BREAKING....Thread 8...Israel At War...OPERATION SWORDS OF IRON

[mystery-ak]

IDF Dog Reached Hostages but Was Shot by Hamas; Audio Only Found Later

A dog sent by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) into the lair of Hamas terrorists during a firefight last week recorded audio of three Israeli hostages calling for help — but the dog’s media feed was only reviewed Monday, three days after the hostages were killed.

https://www.breitbart.com/middle-east/2023/12/20/idf-dog-reached-hostages-but-was-shot-by-hamas-audio-only-found-later/

[mystery-ak]

Gaza Is Now ‘Most Dangerous Place in the World To Be a Child’: UNICEF
The UN agency shared the story of a 12-year-old Palestinian girl who lost her leg in an Israeli airstrike, only to die in another as she recovered in a hospital
Published 12/20/23 07:25 AM ET|Updated 1 hr ago
Luke Funk

A UNICEF spokesperson called Gaza “the most dangerous place in the world to be a child” during a press briefing in Geneva on Tuesday, amid growing concerns in the international community that the besieged Strip is becoming a humanitarian catastrophe.

James Elder, of the United Nations children's agency, spoke to reporters at the UN offices at the historic Palais des Nations in Geneva.

“Over the past 48 hours, the largest remaining fully functioning hospital was shelled, twice,” Elder said.

“That hospital – Al Nasser in Khan Yunis – not only shelters large numbers of children who had already been badly injured in attacks on their homes, but hundreds of women and children seeking safety.”

more
https://themessenger.com/news/gaza-most-dangerous-place-in-the-world-child-unicef

[mystery-ak]

https://twitter.com/MailOnline/status/1737522445873987855

[Right_in_Virginia]

The Guardian Updates
5h ago
08.02 EST

Afternoon summary

The leader of Hamas made his first visit to Egypt for more than a month on Wednesday, a rare personal intervention in diplomacy amid what a source described as intensive talks on a new ceasefire to let aid reach Gaza and get hostages freed. The Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who normally resides in Qatar, typically intervenes in diplomacy publicly only when progress seems likely. He last travelled to Egypt in early November before the announcement of the only agreement on a ceasefire in the war so far, a week-long pause during which more than 100 hostages were released. A source briefed on negotiations said envoys were discussing which of the hostages still held by militants in Gaza could be freed under a new truce agreement, and what prisoners Israel might release in return.

Israel was insisting that all remaining women and infirm men among hostages be released, the source said, declining to be identified. Palestinians convicted of serious offences could be on the list of prisoners to be freed. The source described the negotiations as intensive and said a breakthrough could be possible within days. A Palestinian official said Haniyeh was keen to listen to Egyptian officials for a possible new approach and noted that the official position of Hamas was to reject any new temporary ceasefire and demand a permanent halt to fighting.

Israel appears to be nearing the final stages of its clearing operation in the northern Gaza Strip, according to the Institute for the Study of War. The US-based thinktank said Israel had degraded Hamas’s north Gaza brigade, with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announcing on Tuesday that it had completely “dismantled” Hamas’s three battalions operating in Jabaliya, just north of Gaza City. It said in its update with the Critical Threats Project that about 500 suspected Palestinians fighters had surrendered to Israeli forces in the Jabaliya refugee camp.

At least 66% of jobs have been lost in Gaza since the Israel-Hamas conflict erupted in October, the International Labour Organization (ILO) said on Wednesday, warning that employment losses could continue to increase in the enclave. The losses amount to a total of 192,000 jobs in the small Palestinian territory, the ILO said in its second assessment of the impact of Israeli ground and airstrikes on Gaza which began after a deadly cross-border incursion by Hamas. In a first assessment released in early November, ILO estimated that 182,000 jobs had been lost in Gaza, a figure representing more than 60% of employment.

Greece has advised commercial vessels sailing in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden to avoid Yemeni waters, keep only the necessary crew on the bridge and follow alerts issued by maritime authorities to avoid attacks in the area. Greek ship-owners control about 20% of the world’s commercial vessels in terms of carrying capacity.

The US has announced the creation of an enhanced naval protection force operating in the southern Red Sea in an attempt to ward off mounting attacks from Yemen’s rebel Houthis on merchant shipping. Britain said it would be among the countries participating but notable absentees were Arab nations Egypt and Saudi Arabia, while analysts speculated that shipping would continue to be disrupted with attacks.

