War Summary, Day One Hundred and Forty-Four: It’s suspected that Sinwar is hiding with hostages as a particularly cruel human shield, Hezbollah fired a barrage of missiles at Mount Meron which is home to a sensitive IDF air traffic control base, and IDF troops located a command room where terrorists would use surveillance cameras to monitor the locations of IDF troops.
By Mrs. Bruria Efune
War Summary, Day One Hundred and Forty-Four:
134 held captive in Gaza.
112 hostages freed.
11 hostage bodies rescued.
33 hostages confirmed murdered in Gaza.
1,400+ Israelis murdered.
240 fallen soldiers in the battle in Gaza.
6 fallen soldiers in Northern Israel.
3 fallen soldiers in Judea & Samaria.
14,900 injured.
13,400 rockets fired at Israel.
160,000 Israelis displaced from their homes.
1 Jewish nation united in prayer, charity, and good deeds.
Hostage Updates:
According to a source for Israel Hayom speaking about the negotiations for a hostage release deal, there has been “measured progress” in the indirect contacts with Hamas. He emphasized that there are still large gaps in the main issues, primarily the number of terrorists who will be released from prisons and the question of whether they will have blood on their hands. In addition, there are serious disputes regarding the nature of the ceasefire, and the question of whether it will include an Israeli withdrawal of forces and to what extent, as well as whether the IDF will refrain from collecting visual intelligence as it was during the days of the previous deal.
US President Joe Biden told reporters during his visit to New York: “I hope that by next Monday, March 4, we will reach a ceasefire.”
Prime Minister Netanyahu is reportedly surprised by his words.
Gaza Front Updates:
For the first time in 10 days, Hamas fired rockets at Israeli civilians in Ashkelon and the area. The Iron Dome intercepted the missiles, and no injuries were reported—though a large piece of shrapnel destroyed a car.
Thank G-d the IDF didn’t announce any fallen soldiers today.
Fighting in Gaza continued in Northern Gaza in Zeitoun, Gaza City, as well as in Central Gaza and Khan Younis—primarily east and west.
IDF soldiers eliminated and arrested dozens of terrorists over the last day, and in house-to-house raids, found weapons, explosives, rocket launchers, and tunnel shafts.
An Israeli source told the Washington Post that they are sure that Sinwar is in the Gaza Strip, but action to eliminate him would endanger the hostages. It’s widely suspected that Sinwar is hiding together with hostages as a particularly cruel human shield.
Gaza Humanitarian Efforts Updates:
174 trucks carrying humanitarian aid were inspected and transferred to the Gaza Strip today.
The IDF does not limit the amount of humanitarian aid that can enter Gaza and northern Gaza, but it is up to humanitarian aid organizations to pick it up from the border inside Gaza, and distribute it.
The spokesman of the Egyptian army announced an operation to airdrop humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip, in which Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and France participated.
Israeli activists, including family members of hostages, IDF reservists, and mothers of IDF soldiers, blocked the Nitzana crossing today, to prevent the transfer of humanitarian aid to Gaza. The activists say that no aid should be transferred until the hostages are brought home. At least 60% of aid goes directly to Hamas.
Northern Front Updates:
Hezbollah fired very heavily on Israel’s far north today, with rockets, anti-tank missiles, and attack drones. In one instance, Hezbollah fired a barrage of 35 missiles at Mount Meron, which is home to a sensitive IDF air traffic control base. The Iron Dome intercepted most of the missiles, but some hit the mountain. The IDF said that the base was not damaged. Later, Hezbollah fired a barrage of anti-tank missiles at the mountain, which were not detected by the air-control system, and didn’t set off a siren. and claimed that they caused damage to the base. Hezbollah claimed to have hit the base, but the IDF responded that “there is no damage to the site’s capabilities.”
In response to the attacks, the Israeli Air Force struck many Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, up to 30 kilometers from the Israeli border, and shelled Hezbollah positions along the border, to move them back.
The IDF chief-of-staff once again made comments and said that “Hezbollah will pay a heavy price.”
The Lebanese newspaper “Nidaa’ al-Watan”, which opposes Hezbollah, reported from diplomatic sources that the terrorist organization received a copy of the French proposal for a settlement between Lebanon and Israel – and rejected it.
Syrian media reports an Israeli air strike in Syria that killed a Syrian officer.
Houthi War Front Updates:
The US Central Command wrote that on Monday the forces destroyed three unmanned surface vessels (USV), two mobile anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCM), and a one-way attack unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in self-defense. The USV and ASCM weapons were prepared to launch towards, and the UAV was over, the Red Sea.
Judea and Samaria Updates:
The IDF carried out a counter-terrorism raid in the Tubas area in the Shomron this morning. During the raid, three terrorists were eliminated. Amongst them was Ahmed Jamal Daraghmeh, a senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist.
During the raid, IDF troops located a command room from where local terrorists would use surveillance cameras to monitor the locations of IDF troops, and fire at them.
The IDF also carried out operations in Shechem (Nablus), Chevron (Hebron), and another areas, and arrested 14 Palestinians who were wanted for their association with terror ground.
A video of the first attack on Mount Meron today. Some missiles were intercepted, and some hit the mountain.
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