Israel-Hamas War: What happened on day 94?

Hezbollah and foreign media reports claimed on Monday that the IDF killed Wissam al-Tawil, known as Jawad, a key operations commander in southern Lebanon, in an air strike in Khirbat Salem, Lebanon.

It was unclear if Jawad, a reportedly significant figure within Hezbollah, had been killed as part of ongoing exchanges of fire between the IDF and Hezbollah or whether he was specifically targeted.

If he was specifically targeted, the attack would seem to be part of a series of recent escalations.

From October 8 until early December, Hezbollah attacked Israel with rockets and anti-tank missiles, but only close to the northern border, to show solidarity with Hamas, and the IDF tended to respond proportionately.

In early December, the IDF ramped up its "responses" to start destroying much of Hezbollah's forces or assets within firing range of the northern border.

Israeli artillery unit firing shells towards Lebanon near the Israeli border with Lebanon, northern Israel, January 4, 2024. (credit: Ayal Margolin/Flash90)

Just six days after assassination of senior Hamas commander in Beirut

It would also mark the second major assassination on Lebanese soil in less than a week, following the killing of Hamas's Deputy Chief of Staff Saleh al-Arouri, the senior Hamas official, in a strike in Beirut last Tuesday.

In response to that strike, Hezbollah fired dozens of rockets on Saturday and significantly damaged an important piece of the IDF's air defense capabilities in the North.

If the IDF intentionally killed Jawad, it could be the latest response to that Hezbollah attack. Early reactions suggested Hezbollah itself could escalate even further.

Reuters contributed to this report.

The IDF announced on Monday that it had found in a massive tunnel area in central Gaza some components of rockets which, if assembled, could have reached 100 kilometers deep into Israel's North.

In the al-Bureij area of central Gaza, where Hamas put up some stronger resistance than it had in other parts of the center of the territory, the IDF found the largest lathe and weapons manufacturing site that it has found anywhere in Gaza.

Following IDF intelligence, the 188th and Golani Brigades had uncovered tunnel shafts that led downwards around 30 meters.

In the area, they found large amounts of rockets, rocket-making stations, drones, improvised explosives, other weaponry, surveillance centers, and other command center stations.

IDF troops inside the weapons facility in al-Boreij, Gaza, January 8, 2024 (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)

The 188th Brigade took over the main command station of Bureij, including the surveillance station, while the Golani Brigade found the large lathe and manufacturing area.

This manufacturing area was connected to many tunnels so as to make it easier to smuggle the manufactured weapons to other parts of Gaza, unseen by IDF surveillance above ground.

By taking over the area, the IDF said it had severely hampered any Hamas capability to rearm as well as prevented a variety of near-future potential attacks.

IDF finds proof of Iran involvement in Hamas training

The announcement came just one day after the IDF announced on Sunday that its intelligence apparatus had obtained evidence of Iranian involvement in training Hamas to manufacture and fire precision rockets and other strategic weapons.

There was a direct connection between the timing of the announcement and the IDF's penetration and taking over of a large strategic tunnel in the Daraj Tuffah area of northern Gaza in recent days.

As part of the operation, the IDF brought in experts to analyze the long-range and precision rockets, including potential cruise missiles and other items it found there.

Rockets discovered by IDF forces in al-Boreij, Gaza, January 8, 2024 (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)

The IDF declined to specify exactly what signs there were of Iranian training and guidance in the manufacturing and firing of the weapons, but in the past, some weapons have had Iranian signs or Persian words on them.

In other instances, there have been guidebooks or messages recovered from electronic devices with connections to the Islamic Republic.

Though Hamas is an independent entity, Israeli intelligence has said for years that the terror group could not have pulled off the October 7 surprise attack or reached the level of its current fighting prowess without general funding, logistics support, and training from Tehran.

However, such statements are often made in a general manner, and Sunday's findings were more direct evidence than usual of the ayatollahs' involvement.

The IDF on Monday night said it killed Hamas's Syrian rocket chief Hassan Achasha in Beit Jan.

A statement said that Achasha had led rocket terror cells since the start of the war.

Further, the IDF said that it would not allow rockets to be fired into Israel from Syrian territory, even by militias, and that it would hold the Syrian government responsible.

It said it would act against any threat.

Hamas claimed on Monday that they thwarted an IDF attempt to rescue a hostage in al-Boreij in the central Gaza Strip, according to Israeli media.

Gazan civilians have testified to officers of the IDF's Unit 504 how Hamas murdered Gazan civilians who tried to get help from UNRWA and that Hamas terrorists steal food from US aid organizations and seize civilian properties for military use.

