Israel-Hamas War: What happened on day 152?

The IDF operated in the Khan Yunis area in the Gaza Strip, where troops killed Nukhba forces and other terrorists who were involved in the Nir Yitzhak massacre on October 7, the IDF reported on Wednesday.

In Beit Hanoun, an Israel Air Force fighter jet eliminated terrorists who fled to a nearby military building. The IAF worked in coordination with the Northern Brigade of the Gaza Division to complete the operation. 

Fighter jets attacked two terrorists complicit in the massacre of Nir Yitzhak on October 7 who hid in a military structure. The IDF was successful in killing two platoon commanders and a squad commander from the Nukhba Force, Hamas's elite unit. 

Troops from the Nahal Brigade operated in the central Gaza Strip and killed approximately 20 terrorists in the last day through sniper fire, remotely manned aircraft, and IAF fighter jets. 

Coordination among ground troops, IAF, and intelligence

In one particular attack, as part of a sniper ambush initiated by IDF, troops killed 15 terrorists. In another, the brigade's fire complex, alongside the IAF and guided by military intelligence, attacked terrorist infrastructure from which terrorists launched anti-aircraft fire at IDF troops. After this operation, explosions were seen, indicating that large amounts of ammunition were stored in the area, the military noted.

Soldiers from the Givati Brigade operated in the Hamad neighborhood in Khan Yunis, where they identified several terrorists that were promptly eliminated by a combat helicopter. Later, IDF troops identified a terrorist approaching them, who was killed.

IDF troops operate in the Gaza Strip, March 6, 2024 (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)

Additionally, soldiers from the IDF Commando Brigade continued to search the buildings of the Hamad neighborhood and eliminate terrorists. On one such search, troops found weapons caches containing Kalashnikovs and cartridges. While searching the same neighborhood, soldiers from the 7th Brigade found more weapons and military equipment. 

During an ambush, soldiers from the Bislach Brigade identified five armed terrorists and killed them with short-range fire. 

Hamas terrorists complicit in Kibbutz Kfar Aza massacre arrested 

In other developments, IDF troops arrested Hamas terrorists who took part in the October 7 massacre, who were handed over for investigation by security officials, Walla! reported. One such terrorist was complicit on October 7, who had entered Kibbutz Kfar Aza and managed to escape back to the Gaza Strip. 

According to military sources, Israel holds approximately 230 Hamas terrorists suspected of taking part in the October 7 attacks. Fifty have completed the investigation and are defined as "participants in the massacre" who will undergo criminal investigation. Another 140 are currently under investigation, and the rest are at varying stages of investigation, Walla! stated. 

There are rising questions of who would be given the task of indictment and prosecution, the military or the civilian judicial system, with rising criticisms about the under-preparedness of the IDF in dealing with the task. A possible hostage deal would also raise issues in relation to a prisoner exchange. 

Reem Alsalem, the United Nation’s Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, confirmed during an interview on Tuesday that she was unaware of the frequent rocket attacks made by Hamas and Hezbollah against Israel.

Speaking with Ynet’s Bar Shem-Ur, Alsalem commented on reports that Israel is committing “war crimes, crimes against humanity, and an unfolding genocide.”

Reem Alsalem, the @UNSRVAW (UN's Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls) is more than happy to vilify Israel but is silent about the constant barrage of rocket fire targeting millions of Israelis.

Her response?

She hasn’t seen any reports of rockets being… pic.twitter.com/5Ijqh5b4Po

— Israel ישראל 🇮🇱 (@Israel) March 5, 2024

Hearing that Alsalem did not mention the way that the war, which started with Hamas’s invasion on October 7, had impacted Israelis, Shem-Ur commented “but in Israeli cities and Israeli schools are also being bombarded every single day.”

In response to the comment, Alsalem confirmed in a questioning tone “Every single day?” 

Injured People arrive to the Ziv Medical center in Tzfat, after being injured from a missile fired by the terrorist organization Hezbollah earlier today in the northern Israeli city of Tzfat, February 14, 2024. (credit: DAVID COHEN/FLASH 90)

Continuing, Alsalem said “Well I would recommend, if that is the case, I would recommend that you also send that information to the special procedures so that we can look into it.

“Don’t you see the reports?” Shem-Ur asked. “Don’t you see the missiles coming from the north by Hezbollah and from the south by Hamas?” 

“At this point, I have not seen that, no,” Alsalem confirmed.

On the same day as the interview, over 30 rockets were fired from Lebanon toward Kiryat Shmona on Tuesday evening, with 17 rockets falling in open areas and 13 intercepted by air defenses, according to the municipality. 

On Monday, one person was killed, and 7 others wounded after a Hezbollah anti-tank missile hit the area in which they were farming in Margaliot. The wounded parties had all been Thai workers. 

Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the rocket barrage, saying it was conducted in response to Israeli strikes on Hula earlier in the day.

Alsalem’s official involvement in the Israel-Hamas war

Alsalem authored a report accusing the IDF of sexually abusing Palestinian women and abducting their babies, according to a special edition from Hazinor.  

Asked where she got her information for this report, she said the “reasonably credible information” had come from sources she could not cite and Euro-Med. 

