Israel at war: What happened on day 41?

There is a debate at the highest levels of the government and the IDF about whether the military should already begin its invasion of southern Gaza or whether this must wait for an interim deal on hostages, The Jerusalem Post has learned.

Numerous leaks have been made about terms that Israel or Hamas wants as the sides negotiate what might be an interim deal getting significant numbers of Israeli civilian hostages back, but not all hostages, for some kind of pause and prisoner exchange, but not necessarily that Hamas has demanded.

Whether Israel agrees to a deal or not which Hamas has been desperate for, even the possibility of being close to a deal may currently be slowing the push into southern Gaza, the Post understands.

The concept is that this is a unique tipping point where the IDF has mostly taken over northern Gaza and could make a natural pause.

The IDF announced on Thursday that it has found data at Al-Shifa Hospital linked to the hostage Ori Magidish, the Israeli hostage recently rescued by the IDF.

On a laptop computer at Hamas's Shifa command center, there were data and pictures of Magidish from before she was kidnapped.

Further, the IDF said there is extensive additional data that it still needs to parse from the technological items it found at the hospital and will continue to make announcements as it combs through the data.

The IDF has uncovered laptops inside Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza containing photos and videos of hostages taken during captivity, Israeli military spokesperson Lt.-Col. Jonathan Cornicus revealed to the BBC on Thursday.

"We uncovered a lot of computers and other equipment which could shed light on the current situation, hopefully regarding hostages as well," Cornicus, who was accompanied by reporters entering the hospital, was quoted as saying.

This is a developing story.

The IDF announced on Thursday that Captain Shlomo Ben Nun, 22 from Modi'in, fell in battle in northern Gaza.

He is the 371st member of the Israeli military to be killed since the start of the war after Hamas's Oct 7 attacks.  

IDF fighter jets carried out airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon on Thursday morning, the IDF announced. The targets included Hezbollah military posts.

IDF soldiers also hit a terrorist in Lebanon who was attempting to fire into Israeli territory.

IDF soldiers of the 188th Brigade and Shayetet 13 successfully gained control of the Gaza harbor, the IDF announced on Thursday morning. The harbor had been under the control of Hamas.

During the operation, in which soldiers of the Combat Engineering Corps and the Air Force also participated, some 10 tunnel shafts were destroyed as well as other Hamas infrastructure, and 10 terrorists were killed. Tunnels used in the area led directly to the sea to aid undetected maritime infiltrations. 

All buildings in the harbor area were successfully cleared.

IDF soldiers capture the Hamas-controlled harbor in Gaza, November 16, 2023 (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)

Hamas used the harbor as a training facility for their naval commando forces for planning and executing naval terror attacks. Under the guise of a civilian harbor, Hamas used the area for training and carrying out terror attacks, all the while using civilian and Gaza harbor police vessels. 

Infiltrations by sea were part of Hamas's attack on October 7, and in the following weeks there were regular attempts to reach Israel this way, including one incident when Hamas terrorists attempted to infilatre the town of Zikim but were countered by Israeli forces. 

At least ten Hamas terrorists were killed in waters off the shore of the southern Gaza border town of Zikim after attempting to infiltrate into Israel on October 24.

IDF strikes residence of Hamas leader

The residence of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, which was used as terrorist infrastructure, was hit by an airstrike on Wednesday night as IDF troops continue to operate in the Gaza Strip, the IDF revealed.

Haniyeh, the Head of Hamas’ Political Bureau, is based in Qatar but his Gaza residence often served as a meeting point for Hamas's senior leadership to direct terror attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers. 

The IDF also announced two fallen officers on Thursday morning. Captain Asaf Master and Captain Kfir Itzhak Franco were named by the IDF as having fallen in battle in Gaza.

The United Nations human rights chief said on Thursday that outbreaks of disease and hunger seemed "inevitable" in Gaza after weeks of Israeli military response on the densely populated enclave.

"Massive outbreaks of infectious disease, and hunger, seem inevitable," Volker Turk said at an informal briefing to states at the UN in Geneva following a visit to the Middle East.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cannot continue to be Israel's prime minister and must be replaced, opposition leader Yair Lapid told N12 on Wednesday night.

"What we need is a national rehabilitation government," he said. "We need to begin the repairing and healing process.

