War Day 148: Man stabbed in Chevron, IDF Enter Abasan Area

War Summary, Day One Hundred and Forty-Eight: A Palestinian stabbed a 57-year-old Jewish man after he entered ad-Dhahiriya, Chevron to visit a doctor, terrorist Ahmed Abu Seta who was seen in a video from the Simchas Torah massacre inside southern Israel was eliminated today, and IDF enter the “Abasan area,” which is two km from Israel, and is the location from where Hamas terrorists set out on Simchas Torah to attack the yishuvim.

By Mrs. Bruria Efune

War Summary, Day One Hundred and Forty-Eight:

134 held captive in Gaza.
112 hostages freed.
11 hostage bodies rescued.
33 hostages confirmed murdered in Gaza.
1,400+ Israelis murdered.
245 fallen soldiers in the battle in Gaza.
6 fallen soldiers in Northern Israel.
3 fallen soldiers in Judea & Samaria.
14,900 injured.
13,500 rockets fired at Israel.
160,000 Israelis displaced from their homes.
1 Jewish nation united in prayer, charity, and good deeds.

Hostage Updates:

There are a lot of rumors and unverified leaks about the negotiations for the release of the hostages. According to some, Israel and the negotiators agreed to a proposal, and are waiting Hamas’s response. Others say that Israel has left the talks until Hamas supplies a list of the hostages who are still alive and will be returned in the deal—something the negotiators had long promised that Israel would receive before the resumption of talks.

The primary gaps appear to remain in the number of days the ceasefire will last for, and the number and severity of the terrorists who will be released from prison in exchange for the hostages.

Hamas does not appear to have a full list of which hostages are alive, and which one they will be able to release—since some are held by other terror groups in Gaza, including the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ).

While Hamas is showing some leading towards negotiations, the PIJ spokesman stated that they will be continuing the “campaign” and can continue to fight “indefinitely.” He also called for an international day of solidarity with the Palestinians on the first day of the month of Ramadan, which will begin in about ten days. While the PIJ has been working together with Hamas since October 7th, they are even more chaotic and extreme, and do not always fall in line when Hamas calls for a halt.

Meanwhile, according to a Reuters report, US President Joe Biden told reporters that he hopes a cease-fire deal will be reached between Israel and Hamas by the beginning of the month of Ramadan, but noted: “We’re not there yet.”

Gaza Front Updates:

On Friday night, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) fired rockets at Ashkelon and at Zikim in the Gaza Envelope. Tonight Hamas fired a small barrage of four rockets at Hatzerim on the outskirts of Be’er Sheva, and at Be’eri in the Gaza Envelope. The Iron Dome intercepted rockets that were headed to populated areas, and no physical injuries were reported in either instance.

Within minutes of the Friday night attack on Ashkelon, the IDF struck the location in Northern Gaza where the rockets came from, along with several other targets in the area.

The IDF announced the names of three heroes who fell in battle in Gaza:

Sgt. Dolev Malka, 19, from Shlomi
Sgt., Afik Tery, 19, from Rehovot
Sgt. Inon Yitzhak, 19, from Mitzpe Ramon

The three, from the Bislamach Brigade, were killed in a blast after entering a booby-trapped building in Khan Younis. 14 others were wounded in the incident, 6 of them seriously. Several Hamas terrorists were eliminated in the ensuing battle.

Heavy airstrikes are ongoing since Friday night in Central Gaza—especially in Deir al-Balah, which hasn’t yet been maneuvered by the IDF; in al-Qarara north of Khan Younis where the IDF is currently advancing; and in Rafah.

In the north – in Gaza City’s Rimal neighborhood, where the IDF previously dismantled the local Hamas battalion, the IDF directed an airstrike against a Hamas cell of three men, and a the infrastructure which was used to launch rockets at Sderot on Thursday. In the Zeytoun neighborhood, the large-scale operation is ongoing, although it seems to be nearing completion.

In Central Gaza, the IDF eliminated a few dozen terrorists both from on ground and in airstrikes called in by troops. In a rear mention, the IDF says that the “Ghost Unit” eliminated terrorists in the areas using “innovative means.”

In Khan Younis, the IDF intensified operations in several locations, especially in the west, though dozens of terrorists were reported eliminated across the city. The elite Egos commando unit raided a compound which had been used by Yahya Sinwar, Hamas’s military leader, where intelligence was gathered along with an assault rifle.

At night (post Shabbat), after heavy airstrikes, reports from inside Gaza saw the IDF advancing north of Khan Younis, towards Al-Qarara, an area which had been skipped over until now. These reports are not yet confirmed by the IDF, but are an important move in completing the dismantling of Hamas.

The IDF released footage and information about operations in the eastern Khan Younis suburbs, particularly in the “Abasan area,” which is named for the three towns: Abasan al-Jadida, Abasan al-Kabira, and Abasan al-Saghira. This area is just two kilometers from Israel, and is the location from where Hamas terrorists set out to attack the Israeli towns of Kissufim, Ein Hashlosha, Nirim, and Nir Oz on October 7.

