Israeli Soldiers in Gaza
42 Israeli soldiers were killed in the Gaza fighting as of Saturday Nov 11, 2023. Five reserve soldiers were reported killed on Saturday. Some killed in close-quarters and hand-to-hand in below ground in the intricate tunnel network that is spread out like a labyrinth beneath Gaza.
So far, according to the IDF, Israel has hit over 5,000 Hamas targets in Gaza including tunnels.
According to Nir Dvori, military correspondent of Channel 12TV, Hamas military strategy is built about these tunnels.
Channel 12TVs Arab affairs correspondent Ohad Hemo said that since 2008 and 2009 during the first Palestinian/Israel battles, the Palestinians learned they could not match the IDF on the ground, so they developed the strategy of fighting using the tunnels.
Dvori said that Israel is working on sophisticated techniques, that he wouldn’t share on the air, to find and destroy the tunnels. But, he said, as he did on every issue. This will take time.
According to the Times of Israel, the IDF captured a key Hamas stronghold in Gaza, and battled gunmen in the tunnels for 10 hours. Reportedly, 50 terrorists were killed in the fighting, including some important military commanders, and both equipment and intelligence information was captured.
Soldiers at tunnel opening
According to Ynetnews the IDF reportedly has killed Ahmed Musa, a Hamas company commander in charge of the Oct 7th attack on Kibbutz Zikkim. Musa was part of the more than 3,000 Hamas terrorists that broke through the border fence between Israel and Gaza massacring more than 1400 people, injuring over 5000 and taking 242 hostage.
Ynet news also reported that besides Ahmed Musa, numerous other officers from Hamas’ elite Nakhba force who participated in the Oc 7th massacre were killed including Omar Al-Hindi, a platoon commander, and Mohammed Kalout, commander of the snipers.
26 communities. Towns like Sderot and Netivot and Dimona and kibbutzim like Kfar Aza and Zikim, along the Gaza border were attacked. Thousands of terrorists ran wild slaughtering residents, some with automatic weapons, some by gruesome beheadings not seen since ISIS.
According to commentators on Israel TV and other media sources the IDF is not releasing a 47-minute compilation of the gruesome footage of the Oct 7th massacre except to specific individuals . Certainly not for public consumption.
Most of the military experts interviewed said that the IDF was doing better than expected in executing their battle plan. But none of the experts thought that the war would end quickly.
Col Ofer Bantel said on Channel 12TV that everyone wants to get back to normal. But that this war will go on for a while. That this was going to be a different type of war than Israel has fought in the past.
According to Ynetnews, Israel has also been lauded for the search and rescue operations carried out by the acclaimed 669 unit. Reportedly, a wounded soldier can be evacuated within 40 seconds from the time the helicopter lands near the site he has been taken for field treatment by a medic.
A physician is onboard the helicopter as part of the rescue team and treats the wounded soldier while still on the ground and continues the treatment in the air.
This backup, according to the report, provides the soldiers on the ground and those flying the helicopters risking their lives, with a sense of security knowing that if wounded they would not be left alone on the battlefield but evacuated quickly to a hospital.
According to a pilot flying the Blackhawk rescue helicopters, there is a 40-second window for the wounded to be evacuated between the time the helicopter lands and takes off. Hamas fires RPGs and missiles at the helicopters making the rescues a dangerous endeavor.
Gen Yaacov Amidror told Channel 12TV that Israel was now in the ground operation aimed at eliminating certain leaders, finding and destroying weapons storage locations and seizing technology, but “it will take time.” Hamas in Gaza will slowly be destroyed, but it will be slow and steady and take months.” He said, “We have to enter into discussions with the US to let us finish this war.”
Amidror also said that in terms of civilian casualties in Gaza, that the US killed more citizens in the war against ISIS. And that “The US fights thousands of miles from their homes but Israel’s fight is 15 kilometers from their border.”
