of Division 162 operating there. Also, during the last day, Air Force forces attacked dozens of terrorist targets throughout the Gaza Strip, including observation posts, military buildings, terrorists and other terrorist infrastructures.

The Israeli army also stated: “At the same time, the Nahal Brigade’s combat group has been carrying out operational activities in the area of ??the central corridor of the Gaza Strip over the past three months, as the corridor forms an area separating the northern Gaza Strip from its south, from which the forces carried out precise raid operations, and during the campaign The brigade that was established this week, after receiving prior intelligence information, forces eliminated militants using precision missiles and found many combat means, tunnel openings, and destroyed an underground path in the area.. So far, dozens of precise raids have been carried out, and what has been destroyed has been eliminated. "More than 1,000 armed men were in this area, and more than 20 kilometers of underground tracks in the vicinity of the corridor were destroyed."

Operational Update - Judea-Samaria

Israeli forces stormed the city of Tulkarm in the northern West Bank, leading to the outbreak of armed clashes in several areas. Israeli forces carried out a series of raids into the city of Tulkarm and the Nour Shams camp, which led to the outbreak of armed clashes. Circulating video clips showed Israeli forces storming the city of Tulkarm from its western axis, and heading towards Nour Shams camp.

The Israeli forces imposed a tight cordon and siege on Nour Shams camp, deployed their vehicles on all axes of the camp leading to it, and closed the main street adjacent to its entrances, while reconnaissance planes flew overhead at a low altitude. It also began bulldozing and sabotaging operations on the infrastructure in the camp's streets. Palestinian media reported on Thursday that Israeli forces stormed several towns in Ramallah, Nablus, Hebron, Bethlehem and other areas of the West Bank and arrested a number of Palestinians.

The commander of the Galilee formation, Brigadier General Shay Klaper and the commander of the Hametz formation, Brigadier General Israel Shumer met yesterday (Wednesday), with the heads of the authorities, councils and KBAs in the northern sector. As part of the meeting, a dialogue was held with the heads of the authorities, in which they were presented with the assessment of the situation so far, as well as the processes of accelerating the readiness for the continuation of fighting in the sector. The division commanders expressed their appreciation to the heads of the authorities, councils, and KBTs who demonstrate true leadership and dedication in the past six months, and are an integral part of maintaining security in the sector.

"We are all writing a chapter in the history of the Galilee," said OG 91, Brigadier General Shay Klaper, "we are determined and ready to win and in our generation we were privileged to take part in this matter. The period we are in symbolizes the chain of our generations, from the Seder night when we will delve into the history of our nation , through Holocaust Day, memory and independence that remind us why we are here and why we need to preserve and protect the existing."

"I want to say thank you and express great appreciation, for the coping and leadership," declared from OG 146, Brigadier General Israel Shumer, "I learn from you every day anew what leadership is, I see the coping and the firm stand, when you stand by your values and values of all of us and represent the residents. My personal commitment and that of my subordinates is to be here until the security reality changes."

Operational Update - Lebanon

The border between Lebanon and Israel has witnessed almost daily clashes since October 8. Yesterday, Wednesday, the southern Lebanon front witnessed a qualitative escalation , after Hezbollah targeted a headquarters in Arab Al-Aramsha belonging to the Israeli army, causing several casualties among its ranks.

Golani brigade fighters identified a number of terrorists from Hezbollah using a drone. The terrorists were in a military structure in the area of Leida in southern Lebanon which, after being identified, was attacked by air force fighter jets. Following the alerts that were activated about the intrusion of a hostile aircraft in the Western Galilee area, this is a false identification. In addition, one launch was detected that crossed the territory of Lebanon, there were no casualties.

During the night, fighter jets of the Air Force attacked terrorist targets of the Hezbollah terrorist organization in the Al-Khyam area. Among the targets that were attacked, several terrorist infrastructures used by the organization along with two other military buildings. In addition, IDF forces fired to remove a threat in the area. Aircraft of the Air Force killed two terrorists of the Hezbollah terrorist organization that were identified in the area of Kfar Kila.

