In a speech last night, Prime Minister Netanyahu reiterated Israel's five principles for victory in its war against Hamas in Gaza:
Disarm Hamas.
Return all the hostages.
Demilitarize Gaza.
Establish Israeli security control in Gaza.
Establish a new civil administration in Gaza that's neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority.
"These five principles will ensure the security of Israel. This is the meaning of the word 'victory,'" he said.
To achieve these goals, the IDF is continuing to increase the military pressure on Hamas.
In the past week, Israeli troops have destroyed dozens of terror targets and killed 20 terrorists in operations on the outskirts of Gaza City.
The IDF issued multiple evacuation warnings for Gazan civilians before the operations took place.
Meanwhile, in northern Gaza, the IDF announced today that it sealed over 4 miles of Hamas terror tunnels with over 20,000 cubic meters of concrete.
An additional 1.5 miles of tunnels were destroyed using standard demolition methods.
While the IDF ramps up pressure on Hamas, it is also continuing to surge humanitarian aid into the Strip, including around 300 trucks per day this past week alone.
127 aid packages were airdropped into Gaza today in coordination with the UAE, Jordan, Germany, Belgium, France, Italy and Singapore.
And the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) has now distributed more than 123 million meals, including over 1.5 million meals today alone.
"Our model has proven that reliable aid delivery is possible... We stand ready to expand our operations and work hand-in-hand with other groups," GHF Executive Director John Acree said.
The United States and international community must increase the pressure on Hamas and its sponsors in Qatar, Turkey and Iran to release all 50 hostages still held in captivity.
Below are more key stories and links to share AIPAC social media content. We'll continue to provide the latest updates on our social media channels.
Shabbat Shalom,
Jake Braunstein
Director of Policy Communications
Report: China may help Iran rebuild missile arsenal
Western intelligence indicates that China may help Iran rebuild and expand its ballistic missile arsenal after it was severely damaged by Israel's Operation Rising Lion, Israeli journalist Nadav Eyal reports.
Iran has previously relied on shipments of key chemical components from China to produce the fuel for its missiles.
According to a senior Israeli official, China already supplied some dual-use equipment to Iran after Israeli strikes on the regime in October 2024.
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Israel and the New Air Superiority
David A. Deptula
Dean, Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies; Senior Scholar, U.S. Air Force Academy; Lt. Gen. (Ret.), U.S. Air Force.
"In June, Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, an air campaign against Iran... The results were decisive: Iran’s nuclear program was significantly disrupted, key elements of its air defense network were shattered, and Tehran’s military leadership suffered serious blows. All the while, not a single manned Israeli aircraft was lost...
"Rising Lion was a stunning demonstration of what a modern air force, backed by sound strategy and political resolve, can accomplish. It reaffirmed airpower’s ability to achieve meaningful political outcomes without a drawn-out ground war."
Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem threatened today that there would be "no life in Lebanon" if the Lebanese government moves forward with a U.S.-backed plan to disarm the Iranian-backed terror group.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun told senior Iranian official Ali Larijani on Wednesday that "it is forbidden for anyone… to bear arms and to use foreign backing as leverage," warning the Iranians against continuing to interfere in Lebanon by supporting Hezbollah.
Earlier this week, six Lebanese soldiers were killed in an explosion while working to dismantle a Hezbollah weapons depot in the country's south.
American kids may have grown up with Mr. Rogers, but for a child in Gaza there was Farfour—a plushy, genocidal TV mouse screaming “Kill! Kill! Kill!”
All who want the war in Gaza to end should take concrete steps to increase the pressure on Hamas to free the hostages and surrender power.
This month, 21 House Republicans visited Israel with the American Israel Education Foundation.
This month, 15 House Democrats visited Israel with the American Israel Education Foundation.
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.
