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Israel-Hamas War Day 264: What is happening in Gaza, Lebanon border?

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
  IDF troops operate in the Gaza Strip. June 26, 2024. (photo credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)
IDF troops operate in the Gaza Strip. June 26, 2024.
(photo credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)

Gallant: Israel backs US hostage deal, committed to bringing everyone home

“We stand firmly behind the President’s deal, which Israel has accepted, and now Hamas must accept – or bear the consequences,” Gallant said.

By TOVAH LAZAROFF, HANNAH SARISOHN
 Defence Minister Yoav Gallant speaks during a press conference at Hakirya base in Tel Aviv on May 15, 2024.  (photo credit: TOMER NEUBERG/FLASH90)
Defence Minister Yoav Gallant speaks during a press conference at Hakirya base in Tel Aviv on May 15, 2024.
(photo credit: TOMER NEUBERG/FLASH90)

“We stand firmly behind the President’s deal. Now Hamas must accept – or bear the consequences,” Gallant said on Wednesday, the third Israeli official in three days to pledge commitment to the US proposal.

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Netanyahu: Allowing PA to collapse not in Israel's interest - report

"There is a need to promote actions that stabilize the Palestinian Authority to prevent escalation in the area," Netanyahu said.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
 Shawwa and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas pose with the Golden Union Medal of Achievement from the Union of Arab Banks, at Abbas' office in Ramallah, May 18, 2018.  (photo credit: Courtesy)
Shawwa and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas pose with the Golden Union Medal of Achievement from the Union of Arab Banks, at Abbas' office in Ramallah, May 18, 2018.
(photo credit: Courtesy)

Netanyahu emphasized the importance of the PA's activities for Israel on Wednesday, noting a collapse is not in the State's best interests: "We cannot ignore the activities and actions of the PA; they have significant benefits for Israel."

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IDF to ‘Post’ in Rafah: In first, Hamas may have pre-evacuated its own people - interview

Hamas resisted evacuations in all prior fights, but viewing a Rafah operation as inevitable, wanted more time for booby traps.

By YONAH JEREMY BOB
 Palestinians travel on foot with their belongings as they flee Rafah due to an Israeli military operation, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, June 13, 2024. (photo credit: REUTERS/Hatem Khaled)
Palestinians travel on foot with their belongings as they flee Rafah due to an Israeli military operation, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, June 13, 2024.
(photo credit: REUTERS/Hatem Khaled)

IDF colonel says Hamas may have pre-evacuated Palestinian civilians in Rafah before the IDF invasion, giving the terrorist org. time to set booby traps. 

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PM Netanyahu to Sen. John Fetterman: 'Israel has had no better friend'

"We stand with Israel at this time. I am so sorry for what has been done to this nation. It is an honor to be here today," Sen. Fetterman told Netanyahu.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
 Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman meets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Wednesday, June 26, 2024.  (photo credit: Amos Ben Gershom / GPO)
Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman meets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Wednesday, June 26, 2024.
(photo credit: Amos Ben Gershom / GPO)

US Senator John Fetterman arrived in Israel and met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as well as President Isaac Herzog.

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Gallant jabs Netanyahu's public airing of disagreements with Biden administration

Netanyahu has attempted to cast the Biden administration as unsupportive of Israel, which Gallant fervently disputed. 

By HANNAH SARISOHN
 (L-R) US President Joe Biden, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (photo credit: VIA REUTERS)
(L-R) US President Joe Biden, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
(photo credit: VIA REUTERS)

In a shot at Netanyahu, Gallant said in a statement on Wednesday that Israel stands firmly behind President Biden's ceasefire deal and is committed to bringing the hostages home

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Assassination foiled: Hamas operative convicted for planning terrorism

Rishak was convicted of terrorist offenses, conspiring to carry out terror attacks in Israel, and promoting Hamas activities on Temple Mount.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
A Palestinian holds a Hamas flag as he stands next to others atop a walk of the al-Aqsa mosque following clashes with Israeli police at the compound that houses al-Aqsa Mosque, known to Muslims as Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as Temple Mount, in Jerusalem's Old City May 10, 2021. (photo credit: AMMAR AWAD/REUTERS)
A Palestinian holds a Hamas flag as he stands next to others atop a walk of the al-Aqsa mosque following clashes with Israeli police at the compound that houses al-Aqsa Mosque, known to Muslims as Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as Temple Mount, in Jerusalem's Old City May 10, 2021.
(photo credit: AMMAR AWAD/REUTERS)

The Jerusalem District Court has sentenced Rashid Rishak, a Hamas operative, to 13 years and 10 months imprisonment, the attorney’s office said in a Tuesday statement. 

Rishak was convicted of terrorist offenses, conspiring to carry out terror attacks in Israel, and promoting Hamas activities on the Temple Mount, the statement added. 

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Erdogan says Turkey stands with Lebanon in light of tensions with Israel

By REUTERS
 breaking news (photo credit: JPOST STAFF)
breaking news
(photo credit: JPOST STAFF)

President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that Turkey stood in solidarity with Lebanon in light of growing tensions with Israel and called on regional countries to also support Beirut.

Speaking in parliament, Erdogan said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu planned to spread the Gaza war to the region and that this would lead to a "catastrophe," adding the Western support for Israel was "pitiful."

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Knesset defense committee delays vote to extend IDF reservist cutoff age

"Either we agree on something, or we do not, but we are all together," said MK Yuli Edelstein.

By ELIAV BREUER
 Committee Chairman Yuli Edelstein leads a Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee meeting at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem on June 26, 2024. (photo credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)
Committee Chairman Yuli Edelstein leads a Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee meeting at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem on June 26, 2024.
(photo credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)

In a surprising development in the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Wednesday morning, committee chair MK Yuli Edelstein (Likud) opted not to hold a vote on a bill that would extend the cutoff age for reservists by three months.

The bill, which is currently set to expire on June 30, says that regular soldiers must serve until age 41 instead of 40, and officers must serve until age 46 instead of 45. The goal, according to Israel's defense ministry, is to avoid a scenario in which approximately 6,700 soldiers are released on June 30 in the middle of war after having reached the cut off age in the past six months. Once the bill passes into the law, the provision's expiration date will be September 30.

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Hamas smuggler Wissam Abu Ashak eliminated in airstrike

Ashak had been active over the last few years, directing smuggling operations that brought weapons into Gaza through the Rafah Crossing and other underground tunnels.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
  IDF troops operate in the Gaza Strip. June 26, 2024. (photo credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)
IDF troops operate in the Gaza Strip. June 26, 2024.
(photo credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)

An Israel Air Force aircraft on Tuesday evening struck and eliminated Hamas weapons smuggler Wissam Abu Ashak in southern Gaza, the military reported the following morning.

The strike on the weapons smuggler was conducted under the direction of IDF Intelligence.

According to the military, Ashak had been active over the last few years, directing smuggling operations that brought weapons into Gaza through the Rafah Crossing and other underground tunnels.

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IAF strike on a launch site in Rafah containing ready-to-use rockets

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
IAF strike on a launch site in Rafah containing ready-to-use rockets. June 26, 2024. (Credit: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
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Israel-Hamas war: What you need to know

  • Hamas launched a massive attack on October 7, with thousands of terrorists infiltrating from the Gaza border and taking some 240 hostages into Gaza
  • Over 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals were murdered, including over 350 in the Re'im music festival and hundreds of Israeli civilians across Gaza border communities
  • 120 hostages remain in Gaza
  • 43 hostages in total have been killed in captivity, IDF says