DAY 278 OF THE WAR: Soldier Killed in Gaza, IDF Reenters Gaza City, Hostage Talks Proceeding, Showdown With Ultra-Orthodox

Tel Aviv Diary, July 10, 2024

ZOOM BRIEFING: Sunday July 14, at 6 PM Israel, 4 PM Great Britain, 11 AM EDT 8 AM PDT

Yesterday afternoon, as troops moved through Gaza City, Sergeant First Class (res.) Tal Lahat was fatally shot by a Hamas sniper. Lahat was one of the soldiers who arrived at Nachalat Oz to defend the Kibbutz on October 7th, early on that horrific morning. Throughout the course of today, the IDF instructed civilians in Gaza City to evacuate southward

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The apparent strategy seems to be to advance through the center of Gaza City again, revisiting previously cleared areas. This pattern of returning to cleared areas is familiar to the IDF; although reentry tends to be less challenging, it still carries risks — and often, also casualties. Today, two soldiers were seriously injured in the ongoing clashes in Gaza City.

Here’s how the IDF described the combat in Gaza during the last 24 hours:

Division 99 continues to fight in the Gaza City area. Commando Task Force fighters and the multi-dimensional unit joined the operation last night at the UNRWA headquarters in the area, which Hamas and PIJ terrorists use to carry out terrorist activities against our forces in the central part of the Gaza Strip.

After establishing an orderly passage for civilians to exit the area, the fighters raided the building, eliminated terrorists in close-range combat, arrested additional terrorists, and located numerous weapons.

Division 98 forces eliminated dozens of terrorists in the Shuja'iyya area in the last 24 hours and destroyed underground tunnel routes.

Paratrooper Task Force fighters identified ten terrorists observing the forces from a building in the area. The building was attacked in a combined ground and air strike.

In Rafah, the combat teams of Division 162 eliminated several terrorists in the last 24 hours, located weapons, and destroyed underground infrastructure in the area.

In several strikes led by Division 143 and Unit 414 fighters, Air Force aircraft attacked and eliminated several Hamas terrorists in the central Gaza Strip, including terrorists involved in tunneling and anti-tank missile fire against our forces.

This evening, the IDF announced the conclusion of the operation in the Shuja'iyya area. The Army Spokesman stated:

Paratroopers Brigade forces, Brigade 7, and Yahalom Unit have completed their mission, which lasted about two weeks, in the Shuja'iyya area under the command of Division 98.

Paratrooper reconnaissance fighters encountered a terrorist cell and engaged in close-quarters combat with the cell. During the battle, the fighters directed a drone and identified two armed terrorists hiding among the rubble. The terrorists attempted to shoot at the drone and were eliminated by tank fire directed at the building.

During the fighting, the forces eliminated dozens of terrorists, destroyed combat complexes, and demolished booby-trapped buildings.

In the past 24 hours, the forces destroyed two underground routes as part of the divisional effort, which resulted in the destruction of eight tunnels. Weapons, laptops, and communication equipment were found along the tunnel routes. Additionally, equipment enabling long-term stay and infrastructure for electricity and gas that would be used by the terrorists were discovered.

GALANT GIVES WAR STATUS UPDATE

Defense Minister Gallant reported that we have eliminated over 15,000 Hamas fighters and wounded an additional significant number. According to Gallant, that represents 60% of Hamas’s forces. What does that mean? It implies that Hamas is feeling pressured and is hoping for a ceasefire. There are stories of infighting between Sinwar and his field commanders, who are reportedly telling him they need a break. Are we hearing what we want to hear? Perhaps. However, I am willing to be cautiously hopeful.

THE NORTH

Tonight, Nir (46) and Noa (46) Baranes were laid to rest. The couple, residents and members of Kibbutz Ortal on the Golan Heights were driving home from a shopping trip to Carmiel when a Hezbollah rocket struck their car. The Baranes’ left behind three children. A key question raised in Israel concerns why Iron Dome did not intercept the rocket barrage. It turns out that the couple were driving on a road through an area classified as an open sector, an area where Iron Dome does not typically engage incoming rockets. They were likely unaware of the rocket attack, being killed instantly

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This afternoon, Nasrallah delivered a speech stating that Hezbollah had achieved its goals and that he would accept any agreement Hamas reached with Israel. Meaning, if Hamas reaches an agreement with Israel, Hezbollah would stop its firing.

There were two rocket barrages today, as well as three drone attacks, on the Golan Heights. The drone attack resulted in the light wounding of a young woman soldier.

HOSTAGES

There is currently growing optimism that we may be able to reach an agreement to secure the return of the hostages. Recent updates from Qatar—where the Heads of the Mossad, CIA Egyptian Intelligences, and Qatar's leader met—indicate that all parties are very close to an agreed-upon framework for a deal. While we have been in this position before, the devil is always in the details.

Tonight, Defense Minister Gallant wrote,

The determined efforts of the defense establishment created the circumstances to secure the return of the hostages. A short window of opportunity has opened for us to fulfill our moral duty to bring the hostages home. The situation created by an agreement will improve our national and security interests, and the dangers that it could bring the army will be able to overcome. Beyond beating Hamas, it is necessary and needed to make a deal to bring back the hostages.

POPULISM

The Knesset passed a law in its first reading that mandates financial sanctions against universities that fail to take action against instructors who encourage terrorism. University heads oppose the law, arguing that existing legislation already criminalizes support for terrorism and that it is the responsibility of the police to investigate and arrest those involved, not the university.

In another matter, the courts have called on the government to fund public defenders for the terrorists captured on October 7th. However, both the Ministers of Justice and Finance have declared that the government would never finance defense attorneys for these individuals. It should be noted that the Israeli government did provide a defense attorney for the infamous Nazi Adolf Eichmann. Similar to American legal principles, Israeli law mandates that every individual, irrespective of their crime, is entitled to legal representation.

ULTRA-ORTHODOX DRAFT CRISIS CONTINUES

It looks like we are headed for a direct confrontation between the state and the ultra-Orthodox community. The top rabbis of both the Sephardic and Ashkenazi Yeshiva ultra-Orthodox worlds (including Hasidim and Litvaks) are publishing a letter