The Israel Protection Forces mentioned on Monday (11 December) that over 500 members of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad have been apprehended in Gaza since operations started within the wake of the Hamas assault on Israel on 7 October. About 140 of those prisoners have been captured since December 1, when Hamas broke a ceasefire and IDF operations in Gaza resumed. The IDF mentioned that “some volunteered and had been transferred by discipline interrogators from Unit 504 of the Intelligence Directorate and the ISA for additional questioning.”
The discharge of the variety of these arrested in Gaza is a component of a bigger image of the consolidation of management by the IDF in areas it has taken in Gaza. This consists of territory round Gaza Metropolis, which is cordoned off, and a few of the routes into Khan Yunis, the place the IDF started a brand new section of operations after December 1.
The main points of the variety of suspected detainees got here after Israeli Nationwide Safety Adviser Tzahi Hanegbi mentioned over the weekend that Israel estimates it has eradicated 7,000 terrorists in Gaza: “It might be extra, as a result of we do not know all the things beneath locations that collapsed and tunnels and so forth. However that’s the conservative estimate.” This seems to characterize a major variety of Hamas members both eradicated or detained, notably within the north.Israeli Protection Minister Yoav Gallant additionally said on Monday night that Hamas battalions in northern Gaza’s Shujaiya and Jabalya neighborhoods are on the snapping point.
In proof of the collapse in Shujaiya, a key neighborhood that Israel has been preventing to seize for the previous week, the IDF mentioned the brand new commander of Hamas’ Shujaia Battalion had been eradicated. He had been promoted after the final commander was not too long ago killed. “Since 2019, Krikae had been the second-in-command of Hamas’ Shejaiya Battalion. He was beforehand answerable for anti-tank missile coaching within the Gaza Metropolis Brigade. Kirikae was additionally a part of anti-tank missile fireplace and terrorist assaults carried out inside Israeli territory. After the elimination of the commander of Hamas’ Shejaiya battalion throughout the conflict, Krikae briefly assumed the place of battalion commander earlier than he was additionally killed by the IDF,” the IDF mentioned. The IDF has targeted on eliminating many of those battalion and center leaders within the conflict.
Israel Protection Forces spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari highlighted that Israeli models had taken management of “Palestine Sq.” in “the guts of Gaza Metropolis.” He mentioned this space “is the place [Hamas leader] Yahya Sinwar’s workplace is positioned, in addition to authorities workplaces, properties belonging to senior Hamas officers and a community of terror tunnels.” He praised a number of models for taking management of the world, together with Israel’s elite Shayetet 13 and Shaldag unit, in addition to parts of the 401st Armored Brigade. That is certainly one of a wider collection of feedback from Israeli officers who declare that the operation in Gaza goes properly.
On December 11, the IDF additionally launched footage of what it mentioned was “Hamas beating civilians and stealing humanitarian help from Gaza residents.” This footage was from Shujaiya, the identical space the place preventing has taken place for the previous week. “On footage taken by the IDF Border Protection Corps in Shejaiya, Hamas members are seen taking humanitarian help from civilians, loading it onto a Hamas automobile, beating civilians after which driving to a Hamas-run location.”
The IDF additionally launched its first logistical airdrop — seven tons of water — over Gaza, in accordance with a Dec. 11 assertion. “The particular provide operation was carried out utilizing the ‘Shimshon’ plane of the 103 Squadron in a joint operation with the Know-how and Logistics Division and the Air Provide Unit of the Marom Brigade,” the IDF mentioned. The parachutes operated on a “guided provide” system and enabled precision navigation, so that they arrived on the proper place for the troops.
Israel’s Protection Ministry additionally mentioned Monday that the ministry has appointed a brand new head of a directorate for strengthening safety in northern communities in Israel. About 40 communities within the north had been evacuated in October because of Hezbollah assaults. The assaults haven’t solely continued, however elevated. In response to latest statements, Israeli officers, together with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Protection Minister Yoav Gallant, and IDF Chief of Workers Herzi HaLevi are specializing in safety within the north. The appointment of the brand new director, David Suissa, who’s retired Brig. Common, illustrates the brand new searchlight to the north. “In recent times, Suissa has acted as a coach for native authorities to cope with emergencies on behalf of the House Entrance Command,” the Ministry of Protection mentioned. The aim is to strengthen these small communities, lots of which sit instantly on the border and are simply seen from Hezbollah’s positions. “That is to create circumstances for residents to securely return to the settlements when the safety scenario permits,” the ministry mentioned. This new directorate, referred to as “Ofek North”, begins work this week.
Israel faces continued challenges within the north from Hezbollah. IDF Chief of Workers Halevi met with commanders of the 91stSt division within the north Sunday. “We should return to a unique scenario, and return to each security and safety. There’s a navy approach to do that, the start of which can be what you might be doing right here, to injure, to discourage, to kill Hezbollah operatives, to display our superiority, and it may well additionally come within the type of a strike and conflict, and it may be that over time it is going to additionally take different time durations and options, as a result of now we have a give attention to different issues between the arenas,” he mentioned. He famous that Israel doesn’t imagine conflict is the primary answer, however pointed to Gaza for example of what battle can carry to Lebanon. This has been a standard chorus amongst Israel’s management to warn Lebanon that escalation may result in an analogous type battle in Lebanon.
The IDF mentioned on Monday that warplanes struck a Hezbollah navy website in response to rocket launches focusing on communities within the Galilee. Within the night, Hezbollah fired anti-tank missiles on the space of Metulla in northern Israel. The IDF mentioned that “no casualties had been reported. IDF artillery is hitting the sources of fireside.”
The distinction between north and south is obvious on the bottom. I drove to the border with northern Israel on December 9 on roads which were threatened by rocket fireplace. The hills have been blackened by fires from earlier rocket and mortar strikes, and the world near the border felt abandoned by civilians. Within the southern a part of the Gaza border, alternatively, the roads have now began to fill with extra site visitors in latest weeks, because the IDF operation makes it doable to make use of a number of main roads close to the border for civilian site visitors.
The variety of casualties and accidents to IDF troopers additionally continued to rise over the weekend, with the IDF saying 433 troopers have been killed for the reason that October 7 Hamas assault. Because of this almost forty troopers have been killed prior to now two weeks, most of them since December 1. Israel has misplaced greater than 100 troopers for the reason that floor operation started on October 27.
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