Operation Iron Swords (Updated to 1 p.m., December 31, 2023)

IDF forces in the Gaza Strip (IDF spokesperson, December 31, 2023)

IDF forces in the Gaza Strip (IDF spokesperson, December 31, 2023)

IDF forces in the Gaza Strip (IDF spokesperson, December 31, 2023)

IDF forces in the Gaza Strip (IDF spokesperson, December 31, 2023)

Destruction of the tunnel used by senior Hamas terrorists near Gaza City (IDF spokesperson, December 29, 2023)

Destruction of the tunnel used by senior Hamas terrorists near Gaza City (IDF spokesperson, December 29, 2023)

IDF attack in Gaza City (Wafa YouTube channel, December 30, 2023)

IDF attack in Gaza City (Wafa YouTube channel, December 30, 2023)

IDF attacks on Khan Yunis (Wafa YouTube channel, December 30, 2023)

IDF attacks on Khan Yunis (Wafa YouTube channel, December 30, 2023)

Displaced persons arrive in Rafah (Wafa YouTube channel, December 30, 2023).

Displaced persons arrive in Rafah (Wafa YouTube channel, December 30, 2023).

Attacking Hezbollah terrorist facilities (IDF spokesperson, December 30, 2023)

Attacking Hezbollah terrorist facilities (IDF spokesperson, December 30, 2023)

Israeli Air Force attacks in Bint Jbeil (Ali Shoeib's X account, December 30, 2023)

Israeli Air Force attacks in Bint Jbeil (Ali Shoeib's X account, December 30, 2023)

The scene of the stabbing attack at the Mazmoria Crossing (United Hatzalah, December 28, 2023).

The scene of the stabbing attack at the Mazmoria Crossing (United Hatzalah, December 28, 2023).

