DAY 88 OF THE GAZA WAR: Top Hamas Leader Assassinated in Lebanon, Focus Remain in Khan Younis, Israeli Cabinet Ministers Our Own Worst Enemies

Tel Aviv Diary, January 2, 2024

Until late this afternoon, as I contemplated tonight's diary entry, I thought I would mainly focus on the fallout from last night's Supreme Court decision. However, in the midst of war, one can never predict what might happen next. As evening descended on Tel Aviv, I received a notification on my watch about an explosion in the Dahiyeh suburb of Beirut. It soon became apparent that the target was arch-terrorist Saleh al-Arouri, Hamas’s top deputy. Along with al-Arouri, six other men were killed, including: Azzam al-Aqra and Samir Fendi, two commanders in Hamas's al-Qassam Brigades. The attack occurred in the Hamas office in Beirut.

Arouri on the left

While Israel has not officially claimed responsibility for the attack, it is unlikely the assault was conducted by anyone else. Al-Arouri was killed by a missile that obliterated the office where he and others were engaged in a meeting. The assassination of al-Arouri is a significant achievement, regardless of who orchestrated it, as al-Arouri is the most senior member of Hamas to be killed, so far in the current conflict. Considered one of the most extreme leaders of Hamas, al-Arouri was in charge of planning all Hamas attacks in the West Bank, and for coordination with both Hezbollah and Iran. Al-Arouri was the architect behind some of the most horrendous terror attacks perpetrated against Israel and Israelis.

The primary concern in Israel tonight revolves around the potential repercussions of this attack. Nassrallah has previously warned that any assault on Palestinian leadership in Lebanon would trigger a response from Hezbollah. Tonight, Hezbollah issued a statement declaring that the crime [of al-Arouri’s assassination] would not go unavenged.

The crucial question is whether this targeted assassination will push Hezbollah to start an all-out war, or merely take symbolic action. Some experts believe that if Nassrallah had decided against starting an all-out war until now, he probably will not do so at this juncture. However, the reliability of expert opinions is often questionable, when it comes to predicting the anticipated actions of terrorists.

If Hezbollah opts against a full-scale war, they might launch a number of missile or rockets at Haifa, Tel Aviv, or perhaps, a military base. If the retaliatory rockets are all intercepted, Israel may choose not to respond. However, if a rocket or missile gets through and causes casualties, Israel might feel compelled to respond, potentially escalating the situation.

Nassrallah is scheduled to speak tomorrow. Tonight there is tension throughout Israel. There is satisfaction over the successful mission, but also great concern about what tomorrow — or even tonight — might bring.

BACK TO GAZA…

In Gaza today, fighting continues. To some extent, Israel is transitioning to a new phase of combat. In the northern half of Gaza, the fighting has largely subsided, and Israel has been reducing its troop presence. There is still work to be done in the north, primarily by engineers, in locating and destroying as many tunnels as possible.

Significant combat continues, both in the central Gaza camps and in Khan Younis, where Israeli forces are now actively engaged in fighting within the tunnel network. The fighting has been fierce, but the IDF is making slow, steady progress. There is optimism that live hostages will be found in these areas. Yet, as of now, there has been no success in locating any of the hostages.

Here is a description of the fighting in Khan Younis:

Combat soldiers of the Givati Brigade are conducting attacks on terrorist infrastructure in Khan Yunis and have so far eliminated many terrorists in close combat, tank fire, and air-directed fire. They have also located and destroyed dozens of tunnel shafts.

Over the past week, the soldiers carried out an attack in the Bani Suheila area, where they fought in dense urban terrain and engaged terrorists at close range. During the documented battle, the soldiers eliminated many terrorists while they attempted to harm the soldiers with gunfire and attaching explosives to IDF vehicles.

In addition, the soldiers identified several suspects who were hiding among women and children walking with a white flag in their hands, who were later arrested by the soldiers. During investigations conducted by Unit 504 investigators of the Intelligence Corps, it was revealed that the suspects were terrorists, some of whom participated in the attack on October 7.

In addition the IDF published the following interesting story and video:

In the past week, the combat soldiers of Brigade 401, operating under Division 162, fought in the Deraj Tufah area in the north of the Gaza Strip. The Brigade's soldiers raided military posts and the homes of senior figures, eliminating dozens of anti-tank missile cells. During the fighting, following the receipt of intelligence information about the presence of a terrorist cell in a building, a force from the Shaked Battalion scanned the area and raided the building. They encountered several terrorists and engaged in a firefight, at the end of which the soldiers eliminated the terrorists.

As part of the searches, the Battalion's soldiers found a professional camera of a Hamas terrorist, which he used to document the terror organization's activities from their perspective. The terrorist was eliminated by IDF forces. The footage collected by the terrorists shows the method of anti-tank missile firing, the nature of the enemy's activities in the buildings, and the gathering of intelligence against our forces.

Attached is footage from the camera of the Hamas terrorist that was captured, accompanied by an explanation from the commander of the Shaked Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Yair, and how his soldiers eliminated the terrorist.

SYRIA

It appears Israel has launched multiple strikes on Syria in the past 48 hours. Israel acknowledged responsibility for one of these attacks, citing the assault was a retaliatory response to the four rockets from Syria that hit the Golan Heights last night.

SMOTRICH AND BEN-GVIR, PLEASE BE QUIET

Finance Minister Smotritch and National Security Minister Ben-Gvir have both publicly asserted that Israel should encourage the people of Gaza to leave and relocate to other countries. These statements are causing damage to Israel's reputation internationally. Nevertheless, the two ministers appear indifferent, focusing solely on appealing to their political base.

Tonight, the US State Department directly called out the two ministers by name, issuing the following statement:

The United States rejects recent statements from Israeli Ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir advocating for the resettlement of Palestinians outside of Gaza. This rhetoric is inflammatory and irresponsible. We have been told repeatedly and consistently by the Government of Israel, including by the Prime Minister, that such statements do not reflect the policy of the Israeli government. They should stop immediately.

We have been clear, consistent, and unequivocal that Gaza is Palestinian land and will remain Palestinian land, with Hamas no longer in control of its future and with no terror groups able to threaten Israel. That is the future we seek, in the interests of Israelis and Palestinians, the surrounding region, and the world.

Ben Gvir’s response:

I greatly appreciate the United States of America, but with all due respect, we are not just another star on the American flag. The United States is our good friend, but above all, we will do what is best for the State of Israel: The migration of hundreds of thousands from Gaza will allow the residents of the surrounding area to return home and live in security, and it will protect the soldiers of the IDF.