War Day 459: Trump Warns Hamas to Release Hostages, Israel Aims for Weapon Independence

War Summary, Day 459: Trump warns of severe consequences if Hamas doesn’t release hostages, Hamas is unsurprisingly seen driving UN vehicles in Gaza, the UAE explores governing Gaza in exchange for a “Palestinian” state, Israel remains on high alert for a potential Iranian surprise attack and Israel advances toward weapons independence from America.

By Mrs. Bruria Efune 

100 held captive in Gaza.
37 hostages confirmed murdered held in Gaza. 
117 living hostages rescued.
38 hostage bodies rescued.
1,799 Israelis killed.
400 fallen soldiers and police in the battle in Gaza.
87 fallen soldiers in Northern Israel.
14 fallen soldiers and police in Judea & Samaria.
30,683 estimated projectiles fired at Israel.
88,000 Israelis displaced from their homes. 
1 Jewish nation united in prayer, charity, and good deeds.

Top Headlines:

– Hamas is still demanding a full IDF withdrawal and more
– Trump again threatened “all hell”
– Trump sent his own envoy to the hostage negotiations 
– The IDF announced two heroes fell in battle
– Hamas is driving UN vehicles in Gaza
– UAE in discussions over new interim government in Gaza
– UAE wants Palestinian State as condition
– U.S. praises Lebanese Army
– Israel might stay in some parts of Lebanon longterm
– Israel on high alert for sudden Iran attack
– More Israeli moves towards weapons independence 

Hostages:

Negotiations are either progressing, or going nowhere, depending on who you listen to.

Senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan held a press conference in Algeria today and very clearly stated Hamas’s conditions for a deal: Complete IDF withdrawal and ceasefire, thousands of terrorists released from prison, complete Hamas control of the reconstruction of Gaza—funded by the international community. None of these are conditions that Israel will agree to, as they are all designed to allow Hamas to be able to rebuild and continue attacking Israel like they promise to do.

In response to questions at a conference at Mar-a-Lago, U.S. President-elect Trump again threatened Hamas: “If those hostages are not back by the time I get into office, all hell will break out in the Middle East.” 

In addition to his threat, Trump also sent a team of his own people to join in the negotiations in Qatar, lead by his Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff.

At the same conference, Witkoff said: “We’re making progress. We’re doing good work in Doha. I’m leaving tomorrow to return to Doha. I hope that by the inauguration we’ll have good things to report. It’s the president, his status, his red lines, that’s what’s moving the negotiations forward.”

The IDF is continuing to use force as a means to pressure Hamas. On a visit to Jabaliya, the IDF Chief of Staff told troops that their job is to “bring Hamas to the point where they will understand that they need to bring all the kidnapped people back.”

Bottom line: Hamas still believes that they can continue to control Gaza in the future, and that the hostages are the key to achieving that. 

Gaza:

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

Maj. Dvir Zion Revah, 38, from Jerusalem

Staff Sgt. Ido Samiach, 20, from Ganei Tikva

There are currently three divisions operating in Gaza. The 162nd Division is in Northernmost Gaza, particularly in Beit Hanoun. The 99th Division is in the Netzarim Corridor, which is used to launch small-scale operations in Gaza City, Central Gaza, and Khan Younis. The 143rd Division (aka the Gaza Division) is operating in Rafah, along the Philadelphi Corridor, and in the buffer zone which stretches along the length Gaza’s border with Israel.

After 64 days in Northern Gaza, the Kfir Brigade, which operated under the 162nd Division, was withdrawn from the area, and is being prepared for future operations, likely in the Philadelphi Corridor. Other Brigades from the 162nd Division remain in Gaza’s north.

While in Northern Gaza, the Kfir Brigade eliminated over 300 terrorists, including some heavyweights and some who participated in the October 7th massacre. The brigade primarily focused on removing threats to Israeli border communities, and demolished significant amounts of Hamas infrastructure. Significantly, they demolished 7.5 kilometers worth of Hamas tunnels, and the entire officer’s neighborhood in Beit Hanoun, which was infested with rocket launchers aimed at Israel, anti-tank firing positions, and booby traps.

Sadly, 12 heroes from the Kfir Brigade fell in battle during operations in Northern Gaza. Dozens more were wounded, of which many already returned to battle.

The Shin Bet is continuing with the mission to find and eliminate every terrorist who participated in the October 7th attack. This evening, several airstrikes hit precise targets in the Khan Younis area, which eliminated a number (not yet released) of these terrorists.

The IDF released a video of an interrogation with a Hamas terrorist from the elite Nukhba forces who worked at the Kamal Adwan Hospital. In it, the terrorist admits that Hamas uses hospitals to hide and store weapons because they know that the IDF can’t target them there.

Amidst false accusations that IDF soldiers shot at UN vehicles, the IDF’s COGAT Division says that Hamas terrorists have stolen marked UN vehicles, and drive them around Gaza. Furthermore, even though the UN knows this, they have not reported a single one of the stolen vehicles to the IDF. In other words, the UN is now practically covering for the Hamas terrorists who are driving their marked vehicles.

Around 150 trucks of humanitarian aid are delivered to Gaza on every weekday. The IDF provides protected travel routes for humanitarian organizations to pick up and deliver the aid. Currently, over 800 truckloads worth of aid is waiting for UN organizations to pick it up from the Gazan side of the Kerem Shalom Crossing.

Over the last 3 months, the UAE has provided Gaza 558 tons of winter clothing, coats, and blankets.