The Lebanese "Hezbollah" published a summary of its operations carried out against the Israeli army on Thursday, "in support of the steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and in support of their valiant and honorable resistance." Hezbollah's military media indicated that "the Islamic Resistance carried out a number of operations against the positions and deployment of the Israeli enemy army on the Lebanese-Palestinian border on Thursday, April 18, 2024, according to the following:

Eastern sector (southern Lebanon):

1. - At 00:05, an Israeli enemy force was targeted while trying to withdraw the military vehicle that was targeted on Tuesday evening, 04/16/2024, at the Metulla site, with appropriate weapons, causing confirmed casualties.
2. - At 12:30, after careful monitoring and anticipation of the movement of the Israeli enemy in the Al-Marj site, and upon the arrival of the enemy soldiers and vehicles to the specified section, they were targeted with missile weapons and were directly hit, leaving them dead and wounded.
3. - At 17:00, the Zibdin site in the occupied Lebanese Shebaa Farms was targeted with artillery shells, causing a confirmed injury.
4. - At 17:20, the Ruwaisat Al-Alam site in the occupied Lebanese hills of Kafr Shuba was targeted with missile weapons and was directly hit.
5. - At 18:23, a building used by enemy soldiers in Al-Manara Settlement was targeted with appropriate weapons and it was directly hit, as a response to the Israeli attacks on the steadfast southern villages and civilian homes.
6. - At 21:45, an Israeli enemy technical team was targeted while it was maintaining spy equipment in the Ramim barracks with artillery shells, causing confirmed casualties among its ranks.
   Western sector (southern Lebanon):
7. - At 01:45, a movement of Israeli enemy soldiers at the Al-Malikiyah site was targeted with missile weapons and was directly hit.
8. - At 14:00, a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers in Horsh Hanita was targeted with missile weapons and was directly hit.
9. - At 18:00, a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers in the vicinity of the Hanita colony was targeted with missile weapons and was directly hit.
10. - At 18:20, two buildings used by Israeli enemy soldiers in the Yaroun colony (the occupied Lebanese village of Salha) were targeted with appropriate weapons and they were directly hit, as a response to the Israeli enemy’s attacks on the steadfast southern villages and civilian homes, especially the towns of Khiam and Kafr Kila.
11. - At 20:23, the Beit Hilal base (battalion command) was targeted with Falaq missiles, in response to the Israeli enemy’s attacks on the steadfast southern villages and civilian homes, especially the towns of Khiam and Kafr Kila, and the martyrdom of a civilian.

Lebanese Hezbollah published scenes from the operation targeting the headquarters of the 91st Division in the Beranit barracks of the Israeli army on the southern Lebanese border. Lebanese "Hezbollah" showed scenes from the operation to target the "AN/TEQ-37" artillery radar at the air control unit at the Meron base in northern Israel. Hezbollah's military media published a video clip showing "scenes of the operation to target the AN/TEQ-37 artillery radar, which works to detect projectiles and missiles and identify sources of fire at the air control unit at the Meron base in northern Israel."

Israeli bombing targeted the towns of Kafr Kila and Adassiya in southern Lebanon, killing two people, who were mourned by Hezbollah.

International demands are increasing to calm the situation between Lebanon and Israel , for fear of the war expanding, especially with the Iranian attack on Israel in response to the targeting of its consulate in the Syrian capital, Damascus, while Hezbollah confirms that stopping its operations depends on the cessation of the Israeli aggression on Gaza.

At least 18 Israelis have been wounded following a drone and missile assault by Lebanon's resistance group Hezbollah, targeting an Israeli military facility near the Lebanese border on Wednesday, as per reports from Israeli media. Earlier on Wednesday, a spokesperson for the Israeli regime's military disclosed that 14 soldiers had been wounded, with six in critical condition, two moderately, and six lightly. The attack by Hezbollah was described by Israel's Walla news website as a carefully orchestrated ambush. Another report from Israeli media indicated that Hezbollah's drones struck their intended target without prior warning, leaving the Israeli military perplexed regarding their origin.

Hezbollah confirmed its involvement through a statement, asserting that it had attacked a military base belonging to the Zionist army situated in the northern vicinity of the Israeli-occupied territories. This action, they said, was in response to Israel's persistent airstrikes on Gaza and recurrent incursions into southern Lebanon. The statement further elaborated that the attack was executed using guided missiles and explosive drones on a newly established military reconnaissance command center in Arab al-Aramshe, a village near the Lebanese border. Hezbollah cited the incident as retaliation for the targeted killings of resistance fighters in Ain Baal and Shehabiya.

