DAY 100 OF THE GAZA WAR: One Hundred Days of War; Where Do We Stand? Where are the Hostages? Where Are We Going?

Tel Aviv Diary, January 14, 2014

IN THE NORTH

Two significant events occurred in the North. Overnight, a group from a previously unknown Palestinian terrorist organization tried to infiltrate an Israeli outpost in Har Dov. The reserve battalion, who has been stationed there since October 8th, decided to send out a patrol, because of the terrible weather and poor visibility. During their patrol last night, they encountered the Palestinian terrorists.  In a face-to-face battle, the terrorists were all killed, and four of our reserve soldiers were lightly wounded by grenade shrapnel.

This afternoon, Hezbollah fired six anti-tank missiles at targets inside Israel. One of those targets was Moshav Yuval, which had been mostly evacuated. Unfortunately, Barak Ayalon, a member of the Moshav’s security squad, had remained behind, and it seems his parents joined him. One of Hezbollah's missiles hit the Ayalon’s home and killed both Barak and his 76-year-old mother, Miri Ayalon. Israel has promised to retaliate.

IN GAZA

The IDF announced the loss of Sgt. Maj Andu’alem Kabeda (21) in combat. Kabeda is the 188th soldier to be killed since Israel began the ground operation in Gaza.

IN THE WEST BANK

There were two attempted terror attacks in the West Bank. In both cases, the terrorists were killed or wounded. There were no Israeli casualties.

GOVERNMENT DYSFUNCTION CONTINUES …

The relations between Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Gallant continue to deteriorate.  At last night's Security Cabinet meeting, Galant was told he could not bring in his two aids, including his Chief of Staff. As a result, Galant left the meeting.

Today, Galant called on the government to strengthen the Palestinian Authority and find a way to allow Palestinian workers from the West Bank back into Israel. Galant was heeding the warnings of the IDF and the Security Services, who fear a major conflagration in the West Bank. Galant's position is completely at odds with Netanyahu's stated position. The dysfunction of this government has made it impossible to develop a plan for the future of Gaza, thus ensuring that any military victory we may have could end in a strategic defeat.

KEEPING OUR HOSTAGES AT THE FOREFRONT

Tonight at 8:00 PM, a 24-hour gathering at Hostage Square came to an end. Last night, the gathering began with 120,000 participants, speakers, and singers, who made plaintiff pleas, shared experiences, and sang throughout the night and day to demand everything possible be done to expedite the hostages’ release. Some of the speakers were former hostages released by Hamas. They testified to the horrors of their captivity. We live close enough to Hostage Square that the haunting sounds from the square could be heard all night. During a rain-soaked day, thousands of Israelis stood with the families of the hostages to show their support.

LOOKING BACK ON 100 DAYS AT WAR

It's been 100 days since the latest Gaza war began. It's been 100 days since Hamas kidnapped Israelis of all ages. It's been 100 days that the remaining hostages (136, assuming they're all still alive) have been living in conditions that we can’t even imagine. It's been 100 days that young women soldiers have been held by Hamas under circumstances too difficult to envision. It's been 100 days of frustration, anger, sorrow, disappointment, and pain. It's been 100 days in which family members have felt powerless to do anything to save their loved ones. It's been 100 days since the worst day in Israel's history. 100 days of war, 100 days of rocket fire, 100 days since hundreds of thousands of reservists left their families, their jobs, and their friends to answer the call to defend our country. It's been 100 days during which we learned who our real friends and absolute enemies genuinely are. It's been 100 days. In which we shutter to listen to the news in the morning, fearing to hear which soldiers might have been killed the day before. It's been 100 days that the most incompetent government in Israel’s history has remained in power throughout the most dire times Israel has faced.

So where do we stand today, January 14, 2024, 100 days after this war began?

Israel has successfully destroyed the Hamas infrastructure in the northern third of Gaza. The fears that combat inside dense urban centers like Gaza City would cost hundreds and hundreds of soldiers’ lives have proven unfounded. Using a combined arms approach, the IDF was able to overcome every obstacle Hamas put in its way in northern Gaza. However, to accomplish that goal in northern Gaza, Israel had to convince the population in Gaza to move south. Unfortunately, to achieve one of Israel's prime goals in this war, i.e., the elimination of Hamas as a military or governmental entity, requires wiping out its leadership and destroying almost all of its infrastructure throughout all sectors in Gaza — and there is nowhere else for the 2.5 million Gazans to go

.

For the past six weeks, Israeli troops have been fighting in the city of Khan Younis, both above ground and below ground, in very large numbers. Every other day, military correspondents report that the army is “close to reaching the hiding places of the Hamas leadership” and should shortly reach locations where our hostages are being held. Every day, we hope to hear a special report from the Army jubilantly announcing, “We have successfully freed 50 hostages, 30 hostages, 10 additional live hostages.” Sadly, that day has yet to come. The one special announcement released by the Army (a few weeks ago) was the terrible, tragic revelation that our soldiers accidentally killed three of our hostages who had managed to free themselves.

Our soldiers display remarkable bravery and professionalism in combat, successfully achieving every objective assigned to them. However, what is the overarching strategy for this war? Did we not understand that if we pushed all of the residents of northern Gaza into the south, it would be nearly impossible to fight in the south? How can we beat Hamas if we leave what is called “the Philadelphia corridor” along the border with Egypt unguarded? How can we defeat Hamas if we cannot go into Rafah?

Over the course of 100 days, we have lost the battle of world opinion. I have no idea how many civilians in Gaza have been killed. One dead innocent civilian is regrettable. However, I do not doubt that the number of Gazan casualties that has been accepted as a truth bears little resemblance to the actual number of civilian deaths. Though the true numbers do not seem to matter — for whatever the numbers, we are considered “the colonizer,” those allegedly “committing genocide”.

It's been 100 days that the residents of the towns and villages along Gaza have been living far from home. It’s also been nearly 100 days since the residents of towns and villages along our Northern border have been forced from their homes and have been living in hotels — and there is no clear path for their return home.

In the 1980’s and 1990’s, we had a security zone in Southern Lebanon. Now, we have a security zone inside Israel — which makes our situation significantly worse now than it was back then.

These have been the worst 100 days in the history of Israel. Let’s hope the next 100 days bring the relief we have all been waiting for.