Israel-Hamas War: What happened on day 48?

The al-Ayyash Brigades, a group which claims to be affiliated with Hamas, claimed that it fired a rocket from Jenin toward Shaked on Thursday afternoon. Israeli authorities had not reported any such incident as of Thursday afternoon.

The group has claimed several times that it has fired rockets from Jenin in the past year, although every one of the rockets fell apart either before launching or shortly after being launched.

About a month and a half into the war, the National Security Ministry is rapidly expanding the establishment of standby squads across the country, distributing approximately 6,000 weapons and establishing 700 teams.

However, concerns are rising regarding the unclear guidelines for these squads, including their powers and the qualifications of their members. The push for standby squads, led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Police Commissioner Yaakov Shabtai, has generated both interest and uneasiness.

Thousands of Israelis have registered to join these squads. The basic requirements include men and women up to the age of 65, with prior service in a combat unit, completed reserve duty, a clean criminal record, and a medical certificate.

However, the conditions and powers of the standby squad members have sparked apprehension, with some questioning the operational competence of their fellow members.

Eli Ben Yohai, a member of the standby squad in the Timurim settlement, expressed concern about the distribution of weapons among squad members. He highlighted the need for trust in those chosen to defend, emphasizing the importance of operational competence.

Why so fast?

Similar concerns have risen in other regions, where the rapid establishment of squads and local political influences raise doubts about the effectiveness of these groups in potential encounters with terrorists.

In response to the lack of clarity, some standby squads have taken matters into their own hands, acquiring weapons independently. The case of Otef on October 7 exposed vulnerabilities, as insufficiently armed squad members were unable to defend against a Hamas attack.

Members of the standby squads are voicing their worries. "I'm afraid that in the event of a single hazard, everyone will run to the scene at once, there will be shooting in both directions, or someone unprofessional will manage things," said Maor, a member of a standby squad in a central city.

Issues with the quality of weapons provided by the police further exacerbate concerns, leading some members to prefer using their personal firearms.

The purpose of these emergency squads is to reinforce the Israel Police, which is facing a personnel shortage. However, the situation is more complex, as incidents like the detainment of an Israeli Arab citizen by standby squad volunteers in Tel Aviv raise questions about their authority.

The police remain reticent about the powers granted to standby squad members, focusing on the unity of the nation and the spirit of volunteerism during these challenging times.

Officially, the purpose of deploying standby squads is to reinforce the Israel Police, operating under the direct command of local police stations, but complications arise. In recent weeks, volunteers from the standby squad in Tel Aviv detained the aforementioned Israeli Arab citizen without apparent reason, sparking outrage and criticism. The lack of clarity on the volunteers' authority led to community unrest.

The police remain silent on the specific powers granted to standby squad members. Their recent statements avoid addressing the concerns raised.

According to the police, the standby squads, comprised of citizens from diverse backgrounds, aim to contribute to community well-being, dedicating their time to enhance personal security in the State of Israel.

The police assert that standby unit members operate under the Israel Police command, having undergone training and authorization for their designated tasks. They function with the authority and supervision of station commanders, focused on protecting homes. Any attempt to cast their activity in a negative light is deemed detrimental to national unity and the volunteering spirit. The police urge all citizens to join and contribute to this vital effort, participating in the national mission to safeguard homes.

Last week, a letter from Tzipi Brand, a member of the Tel Aviv City Council, to the Commissioner of Police expressed concern about potential anxiety caused by the inclusion of right-wing activist Yoav Eliasi in the city's emergency response squads. Brand highlighted instances of Eliasi, known as "The Shadow," patrolling near a school with visible weapons, causing unnecessary panic among parents and students. The letter urged responsible activation of armed alert squads in accordance with police instructions.

A False Sense of Security

The Zulat Institute, founded by former MK Zehava Galon, cautioned against the rushed establishment and arming of standby squads, led by Ben-Gvir. The institute suggested potential negative consequences and the creation of a false sense of security.

The institute expressed concern that the massive recruitment of volunteers for emergency squads lacks professional, organizational, and managerial logic. While the Civil Guard operates within police regulations and national headquarters procedures, standby squads, described as separate entities, are under more precarious professional police supervision.

Concerns also extend to the training of standby squad members, with the institute warning that arming citizens with assault rifles may lead to accidental injuries. Despite the Ministry of National Security's claim of effective police supervision, the Zulat Institute questions the practicality of such oversight, given the large-scale establishment of standby squads across the country and the existing shortage of police officers.

The Zulat Institute further expresses worry about the potential transfer of assault rifles to criminal organizations and an increase in cases of domestic violence. Emphasizing the risks associated with widespread civilian armament, the institute cites instances where weapons intended for standby units were collected due to fears of theft by criminal elements.

Bar Yohai expresses his belief that closing emergency rooms was a mistake, highlighting past efforts to address the issue with the former Minister of Internal Security, Omer Bar Lev. However, he notes the shift in focus when Ben Gvir took over, emphasizing a national guard and his own militia. Bar Yohai raises concerns about the distribution of weapons, questioning whether, in a year, there will be another collection of civilian weapons, citing the fear of potential theft.

Maor supports Bar Yohai's perspective, asserting that most genuine standby units operate as private organizations organized by people in various localities. He points to the October 7 incident where civilians, primarily reservists and soldiers, played a crucial role in stopping Hamas terrorists. Maor contends that ordinary citizens are the ones saving the day, taking matters into their own hands, organizing, and budgeting for their standby squads.

Accusing Ben-Gvir, Maor claims that the approval of private weapons poses a danger. He highlights encountering individuals with potential risks, emphasizing that providing guns to anyone after minimal training is hazardous. According to Maor, these individuals lack understanding of safety instructions and firing line protocols.