Amidror said that Hamas lines of communications were broken. “That’s an important thing. Refugees are fleeing the North against Hamas orders. This shows a lack of control by Hamas over Gazans.”
Amidror said Israel has a few goals. To neutralize the missiles fired into Israel. To prevent Hamas from stopping the IDF progress. And to find a solution to the Hamas tunnels. “We need a robust response. The IDF has new tactics and technology. We hope they work.” He also said that Israel is working 24/7 to free the hostages, but “the hostages cannot detract from our fright against Hamas."
According to Ynetnews, on Saturday, the IDF’s Golan brigade eliminated 300 Hamas terrorists, essentially destroying the Hamas Sabra Battalion, one of the strongest in the Gaza strip.
On Friday morning, IDF special forces engaged in close-quarter combat with terrorists near the Shifa hospital. Reportedly, Shifa sits atop a tunnel network where Hamas’ top leaders have their headquarters.
According to Uri Sharon, military correspondent for Channel 11 KanTV, Israeli troops are near to capturing the Shifa hospital in Gaza City, but Sharon said that neither Hamas leaders Sinwar nor Deiff are in the Hamas headquarters beneath the hospital.
Channel 11’s Sulemin Masada, the station’s Palestinian Affairs reporter, said that the IDF is in touch with the heads of the hospitals including Shifa.
Channel 12TV’s Nir Dvori said that other hospitals were just as important as Shifa. He also said that some of the hospitals have been completely evacuated.
Ohad Hemo, Arab affairs correspondent for Channel 12TV said “Shifa is a symbol, but is just another target. Capturing Shifa won’t end the war.
Army spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said that a Hamas terrorist was killed holding over 1,000 Gazans hostage in the Shifa hospital as human shields. He said that there was free movement of Gazans in and out of the hospital and from the north of Gaza to the south.
The Army Spokesman also said that there was a flood of disinformation by Hamas coming out of Gaza. He said that the rocket that fell on the Shifa hospital was a misfire by Hamas. He also said that Israel was in direct contact with the different hospitals.
Channel 12TV also showed footage on Saturday night of weapons, rockets and sacks of bullets inside schools in Gaza.
Channel 12TV’s Danny Kushmoro showed footage of anti-Israeli/anti-Jewish school books in the schools promoting the hatred of Israel and Jews.
Pause and Ceasefire
Gazans fleeing from north to south
Army Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari told a press conference on Thursday that Israel would allow a “Humanitarian corridor to open every day between 10:00 and 14:00, in different neighborhoods, to allow Gazans to flee northern Gaza for the south. Hagari said that 50,000 Gazans left the north on Wednesday and another 80,000 on Thursday. He encouraged all residents of northern Gaza to leave for the south “where there is humanitarian aid, medical facilities, shelter and food.”
However, Hagari said that there would be no ceasefire. Most analysts believe the ceasefire would only be to Hamas’ benefit, to allow them to resupply and rearm.
Gen (ret.) Shaul Mofaz, former Chief-of-Staff and former Minister of Defense, told Channel 12TV’s Danny Kushmaro that “Hamas has not been defeated yet, but it will be. The IDF needs time.” Mofaz thought that Israel should not have allowed humanitarian aid into Gaza without some concession about the 242 hostages.
“We live in a bad neighborhood,” said Mofaz. “What doesn’t work with strength, needs to be made to work with more strength.” He added, “There will be no victory without the return of the hostages.”
One pundit said that this goes against advice from the US government. Many analysts in Israel think that the hourglass is quickly running out of sand and that soon the US will pressure Israel to stop the attack.
According to the Times of Israel, US General Charles Q. Brown warned that prolonging the war will drive more (Gazan) civilians to terror.
The Times of Israel reported on Thursday that the Palestinian Authority’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh said “Israel can’t destroy Hamas: it’s an idea, and not just in Gaza.”
The day after is also something under serious discussion. According to Israeli media reports Israel might have to stay in Gaza for a period of time to secure the area.
