Rocket fire from Gaza Dec 1, 2023
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War: Day 57
Rockets roared out of Gaza at 05:45 on Friday morning both shattering the quiet along the Gaza border and the pause in the fighting between Israel and Hamas.
Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told a press conference, “We have picked up the fighting where we left off.” Israel has reportedly begun to resume attacking targets they had in their sights before the pause and then to push into south Gaza.
According to media reports Israel found rockets and weapons stored beneath an UNWRA school in Gaza. The Israel Army Spokesman, Gen. Dan Hagari, said that Israel had hit 400 Hamas targets since the resumption of fighting. Among those targets was a mosque that hid weapons and rockets and was reportedly a Hamas operational headquarters.
Weapons and rockets found beneath UNRWA school
On Friday morning Dec1st, Hamas fired over 50 rockets into Israel. Some reached as far as Ashkelon. Many rockets fell along the Gaza border causing significant damage to property but no injuries. At approximately 14:00 Hamas sent another volley into Israel. One rocket hit an army jeep injuring three soldiers. Another blasted into a van parked meters from a home where residents had been just minutes before, fleeing when the siren sounded. Yet another rocket fell in a patio just meters from another house.
At 16:00 Hamas unleashed another barrage of rockets at Israel’s south, with rockets falling in reaching as far as the outskirts of Tel Aviv. The rocket attacks continued sporadically on Friday night and both on Saturday morning and Saturday afternoon and evening. The sound of booms roiled the air as the Iron Dome intercepted the rockets. The distant thrum of Israeli jet fighter bombers permeated the skies over the weekend as the IDF carried out attacks on Hamas targets.
Also, at 16:35 on Friday afternoon, Hezbollah sent rockets into Kyriat Shmona from their Lebanese military positions. Rocket fire continued on Shabbat.
At 22:00 on Saturday night Dec 2nd, Hamas sent a volley of rockets towards the Dan region, reaching as far as Tel Aviv. Sirens even sounded in the city of Modiin for only the third time since the start of the war on Oct 7th. Not injuries or damage was reported in the attack.
Most of the residents along the southern border with Gaza and northern border with Lebanon have been evacuated to hostels and hotels in central Israel. So far approximately 126,000 Israelis have been displaced by the war. But many came back for the day to work in their fields and check on their property, then return to the center for the night
Soldiers in Gaza
According to the Times of Israel, "The IDF has resumed combat against the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip,” because Hamas broke the rules of the ceasefire. IDF strikes were reported in the northern parts of the Strip and in the area of Rafiah and Khan Yunis, in the south Gaza.
The reason Israel gave for the end of the ‘pause’ was that Hamas had flagrantly violated the terms of the ceasefire agreement. Hamas was to have provided a list of Israeli hostages to be released by 07:00 on Friday. That list never arrived, instead Hamas sent rockets. Israel had already overlooked a previous violation of the cease-fire when Hamas terrorists fired on Israeli troops in the norther Gaza region on Tuesday.
According to Channel12TV’s military correspondent Nir Dvori, Israel also warned residents of the Khan Yunis area to relocate to certain sectors of a map the IDF passed out, mainly to the east, to avoid injury.
IDF map of safe areas in south Gaza
Gen. (ret.) Dan Harel, former IDF deputy chief of staff, told a Channel 12TV news panel that he thought telling the residents where to find a safe zone was also telling the enemy where Israel was going to strike. This might save civilians and satisfy the requests of the Americans to avoid civilian casualties but it put the Israeli soldiers in danger since the terrorists knew where Israel was going to attack, and also put the operational plans for the campaign at risk.
Israel had be strongly advised by U.S. Sec. of State Anthony Blinken, who was in Israel on Thursday, and attended the Israeli war cabinet meetings, not to repeat the same tactics as Israel employed in the northern part of Gaza. That campaign had reportedly caused many deaths and injuries among Gazans. Gaza Health Authority put the number at 14,000 killed, but pundits say that the Gaza Health Authority is notorious for making exaggerated and unreliable aimed at manipulating the public.
