Israel-Hamas War: What happened on Day 143?

Two soldiers from the Givati Brigade special unit were killed in battles in the southern Gaza Strip, the IDF said Sunday. St.-Sgt. Narya Belete, 21, from Shavei Shomron, and St.-Sgt. Ido Eli Zrihen, 20, from Jerusalem were buried at the military cemeteries in Netanya and Mount Herzl in Jerusalem, respectively.

Sgt. Oz Daniel, 19, who was kidnapped by Hamas to the Gaza Strip on October 7, was killed by the terrorist group and is recognized as such, the IDF said Sunday. Daniel’s fate was unknown until the IDF chief rabbi ascertained his death.

“The uncertainty is overwhelming,” said Daniel’s mother, Merav, at a hostage protest in Kfar Saba on January 27. “I don’t know how my son is feeling, if he is eating, drinking, how he is being treated, if he has warm enough clothes. There are so many more questions. All the information that seems trivial for a mother to know are things I do not know at all.”

Daniel’s dream was music, she said, standing alongside Amir, her husband.

Israeli soldiers guard in Metula, on the border between Israel and Lebanon, northern Israel, on May 14, 2021, after Lebanese protesters crossed the Israeli border fence. (credit: BASEL AWIDAT/FLASH90)

“We believe that what is helping him through this terrible time is his love for music, for rock, and his ability to respect and honor every person... The state abandons its soldiers – first on October 7 and a second time now,” she said. “We can’t let this happen; otherwise, why would parents want to draft their children? As the mother of a soldier, what rings in my mind every day is the Soldier’s Oath, where they swear from the bottom of their hearts to dedicate everything they have to the State of Israel, to protect it and its freedom.”

Daniel’s family and friends described him as a “loving man and a true friend, someone who believed in music’s ability to change the world,” the Kfar Saba Municipality said Sunday. He was buried in Kfar Saba on Sunday afternoon.

In the North, Hezbollah fired dozens of rockets and anti-tank missiles and sent drones into Israel on Sunday. At least 50 air-raid sirens were sounded over the course of the day, Home Front Command said Sunday evening. Recently, until Saturday and Sunday, most days had fewer than 10 air-raid sirens.

Kiryat Shmona Mayor Avichai Stern said all residents should leave immediately. In a recorded message, he warned local residents to “not take any excess risk. For anyone still in the city, this is the time to make a phone call and leave. Another day of massive fire with three rockets fired at our city. Thankfully, all rocket launches toward our city only landed in open fields.”

No casualties were reported.

Hezbollah operatives killed

Some of the attacks came after an alleged IDF airstrike killed two Hezbollah operatives near the Syria-Lebanon border in the early hours of Sunday morning, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and other foreign media reported. The attack took place between Homs province and Rif Dimashq, the reports said.

The IDF declined to respond to the reports.

The IDF has admitted to thousands of attacks in Syria over several years, but it rarely admits publicly to specific strikes to preserve plausible deniability and avoid retaliation. Most attacks are against weapons that Iranian proxies are trying to smuggle to Hezbollah or militias affiliated with Iran in Syria.

IAF fighter jets targeted and eliminated a Hezbollah terrorist cell in the area of Blida in southern Lebanon shortly after the cell exited a military compound, the IDF said Sunday. Two other military compounds in the area were also targeted.

Earlier, the Israeli air defenses shot down a suspicious aerial object after it penetrated Israeli airspace over the Upper Galilee from Lebanon.

Later in the afternoon, the IDF targeted the source of Hezbollah rocket fire directed toward the areas of Margaliot, Mount Dov, Kiryat Shmona, Menara, and Malkiya.

The government on Sunday said it expects to extend the evacuation for residents along the northern border until July 7. The idea is to provide stability for the residents to remain in their current “temporary” school settings and to not push them to return before the school summer vacation.

This does not mean that returning might not be possible earlier, but at least those residents who want some certainty about their children’s school situation, without having to hear each month if the situation will continue, can now count on finishing the school year where they have currently moved to.

The government could extend the evacuation even further if a larger war breaks out with Hezbollah. The pending July decision also was made in light of diplomatic efforts to prevent a full-scale war with Hezbollah and is in line with local government requests for great stability after the military had suggested a two-month extension to the evacuation situation.