The Israeli army announced, on Wednesday evening, that it had carried out an air strike on “a site belonging to Hezbollah’s air defense unit” in Baalbek, northeastern Lebanon, while the armed group, at dawn on Thursday, mourned two of its militants who were killed in the town of Kafr Kila, indicating in return that it had been targeted. Movement of Israeli soldiers during the past few hours. In a brief statement , the Israeli army said that its fighter jets “bombed Hezbollah’s air defense infrastructure north of the city of Baalbek, about 100 kilometers from the Israeli border.” The attack came hours after the party carried out a drone attack on northern Israel, which... It resulted in the injury of 14 soldiers and four civilians. The Israeli army spokesman for the Arab media, Avichay Adraee, stated that the Israeli forces “attacked deep inside Lebanon a terrorist infrastructure that was used by Hezbollah’s air defense force.” He continued, "In addition, IDF forces attacked in the area of Kawkaba village to remove a potential threat."

The air strike deep in Lebanon comes in response to a drone attack in the northern border town of Arab Aramsha, which resulted in the injury of 14 soldiers and 4 civilians, according to the Times of Israel . According to Al-Hurra’s correspondent in Beirut, a cautious calm prevailed on the southern front of Lebanon, on Thursday morning, after a night that included continued Israeli raids on the border towns. The last of these attacks was when the town of Khiam in the eastern sector of the south was subjected to violent raids by Israeli warplanes, accompanied by a concentrated bombardment with phosphorus shells on the town, according to what the National News Agency in Lebanon reported. The course of the Litani River, the outskirts of Dermamas, and Tallet Al-Azziyah were also subjected to artillery shelling, according to the same source.

Operational Update - Syria / Iraq

Operational Update - Yemen

The leader of the revolution, Abdul-Malik Badr al-Din al-Houthi, spoke Shawwal 9, 1445 AH corresponding to April 18, 2024 about the latest developments in Palestine and regional developments. "Before the Iranian response, there were diligent efforts and intense attempts to seek to obstruct The response, and containing the Iranian response, attempts to prevent the response from coming at all, and even offers and temptations were presented to the Iranians, in an attempt to dissuade them from responding. Because the enemies are worried at this stage about any position that benefits the Palestinian people and represents a contribution to supporting the Palestinian people. They are worried at this stage about anything that happens against the Israeli enemy. They want the Israeli enemy to remain free, calm, and free from any anxiety and any danger. ; To be alone with the Palestinian people, and to carry out its crimes on a daily basis, and to seek to achieve its failed, failed, and losing goals, and to be safe from any position from here or there. Unfortunately, even some of the Arab countries were seeking that, and everyone is moving under the title: (Seeking to prevent escalation in... The region), so that the conflict and escalation does not expand in the region. The escalation, danger and conflict is what the Israeli enemy is doing in the Gaza Strip. There is no solution that contributes to stability in the region properly, except stopping the aggression and siege on Gaza, and ending the aggression against the Palestinian people. It is not possible That there be stability while the Israeli enemy is the occupier of Palestine and the perpetrator of genocide in Gaza....

"Our front is in the auspicious Yemen, the Yemen of faith, jihad and conquests, the Yemen of manhood, loyalty and chivalry. Support operations reached within two weeks (fourteen operations), in the Red Sea, in the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and Bab al-Mandab, all the way to the Indian Ocean. It became part of the operations in In the Indian Ocean, as well as in the south of occupied Palestine, against targets of the Israeli enemy, these fourteen operations were carried out, using (thirty-six) ballistic, winged, and drone missiles, and (eight ships) linked to the enemies were targeted, and the total number of ships targeted reached (ninety-eight) ships, which approached One hundred ships will arrive, and, God willing, they will arrive. Work is continuing, and operations are continuing.

