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Operation Iron Swords (Updated to 1 p.m., February 26, 2024)

IDF forces continued their activity in the southern, central and northern Gaza Strip, mainly fighting armed terrorist organizations who had remained in the areas and tried to attack them. Senior Hamas members accused Israel of making it difficult to continue the negotiations for a hostage deal. They claimed that while some progress had been made, they reiterated their priorities for an agreement, which were that before a hostage deal there had to be a ceasefire, IDF forces had to withdraw from the Gaza Strip, and humanitarian aid had to be introduced into the Gaza Strip, especially in the north. Hezbollah claimed responsibility for six attacks. On the morning of February 26, 2024, Hezbollah shot down an Israeli UAV with a surface-to-air missile. In response, Israeli Air Force fighter jets attacked Hezbollah aerial defense targets deep inside Lebanon. Israeli security forces operated in several locations in Judea and Samaria. In Kafr Qalil (southeast of Nablus) they confiscated funds that were intended for financing terrorist activity. The forces closed a printshop in Nablus that printed inflammatory materials for Hamas. Palestinian Prime Minister is supposed to submit his resignation today. The government will likely continue to serve as an interim government. His resignation is a preventive measure for dealing with the pressure exerted on the PA by regional and global countries. Hamas expressed doubt regarding the measure and any possible benefit it might bring. The Arab bloc in the UN submitted a formal request to the General Assembly president an emergency session to discuss the "escalating humanitarian disaster in the Gaza Strip and the situation of UNRWA."
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Operation Iron Swords (Updated to 1 p.m., February 25, 2024)

After the IDF activity at Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis the forces left the compound, however, military activity continued and expanded to the Abasan area, southeast of the city. In Gaza City, activity continued mainly in the Zeitoun neighborhood. IDF forces also clashed with armed terrorist squads in the northern and central Gaza Strip. The Hamas delegation concluded its talks in Cairo.. Talks were held in Paris, attended by representatives from Israel, the United States, Qatar and Egypt, and were described as "good." Hamas members stated they had not received reports about the results of the talks. UNRWA reported that deliveries to the northern Gaza Strip had to be stopped because the trucks were in danger of being attacked by civilians. Over the weekend, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for 25 attacks. The IDF responded by attacking Hezbollah targets from the air and with artillery fire. An IDF UAV attacked a vehicle carrying Yasser Hanoun, a Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorist operative from Jenin, who was on his way to carry out an attack. Over the weekend, American, British and other forces thwarted several attacks by the Houthis on ships in the Red Sea. They also attacked targets in Yemeni territory.
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Operation Iron Swords (Updated to 1 p.m., February 22, 2024)

IDF activity continues, focusing on Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip and the Zeitoun neighborhood in eastern Gaza City. In Khan Yunis the forces uncovered another tunnel used by senor Hamas operatives. Musa Abu Marzouq, a member of the Hamas political bureau, said that for every Israeli hostage released, Hamas demanded the release of 500 Palestinian prisoners. He also noted that there might soon be a breakthrough regarding a ceasefire. Senior Hamas members continue to reiterate that Hamas has adhered to the conditions it presented in response to what was agreed upon in Paris. A Jordanian Air Force plane airlifted medical aid to the Jordanian field hospital in the Gaza Strip. Hezbollah claimed responsibility for 14 attacks, including firing anti-tank missiles which damaged homes, and launching a barrage of rockets at the cities, towns and villages in the Western Galilee. The IDF responded with airstrikes and artillery fire. Three Palestinian terrorists in two cars carried out a shooting attack near Ma'ale Adumim. One person was killed and eight were injured. Two of terrorists were killed and the third was captured. Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) welcomed the attack and called on the Palestinians to continue attacking. The Iranian leader claimed the Gaza Strip was currently the main focus of the Islamic world. The Iranian foreign minister condemned the United States' decision to veto the UN Security Council proposal for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. On the morning of February 22, 2024, IDF aerial defense fighters used the Arrow anti-ballistic missile system to intercept a missile fired at Israel from the Red Sea. United States military forces attacked Houthi targets.
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Operation Iron Swords (Updated to 1 p.m., February 21, 2024)

A Hamas delegation led by Isma'il Haniyeh has gone to Egypt. Some progress in the talks has been reported. Reports are increasing that severe hunger is spreading throughout the Gaza Strip, especially in the north. The UN World Food Programme (WFP) announced the halting of aid deliveries to the northern Gaza Strip following civilian attacks on the delivery trucks. Hezbollah claimed responsibility for nine attacks during the past day In Syria, a building on the outskirts of Damascus was attacked where Hezbollah and Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps operatives lived. During the past day activity focused mainly on the Jenin refugee camp, where Israeli security forces detained a wanted Palestinian who had barricaded himself inside a house; a UAV was deployed. The spokesman for Houthi armed forces reported a UAV attack on "sensitive Israeli sites" in the Eilat area and a missile attack on an Israeli ship.
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Operation Iron Swords (Updated to 1 p.m., February 20, 2024)

IDF forces continued its operations in Khan Yunis and Nasser Hospital. In Gaza City, Palestinian media reported intensive IDF activity in the Zeitoun neighborhood in the southeast of the city, adding that many residents had left the area.A Hamas delegation led by Isma'il Haniyeh, head of Hamas' political bureau, arrived in Cairo. A senior Hamas member of the delegation to Cairo again reiterated Hamas' conditions for a deal: the cessation of hostilities, the return of residents to their homes and the withdrawal of IDF forces from the Gaza Strip.: Reports about the difficult situation in the Gaza Strip continue. The UN coordinator for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip said that according to the UN, expanding the military operation to Rafah would have extremely severe humanitarian consequences. During the past day, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for three attacks. In response to the detection of a UAV in the Lower Galilee, Israeli Air Force fighter jets attacked sites in the Sidon area. Palestinians threw an IED at an Israeli vehicle northwest of Nablus, injuring one passenger. Following the attack, the security forces operated in the village of Burqa. According to Palestinian media, following the attack Israeli settlers entered the village and set fire to two cars and two houses. Hossein-Amir Abdollahian, the Iranian foreign minister, sent a communiqué to Antonio Guterres, the UN secretary general, alerting him to a possible Israeli action in Rafah.
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Operation Iron Swords (Updated to 1 p.m., February 19, 2024)

The IDF forces continued to focus their activity on the Khan Yunis area, clashing with squads of terrorist operatives. At Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, where the forces have been operating for several days, hundreds of Gazans hiding in the hospital and suspected of terrorist activities were detained, among them operatives who had participated in the October 7, 2023 terrorist attack and massacre. Large quantities of weapons were also found in the hospital. Hamas reiterated its claim that given the difficult humanitarian situation in the northern Gaza Strip, if the issue of humanitarian aid to the northern Gaza Strip was not resolved, they would have no choice but to suspend the negotiations for a hostages deal. Senior Hamas members denied Israeli Defense Minister's statement that Hamas was looking for a replacement for Yahya al-Sinwar. During the past day Hezbollah claimed responsibility for nine attacks. : Senior Palestinian figures criticized the Israeli government's decision to limit the entry of Israeli Arabs to the Temple Mount for prayers during the month of Ramadan. The Houthis attacked a British-registered cargo ship operated by a Lebanese company. The ship was damaged and the crew abandoned it.The International Court of Justice in The Hague has begun discussing the Palestinian Authority's request for a Court opinion on the legality of the "Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories."
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