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.
Released hostages reveal Hamas abuse in captivity
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said today that the UK “we support Israel’s right to defend itself, to go after Hamas and to free hostages, to deter further incursions and to strengthen its security for the long term”, in Prime Minister’s questions today
He also pledged to “hold Iran to account” for “escalation” from its proxies, and said that the Government will continue “to work with partners to disrupt and deter Iran’s destabilising activities in the Middle East”.
Greg Smith MP raises 4-year-old hostage, Abigail, and the importance of the UK support for Israel
During Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons today, Greg Smith MP highlighted the “brutal” execution of Abigail Mor Edan’s parents “in front of her”, the four-year-old released by the terror group Hamas last weekend. He raised the dangers of Israel releasing “convicted terrorists”, saying that the Jewish State is “taking a huge risk” by exchanging security prisoners like Isra Jaabis, “imprisoned for detonating a gas cylinder in her car in 2015”.
In the House of Lords, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Home Department, Lord Sharpe, said today that “Iran does pose an unacceptable threat to Israel” and condemned its “destabilising activity throughout the region, including its political, financial and military support to several militant and prescribed groups including Hamas and Hezbollah and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad”.
Baroness Foster of Oxton called the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps a “death cult run by psychopaths that think nothing of the civilians in Iran” and “pull the strings of Hamas and other terrorist groups”, sharing “responsibility” for the October 7th massacres and urging the Government to proscribe the organisation.
Lord Sterling said that if the “atrocities” of October 7th didn’t happen, “no man, woman or child” would have died – and that if the deal signed between Israel and Saudi Arabia went ahead, “outrageous” global antisemitism would never of spiked.
CFI Parliamentary Vice Chair Andrew Percy MP responds to Sky Editor on Hamas
CFI Parliamentary Vice Chair Andrew Percy MP responded to Sky after its International Affairs Editor, Dominic Waghorn, claimed Hamas had treated Israeli hostages “respectfully”.
Percy called the comments, “astounding” and said that the hostages were “kidnapped” having witnessed “members of their families or communities be murdered or assaulted by Hamas”, “denied access to essential medicines” and oversight by any “independent body”.
The senior journalist told his followers on X, formally Twitter, that comparisons between Hamas and ISIS had been “undermined” by Hamas’ claim that its captives “would not be harmed”, and that they feared being “killed in Israel’s bombardment”.
“The hostage situation follows the ISIS model exactly”, Percy told the reporter – Israeli women were “raped, bodies were butchered, children have limbs chopped off”. “Hamas have murdered some hostages and traded others” which is “exactly the ISIS playbook”. Hamas “kept up the terror to the end” a family member of one of the hostages testified, whilst another said the victims of the kidnapping had “lost 15 pounds in just 50 days because of lack of food”.
Brendon Clarke-Smith MP discusses Israel on LBC
Brendan Clarke-Smith MP told LBC’s Iain Dale that the war in Gaza is “not a fight that Israel asked for”, adding that Israel was “getting closer to peace with other partners in the area” – which “can’t be ignored”. Clarke-Smith said that Iran’s role “is probably forgotten sometimes” and that Hamas are the “biggest threat” to Palestinians, citing their treatment of “political dissidents” after “free and fair elections” in 2006. Whilst a two-state solution would be “wonderful”, “there’s a much bigger story that’s being played out here”, Clarke-Smith said.
Hamas claims Bibas family killed
The IDF alerted the Bibas family in Israel that Hamas have released the “cruel” statement that 10-month-old Kfir, the youngest of Hamas’ Israeli hostages, 4-year-old Ariel and Shiri Bibas, 32 have been killed.
The terror group has made false statements of this nature in the past, as part of their psychological campaign against Israel, and was believed to have transferred the family to smaller terror groups in Khan Younis – south of the Gaza Strip.
Further hostage testimonies
Hostages have revealed that they were forced to sleep on plastic chairs and were not able to shower or change clothes for the duration of their captivity, until close to their release when they could change clothes – possibly for propaganda purposes.
Noam, 17, and Alma, 13, spoke of their blindfolding and handcuffing prior to there release, which they were not told about in advance. An elderly hostage said that due to the clandestine nature of the release, she feared that she was on her way to be executed.
Maya Regev, 21, was neglected after she was shot in the leg by terrorists at the Supernova festival, and will likely have to undergo further surgeries according to her doctor.
Elderly hostages were reported to lose between 8-15kg on average – surmounting to starvation. 11 are diabetic and face increased risk of blindness, amputation and cancer. Hostages were also kept from using the toilet for hours on end.
West Bank
The IDF killed two senior terror operative in Jenin, Muhammad Zubeidi, a commander of Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s local ‘Jenin Battalion’ and Hussam Hanoun, both operational in Jenin.
The Shin Bet said that Zubeidi was involved in terror attacks in May this year, which killed Israeli civilian Meir Tamari and in June, which left several wounded. 17 wanted Palestinian were arrested and weapons were seized by the IDF.
Separately, the IDF found a tunnel shaft and a machine for gun manufacturing. Terrorists opened fire during the operation and the IDF conducted a drone strike against gunmen in the area.
Widespread support for the Iran-backed terror group Hamas has been observed across the West Bank as large crowds gather to welcome the return of released security prisoners – most arrested for terror offences – with Hamas chanting, flags and a swearing in ceremony.
83.1% of Palestinians in the West Bank support the October 7th Hamas-led massacres, according to recent polling.
In response to rising tensions across the territory, IDF troops have arrested some 2,000 wanted Palestinians, with over half known to affiliate with Hamas since October 7th. Terror attacks in the region have been kept relatively low, according to reports, in comparison to the wave of violence over the past two years.
“When we carry out one or two arrests with smaller forces, that’s when we face riots,” said the Deputy Commander of a Regional Brigade, Maj. (res.) Arik Pupov.
The IDF has assessed that around 60% of the Palestinians killed had resulted from altercations whereby they were armed with a firearm or explosive device. According to the Palestinian Authority, which controls the West Bank, 200 Palestinians there have been killed by the IDF and in settlers’ attacks. Investigations into the latter are still ongoing, reported the IDF.
“Because we have a lot of forces from the reservists, we have more freedom to arrest all those who have been wanted for years,” Pupov said. He added that “our goal is to maintain order here — doesn’t matter if it’s Jews or Arabs — so that daily life is not disrupted”.
Hamas is not the only Iran-backed terror group operational in the area, with Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) and other organisations also operational. “Because we are in a war, we especially want to keep [the West Bank] a quiet area, and not allow another front to open,” said Pupov.
A 15-year-old and 8-year-old were also killed by Israeli fire in the area, according to the Palestinian Authority.
