Israel at war - What happened on day 30?

I have taken part in a few incursions into the Gaza Strip, but I have to admit that I have never been this scared. The intensity of the war, my family situation, including a son who’d been injured and undergone a long recovery, stirred up many conflicting thoughts. Yet when we received final approval from the IDF last Thursday to join the troops for a day, all my doubts dissipated.

By Friday, we were on our way down South to join up with the Negev Brigade, a reserve infantry brigade, as it traversed to Beit Hanun in the Gaza Strip.

Civilian communities on Gaza border turned into makeshift military bases

Immediately after the war broke out, many of the kibbutzim that border Gaza were turned into makeshift military bases, a different pace from previous military operations, where civilian activity mostly continued as usual. Today, barely any civilians remain in any of the communities.

“Up until October 7, we were reservists,” one soldier stationed in the area said. “Now, we are all soldiers. Some of the reserve units’ equipment was antiquated, but now we have everything we need.”

The world must focus on the savagery of the ISIS-like death cult Hamas, former UK prime minister Boris Johnson said in a Sunday afternoon interview with N12.

"The world needs to focus on the savagery of Hamas," Boris, who is in Israel, said. "Israel which has been brually attacked is now dealing with the moral problems...caused by Hamas. I spoke to members of the IDF and it is clear they have been trained to avoid civilian casualties."

"We can never be complacent about antisemitism. Hamas has always been an ISIS-like death cult and is going to require a security solution. Everybody can see how difficult it is for the IDF to operate on the ground and tragic mistakes are going to be made."

Saudi Arabia condemned remarks from the Israeli minister, who appeared to voice openness to the idea of Israel carrying out a nuclear strike on Gaza, a Saudi foreign ministry statement said on Sunday.

His comments showed the penetration of "extremism and brutality" among members of the Israeli government, the Saudi statement said.

One person was wounded after an anti-tank missile fired from Lebanon hit a vehicle near the Shushan military outpost in northern Israel, adjacent to Kibbutz Yiftach, according to Israeli reports. 

The IDF confirmed the rocket launch and responded with artillery fire toward Lebanon. 

No information on the wounded person was given as of 3:30 p.m. local time.

This is a developing story.

World Food Programme (WFP) head Cindy McCain said on Sunday that the aid currently entering Gaza is "nowhere near" enough to meet the needs of people there, which she added were growing exponentially.

"We need to continue to work together to get safe and sustained access to Gaza at a scale that aligns with the catastrophic conditions facing families there," McCain said in a statement after visiting the Rafah border crossing through which aid trucks have been entering Gaza.

An anti-tank missile hit a car in Israel's north on Sunday, according to reports in Hebrew media. 

The IDF responded with artillery fire toward Lebanon. 

Pope Francis made an urgent plea for a halt to the conflict in Gaza on Sunday, calling for humanitarian aid and help for those injured in order to ease the "very grave" situation.

"I keep thinking about the grave situation in Palestine and Israel where many people have lost their life. I pray you to stop in the name of god, cease the fire," he said, speaking to crowds in St Peter's Square after his weekly Angelus prayer.

"I hope that all will be done to avoid the conflict from widening, that the injured will be rescued and aid will arrive to the population of Gaza, where the humanitarian situation is very grave," he said.

The pontiff renewed his calls for a ceasefire and for the release of hostages taken by Hamas during its Oct. 7 attack, focusing on the children, who he said "must return to their families."

"Let's think about the children, all the children involved in this war, like in Ukraine and in other conflicts, their future is being killed," he added.

Francis, 86, has already called for the creation of humanitarian corridors and has said a two-state solution was needed to put an end to the Israel-Hamas war.

Pope Francis holds weekly audience at the Vatican, December 2, 2020. (photo credit: VATICAN MEDIA/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS)

A health official from the Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Sunday more than 9,770 Palestinians have been killed in the war, which began when Hamas fighters launched a surprise attack on southern Israel, killing 1,400 people and taking more than 240 others hostage.

The Pope said that his prayers we also addressed to the Nepal earthquake victims, Afghan refugees and the victims in Italy's floods.

The IDF released footage on Sunday that showed Hamas rocket launchers and launch pits next to a playground and a children's swimming pool in Gaza.

"This is further proof," the IDF said, "of Hamas's ceaseless use of the civilian population as a human shield for terrorist purposes."

Hamas has been accused of using civilian infrastructure such as UNRWA schools and apartment buildings as its launching pads for rocket attacks against Israel endangering the civilian population of Gaza.

Hamas has built an entire network of tunnels and intricate bases underground throughout Gaza and the IDF revealed last week how the terrorist organization uses Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City as a command and control center.

IDF proves Hamas uses Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City as command and control center (IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)

The Hamas-run Gazan Health Ministry said Sunday that 9,770 Palestinians, among them 4,800 children, had been killed so far as a result of the war with Israel that began with Hamas's terrorist attack in Israel on October 7. 

Hezbollah announced on Sunday that 61 of its terrorists have been killed in fighting with Israel since war broke out between Israel and Hamas on October 7.