Northern Arena, Israeli Casualties, Rocket Fire

Overview[1]
  • The combat arena: The IDF forces continued their integrated ground maneuver in the Gaza Strip focusing on the Daraj-Tufah neighborhoods in the northern Gaza Strip and the city of Khan Yunis in the south, where they operated in the Khirbat al-Khiza’a area to gain operational control the region. The fighters waged fierce battles against terrorists, and the Israeli Air Force, directed by the fighters, attacked terrorist units and facilities. Israeli Navy fighters assisted the forces maneuvering in the strip by attacking terrorist targets from the sea. The Palestinians reported fierce fighting in many centers in the Strip. Senior Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorists continue to claim that they controlled the battlefield and that Israel had suffered heavy losses.
  • According to an unofficial estimate, since October 7 approximately 1,300 Israeli civilians and security personnel have been killed, 506 of them soldiers and officers; 129 civilian and military hostages are still being held by the terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip, 16 of them women and children; 121 hostages have been returned to Israel. Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) continue to reiterate that there will be no prisoner exchange or any other deal with Israel until the “aggression” ends and Israel withdraws from the Gaza Strip.
  • The situation in the Gaza Strip: Medical personnel and UNRWA warn of hardships and hunger in the Gaza Strip, noting that the current amount of humanitarian aid is insufficient. Senior Hamas and PIJ terrorists are engaged in formulating answers to the mediators’ proposals for a cease-fire and the issue of control of the Gaza Strip “the day after.”
  • The northern arena: Hezbollah continued attacking IDF outposts, concentrations of forces on the northern border and civilian targets. Between December 28 and 31, 2023, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for 19 attacks. The IDF responded with massive attacks on south Lebanon. Several attacks were also carried out in Syria, mainly on targets of the pro-Iranian militias, including an attack in the Albukamal area on the Syria-Iraq border.
  • Judea and Samaria: There were two vehicle ramming attacks in the Hebron area and a stabbing attack in east Jerusalem; Hamas and the PIJ praised the attacks. It was recently reported that in addition to the Israeli security forces’ counterterrorism activities, the Palestinian Authority (PA) security forces were carrying out activities, but primarily to neutralize IEDs planted to attack Israeli forces.
  • Yemen: The Houthis’ attacks against ships in the Red Sea continued. American helicopters that responded to the distress calls from a container ship, attacked and hit Houthi boats trying to attack the ship.
  • South Africa has petitioned to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for proceedings against Israel, claiming that Israel is “deliberately committing genocide” of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Hamas and the PIJ praised South Africa and called on other countries to do the same.
The Combat Arena
  • The IDF forces continued the integrated ground maneuver throughout the Gaza Strip, focusing on the Daraj-Tufah neighborhoods in the northern Gaza Strip and the city of Khan Yunis in the south. The fighters waged fierce battles against terrorists, and the Israeli Air Force, directed by the forces, attacked terrorist units and facilities. The Palestinian media reported 165 dead and 250 wounded in the past day, noting that the attacks focused on the refugee camps in the central Gaza Strip, the Khan Yunis and east Khan Yunis refugee camps and  eastern Rafah (Ma’an, December 31, 2023).
IDF forces in the Gaza Strip (IDF spokesperson, December 31, 2023)    IDF forces in the Gaza Strip (IDF spokesperson, December 31, 2023)
IDF forces in the Gaza Strip (IDF spokesperson, December 31, 2023)
  • An al-Arabi TV correspondent reported that on December 31, 2023, fierce battles were taking place in Jabalia, with IDF tanks located in the east and west. In the northern Gaza City, there was extensive activity and exchanges of fire in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood. In the southern Gaza City, IDF tanks located in the areas of Tel al-Hawa and Sheikh Ajlin exchanged fire with “resistance fighters” [terrorist operatives]. In the eastern Gaza City, there was a heavy exchange of fire in the Daraj-Tufah neighborhoods. In the central Gaza Strip, IDF tanks surrounded the al-Bureij refugee camp. In the Khan Yunis area, there was extensive tank activity in al-Khiza’a southeast of Khan Yunis. In the Bani Suheila area northeast of Khan Yunis there were heavy exchanges of fire with “resistance fighters” (Al-Arabi’s YouTube channel, December 31, 2023).
The ground maneuver in southwestern Gaza City, in the Tel al-Hawa and Sheikh Ajlin neighborhoods (al-Arabi YouTube channel , December 31, 2023)    An al-Arabi TV presenter explains the IDF's ground maneuver in Jabalia (al-Arabi YouTube channel, December 31, 2023).
Right: An al-Arabi TV presenter explains the IDF’s ground maneuver in Jabalia (al-Arabi YouTube channel, December 31, 2023). Left: The ground maneuver in southwestern Gaza City, in the Tel al-Hawa and Sheikh Ajlin neighborhoods (al-Arabi YouTube channel , December 31, 2023)
  • The northern Gaza Strip: Fighting continued in the Daraj-Tufah neighborhoods and the Shejaiya region. In Beit Lahia the fighters destroyed two Hamas military buildings where they had found large quantities of weapons, IEDs, military equipment and communications equipment (IDF spokesperson, December 30, 2023). Operating on the outskirts of Jabalia, the forces found Hamas military-terrorist wing certificates, weapons, and instructional booklets about the IDF in the house of a Hamas terrorist (IDF spokesperson, December 29, 2023).
  • The central Gaza Strip: IDF forces operating in the al-Bureij refugee camp fought terrorist squads which attacked from inside buildings and areas of the civilian population. The forces located rocket launchers and tunnel shafts (IDF spokesperson, December 30, 2023).
