The Gaza War Day 479; The War in the North

Monday

Yom Shnee

27 Tevet 5785

January 27 2025

International Holocaust Remembrance Day

We must never forget the more than 6 million Jews who were murdered in the Holocaust, and must pledge that in this increasingly anti-Semitic world that they and all others murdered by the Nazis be remembered.

January 27 was chosen because it is the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau by the 60th Army of the First Ukrainian Front. Over 230 Soviet soldiers, including the commander of the 472nd regiment, Col. Siemen Lvovich Besprozvanny, died in combat while liberating the Main Camp, Birkenau, Monowitz, and the city of Oświęcim.

UPDATE 8:00 AM ISRAEL TIME

The View From Ashdod

Part of Israel’s grand plan for Gaza began to disintegrate this morning as hundreds of thousands of Gazans from northern Gaza began to return to their demolished homes. This is the new map with the arrow marking the route of return (and the red indicating where IDF troops remain):

Following the withdrawal of IDF troops from the arrowed section of the Netzarim Corridor, it was opened to foot traffic at 7:00 am–though thousands began streaming through hours earlier. Vehicle traffic will be allowed beginning at 9:00 am. No entity is doing any vetting of those returning.

You may remember that at various times during the war the government and the IDF declared that the IDF would remain in the Netzarim Corridor in perpetuity to allow the easy IDF access across Gaza and ensure security in northern Gaza. There was even talk that northern Gaza would simply be depopulated.

Those plans are gone with the wind.

Below was the scene yesterday as the stream north was halted because Hamas had not adhered to the hostage release agreement as it pertained to Arbel Yehud, a civilian hostage who was supposed to have been released in the last batch:

Suddenly Arbel’s name became the name of the day among the Palestinians who couldn’t understand how one person was so important. In the photo above the man bewailed:

“All the people are waiting for Arbel. All the people are waiting for one Arbel. Because of Arbel, half a million people are sleeping on the street. Ten thousand prisoners are in prison and not a single Arab is moving all because of Arbel.”

Late last night, as indicated by the movement this morning, the problem of Arbel was solved so that now she along with the two other releasees this week will be released on Thursday instead of Saturday.

There is another report that three will be released on Thursday and three more on Saturday.

If Hamas and Islamic Jihad keep their word.

And that is a big if.

*It appears that of the remaining 26 hostages to be released in Phase One, 18 are alive and 8 are dead.

*This morning we continue to find out more about and from the hostages released last Saturday.

For one thing, Daniella still has a bullet in her leg from when she was shot on October 7 and is due for surgery to have it removed.

Secondly, we now know that the three were mostly kept in totally dark tunnels with little air and little food. Their diet consisted mainly of pita and seawater which led to intense nausea and diarrhea. Several weeks before their release, their diet was improved and they were given nutritional supplements so that they would be more “presentable” when released.

During the few times when they were taken out the tunnels, the three cleaned the toilets and even cooked food (which they were not allowed to eat) for the Hamas monsters. During their captivity, they learned to speak Arabic fluently.

On the Ground in the North

The United States announced this morning that the ceasefire has been extended until February 18 at which time IDF troops will withdraw from southern Lebanon.

Supposedly.

What reason is there to believe that the Lebanese Army will do anything to help disarm Hezbollah? Yesterday we had scenes of hundreds of south Lebanese “civilians” with Hezbollah flags trying to return to villages in the south while being protected by Lebanese Army soldiers.

And what reason do we have to believe that Hezbollah will not start firing missiles at northern Israel again?

The bottom line is that the IDF will continue operating in southern Lebanon for another three weeks to remove Hezbollah threats.

*According to the Lebanese, 22 “civilians” were killed by IDF fire yesterday as they approached IDF forces. This number, like the numbers that come out of Gaza, is unconfirmed.

The Houthis and Iran

Amidst threats of renewed firing of ballistic missiles by the Houthis yesterday were reports–completely unconfirmed–that Iran has ordered its proxies in Yemen and Iraq to not do anything to attack the U.S. or its allies (Israel?) for fear of provoking President Trump.

The Carnage on the Roads In Israel

27 people have been killed in road accidents since January 1:

9 pedestrians, 8 people in private car accidents, 2 in police car accidents, and 8 in motorcycle and scooter accidents.

Already we are on pace to exceed the 439 Israelis who died on the roads last year.

And so it goes this morning in Israel . . . so far . . .