In response to these concerns, the Ministry of National Security states that the Ministry is responsible for establishing general policy and determining budgets for internal security forces. It clarifies that the police bear the responsibility for training standby unit members and managing the weapons they are equipped with.

The IDF released bodycam footage showing soldiers fighting Hamas terrorists in the Al-Shati refugee camp along the coast of the Gaza Strip in a press release on Thursday morning.

The soldiers found booby-trapped buildings and many weapons in the camp.

Around 50 rockets were fired toward northern Israel from Lebanon on Thursday morning according to the IDF, setting off rocket sirens in several towns near the border and north of Safed.

Hezbollah announced after the attack that it had launched 48 Katyusha rockets in an attempt to hit a base near Safed.

Hezbollah additionally claimed that it had conducted 11 attacks, including several anti-tank missile attacks, against a number of IDF positions near the border on Thursday morning.

Earlier on Thursday morning, the IDF said it struck an anti-tank missile cell near Zarit and that several projectiles had been fired from Lebanon toward Israel.

Additionally, overnight, a surface-to-air missile was fired at an Israeli Air Force aircraft over Lebanon. The missile was intercepted and the IDF responded by striking the launcher and a weapons storage facility.

Smoke trails are seen as rockets launched from Lebanon into Northern Israel are intercepted by an Israeli air defense system, as seen from the northern Israeli city of Safed, November 23, 2023. (credit: David Cohen/Flash90)

On Wednesday night, Hezbollah announced that at least five of its members had been killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beit Yahoun in southern Lebanon, including Abbas Raad, the son of senior Hezbollah member MP Mohammad Raad.

The MP welcomed his son's death, saying his son "was smarter and faster" than him. 

"We are steadfast on this path, continuing on this path," added Raad. "Congratulations to the martyr Siraj (a nickname for Abbas Raad), and congratulations to the master of the resistance, the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, who taught us how the fathers of the martyrs should be patient, loyal, strong, and steadfast in this resistance jihadist approach.”

On Thursday morning, Hezbollah announced that another member of the terrorist movement had been killed in an Israeli strike, bringing the total number of Hezbollah members announced as killed since October 8 to 85.

Additionally, Hamas arrested a person suspected of spying for Israel in the Rashidieh refugee camp, south of Tyre, claiming that the suspect gave Israel information about the Palestinian cell which included the deputy commander of the Lebanese branch of Hamas's al-Qassam Brigades, Khalil al-Kharaz, and was targeted by an Israeli airstrike on Tuesday, Lebanese media reported on Thursday.

Nasrallah, Iranian FM meet in Lebanon

Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah met with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian in Lebanon on Thursday, according to Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV.

The two were joined by Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Mehdi Shoushtari and the deputy Iranian ambassador to Beirut and discussed the latest developments in Israel, the Palestinian territories, and Lebanon. They also discussed efforts to stop the war in Gaza and "the existing possibilities regarding the course of events."

The German Interior Ministry raided 15 locations throughout the country in order to enforce a ban on the activities of Hamas and the Samidoun - Palestinian Solidarity Network on Thursday, according to a press release by the ministry.

The locations were searched on orders from administrative courts in Berlin, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Schleswig-Holstein.

Interior Minister Nancy Faeser stated that "We are continuing our consistent action against radical Islamists. With the bans on Hamas and Samidoun in Germany, we have sent a clear signal that we will not tolerate any glorification or support of the barbaric terror of Hamas against Israel."

"Islamists and antisemites cannot and must not feel safe anywhere here. These extremists must reckon with the full rigor of the rule of law. We are keeping a close eye on the Islamist scene."

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares on Thursday said his country is in favor of the recognition of a viable Palestinian state "in the very short term."

The existence of a Palestinian state "will be the best guarantee for peace in the Middle East," he said in an interview with Spanish radio station RNE.

He reiterated that Spain is ready to hold a peace conference on the conflict.

The High Court of Justice rejected two petitions filed against the hostage release and ceasefire deal recently reached between Israel and Hamas on Thursday, according to the petitioners.

The court ruled that it could not intervene on the matter.

The IDF arrested the director of the Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza, as well as a number of doctors at the hospital on Thursday, according to Palestinian reports. KAN reported later that an Israeli source had confirmed the arrest as well.

Since 2014, top Israeli defense officials have repeatedly stated that top Hamas officials spent the 2014 Gaza conflict hiding in tunnels under Al Shifa Hospital and the complex has since been turned into a massive underground military installation.

In recent days, the IDF has published footage showing rooms and tunnels found under the hospital, as well as weapons found in the facility.

Hostages held in Shifa hospital

Surveillance camera footage retrieved from the hospital showed at least two hostages being brought by armed individuals into the hospital on October 7, including one who was being dragged by his head through the hospital.

Israeli soldiers inspect the Al Shifa hospital complex, amid their ground operation against Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Gaza City, November 15, 2023 (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)

IDF R.-Adm. Daniel Hagari also revealed recently that intelligence has shown that Israeli hostage, Noa Marciano, was killed in Shifa.

It is unclear if medical staff at the hospital directly aided Hamas terrorists in their operations in the complex.
This is a developing story. 

The IDF struck 300 targets belonging to Hamas in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, including operational headquarters, combat tunnels, weapons warehouses and production sites, and anti-tank missile launch sites, the IDF Spokesperson's Unit said Thursday morning.

The 215th Artillery Brigade in the 162nd Division targeted terrorists in the Jabalya neighborhood in the past day, with an IDF drone striking terrorists who were moving toward the troops in the area.

IDF soldiers also discovered tunnel entries in a mosque and in an agricultural area in northern Gaza.