Israel At War Tuesday May 7

Israel at war day 214

- Israel has identified 39 bodies out of 132 hostages held by Hamas.

- Ziv Kipper hy”d, a dual Israeli-Canadian citizen, was murdered in Alexandria, Egypt, by a local citizen. The Israeli Foreign Ministry is still verifying the details.(Belaaz)

- The Biden administration is holding up shipments of two types of Boeing-made precision bombs to send a political message to Israel. The U.S. has yet to sign off on a pending sale of Boeing’s Joint Direct Attack Munitions — both the munitions and kits that convert them to smart weapons — and Small Diameter Bombs, according to six industry and congressional sources with knowledge of the discussions.

- Israeli official involved in the hostage deal negotiations, as slamming Egypt, Qatar and the United States for their conduct in the talks so far, charging that “the mediators acted fully on Hamas’s side.” “If there is no change of approach by the mediators and Hamas, we are on the way to an expansion of the [military] activities in Rafah,” the official says.

-Two IDF soldiers were killed in a Hezbollah-claimed explosive-laden drone attack against an army position near Metula in northern Israel yesterday afternoon, the military announces.  Dan Kamkagi, 31, from Kfar Ha-Oranim. Nahman Natan Hertz, 31, from Elazar.

-Several explosive-laden drones launched at northern Israel, causing minor damage and no injuries

- Official says army launched ‘limited operation’ aimed at pressuring Hamas to accept a deal; army says 20 gunmen killed, 3 tunnels found, explosive-laden car hit as it drove at tank

-UN says Israel capture of Rafah Crossing ‘chokes’ aid, warns Gaza has 1 day of fuel

- Hamas has said some of the 33 hostages it would release under the first phase of a prospective hostage deal with Israel would not necessarily be alive. Israeli officials say nothing is stopping Hamas from killing the hostages and returning their bodies.

- The hostages to be released reportedly include women, female soldiers, children under the age of 19, adults above the age of 50, and those who are suffering from illnesses. 

Hamas plans to release 33 hostages, both living and deceased, in the first stage of the hostage deal, according to details cited in Israeli media reports. 

- White House National Security Council, John Kirby was asked if the United States supports Israel’s Intention to Eliminate Hamas, which he Responded, “You’re not going to Eliminate an Ideology through Military Operations.”

-Israel is committed to winning the war, while the United States wants the war to end, an Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post after the Biden Administration expressed its opposition to a major Israeli military operation in Rafah.

“Americans want the war to end, and we want to win the war. And I hope that those two things can converge,” the Israeli official said.