DAY 166 OF THE GAZA WAR: How We Feel, Sheba is a "Gold Mine", Ultra-Orthodox: The Military Draft And The Economy

Tel Aviv Diary, March 20, 2024

My day began with an e-mail from Barry Topf, one of my closest friends. Each week we engage dedicate time to exchange thoughts about the state of affairs in our country and the world. We have eliminated the word "unbelievable" from our vocabulary, because over the past few years, everything has seemed to be just that.

My friend Barry wrote:

I feel like one of those slow motion films showing a disaster before it happens- someone  walking along the screen unaware of the out-of-control car about to hit him, and you want to scream and shout and warn him, but you know it's too late, it's already happened … Except it's me, and my family, and I'm in the film, it's happening, I can see it, in real time - and  there is nothing I can do about it.

Barry articulated feelings that resonate with most people I know. The past five months have been incredibly challenging, and I can’t think of a single friend or acquaintance, regardless of their personal situation, who doesn't share Barry’s sentiments. There's a widespread feeling of a lack of leadership, as if there's no one genuinely at the helm steering the course.

GAZA

The operation at Shifa continued today. An IDF officer characterized the discoveries at Shifa as “a goldmine”. As of this afternoon, 350 prisoners were captured, and additional 150 terrorists were killed. Among those detained are senior figures of Islamic Jihad, as well as many Hamas field commanders.

A critical aspect of the operation was the IDF’s ability to surprise, swiftly surround, and trap Hamas and Islamic Jihad operatives in the hospital. One might wonder what could have been achieved, throughout the campaign, if the IDF had consistently employed speed and maneuverability—historically key elements of our military doctrine—instead of the more deliberate, yet effective approach waged in this campaign

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The IDF Chief of Staff, Herzi Halevi visited Shifa Hospital to personally appraise the operation.

Halevi stated:

So far, the results are good, but look, we are targeting the senior officials. Marwan Issa, the arrest of senior officials, is very very important to pressure Hamas, it's very important to pressure the negotiations as well, and we are serving two purposes here. Inflicting heavy damage on Hamas, dismantling Hamas, killing the military leadership, striking the civilian leadership, hitting the terrorist. And not to allow such a place to rule, and we are also serving the pressure on the negotiations.

We came here to arrest many terrorist, with an emphasis on senior officials, and to kill those who fight. We prefer prisoners as they are important cards, investigations, you understand this, to kill whoever fights. Up to this point, the mission standing is very good. The method of operation, I'm telling you, you'll see — we’ve been talking about the element of surprise raid, deceit, from the beginning of the way and it is perhaps the best example so far that we've used for a surprising arrival, to a place Hamas returned to.

Hamas made it a hub of activity, a command and control center. Operating from within it, activating from within it, an attempt to regain control in the northern strip. Then, truly a surprising arrival in just a few minutes, a good closure, entry of forces. You'll see an entry into combat in a hospital complex, teams, patients, shelters. All these things together, with about 20 terrorists killed at the entry. The level of combat and mission accomplishment in the first stage is very very high.

The IDF conducted a targeted strike in Rafah today, successfully eliminating four top Hamas operatives in their vehicle.

WEST BANK

I have not been writing enough about actions in the West Bank.  I will try to correct that in the future.  Today, Israel eliminated from the air three members of Islamic Jihad in Jenin and seriously wounded the fourth.  One of them Ahmed Barakat was the terrorist who killed  Meir Tamari near the West Bank settlement of Hermesh in May 2023.  Tonight the IDF and the security services have launched a major action in the Nusrellah Refugee Camp in Tul Karem.