Day 51 of War: 14 Israeli Hostages Returned, Netanyahu Visits Gaza

War Summary, Day Fifty One: Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu visits Gaza, 14 Israeli hostages are returned to Israel, and the ceasefire continues in the south.

By Mrs. Bruria Efune

War Summary, Day Fifty One:

177 held captive in Gaza.
56 hostages freed.
3 hostage bodies rescued.
1,200+ Israelis murdered.
70 fallen soldiers since entering Gaza.
7,771 injured.
10,500+ rockets fired at Israel.
187,533 Israelis displaced from their homes.
1 Jewish nation united in prayer, charity, and good deeds.

Hostage Release Updates:

14 Israeli hostages and 3 Thai nationals were released from Hamas captivity, in the 3rd day of the hostage release deal.

After medical checkups, Schneider Hospital announced that the condition of the nine children and two women sent to them was “stable.”

Dr. Shlomi Kodesh, director of Soroka Hospital, announced that the condition of Elma Avraham, the 84-year-is very serious: “Unfortunately, her life is in danger. She will be moved to the intensive care unit. She was clearly not treated properly.”

The Israelis released on Sunday are:

Elma Avraham, 84, from Kibbutz Nahal Oz.
She had been home alone, and wasn’t able to lock the door to her bomb shelter, because it was too heavy. Upon her release, Elma was rushed to the hospital, and it was reported that she is critically ill.

Ela Elyakim, 8, and Dafna Elyakim, 15, from Kibbutz Nahal Oz.
The two sisters had been visiting their father, Noam Elyakim, his partner, Dikla Arava, and her son, Tomer Arava—all three of whom were killed by Hamas, before the sisters were taken hostage. Ela and Dafna’s mother, Mayan Zin, lives in Kiryat Ono, and wrote a heartbreaking Op-Edin the Washington Post, in which she pleaded, “I have nothing left to ask of this world but this: Take me to my girls. Take me to Gaza.”

Avigail Idan, 4, from Kibbutz Kfar Aza.
After her parents, Roee and Smadar, were murdered by Hamas terrorists on October 7th, little Avigail ran to her best friend and neighbor’s home, the Brodutch family, and was kidnapped together with them. Her two siblings, Michael, 9, and Amalya, 6, survived by hiding in a closet for 14 hours. The Idan children have dual Israeli-American citizenship. They are now in the care of their loving aunt and uncle, who asked that everyone give the children privacy and time to heal.

Hagar Brodutch, 40, and her children; Ofri, 10, Yuval, 9 and Oriya, 4, from Kibbutz Kfar Aza.
They were kidnapped from their home, together with Avigail Idan. The children’s father, and Hagar’s husband, Avihai Brodutch, was out defending the kibbutz and returned home wounded, only to find that they were gone.

Chen Goldstein-Almog, 48, and three of her four children, Agam, 17, Gal, 11 and Tal, 9, from Kibbutz Kfar Aza.
They were kidnapped form their home, after Hamas terrorists murdered their husband and father, Nadav Goldstein-Almog, and eldest daughter, Yam Goldstein-Almog. The grandparents were abroad at the time of the attack, and survived to bury Nadav and Yam.

Aviva Siegel, 64, from Kibbutz Kfar Aza.
Aviva was kidnapped together with her husband Keith, an American citizen, who is believed to still be held by Hamas in Gaza. The two have four children, and five grandchildren.

Roni Krivoi, 25, from Karmiel.
Roni was taken hostage from the Supernova music festival, where he had been working as a sound technician. Roni was born in Israel to Russian immigrants, and holds dual citizenship. Hamas announced that he was being released separately from the hostage deal with Israel, “in response to the efforts of Russian President Vladimir Putin and in appreciation of the Russian position, in support of the Palestinian cause.”

Three Thai nationals were also released, their identities have not yet been released to the public.

Hostage Deal and Negotiations Updates:

39 security prisoners were released today from several prison facilities as part of the ceasefire agreement.
For the first time since the beginning of the ceasefire, the list included a security prisoner from the Gaza Strip: Fathi Abu Sanima, a 24-year-old resident of Rafah, who was arrested at the end of 2021 and tried to infiltrate Israel through the border fence of the Gaza Strip with another person.

The security prisoners, all who were arrested for attempting terror attacks, are welcomed home the Palestinians with parades and calls for more terroism.

After Raya Rotem was not released with her daughter, Hila, yesterday, Israel says it’s putting heavy pressure to secure her release. There are reports that Hamas claimed they didn’t return Raya because they don’t know here she is, but Hila said her mother had been with her until two days before her release.

It is clear that Hamas is playing psychological games by breaking apart families in their release.

