Israel’s 66th Day of War

On the 66^th day of the war the IDF reports 104 Israeli military casualties from the war.

An Israeli civilian was lightly-to-moderately wounded on Monday in a rocket attack from the Gaza Strip targeting central Israel. The Magen David Adom emergency medical service treated the 45-year-old victim for shrapnel wounds in the city of Holon, just south of Tel Aviv. Footage posted to social media shows damage to cars and several buildings. Warning sirens also sounded in Tel Aviv, Or Yehuda, Bat Yam and nearby communities, as well as in Rishon Letzion, Palmachim and Kfar Chabad.

Palestinian terrorists in Gaza have fired more than 11,500 rockets towards Israeli territory since Hamas launched the war with its Oct. 7 massacre of 1,200 people.  On Sunday, the IDF announced that Hezbollah had fired a rocket just 20 meters from a United Nations compound in Southern Lebanon.  In doing so, Hezbollah endangered the lives of UNIFIL soldiers and continued to systematically violate U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701, which bans the Iranian-backed terror group from operating within 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) of the border with Israel.

Israel is encircling Hamas’s last two strongholds in Sajaiyya and Jabalia in northern Gaza, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said on Monday.  Hamas considered these areas to be held by “unwinnable battalions,” stated Gallant, adding, “and I’m telling you, they are on the verge of being dismantled. The number of those surrendering in these areas teach us what is happening.”

Those surrendering and leaving their bunkers and tunnels have been telling the IDF that they lack ammunition and food, and feel abandoned by the Hamas leadership, with Gallant reporting that “the leadership is deep underground, and we were sent to die.”  The Hamas terrorists who set out on mass-murder rampages on Oct. 7 now have two choices, Gallant said: “To die or to surrender.”

“With the start of the war, we set two goals: the elimination of Hamas as a military and governmental framework; and to retrieve hostages to their homes, families and county. We will meet these two missions, I promise you,” said Gallant.

In Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley Palestinian terrorists have escalated their campaign against Israeli civilians and security forces in the wake of Hamas’s Oct. 7 massacre, according to data published Monday by Israel’s Channel 14 News.  Since then, the broadcaster counted 1,388 attacks in the disputed territories, including 569 cases of rock-throwing, 287 attacks with explosives, 143 Molotov cocktail assaults and 70 terrorist shootings.  Three Israelis—a civilian, a soldier and a Border Police officer—have been murdered in Judea and Samaria since Oct. 7.  In addition, at least 52 Israelis sustained injuries, according to Channel 14. The report said 16 people were wounded by rock-throwing, 10 sustained gunshot wounds, eight were violently attacked by Palestinians, and two were injured in a car-ramming attack. In addition, at least 15 members of the security forces were wounded during counterterrorism raids in Judea and Samaria, while one Israeli was moderately injured as he neutralized a Palestinian terrorist.

And the sad sad saga continues. May it end soon with victory on our side.