For the first time in the war, the Israeli military acknowledged that Hamas attempted to abduct an Israeli soldier. The incident follows Hamas speculating that “additional prisoners will fall into our hands” in a statement two days before the attack.
Five IDF soldiers were killed and 12 were wounded in an ambush in Gaza on July 7. The soldiers were part of two units operating in Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza, attempting to clear this area near the Israeli border. An IDF spokesperson said that the town is “a fortified target that currently contains dozens more terrorists and numerous underground tunnels that must be dismantled.” The battle took place as Israel and Hamas continue ceasefire talks.
Two terrorists attacked a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) aid site in Khan Younis on July 5, wounding two American veterans who work for the non-profit. The attack follows threats by Hamas and its affiliates against the GHF due to its links to Israel and the United States.
Hamas’s Revolutionary Court issued an order for the leader of the Popular Forces militia, Yasser Abu Shabab, to turn himself in. Shabab leads a Gaza militia that opposes Hamas’s rule and has received support from Israel.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is working to revise civilian access routes to humanitarian aid sites in Gaza, where the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has distributed more than 51 million meals since it began operations on May 26. The four aid distribution sites in Gaza have faced challenges amid reports of clashes between the IDF and Gazans and other incidents. The IDF is now “installing directional and warning signs, opening additional access routes, establishing barriers and checkpoints to regulate vehicle movement.” The changes come amid reports of efforts to begin a new round of possible ceasefire talks and limited IDF operations in the territory.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) stated that Hamas placed a bounty on its personnel, offering rewards to those who kill or injure members of the nonprofit organization. This development adds to the growing list of threats and acts of violence committed by Hamas and its affiliates against the GHF.
The Arrow Unit, a security force created by Hamas, has carried out beatings and executions against Palestinians who have allegedly committed a crime. However, growing reports and social media posts indicate that the group may have other motives besides acting as law enforcement.
Over the past 72 hours, Israel has intensified its air campaign across Iran, striking missile and drone infrastructure in Esfahan, Bushehr, Ahvaz, Yazd, and Qom. Targets included the Imam Hossein missile base in Yazd, IRGC drone and air defense facilities, and the Shahid Mostafa Khomeini military base. Senior IRGC and IRGC-Qods Force commanders tied to weapons transfers, regional proxy coordination, and nuclear development were killed. Despite Tehran’s calls for retaliation, Hezbollah, Hamas, and other allied militias have mostly stayed out of the fight so far.
More than 1,200 sites of terrorist infrastructure were dismantled in Khirbat Ikhzaa near the Israeli border, the Israeli military said. In addition, the IDF found the bodies of three hostages in Gaza between June 7 and June 12. In roughly two weeks of operations, the new Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has distributed 19 million meals, the group said on June 12.
The Israel Defense Forces announced that “troops of the 3rd Brigade, under the command of the 210th Division, completed an operation to apprehend Hamas terrorists operating in the Beit Jinn area of Syria.”
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation stated that Hamas killed at least eight of its aid workers in an ambush yesterday. The incident follows threats by Hamas “against any entity or individual that collaborates or coordinates with the enemy’s schemes” and claims by sources on the ground that Hamas Arrow Unit members have attempted to disrupt aid distribution.
The Israeli military and Shin Bet eliminated the leader of the Palestinian Mujahideen Movement (PMM), a small Hamas-aligned terrorist faction in the Gaza Strip. The PMM took part in the October 7, 2023 atrocities and kidnapped Israelis and foreign nationals from Israel.
Taliban Emir Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada expressed his support for “the oppressed people of Palestine” while denouncing “Zionist assaults and acts of oppression.” In the past, the Taliban has praised Hamas’s fight against Israel and celebrated its brutal October 7, 2023 assault on the country.
Following the elimination of Hamas’s Gaza chief, Muhammad Sinwar, the Islamist group will have to choose a new leader to head the organization in the territory. However, Israel’s eliminations of Hamas leaders will make it difficult to find a suitable successor.
Israel recovered the bodies of two hostages from Gaza, the Israel Defense Forces said on June 5. Judith Weinstein Haggai and her husband, Gad Haggai, are American and Israeli citizens who Hamas killed on October 7, 2023. A new US-backed humanitarian initiative, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, continues to deliver food to Gazans. Israeli media revealed on June 5 that Israel has armed non-Hamas militias in Gaza. Five IDF divisions continue to expand operations against Hamas.
