Israel-Hamas War: What happened on day 91?

Israeli forces from the air, land, and sea attacked over 100 terror targets, including operational HQs, across the Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours, the IDF said in a Friday morning statement.

Israeli forces also destroyed several Hamas military sites and warehouses storing weaponry and other infrastructure used for terror.

In the Bureij camp in central Gaza, the 414th Battalion of the IDF's Combat Intelligence Corps launched a manhunt targeting a terror cell that attempted to attack an Israeli tank.

A drone operated by the Israeli forces followed the terror cell and, following a verified identification of the targets, the forces instructed an Israeli Air Force fighter jet to strike the building where the cell was hiding, killing the terrorists.

IDF continues cleaning Khan Yunis of terror operations

The IDF continued its operations against Hamas and other Palestinian terror factions in southern Gaza's Khan Yunis, the 4th Brigade identified and destroyed several launch sites used to fire rockets at Israeli territory.

The Brigade killed many terrorists during multiple encounters during attempts to locate the launch sites, the IDF added. 

The White House spokesman for national security affairs, John Kirby, dismissed criticism directed at the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) on Friday morning, alleging their cooperation with Hamas.

Kirby said that the agency is "doing important work and that it cannot be blamed for Hamas using civilian infrastructure for combat purposes."

UNRWA employees were accused of keeping Israeli hostages in their homes, celebrating mass murders on October 7 and beyond, and of having staff involved in the October 7 attacks.
 

A cabinet meeting on Thursday night exploded after several ministers attacked representatives of the IDF who were present at the meeting, including Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, Israeli media reported overnight.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, Transportation Minister Miri Regev, and Regional Cooperation Minister David Amsalem expressed outrage that the IDF was reportedly planning to have officials who had supported the Disengagement from the Gaza Strip in 2005 take part in an inquiry into the events leading up to the October 7 massacre.

At a certain point, War Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz shouted at the ministers who were attacking the chief of staff, saying "This is a professional investigation, what does it have to do with the Disengagement and the 'conceptzia' (line of reasoning)? The chief of staff is f***ing conducting an investigation into what happened now to serve the goals of the war and our ability to prepare for a conflict in the north. This is not a national investigation," according to Walla.

'A despicable discussion'

One of the ministers told KAN news that "it was a despicable discussion that exploded. They attacked the army. Some senior members of the defense establishment left in the middle."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convenes a security cabinet meeting on April 6, 2023 (credit: AMOS BEN-GERSHOM/GPO)

Another minister stated that "we were told that they heard the yelling of the ministers from outside the meeting room."

"It's a shame and disgrace what happened there. You can criticize the army, but they attacked the chief of staff personally and endlessly. You have to think about whether this forum is worthy of making decisions at the level of our security policy. I don't want to think what will happen when our soldiers in the field hear about what happened there and how they attacked their chief of staff," said another minister to KAN.

Eventually, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu broke up the meeting, telling Halevi "sometimes you need to listen to the ministers."

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi has begun the process of appointing a team to investigate the events leading up to Israel being surprised on October 7 by Hamas's invasion and massacre of 1,200 Israelis in the South.  

If nothing changes, the investigative team is expected to be headed by former defense minister and IDF chief of staff Lt. Gen. Shaul Mofaz.

He would be joined by former IDF intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Aharon Zeevi Farkash and former IDF southern command chief Sami Turgeman.

The three, besides being top former officials, have filled the three roles which most must be investigated, the role of Halevi, the role of current IDF intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva and the role of current IDF Southern Command Chief Maj. Gen. Yaron Finkleman, as well as the role of their predecessors in those jobs.

Mofaz was IDF chief until 2002 and defense minister until 2006, so he was not part of the "strategic concept" of deterrence with Hamas, which did not take power in Gaza until 2007.

Palestinians take control of an Israeli tank after crossing the border fence with Israel from Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, October 7, 2023. (credit: ABED RAHIM KHATIB/FLASH90)

Likewise, Zeevi Farkash was IDF intelligence chief until 2006, also disconnected from any conflict of interest for being blamed.

Turgeman was southern command chief until 2015, so it is unclear if he will face accusations of a conflict of interest, though even he is more than eight years removed from the October 7 invasion.

He also commanded forces during the 2014 Gaza war, a 50-day conflict which could give him helpful perspective.

Former IDF Maj. Gen. Yoav Har Even who has been CEO of Rafael may have a role in spin-off aspects of the probe, since there will be critical side issues, including legal ones. 

Probe comes as IDF enters new phase of war

The probe kicks into gear as the IDF is transitioning out of its "main war" status into low intensity conflict fighting which could easily draw out for three to nine months.

Top IDF officials are expected to resign at some point in 2024 over the failure to prevent Hamas's invasion.

Also, the IDF investigatory process may spur forward a state commission of inquiry which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has tried to delay to date.

The IDF stated that the investigation process has not yet started; it is still in the planning stages and the chief of staff is finalizing the investigative teams. When things are entirely finalized, the IDF statement continued, there will be an official announcement. 

Local Palestinians would govern Gaza after the war with the help of an International coalition, which would also provide internal security, according to a plan presented to the war cabinet and the security cabinet on Thursday.

“Hamas will not rule Gaza,” said Gallant in a press briefing before the meeting, “and Israel will not hold a civilian governorship over Gaza.”

