War Summary, Day 485: Netanyahu won’t agree to end the war in Gaza, pushing for Hamas to be deported from Gaza, preparing for a possible dramatic return to war, Egyptians protest Gaza deportation to Egypt, IDF demolishes 23 buildings in Jenin in one day, newly nominated IDF chief-of-staff vows fierce image, and IDF still destroying Hamas infrastructure in Rafah.
By Mrs. Bruria Efune
79 held captive in Gaza.
35 hostages confirmed murdered held in Gaza.
139 living hostages rescued.
41 hostage bodies rescued.
1,817 Israelis killed.
411 fallen soldiers and police in the battle in Gaza.
87 fallen soldiers in Northern Israel.
16 fallen soldiers and police in Judea & Samaria.
30,683 estimated projectiles fired at Israel.
80,000 Israelis displaced from their homes.
1 Jewish nation united in prayer, charity, and good deeds.
Top Headlines:
– Netanyahu won’t agree to end the war in Gaza
– Netanyahu pushing for Hamas to be deported from Gaza
– Israel preparing for a possible dramatic return to war
– IDF drone strike against car in Gaza
– IDF still destroying Hamas infrastructure in Rafah
– Egyptians protest Gaza deportation to Egypt
– Operation Iron Walls expands significantly
– IDF demolishes 23 buildings in Jenin in one day
– Hezbollah supporters return to border villages, cheer for Nasrallah
– Newly nominated IDF chief-of-staff vows fierce image
– Jordan threatens to deport Ahlam al-Tamimi
Hostages:
Negotiations for the second phase of the deal are mostly on pause until after Netanyahu’s upcoming meeting with Trump on Tuesday.
The people around Netanyahu have made it clear that Netanyahu will not agree to Hamas’s demand to guarantee an end to the war, and will require that Hamas disarm, or leave Gaza. Netanyahu is very interested in Trump’s idea to relocate the people of Gaza to outside the strip.
Netanyahu feels he did a favor for Trump. It was very important to Trump to start off his term with the big accomplishment of making a deal to bring hostages home. Netanyahu agreed to the ceasefire deal even though he saw many of the risks as too big to take, in order to give Trump that win. He now hopes that Trump will push for Israel to get what it needs in the second phase of the deal, or provide full support to an aggressive return to war.
Netanyahu’s hope is to present Hamas with an ultimatum: either leave Gaza, or return to war.
The return to war will be far more dramatic. Rumors are circulating that Netanyahu will reassign his military secretary, Major General Roman Goffman, to head the Southern Command. Goffman, who is an October 7th hero and was injured in the battle, favors a return to Israeli rule over Gaza, and has written extensive plans and recommendations for such an operation. Goffman would also be under the new IDF Chief of Staff, Maj. Gen. (res.) Eyal Zamir, who has strong proactive military views.
However, some want to use a ceasefire agreement to gain normalization with Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia will only agree to normalization on two conditions: if the war is completely ended, and if there are agreements and active steps in place towards establishing a Palestinian State. (According to Dr. Aziz Al-Gashian, a senior Saudi researcher, Saudi Arabia’s main concern is protecting themselves from terrorism. They feel that normalization with Israel without a Palestinian State will make them a bigger target.)
Meanwhile, the Red Cross issued a condemnation against Israel for photographing terrorists before releasing them from prison. Israel does this in order to document evidence of the prisoner’s condition before release, since the terrorists have a habit of claiming they were infer worse shape.
But the Red Cross has zero issue with Hamas’s grand release ceremonies, in which hostages were paraded on stage while photographed, and forced to thank their terrorist captors. The Red Cross even actively participates in these ceremonies by going on stage to sign nonsensical “release documents” for the hostages.
Gaza:
The IDF carried out a drone strike against a vehicle in Gaza which was attempting to cross into Northern Gaza via the footpath, thus avoiding security inspection, and in violation of the ceasefire agreement. A precision strike was used, avoiding harm to anyone outside the vehicle.