Two Syrian groups claimed the first attack against Israel since the fall of the Bashar al Assad regime in Syria. A Syrian official told Reuters that the attackers include “remnants of Assad-era militias linked to Iran” who “have a vested interest in provoking Israeli retaliation.”
Hamas claimed that it attacked an undercover Israeli force in Gaza. However, it is more likely that the target of the Islamist group’s attack was a rival Palestinian group that has challenged its authority.
A humanitarian initiative in Gaza began to deliver aid on May 27 as combat continued in northern Gaza and Khan Younis. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said two of four initial aid sites started operating. The US-backed initiative is being run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in cooperation with the Israeli government and the IDF.
On May 18, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) began a ground offensive in Gaza that’s part of Operation Gideon’s Chariots. The Israeli Air Force carried out 670 strikes to prepare the way for the push. At the same time, the first humanitarian aid entered Gaza since March 2, when Israel cut off assistance to the area. A new US-led initiative aims to provide aid to parts of Gaza with the support of private security contractors.
On May 12, Hamas released Edan Alexander, one of 59 hostages still held in Gaza and the last living American hostage. The release came as US President Donald Trump headed to the Middle East for meetings in Saudi Arabia, the IDF is gearing up for an expanded offensive in Gaza, and US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee announced a new US-led humanitarian aid initiative for the territory.
On May 4, Israel’s Security Cabinet approved a new military offensive and plan for operations in Gaza. The multi-stage plan envisions the Israel Defense Forces taking control of Gaza, clearing it of Hamas, and remaining in portions of the territory long-term while the civilian population is evacuated to southern Gaza.
The Israeli military has struck more than 1,800 targets since renewing operations in Gaza on March 18, 2025. “We are continuing with the operational pressure and tightening the ring around Hamas as needed, and if we see no progress in the return of the hostages, we will expand our activities,” Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said on April 24.
Israel’s efforts against Hamas have included severing the Islamist organization’s funding lifelines in addition to sustained military pressure. A recent report indicates that Hezbollah is showing financial strain.
One IDF soldier was killed and three soldiers wounded in northern Gaza, the IDF said on April 19. Israeli forces in northern and southern Gaza continue to dismantle terrorist infrastructure, and Hamas rejected an Israeli proposal for a hostage deal and demanded an end to the war. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel would not “surrender” to Hamas as part of a new hostage deal.
Israel continued operations in Lebanon between March 31 and April 6, 2025, though there was a noticeable drop in number and intensity. However, Israel conducted two targeted killings in Lebanon: one in Beirut’s Dahiyeh neighborhood killed a Hezbollah commander and operative, and another in Sidon killed a Hamas commander and operative.
In a rare show of dissent, some Palestinians have protested Hamas’s rule in the Gaza Strip despite the dangers of publicly criticizing the terrorist group. While the demonstrations and other signs of dissent are notable, it’s unclear if they will mark a significant change in the territory’s political situation.
On April 2, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was shifting gears in Gaza and taking over more areas. “We are also doing something else: We are seizing the Morag Corridor. This will be […] an additional Philadelphi Corridor,” Netanyahu said. The Morag Corridor separates Khan Younis from Rafah in southern Gaza. The IDF also called on Gazans to evacuate Rafah in south Gaza and Shejaiya in northern Gaza.
The Israel Defense Forces conducted an airstrike in the Dahiyeh suburb of Beirut, the second in two weeks and since the November 27 ceasefire, that killed Hezbollah commander Hassan Badeer, his son (another Hezbollah member), and two others. Israel said Badeer was helping Hamas plan an imminent attack against Israeli civilians.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) carried out strikes targeting more than 100 pickup trucks used by terrorist groups in Gaza. The IDF continued to extend operations in northern Gaza’s Beit Hanoun and Tel al Sultan in southern Gaza. Elements of four IDF divisions are now active in the new operation, which began on March 18.
Open-source information indicates that media figure Dr. Fadel Naim, widely quoted by prominent international news outlets on casualties and the impacts of the war in Gaza, has close familial ties to Hamas, including being the brother of longtime Hamas leader Basem Naim.