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The Palestinian Authority (PA)

Spotlight on the Israel-Palestinian Conflict (May 13 – 20, 2025)

The IDF launched Operation Gideon’s Chariots, a large-scale ground operation combined with aerial attacks targeting Hamas and other terrorist organizations. An assassination attempt was made on the life of Muhammad al-Sinwar, considered head of Hamas' military wing. Palestinians reported hundreds of casualties and damage to hospitals in the Gaza Strip; The Qatari prime minister announced that the indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas held in Doha had reached a dead end. Hamas continued to demand a deal involving the release of all the hostages in exchange for the Palestinian prisoners and called for American and international guarantees to end the war; Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas instructed the Fatah leadership and PLO "factions" to renew contact with Hamas and integrate it into the Palestinian political system to reach an agreement which would include restoring control of the Gaza Strip to the Palestinian Authority; One Israeli civilian was killed and a civilian and a police officer were injured in two terrorist attacks. Israeli security forces continued extensive counterterrorism operations in Judea and Samaria.
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Spotlight on Terrorism: Hezbollah and Lebanon (May 12 – 19, 2025)

IDF forces continued operations targeting Hezbollah’s presence in south Lebanon, which is in violation of the ceasefire, preventing the organization from rebuilding its military capabilities. The forces eliminated Hezbollah terrorist field commanders and operatives in south Lebanon; Hezbollah secretary general Na'im Qassem called on Lebanese state institutions to increase pressure on Israel against its "ongoing aggression and violations." He also admitted that Iran had served the "resistance” and that they had benefited from it in every respect; Lebanese leaders claimed that American-led international pressure should compel Israel to withdraw from south Lebanon and halt its attacks in the country. Lebanese President Aoun said Hezbollah had to understand it had no choice but to accept the concept of the state's monopoly on weapons, but added that it had to be achieved through dialogue and not hastily, to avoid confrontation; The United States is reportedly pressuring the Lebanese government to shut down Hezbollah’s financial arm; An indictment was filed against a person affiliated with Hezbollah accused of collaborating with Israel by providing information enabling Israel to target senior Hezbollah terrorists during and after the war; Lebanon is preparing for a visit by Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas, who is expected to discuss the disarmament of armed Palestinian "factions" in the refugee camps. President Aoun questioned whether Palestinian arms were truly meant "to liberate Palestine" or to kill Palestinians and Lebanese.
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Spotlight on the Israel-Palestinian Conflict (May 6–13, 2025)

IDF forces continued operations targeting Hamas and other terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip, attacking terrorist operatives, including participants in the October 7, 2023 attack, and destroying terrorist facilities, some of them in civilian installations. Two IDF soldiers were killed in Rafah; Hamas' military wing released the Israeli-American hostage, IDF soldier Idan Alexander, following direct secret talks with the American administration. The organization called for immediate negotiations for ending the war and releasing all "captives."; Hamas continued to promote the “famine” narrative and rejected an American plan to establish aid distribution centers; Hamas' security forces reportedly executed five Gazans as part of an operation against “looters and suspected collaborators with Israel.”; Two IDF soldiers were shot and seriously injured in Samaria. Israeli security forces continued extensive counterterrorism operations in Judea and Samaria, during which the head of a Palestinian Islamic Jihad cell in Jenin was eliminated; Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas visited Moscow and met with the presidents of Russia, China and Egypt. He called for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the transfer of responsibility for Gaza to the Palestinian Authority and discussed the international peace conference planned for June 2025.
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Disarming the Palestinian Factions in Lebanon

The Palestinian factions in Lebanon have maintained an armed presence in the refugee camps for decades without interference from the authorities. In recent years, the Hamas branch in Lebanon has become the most powerful military force among the factions, and its active involvement in fighting alongside Hezbollah in the latest conflict drew significant public and political attention; The ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon in November 2024, which ended the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, led the Lebanese authorities to declare their willingness to institute a state monopoly of weapons throughout the country. The declaration was reinforced under the new president, Joseph Aoun, and the new government headed by Nawaf Salam; The rocket fire attacking northern Israel at the end of March 2025 and the exposure of Hamas operatives as responsible led the authorities to warn the movement not to threaten national security. Following the warning, in an unprecedented move Hamas handed the Lebanese army suspects involved in the rocket fire; At this stage, it is unclear whether Lebanese security forces intend to act militarily to collect the weapons in the country’s Palestinian refugee camps or to simply reorganize relations and increase coordination over weapons use. In ITIC assessment, a successful assertion of state authority over the Palestinian factions could set a precedent for a similar move against Hezbollah, which is considered a more complex and sensitive challenge for Lebanon. As a result, Hezbollah may attempt to prevent a forceful move by the Lebanese army against the Palestinian factions but may also assist in resolving the issue through dialogue.
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Spotlight on the Israel-Palestinian Conflict (April 29 – May 6, 2025)

IDF forces continued attacking targets belonging to Hamas and the other terrorist operatives operating in the Gaza Strip. They eliminated terrorist operatives and destroyed facilities, including an area of rocket launchers prepared to fire rockets at Israel. An IDF officer and soldier were killed in Rafah; Hamas reiterated its proposal for a five-year ceasefire, warning Israel that its intention to expand the military operation in the Gaza Strip endangered the remaining hostages and would not achieve its objectives; Hamas accused Israel of attempting to create chaos in the Gaza Strip amid the looting of humanitarian aid warehouses and announced a nighttime curfew and the formation of a new security unit; Israeli security forces continued extensive counterterrorism activity in Judea and Samaria. An IDF soldier was seriously wounded. The Palestinians condemned the IDF’s intention to demolish more than one hundred structures in the refugee camps in Tulkarm.
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Spotlight on Terrorism: Hezbollah and Lebanon (April 28 – May 5, 2025)

IDF forces continued operating to counter the presence of Hezbollah in south Lebanon in violation of the ceasefire and to thwart the organization’s renewed attempts to strengthen its military capabilities. Several Hezbollah terrorist operatives were eliminated; Hezbollah secretary general Na'im Qassem claimed that Israel had violated the ceasefire more than 3,000 times. He accused the Lebanese state institutions of failing to exert sufficient diplomatic pressure to stop the attacks but did not say Hezbollah would take action against Israel; Members of the Lebanese leadership met with the American general who headed the ceasefire monitoring committee and with his successor, noting the need to pressure Israel to stop its attacks and withdraw from the five points it holds in south Lebanon to enable the Lebanese army to complete its deployment; Senior Hezbollah figures said a dialogue on a national defense strategy could take place only after the completion of the Israeli withdrawal but continued to oppose disarming Hezbollah. Lebanese President Aoun noted that the decision regarding the state's monopoly over weapons was irreversible. The Lebanese army claimed to have dismantled more than 90% of Hezbollah’s infrastructure south of the Litani River; The Lebanese Supreme Defense Council warned Hamas against taking actions which would undermine the country's sovereignty and national security. Hamas handed over two operatives involved in firing rockets at northern Israel at the end of March 2025; For the first time since 2016, municipal elections are being held in Lebanon: candidates from Hezbollah and Amal's list won in all councils in the Dahiyeh al-Janoubia, the Shi'ite suburb of southern Beirut.
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