Sources indicate that Hamas wants up to four additional days to the truce and hostage deal, and are willing to release up to forty more hostages for this to happen. The Prime Minister of Qatar told the Financial Times that more than 40 women and children who are being held in Gaza are apparently not being held by Hamas. According to him, Hamas needs use this time to find them, in order to extend the truce.

Referring to the possibility of extending the truce, Prime Minister Netanyahu said that it would be “a welcome thing,” and added: “I also told the president [Biden] that at the end of the truce, we will return with all our strength to realize our goals – the elimination of Hamas, ensuring that Gaza will not return to what it was, and of course the release of all our abductees.”

Gaza Front Updates:

According to the IDF Spokesman, the Chief of Staff today held a situation assessment at the Southern Command and, together with the commander of the Southern Command, approved plans for the continuation of fighting at the end of the ceasefire.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu toured the Gaza Strip today, received a security review, spoke with the commanders and fighters, and even visited one of the tunnels that were uncovered. He told the press, “We are here in the Gaza Strip with our heroic fighters. We are making every effort to return all of our abductees. We have three goals for this war: eliminate Hamas, return all our abductees, and ensure that Gaza will not again be a threat to the State of Israel.”

“I am here to say to my friends here, to the fighters here, who tell me the same things, and I repeat this to you, citizens of Israel: we will continue until the end – until victory. Nothing will stop us, and we are convinced that we have the power, the strength, the desire and determination to achieve all the goals of the war, and so we did. I sat with the Deputy Chief of Staff and the commanders, on the wall it was written: “Am Yisrael Chai”. So the people of Israel lives, and the people of Israel also wins thanks to you. Thank you.”

The IDF and the Shin Bet confirmed that they recently killed five senior Hamas commanders, amongst them, Northern Gaza Brigadier General, Ahmed Andor, who was the right-hand man of Muhammad Difef, and the commander of the rocket array, Ayman Siam, who is responsible for the significant growth of Hamas’s missile capability in the last years.

The IDF also announced that at the beginning of the land entry into Gaza, the IDF found and seized five million shekels, among other things found in Hamas strongholds homes. The funds were transferred to the finance division of the Ministry of Defense, and will be deposited in the state coffers.

Gaza Humanitarian Efforts Updates:

After a security check, 200 humanitarian aid trucks were sent through the Rafah crossing from Egypt into Gaza to the international aid organizations operating in the Strip.

Led by the United Nations, dozens of humanitarian aid trucks, along with six ambulances, were transported to the northern Gaza Strip in general, and to shelters that have not yet been vacated. Their transfer is carried out with Israel’s approval through the humanitarian crossing. The humanitarian aid trucks contain food, water, equipment for shelters and medical supplies only.

Northern Front Updates:

There was no crossfire in the north today.

Defense Minister Yoav Galant visited the northern border, near Mount Dov, and told the press, “Here, in the eastern sector of Lebanon, which also looks towards Syria, the soldiers are doing an excellent job. The result is the injury and killing of over 100 Hezbollah terrorists, the destruction of dozens of observation posts, warehouses, bunkers and headquarters. And the retreat of the Hezbollah forces from the sector of the front, back into the depth of the territory. These are very impressive results. The combination of all these tactical achievements will translate into a different situation, which will later allow the return of the residents under completely different conditions than when we started this campaign.”

Judea and Samaria Updates:

Intense security operations continue in Judea and Samaria, with the goal of eliminating terrorists organizations from the region.

The IDF and the Shin Bet arrested 29 wanted persons throughout Judea and Samaria last night, including Osama Bani Fadl, the Hamas terrorist who carried out the shooting attack in August, in which Shai and Aviad Nigerkar were murdered. Osama was arrested in Jenin, and transferred to the Shin Bet for further investigation.

International Updates:

Leo Varadker, the Irish Prime Minister made an outrageous post on Twitter/X about the release of Emily Hand, who held Irish citizenship, “This is a day of enormous joy and relief for Emily Hand and her family. An innocent child who was lost has now been found and returned, and we breathe a massive sigh of relief. Our prayers have been answered.”

Foreign Minister Eli Cohen announced that in response to Varadker’s remarks, he summoned the Irish ambassador to Israel for a reprimand.

U.S. President Biden posted on Twitter/X: “A two-state solution is the only way to guarantee the long-term security of both the Israeli and the Palestinian people.
To make sure Israelis and Palestinians alike can live in equal measures of freedom and dignity.
We will not give up on working toward this goal.”

General Updates:

According to reports, tycoon and technology entrepreneur Elon Musk is planning a visit to Israel in the coming days, where he is expected, among other things, to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and tour the kibbutzim surrounding Gaza that were hit by the Hamas attack.