War Day 500: Hamas Leader Eliminated, Directorate Established to Help Gazans Leave

War Summary, Day 500: Hostage bodies to be returned this Thursday, Israel to demand deportation of thousands of Hamas leaders, Netanyahu says the PA will not control Gaza, Defense Ministry established directorate to help Gazans leave to a third country, IDF eliminates Hamas’s leader in Lebanon, Radwan tunnel destroyed, Official: IDF holds five posts in Lebanon, hopes for northern residents to return home in March, and Israel’s U.S. ambassador addresses Egyptian issue.

By Mrs. Bruria Efune

73 held captive in Gaza.
36 hostages confirmed murdered held in Gaza.
141 living hostages rescued.
41 hostage bodies rescued.
1,821 Israelis killed.
413 fallen soldiers and police in the battle in Gaza.
87 fallen soldiers in Northern Israel.
18 fallen soldiers and police in Judea & Samaria.
30,683 estimated projectiles fired at Israel.
70,000 Israelis displaced from their homes.
1 Jewish nation united in prayer, charity, and good deeds.

Top Headlines:

– Hostage bodies to be returned this Thursday
– Israel to demand deportation of thousands of Hamas leaders
– Netanyahu says the PA will not control Gaza
– Defense Ministry established directorate to help Gazans leave to a third country
– IDF eliminates Hamas’s leader in Lebanon
– Radwan tunnel destroyed
– Official: IDF holds five posts in Lebanon
– Hopes for northern residents to return home in March
– Israel’s U.S. ambassador addresses Egyptian issue

Hostages:

Emily Damari, who was recently released from Hamas captivity, went to the western wall to say the “Gomel” blessing, thanking G-d for saving her life. During her visit, she told her companions about a moment in captivity that kept her going. It was the night before Yom Kippur, and she managed to listen to the radio, and specifically to the selichot prayers being broadcast live from the Western Wall. When she heard the prayers being dedicated to the hostages, it gave her strength and hope—what she described as a moment of light in the darkness and disconnection.

When the hostage deal was signed, many details were not made public. It appears that the schedule given to the public may have been incorrect, or was quietly updated. Today, reports came with an updated schedule:

1. This Thursday, February 20, Hamas will release the bodies of four hostages. The names of the deceased hostages will be given to Israel in the morning.
2. On Shabbat, February 22, Hamas will release three living hostages.
3. On Thursday, February 27, Hamas will release four more bodies of hostages.
4. Between February 22 and March 2, Hamas will release the final three living hostages of the first phase, including Hisham al-Sayed and Avera Mengistu, who have been held in Gaza for over a decade.

Israel is trying to speed the schedule up, or get more hostages who are not listed in phase one, to be added to it. It is possible that this phase of the ceasefire will be extended, to allow more hostages to be released, in exchange for more freed terrorists and humanitarian aid delivered to Gaza.

According to Tamir Morag, of Chanel 14, as part of negotiations for Phase Two of the deal, Israel will demand that:

1. All hostages are released (including those who were murdered)
2. Hamas in Gaza completely disarm and dissolve
3. All Hamas leadership leave Gaza, at a large scale, estimated to be in the thousands.

However, it’s extremely unlikely that Hamas will agree to this, or that a second phase will happen at all.

In response to reports that Hamas will allow the Palestinian Authority (PA) to take control of Gaza as a Phase Two compromise, Prime Minister Netanyahu released a clear statement: “on the day after the war in Gaza, there will be no Hamas or PA. I am committed to the President of the U.S. Trump’s plan for creating a different Gaza.”

Gaza:

As usual: IDF troops fired several warning shots to keep Gazans away from the buffer zone. A drone strike in Central Gaza warned drivers of a vehicle to turn around, after they attempted to cross into Northern Gaza vi an unproved road, in order to avoid security checks.

The IDF’s 162nd Division withdrew from Gaza for the first time after 15 months straight. They handed responsibility of the northern section of the buffer zone to the 252nd Division.

Defense Minister Israel Katz established a new directorate in the Defense Ministry tasked with enabling Palestinians to voluntarily leave the Gaza Strip, in accordance with Trump’s relocation plan. The IDF’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) division presented an initial plan to support Gazan residents who would like to depart to a third country via sea, air, or land.

Lebanon:

The IDF carried out an airstrike in Sidon, eliminating Mohammed Shaheen, the chief of Hamas’s operations in Lebanon.

The IDF says that Shaheen was targeted over his ongoing involvement in advancing terror attacks against Israeli civilians, with Iranian funding and guidance.

The IDF announced that on Sunday, troops demolished a complex Hezbollah tunnel on the Lebanese side of Mount Dov. The tunnel belonged to Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force, and was dozens of meters long, with several rooms and weapons caches.

It’s official: The IDF will remain in five strategic positions in Southern Lebanon, even after withdrawing from all other positions on the February 18 deadline. There is no official date for how long the IDF will hold the positions. Troops have already constructed military posts at each position.

The five posts are each on a hilltop (outside of Lebanese villages) on the Lebanese side of the border, with a clear view of all the Hezbollah-controlled villages facing Israeli communities.

They are:

1. A hill near Labbouneh, across from the the Israeli border town of Shlomi
2. The Jabal Blat peak, across from Zar’it
3. A hill across from Avivim and Malkia
4. A hill across from Margaliot
5. A hill across from Metula.

The IDF has prepared for the withdrawal by adding significant security along the border, with new IDF posts next to every Israeli border community, and with advanced camera systems and sensors all along the fence.

The IDF is confident that troops have destroyed all Hezbollah infrastructure near the border, including tunnels, weapons caches, and rocket launchers. According to the ceasefire agreement, Israel will warn Lebanon wherever there is a ceasefire violation, and Lebanon is expected to take care of it. If Lebanon does not remove the threat, or if Israel deems the threat to be imminent, then Israel will act to remove it with an airstrike.

The IDF is expecting some drama from Hezbollah supporters during the semi-withdrawal, as they may attempt to approach the new IDF posts.

If the ceasefire agreement holds, Israeli residents of the north who have been displaced from their homes since October 7th, will finally return home on March 2nd.

Lebanon appears to be making some effort, in response to Israel’s threats, and has banned flights from Iran until further notice.

Other:

After Ariel Kahana’s report yesterday, Israel’s new ambassador to the U.S., Dr. Yechiel Leiter, addressed the Egyptian build-up in the Sinai. This is the first official public response. In Leiter’s words: “This is an issue that will come up. Egypt is in a very serious violation of our peace agreement in the Sinai. This is an issue which is going to come to the fore, because this is not a tolerable situation. There are bases being built, and they can only be used for offensive operations and offensive weapons. This is a clear violation. For a long time, this issue has been shoved to the side, but it continues. This is an issue that we are going to put on the table – very soon and very emphatically.”

Today’s briefing is sponsored by Sharon and Daniel Baum (Zichron Yaakov) in honour of our brave IDF and in prayer for a speedy and complete return of all our hostages.