JERUSALEM, Israel – Now in the third month of the war, the Israeli Defense Forces continue to advance throughout the Gaza Strip, and Israeli leaders now see signs that Hamas’s support is crumbling.
On Monday night, Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Hamas is near a breaking point in northern Gaza, marking a significant turnaround from October 7th.
“Among those who surrender are also terrorists who participated in the events of 7 October. The same ones who went on murder sprees that killed children, who raped women, are now in a situation where they only have one option: to die or surrender,” declared Gallant.
As the humanitarian crisis grows, Israel plans to increase the aid reaching the people of Gaza, but a video taken inside Gaza showed some aid is being commandeered by armed groups.
On Israel’s northern border, the IDF is responding to an increase of Hezbollah fire into the country. It’s a front the White House is concerned could escalate into a regional war.
National Security Council Spokesman John Kirby stated, “We absolutely don’t want to see this conflict spill over into Lebanon. We don’t want to see a second front. We don’t want to see it escalate and widen. And so it is also in the context of that that we’re, we’re concerned about these reports.”
In another risk of escalation, Iranian-backed Houthi militia in Yemen struck a Norwegian oil tanker it says was headed for Israel. No injuries were reported.
Meanwhile, as the U.N. General Assembly prepares for a vote on a resolution (non-binding) calling for a ceasefire, Iran condemned the U.S. veto of a similar measure in the Security Council last week.
Nasser Kanaani, a spokesman for the Iranian foreign ministry, insisted, “The U.S government once again demonstrated (by vetoing UN cease-fire) its full-fledged solidarity with the Zionist regime and its full complicity in these regrettable crimes against the oppressed people of Palestine.”
As the IDF continues to advance in northern and southern Gaza, Hamas issued a stark warning about the hostages. A spokesman threatened Sunday that no hostage will leave the Gaza Strip alive without a prisoner exchange and negotiations meeting the demands of the resistance.
Approximately 138 hostages remain in captivity, including 20 women and 2 children.
IDF troops continue to discover how Hamas hid its war machine. One mosque in Gaza included a Hamas training site, including a room used for combat simulation, weapons, and explosives. Throughout their searches, Israeli forces have found bags provided by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) mixed in with Hamas weapons and explosives.
A mosque or an RPG training center?
IDF soldiers uncovered a room used for RPG training of terrorists inside a mosque in Jabalya. Nahal Brigade soldiers also found many weapons including rifles, grenades, cartridges—some of them inside UNRWA bags; all for carrying out terrorist… pic.twitter.com/lplbFulml4
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) December 11, 2023
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