Sa'ar added, "The PA never stopped paying salaries to terrorists – the PA only changed its method. Terrorists now receive the money from Palestinian postal branches. The PA even makes additional payments to terrorists released under the agreement."

Sa'ar sharply criticized the European Union, saying "instead of demanding accountability from the PA, the European Union whitewashes the PA. The EU ignores the ongoing crimes of paying terrorists – and in practice encourages terror. The EU seeks to reward the PA with its own terrorist state." He noted that President Trump's 20-point plan stipulated that the PA would receive no legitimacy without genuine reforms, including "the Palestinian Authority will take all necessary steps to immediately stop paying salaries to terrorists imprisoned in Israel and to families of terrorists who were killed."

According to Hirsch, 160 of the 250 terrorists released in the latest ceasefire deal became millionaires thanks to monthly payments of roughly 8,000 shekels ($2,250) over many years. "The Palestinian Authority rewards our child murderers with hundreds of millions of shekels annually, exactly as a prize for their participation in terror," Hirsch said. "The payments accumulate to millions and they leave prison for a life of prosperity – not remorse."

On the hostage issue, Sa'ar said the nation of Israel will never forget Hungary's role in the struggle to bring them home. However, he added, "The struggle has not yet ended. Hamas still holds 13 of our deceased hostages. This is a clear violation of the agreement. We know Hamas can return most of the deceased hostages easily. Hamas is delaying the return and bringing them back at a slow, calculated pace to postpone the second phase – its disarmament. Hamas behaves barbarically, abuses families who have waited for more than two years and only want to bring their sons to burial. Hamas must immediately return all those it holds."

During the meeting, Sa'ar gave Hungarian Foreign Minister Szijjártó a personal letter of thanks from former hostage Omri Miran, who also holds Hungarian citizenship. In the letter, Miran thanked the Hungarian government for its efforts to secure his release. Miran asked Foreign Minister Sa'ar to deliver the letter to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, President Tamás Sulyok, and Foreign Minister Szijjártó as recognition and gratitude for the Hungarian government's efforts toward his release.

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Video: The incident in the Gaza Strip / Credit: IDF Spokesperson

According to details of the incident, a group of at least 14 terrorists emerged from a subterranean tunnel near the IDF outpost. They opened fire with antitank missiles and machine guns on IDF personnel at the location.

The soldiers stationed at the outpost returned fire, neutralizing at least eight terrorists during the intense exchange. The remaining terrorists attempted to escape, prompting the IDF to deploy aircraft and tanks to engage them. Three soldiers sustained injuries during the attack.

Some 10 terrorists were killed in face-to-face clashes and from aerial strikes. About eight terrorists fled back into the tunnels. One Nachshon Battalion soldier from the Kfir Brigade was seriously wounded in the clash and evacuated to a hospital for treatment. His family has been notified. Two additional soldiers sustained light injuries. IDF ground and air forces continue to scan the area in search of the terrorists. The army assesses that the cell had planned to infiltrate the outpost and possibly abduct soldiers.

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In footage released by Hamas, terrorists were seen running toward the Namer with its top hatch open. One climbed onto the vehicle, detonated an explosive device, and fled. Miraculously, the device was faulty, and the soldiers were unharmed.

The phenomenon of soldiers in armored vehicles forgoing protection due to extreme heat is not uncommon, a former senior officer told Israel Hayom, citing repeated malfunctions in such APCs, which are based on the Merkava tank chassis and have been used intensively over the past two years.

"Like babies in a car"

"It was a miracle from heaven, 12 people were saved there. It was an incident exactly like the one with the combat engineering vehicle that was hit in June, when Hamas killed 7 soldiers. I spoke to an officer, and he told me, 'You can't stay inside,'" the officer said.

"Every summer, we talk about how you can't leave babies in a closed car. Here, soldiers are sitting in an armored vehicle, the air conditioners don't work because for two years this vehicle has been driven relentlessly, and they have to open the 'hatch' (the Namer's top hatch – H.G.). It doesn't cool, but it at least lets in air. Imagine what a soldier goes through, wearing a flak jacket and helmet in 30°C (86°F) heat, when the temperature inside doubles."

