Israel at war: What happened on day 51?

Thirteen Israeli citizens taken hostage in Gaza were released by Palestinian terror group Hamas and brought back into Israel by the IDF, Israel confirmed on Sunday evening.

In addition, one Russian-Israeli was released as requested by Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as three Thai citizens. The four were released via the Rafah crossing.

Hostages arrived in IDF custody and reentered Israel on Sunday evening. Elma Avraham was rushed to a hospital by helicopter upon reentry in serious condition, Israeli media reported. The remaining 12 freed hostages are arriving at Hatzerim Airbase in the Negev for an initial medical assessment.

The list of released hostages included: Avigail Idan, three years old; the Brodutch family: Hagar (40), Ofri (10), Yuval (8) and Uriah (4); Ella and Dafna Elyakim, eight and 15 years old; the Almog-Goldstein family: Chen (48), Agam (17), Gal (11) and Tal (9); Elma Avraham, 84 years old; Aviva Siegel, 64 years old.

Roni Krivoy is the hostage who holds Russian citizenship, who was released thanks to direct intervention from Putin. He was welcomed back to Karmiel by Mayor Moshe Koninski, who said "The city of Karmiel welcomes Roni's release and rejoices together with his parents Oleg and Marina and brothers Yulia and Igor."

Hamas confirmed on Sunday that the IDF killed the Commander of the Northern Brigade Ahmad Al Ghandour and the Commander of the Rocket Division Ayman Siam.

The IDF reported during the night that a total of five senior Hamas officials were killed, with the targeted assassinations occurring before the ceasefire began on Friday morning.

Walla! has reported that their bodies were taken out of the ruins of a tunnel, a fact that could indicate the first underground elimination of terrorists.

"Al Ghandour (Abu Anas) is the member of the military council and the commander of the North Brigade," Al Qassam Brigades said in a statement published on their Telegram channel.

Al Ghandour was one of the senior members of the terrorist organization, has been in his position for at least 18 years, and is a key factor At the top of the organization. The senior official was responsible for many terrorist attacks carried out against Israelis.

The day his luck ran out

Siam was saved from several assassination attempts, both in 2009, when his home in Jabaliya was bombed and in 2014. In his previous role, he served as the commander of the artillery unit of the terrorist organization.

Hamas is targeting the West Bank in the wake of the hostage and ceasefire deal. The prize for Hamas has already been obtained in images of Palestinian prisoners released amid Hamas flags flying in places like Beitunia in the West Bank near Ramallah. This was one of the Hamas goals all along since October 7. It was also likely the goal of the Hamas leadership abroad, in Qatar, and of Hamas backers in Iran, Turkey, and other countries. 

 More disturbing are images of two men, apparently murdered due to accusations of “collaboration” in Tulkarm. The images show the men dragged in the street, hung from an electric pole, and then displayed in public as crowds of men photograph their bodies. These are reminiscent of the crowds of men chasing after bodies that Hamas paraded in Gaza on October 7.  

 Two days ago video filmed from the northern West Bank and posted on social media showed a failed launch of a rocket near Jenin. This is one of several attempts at the use of rockets by Iran-backed terror groups near Jenin over the last year. In addition, a smuggling attempt of pistols to the West Bank was also intercepted recently according to images posted on social media.  

Released Palestinian prisoners react from inside a vehicle after leaving the Israeli military prison, Ofer, amid a hostages-prisoners swap deal between Hamas and Israel, near Ramallah, November 26, 2023 (credit: REUTERS/AMMAR AWAD)

 As prisoners were released on Friday, people chanted support for Hamas. This was the “prize” that Hamas wanted since October 7. The mass attack on Israel may not have played out exactly as Hamas expected; likely Hamas was able to kill more people and take more hostages than it planned for; but the overall goal was for Hamas to get attention in the region and globally; and for Iran and Hamas backers to grow their influence in the West Bank. This comes in the context of an aging Palestinian Authority leadership and the erosion in security in the northern West Bank over the last year. Palestinian Islamic Jihad and other armed gangs have succeeded in spreading instability in Jenin, Nablus, Tulkarm and other areas. This forced Israel to launch increased raids in Jenin in the last year. 

