By: Fern Sidman

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday publicly confirmed that Israel carried out a targeted strike against senior Hamas leadership, hours after two coordinated terror attacks in Jerusalem and Gaza left ten Israelis dead. The announcement, made at a U.S. Embassy event in Jerusalem celebrating American Independence Day, called attention to both Israel’s continuing resolve to pursue those responsible for the atrocities of October 7, 2023, and its willingness to consider a pathway toward a ceasefire under a plan advanced by President Donald Trump.

According to a report on Tuesday at VIN News, Netanyahu said he had convened Israel’s top security chiefs at midday Tuesday and authorized what he described as a “surgical precision strike” aimed at the highest echelons of Hamas. The action came in direct response to the day’s bloodshed: six civilians gunned down at a bus stop in Jerusalem’s Ramot neighborhood, and four Israel Defense Forces soldiers killed in Gaza during an ongoing operation. Hamas quickly claimed responsibility for both attacks.

“These are the same terrorist chiefs who planned, launched, and celebrated the horrific massacres of October 7th,” Netanyahu declared. “At noon today, I convened the heads of Israel’s security organizations and authorized a surgical precision strike on the terrorist chiefs of Hamas.”

The deadly assault in Jerusalem represented one of the most severe terror incidents in the capital since the start of the war nearly two years ago. Armed attackers opened fire at commuters during the busy morning rush, killing six and wounding more than a dozen. Hours later, in the Gaza Strip, four IDF soldiers were ambushed in the midst of clearing a Hamas stronghold.

For Netanyahu, the dual attacks were a grim reminder of Hamas’s continued operational capacity despite Israel’s intensive military campaign. Speaking before American diplomats, Israeli officials, and invited guests at the U.S. Embassy celebration, he framed the strike as a necessary response that was as much about restoring deterrence as it was about justice.

“Much of the world, including much of the democratic world, has shamefully forgotten October 7th,” he said, referring to the massacre that ignited the current war. “But I don’t forget, and Israel will never forget. There was a time when Jews could be murdered with impunity. Since the founding of the State of Israel, those days are over.”

Netanyahu’s remarks reflected his consistent effort to anchor every aspect of Israel’s wartime conduct in the memory of the October 7 atrocities, in which 1,200 Israelis were murdered and more than 250 taken hostage. The VIN News report noted that the prime minister frequently invokes the events of that day in international forums, often as a counterweight to criticism of Israel’s military operations in Gaza.

The prime minister said that while international focus has shifted elsewhere, Israel’s moral obligation to its citizens remains unchanged. “We kept our promise to pursue those responsible,” he said. “The message is simple: no matter where they hide, no matter who protects them, those who spill Jewish blood will face consequences.”

Perhaps most striking was Netanyahu’s suggestion that the targeted strike could be a prelude to a broader diplomatic breakthrough. For the first time in weeks, he confirmed that Israel had accepted the principles of a ceasefire framework outlined by President Trump.

“If President Trump’s proposal is accepted, the war can end immediately,” Netanyahu declared. “We can begin once again to pursue the expansion of peace in our region for the benefit of all.”

According to details previously reported by VIN News, Trump’s plan calls for the immediate release of all hostages still held in Gaza as the first step toward a cessation of hostilities. Negotiations would then be conducted under Trump’s direct supervision, with a guarantee that fighting would not resume during the talks.

By linking the elimination of senior Hamas leaders to the possibility of peace, Netanyahu appeared to signal both strength and flexibility: demonstrating that Israel remains committed to dismantling Hamas militarily while also leaving the door open to a diplomatic resolution if conditions permit.

In an unusually direct address, Netanyahu turned to the people of Gaza themselves. “Don’t be derailed by these murderous terrorists,” he urged. “They live in sumptuous villas while you suffer. They hide in tunnels underground and leave you exposed above ground as human shields. Stand up for your rights and your future. Make peace with us. Accept President Trump’s proposal. If you do, there is no limit to our common future.”

The statement was clearly designed to sow doubt within Gaza about Hamas’s leadership, portraying its commanders as self-serving elites indifferent to the suffering of ordinary Palestinians. VIN News reported that Israeli officials believe such messaging is crucial as Hamas attempts to present itself internationally as the voice of Palestinian resistance.

The strike and Netanyahu’s subsequent statements reflected a broader Israeli strategy that has unfolded since the war began: simultaneous military pressure on Hamas leadership, coupled with diplomatic engagement when advantageous.

VIN News has consistently reported that Israel’s intelligence and security apparatus views Hamas’s senior leaders abroad—whether in Gaza, Lebanon, or Qatar—as the architects of October 7 and the ongoing campaign. By striking them directly, Israel hopes to erode both the organization’s operational capacity and its international legitimacy.

The operation also dovetails with Israel’s long-standing policy of targeted killings, a controversial but central feature of its counter-terror doctrine. In recent months, Israeli strikes have eliminated Hamas commanders in Lebanon, Syria, and reportedly even in Qatar—though the latter remains shrouded in conflicting accounts.

Netanyahu’s announcement at an American diplomatic celebration was no coincidence. It highlighted the close coordination between Jerusalem and Washington, particularly with Trump back in the White House.

The prime minister lavished praise on U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee and his wife Janet, who hosted the July 4th event. With characteristic humor, he remarked: “If we had five or six more Mike Huckabees, Israel wouldn’t have a hasbara problem.”

The quip reflected more than camaraderie; it underscored the depth of alignment between the Trump administration and Israel’s current government, particularly on issues of security, religious freedom, and combating antisemitism.

Hamas, for its part, released a statement lauding the day’s attacks as “heroic operations” and vowing to escalate violence across Judea and Samaria. The group did not immediately confirm whether its senior leadership had been struck, a silence that Israeli analysts interpreted as potentially significant.

The VIN News report noted that Hamas has previously downplayed or denied Israeli operations against its leadership until internal assessments could be made. The ambiguity has fueled speculation about the scope of Israel’s strike and whether it successfully decapitated portions of Hamas’s command structure.

If verified, the deaths of senior Hamas figures would represent one of Israel’s most consequential operations since October 7, with far-reaching implications for the group’s cohesion and capacity.

Netanyahu’s framing of the operation as both retributive justice for October 7 and a step toward possible peace reflects the difficult balancing act Israel faces. On the one hand, the demand for security and accountability is non-negotiable. On the other, the pressure from hostages’ families and international partners to find an off-ramp from the conflict is growing.

The VIN News report highlighted that Netanyahu’s coalition faces internal pressures as well, with some ministers urging uncompromising military escalation and others open to Trump’s ceasefire framework. Tuesday’s announcement appeared designed to reassure both camps: Israel will not relent in striking its enemies, but it is also prepared to embrace a credible peace initiative.

The Independence Day event at the U.S. Embassy, typically a symbolic celebration of shared values, became instead the stage for one of the most consequential wartime announcements in recent months. Netanyahu’s declaration that Israel had eliminated senior Hamas leaders just hours after deadly attacks in Jerusalem and Gaza, and his confirmation of Israel’s acceptance of Trump’s ceasefire framework, may signal a turning point in the war.

Whether this moment marks the beginning of the end or simply another escalation remains uncertain. But as the VIN News report emphasized, one thing is clear: Israel is determined to ensure that the memory of October 7 is neither erased nor ignored—and that those who orchestrated it will face consequences, wherever they may be.