Israel-Hamas War Day 233: What's happening in Gaza?

An IDF aircraft struck a Hamas compound in Rafah, targeting senior members of the terrorist organization, an IDF spokesperson said in a statement on Sunday.

The IDF announced "A short while ago, aircraft attacked a Hamas terrorist organization's compound in Rafah where senior terrorists were present."

"We are desperate. With this government composition, there will be no deal," stated retired Major General Nitzan Alon, the IDF official overseeing the issue of captives, in a confidential discussion with liaison officers for the families of the captives - according to a report by N12. Alon accused that the current government setup is a significant barrier to reaching an agreement for the hostages' release. He emphasized, according to the report, "The deal I am pushing for will include the gradual return of all the hostages."

Negotiations for a hostages deal are ongoing, and the War Cabinet is set to convene Sunday evening to discuss a new proposal submitted by the head of Mossad to the mediators. 

According to the report, in the closed conversation held last week, Alon told the liaison officers: "We are desperate. With this government composition, there will be no deal. The deal I am advocating for includes the gradual return of all hostages. Hamas is adamant that it includes the end of the fighting. I informed the Prime Minister that we can resume fighting at any moment."

A US landing craft that became beached on the coast of Israel near Ashdod was freed from the sand according to a US military official who spoke to the ‘Post’ on Sunday evening, May 26.

The vessel LCM 8558 is a landing craft that has been working with US-build floating pier off the coast of Israel. It became stuck on a beach on May 25 after seeking to help free a US army tug that was helping move the floating pier from an area off the Gaza coast to near Ashdod due to adverse weather conditions.

The army tug resembles a flat section of the floating pier so it was initially mistaken for a part of the floating pier. The tug is several dozen feet long and has a small wheelhouse on it. It is grey like the rest of the pier.

The US was moving the floating pier toward an area near Ashdod because of the high swells that emerged on May 23-24. The swells were around 1.5 meters and winds gusted to some 20 knots. These higher seas and waves apparently necessitated moving the pier.

Hamas terrorists who were detained in Gaza have led to a spread of scabies among security prisoners, the Israel Prison Service said on Sunday evening.

"There is no danger to the staff, they operate under full protection and the functional and institutional continuity continues for the sake of the security of the people of Israel," said the prison service.

A delegation headed by Defense Ministry director-general Ayal Zamir will head to the US this week to hold talks to strengthen security ties, with a focus on receiving arms, the Defense Ministry said Sunday.

Zamir will meet with senior officials from the US Department of Defense and the State Department.

Police were seen pushing an elderly man to the ground as they worked to remove pilgrims who had forced their way onto Mount Meron on Sunday to mark Lag Ba'Omer, despite an order by Home Front Command closing the area to the public due to the danger of rocket fire from Hezbollah targeting the area.

Crowds of thousands of pilgrims arrived at the site on Sunday, clashing with police who worked to enforce Home Front Command directives. Over 1,000 people had been removed from the site as of Sunday evening, with thousands more blocked on their way to the site. On Sunday afternoon, pilgrims tried to illegally light bonfires at Mount Meron. Firefighters worked to extinguish the fires.

תיעוד מהר מירון: חרדים מתבצרים בקבר הרשב"י למרות איסור הצבא, עימותים פרצו עם המשטרה@yoeli_brim pic.twitter.com/tmh06rzdPc

— גלצ (@GLZRadio) May 26, 2024

Nineteen police officers were wounded in the clashes and transferred for medical treatment after rioters threw iron rods, glass, and various objects at them.

מחריד: שוטר מגב הטיח אדם מבוגר על הרצפה במירון

השימוש לפי סעיף 27א' לחוק זכויות יוצרים pic.twitter.com/iOYqoK2pFg

— ישראל היום (@IsraelHayomHeb) May 26, 2024

A video shared online showed a police officer pushing an elderly man to the ground as he was leading him away from the site. Israel Police stressed that they "take the conduct seriously." The police added that they would review the other incidents that occurred throughout the day and would learn lessons accordingly. Later, the police decided to suspend the officer in question, as well as an officer who hit an elderly woman and an officer who fired in the air.

The IDF announced that Staff-Sgt. Betzalel Zvi Kovach, who was wounded in northern Gaza on May 22, succumbed to his wounds on Sunday.

Kovach, from Jerusalem, served in the Netzach Yehuda Battalion.

Later in the evening, the IDF announced that St.-Sgt. Sahar Sudaei had also fallen in battle in northern Gaza on Sunday.

Sudaei, from Tel Aviv, served in the Rotem Battalion of the Givati Brigade.

The IDF reservist who recorded a video of himself calling for a rebellion has been dismissed from reserve duty, according to Israeli media reports Sunday night.

The unnamed reservist was interrogated by military police on suspicion of murder incitement and non-compliance, reports added.

 The IDF stated that "the investigation by the military police continues to be conducted, and at its conclusion, the findings will be forwarded to the military prosecutor's office."
 

The IDF announced that Staff-Sgt. Betzalel Zvi Kovach Emsallem, who was wounded in northern Gaza on May 22, succumbed to his wounds on Sunday.

Emsallem, from Jerusalem, served in the Netzach Yehuda Battalion.

The IDF struck three Hezbollah terrorists in southern Lebanon on Sunday, as Hezbollah launched several rocket and drone attacks against Israel throughout the day.

In one of the strikes, an Israeli airstrike targeted a Hezbollah terrorist who was spotted exiting a military structure in Naqoura. Later in the day, two additional terrorists operating near Ayta ash Shab were targeted by the IDF.

Hezbollah announced on Sunday afternoon that one of its members had been killed, with Lebanese media saying the terrorist was killed in the strike in Naqoura.