Yom Shabbat
Saturday
18 Tevet 5784
December 30 2023
A Request And An Important Anecdote
We ask you again today to make an end-of-the-year donation here at OneIsrael to our heroic soldiers by clicking on the donate button in the right hand column.
At the Shabbat dinner table last night, one of our family members who has a boyfriend in the reserves fighting in Gaza in an elite unit, told of an incident this week in which his unit came upon a “suspicious” house in which it was thought that hostages might be held.
The commander of the unit ordered the fighters into the house.
They refused and told the commander to bring in a team of sappers from an engineering unit to first check for booby traps.
The sappers were brought in and discovered the house was booby trapped from top to bottom. No hostages were inside, and the house was blown up.
On a separate note, she said that his unit is operating in wet, squalid conditions, and that many are getting sick. Specifically, they need warm, dry clothes–hence our call today for donations.
UPDATE 10:00 PM
The IDF has released the names of two more soldiers who have died in defense of Israel:
Maj. (res.) Constantine Sushko, 30, from Tel Aviv, a fighter in the 7086 Engineering Battalion, Golani Brigade, fell in battle in the center of Gaza.
Capt. Harel Ittah, 22, from Netanya, a team commander in the Givati Patrol, died of his wounds today after being wounded on 22.12.2023 in a battle in southern Gaza.
May their memories always be for a blessing.
On the Ground in the South
*In the last few hours, there has been intensive artillery fire at the Nuseirat, Muazi, and Al-Zouida neighborhoods, east of Rafah, and west of Khan Younis.
*Earlier today Battalion 188 arrived at a “school” where hundreds of “civilians” had taken refuge. It turned out that 40 of them were HamISIS terrorists who began firing RPGs and anti-tank missiles at them before they were eliminated.
*PM Netanyahu at a press conference tonight: “So far we have eliminated more than 8,000 terrorists, and everyday we eliminate more.”
On the Ground in the North
According to the IDF spokesman: “Earlier today (Saturday), fighter jets of the Air Force attacked terrorist infrastructures of the terrorist organization Hezbollah in the area of Kfar Kila in southern Lebanon, in an operation that included two waves of attacks targeting a series of targets in the morning and afternoon hours. Kfar Kila is a stronghold of the terrorist organization Hezbollah; the organization uses the infrastructure in the area for terrorist purposes, while exploiting the civilian population and using it as a human shield for its operations.”
UPDATE 5:00 PM
In the North
Failed launches from Lebanon at Israel yesterday. 80% hit in Lebanon (graphic: IDF).
Despite the failed launches, a number of missiles reached Israel and were not intercepted by our defenses.
At this moment, the IDF is attacking Bint J’beil.
There were incoming missile sirens this afternoon at Kiryat Shmona (15:28) and an aircraft penetration alert at Mt. Hermon (13:51).
In Judea and Samaria
Another run-over attack this afternoon carried out by a Palestinian terrorist–this time at Al Fawwar near Hevron. One Israeli was seriously wounded; the terrorist was killed
UPDATE 10:00 AM
In the last 5 hours, the IDF has been hitting HamISIS targets in central and northern Gaza. We awakened to the booms of the artillery at 5 am this morning here in Ashdod.
Speaking of Artillery
The U.S. Pentagon has announced that Secretary of State Anthony Blinken approved supplying Israel with 155 mm artillery ammunition worth $147.5 million, bypassing the need for congressional approval due to the activation of the emergency clause that requires immediate delivery.
From the IDF Spokesman This Morning
“IDF forces continue to operate throughout Gaza. Our fighters conducted fierce battles against terrorists, the Air Force attacked terrorist cells and infrastructure under the direction of the forces, and the fighters of the naval arm assisted the forces maneuvering in Gaza with attacks and fire from the sea . . .
As part of the operations of the 14th Reserve Brigade’s combat team forces in the Gaza City area in the last day, the fighters eliminated dozens of terrorists in four different locations.
In the activity of the 551st Brigade Combat Team in the Beit Lahia area in northern Gaza , the reserve fighters of the combat team destroyed two military buildings used by the terrorist organization Hamas. Before the attack on the buildings was carried out, the fighters at the location discovered many weapons, including explosive charges, military equipment and radios.
Also, in another activity carried out by the forces in the area, the fighters identified two enemy observers in a building near the other forces and after certain identification of the terrorists, an armored force fired from a tank at the building where they were staying and eliminated them.”
A student from Malawi, who had worked with an Israeli health volunteer in his country battling AIDS, came up to us as we walked down the street in the UC-Davis Picnic Day Parade and wanted to carry the Israeli flag.