News Digest — 12/5/24
Yamam, ISA Arrests Terrorist In Nablus Hospital, Eliminated Other Terrorists In West Bank
Yamam (national counter-terrorism unit) and Israel Security Agency (ISA) forces apprehended the terrorist Ayman Ghanam on Wednesday night (4th) from a hospital in Nablus, the IDF announced shortly after the arrest. The military also announced that the terrorist Abd al-Ra’uf Masri was killed during an exchange of fire in early October,
Ghanam was a member of a terror cell responsible for a shooting attack in August which saw the murder of Yonatan Deutsch and the wounding of 32-year-old Anas Jaramana, the military reported.
Ghanam was wounded by an ISA-directed strike in Aqabah in the Jordan Valley on Tuesday (3rd), which led to his evacuation to the hospital in Nablus, the IDF said. After the unsuccessful elimination attempt, security forces went on to capture Ghanam alive.
The IDF assured that the operation was conducted after careful planning and efforts were made to mitigate the risk of harm to both patients and medical staff at the site.
After carrying out the attack in August, the military reported that Ghanam had become the head of a terror cell planning future attacks against Israeli civilians.
Masri, the terrorist killed in an exchange of fire in early October, had also taken part in the shooting attack which killed Deutsch, the IDF reported. M-16 rifles, cartridges, and military equipment were located on Masri’s body, the military confirmed.
The IDF previously announced the elimination of West Bank terrorist Wael Lahluh, who the ISA and the IDF eliminated in an aerial strike earlier this week. Lahluh had been head of the terror cell responsible for the murder of Deutsch at the time of his death along with several attacks in the area of Gilboa.
Israeli Security Forces Recover Body Of Itay Shvirsky From Gaza
It was announced on Wednesday evening (4th) that Israeli security forces have recovered the body of Itay Shivirsky, 38, after 425 days in Gaza. He was kidnapped from Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7, the same day his parents were killed in the Hamas attack. The recovery comes after confirmation of his death in January alongside fellow hostage Yossi Sharabi after 99 days in Hamas captivity.
Shvirsky, from Tel Aviv, had visited Kibbutz Be’eri, where he grew up, on October 7 to see his parents in the kibbutz who were both killed. Shvirsky was with his mother Orit, 70, when terrorists entered her room. Both were hiding under a blanket when the terrorists opened fire, killing his mother and reportedly wounding Shvirsky. At the same time, in another house in the kibbutz his father, Rafi Shvirsky, was killed. His grandmother, Aviva Sela, 97, one of Be’eri’s founders, survived miraculously, but her caregiver Grace, who protected her, was killed.
His body was recovered in a sensitive operation, with details of the location and recovery method withheld to preserve operational security for future missions. In January, Hamas released a video showing Shivirsky and Sharabi – both later killed in captivity – along with Noa Argamani, who was rescued from Gaza in June during “Operation Arnon.”
Noa Argamani paid tribute to Shvirsky, who was with her during their difficult captivity, in an Instagram story posted in July. “You were by my side throughout the journey, and I by yours. You were my friend, my conversation partner, and the big brother I never had. You taught me about the complexity of the soul and how each of us deals with things differently. I thank you for the days when I was terrified, and you always said, ‘I’m here with you. It’s hard, but I’m here with you,’” she wrote.
She continued: “It’s been 191 days that you’re not here with me, and it still hasn’t sunk in that innocent people are being murdered. All I have left to say is thank you. Thank you for being by my side all this time, thank you for listening to my fears, thank you for simply being there. I promise you’ll always be a part of me, that I’ll never forget you, and that I will do my very best to give you a proper burial. I wish you knew how much we all love you. May your memory be blessed.”
Following the recovery of Shvirsky’s body, 100 hostages remain in Hamas captivity in Gaza, now for 425 days.
Danon: It’s Too Late For UNRWA, We Won’t Cooperate With It
Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon held a press briefing on Wednesday (4th).
“First I must address the recovery of the body of Itay Svirsky a few hours ago, who was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists on October 7th and died in captivity,” Danon began. While we again attend the UN circus surrounding the so-called ‘question of Palestine,’ Israel remains focused on returning the hostages back to their loved ones and delivering justice to the monsters who torment them.”
“Every year, we meet here and we hear the same debates villainizing Israel and not talking about the main issues because the Assembly refuses to confront the truth,” he said. “77 years ago, the UN proposed a Partition Plan. We said yes, the Arab world said no. They rejected coexistence and instead declared war on the newborn Jewish State.”
He continued, “Since then, the UN and many of its member states have helped sustain their rejectionism for decades. The General Assembly and its member states have encouraged rejectionism and they fueled incitement and provided platforms for hatred and violence.”
“Today, in the General Assembly, I will be providing examples of how the PA and UNRWA educated hatred and glorified terrorists. I saw a tweet from UNRWA a few minutes ago that they are actually worried about their reputation. But it’s too late. They should have been taking action against Hamas a while ago. They shouldn’t have allowed UNRWA to be infiltrated by Hamas. Today, when they care about their reputation, I tell them it’s too little, it’s too late. We will not cooperate with UNRWA,” Danon declared.
“Israel will always be committed to peace, but the UN must not be mistaken. We will never waiver in our determination to defend our people, protect our future, and bring all of our hostages back home,” the Ambassador concluded.
