War Summary, Day One Hundred and Thirty-Nine: Heavy pressure from the American administration, missile hit a home in Kfar Yuval, Iron Dome interception over Tzfas, Netanyahu presented first draft of post-war plan including Israel’s control of the Gaza-Egypt border and the removal of UNRWA.
By Mrs. Bruria Efune
134 held captive in Gaza.
112 hostages freed.
11 hostage bodies rescued.
32 hostages confirmed murdered in Gaza.
1,400+ Israelis murdered.
237 fallen soldiers in the battle in Gaza.
6 fallen soldiers in Northern Israel.
3 fallen soldiers in Judea & Samaria.
14,900 injured.
13,350 rockets fired at Israel.
186,000 Israelis displaced from their homes.
1 Jewish nation united in prayer, charity, and good deeds.
Hostage Updates:
The American administration is putting very heavy pressure on the Israeli leadership to flex its terms and participate in the negotiation meeting in Paris tomorrow. In the talks they held with a series of Israeli officials, the Americans claimed that after Ramadan starts, in two weeks, there will no longer be a chance for an agreement. Therefore, in their opinion, Israel must hurry.
The talks come after Hamas announced that it is ready to lower its demands for the number of Palestinian prisoners it wishes to release as part of the deal to 3,000, according to Egyptian sources. The list of terrorists includes many with multiple deaths on their hands.
Finance Minister Smotrich criticized the talks, “I am convinced that if all the heads of state and the security establishment had cut off contact, refused to negotiate, and only talked with fire and brimstone, the absolute majority of the hostages would have been home safe and sound a long time ago.”
Gaza Front Updates:
After a few days lull, Islamic Jihad fired one round of rockets at civilians in Gaza border communities. No injuries were reported.
The IDF did not announce any fallen heroes, thank G-d!
Prime Minister Netanyahu presented a first draft of a post-war plan to his wider cabinet today. The plan appears to be designed to receive general consensus from the ministers, and can be expected to receive many adjustments. The document was distributed to all members of the cabinet as a platform for discussion in preparation for further discussions on the subject.
In the plan’s security measures is complete military freedom for the IDF in Gaza, a wider buffer zone along the border of Gaza, Israel’s control of the Gaza-Egypt border, and complete demilitarization of Gaza. The plan also calls for the removal of UNRWA, and a de-radicalization of Gaza. The text of the plan does not seem to exclude the Palestinian Authority from governing Gaza.
The IDF continued the large scale operation in Zeitoun, in Gaza City, where troops are going door-to-door, and have located and eliminated dozens of Hamas terrorists, and several stockpiles of weapons.
In Central Gaza, the IDF identified and destroyed a rocket launcher which was prepared for use firing against Israeli civilians.
In Khan Younis, the IDF is continuing to find and eliminate remaining Hamas terrorist cells by the dozens. After nearly a weeklong operation, the IDF forces withdrew from Nasser Hospital.
Gaza Humanitarian Efforts Updates:
88 trucks carrying humanitarian aid were inspected and transferred to the Gaza Strip yesterday (Feb. 21). 62 trucks were inspected at Nitzana and transferred via Rafah, and 26 trucks were inspected and transferred via Kerem Shalom. Ini addition, 4 tankers of cooking gas and 2 tankers of fuel designated for the operation of essential infrastructure in Gaza, entered the Gaza Strip.
Overnight, the IDF facilitated an airdrop of four tonnes of humanitarian aid by Britain and Jordan. The aid included medicines, fuel, and food, to the Jordanian hospital in Gaza.
About a month ago, a massive shipment of flour capable of feeding 1.5 million Gazans for five months was blocked from entry to Gaza by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, due to concern that UNRWA would deliver it primarily to Hamas. A new agreement was made, in which the World Food Program will now be delivering the flour.
Northern Front Updates:
Hezbollah fired heavily on Israel’s far northern communities. One missile hit a home in Kfar Yuval and caused a large fire. An Iron Dome interception was seen over Tzfat (Safed) without a siren, because the missile it intercepted was over Mount Dov.
The Israeli Air Force attacked multiple Hezbollah targets in South Lebanon, including a building immediately after Hezbollah terrorists entered it. The IDF also shelled Hezbollah positions along the border, to remove threats.
Hezbollah announced the death of two terrorists, including Hassan Saleh, who Lebanese media report to have been a senior commander in Hezbollah’s elite Radwan force. These makes 208 Hezbollah terrorists eliminated by the IDF, according to Hezbollah’s count. The IDF estimates the number to be higher.
Houthi War Front Updates
An air-raid siren woke up residents of Eilat at 5:50am, before a ballistic missile fired by the Houthis was intercepted by the Arrow Defense System. The missile was intercepted over the Red Sea, and while seen from all over Eilat it did not enter Israeli airspace.
According to a report on Sky News in Arabic, there was a three-way meeting in Yemen between Houthi, Iranian, and Lebanese terror representatives, where it was agreed to increase the attacks in the Red Sea.
The British Maritime Trade Center reported that a ship has been attacked by two missiles 70 miles from the Gulf of Aden. The United States military announced that it had intercepted six Houthi drones over the Red Sea.
The spokesman for the Houthis claimed that the militia carried out three “high-quality” operations, including launching ballistic missiles and UAVs at targets in the Eilat area, attacking a British ship in the Gulf of Aden, and attacking an American destroyer in the Red Sea.
Judea and Samaria Updates:
This morning, three Palestinian terrorists arrived at standstill traffic near Maale Adumim, and opened fire on civilians in their cars. The terrorists—who were armed with assault rifles, makeshift sub-machine guns, and a grenade—killed one man, and injured 11, including one seriously.
The victim who was killed was identified as Matan Elmaliah, 26.
Two of the terrorists were eliminated by heroes on scene, and a third was arrested.
Following the attack, the IDF began operations in the Palestinian towns near Bethlehem, which are hometowns to the terrorists. The IDF has increased presence across Judea and Samaria.
In response to the terror attack, and possible also to attempts to force a two-state, Prime Minister Netanyahu met today with ministers Smotrich, Gallant, and Dermer, to push ahead with plans to build 3,000 homes in Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria. The specific plans are for 2,350 housing units in Ma’ale Adumim, about 300 housing units in Kidar and 694 in Efrat. The plans will shortly be sent for approval to the Supreme Planning Council.
The IDF is currently active in Jenin, on a counter-terrorism raid. The Palestinian Authority health ministry reports one dead, and four others wounded after an airstrike on a vehicle. Palestinian sources say that the man who was killed is Yasser Hanon, an activist in the armed organizations in Jenin
General Updates:
The IDF has determined that it is “safe” for residents of communities that are more than 4 kilometers from the Gaza border to return home, as well as residents of 18 communities which are 0-4 kilometers from the border. The 18 communities (and one city) are: Zikim, Karmia, Yad Mordechai, Erez, Or Haner, Ibim, Sderot, Nir Am, Gevim, Mefalsim, Sa’ad, Alumim, Reim, Magen, Nir Yitzhak, Shlomit, Naveh and Bnei Netzarim.
The IDF warns that return is not risk free, and there are still occasional rockets in these areas—which have only 7-15 seconds to run to safety during a siren. Residents of these communities are currently living in state-sponsored hotels in safer areas. While many are eager to return home, they are still hesitant, and some say they will hold off until the IDF has completed operations in all of Gaza. The IDF is formulating safety plans before the return of the residents.
A ceasefire would not be appropriate until both all the hostages are released and all of the Hamas terrorists are dead.
i agree 100%