War Day 509: Heavy Airstrikes in Syria, Operations Expand in Shomron

War Summary, Day 509: Four hostage bodies may be released on Thursday, Witkoff says ceasefire phase two is a possibility, Philadelphi Corridor withdrawal date approaching, Hamas preparing for return to war, IDF airstrikes in Lebanon, IDF operations continue to expand in Samaria, heavy IDF airstrikes in southern Syria to keep all threatening militia away from Israel, and Israel appears to be creating a protectorate for the Syrian Druze and may offer them work in Israel.

By Mrs. Bruria Efune

63 held captive in Gaza.
36 hostages confirmed murdered held in Gaza.
147 living hostages rescued.
45 hostage bodies rescued.
1,825 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:

– Four hostage bodies may be released on Thursday
– 602 terrorists still not released until after Hamas releases hostages with no ceremony
– Witkoff: Ceasefire phase two is a possibility
– Philadelphi Corridor withdrawal date approaching
– Hamas continues to push boundaries of buffer zone
– Hamas preparing for return to war
– IDF airstrikes in Lebanon
– IDF operations continue to expand in Samaria
– Heavy IDF airstrikes in southern Syria, keeping all threatening militia away from Israel
– Israel appears to be creating a protectorate for the Syrian Druze, may offer work in Israel

Hostages:

Egyptian media reports that an agreement hs come about to continue the hostage and terrorist releases. Due to severe and cruel violations by Hamas, Israel is still holding into 602 terrorists who were supposed to be released in exchange for the six hostages released on Shabbat, and the bodies of four hostages released on Thursday.

According to Egypt, Israel will release the terrorists after Hamas releases the bodies of the last four hostages of phase one—with no ceremony or audience at all. Egypt says this will happen on Thursday.

This is not yet confirmed by Israel.

An additional group of Gazan prisoners are expected to be released, most of whom are Hamas terrorists, and some who only confess to having done work for Hamas. The group is all women or minors. It is not yet clear how many of them there are.

The four hostages whose bodies Hamas is expected to release are:

1. Itzik Elgarat, 70, from Kibbutz Nir Oz
2. Shlomo Mansour, 86, from Kibbutz Kissufim
3. Tzahi Idan, 50, from Kibbutz Nachal Oz
4. Ohad Yahalomi, 50, from Kibbutz Nir Oz

Of the four, the IDF has only confirmed that Hamas murdered Shlomo Mansour. Tzahi Idan was shot in the leg while fighting off the terrorists and saving his family, and was then taken hostage. Since Hamas has lied about the state of hostages before, many are holding on to hope and refuse to believe that the three have been killed until there is real evidence.

Trump’s envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, is still working towards a possible second phase of the ceasefire deal. He says that Israel will soon send a delegation to Egypt or Qatar, and he might also go, in an attempt to get more hostages home. He emphasized that there’s no guarantee if it happening, but there is definitely a chance.

It’s unclear what a second phase would look like, since it’s unlikely that Israel will agree to withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor, or promise an end to the war—two things which are supposed to be part of the second phase. It’s also unlikely that Hamas would agree to disarming and giving up control of Gaza, which is also supposed to be part of phase two. Israel also says that Hamas must leave Gaza, another thing that they have said they’d refuse to do.

According to the original agreement, Israel would need to begin withdrawing from the Philadelphi Corridor on March 1st (this Shabbat), and complete withdrawal by March 9th. The Religious Zionist party, and a few members of the Likud party, have earlier stated that they would leave the government coalition, leading to its collapse, if Netanyahu would allow that to happen. Netanyahu himself has stated he wouldn’t evacuate the corridor.

At the same time, there are reports that Israel is looking to extend the first phase of the ceasefire by at least 42 days, in order to bring more hostages home without withdrawing further or guaranteeing an end to the war.

Insiders say that if no new agreement comes about by March 8, the war can be expected to restart.

Gaza:

Hamas is increasing their efforts at weakening IDF boundaries by continuing to send people to approach IDF positions in the buffer zone, and push past maritime boundaries at sea.

