Israel SitRep: July 15, 2024

Today’s Issue: | IDF Confirms the Death of October 7 ‘Mastermind’ Rafa’a Salameh in Targeted Killing | Chief of Staff: IDF Will Continue to Pursue Hamas Officials Who Planned October 7 Massacre | COGAT: 211 Aid Trucks Entered Gaza Sunday, 1,100 Still Awaiting Collection | IAF Strikes Dozens of Terror Targets in Past Day, Nahal Brigade Kills Terrorists Armed with RPGs | Latest FDD Analysis

IDF Confirms the Death of October 7 ‘Mastermind’ Rafa’a Salameh in Targeted Killing: The IDF on Sunday confirmed the death of Rafa’a Salameh, “one of the masterminds behind the Oct. 7 massacre,” in an Israeli airstrike on Saturday. According to the IDF, “fighter jets, guided by intelligence information from Aman military intelligence and the Shin Bet, struck yesterday in Khan Younis and eliminated Rafa’a Salameh, commander of Hamas’s Khan Younis Brigade.” The IDF added that “Salameh was an associate of Muhammad Deif, head of Hamas’s military wing.” He joined Hamas in the early 1990s and was appointed commander of the Khan Younis Brigade’s al-Qarara Battalion, under the command of Muhammad Sinwar. Salameh played a pivotal role in kidnapping IDF soldier Gilad Shalit in 2006 and “took part in combat support operations and defensive plans for Hamas during Operation Protective Edge in 2014.” He replaced Sinwar as commander of the Khan Younis Brigade in 2016, and in Operation Guardian of the Walls in 2021, he was in command of two tunnels from which 18 terrorists tried to enter Israel but were eliminated by the IDF. The IDF says that Salameh’s death is a “significant blow” to Hamas’s military functioning. The fate of Deif, who was also targeted in the strike, remains unknown.

Chief of Staff: IDF Will Continue to Pursue Hamas Officials Who Planned October 7 Massacre: On Sunday, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi held a press conference in which he addressed the IDF’s Saturday attack on Muhammad Deif, head of Hamas’s military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, and Rafa’a Salameh, commander of Hamas’s Khan Younis Brigade, whose death the IDF has now confirmed. Halevi noted that Deif “planned and gave the order for the attack on October 7th” and added: “According to the intelligence available to us at the time of the strike, there were no hostages in the compound. According to the information that emerged after the strike, no hostages were harmed in the strike.” While according to Halevi, “it is still too early to conclude the results of the strike, which Hamas is trying to hide,” the IDF is “determined to continue and pursue senior Hamas officials, those who planned and carried out the October 7th Massacre and dedicated their lives to the murder of innocent civilians.” He added: “Deif was afraid to die, so he hid … and sacrificed with him his people and civilians who were in the area … very few of whom were harmed. We found him, we will also find those next in line.”

COGAT: 211 Aid Trucks Entered Gaza Sunday, 1,100 Still Awaiting Collection: On Monday, COGAT, the Israeli entity coordinating humanitarian aid for Gaza, stated that its current focus is fourfold: eliminating bottlenecks of aid at the Kerem Shalom crossing that is awaiting collection by UN aid agencies, improving sanitation, improving the “medical response” in Gaza, and facilitating the movement of humanitarian organizations. In today’s aid update, COGAT said that yesterday, 211 aid trucks entered Gaza through Kerem Shalom. It added that 103 trucks were collected from the Gazan side of Kerem Shalom and eight from the Gazan side of the Erez crossing and noted that more than 1,100 trucks are still awaiting collection. In addition, four fuel tankers and six gas tankers intended for operating essential infrastructure entered the Gaza Strip on Sunday. According to COGAT, 17 of 18 UN coordination requests were approved yesterday.

IAF Strikes Dozens of Terror Targets in Past Day, Nahal Brigade Kills Terrorists Armed with RPGs: The IDF reported on Monday that in the past day, Israeli Air Force fighter jets and drones struck dozens of terror targets throughout the Gaza Strip. One strike killed terrorists who were spotted observing IDF forces and posed a threat to them. Also in the past day, Nahal Brigade soldiers eliminated terrorists armed with rocket-propelled grenades. In central Gaza, troops from the 8th Armored Brigade eliminated several terrorists, one killed by tank fire while planting bombs. In addition, naval forces are continuing to strike terrorist targets throughout the Gaza Strip in aid of troops operating in the area, and in the past day, have struck terror infrastructures in southern Gaza.

Latest FDD Analysis:

“FDD Morning Brief,” featuring Jonathan Conricus and Ohad Hemo, FDD Event

“2040: The year Iran predicts Israel will be destroyed. Now is the time to prepare,” Mark Dubowitz and Jacob Nagel, The Jerusalem Post

“Playing into Sinwar’s hands: Which of Hamas’s ceasefire demands can Israel accept?” Jacob Nagel, The Jerusalem Post

“‘The Neck and the Sword’ is Rashid Khalidi’s distortion of history,” Ben Cohen, Jewish News Syndicate

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