Archive for month: November, 2023

News Update

IDF troops are conducting a methodical, room to room, operation in Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. The White House confirmed that Hamas established a command center beneath the hospital. International law permits military forces to act against a hospital if it is being used for military purposes, as is the case in all hospitals in Gaza. The IDF has facilitated the evacuation of civilians from the the hospital and has provided medical care and equipment, in coordination with hospital authorities. Included in the IDF force in the hospital are doctors and Arabic speaking soldiers. There is currently no shooting reported at the hospital.

The IDF has achieved full control over northern Gaza.

Captain (res.) Omri Yosef David, aged 27 from Karmiel, served as the deputy commander of a company in the 9217 Battalion of the 12th Brigade (the Negev Brigade), was killed in combat.

Captain Yedidya Asher Lev, aged 26 from Matei Menashe, was the deputy company commander in the Shaked Battalion of the Givati Brigade, was killed in combat.

Hamas fired a rocket barrage at Ashkelon today. A rocket fell in the city causing some damage but no reported casualties.

According to a Bloomberg report, the pentagon is transferring military aid to Israel including 2,000 laser guided missiles to arm Apache attack choppers and 57,000 155mm artillery shells. The U.S. is also delivering 36,000 30mm shells, 1,800 M-141 bunker busting bombs and at least 3,500, night vision goggles out of the 5,000 requested by the Israeli government. The list also includes M4A1 assault rifles, 120 mm mortars and dozens of military vehicles. The U.S. also transferred two Iron Dome batteries and 312 munitions for them.

The IDF’s Arrow missile defense system intercepted a ballistic missile on its way to Eilat, over the Red Sea yesterday. The Houthis in Yemen claimed responsibility for the attack.

Nearly 300,000 people participated in a March for Israel in front of the US Capitol in Washington, DC yesterday. It was the largest pro-Israel gathering ever in the US. Leaders of Congress from both parties addressed the crowd and pledged their full support to Israel the destruction of Hamas and the release of the hostages. Israel’s President Herzog addressed the crowd, as did Natan Sharansky and the US ambassador against Anti-Semitism Deborah Lipstadt. The event was a powerful and beautiful show of unity in support of Israel and against anti-semitism.

News Update

Rockets were fired at central Israel and Ashdod this morning. There were reports of a direct hit in Gavatayim, near Tel Aviv. Two people were injured by shrapnel in Tel Aviv.

Israel forces are engaged in combat near and around Shifa hospital in Gaza City, believed to be the Hamas command center for northern Gaza. Tanks and infantry are also advancing towards other hospital in the area. The IDF said that it killed many members of the Hamas Nukhba force who participated in the Oct. 7 massacre, including 2 commanders. Forces also destroyed rockets and launchers located near apartment buildings.

Troops are discovering tunnel openings in residential homes, playgrounds, schools an other civilian environments. To read more about this, click here.

Staff Sergeant Gilad Rozenblit, 21, from Kibbutz Ginergar, a 401st Brigade combat medic, was killed in action.

Staff sergeant Yehonatan Yitzchak Samo, 21, a fighter in the paratroopers 202nd battalion, from Karmei Zur, was killed in action.

Terrorists fired anti-tank missiles at Israel from Lebanon. The IDF struck Hezbollah targets.

A drone launched from Syria hit a school in Eilat yesterday, causing material damage but no injuries. The IDF struck the group in Syria responsible. The Houthis in Yemen continue to launch ballistic rockets at southern Israel, but they have all been intercepted thus far.

Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas said today that the PA is ready to assume responsibilities in Gaza as part of a comprehensive political solution.

Prime Minister Netanyahu said that, after the war, Israel will maintain full security control over Gaza and make sure it remains demilitarized.

Mossad Chief David Barnea and CIA Chief William Burns met Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Jassim Al Thani on Thursday to discuss terms for a release of hostages abducted by Hamas, in return for a pause in the war in Gaza. Israel has agreed to daily 4 hour pauses for humanitarian purposes, but not to a cease fire.

News Update

IDF troops continue to eliminate terrorists in Gaza. An airstrike killed Mohsen Abu Zina, Hamas’ Head of Weapons and Industries in its manufacturing department. Air force, artillery and naval forces a striking Gaza City.

