DAY 327 OF THE WAR: Two Soldiers Killed in Gaza, Soldier’s Body Recovered, Unprepared for the New School Year, Major Operation in the West Bank

Tel Aviv Diary, August 28, 2024

It was perhaps too optimistic to expect that the good news would continue. Sadly, when I woke up this morning, my phone relayed the terrible news: “hutar l’pirsum” – approval was given to announce the death of another soldier publicly. This time, it was First Sergeant Amit Friedman (19) who was killed by an explosion in Rafah.

Amit's death occurred in the very same area from which Farhan al-Qadi was rescued just yesterday. The impact of Amit’s passing hit home a little harder when I went for coffee at my favorite café. Instead of the owner, his mother, with whom I am also acquainted, was there; she confided that it had been a very difficult day. Amit Friedman was a close friend of her son.

Unfortunately, this was not the end of the bad news. Late this afternoon, the Army disclosed that Master Sergeant (res.) Yohay Hay Glam (32) had fallen in central Gaza. His unit had left the Netzarim corridor to reenter the Zeitoun neighborhood once again. Glam fell victim to a sniper’s bullet. He served in the Jerusalem reserve battalion, which has now lost six members in the past week. In total, ten soldiers have fallen in Gaza over the last ten weeks, and 371 soldiers have died since the ground operation began. At this point, the effectiveness of our actions is unclear, especially if we fail to secure an agreement for the release of the hostages

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Tonight, it was also reported that the Army has recovered the body of a soldier who was killed on October 7th. The information was disclosed by a prisoner who revealed the location of the body to the Army. Now, the number of hostages and bodies yet to be recovered from Hamas-held captivity in Gaza stands at 107.

ALL OF THEM… NOW

Recently rescued, former Hamas-held hostage Farhan al-Qadi was discharged from the hospital this morning so he could visit his elderly mother. Al-Qadi and his brother appealed to Israel to find a resolution to end the war and bring all hostages home.

NEW SCHOOL TO BEGIN YEAR UNDER HARROWING REALITY

The school year begins next week. However, many students in the North have been relocated from their usual schools to different facilities. Compounding this issue, most schools in the North lack adequate safe shelter to protect students in the event of a rocket or drone attack. Tens of thousands of students in these areas remain under threat. In case of an attack, these students have been instructed to lie on the floor of their classroom and cover their heads with their hands.

A study of high school students revealed that 50% are experiencing from some form of non-clinical PTSD due to events over the past year. Though unstudied, the impact on younger students is likely significant as well. This is not the first difficult period in Israel’s history, though it is our longest. For instance, today’s history section highlights one of the worst periods during the Second Intifada.

I spoke this evening with a mother who lived through that era; her youngest child is now 11. She believes the current situation is far worse. Her son, who lives in the Tel Aviv Metro area, goes to sleep fearing he might be kidnapped. She poignantly asked me, “Why should an eleven-year-old even know what rape is?”.

I've listened to interviews with children from the North who express a simple desire to find a safe place; they aren't concerned about having friends there—they just want to feel secure. Another individual, who recently vacationed in Italy, struggled to explain to her children why there was no need for bomb shelters. Children are resilient—arguably more so than adults—and, of course, throughout history (even recent history), Jewish children have endured even harsher times. However, such experiences undoubtedly leave a deep and indelible mark that can never be removed.

Adding to these challenges, it appears likely that high schools will not open next week. High school teachers—who have been without a contract for four years—are poised to strike. Consequently, high school students who just endured a terrible, challenging year may face additional disruptions that would prevent them from starting their new school year on schedule.

IN THE NORTH

Today was another relatively calm day in the North, with only two minor barrages from Lebanon. Meanwhile, the Air Force remained active. An IAF aircraft conducted a strike today along the Syria-Lebanon border, eliminating Firas Qassem, a key member of the operations department of the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization.

MAJOR MILITARY OPERATION IN WEST BANK

Following the recent attempted bombing in Tel Aviv and the various difficulties encountered by Israeli troops entering West Bank cities, it was decided to initiate a major military effort in the West Bank. This morning, our “brilliant” Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, tweeted—without any authorization—that Israel should “act in the West Bank as it does in Gaza and force people from their homes.”

This remark immediately created a whirlwind of criticism around the world. The IDF has made it clear that it will not pursue that course of action. However, why would we want a Foreign Minister to enhance our global image, when we’ve been managing so well with one who actively contributes to its deterioration?

So far, the Army has reported eliminating ten terrorists, while the world press broadcasted that we killed ten Palestinians— implying the deceased were civilians.

Here’s what Doron Kadosh, military correspondent for Gal Galatz (Army radio), wrote about today’s actions in the West Bank:

1. The defense establishment admits this morning: 'The focused divisional operations have not yet produced the desired results. The terrorist threats in Judea and Samaria have only increased, and we realized that something needed to be done to change the reality. We don't want Judea and Samaria to become an arena that prevents us from fighting in Gaza or Lebanon.

2. The threat of explosives is the main focus: this is the primary reason for launching the operation. The attempted bombing in the heart of Tel Aviv last week contributed to the decision to launch the operation at this time, even though it had been planned earlier. It’s an important message from the IDF and one of the key lessons from October 7: Don’t wait for a deadly attack with severe consequences—assess the events based on the terrorists' intentions, not just their outcomes. The event in Tel Aviv, in this sense, was a significant catalyst for the decision to launch the operation. Tulkarm is the most concerning in terms of the scale of explosives—just yesterday, the Palestinians reported three explosions a few hundred meters from Bat Hefer.

3. In preparations for the operation, several lessons were learned from the last extensive operation—“Bayit Vagan” in Jenin in July 2023. Immediately upon the start of the operation, the forces’ first objective was the complete encirclement of four major hospitals in the area—two in Jenin and two in Tulkarm. Since the beginning of the operation, all these hospitals have been encircled to prevent terrorists from fleeing to them as they did in “Bayit Vagan.” Patients and ambulances are only allowed to enter the hospitals after being checked by our forces.

4. Unlike the Gaza Strip, the IDF does not intend to evacuate the population from areas where the operation is being conducted. The approach in the West Bank towards the civilian population is different; there will be no leaflets or evacuation notices. However, if there are Palestinian residents who wish to evacuate, they will be allowed to do so.

5. In the divisional operation, forces equivalent to two brigades are operating: the Menashe Brigade and the Kfir Brigade, each in a different area. The idea is to saturate the area with forces as much as possible (within the known limitations of the order of battle in relation to other theaters) to prevent terrorists from escaping and ‘force’ them to fight.

6. Alongside the main combat zones in the refugee camps in northern Samaria, there is also increased activity in other areas. Last night, there was activity in the Balata and Askar refugee camps in Nablus; in recent hours, there has been a large wave of arrests in the village of Arura in Binyamin—about 30 wanted individuals were arrested there.

The IDF Chief of Staff, Herzi Halevi, addressed troops stationed in the Jordan Valley and stated:

The IDF is fighting on seven fronts, each with very different characteristics. We are here, first and foremost, to strengthen [physical] security and, after that, the sense of security as well. The readiness teams are important; we are working to fortify them, and we’re investing a lot in this. We will be here as much as we can, with more forces and more resources, to build a better security infrastructure that will create better protection for the communities. This will also happen thanks to the partnership between us and you.

IDF INVESTIGATION INTO THE ARMY’S HANDLING OF JIT

The IDF released its initial report on the events that occurred earlier this month in the West Bank town of Jit. Here’s the summary that was released to the public: