Monday 8 Adar 2 – Airstrikes Target Hamas Terrorists in Khan Yunis, Hezbollah in Southern Lebanon

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Russians crowded outside polling stations at noon Sunday on the last day of a presidential election, apparently heeding an opposition call to protest against President Vladimir Putin in a vote that offered them no real alternatives after he ruthlessly cracked down on dissent.

Shortly after the last polls closed in Russia, early returns pointed to the conclusion everyone expected: that Putin would extend his nearly quarter-century rule for six more years. According to Russia’s Central Election Commission, he had some 87% of the vote with about 60% of precincts counted.

The extraordinary early results — which Putin hailed as an indication of “trust” and “hope” in him — were another reflection of the preordained nature of the election. The Russian leader only faced competition from three token rivals and any public criticism of him or his war in Ukraine was stifled.

Putin’s fiercest political foe, Alexei Navalny, died in an Arctic prison last month, and other critics are either in jail or in exile. Beyond the fact that voters had virtually no choice, independent monitoring of the election was extremely limited.

In a tightly controlled environment with little room for real protest, Navalny’s associates urged those unhappy with Putin or the war to go to the polls at noon on Sunday — and lines outside a number of polling stations both inside Russia and at its embassies around the world appeared to swell at that time.

Among those heeding call was Yulia Navalnaya, Navalny’s widow, who joined a long line at the Russian Embassy in Berlin as some in the crowd applauded and chanted her name.

She spent more than five hours in the line and told reporters after casting her vote that she wrote her late husband’s name on the ballot.

Asked whether she had a message for Putin, Navalnaya replied: “Please stop asking for messages from me or from somebody for Mr. Putin. There could be no negotiations and nothing with Mr. Putin, because he’s a killer, he’s a gangster.”

Some Russians waiting to vote in Moscow and St. Petersburg told The Associated Press that they were taking part in the protest, but it wasn’t possible to confirm whether all of those in line were doing so.

One woman in Moscow, who said her name was Yulia, told the AP that she was voting for the first time.

“Even if my vote doesn’t change anything, my conscience will be clear … for the future that I want to see for our country,” she said. Like others, she didn’t give her full name because of security concerns.

Another Moscow voter, who also identified himself only by his first name, Vadim, said he hoped for change, but added that “unfortunately, it’s unlikely.”

Meanwhile, supporters of Navalny streamed to his grave in Moscow, some bringing ballots with his name written on them.

Meduza, Russia’s biggest independent news outlet, published photos of ballots it received from their readers, with “killer” inscribed on one, “thief” on another and “The Hague awaits you” on yet another. The last refers to an arrest warrant for Putin from the International Criminal Court that accuses him of personal responsibility for abductions of children from Ukraine.

After polls closed, Putin said the protests had no effect and that any crimes would be punished.

Some people told the AP that they were happy to vote for Putin — unsurprising in a country where independent media have been crippled, state TV airs a drumbeat of praise for the Russian leader and voicing any other opinion is risky.

Dmitry Sergienko, who cast his ballot in Moscow, said, “I am happy with everything and want everything to continue as it is now.”

Voting took place over three days at polling stations across the vast country’s 11 time zones, in illegally annexed regions of Ukraine and online. While polls closed Sunday night in Russia, voting continued at some embassies around the world.

Despite tight controls, several dozen cases of vandalism at polling stations were reported across the voting period.

Several people were arrested, including in Moscow and St. Petersburg, after they tried to start fires or set off explosives at polling stations while others were detained for throwing green antiseptic or ink into ballot boxes.

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“We are set to take action in Rafah. It may take some weeks, but it will come to pass,” stated Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu at the outset of the Cabinet meeting on Sunday.

Netanyahu went on to express his frustration with certain elements of the international community, accusing them of attempting to prematurely halt the ongoing conflict before all objectives have been met. He criticized what he described as false accusations against the IDF, the Israeli government, and himself.

He continued, suggesting that these efforts were aimed at hastening elections, which, if held now, would disrupt the war effort and debilitate the country for a significant period.

The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of persisting until all goals of the conflict are achieved, asserting that yielding to external pressures would constitute a loss for Israel, a scenario he was unwilling to accept.

Netanyahu also directed criticism at international allies, questioning the rapidity with which they seemed to forget past atrocities, particularly referencing the Oct. 7 attacks, which he described as the most devastating massacres against Jews since the Holocaust. He challenged their readiness to deny the right to self-defense against Hamas and questioned the integrity of their moral stance.

Hamas has reportedly confirmed that Marwan Issa, the deputy to Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif, was killed in an Israeli strike in Nusirat, central Gaza. Sources cited by Kan News on Sunday revealed that Issa, ranked third in Hamas’s high command, was targeted while hiding in one of Hamas’s terror tunnels.

The sources further disclosed that Issa’s body remains buried beneath the rubble at the strike site.

Razi Abu Tomeh, a Hamas Brigade commander, was also reportedly killed in the same strike.

Last week, the IDF announced its targeting of Issa during a strike in Gaza. While the military could not confirm Issa’s death, Hamas remained silent on the matter.

However, the IDF verified that no hostages were present in the vicinity during the attack.

Following the strike, Hamas’s communications reportedly ceased for 72 hours, as per a report published by The Guardian on Sunday.

Intelligence expert Avi Melamed suggested to the British newspaper that confirmation of Issa’s whereabouts and the subsequent approval of the operation by the Israeli Cabinet required insider knowledge within the terror group.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu responded to the attack in a video statement, asserting, “We are on our way to complete victory,” and affirming the elimination of top Hamas leaders.

The IDF reported Sunday that 18 Hamas terrorists were killed in ongoing operations in the central Gaza Strip over the last day. The casualties occurred due to sniper fire, artillery shelling, and aerial strikes conducted by Israeli troops.

In one instance, IDF soldiers directed an airstrike against four terrorists located near their position. Additionally, ground forces identified three terrorists entering a Hamas compound, prompting an Israeli aircraft to eliminate the threat. Another airstrike targeted a terrorist leaving a different Hamas compound nearby.

Further south in Khan Yunis, IDF soldiers observed two terrorists loading military equipment onto a motorcycle. Israeli aircraft promptly eliminated the threat, along with two additional terrorists approaching the troops.

In a coordinated operation involving ground and air forces, a military compound that had launched an anti-tank missile at IDF troops was targeted. Concurrently, a nearby terrorist was also struck by Israeli forces.

Weapons were seized by Israeli soldiers during operations in Khan Yunis.

Meanwhile, Israeli fighter jets conducted airstrikes on a Hezbollah observation post in the southern Lebanon area of Kfarkela. Overnight, several launches originating from Lebanon toward the areas of Ghajar and Har Dov were identified. The IDF responded by striking the sources of the fire. No casualties were reported.

Additionally, Israeli artillery targeted a potential threat near the southern Lebanese village of Maisat, situated on the border of the Golan Heights.

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