"The impact of the operations - praise be to God - is great and successful, and in these weeks several naval vessels withdrew from the Red Sea, and this is something useful and an important thing, and all those who withdraw talk about the effectiveness of these operations, about their impact, about their intensity, and they talk about them in a way that indicates their strength and effectiveness. This is good, and we assure everyone: whether the American, the British, or whoever the American wants to implicate, that no one can ever succeed in stopping these operations that our country is carrying out in support of the Palestinian people in Gaza, and to put pressure on stopping the siege on the Palestinian people in Gaza. No one can bring food and medicine into it, and stop the aggression against it, except through counter operations, through bombing our country, as the Americans and the British do, and we are in the fourth month since the beginning of their aggression against our country with their support for the Israeli enemy; To continue his crimes in Gaza, and to continue starving the Palestinian people in Gaza, nor by some mobilizing frigates, warships, and military equipment to the sea - as well - as a courtesy to the Americans, and in an effort to appease the Americans. It is not in anyone’s interest to do that. Our position is completely clear. From the beginning, we repeated it often.

"There is no danger to the navigation of European countries, which are not heading towards the Israeli enemy, there is no danger to them at all, so they can pass safely and soundly, as long as they do not head towards the Israeli enemy, and do not participate in the aggression against our country, and we confirm this and say: It is in your interest to withdraw your vessels that cost you A lot, and your interference in skirmishes on behalf of the Americans, and burdens: financial burdens, and risks as well, without the need for that, and there is no justification for it at all, through the coordination of any European country, or any other country in the east and west of the earth, with our country, that can cross from Without any targeting from our country, the only impact of the crowding of military naval warships in the Red Sea is on the security of navigation, on the safety of navigation, and the transit of ships. Therefore, the enemy admits failure, and his economic losses are also high, along with the cost of what he does at sea. His economic losses are great. Because the American implicated himself, and the British implicated himself, the Israeli's losses continue to mount; As a result of preventing his ships from crossing, and the ships associated with him, which carry what they bring to him, his losses continue to mount, and have reached a large level, thank God. The American losses as well, the British losses as well, and the losses of the countries that implicate themselves in these burdens are also rising. Their losses in Insurance for transport and sea freight, and the costs associated with that, and the increase and rise in prices as a result, as well as those who move via other distant and expensive routes, and need to add large financial costs to insurance for the benefit of maritime transport companies, cost them great, and then this is reflected in the prices in their countries.

"The solution is in the interest of everyone, is to end the siege on the Palestinian people in Gaza, is for food and medicine to reach the Palestinian people in Gaza, and it is their right to do so, it is their established and recognized right, it is their right to obtain food and medicine, and not to be denied food, for this to end. The absolutely heinous state of starvation of the Palestinian people, which is a disgrace to all human society. Our operations are continuing, and others have no choice but to stop the aggression against Gaza and end the siege, and our perations are effective."

Maps

All maps are lies. “Not only is it easy to lie with maps, it is essential,” wrote cartographer Mark Monmoneir in his book How to Lie with Maps. He showed that condensing complex, three-dimensional spaces onto a two-dimensional sheet of paper [in old days] is bound to be reductive. But it is impossible to comprehend the war in Gaza without reference to maps, otherwise the entire conflict is reduced to an endless series of meaningless acts of random violence and the suffering of civilians. The first characteristic of guerrilla warfare is the loss of a front line. Evidently, different mappers have different ideas of how to depict the war in Gaza, notably those that seek to depict Israeli progress in the ground campaign. Part of the problem is latency. The news that forms the basis of the maps takes time to filter out to mappers, and the cartographers take time in crafting their maps, and it takes time to curate them. These processes are uneven among mappers, so their maps may differ in detail. Probably there is some ideological bias, or at least thematic apperception, which is understandable in wartime. It may come as no surprise that al-Jazeera maps depict rather less Israeli territorial progress than other sources. Finally, there remains the epistemological question of just exactly what are the colored in areas depicting. Naively, this might be understood as areas of Israeli control, that are no longer contested by the HAMAS. Or possibly these are areas of Israeli presence, in many of which the possibility of an RPG-wielding HAMAS militant popping out of a tunnel unexpectedly remains a live possibility. With the "zero-range" combat characterized by small unit tactics on both sides, maps may be prey to a fallacy of misplaced concreteness.

