Israel At War Wed August 20

 Israel at war day 684

- Israeli Minister Ron Dermer met with Qatari officials in Paris today to discuss a deal to release the hostages and a ceasefire, according to two Israeli sources familiar with the details: “Dermer stressed to the Qataris that the condition for the deal is the release of all the hostages, along with the conditions set by Netanyahu in recent days"

-IDF Spokesperson: Our forces are already operating on the outskirts of Gaza City and have located a tunnel within the city limits

- Hamas has been defeated as an organization wherever the IDF operated. It is now operating using guerrilla tactics. This could continue for a long time.

- The US State Department has decided to impose sanctions on four members of the International Criminal Court in The Hague. All four were involved in the arrest warrants against Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and in investigations against the US.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the court’s actions are morally bankrupt and lack any legal basis.

- Hamas Terrorists attempted to kidnap IDF soldiers from an outpost in Gaza this morning, according to an IDF assessment. More than 10 terrorists launched an attack on the IDF outpost soldiers returned fire, killing some of the terrorists. The attack was meticulously planned: At least 18 terrorists emerged from several tunnels around the IDF outpost in the Khan Younis area and opened fire. Some of them carried stretchers, possibly with the intention of abducting soldiers. 

- Poll: Most Americans believe countries should recognize Palestinian state, Reuters/Ipsos poll finds A 58% majority of Americans believe that every country in the United Nations should recognize Palestine as a nation, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll, as Israel and Hamas considered a possible truce in the nearly two-year-long war.

Some 33% of respondents did not agree that U.N. members should recognize a Palestinian state and 9% did not answer.

Defense Minister Approves IDF Plans to Capture Gaza City.

- Operation Gideon Chariots B: Reserve mobilization orders will be sent to 60,000 soldiers. Most will be required to report at the beginning of September, but more waves are expected due to a long operation planned for later. Some will replace regular forces in sectors to free them for activity in Gaza. Five regular divisions, 12 territorial brigades, the Gaza division, the Air Force, the Navy, and special units will be deployed during the operation.

- 60,000 IDF reservists to be called up in coming days ahead of Gaza City takeover

Reserve troops will get at least 2 weeks’ notice before reporting for duty, with some sent to replace standing army elsewhere; Katz meets top defense officials to approve IDF’s plans

- The US Defense Department will spend more than $3.5 billion to replace missile interceptors and other equipment used to defend Israel during its fighting with Iran, Bloomberg reports.

- Syrian sources claim: US forces landed in Idlib in northern Syria last night and captured the ISIS leader. They landed the previous night in the village of Atma, north of Idlib, Syria, very close to the border with Turkey. The forces surrounded the house of Mustafa Khaled, near the electricity company in Atma, and ordered Abu Hafez al-Qarashi to come out. Al-Qarashi was appointed as the fifth ISIS leader after the elimination of his predecessor in 2022.

- The IDF continues to eliminate terrorists who infiltrated Israeli territory on October 7: The commander of the Nukhba platoon in the Hams terrorist organization who tried to infiltrate the Mars outpost was eliminated. The terrorist infiltrated Israeli territory and took part in the infiltration attempt at the Mars outpost during the murderous massacre on October 7.