The defense establishment and Gallant also do not completely disqualify the Palestinian Authority from playing some role, though the defense minister would prefer to minimize its role or only give it a role if aspects of its policies toward Israel improve.

The plan, however, focused on the integration of existing Palestinian civilian leadership in Gaza into a more substantial local government.

Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer was also expected to brief the cabinet on details of a plan that he presented to US officials last month.

The cabinet meetings, which mark the most substantive and broadest debate yet on plans for Gaza after the war, comes in advance of a visit next week by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. 

Israeli soldiers in a tank hold an Israeli flag near Israel's border with the Gaza Strip (credit: RONEN ZVULUN/REUTERS)

After departing the US on Thursday, he is expected to travel to Türkiye; Crete, Greece; Amman, Jordan; Doha, Qatar; Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. No exact schedule was published.

The US and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government have been at odds over plans for the day after. The US wants a reformed Palestinian Authority to govern Gaza and to advance a two-state resolution to the conflict. 

Netanyahu has insisted that it must be an entirely new and reformed Palestinian entity. His government also wants to close the crossings from Israel into Gaza, replacing them with a land passage through the Rafah crossing from Egypt and a sea route originating in Cyprus. 

US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said, “What we want to see achieved long term is a reunited West Bank and Gaza under Palestinian-led governance.” He explained that this is the vision Blinken will advance when talking to Israelis during his visit.

Palestinian Authority's role to be minimized

While The Jerusalem Post previously reported that top defense officials want local Gazan Palestinians to run Gaza once the IDF starts to withdraw, this was only part of the picture, with the remainder of the picture involving the US, the EU, and moderate Sunni allies.

Essentially, the concept of the defense establishment, which includes Gallant, is that eventually, more and more civil administration should be handled by local Gazans without Hamas loyalties themselves, but that this will not be possible all at once.

In some undefined transitional period, the IDF will retain broad security responsibility, including over the borders and with authority to conduct raids, but some hybrid mix of forces provided by the US, European allies, and Arab allies, such as the Saudis, Egypt, the UAE and others will assist with aspects of internal security and administration.

Only once the residents get their bearings, have more stable residences and lives, and appear ready to stand on their own if facing minor challenges from remnants of Hamas and other terror groups would the international conglomerate of countries yield more management to the local groups.

Netanyahu has avoided public debates on these issues and has mostly talked about what he is against: Such as no involvement by the PA.

However, the US, the EU, and the moderate Arab states may not agree to participate and provide funding, which could leave Israel stuck if Jerusalem does not show flexibility.

Further, Israel may be going to elections, in which case officials like Minister Benny Gantz, who appear more open to the PA and global suggested solutions in general, may end up deciding the issue.

It is also unclear how Israel will select Gazans who are truly disconnected from Hamas after the terror group’s 16-year rule, but Gallant is confident that groups can be found or formed.

At the State Department Miler said, “You will see us pushing additional steps on what Gaza should look like at the end of the conflict.”

“We have been working very hard in this building, throughout the administration, and quietly with allies and partners throughout the world on what the day after should look like.”

“Those are going to be some of the toughest conversions, of course, but we are ready to pursue them,” he said.

 While Blinken is in Israel, Miller said he will also discuss the importance of increasing the transit and distribution of humanitarian assistance to Gaza, including the creation of a deconfliction mechanism for the delivery of that aid.

The State Department added that Blinken will also underscore the importance of protecting Palestinian civilians and ensuring that Palestinians are not “forcibly displaced” from Gaza.

The promotion of a deal to secure the release of the hostages remaining in Gaza is also on his agenda, as is ensuring that the conflict doesn’t widen to include Hezbollah in Lebanon.

At each of his stops, Blinken will also speak about the importance of stopping Houthi attacks against Red Sea shipping routes.

Three Israelis who were previously considered missing are now considered to have been taken hostage in the Gaza Strip, bringing the total back up to 136, IDF spokesperson R.-Adm. Daniel Hagari announced.

At the request of the families, the names of the hostages were not immediately publicized. Two were subsequently identified as Tel Aviv resident Hanan Yablonka and Idan Shtivi from Ganei Tikva. 

Reuven Yablonka, Hanan Yablonka's father, told N12: "We now have hope. We've known for almost 100 days that he might have been captured - now we have received the positive news. We don't know his condition, but we hope to understand more in the near future."

Hamas military compound underground near the coast 

Hagari also stated that IDF soldiers recently uncovered an underground Hamas military compound on the coast in the central Gaza Strip. 

Aerial image of Gaza tunnel route. Released January 4, 2024. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)

The discovery was made in late December during a raid in the center of the Strip spearheaded by reservists in the 179th Infantry Brigade, the Yahalom Unit, and Shayetet 13. 

Wide-reaching, branching tunnels containing explosives and more

Israeli forces located several tunnel shafts leading into a wide-reaching underground network dotted with explosives and traps. They also found a weapons production site that, among other things, contained material used to extend the range of Hamas rockets. 

Once the raid was complete, the underground complex was destroyed by the Yahalom Unit. 

This is a developing story.

US top diplomat Antony Blinken will depart on Thursday for a week of diplomacy on Israel’s war in Gaza, visiting Israel and the West Bank, as well as Turkey, Greece, Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Egypt over the next week, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters.

The visit comes amid heightened concerns the nearly three-month-old conflict is spreading beyond Gaza, drawing in the West Bank, Hezbollah forces on the Lebanon-Israel border, and Red Sea shipping lanes.