  • Gaza City: In recent weeks, the IDF forces located and destroyed one of the apartments belonging to arch-terrorist Yahya al-Sinwar, head of the Hamas political bureau in the Gaza Strip. The apartment was located near Gaza City and considerable evidence found in it indicated that he had used it as a hideout. Inside the apartment there was a tunnel which was apparently used by senior Hamas terrorists, and it was constructed in a way which allowed them to remain in it and conduct combat for long periods of time (IDF spokesperson, December 29, 2023). IDF forces operating in the al-Shati refugee camp found explosives in a kindergarten that had been prepared in advance to attack the forces (IDF spokesperson, December 31, 2023).
Destruction of the tunnel used by senior Hamas terrorists near Gaza City (IDF spokesperson, December 29, 2023)     Destruction of the tunnel used by senior Hamas terrorists near Gaza City (IDF spokesperson, December 29, 2023)
Destruction of the tunnel used by senior Hamas terrorists near Gaza City
(IDF spokesperson, December 29, 2023)
IDF attack in Gaza City (Wafa YouTube channel, December 30, 2023)
IDF attack in Gaza City (Wafa YouTube channel, December 30, 2023)
  • The southern Gaza Strip: IDF forces focused on the city of Khan Yunis, where they continued to search for shafts, tunnels and weapons. They raided Hamas military headquarters in the heart of the city, including Hamas military intelligence headquarters, which was responsible for all the intelligence operations in the area. A PIJ headquarters was also located at the site, which contained particularly valuable documents (IDF spokesperson, December 30, 2023). IDF forces also operated in the Khirbat al-Khiza’a area to gain operational control of the region. They killed terrorists and attacked a number of significant terrorist targets, including tunnel shafts, tunnel routes and anti-tank launching positions (IDF spokesperson, December 29, 2023).
Tunnel shafts found in the southern Gaza Strip (IDF spokesperson, December 31, 2023)    Tunnel shafts found in the southern Gaza Strip (IDF spokesperson, December 31, 2023)
Tunnel shafts found in the southern Gaza Strip (IDF spokesperson, December 31, 2023)
  • On December 31, 2024, Isma’il Abu Omar, a correspondent in Khan Yunis, reported renewed exchanges of fire and IDF attacks in the Khan Yunis area. He said the IDF forces located in the north of Khan Yunis were firing shells at the area while Israeli Air Force aircraft were in the skies above Khan Yunis carrying out airstrikes (al-Jazeera YouTube channel, December 31, 2023).
Khan Yunis (al-Jazeera YouTube channel, December 31, 2023)    IDF attacks on Khan Yunis (Wafa YouTube channel, December 30, 2023)
Right: IDF attacks on Khan Yunis (Wafa YouTube channel, December 30, 2023). Left: Khan Yunis (al-Jazeera YouTube channel, December 31, 2023)
  • Aerial activity: In preparation for the entry of ground forces in the Khan Yunis area, the Israeli Air Force carried out approximately 50 air strikes on tunnels, terrorist facilities and terrorist squads as part of support for the forces on the ground (IDF spokesperson, December 30, 2023).
Attacking targets in the Gaza Strip (IDF spokesperson, December 31, 2023)    Attacking targets in the Gaza Strip (IDF spokesperson, December 31, 2023)
Attacking targets in the Gaza Strip (IDF spokesperson, December 31, 2023)
The Palestinian view of the war
  • PIJ spokesman Musab al-Bari claimed said that despite the “ongoing aggression,” the “resistance” [terrorist forces] still existed and was active on all axes of combat, and the rocket barrages continued attacking Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. He added that on one occasion rockets were launched near IDF tanks and armored vehicles from areas the IDF declared it had taken control of (Filastin al-Yawm X account, December 28, 2023). On another occasion, he claimed the PIJ’s military[-terrorist] wing and the “resistance” controlled the battlefield in the Gaza Strip and Israel’s had suffered heavy losses. that the Arab and Islamic position should be as strong as the Palestinians and their “resistance” (Filastin al-Yawm Telegram channel, December 29, 2023).
Israeli casualties
  • According to an unofficial estimate, since October 7 approximately 1,300 Israeli people have been killed. According to the IDF spokesperson, 506 of them are soldiers and officers (of whom 172 have been killed since the start of the ground maneuver on 27 October, 2023); 129 civilian and military hostages are still being held by the terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip, 16 of them women and children; 121 hostages have been returned.
The issue of the hostages
  • Senior Hamas terrorist Bassem Na’im stated that there would be no negotiations regarding any deal with Israel without a full and comprehensive ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, adding that so far, all the proposals circulated in the media regarding the end of the war were Israeli proposals. He added that their position was clear, Israel had to agree to a comprehensive ceasefire at the beginning of a process for the release of the hostages at some [future] stage. However, that would not happen without a comprehensive ceasefire, the opening of the crossings and the introduction of aid (Arab World News Agency (AWP), December 30, 2023).
  • The PIJ reported that Ziyad al-Nakhalah, PIJ secretary general, in response to Netanyahu’s statements, said there would be no hostage exchange or other deals with Israel unless the aggression stopped and the IDF forces completely withdrew from the Strip. Otherwise, he claimed, it was pointless to talk about it (PIJ Telegram channel, January 31, 2023).
  • Senior terrorist Muhammad al-Hindi, deputy PIJ secretary general emphasized that they were taking care to ensure the trump card of the kidnapped Israelis remained in the hands of the Palestinian “resistance” [terrorist organizations], as Israel wanted to complete its aggression after the return of the hostages. That was the reason they kept reiterating their insistence on a complete ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the withdrawal of IDF forces and a “full prisoner exchange deal” (al-Jazeera Mubasher, December 29, 2023).