Twelve Palestinians were killed in an Israeli strike on a house in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, health officials in the territory said. Residents on Wednesday reported intensifying gun battles between Hamas fighters and Israeli forces in the centre and eastern districts of the city. The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry said on Tuesday that 19,667 Palestinians had been killed and 52,586 wounded in the war.

The Israeli military attacked a military structure of the Hezbollah militant group after intercepting six rockets launched from Lebanon on Tuesday, the military said. It also attacked a squad that carried out a shooting at a Israeli military post in the Malkia border area which left two reserve soldiers “moderately injured”, Israel Defence Forces spokesman Daniel Hagari said.

[Right_in_Virginia]

The Guardian Updates
3h ago
09.55 EST

The head of Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis said on Wednesday his group would start firing missiles at US warships if Washington got more involved in its affairs or targeted Yemen.

Abdel-Malek al-Houthi also warned other countries not to get involved in a multinational operation launched by the US on Tuesday to safeguard commerce in the Red Sea after a surge in Houthi attacks on vessels.

If the US gets more involved, the Houthis “will not stand idly by and will target them and their battleships and interests with missiles,” Abdel-Malek al-Houthi said in a televised speech.

[Right_in_Virginia]

This ain't 1996, Bibi.

The Guardian Updates
3h ago
10.50 EST

Netanyahu vows Israel will continue fighting 'until Hamas is destroyed'

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, has vowed that Israel will continue its war against Hamas “to the end”, until the militant group is “destroyed”.

In a statement, reported by the Times of Israel, Netanyahu said:

"We’re continuing the war to the end. It will continue until Hamas is destroyed – until victory … until all the goals we set are met: destroying Hamas, releasing our hostages and removing the threat from Gaza."

He added:

"Anyone who thinks we’ll stop is unmoored from reality … We’re raining fire on Hamas, hell fire. All Hamas terrorists, from first to last face death. They have two options only: surrender or die."

[Right_in_Virginia]

The Guardian Updates
1h ago
12.14 EST

The US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, said it was clear that the conflict in Gaza “needs to move to a lower intensity phase”.

Speaking at a briefing, he told reporters:

"We expect to see, and want to see, a shift to more targeted operations with a smaller number of forces, dealing with the leadership, the tunnel network, and a few other critical things. And as that happens, I think you’ll see the harm done to civilians also decrease significantly."

"We’ve said all along – and we have these conversations almost every day – that it is vitally important Israel conduct operations with a focus on protecting civilians, minimizing harm to them, maximizing assistance getting to them.”

[Right_in_Virginia]

The Guardian Updates
1h ago
12.25 EST

Gaza death toll passes 20,000, says Hamas

At least 20,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the war began on 7 October, according to figures by the Hamas government’s media office.

Among those killed include about 8,000 children and 6,200 women, AFP reported that Hamas said.

[Right_in_Virginia]

The Guardian Updates
28m ago
13.09 EST

The political leaders of Hamas have begun talks with the group’s military wing about how to govern Gaza and the West Bank after the war with Israel ends, according to a report.

The talks, reported by the Wall Street Journal, are the clearest sign that Hamas’ political wing is beginning to plan for what happens after the conflict ends.

“We want the war to end,” Husam Badran, a member of Hamas’s political bureau in Qatar, told the paper, adding:

"We don’t fight just because we want to fight. We are not partisans of a zero-sum game."

He said Hamas’s political faction wants to “establish a Palestinian state” in Gaza, the West Bank and Jerusalem.

Hamas’ political leaders have reportedly said they would be willing to join the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO). “It will be a national dialogue,” Badran said.

"We have always said the PLO should contain any Palestinian faction."

[DCPatriot]

Why is the "political" wing of Hamas not being 'destroyed'.  At the very least arrested and imprisoned for conspiracy to conduct war.

Since when do you destroy the enemy's military and leave the political leadership unscathed?