 Hamas is now able to exploit the ceasefire deal, which Israel calls a “pause” in the fighting, to drag it out, delay hostage releases and therefore slowly “drip-drip” the release of Palestinian prisoners to milk every release for propaganda. This is a method that is known to Hamas backers in the region. Hamas has sophisticated regional support, not only in Iran but also among activists in Turkey, and Hamas leadership in Doha and elsewhere.   

 It's important to understand the major tectonic shifts that may be at work globally. Hamas exploited the Russia-Ukraine war to get backing from Moscow and also get Beijing not to condemn the October 7 attack. It also has gotten support in the global south from countries such as South Africa, countries that are members of the BRICS group; and this is important because Hamas is leveraging October 7 as part of the anti-western bloc formed by Iran, Turkey, Russia and China. Hamas is also exploiting protests in the West for its own goals.

There is no shortage of commentary now in the West excusing Hamas crimes; for instance, people ripping down photos of the hostages, people claiming that Hamas is “resisting” Israel, even excusing the murder of “collaborators.” Some now suggest Hamas be brought back to the West Bank, welcomed by the Palestinian Authority and enabled to run in elections. It may be “asked” to disarm, the way Hezbollah was asked to disarm after 2006. Hamas rejected the presence of international or Arab monitors in Gaza after the war.

The fact that Hamas may have lost numerous fighters and battalions in battles for the northern West Bank but is easily able to take part in the hostage ceasefire talks, illustrates its game plan. Hamas leaders abroad have impunity. They may not direct day-to-day operations in Gaza but they are in touch with Iran and other countries at the highest level. While some international organizations refer to Hamas as an ”armed group” in Gaza, not even naming it, some countries in the region treat it as a government of a state.  

 This is important. The Palestinian Authority has not been bolstered by regional countries or other countries since October 7. It has lost clout. The fact that Spain says it is now open to recognizing a Palestinian state, even if the EU does not change its policy, illustrates how Hamas has gained through the massive attack and holding child hostages. Hamas crimes didn’t erode support for it. In fact, support has grown since October 7. Spain could have moved to recognize the state of Palestine on October 6. Instead, the war in Gaza is accelerating global shifts. 

How is Iranian media portraying Israel-Hamas War?

Iranian media is also seeking to showcase how Israel has been damaged in this war. For instance, Iran’s IRGC-linked Fars News says Israel’s economy has suffered. The Houthi-linked Al-Masirah quoted Hamas official Osama Hamdan as praising the Houthis, Hezbollah, and Iraqi groups that are linked to Iran as having supported Hamas since October 7. Hamas also showed on Saturday night that it can delay the release of hostages, essentially holding the whole region hostage to its demands. And these demands are not just Hamas, they are backed by countries that back Hamas. Hamas is leveraging here to get popularity in the West Bank and this makes the Palestinian Authority seem incapable of achieving results. For instance, the Palestinian Authority didn’t get prisoners released. The more countries that rush to back and meet with Hamas, whether Iran or countries making policy shifts after October 7, reward Hamas and weaken the Palestinian Authority.  

If Israel returns to war in Gaza it will likely cause more condemnations of Israel. This again puts Hamas in the driver’s seat and gives Hamas daily initiative in the hostage releases and ceasefire extensions. At each step Hamas appears to move towards its goal, and its goal is much larger than Gaza, it wants the “prize” of the West Bank and influence in east Jerusalem and the region.  

Senior Hamas official Mahmoud Mardawi told a Qatari news channel on Sunday, "We will not release any more Israeli hostages if Israel does not comply with the principle of seniority in the release of Palestinian prisoners."

A Red Cross official also told Sky News earlier on Sunday that no hostage release was guaranteed later in the day. 

International editor of the BBC Jeremy Bowen was interviewed for one of the corporation's news programs and admitted that he made a mistake in the coverage surrounding the incident in which an explosion occurred at Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza which he directly blamed Israel. 

However, the veteran journalist stated that he does not regret it. 

When asked about the incident, he said, "I don't regret a single thing in my report, because I think I'm measured all the way, I don't feel bad at all. I made a mistake in reporting because I looked at the pictures that came to me, and what I could see was a small square with a fire burning from every direction, I think it was a picture taken from a drone, so from here we had to put all the information together, and I thought to myself - 'It looks like the whole building has disappeared.'" 

According to Bowen, "That was my conclusion from looking at the pictures and I was wrong, but I don't feel bad in particular, this was only the conclusion I drew."