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The Gaza Strip
Palestinian casualties
  • Dr. Ashraf al-Qidra, spokesman for the Hamas-controlled ministry of health in the Gaza Strip reported that as of 11:30 a.m., December 31, 2023, the number of dead since the beginning of the war stood at more than 21,822 and the number of wounded at 56,451 (ministry of health in Gaza Facebook page, December 25, 2023).
  • According to reports, Sheikh Yusuf Salameh, the minister of Muslim endowments and former preacher at al-Aqsa Mosque, was killed in an attack on his home in the al-Maghazi refugee camp (Palinfo, December 31, 2023; Quds Press, December 31, 2023).
Sheikh Yosef Salameh (Quds Press, December 31, 2023)
Sheikh Yosef Salameh (Quds Press, December 31, 2023)
  • The death of Abd al-Fattah Amin Maali, a released prisoner and a senior operative in Hamas’ military-terrorist wing, was reported. Maali was a Salafist and a friend of Yahya Ayash. He belonged to the first Izz al-Din Qassam Brigades squad which attempted a suicide bombing attack, under the command of Yahya Ayash and Zahar Jabarin, using a car bomb prepared by Yahya Ayash. After that he became a wanted terrorist. He was active in Izz al-Din Qassam Brigades operations in Judea and Samaria during the second intifada, most notably the operation in Burqin, in which a soldier was killed and four others were wounded. He escaped abroad, moving between Sudan, Yemen and Syria until he settled in the Gaza Strip in 2006 (roya.tv news website, December 30, 2023; @daj85925’s X account, December 30, 2023).
Abd al-Fattah Amin Maali (roya.tv news website, December 30, 2023)
Abd al-Fattah Amin Maali (roya.tv news website, December 30, 2023)
  • The death of Muhammad Issa, son of senior Hamas terrorist Marwan Issa, was reported. He was killed in the al-Bureij refugee camp (Fayez Abu Shamala’s X account, December 28, 2023).
Muhammad Marwan Issa (Fayez Abu Shamala's X account, December 28, 2023)
Muhammad Marwan Issa (Fayez Abu Shamala’s X account, December 28, 2023)

