Israel-Hamas War: What happened on day 150?

One person was killed, two people were seriously wounded, four others were moderately wounded, and one other person was lightly wounded after an anti-tank missile was fired toward Margaliot in northern Israel on Monday morning, according to Israel's emergency medical service, Magen David Adom.

The wounded, all Thai workers, were evacuated by helicopter to Rabin Medical Center-Hasharon Hospital, Rambam Medical Center, and Ziv Medical Center.

"Using an MDA bullet-proof intensive care vehicle, we arrived near the place where the anti-tank missile fire occurred and retrieved the wounded from there," said MDA senior medic Yigal Ben Udiz and MDA paramedic Walid Kezel. "Together with the IDF medical personnel, we provided medical treatment and evacuated five wounded people who suffered from shrapnel injuries with Air Force helicopters."

IDF strikes Hezbollah sites in southern Lebanon

Shortly after the anti-tank missile attack, the IDF struck a site in Chihine in southern Lebanon, according to Lebanese reports.

Israeli soldiers operate near the northern border with Lebanon, on February 21, 2024 (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)

On Sunday night, Hezbollah claimed that Israeli forces made two attempts to infiltrate into Lebanese territory. The terrorist movement said it fired at and set off explosive devices targeting the troops.

Additionally, on Sunday night, the IDF struck sites belonging to Hezbollah in Ayta ash Shab and Kfarkela.

The Jerusalem Police District announced on Monday that four suspects from east Jerusalem were arrested and brought in for questioning on suspicions of supporting and inciting terror in an overnight operation.

The arrests were part of a larger operation organized by Jerusalem Police earlier this month, concentrating on combatting incitement-related crimes.

According to the report, police officers from the Kedem neighborhood of Jerusalem arrested four suspected residents of east Jerusalem, who, according to the reports, had published words of incitement and support for terrorist organizations and terrorists on social networks. 

The suspects arrested by the police were transferred to the Jerusalem Police headquarters for questioning.

In another operation, detectives from the Central Unit of the Jerusalem District arrested four suspects, all residents of east Jerusalem, who also reportedly published on social networks words of incitement to violence and support for terrorism and terrorists, bringing the total of overnight arrests to eight.

“Second-degree” family members of hostages – aunts, uncles, grandparents, and nieces and nephews – are not eligible for psychological and mental help because they are not recognized as victims of terror, the Knesset Health Committee revealed on Monday.

During the hearing, a government representative enumerated how the state has provided aid so far.
Representative Yael Goren said that “every family has a designated human resources officer responsible for providing them with what they need, including any new information. Since the start of the war, the government has sent representatives to the families, who respond to requests.”

As she finished speaking, she was interrupted by Nissan Kalderon. Kalderon is the brother of Ofer Kalderon, 53, who was kidnapped by Hamas to Gaza along with his children, Sahar, 16, and Erez, 12. Sahar and Erez were both released during the pause in fighting and hostage deal in November; Ofer remains in Gaza.

“For 150 days, not a single government representative has spoken to me. Two weeks ago, I threatened to commit suicide – do you know why? I can’t breathe. I need to keep my wife, nieces and nephews, and the rest of my family operating every day; I can’t even take care of myself!

A demonstrator walks past a board displaying images of hostages kidnapped in the deadly October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas, in Tel Aviv, Israel, January 29, 2024 (credit: REUTERS/TYRONE SIU)

The IDF spokesperson’s unit is unphased by false reports on Israel’s right-wing Channel 14 claiming that several senior officials in the unit have announced their retirement from the army despite the war in Gaza.

Channel 14’s Tamir Morag reported on Sunday night that several high-ranking officials in the IDF spokesperson’s unit announced their resignations around the same time amid the war.

Among them was “number two in the IDF spokesperson’s unit, Col. Shlomit Muller-Butbul,” who, according to the report, “is in the resignation process.”

“She was supposed to leave the week that the war broke out, but then, because the war broke out, she stayed a little,” an IDF source told The Jerusalem Post.

The Channel 14 report also claimed that “Moran Katz, a civilian employee of the IDF in the spokesperson’s unit at the colonel rank, quit after things didn’t work out ‘professionally and personally.’”

The IDF on Monday night revealed the name of four additional UNRWA officials about whom it said it has “decisive proof” of their involvement in the October 7 massacre, to be added to the 12 previous names disclosed.

The four officials are still yet to be named.

According to the IDF, each of the four have set roles in UNRWA in health, education, and other positive roles, while wearing a dual hat with set, sometimes senior roles, in terror groups.

Part of the evidence was proving that the UNRWA officials were in Israeli territory in the South at the time of the October 7 massacre.

In addition, the IDF said it can confirm that 400 UNRWA officials are affiliated with Palestinian terror groups like Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

A mission team led on a trip through Israel by the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten, found that there was substantial evidence to conclude that victims, as well as hostages and survivors of October 7, were sexually abused and raped by Hamas terrorists. This is the first instance where an international organization has confirmed what Israel has alleged since October 7.

Patten, therefore, called on Hamas to “immediately and unconditionally release all individuals held in captivity and to ensure their protection, including from sexual violence.”

The team, traveling and researching with Israel’s full cooperation, found “clear and convincing information that sexual violence, including rape, sexualized torture, cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment has been committed against hostages.”

The head of the United Nations Palestinian Refugee Agency (UNRWA) warned on Monday that "without additional funding, we will be in uncharted territory with serious implications for global peace and security."

"We are functioning hand to mouth," Philippe Lazzarini told the 193-member UN General Assembly.

The United States - the largest donor to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East - and other countries paused funding after Israel accused 12 UNRWA staff of taking part in the October 7 attack by Hamas militants.

A mission team led on a trip through Israel by the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten, found that there was substantial evidence to conclude that victims, as well as hostages and survivors of October 7, were sexually abused and raped by Hamas terrorists. This is the first instance where an international organization has confirmed what Israel has alleged since October 7.

Patten, therefore, called on Hamas to “immediately and unconditionally release all individuals held in captivity and to ensure their protection, including from sexual violence.”

The team, traveling and researching with Israel’s full cooperation, found “clear and convincing information that sexual violence, including rape, sexualized torture, cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment has been committed against hostages.”

Rocket sirens sounded in numerous localities in Israel's north on Monday night, as per Israel's red alert system.

Progress has been made in the ongoing hostage talks in Cairo, KAN reported on Monday, citing an Egyptian source speaking to an Arabic news network.

This is a developing story.