Blinken also said that, contrary to the opinions of Israeli military officials, the US support would not extend to several months, more like several weeks. The message, according to media reports, was that the US supports the fight against Hamas but could no provide that support for much longer.
On Saturday, US Vice-President Kamala Harris told a conference in Dubai that, among other points, the US still supported a ‘day after’ the Gaza war scenario that would see the Palestinian Authority in charge of Gaza and the establishment of a Palestinian state.
According to Zohar Pelti, former head of intelligence at Mossad, ‘The USA doesn’t want Israel to reoccupy Gaza. They want to strengthen the PA and have a two state solution. Israel should start talking about these ‘day after’ options.
According to the WSJ, the focus now among U.S. officials is working with Israel on tactics that ensure minimal civilian casualties.
South Gaza residents head east
Adi Carmi, a former Shin Bet official, said that Hamas is playing mind games with Israel and that neither the army nor the public should fall for Hamas’ lies. Carmi thought that the IDF had to go into Gaza with all its might.
“They only understand force. They were heroes killing civilians until the army arrived, then they fled.” He said that he’d seen interviews the Shin Bet conducted with Hamas terrorists captured during the Oct 7th fighting, and was angered by the statements the Hamas prisoners made. By the cruelty they admitted to committing. He also said that Israel needed to change their approach entirely on how to fight terrorists in the West Bank, in Gaza and along the northern border.
Hostages
Hostages released on Thursday, Bilal and Aisha Ziyadne, Ilana Gritzewsky, Nili Margalit (bottom row) Shani Goren, Amit Soussana, Sapir Cohen, Mia Schem
On Thursday, the last hostages freed by Hamas during the pause, arrived in Israel. Two in the early evening hours and the rest close to midnight after long hours of an anxious wait by their families.
The total number of hostages released from Gaza rose to 110, including the 30 foreign, mostly Thai farmworkers. But 141 hostages remain captive in Gaza. Some held by Hamas and some held by terrorist splinter groups. It is not clear how many of these hostages remain alive.
However, according to Nir Dvori of Channel 12TV news, Hamas knows where every hostage is, no matter what Hamas says.
According to Ynetnews, Hamas claims to have offered Israel alternatives to the original agreement. Israel demanded the release of female soldiers but Hamas rejected that request offering instead the release of elderly Israelis. Reportedly, Israel rejected that change in the agreements. The deadline for the agreement was 07:00 Friday morning. Hamas resumed firing rockets at 05:45.
On Saturday, Dec 2, 2023, Israel recalled their Mossad-led negotiating team from Qatar saying the talks had reached a ‘dead end.’
Ravid Drucker, political correspondent for Channel 13TV said that he didn’t envy those who had to make the decision to reject the list Hamas offered. He reminded the TV panel he was on that shortly after the abduction of soldier Gilad Shalit, Hamas offered an exchange that Israel rejected only to agree to an exchange five years later that was vastly more encompassing that the original.
Michael Haazon Tov, political correspondent for Haaretz, told Channel 12 TV, that Hamas has been sending revised lists all through the night on Thursday but they always included three dead soldiers. Israel consistently refused to accept the lists with the three deceased soldiers.
He also said that by midnight it was clear that Hamas was not going to abide by the terms of the ceasefire agreement and knew that Israel was preparing to strike after the 07:00 Friday morning deadline expired.
One pundit said that Hamas’ new strategy would be to fight for a few days, come to an agreement, release a few hostages, then break the ceasefire terms by firing more rockets, and then engage in fighting for a few more days. This, the pundit said, could go on for several cycles until Israel refused to a new pause in the fighting.
Hamas also released an unverified report, considered to be part of their psychological warfare campaign, that 10-month old Kfir Bibis, his 4 year old sister Ariel and mother Shiri, all kidnapped on Oct 7th from Kibbutz Nir Oz, were no longer alive. Their father Yarden was said to still be held hostage in Gaza. Israel responded that they were checking the facts but have so far not been able to verify or dispute Hamas’ claim.