The social networks reported the death of Muhammad Abd al-Aziz Shehadeh al-Maqadma, an Izz al-Din Qassam Brigades terrorist operative, in the al-Bureij refugee camp (Arsan al-Maqadma’s X account, December 29, 2023; Maram Mayed’s X account, December 29, 2023; Muhammad al-Khatib’s Facebook page, December 29, 2023).

Muhammad al-Maqadma (Maram Mayed's X account, December 29, 2023)
Muhammad al-Maqadma (Maram Mayed’s X account, December 29, 2023)
  • On October 10, 2023, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – General Command (PFLP-GC) announced the death of Hani Hassouna, aka Abu Hassan, in the attacks on the Gaza Strip. He was of a member of the Front’s Central Committee and its representative in the National and Islamic Forces in the Gaza Strip and in their prisoners’ committee (PFLP-GC’s military-terrorist wing, the Jihad Jibril Brigades, October 10, 2023).
Hani Hassouna (Hani Hassouna's Facebook page, November 18, 2020)
Hani Hassouna (Hani Hassouna’s Facebook page, November 18, 2020)
  • On October 8 and 9, 2023, the Jihad Jibril Brigades also announced that three of its operatives had been killed on the Israeli side of the border during the October 7 attack (Jihad Jibril Brigades Telegram channel October 8 and 9, 2023).

