War Day 44: Over 100 Terrorists Arrested, 35 Tunnels Discovered

Daily war summary from Eretz Yisroel: over 100 terrorists arrested- some who were planning a future attack, 35 tunnel additional tunnel shafts discovered, and an attempted shooting in the Shomron.

By Mrs. Bruria Efune

War Summary, Day Forty Four

236 held captive by Hamas.
5 hostages freed.
3 hostage bodies rescued.
1,200+ Israelis murdered.
60 fallen soldiers since entering Gaza.
7,262 injured.
10,000+ rockets fired at Israel.
187,540 Israelis displaced from their homes.
1 Jewish nation united in prayer, charity, and good deeds.

Hostage & Injured Updates:

Israel denies the report by a Hamas-affiliated channel about a truce starting tomorrow at 11 am. Rumors indicate that some kind of temporary pause of fighting in exchange for the release of hostages is coming soon, possibly along with Israel releasing terrorist prisoners back to Gaza as well. None if this is confirmed.

Tomorrow in the evening the members of the War Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, will meet with representatives of the families of the abducted and missing.

Just a few hours ago (1:00 a.m. on Monday morning), the terror group, Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades in Gaza announced near midnight that “several of our captives have been transferred to the authorized agency in recent times, secretly, and with complete success.”

It’s unclear which authorities they’re referring to, and if it’s connected to any deal, but they did hint to the release of security prisoner, Marwan Barghouti, who was convicted of murdering Israelis in the second intifada and is serving multiple life sentences.

IDF spokesman, Brigadier General Daniel Hagari, announced dramatic findings, and provided video evidence of Hamas forcefully bringing two hostages, a Thai and Nepalese citizen, into Shifa Hospital on October 7th. He also revealed that Cpl. Noa Marciano had been killed in the basement of Shifa Hospital. Hagari hinted that other captives had been taken to Shifa Hospital as well.

Gaza Front Updates:

Limited rocket fire was contained to the Gaza Envelope communities and one barrage to Ashkelon, no injuries were reported.

The IDF announced the names of seven soldiers who fell in combat in Gaza:

Sergeant Binyamin Meir Airley, 21 years old, from Beit Shemesh
Capt. (res.) Roy Bieber, 28 years old, from Tzur Moshe
Lt. (res.) Adir Portugal, 23 years old, from Mezherat Batya
Sgt. Gal Mishalof, 21 years old, from Modiin
Major (res.) Yakir Biton, 34 years old, from Jerusalem
Sergeant Major Rani Tahan, 40 years old, from Sadeh Nechemiah
Major (res.) Chen Yahalom, 35 years old, from Kfar Azar

In addition, there are 100 soldiers currently hospitalized in critical condition.

The toughest battles are not yet over for our soldiers, we need to continued and strengthen prayers for their safety and success.

Operations in Gaza continue to expand, as forces move forward in urban combat.

In the Sheik Ejlin neighborhood and Rimal neighborhood (one of the most affluent luxury neighborhoods in Gaza), the IDF paratroopers uncovered 35 tunnel shafts, and many weapons, as well as eliminated many terrorists.

The Air Force struck Hamas targets in the Tel Al-Zatar area, around the evacuated Indonesian hospital, around the European hospital, and in Beit Lahia. The Prime Minister’s spokesman for the Arab media, Ofir Gendelman, published a video of the bombings, and tweeted: “The IDF is destroying a network of Hamas tunnels in the Beit Hanun area of ​​the Gaza Strip.”

In a joint operation of the Shin Bet and IDF Intelligence Unit 504, over 100 terrorists were arrested in recent days and taken for interrogation in Israel. Among the detainees are three terrorists who took part in the massacre on October 7th, as well as terrorist operatives from the fields of rocket fire, sabotage, sniping, and logistics. In interrogations, the terrorists gave the locations of underground tunnels, warehouses, and weapons, as well as operational methods of the terrorist organizations, details about the digging of the tunnels, and recruitment processes.

The IDF released strong evidence of Hamas’s use of Shifa Hospital for terrorists activities, including on October 7th. In addition to video evidence of hostages being taken to the hospital as medical staff look on and say nothing, the IDF showed military equipment and vehicles stolen from Israel and brought to Hamas headquarters in the hospital on October 7th. The IDF also release a video mapping out a tunnel 10 meters deep and 55 meters long, under Shifa Hospital.