The Palestinian Authority has said they would not consider taking over control of Gaza unless there was some agreement on a two state solution. But analysts say the latter is a non-starter given the right-wing settler makeup of the present government.
Hostages.
Some of the children held hostage in Gaza
Zohar Palti, former Mossad head of intelligence, said that he wasn’t concerned about the 2 million Gaza residents, he was concerned about the hostages. He said Israel had to have a plan for the release of the hostages, including the infants and the foreign workers.
Palti was speaking about the possible release of two hostages by Islamic Jihad. “I wouldn’t believe a word they said.” We need to increase the pace of the war. US President Biden says he’s allowing the fighting in the “meantime,” but that is a loaded word.
The Islamic Jihad released a video that showed two hostages, Hana, 77, and Yair, 13, who would be released in a matter of days should Israel allow a four-day pause in the fighting. Hamas also stated they would release 100 hostages in exchange for Hamas prisoners held by Israel. That statement is also considered to be more psychological warfare.
Army Spokesman Hagari said the war has been going on for 6 weeks and the IDF is working 24/7 to free the hostages. “We have passed whatever information we have to the families of the 239 hostages.
Yoav Gallant, Israel’s Minister of Defense, told a press conference on Saturday night, about Shai, a child held hostage by Hamas. “Who plays with him? Who takes care of him? He is on my mind. All the hostages are on my mind. I won’t rest until they’re freed.”
Channel 12TV’s Danny Kushmoro said that the IDF was correct in not releasing the video of the two hostages Hamas said they’d release. “Hamas wants to play on Israel’s nerves.” He said that whatever the hostages said in the video they were told to say and couldn’t be believed.
On Saturday night, a star-studded cast appeared in Tel Aviv before tens of thousands to make certain that the hostage issue was still boring bright.
Politics
According to Nadav Ayal writing in Ynetnews, recent polls have showed that there is a distinct lack of trust in the current Israeli government and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The public, according to the article, says that Israel wants a new center-right government. And for the present government to acknowledge the damage caused by the move for ‘legal reform.’However, Israelis did express strong trust in the Israeli army’s ability to carry out a successful campaign in Gaza. Ayal also wrote that polls show that a negotiating with the Palestinian Authority is at an all time low.
The latter goes against pressure from the US government that says a two-state solution is the only option to create stability between Israel and the Palestinians. The Palestinian Authority, agrees that a two state solution is needed and only if Israel agrees to one will the PA become involved in running Gaza following the war.
Gen (res.) Moshe ‘Bougie’ Ayalon, former IDF Chief of Staff and former Minister of Defense, said on Channel 13TV that the failure of the government to prevent the Oct 7th attack fell on the shoulders of Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu.
According to Ayalon, Netanyahu had been warned time and again that the push for Judicial Reforms was weakening the country and giving the impression Israel was divided and weak and ripe for attack. “He ignored the Chief of Staff (Herzi HaLevi) when warned of the possibility of attack.”
Ayalon said that Netanyahu was more under the influence of “Messianists” like Finance Minister Bezalel Smotritch and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir than the professional military advisors. Ayalon thought Netanyahu a danger to Israel. “He has to be replaced.”
One Shas party member said that Israel would face elections 90-days after the war ended. Since Prime Minister Netanyahu is now far behind Gen Benny Gantz in the polls, the push for elections will not come from Netanyahu, according to pundits.
The New York Times columnist Tom Friedman wrote that Prime Minister Netanyahu was too concerned with his political situation and future than with managing the war. Friedman wrote that in his opinion Netanyahu was the worst Prime Minister Israel has ever had and perhaps, the worst Jewish leader in history.
Friedman also took US President Biden’s position favoring a two-state solution. And against Israel trying to occupy Gaza. Other political analysts disagreed saying that a two-state solution was more a dream than a reality or even a vague hope.