While Hamas is having a harder time stealing aid ever since the IDF started targeting the groups responsible for it, they still are getting a good amount of it, and it is keeping them alive and funded. After January 20th, Israel might reduce the aid deliveries, in order to completely cut Hamas off.

Gaza Day After Talks:

According to a Reuters report, the UAE is reportedly engaged in secret discussions with Israel and the United States about establishing an interim government in Gaza after the war. The proposal involves the UAE, the U.S., and other countries temporarily managing Gaza’s administration, security, and reconstruction following an IDF withdrawal, until a Palestinian government can take control. However, a senior Emirati official emphasized that the UAE would only support such a plan if it includes significant reforms to the Palestinian Authority and the creation of a Palestinian state—conditions that Israel has publicly opposed. 

When Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005 as part of the unilateral disengagement plan, the Palestinian Authority (PA), led by Fatah, was in control of the Gaza Strip. At the time, the PA was recognized as the official governing body of the PA-controlled areas in Judea and Samaria, and also of Gaza.

The United States, along with other international actors, assured Israel that efforts would be made to prevent Gaza from becoming a base for terrorist activities. These assurances included:

1. Support for the Palestinian Authority: The U.S. pledged to bolster the PA’s capacity to govern Gaza effectively, maintain security, and counteract extremist groups.

2. International Oversight: There were promises to work with international partners to monitor borders and crossings to prevent arms smuggling and infiltration by terrorist groups.

3. Commitment to Israel’s Security: The U.S. reaffirmed its commitment to Israel’s security and pledged to help mitigate terrorism threats from Gaza through diplomatic and intelligence-sharing measures. This promise included assurances that if Israel would come under attack from terror groups in Gaza, the U.S. would step up to remove the threats.

Despite these assurances, Hamas overthrew the PA in a violent conflict in 2007, and established de facto rule of the Gaza Strip. The international oversight and U.S. promises did nothing to remove the terror group from power, ultimately leading to the horrific October 7th massacre. The PA is now also losing control of significant areas in Judea and Samaria, where Hamas terrorists are taking over.

Now, after the historic failures leading to this point, Israelis rightfully believe that the establishment of a Palestinian state will only lead to more terrorism, and that the International community and U.S. cannot be trusted to prevent this from happening. Furthermore, establishing it in this context makes a clear reward for Hamas’s October 7th massacre, and the mass kidnappings.

Lebanon:

Following yesterday’s deployment to Naqoura, the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) has expanded their position along the border with Israel from Alma a-Shaab in the west to Bint Jabal in the east. Their job in the area is to remove all Hezbollah infrastructure, and make sure the terrorists stay out. 

Reuters reported that in order to support the LAF, the US has diverted $95 million intended for the Egyptian army, and will instead transfer it to the Lebanese army.

U.S. army Major General Jasper Jeffers and French Brigadier General Guillaume Ponchin, visited the LAF’s 5th Brigade. The brigade presented the generals with weapons which they had confiscated in searches of Southern Lebanon villages where Hezbollah and other terror groups had acted. Major General Jeffers praised the LAF’s 5th brigade for their work, and for their expertise in handling unexploded ordnance. 

In a speech quoted by CENTCOM, he claimed that the LAF “has the capability, intent, and leadership to secure and defend Lebanon.” He also claimed that they “acted decisively, rapidly, and with clear expertise.” However, the pile of confiscated weapons which the LAF showed him was a pithy, and the Lebanese army’s actions have been so slow that they are not anywhere near meeting the ceasefire agreement deadline.

Amit Segal, one of Israel’s top political commentators, reported that Israel is considering remaining in certain strategic positions in Lebanon for a few years. Segal suspects that Israel won’t announce this until after January 20th, when Trump takes over the White House. He mentions that Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich hinted to this when he recently told evacuated residents of the north that there are some plans which he can’t talk about “for another fifteen days.”

Judea & Samaria:

Overnight, the IDF operated in Talluza, near Shechem (Nablus). In the operation, one armed Hamas terrorist was eliminated in close-quarters combat, his rifle confiscated. Another terrorist was detained. An IDF soldier was seriously injured in the exchange of fire.

A larger, brigade-level counterterrorism operation took place in Tamun, in the Jordan Valley area. IDF troops arrested several terror suspects, and confiscated illegal weapons. During the operation, the troops came under fire. A drone strike was called, and two terrorists were eliminated.

Iran:

The IDF is back on high alert, after several hints that the Iranian regime may soon launch a surprise attack against Israel. However, since Iran likes to play psychological games with timing and holding people in suspense, Israel is not giving the issue a lot of attention outside of military readiness. By now, all Israelis have practice and know what to do if an attack starts. 

Other:

The Israeli Defense Ministry is continuing to act so that Israel will no longer be dependent on outside countries for munitions. Today it signed two deals with Elbit Systems, and Israel-based defense contractor company. The deals are worth an estimated NIS 1 billion ($275 million).

The first deal will supply Israel with thousands of heavy bombs. These are some of the same heavy bombs which the Biden administration has delayed shipments for as leverage to control the war. 

The second deal will establish a new plant to manufacture raw materials that are needed to create the bombs and other military equipment. Until now, the materials were sourced mainly from abroad.

In other news, the IDF says that in the past week alone, 338 Haredim enlisted to the IDF, including  211 combat soldiers, and 127 in combat support positions. 57 of the new draftees will start to form the first battalion of the new Haredi Chashmonaim (Hasmonean) Brigade. The others joined existing Haredi and religious companies and battalions that operate within regular brigades.

Foreign Minister Gideon Saar is currently meeting in Abu Dhabi with UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed. The two are expected to discuss regional developments and bilateral relations between the countries.

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