Israel Update 9.1.25

HOSTAGES

 

The IDF announced Wednesday it had recovered the body of Youssef Ziyadne, an Israeli Bedouin hostage abducted on Oct. 7, from an underground tunnel in Rafah. Evidence was found indicating that Youssef’s son, Hamza Ziyadne, was also dead. Youssef and Hamza, from Rahat, were abducted from Kibbutz Holit, where they were working on Oct. 7, along with Youssef’s children, Aisha and Bilal. The siblings were released after 55 days as part of a hostage exchange.Report here

 

 

The Hamas terror group released a propaganda video on Saturday showing signs of life from 19-year-old hostage Liri Albag.

“The video released today tore our hearts apart,” her family said in a short statement. “This is not the same daughter and sister that we know. She is in bad condition, and her difficult mental state is evident.”Report here

 

 

As the Biden administration winds down, Secretary of State Antony Blinken was asked during an interview:

(Question)“ It was reported that Benjamin Netanyahu blocked a ceasefire deal in July that would have led to the hostages being released. Is that true?”
Blinken: “No, that’s not accurate. What we’ve seen time and again is Hamas not concluding a deal that it should have concluded….One of the things that I found a little astounding throughout is that…you hear virtually nothing from anyone since Oct. 7 about Hamas.”
“Why there hasn’t been a unanimous chorus around the world for Hamas to put down its weapons, to give up the hostages, to surrender – I don’t know….I do have to question how it is that we haven’t seen a greater sustained condemnation and pressure on Hamas to stop what it started and to end the suffering of people that it initiated.” Interview here (paywall)

 

 

TERROR ATTACK

 

Three Israelis, Rachel Cohen, 73, Aliza Reiss, 69, and police officer Master Sgt. Elad Yaakov Winkelstein, 36. were killed, and 11 others injured in a terror attack Monday morning near the Palestinian village of Al-Funduq in the West Bank. The attackers, travelling in a car, opened fire on passing vehicles and buses along Highway 55 before fleeing toward Nablus. Report here

 

 

GAZA WAR 

 

Three Israeli soldiers, Staff Sgt. Matityahu Ya’akov Perel, 22; Staff Sgt. Kenew Kasa, 22; and Staff Sgt. Nevo Fisher, 20,  were killed Wednesday when a tank hit a booby-trapped pit in northern Gaza. Another soldier sustained serious injuries. Since the war began, 830 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 5,589 soldiers have been injured, 822 seriously. Report here

 

Two Israeli soldiers, Maj. Dvir Zion Revah, 28 and Cpt. Eitan Israel Shiknazi, 24, were killed and four others were seriously wounded in fighting in the northern Gaza Strip on Monday.Report here

 

 

Rocket sirens sounded several times last Friday in Israeli communities along the Gaza border, in the eighth straight day of incoming fire from the enclave, with at least 16 rockets fired, as the IDF said it launched airstrikes against some 40 staging grounds of terror operatives and Hamas command centres across the territory over the previous day.

A siren in Be’eri midday Friday was triggered by a surface-to-air missile launched at an IAF helicopter flying over Gaza.  The shoulder-launched missile, did not come close to hitting the helicopter, and was successfully shot down byIron Dome.

A  few hours later, two rockets were launched from the northern Gaza Strip at Sderot. One of the rockets impacted near Kibbutz Nir Am. Report here

 

 

Gazans fired three rockets into southern Israel Monday morning, lightly damaging the Sderot home of a local Chabad rabbi and marking the latest attack amid a return to near-daily launches terrorizing southern residents. Report here

 

 

Israeli security officials say Hamas has recruited 4,000 new fighters over the past month. Currently, Hamas is estimated to have about 20,000 armed fighters in Gaza, along with 4,000 Islamic Jihad fighters.
Hamas’s military recovery has allowed it to prolong the war and adopt tougher stances in hostage negotiations. The funds for this recruitment are reportedly from the sale of humanitarian aid packages, which Hamas forcibly seizes and resells. Report here

 

According to Israeli security sources, Hamas has managed to rebuild some of its military infrastructure, including the production of rockets and is producing hundreds of new rockets in tunnels that remain operational. By firing rockets, Hamas seeks to demonstrate its resilience and operational capability, underscoring that it remains a significant force even after enduring heavy losses. Report here

 

Hamas continues to pay its operatives regular salaries 15 months into the war, despite Israeli efforts to dismantle its governing infrastructure. Hamas operatives commandeer supply trucks carrying internationally-funded cargo, then resell essential supplies at premium prices to the local population. “The resale of international aid has become their dominant revenue stream,” a senior security official said. “Hamas maintains its recruitment capabilities through aid-generated revenue.”Report here

 

 

Kamal Adwan hospital 

 