The Yesh Atid leader emphasized that the new government would still be led by the Likud and that his party would join such a government, saying that he didn't think elections were the right thing for Israel right now.

Lapid explained that he didn't think Netanyahu could remain prime minister because the public had lost faith in him socially and for security.

"I think at the end of the day, I'm worried about the real issue, and the real issue now is for us to have a functioning government," he added.

Benjamin Netanyahu, Yoav Galant, and Benny Gantz hold a joint press conference at the Defense Ministry, in Tel Aviv on November 11, 2023. (credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/POOL)

Labor leader Merav Michaeli, who has been calling for Netanyahu to be replaced for weeks, praised Lapid's interview.

"I'm happy that Lapid has joined my view and my efforts of three weeks," she wrote. "I call on all the other parties to join me today - we must replace Netanyahu now."

Likud criticized Lapid

"It's sad and shameful that Lapid is being political during a war when he suggests ousting the prime minister who's leading the effort and replacing him with a government that will establish a Palestinian state and allow the Palestinian Authority to rule in Gaza," said the party in a statement.

Yesh Atid responded by saying that the Likud clearly misunderstood Lapid and reemphasized that he intended for the Likud to continue leading a potential new government.

Lapid further explained in a Twitter thread on Thursday morning that 90 MKs have said they would be part of the government he was suggesting if Netanyahu "and the extremists" were replaced.

"Forty days after the awful massacre of October 7, the army came to its senses quickly, is acting correctly and accurately, and fully ready in the North and on other fronts," he wrote. "Our soldiers and officers are in the field fighting bravely in difficult conditions. It's clear to all of us that it will be long and complex, but the Israeli public is exhibiting resiliency, and the citizens have enlisted in thousands of inspirational volunteering ventures."

He added that the government, and especially Netanyahu, are the "weak link" during this time.

"The coalition funds continue to flow, the treatment of displaced and injured is a shameful failure, no one is bothering to close the unnecessary ministries, and the hasbara (public diplomacy) is like an avalanche," he charged. "In the face of a great and wonderful wave of Israeli unity, he continues to tweet at night against the IDF's commanders and doesn't stop dealing with divisive politics and budgets for his home and family. It's damaging to the war effort, and it cannot continue."

Lapid added that he was aware that many believe this isn't the right time for this, but he said he still believed it was necessary but that it couldn't mean elections.

"In the coming months, we must create a new Israeli vision," he ended. "An effective government that works for its citizens, social solidarity that will finally stop the fighting that's torn us from the inside out in recent years, a national set of priorities that focuses on economy and education, an army that befits our new security needs, rehabilitating Israel's international standing, and bringing a million Jews and former Israelis. We have a big job ahead of us. Major tasks that we can fulfill only if we put the arguing in the past and work together for the sake of Israel."

Thai-Muslim politicians said on Thursday they had received assurances from the Palestinian group Hamas that all the Thai hostages being held would be among those released if mediators succeed in brokering a truce in Gaza.

The Islamist terrorists took some 240 people hostage on Oct.7, when they rampaged through southern Israel killing 1,200 people, according to Israel. Thailand's Foreign Ministry says 25 Thais were among those abducted and 39 were among those killed that day.

"Any ceasefire either 3 days or 5 days ... Hamas will release hostages, including all Thais being held, which they promised," Lepong Syed, the president of the Thai-Iran alumni association, told reporters in Bangkok's parliament building.

"This could be in less than ten days or in the next two to three days," he added.

Families of people who are missing or were abducted from Israel by Hamas hold a press conference asking for a humanitarian corridor for the transfer of medicine and humanitarian aid for hostages, in Tel Aviv, Israel, October 14, 2023. (credit: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun)

Mediating a ceasefire

Lepong is part of a team formed by Thai-Muslim politicians, headed by House Speaker, Wan Muhamad Noor Matha, that has been in contact with the Hamas since October.

Qatari mediators were seeking a deal that would include a three-day truce, with Hamas releasing 50 of hostages and Israel releasing some women and minors from among its security detainees, an official in the Middle East briefed on the negotiations told Reuters on Wednesday.

Over 30,000 Thais were working in agriculture in Israel, according to Thai government estimates, but more than 7,200 have been repatriated since the crisis erupted. About 90% of Thailand's 70 million people are Buddhist and have co-existed largely peacefully with its Muslim minority.