Israel-Hamas War day 310: What's happening in Israel and Iran?

One hostage held by Hamas in Gaza has been killed by the Hamas terrorist assigned to guard him, and another two female hostages have been seriously injured, the spokesperson of the Hamas armed wing, Abu Obeida, announced on Telegram on Monday.

The US has to be ready for what could be a significant set of attacks against Israel by Iran and its proxies, US National Security Communications adviser John Kirby told reporters in a virtual briefing Monday, as international diplomats raced to avert a regional war.

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated in a confidential review before the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that "the number of hostages who are still alive within the humanitarian category is between 20 - 35, depending on the interpretation," KAN news reported on Monday evening. 

While the IDF announced on Saturday that 19 terrorists were eliminated in an attack on the Tabbayeen School in Gaza, the Shin Bet and Military Intelligence have confirmed that the number of terrorists eliminated in the attack is 31, the IDF reported Monday.

"We are on the escalation line at the point where it is really very close to a regional war," Major-General (res.) Israel Ziv said in a conversation with radio 103FM on Monday, amid the heightened tensions with Hezbollah and Iran. 

"Somehow, the scope of the fire and the intensity is kept at a certain level that Israel manages to cope with, even though the prices of what is happening in the North, the political and economic prices are quite high.

"It is clear that this is heading towards a more serious escalation," Ziv noted, adding, "I don't think any of us really know, even within the [security] system, what exactly the Iranians and Hezbollah intend to do."

With regard to the IDF's operation in Gaza, Ziv said, "There are very significant achievements that the IDF and the State of Israel have made. Gaza has gone back 30-40 years." 

However, he added, "It has reached a point where the efficiency starts to decrease because there is a re-recovery. That's why you go back there every time. Now, we are in the process of preventing regeneration. There is a higher goal—to return the hostages."

IDF troops operate in the Gaza Strip. August 11, 2024. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)

Ziv also discussed the hostage deal summit expected to take place on Thursday, noting, "Hamas said they gave their consent. They accepted the outline that Biden proposed on the basis of Netanyahu. The one who introduced the changes is the State of Israel."

Hostage deal

"Hamas is signaling that it is ready to go to a ceasefire. In this regard, Israel can even raise other, more distant demands, not only in the context of aid. For all this, US President Joe Biden says that he is giving a last chance. They are already in the middle of the election. He would be happy not to have to take care of it.

"This chance is also a good starting point for Israel and also prevents everything we mentioned as a possibility for escalation. Israel has much more to gain in reaching exactly this intersection as an opportunity and not as a political risk."

Regarding the objections within the coalition, he said, "Who is it coming from? From the expert Smotrich, who destroyed the economy here? Where is his cabinet? Your recovery is about to fall apart. What are we talking about?".

Regarding the public diplomacy front, Ziv said, "Israel is already at a much lower level of legitimacy. The motivation to help out of a crisis of confidence, especially in front of the prime minister, is great.

While the Israeli home front awaits a response from the Iranian-led axis, potentially involving an extreme barrage of rockets, various types of missiles, and drones, officers in the Northern Command warn that the threat of a ground infiltration into communities along the northern border remains.

According to the officers, contrary to popular belief, Hezbollah's Radwan Force is still capable of launching an organized attack on the border, including efforts to penetrate a community or military post.

"Why hasn't Hezbollah done this yet? Because they have chosen not to. But anyone who thinks that Hezbollah isn't training to infiltrate a squad of fighters into Israeli territory is mistaken," officers said.

"The working assumption for everyone should be that Hezbollah is capable of infiltrating, planting a flag in a community or an IDF post on the border, and burning several buildings. For them, this could be seen as a victory. We must not forget that this is a terrorist organization. Such an action could impact the entire region and terrorize the residents of the region," they added.

According to these officers, the last month has proven that Hezbollah continues to operate observers and a forward force of the Radwan unit in the border area, aiming to prepare for continued fighting with the IDF. This activity has caused the terrorist organization significant losses, as the IDF has managed to eliminate more than 400 Hezbollah operatives over ten months of fighting.

Firefighters work to extinguish wildfires following a missile attack from Lebanon which fell on the Israeli-Syrian border, Valley of Tears, Golan Heights, on July 20, 2024. (credit: MICHAL GILADI/FLASH90)

Radwan Force infrastructure damaged

Security officials estimated in a conversation with Walla that while the IDF has indeed significantly damaged the infrastructure of the Radwan Force near the border, thereby reducing its ability to conduct a large-scale surprise infiltration into Israeli territory, Hezbollah has not abandoned its intention to respond to the assassination of Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr.

Instead, officials are analyzing the Israeli side, seeking a military response that is severe on one hand but won't escalate the region into war on the other.

The commander of the Israel Air Force disallowed active IDF soldiers serving in the force who finished their regular service to travel abroad, Israeli media reported on Monday. 

This is a developing story. 

Israel offered to evacuate tens of thousands of Palestinians to Egypt until the cessation of the Israel-Hamas War, KAN news reported on Monday.

However, the Egyptians refused the offer. 

Three people were wounded in a strike in Kafr Kila, in southern Lebanon, Army Radio reported on Monday, citing the Lebanese Health Ministry. 

The IDF said on Monday it took the publication of the faces of those suspected in the case of the abuse of security detainees very seriously.

The publication of the faces violates the military court's gag order imposed on the case, the IDF added.