A reported 30% of Gazans who crossed into Northern Gaza returned to the south after seeing the destruction. It can be assumed that these are mostly people who lived in Northernmost Gaza, which saw near complete destruction, in comparison to Gaza City, which still has a livable amount of infrastructure.
IDF forces stationed in the southern edge of eastern Rafah are still working to demolish Hamas infrastructure, using both explosives and bulldozers.
Protests have erupted across Egypt against Israel and the U.S., particularly against the plan to have Gazans relocated to Egypt. A protest in the Sinai, right near Rafah, ended with the protesters looting the humanitarian aid trucks which were heading to Gaza.
After several released hostages said that they were held captive in UNRWA facilities, which were still under UNRWA operation, 30 parliamentarians from 14 European countries, are demanding that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres remove UNRWA from the UN agencies over its deep ties to Hamas and role in their terrorism.
Judea & Samaria:
Operation Iron Walls has expanded, and now includes Jenin, Tulkarem, and the Tamun area in Samaria. Since the start of the operation 12 days ago, the IDF has eliminated over 50 terrorists (35 by troops on ground, and 15 by drone strikes). More than 100 terrorists and suspected have been detained. Over 40 weapons were seized, and 80 explosive devices were neutralized.
The IDF gave more explanation on last night’s drone strike in Qabatiya, which targeted two terrorists in a vehicle. The two (including one who was released in the November hostage deal) were heavily armed, and on their way to carry out a terror attack.
Today, in a very dramatic event, the IDF demolished 23 buildings in Jenin which were being used by terrorists. The buildings were chosen for demolition after IDF troops searched hundreds of buildings in Jenin, and located bomb-making labs, caches of weapons, and command centers inside them. The buildings were evacuated before destruction.
Lebanon:
Residents of border villages in Southern Lebanon have begun returning home to the villages which the IDF left under control of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF). In Kfar Kila, which is fence-to-fence with Israeli towns, residents marched into the village, accompanied by the LAF, while chanting “At your command, Hussein, at your command, Nasrallah.”
Israel is heavily boosting security on the Northern border, for the longterm. There will now be IDF outposts at the northern edge of every Israeli border community, to ensure an immediate IDF presence at all times.
Other:
– Maj. Gen. (res.) Eyal Zamir gave his first speech after being nominated as the next IDF chief of staff—a position he’ll take in March. In his speech, Zamir laid out his vision to lead an army with a fierce reputation: “We will prove to our enemies that there is a determined, powerful, and winning fist facing them, as it is written in the book of Psalms: ‘I have pursued my enemies, and overtaken them; and did not turn back till they were consumed.’”
Zamir has a reputation for taking a proactive and aggressive stance against terrorism. He supports preemptive strikes, believes that spiritual leaders of terror groups are legitimate targets, that collective punishment is sometimes necessary to fight terrorism, and that the IDF must become self-sufficient and work towards losing its dependency on weapons imports.
– Jordan has reportedly warned Hamas that they must find a new country for Ahlam al-Tamimi, or she will be extradited to the U.S. for trial. Al-Tamimi was convicted of planning, and driving the bomber to a 2001 suicide bombing that killed 16 people (including two Americans) and injured over 130 at a Jerusalem pizza parlor. She was sentenced to 16 life-sentences in Israel, but was released from prison in the Shalit deal, after only 12 years. The U.S. put a $5 million reward for her arrest.
– Caroline Glick is heading back to Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office as International Affairs Adviser, and is currently traveling with him on his Washington trip.
– IDF forces thwarted a drug smuggling at the Egyptian border. The troops identified and shot down a drone that was attempting to smuggle drugs from Egyptian territory into Israeli territory. The drone was carrying approximately 60 kilograms of drugs.
Sponsored by the B’yachad chapter of Hadassah Southern California sending healing and support for the IDF and the return of all the hostages
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