War Day 108: Bogus Hostage Deal Offered, 15 Million Shekel Found

War Summary, Day One Hundred and Eight: Hamas offered to return all 110 hostages if Israel ‘ends the war, let’s them retain control over Gaza, removes all Israeli troops, and frees all Hamas prisoners’, the naval unit assists in the attacks in Gaza, and fifteen million shekel were found in terrorists homes.

By Mrs. Bruria Efune

War Summary, Day One Hundred and Eight:

136 held captive in Gaza.
110 hostages freed.
11 hostage bodies rescued.
34 hostages confirmed murdered in Gaza.
1,300+ Israelis murdered.
194 fallen soldiers in the battle in Gaza.
5 fallen soldiers in Northern Israel.
3 fallen soldiers in Judea & Samaria.
8,000 injured.
12,900 rockets fired at Israel.
187,533 Israelis displaced from their homes.
1 Jewish nation united in prayer, charity, and good deeds.

Hostage Updates:

The Military Rabbinate declared the death of soldier Staff Sgt. Shay Levinson, 19, who was killed and taken hostage by Hamas on October 7 from the Nachal Oz area. The declaration comes after the rabbinate reviewed sufficient evidence to confirm Levinson’s death, and allow the family to now sit shiva (the seven day mourning period) according to Jewish law.

Hamas offered to release all hostages on the following conditions:

1. Immediate cessation of the Gaza war.
2. Complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.
3. International guarantees ensuring Hamas retains control of Gaza.
4. Release of all jailed Hamas prisoners, including those involved in the October 7 attack.

In a recorded talk, Prime Minister Netanyahu said, “We have returned 110 of the abductees home to date, and we are committed to returning them all. This is one of the goals of the war and military pressure is a necessary condition for its completion.” Netanyahu stated that he is working on this matter “around the clock”, and emphasized that he rejects outright the “surrender terms of the Hamas monsters.” Netanyahu said: “If we agree to Hamas’s demand – our fighters have fallen in vain.”

According to a report in the Wall Street Journal: Dubai, the USA, Egypt, and Qatar are pressuring Israel and Hamas to reach a deal that will begin with the release of hostages and end with the withdrawal of the IDF from the Gaza Strip and the end of the war. According to the report, both parties did not agree to the proposal, but there is an agreement on holding discussions on the issue. The negotiations are expected to take place in Cairo.

Gaza Front Updates:

Hamas fired rockets a few times at the Gaza Envelope communities.

The IDF announced the name of one hero who fell in battle in the Gaza Strip:
Sgt. First Class (res.) Uriel Aviad Silberman, 23, from Nehalim

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant again emphasized that the IDF will continue to expand the ground operation until Hamas is destroyed. “The precision, the quality of the execution and the perfect coordination with the forces are very impressive. We are operating in a powerful operation in the Khan Younis area and it will go on and on. The smoke mushrooms of the tanks, of the cannons and of the Air Force planes will continue to cover the skies of the Gaza Strip until we achieve our goals and above all – the dismantling of Hamas and the return of hostages to their homes.”

Over the last day, IDF soldiers eliminated dozens of terrorists and located many weapons. The naval forces continue to assist the ground forces operating in the Gaza Strip in observing and attacking targets of the terrorist organizations. In the last day, they identified a building where terrorists were ambushing our forces in the center of the Gaza Strip and in cooperation with the troops, the navy attacked the terrorists and removed the threat.

Battles in Gaza continue, in the northern area, in Gaza City’s Daraj and Tuffah neighborhoods, the troops came across and battled 15 Hamas terrorists, ultimately eliminating them all. They then raided the building the terrorists were hiding in, and found many weapons.

In Maghazi, Central Gaza, IDF troops found a weapons manufacturing plant and a nearby rocket launcher loaded with projectiles.

After widely shared footage showed a controlled explosion at Israa University, the Biden administration asked Israel for clarification over why the building was destroyed. The IDF says that soldiers destroyed it after the building was used for Hamas “military activity against our forces.” The IDF still says they will probe the approval process of the explosion.

About 15 million shekels seized by the IDF in recent weeks from terrorists homes and offices inside the Gaza Strip, have been transferred to the finance division of the Ministry of Defense and will be deposited in the state coffers.

Gaza Humanitarian Efforts Updates:

Today (Jan. 21), a total of 260 humanitarian aid trucks were inspected and transferred to Gaza, marking the highest number since the start of the war.

The IDF says there is no limit to the amount of humanitarian aid that can enter the Gaza Strip.

Northern Front Updates:

Hezbollah has continued to fire heavily into the far north of Israel. The IDF continues to respond with strikes on Hezbollah outposts in Lebanon.

In Lebanon, a UAV attacked a vehicle on the road, and left terrorists dead, and five people injured.

Houthi War Front Updates:

Recent intelligence gathered by the US and other Western countries indicates that the Iran-backed Houthi rebels are seeking more weapons from Iran, raising concerns that they are determined to continue attacks in the Red Sea.

Overnight, the US carried out two strikes against a military camp in the Al-Hudaydah area.

Sky News report in Arabic reported that at least 75 have been killed and dozens injured in US and UK attacks in Yemen since January 12. Among the dead are Hezbollah terrorists and Revolutionary Guards experts.

Judea and Samaria Updates:

Soldiers of the IDF, the Shin Bet and the border police tonight arrested seven wanted persons throughout Judea and Samaria. In the city of Shechem (Nablus), in the Samaria Division, the forces arrested two wanted persons and confiscated weapons. In the village of Hizma, in the Binyamin Brigade, the forces located and confiscated weapons, including a Carlo type rifle, weapon parts and ammunition.

International Updates:

The political and security cabinet approved an outline concerning the tax money that Israel collects for the Palestinians in Gaza. At the heart of the outline is the precedent principle that the funds will not be transferred in any way to Gaza or the Palestinian Authority, but will be kept in trust with a third party – most likely Norway.