Before entering the Abasan area on ground, the IDF says that airstrikes were carried out against dozens of Hamas targets on and below ground. Over the past week, IDF troops eliminated dozens of terrorists in the area, and mongst other finds, located a Hamas hideout in an apartment, which contained anti-tank missiles, drones, sniper rifles, assault rifles, grenades, RPGS, and other equipment. There were some intense close-quarters combat in the area, and two IDF soldiers fell in the battles.

In Rafah, the IDF carried out an airstrike and eliminated a group of PIJ terrorists who were gathering at a Hamas site near the Emirati Hospital. The IDF says that no damage was caused to the hospital.

Palestinians report that terrorist Ahmed Abu Seta was eliminated today. The terrorist was seen in an October 7th video inside southern Israel, cruelly threatening a Bedouin Israeli while demanding of him to show the way to the Re’im festival.

Gaza Humanitarian Efforts Updates:

Yesterday, 260 aid trucks were inspected & transferred to Gaza. This is one of the largest numbers of trucks to be transferred in the last few weeks. In addition, 192 trucks were distributed within Gaza. 300 trucks worth remain on the Gazan side of Kerem Shalom, waiting to be picked up and distributed by aid organizations.

A UN convoy carrying a fuel tanker designated for the refuel of the Shifa Hospital made its way to the northern Gaza Strip following coordination with the IDF.

This morning, the U.S. and Royal Jordanian Air Force collaborated to airdrop 38,000 meals along the coastline of Gaza. Most of the cargo was dropped areas still controlled by Hamas, such as in Rafah. Locals on ground reported that Hamas gathered most of the aid, and was selling it rather than distributing it for free.

Despite the outstanding evidence that UNRWA is heavily intertwined with and supporting Hamas, today the European Commission announced that they will be renewing funding to UNRWA, and decided to proceed with paying €50 million to UNRWA and increase emergency support to Palestinians by €68 million in 2024.

Northern Front Updates:

The last day saw a slight decrease in fire from Hezbollah.

The IDF carried out airstrikes against several Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, including buildings where terrorists were seen entering. Another IDF airstrike on a vehicle driving along the Naqoura coast eliminated three terrorists from the Imam Hossein Division—an Iranian terror group which operates alongside Hezbollah. The three terrorists had recently been involved in rocket fire on Israel’s north.

Hezbollah announced three deaths today, bringing their total to 229 terrorists killed by Israeli airstrikes. The IDF believes the number is much higher, with ten Hezbollah terrorists eliminated in the last 48 hours alone.

U.S. President Biden’s representative to the Middle East, Amos Hochstein, is expected to visit Lebanon at the beginning of the week, with the goal of promoting calm between Israel and Lebanon. Hochstein has a previously planned visit to Israel next Monday, in which he is slated to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Galant, Minister Ron Dermer, National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi, and Mossad head Dedi Barnea.

The Lebanese Foreign Minister, Abdallah Bou Habib, today said that “Lebanon is ready for indirect negotiations [with Israel] because the other option is the risk of the war expanding into a regional war.” It is yet unknown if the Lebanese government is able to reign in Hezbollah.

There are continued “alleged” Israeli air strikes in Syria, where Israel has said it will not allow Iran to increase its already heavy presence—but rarely comments on or confirms activity in the area. On Friday, Iranian media reported that an airstrike in the Damascus area eliminated a member of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, along with two Hezbollah terrorists.

Houthi War Front Updates:

The U.S. State Department posted on Twitter/X that “Houthi attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea are doubling shipping costs to the United States and having real human impacts—increasing the costs of food, medicine, and fuel.”

The American Air Force announced that it attacked a missile of the Houthis that was prepared for launch in the territory of Yemen. Also, earlier today the Central Command of the US Army announced that the Houthis launched an anti-ship missile from Yemen towards the Red Sea.

The government of Yemen (not the Houthis) announced that the UK-owned Rubymar, which was attacked by Houthi militants on February 18th, has sunk into the Red Sea. Yemen warned of an “environmental catastrophe” from the ship’s cargo of fertiliser.

Judea and Samaria Updates:

The IDF was seen carrying out counter-terrorism operations in Shechem (Nablus) and the Ramallah district, where a terrorist was reportedly eliminated after attacking IDF troops.

A Palestinian stabbed a 57-year-old Jewish man after he entered ad-Dhahiriya to visit a doctor. The Jewish man was brought to the hospital with moderate wounds. Ad-Dhahiriya is in the Chevron (Hebron) area, in what is classified as “Area A.” Israelis, particularly Jewish Israelis, are warned against entering Area A, due to the danger involved. The Palestinian terrorist was later arrested by the IDF.