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Dear A.,
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) announced today that more than 2 million meals have been delivered directly to Palestinians in its first four days of operation.
“No civilians or individuals involved with the distribution of aid were injured, no lives were lost and all available food was distributed without interference this week,” the Foundation
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said .
The GHF plans to open additional sites, including in northern Gaza, in the coming weeks as it continues to scale its food delivery while cutting out Hamas and its enablers.
Israeli officials believe Hamas is starting to lose control of Palestinians in the Strip, with the new food delivery mechanism preventing the terror group from controlling the aid and the population.
“The barrier of fear from Hamas has been broken," according to one Israeli defense official. "Hamas repeatedly tried to break the population and resist the distribution plan to preserve its ability to control food and, consequently, the residents of the Gaza Strip."
“There are early signs of the success of the strategy and method, as a turning point; the aid distribution centers are an extraordinary success,” the official added. “This is a process of continuous learning and adaptation, a process of shaping the course.”
Meanwhile, the IDF continues to distribute aid through previous distribution channels until the GHF is fully operational. Of the 238 aid trucks that traversed through the Kerem Shalom Crossing in recent days, the IDF estimates that 135 were looted.
According to COGAT, Israel's military division overseeing aid into Gaza, the U.N. has still failed to collect over 550 truckloads of aid transferred by Israel and sitting on the Gaza side of the Kerem Shalom Crossing.
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AIPAC's memo detailing the direct aid to Palestinians, while cutting out Hamas, is continuously updated with the latest facts and information. Click below to read and download today's updates.
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Below are more key stories from this week, and links to share AIPAC social media content.
We'll continue to provide the latest updates on
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our social media channels .
Shabbat Shalom,
Cory Meyer
Director of Communications
Iran op-ed: Credible military threat essential during talks
The
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Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that the U.S. is preparing to give Iran a "term sheet" listing key priorities in a potential deal, including an end to enrichment.
According to one U.S. official, “If they don’t accept these terms, it’s not going to be a good day for the Iranians.”
Earlier this month, 52 Republican Senators and 80% of House Republicans wrote to President Trump reasserting the administration's red line that any agreement must totally dismantle its nuclear program.
While holding the line on dismantlement, it is vital that the United States maintains maximum pressure on the regime. The negotiations must be time-bound, and
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Iran cannot be allowed to drag out the talks to gain an upper hand.
In
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a new op-ed this week , Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro underscores the need to preserve American leverage by maintaining a credible threat of military force.
The former Obama and Biden administration official encourages American negotiators to refocus on the military option through four key steps:
1. Leave no ambiguity on messaging: "The goal is full dismantlement of the Iranian nuclear program, which the United States prefers to achieve through talks, but is prepared to achieve through force."
2. Improve coordination with Israel and "demonstrate that the United States and Israel are consulting on next steps should talks fail."
3. Update war plans to account for Iran's degraded air defenses: "The U.S. military should begin preparations to defend U.S. forces from the most likely Iranian retaliatory threat: close-range ballistic missiles against bases in the Gulf."
4. Game out the timing of a strike: "The U.S. military will need time to flow the requisite forces into the region to conduct strikes, while sustaining the necessary forces to meet requirements in other theaters."
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Click here to read the full op-ed.
Hamas still dragging its feet on U.S. hostage/ceasefire proposal
More than 24 hours after Israel accepted the terms of the latest U.S. ceasefire/hostage deal proposal, Hamas has still not provided an official response.
One Hamas official said yesterday that the terror group is expected to reject the offer.
Hamas is deliberately prolonging this war, refusing to release the hostages, and making life miserable for Palestinians in Gaza over whom the terrorists are working desperately to maintain their grip.
Meanwhile, the IDF continues its operations against Hamas terror cells throughout the Gaza Strip, seizing and destroying over 800 weapons and bombs in recent weeks.
“The Hamas murderers must now choose," Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz
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said today. "Accept the terms of the Witkoff deal for the release of the hostages, or be destroyed.”
The U.S. offer reportedly includes a 60-day ceasefire in exchange for the release of 10 living hostages and the bodies of 18 deceased hostages. 125 Palestinian terrorists serving life sentences and 1,111 prisoners arrested after October 7 would also be released, and aid would be increased to the Gaza Strip.
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Click here to read the reported text of the U.S. offer.
Hamas remains the obstacle to a deal. The terror group can end the war in Gaza today by surrendering and freeing all 58 hostages.
U.S. rep. to the United Nations: We unequivocally reject unilateral recognition of Palestinian statehood
Speaking yesterday to the U.N. Security Council, Acting U.S. Alternate Representative John Kelley affirmed that, "The United States stands with Israel in unequivocally rejecting any effort to unilaterally recognize a Palestinian state or impose conditions on Israel."
He added that such unilateral recognition "would be an unconscionable reward for the heinous Hamas attack on Israel that massacred and brutally kidnapped Israelis and Americans."
Kelley also reaffirmed that Hamas must be defeated in Gaza and that the terrorists must release the hostages immediately.
"There can be no peaceful and prosperous Gaza as long as Hamas governs it by force. The Council should apply pressure on Hamas to disarm, leave, and free Palestinians in Gaza from Hamas’s tyranny. Shielding Hamas from accountability only undermines Israel’s security and prolongs Palestinian anguish."
"Hamas must release the hostages immediately, including the bodies of the four murdered Americans it continues to hold: Itay Chen; Gaddi Hagai, Judi Weinstein Haggai; and Omer Neutra. We will not rest until every hostage has been returned from Gaza."
Click
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here to read Kelley's full remarks, and view a clip
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here .
📝
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AIPAC MEMO: Recognition of Palestinian Statehood Today Would Reward Terror and Undermine Peace
Rescued hostage Ori Megidish speaks about Hamas' sexual harassment in captivity
Ori Megidish, an IDF soldier who was the first hostage to be rescued from the Gaza Strip after October 7, revealed some of the torture and trauma she endured at the hands of Hamas terrorists, including sexual harassment and the murder of her friend in Al Shifa hospital.
“The whole 23 days I feared I would die,” Megidish said of the period until she was rescued. “It never left me for a moment. It is a fear you can’t describe.”
58 hostages are still being held in these horrific conditions in Gaza.
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Click here to watch Ori's harrowing testimony.
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For the 42nd time since March, Iran-backed Houthi terrorists launched a ballistic missile at Israel. The missile was intercepted thanks to Israel’s lifesaving Arrow defense system.
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Ori Megidish was brutally kidnapped by Hamas on October 7. She was tortured and sexually abused in captivity. Her friend, Noa Marciano, was murdered in cold blood at Al Shifa Hospital. This is her story.
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The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation disrupts the status quo by delivering aid directly to the Palestinian people. The program prevents Hamas from stealing or controlling aid.
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Aid is flowing into Gaza, directly to Palestinians. Hamas and its enablers are cut out of the process.
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Support our work to keep Israel safe.
The mission of AIPAC is to encourage and persuade the U.S. government to enact specific policies that create a strong, enduring and mutually beneficial relationship with our ally Israel.
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