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.
Temporary Pause Expires, Fighting Resumes
Minister without Portfolio Esther McVey: “You can’t just have a one-sided ceasefire”, “Hamas has done absolutely terrible things to its own people”
“You can’t just have a one-sided ceasefire”, said Minister without Portfolio Esther McVey, on Question Time last night. “Hamas has got to surrender, the hostages have got to go free and people also need to realise that Israel does have the right to defend itself. What happened [on 7th October] were the worse terrorist attacks Israel has ever had: The killing, the butchering, the taking of children”.
The Cabinet Minister noted that “Hamas has done absolutely terrible things to its own people as well. They will have known there would’ve been a retaliation by the Israelis for what they did and they put their own people in harms way” in order to “protect the Hamas fighters and to protect their warring infrastructure”.
Iranian-linked school issued with deregistration notice
The Department for Education has issued a deregistration notice to the School of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Queens Park, North London, stating that “the safety and education of our children and young people is paramount”.
In July 2022, the “Salute Commander” music video, an IRGC-affiliated production, was partially filmed on the school premises, whilst antisemitic and Islamist chants have reportedly been encouraged.
The video saw the children pledge allegiance to the Supreme Leader of Iran and urge an apocalyptic battle against infidels – during which Israel would be destroyed in the Iranian regimes theology – and before the return of the Mahdi, or messianic leader.
Children in the school playground have announced their intentions to join the Mahdi’s fighters, according to reports.
The school was referred to the Department for Education counter-extremism branch in March, according to The Jewish Chronicle reports.
“The proprietor body is the Embassy of Iran in London”, Ofsted concluded. The regulatory body rated the independent school for six to 16-year-olds as “inadequate”.
Ceasefire ends
This morning, sirens sounded in Israel’s southern border towns, marking the end of the Israel-Hamas humanitarian pause.
Hamas fired rockets towards Israel at 5 o’clock this morning, after launching a drone towards Israeli territory overnight. Rockets damaged a building in Kibbutz Mefalim.
Israel waited until 7 o’clock to respond, the deadline for the list of 10 alive hostages to be released, which Hamas did not provide.
Since Hamas’ violation of the temporary pause, the IDF have struck 200 terror targets including areas booby-trapped with explosives, terror tunnel shafts, launch posts, and operational command centres.
Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office in a statement said that “Hamas-ISIS violated the plan, did not live up to its duty to release all the kidnapped women today, and launched rockets at the citizens of Israel”.
“With the return to fighting we will emphasise: the Israeli Government is committed to achieving the goals of the war – To release our hostages, eliminate Hamas and ensure that Gaza will never again pose a threat to the residents of Israel”.
IDF spokesman Rear Adm Gen Daniel Hagari said that “Hamas violated the operational ceasefire, and in addition, fired toward Israeli territory”.
The Israeli Homefront Command has put restrictions in civilian activity in southern, northern and central Israel back in place, warning residents to stay close to bomb shelters.
The IDF have also distributed leaflets and published a video in Arabic asking residents of East Gaza, Karara, Khoja’a, Ibsan and Beni Suhila to evacuate to Rafah. The IDF also notes that Khan Yunis is a combat zone.
Alongside warnings via leaflet, the IDF has published an interactive map online, dividing Gaza into multiple sections based on recognisable neighbourhoods, in order to issue more specific instructions to civilians.
Hostages
Eight Israeli hostages were released from Hamas captivity yesterday including Mia Schem, and Israeli-Druze siblings Bilal and Aisha Ziyadne.
137 hostages are still being held captive by Hamas, 117 of which are male, and 20 females. Two children and ten people aged 75 and older remain in captivity.
110 people have been released from the Gaza Strip so far; 86 Israelis and 24 foreign nationals.
It has been reported that Yigal (13) and Or (17) Yaacov, were repeatedly drugged as Hamas terrorists moved them from one location to the other. One of the boys was also burnt by a motorcycle exhaust pipe on his leg, marking him, in order for terrorists to easily identify him if he managed to escape.
Mia Schem, released yesterday, had previously appeared in a Hamas propaganda video citing Hamas operating on her arm. Mia’s aunt revealed yesterday that this surgery was carried out by a vet.
This morning, Israel confirmed the death of 85-year-old Aryeh Zalmanovich, who was abducted by Hamas from Kibbutz Nir Oz on 7th October.
IDF intercepts strikes from Lebanon
The IDF have intercepted a “suspicious aerial target” from Lebanon today. Sirens sounded across a number of communities in the Upper Galilee region.
Houthis fire drone toward U.S. Warship
On Wednesday, the Iran-backed Houthi terror group fired a KAS04 drone toward a U.S. warship in the Red Sea from Yemen.
“This unsafe, unprofessional, and irresponsible behaviour by Iran risks U.S. and partner nation lives and needs to cease immediately,” said Vice Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of American naval forces in the region.
The drone was shot down by the U.S. Navy. American military’s Central Command said that the Houthi’s have launched numerous drones and missives since the Hamas-led October 7th massacres.
Separately, a drone manufactured by Iran flew “dangerously close” to the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier in the South Red Sea on Wednesday, according to reports.
