The Gaza War Day 466; The War in the North

Tuesday

Yom Shleeshee

14 Tevet 5785

January 14 2025

May Their Memories Be For A Blessing

L-R

Capt. Yair Yakov Shushan, 23 from Ma’alot-Tarshiha, a team commander in Sayeret Nahal, Nahal Brigade, fell in battle in northern Gaza.

Sgt. Yahav Hadar, 20 from Kfar Tavor, a fighter in Sayeret Nahal, Nahal Brigade, fell in battle in northern Gaza.

Sgt. Guy Karmiel, 20 from Gedera, a fighter in Sayeret Nahal, Nahal Brigade, fell in battle in northern Gaza.

Sgt. Sergeant Yoav Feffer, 19 years old, from Herzliya, a fighter in Sayeret Nahal, Nahal Brigade, fell in battle in northern Gaza.

– Sgt. Aviel Wiseman, 20 years old, from Upper Puriya, a fighter in Sayeret Nahal, Nahal Brigade, fell in battle in northern Gaza.

15 dead Nahal soldiers in the last 8 days. And dozens wounded.

How did these 5 die? The IDF is not sure. Apparently they entered a building and either explosives they had with them accidentally exploded, or explosives they had with them exploded when hit by a terrorist anti-tank missile, or . . .

UPDATE 9:00 AM ISRAEL TIME

Incoming missile alarms blared at 3:02 am this morning as the Houthis in Yemen fired another missile at central Israel. Sirens were sounded in the triangle you see below from Netanya to Jerusalem to Ashdod:

The IDF issued this incredible statement shortly thereafter:

“Following the sirens that sounded in a number of areas in central Israel, several attempts were made to intercept a missile that was launched from Yemen. The missile was likely intercepted. No injuries or damage have been reported. The incident has concluded.”

Say what? A number of areas? Several attempts were made to intercept? The missile was likely intercepted?

How is it possible that the IDF doesn’t know if the missile was intercepted or not?

No injuries were reported? MADA reports that 11 people in Ashdod alone were injured trying to make it to their bomb shelter.

By the way, if the IDF cannot find the intercepted missile, it should turn on the television. Here is a photo of a section of the Houthi missile that fell on a house in the Jerusalem area at 3:02:

Fortunately, no one in the house was physically wounded.

Two hours later, at 5:15 am, more incoming missile sirens were sounded in Netiv Ha’Asara and surrounding area:

After this, the IDF issued this statement:

“Following the siren that sounded at 05:15 in Netiv Ha’Asara, it was determined to be a false identification.”

Say what?

How is it possible that every single incoming missile siren that now sounds in communities on the Gaza Border are “false”?

The Hostage/Ceasefire Deal

All the talk in Israel this morning is about the imminent hostage/ceasefire deal. In all likelihood, it will be signed in the next few days–possibly even today though Hamas says there are still sticking points including such “minor” items as a complete IDF withdrawal from Gaza.

Apparently, there are supposed to be three phases, though Israel wants to only have two. At the moment, only Phase 1 has been delineated:

Phase 1 (42 days/6 weeks)

*During these six weeks, “approximately” 33 Israeli hostages will be released including women (civilians and soldiers) children, men under the age of 50 who are sick and wounded, and men over the age of 50. The release of these 33 will be gradual throughout six weeks–during which there will be a ceasefire.

Unbelievably, Israel still has not received information as to how many of these 33 are alive and how many are dead.

*During these six weeks, hundreds of Palestinians terrorists including those who have murdered Israelis will be released. The exact number and identity of those to be released will not be determined until Hamas releases its list of hostages to be released. Palestinian murderers will be sent to Turkey and Qatar.

*During these six weeks the IDF will gradually withdraw from most of Gaza according to agreed upon maps. Reduced Israeli forces will remain the Philadelphi and Netzarim Corridors, but most soldiers will withdraw to the buffer zone that the IDF has created along the Israel Gaza border.

*Palestinians will be able to return to northern Gaza but “a security mechanism” will ensure that no armed men return.

*On the 16th day of the first phase of the agreement, negotiations will begin on the implementation of the second phase of the agreement, which is supposed to culminate in a full withdrawal of IDF forces from the Gaza Strip and a permanent ceasefire.

