At the end of the 42nd week of the war in Israel, a Hezbollah rocket hit the Druze village of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights killing at least 12 children and marking the largest single event casualty count since the start of the current hostilities with Hezbollah. Attacks by the group on northern Israel have since continued into this week. Foreign Minister Israel Katz has said that Israel will respond accordingly to the Hezbollah attack, though no such reprisal has yet been carried out. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was at the time of the attack in the U.S., where he delivered a speech to a joint session of Congress, during which he briefly outlined his proposal for the ‘day after’ the conflict. Meanwhile, the IDF continues to clear terrorist infrastructures and is reportedly close to the defeat of Hamas' Rafah Brigade. Hostage deal negotiations are expected to continue this week in Rome, following "day-after" discussions between the U.S., Israel, and the UAE in Abu Dhabi. Here is a breakdown of week 42:
Hezbollah rocket attack in the Golan Heights
A Hezbollah rocket landed on a soccer field in the Druze town of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights on Saturday. So far 12 children were killed in the attack with dozens injured and in some critical condition. Hezbollah tried to distance itself from the incident once it realized that the casualties were children of Druze origin, a group that is traditionally loyal to Syria. This is the largest single-event casualty count since the start of the war with Hezbollah.
Israel vows response to the Hezbollah attack
Foreign Minister Israel Katz told Axios "The Hezbollah attack crossed all red lines and the response will be accordingly." Netanyahu meanwhile pledges that Israel will “not let this pass in silence.” The Lebanese government has asked the United States to urge restraint from Israel.
Hezbollah drone attacks increase
Hezbollah has since escalated its attacks on Israel. A Hezbollah drone apparently heading toward offshore gas infrastructure in Israel’s territorial waters of the Mediterranean Sea on Saturday morning was shot down by the ship-mounted Iron Dome missile defense system. Hezbollah then published a video from another drone that penetrated 50 km into Israeli territory which is the furthest aerial penetration by a Hezbollah drone so far.
IDF clears terrorist infrastructure in Gaza
The 98th Division is fighting in three locations in the Khan Younis area: Al-Qarara, the Hamad neighborhood, and Bani Suhaila as part of a clearing operation in which over 100 terrorists have been eliminated and 50 terror infrastructures have been destroyed. The IDF issued fresh evacuation orders to Palestinians in Khan Younis and central Gaza refugee camps. To mitigate harm to civilians, the IDF said it carried out “many steps,” including using a “munition adapted to the type of strike,” aerial surveillance, and other intelligence. Fighters from the 162nd Division continue to clear the Rafah area. According to Netanyahu, at least 1,200 terrorists have been eliminated in the area so far and "we are approaching the defeat of the Rafah Brigade."
Hostage deal negotiations continue
CIA Director Bill Burns is expected to meet on Sunday in Rome with senior Israel, Qatari and Egyptian officials in an effort to finalize a hostage deal. U.S. President Joe Biden, meanwhile, is on the cusp of driving Israel and Hamas to sign a deal during negotiations later in the week in Rome. A major retaliatory attack on Hezbollah at this time could well sabotage such a potential deal.
Bodies of 5 hostages recovered
Security forces during the week uncovered a tunnel where the bodies of 5 hostages had been held. Hostages Alex Danzig and Yagav Buchstab were also reported to have been killed while in Hamas captivity; their bodies are still being held in the Gaza Strip.
Netanyahu addresses US Congress, presents brief 'Day After' vision
Netanyahu meanwhile addressed a joint session of the U.S. Congress, presenting his vision for the day after the war in Gaza. He was accompanied on his U.S. trip by Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, who met with Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Rep. Michael McCaul to approve the transfer of certain munitions. The day after, according to Netanyahu's vision includes a demilitarized Gaza Strip with a local administration undergoing a deradicalization process. His plan now also demands a monitoring mechanism for the return of residents to the northern Gaza Strip to prevent the move back of terrorists. Israel also now calls for the establishment of a mechanism for monitoring the movement of weapons and Palestinian terrorists from southern Gaza to the north and maintaining Israeli control over the Gaza-Egypt border.
Egyptian pressure on Israel
There was, however, Egyptian pressure on Israel this week to relinquish control of the Philadelphi Corridor, as Cairo opposes a permanent IDF presence on the border. Currently, the parties are discussing the possibility of deploying sensors to detect tunnels instead of deploying underground walls. Senior military officials are willing to allow the Rafah crossing to be operated solely by Palestinian Authority elements, with Israel retaining control over the crossing.
International demands on Israel
The United Arab Emirates also proposed this week to deploy a UN peacekeeping force and demanded a reform of the Palestinian Authority after which Israel must agree to the PA's involvement and adopt the "two-state solution” framework. Meanwhile, the UK announced that it would not oppose the right of the International Court of Justice in The Hague to issue an arrest warrant for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
‘Day After’ Discussions
The US, Israel, and the UAE held a secret meeting on July 25 in Abu Dhabi to discuss plans for the ‘day after’ the conflict. They discussed the possibility of appointing Mohammed Dahlan (currently in the UAE) as the head of a new internal security mechanism in the Gaza Strip that would include 2,500 armed Palestinians. Dahlan declared on the X platform that he would not be willing to head any political entity that does not have broad agreement from all parts of Palestinian society.
Beijing Declaration: Temporary Gaza management
In an agreement during the week titled the "Beijing Declaration,” 14 factions of Palestinian groups including Hamas and Fatah agreed to form a temporary unity government responsible for managing Gaza until elections for the Palestinian Authority at an unspecified date. This shows that Hamas does not plan to step down and is instead Hamas’ attempt to save itself from a post-reconstruction plan that excludes it.
American –Middle East relations
Reports on Tuesday said that an Iraqi delegation in Washington is requesting the beginning of the American forces' withdrawal from the country starting in September. The Institute for the Study of War warns that, so far in 2024, the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq has carried out 153 attacks. Meanwhile, concerning Iran, U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby has admitted that the Iranian government is “funding some of this protest movement here in the United States.” At the same time, former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad survived an assassination attempt this week.
- Brig. Gen. Amir Avivi is the chairman and founder of the Israel Defense and Security Forum - IDSF (Habithonistim)