239 confirmed kidnapped.
5 hostages freed.
1,400+ Israelis murdered.
36 fallen soldiers since entering Gaza.
7,262 injured.
9,500+ rockets fired at Israel.
500,000+ Israelis displaced from their homes.
1 Jewish nation united in prayer, charity, and good deeds.
*Hostage & Injured Updates:*
Islamic Jihad announced that they have two hostages in Gaza, who are not in good health: Chana Katzir, 76, and Gil Yaakov, 12, both from Kibbutz Nir Oz. Islamic Jihad published video evidence of the two hostages, and said they are “ready to release them for humanitarian reasons.” But they did not specify how or under which conditions.
IDF spokesman, Brigadier General Daniel Hagari, said that Islamic Jihad nor Hamas had made a real move to release them, rather the video is a a form of psychological terror. One thing is clear from the video—Chana and Gil, and all the hostages, need our continues prayers.
There are ongoing talks about temporary ceasefires in exchange for the release of hostages. PM Netanyahu, President Herzog, and Defense Minister Galant all made statements to the effect of there being no ceasefire without the return of all the hostages.
Amidst the talk of temporary ceasefires, Almog Boker–an Israeli media personality and advocate for residents of southern Israel—reminded everyone that during a temporary ceasefire in 2014, Hamas killed three IDF soldiers in Gaza.
At least one commander inside Gaza announced that he is not willing to stop, and his brigade will not leave Gaza until the job is done.
*Gaza Front Updates:*
Hamas fired more rockets and missiles today than yesterday, with a wider range, although still at an overall decrease. The furthest barrage was northward to Ashdod. No hits or physical injuries were reported.
The IDF announced that Israel is covered by the largest deployment of air defense batteries ever, in all layers of defense.
The IDF announced the names of two soldiers who fell in battle in Gaza:
Reserve Major Dov Moshe (Dubi) Kogan, 32 years old, from Nove.
Eliyahu Binyamin Almakais, 29-years-old, from Jerusalem.
The IDF continues to close in on Gaza City, and particularly Shefa Hospital, underneath which lays Hamas Headquarters. Hamas is reportedly not allowing civilians to leave the hospital—forcing them to remain as human shields.
The Nachal Brigade completed a takeover of Outpost 17, a Hamas military stronghold in Jabaliya, in the northern Gaza Strip. During the battle, they eliminated terrorists, captured many weapons, and uncovered terrorist tunnel shafts, including a shaft located near a kindergarten and leading to an extensive underground route. They also located and collected important operational materials with information about Hamas’s operational plans.
Amongst the day’s terrorist assassinations by the IDF and Shin Bet, was Ibrahim Abu Ma’zib, the head of the Hamas anti-tank missile system of the Central Camps Brigade.
Today the IDF Chief of Staff, Herzi Halevi, and Shin Bet Chief Ronan Bar, entered deep into the Gaza Strip with the IDF, to conducted a situation assessment on the ground. Both gave powerful words of encouragement to the soldiers, and reminded them that all of Israel are united in support for our soldiers.
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh arrived in Egypt this afternoon. He met with the head of Egyptian intelligence and discussed the war in Gaza.
The PLO is expressing their interest in taking control of Gaza after the war. According to a report in the New York Times the Secretary General of the PLO’s Executive Committee, Hussein A. Sheikh, told the American Secretary of State in Lincoln that the Palestinian Authority is asking for a full commitment from the United States to promote a two-state solution that would include the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem, under control of the PLO (Palestinian Liberation Authority). It is highly unlikely that Israel will even consider this.
*Gaza Front Updates – Humanitarian Efforts:*
The IDF agreed to open a second humanitarian corridor for the safe evacuation of Gaza civilians from the battlefield in northern Gaza towards the south. An estimated 50,000 residents used the route on Wednesday, and similar amounts today.
Hamas continues to try and block civilians from evacuating. The IDF put two measurements in place to combat this; one, the evacuation routes have tanks guarding the civilians from Hamas fire; and two, a message was sent in Arabic with a phone number and Telegram channel to which Gaza civilians can report if Hamas is blocking their evacuation, with hints that the IDF would come help, “Your power is stronger than you think! Share with us if Hamas prevents you from moving south.”
