Israel-Hamas war day 212: What's going on in Gaza?

Israel's cabinet on Sunday unanimously voted to shut down the Qatari news outlet Al Jazeera's operations in Israel, nearly six months after first announcing its intentions to do so due to security concerns related to the Israel-Hamas war.

Israel's National Security Cabinet was scheduled to hold the vote on Thursday, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delayed it due to concern that the vote would not pass. According to a spokesperson for Minister-without-portfolio MK Benny Gantz's National Unity party, this was because Mossad chief David Barnea requested that the government delay it for a few days, to avoid possible negative diplomatic ramifications relating to Qatar, a mediator between Israel and Hamas in negotiations for a deal to free Israeli hostages.

The decision required approval from either the government's National Security Cabinet (NSC) or the general cabinet, and Netanyahu chose to move forwards on Sunday in the general cabinet despite Barnea's request.

Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi signed an executive order immediately after the vote passed, and it thus came into effect right away. In a video statement, Karhi called Al Jazeera a "Hamas incitement organ." Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also posted on X, "The government under my leadership decided unanimously: The incitement channel Al Jazeera will be shut down in Israel."

National Unity's three ministers were not present at the meeting and did not take part in the vote. The party said in a statement that its ministers "support closing Al Jazeera's broadcasts and even announced that they would support its closure in the recent (national security) cabinet meeting."

A key terrorist in the Al-Bureij Battalion of the terror organization Hamas has been eliminated in a joint operation by the IDF's 99th Division, the Intelligence Directorate, and the Shin Bet.

Air Force aircraft, under the direction of the three coordinating units, attacked and killed the terrorist Salah Jamil Muhammad Emad, the head of combat assistance in the al-Bureij battalion.

In the attack, several other terrorists who were with him in the terrorist infrastructure of the organization were eliminated.

All the while, soldiers in the 99th Division, including the combat teams of the 2nd Brigade, the 679th Brigade, and others, continue to eliminate terrorists and destroy terrorist infrastructure in the Gaza Strip.

In another attack, three Nukhba terrorists were eliminated, some of whom took part in the terrorist attack on October 7.

A 65-year-old man was slightly wounded by shrapnel in the rocket barrage that was fired earlier at Kiryat Shmona. The MDA team that was called to the scene gave him medical treatment. 

In addition, MDA's intensive care vehicle was hit by shrapnel.

Rocket sirens sounded across northern Israel Sunday early afternoon, with a direct hit to a building in the city of Kiryat Shmona reported. 

According to Israeli media, citing Lebanese Hezbollah-affiliated al-Mayadeen news agency, over 30 missiles were launched from Lebanon toward the Galilee.

The places impacted in addition to Kiryat Shmona were Misgav Am, Margaliot, Tel Hai, Beit Hillel, Hagoshrim, and Dafna. 

On Sunday, the head of Hamas' political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, expressed interest in reaching an agreement as long as a ceasefire is reached.

At least seven people were wounded after Hamas fired ten rockets toward the Kerem Shalom area along the Israel-Gaza border on Sunday afternoon. At least one of the individuals wounded was in critical condition.

Shortly after the attack, the IDF closed the Kerem Shalom crossing located in the area, halting the entry of humanitarian aid trucks through the crossing which serves as the main entry point for aid.

Several people received medical treatment on the spot for injuries sustained from the rocket fire, and were evacuated to hospitals for immediate medical care. 

Protests and actions calling for the IDF to invade Rafah have been ramping up as media reports that Hamas is close to accepting a hostage deal spread over the weekend.

Families of soldiers who have fallen in the Israel-Hamas war, who were joined by additional protesters, marched from their tent near the Knesset to the prime minister's office, where they blocked an entrance demanding an invasion of Rafah Sunday morning, said the Valor Forum who organized the march.

They were joined outside the prime minister's office by numerous ministers reiterating their demands, including National Missions Minister Orit Strock, Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar, Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

The head of Al Jazeera in Israel and the Palestinian territories described an Israeli government decision on Sunday to shutter the Qatari-owned station's local operations as "dangerous" and motivated by politics rather than professional considerations.

Private Ori Magidish, who was rescued from Hamas captivity in an IDF operation in October, will light one of the torches at the Independence Day ceremony, Israeli media reported on Sunday.

Iran’s proxy groups in the region continue to claim they are carrying out attacks on Israel. The claims come amid ongoing talks of a ceasefire. This is important because it reveals how Iran seeks to use the leadup to any kind of agreement to solidify its regional advantage.

Iran has exponentially increased the role of its proxies in recent years, expanding them in Iraq and Syria and aiding the Houthis to increase the range of their drones and missiles.

After the Hamas attack on October 7, Iran pushed each militia to begin attacks, in a slowly increasing list of attacks from multiple fronts. This includes Hezbollah, the Houthis, and militias in Iraq and Syria. Pro-Iran media recently said that an Iranian-backed terror group in Bahrain had also carried out two attacks.

A 65-year-old man was slightly wounded by shrapnel in the rocket barrage that was fired earlier at Kiryat Shmona. The MDA team that was called to the scene gave him medical treatment.

Rocket sirens sounded across northern Israel Sunday early afternoon, with a direct hit to a building in the city of Kiryat Shmona reported. 

According to Israeli media, citing Lebanese Hezbollah-affiliated al-Mayadeen news agency, over 30 missiles were launched from Lebanon toward the Galilee.