Pentagon: some progress made on Gaza aid, Gallant: Staying in Philadelphi not worth losing a deal

After the shiva mourning period of Capt. Ori Shani, who fell fighting in the South on October 7, his wife found binders full of his writing, his father Yehoshua Shani said.

One of the documents they found led his family to decide that they must continue his way, and eventually led them to found the Valor Forum – a group of bereaved families pushing for more military pressure and for “total victory” against Hamas.

Ori, his father’s youngest son, was married and had a baby who is now a year and a half old. He was a commander serving on the border with Gaza and led his soldiers in the battle against Hamas terrorists on October 7 until he was killed by artillery fire alongside his soldier Reem Betito.

The document that Ori’s family found included a section where he questioned what his nation needed of him.

“He wrote three things – first of all, to start a healthy, big, strong family – and he really did get married relatively young,” his father said. “He had a son; he had a very healthy, very strong family – and it will grow someday.”

The forum believes that the war’s end must also include Israeli security control of the Gaza Strip and that any agreement that relinquishes such control cannot be legitimate.

“We learned that we cannot place Israel’s security in the hands of others or the hands of our friends,” he said.

“In the moment of truth, we can only trust ourselves, only [depend on] the IDF,” said Shani, adding that “as a believing man,” he also puts his trust in God.

“I believe that the majority of the government of Israel and the citizens of Israel understand, after what we went through, that the security of our country is only in our hands,” he said, adding he believes that Israel’s leadership and prime minister share this view.

The bereaved father concluded with a call for unity and love between the various parts of the nation. “The enemy forced us to war, the hardest war since the founding of the state. War is a hard thing and takes a painful toll,” he said.

The war also brought about a time when “our nation was revealed as an amazing nation – the strength, the heroism, the unity, the love that there is between the parts of the nation is something that was not in previous years,” Shani said.

“There are cracks here and there now, but we will do anything so that the brotherhood, love, and unity between parts of the nation will continue and increase – because we think it is a strategic and necessary asset to reach total victory.”

Sirens were sounded in the Dead Sea and Arava areas following a missile launched from Yemen, according to the IDF. 

It has released no further updates at this time. 

This is a developing story.

Two Magen David Adom (MDA) ambulances were hit by shrapnel as a result of the recent rocket barrage to Haifa's bayside suburbs, Israeli media reported on Thursday. 

This is a developing story. 

Israel Air Force fighter jets targeted a Hezbollah command and control facility in the Tyre region, where the group's aerial unit (127) was operating explosive UAVs and gathering intelligence aimed at Israel, the IDF reported on Thursday.

In addition, the IAF, directed by the Northern Command, coducted airstrikes on Hezbollah military infrastructure in Lebanon, including weapons storage, launchers, and military structures.

Moreover, the IDF stated that Israeli jets attacked the launcher responsible for the rocket fire early Thursday towards the Carmel area.

Outgoing Defense Minister Yoav Gallant met with the families of hostages and reportedly criticized the decision to remain in the Philadelphi Corridor as an excuse to block a hostage deal, Channel 12 reported on Thursday. 

According to N12 journalist Michal Peylan, Gallant told the families, "There is no security or political consideration in staying in the Philadelphi Corridor. It can and must be solved."

"We achieved the greatest achievements in Gaza. I'm afraid we are still there to stay in Gaza; to me, it feels like an inappropriate purpose," Gallant allegedly said. 

פרסום ראשון: משפחות החטופים נפגשו היום עם גלנט, רגע לפני סיום תפקידו, והשר בדברים מאוד קשים:
אין שיקול ביטחוני וגם לא מדיני בהישארות בציר פילדלפי. אפשר וחובה לפתור את זה.

את ההישגים הגדולים בעזה השגנו. אני חושש שאנחנו עדיין שם כדי להישאר בעזה בהמשך, לי זה מרגיש תכלית לא ראויה… pic.twitter.com/6Gadj4Sii2

— Michal Peylan • מיכל פעילן (@michalpeylan) November 7, 2024

Maariv contributed to this report. 

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Thursday that Israel had made some progress in getting assistance into Gaza but more needed to be done.

The United States told Israel in a letter last month it must take steps in the next month to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza or face potential restrictions on US military aid.

While Austin did not specifically comment on the letter, he said: "They have made some progress... but more needs to be made."

The IDF plans to confiscate and demolish the apartment of terrorist Mahand Al-Sauda in the village of Idna in the West Bank, the military announced on Thursday.

Al-Sauda carried out a deadly terror attack on Route 35 near the Tarqumiyah checkpoint on September 1, 2024. The attack resulted in the deaths of Major Eric Ben Eliyahu, Sergeant Major Hadas Brantz, and Sergeant Ronny Shakori.

The military's decision is part of ongoing efforts to hold terrorists accountable and deter future attacks.