Israel-Hamas War: What happened on day 95?

Nine IDF soldiers were killed in three incidents in Gaza on Monday, with eight soldiers wounded.

Six of the killed soldiers and most of the wounded came from an incident with explosive material near the partially underground and partially above-ground Hamas rocket manufacturing factory uncovered by the IDF at al-Bureij in central Gaza.

Israeli fire on a Gaza utility pole caused the blast inside a terror tunnel that led to the death of six IDF fighters on Tuesday, as per new details published on Tuesday evening by Israeli media.

A truck was bringing explosive material to soldiers operating near the partially underground and partially above-ground Hamas rocket manufacturing factory uncovered by the IDF at al-Bureij in central Gaza.

Israeli forces were going to use it to explode and destroy aspects of the Hamas manufacturing facility.

The incident, in which six soldiers were killed and a number wounded, occurred after an Israeli tank fired at what it identified as a suspicious terrorist target during operations across the Strip.

The tank fired two shells, one hitting its target and the other landing on the utility pole, causing an explosion around thirty minutes before planned and killing the soldiers.

There was another incident in Khan Yunis in which two soldiers died and a third incident elsewhere in which another soldier died.

The government of Guatemala issued a statement on Monday condemning South Africa's genocide claims made against Israel to the International Court of Justice. 

#SalaDePrensa | El @GuatemalaGob por medio del @MinexGt manifestó su rechazo a la denuncia interpuesta por el gobierno de Sudáfrica ante la Corte Internacional de Justicia contra Israel.
👇https://t.co/tcaNnJw3Mj pic.twitter.com/7oGhhEYkJf

— Secretaría de Comunicación Social (@SCSPGT) January 8, 2024

The official statement read "The Government of Guatemala, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, regrets that the government of South Africa has filed a complaint against Israel before the International Court of Justice, within the framework of Israel's legitimate defense against the attacks of the terrorist group Hamas. 

"Guatemala confirms that Israel's purpose has always been to repel the constant invasions that seek to frighten the population and generate instability in the region. Likewise, it recognizes the full right of defense against terrorist threats and calls for reconsidering any unfounded demands, since these do not contribute to generating cohesion in these moments that are so necessary for stability in the Middle East. 

"Guatemala condemns, in the strongest terms, the attacks committed by the terrorist group Hamas against the civilian population. We reiterate that Hamas confuses the Palestinian cause with the justification of terrorism and this is a serious moral and strategic error for said cause and the efforts that have been carried out internationally to achieve peace in the territory. "

Three terrorists were reportedly killed by IDF gunfire Monday night after reportedly being ambushed by the security forces, Israel Hayom reported, citing Arab media. Israeli forces are alleged to have entered the village of Akhtaba in the northern suburbs of Tulkarm and raided a house.

In the documentation of the incident distributed in the Arab media, six Palestinians were seen fleeing from the courtyard of the house when they met with IDF gunfire, from which three of them were killed.

Earlier in the evening, clashes and exchanges of fire developed in the town of Capin, north of Tulkarm. Tonight, several hundred residents of the city prepared for the funeral of the three terrorists and held a procession in which they recited Allah Akbar.

A demonstration in support of Israel is scheduled to take place in The Hague, Netherlands, this Thursday. The event is a response to the recent legal actions taken by South Africa against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

The Center for Information and Documentation Israel (CIDI), in partnership with Christians for Israel and other organizations, is organizing the event. "In these challenging times, it's crucial to show our unwavering support for Israel," said a CIDI spokesperson. "We urge everyone who stands with Israel to join us in this peaceful demonstration of solidarity."

South Africa has accused Israel of genocide, leading to a high-profile case at the ICJ. The court is expected to hear preliminary arguments this week.

The rally, termed a "Solidarity Manifestation," aims to gather supporters at 8:45 AM at Lange Voorhout, proceeding to the Peace Palace, home of the ICJ. "This is more than a rally; it's a statement for peace and justice," stated an organizer.

A significant feature of the rally will be the presence of a delegation from Israel, including families of Israelis held hostage by Hamas in Gaza. "We want the world to see the human side of this conflict," said an organizer. 

Significance of the ICJ case

The International Court of Justice will hold hearings this week on a case brought by South Africa accusing Israel of genocide in the Gaza war and seeking an emergency suspension of its military campaign.