The Namer's air conditioners, defined by the IDF as "life-support systems," are maintained by an external company. However, the vehicles' round-the-clock operation in Gaza has required a different level of maintenance.

Video: The Hamas video showing the top hatch open

Since the war began, the Logistics Corps has deployed field teams – soldiers in every sense – who operate under fire to repair vehicles. Air conditioning systems are replaced in the field when a malfunction is identified, and the faulty system is sent for repair.

The IDF, it must be said, is making significant efforts to address issues with armored vehicles, but the conditions are far from simple, to say the least, due to the prolonged war, and they appear unable to fully meet the challenge.

Increasing malfunctions

For example, the Givati Brigade has been operating Namers in Gaza since the war began, enduring scorching heat and dust in summer and mud and rain in winter. The Golani Brigade has maneuvered in both Lebanon and Gaza since October 7.

The vehicles, which were never designed for such intense strain, are likely accumulating more malfunctions over time. The IDF claims it has not seen widespread issues with air conditioning systems and that any vehicle with a malfunction in life-support systems is supposed to be taken out of service.

Additionally, opening the top hatch is not considered proper under army procedures, even if the air conditioner is not functioning. However, the IDF acknowledges it cannot fully control soldiers who choose to operate such vehicles with faulty air conditioners.

Forces in the field face an impossible decision: disable a vehicle and halt operations due to logistical challenges or operate against guidelines. Many commanders choose to proceed with operations despite the challenge and danger.

"We're not allowed to enter buildings because they're booby-trapped, and we can't enter the APCs because the systems don't work, so what are we supposed to do?" soldiers told their acquaintances. "We're not asking for luxuries, but this is a basic need for fighting in the summer months. You can't fight like this."

The senior officer believes this reflects a known pattern in the ground forces, where soldiers are expected to operate in any condition without recognizing that this harms operational capability.

"A flawed approach"

"The Ground Forces' readiness model assumes that the more you push a soldier – the tougher he's supposed to be. He doesn't eat, he doesn't sleep. This is a flawed approach that has been recognized as such worldwide for years. In the Ground Forces, everything is possible – a soldier can go two weeks without sleep, his vehicle can go two weeks without maintenance.

"This is foolish. In the end, there are only a few tens of thousands of combat soldiers in the IDF, the spearhead. They need portable air conditioners and the best equipment available to operate."

In response, the IDF Spokesperson issued the following statement: "Following field inspections, no untreated air conditioning issues are known, and no specific cases have been reported for handling. If malfunctions exist, they are addressed in real time. The vehicles are under close supervision and frequent maintenance. Each battalion has additional air conditioning systems to provide solutions. In case of a malfunction, the IDF works with civilian companies to obtain suitable air conditioning systems.

"Due to the extreme heat and the dusty, sandy operational environment, malfunctions in air conditioning systems occasionally occur. There is no gap in the Southern Command regarding the availability of solutions or the systems' readiness. Technical personnel are responsible for replacing faulty systems, which are repaired in civilian industry."

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In a daring raid into the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces successfully recovered overnight Thursday the bodies of several hostages being held captive by Hamas terrorists. The operation was part of the ongoing "Operation Iron Swords" launched by Israel to degrade Hamas' military capabilities and secure the return of captive Israelis in the wake of the Oct. 7 atrocities.

In a special news conference, IDF Spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari broke the news that Israeli-German Shani Louk, 22, fashion stylist Amit Buskila, 28, and Itzhak Gelerenter, 56,  had escaped the Nova Rave massacre on Oct. 7 only to be shot later by Hamas when they found refuge near Kibbutz Mefalsim. Their bodies were then taken into Gaza by the terrorist group until their recovery this week.