Euro-Med is reportedly run by anti-Israel conspiracist Richard Falk, who claimed that Israel was responsible for the Boston Marathon bombing.

“I’m a human rights expert, not a terrorism expert.”

Meet the @UNSRVAW whose mandate is to combat violence against women and girls, but can’t bring herself to address or condemn the rape of Israeli women and girls.

Shameful.

📸 @Bar_ShemUrpic.twitter.com/WCcalblCXr

— Tamar Schwarzbard 🇮🇱 (@TSchwarzbard) March 5, 2024

Alsalem also claimed that she had not seen sufficient evidence to accept that rapes occurred on October 7.

She insisted that it “may have happened” despite the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten, releasing two days prior 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. 

Tamar Uriel-Beeri contributed to this report.

Minister-without-portfolio MK Benny Gantz completed his visit to the US on Tuesday night and departed for the UK where he is set to meet with British Foreign Secretary David Cameron, according to Israeli media.

After meeting with Cameron, Gantz will return to Israel.

White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani met Tuesday and discussed a potential ceasefire in exchange for the release of hostages held in Gaza, the US said in a statement.

Sullivan and Al Thani agreed to stay in regular contact, according to the statement from the White House.

The US conducted its second airdrop of food over Gaza on Tuesday, as its officials continued to hammer Israel over hunger in the enclave and US President Joe Biden said he was doing everything possible to help Palestinians there.

“The United States is committed to pulling out every stop to get more aid to those in Gaza who desperately need it,” Biden said in a post on X. “We won’t stand by. We won’t let up.”

The United States is committed to pulling out every stop to get more aid to those in Gaza who desperately need it.

We won't stand by.

We won't let up.

— President Biden (@POTUS) March 5, 2024

Over 38,000 Meals Ready to Eat and water destined for an airdrop over Gaza are loaded aboard a U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia, March 1, 2024. U.S. Air Force (credit: REUTERS)

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, “It is urgent... to dramatically increase the humanitarian assistance that’s getting to people inside of Gaza.

“The situation for children, for women, for men who are caught in this crossfire of Hamas’s making inside of Gaza is unacceptable and unsustainable. Israel has to maximize every possible means and method of getting assistance to people who need it.”

He spoke just before holding back-to-back meetings with Minister Benny Gantz and Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed Al Thani.

Need for improvement of humanitarian aid

The imperative of improved humanitarian aid was raised at all of Gantz’s meetings on Monday and Tuesday, during which time he spoke with Vice President Kamala Harris, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, and Middle East special envoy Brett McGurk.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin told Gantz he was very concerned about the issue of humanitarian aid. During his conversation, Gantz assured the US that Israel was committed to ensuring that an assistance architecture was in place to address the problem

Israel government spokesman Avi Hyman told reporters in Israel that “there is no limit on aid, but there are questions of distribution. We are working on a day-to-day basis to ensure that aid gets to the civilians of Gaza who need it.”

In Washington, National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby minced no words in stating that the situation was “unacceptable. We need the Israelis to step up and do more” as he clarified that the issue was with delivery and distribution.

Kirby explained that the US planned to do more airdrops of food bundles.

“This will be a part of a sustained effort with our international partners to scale up the amount of lifesaving aid that we’re getting into Gaza,” Kirby said.

The US is also pushing for a maritime option, Kirby explained, adding that “we’re looking at both military and commercial options to move assistance by sea. There’s still a lot of work being done on this to flesh it out.

“We’re also going to continue to urge Israel to facilitate more trucks and more routes opening up more crossings so that more aid can get into people in need and increase that flow,” Kirby said.

The most efficient way to get humanitarian aid into Gaza, he said, is through the land crossings. Kirby and other US officials stressed that a pause to the war was also necessary to allow for increased aid, given that the movement of goods in a combat zone was complicated. 

The United States has no plans to send US troops into Gaza to bolster efforts to distribute aid, the Pentagon said on Tuesday, remarks that appeared to play down the idea of a US-military run port or other landing site for maritime aid distribution.

"At this time there are no plans to put US forces on the ground in Gaza," Air Force Major General Patrick Ryder, the Pentagon's chief spokesperson, told a news conference.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Over 30 rockets were fired from Lebanon toward Kiryat Shmona on Tuesday evening, with 17 rockets falling in open areas and 13 intercepted by air defenses, according to the municipality.

Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the rocket barrage, saying it was conducted in response to Israeli strikes on Hula earlier in the day.

The IDF quickly responded to the barrage, striking two launch sites located in Taybeh and Aarab El Louaizeh in southern Lebanon that were used by Hezbollah to target the Kiryat Shmona area, according to the IDF Spokesperson's Unit.

Earlier in the day, the IDF struck military structures belonging to Hezbollah in Dibbine and Ayta ash Shab.

Hezbollah says member killed in IDF strike in southern Lebanon

The IDF also targeted a building in Hula on Tuesday, killing three people including a member of Hezbollah identified as Hassan Ali Hussein, according to an announcement by Hezbollah. Lebanese state media had originally claimed that the three people killed in the strike were civilians and that Hussein was a farmer.

The IDF stated on Tuesday that it targeted sites in Hula, Kafra, Jabal al-Batam, Ayta ash Shab, Matmoura, and Majdal Zoun throughout the day.