Israel-Hamas War: What happened on day 97?

Since the beginning of the ground maneuver in Gaza thousands of Hamas terrorists have been arrested, starting with members of the "elite Nukhba force", from younger terrorists to activists who were arrested after posing as medical personnel.

Every day they are brought to the detention facilities of the Israel Prison Service (IPS) and the IDF throughout the country, in an extraordinary logistical and systemic operation.

In the background of another extension of the prison emergency, and a huge overcrowding of terrorists in the prison cells, the commander of the Ketziot security prison describes in an interview with Walla The daily dealings of the IPS staff with the terrorists and the conditions they receive in prison.

"Most of the day they are actually inside the cells, 23 out of 24 hours, except for those who are in the tents," says Sub-Warden Yosef Knipes.

"There are those who are in safe cells, who refuse to leave the cell at all. There are between 10 and 12 terrorists in each cell. The cells are currently crowded because we are in an emergency situation. They have a mattress and a blanket, with the minimum conditions required by law."

Palestinian prisoners wait to be released from Ketziot prison, southern Israel, October 1, 2007. (credit: RONEN ZVULUN/REUTERS)

Knipes describes that the terrorists "are locked in a cleared cell, there are no electrical appliances, no television, nothing." Regarding the agenda of the terrorists, he said that "the first roll call is at 5:30 in the morning, another at noon, and one more in the evening."

On October 7, the holiday of Simchat Torah, Knipes spent time at a family event in the north of the country, when he was informed about the massacre. Once the scale of the horrors became clear, together with the rest of the senior staff, he jumped into situation assessment meetings, and since then the organization has been active at high intensity together with the rest of the staff.

"We quickly realized that there was going to be a significant event at our place and we began to prepare for the reception of thousands of terrorists and the necessary changes in front of the security prisoners who are imprisoned with us. At my facility, a complex that had been closed for years was opened to allow the reception of hundreds more today. We are nearing 100% of the occupancy, but we are preparing more prison complexes for additional reception of detainees".

Thousands of terrorists arrested

From the outbreak of the war until last week, about 3,400 more prisoners were arrested and imprisoned, most of them terrorists from Gaza and the West Bank, all identified with Hamas.

"Before October 7, there were about a thousand terrorists in prison, and since then several hundred have been added. Imprisonment conditions were made worse for everyone. As far as we are concerned, everyone is a terrorist, so we reduced the conditions to a minimum according to the law. There are no more canteens, the spokesperson institution has been abolished. Regarding the food issue, it is not as described in the media, we have also reduced that to a minimum."

According to him, there is a minimum of friction between the terrorists and the staff, "but it exists given the need for some of them to be investigated by security agencies, and therefore we provide the logistical support with the escort and security for the process."

"As of now, no unusual events have been recorded. There is deterrence and there is an ongoing relationship of strength, we are also operationally superior in every mission. In every IPS and also in Ketziot prison, since October 7th there has been no attempt to disrupt the order, and of course, we work around the clock at the intelligence level. As we identify a focus of negative friction, we take actions in advance to thwart any unusual activity on their part."

How did you prepare for their reception?

"The main difference between this population and the others is that they came to die. If we sanctify life, they sanctify death. We hear this both on the intelligence level and on the visible level, that they came to die and carried out the massacre out of a murderous ideology and they have no value whatsoever to life ".

Do the guards find it difficult to act against them?

"I have not received a single request from guards who have trouble getting to work, on the contrary. There is complete commitment to the task and the mission. The IPS faculty is determined and professional, and above all is committed to the values of the state and the organization. The guards meet evil every day and look into the whites of their eyes."

"I have quite a few guards who are being evacuated from the area around Gaza, but the glue that binds the staff in Ketziot is that they understand the magnitude of the task and the magnitude of the mission, work professionally and matter-of-factly and do not involve emotion even when they meet absolute evil right in front of their eyes. Under the leadership of the commissioner, a change was made here from end to end in front of the security prisoners, and all the changes were made thanks to the staff. They are doing blessed work and this is their beautiful hour."

What about the danger posed by them?

"We recognize the motivation of the terrorists to harm our people both on the intelligence level and in their views, and that is why we are equipping the personnel with operational equipment, which includes protective vests and other means, as well as means to disperse demonstrations and take over cells. In addition to this, we have the power for a quick reaction, a special unit Here in Ketziot, whose mission is to respond in extreme situations, to take control of negative centers of power and rioters. So, in terms of military service and attribution scenarios, we are prepared and training for this."

Do you recognize a particular breaking of the terrorists's resolve?