The government said it would continue to pay for the cost of hotels or rent for evacuees’ temporary accommodations while they are displaced.

A diplomatic plan pushed by the US and France calls for fighters, including Hezbollah’s elite Radwan unit, to withdraw from the border with Israel to around the Litani River.

Many of the displaced residents of the South have already begun returning to their homes despite the situation in the North.

In Khan Yunis on Sunday, during efforts to evacuate the civilian population from combat zones, soldiers identified terrorists who attempted to escape by hiding among civilians who were evacuating. Some were apprehended by the IDF, while others were killed, the IDF said.

Soldiers were continuing their targeted raids on terrorist targets throughout the Gaza Strip, including in the northern Gaza area of Zeitoun. During one operation, infantry forces, including the Givati Brigade, located numerous weapons, including sniper rifles, AK-47s, grenades, and ammunition.

Troops located a terrorist cell that had been using drones, and the IAF eliminated several terrorists, the IDF said.

As part of the ongoing IDF activity in Zeitoun and in the central Gaza Strip, several terrorists were killed. Troops also located weapons and destroyed rocket launchers. A terrorist cell was identified as using drones in Shati and was eliminated by the IAF.

In the West Bank, 12 terrorism suspects were apprehended by security forces overnight, including three in el-Aroub and one in Nablus.

Some 3,200 terrorist suspects have been apprehended since October 7, with 1,350 of them associated with Hamas.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Twelve wanted persons were arrested by Israeli security forces overnight in Judea and Samaria, according to the IDF Spokesperson's Unit.

Soldiers from the IDF, Border Police, and the Israel Security Service (Shin Bet) took part in the operations throughout Judea and Samaria on Saturday night. 

The Etzion Brigade of the IDF, and other troops arrested three wanted persons in Al Aroub. Another wanted person was arrested in the city of Nablus.

The suspects who were arrested were transferred to security forces for further investigation, and there were no casualties. 

In recent days, a joint engineering operation was completed under the command of the Etzion Brigade of the IDF,  Border Police, and the Shin Bet, allowing for the completion of engineering works that would improve the infrastructure of the security fence in the area of Abu Dis, and to enable more effective activity of security forces in countering terrorism in the area.

Since the beginning of the war on October 7, 3,200 wanted persons have been arrested throughout the Judea and Samaria Division, over 1,350 of whom are associated with Hamas.

This is a developing story.

Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Hosseini Khamenei on Sunday called Western civilization “crooked” and said, “The right culture and correct logic of Islam will overcome it,” Iranian state media reported.

In the same speech at a meeting in the Khuzestan province of Iran, on the southern border with Iraq and the Gulf states, he said: “This is the real face of Western culture and civilization and liberal democracy, which on the outside are ironed politicians with smiles on their faces. But on the inside, it is a rabid dog and a bloodthirsty wolf.”

Regarding the war in Gaza, Khamenei condemned what he said was Western hypocrisy.

“Westerners, who make noise and uproar for the execution of a criminal, face the slaughter of 30,000 innocent people in Gaza, and the United States brazenly vetoes the resolution to stop bombing Gaza for the umpteenth time,” he said.

Regarding the Palestinians in Gaza, Khamenei said: “The resistance forces’ standing and the enemy’s dismay from their destruction, as well as the patience of the people of Gaza in the face of bombings and calamities, show a strong religious faith.”

Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (credit: AFP PHOTO)

Iran's response to the October 7 massacre 

Following the October 7 massacre, Khamenei praised Hamas, saying, “We kiss the foreheads and arms of those who planned the attack on the Zionist regime.”

Last December, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps spokesman Gen. Ramezan Sharif took credit for the massacre, saying the terrorist attacks were “acts of revenge” for the killing of “Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani by the US and the Zionists,” according to Iran’s state-sponsored news agency ISNA. Sharif retracted his claim after it was met with severe criticism.

In an interview with NBC in early February, Iranian Ambassador to the UN Amir Saeid Iravani said, referring to Palestinians, “We’re sending arms. We’re training them and empowering them.”

The Iranian regime is a well-known state sponsor of terrorist organizations across the Middle East, including Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. In addition to funding terrorist operations, it also provides training and intelligence for these organizations.

Israel targeted a civilian truck with an airstrike near the Syria-Lebanon border in the early hours of Sunday morning, killing two people, allegedly Hezbollah terrorists, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.

