Yom Chamishee
Thursday
9 Tevet 5784
December 21 2023
UPDATE 9:30 PM
137 IDF soldiers have now fallen in the war in Gaza against HamISIS.
The Deaths of Three More Soldiers Have Been Announced:
Sgt. Lavi Ghasi, 19, from Hashmonaim, an infantryman in the Nahal Brigade’s 931st Battalion
Lt. Yaacov Elian, 20, from Ramat Gan, a cadet in the Bahad 1 officers school’s Gefen Battalion who previously served as a Givati squad commander
Lt. Omri Shwartz, 21, from Shadmot Dvora, a cadet in the Gefen Battalion
May their memories be for a blessing.
Other information released by the IDF:
469 soldiers, first responders, and policemen have fallen since October 7 (this number includes the 137 soldiers above).
1,929 soldiers have been wounded since October 7.
The Untold Destruction in the North
Northern Israel along the Lebanese border has been hit by anti-tank missiles and other weapons during the day, most recently Metula and Margaliot in the last two hours. In Metula, an anti-tank missile fired from Lebanon hit a house. In Margaliot, 5 anti-tank missiles were fired at an IDF post. In a separate attack earlier, two anti-tank missiles hit the same empty house in Ramot Naftali.
It has been revealed today that over the course of the last two months, 86 out of 155 houses in Kibbutz Manara have been completely destroyed by missile fire from Lebanon.
The reason that this has gone unreported is that Manara and other communities along the border have been completely evacuated except for stand-by security squads. Who knows how many other communities have been similarly destroyed?
When the war finally ends, one wonders where the residents of these communities will return to?
The Destruction of the Senior Quarter in the Center of Gaza City
Yesterday, we reported how the IDF has gained operational control over HamISIS headquarters in Gaza City. Today, we finished the job by blowing up the tunnel network:
UPDATE 1:45 PM
In an update yesterday, we wrote this:
“It has now been nearly 30 hours since any missile or mortar has been fired out of Gaza. This is not to say that we won’t be hit by barrages tomorrow, but it is to say that our soldiers and IAF are doing a spectacular job taking out launch sites.”
It is tomorrow, and we have just been hit (13:27) by a major barrage of missiles from Gaza. Here in our neighborhood of Ashdod, there were at least 18 (by our count) intercepts over the house:
Three minutes later (15 minutes ago), barrages also hit the Tel Aviv area:
There are no reports yet concerning missiles that got through or people wounded in any of these barrages.
UPDATE 8:00 AM
Start or end your day with a smile as you watch these 4 tough IDF fighters.
Things may not be what they seem.
Photo 2
And finally, Photo 3:
Women are engaged in combat in Gaza alongside men. They are some of our toughest fighters.
Macron Could Not Be More Wrong
“As the weeks pass, we cannot establish the idea that an effective fight against terrorism means the destruction of everything in Gaza.”
French President Emmanuel Macron in an interview with France TV Channel 5 yesterday
No Macron. An effective fight against evil terrorism means its complete destruction. Gaza should be razed and rebuilt with its terror groups gone.
On the Ground at this Hour
In the South:
It has been a night and morning of heavy bombing in the Jabaliya and Gaza City areas. As I type this sentence, our home here in Ashdod is rattling from the blasts to the south.
In the North:
The morning has begun the way the night ended in the north with missile fire toward Misgav Am (06:36). The rash of activity yesterday and last night included the firing of surface to air missiles against an IAF helicopter for the first time near Birnit (no hits were recorded), and an 8-missile barrage against Kiryat Shmona.
The IDF has responded with its deepest attack into Lebanon so far in the war, and artillery fire at such locations as Wadi Saluki, Tair Harfa, Muhayiv, Kunin, Lida, Al Jabin, and between Aita Al-Sha’ab and Ramish. There is also a report that the IDF targeted a van carrying Hezbollah members near Hayam.
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.