DAY 323 OF THE WAR: Four Soldiers Killed Fighting in Gaza, Heavy Exchanges in the North, More Jewish Terror, Houthis Sink an Oil Tanker, Synagogue Attacked in France

Tel Aviv Diary, August 25, 2024

DAY 323 OF THE WAR: Four Soldiers Killed Fighting in Gaza, Heavy Exchanges in the North, More Jewish Terror, Houthis Sink an Oil Tanker, Synagogue Attacked in France

Yesterday, Israel killed ten Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon, marking one of the most intense days for Israeli attacks on Hezbollah targets and operatives in the region. In total, over the past few days, the IDF has eliminated more than 20 Hezbollah members in Lebanon. Among the actions taken by the IDF, the Air Force struck the Tyre region, killing Saeed Mahmoud Daib, a Hezbollah operative involved in its rocket and missile division. In addition, fighter jets targeted a launcher in the Al-Tiri area, from which rockets had been fired earlier toward the Safed region.

Kiryat Shemona

As anticipated, throughout Friday afternoon, evening, and into this morning, Hezbollah repeatedly launched rocket barrages and drone attacks on northern Israel. Yesterday alone, 100 rockets were fired, reaching targets as far south as Safed. While the attacks caused damage and sparked some fires, fortunately, no injuries were reported. One drone managed to reach the Lower Galilee before being shot down by Israeli air defense forces.

GAZA

Yesterday and today have been intense, combative days in Gaza, with a heavy toll. A unit returning to the Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City entered a building that turned out to be booby-trapped. As a result, Sgt. First Class (res.) Evyatar Atuar (24), Sgt. First Class (res.) Danil Pechenyuk (26), and Sgt. First Class (res.) Nitai Metodi (24) were killed. Seven additional soldiers were wounded in the same incident. In a separate incident, an RPG killed Sgt.-Major (res.) Yaniv Itzhak (36)

.Here’s the statement released by the Army describing Friday's operations in Gaza:

In the last 24 hours, Division 98 forces eliminated dozens of terrorists and destroyed dozens of terror infrastructures in the Khan Younis area and on the outskirts of Deir al-Balah. In one of the strikes, the forces identified a terrorist who posed a threat to the force using a drone and directed an Air Force attack helicopter, which eliminated the terrorist.

Additionally, areas from which shots were fired at settlements in the Gaza border area during the week were attacked.

Division 162 forces continue their activities in the Tel Sultan area of Rafah, and in collaboration with Air Force forces, dozens of terrorists were eliminated in the last 24 hours.

Also, Division 252 fighters operating in the central Gaza Strip eliminated a terrorist who posed a threat to the forces and was carrying explosives, and they also attacked a launch site from which fire was directed at a force in the area.

A high operational level was maintained on Saturday, as well. Today, Israeli forces operated on the outskirts of Deir El Balach. They killed a large number of terrorists and destroyed a 500-meter tunnel belonging to Islamic Jihad.

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HOSTAGE TALKS

Significant progress was reported on Friday, prompting Hamas to send representatives to Cairo for discussions tomorrow. Concurrently, a summit will resume in Cairo. Israel is very cautiously optimistic about the possibility of a hostage deal, though the situation remains uncertain due to Sinwar’s unclear intentions and Netanyahu’s unpredictability.

Meanwhile, the regular weekly demonstration in Tel Aviv was held as usual.

STILL WAITING…

It's been a little over three weeks since the two targeted assassinations that provoked Hezbollah and the Iranians to threaten potential retaliatory strikes on Tel Aviv or other high-value targets. As time passes, we are all gradually returning to a new normal. While a true sense of normalcy remains elusive as long as the conflict persists, we seem to be managing our daily lives as though there is no immediate threat. This Friday, I actually went to the beach after deciding against doing so for the past two weeks.

WEST BANK

There were two reported cases of Jewish Terror on the West Bank. Ten masked Jewish settlers attacked Palestinians in the Rujum neighborhood near Susya in the southern Hebron Hills. According to footage from the scene, the attack was carried out using rods and sticks. So far, there have been no reports of Palestinian casualties in the incident. When the police arrived, the assailants fled, and none of them were arrested.

