War Day 311: Hamas Claim Hostage Killed, Israeli Shot at in Qalqilya

War Summary, Day 311: Hamas’s military spokesman, Abu Obeida, issued a statement in which he said that Hamas guards killed a hostage and seriously wounded two female hostages, a Palestinian terrorist shot and injured an Israeli man and two Palestinians in Qalqilya, and Iran may tone down their attack in fear of IDF response.

By Mrs. Bruria Efune

War Summary, Day 311:

115 held captive in Gaza.
41 hostages confirmed murdered in Gaza.
116 living hostages rescued.
24 hostage bodies rescued.
1,619 Israelis killed.
332 fallen soldiers and police in the battle in Gaza.
19 fallen soldiers in Northern Israel.
9 fallen soldiers in Judea & Samaria.
20,620 estimated rockets fired at Israel.
90,000 Israelis displaced from their homes.
1 Jewish nation united in prayer, charity, and good deeds.

Top Headlines:

• Hamas claims Mohave killed a hostage
• Iran is showing signs of preparedness to attack imminently
• Iran may tone down their attack, in fear of IDF response
• Fallen soldiering Khan Younis
• IDF verifies 31 terrorists in school building bombing
• IDF officers warn that Hezbollah may attempt a small ground invasion
• Terrorist released in November deal, shoots and wounds Israeli
• Unity rally held at Hostage Square

Hostage Updates:

Hamas’s military spokesman, Abu Obeida, issued a statement on Telegram, in which he said that Hamas guards, in two separate incidents, killed a hostage and seriously wounded two female hostages. He also claimed that attempts are being made to save the lives of the wounded hostages.

The IDF said that it is working to gather intelligence on the situation, and at the moment cannot confirm or deny Obeida’s statements. The statements are of course another cruel twist of psychological warfare. Back in October, Obeida had threatened to execute Israeli hostages daily, if the IDF attacked Gaza, and release the videos.

In an effort to save the August 15th negotiations summit, U.S. Secretary of State Blinken is sending his top advisor to Egypt to try and negotiate a solution for security along the Egypt-Gaza border. One of the primary holdups is that Israel does not want to allow Hamas the ability to smuggle weapons via Egypt during a 6-week truce, and wants to prevent is by holding on to the Philadelphi Corridor. Hamas of course wants to smuggle in weapons, and is therefore insisting as a priority condition, that Israel evacuate it immediately. The U.S. may try to negotiate an alternative security at the border, though it will be hard for Israel to trust anyone, let alone Egypt, after they failed to guard the border so badly until now.

Iran & Proxies Attack Updates:

There are still no changes to Home Front Command guidelines for civilians in Israel. Civilians will be notified as soon as there are changes. If you’re in Israel, be sure to have the Home Front Command app installed on your phone, with the ability to send you notifications.

According to Axios, Israel and the U.S. expect Iran to attack imminently, possibly within the next 24 hours, after seeing significant signs of preparation in Iran, similar to in August—however they still do not know for sure. The Washington Post reports that Iran will try to avoid an all-out war, out of fear that Israel and the U.S. will attack their nuclear program. Both Israel and the U.S. have been doing extensive military posturing over the last weeks, as a warning to Iran. According to Kann news, the IDF has made Iran aware that it is ready to respond disproportionately if Iran attacks civilians.

IDF Spokesman, Brigadier General Hagari, says that the Israeli Air Force has increased its patrols over Lebanon, to detect and intercept threats, and is at the highest level of readiness. He added that the IDF will update the public as early as is possible without giving away intelligence sources or operational advantage.

The Israeli Air Force has ordered career officers to stay in Israel for the time being, due to the situation, cancelling any pre-approved vacations.

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke for the seventh time in recent weeks.

Gaza Front Updates:

Hamas fired one rocket at Israeli civilians in the community of Ein Hashlosha, near the border with Gaza. The rocket hit an empty area, and no injuries were reported.

The IDF announced the name of one hero who fell in battle in Gaza:

Sgt. Omer Ginzburg, 19, from Kiryat Tivon

Omer was killed by a Hamas sniper in Khan Younis.

Four divisions of IDF troops are currently operating in Gaza: the 252nd Division along the Netzarim Corridor, and on pinpoint operations in Central Gaza; the Gaza Division in the buffer zone; the 98th Division in Khan Younis; and the 162nd Division in Rafah and along the Philadelphi Corridor.

IDF troops are continuing to battle Hamas in Gaza, now focusing heavily on locating hidden Hamas infrastructure that may have been too hard to find earlier. Troops now have more freedom of movement on ground, as well as far more intelligence—both gleaned from raids on Hamas offices, and from informers—either arrested, or free in Gaza. Illustrating this, an Al-Arabiya report today claimed that Israel found and eliminated Hamas military leader, Mohammed Dief thanks to the collaboration of a Hamas messenger who Dief trusted with his whereabouts.

In a follow-up to the Shabbat airstrike on a wing of a school building in Gaza City, the IDF says it has now verified the deaths of a total of 31 Hamas and PIJ terrorists who were eliminated in the building. The IDF released the full list, with details of each terrorist’s role.

Gaza Humanitarian Efforts Updates:

Yesterday, 194 trucks carrying humanitarian goods were transferred to Gaza.
UN aid organizations did not collect any trucks from the Gazan side of Kerem Shalom.
114 private sector and other international organizations trucks were collected.
Approximately 575 trucks are waiting for collection.

Northern Front Updates:

Hezbollah in Lebanon continued with heavy firing on Israel’s far north. No injuries or extensive damage was reported today.

The IDF has been retaliating at a slightly elevated rate lately, with airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in Southern Lebanon, and a focus on eliminating terrorists. Troops on the northern border constantly surveil the area, and stay in close touch with the Air Force, calling in airstrikes on Hezbollah targets when they spot them.

While the IDF prepares for a possible war scenario with Hezbollah in Lebanon, officers warn that a Hezbollah ground invasion is still a viable threat. According to Walla News, the officers say that Hezbollah’s elite Radian unit may try to stage an attack on an Israeli community or military outpost next to the border, with the intention to create a triumphant image. The officers assert that the IDF is ready and has plans for such a scenario, and hopes to foil any such effort.

Judea and Samaria Updates:

A Palestinian terrorist shot and injured an Israeli man and two Palestinians in Qalqilya, before he was found and eliminated by IDF troops. The terrorist was named as Tariq Daoud, 18, who had just been released from Israeli prison in November, in the first hostage deal. Daoud was released as one of 240 security prisoners who were considered low risk.

General Updates:

At the start of Tisha B’Av night, thousands gathered at the Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, for a unity rally organized by both left and right-wing communities, calling for the return of the hostages.

Yisrael Ganz, mayor of the Binyamin Regional Council, gave an opening speech, “Ten months ago we discovered that there is a love between us that needs to be nurtured and promoted even during regular times, when everyone is holding their own. Each of us will continue to champion our beliefs, and there may be others will oppose them and try to promote their own worldviews. But in the new Jerusalem we must do it as fellow brothers with an alliance signed between us. Wherever we go and wherever we turn, we will be together.”