Israel Displays Thousands of Weapons Seized from Hamas

On Sunday, the Israeli army showcased thousands of weapons seized from Hamas, a group supported by the Iranian government, at a military base located south of Tel Aviv, ahead of the first anniversary of the October 7 terrorist attack by Hamas. According to the Associated Press, the Israeli army announced that it had recovered over 5,000 Kalashnikov rifles (AK-47s) from Gaza and destroyed twice that number. Israel also reported the seizure of thousands of other weapons, including drones, explosives, RPGs, diving equipment, machine guns, sniper rifles, anti-tank missiles, and weapons manufactured in Gaza, Iran, Russia, and North Korea. Homemade explosives used to breach the Israeli-Gaza border wall during the October 7 terrorist attack were also displayed on Sunday. The Israeli army stated that these explosives were developed after years of studying the Israeli border during violent protests organized by Hamas along the Gaza-Israel border, including protests in 2018. Nadav Shoshani, a spokesperson for the Israeli army, said that Hamas attacked Israel on October 7 using all its capabilities. He noted that the Israeli army is studying the weapons seized from Hamas in Gaza as well as from Hezbollah in Lebanon to investigate the types of weapons and their origins. As Israel prepares to hold ceremonies related to the first anniversary of the October 7 terrorist attack, more soldiers have been deployed along the country's southern borders. A ceremony was planned with over 40,000 attendees in Tel Aviv, but due to army warnings about potential rocket attacks from Hezbollah in Lebanon, the event will only be attended by the families of the victims of the October 7 attack and the media. During the October 7 terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel, 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed, and over 250, including women, children, and the elderly, were taken hostage to Gaza. In response to this attack, which was the largest massacre of Jews in a single day since the Holocaust, Israel launched a military offensive against Gaza aimed at destroying Hamas and rescuing the hostages. Hamas is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Israel, Canada, Japan, and several other countries. Following the October 7 terrorist attack, Hezbollah in Lebanon, as the main proxy arm of the Islamic Republic, unilaterally began its rocket and drone attacks on northern Israel. In response, Israel conducted severe attacks against this group's positions in Lebanon and Syria, killing hundreds of members of this Iran-backed group and eliminating its leader and senior military commanders. Several countries, including the United States, Israel, Germany, Serbia, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, and Australia, have recognized Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. Recognizing Hezbollah as a terrorist organization means not distinguishing between its political and military wings and labeling both as terrorists. The Houthis in Yemen, another proxy group of the Islamic Republic, have also unilaterally carried out missile and drone attacks against Israel, leading to the formation of an international coalition led by the United States against this group. Israel and the U.S.-led international coalition have conducted severe attacks against this Iran-backed group's positions in Yemen in recent months. The continuation of Israeli attacks on Hezbollah targets in southern Beirut follows the firing of two missiles into northern Israel. The latest situation in the battlefield between Israel and Hezbollah; a potential successor to Nasrallah has been missing since Friday. A verbal war between Netanyahu and Macron; France has retreated and emphasized support for Israel. A Lebanese security source: No news has been available about a potential successor to Hassan Nasrallah since Friday. A senior U.S. State Department official: Israel has not provided any guarantees for not targeting nuclear facilities in Iran. Statement from the U.S. Attorney General on the anniversary of the October 7 terrorist attacks; Garland: We remain committed to prosecuting those responsible for this crime. The Middle East is in crisis; airlines have canceled their flights. Emergency plans of several countries to evacuate their citizens from Lebanon.