Dozens of settlers entered the village of Rujib, near Nablus in the northern West Bank. Early reports indicate they clashed with Palestinian residents, threw stones, and set fields ablaze. The attackers came from the settlement of Itamar. IDF forces intervened and managed to disperse them. The assailants smashed and damaged several Palestinian vehicles, as well as destroying trees and burning multiple agricultural fields. No arrests have been made in connection with the incident.

CONTROVERSY OVER OCTOBER 7TH COMMEMORATION

As I shared last week, there has been significant controversy surrounding the government's plans to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the war. This time, President Herzog has decided to intervene by sending the following letter.

To the Prime Minister,

Member of Knesset Benjamin Netanyahu,

Honorable Prime Minister,

In light of the severe and painful disagreement that has developed over the past week regarding the state ceremony to commemorate the massacre of October 7th, and in the interest of lowering the flames of discord and preventing unnecessary strife and division among the people, I would like to propose the following format for the Memorial Day for the October 7th massacre:

* Firstly, I suggest that each community, group, settlement, kibbutz, moshav, and city commemorate the anniversary as they wish, as is customary and accepted on Memorial Day for the Fallen Soldiers of the Wars of Israel and Victims of Actions of Terror.

* In addition, I propose that the main State ceremony be held at the President’s Residence in this unique year.

* The ceremony – which will be coordinated by the President's Residence, in continuous and attentive dialogue with the relevant state and social-community entities – will be respectful, unifying, state-oriented, and modest, and of course without political symbols. The ceremony will include state symbols as customary, such as lowering the flag to half-mast and reciting Kaddish, Yizkor, and El Maleh Rachamim, as well as additional content to be determined in coordination and partnership, as mentioned. Symbols of authority and representatives from all the settlements, communities, and groups whose world was shattered in the October 7th massacre will be invited to the ceremony.

I ask that this proposal be seriously considered by you and brought for discussion in the Ministerial Committee for Symbols and Ceremonies.

Great responsibility rests on the shoulders of public officials at this time. The citizens of Israel are looking up to their representatives and expect that the upcoming memorial days will be a source of comfort, healing, mending, growth, faith, construction, and hope; and not days of division, polarization, and discord, God forbid.

I would appreciate your response.

Shas MK, Interior Minister Arbel quickly supported the proposal. Hopefully, the President’s proposal will provide the government an opportunity to reconsider its highly unpopular and poorly conceived plans.

VIEW OF A PALESTINIAN-AMERICAN BLOGGER

Here’s another interesting tweet posted by Palestinian-American social activist and blogger Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib:

By now, you’ve probably seen footage of the small protest in the Gaza Strip yesterday (thank you @IhabHassane) by displaced civilians who were calling on Hamas to release the Israeli hostages, end the war, accept the ceasefire/hostage deal, and stop their suffering. These voices are smothered and are begging to be heard by the pro-Palestine community, diaspora Palestinians, Arabs & Muslims, and those who want to see an end to the horrendous violence and killing in the coastal enclave. I urge and beg every single person who cares about Gaza and the Palestinian civilian population there: understand that most of the Strip’s population is not only against Hamas, Islamism, and the “resistance” agenda, but they are paying a heavy price for the continuation of a war they didn’t start and can’t end.

Criticize Israel all you want, but please, stop giving Hamas the benefit of the doubt; never support Islamist “resistance” that has harmed Gazans and the Palestinian national project; respect that there are diverse Palestinian voices and narratives; acknowledge that Hamas is a nefarious player in this entirely avoidable war and has to do everything it can to stop it; put yourself in the shoes of Gazans who are stuck between a relentless/merciless Israeli war machine and a despicable terror group that doesn’t care one bit for the well-being of civilians.

