DAY 556 of the WAR: Houthis Fire on Central Israel, Passover & the Hostages, Limited Combat Continues in Gaza, Murders in the Arab Israeli Communities Surge, Iran Talks Regarding Nuclear Program
On Sunday afternoon, the first day of Passover, the Houthis managed to launch a missile that compelled residents across central Israel to, once again, rush to the nearest shelters. I was out walking Milo, and for the first time since the onset of the war, the nearest building I ran to was locked—and no one came by to open it. Fortunately, I found shelter together with a young woman under a carport that provided access to a well-enclosed maintenance room, offering us relative safety. Milo, who has been part of our family for a year, has learned to react swiftly to the sound of sirens. Ten minutes later, we resumed our walk as if nothing had happened.
The single Houthi missile was intercepted before entering Israeli airspace, though debris landed near Hebron. The U.S. maintains daily strikes against the Houthis with considerable success, yet it remains uncertain if they possess the intelligence required to fully neutralize the threat, this not withstanding the limitations of an air operation.
During the Second Lebanon War, the Israeli Air Force failed to stop the rocket fire from Lebanon. In contrast, Israel's current success stems from a focused 20-year initiative to enhance and update intelligence capabilities. That said, I am skeptical that either the U.S. or Israel has devoted the past two decades to developing updated intelligence on Houthi targets. Consequently, the challenge presented by these targets is significantly greater.
PESACH IN THE SHADOW OF THE HOSTAGES STILL IN GAZA
On Saturday night, following our family seder—which we endeavored to make meaningful by using the special Haggadah created by the families of the hostages and those who have been freed—we walked over to Hostage Square to stand in solidarity with the families of the hostages. Several hundred people were present; some participating in a traditional seder, others engaged in singing, conversing, or simply sitting together. Among those gathered in the square were families of hostages and individuals like us, each doing what little we could to offer support.
Meanwhile, discussions continues regarding a potential deal to release up to 10 hostages. The main obstacle remains the challenge of providing Hamas with assurances that Israel will uphold its part of the agreement and engage in talks on a final-status framework to end the war. The majority of Israelis oppose this partial deal, pressing for an end to the war and the immediate return of all hostages. Very few believe the current Gaza strategy will achieve meaningful results.
Tel Aviv Diary is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
Israeli forces continue to expand their control over parts of Gaza, yet they face minimal organized resistance. Although intelligence estimates suggest there may be as many as 40,000 armed Hamas fighters in the area, most operatives retreat and blend into the civilian population as the IDF advances. While some Hamas members are being killed, primarily via airstrikes, nearly every strike causes collateral damage, resulting in civilian casualties.
Some Israelis are now questioning whether the value of the targets justifies the number of non-combatants killed. Talks continue about launching a larger offensive in Gaza after Passover. However, it was recently reported that IDF Chief of Staff Zamir briefed Prime Minister Netanyahu on the IDF’s manpower shortages. After a year and a half of war, the Army lacks sufficient combat troops to carry out all the missions some government officials wish to undertake. Zamir also noted a shortage of tanks and armored personnel carriers, adding that repairs to those damaged during the fighting will take time.
HAMAS RELEASES ANOTHER HOSTAGE VIDEO
On Friday afternoon, Hamas released a video of Israeli-American hostage Idan Alexander. The footage speaks for itself.
GAZA
In the meantime, the limited war continues. Below are the IDF statements detailing actions carried out in Gaza over the last two days:
The IDF and Shin Bet (ISA) struck a command and control compound in northern Gaza located inside the Al-Ahli Hospital, which was exploited by the Hamas terrorist organization. The compound was used by Hamas operatives to plan and execute terrorist operations against IDF forces and Israeli civilians.
Prior to the strike, precautionary measures were taken to minimize the risk to civilians and the hospital, including advance warnings in the area, use of precision-guided munitions, and aerial surveillance.
The Hamas terrorist organization systematically violates international law, cruelly exploiting civilian infrastructure and populations as human shields for terrorist activity.
The IDF has repeatedly issued warnings to cease the military use of medical facilities in the Gaza Strip.
The IDF and Shin Bet will continue to act decisively against Hamas operatives and their infrastructure. IDF forces continue to operate in the Gaza Strip, eliminating terrorists and destroying terror infrastructure.
Overnight, the IDF struck a Hamas command and control compound used as a terror base for operatives in the Daraj Tuffah area. The site included a weapons storage facility containing explosives and devices used by the organization’s operatives to carry out attacks against Israeli forces.
In the past 48 hours, the Israeli Air Force has struck more than 90 terror targets across the Gaza Strip. Among the targets was the launch site from which rockets were fired yesterday (Saturday) toward the Gaza envelope. Additional targets included weapons depots, terrorist cells, and terror infrastructure.
Division 36 forces continue operations in the Rafah area and along the Morag axis, where they located and destroyed Hamas weapons and terror infrastructure, and eliminated terrorists in multiple strikes.
In the Tel al-Sultan and Shaboura areas, forces from Gaza Division (143rd) located and destroyed weapons, terror tunnels, infrastructure, and eliminated terrorists.
In northern Gaza, Division 252 forces attacked and destroyed terror infrastructure, tunnel shafts, and military structures, and killed several terrorists who were attempting to plant an explosive device.
In recent days, the Arab Israeli community has experienced a sharp and troubling surge in violence, with 11 murders reported in the past five days. This alarming statistic brings the total number of murders in Arab Israeli communities so far this year to 77—a steep increase from last year’s already unacceptable figure of 51 at this point in the year. Moreover, this crisis is further exacerbated by the fact that only 15% of these murders have been successfully solved, highlighting a deepening problem of law enforcement and accountability.
U.S. BEGINS NEGOTIATIONS WITH IRAN
In a meeting held in Oman on Saturday, President Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, held what were reportedly positive discussions with the Iranian Foreign Minister. Subsequent talks are scheduled to take place in Rome next Saturday.
The objectives of the negotiations remain unclear. While some Administration officials have expressed a desire to compel Iran to fully dismantle its nuclear program, President Trump has focused on the narrower goal of preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. This more limited approach may be achievable through a negotiated agreement. However, securing a broader agreement may prove far more challenging.
Another significant obstacle is the fact that the previous agreement was negotiated over an extended period, involving a diverse range of experts. Although Witkoff possesses the negotiating skills, he lacks the specialized expertise and support staff necessary to secure a substantial agreement.
Last week, I shared that 1,000 reserve Air Force officers had signed a petition calling for an end to the war and the release of the hostages. In response, the Air Force commander terminated their reserve service, a decision, that has faced widespread criticism. However, this decision appears to have been a significant mistake, as various reserve units, including naval officers, elite infantry units, and tank crews, have organized and issued letters in support of the Air Force officers, echoing their demands.
PALESTINIAN-AMERICAN JOURNALIST and SCHOLAR, AHMED FOUAD ALKHATIB CONTINUES TO SPEAK OUT
Save Gaza from Hamas! Three random rockets, or as the people of Gaza call them, “mawaseer,” meaning pipes (in reference to how useless they are), were launched from the heart of areas in Khan Younis where tens of thousands of displaced Gazans were sheltered after fleeing dozens of times already. Predictably, the Israeli
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Tel Aviv Diary to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.
