Israel SitRep: August 5, 2024

Today’s Issue: | IAF Eliminates Hamas Minister Who Played ‘Significant Role’ in Seizing Humanitarian Aid Entering Gaza | Kfir Infantry Brigade Completes Training Exercise on Northern Front | IDF Launches New Emergency Messaging System, No Change Yet in Home Front Command Instructions System | Rafah ‘Subway’ System Used Train Tracks to Move Carts for Smuggling | Latest FDD Analysis

IAF Eliminates Hamas Minister Who Played ‘Significant Role’ in Seizing Humanitarian Aid Entering Gaza: The IDF on Monday announced that yesterday, Israeli Air Force fighter jets, with intelligence guidance from Aman military intelligence and the Southern Command, eliminated Abdul Fattah Al-Zari’i, Hamas’s minister of the economy, who it says “stopped humanitarian aid from reaching Gazan civilians.” Zari’i was also part of the manufacturing unit of Hamas’s military wing, which works to strengthen the group’s weapons capabilities, including by exchanging information with other Middle Eastern terrorist groups. Zari’i played a “significant role in directing Hamas’ efforts to seize control of humanitarian aid entering Gaza and in managing Hamas-controlled markets.” He was also in charge of distributing funds, fuel, and gas “for terrorist purposes.” Hamas responded with a statement saying that his elimination “will not deter us from performing our national duty towards our Palestinian people, and continuing the moral and professional role to serve them and support their steadfastness and perseverance in the face of this brutal aggression.”

Kfir Infantry Brigade Completes Training Exercise on Northern Front: The IDF reported on Sunday that the Kfir Brigade, a regular army infantry brigade on the northern front, completed a training exercise on Thursday. Brigade soldiers practiced fighting in enemy territory, including moving in complex terrain and mountainous routes, and the use of firepower. The troops practiced scenarios including combat, evacuating the wounded, and the use of camouflage techniques. The exercise is part of a series being carried out by land forces in the northern sector at the National Center for Ground Training. Since the start of the war, troops from the Kfir Brigade have been operating in Gaza, carrying out arrests in the West Bank and taking part in fighting on the northern border. Previously, reserve units carried out a series of exercises in the Northern Command.

IDF Launches New Emergency Messaging System, No Change Yet in Home Front Command Instructions: With Israel anticipating an attack by Iran and its proxies, the IDF’s Home Front Command on Sunday announced a new personal messaging system using cell broadcast technology, which will enable messages to be sent simultaneously to a large number of cellphones in the same area during large-scale emergencies like rocket fire on Israel. All cellphone users in the area under threat will receive an immediate message on their screen with a warning sound. The announcement states that this is not a substitute for the Home Front Command’s app or sirens. In a Sunday evening press briefing, IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari addressed the situation, stating, “I want to emphasize—at this time, there is no change in the Home Front Command’s defensive policy,” noting that “we will update it only if required.” Hagari added: “The defense is not hermetic, so every citizen is required to know the guidelines for the area they are in and to remain alert.”

Rafah ‘Subway’ System Used Train Tracks to Move Carts for Smuggling: On Sunday, Israel Army radio’s military correspondent Doron Kadosh reported on the Gaza “subway” along the Philadelphi corridor. The corridor runs along Israel’s border with Egypt, and inside the tunnels there, the IDF has found railroad tracks with carts, which have been used to smuggle enormous quantities of weapons into Gaza. The army has not yet completed the demolition of the tunnels along the route and is continuing to explore some of them. There are also areas along the corridor in which drilling has not yet been completed, and the IDF believes that there are still smuggling tunnels that have not yet been discovered. Some 30 tunnels have been found so far. Hamas’s Rafah Battalion specializes in tunnels, and the IDF says that the tunnel system there is the most extensive it has found anywhere in Gaza, running for more than 100 kilometers (about 62 miles).

Latest FDD Analysis:

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

“What just happened in the Middle East?” Bradley Bowman, Jonathan Schanzer, and Behnam Ben Taleblu, FDD’s Foreign Podicy

“Iran Counts on U.S. Weakness to Check Israeli Strength,” Reuel Marc and Ray Takeyh, The Wall Street Journal

“State Laws on Israel Boycotts Hold Up in Court,” Richard Goldberg, The Wall Street Journal

“Enough is enough: NATO must suspend cooperation with Turkey,” Ben Cohen, Jewish News Syndicate

“Haniyeh’s Death in Tehran Shows Iranian Role in Hamas’ Warfare,” Janatan Sayeh, The Algemeiner

“Biden Administration Foreign Policy Tracker: August,” John Hardie, et al., FDD Tracker

“Hints within Nasrallah’s speech about Hezbollah’s retaliation for Beirut strike,” David Daoud, FDD’s Long War Journal

“The Islamic Republic prepares to avenge Ismail Haniyeh,” Behnam Ben Taleblu, FDD’s Long War Journal

“Bomb That Killed Hamas Leader Reportedly Smuggled Into Guesthouse Months Ago,” FDD Experts, FDD Flash Brief

“Al-Jazeera ‘Journalist’ Was Hamas Nukhba Terrorist,” FDD Experts, FDD Flash Brief

“Malaysian Prime Minister Slams Facebook for Removing Post Praising Haniyeh,” FDD Experts, FDD Flash Brief

“Turkey Holds ‘Day of Mourning’ to Commemorate Assassinated Hamas Leader,” FDD Experts, FDD Flash Brief

“Hamas Backers Gather in Qatar for Ismail Haniyeh’s Funeral,” FDD Experts, FDD Flash Brief

“Arab Media Reports Five Hamas Leaders Eliminated in Gaza Strike,” FDD Experts, FDD Flash Brief

“Hamas Commander Eliminated in Israeli Strike Near West Bank City of Tulkarem,” FDD Experts, FDD Flash Brief

“Truck-Height Hamas Tunnel Discovered on Gaza-Egypt Border,” FDD Experts, FDD Flash Brief

“Palestinian Terrorist Murders Two Israeli Civilians Near Tel Aviv,” FDD Experts, FDD Flash Brief

“Israel SitRep: August 2, 2024,” FDD Experts, FDD Israel at War Situation Report