Hostage Updates:
Dr. Itai Pesach of Sheba Medical Center, who is the doctor responsible for the treatment of the rescued hostages, says that the four are in a worse physical and psychological state than originally thought, and are suffering from the harsh conditions, malnutrition, and from mental and physical abuse.
“There were periods when they hardly received any food at all,” he said. “There were other periods when it was a little better, but overall, the combination of psychological pressure, malnutrition, not receiving enough food or the right type of food, medical neglect, confinement to a small space, lack of exposure to sunlight, and all other factors—this has a significant impact on health.”
Dr. Pesach, who also treated hostages who were released in the deal in November, said that the recently released hostages are suffering from more psychological damage than the others. “As time passes, the hope of being released diminishes a bit, and you start to wonder if it will ever end. Losing that hope, I think, is where you reach the breaking point,” he says.
The UN Security Council adopted a resolution calling on Hamas to accept the U.S. proposal for a hostage and ceasefire deal. 14 member states voted yes, Russia abstained.
Following the Security Council resolution, the Palestinian Authority announced their support for any decision that requires an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Hamas also announced that they welcome only what the Security Council’s decision includes “regarding a permanent cease-fire in Gaza, full withdrawal, exchange of prisoners, rehabilitation, the return of the displaced to their areas of residence, and the postponement of any demographic change or reduction of the territory of the Gaza Strip, and the introduction of the necessary aid to our people in the Strip.”
Gaza Front Updates:
Hamas fired a barrage of rockets on Israeli communities on the border of Southern Gaza, near Rafah.
Thank G-d, the IDF did not announce any fallen heroes on Monday.
Four divisions of IDF troops are currently operating in Gaza: the 98th in al-Bureij and Deir al-Balah, the 99th Division along the Netzarim Corridor, and in select neighborhoods of Gaza City; The Gaza Division in various areas in Gaza on pinpoint operations, and in the buffer zone; and the 162nd Division in Rafah and along the Philadelphi Corridor.
The Israeli Air Force carried out several airstrikes today, including strikes which eliminated members of Hamas’s elite Nukhba forces in Central Gaza. Airstrikes also destroyed tunnel infrastructure in the Deir al-Balah area, and other Hamas infrastructure.
Troops are continuing to raid buildings in Central Gaza, and demolish Hamas tunnels.
The IDF is also slowly and cautiously expanding ground in Rafah, where troops are carrying out systematic searches which are guided by intelligence. Troops also used drones to locate multiple terrorists, including a terrorist with an RPG as he popped out of a tunnel and prepared to shoot.
It appears that the IDF needs to send additional brigades into Rafah in order to be more affective and hold ground once its cleared out, but the Biden administration is pressuring them not to.
Gaza Humanitarian Efforts Updates:
197 aid trucks were transferred to Gaza today (June 10). The content of 1,000 trucks is still waiting on the Gazan side of Kerem Shalom to be picked up by UN aid agencies. The IDF is going to extreme lengths to help the UN facilitate the aid, by designating safe routes for them, facilitating the purchase of more trucks, and providing as much fuel as is needed.
Northern Front Updates:
Hezbollah is continuing with heavy fire on Israel’s far north, triggering sirens as far as Nahariya. Drones and anti-tank guided missiles caused fires in Shtula, the Tzfat (Safed) area, and in Sha’al, where five people were evacuated to the hospital and treated for smoke inhalation. A missile also hit and set fire to a family home in Yir’on. Hezbollah claimed to have targeted a military position.
Hezbollah also shot down an Israeli drone—for the 5th time over the last months. It isn’t clear what kind of drone it was.
The IDF with the usual airstrikes against Hezbollah positions in Southern Lebanon, targeting terror squads.
Late Monday night, Lebanese media reported Israeli airstrikes in the Hermel District of northeastern Lebanon, in what is perhaps the deepest IDF strike in Lebanon since the start of the war. While the IDF has not yet confirmed the strike, reports indicate that it targeted trucks containing fuel and weapons for Hezbollah.
Since October 8th, the IDF has intercepted over 150 Hezbollah drones using ground-based air defenses, and several more using fighter jets. These drones are armed with explosives, and are more difficult to detect, since they are small and fly low and fast. Since they’re launched right over the border, Israeli radar systems have less time to detect them compared to the hundreds of drones launched by Iran on April 14. The IDF has been honing the sensitivity of the radar system in order to better detect the drones, but high detection sensitivity leads to the occasional fall alarm, set off large birds of prey. Each interception is launched manually by IDF soldiers, who need to make split second decisions, determining if the drone is a threat or not.
Hezbollah in turn has used this time to improve their drone skills, particularly in evading air defenses. They’ve been using an increasing number of drones each day, and often aim towards sensitive IDF targets, including air defenses. The furthest Hezbollah drones have reached so far, is 40 km into Israeli territory. It’s assumed that if a wider war begins with Hezbollah, they will send a large swarm of drones all at once, in an attempt to overwhelm air defenses, and possibly cause widespread power outages.
Judea and Samaria Updates:
Last night an armed terrorist approached a small mobile Jewish home in Ste Efraim. When he found no one home to attack, he decided to set the house on fire instead. Later, during the day, IDF troops found the terrorist and three accomplices. The four then tried to ram into IDF officers using their car, leading the IDF to open fire and eliminate all four. Troops hen searched the vehicle and found a makeshift sub-machine gun, a military vest, and explosive devices.
Overnight, the IDF carried out counterterrorism raids in Tulkarem and Far’a, locating explosives, weapons, and making arrests. During the operation, terrorists opened fire on IDF troops. One active terrorist was eliminate in each location.
Wishing you a beautiful Shavuot!