Many analysts are now asking what happens when the fighting finally ends in Gaza. Who takes over? Will the UN come in to help govern? Will the PA step up? Friedman thinks the worst idea is Israel reoccupying Gaza.
However, Nir Dvori on Channel 12TV said Saturday night that Israel may need as much as a year to finish off Hamas. That’s if, as the PA’s PM said, an idea can be eliminated. Or, as some have said, if a stream of Islam can be eliminated. Remember, said one observer, Hamas was elected over the PA by the people of Gaza.
So, said this observer, winning the war might not be enough to quell the violence. Perhaps, speculated one pundit, the best that can be hoped for is to do enough damage to Hamas that no other enemy of Israel will be willing to fight again.
Missiles
Hamas has fired nearly 10,000 rockets at Israel since the initial Hamas invasion on Oct 7th. 3,000 rockets were fired on the first day of the war, according to the IDF Army Spokesman’s office.
However, according to Ynetnews, there has been a significant decrease in the number of missiles fired into Isrel since the start of the war. According to the IDF the numbers have fallen from hundreds in the first few weeks to dozens in the last few days.
On Friday, for the first time in three days, Hamas fired a barrage of missiles that fell in the Tel Aviv area. Two women were injured, one moderately, one lightly. Both were taken to Ichilov hospital for treatment.
TV Commentators said that one of Hamas’ tactics was to lull the public into a sense of security and then harass them with sirens and missiles.
Missiles have been falling every day in Israel, most fired from Gaza, but some from Hezbollah in the north and even two from the Iranian-backed Houthis’ militia in Yemen aimed at Eilat. Those two were downed by the Arrow Missile system. Also on Thursday an armed pilotless drone exploded on the rooftop of a school in Eilat.
Eilat has become a city of refuge for some of the 126,000 Israelis displaced from their homes along the Gaza border in the south, and the Lebanese border in the north.
The sirens that sound warning of a missile strike and the boom of the missiles either destroyed by the Iron Dome or falling on the ground, only go to further unnerve the Israeli public, especially the refugees seeking shelter and a safe haven from terrorist attacks.
North
Hassan Nasrallah, leader of Hezbollah in Lebanon, said on Saturday that Israel will never achieve the goals they strive for in Gaza.
Hezbollah continues to fire rockets into Israel from Lebanon. Four Israeli soldiers were seriously wounded by rocket fire on Saturday. Israel responded with artillery and drones and took out the terrorists firing the missiles. So far Israel has eliminated over 80 Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon.
Yoav Gallant, Israel’s Minister of Defense, told the press on Saturday while touring the Lebanese border that, “Hezbollah is ‘close to making a grave mistake.’ He warned that Hezbollah leader Nasrallah “Is playing with fire. “If he makes the wrong moves Beirut will look like Gaza.”
“I already see Lebanese citizens moving away from Beirut. … Israeli pilots are sitting in the cockpits and pointing north.”
According to Nir Dvori, military correspondent for Channel 12TV, Israel has deployed half of the air force’s capabilities to the north should Nasrallah decide to launch a ground attack.
Although, according to Dvori and other military experts, Hezbollah has lost the element of surprise. Israel has at least 60,000 troops along the Lebanese border.
The talk among military officials is a plan to eventually move into Lebanon and push Hezbollah back about 10 kilometers beyond the Litany river. Some think the move will come after Israel finishes the fighting in Gaza, others say the IDF will move into Lebanon before that.
Ehud Yaari, Channel 12TV’s veteran Arab affairs correspondent, said on Saturday night that he was surprised by Nasrallah’s speech on Saturday. Nasrallah said, according to Yaari, that Israel and the US were under pressure to end the fighting in Gaza.
But, said Yaari, for the first time Nasrallah seemed to explain to the Arab world why Hezbollah wasn’t doing more to fight Israel. “Every time we try to fire a missile it is a suicide mission,” said Nasrallah. “Because the Israeli drones and airplanes immediately kill those firing the missiles.“
Nasrallah said that he and his staff reassess daily what to do in the war. He said he doesn’t expect Syria to come into the battle, and Iraq is doing what it could attacking US bases. He said that Iran is supporting the struggle with money and diplomatic efforts.
