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.
What you need to know today:
• 50 hostages are reportedly set to be released by Hamas as part of agreed deal
• UK Government grants additional £10 million to combat antisemitism
• Conservatives wary of “unilateral” calls for ceasefire in Scottish Parliament
• 400 terror tunnels have been destroyed by the IDF so far
Hostage Deal Agreed, 50 To Be Released
The agreement approved by Israel’s War Cabinet last night, for the release of 50 Israeli hostages in Gaza, has been welcomed by the UK Government as a “crucial step towards ending the nightmare for families of those taken hostage in Hamas’ terror attack”.
The exchange will begin at 10am tomorrow, the terror group Hamas said.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said that “this is something we have consistently pushed for”.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “We are at war, and the war will continue until all our goals are achieved”, adding that the hostages’ return is a “sacred priority and I am committed to it”. “Before us is a difficult decision”, he continued, “but the right one… We will not rest until everyone is returned”.
50 women and children will be released by Hamas in batches. Israel will release three Palestinian security prisoners for every civilian hostage until 150 prisoners have been released over four days, which will see a lull in fighting.
Israel’s Justice Ministry has listed 300 Palestinian security prisoners, mostly teenagers and women arrested for terrorism related offences, who will be eligible for the exchange.
30 children, eight mothers, and 12 other women, including the elderly in poor health, are expected to be released first. Israel’s Welfare Ministry has released instructions for soldiers initially meeting the released child hostages.
Most of the Palestinian prisoners to be released are residents of East Jerusalem and have been reportedly tried in military and civilian courts for terror-related offences.
Some of the worst offenders have been convicted of assault, arson, attempted murder and causing serious bodily harm.
Despite the cessation of fighting, Hamas have said that their “fingers will remain on the trigger”. Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), which also carried out the terrorist attacks of October 7th and has abducted a number of hostages, have stated that “no Israeli civilian prisoner in our hands will be released, until the last of our prisoners is released from the Israeli prison”.
“Without a doubt, the past six weeks of heroic resistance have proven that time is not on the side of the artificial Israeli entity”, said the Iranian Foreign Minister, Hussein Amir-Abdollahian. He echoed the messaging of the terror groups, stating that their “fingers will be on the trigger until the full rights of the Palestinian people are fulfilled and until the struggle in the region reaches a result”.
Mossad Director, David Barnea, will reportedly visit Doha to meet with the Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani to finalise details of the deal before tomorrow.
There are reports that Hezbollah may join on the ceasefire. Israel’s Foreign Minister has warned for the second day that its attacks on Israel “could lead to war in Lebanon”.
Autumn Statement grants additional £10 million to combat antisemitism
HM Treasury’s Autumn Statement included £3 million allocated to the Community Security Trust (CST), in attempts to combat antisemitism across the country. £7 million was also allocated to combat antisemitism at universities. From October 7th to October 31st, CST recorded 893 antisemitic incidents, the highest ever total reported to CST across a twenty-five day period since the organisation was established in 1984.
Government statement on Houthi seizure
The UK Government issued a statement condemning the unlawful seizure of the British-owned cargo cargo ship, MV Galaxy Leader, by the Iran-backed Houthi terrorist group in the Red Sea.
Making clear that Iran “bears responsibility for the actions of its proxies”, the UK has called for the “immediate, and unconditional” release of the ship and crew.
The Government has urged the Islamic Republic to “actively restrain” terror groups to prevent regional escalation and has recommitted to the International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC) and Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) in in securing the “safety of shipping in the region”.
Education Secretary, Education Minister meet with UJS
The Secretary of State for Education, Gillian Keegan, and the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Robert Halfon MP, attended a Union of Jewish Students (UJS) – University College London (UCL) roundtable yesterday to discuss the state of antisemitism across British universities since October 7th. The Minister “heard some harrowing stories” at the meeting of over a dozen students and faculty.