In one recorded call, a Gazan civilian testified that Hamas murdered his cousin because he tried to seek help from UNRWA. In another conversation, a civilian said he does not leave his home because he fears Hamas will seize it and use the property to fire toward Israel and destroy his house.

One civilian is heard on a recording saying, "When will you get rid of [Hamas]? They killed my cousin yesterday because he went to UNRWA."

"They killed him in Rafah," the civilian tells the IDF officer. 

A different civilian is recorded telling the IDF how Hamas terrorists steal food from civilians. 

"I work at the American organization called WKSA [The American World Kitchen], when I was preparing a dish, some of [Hamas] came. They tried to steal food from me but I prevented them. They steal from the warehouses of UNRWA. 

"When the supplies arrive, they try to steal," the civilian stated. 

A third civilian explains howhe does not want leave his home because he fears Hamas will seize it and use the property to fire toward Israel and destroy his house.

"[Hamas] want us to leave our homes so they can take control of them in order to shoot at you," the man tells the IDF. "We keep our houses so that no one takes them over."

Israel has long help Hamas responsible for its use of civilian infrastructure and aid organization as cover for terrorist activities, and now Hamas's grip on power is falling in the Strip, more and more citizens are providing proof of their activities. 

A 38-year-old Tel Aviv resident posed as an evacuee from the south of Israel in order to secure preferable housing, and was exposed after stealing the personal property of the people who hosted him in their home, Israeli Police reported.

Taking advantage of both national and community efforts to help those displaced by the Swords of Iron War, one Tel Aviv resident sought resources allocated to evacuees and was placed into an available apartment. A complaint was filed to the police by the primary resident of the apartment after he caused property damage and stole items from her.

At the start of the war, a Tel Aviv resident staying abroad saw an opportunity to help evacuees by offering their home to an organization working to help families displaced by Israel's war with Hamas. She worked with the organization to make her home available on an as-needed basis.

Upon returning home, she found that not only had the suspect vacated the apartment after living there for nearly three months, but that there was extensive damage to both the property and her belongings, Israel Police reported. 

Irreplaceable items damaged

An antique piece of furniture appeared partially burned, keepsakes and collectibles from Africa were stolen, and several appliances and personal items amounting to nearly NIS 10,000 were taken by the temporary resident.

An antique piece of furniture belonging to a Tel Aviv resident who offered her home to evacuees from the south was damaged. (credit: ISRAEL POLICE)

The complaint led police to launch an investigation into the matter and brought the suspect in for questioning.

The suspect in question posed as a displaced resident of the south to gain access to resources for those impacted by the war, taking resources for himself and taking away the opportunity from those who genuinely needed it, the report said. 

The suspect was placed on house arrest following the investigation, with investigators aiming to return the suspected stolen property to its original owner. 

The investigation is ongoing.

Holon resident defrauds thousands in donations

Police in Israel’s Central District have arrested a 20-year-old man in Holon, alleging that he has collected tens of thousands of shekels from soldiers and their families since the start of the war on the false promise that he would deliver tactical combat equipment. 

The Kfar Saba police station opened an investigation upon receiving a complaint that soldiers and their family and friends were being defrauded. 

Over the course of the accelerated investigation, police saw nearly 40 complaints along the same lines, pointing to the suspect, who advertised on social media that he was an importer of the equipment, including helmets, boots, and bulletproof vests.

Police accessed the transfers that soldiers, some of whom are now fighting in Gaza, made to the scammer, in return for equipment that he never delivered. In one case, the suspect allegedly knew that the soldier he was defrauding was on his way to the funeral for a friend who had fallen in battle, and attempted to defraud him anyway. 

The parents of four teenage girls who were kidnapped by the terrorist organization Hamas on October 7 have made a desperate plea for international intervention with the Daily Mail. 

The four girls, Liri Albag, Karina Ariev, Daniela Gilboa, and Agam Berger, have been in captivity for over three months since their abduction during the violent attack near the Gaza border.

Shocking images of the bloodstained and terrified girls have emerged, painting a harrowing picture of their plight. With the recent collapse of a ceasefire and stalled negotiations, the families are now publicizing these images, calling for global support and action.

Orly Gilboa, the mother of 19-year-old Daniela, implored parents worldwide to imagine the horror of their children in such circumstances. Eli Albag, Liri's father, described the agonizing uncertainty and fear that grips them every day.