But, said Yaari Iran’s call on the Arab world to break ties with Israel hasn’t succeeded. The moderate Arab states, according to Yaari have told Iran they won’t go along with any break in relationships.
West Bank
On Thursday, two Israelis were injured, one seriously in fighting in the West Bank town of Jenin. In the fighting Israel arrested hundreds of Palestinians affiliated with Hamas.The IDF’s 900 Battalion was also engaging Palestinian terrorists in the city.
Reportedly, some military experts are concerned that many of the Israeli towns and cities in the West Bank are nearly empty of men, since most were called up to fight either in the north or the south. The experts worry that radical Islamists will take the opportunity to attack these settlements as Hamas terrorists did along the Gaza border.
Armed Home Front security patrols have begun in these towns and settlements. And the IDF has moved forces into the area to protect the more than 300,000 Jewish Israelis living in the West Bank.
There has also been a question of the Palestinian Authority, that has a large arsenal, joining in such an uprising.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotritch, an ultra-right wing politician representing the settler movement, has long carried out a campaign calling for the destruction of the Palestinian Authority. Smotritch has said he considers the PA no better than Hamas.
However, IDF Chief of Staff Herzi HaLevy has said that in fact the Palestinian Authorities security services are helping Israel contain a Hamas uprising in the West Bank.
Still, analysts see the West Bank as a pressure cooker. Construction workers are not allowed into Israel from either Gaza or the West Bank. These are not people with savings accounts, said one observer. These are people that live from pay envelope to pay envelope. Without an income they are easy prey to the Islamic fundamentalists who swoop in with cash, offering a job. But instead of a hammer or trowel, they are given a rifle.
During the first Intifada the late Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin said that in spite of the Intifada Palestinians had to be allowed into Israel to make their living. Most Israelis agree, though, that for now the borders should stay sealed up tight, and the Palestinians kept out of Israel.
Public Opinion
Protests in Britain brought out an estimated 300,000 pro-Palestinian demonstrators on Saturday. According to General Dede Simchi, speaking on Channel 12tv, this is only a wave of protests that could become a tsunami. He said that by 2050 experts believe that 50% of Europe would be Muslim.
French PM Macron told the press today that Israel has to stop killing children.” Israel’s PM Netanyahu replied that the onus for those attacks was on Hamas.
According to the Times of Israel anti-Semitism has risen eight fold in the Netherlands. Anti-semitic graffiti has been scrawled on buildings in Rome’s Jewish quarter. And shots were reportedly fired at two Jewish schools in Montreal, Canada.
The Times of Israel reported that Columbia University has suspended the “Jewish Voice for Peace” and Students for Justice in Palestine” for inciting anti-Semitism.
Pro-Palestinian rally at Harvard University
Also, according to the Times of Israel, Harvard University president Claudia Gay wrote that “For far too long Harvard has done too little to address the ongoing pressure of anti-Semitism which has long and painful history at the university.
One analyst said that recently donations to the major universities have dropped as a protest to the growing anti-Semitism on campuses that has not been curtailed by the various administrations.
A report in Ynetnews, citing an article by Sophie Shulman writing in Ctech, said that Qatar has poured nearly $5 billion dollars into US universities. “Elite universities have become hubs of anti-Semitism, as the progressive student population plays the role of unwitting but useful idiots.”
The article stated that the US thought that allowing Qatar to donate to US universities would be a soft way into influencing Qatar, but the reverse turned out to be the case. The article listed a number of US universities that opened branches in Doha,Qatar. The ISGAP (Institute for the Study of Global anti-Semitism and Policy) saw a “direct connection between the volume of the donations from Qatar and other gulf states and the presence of pro-Palestinian groups on campus.