The situation in the Gaza Strip

  • Palestinian media reported that with the expansion of the IDF’s ground maneuver in the central Gaza Strip and Khan Yunis, the movement of displaced persons to the Rafah area continues. At the same time, it was reported that UNRWA and UNICEF had placed 40 portable shower and toilet facilities for the displaced persons in the tent camps in the city of Rafah (Wafa YouTube channel, December 30, 2023).
Portable showers and toilets in the tent camps in Rafah (Wafa YouTube channel, December 30, 2023)     Displaced persons arrive in Rafah (Wafa YouTube channel, December 30, 2023).
Right: Displaced persons arrive in Rafah (Wafa YouTube channel, December 30, 2023). Left: Portable showers and toilets in the tent camps in Rafah
(Wafa YouTube channel, December 30, 2023)
  • The Egyptian Red Crescent, in collaboration with the Palestinian Red Crescent, erected an organized tent camp in the Muasi-Khan Yunis area for displaced persons, which can accommodate thousands of Gazans (Hassan Aslih’s X account, December 30, 2023).
The tent camp in the Muasi area (Hassan Aslih's X account, December 30, 2023)
The tent camp in the Muasi area (Hassan Aslih’s X account, December 30, 2023)
  • According to reports, residents of the Rafah area began purchasing solar panels to generate electricity. Interviewed for an article, they stated that they used the electricity mainly to charge mobile phones and for lighting (Wafa YouTube channel, December 29, 2023).
Residents in Rafah generate electricity using solar panels (Wafa YouTube channel, December 29, 2023)     Residents in Rafah generate electricity using solar panels (Wafa YouTube channel, December 29, 2023)
Residents in Rafah generate electricity using solar panels
(Wafa YouTube channel, December 29, 2023)
Aid for the Gaza Strip
  • Thomas White, director of UNRWA affairs in the Gaza Strip, claimed Israeli soldiers had opened fire on an aid convoy en route from the northern Gaza Strip on a route designated as safe by the Israeli army. He claimed the convoy workers had not been injured, but one of the vehicles was damaged (UNRWA’s X account, December 29, 2023). He repeated that there was “catastrophic hunger” in the Gaza Strip, with 40% of the population at risk of starvation. He said more regular deliveries of supplies were needed and that they demanded secure, sustainable access for humanitarian aid everywhere, including in the northern Gaza Strip (Palinfo, December 29, 2023).
  • Hamas called on the United Nations to take an aggressive stance against Israel after its soldiers [allegedly] opened fire on a UNRWA aid convoy. According to Hamas, it reflected the “barbaric behavior of the occupation,” which “considers itself above the law” (Hamas’ Telegram channel, December 20, 2023).
  • Senior terrorist Muhammad al-Hindi, deputy PIJ secretary general, claimed that Israel still controlled the Rafah crossing and posed obstacles for the aid-transfer mechanism, and that while there were attempts by international organizations to facilitate the passage of aid, so far there was no change on the ground. He added that they had discussed the problem during their visit to Egypt, and the Egyptians expressed a willingness to address the issue (al-Jazeera Mubasher website, December 29, 2023).
  • Nibal Farsakh, spokesperson for the Palestine Red Crescent in Ramallah, stated that the amount of aid currently entering the Strip did not meet the demands of the general public. She said that what was delivered constituted only 10% of what was required (al-Arabi TV, December 30, 2023). Sky News in Arabic broadcast a video of hundreds of residents of the northern Gaza Strip storming two UNRWA aid trucks which arrived for the first time in the northern Gaza Strip (Sky News in Arabic YouTube channel, December 30, 2023).
Hundreds of residents in the northern Gaza Strip storm aid trucks (Sky News YouTube channel in Arabic, December 30, 2023)
Hundreds of residents in the northern Gaza Strip storm aid trucks
(Sky News YouTube channel in Arabic, December 30, 2023)
The ceasefire and the “day after”
  • The UAE daily The National reported that “according to its sources,” after talks with Egyptian mediators, Hamas leaders agreed in principle to the Egyptian proposals to end the war. It was reported that Hamas conditioned its final approval on Israel’s agreeing to a permanent ceasefire at the end of the Egyptian plan for a two-month ceasefire. It was also reported that the proposal might contain sections that would not be publicized, including sections regarding the “day after” in the Gaza Strip, and that the final draft might change. According to the “sources,” if the proposal is accepted, the United States, Egypt and Qatar would guarantee it (The National, December 30, 2023). In practice, apparently no decision has been made by the Palestinian organizations regarding any agreement.
  • Representatives of Hamas, the PIJ, the PFLP, the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) and the Popular Front – General Headquarters held a meeting in Beirut. The participants condemned and rejected the scenarios proposed by Western and Israeli officials regarding the “day after” in the Gaza Strip, and called them “wishful thinking,” claiming they would never materialize. They called for the rejection of all foreign solutions and scenarios regarding the future of the Gaza Strip, and for the presentation of a Palestinian national solution based on the establishment of a national unity government relying on a comprehensive Palestinian national consensus. The organizations agreed there was a need to deal with the consequences of the war against the Palestinians with a unified “struggle” strategy which would recast the Palestinian issue as one of national liberation. They called for a meeting with the participation of all parties. They also emphasized that a ceasefire, the final cessation of all acts of “aggression” and the withdrawal of IDF forces from the Gaza Strip were pre-conditions for a prisoner exchange based on the principle of “everyone in return for everyone” (Palinfo, December 28, 2023).