The attack took place between Homs province and Rif Dimashq.

Israel has attacked Syrian territory several times since the start of the current war with Hamas. The IDF has bombed weapons depots of the Syrian Army after several missiles were launched toward Israel.

Israel has also reportedly struck at Hezbollah in Syria, where the Iranians coordinate the smuggling of weapons to the terror group. 

In an unprecedented development, Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh's government could resign within two days in the hopes of creating a new technocratic Palestinian government, it was reported early on Sunday.

According to Sky News Arabia, Palestinian sources are reporting on the possibility that the government of the PA, headed by Shtayyeh, could resign within days and, in its stead, form a new professional technocratic one before the end of this week.

Creation of a new government 

These developments come in light of news last week that Hamas had approved the formation of a technocratic government whose mission is to rebuild Gaza and restore security to the Strip after the war. Sky News Arabia has reported that there are indications from within Hamas that it has agreed to the formation of a technocratic government.

Additionally, the reports state that the new government will not be affiliated with any Palestinian political party, where professional independents will take over government management during an initial transitional phase until elections can be held at a later time.

Sky News Arabia has also indicated in its reporting the initial acceptance of Hamas to join the Palestine Liberation Organization, provided that there will be an eventual outcome of a Palestinian state according to the 1967 boundaries. 

Hamas involvement 

Much of these whisperings are a result of meetings held by the Hamas delegation in Cairo two months ago, where discussions were held regarding the rebuilding and management of the Gaza Strip post-war. The parties in attendance debated the establishment of Palestinian committees as a first step towards rebuilding the PLO, removing Mahmoud Abbas from Palestinian politics, and establishing a government of technocrats in the PA. 

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addresses the 78th Session of the U.N. General Assembly in New York City, U.S., September 21, 2023. (credit: BRENDAN MCDERMID/REUTERS)

Other news sources have reported on these developments. The Washington Post reported on a plan to establish a Palestinian state, which is being formulated by the US and other Arab states. This plan would see the creation of a Palestinian state and peace-building efforts between Israelis and Palestinians, and according to some sources, it could be unveiled in the coming weeks. 

In recent years, Israel has resisted the creation or acknowledgment of a Palestinian state. Just last week, an overwhelming number of Members of the Knesset voted against the recognition of a unilateral Palestinian state. The vote was passed by 99 MKs including some from the opposition.

An estimated 3,000 Jewish teenagers, hailing from 30 countries, gathered in Times Square in New York on Saturday night for an annual “Jewish Pride Takeover” Chabad event, including a concert by religious Israeli singer Gad Elbaz. 

The event took on special significance this year in light of the ongoing war with Hamas, and the captivity of the 134 hostages held by the terror group in Gaza. 

The crowd chanted, “Bring them home!” and was led in the recitation of a psalm by two survivors of the Nova music festival, at which Hamas attackers murdered more than 200 people and raped and kidnapped others.

Survivors of the Hamas massacre at the Nova music festival on October 7 address a crowd of Jewish teenagers in New York's Times Square, Feb 24, 2024. (credit: screenshot)

Teens from Sderot, Be'eri, Ashkelon light havdalah candles

The event took place after the end of Shabbat, and included a special havdalah service, with three Israeli teens representing the communities of Sderot and Be’eri, which were largely destroyed on October 7, and Ashkelon, a southern city that came under heavy rocket bombardment in the early weeks of the war.

The event was one of a steady drumbeat of shows of solidarity in New York and abroad, in contrast to the prevalent anti-Israel demonstrations that continue to take place as the war in Gaza carries on.

The IDF Spokesperson's Unit announced early on Sunday numerous developments and operations of IDF troops in the Gaza Strip. In a leading event, terrorists attempted to hide behind evacuating Gazan civilians, but were identified and apprehended by IDF forces.

Terrorists attempting escape 

In Khan Yunis, over the past day, during efforts to evacuate the civilian population from combat zones, IDF soldiers identified terrorists who had attempted escape by hiding amongst evacuating Gaza civilians, who were then apprehended by the IDF. In the same area, the troops killed a number of terrorists and located stored weapons.

Additionally, they have reported on continued IDF activity across the Gaza Strip, including ongoing operations in western Khan Yunis, Zaytun, and the central Gaza Strip. 

