Israel-Hamas War day 302: What happened in Israel, Gaza, Lebanon?

While making an address in Lausanne for Switzerland's August 1 celebrations, Philippe Lazzarini, Secretary-General of UNRWA, delivered a speech addressing the ongoing conflict in Gaza, various media outlets reported on Thursday. 

As he spoke, Ayelet Samerano, mother of Yonatan Samerano, who was murdered on October 7 and his body taken to Gaza, interrupted the speech to confront Lazzarini. Samerano accused UNRWA of abducting her son's body to Gaza. 

"UNRWA kidnapped my son's body. Where is he, Mr Lazzarini?" she shouted, demanding answers and the return of her son's remains. "I want my son back!"

An Israeli aircraft struck a terror cell inside a vehicle in the area of Tulkarm, in the West Bank, the IDF reported on Saturday morning, a report that was echoed in Arab media.

The Hamas-affiliated Safa News Agency reported that among those killed in the strike was Sheikh Haitham Balidi, a leader of Tulkarm's Izzadin al-Qassam Brigades.

The Qassam Brigades are the armed wing of Hamas and have been active in the West Bank as well as the Gaza Strip.

IDF arrests terrorists in West Bank

On Wednesday, the IDF reported that since the war started in October of last year, 4,400 suspects have been arrested in the West Bank, of which 1,850 are affiliated with Hamas.

Safa claimed that the strike occurred on the road between Atil and Zeita, north of Tulkarm, and that the car was transporting other "resistance fighters" in addition to Balidi.

The vehicle allegedly struck by Israeli aircraft in the area of Tulkarm, West Bank. August 3, 2024. (credit: screenshot)

Dr. Amin Khader, the Director of Thabet Governmental Hospital in Tulkarm, stated that there were five total fatalities, including the 25-year-old Balidi, as a result of the strike, the Hamas-affiliated media outlet cited him as saying.

The remains of those killed were subsequently transferred to Thabet Governmental Hospital after the strike, Dr. Khader continued.

Citing the Palestinian Red Crescent, the Hezbollah-owned Al-Manar reported that four had been killed in the strike on the vehicle.

IDF activities throughout West Bank

According to Arab media, Israeli ground troops also operated in the area on Saturday morning, as well as in other locations throughout the West Bank.

Al-Manar stated the Israeli personnel were operating in Jenin, and Safa reported that armed clashes between Israeli forces and terrorists occurred in Qaffin, north of Tulkarm.

This is a developing story.

Israeli fighter jets attacked an airport in Lebanon's north-eastern border with Syria, Israeli media reported on Saturday, citing Lebanese media outlets. 

The strike is thus far unconfirmed.

This attack was reportedly carried out in a similar fashion to the one reported two hours prior in another airport situated on the Syrian side of the border. 

Syrian air defense fires at Israeli plane in northern Syria

Arab media outlets stated that aircraft struck the outskirts of Hosh al-Sayyed Ali in Syria, along the border of Lebanon.

A view of a partially destroyed building targeted by the Israeli army in its assassination of Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr, Beirut, July 31, 2024. (credit: Fadel Itani/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Additionally, the Hezbollah-affiliated newspaper Al-Akhbar had earlier reported that Syria had fired two interceptor missiles that exploded in the airspace above the northern portion of the country on Friday.

مراسل «الأخبار»: انفجار صاروخين اعتراضيين في أجواء بلدة القصر ومعبر مطربا عند الحدود اللبنانية - السورية أطلقها الجيش السوري باتجاه طائرات إسرائيلية استهدفت مطار الضبعة في الشمال الشرقي لمدينة القصير السورية

— جريدة الأخبار - Al-Akhbar (@AlakhbarNews) August 2, 2024

The explosions were reported above the towns of Al-Qasr and Mutariba near the Lebanon-Syria border.

The report claimed they were attempting to intercept Israeli planes that had launched an airstrike on the Dabaa Airport north of Al Qusayr.

Hungarian low-cost airline Wizz Air has announced that it has canceled all Israel-related flights for the next two days.

This update came out due to increased fear of a possible upcoming escalation in the Middle East and Israel's security status.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has informed Israel about current and future changes to US forces in the Middle East, the Pentagon said on Wednesday, amid threats from Iran and its allies Hamas and Hezbollah.

The US military will deploy additional fighters and Navy warships to the Middle East, the Pentagon said on Friday, as the United States seeks to bolster defenses following threats from Iran and its allies Hamas and Hezbollah.

The expected changes come as the United States is bracing for Iran to make good on its threats to respond to the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh two days ago in Tehran - one in a series of killings of senior figures in the Palestinian terrorist group as the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza rages.

An Israeli hostage negotiating team is expected to head to Cairo on Saturday night or Sunday amid speculation that the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on Wednesday had harmed chances of releasing the captives and persistent accusations that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was sabotaging an agreement.

The Prime Minister’s Office shot back at the sharp critiques of Netanyahu, as it charged that Gaza Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was the problem.

"Sinwar is the obstacle to the agreement, not the Prime Minister," the PMO said Friday evening.

The Mossad reportedly hired Iranian security agents to plant explosives in rooms where Ismail Haniyeh, former leader of Hamas, was staying, the UK-based newspaper The Telegraph reported on Saturday. 

The Telegraph cited two Iranian officials in their report. 

According to the report, the original plan was to assassinate Haniyeh when he visited Iran to attend the funeral of former Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi in May.