Israel-Hamas War Day 220: What is happening in Gaza?

Rocket sirens sounded in northern Israel on Monday afternoon. The sirens followed anti-tank missiles that wounded four soldiers.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu placed the responsibility for the Israel-Hamas war's continuation on Hamas in an episode of Dan Senor's podcast "Call Me Back" on Sunday.

"This war could be over tomorrow if Hamas lays down its arms and surrenders [and] returns the hostages," Netanyahu said.

"It's up to them," he added.

Regarding reports that Netanyahu has considered exiling Hamas's leaders, the prime minister stated, "The idea of exile is there. We can always discuss it. But I think the most important thing is surrender."

The Palestinian Authority has refused to administer the Rafah crossing, according to a Palestinian official who spoke with Sky News Arabic.

The official added that the refusal came amid the United States' request for the PA to manage the crossing. 

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant addressed the Israel-Hamas war on Monday at a Remembrance Day ceremony on Mount Herzl, stating Israel had no choice but to fight the war.

The "war that will shape our lives for decades to come," he said, adding the "war will continue until we return our hostages [and] dismantle Hamas and its military capabilities."

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant instructed the head of the Defense Ministry's Directorate of Research and Development (DDR&D, or MAFAT in Hebrew), Danny Gold, in a private conversation to develop a type of weapon that no one knows about and that has no equivalent in the world.

The defense minister asked that the weapon be designed to fight effectively against terrorist organizations according to combat scenarios in ongoing fighting in the Gaza Strip in which terrorists succeed in hiding under cover of buildings and underground infrastructure over large areas.

Gallant's directive comes against the backdrop of American threats to stop arms shipments and Iran's historic attack on Israel by launching hundreds of missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles.

MAFAT informed the defense minister that the development of the laser system in the air and on land is progressing beyond expectations. It should be noted that no laser firing test has been conducted.

Laser system to be operational in coming years

It is estimated that the system will develop over the next two years to begin intercepting aircraft, rockets, and mortar shells and will serve as a complementary system to the Iron Dome.

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant is seen speaking on October 26, 2023. (credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/FLASH90)

The development of the Arrow 4 system is also advancing according to expectations in collaboration with defense industries, and it is already generating significant interest in the United States and other countries. 

This is amid the Arrow system's recent success against threats fired from Iran, Iraq, and Yemen. 

Gallant also approved a special budget for MAFAT to accelerate the development of highly advanced chips that will improve the computing capabilities of various Israeli ordnance and enhance battlefield performance.

Security officials emphasize that the IDF must grow and be capable of shouldering the cost of combat in the Gaza Strip, the northern border, and other arenas. 

Accordingly, the officials claim that the defense budget must grow quickly and that delays in this, including in budgets already decided upon by the government, have already become a political dispute between the defense ministry and the Treasury and have harmed national security.

Two unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from Lebanon exploded near Beit Hillel in Israel's north on Monday, the military said.

Following the explosion, a fire erupted in the area. It was subsequently extinguished.

No injuries or damage were reported, the IDF noted. 

Rocket sirens sounded in the Gaza border community of Mefalsim on Monday morning.

Rocket sirens subsequently sounded in the Gaza border community of Netiv Ha’asara.

Talal Abu Zarifa, a senior Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine official, was killed in a strike in the Gaza Strip, according to Israeli media reports on Monday, citing Palestinian media.

Hostile aircraft intrusion sirens sound in northern Israel on Sunday night.

More such sirens sounded again in northern Israel on Monday morning. These later sirens were subsequently determined to be a false alarm.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Monday morning, where he affirmed the "ironclad US commitment to Israel’s security and the shared objective of the defeat of Hamas."

The pair discussed the situation in Gaza and ongoing efforts to secure the release of hostages.