Israel-Hamas War: What happened on day 280?

During raids over the last week on a Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad combat complex embedded in a former UNRWA compound, troops of the Commando Brigade’s combat team, operating under the direction of the 99th Division, located significant terror infrastructure embedded in the facility.

Among the weapons and infrastructure located in the UNRWA complex were war rooms used for surveillance operations, parts for UAV assembly, tactical drones, rockets, machine guns, mortars, explosives, and grenades, the IDF added.

Terror infrastructure in a university

In other scans of the vicinity, during the army's ongoing operational activity in the area, soldiers reportedly discovered a subterranean weapons and explosives manufacturing facility inside a university building.

The Prime Minister intends to maintain its presence at the Philadelphi Corridor, the Prime Minister's office posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Friday, following an exclusive report on Reuters claiming Israel is discussing the possibility of withdrawing from said area.

The Prime Minister insists that Israel remain on the Philadelphi Corridor. He has instructed the negotiating teams accordingly, made this clear to US representatives this week, and updated the Security Cabinet to this effect last night.

— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) July 12, 2024

Israeli and Egyptian ceasefire negotiators are allegedly in talks about an electronic surveillance system along the border between Gaza and Egypt that could allow Israel to pull back its troops from the area if a ceasefire is agreed, according to two Egyptian sources and a third source familiar with the matter.

The question of whether Israeli forces stay on the border is one of the issues blocking a potential ceasefire deal because both the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas and Egypt, a mediator in the talks, are opposed to Israel keeping its forces there.

According to Reuter's report, Israel is worried that if its troops leave the border zone, referred to by Israel as the Philadelphi corridor, Hamas' armed wing could smuggle in weapons and supplies from Egypt into Gaza via tunnels that would allow it to re-arm and threaten Israel again.

The Hostage and Missing Families Forum appointed Ori Hacohen as the new CEO on Friday, the Forum announced on Friday morning. 

According to the Forum, Hacohen is a partner at BDO and heads a division within the consulting group. He will return to the company at the end of his new role as CEO.

"We all hope that Ori's role will be as short as possible and that the hostages will return home soon," the Forum said. 

Staff-Sergeant-Major (res.) Valeri Chefonov fell in combat in northern Israel, the IDF announced on Friday.

Members of Kibbutz Be'eri, who were the first to hear about the findings from the October 7 IDF probes, responded with both appreciation and a call for further investigation into the events of the attack.

"We did not protect them." IDF publishes its first probe into Israel’s October 7 "enormous" failure to prevent Hamas’s invasion, focusing on the invasion of Be'eri in the south of Israel.

Far too late - First probe reveals IDF failings in Be'eri massacre, probes to come will reveal what happened behind the scenes within IDF intelligence, operations, and the high command, leading up to the war and on October 7.

Fog of war: IDF probe into battle of Be'eri on October 7 has cleared Brig. Gen. Barak Hiram of allegations that he ordered the killing of hostages who were being held by Hamas terrorists inside a house.

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan says there are positive signs in the direction of hostage deal talks, Hamas blames Israel for tanking the discussions, and Shin Bet head Ronen Bar heads to Cairo to continue efforts.

The disaster at Be’eri is a symbol of the state in general. Israel has always survived by being prepared and planning for the worst, keeping its enemies deterred. But it became complacent.