Today, IDF troops at various points throughout the buffer zone fired warning shots to repel approaching suspects. A number of vessels at sea ignited initial warning shots, and only turned back after IDF Navy forces fired a second round of warning shots towards them.

This is a known tactic of Hamas, which has worked too well in the past. They hope that by continuing to approach IDF positions, soldiers will eventually be given instructions to relax the fire, and slowly Hamas terrorists will be able to get closer and closer to the border fence without consequence.

Hamas is also focusing on regrouping. They are rebuilding new brigades, training new recruits in use of weapons, and developing strategies for a return to war. There is also evidence that they are preparing to launch down new mines, and hidden cameras.

Judea & Samaria:

Operation Iron Walls is ongoing in the Samaria region. The operation is primarily focused on Jenin, Tulkarem, Tubas, the Tamun area, Shechem (Nablus), and Nur Shams. In these areas, terror groups such as Hamas and the PIJ are so rampant that they have taken control from the Palestinian Authority.

There is still a gag order on the major attack which was thwarted with the Bat Yam bus bombings. The attack appears to have been planned by terror groups in Jenin and Tulkarm.

In the Jenin area, over 40,000 residents remain evacuated while IDF troops focus on cleaning out terror infrastructure.

In recent days, troops of the Nahal Brigade, who just left Gaza after 16 months of intensive fighting, joined the counterterrorism operations in Samaria, under Shin Bet direction. They operated in the villages of Qabatiya, Silat al-Haratiya and al-Yamoun, where they searched dozens of terrorist infrastructures, arrested 15 terrorists, located weapons, and destroyed explosive devices—including one which the IDF reported to be “very powerful.”

Lebanon:

This morning, sirens rang in the Southern Golan, alerting of a hostile aircraft. It turned out to be a false identification, but an interceptor missile was fired, and so rocket missile sirens were activated in Avni Eitan to warn of falling shrapnel. There were no casualties.

The IDF carried out an airstrike against a group of Hezbollah terrorists in the Beqaa Valley. The terrorists had been spotted working at a “strategic weapons” manufacturing and storage facility belonging to Hezbollah.

It appears that for the time being—perhaps for the next few years, this will be a near daily story in Lebanon: where Hezbollah terrorists continue efforts to rebuild, and the IDF continues efforts to locate and eliminate them as they do. It will only stop once the Lebanese government actually fulfill its role and stops Hezbollah, or a new war starts—or some other miraculous end to the terror grouping.

Syria:

The IDF has been carrying out intense airstrikes in southern Syria today, including in headquarters and sites containing weapons.

Israel has stated that it won’t tolerate any military presence in the southern part of Syria, which has historically been a significant and deadly threat to Israel. The IDF says it will continue to destroy any military infrastructure seen in the area.

Defense Minister Israel Katz announced: “We will not allow southern Syria to become southern Lebanon… Any attempt by the Syrian regime forces and the country’s terrorist organizations to establish themselves in the security zone in southern Syria will be met with fire.”

Following the first airstrikes of the day, demonstrations against Israel were reported in Damascus and Homs. It is unclear what the new Syrian rulers will choose to do at this point. Obviously the smartest move would be not to start up with Israel, and instead work towards building trust. They might choose to turn to Turkey, which has been actively supporting them.

Back in December, when the Assad regime first fell, the Syrian Druze held an internal vote, in which they unanimously voted that they’d prefer to be annexed to Israel. The Syrian Druze have long been persecuted and impoverished by the Assad regime, and expected it to continue under the new rulers.

It appears that Israel has now established a protectorate for the Druze people in southern Syria. The Druze now raised their own flag at the local airport instead of the Syrian flag. There are reports that Israel will be opening a program for the Syrian Druze to work in Israel for salaries they could never dream of receiving in Syria.

Sponsored with thanks to Bruria for these important updates and לע”נ יהושע אלחנן בן יוסף מרדכי ע”ה