He added that after an identification procedure carried out by medical authorities at the National Institute of Forensic Medicine and the Ministry of Health, IDF representatives delivered notifications to their families Friday. "The IDF and Shin Bet share in the families' grief during this difficult time. The IDF Spokesperson calls on the public to refrain from spreading rumors and unsubstantiated reports, and to follow official announcements," Hagari stressed, adding, "The IDF and Shin Bet continue, even at this time, to employ all operational and intelligence means, taking operational risks, in order to fulfill the supreme national mission of returning all abducted civilians and soldiers."

In recent days, Intense fighting was reported in the northern Gaza Strip, even as the main focus of the operation was in Rafah in the south as Israeli troops clashed with Hamas fighters. This bold recovery mission comes amid escalating violence with Hezbollah in the northern border with Lebanon, as Israel and the Shiite group continue its 7-month clashes, during which the terrorists, backed by Iran, have fired hundreds of rockets on Israel in solidarity with Hamas. Just on Friday, some 70 rockets were noted after Israel apparently assassinated a key Hezbollah operative.

Despite Israel's actions, Hamas holds over 100 Israeli captives, with talks on a deal all-but stagnating over the past several months.

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Heavy exchange of fire between the IDF and terrorists took place overnight in the West Bank city of Tulkarm, with two terrorists killed in a separate incident.

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An operation to apprehend wanted terrorists quickly escalated into a serious battle after explosive devices were hurled at the security forces. Five troops from the Border Police were injured in the clashes, including two who suffered serious injuries. According to an initial investigation, the injuries were caused by terrorists hurling a grenade that had originally been used by the security forces in the operation.

The IDF reported that the gunfire continued even as their forces withdrew, resulting in casualties. Furthermore, explosive devices thrown at the troops were detonated, adding to the volatile situation.

Video: Manhunt underway near Hawara after deadly attack / Usage under Article 27a in Israel's intellectual property law

Shortly after the operation ended, terrorists targeted a civilian vehicle driven near the settlement of Aveni Hefetz, prompting an immediate response from nearby forces who chased the perpetrators. The terrorists were subsequently engaged and neutralized during the operation.

In an earlier incident, terrorists targeted Israeli civilian vehicles in the Singil village, located within the Binyamin Regional Brigade's area of operation. One Israeli citizen sustained injuries but did not require immediate medical attention. Another Israeli citizen responded to the attack by opening fire, as his vehicle was damaged by the stone-throwing assailants.

IDF forces arrived at the scene to investigate reports of a wounded Palestinian. The injured individual was subsequently transported for medical treatment by the Red Crescent.

The initial trigger for these clashes was the deployment of military forces in Nablus' eastern area, a move aimed at securing the entry of Jewish worshippers to Joseph's Tomb, according to Palestinian sources.

Videos circulating on social media depict Palestinian protesters engaging in acts of violence, including the throwing of Molotov cocktails at military vehicles and reports of explosives being hurled.

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Israeli aircraft conducted strikes on Palestinian Islamic Jihad targets in the Gaza Strip early Tuesday, the Israeli military said, and the group said three senior commanders and members of their families were killed in the attacks.

Witnesses said an explosion hit the top floor of an apartment building in Gaza City and a house in the southern city of Rafah. Airstrikes continued in the early hours, targeting militant training sites.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said 12 additional people were killed in the airstrikes, although the IDF said that number stood at nine as of Tuesday morning. The PIJ claimed the wives of the three commanders and a number of their children were also killed.

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The Israeli army said the aerial bombings were directed at the residences of three senior commanders of the Iranian-backed group. It added the three were responsible for recent rocket fire toward Israel. The bombings, codenamed "Operation Shield and Arrow," targeted Khalil Bahtini, the PIJ commander for the northern Gaza Strip; Tareq Izzeldeen, the group's intermediary between its Gaza and West Bank members; and Jehad Ghanam, the secretary of the Islamic Jihad's military council.

Video: Israeli strikes in Gaza kill three senior Palestinian armed group commanders / Reuters

Islamic Jihad, which is smaller than the dominant, ruling Hamas terrorist groups, confirmed that the three were among the dead.

