War Day 318: IDF Airstrike Kills Own Soldier, More Reservists Called In

War Summary, Day 318: IDF soldier Shachar Ben Nun was killed after a guided missile in an IDF airstrike malfunctioned and hit Israeli soldiers, a new edict sent out to recall reservists who were previously exempted due to personnel reductions after a new assessment of the military’s needs, and Egypt stressed to the Israeli delegation that it rejects any form of Israeli supervision of the Philadelphi Corridor even with a reduced force—a core demand of the Israeli team.

By Mrs. Bruria Efune

War Summary, Day 318:

115 held captive in Gaza.
41 hostages confirmed murdered in Gaza.
116 living hostages rescued.
24 hostage bodies rescued.
1,624 Israelis killed.
335 fallen soldiers and police in the battle in Gaza.
20 fallen soldiers in Northern Israel.
9 fallen soldiers in Judea & Samaria.
20,780 estimated rockets fired at Israel.
88,000 Israelis displaced from their homes.
1 Jewish nation united in prayer, charity, and good deeds.

Top Headlines:

• Netanyahu accepts U.S.’s “bridging proposal”
• Iran and Hezbollah still preparing to attack after negotiations
• Fallen hero in Gaza
• Tunnel found and destroyed in Khan Younis
• Fallen soldier in Lebanon
• IAF attacks Hezbollah warehouse deep into Lebanon
• Israel’s far north on top alert
• Tel Aviv explosion confirmed to be semi-failed suicide bombing
• IDF calling up formerly exempt reservists

Hostage Updates:

Prime Minister Netanyahu met with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken for three hours today. Afterwords, both Netanyahu and Blinken individually announced that Israel agrees to the bridging proposal presented by the U.S. Netanyahu thanked Blinken for his efforts, and emphasized that Israel is working to bring home the maximum number of hostages alive, in the first phase. Blinken stated that after Israel has accepted the deal, “It’s now incumbent on Hamas to do the same.

Defense Minister Gallant also met with Blinken, and told him, “Just as Israel leads the military pressure on Hamas, the US must lead the political pressure until reaching an outline that will allow the return of the hostages.”

Israel will be sending a delegation to the resumption of the negotiations summit in Cairo, on Wednesday.

Despite the U.S.’s optimism, things aren’t looking as bright in Arabic. This evening, sources told the Saudi “Al-Hadad” network that Egypt stressed to the Israeli delegation that it rejects any form of Israeli supervision of the Philadelphi Corridor even with a reduced force—a core demand of the Israeli team, which appears to be held up in the U.S.’s bridging proposal.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Hamas leader, Yahya Sinwar, thinks the talks are a farce, and only being held to give Israel more time. Sinwar wants the war to expand, with Hezbollah and Iran joining in, and won’t give in to anything less than a guaranteed complete ceasefire and IDF withdrawal, that will allow Hamas to rebuild.

Iran & Proxies Attack Updates:

The spokesman of the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Nasser Kanaani, said this morning that “international laws reserve the right for us to respond to the elimination of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. Iran will not hesitate to use any of its capabilities to protect its national interests.”

Israel is now expecting Iran and Hezbollah to attack once the negotiations fall through. If a ceasefire is agreed upon, Israel expects that Iran may attack anyway, but Hezbollah might stop.

Gaza Front Updates:

Hamas did not successfully fire any rockets into Israel today.

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

Lt. Shachar Ben Nun, 21, from Petach Tikva

Sadly, Shachar was killed after a guided missile in an IDF airstrike malfunctioned, and instead hit a building around 300 meters away from the target, in which a unit of IDF soldiers were staying. Several other soldiers were injured in the incident. The IAF says that the incident is an outlier, and a malfunction like this hasn’t happened before.

Four divisions of IDF troops are currently operating in Gaza: the 252nd Division along the Netzarim Corridor, and on pinpoint operations in Central and Northern Gaza; the Gaza Division in the buffer zone; the 98th Division in Khan Younis, Hamad, and Deir al-Balah; and the 162nd Division in Rafah and along the Philadelphi Corridor. The IAF struck more than 45 terror targets in Gaza over the last day. In addition, the IDF adds that a drone struck and eliminated a Hamas terrorist who had fired rockets at the Israeli border town of Sin Hashlosha on Sunday.

Troops int the Netzarim Corridor along Central Gaza located and called airstrikes to eliminate two Hamas terrorists and destroy a Hamas command room nearby.

In Khan Younis, troops located and destroyed a Hamas tunnel which stretched one-and-a-half kilometers long. Terrorists had been using the tunnel right up until its discovery, and troops found a large number of weapons and other equipment inside. Also in Khan Younis, troops found a Hamas store room with dozens of rockets, anti-tank missiles, and other equipment.

