1) Andrew Fox and Salo Aizenberg report on ‘Hamas’s Human Shield Strategy in Gaza’ at the Henry Jackson Society.
“This report by the Henry Jackson Society represents the “missing chapter” in all the UN and NGO reports. It provides a comprehensive analysis of Hamas’s systematic use of human shield tactics during the 7 October Israel–Hamas war and the broader Gaza conflict. Drawing on extensive evidence from international media, military assessments, legal frameworks and firsthand accounts, the report outlines how Hamas has embedded its military operations within civilian infrastructure, weaponising Gaza’s population and urban landscape to achieve both tactical and strategic objectives.”
2) At The Free Press, Michael Ames looks at ‘The Gaza Famine Myth’.
“First developed in 2004 with backing from the UN, the IPC has become the global gold standard for food security analysis. Using a data-driven, evidence-based, five-phase scale that ticks up as food supplies run low, the IPC is designed to shield the humanitarian goal of having enough to eat from the political pressures of war. Today, a famine is declared only when the IPC’s data about a region shows that at least 20 percent of households have run out of food, at least 30 percent of children are acutely malnourished, and two people out of every 10,000 are dying each day from starvation.”
3) At the Alma Center, Zoe Levornik discusses ‘The Increasing Biased (and Misleading) Criticism of Israel’.
“The recurring international criticism claims that Israel’s presence in Lebanon and Syria is not driven by security needs but rather indicates Israel’s intention to occupy territory in violation of the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon and international law regarding Syrian sovereignty. Furthermore, the international criticism asserts that Israeli strikes in Lebanon and Syria are harming uninvolved civilians.”
4) Ari Heistein analyses ‘The Houthi Challenge’ at the FDD.
“The Houthis’ military success and precise attacks on sensitive targets were the result of growing cooperation with the Islamic Republic of Iran. As early as 2017, the IRGC chief, Maj. Gen. Ali Jafari, acknowledged providing support for the Houthis. Evidence of such support is now overwhelming. Weaponry is apparently smuggled into Houthi territory by ship through Hodeidah, by dhow through smaller ports or over land via Oman. IRGC and Hezbollah advisers help the Houthis use ever more sophisticated, Iran-supplied weapons.”
5) At the JCFA, Shlomi Michaels explains ‘The Deadly Domino Effect of Islamism in the Horn of Africa’.
“The geopolitical landscape of the Middle East and North Africa is increasingly shaped by the relationships between various state and non-state actors. Key players like Qatar and Turkey, fueled by their Muslim Brotherhood doctrine, have positioned themselves as supporters of certain Islamist movements, including the Houthis in Yemen, Al-Shabaab in Somalia, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in Sudan. These alliances threaten regional security and stability, particularly concerning the ongoing conflict in the Horn of Africa, with deepening crises particularly in Sudan and Somalia.”
6) Dr Reda Mansour writes about ‘Israel, the Druze and Syria’s reign of lies’.
“Many people in Israel and overseas are trying to understand what the role of Israel should be in the dramatic events involving the Druze in Syria and the new government in Damascus. To do so, we have to look at the unfolding saga of the relationship between the Syrian minorities and the Al-Shara government.”