The airstrikes come as tension boils between Israel and terrorists in the Gaza Strip. The tension is linked to increasing violence in the West Bank, where Israel has been conducting near-daily raids for months to detain Palestinians suspected of planning or carrying out attacks on Israelis. In anticipation of Palestinian rocket attacks in response to the airstrikes, the Israeli military advised residents of communities within 25 miles (40 kilometers) of Gaza to stay close to designated bomb shelters.

Last week, Gaza terrorists fired several salvos of rockets toward southern Israel, and the Israeli military responded with airstrikes following the death of a hunger-striking senior member of the PIJ in Israeli custody. The exchange of fire ended with a fragile cease-fire mediated by Egypt, the United Nations, and Qatar.

The airstrikes are similar to ones in 2022 in which Israel bombed places housing commanders of the PIJ group, setting off a three-day blitz that saw the group losing its two top commanders and other dozens of terrorists.

In light of the escalation, the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration announced a special Hotline for olim, run together with ERAN Emotional First Aid, an organization that provides anonymous and free service in five languages: Russian, Amharic, French, English, and Spanish. The organization said that people who "know of olim or returning residents who are experiencing hardship or emotional stress and need assistance in their language" they can call *3201 or use the organization's online chat.

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Israeli security forces killed three Palestinian terrorists near Nablus on Tuesday after a several-week manhunt.

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The Palestinian Health Ministry confirmed three Palestinians had been killed in the incident. A Palestinian source said the men belonged to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorist group, but this was later denied. Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades said the three men were members of their group, which is loosely linked to President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah group. The Shin Bet security service described the men as a "terrorist squad" that had carried out shooting attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilians in the area over the past few weeks.

The Shin Bet security agency says the three were in a vehicle and were killed in a clash with security forces. No Israelis were killed or wounded in the shooting, it said.

Recent weeks have seen a number of stabbing and shooting attacks by Palestinians in Judea and Samaria. An Israeli settler was killed in a drive-by shooting in December. Settlers have also carried out a number of attacks recently against Palestinians and Israeli activists, causing injuries and property damage but no fatalities.

On Saturday, several terrorists opened fire on Israeli troops patrolling in Samaria on Saturday afternoon. The IDF said the incident was a drive-by shooting.

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said Israeli forces had shown that "terrorists have no immunity". He added, "Whoever harms us, will be hit."

A video seen by Reuters showed paramedics carrying the bloodied men on stretchers into an ambulance near a car riddled with bullets, as people gathered around them.

"Israel is responsible for this criminal assassination. It is part of their ongoing crimes," Monir Al-Jaghoub, a Fatah spokesperson in the West Bank, said.

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Clashes between US-backed Syrian Kurdish fighters and Islamic State group terrorists continued for a fourth day Sunday near a prison in northeastern Syria that houses thousands of ISIS members, the Kurdish force said.

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The standoff followed a bold assault by the jihadists who broke into Gweiran Prison, enabling an unknown number of terrorists to escape and hold hostages. At least 27 US-backed fighters of the Kurdish-led force were killed.

The US-led coalition said the Kurdish-led forces, with its assistance in the form of surveillance, intelligence and airstrikes, had contained the threat.

But several dozen terrorists remained holed up in one wing of the prison, to the north and in adjacent buildings.

More than 3,000 suspected ISIS terrorists, including over 600 minors, are held in Gweiran, the largest of a dozen detention facilities in Syria housing them.

The terrorists were using hundreds of minors held in the same facility as human shields, preventing a final assault, a spokesman for the Kurdish forces, Farhad Shami, said.

The UN children's agency, UNICEF, called for the release of the detained children, warning that violence may spread to other prisons or in camps holding families and children of suspected ISIS members in Syria.

"While it is militarily defeated, Daesh remains an existential threat to the region," said Maj. Gen. John Brennan, commander of the Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, using the Arabic acronym for ISIS. "Due to its severely degraded capability, Daesh's future survival is dependent on its ability to refill its ranks through poorly-conceived attempts" such as the prison attack.

The coalition said the ISIS terrorists seized weapons from prison guards before killing them and attempted to destroy a new, more secure facility under construction next to Gweiran prison.

