Israel’s 40th Day of War

On the 40th day of war with Hamas there are now 46 IDF troops who have died in the fighting.  Reports this morning indicate that the IDF is in control of the entire northern half of Gaza and is, in fact, inside Al Shifa Hospital as well, where it has located the underground bunkers of Hamas and entrances to numerous tunnels.  There is also suspicion that it is an area where hostages are either currently being held or was used to hold them until recently.

On the northern border, Israel Defense Forces jets struck Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure in southern Lebanon on Tuesday as escalations continue on the northern border.

“Fighter jets recently attacked a number of terrorist infrastructures of the Hezbollah organization in Lebanon. In addition, an IDF tank attacked a terror squad that tried to launch anti-tank missiles from Lebanese territory towards the Yiftah area,” the military said.  Earlier on Tuesday, Lebanese terrorists launched anti-tank missiles and mortar shells at military outposts throughout Israel’s upper and western Galilee regions, activating air-raid sirens in Moshav Margaliot, Moshav Shomera, Kibbutz Yiftah, Arab al-Aramshe and Mattat.  IDF forces attacked the sources of the fire in Lebanon.

Regarding the hostages, Israel and Hamas are reported to be negotiating a deal that would include the release of most of the women and children being held hostage by the Palestinian terror group in the Gaza Strip, The Washington Post reported on Monday. In exchange, Jerusalem would agree to a temporary ceasefire of up to five days, allow an influx of goods into the Strip and release jailed Palestinians. “The general outline of the deal is understood,” an Israeli official was quoted by the Post as saying. Israel TV today has started speaking about this as well as something that is imminent, without specific details, but being overseen by Egypt, Qatar and the US,

An Israeli man was seriously wounded after Palestinian terror groups launched a barrage of rockets from the Gaza Strip at the Tel Aviv area on Tuesday evening. The Magen David Adom emergency response organization reported that its medics evacuated a 20-year-old man with serious shrapnel wounds to Wolfson Medical Center in Holon.  In addition, a 43-year-old woman sustained minor injuries.  Israel has seen a decrease in Red Alert sirens warning of incoming rockets, drones and terrorist infiltrations since the IDF launched “Operation Swords of Iron” on Oct. 7, IDF Home Front Command data shows.

Finally, video footage today shows a large number of IDF soldiers delivering significant amounts of medical aid to Al Shifa hospital including incubators and respirators, as well as items such as beds, cribs and the like   It appears that Hamas is not standing in the way of the hospital accepting Israeli aid.  Sadly, all of the international news agencies ae focusing on the fact that babies in Gaza had to be removed from their incubators for lack of electricity with no mention of the Israel aid.

40 is a significant number in Jewish history marking the length of time that Moses was on Mt. Sinai receiving the tablets of the Law (both times) as well as the length of time Noah and his family were in the Ark, to name just  a few references.  Given that after 40 days these travails ended, let’s hope that this will be the case for the 239 hostages held by Hamas as well