DAY 71 OF THE GAZA WAR: Sad and Tragic Days, Lebanese Border Becomes More Deadly, Houthis Drones Downed By US Navy

Tel Aviv Diary, December 16, 2023

It's hard to declare one week as more difficult than another in such a devastating war, but this past week was undeniably the hardest since the beginning of the combat. The bodies of six Israelis were found in Gaza and returned to Israel. One of these bodies was identified as a soldier previously declared dead, while the others were believed to be alive and held as hostages. The agonizing sentiment repeatedly echoed by families of the hostages is that for their loved ones, time rapidly running out.

On Friday, the evening news broadcasted that the Army Spokesman would shortly deliver a “special” announcement. With that introduction, we anticipated either especially good or exceptionally bad news. However, given recent events, we feared the worst. Our hopes for good news were crushed by the Spokesman’s revelation, which was even more tragic than we could have imagined. The Spokesman disclosed that our troops had misidentified and killed three hostages who had managed to escape from Hamas. This report was devastating, as these three young men had survived 70 days of Hamas captivity, only to be gunned down minutes from freedom by our own forces.

Details of the heart-wrenching incident are still under investigation. However, it appears that our soldiers had seen a sign on a building reading “SOS” and “Hatzilu” (Hebrew for “save us”) two days earlier, but dismissed the signals as a trap. Then, yesterday morning, three shirtless men emerged from a building near where the soldiers were positioned, with their hands raised, while one held up a white flag. When one soldier mistakenly identified the trio as terrorists, the group opened fire, killing two of the hostages immediately. The third hostage retreated into the building, calling out in Hebrew. A senior commander arrived at the scene and ordered the soldiers to cease fire. Tragically, when the third hostage re-emerged, one of the soldiers fatally shot him. Tonight, in a statement to the nation, the IDF Chief of Staff took responsibility for the catastrophe and clearly stated that the soldiers’ actions violated the rules of engagement for opening fire.

Tonight, it was announced that Inbar Hyman, 28, who had been kidnapped from the Nova Music Festival, was killed by Hamas.

We began this past week with 137 hostages believed to be held by Hamas, and ended it with 128, not due to rescue or release, but because they died.

ROCKET ATTACKS

Friday, just an hour after the start of Shabbat — for the first time in six weeks — sirens went off in Jerusalem, as well as in Beit Shemesh and the surrounding area. Hamas fired eight rockets into that region.

Beyond the direct impact of the aforementioned series of tragic events, those of us who closely follow the news are constantly exposed to stories about those who have been killed, and we often see portions of their funerals. The feeling of sadness can sometimes be overwhelming.

THE NORTHERN BORDER

There was intense firing along the Lebanese border on Friday, but Saturday proved to be even more severe, with increased firing on the border. Additionally, Hezbollah sent two suicide drones into Israel. One drone was downed, however, the second tragically crashed into a 54-year-old reservist, resulting in his death. A high-ranking Army officer stated today that the current situation in the North is unsustainable, and that as such, the Army is losing patience with Hezbollah.

THE HOUTHIS

The violent incidents instigated by the Houthis are also escalating in severity. Today, the US Navy intercepted 14 drones heading towards Israel, while the British and French forces each downed one additional drone. Furthermore, both Egypt and Saudi Arabia reported shooting down drones.

Yesterday, two ships were attacked in the Red Sea, prompting three of the world's largest shipping companies, including Maeresk and CMA, to halt passage through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. Instead, these shipping companies will navigate around the Horn of Africa, adding both time and cost to their voyages and depriving Egypt of crucial income. The US is expected to announce the creation of a special task force to ensure freedom of the seas

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JAKE SULLIVAN HOLDS PRESS CONFERENCE

President Biden stated that Israel needs to be more careful in the administration of its ground operation. However, when National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan conducted a press conference yesterday, after completing all his meetings, Sullivan’s defense of Israel’s actions was straightforward:

There is an incredible burden on the IDF, a burden that is unusual for a military in today’s day and age. By hiding behind civilians as it conducts its war with Israeli forces, Israel doesn’t have the opportunity to meet Hamas on a field of battle in a way in which civilians are off to one side, while the terrorists remain off to the other side.

Hamas on October 7 massacred 1,200 people in a brutal and savage way. They then turned around and went back into Gaza and hid behind a civilian population, using civilians as human shields, using protected sites like hospitals and schools for military purposes, embedding themselves among the innocent Palestinian people. The challenge before them is to allow terrorist groups to continue to persist right next door ... So we understand that they not only have a responsibility they have a duty to protect their people from this terrorist. Israel is fighting an adversary that publicly said over & over again that Israel should be eliminated as a country. Oh, by the way, they're conducting those operations in a very dense urban environment with an adversary that intertwined itself within the civilian population.

JEWISH LIFE IN NEW YORK CITY SINCE OCTOBER 7TH

In my Columbia University Alumni group chat I received the following message:

Hi everyone, this is Shai Davidai [the Columbia Business School professor from the video]. I would really appreciate if you give me a minute of your time!

Benjamin Meppen is a Jewish student at New York University who is studying to be filmmaker. As a final project for one of his classes, Benjamin made a 9-minute film about Jewish life in New York City since October 7th. He asked that people re-post it.

I thought the video was good, so here it is…

Here is an interview I did on Friday for an Indian You Tube Channel