Bystanders

Axis of Resistance

Allied for Democracy

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told senior Mossad and Shin Bet officials that internal discord must disappear now because Israel is under an existential threat. Netanyahu stated that, in the face of the existential threat, “powers must be united, not dismantled.” The Prime Minister's statements came during his visit to the Mossad headquarters , where he met with Director David Barnea, and the General Security Service headquarters, where he held working meetings with the Director of the General Security Service, Ronen Bar.

At Mossad headquarters, Netanyahu discussed regional developments in various sectors, and the Prime Minister and Mossad director pointed to the ongoing efforts and the importance of doing everything possible to return the hostages as quickly as possible. The Prime Minister also listened to a comprehensive explanation of the agency's extensive activity in combating terrorism in various sectors. Prime Minister Netanyahu said before the Mossad Department Heads Forum: “This holiday is different because they rose to destroy us... and this is something very tangible by the axis represented by Iran and its agents, including Hamas.” "This is very tangible when we still have hostages being held in Gaza," he added.

He continued, "We are also committed to defeating Hamas in Gaza, freeing the hostages, and repelling the threat, including the Iranian threat." He explained that these are very large tasks and require two things: determination and unity, noting that nations first collapse from within, not from external pressure, but from internal strife. He added, "The internal dispute must disappear now because we are exposed to an existential threat, and in the face of the existential threat we must unite forces and not divide them, and this is the most important thing."

He stated that the great powers fell in their time, including the world powers, in the absence of internal cohesion around a unified idea, stressing that the unified idea here is the return of the Jewish people to their land and the rebuilding of the defense capacity against those who want to destroy Israel. Netanyahu concluded his statements by saying: “If we lack the ability to defend ourselves against those who threaten our lives, then we have nothing, and that is why we need to unite now with full force on this Passover and what will come after it.”

Operation Iron Swords - By the Numbers

• 1,900,000 IDPs in Gaza
• 76,465 Gazans injured, 28% adult male
• 70,000 tons of explosives dropped on Gaza
• 70,000 housing units completely destroyed
• 70,000 Israeli IDPs from Lebanon border
• 45,000 bombs dropped in Gaza
• 43,000 Gazans killed, including buried under rubble
• 33,000 Gaza targets attacked
• 33,797 Gazans martyred
• 20,528 Palestinians in Israeli prisons [Haaretz, 20 Mar 2024]
• 15,140 Israelis injured [i24 TV]
• 15,000 rockets launched from Gaza
• 14,520 Gazan children martyred
• 13,000 HAMAS combatants killed [N12]
• 13,000 HAMAS combatants killed [IDF]
• 11,000 arrested by Israelis in the West Bank in 2023
• 10,000 Gazans missing under the rubble
• 9,920 Gazan women martyred
• 9,400 Palestinians in Israeli prisons
• 9,000 IDF needing psychological assistance
• 8,365 arrested by Israelis in the West Bank since Oct.7th
• 7,209 IDF injured admitted to rehabilitation [IDF]
• 6,800 IDF officers and soldiers injured [Channel 12]
• 6,000 HAMAS combatants killed [HAMAS]
• 5,500 IDF wounded [reports]
• 4,800 West Bank Palestinians wounded
• 4,700 sites targetted in Lebanon
• 3,850 wanted persons arrested throughout Judea and Samaria
• 3,484 administrative detainees
• 3,188 IDF wounded [IDF]
• 2,100 Gazan women are missing
• 1,609 terrorists killed on the first day
• 1,650 wanted persons arrested throughout Judea and Samaria affiliated with Hamas
• 1,160 Israelis killed on the first day
• 604 Israeli officers and soldiers killed since the start of the war
• 468 West Bank Palestinians martyred
• 364 people [including fighters] killed in Lebanon
• 260 Israeli officers and soldiers killed in Gaza
• 240 Hezbollah fighters killed in Lebanon
• 126 people recovered, including 91 Israelis, 11 bodies, and 24 foreign workers
• 116 living hostages in Palestinian custody
• 70 civilians killed in Lebanon
• 29 IDF deaths were caused by "friendly fire"
• 15 Israelis killed in the West Bank and Israel

Not every number is reported every day, so sudden jumps generally reflect reporting artifacts rather than actual upticks. Many of these numbers fluctate, up and down, with no apparent explanation. This list records the highest number reliably reported for each matter, under the theory that reality with catch up with reports, as is relentlessly the case.