The southern front:
The IDF continues its attack in the Gaza Strip. This morning the IDF spokesman announced the killing of dozens of terrorists in the south of Gaza City, during a ruse that combined ground and air forces. The fighters chased terrorists to a command center hideout, then directed the Air Force to attack the house.
The IDF eliminated Hassan al-Atrash, who was responsible for manufacture and supply of Hamas's weapons. Al-Atrash took part in the production, trade and even smuggling of weapons from various countries to the Gaza Strip. He was killed by a fighter jet attack in Rafah.
200 terrorists surrendered this week and were arrested by the IDF and Shin Bet in the Gaza Strip. The terrorists were taken for questioning in Israel.
After two days of lull, sirens were heard several times today in the Gaza envelope.
The IDF spokesman announced that the IDF is now operating in Khan Yunis both above and below ground. He noted that since the beginning of the fighting, the fighters have seized about 30 thousand explosives.
The Chief of General Staff, Hertzi Halevi, visited the combat zone in Khan Yunis, met with IDF soldiers and said, "The attack is very impressive. We still have a lot of work to do." Earlier, Defense Minister Gallant and Minister Benny Gantz visited the northern Gaza Strip and held a situation assessment with the forces in the field.
The names of the IDF soldiers who fell in Gaza over Friday and Shabbat were released for publication:
- Staff Sergeant Nir Rafael Kananian, 20 years old from Beit Keshet, a fighter in the Givati elite unit.
- Staff Sergeant Birhanu Kassie, 22 years old from Beit Shemesh, a fighter in the Givati elite unit.
- Master Sergeant (res.) Shay Termin, 26 years old from Risha Pina, a fighter in the 6623 Battalion of Otzvat Hod haHanit.
- First Sergeant (res.) Alexander Shpits, 41 years old from Karmiel, a fighter in Battalion 6623 of Otzvat Hod haHanit.
- Captain Oshri Moshe Butzhak, 22 years old from Haifa, team commander in the Nahal elite unit.
May the families find comfort in the nation they served to protect.
Former Mossad chief, Yossi Cohen, said in an interview this evening, "A decision was made at the time not to eliminate the leaders of Hamas in Qatar." It was not clear to what time he was referring.
The northern front:
A tense day in the north: throughout Shabbat, sirens were heard in many areas in the Western Galilee and in the Galilee panhandle. The IDF attacked targets in southern Lebanon night and day.
A senior Hezbollah official claimed that the organization contacted Hamas after October 7 and asked whether to start an all-out war with Israel on the northern border as well. The official said that Hamas refused because they were confident that the IDF would be defeated in Gaza. There is, however, an assessment that Hezbollah avoided war because it did not want to suffer a severe blow to "the Palestinian struggle."
Last night it was released for publication that Sergeant Amit Hod Ziv, 19, from Rosh Ha'Ayin, was killed in an operational activity in the north. Amit was killed by one of the missiles launched from Lebanon yesterday towards Shtula.
May his family find comfort among the nation he served to protect.
On a positive note:
Since the beginning of the war, a caravan named "Iron Scissors" has been traveling between bases, offering soldiers haircuts. Huge mirrors and high-quality lighting were installed in the caravan, and professional hairdressing equipment was purchased for it. In the trailer, professional barbers and hairdressers wait for the soldiers, who pamper them from their hearts and souls.