📦 A weapons-smuggling operative was eliminated in southern Gaza: The IDF said Mustafa Oweisi was struck after being identified as a threat to Israeli forces.
Oweisi had reportedly worked throughout the war to smuggle weapons into Gaza and recently sought additional equipment to rebuild Hamas’ military wing in violation of the ceasefire.
The equipment was intended to strengthen Hamas’ maritime and aerial capabilities.
🛡️ A senior Hamas security commander and three additional terrorists were eliminated in northern Gaza: Mohammed Marwan Mohammed Salem, head of military security for Hamas’ Central Jabaliya Battalion, was killed in the strike.
Also eliminated were: Abd al-Malek Abu al-Jabin, a Nukhba terrorist in the Central Jabaliya Battalion and head of the Investigations Department in the Hamas Police.
Yaman Mohammed Jibril Ubaid, an operative in the Central Jabaliya Battalion.
Ghassan Akram Salama Dakas, an operative in the Western Jabaliya Battalion and Hamas Police.
The IDF said the four had gathered in recent months to plan and conduct attacks and were eliminated to remove the threat.
⚖️ Katz asked Herzog to accelerate clearance of Elor Azaria’s criminal record: The defense minister submitted the request ahead of the Likud primaries and national election.
Katz said Azaria should not continue paying such a heavy price nearly a decade later. He argued that the conviction sends a negative message to combat soldiers and that Azaria should be allowed to rehabilitate.
Azaria was convicted for the March 2016 shooting of Abdel-Fattah al-Sharif, a Palestinian attacker who had stabbed an Israeli soldier and was wounded and incapacitated in Hebron.
He served nine months of an 18-month sentence and maintains that he acted correctly.
🏛️ Senior IDF officials oppose early clearance of Azaria’s record: Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and Personnel Directorate chief Maj. Gen. Dado Bar Kalifa said pardons should remain exceptional.
The military cited Azaria’s refusal to express remorse or accept responsibility, the absence of new circumstances since earlier presidential decisions and the lack of significant personal circumstances.
President Isaac Herzog’s office has not yet received the IDF’s formal opinion and has not commented publicly.
📜 Boaz Bismuth challenged the timing of a chief of staff letter on Torah students: The Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chairman said the letter concerning the temporary freeze on criminal proceedings arrived only after committee discussions and voting were complete.
He said the army had possessed the draft for about three weeks, participated throughout the process and helped formulate the final wording in coordination with Defense Ministry representatives.
The committee also accepted two late ministry amendments.
Bismuth questioned why it was sent only after the vote and published when the legislation reached the plenum, saying the timing was difficult to view as coincidental.
He also said IDF representatives had not presented a single case in which arresting a Torah student led to enlistment.
The Basic Law: Torah Study passed its final reading by 63 votes to 52.
Moshe Gafni is halting all votes until the Arrest Law is approved.
📊 A Channel 12 poll placed Netanyahu’s bloc at 51 seats: The bloc lost one mandate.
Gadi Eisenkot led Naftali Bennett by one seat, while Bennett’s support stabilized. Parties led by Chili Tropper and Yoaz Hendel remained below the threshold but close.
In a scenario including all smaller prospective parties, none crossed the threshold, including those linked to Gilad Erdan, Ayelet Shaked and Yuli Edelstein.
Eisenkot’s lead on suitability for prime minister widened from one point the previous week to nine points.
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