All evidence points to multiple international organizations in the hospital, including UNRWA, WHO, and the Red Cross, being fully aware of Hamas’s use of the hospital, and covering for them by continuing to work there without reporting the crimes. Multiple international medical staff in the hospital may also have been aware of hostages being held there.

Shifa hospital isn’t the only one—a video uploaded by Hamas shows convicting evidence that armed Hamas terrorists entered and operated in the Rantisi hospital as well, contrary to their statements that there were no terrorists in the hospital.

The IDF also attacked Hamas targets in Rafah, in the south of the Gaza Strip.

Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority, Muhammad Abbad (aka Abu Mazen), made statements denying the October 7th Hamas atrocities. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu returned sharp rebuke, and made it clear that Abu Mazen will not be trusted with Gaza, nor will anyone who behaves like him.

“The day after we eliminate Hamas,” Netanyahu said. “We will not allow whoever runs the civil administration in Gaza to deny terrorism, support terrorism, pay for terrorism and educate his children for terrorism and the destruction of the State of Israel. We will not allow that.”

Gaza Humanitarian Efforts Updates:

At least 100 daily trucks of humanitarian aid continue to enter southern Gaza, and the IDF continues to guard humanitarian corridors for Gaza civilians who haven’t yet left northern Gaza for the humanitarian zones in the south.

French President Macron has decided to charter a plane that will transport more than 10 tons of medical supplies early next week to Gaza.

The World Health Organization (finally) announced that it is preparing an evacuation plan for Shifa Hospital. The organization said that 291 patients and 25 medical staff members remain in the hospital.

Northern Front Updates:

There was heavy firing, and multiple incidents of hostile explosive drones and terror infiltrations from Lebanon today. Sirens were triggered in the Upper Galilee as an interceptor fired from Tzfat (Safed) took down a hostile drone. No casualties were reported.

The border town of Metula (which is under and evacuation order but has a few residents who remained in place) was put under complete lockdown, with no one allowed in or out.

The IDF attacked in response and defense only, and took out multiple Hezbollah military targets in Lebanon.

The Deputy Secretary General of Hezbollah, Naim Kassem, said today: “We are in the highest readiness for any possibility that may happen. All the threats of the enemy are worthless to us.”

The IDF is yet to spell out what is the red line for Hezbollah attacks, and when it will be considered time to go on the offense. They have though, assured residents of the north that quiet and security will be restored.

Additional War Fronts Updates:

The Houthis hijacked a ship in the middle of the Red Sea, near Yemen, using a helicopter.

In the Houthi’s words, “Naval forces carried out a military operation in the Red Sea, the result of which was the seizure of an Israeli ship and brought it to the coast of Yemen. The Yemeni armed forces are working with the ship’s crew according to the religious standards of Islam. The forces warn again that any ship that belongs The Israeli enemy or working with them will become a legitimate target for the armed forces. We will continue the military operations against the Israeli enemy until the aggression on the Gaza Strip is stopped.”

The IDF Spokesman said in response, “The incident of the hijacking of the cargo ship by the Houthis near Yemen in the southern Red Sea is a very serious event at the global level. It is a ship that left Turkey on its way to India with an international civilian crew, without Israelis. It is not an Israeli ship.”

The “Islamic Resistance of Iraq” group issued a statement saying: “In response to the enemy’s crimes against the residents of Gaza, our soldiers attacked the American base in Hurir using a drone, which directly hit the target.”

Judea and Samaria Updates:

There was an attempted shooting attack on two vehicles on Route 5 near Zavia in the Shomron (Samaria). The vehicles continued their journey to the Shomron border crossing where they joined the security forces. There were no casualties but the vehicle was damaged.

The IDF has dramatically increased terror-fighting operations in Judea and Samaria.

Last night, huge raids were carried out in Jenin, Shechem (Nablus), Qalandia, and Balata—where they destroyed a terrorist monument. Dozens of illegal weapons were confiscated, explosive factories and terror posts were destroyed, and at least 20 wanted persons arrested, including several who were planning a terror attack in the near future.