DAY 82 OF THE GAZA WAR: Hezbollah Fires 150 Projectiles into Israel-Fear of Full Scale War Grows. Netanyahu Rebuffed by Wounded Soldiers
Tel Aviv Diary, December 27, 2023
Today marked another escalation of combat activity on the Northern border. As of 6 PM, Hezbollah had fired 150 rockets, anti-tank missiles, and mortar shells at both army posts and towns in the North, over the course of today. Several rockets struck the town of Kiryat Shemona, causing substantial damage. After inspecting the Northern border, IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi stated that the army was preparing for additional action in the North, but it would take time.
In a press briefing this evening, Benny Gantz warned that time was running out for the world to find a diplomatic solution to Israel’s conflict with Hezbollah. Gantz cautioned that if a diplomatic resolution to stop Hezbollah's attacks on Northern Israel is not found, the IDF will be compelled to act. The escalation in Hezbollah’s fire could be in response to the killing of the Iranian General in Syria. Hezbollah’s attacks have been confined to the immediate border area, however, their frequency has increased significantly.
Tonight a suicide drone landed on one of the villages in the Southern Golan Heights. It caused some damage but no casualties. The drone was fired from Syria by the Islamic Resistance Movement of Iraq.
Intense fighting continued in Gaza. Combat around Gaza’s central camps and in the city of Khan Younis have been particularly fierce. Israel continues to target and eliminate Hamas infrastructure in the Northern part of Gaza. The underground complex surrounding Rantisi Hospital was bombed.
The IDF announced the death of three soldiers yesterday in Gaza
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Hamas rocket fire has continued since yesterday, in the area around Gaza. A synagogue was directly hit in yesterday’s attack, causing substantial damage. A reader of our newsletter questioned how rockets are still being fired. They are still being launched because we do not control all of Gaza, and the launchers are underground, operated by timers. The number of rockets has significantly decreased, as there are limited areas from which Hamas remains able to continue to launch. Additionally, we have seized a large number of rockets. Sources in Gaza claim that rocket production is still ongoing underground, though this has not been confirmed.
Another reader sent me a list of the number of deaths suffered during each of our previous wars compared to the sum of casualties the IDF has endured during this war, and commented that, comparatively, the number of losses in this war are “bearable”. I believe this reader is both right and wrong, at the same time. In reality, despite the recent days with greater death toll, the number of casualties in our current Gaza war have been noticeably lower than anticipated. This is partly due to the extraordinary skill and training of IDF field doctors, who provide immediate aid, along with brilliant new developments in field medicine that have allowed doctors to perform procedures that once could only be successfully accomplished in operating room.
Furthermore, while the number of losses can be considered bearable for the nation, especially in the aftermath of the massacre on October 7th — given the widespread recognition of the necessity of this war — the pervasive influence of social media and constant mainstream media coverage make it impossible to remain detached. Even if we don't personally know the fallen, we become familiar with their stories and empathize with their families' grief. Consequently, while one might view the rate of loss as acceptable from an impersonal standpoint, it becomes increasingly challenging to do so, especially after nearly three months of hearing about those who perished on the 7th.
THE WEST BANK
Israel has been engaged in an ongoing low-intensity conflict in the West Bank. Overnight, Israeli forces killed six terrorists in Tulkarem. For the first time in a decade, Israel has used the Air Force to attack terrorists in the West Bank. Since October 7th, Israel has killed 290 West Bank Palestinians (predominantly terrorists) and has arrested 2,500 individuals, half of whom are active Hamas operatives.
ISRAEL’S NEW HOSTAGE RELEASE PLAN
Israel has proposed a new comprehensive three-stage plan for the release of additional hostages. In the first stage, all live civilian hostages still held captive by Hamas will be released in exchange for a negotiated number of Palestinian prisoners. In addition, Israel would withdraw from main population centers in Gaza and halt all bombing for 10 days.
In the second stage, all the women (including women soldiers) and the bodies of all deceased hostages would be released. In exchange, negotiations for the formation a new technocratic government would commence. Moreover, Israel would pull back further out of Gaza, and additional Palestinian prisoners would be released.
In the third, final stage, a new government would take over in Gaza, Israel would fully withdraw, and all remaining hostages would be released.
Hamas has already rejected Israel’s proposal.
NETANYAHU ATTEMPTS TO VISIT SOLDIERS IN HOSPITAL
Prime Minister Netanyahu visited the rehabilitation wing of Hadassah Hospital tonight, where 18 soldiers were present. Of these, 15 refused to meet him. One of the soldiers who declined the meeting noted that Jerusalem, a city traditionally supportive of Likud, is experiencing a change, signaling an end of an era.
ERDOGAN
Turkish President Erdogan, who had been moving towards closer relations with Israel before the Oct. 7th war, claimed in a speech he delivered today that Netanyahu is “worse than Hitler”. In response, Israeli companies are swiftly rebranding any product that bears a Turkish name. For example, Elite is changing the name of their “Turkish Coffee” to “Black Coffee”.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
One of our readers shared with me an exceptional letter he had drafted and submitted to the Editor of the New York Times. This letter was his response to an op-ed previously featured in the Times, written by the Mayor of Gaza — a detail that should speak for itself.
To the Editors of the New York Times,
I write to express my outrage at your decision to publish an Op-Ed by the Hamas-appointed Mayor of Gaza City, who laments the destruction of his beloved Gaza culture with nary a mention of the Hamas massacres of October 7 or the unrelenting mission of Hamas to destroy the State of Israel and kill its Jewish inhabitants. I struggle to understand the mentality that would justify publishing such a piece while forcing into retirement op-ed editor James Bennet for publishing a letter from a sitting US Senator. It boggles the mind that the NYT would allow its pages to be used by a representative of a terrorist organization who is clearly complicit in turning Gaza into a labyrinth of underground tunnels and arsenals imbedded in schools and hospitals, teaching its children to hate and kill Jews and using its citizenry as human shields to protect Hamas leaders such as himself. If that is what this Hamas Mayor means by Gaza culture let’s be done with it once and for all.
Occam’s razor holds that the simplest explanation for a phenomenon is most likely the correct one. The simplest explanation for the decision to publish this op-ed is antisemitism. If there is another explanation I’d like to hear it.
— Seth Schafler