  • In an interview in Beirut, senior terrorist Muhammad al-Hindi, deputy PIJ secretary general, “clarified” that the statement issued by the Palestinian organizations after the meeting in Beirut was not a response to the Egyptian document but rather a statement on behalf of the participants. He said they were working very hard to reach a unanimous response to the Egyptian document, which would deal with all the issues related to the cessation of the “aggression” and the exchange of prisoners, and which they would formulate in the coming days and transmit to the Egyptians. He claimed their relationship with Egypt was open and they responded positively to its efforts to stop the fighting and reach an agreement. He emphasized that they would insist that reconstructing the Strip would be included in any agreement (al-Jazeera Mubasher website, December 29, 2023).
  • Senior Hamas terrorist Bassem Na’im said the Egyptian proposal was still being examined and that they were currently preparing a detailed response because they had to consult with the Hamas leadership in the Gaza Strip and “abroad” regarding certain issues, and that would take time. In addition, he said, they had to monitor the conditions on the ground, and there were matters related to the prisoners, the crossings, the post-war period and reconstruction. He emphasized that it was the Israelis who were in contact with the mediators to reach a deal. Regarding the proposal to establish a national unity government, he said was not an agreement, but rather a concept related to the post-war period. The organizations agreed the Gaza Strip and the West Bank would be managed by establishing a unity government representing all Palestinians. Regarding the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) opposition to the establishment of a technocratic government in the Gaza Strip, he said that the question was who would decide. Regarding Israel’s insistence on completely eliminating Hamas, he claimed it was an internal Palestinian matter and Israel was not entitled to decide on it. He claimed Hamas was not a marginal armed group but an “elected movement representing the majority of the Palestinian people” (Arab World News Agency (AWP), December 30, 2023 )
  • Senior Hamas terrorist Osama Hamdan said that efforts were being made by Qatar and Egypt to reach a ceasefire in accordance with Hamas’ position, its priority to stop the aggression against Gaza completely and to discuss any other issue at a later date. He claimed that there were no talks about an exchange of prisoners, as they were focused on a complete and final cessation of the “aggression,” the subject of aid to the Gaza Strip and reconstruction. He claimed the position they had presented to the mediators was not only understood by the mediators themselves, but had been accepted at the international and regional levels [sic] (al-Jazeera YouTube channel, December 29, 2023). On another occasion he said that they welcomed the arrival of international forces if their goal was to “liberate Palestine,” but not if they arrived as a replacement for the Israeli occupation. He also noted that anyone who referred to the Gaza Strip without Hamas was jumping to the conclusion that Israel’s “military adventure” would be successful. He claimed the future of the Gaza Strip and of “Palestine” as a whole would be determined by the Palestinians, therefore neither Hamas nor the Palestinians needed nor would accept custodians (al-Anadolu News, December 29, 2023).
  • Senior terrorist Zaher Jabarin, a member of the Hamas political bureau and responsible for its prisoner portfolio, said that the new institutions which were being planned would be based on an internal Palestinian partnership of “all the organizations, without exception.” The government would assume the national missions that all Palestinians aspired to realize, including the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip and supervision of the rebuilding of all Palestinian institutions, including the PLO, the Legislative Council and the “presidency,” based on a national basis and a true partnership. Referring to the PA’s opposition to an Egyptian proposal which included the establishment of a technocrat government in Gaza, Jabarin said that first the war had to end. Regarding the Egyptian proposal, he said that Hamas had not yet responded, and that first and foremost the “aggression” had to stop. He said that Hamas was considering more than one proposal, there were many mediators, and many were talking to them, but the most important country was Egypt. He emphasized that it was the Palestinian people who would decide who would rule them (Arab World News Agency (AWP), December 30, 2023).
  • Haitham Abu Al-Ghazlan, responsible for PIJ relations in Lebanon, said the Palestinians were currently holding consultations regarding the establishment of a national unity government in the Gaza Strip once the war ended. He claimed they had agreed to establish an interim government of technocrats which would be responsible for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip. As to consultations with the PA regarding the formation of the government, he said that until now there had been no consultations with the PA because it was supposed to fulfill that role during the war and had not, but he emphasized that the Palestinians were making efforts to consult with the Fatah movement on the issue. He claimed they were holding meetings around the clock to formulate a concept for the government and to give Egypt a unified answer from all the organizations, or at least most of them, for its proposal for a ceasefire. As to the PIJ’s position regarding the Egyptian proposal, he said that in principle they welcomed any effort to stop the “aggression” against the Palestinians but wanted a response from the majority of the Palestinian organizations (Arab World News Agency (AWP), December 29, 2023).