Siamand Ali, another spokesman for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, said ISIS terrorists attempted two attacks Sunday on the prison, also known as al-Sinaa prison. One attack was from terrorists holed up nearby and another from outside the city of Hassakeh, where the prison is located. Both were foiled, Ali said.

Between 150 and 200 terrorists were believed holed up in the northern wing of the prison and an adjacent residential area, including Zuhour neighborhood which was cordoned off by security forces, Ali added.

Late Sunday, the Kurdish-led administration announced a weeklong nightly curfew would start Monday, between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. Ali called it a precautionary measure to prevent ISIS terrorists from sending reinforcements to those holed up in and around the prison.

The violence has driven hundreds of civilians out of the city seeking safety.

Earlier Sunday, a Hassakeh resident said warplanes from the US-led coalition flew over the prison breaking the sound barrier. The resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution, said the US-backed Kurdish forces were heard calling on ISIS terrorists in the prison and in surrounding buildings to turn themselves in. A war monitor, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said helicopters dropped fliers over the city, urging residents to report suspicious activities.

ISIS claimed responsibility for the attempted prison break on its Aamaq news service.

Freeing convicts and imprisoned comrades has been a main tactic of the group. During its 2014 surge that overwhelmed territory in Iraq and Syria, ISIS carried out multiple prison breaks.

The attack launched Thursday evening was the biggest by ISIS combatants since the fall of the group's "caliphate" in 2019. Its demise came after ISIS lost its last territory in Syria following a years-long military campaign backed by the US-led coalition in Iraq and Syria.

In the ambitious assault, more than 100 terrorists armed with heavy machine guns and vehicles rigged with explosives attacked the facility aiming to free their comrades. They detonated a car bomb at a petroleum warehouse nearby, creating a diversion and leaving fire and smoke in the air for two days.

A video posted by ISIS late Saturday showed vehicles ramming through what appears to be the walls of the prison, creating large holes. Dozens of men were seen walking in the facility in the dark, seemingly escaping the prison. The Kurdish-led forces said Friday they arrested over 100 inmates who escaped.

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The total number of fugitives remains unclear.

In another video posted on the ISIS news service, the terrorists showed two dozen prison staff, some in military uniforms, taken hostage, including some who appeared bruised and beaten. One terrorist read out a statement to the camera and another stood guard with what seemed to be either a saw or a machete. Both terrorists were masked.

The Kurdish forces said late Saturday the men were probably among the prison kitchen staff with whom they lost contact since the assault began.

In its version of the attack, ISIS quoted one of its fighters in a statement posted late Saturday on its news service who said the attack began with two foreign suicide bombers who detonated two trucks at the gate of the prison and along its walls, causing major damage and casualties. Then jihadists fanned out, first heading to the prison towers and the petroleum warehouse. A second group attacked a Kurdish post nearby while two other groups clashed with nearby patrols and cut supply lines to undermine the prison defenses.

The assault coincided with riots inside the prison, where jihadist inmates seized weapons and held guards and prison staff hostage, ISIS said, claiming that it freed more than 800 of its fighters, some of whom are taking part in the ongoing operation.

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Israel currently has more than 80% of the bodies of terrorists killed in the past year in its possession, the Defense Ministry said over the weekend, following an Israel Hayom inquiry on the matter.

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It was the first time the Defense Ministry has addressed the matter of its policies regarding the bodies of terrorists.

The figure released by the ministry comes on the heels of a spate of terrorist attacks, and after the defense establishment's recent decision to return the bodies of three terrorists to their families, despite the diplomatic-security cabinet's stated policy of holding the bodies of terrorists as a deterrent and future bargaining chip in prisoner exchange deals.

On November 19, under directives from the political echelon, the IDF returned the body of Amjad Abu Sultan from Bethlehem to his family. Abu Sultan was shot and killed after throwing firebombs at a vehicle with Israeli license plates near Jerusalem.

