IDF: Half of Hamas forces in Rafah dismantled * PM disbands war cabinet * 11 IDF funerals held * Haredi leader: IDF doesn’t want us * Iris Haim int’w: ’New voice of hope’

[Times of Israel]( [The daily edition]( Monday, June 17, 2024 Presented by [Jewish People Policy Institute]( Live updates [LIVE: IDF says it has dismantled half of Hamas’s forces in Rafah, killed at least 550 gunmen]( By ToI Staff Israel says UN yet to take ‘full advantage’ of new aid route into Gaza * Biden adviser Hochstein meets PM in bis to avert escalation with Hezbollah * Netanyahu disbands war cabinet [Netanyahu officially disbands war cabinet after Gantz’s departure from government]( By Lazar Berman PM tells ministers the small forum created to manage war will not reconvene, with decisions instead made in ad hoc ‘consultations’; far-right’s Ben Gvir had been lobbying to join [11 funerals for IDF commanders, soldiers held across Israel as nation mourns]( By ToI Staff Troops killed in three separate incidents in Gaza laid to rest at funerals from north to south; Druze village of Beit Jann delays Eid al-Adha celebrations for day of mourning [Fighting will continue in Rafah until Hamas is defeated there, says IDF general]( By Emanuel Fabian and AFP from our sponsor [Ceasefire negotiations and Israeli elections]( With the war continuing in Gaza and a ceasefire deal now looking unlikely, we talk to distiguished US diplomat Dennis Ross and JPPI President Professor Yedidia Stern about Israel’s options. [Top Biden aide in Israel to try to head off war with Hezbollah]( By Lazar Berman Special envoy Amos Hochstein to meet with Netanyahu, Defense Minister Gallant, and opposition leaders before flying to Lebanon amid spiraling conflict [IDF warns Hezbollah is bringing Israel to the brink of a ‘wider escalation’]( By Emanuel Fabian and ToI Staff [Haredi leader Goldknopf on army draft: ‘You don’t want us and you don’t need us’]( By ToI Staff At event marking Bnei Brak centenery, UTJ chief wonders why ultra-Orthodox parties’ electoral achievements do not enable them to strike deals to avoid enlistment for their community [Government backs new extension to IDF reservists’ service despite backlash]( By Sam Sokol [ToI podcast / Daily Briefing June 17: Day 255 – Will Knesset keep reservists longer but exempt Haredim?]( By ToI Staff Interview [Iris Haim, mother of killed hostage, tells US Jews: ‘I bring Israel a new voice of hope’]( By Natan Galula On a speaking tour of North America, nurse whose son Yotam Haim was accidentally shot dead by IDF soldiers calls to end Israeli polarization and hints at a run in politics [Thrilled by IDF rescue, hostages’ families say deal only way to free their relatives]( By Jessica Steinberg Top Ops Qanta A. Ahmed [The devastating reframing of Israel’s just war]( Suggesting symmetry between Israel and Hamas fundamentally ruptures the sense that the lives of Jews and all Israelis matter Martin Fletcher [When a faux rally for peace came to my Mexican town]( Slogans that followed a bigoted playbook – ‘apartheid,’ ‘genocide,’ and ‘ceasefire now’ – betrayed the protest for the sham it was [Those We Have Lost]( [Those We Have Lost]( [Civilians and soldiers who have fallen since Oct. 7]( [Read Here]( [Protesters block highways ahead of Knesset protest amid ‘week of disruption’]( By ToI Staff High school students stage walkouts, buses organized to transport demonstrators to Jerusalem for major rallies in front of parliament on Monday night [Agriculture Ministry funding illegal farming outposts, US-sanctioned settlers – report]( By Jeremy Sharon Anti-settlement group says unauthorized West Bank farms got NIS 1.66 million in 2017-2023, including some founded by Israelis the US accuses of undermining West Bank stability [High Court orders state comptroller to suspend October 7 probe into IDF, Shin Bet]( By Jeremy Sharon Justice Gila Canfy-Steinitz says ruling based on classified opinions written by security agencies [Assailing military, Yair Netanyahu claims ‘treason’ in leadup to October 7 attack]( By ToI Staff [CRM]( [Security cabinet mulls penalizing Palestinian Authority for statehood moves]( By ToI Staff Decision pushed off as defense minister, attorney general ask for more time to study proposals; Smotrich said to agree to release some tax revenues if settlements boosted [Likud MKs slam revival of bill expanding Chief Rabbinate’s influence]( By Sam Sokol MK charges Religious Zionism party reintroduced bill ‘like thieves in the night’; it would create hundreds of publicly funded jobs for Orthodox rabbis, erode women’s role [Knesset revives bill expanding Chief Rabbinate’s influence over local authorities]( By Sam Sokol [Those We Are Missing]( [The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown]( [Read Here]( [Why Israeli battlefield commanders are breaking IDF rules to solicit donated gear]( By Asaf Elia-Shalev While it’s against orders for individual soldiers to accept donations, supply officers turn to Diaspora Jews regularly — not just to get more supplies, but to get them faster [Israeli arms sales break record for 3rd year in row, reaching $13 billion in 2023]( By Emanuel Fabian Defense Ministry says massive exports come as industries remain committed to Israeli war effort; air defense systems account for more than a third of sales [Israeli Navy receives second of new US-built landing craft]( By Emanuel Fabian [Day 255 – Will Knesset keep reservists longer but exempt Haredim?]( [listen to the podcast]( [Not sunk: US aircraft carrier fights false Houthi claims with memes and muffins]( By Jon Gambrell Capt. ‘Chowdah’ Hill hosts Taco Tuesdays and posts images of sailors eating cookies, boosting morale as the Red Sea deployment stretches on and proving the USS Eisenhower is intact More Headlines [Nuclear arms spending soars as global tensions ratchet up, studies show]( By Agencies and ToI Staff [High Court rules to naturalize children of convert to Judaism who hid their births]( By Canaan Lidor [Loan org, Leket food bank, partner to offer farmers credit to cope with war effects]( By Sue Surkes [After pouring in following October 7, critical human milk donations now run dry]( By Renee Ghert-Zand [Russia to start espionage trial of US reporter Gershkovich next week]( By Agencies [Deaths reported in Mecca as Muslims complete last hajj ritual in extreme heat]( By Sahar Al Attar [The daily edition]( [facebook]( [twitter]( [instagram]( [View in browser]( [Contact support](mailto:support@timesofisrael.com) [Advertise with us](mailto:advertise@timesofisrael.com) Were you forwarded this email? 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