War Summary, Day 119: The WSJ reports details of the proposed hostage deal. President Biden orders sanctions on Israeli settlers who are accused of attacking Palestinians.
By Bruria Efune
War Summary, Day One Hundred and Nineteen
136 held captive in Gaza.
110 hostages freed.
11 hostage bodies rescued.
34 hostages confirmed murdered in Gaza.
1,400+ Israelis murdered.
224 fallen soldiers in the battle in Gaza.
5 fallen soldiers in Northern Israel.
3 fallen soldiers in Judea & Samaria.
8,000 injured.
13,000 rockets fired at Israel.
187,533 Israelis displaced from their homes.
1 Jewish nation united in prayer, charity, and good deeds.
Hostage Updates:
According to the Wall Street Journal, who claim to have seen a draft of the proposed hostage deal, the does will have three stages.
In the first phase, Israel will halt military operations, including drone surveillance, while remaining in the Gaza Strip for six weeks. Gaza civilians will be allowed to live around the strip freely. During this time, Hamas will collect the hostages intended for release, and then release children, the elderly, and the sick.
In the second phase, female Israeli soldiers will also be released in exchange for increased humanitarian aid, and in the third phase, Hamas will release soldiers and abducted bodies.
While Hamas has been demanding a complete withdrawal of the IDF before releasing hostages, the U.S. and Qatar have been reassuring them that this deal will set the IDF back and make it difficult for the IDF to continue battle after the deal is over.
In a revised statement issued on behalf of the spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, it was stated that: “Hamas received the proposal in a positive atmosphere, and we await his reply”
Although Hamas has not yet given its answer: in the Gaza Strip groups of Palestinians were seen cheering and celebrating the “progress towards a ceasefire.”
A spokesman of the Qatari Foreign Ministry claims that Israel has agreed to the ceasefire proposal and they have an initial positive confirmation from Hamas.
The Tikva Forum, which represents some families of hostages put out a statement in response: “If Israel releases terrorists, they will return to engage in terrorism, and they will once again murder, violate, and burn us.” They released a video today against the kidnapping deal that is taking shape with Hamas. The video illustrates, based on past examples, what happened in the past when others released terrorists from prison.
Gaza Front Updates:
Hamas did not succeed in firing any rockets into Israeli territory today.
Thank G-d, the IDF did not announce and heroes fallen in Gaza today.
The IDF is continuing to advance in southern Gaza, in Khan Younis, where this week they destroyed around 40 tunnel shafts and today eliminated dozens of terrorists.
In the north and central Gaza, which is largely under IDF control, Hamas has been attempting to return more terrorists to the area, and the IDF troops have been successfully finding and eliminating the terrorist squads.
The chief of the Southern Command, Maj. Gen. Yaron Finkelman, held an assessment in the northern Gaza Strip today, and ensured troops that the IDF will continue to battle in the area.
“Our ability to operate here, in the heart of Gaza City again, after we left to attack in other areas, our ability to return here and operate powerfully against the important targets, while striking many dozens of terrorists in recent days, is an important ability, and we will continue to do it,” Finkelman says.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant promised that the IDF will reach and destroy Hamas’s Rafah Brigade, and dismantle the brigade just like the IDF is almost done eliminating the Khan Younis Brigade.
Gallant said that the terrorists of Khan Younis are nearing the end. “They don’t have weapons, they don’t have ammunition, they don’t have the ability to treat the wounded; they have 10,000 dead terrorists and another 10,000 wounded who are not functioning,” Gallant says.
Gallant emphasized strongly to the troops that it’s their strong military actions that will free the hostages, and that their actions both above ground and underground in Khan Younis, “brings the return of the hostages closer, because Hamas only understands power.”
Gaza Humanitarian Efforts Updates:
247 humanitarian aid trucks were inspected and transferred to the Gaza Strip, of which 148 trucks carried food.
The UNRWA agency announced today that the organization may need to halt operations by the end of February, if countries who removed funding don’t return it. Several countries halted support to UNRWA after it was revealed that a significant number of employees were also Hamas terrorists.
Northern Front Updates:
Hezbollah continued to fire missiles at Israeli civilians in the far north of Israel, and as has been until now, the IDF acted in response with targeted air strikes on Hezbollah positions in sSouthern Lebanon.
According to a report from Reuters, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards withdrew its men from Syria after suffering significant casualties due to Israel’s attacks.
Houthi War Front Updates
The US Central Command announced that it had intercepted anti-ship ballistic missiles fired by the Houthis and Iranian drones in the Gulf of Aden.
A senior American told CBS News: “A short time ago, an American F-18 squadron bombed 10 drones in western Yemen minutes before they were launched.”
Judea and Samaria Updates:
Palestinians from Deir Dibwan near Ramallah threw stones at a bus and vehicles south of Givat Assaf Nazm. Windshields were shattered and a bus driver was slightly injured. Another attempted terror attack was prevented in Givat Avot, near Chevron (Hebron).
After US President Biden shared intentions to apply sanctions on Israeli settlers who are accused of attacking Palestinians, Prime Minister Netanyahu pushed back, and delivered a statement: “The absolute majority of the settlers in Judea and Samaria are law-abiding citizens, many of them are in the reserves for the defense of Israel. Israel acts against all lawbreakers everywhere, so there is no room for exceptional measures in this regard.”
Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich, responded to the accusations: “The “settler violence” campaign is an anti-Semitic lie spread by Israel’s enemies in order to discredit the settlers. It is a shame that the Biden administration cooperates with this on the days when the settlers are paying a heavy price in blood of the best of their sons in the war in Gaza.”
The IDF is reported to be active in a counter-terrorism operation in Bethlechem and Shoafat.
General Updates:
The IDF Home Front Command is lifting restrictions in several communities within seven kilometers of the Gaza Strip for the first time since the war began on October 7. Starting this evening, outdoor gatherings of up to 100 people and indoor gatherings of up to 300 people will be allowed, along with schools operating in locations with adequate bomb shelters, except for ten communities along the Gaza border. The IDF aims to strike a balance between saving lives and maintaining an emergency routine. In these ten communities, including Nirim, Kerem Shalom, Nir Oz, Kissufim, Ein Hashlosha, Sufa, Holit, Netiv Haasara, Kfar Aza, and Nahal Oz, stricter instructions will persist, allowing outdoor gatherings of 50 and indoor gatherings of 100 people.
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