Israel-Hamas War: What happened on Day 109?

The IDF announced the death of 21 reservists fighting in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday.

Hamas forces fired a rocket-propelled grenade on multiple adjacent structures, along with landmines that the IDF forces had collected and brought into the buildings, which caused a total collapse that killed 19 soldiers and injured several others on Monday.

The incident occurred around 4:00 p.m. in al-Muasi in central Gaza.

In addition, a separate rocket-propelled grenade was fired on an IDF tank which killed two IDF soldiers and injured two others.

Details of the massive explosion are being investigated

It was unclear if the soldiers had violated procedures by bringing the landmines into the structures with them and also unclear how much the collapse of the building was caused by the RPG versus the secondary landmines explosions.

Palestinians at the site of an Israeli air strike in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, on December 17, 2023. (credit: ABED RAHIM KHATIB/FLASH90)

The IDF forces who were harmed were mostly reservists assigned to clear certain areas of dangerous items, such as mines.

Rescue activities went on for hours with the brigade commander having been on site from the start of the incident.

It was unclear what happened to the Hamas attackers.

Names of the soldiers killed

The IDF released the names of 10 soldiers of the 21 that were killed.

Maj.-Gen. (res.) Matan Lazar, 32, from Haifa, a soldier from the IDF's 6261 Battalion, 261's Brigade.

Maj.-Gen. (res.) Hadar Kapeluk, 23, from Moshav Mevo Beitar, and was a Class Commander in the IDF's 8208 Battalion, 261st Brigade.

Sgt.-Maj. (res.) Sergey Gontmaher, 37, from Ramat Gan, who was a soldier in the IDF's 8208 Battalion, 261st Brigade.

Maj. (res.) Elkana Yehuda Sfez, 25, from Kiryat Arba, was a soldier in the 8208 Battalion, 261st Brigade.

St.-Sgt. (res.) Yoval Lopez, 27, from the settlement Alon Shvut in the West Bank, a soldier in the 9206 Battalion, 205th Brigade.

Maj. (res.) Yoav Levi, 29, from the city Yehud-Monoson in central Israel, who was a soldier in Battalion 8208, 261st Brigade.

Maj. (res.) Nicholas Berger, 22, from Jerusalem, who was a soldier in the 8208 Battalion, 261st Brigade.

Maj. (res.) Cydrick Garin, 23, from Tel Aviv-Yafo, who was a soldier in the 8208 Battalion, 261st Brigade.

St.-Sgt. (res.) Rafael Elias Mosheyoff, 33, from the town Pardes Hanna-Karkur near Haifa, was a soldier in the 6261 Battalion, 261st Brigade.

St.-Sgt. (res.) Barak Haim Ben Valid, 33, from Rishon Lezion, class commander in Battalion 6261, Brigade 261.

Names of additional dead soldiers are expected to be announced once the IDF has been able to fully verify their identities and contact their relevant families.

Israeli officials' comments

Israeli President Isaac Herzog wrote that "behind every name whose world has fallen apart - a family that we take to our hearts with sorrow and pain, and at the same time with pride - for the heroism of the generation."

Defense Minister Gallant stated, "On this difficult and painful morning, the enemy's message reaches many homes in Israel; our hearts are with the dear families in their most difficult time. This is a war that will determine the future of Israel for decades to come - the fall of the fighters is a requirement to achieve the goals of the war.

"I send my condolences from the bottom of my heart to the families of the victims of the campaign and best wishes for a speedy recovery to the wounded."

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich described the incident as "heartbreaking news. Condolences from the bottom of my heart to the families of the heroes, the entire nation of Israel embraces you with a broken and aching heart. Our commitment is to ensure that the fall of our soldiers will not be in vain."

Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana said, "It's a difficult morning for the people of Israel to wake up to this heartbreaking news. On behalf of the Knesset, I would like to send my heartfelt condolences to the families of the fallen. Each of them is a world full of families, hopes, and dreams that were cut short prematurely. We all wish and pray for a speedy recovery of the wounded."

Yesh Atid Leader Yair Lapid said that he "sends a hug to the families of the soldiers. The entire nation of Israel is with you in your difficult time. May their memory be a blessing."

Agriculture Minister and security cabinet member Avi Dichter said, "Most of the soldiers were reservists, who left entire families without a father and an entire country shocked and in pain."

Israel and Hamas broadly agree in principle that an exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners could take place during a month-long ceasefire, but the framework plan is being held up by the two sides' differences over how to bring a permanent end to the Gaza war, three sources said.

Intense mediation efforts led by Qatar, Washington and Egypt in recent weeks have focused on a phased approach to release different categories of Israeli hostages - starting with civilians and ending with soldiers - in return for a break in hostilities, the release of Palestinian prisoners and more aid to Gaza.