"Regarding friction between [the prisoners] themselves, we hear about it but we don't really believe it, because there are quite a few of them who want to hear what we want to hear. They know that we are at the height of operational tension, that the spring is taut, and that there is zero tolerance for any attempt to disrupt the order, so they try to maintain relative peace among themselves and do not create problems during this period."

"As for the spirit, I find it hard to believe that they have changed their ways and ideology. This is a group of murderous terrorists who believe that 72 virgins are waiting for them in heaven. And hence I don't think their resolve will be broken."

What are the plans for the future, are there any scenarios you are preparing for?

"This is an event, as time passes we feel the growing tensions, the great challenge, even in situation assessments we realize that we are sitting on an explosive barrel and this peace will not be for much longer, therefore we are preparing for every scenario and I suggest that they not try us."

A new Qatari proposal for a ceasefire would see the leaders of Hamas all be deported and all of the hostages captured by the terrorist group released in exchange for the withdrawal of the IDF from Gaza, according to news revealed by Channel 13 citing sources close to officials in Doha, Qatar.

If such a proposal were implemented, hostages would be released in stages.

The Hostage and Missing Families' Forum, in response, demanded that the Israeli war cabinet approve any deal that would lead to the release of the hostages. "The reports about a new deal that will be presented to the cabinet tonight give some hope to the families who are anxious about the fate of their loved ones - who have been suffering in the Hamas tunnels for almost 100 days and nights without food, water, and life-saving medical treatment. Every day that passes, the condition of the hostages is getting worse. 

"We demand that the war cabinet must not concern itself with anything other than the return of the hostages, we demand that they approve any deal that will lead to their immediate release alive!"

The war cabinet will convene on Wednesday at 6 p.m. to discuss the proposal, according to N12.

Hostages who were abducted by Hamas terrorists as part of a hostages-prisoners swap deal between Hamas and Israel, November 30, 2023 (credit: Hamas Military Wing/Handout via REUTERS)

More humanitarian aid for Gazan civilians?

It was reported on Channel 13 on Tuesday that a senior IDF official returned to Israel after visiting Egypt, during which discussions were held on the expansion of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and the question of "the day after" in the Philadelphi corridor.

Also, at the request of the Biden administration, Israel discussed with the Egyptians the possibilities of further increasing humanitarian aid to the Strip - something that was a significant part of the senior official's visit to Cairo. Senior Israeli officials told Channel 13 that "there is no breakthrough in the issue of the hostages."

Hamas's view on the proposal

Later on Wednesday, Sky News Arabia published Hamas’s view on the Qatari proposal, with the terror organization stating its objection to any deal that does not see them rule the Gaza Strip.

In addition, in a categoric statement, head of Hamas's political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh said in Qatar on Tuesday that Israel "will never get their hostages back unless all our prisoners in the occupation prisons are released,” as per Sky. Furthermore, the terror group insists on a ceasefire prior to any negotiation on the release of hostages.

IDF Chief Spokesman Brig. Gen. Daniel Hagari on Wednesday night presented evidence to prove that two Gazan journalists killed by the IDF on Sunday were terrorists.

Regarding Hamza Al-Dahdouh, the son of Al Jazeera's chief correspondent in Gaza, Wael Al-Dahdouh, Hagari said that Israeli forces had found Islamic Jihad internal documents in their various command centers in Gaza proving he was part of their terror ranks.

The IDF presented a copy of the document in Arabic, which it said listed Hamza as a dual-hat terrorist-journalist for Islamic Jihad.

The Jerusalem Post could not confirm what the document said, and there was no English translation, but the IDF said that it listed Hamza as working for the terror group's electric engineering unit.

Documents also said that Hamza had previously served as a terrorist battalion leader for the Zeitoun area of northern Gaza and that he was still currently responsible for firing Islamic Jihad rockets in that area.

A document featuring a list of operatives from the electronic engineering unit of the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization, including al-Dahdouh and his military number (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)

IDF says there are documents that link journalist to Hamas

Hagari said that similar documents were found by Israeli forces in Hamas command centers linking the other journalist, Mustafa Thuraya, to Hamas.

He said the documents said that Thuraya was a deputy chief of a terror cell.

Further, Hagari said that both had been involved in activating drones which caused danger to Israeli forces and which led to the air strike against them.

On Sunday, Palestinian media reported that the son of the head of Al Jazeera in Gaza was killed by the IDF along with a photographer. IDF responses until Wednesday night had alternated from somewhat defensive to suggesting the two were terrorists, but without offering much evidence. 

Al Jazeera has denied the two were terrorists and accused the IDF of illegally targeting Palestinian journalists, but had not publicly responded to the latest more specific IDF allegations at press time.