Hamas is a cancer that is serving the Palestinian people in Gaza on a golden platter to the most right-wing government in Israel’s history. It’s easy to cheer on the “resistance” when you haven’t had to live under the consequences of this supposed resistance that holds Palestinians hostage to a futile and suicidal project. Diaspora pro-Palestine Arabs and Muslims have a responsibility to hear Gazans who are pleading for Hamas to stop using them as human shields and to accept the current ceasefire/hostage deal. Admitting defeat would not constitute the end of the Palestinian national project. In fact, it would be an opportunity to engage in some soul-searching and reflection to figure out how to best proceed in pursuit of dignity, freedom, and self-determination for the Palestinian people. Start calling for Hamas to do its part in ending the war now! And I mean, right now!

HOUTHIS

Meanwhile, the Houthis have attacked the Sounion, a fully loaded Greek-flagged oil tanker. The crew has been evacuated, and the tanker continues to burn. Terrorists boarded the ship and planted explosive charges to blow it up. Notably, the Sounion is twice the size of the Exxon Valdez, whose spill in 1989 caused untold environmental damage.

PALESTINIAN TERROR IN FRANCE

A Palestinian terrorist set fire to a group of several cars parked in front of a synagogue in La Grande-Motte, France. President Macron has vowed to apprehend and punish the perpetrator and crack down on the growing antisemitism in the country.

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A PIECE OF HISTORY

Sbarro Bombing

Following the Dolphinarium bombing, there was an effort to establish a ceasefire between the Palestinians and Israel. Yasser Arafat ordered his security chiefs to prevent all attacks on Israeli targets from Palestinian-controlled territory. Palestinian security forces increased their active patrols across various locations in the West Bank and Gaza. Initially, this initiative was successful, as the number of shooting incidents briefly decreased to an average of three per day, down from 25.

However, this calm was short-lived. On June 4th, 2001, William Safire wrote:

It goes beyond the rifles and grenades that too-trusting Israeli governments permitted, which helped transform a police force into an army spoiling for a fight. Now it includes mortars built in Gaza factories and rockets smuggled in from headquarters in Syria. These are fired into Israel from sites near Muslim mosques, hospitals, and schools so that when Israel retaliates, Europeans watching CNN and the BBC will be shocked.

The United States facilitated efforts to broker an agreement, with CIA Chief George Tenet arriving to negotiate a ceasefire that both Arafat and Sharon accepted, albeit reluctantly. During a visit to the United States, Sharon met with President George W. Bush, who encouraged him to enter into negotiations with Arafat. After the meeting, Sharon stated,

I made clear that when violence and terror are over, we will insist on 10 days of absolute quiet, and if there are 10 days, we will gladly move to a cooling-off period.

Secretary of State Collin Powell traveled to Israel in an effort to de-escalate tensions. Both parties agreed to a ceasefire. However, on July 4th, a settler was killed in the West Bank, prompting Israel to resume targeted assassinations of terrorists the following day. On July 7th, a suicide bomber blew himself up near the Binyanei HaUma train station, killing two soldiers. In response, Israel conducted a helicopter strike in Bethlehem, killing four Palestinians, two of whom were confirmed Hamas members.

Any attempts to calm the situation were shattered by a suicide bombing in Jerusalem on August 9th, 2001. A Palestinian suicide bomber carried out a devastating attack at a Sbarro pizza restaurant in downtown Jerusalem, killing 16 people—including seven children and a pregnant woman—and injuring 130 others. Located at the busy intersection of King George Street and Jaffa Road, the restaurant was a prime target due to the heavy volume of pedestrian traffic. The bomber, Izz al-Din Shuheil al-Masri, was led to the restaurant by Ahlam Tamimi, who scouted the location before leaving the scene. Moments later, al-Masri detonated the explosives he carried, causing a catastrophic explosion that covered the area in blood and debris. Both of the terrorist perpetrators were members of Hamas.

Among the victims was Chana Nachenberg, who suffered severe injuries and remained in a coma for over 22 years until her death on May 31st, 2023. Nachenberg’s two-year-old daughter miraculously survived the attack unscathed. The bombing also inflicted horrific injuries on others, including 15-year-old Miriam Shoshan, who sustained third-degree burns over 40% of her body.

In response to the bombing, Israel launched a series of military actions targeting Palestinian Authority facilities and other sites associated with the perpetrator

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