Israel Brief: Sunday, September 28

From the UN podium to Gaza’s alleys: Israel fights enemies without and illusions within.

Shavua tov, friends.

Benjamin Netanyahu stood at the United Nations and declared: “Israel will not allow you to shove a terror state down our throats.” His speech, delivered to rows of empty seats, underscored both Israel’s global isolation and its refusal to bend. At home, families of hostages branded his words hollow, even as the IDF pressed deeper into Gaza City and sanctions snapped back on Iran.

What to watch: whether Netanyahu can turn rhetoric into results—bringing the hostages home, preventing Hamas from breathing again, and setting the stage for peace that is more than a line in a speech. The battlefield stretches from the Bekaa to Baghdad, but the moral struggle runs straight through the Knesset and the streets of Jerusalem.

The War Today

Ground operation in Gaza gains force

IDF forces have intensified their ground push in Gaza City, eliminating armed terrorists and uncovering stockpiles of rockets, explosives, and anti-tank missiles. The IAF struck around 120 targets, including observation posts, gathering points, and underground infrastructure, while troops dismantled planted explosives. The army says operations will continue until Hamas’s fighting capacity is dismantled. Read more →

Israel eliminates Hamas terrorist who killed police commando Arnon Zamora in Gaza hostage rescue

The IDF and Shin Bet killed Hamas terrorist Mohammed Ahmad Yousef al-Jamal, who fatally shot Yamam officer Arnon Zamora during the June 2024 “Operation Arnon” that freed four Israeli hostages. Al-Jamal, along with associate Sari Idris Mohammed al-Akrab—an October 7 infiltrator—was tracked down and eliminated in Gaza. The army said the operation honors Zamora’s memory while ongoing IDF units continue dismantling Hamas infrastructure in Gaza City. Read more →

Iran tries to recruit Israelis by phone

Hundreds of Israelis received suspicious phone calls in broken Hebrew from numbers traced to Iranian intelligence, offering “recruitment” and attempting to spread panic. The National Cyber Directorate confirmed it was a coordinated campaign of intimidation and urged the public not to engage with the calls. Authorities are investigating while warning this is part of Iran’s broader effort to disrupt Israel’s home front during wartime. Read more →