Senior Hamas operatives were running the Kamal Adwan Hospital in Jabalya in Gaza, IDF investigators learned during interrogations of terrorists arrested there. “We understood that the person at the very heart of the event, orchestrating the terror and Hamas activity in the compound, was the hospital director himself.”    Lt. D, an IDF field investigator, explained that his “unit has a technological and intelligence system that can clearly distinguish between civilians and terrorists.” Master Sgt. (res.) G said, “Every Hamas terrorist we interrogated confirmed that the Kamal Adwan Hospital is their military base: it’s where they regroup, store their weapons, and manage the intelligence they gather. Some of the hospital rooms have been converted into Hamas operational rooms.”
The hospital did not even really function as a hospital. “It was made to look like a hospital, and patients were brought there just for appearances. In reality, there are entire sections meant solely for the entry of Hamas terrorists.” Report here

 

 

The IDF has released footage from the interrogation of a Hamas operative arrested at the Kamal Adwan Hospital, saying it backed up Israel’s allegations that Hamas and other armed groups deliberately embed themselves in hospitals in violation of international law. Anas Muhammad Faiz al-Sharif, 21, explained that he had been a member of Hamas’s military wing since 2021 and worked as a janitor at the hospital. He said that operatives from Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other groups operated out of the hospital, using it for weapons transfers and distribution, patrols, and as an observation post because they considered it a safe haven that could not be directly targeted by the IDF.Report here

Video here

 

 

HOUTHI ATTACKS

 

As at Jan 5^th, the Houthis had fired 16 missiles at Israel in the previous 3 weeks.

 

 

A ballistic missile fired toward Israel from Yemen was intercepted early Sunday morning with air raid sirens largely remaining silent The Houthi attack just after midnight was the latest in a series of middle-of-the-night attacks that have sent millions scrambling for shelter, upending daily life in Israel and occasionally causing widespread destruction. Sirens only sounded in an agricultural community near Hadera. In previous attacks, sirens have sounded across wide swathes of the country, seemingly due to fears of falling shrapnel, which can cover a large area due to the speed of the long-range missiles and the height at which they are intercepted.   Loud blasts were reported in several areas around central Israel following the interception, and videos showed flaming pieces of shrapnel streaking toward Earth.

 

Last Friday, the IDF successfully shot down a Houthi ballistic missile fired in the hours before dawn, though a fragment impacted near Modiin, causing an explosion. Medics treated at least nine people who suffered from acute anxiety and 12 who were hurt while seeking shelter. Later on Friday morning, a Houthi drone from Yemen was successfully intercepted by the Israeli Air Force.

The Houthis have launched more than 200 missiles and 170 drones at Israel in the past 12 months, including 13 missiles and 10 drones since the start of December.

They have also been firing at ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Report here

 

Danny Danon, Israel’s UN ambassador to the UN said: “There is no reason for the attacks from Yemen against Israel. We have no border with Yemen. We have no disputes with Yemen, and still they are sending ballistic missiles. Even my own school in my own hometown was destroyed completely from a ballistic missile coming from Yemen….It’s not only our responsibility to fight this radical organization. We expect other countries to take part in this fight….The UAVs, the technology…it’s all made in Iran. It’s all funded by Iran.”Report here

 

Footnote:

 

The U.S.-led coalition carried out three strikes on Houthi targets on Sunday, according to local and Saudi Arabian sources.

Report here

 

U.S. Central Command forces conducted multiple precision strikes against two Houthi underground Advanced Conventional Weapon (ACW) storage facilities in Yemen on Wednesday. The Houthis used these facilities to conduct attacks against U.S. Navy warships and merchant vessels in the southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Press Release here

 

 

LEBANON

 

 

Israel will be “forced to act” if Hizbullah does not pull back from southern Lebanon as stipulated in the ceasefire agreement, Israel’s  Defence Minister Katz warned on Sunday.   “The first condition for the implementation of the agreement is the complete withdrawal of the Hizbullah terror organization beyond the Litani River, the dismantling of all weapons, and the [removal] of the terror infrastructure in the area by the Lebanese army, something that hasn’t happened yet. If this condition is not met, there will be no agreement, and Israel will be forced to act independently. Report here

 

Israeli officials affirmed Wednesday that the IDF would not withdraw from its positions in southern Lebanon unless the Lebanese Army fulfills its obligations under the ceasefire agreement. The accord requires Hizbullah’s removal from south of the Litani River, a condition that remains unmet. The deal also prohibits the rebuilding of buildings previously used for terrorist activities.
An Israeli official told the Security Cabinet that Christian-led units of the Lebanese Army take action, whereas those led by Shia commanders often cooperate with Hizbullah. The U.S. reliance on the Lebanese Army has proven less effective than anticipated. Report here

 

 

