Leader of the House of Commons: “It is really disturbing… that the [Jewish] community is really under attack”.
Leader of the House of Commons Penny Mordaunt declared that “it is really disturbing… that the [Jewish] community is really under attack”, in Business Questions on Thursday.
She underscored that “we need to be absolutely unequivocal and say that we stand with them, and that we will do everything we can to protect them and call out antisemitism wherever it is”.
Her comments were made in response to former Attorney General Rt Hon Sir Michael Ellis KC MP highlighting the case that “antisemites are trying to bully and intimidate cinema chains into not showing the films [from the Seret Interntaional Israeli Film Festival] and, in some cases, are sadly succeeding”.
He noted that “those sick antisemites’… loathing for Jewish people is so extreme that they are now trying to boycott Jewish culture in the UK”.
MPs highlight Hamas’ sexual violence on 7th October in Westminster Hall Debate
“We continue to call for thorough investigations [into sexual violence perpetrated on 7th October and] for hostages to be released immediately”, said Deputy Foreign Secretary Andrew Mitchell in a Westminster Hall Debate on Sexual violence in conflict.
“On 7 October there was the greatest murder of Jewish people at any time in one day since the Holocaust and the end of the Second World War”, he highlighted. “The impact of that, which we have heard about so graphically today, underlines why it is so important that we continue this work [against conflict related sexual violence]” he added.
Sir Julian Lewis MP intervened during the debate underscoring that “the mass rapes on 7 October were not a biproduct of the attack but an integral part of the plan to provoke Israel”. He called for “the people who planned the attacks, as well as the perpetrators themselves, [to] be held to account in the international courts”.
Lord Polak CBE wishes Israel a happy birthday in the House of Lords
CFI’s Honorary President Lord Polak CBE wished “the people of Israel well on Israel’s 76th birthday… including the 132 hostages being held in captivity”, in the House of Lords Wednesday.
He also noted that UNRWA “is now outdated [and] does not provide value for money”, underscoring that UNRWA “refuses to help resettle the Palestinians and even refuses to take some 2 million Palestinians living in Jordan off its refugee list”.
Lord Polak CBE appealed for a “new and modern programme of aid and development for the benefit of the Palestinian people and all the peoples of the region”.
Three hostage bodies rescued from Gaza
Three hostage bodies were rescued from Gaza in an IDF operation yesterday.
The hostages have been identified as Shani Louk (22), Amit Buskila (28), and Itzik Gelranter (58).
All three were abducted from the Nova Music Festival on 7th October.
Further evidence of Hamas’ misuse of UNRWA
The IDF released drone footage of Hamas terrorists within an UNRWA humanitarian aid facility in Rafah – the latest evidence of Hamas’ abuse of UNRWA.
Footage, taken on Saturday 11 May, shows heavily-armed members of Hamas alongside UN vehicles and shooting at Gazan civilians nearby.
The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) presented its evidence to the international community, as well as warning the UN against the presence of terrorists within and surrounding UNRWA, as it hinders the security of its facilitates.
In a statement by IDF Spokesperson Rear Adm Daniel Hagari, he called for the UN to “urgently investigate the connection between UNRWA’s logistics centres to Hamas operatives by their vehicles”.
In a separate incident on Thursday, an UNRWA school was targeted by the IDF in Nuseirat, after harbouring terrorists and functioning as a war room. The war room was used to plan attacks against IDF troops in the Gaza Strip in recent weeks, as well as serving as a hideout for terrorists who participated in Hamas’ 7 October attack. 15 terrorists were killed in the IDF strike including 10 from the Hamas’ elite Nukhba unit.
Severe escalation by Hezbollah on Israel’s northern border
Hezbollah has severely escalated their attacks on Israel’s northern border over the past few days, using upgraded weaponry.
Yesterday, Hezbollah announced that they had attacked an IDF post in Metula using an attack drone carrying two S5 missiles.
Between the hours of 6.00am-7.00pm yesterday, 119 sirens were sounded in northern Israel, warning residents of impending rocket attacks.
Over 100 rockets were launched by Hezbollah this afternoon towards Israel causing electricity to cease across the Golan. Two Israelis were injured in an attack in Kerem Ben Zimra.
