Danon: The War Won’t End While Hostages Remain in Gaza
Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, delivered a clear and forceful message at the inaugural JNS International Policy Summit in Jerusalem: the conflict with Hamas will not conclude until every hostage is freed.
“We have not yet completed our mission,” Danon stated, emphasizing that Israel’s campaign against Hamas must continue until the hostages are safely returned. Speaking just hours after guiding around 30 U.N. ambassadors through the harrowing scenes of the Oct. 7, 2023 massacre, Danon underlined the power of firsthand experience. “Education leads to alliances,” he said. “We already have friends, but we need them to be louder and stronger.”
Danon expressed disappointment over former President Donald Trump’s decision to retract the nomination of Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) for U.N. ambassador, though he remained hopeful that a strong pro-Israel candidate would ultimately be appointed. He also called on the U.S. to take a firmer stand, urging sanctions against Francesca Albanese, the controversial U.N. special rapporteur known for anti-Israel statements. “She has no place in the United States,” Danon said firmly.
On the ongoing indirect negotiations between the United States and Iran, Danon was blunt: “I’m very skeptical,” he told JNS Features Editor Steve Linde, accusing Tehran of being “masters of deception.” Citing Iran’s recent missile attacks on Israel, Danon warned against underestimating Tehran’s hostile intentions. “Eighty years after Auschwitz, we should take their threats seriously,” he cautioned.
IDF Neutralizes Key Terrorists Linked to Oct. 7 Attack
Israeli forces announced a major breakthrough in their counterterrorism operations in Gaza, eliminating several high-profile threats responsible for past and planned attacks against Israeli civilians and soldiers.
Among those killed was Sa’id Abu Hasnan, a Hamas operative who infiltrated southern Israel during the Oct. 7, 2023 massacre at Kissufim. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Shin Bet security agency confirmed Hasnan’s death during a targeted operation.
In a coordinated strike, Israeli forces also took down Ali Naddal Husni Sarfiti, a senior figure in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). Sarfiti, who served time in Israel from 2002 to 2015 for terrorist activity, had resumed directing attacks and funneling millions of shekels to terror networks after his release.
Additionally, the IDF confirmed the elimination of Mustafa al-Mutawwak, a Hamas operations officer from the Jabalia Brigade, who had been orchestrating assaults on Israeli troops inside Gaza.
The IDF and Shin Bet reaffirmed their commitment to dismantling terrorist infrastructure and securing Israeli communities, vowing that operations against terror threats would continue unabated.
Pentagon Awards $26 Million to Support Israel’s F-35 Development
In a significant step for U.S.-Israel defense collaboration, the Pentagon has awarded two major contracts to Lockheed Martin in support of Israel’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program.
According to official documents released last week, the contracts, valued at a combined $26,774,374, are intended to advance software development and system integration for the cutting-edge fighter jets. The announcement came just a day after the Israeli Air Force received three new F-35I “Adir” aircraft.
Israel, participating as a security cooperation partner in the F-35 program, has special rights to influence aspects of the fighter’s design and configuration, allowing for customization to meet the unique needs of its air force.
Earlier this year, Israel and the United States held a large-scale joint air exercise over the Mediterranean Sea—their first such drill in two years—underscoring the deepening military ties between the two nations.
