Hamas pledges that terror attacks “will return to the forefront”
Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed joint responsibility for a failed suicide bombing on Sunday in Tel Aviv.
Israeli security forces are investigating the involvement of Iran and Hezbollah, citing the use of a highly sophisticated 8-kilogram bomb which is not usually operated by the Gaza-based terror groups.
Israeli media quoted police officials as saying the intended target was a nearby synagogue, with Israel Police official Haim Bobalil calling the premature blast “a miracle”.
The misfire resulted in the death of the apparent attacker, who was captured on CCTV carrying a large backpack moments prior, and the injury of a bystander. The assailant was reported to be a Palestinian in his 50’s from the town of Nablus in the West Bank.
Hamas has threatened that terror attacks “will return to the forefront” as mediators continue to negotiate the release of some 100 hostages remaining in Gaza.
Separately, Israeli Police seized an RPG launcher with two warheads in Netanya, central Israel, during a crackdown in the city and in nearby Taibe, where various firearms and ammunition were found.
Six deceased Israeli hostages recovered from Gaza
The bodies of six hostages, British-Israeli Nadav Popplewell, 51, Yagev Buchshtab, 35, Yoram Metzger, 80, Haim Peri, 79, Alexander Dancyg, 75 and Avraham Munder, 78, were recovered from the Khan Yunis area, Gaza.
The hostage’s deaths were confirmed by the IDF on Tuesday, after investigations carried out by the National Institute of Forensic Medicine, Israel Police, and the IDF Manpower Directorate’s Hostage Team established the identities of the deceased.
Although the IDF has previously made public the deaths of five of the hostages based on intelligence, Avraham Munder was listed among those presumed alive until Tuesday morning.
Munder’s son, Roy, was killed on 7th October by Hamas. His wife, daughter and grandson were freed from the terror group’s captivity in November’s hostage deal after their kidnapping.
The six deceased hostages were seized by Hamas on the 7th October from the Kibbutzim Nir Oz and Nirim, four were over the age of 70 when they were killed by the terror group.
Desecration of British War Graves planned by Hamas would hold Commonwealth Veterans “prisoner”
Hamas plotted to dig up the remains of those buried in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s central Gaza cemetery, which contains more than 3,000 Commonwealth troops from the First and Second World Wars, according to a documents seen by the Telegraph.
The terror group aimed to hold them “prisoner”, “to quite literally terrorize the people of the UK as a whole in order to influence political decisions”, according to an Israeli official.
The documents were uncovered by the IDF on January 31st in Gaza’s Khan Yunis at a site connected to Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar and Mohammed Deif. Material detailing Hamas’ dealings with Hezbollah and Iran’s other terror proxies were also found in the cache.
Hamas rejects latest hostage deal, raising potential for Iran attack
Hamas on Sunday outright rejected an updated hostage deal, raising the potential for an attack by Iran and Hezbollah against Israel, which have threatened to strike if an agreement is not reached.
The “Final Bridging Proposal” set out by Washington is supported by Egypt, Qatar and Israel, with the latter’s Prime Minister endorsing the terms after a three hour meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
The terror group rejected the omission of a permanent withdrawal of Israeli forces and Jerusalem’s control of strategic corridors central to Hamas’ ability to rearm, regroup and prepare another 7th October-style attack.
