General:
North: Hezbollah’s provocations against IDF units in the northern area persist. After several hours of relative quiet, about 20 launched from Lebanon were detected. The IDF replied intensely, with artillery fire against terror strongholds.
-14:00, concurrently with the launches from Lebanon, several rockets were launched from Gaza toward the municipality of Ashkelon.
South: IDF troops continue to battle in Gaza, causing significant losses to the Hamas terror organization. Today’s emphasis is the IDF’s entrance to Shifa Hospital for the purpose of uncovering Hamas’s unscrupulous use of the hospital, exploiting the patients and staff as human shields. Hamas fighters are stationed inside the hospital and Hamas headquarters is believed to be beneath the hospital.
– Since Saturday morning Oct. 7, 1,225 Israeli civilians were murdered, 368 IDF soldiers were killed in action and some 7,262 Israelis wounded. 239 confirmed abducted civilians and IDF soldiers. Since the beginning of hostilities, 9,500+ rockets have been launched into Israel. To date, an estimated 200,000 Israelis have been displaced, required to leave their homes in the communities and towns adjacent to the northern frontier and the Gaza Strip, and have since been placed in different locations across the country. 360,000 Israeli IDF reservists have been recruited.
– Efforts to identify the victims continue the police update: 859 civilians murdered in the war have been identified so far.
Operational Updates:
Northern Arena:
– Since the commencement of the conflict, Hezbollah has sustained a total of 75 casualties.
– Hezbollah accepted responsibility today for a total of four attacks against Israel.
– At 14:10, alarms were sounded in Kiryat Shmona due to missiles falling in an open area. No injuries were reported in the incident. It was later reported that about 20 launches were fired at Israel, and about 15 fell in an open area near Kiryat Shmona
Later, alarms were heard in the Upper Galilee due to launches from Lebanon to Israel.
In response, the IDF attacked Hezbollah’s launch positions with tanks and artillery. In the Shlomi area, an IDF tank attacked a Hezbollah observation post. No casualties were reported in the aforementioned barrage.
During the day there were 2 anti-tank incidents against IDF posts on the Lebanese border for which Hezbollah took responsibility, in addition to the shooting at noon and another action in the afternoon.
Last night, about two launches from Syria towards Israel were detected. The IDF attacked the sources with artillery.
Gaza and Southern Israel:
* Last night, IDF ground troops launched a precise and targeted attack against Hamas terrorists in Shifa Hospital. The operations in this specific location are motivated by operational requirements as well as intelligence evidence indicating that Hamas terrorist activity is emanating from the area. Prior to their entry, IDF troops came across explosive devices, engaging terrorists which ensued, with the death of the terrorists.
– Throughout the day, IDF soldiers continue the precise and targeted operation against Hamas in a specific area of the Shifa hospital. The operation is based on intelligence and operational requirements. The operation is not meant to endanger the patients, medical staff, or refugees living in the hospital. The operation was preceded by an effort to clear the hospital of the sick and refugees, even opening a special passageway. The IDF previously alerted hospital management of the IDF’s entry. Before entering the hospital, IDF forces encountered explosive devices and terrorist squads that fired at them, resulting in the terrorists being killed. IDF personnel provided medical equipment, incubators, and infant food to Shifa Hospital on behalf of the State of Israel.
Shifa hospital – General:
Gaza’s largest hospital, built in 1946, spans over 15,000 square meters and has over 1,500 beds and a staff of 4,000.
-It is widely known that the Hamas terror organization and the PIJ exploit Shifa hospital, threatening its medical personnel, exploiting its facilities to harbor terrorists and weapons, and even having terrorists swarming around the facility disguised as physicians and nurses. Being used as a de facto headquarters for Hamas leaders who may be found throughout the hospital’s hallways and offices. Furthermore, Hamas terrorists siphon off the hospital’s dwindling fuel supply for their terror efforts – Hamas terrorists captured by IDF forces, authenticate these accusations.
As the soldiers entered the hospital complex, they engaged with a number of terrorists and killed them. Following this, during searches in one of the departments of the hospital, the troops located a room with technological assets, along with military and combat equipment used by the Hamas terrorist organization.
As soon as IDF Special Forces finished clearing the Shifa Hospital of Hamas terrorists, which they encountered and neutralized, IDF Lt.Col. (Res) Jonathan Conricus followed inside to show unedited documentation in real-time of the weapons used by Hamas from inside Shifa Hospital.
An operational command center, weapons, and technological assets were found in the MRI building of the Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. In another department in the hospital, the soldiers located an operational command center and technological assets belonging to Hamas, indicating that the terrorist organization uses the hospital for terrorist purposes.
Yesterday, the White House stated that the U.S. has intelligence, from a “variety of intelligence sources”, that shows Hamas has used hospitals in Gaza, including the Al-Shifa Hospital, “to conceal and to support their military operations and to hold hostages.” and that the US is confident in its assessment that Hamas is using Shifa Hospital as a command and control center.
-In recent weeks, the IDF has publicly warned Hamas that their continuous military use of the Shifa hospital jeopardizes its protected status under international law, and has given the hospital ample opportunity to discontinue this illegal exploitation. As a result of the IDF’s evacuation efforts, only 400 patients, 150 staff, and an estimated 1,00-2,000 asylum seekers remain in the hospital.
