War Summary, Day Two Hundred and Twenty Six: Palestinians set at least three fires on Jewish farms in Judea and Samaria today in the area of Chevat Rimonim, a Palestinian attempted to stab Border Police officers with a sharp screw driver but was eliminated by quick-thinking officers before he could do any harm, and family of former hostages Ela and Dafna Elyakim asked IDF to release footage of them found in Gaza from before their release to show how evil Hamas is.
By Mrs. Bruria Efune
War Summary, Day Two Hundred and Twenty Six:
128 held captive in Gaza.
41 hostages confirmed murdered in Gaza.
112 hostages freed.
16 hostage bodies rescued.
1,520 Israelis killed.
282 fallen soldiers in the battle in Gaza.
14 fallen soldiers in Northern Israel.
5 fallen soldiers in Judea & Samaria.
13,900 estimated rockets fired at Israel.
90,000 Israelis displaced from their homes.
1 Jewish nation united in prayer, charity, and good deeds.
Top Headlines:
- Footage found of former child hostages in captivity
- Ongoing Hamas fire
- Three fallen soldiers
- Advances in Rafah
- Troops have begun gathering in the north
- Iranian President’s helicopter crashed
- Another failed stabber
- Emergency exercise in Judea and Samaria
Hostage Updates:
The IDF released Hamas footage which had been found in Gaza. In it, former hostages Ela (who was 8-years-old) and Dafna Elyakim (who was 15), are seen posing in front of a Hamas military flag. Afterwards, Ela is made to beg the Israeli Prime Minister to free her, and says “I’m a hostage of Hamas.” Eli and Dafna were taken hostage from their home in Nachal Oz after watching Hamas murder their father. They were later freed in a hostage release deal. The video was released at the request of their family, who want people to know how cruel Hamas is.
Gaza Front Updates:
Hamas fired three barrages of rockets at Israeli civilian communities today, including at Sderot and Shiva, which are no longer evacuated, and have only 15 seconds to get to shelter.
The IDF announced the names of three heroes who fell in battle in Gaza:
Maj. Gal Shabbat, 24, who was injured last week and succumbed to his wounds today
Staff Sgt. Nachman Meir Haim Vaknin, 20, from Eilat
Staff Sgt. Noam Bittan, 20, from Yad Rambam
Three divisions of IDF troops are currently operating in Gaza: the 98th in Northern Gaza’s Jabaliya, the 99th along the Netzarim Corridor and Central Gaza, and the 162nd in Rafah.
In Northern Gaza’s Jabaliya, fierce battles continue, with both close-quarters combat, and heavy tank shelling. Troops found more weapons, rocket launchers, and a unit launching RPGs—on which they called an airstrike to take them out. The operation is focusing on the “camps” area, which the IDF did not enter during the first sweep of Jabaliya.
In Central Gaza, an IDF drone strike eliminated Zahar Hamed al-Wali, a senior member of the Hamas police who ran the investigations department.
The IDF is slowly advancing in Rafah, where troops are carrying out a very thorough search for tunnels, weapons, and rocket launchers. Troops have taken over half of the Philedalphi Corridor, which borders Egypt, so far. At least 60 smuggling tunnels which go under the border and into Egypt were found.
An airstrike in Rafah eliminated Azmi Abu Daqqac, who was heavily involved in smuggling weapons and funds into Gaza. Several other terrorists were eliminated in airstrikes, including two tactical commanders.
Sadly, two IDF soldiers were killed and another two wounded as a result of a blast from an explosive inside a tunnel they were guarding. Another soldier was seriously injured when an RPG hit his D9 bulldozer which is used to clear the way for IDF troops to advance.
Many airstrikes were carried out today, in preparation for an advance forward.
Prime Minister Netanyahu met with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan at the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem. The two discussed the continuation of the war in Gaza, with an emphasis on Rafah, the humanitarian aid to the residents of the Gaza Strip, the talks for the return of the hostages, and what is being done in the north where Lebanon is firing hundreds of projectiles daily.
Gaza Humanitarian Efforts Updates:
422 humanitarian aid trucks were transferred to Gaza today.
Thousands of tents purchased by Israel and intended for the Humanitarian area in Al-Mawasi were brought in through the Kerem Shalom Crossing last Sunday.
The French Navy announced that they transferred 60 tons of humanitarian aid to Gaza via the new JLOTS port.
Reports and videos from Gaza show dozens of Gazans raiding trucks carrying equipment from the port.
The IDF’s COGAT division is operating two crossings into the Northern edge of Gaza, called Erez East and Erez West. The twofer interchangeable, and designed to keep the flow of aid even when an operation blocks one, or aid piles up too high at the other.
Northern Front Updates:
Hezbollah is continuing with heavy firing into Israel’s far north, with hundreds of rockets, anti-tank missiles, and attack drones.
The IDF retaliated with airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in Southern Lebanon, including on a building which was known to be used by Hezbollah, after intelligence identified terrorists entering it.
Reservists units have begun reporting to positions in the north, and beginning exercises.
Iranian Front Updates:
A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, and Iranian Foreign Minister Amir Abd al-Lahyan, has crashed into East Azerbaijan, amidst heavy fog and below freezing temperatures. Rescue teams have been searching for the wreck for over 6 hours, and still have not found it. It’s believed that Raisi didn’t survive.
Raisi is known as “the Butcher of Tehran,” for overseeing the execution of thousands of Iranians. He was also seen as the most likely successor to Supreme Leader Ali Khameini.
It is highly unlikely that Israel was involved in this.
Judea and Samaria Updates:
A Palestinian attempted to stab Border Police officers with a sharp screw driver, but was eliminated by quick-thinking officers before he could do any harm, and after he shouted “allahu akbar.”
Palestinians set at least three fires on Jewish farms in Judea and Samaria today, in the area of Chevat Rimonim. Seven suspects were arrested by the IDF forces.
The Central Command in Judea and Samaria carried out a surprise readiness exercise, to prepare for challenges and events erupting in several locations at the same time, including terrorist incidents and extreme scenarios.
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