Bowen added that "sometimes the corporation has to rely on things that people say, such as also looking at the number of videos that are published, and released to the network." 

BBC correspondent Jeremy Bowen (L) is seen while working in Saqba (credit: REUTERS)

Initial report sparks outrage on Israeli side

The initial report caused great outrage when the BBC reported, relying on Palestinian reports, that "Given the size of the explosion, it is difficult to see what this could mean for an Israeli attack from the air." 

After it was learned that the explosion at the hospital was caused by a failed launch of a rocket, the British news channel published an apology message: "On Tuesday night, we reviewed the explosion that occurred at Al-Mamdani Hospital in Gaza City," the BBC's announcement reads.

"During the article, we conducted an immediate on-the-ground analysis on the subject, which was a confusing and complex story." 

Finally, they clarified that " The issue does not represent the entire coverage of the BBC and anyone who watches, listens or reads our articles. All viewers can see that we detailed the claims of both sides regarding the explosion, while clearly showing who is saying what."

At Putin's request, Hamas will release hostages with Russian citizenship in addition to those already slated to be released, as reported by N12.

The political and security cabinets will meet on Tuesday at 20:30 in the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv.

The IDF's Oketz unit, which mixes male and female combat soldiers with highly trained dogs, has succeeded during the war with Hamas in finding dozens of bombs, large numbers of other Hamas weapons, located terrorist hideouts and ambushes, and helped find the bodies of murdered hostages Yehudit Weiss and Noa Marciano.

More specifically, the unit and the dogs were critical in uncovering Hamas's concealed abuse of the Turkish, Rantisi, and Shifa hospitals.

A senior IDF official described Oketz entering the hospitals with other special forces units, like Maglan.

IDF Oketz dogs on operations in the Gaza Strip, November 2023 (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)

In the Turkish hospital, they found two large bombs, one on the way into the hospital and one inside a vehicle in between two of the hospital buildings.

With the explosives in the car, after the dog signaled that it had explosives, the IDF used a Zik drone to destroy the car safely without harming any troops.

At Rantisi, a dog named "Denver" found a bomb that also contained extensive bullets and shrapnel inside it.

Near Shifa, the dogs helped find the bodies of Weiss and Marciano, including finding around 20 items related to dead hostages.

Some findings occurred in an initial eight-hour operation and some over five days afterward.

Another dog found a bomb in a physical therapy department of Shifa.

The Jerusalem Post met two such Oketz dogs during a visit to Shifa last week.

Four Oketz dogs killed in action in Gaza

Generally, Oketz found Hamas weapons in everything from being stashed within medical machines, to cabinets, to patients' beds.

Four dogs died in action in Gaza and an additional dog died in fighting before the invasion.

One dog named "Gandi", who died only three days ago, saved the lives of several soldiers.

The Oketz soldiers sent the dog into a multistory building. The first and second floors were found to be "clean" of threats.

But on the third floor, terrorists ambushed the dog, thinking it was soldiers.

This exposed their position and allowed the IDF to direct significant firepower to the third floor, killing the terrorists.

The dog sacrificed its life to save the soldiers who would have been ambushed, and this was only one of many such cases.

Despite the dog's sacrifice, including on October 7, Oketz lost an officer, Aryeh Tziring, in combat and another 14 other soldiers have been wounded during the war.

A senior IDf official also singled out the female soldiers in Oketz for risking their lives and distinguishing themselves in combat situations.

Oketz also operates on the northern border and in the West Bank, especially Tulkarem.

The four different capabilities of Oketz include finding: hiding terrorists, weapons, bombs, and hostages/hostage remains.

Hamas announced on Sunday that the IDF eliminated the Commander of the Northern Brigade Ahmad Al Ghandour and the Commander of the Rocket Division Ayman Siam.

"Al Ghandour (Abu Anas) is the member of the military council and the commander of the North Brigade," Al Qassam Brigades said in a statement published on their Telegram channel.

Al Ghandour was one of the senior members of the terrorist organization, has been in his position for at least 18 years, and is a key factor At the top of the organization. The senior official was responsible for many terrorist attacks carried out against Israelis.

Siam was saved from several assassination attempts, both in 2009, when his home in Jabaliya was bombed and in 2014. In his previous role, he served as the commander of the artillery unit of the terrorist organization.