– Israel’s Coordination and Liaison Administration to Gaza spoke with the manager of the Shifa Hospital multiple times following the IDF’s offer of humanitarian aid to the Shifa Hospital’s director general, the IDF launched a humanitarian operation to coordinate the delivery of incubators from an Israeli hospital to the Shifa Hospital in the Gaza Strip. Today, the IDF confirms that incubators, baby food, and medical supplies delivered by IDF tanks from Israel have arrived at the Shifa hospital.
Medical experts and Arabic-speaking soldiers are on the ground to guarantee that these supplies reach those in need.
The IDF remains dedicated to honoring its moral and professional obligations to differentiate between civilians and Hamas terrorists. The IDF is willing to collaborate with any reputable intermediary to guarantee the incubators’ transfer.
-In other arenas throughout the Gaza Strip, the IDF is continuing its operations according to plans.
– During the last few days, the fighters of the 14th Reserve Brigade’s combat team, in cooperation with armor and engineering fighters, completed the takeover of the Palestine outpost in the north of the Gaza Strip. At the same time, the force directed aircraft and artillery forces to attack from the air until the seizure of the outpost was complete. The outpost was used by Hamas as a training base where the terrorists trained to carry out attacks against Israeli citizens and IDF soldiers. Although it was disguised as a training facility only, terrorists from the outpost came out for terrorist activities. Also, in the outpost, IDF forces uncovered terrorist tunnels, charges, and IEDs intended to harm IDF soldiers.
During the brigade’s activity, dozens of terrorists were eliminated, and dozens of anti-tank positions, mortar launching positions, observation posts, and significant government institutions were destroyed.
-Hamas continues to demonstrate its capabilities to launch missiles into Israel. Last evening and today, rockets were launched from Gaza toward the south and center of Israel.
– Today, the USS Thomas Hudner (DDG-116) an Arleigh Burke-class U.S. Navy destroyer, shot down a UAV in the Red Sea that emanated from Yemen, in what appeared to be only the second time the United States has brought down projectiles near its warships since the Israel-Hamas conflict began.
Humanitarian aid:
It should be noted that under the Rules of War, Israel is under no obligation to supply for the needs of its enemy, Hamas.
-Rafah crossing on the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip remains open for the flow of humanitarian aid carrying, medicine, medical equipment, and food. Israel has agreed to allow 100 trucks a day. The IDF emphasizes that all equipment is checked before entering the Strip.
-According to the Israeli Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), over 990 trucks of food, water, and medicine or medical supplies have entered via Rafah since October 21, when Israel first began allowing the tightly controlled shipments. Furthermore, Israel has opened two water pipelines to the south of the Gaza Strip, supplying about 28 million liters of drinkable water each day.
– Humanitarian corridor: The IDF continues to urge Gaza City inhabitants to move to a safe humanitarian zone in the Gaza Strip’s southwest, in the Al-Mawasi area, where international aid is supplied via the Rafah crossing. Hamas terrorists are attempting to impede their evacuation through persuasion or force, to exploit these civilians as “human shields.”
– According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), in the last week more at least 200,000 residents of the northern Gaza Strip left their homes evacuated south through the humanitarian corridors.
– Once more, the IDF Spokesman in Arabic, Lt. Col. Avihai Adrei – addressed the residents of Gaza City and the northern Gaza Strip, and announced that the Salah al-Din highway is still open today until 16:00 for the passage of residents to the south. At the same time, he announced a truce in the fighting in two neighborhoods in the Jabaliya area between 10:00 and 14:00, for humanitarian purposes.
–Fuel into Gaza: Hamas requires diesel fuel to power its terror tunnels’ ventilation and electrical systems, it’s for this reason Israel refuses to supply Gaza with fuel. nevertheless, today, due to a specific request of the US president, Israel permitted the supply of fuel for UNRWA aid trucks. The UN commended Israel for allowing fuel to be brought into the Gaza Strip: “We also welcome the fact that Israel did not limit the number of trucks that entered the Gaza Strip.”
There are persistent voices in Israel protesting the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, despite the fact that Israel receives neither humanitarian help or information about the abductees and hostages held by Hamas. Despite repeated requests to the Red Cross, which claims to have no power over Hamas, nothing has been done.
Iran:
Reuters report: Iran’s supreme leader Khamenei conveyed a message to the head of Hamas political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, at a meeting in Tehran that took place in early November: “You did not give us a warning about the attack on October 7 against Israel, we will not go to war for you.”
Lebanon:
The United States embassy in Beirut issued an announcement calling on U.S. citizens in Lebanon who need financial assistance to return to the United States may be eligible for a repatriation loan.
Egypt:
– Egyptian Health Minister Khaled Abdel Jafar indicated that attempts are underway to transport 36 infants from Shifa Hospital in the northern Gaza Strip to Egyptian facilities.
Iran:
– A document recovered from a computer found inside a Hamas pickup truck outside Gaza, shows a Hamas military commander requesting a scholarship for Hamas operatives to study engineering, physics, and technology at universities in Iran. According to officials in Israel, the document is further proof of Iran’s efforts to strengthen the capabilities of the terrorist organization Hamas in Gaza to create the ability to develop weapons and means of warfare on its own.
