Israel SitRep: July 22, 2024

Today’s Issue: | IDF Confirms Deaths of Hostages Alex Dancyg and Yagev Buchstab | After Attacks Against Israel From al-Mawasi Humanitarian Zone, IDF Calls for Temporary Evacuation | COGAT: ‘We Place Significant Importance on Addressing the Civilian Population’s Hygiene and Sanitation Needs in Gaza’ | Hezbollah Claims Responsibility for Six Attacks in Past 24 Hours, 29 in Previous 72 Hours | Latest FDD

IDF Confirms Deaths of Hostages Alex Dancyg and Yagev Buchstab: The IDF announced on Monday that it has informed the families of hostages Alex Dancyg, 75, and Yagev Buchstab, 35, of their deaths. Their bodies are being held by Hamas. The determination was made on the basis of intelligence and approved by an experts’ committee of the Health Ministry, along with the Ministry of Religion and the Israel Police. The IDF says it is still looking into the circumstances of their deaths. It is possible that the two were killed mistakenly by IDF fire while the IDF was operating in Khan Younis several months ago. A total of 251 people were kidnapped on October 7. Of the 116 hostages still in captivity, 44 are confirmed to have died.

After Attacks Against Israel From Al-Mawasi Humanitarian Zone, IDF Calls for Temporary Evacuation: The IDF on Monday announced that “due to significant terrorist activity and rocket fire toward the State of Israel from the eastern part of the [Al-Mawasi] Humanitarian Area in Gaza,” the army is making changes to the area and it is now dangerous to remain there. The changes are being made based on “precise intelligence” showing that “Hamas has embedded terrorist infrastructure in the area.” The announcement warns that the IDF is “about to forcefully operate against the terrorist organizations” and calls on those who are still in the eastern neighborhoods of Khan Younis “to temporarily evacuate to the adjusted Humanitarian Area in Al-Mawaasi.” The announcement states that civilians are being given early warning to keep them away from the fighting and mitigate harm to them. It adds that the request to evacuate temporarily is being conveyed through Arabic-language broadcasts, phone calls, and text messages. Several hours after the announcement, IDF tanks were reported to be moving into the eastern neighborhoods of Khan Younis, four months after the army left the area.

COGAT: ‘We Place Significant Importance on Addressing the Civilian Population’s Hygiene and Sanitation Needs in Gaza’: On Sunday, COGAT, the Israeli entity coordinating humanitarian aid for Gaza, published information on its efforts to address hygiene and sanitation needs in Gaza, listing actions it has taken in the past several weeks. COGAT has set up a working group with the international community and issued permits to allow dual-use materials such as chlorine to enter Gaza, which it is doing “despite the associated risks.” COGAT notes that “this decision underscores the critical nature of maintaining hygiene standards.” In addition, in cooperation with the international community and “local entities,” COGAT has facilitated coordination of repairs on desalination plants and water facilities. COGAT says that it has “facilitated the repair of crucial water pipelines” despite Hamas’s ongoing attacks, adding that more than 60 coordinations of infrastructure repair and refueling have taken place since the war began. The announcement also notes that COGAT is coordinating the reactivation of a desalination plant located in northwestern Khan Younis, which provides Khan Younis, Deir Al Balah, and the humanitarian zone in al-Mawasi with drinking water. According to COGAT, the plant, whose capacity is 20,000 cubic meters a day, will reduce summer water shortages in Gaza.

Hezbollah Claims Responsibility for Six Attacks in Past 24 Hours, 29 in Previous 72 Hours: On Monday, the Alma Research and Education Center reported that in the past 24 hours, Hezbollah has claimed responsibility for six attacks against Israel, including with suicide drones and Grad rockets. The IDF intercepted several drones in the northern Golan Heights on Monday for which no claims of responsibility were made. On Sunday, Hezbollah launched a suicide drone at Kibbutz Hanita in the western Galilee, though it claimed it was targeting a military headquarters. Also in the past 24 hours, the IDF struck Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, including an observation post, a missile launcher, and terrorist infrastructure in the areas of Yarine, Khiam, and Ayta Al-Shab. In the previous 72-hour period, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for 29 attacks, including with anti-tank missiles, suicide drones, and Grad, Falaq, and Burkan rockets, and the IDF intercepted several drones around the Golan Heights and two kibbutzim in the upper Galilee, in addition to several projectiles launched at the upper Galilee and western Galilee.

Latest FDD Analysis:

Today at 8:30am (ET): “FDD Morning Brief,” featuring Jonathan Schanzer and Yair Zivan, FDD Event

“The AMIA Bombing: Thirty Years Later,” Toby Dershowitz and Emanuele Ottolenghi, The National Interest

“An ‘abject, squalid, shameless’ debate at the Oxford Union,” Ben Cohen, Jewish News Syndicate

“Sisi’s New Cabinet Reflects Continuity Over Change,” Haisam Hassanein, FDD Policy Brief

“IDF carries out precision strikes on Hamas on two fronts,” Seth J. Frantzman, FDD’s Long War Journal

“Iran-Backed Houthi Rebels in Yemen Claim Drone Attack on Tel Aviv,” FDD Experts, FDD Flash Brief

“Israel Kills Hezbollah Radwan Force Commander,” FDD Experts, FDD Flash Brief

“Iran ‘One or Two Weeks Away’ From Producing Deadly Nuclear Fissile Material, Blinken Warns,” FDD Experts, FDD Flash Brief

“Israel Foils Hamas Terror Attack Directed by Turkey,” FDD Experts, FDD Flash Brief

“Hezbollah Attacks Wound Israeli Soldiers, Damage School,” FDD Experts, FDD Flash Brief

“In Long-Range Strike, Israel Bombs Houthi Port in Retaliation for Tel Aviv Drone Attack,” FDD Experts, FDD Flash Brief