A house was hit in Katzrin, and there has also been reports of wildfire in the area due to rocket attacks.
In response, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) targeted Hezbollah sites in al-Najariya, southern Lebanon. Senior Hezbollah official Hassan Mahadi, who was a commander in Hezbollah’s Air Force Unite was killed in the attack.
In a statement released by the IDF, it highlights how “Hezbollah’s Air Defence operates from civilian areas, putting local residents in danger”.
“The IDF will not allow threats to its aerial freedom and will act to protect against any danger. We advise Lebanese citizens to avoid cooperating with Hezbollah, as it puts them and their communities at risk”, the statement adds.
Fighting continues in Rafah and Jabaliyah
The IDF located several rocket launchers loaded with long-range missiles in Rafah, which were subsequently destroyed.
The sites were used to conduct rocket attacks against Israel, including towards Beer Sheva last week – 25 miles from Gaza.
According to reports from Arab media channels, the IDF now controls 6.8 out of 11 kilometres of the Philadelphi corridor, used to smuggle weapons from Egypt into Gaza.
Fighting between IDF troops and Hamas terrorists in Jabaliya, northern Gaza, has been described by the IDF as “intense” and the “most violent” since the war began. Hamas terrorists have launched large volumes of RPGs at IDF tanks and armoured vehicles, and are utilising narrow alleys and tunnels in their warfare.
The IDF entered Jabaliyah on 11th May for a second time since 7th October. Their latest operation focuses on the Jabaliyah Refugee Camp, excluded from the previous operation.
The IDF has reported the death of 200 terrorists in the area so far.
Terrorists have been launching attacks close to humanitarian shelters, forcing civilians to evacuate. A rocket depot storing dozens of long-range rockets and rocket parts were found adjacent to the shelter. 20 suspected terrorists were arrested at the depot.
Two further hostages confirmed dead
The IDF has confirmed that two Thai nationals, Sonthaya Oakkharasr and Sudthisak Rinthalek, were killed on 7th October by Hamas, and that their bodies are being held in Gaza.
They both worked in orchards near Kibbutz Be’eri.
39 Thai nationals were murdered on 7th October and 31 kidnapped.
The total number of hostages officially confirmed dead has risen to 40.
Death of five soldiers in Gaza
Five soldiers were killed and eight seriously injured by friendly fire in Jabaliya, Gaza, on Wednesday night.
Two IDF tanks spotted a gun barrel through a window of a building, which they believed were terrorists preparing to fire at the tanks.
The tanks fired at the source, which was an IDF paratrooper infantry unit. The soldiers were evacuated to hospital in Israel.
U.S. humanitarian pier in Gaza complete with UK support
The U.S. spearheaded pier, built specifically to facilitate more aid into Gaza was completed yesterday.
“This is the culmination of a herculean joint international effort, and I pay tribute to our Armed Forces who alongside our partners have played a central role delivering this much needed support”, said Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
U.S. CENTCOM announced that trucks carrying humanitarian aid began arriving at the temporary pier this morning at 9am local time.
The pier will initially facilitate 90 truckloads of aid into Gaza, increasing its capacity to 150 trucks in future weeks.
The UK’s first maritime aid delivery arrived at the pier this afternoon, after setting sail from Larnaca, Cyprus.
The delivery includes 8,400 shelter coverage kits with more to follow including 2,000 additional coverage kits, 900 tents, five forklift trucks and 9,200 hygiene kits.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak proclaimed that “today’s first shipment of British aid from Cyprus to the temporary pier off Gaza is an important moment in increasing [aid] flow”.
Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron said that this is a “major milestone in the international community’s efforts to maximise aid going into Gaza”.
Hamas made money from aid
Hamas has made a profit of at least half a billion dollars on humanitarian aid supplies since 7th October, Israeli journalist and Washington Institute fellow Ehud Yaari, told Channel 12 News.
Fatah working with Hamas
Footage of Fatah’s military wing shooting alongside Hamas terrorists at IDF soldiers in Tulkarm, West Bank, was published by the party on Telegram, as well as footage of them launching rockets from Gaza.