OneIsrael’s Observations On the Hostage/Ceasefire Deal

• One wonders what will happen when Hamas or Islamic Jihad or some other terrorist group in Gaza fires a missile at a border community? Or what happens when terrorists open fire at IDF soldiers in Philadelphi, or Netzarim, or in the buffer zone? And what happens if Hamas doesn’t turn over the hostages they are supposed to? It seems to us that the deal is fraught with the possibility of falling apart (which may be what PM is counting on).
• Obviously, despite any Israeli claims to the contrary, Hamas has remained in control of Gaza and will immediately use the ceasefire period to rearm and reorganize. Already it is using the increased “humanitarian aid” pouring into Gaza as a means of recruiting new terrorists into their ranks.
• There is no way to ensure that armed terrorists do not return to northern Gaza. Some undefined “security mechanism” will not do it, and even if there were one, who is going to stop terrorists from pouring in through as yet undiscovered tunnels from central Gaza into northern Gaza.
• We all know what happens when murderous Palestinian terrorists are released from prison. They immediately resume murdering Israelis. Sending them to Turkey or Qatar merely means that they will in short order find another way back into Judea, Samaria, or Gaza via Jordan or Egypt.
• It is frankly unbelievable that we have reached this stage without receiving a list of hostages from Hamas–a terror organization being treated on a par with Israel.

In spite of all of the above, we here at OneIsrael believe we should go forward with the deal. Why? Because the IDF has been unable to rescue the hostages through military action, and because the IDF now suddenly seems rudderless in Gaza after achieving amazing victories there over the last 15 months. The IDF’s failed strategy of attacking, defeating, retreating, and returning later in “raids” is resulting in dozens of our soldiers now getting killed.

By the way, all the blather about the IDF being able to return at the end of the ceasefire is just blather. This ceasefire will mark the end of this war, and begin the road to the next war which will take place after Hamas reconstitutes itself.

One last observation. As much as we hoped that incoming President Trump would open the gates of hell on Hamas, it would appear that all that Trump has done is further twist our arm into concessions.

Public Opinion About the Impending Deal

It seems clear that the public generally supports a ceasefire–if not an end to the war. Hostages being held for 465 days in horrific conditions weigh heavily on everyone’s mind.

This is not to say that everyone agrees with the deal. Within the government, members of Netanyahu’s Likud party oppose the deal, and with within the Coalition, Itamar Ben Gvir of Otzma Yehudi and Bezalel Smotrich of the National Religious Party strongly oppose it.

As does the Tikva Forum (one of the groups which consists of families of hostages) which was demonstrating in the streets last night against the “deal.”

A spokesman for Tikva had this to say:

“We are not prepared to accept a deal that selects among Jews 80 years after the Holocaust. A deal that gives up on all the abductees in advance is unacceptable. If the Israeli government is going for such a deal, it should have demanded in advance, as a preliminary condition for any negotiations, a full list of all 98 abductees and a report on their medical condition, nothing less.”

At the same time, a Tikva spokesman vigorously attacked IDF strategy in Gaza:

“We don’t want anymore soldiers dying to conquer territory that we have already conquered.”

One More Slap In The Face From Biden

In case you missed it, President Biden is placing restrictions on the export of advanced computer chips to Israel.

According to Bloomberg (emphasis mine):

“The new restrictions, which are expected to be announced this Friday, will focus on reducing the sale of chips used in data centers on a country and company basis. The goal is to focus the development of artificial intelligence in friendly countries and force businesses to adopt American standards. Thus, three levels of restrictions will be created: the first level will include the countries most friendly to the United States, such as Germany, Japan and South Korea, which will continue to enjoy almost completely free access to American technologies. In contrast, countries in the third level, such as China, Russia and other countries on which an arms embargo has been imposed, will face a complete ban on importing advanced chips.

Israel, on the other hand, has been placed in the second level, along with other countries that will be subject to significant restrictions on the quantities of computing it can import and on the use of American technology. According to the law, countries in the second level will only be able to purchase limited quantities of advanced chips, with each country receiving an annual quota not exceeding approximately 50,000 graphics processing units (GPUs) from 2025 to 2027. However, private companies in these countries will be able to request special permits, allowing them access to larger quantities, provided that they meet strict security and human rights conditions set by the American government. These conditions include requirements for data security, maintaining privacy rights, and compliance with cybersecurity standards.”

“Provided that they meet strict security and human rights requirements”? The bottom line is that Biden thinks that Israel is no longer among the countries most friendly to the U.S.

Unbelievable.

Hopefully this will change when Trump takes office.