The 158th Day of Israel’s War Against Hamas

On this 158^th day of the war, alarms sounded in the Galilee and the Golan Heights in northern Israel as a barrage of at least 100 rockets were launched in their direction Tuesday morning, according to a report in Israeli media. Crashes were sighted in open areas in the open areas of Ein Kuniya, Snir, Sha’ar Yashuv, and Kfar Szold. Additionally, the IDF attacked launchers in Lebanon that had fired towards the north of Israel. IDF fighter jets also attacked three launchers that fired toward the Golan Heights, the IDF reported.

In Gaza the IDF claims it has killed the Hamas Chief of Staff, the 3^rd in command of the terrorist administration. The IDF reported further progress in the assault on the Hamas infrastructure in the Rafah and Khan Yunis areas.

In some positive news, the humanitarian aid ship that was scheduled to leave Cyprus for Gaza over the weekend has finally left port and should arrive in Gaza before the end of the week. It is just a 320km (200 mile) trip but the ship is being towed by a barge that travels just at 3 miles/hour.

A new American intelligence assessment released on Monday raised doubts about whether Prime Minister Netanyahu could stay in power, as the CIA director said a hostage deal was the most practical way to halt, at least temporarily, the war in Gaza. The article in the New York Times made reference to the CIA’s 2024 Annual Threat Assessment which expressed concerns about Israel’s vision for the end of the war and said that Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition “may be in jeopardy.”

“Distrust of Netanyahu’s ability to rule has deepened and broadened across the public from its already high levels before the war, and we expect large protests demanding his resignation and new elections,” the report said. “A different, more moderate government is a possibility.” The report also predicted that Israel would struggle to achieve its goal of “destroying Hamas.”

“Israel probably will face lingering armed resistance from Hamas for years to come, and the military will struggle to neutralize Hamas’s underground infrastructure, which allows insurgents to hide, regain strength and surprise Israeli forces,” the report added.

Israeli Arab Ali Ziadna, who has family members being held hostage in Gaza, confronted Palestinian Ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour on Monday in New York after the UN Security Council’s debate on sexual violence committed by Hamas, and criticized him for allowing his family members and other fellow Muslims to wallow in Hamas captivity, according to a video posted on X. Ziadna was part of a delegation of family members of hostages in Gaza, that accompanied Foreign Minister Israel Katz and Israeli Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan to a UNSC debate over the recently submitted UN report on sexual violence committed by Hamas on October 7.

Future Leadership

Another new face for the post war government might be Sivan Yaari. She is an Israeli businessperson who founded Innovation: Africa and serves as its CEO. Born in Israel, raised in France and educated in the United States, she holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from New York’s Pace University and a master’s degree in International Energy Management and Policy from Columbia University.

Founded in 2008 Innovation: Africa is a nonprofit organization that brings innovative Israeli solar, water and agricultural technologies to rural villages throughout Africa. The organization has completed over 900 projects in remote villages, providing electricity and clean water to more than 4.2 million people across 10 African countries. 

The organization maintains headquarters in both New York and Israel. Since 2012, Innovation: Africa has had a special consultative status to the UN Economic and Social Council (UNESCO). Thanks to Innovation: Africa’s transparent and live monitoring of its projects, it was granted the United Nations Innovation Award as well.

Sivan’s honors include receiving the “Light of Israel Award” from Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and has been recognized as one of the most “Inspiring Israelis this Decade” by Grapevine; one of the “50 Most Influential Women in Israel” by Forbes; one of the “Top 10 Most Influential Israelis in International Business, Science, and Culture” by NoCamels; and one of the “Top 100 People Positively Influencing Jewish Life” by Algemeiner Journal. She was also a torch lighter at last year’s Independence Day celebration.

The new government will need people who think outside of the box and also have the ability to bring such thoughts to fruition.