In Rafah, troops are advancing in the volatile Tel Sultan neighborhood, where they’ve been locating and destroying Hamas weapons and other infrastructure.

Gaza Humanitarian Efforts Updates:

185 trucks carrying humanitarian goods were transferred to Gaza yesterday, of which 40 were coordinated to Northern Gaza.
About 550 trucks worth are still waiting for collection by UN organizations.
6 fuel and 6 gas tankers designated for the operation of essential infrastructure in Gaza, entered Gaza yesterday.

13 bakeries are operational (7 in northern Gaza and 6 in central Gaza), producing close to 3 million pita loaves a day.

To date 3,397 patients and 914 escorts have been transferred out of Gaza for medical treatment abroad.

Over 95% Gazans are immunized against polio. Israel is working with the WHO & UNICEF to get 1.3m more vaccines into Gaza as well as with UNICEF on a campaign that will cover 600,000 children under 10 for the new mutation.

Northern Front Updates:

Hezbollah in Lebanon continued firing rockets on Israel’s far north, and five attack drones, which triggered sirens past Nahariya, three were intercepted.

The IDF announced the name of a hero who fell while guarding Northern Israel:

Chief Warrant Officer Mahmood Amaria, 45, from Ibtin

Mahmood was killed by a Hezbollah attack drone which impacted near Ya’ara in the Western Galilee. Several other soldiers were injured, including one seriously.

The IAF (Israeli Air Force) carried out a significant airstrike in Northeastern Lebanon’s Baalbek District. The strike hit a large Hezbollah weapons warehouse, and many secondary explosions were seen, including rockets flying off in false launches.

The IDF also carried out a large number of airstrikes across many Hezbollah targets in Southern Lebanon, including a cel of Hezbollah terrorists, and Hussein Ali Hussien, a prominent member of Hezbollah’s rocket and missile unit.

Following the IAF’s heavy activity over Lebanon, several communities in Israel’s far north have been instructed to reduce movement, avoid gatherings, stay near bomb shelters, and avoid being seen by the terrorists over the fence.

“Al-Jadid,” a Lebanese news channel, reported that “Hezbollah’s response is ready and the goal is clear and defined.” According to their sources, “the target was carefully chosen so that Netanyahu would not use it as an excuse for an escalation that would lead to the expansion of the war against Lebanon.” However, the sources emphasized that “Hezbollah’s response was tied to the negotiations. As soon as Hamas announces its opposition to the new proposal, then Hezbollah will be released from the restrictions imposed so that it will not be accused of disrupting the negotiations.” (Note that Hezbollah is expecting Hamas to oppose the proposal, even before seeing it.)

The Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it will file a complaint with the UN Security Council due to the violation of the Israeli fighter jets, which break the sound barrier above the country’s skies. According to the ministry, this is a “flagrant violation of Resolution 1701, which was adopted by the Security Council after the Lebanon War the second in 2006. Not noted, is that Resolution 1701 requires Hezbollah to stay behind the Litani River, and out of Southern Lebanon.

Tel Aviv Attack:

Following yesterday’s explosion in Tel Aviv, Israeli police and Shin Bet confirm that it was an intended terror attack “with the detonation of a powerful explosive device.”

Hamas took credit for the attack, together with the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), and said that it was a suicide bombing, and that they plan to carry out more.

In the attack, the explosive went off early, killing only the bomber, and moderately wounding one passerby. Many are calling the incident a miracle, since the bomb was very powerful, and could have caused far more casualties if it was executed in a crowded area.

General Updates:

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has ordered the IDF to recall reservists who were previously exempted due to personnel reductions. The IDF and Defense Ministry say this decision follows a new assessment of the military’s needs. Reservists under the exemption age—40 for most soldiers, 45 for officers, and 49 for specialists—will be called back if they served in critical roles and are fit to return. This move is part of an effort to increase the reserve forces based on operational requirements.

These guys came out of battle in Gaza for a few hours, so we got to personally deliver the surveillance system to them! They send a heartfelt thank you to everyone who donated and helped with the campaign, and is helping to protect them during their next missions. They shared a lot of great stories, and I hope to write them up for you this week. These guys are heroes beyond imagination, and through all of it, feel that G-d is at their side. We also have an update coming about our new warehouse in the north, set up to deliver essential equipment to soldiers fighting Hezbollah.

Watch the secondary explosions and flying rockets after the IAF hit a Hezbollah weapons warehouse in Northeastern Lebanon.