[mystery-ak]

Instant News Alerts
@InstaNewsAlerts
·
20h
Israel is offering to pause the fighting in Gaza for at least one week as part of a new deal to get Hamas to release more than three dozen hostages, including the remaining women Hamas is holding, men above the age of 60 and other hostages who are seriously injured. (Axios)

[mystery-ak]

https://twitter.com/i24NEWS_EN/status/1737546991318569353

[libertybele]

https://twitter.com/i24NEWS_EN/status/1737546991318569353

 

[mystery-ak]

OSINTdefender
@sentdefender
·
36m
·
Israeli and Lebanese Mediators fear that Time has almost Run Out to prevent a Full-Scale War in Southern Lebanon between the Israel Defense Force and Hezbollah, with Officials in Washington worried that the U.S. will likely be Directly Drawn-Into such a Conflict.

[mystery-ak]

Instant News Alerts
@InstaNewsAlerts
·
1h
#BREAKING: Hamas rejected an Israeli offer to stop fighting for one week in exchange for dozens of hostages, saying the group wouldn’t discuss releasing their Israeli captives until a cease-fire first goes into effect. (WSJ)

[berdie]

Instant News Alerts
@InstaNewsAlerts
·
1h
#BREAKING: Hamas rejected an Israeli offer to stop fighting for one week in exchange for dozens of hostages, saying the group wouldn’t discuss releasing their Israeli captives until a cease-fire first goes into effect. (WSJ)

Tough position for Israel.

[mountaineer]

Adin - עדין
@AdinHaykin1
So no one is talking about how two Palestinian children were killed today in Jenin in a work accident while carrying explosives on a motorcycle for Palestinian Islamic Jihad group

12:36 PM · Dec 20, 2023

[berdie]

Adin - עדין
@AdinHaykin1
So no one is talking about how two Palestinian children were killed today in Jenin in a work accident while carrying explosives on a motorcycle for Palestinian Islamic Jihad group

12:36 PM · Dec 20, 2023

Interesting phraseology.

[Elderberry]

Israel Defense Forces
@IDF
·
Follow LTC Ido, the deputy commander of the 401st Brigade, as he exposes a terrorist tunnel he and his soldiers uncovered in a civilian garage, next door to a community college and a school for deaf children.

https://twitter.com/IDF/status/1737613198583599165

[Elderberry]

i24NEWS English
@i24NEWS_EN
·
‘Egypt is holding the key for Hamas leaders leaving the Gaza strip’

Gonen Ben Itzhak (@GONENB1), a former Shin Bet agent breaks down Egypt’s integral diplomatic role in the resolution that will end Hamas’s rule over the Gaza Strip

https://twitter.com/i24NEWS_EN/status/1737601419744629143

[Elderberry]

i24NEWS English

@i24NEWS_EN

'There is a huge gap between how the U.S. sees the situation, the Arab countries, and Israel' Lt. Col. (res.) Dr. @shayharzvi1
breaks down the implications not just for Israel but for the wider region if Hamas is not eradicated from the #GazaStrip

https://twitter.com/i24NEWS_EN/status/1737770144846209250

[Elderberry]

i24NEWS English
@i24NEWS_EN
·
 Hostages’ family sues the Red Cross over ignoring the medical needs of captives

https://twitter.com/i24NEWS_EN/status/1737775238279036961

[Elderberry]

i24NEWS English
@i24NEWS_EN·

'It's not a war for territory, it's a war for eliminating Hamas' Col (res.) Oliver Rafowicz breaks down the IDF ground operation, which he says is happening throughout the #GazaStrip

https://twitter.com/i24NEWS_EN/status/1737790103030727152

[Elderberry]

i24NEWS English
@i24NEWS_EN·

'Time is the oxygen they need to survive, and this is the thing Israel will not give them because otherwise, the entire war effort will not succeed'
@YaakovLappin, a Military analyst at @MirYamInstitute
,
@JNS_org explains the most crucial aspect to Israel-Hamas negotiations

https://twitter.com/i24NEWS_EN/status/1737800211471167935

[Elderberry]

Israel Radar
@IsraelRadar_com·

About 30 rockets fired at central Israel, most of them intercepted; IDF set to move into Gaza City's Daraj Tuffah district, major Hamas hub & launch zone. @ynetalerts
 & @N12News

Israel Radar
@IsraelRadar_com·

Large barrage targets numerous central Israel towns; explosions reported across Tel Aviv area, Iron Dome activated; Hamas may fire remaining rockets in larger batches as IDF forces move closer to launch areas.