NYT: Digging In, IDF Builds Dozens Of Bases In And Around Expanded Netzarin Corridor
The IDF has significantly bolstered its presence in the central Gaza Strip in recent months, and the territory controlled by Israel in and around the so-called Netzarim Corridor has rapidly expanded, according to a report Monday (2nd), in an apparent indication the IDF is preparing to remain inside the Palestinian enclave for at least the foreseeable future.
By analyzing satellite images and video footage, the New York Times reported that Israeli forces have also constructed several dozen new bases in and around the corridor over the last three months.
The Netzarim Corridor, which started as a four-mile strip of land, is built around a road south of Gaza City, enabling the IDF to carry out raids in northern and central Gaza while controlling access to the north for Palestinians seeking to return after fleeing south. It also enables Israel to coordinate deliveries of humanitarian aid directly to northern Gaza.
The IDF has attempted to create what appears to be a buffer zone around the outskirts of the military-controlled block of land, the report said, and in doing so, has demolished around 600 buildings residential and otherwise, over the last three months.
Troops have also “rapidly expanded a network of outposts equipped with communications towers and defensive fortifications,” the report said.
The IDF’s expansion work “suggests that it may be preparing to exert long-term control over the area,”the Times said.
An IDF spokesman told the newspaper that the buildings were demolished in order to prevent Hamas operatives from using them as lookout points, or as a place to hide ahead of launching attacks on Israeli forces.
Inside the expanded Netzarim Corridor area, additional satellite images analyzed by the Times found that the IDF has been building at a rapid pace, having either constructed or expanded the existing infrastructure of 12 military bases since early September.
In total, the report said, the IDF has constructed at least 19 large military bases and dozens of smaller ones in the area surrounding the Netzarin Corridor since the start of the war against Hamas last October 2023.
The satellite images revealed extensive fortifications surrounding the bases, many of which the news outlet said were walled off, with access roads and parking spaces for armored vehicles. Some also have communications towers, it added, and the largest of the bases is attached to a checkpoint.
Despite the rapid expansion of Israeli infrastructure, an IDF spokesman seemed to reject the notion that the military was preparing for a permanent presence in the enclave, telling the Times that “anything that has been built in the Netzarim Corridor can be taken down within a day.”
Some Israeli government lawmakers have become increasingly vocal in recent weeks, however, about their desire to reestablish Jewish settlements inside the Gaza Strip for the first time in almost two decades.
Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip in 2005 under the Disengagement Plan, uprooting some 9,000 people and demolishing 21 settlements.
To that end, the report noted that the site of the former Israeli settlement of Netzarim, for which the Corridor is named, now lies entirely within the boundaries of the Israeli-controlled territory.
On Sunday (1st) National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who leads the Otzma Yehudit party, told Army Radio that Prime Minister Benjamin Neanyahu was showing “some openness” to the idea of “encouraging migration” of Palestinians from Gaza.
Netanyahu has repeatedly said such actions are not the goal of the war, nor are they on the agenda.
The war between Israel and Hamas erupted on October 7, 2023, when the Gaza terror group killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and seized 251 hostages during an invasion of dozens of southern Israeli communities.
Israel has said it seeks to minimize civilian fatalities and stresses that Hamas uses Gaza’s civilians as human shields, fighting from civilian areas, including homes, hospitals, schools, and mosques.
Israel Begins Reopening Northern National Parks After Year-Long Closure
National parks and reserves in northern Israel began reopening to the public on Wednesday (4th) for the first time in a year since Hezbollah rocket barrages forced their closure.
“The opening of the nature sites and parks in the north is an exciting and hopeful moment for all of us. After a very difficult year of constant fighting and many challenges, the opportunity to once again travel through the spectacular landscapes of the north is a ray of light of a renewed connection to our nature, and heritage,” said Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman.
The first wave of reopened sites includes Baram National Park, Hula Nature Reserve, Achziv National Park, Yechiam National Park, Tel Hazor National Park, Nahal Amud Nature Reserve, and Nimrod Fortress National Park.
Other sites, such as the Ein Afek and Tel Dan nature reserves, will remain closed for restoration and safety assessments.
The reopening is being carried out under Home Front Command guidelines. Teams are still inspecting trails for potential hazards, such as missile debris and visitors are warned not to touch any suspicious objects they may encounter and to report such findings immediately to the authorities.
“Going out to nature reserves and national parks allows us to disconnect from routine and connect with the beauty of Israeli nature,” said Raya Shurki, Director General of the Nature and Parks Authority.
Among the sites reopening are the Hula Nature Reserve, known for its wetlands and is popular for bird watchers. Tel Hazor National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is home to the ruins of the biblical city of Hazor.
Nimrod Fortress National Park, on the slopes of Mount Hermon, features the impressive ruins of a medieval fortress, and Baram National Park, located in the Upper Galilee, features well-preserved ancient ruins of a Roman-era village.
But the reopening of the parks is bittersweet for the Authority. One of its workers, Ohad Yahalomi, was kidnapped from his Kibbutz Nir Oz home on October 7. A dual US-Israeli national, Yahalomi turned 50 while in captivity.
In the 14 months since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, Hezbollah fired more than 16,500 rockets, killing 77 people and injuring approximately 757. Wildfires sparked by the barrages burned around 230 million square meters of land, and more than 68,000 residents of northern Israel were displaced from their homes.
