The Israeli Security Cabinet will meet tonight to approve a deal for the release of between 50-70 hostages. Hamas reportedly will receive a 4-day ceasefire in return.

The IDF continues to operate in northern Gaza to eliminate Hamas’ terrorist infrastructure, including command centers and terror tunnels. During operational activity overnight Israeli soldiers found a Hamas rocket hidden under the mattress of a baby’s crib. Additionally, the IDF encircled Jabaliya, an area that is home to numerous Hamas posts and command centers, and will tighten its hold in the coming days.

Returning briefly to Shifa Hospital, Israel offered last week to provide the necessary incubators to transfer premature babies to a safer hospital, and today worked with the UN and the hospital’s staff to effect the babies’ safe transfer.

An additional enemy aircraft incident occurred this morning in the northern Galilee region, while a rocket fired by Hizballah directly hit a home in the evacuated northern town of Metulla. One of Israel’s return strikes in southern Lebanon today neutralized 7 Hizballah terrorists. This is not unusual in Israeli strikes; what is unusual is that Hizballah threatened to retaliate, which places northern Israel on higher alert.

Following sharp Israeli criticism, a senior member of the Red Cross flew to Qatar called for the immediate release of the hostages and for visiting rights for the Red Cross. However, as the hostages have been held for 46 days in Gaza with barely a comment from the Red Cross, the statement seems more like an attempt to save face than a genuine effort to effect the hostages’ release.

Please continue to pray for the safe release of all the hostages. Please pray for continued operational success for the IDF in Gaza. Lastly, please continue to pray for continued international support of Israel.