Bob Blackman CBE MP writes in The Express
CFI Parliamentary Officer Bob Blackman CBE MP recalled the footage collected from “body cameras and mobile phones carried by Hamas terrorists”, in The Express, which was screened in Parliament last week by the Britain-Israel APPG in coordination with CFI. Blackman describes how his parliamentary colleagues “sat in stunned silence” in “shock and disbelief” as the 45 minutes of “raw” footage displayed Hamas terrorists as they “rampaged” through southern Israel.
Conservatives wary of “unilateral” call for ceasefire in Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Conservatives argued against an “immediate“ ceasefire in Gaza yesterday voted on by the Scottish Parliament.
Shadow Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture, the Much Hon. Donald Cameron MSP, led a Conservative amendment to omit calls for ceasefire, which was defeated by 61 votes.
The Scottish Conservative Party amendment instead proposed the inclusion of “Israel’s right to defend itself against terror”, “humanitarian pauses”, “aid to Gaza” and a “two-state solution through reinvigorated diplomatic and political efforts”.
Cameron condemned the “horrific” events of October 7th, its “savagery and violence”, and the continued rocket attacks by Hamas. “The [Scottish] Parliament failed to do anything meaningful” in the wake of October 7th, he said.
“Regrettably”, Mr Cameron stated that “Hamas will not respect a ceasefire”, using it to “regroup and advance its brutal aim of destroying the State of Israel”. Jackson Carlaw MSP agreed, and criticised calls for a ceasefire as “unilateral”.
Deputy Leader of the Scottish Conservatives, Meghan Gallacher MSP, individually recounted some of the many names of those held captive by Hamas, and focused on the three year-old hostage Abigail Eden, whose parents were killed by the terror group.
She called for “humanitarian breaks” in Gaza and condemned “unsafe protests”, “politicians receiving death threats” and the assault of her colleague, Clr. Thomas Kerr, “because of his stance on the conflict”. Instead, Gallacher urged “gentle diplomacy”.
Dr. Sandesh Gulhane MSP condemned Hamas’ “barbaric murders, rapes and abductions” which “ignited this chapter of violence”, and their use of “places of sanctuary, including hospitals” for their terrorist activities.
The vote followed a letter written by SNP First Minister Hamza Yousaf, calling for the UK to officially recognise a State of Palestine. It was sent to the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition.
Defence Secretary: Iran casts “malign shadow” across the Middle East
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps addressed Iran’s “malign shadow” across the Middle East, at the Franco-British Council Defence Conference on Monday.
At the reception alongside French Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu, Shapps spoke of Hamas’ “mass slaughter [of] the people of Israel”. He warned that the terror group “shares an ideology with that of Daesh”, with Iran “pull[ing] the strings”.
The Defence Secretary also warned against Iran’s control of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, the Houthis and militant groups across Iraq and Syria — and it’s ties to Russia, which received “suicide drones” and “invites Hamas to the Kremlin”.
Israel’s Health Ministry Protest WHO
Israel’s Health Ministry wrote a letter to the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Tuesday, after a director of the organistion, Dr. Michael Ryan, reportedly misled the international community in casting doubt that terror activities were carried out at Shifa Hospital. “WHO must demand an immediate halt to the use of human shields and health facilities for terror purposes”, the letter said. Israel has released extensive evidence of Hamas using major hospital across Gaza for terrorist activities.
Operational Updates
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said that the IDF is still “determined” to “dismantle Hamas – militarily and governmentally”. IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said that “we will know how to restore our operational achievements” after the hostage deal struck with the terror group Hamas.
The IDF announced that 400 of Hamas’ terror tunnels have been “destroyed” in Gaza. “Many of the shafts leading to its tunnel network are located within civilian hospitals, schools and homes”, an IDF statement read. The IDF also breached the blast door beneath Gaza’s Shifa Hospital today and released images of the tunnel entrances extending what appears to be deep underground. It forms the entrance to a network bigger than the London Underground, Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem Fleur Hassan Nahoom said today on LBC.
The IDF air force shot down a cruise missile over the Red Sea near Eilat today, believed by analysts to be fired by the Houthi terror group in Yemen.
