Israel-Hamas War: What happened on day 72?

IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi held a situational assessment on the ground in Gaza on Sunday during a visit to troops of the 99th Division.

Addressing the soldiers, Halevi referred to the accidental shooting on Friday of three Israeli hostages taken by Hamas, saying, "This was a very difficult and painful incident, but one that could very easily have not happened.

"We have set three goals: to dismantle Hamas, to restore security to the residents of the Gaza border area, and the third mission is to recover the hostages."

Yotam Haim, Alon Shamriz, and Samer Talalka were all killed by IDF soldiers who opened fire as the hostages approached them as they exited the building where they were kept hostages.

The three were stripped to the waist, with raised hands and waving a white flag. The hostages also shouted out "help" in Hebrew but were misidentified as a threat and shot. 

Signs with 'SOS,' and 'help,' seen in the Gaza building where three Israeli hostages were killed on December 15, 2023 (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)

After the incident, IDF troops discovered the hostages had written "help" and "SOS" in Hebrew and English inside the building in case they were found.

"Three people walked out during this incident," Halevi said. "They took into account that they were taking a risk approaching IDF troops and, to reduce the risk, they really thought about [what to do.] They took off their shirts so that no one would think they had explosives, and they held a white cloth on a pole to identify themselves. They spoke in Hebrew. They called for help."

If Hezbollah wants to step up attacks on Israel, the IDF will preemptively increase its operations fivefold, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned in a visit to reservists stationed in the northern city of Metula on Sunday.

In his visit to the 91st Division, Gallant stressed that the Israeli government will do everything in its power to bring civilians back to their homes in northern border communities, saying that "we will not allow their displacement for much longer.

The defense minister said that "they will bring everyone back, whether it is through force or a [diplomatic] agreement. We do not want war but will not keep this situation going. If Hezbollah wants to take this up a level, we will take it up five levels," he added, in a direct warning to the Lebanese terror organization.

Gallant told reservists that Israel can "copy and paste" what it is doing to Hamas in Gaza onto Hezbollah in Lebanon.

"What we are doing in Gaza, we can do in Beirut," the defense minister said in Metula. "If we will be dragged into a violent conflict, a war - [Hezbollah] will pay a heavy price."

Israel should be sending Palestinian Gazans fleeing the fighting to refugee camps in Lebanon, with the entire Gaza Strip being emptied and leveled and turned into a museum like the Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland, Metula Council head David Azoulai told 103FM.

"After October 7, instead of urging people to go south, we should direct them to the beaches. The Navy can transport them to the shores of Lebanon, where there are already sufficient refugee camps. Then, a security strip should be established from the sea to the Gaza border fence, completely empty, as a reminder of what was once there. It should resemble the Auschwitz concentration camp," he said in an interview with Ben Caspit and Yinon Magal.

"Tell everyone in Gaza to go to the beaches. Navy ships should load the terrorists onto the shores of Lebanon. The entire Gaza Strip should be emptied and leveled flat, just like in Auschwitz. Let it become a museum, showcasing the capabilities of the State of Israel and dissuading anyone from living in the Gaza Strip. This is what must be done To give them a visual representation.

Following a wave a rumors surrounding the circumstances of the hostages remaining in Hamas captivity, the IDF clarified on Sunday afternoon that there is no update to the situation.

The sexual violence and atrocities committed by Hamas terrorists must be universally recognized, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said on Sunday amid a visit to Israel.

Ni silence, ni déni : des violences sexuelles atroces ont été perpétrées par les terroristes du 7 octobre. Elles doivent être universellement reconnues, fermement condamnées, et leurs auteurs sévèrement punis.
Témoignages glaçants des femmes engagées dans cette cause. pic.twitter.com/c6Sh89hddf

— Catherine Colonna (@MinColonna) December 17, 2023

This is a developing story.

Last Tuesday proved to be one of the deadliest days in years for the IDF, when 10 soldiers, including several senior officers, were killed in fierce battles around Shejaia in northern Gaza. The IDF released further details of the circumstances surrounding the soldiers' deaths on Sunday afternoon. 

Two of the fallen commanders - Maj. Moshe Avram Bar-On, a commander in Golani Brigade's 51st Battalion and Maj. Roei Meldasi, a commander in Golani's 13 Battalion - completed training with the soldiers under their command and, at the outset of the Israel-Hamas War, joined up with their battalions as IDF troops entered the Hamas-run territory. 