The humanitarian envoy of the American administration, David Sutherfield, revealed that the international organizations in Gaza have received fuel. According to him, “three weeks ago, there was no fuel for the UN and its organizations inside Gaza, but today there is fuel in the south of the Strip.” He did not specify how the fuel got in. According to Sutherfield, “we are working to have more fuel for the UN organizations and aid agencies.”
This comes after PM Netanyahu and the IDF had said multiple times that they would not allow fuel into the Gaza Strip, since Hamas takes it to use for rockets and the tunnels.
*Northern Front Updates:*
The northern front was a little quieter today, with only a few missiles fired by Hezbollah, to which the IDF responded with artillery fire to the source of the shooting.
IDF forces also identified and attacked two anti-tank squads in Lebanese territory. Terrorists shot at an IDF unmanned aerial vehicle in the area of Mount Dov; the IDF then eliminated the terrorists from north the air and artillery fire.
*Additional War Fronts Updates*
Things heated up in Eilat today. A sudden loud explosion, with no warning siren, turned out to be an Iranian suicide drone, called a Shahad 136. It hit a children’s school, but thank God, no children were there at the time. If it had been a little earlier or later, things would be very different. A 20-year-old man was slightly injured from smoke inhalation, and five people were treated for shock.
IDF spokesman, Brigadier General Daniel Hagari, said that the IDF is investigating where the suicide drone came from, and why an alarm was not triggered. Most assume the drone came from Yemen.
Later, the Houthis fired a ballistic missile towards Eilat, which the IDF successfully intercepted with the Arrow 3 defense system. It was the first time that the IDF deployed the Arrow 3 in battle (previously, the IDF used the Arrow 2 to intercept Houthi fire). The Arrow 3 is designed to take out ballistic missiles while they are still outside of the atmosphere—literally an interception in outer space.
Later, the IDF announced that they intercepted a suspicious target in the Arava region (the Deep South of Israel, north of Eilat) using the Patriot system.
The Houthis claim that they sent a large barrage of missiles, which the IDF intercepted.
The attacks on Eilat are concerning, not only because of the physical danger, but because there are 60,000 displaced people from the Gaza border communities who were relocated to Eilat where they expected to recuperate in quiet, far away from Gaza. Sirens and explosions are very traumatic for them.
Iran’s foreign minister told his Qatari counterpart: “With the escalation of the war against civilians in the Gaza Strip, its expansion is now inevitable.”
Iran and Yemen published the number 1111, supposedly alluding to the date, 11.11, in threat of escalating the war.
*Judea and Samaria Updates:*
A terrorist was neutralized after an attempted stabbing attack at the Qalandiya checkpoint in northern Jerusalem.
The IDF and Shin Bet are continuing to crack down on terror squads inside Judea and Samaria. Last night they arrested 9 wanted persons throughout the region, and uncovered and destroyed many improvised explosive devices. An IDF aircraft stood by in air, and eliminated any terrorists who endangered the forces forces.
This afternoon, in a Shin-Bet counter-terrorism operation in Jenin, many terrorists opened fire. The IDF eliminated 14, and arrested 20. They also confiscated weapons, guns, ammunition and a lot of military equipment. During the operation, the forces destroyed an underground shaft where explosive devises were ready for use.
Video footage shows a Palestinian “medic” in a medic’s vest, running towards an injured terrorist, and then grabbing his gun and running it to a second terrorist who then fired at the IDF.
*General Updates:*
The organization, Honest Reporting, published an expose that points to several Gazan photography journalists hired by CNN, AP, Reuters, and the NYT, being embedded in Hamas. The photographers had been with the terrorists on October 7th when they broke the fence, and walked into Israel with them to photograph the atrocities. The news sites all published their photos. The question is raised as to how the journalists all knew to be there, and the ethics and legalities of the media in using their photos.
Today a video clip was release which showed a CNN and AP journalist on his way to a massacre with a hand grenade.
Defense Minister Galant spoke with municipal authorities from across Israel, and encouraged returning to routine with cautions in place. He said, “The action of the IDF forces inside Gaza suppressed a significant part of the threat on the home front. The (missile) shooting by Hamas these days is mainly intended to disturb the routine of life in a conscious way. We need to make sure that the citizens are given security and the ability to lead a continuous routine.”
2023 B. Efune