Note to reader: We wanted to give you a trigger warning on what you may read below. We have chosen, as with every night of these briefings, to not share horrific images, however we want to alert you as sensitively as we can to the reports coming out of Israel and Gaza.
Crime and Policing Minister: “This Government will not sand for antisemitism of any kind”
“This Government will not stand for antisemitism of any kind”, said Crime and Policing Minister Chris Philp during a debate in the House of Commons on Antisemitism in the UK. He underscored that, “members of Britain’s Jewish community are suffering a level of hatred and abuse which is frankly shameful”.
“Furthermore, inciting racial hatred is an offence under the Public Order Act 1986, and anyone engaged in that appalling behaviour should expect to be arrested”, he said, before commending the Community Security Trust (CST) as “an essential partner in our efforts to keep the Jewish community safe”, citing its newly-released 2023 report.
The Minister concluded by addressing antisemites: “You will not win. You will be shown up for the despicable racists you are”, and then addressed “Jewish friends and colleagues”, remarking that: “We stand with you. We understand your fears and we share your pain. We will protect you—today, tomorrow and always”.
CFI Parliamentary Chair (Commons) Rt. Hon. Stephen Crabb MP asserted that, “the sheer number of antisemitic incidents now being reported on a daily basis is creeping tolerance across so much of our national life and so many of our institutions—universities are just one example—of an acceptable level of antisemitism, so long as it is dressed up in a bit of Israel hatred”.
“When British Jews woke up on 7 October to the pogroms and the associated rapes, butchery of children and hostage-taking, we expected sympathy from people on the streets of Britain. Instead, we have seen people attacked for speaking Hebrew, Jewish businesses attacked, Jews assaulted, and hate marches on our streets”, said CFI Parliamentary Vice Chair Andrew Percy MP.
“The fellow holding the sign to remind marchers that Hamas are a terrorist organisation [at the rally in London on Saturday] was the one who was dragged off and had his collar felt by the police, while people continue to march through the streets with cries for jihad and intifadas and in support of the Houthis”, he added. He added that “more must be done to tackle the real root cause of Jew hate”.
CFI Parliamentary Vice Chair Rt. Hon. Theresa Villiers MP called the resignation of Mike Freer MP a “matter of great sadness” wrought by “the intimidation associated with his being prepared to stand up for his Jewish constituents and for Israel”.
“The trouble is that that was last year and the escalation has continued into this year”, said CFI Parliamentary Officer Bob Blackman CBE MP, adding that “people in London suffer the hate marches literally every Saturday—with banned organisations displaying their flags, placards that are clearly antisemitic and vile slogans uttered—and after those so-called peaceful protests disperse, some protestors go and intimidate people in the restaurants, bars and theatres throughout London, so much so now that my Jewish constituents are afraid to go into central London on a Saturday for fear of what they will suffer”.
“Those people should be arrested, put through courts—overnight if necessary—with clear police evidence, and then jailed for their crimes”, he stated.
Former Attorney General Rt. Hon. Sir Michael Ellis MP called “the failure of the Metropolitan Police to deal with some of the fascist-style racists in the London marches” a “historic disgrace that has unleashed more attacks” and said that the aggression of protestors “is a real threat to the democratic process”.
Ellis raised reports of a “magistrates court judge liking an antisemitic post on social media, having passed an extremely lenient sentence on protesters convicted of terrorism offences. This judge apparently trains junior members of the judiciary and is involved in judicial appointments of other judges”.
“A full, deep investigation, with a past docket of cases being checked for bias and a potential suspension, pending the interim report”, should ensue, Ellis said.
Former Home Secretary Rt. Hon. Suella Braverman MP said that “the Jewish community has been demonised and targeted, is scared and has been let down by the authorities”. She raised the case of Lord Ian Austin, who Midland Heart has suspended as its chair “merely for his speaking against Islamism, terrorism and antisemitism”.