For two months, a joint operations centre between the IDF and U.S. CENTCOM has overseen the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon.
If a Hizbullah violation is detected, the IDF gives Lebanon’s army 24 hours to address it. Left unresolved, the IDF intervenes, either via airstrikes or ground forces.
Immediate threats, however, prompt swift action without coordination.
Lebanese Army forces have yet to deploy sufficiently south of the Litani River, as required by the ceasefire.
IDF engineers continue uncovering hidden Hizbullah infrastructure, including weapons caches and tunnels.
The IDF has informed CENTCOM that it will not withdraw from southern Lebanon unless the Lebanese Army fulfills its obligations and Hizbullah’s military  infrastructure is dismantled. Report here

 

 

The IDF located and dismantled five Hizbullah weapons storage facilities in southern Lebanon, the military confirmed on Wednesday. The storage facilities, located in thicketed, mountainous terrain, contained over 200 mortar shells, landmines, and loaded rocket launchers Report here

 

 

On Dec. 26, 2024, Hizbullah supporters on social media circulated messages by two previously unknown groups announcing their intention to wage armed resistance against the Israeli forces in southern Lebanon. It is possible that the groups are branches of Hizbullah that were created to continue militant activity in South Lebanon under the guise of “popular resistance.” The use of fictitious groups and the waging of military action disguised as “popular resistance by locals” are well-known tactics used by Hizbullah and by the Iran-backed resistance axis.
Over recent years, Hizbullah operatives disguised as local residents have initiated several confrontations with UNIFIL forces.Report here

 

 

DRUZE COMMUNITY

 

 

Against the backdrop of the wars in Gaza and Lebanon, the fall of the Assad regime, and the tragic death of 12 Druze children in Majdal Shams in a Hezbollah rocket attack, the number of Druze residents applying for Israeli citizenship in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights might be a reflection of local sentiment,  and perhaps also of attitudes on the nearby Syrian side of the volatile border. The number of citizenship applications in the Israeli Golan Heights remains at an historic high. Over 20% of Golan Druze hold Israeli citizenship, more than double than at the turn of the millennium.Report here

 

 

ISRAEL DEFENCE FORCES (IDF)

 

The first 50 ultra-Orthodox soldiers were drafted for regular service in the IDF’s new Haredi brigade, known as the Hasmonean Brigade, another 100 older Haredi men were being drafted into the brigade’s first reserve company. Report here

 

 

THE US & THE ICC

 

The newly installed House of Representatives is set to vote Thursday to sanction the International Criminal Court (ICC) and its chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, over efforts to arrest Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said Tuesday, “The House will not tolerate rogue actors who circumvent international law to attack Israel and threaten America.”  Israel and the U.S. do not recognize the ICC’s jurisdiction.Report here

 

 

AI  TECHNOLOGY

 

Veteran Israeli journalist Moshe Nussbaum, who has been absent from Channel 12 News over the past year due to speech impairment caused by his ALS diagnosis, will return to the airwaves using AI technology and a computer-generated avatar.Articles hereand here

 

 

CYBER SECURITY

 

In 2024, Israel’s cybersecurity sector achieved significant growth, with over $4 billion invested across 89 funding rounds, in a year marked by regional conflict.This resilience reflects the strength of Israel’s tech ecosystem, which included 50 new startups in 2024, and underscores its critical role in addressing the world’s most pressing cybersecurity challenges.Report here

 

 

PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY (PA)

 

Today, Jan. 9, 2025, Mahmoud Abbas starts the 21st year of his four-year term as leader of the PA. According to PA law, the leader of the PA is elected for a four-year term, which can be extended, subject to re-election, for one additional four-year term.Article here

 

 

 

ENERGY

 

 

A Tel Aviv apartment building has become the first in the country to sign a contract for a solar energy storage battery that will enable it to go off grid and maintain electricity in common areas during power outages. It joins some 15 apartment buildings across the country involved in a scheme whereby solar panels produce renewable energy sold to the national grid. Article here

 

EL AL

 

Since Dec. 29, IDF reservists who have served a total of 100 days or more since Oct. 7, 2023, will be eligible to receive 100 El Al frequent flyer points for each day of their reserve duty.Report here

 

 

COMMENT & OPINION

 

Lebanon

 

Hussain Abdul-Hussain: Lebanon is not serious about enforcing the UN Security Council Resolution 1701 mechanism agreement that it signed with Israel on Nov. 27 that ended 14 months of war.
Hizbullah has instructed caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati to pretend that Lebanon has lived up to its part of the deal, and that it is now incumbent on Israel to stop its “violations” and accelerate its withdrawal from Lebanese territory.
What Mikati called violations were in fact Israel enforcing 1701 by striking Hizbullah’s rearmament shipments, an arrangement that Lebanon had signed on to.
The deal stipulated that the Israeli military would control up to five miles of Lebanese territory as long as Hizbullah maintains its ability to reconstitute.
Israel promised to withdraw when the Lebanese Armed Forces has disarmed Hizbullah and neutralized its threat. Article here