Another pundit said that Hamas knows the rules of the game. Negotiations can go on while the fighting has resumed. But, he said, Hamas can resume the pause in fighting whenever they want as long as they provide a list of 10-12 Israelis and release them as per the previous agreements. All they have to do is inform Qatar.
According to Suleiman Maswadeh, Arab affairs reporter for Channel 11 Kan TV, Israel has not completely shut the door on hostage negotiations, but left the door half-open. Maswadeh said that some of Israel’s Mossad negotiating team stayed in Cairo to work on the release of women and children still held in Gaza.
Free The Hostages Rally in Tel Aviv Dec 2, 2023
Families of the remaining hostages had mixed opinions about the resumption of fighting. Most said they understood the situation. Others said that Israel should have continued the pause at any price to get back the hostages.
Gen (ret) Eliezer ‘Cheni’ Marom, former head of the Israeli navy, said that the best way to get the hostages back was to enter into a Gaza with full force, put pressure on Hamas as they did to get agreement on the 80 Israeli hostages released so far.
Former deputy Chief of Staff Gen. Dan Harel, said that he expected to eventually see one overall agreement as soon as Sinwar, head of Hamas in Gaza, realized that either he releases all of the hostages or he will have Israeli tanks on his head.
“I think the dribs and drabs of releasing hostages is over,” Harel told Channel 12TV,. In response to one of the TV panel referring to Sinwar as a psychopath, Harel said, “I don’t think Sinwar is a psychopath. He took a large number of hostages as bargaining chips. He knew Israel would attack to get them back, he just didn’t think Israel would attack with such overwhelming force.”
Ohad Hemo, Arab affairs correspondent on Channel 12TV disputed Harel’s opinion. “I think he is a psychopath. He has killed 22 people with his bare hands.”
Panel member, military correspondent Nir Dvori chimed in, “Psychopath or not, he has to be eliminated.”
Hostage Stories
Mirav Leshem Goran, mother of Mia Goren, who was released on Thursday, said that the government knew that the primary goal was to secure the release of the hostages.
She also said that Mia was told not to talk to the media and provide any details of her captivity so as not to give Hamas the opportunity to learn what Israel knows.
Reportedly, the hostages were given minimal rations, a pita and perhaps a piece of cheese, once in a while a piece of bread, or a can of tuna to share among four people. They were only allowed to bath once, during their captivity, if at all. Many were reportedly kept in the dark and had trouble stepping into the light once they were released.
Hostage Released from Gaza In Israel Hands
Another relative told the media that her sons were ‘branded’ by Hamas terrorists by holding their legs against the a motorcycle’s hot exhaust pipe. That way, said the relative, Hamas told the boys they would be easily recognized should they try to escape.
Rachel Butbul, wife of a hostage, said that her other children look at the photographs of those hostages released and asked, “Where’s dad?”
According to Dr. Itai Pessach, director of Sheba Children’s hospital, who was involved in treating the released hostages, said that many of the hostages kidnapped from the Israeli communities on the Gaza border, that were attacked on October 7th, only found out that loved ones had been murdered or kidnapped once they returned to Israel.
Dr. Pessach said, “Some were given food, and others didn’t see the light of day. Some had space to move around, others didn’t.” He added, “All of them went through psychological abuse that’s difficult to describe…I think the whole country has gone through a trauma. I think we’re all victims of psychological terror.”
North
The Hezbollah terrorists in the north of Israel resumed their attacks on Friday morning Dec 1st. Sirens sounded in the north. Israel fired an Iron Dome at a suspicious object that experts say caused the siren. No damage or injury was reported.
Later, Israel eliminated several rocket squads that had fired on Israel. Hezbollah was expected to resume firing from Lebanon as the Gaza battles heat up. More rockets were also fired on Saturday.