Bar-On's and Meldasi's soldiers had only completed their advanced training a week before entering Gaza.  

Egypt's Suez canal authority said on Sunday it was closely monitoring the impact of tensions in the Red Sea after recent attacks by Yemen's Houthis on vessels in the southern part of the basin.

Two major freight firms including MSC, the world's biggest container shipping line, said on Saturday they would avoid the Suez Canal as Houthi terrorists stepped up their assaults.

The authority is "closely following the consequences of current tensions," the body's chairman, Osama Rabie, said in a statement. Maritime traffic in the canal was currently normal, he added, without going into further detail.

Attacks against ships in the region

Iran-aligned Houthis have launched attacks against vessels in the region in protest against Israel's bombardment and invasion of Gaza that has killed almost 19,000 Palestinians, according to Hamas health officials.

The Kerem Shalom crossing between Israel and Gaza opened on Sunday for aid trucks for the first time since the outbreak of the war, officials said, a move intended to double the amount of food and medicine reaching the enclave.

The crossing had been closed after an Oct. 7 attack by Hamas and aid was being delivered solely through Gaza's Rafah crossing with Egypt, which Israel said could only accommodate the entry of 100 trucks per day.

Two sources in the Egypt Red Crescent told Reuters that trucks were starting to enter on Sunday through the Kerem Shalom crossing on their way into Gaza. One said there were 79 trucks.

Kerem Shalom, on the border of Egypt, Israel and Gaza, is one of the main transit points for goods in and out of Gaza, allowing much faster transit than the Rafah passenger crossing a few kilometers away.

Shahar Peleg, a reserve officer in the Alexandroni Brigade, was conducting shooting practice when he heard an unusual sound coming from a barrel placed in the firing range.

Curious, Peleg and his comrades rushed to investigate and discovered a small, terrified fox trapped inside the perforated barrel. The fox had sought refuge from the noise of the training but became stuck and unable to escape.

Here's how the soldiers freed the fox

Without hesitation, the soldiers mobilized and used an iron rod to free the exhausted fox. Barely able to stand, the fox emerged and was offered water and food by the soldiers.

They promptly contacted the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, where an authority inspector who happened to be with the soldiers coordinated further assistance for the fox.

The authority noted how even amidst the chaos of war, the soldiers took the time to show compassion and care for the wildlife, which is inspiring. It said that the authority will ensure the fox receives proper care and release it back into the wild as soon as possible.

The fox while receiving treatment (credit: Mai Abrahami, NATURE AND PARKS AUTHORITY)

''The vigilance of the soldiers saved the poor fox's life'' (credit: Mai Abrahami, NATURE AND PARKS AUTHORITY)

Peleg recounted the incident: "While at the firing range during our training, I heard an unusual noise and discovered the fox trapped in the barrel. When it emerged, I made a promise to help without fear of being bitten, and we both kept our word."

On the morning of October 7, 2023, Hamas naval commandos launched an attack from Gaza into Israel. Within 48 hours, the last remaining infiltrators were captured, but the Israeli Navy admitted they weren't prepared for anything like this.

Normally anticipating attacks from a single boat, the Navy was caught off guard as terrorists arrived on multiple boats.

What followed was a chaotic scene of gunfire, civilian casualties, and a desperate chase to apprehend the attackers.

As the terrorists opened fire on IDF personnel, the Navy fought back, managing to hit and sink five of the boats. However, some terrorists managed to escape and headed towards Kibbutz Zikim, leaving a trail of death and destruction in their wake. Eventually, the remaining terrorists were eliminated after a 48-hour pursuit.

Why was Israel's Navy not prepared for Hamas's October 7 massacre?

A follow-up investigation revealed several failures on the part of the Israeli Navy. They had not prepared for this type of scenario and lacked intelligence on Hamas's naval capabilities and their tunnels.

Additionally, crucial information was not properly communicated, leaving key commanders unaware of the imminent threat.

Ultimately, the Navy's inadequate preparation and intelligence gathering played a significant role in the failure to prevent the October 7 massacre.

The article also highlights that the IDF had received warnings about a possible training session by Hamas but failed to pass this information to the Navy leadership. Lack of coordination and sharing of intelligence further contributed to the surprise attack.