Sergeant first class Jonathan Chazor, 22, a fighter in Shaldag, from Katzir  and St.-Sgt. (res.) Yaacov Ozeri, a fighter in the 52nd company, 401 Battalion in the Armoured Corps from Kfar Shamai, were killed in the fighting. 32 soldiers have been killed since the start of the ground offensive.

Thousands of civilians have been evacuated from northern Gaza to the south under the auspices of the IDF over the last few days.

During operations in northern Gaza, troops uncovered a terror tunnel next to an amusement park and another next to a university.

Shooting from Lebanon continues in the north. The IDF is responding.

The Biden administration is pressuring Israel for a pause in the fighting. Israel is rejecting that notion. [Is anyone pressuring Hamas to stop fighting and to release the hostages? There will be no pause until the hostages are released.]

Last night a massive rocket barrage hit the Tel Aviv area. A rocket hit a house in Savyon, causing major damage but no injuries.

News Update

Over the last day, IDF fighter jets and navy ships struck over 450 Hamas targets, including tunnels, terrorists, military compounds, observation posts, anti-tank missile launch posts and more. Ground forces have completely surrounded Gaza City and have been striking inside the city. Many terrorists and Hamas commanders have been killed. Soldiers from the Golani brigade killed 30 terrorists in the last few hours.

The IDF released new evidence and video yesterday, confirming that Hamas is using Gaza hospitals as military centers and launching rockets and attacks from hospitals and the surrounding areas. For more, click here.

The parents of 8-year-old Emily Hand from Kibbutz Be’eri were informed by the IDF yesterday that their daughter was taken hostage to Gaza. They were initially told that she was killed in the Oct. 7 massacre. Emily holds Irish citizenship, and her family has reached out to the Irish government for assistance.

Sporadic shooting and rocket fire continues in the north. At least 10 rockets were fired at Kiryat Shemona last night. One rocket was intercepted. Rocket fragments fell in several parts of the town causing damage and 1 fire. The entire area near the northern border has been locked down.

Two Border Police officers were wounded, one critically, in a stabbing attack by a terrorist near a police station outside Jerusalem’s Old City. The terrorist was shot by the injured soldiers. The critically wounded officer is a 20 year old woman.

Over the weekend, a massive rocket barrage were fired at Tel Aviv and other cities in central Israel. No casualties or damage was reported.

Sgt. Shahar Cohen Mivtach, 22, from Karmiel, of the Armored Corps, was killed the previous day in a battle in the northern Gaza Strip.

The US has moved a nuclear submarine to the Middle East region.

Speaking to the Bulgarian Prime Minister, PM Netanyahu said, “We are not only fighting our war – but the war of the whole civilization against barbarism. We are fighting the most brutal enemy we have seen since the Holocaust, who is committing a double war crime – they are both targeting civilians on purpose and using their own civilians as human shields.”

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders said in a CNN interview Sunday, “I don’t know how you can have a permanent cease-fire with an organization like Hamas which is dedicated to turmoil and chaos and destroying the State of Israel. And I think what the Arab countries in the region understand is that Hamas has got to go.”

News Update

IDF forces are advancing into the heart of Gaza City. Large numbers of terrorists have been killed. The combat continues to intensify. In the battle at the Jabaliyah refugee camp, Hamas pushed 100 women and children towards Israeli troops as human shields.

Lt. Col. Salman Habaka, 33, the commander of the 188th Armored Brigade’s 53rd Battalion, from the Druze town of Yanuh-Jat, was killed in battle last night, when he charged his tank at terrorists who were attacking infantry troops. 17 soldiers have been killed since the start of the ground invasion.

The IDF has raised the number of hostages being held in Gaza to 242.

Several missiles were fired at Israel from southern Lebanon yesterday. The IDF attacked the launch sites. The missiles caused no damage.

Terrorists fired at a vehicle near Einav on route 557, in Samaria. The car overturned and the driver, a reserve soldier, was killed. IDF forces are searching for the terrorists.

Foreign nationals have begun leaving Gaza through the Rafah crossing.

Jordan warned Houthi forces in Yemen not to fire missiles at Eilat, because of the cities close proximity to Jordan.