Eytan Davidi, chairman of the Margaliot moshav along the Lebanese border, said that residents of the settlements along the border would not return to a dangerous situation. Davidi said that Israel should move up more troops and invade Lebanon before Hezbollah launched their own attack on Israel. “Israel has troops already here, ready to fight. They should go in and push Hezbollah back.”
Davidi admitted, however, that the fight in Lebanon would be nothing like the fight in Gaza. Hezbollah is a much more serious enemy with a large, well-trained army.
Other analysts said that Israel should not be distracted from their current main goal, get back the hostages and destroy Hamas.
Davidi also hoped that Avi Dichter, Minister of Agriculture, can help provide farmworkers since the nearly 30,000 Thai farmworkers left Israel. Davidi praised the volunteers who came to help pick crops but said they are no substitute for the professional farmworkers.
On Saturday night, Dec 2nd Ehud Yaari told a panel on Channel 12TV news that there was a new discussion about what to do in Lebanon. He reported that there were discussions that included representatives of France, the USA, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, that were trying to put together a package deal to end hostilities in Lebanon.
Reportedly, one of the goals is to stabilize Lebanon by holding elections for a new president. Also, appointing a serious leader for the army. And third, that effects Israel, would be an agreement that Lebanon honors UN resolution 1701 that requires Lebanon to withdraw to the norther side of the Litani River, leaving a strip of land between Lebanon and Israel controlled by an international peace-keeping force.
Terror Attack
Two Hamas terrorists, brothers Murad Nemer, 38, and Ibrahim Nemer, 30 from the Jerusalem area village of Tzur Bahir drove to a bus stop at the entrance to Jerusalem, got out of their car and opened fire on people waiting for their bus. Three Israelis were killed and five injured.
Terror Attack in Jerusalem
The two terrorists, brothers from the Jerusalem area village of Tzur Bahir, were ‘neutralized’ by two soldiers at the bust stop. One of the three killed was a civilian who rushed from his car with his handgun to stop the terrorist attack. Reportedly, he was killed by friendly fire as the soldiers fought the terrorists. On Friday afternoon, the IDF demolished the Tzur Bahir home of the brothers
According to one observer, Hamas leader Kahaled Mashal, who reportedly lives in a luxurious villa in Qatar, told the press that the day will arrive when Israel is destroyed. He wants to drag out the negotiations, said the observer. According to press reports, Mashal was cut off for contact with the Hamas leadership in Gaza during the fighting. The pause in the fighting gave him a chance to reestablish communications. And the result, according to the observer, was the attack by Hamas terrorists in Jerusalem. Without the pause this wouldn’t have happened, said the observer. The pause is not good for the army. Only momentum is good. Israel has to go ahead and finish Hamas.
Anti-Semitism
According to the Times of Israel, the editor of the Jewish Chronicle, a British publication, thought a wave of ‘Israelphobia’ was sweeping Britain. ‘Blaming Israel for everything while excusing Hamas.’ Jake Wallis Simons, the magazine’s editor, said that Israel was being demonized. There was a double standard, he said that was rooted in anti-Semitism, and this was a lose-lose situation for Israel.
Also, according to Ynetnews, Russia is suspected of stoking anti-Semitism using old cold war tactics aimed at eroding confidence in the west.
Public Opinion
Israel’s President Herzog Meets Qatar Emir Thanni in Doha
On the sidelines of the Doha OP28 conference, Israel’s President Yitzchak Herzog met Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar. The details of their discussion were not released, according to media reports.
This was the same conference where US Vice-President Kamala Harris made a speech that included support for a PA led Gaza.
Also, according to Ynetnews, 57-days after the Oct 7th massacre, the organization UN Women criticized Israel for attacking Gaza but condemned Hamas for the attack on the Israeli settlements along the Gaza border and admitted there were crimes committed against women.
“We unequivocally condemn the brutal attacks by Hamas on Israel on 7 October. We are alarmed by the numerous accounts of gender-based atrocities and sexual violence during those attacks,” according to the statement they released.