"Think for one day that you don't have a connection with your daughter and you know they are in the hands of bad people," Eli said. "Then tell me what you would say after 90 days. This is killing us. Every minute is like an hour."

(Left) Photo of Liri Albag during captivity; (Right) Liri Albag before being kidnapped by Hamas (credit: DAILY MAIL VIA MAARIV)

The girls were kidnapped from Nahal Oz during an attack that saw widespread violence and atrocities. Since then, rare footage showing the girls in captivity has only intensified concerns about their well-being.

Families united by grief

The families, united in their grief, have been supporting each other through this ordeal.

"We cry together. We speak a lot, we understand each other," said Shira Albag's mother.

Survivors who have been released from captivity shared disturbing accounts of sexual abuse and inadequate medical care for serious injuries, including gunshot wounds and amputations.

Chen Goldstein-Almog, 49, a released hostage who saw the girls during her captivity, reported that despite their dire circumstances, they have not lost hope. 

"Some of them are close in age to my daughters and I hugged them so hard," Goldstein-Almog said. 

"There were girls who spent 50 days and more alone," she explained. "When they were sad, crying, their captors would stroke them and touch them. They described accounts of sexual abuse under gunpoint on a regular basis.

"Some of the girls were badly wounded and haven't been getting proper medical care. Gunshot wounds, even lost limbs. They said they can cope with the disability but not with the manner they were constantly violated."

When speaking about the four girls, she described them as being strong, "and haven't lost hope. But they were on the edge five weeks ago when we were separated from them. They need to be released. They cannot be there for one more day."

Palestinian Islamic Jihad released a new of 47-year-old Elad Katzir on Monday, according to Israeli media.

Katzir was kidnapped on October 7 from Nir Oz.

This is a developing story. 

Police in Israel’s Central District have arrested a 20-year-old man in Holon, alleging that he has collected tens of thousands of shekels from soldiers and their families since the start of the war on the false promise that he would deliver tactical combat equipment. 

The Kfar Saba police station opened an investigation upon receiving a complaint that soldiers and their family and friends were being defrauded. 

Over the course of the accelerated investigation, police saw nearly 40 complaints along the same lines, pointing to the suspect, who advertised on social media that he was an importer of the equipment, including helmets, boots, and bulletproof vests.

An IDF soldier walks near the Israel-Gaza border, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in southern Israel, December 31, 2023. (credit: Violeta Santos Moura/Reuters)

Suspect said to have made contact with hundreds of soldiers, family members

Police accessed the transfers that soldiers, some of whom are now fighting in Gaza, made to the scammer, in return for equipment that he never delivered. In one case, the suspect allegedly knew that the soldier he was defrauding was on his way to the funeral for a friend who had fallen in battle, and attempted to defraud him anyway. 

When the suspect was arrested, his detention was extended according to the needs of the investigation. It has since emerged that the suspect has allegedly made contact with hundreds of soldiers and their family members.

The leadership of Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America (HWZOA), took significant action by submitting a petition to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Tel Aviv on Sunday.

The petition, supported by over 5,000 members and backers of HWZOA, calls on the ICRC to intervene and ensure the well-being of Israeli hostages currently held by Hamas.

The delegation representing HWZOA, the largest Jewish women’s organization in the United States, included National President Carol Ann Schwartz, immediate past National President Rhoda Smolow, and Executive Director of Hadassah Offices in Israel Suzanne Patt Benvenisti. Their mission was to press the ICRC to take immediate action regarding the Israeli hostages being held in Gaza by Hamas.

Time is running out

Expressing deep concern, the petition addresses the ICRC’s apparent failure to fulfill its humanitarian obligations over the last three months since the infiltration of Hamas into Israel, leading to numerous atrocities. It also highlights the distressing conditions in which the 136 hostages are being held, enduring relentless physical, psychological, and sexual abuse.

The demands put forth by HWZOA in the petition are clear: the ICRC must cease its neglect of these hostages and take proactive measures to ensure their well-being. This includes providing essential medical aid and food, ensuring tolerable living conditions, terminating any form of abuse, and facilitating contact with their families.

HWZOA’s leadership met with ICRC representatives to personally deliver the petition, following a strongly worded letter sent by the organization to the ICRC the previous month. This letter urged immediate action to fulfill the ICRC's established humanitarian role and emphasized the urgency of attending to the plight of the Israeli hostages.

The submission of this petition amplifies the mounting pressure on the ICRC to act swiftly and decisively, underscoring the gravity of the situation faced by the Israeli hostages held in Gaza.