The latest round of shuttle diplomacy started on Dec. 28 and has narrowed disagreements about the length of an initial ceasefire to around 30 days, after Hamas had first proposed a pause of several months, said one of the sources, an official briefed on the negotiations.

However, Hamas has since refused to move forward with the plans until the future conditions of a permanent ceasefire are agreed, according to six sources. Most of the sources consulted for this story requested anonymity in order to speak freely about sensitive matters.

PALESTINIAN UN envoy Riyad Mansour holds up a sign calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, as he speaks in the General Assembly Hall at UN headquarters in New York City, last week. The UN is losing its relevance fast, the writers argue. (credit: Shannon Stapleton/Reuters)

While Israel has sought to negotiate one stage at a time, Hamas is seeking "a package deal" that agrees a permanent ceasefire before hostages are released during the initial phase, said one of the sources, a Palestinian official close to the mediation efforts. Israel and Hamas are speaking through the mediators, not talking directly.

A White House spokesman said on Tuesday US Middle East envoy Brett McGurk was in the region - for the second time in a week - for discussions about releasing hostages and that Washington would support a longer "humanitarian pause."

The US State Department and White House, Qatar's foreign ministry and Egypt's State Information Service did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Two Egyptian security sources said that there was work underway to convince Hamas to accept a one-month truce to be followed by a permanent ceasefire. However, Hamas is requesting guarantees that the second phase of the deal would be carried out, in order to agree to the initial truce, the sources said.

The sources did not provide details of what such guarantees might consist of.

Asked about the negotiations, senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters on Monday the organization was open to discussing ideas but that no deal was yet in place.

"We are open to all initiatives and proposals, but any agreement must be based on ending the aggression and the occupation's complete pullout from Gaza Strip," said Abu Zuhri.

One offer by Israel is to end the war if Hamas removes six senior leaders from Gaza, said a seventh source, a senior Hamas official. However, Hamas "absolutely" rejected the proposal, he said.

The source said the list included the masterminds of Hamas' Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, Yahya Sinwar and Mohamed al-Deif, who are Israel's top targets to kill or capture in the war and are thought to be hiding deep within Hamas' extensive network of tunnels beneath Gaza.

Reuters was not immediately able to confirm this proposal with Israeli sources. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office declined a request for comment about the proposal or the broader negotiations. According to recordings leaked to Israel's N12 news network, Netanyahu said such a "surrender and exile" scenario was being discussed in early January.

Netanyahu under pressure

Almost four months after the Hamas attack on southern Israel that killed around 1,200 people, Israel's offensive in Gaza has yet to eliminate Hamas' senior leadership or its capacity to fight.

Netanyahu reiterated this week that only "total victory" over Hamas would bring an end to the war, but he is under increasing pressure to reach a deal, including from members of his war cabinet and the families of around 130 hostages who remain in captivity since the Hamas incursion.

Israel's military on Monday suffered the highest daily death toll of its Gaza offensive with 24 fatalities, including 21 in a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) attack in central Gaza and three elsewhere.

Five of the sources said Israel had refused to discuss any end to the war that did not include Hamas being dismantled. They did not specify if exiling the leadership would meet that bar.

Israeli government spokesperson Eylon Levy said at a press conference on Tuesday that efforts were ongoing to secure the hostages' release. He said Israel would not agree to a ceasefire deal that leaves Hamas in power in the enclave.

Qatar and Washington were instrumental in negotiating a week-long truce in November that led to the release of more than 100 hostages and around 240 Palestinian prisoners.

Starting on Dec. 28, Qatar's negotiators sent the framework of a new agreement to Hamas and Israel, asking both sides to indicate what they were prepared to agree to, the official briefed on the negotiations said.

When the two sides responded earlier this month, Hamas sought a truce that would last several months, while Israel wanted all the hostages freed in weeks, the official said.

Over the past few weeks, US and Qatari mediators have drawn the two sides closer to agreeing the 30-day process, which would include the release of all hostages, entry of more aid to Gaza and the release of Palestinian prisoners, the official said.

Despite the difficulty of bridging the gap in positions, one of the sources, briefed on the discussions, described the talks as intensive and said a deal could be agreed "at any minute."

 US diplomatic efforts

Washington is ratcheting up diplomatic pressure to end the violence. Earlier in January, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken shuttled between Arab states and Israel on a frenetic tour aimed at finding a way forward from the bloodshed.

However, Hamas is seeking guarantees that Israel will not restart the conflict, a US source briefed on the matter and the Palestinian official said.