 

 

Dr. Yehuda Balanga: The IDF reported on Dec. 31 that during the first month of the ceasefire in southern Lebanon, it eliminated 44 Hizbullah members, conducted 25 strikes in Lebanon, and identified 120 violations of the agreement by Hizbullah. Hizbullah is provocative, attempting to rehabilitate and strengthen itself in order to prepare the ground for continued “resistance.”
Hizbullah hasn’t lost its ability to fight. It still has tens of thousands of fighters in its regular and reserve forces, waiting for orders. Unlike in 2006, Israel is now determined to enforce the upgraded UN Resolution 1701 and not rely on any other entity to do the work for it. Article here

 

 

Gaza War

 

Jonathan S. Tobin: For 15 months, Israelis and Jews around the world have watched in horror as much of the international media flipped the narrative of the terrorist invasion of Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Even before the IDF launched its counterattack into Gaza to eradicate the forces that had brazenly assaulted the one Jewish state on the planet, much of the press coverage was portraying the side that started a war with barbaric atrocities as the real victims while Israelis were depicted as the aggressors.
Israelis are expected to give a pass to the Palestinians for the genocidal ideology that drove them to murder, torture, rape and kidnap Jews as part of their desire to end Israel’s existence… The overwhelming majority of Israelis have come to the rational conclusion that any sane people would embrace – that Hamas must not merely be defeated but prevented from ever having the opportunity to repeat their crimes, as they have promised they will if given the chance.
Hamas could have ended this war at any point by releasing the hostages and accepting Israeli offers in which the terrorists would be allowed safe passage out of Gaza. They hold on because they believe their propaganda will convince the West to turn on Israel and someday hand it to them on a silver platter. Those who participate in pro-Hamas demonstrations are helping to prolong the war. Article here

 

 

Houthi threat

 

 

Maj. (res.) Danny Citrinowicz: The Houthis have adopted a strategy aimed at exhausting the Israeli population, thereby increasing pressure on the Israeli government to halt its military campaign in Gaza. The Israeli Air Force has conducted four strikes over the past year against infrastructure sites in Yemen, but the Houthis have continued their attacks and have effectively rendered the Eilat port completely inoperative.    The Houthis view their actions against Israel as a means of “joining the big league” and being recognized as a force to be reckoned with. Their continued attacks on Israel and the U.S enhance their standing among the local population.
The ability to stop or significantly reduce Houthi activity against Israel will require a shift in approach. Efforts against the Yemeni terrorist organization must be sustained and continuous. Coalition activities should be more intensive and target a wide range of Houthi assets. The group should always feel under threat and on the defensive.
Looking ahead, even if the Houthis temporarily halt their attacks, the Houthi regime in Yemen must ultimately be overthrown. Yemen has forces – primarily in the southern part of the country, supported by Saudi Arabia and the UAE – that could take control, should the Houthi regime collapse. Article here

 

 

 

Erga Atad: The firing of a single missile by the Houthis in the late hours of the night is designed to create cumulative psychological burnout, with each incident intensifying the sense of anxiety and vulnerability. Even though statistically, the missile’s interception chances are high and its likelihood of causing physical harm is relatively low, night-time firing disrupts the sleep cycles of tens of thousands of Israelis. In the last three weeks, the Houthis have launched 15 missiles at Israel. Article here

 

 

How ‘Pro-Palestinian Protestors Actually Harm Palestinians

Khaled Abu Toameh: The organizers and leaders of the anti-Israel protests in the U.S. and Canada, including on university campuses, continue to ignore the real suffering of the Palestinians living under the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the West Bank and the Iran-backed Islamist group Hamas in Gaza. We never hear the voices of these protesters when the PA and Hamas commit human rights violations against their own citizens, including ruthless crackdowns on journalists, political opponents, human rights activists, lawyers and university students.
Is there a free media in “Palestine?” No. Is there a functioning parliament? No. Are there general elections? No. But as long as Israel cannot be blamed for the human rights violations, the “pro-Palestinian” protesters apparently do not care. Foreign journalists as well are only interested in stories if they have an anti-Israeli angle.
Did we ever hear a word from these self-righteous protesters when Hamas police officers and militiamen were beating, arresting and shooting residents of Gaza who took to the streets to protest economic hardship? Never. We have rarely heard “pro-Palestinian” groups in the West speak out against the financial and administrative corruption in the PA’s governing institutions.
Deep down, one suspects, these professors and students do not really care about Palestinians at all, only about hating Jews. Article here