Public Prosecutor Karim Khan prepares for the trial of Mahamat Said Abdel Kani at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, Monday, Sept. 26, 2022 (credit: PETER DEJONG/REUTERS)

The ICJ, also called the World Court, is the highest United Nations legal body, established in 1945 to deal with disputes between states. It should not be confused with the treaty-based International Criminal Court, also in The Hague, which handles war crimes cases against individuals.

South Africa has asked the court to order Israel to suspend its military actions in Gaza, to stop any genocidal acts or take reasonable measures to prevent genocide and issue regular reports to the ICJ about such measures.

The ICJ's rulings are final and without appeal, but it has no way of enforcing them. A ruling against Israel could hurt its international reputation and set legal precedent.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz confirmed Monday evening in an interview with Channel 14 that Israel is behind the assassination of the commander of the Radwan Force, Wissam al-Tawil, despite Jerusalem not officially taking responsibility for the assassination, Ynet reported on Tuesday.

"Regarding the strike in southern Lebanon, we took responsibility for that assassination of the Radwan Force commander," said the Foreign Minister. "It's part of the war; we're targeting Hezbollah operatives, infrastructure, and systems they've set up to deter Israel."

The FM said, "We are paying prices. There is a war here; we are operating under a framework that has been established. We did not decide to thwart 150,000 missiles right now. We set a goal to restore security to the residents of the north, to restore security to the residents of the south, and to the State of Israel."

IDF refuses to comment

The IDF Spokesman, Lt. Col. Daniel Hagari refused to comment this evening on the assassination of the commander of the Radwan Force in Lebanon, although he was asked about it during the daily press briefing.

He replied, "We need to act to remove the threat on the northern border and create the conditions that will allow it's residents to return home safely - we will achieve this with actions, not words. I don't want to comment on what is published in the foreign media, we are well prepared on the northern border."

Israel Katz (credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)

Al-Tawil, was a senior Hezbollah official who was killed in an attack reportedly attributed to Israel by the international media. He was recently appointed commander of the Radwan force, an elite unit of the Lebanese terrorist organization. He is the most senior member of Hezbollah to be killed in an Israeli strike. 

Al-Tawil was responsible for the ambush on October 7, 2000, at Mount Dov, when IDF combat engineers Adi Avitan, Benyamin Avraham, and Omar Sawaed were killed, kidnapped by Hezbollah, and then their bodies were returned to Israel in a prisoner exchange. 

Al-Tawil was also behind the killing and abduction of soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev in July 2006, an operation that led Israel to the Second Lebanon War. He was also responsible for the attack in Magidoo in March 2023, where a terrorist from Lebanon infiltrated Israel and planted an explosive that severely injured an Israeli driver.

In Lebanon, it was reported that al-Tawil was killed in an attack by an Israeli drone that targeted a car in the destroyed town of Salim in the southern part of the country. In the attack, about 10 kilometers from the Israel-Lebanon border, another person whose identity has not yet been disclosed was killed, likely another member of Hezbollah.

Since October 8, Hezbollah has attacked Israel with rockets and anti-tank missiles close to the northern border, and the IDF has fired back in response. However, since late December, and particularly after the assassination of Hamas Deputy Chief Saleh al-Arouri, Hezbollah has fired dozens of rockets and significantly damaged an important piece of the IDF’s air defense capabilities in the North.

An Israeli security delegation reportedly arrived in Cairo on Monday to negotiate the release of the hostages, according to Israeli media reports citing the pro-Qatari Al-Arabi Al-Jadid newspaper. 

The resumption of negotiations comes amid mounting internal and external pressure to end the war and for Hamas to return the hostages. 

Negotiations had been suspended after the assassination of the deputy head of the political wing of Hamas, Saleh al-Arouri , in Beirut, a week ago. An Israeli security delegation cut short the visit it was making to Cairo in the wake of the Egyptian decision.

Who was Saleh al-Arouri?

Arouri, 57, was reportedly the deputy to Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas' political bureau, and was responsible for the military activities of the terror organization in the West Bank.

Along with Arouri, six other Hamas members, some of them senior, were killed in the attack on the offices of the terrorist organization in an area considered to be a Hezbollah stronghold in the Lebanese capital.

Hamas leader Saleh Al-Arouri (left) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (right) (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90 and ARAB MEDIA)

Historically, Egypt has been a key negotiator between Israel and Hamas in conflict, and since December, has proposed ceasefire deals to Israel and Hamas in exchange for Hamas releasing hostages. The parties have not yet agreed to any terms.