Dr. Matthew Offord MP added that “the continued protests on the streets of London are simply normalising antisemitism in the United Kingdom”. He also raised that the children of “more and more of [his] constituents” will not be going to university due to antisemitism concerns.
There is no “logical reason” for universities to refuse to adopt the Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism, said Offord, with 245 universities adopting the resolution so far.
Antony Higginbotham MP said that “every week we see protests and people marching through London with placards with antisemitic, conspiratorial tropes—the same things we saw in October, November, December and January. We know that antisemitism is still running rife on university campuses, in schools and in our communities”.
Chris Clarkson MP recalled watching “with a mixture of horror and incredulity” at Labour’s decision to “justify retaining their Rochdale candidate” and then reverse their position before suspending another candidate for Hyndburn, for comments deemed antisemitic. He urged Labour to “publish a full list of the attendees of that meeting and a full transcript of what was said by whom, so that voters in the north-west can know who they are voting for and what they actually believe”.
30 UNRWA employees participated in 7 October massacre
Israel’s Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has reported that 30 of UNRWA’s employees actively participated in the 7 October attacks, assisting in the kidnapping of civilians and soldiers.
12% of 13,000 UNRWA employees are connected to terrorist organisations in Gaza, 1,468 of which are active members, according to the data.
New footage has revealed that 45-year-old Faisal Ali Mussalem Al Naami, an UNRWA relief worker, abducting a body from Kibbutz Be’eri into his pickup truck with the help of a Hamas terrorist.
Gallant also presented a video showing a wounded Nukhba terrorist at the Erez Crossing after the brutal attacks of 7 October, being evacuated by medics from the Palestinian Red Crescent.
Although the Red Crescent stated that “the medical team and the ambulance shown in the video are not of PRCS”, it also wrote in the same tweet that “medical treatment is a right for everyone, and it should be provided to all those in need regardless of their affiliation”.
Hamas reveals major combatant casualties
Hamas has announced that 6,000 of its fighters have been killed in the war with Israel. The IDF estimates Hamas casualties to be much higher, at 12,000.
The comments mark the first time that the terror group has differentiated between civilian and combatant deaths.
Israel’s death toll has reached 235 in its ground offensive against Hamas.
Hamas commander reporting for Al Jazeera treated in Qatar
An Al Jazeera reporter who Israel named as a Hamas deputy commander in its Eastern Khan Younis Battalion, Ismail Abu Omar, has been reportedly flown to Qatar for treatment following an Israeli strike.
Abu Omar participated in the Hamas-led 7 October attack, where he filmed from inside Kibbutz Nir Oz during the onslaught, Lt. Col. Avichay Adraee, the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesman, said on Wednesday.
Hamas looks to replace Gaza leadership
Hamas’ Doha-based leadership is seeking a replacement for Hamas’ Gaza leader, Yahya Sinwar, amid impending prospects of defeat in the Gaza Strip, according to Israel’s Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on Sunday.
“Hamas-Gaza is MIA [missing in action], there is no one to talk to among leadership on the ground”, he said.
Sinwar, Hamas’ military commander Mohammad Deif and his deputy Marwan Issa, have so far evaded capture.
Scores of Hamas militants have recently surrendered, despite harbouring weapons and munitions. “People armed with RPGs, weapons, and guns came to the moment of truth and did not fight”, indicating the degradation of Hamas’ “fighting spirit”, said Gallant.
“Hamas is left with marginal [forces] in the central camps and with the Rafah Brigade, and what stands between them and a complete collapse as a military system is a decision by the IDF”, added the Defence Minister.
Ashkelon’s Shikma Prison was targeted in Hamas’s 7 October attack
Ashkelon’s Shikma Prison was targeted in Hamas’s 7 October attack, according to London-based Asharq Al-Awsat on Tuesday, citing unnamed Palestinian sources.
Terrorists reportedly sought to storm the prison and free its Palestinian inmates.