On December 20, Palestinian media outlets reported that the IDF had returned the body of the terrorist Dr. Hazem Joulani, 40, from the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Shuafat. Joulani was killed was carrying out a stabbing attack in September in the Old City of Jerusalem.

This week, Palestinian news outlets reported that the body of another terrorist, Omar Abu Assab, was returned to his family. About a month ago, Assab attacked two Border Police officers near the Ateret Cohanim Yeshiva in the Old City.

Ministers informed Israel Hayom, however, that the diplomatic-security cabinet had not changed its policy on the matter. It should also be noted that in the past, most of the senior ministers in the current government have supported the policy of holding terrorists' bodies, including Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Finance Minister Avigdor Lieberman when they both served respectively as defense ministers under former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Even Alternate Prime Minister Yair Lapid has opposed returning terrorists' bodies and has said he would support legislation in such a vein.

The person who initially spearheaded Israel's current stated policy on the matter is Defense Minister Benny Gantz, who in August 2020 proposed that the government resolve not to return the body of any terrorist to his or her family, regardless of the outcome of their attack or organizational affiliation.

Gantz at the time said the policy was "part of our commitment to protect the safety of Israeli citizens, and of course return our boys home," referring to the bodies of IDF soldiers and Israeli civilians in Hamas captivity in Gaza. "I advise our enemies to understand and internalize this message very well," he said.

Right-wing civilian groups lambasted the decision to return the terrorists' bodies. Matan Peleg, the head of the Im Tirtzu organization, and Maor Zemach of the "Go Jerusalem" organization told Israel Hayom: "In recent years, together with the 'Choose Life' forum of bereaved families, we've waged a fight to stop the return of terrorists' bodies. In September 2020, at long last, the cabinet decided to put an end to [the practice], yet here we discover that in the past two months, the bodies of three terrorists were released.

"These decisions won't restore quiet and won't lead to peace. They will lead to more terror and are a prize for terrorist organizations. We call on the cabinet ministers who for years opposed returning terrorists' bodies, to wake up and act in accordance with their own words."

The Defense Ministry said in a statement that Gantz had not instituted any change to the policy.

"Following an examination of the numbers, in more than 80% of the cases brought before the defense minister over the past year, he decided to not to return the [terrorists'] bodies. In extraordinary cases, which correspond with the cabinet's policy, a decision is made, in accordance with recommendations from defense and legal authorities, to return a body. Minister Gantz will continue spearheading a policy of fighting terror uncompromisingly…," the Defense Ministry said.

A defense official told Israel Hayom that the cases exempted by Gantz were unique in that they involved either a minor or a person with a background of mental or other extenuating personal issues, in accordance with the criteria presented to the High Court of Justice.

The defense official further explained that more of these types of extenuating cases have come within the framework of the recent string of lone-wolf terrorist attacks. With that, the official stressed, in all three cases in which a body was returned the attacker did not have any affiliation with a terrorist organization.

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IDF troops overnight Sunday mapped the homes of the terrorists suspected of carrying out the deadly shooting attack near Homesh in Judea and Samaria last week that claimed the life of 25-year-old Israeli Yehuda Dimantman and wounded two others.

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IDF forces operated in Silat al-Khartiya, a Palestinian village on the outskirts of the city of Jenin in northern Samaria, where the terrorists were arrested early Sunday morning, the army said in a statement.

According to the IDF, the mapping was carried out to determine the feasibility of demolishing the homes in question, a policy of deterrence against future attacks.

As the soldiers were carrying out their mission, riots broke out in which dozens of Palestinians threw rocks and explosives at the forces, who responded with riot dispersal means and live fire.

No IDF soldiers were wounded in the exchange of fire, the army said in its statement.

The four suspects allegedly responsible for last Thursday's deadly attack were arrested early Sunday by the Israel Police Counterterrorism Unit, following an intense, three-day manhunt that included the IDF and Shin Bet security agency.

Two of the suspected terrorists are believed to have carried out the shooting, while the other two are said to have provided assistance.

The IDF deployed three entire battalions to the area following Thursday's shooting attack, along with special forces and various intelligence personnel.

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