Israel News for 1-24-2024
News Update
The tragic incident in which 21 IDF soldiers were killed yesterday when the 2 buildings they were working on demolishing exploded was caused when terrorists fired RPG’s at a tank protecting the soldiers. The explosions from that RPG attack likely set off the explosives that the troops were planting for the demolition. The obvious question is why these buildings cannot be destroyed from the air? The answer is that completely destroying buildings from the air is extremely costly and uses up missiles that are needed for combat missions. If all the demolition would be done from the air, there would be no missiles left to fight the war. The army is still investigating the incident.
The IDF is in the midst of a large scale offensive in Khan Yunis.
For a complete list of the 194 IDF soldiers that have fallen since the start of the ground invasion, click here.
The Knesset held its first session dedicated to addressing sexual and gender-based violence in war. Chen Goldstein-Almog and Aviva Seigel, who were released from captivity, testified to the rape and sexual abuse that the female and male hostages are constantly subjected to. For more, click here.
Hundreds of protesters, including families of hostages, blocked a convoy of trucks carrying humanitarian aid from entering Gaza at the Kerem Shalom border crossing today. Protesters said, “No aid goes through until the last of the hostages returns, don’t supply the enemy.” A small group of women and children was videod protesting for Hamas to release the hostages and end the war.
[Yesterday, an Israeli TV news broadcast interviewed a former IDF pilot who had been a POW in Syria during the Yom Kippur War. The pilot explained the differences between his captivity and the current hostage situation. Firstly, he said that he had been trained for the possibility that he might be taken captive and was prepared for that scenario every time he took off on a mission. Secondly, he always knew that he would be released, because that’s what countries do with prisoners of war. The hostages are being held by terrorists, not a sovereign government. They are completely at the mercy of these barbarians, who are raping and torturing them continuously. Do they even have any hope left?
Hamas has no reason to agree to any agreement short of a complete Israeli withdrawal. They are prepared to die and take all of Gaza with them, but they know that the world will not let that happen. They believe that they hold all of the cards. Unfortunately, even many IDF commanders are acknowledging that destroying Hamas and releasing the hostages cannot be simultaneously accomplished. If they are correct, then the Israeli government will have to make the most difficult choice any government, anywhere, can make.]