One of the first Hamas terror cells that breached the Gaza border headed to the facility, but deviated from its route due to an unknown technicality, according to the report. The report detailed a map which indicated that after killing several and getting into a firefight, the cell lost its way.
Rampaging through Israel, the cell eventually got to Sderot, where where it massacred and battled on until 8 October.
A second cell was also ordered to target the prison, but was reportedly killed by Israeli forces.
U.S. vetoes UN Security Council ceasefire resolution
The U.S. vetoed an Arab-backed UN resolution today which demanded an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.
“We still don’t believe that this is the right time for a general ceasefire that leaves Hamas in control and alleviates any responsibility for them to release the hostages”, said White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby.
The UK abstained in the 13-1 vote which resulted in the third veto of a Security Council resolution demanding a ceasefire by the U.S.
The U.S. had reportedly produced an alternative draft resolution that would outline the UN’s “support for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza as soon as practicable, based on the formula of all hostages being released”.
New U.S. airstrikes on Iran-backed Houthi terror group
The U.S. launched five “self-defence” airstrikes against Houthi terrorists on Saturday.
Three anti-ship missile batteries, one unmanned underwater vessel (UUV) and another unmanned surface vessel (USV) were targeted by the strikes.
A Belize-flagged ship was struck and severely damaged by the Houthis in a missile attack on Sunday, resulting in its crew abandoning the ship.
The ship, identified as the Rubymar by The Associated Press and Houthi terror group, had reported sustaining damage caused by an explosion in “close proximity to the vessel”, according to the U.K. Maritime Trade Operations centre.
“Military authorities report crew have abandoned the vessel”, the UKMTO reported, adding that, “vessel at anchor and all crew are safe”.
The Houthi’s also claimed to have struck down the U.S. M-9 drone but have not offered evidence of the claim.
Last Monday, the Houthis reportedly attacked the Sea Champion, a Greek-flagged, U.S.-owned vessel.
Iran is enriching uranium to 60% purity – closer to weapons grade
Iran is continuing to enrich uranium well beyond the needs for commercial nuclear use, despite UN pressure, International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi said on Monday.
“You may have heard high officials in Iran saying they have all the elements for a nuclear weapon lately”, Grossi stated.
Iran is enriching uranium at an elevated level of around 7kg per month, bringing it to 60% purity, Grossi told EU foreign ministers. The high percentage brings the uranium close to weapons-grade.
“Iran says they are not getting incentives from the West (…). [Denuclearisation] should never be contingent on economic or other incentives”, he added.
The now-defunct 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal (JCPOA) allowed Iran to enrich uranium to only 3.67%.
Israel alleged to have targeted Iran gas pipelines in strikes
Israel allegedly carried out covert strikes on two of Iran’s major gas pipelines this week, disrupting the flow of heat and cooking gas to millions, according to New York Times reports.
The strikes represent a notable shift in signalling to Iran that Israel has the capability and will to attack critical infrastructure, in response to Iran’s enabling of the ongoing terror attacks against Israel by its proxies.
Israel has previously waged cyberattacks and has targeted nuclear sites, but has not until now struck the country’s critical energy infrastructure, according to reports.
Several points across two pipelines in the Fars and Chahar Mahal Bakhtiari provinces were targeted on Wednesday.
Analysts have said that multiple, simultaneous strikes on the pipeline reveal extensive knowledge of Iran’s energy infrastructure.
A separate blast was reported inside a chemical factory in Tehran’s outskirts on Thursday, which officials have attributed to Israel, despite local authorities pointing to a factory accident as the cause.
Bibas family seen for first time since 7 October
The IDF has uncovered footage of hostages Shiri Bibas and her two children, Ariel and Kfir, from a few days after 7 October, in the first signs of life since the Hamas attacks.
The three, together with Shiri’s husband Yarden who was kidnapped separately, were abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz on 7 October. Both of Shiri’s parents were murdered in the same attack.
Hamas has claimed that the three have all been killed, but the IDF have not verified the statements.