More weapons found 

IDF troops are continuing their targeted raids on terror targets in the Gaza Strip. During one such operation, infantry forces, including the Givati Brigade, located numerous weapons, including sniper rifles, AK-47s, grenades, and ammunition. 

Additionally, IDF soldiers located a terrorist cell that had been using drones, with the Israeli Air Force (IAF) eliminating a number of terrorists. 

Rocket launch zones destroyed 

As part of the ongoing IDF activity in Zaytun in the central Gaza Strip, a number of terrorists were killed by the IDF. IDF troops were also able to locate weapons and destroy rocket launch zones in the proximity. A terrorist cell was identified as using drones in the Shati area and was later eliminated by an IAF aircraft. 

Over the past day, the IAF carried out numerous strikes throughout the Gaza Strip against Hamas's aerial unit. The terror targets that were struck include a number of rocket launch posts directed towards Israeli territory. 

In a speech on Saturday, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Commander-in-Chief Maj.-Gen. Hossein Salami claimed that the Iranian regime's security is based on its capabilities of foiling Israeli "espionage services." In his remarks, Salami reiterated the regime's position that the security of Muslims worldwide, as well as Palestinians, hinges on the eradication of the State of Israel. 

Iran's security 

"Undoubtedly, the stable security and rare peace of Islamic Iran today [is] in the context of the storm of plots of the domination system and Zionism and major battles with the espionage services of the enemies of the revolution."

In his statement, he also emphasized the Iranian regime's steadfast commitment to Palestinian militant groups such as Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, with the possibility of the northern front opening between Israel and Hezbollah. 

Salami is known for fiery rhetoric targeting Israel and the US, and he is majorly responsible for coordinating Iran's militias and proxy forces throughout the Middle East, such as Hezbollah and other Shi'ite militant groups, including those that have attacked US forces.

Connections to Soleimani 

Following the assassination of Maj.-Gen. Qassem Soleimani in early 2020 by an American drone strike, Salami spoke at the IRGC Quds Force commander's funeral and promised to avenge his death by retaliation against the US. 

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Commander-in-Chief Major General Hossein Salami participates in a commemoration of Arbaeen in Tehran, Iran September 6, 2023. (credit: MAJID ASGARIPOUR/WANA (WEST ASIA NEWS AGENCY) VIA REUTERS)

In December, Salami was quoted by Islamic Republic state media stating that the "collapse of the fake Israeli regime" was imminent and that the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war created new antipathy to Israel, citing the rising pro-Palestinian demonstrations around the globe.

Tensions have been on the rise between Iran and Israel, as Tehran continues to militarily and financially support its proxies and militias, such as Hamas and Hezbollah, with Jerusalem retaliating to such threats in the region, such as Israel's involvement in attacks on Iranian gas pipelines last week.  

The IDF has opened 12 polling stations throughout the Gaza Strip and the border with Lebanon to allow soldiers to vote in the upcoming municipal elections, to be held for civilians on Tuesday, February 27. 

Soldiers are already able to vote, and will be able to until polls close in the rest of the country on Tuesday. 

The IDF is preparing to open about 925 military polling stations in total, of which about 150 are mobile polling stations, to reach all those in both regular and reserve service across the country. 

Israel’s municipal elections were originally slated for Tuesday, October 31, 2023, but have since been postponed multiple times— first until January 30, and then again to the current date— to ensure that candidates and voters were not overly impeded by the ongoing war with Hamas.

A man casts his vote in the Israeli general elections, at a polling station in Jerusalem, on November 1, 2022. (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)

Runoffs moved up for Ramadan

Voting will take place on two ballots, one for chief executive positions and the other for local councils. While council votes are allocated proportionally, along the same lines as Knesset mandates in national elections, candidates for chief executive offices must receive at least 40% of the vote or else compete in a runoff election. 

Those runoff elections, which would typically be held two weeks after the first round, have been moved up by two days, to Sunday, March 10, to take place before the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which begins that evening.

For more information about the municipal elections, read The Jerusalem Post's basic guide here.

IDF St.-Sgt. Nerya Belete, 21, fell in battle in the southern Gaza Strip, the IDF Spokesperson's Unit said on Sunday morning.

Belete served as a soldier in Sayeret Givati.