Israel-Hamas War: What happened on day 304?

The IAF killed Hamas terrorist Abed Al-Zeriei on Sunday, the IDF reported on Monday.   

Al-Zeriei was an operative in the terror group's Military Wing's Manufacturing Department and was also Hamas's economy minister in the Gaza Strip.

The military added that Al-Zeriei was involved in taking control of the humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip. 

Reports were received of shots being fired at the West Bank settlement of Beka'ot on Monday morning, the military said. 

No injuries were reported, and forces were searching the area, the IDF added.

The IDF Operations Directorate and the Operations Directorate in the General Staff and the Southern Command and the Gaza Division debated the question of who approved the Nova festival near the border of the Gaza Strip during a time when there was a reduction of forces at the border, Walla's Amir Bohbot reported on Monday. 

Israel is preparing to endure a multi-day attack from Iran and its Lebanese proxy, Hezbollah, in response to the eliminations of former Hamas political bureau leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Hezbollah military commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut last week, an Israeli official told NBC News on Monday.

Turkey urged its citizens in Lebanon to leave the country if they do not need to stay, due to the possibility that the security situation there will deteriorate rapidly, its foreign ministry said late on Sunday.

Tensions have soared since the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, leader of the Palestinian group Hamas, in Tehran on Wednesday, a day after an Israeli strike in Beirut killed Fuad Shukr, a top military commander from Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.

Turks in Lebanon should be cautious and should not go to Nebatiyeh, South Lebanon, Bekaa and Baalbek-Hermel governorates unless it is essential, the ministry said in a statement.

"Those who do not need to stay in Lebanon should leave Lebanon while commercial flights are still operating, if possible," it said, adding that Turks should avoid traveling to Lebanon unless essential.

The Japanese Foreign Ministry issued a travel alert on Monday urging Japanese citizens in Lebanon to evacuate the country in light of the rising tensions in the Middle East.

Earlier on Sunday, France and Italy urged their citizens in Lebanon to leave the country due to the risk of military escalation in the Middle East.

Israel Air Force jets struck overnight a Hezbollah weapon storage facility in addition to terror infrastructure in the Kafr Kila area of southern Lebanon, the military said on Monday. 

In addition, IDF artillery fired at the areas of Chebaa and Rachaya Al Foukhar in southern Lebanon. 

The military further stated that in response to the alerts that sounded in the Western Galilee early Monday morning, an interceptor was launched at a suspicious aerial target that crossed into Israel. Alerts sounded for fear of falling shrapnel. 

Furthermore, an explosive drone crossed into Israel from Lebanon and fell in the Malikya area. No injuries were reported. 

Later on Monday, the Hezbollah-affiliated Al Mayadeen reported that two people had been killed in an attack in Meiss El Jabal in southern Lebanon. 

The head of the IDF's Strategic Division said that the military does not intend to withdraw from the Philadephi Corridor, despite it potentially being a condition of a hostage deal, KAN reported on Monday morning.

In a discussion with the government, Major-General Eliezer Toledano said that the IDF is a long way from finishing its work in the Corridor. He also said that the Philadelphi Corridor had strategic importance for the war in Gaza and that more could be found there, KAN reported.

General Toledano reportedly told ministers, "We are not saying that (that the Philadelphia axis should be left). The IDF is not saying that Philadelphi should be given to a foreign force, but that it should continue to be cleansed of terror both above and underground."

Rocket sirens sounded in communities around Nahariya in northern Israel on Monday morning.

Alerts blared in Beit Ha’emek, Netiv HaShayara, Sheikh Dannun, Mazra'a, Ben Ami, and Evron.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told his counterparts from the G7 countries in a conference call on Sunday that an attack by Iran and Hezbollah against Israel could begin as early as Monday, three sources familiar with the contents of the conversation told Walla.

Blinken held a conference call to coordinate positions with America's closest allies and make last-minute attempts to put diplomatic pressure on Iran and Hezbollah to minimize their retaliatory actions as much as possible.

On Sunday, three US and Israeli officials told Axios reporter Barak Ravid that the attack could happen as early as Monday. An Israeli official also told CBS News that while Iran’s April 13 attack was mostly thwarted, Israel was anticipating a “more aggressive” retaliation this time around – a retaliation which could extend to Israeli interests abroad.

It will be possible to restore the regional coalition that confronted the Iran drone and missile attack in April, Western diplomats told KAN on Monday morning.

The diplomats told the Israeli state broadcaster there was no reason the parties would not cooperate again and that "everyone has an interest that the event does not turn into a regional war."

In the April 13 attack, Israel was assisted by the United States, Great Britain, France, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. The coalition successfully intercepted 99% of the missiles.

Also, Israel's Army Radio reported on Monday that US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reiterated America's support for Israel in a conversation with Yoav Gallant.

Austin also reportedly again affirmed Israel's right to defend itself against threats from Iran.