Hamas wants the United States, Egypt and Qatar to guarantee the implementation, and is concerned that Netanyahu's government would resume fighting once Hamas frees civilian hostages, even if Israeli soldiers remain captive, the Palestinian official said.

During this round, Hamas had sought the release of all Palestinian prisoners from Israel's prisons, including those that participated in the Oct. 7 attacks, the US source said. The official briefed on the talks said Hamas had since softened that demand, which would likely be vehemently opposed by Israel.

Hamas believes that before seriously talking about a long-term ceasefire, Israel wants to conclude its operations in Khan Younis, the southern city in Gaza that has seen the most intense offensive and fighting in recent weeks, the Palestinian official said.

Reuters could not immediately establish the status of discussions about whether Israel's troops and armor would remain in Gaza during any prolonged ceasefire.

A private screening of raw footage from the October 7 attacks by Hamas will be held at the International Religious Freedom (IRF) Summit in Washington DC, on January 30, 2024, the IRF announced on Tuesday.

The Israeli Embassy to the United States and the Philos Project jointly coordinated the screening, which included extremely graphic footage. The footage is compiled from a variety of sources, including cell phone recordings by Hamas terrorists. 

No recording devices, including cell phones and smartwatches, will be permitted in the showing room. 

The police crime-fighting unit, along with the IDF, conducted a search on Tuesday to locate weapons in the city of Hebron, the Israel Police said.

During the operation, an M16 rifle, a handgun, cartridges, and ammunition were reportedly found in a house. A Palestinian suspect was taken for questioning, the police added. 

The M16 rifle found by the Police during the search on Tuesday. (credit: POLICE SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)

IAF fighter jets completed an attack on terrorist targets in Lebanon, the IDF reported on Tuesday.

During the strike, the IAF destroyed a military asset used by Hezbollah and operated by Iranian forces.

Throughout the day, IDF troops attacked several other areas in Lebanese territory, the IDF added.

The IDF stated, "Hezbollah’s military activity south of the Litani River in Lebanon, including the use and storage of armaments, is a clear violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701.

"The IDF will continue to defend Israel’s borders from any threat," it concluded.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Lebanese Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Mayadeen network reported the IAF carried out airstrikes in the town of Rumin in southern Lebanon. 

This comes after the IDF announced on Tuesday that an IAF base had been damaged by rocket fire from Lebanon.

According to preliminary reports, an armed terrorist on a bike was eliminated by IDF reservists on Tuesday after he opened fire at the forces operating near the Einav intersection in the West Bank, Israeli media said.

There were no casualties to Israeli forces, according to the report. 

This is a developing story. 

Six displaced Palestinian were killed when one of the UN-run shelters was hit in Khan Yunis, the focus of Israel's ground offensive, in the southern Gaza Strip, a day ago, the head of the UN aid agency for Palestinians said.

"Terrified staff, patients, and displaced people are now trapped inside the few remaining hospitals in Khan Younis as heavy fighting continues," Philippe Lazzarine, UNRWA's general commissioner said in a post on X on Tuesday.

Lazzarine said at least six of the displaced were killed and more others were wounded in the incident.

"I call on all parties to take every precaution to minimize harm and protect civilians, medical facilities and personnel and @UN premises in accordance with international law," he added.

The Israeli army did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip, launched in the wake of a deadly rampage by Hamas militants in southern Israel on Oct. 7, has displaced most of the enclave's 2.3 million people and caused a humanitarian crisis.

Over the past few days, IDF reservists of Battalion 630 of the Southern Brigade of the Gaza Division completed an operation on the outskirts of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, which included the destruction of terror shafts, the IDF Spokesperson's Unit reported on Tuesday.

Destroying terror infrastructure 

The fighters of the battalion worked together with engineering teams to locate and destroy terror shafts and underground infrastructure. 

According to the IDF, the combatants destroyed dozens of Hamas terror infrastructures on the edge of northern Khan Yunis.

In addition, as part of the offensive, fighters from the 261st Brigade operated to destroy military infrastructure.

During the military operation, rocket-propelled grenades were fired at the forces, causing the collapse of a building. 21 soldiers were killed in the incident, and several others were wounded, the IDF said.

IDF announces the names of 21 soldiers killed in combat, January 23, 2024. (credit: The Jerusalem Post)

Israel will not agree to a ceasefire deal with Hamas that leaves its hostages in Gaza or the Islamist group in power in the enclave, Israeli government spokesman Eylon Levy said on Tuesday.

He added that efforts were ongoing to bring about the release of the hostages but declined to elaborate saying lives were hanging in the balance.

Hamas has rejected Israel's proposal for a two-month cease-fire in exchange for the release of all the hostages, Israeli media reported on Tuesday.