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The Northern Arena
Hezbollah attacks
  • Hezbollah continued to attack IDF positions, concentrations of forces on the northern border and civilian targets. Between December 28 and 31, 2023, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for 19 anti-tank missile, rocket fire, artillery fire and UAV attacks (Hezbollah combat information Telegram channel, December 28-31, 2023).
An anti-tank missile hits a communications post at the Tsurit outpost (Hezbollah combat information Telegram channel, December 30, 2023)   An anti-tank missile hits surveillance equipment on top of a crane at the Dovev farm (Hezbollah combat information Telegram channel, December 30, 2023).
Right: An anti-tank missile hits surveillance equipment on top of a crane at the Dovev farm (Hezbollah combat information Telegram channel, December 30, 2023). Left: An anti-tank missile hits a communications post at the Tsurit outpost (Hezbollah combat information Telegram channel, December 30, 2023)
  • In response, IDF forces attacked Hezbollah terrorist facilities with artillery fire and airstrikes, and an Israeli Air Force aircraft attacked a Hezbollah rocket-launching position and terrorist squads. (IDF spokesperson, December 29, 30, 2023). The IDF spokesperson that 80% of Hezbollah’s launches on December 29, 2023 fell inside Lebanese territory (IDF spokesperson, December 30, 2023).
Attack on a Hezbollah terrorist facility (IDF spokesperson, December 29, 2023)     Attack on a Hezbollah launch site.
Right: Attack on a Hezbollah launch site. Left: Attack on a Hezbollah terrorist facility
(IDF spokesperson, December 29, 2023)
Attacking Hezbollah terrorist facilities (IDF spokesperson, December 30, 2023)   Attacking Hezbollah terrorist facilities (IDF spokesperson, December 30, 2023)
Attacking Hezbollah terrorist facilities (IDF spokesperson, December 30, 2023)
  • Ali Shoeib, a correspondent for al-Manar TV, reported that Israeli Air Force fighter jets attacked “agricultural areas” in Kafr Kila. He also reported an airstrike on Bint Jbeil (Ali Shoeib’s X account, December 30, 2023).
Israeli Air Force attacks in Bint Jbeil (Ali Shoeib's X account, December 30, 2023)     Israeli Air Force attacks in Kafr Kila.
Right: Israeli Air Force attacks in Kafr Kila. Left: Israeli Air Force attacks in Bint Jbeil
(Ali Shoeib’s X account, December 30, 2023)
  •  On December 29, 2023, a video was published of buildings destroyed or partially destroyed by Israeli attacks on the town of Aitaroun in south Lebanon (Fouad Khreiss’ X account, December 29, 2023).
Buildings destroyed or partially destroyed by Israeli attacks (Fouad Khreiss' X account, December 29, 2023)     Buildings destroyed or partially destroyed by Israeli attacks (Fouad Khreiss' X account, December 29, 2023)
Buildings destroyed or partially destroyed by Israeli attacks
(Fouad Khreiss’ X account, December 29, 2023)
  • Nabil Qaouq, a member of Hezbollah’s Central Council, stated that any attack on civilians could not go without a stronger and faster response, any attack on houses would be punished, and any attack deep in Lebanon would be taken into account. That was what the “resistance” [Hezbollah terrorist operatives] did in response to the Bint Jbeil “massacre” when it attacked Kiryat Shmona. He also claimed that the “resistance” in Lebanon was prepared for all possibilities, had prepared “surprises,” was in a strong position and imposed “equations” on Israel. That, and the “resistance” in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Gaza and Yemen had [allegedly] defeated America and Israel. As to the pressures exerted on Hezbollah not to expand the war against Israel, he said these pressures were not an issue for them, , given their obligation to “confront Israeli aggression” (al-Nahar, December 30, 2023).
Casualties in Lebanon
  • Hezbollah reported the deaths of five operatives, four from the Lebanon Valley and one from south Lebanon (Hezbollah combat information arm Telegram channel, December 30, 2023):
    • Hassan Akram al-Musawi, aka Rabia, from Qarha.
    • Haydar Muhammad al-Mazawi, aka Hamza, from al-Kark.
    • Rakan Ali Saif al-Din, aka Abu Ali Alhar, from Halbata.
    • Abbas Muhammad Al-Ajami, aka Abu al-Faysal, from the town of Hai al-Fikani.
    •  Ali Ahmed Saad, aka Jibril, from Bint Jbeil in south Lebanon.
Hezbollah casualties (Hezbollah combat information arm Telegram channel, December 30, 2023)
Hezbollah casualties (Hezbollah combat information arm Telegram channel, December 30, 2023)
  • The Jerusalem Brigades, the PIJ’s military-terrorist wing, reported the deaths of two of its operatives in south Lebanon, as part of the Operation al-Aqsa Flood (Jerusalem Brigades combat information Telegram channel, December 29, 2023). According to reports, the two were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Aita al-Sha’ab in south Lebanon on December 28, 2023 (Jezzine News X account , December 29, 2023):
    • Ahmed Ali Muhammad Jabril, aka Haidar, 28 years old, an operative in the Shaheed Ali al-Asoud Battalion – Syrian arena, from the Khan Danon refugee camp in Syria.
    • Muhammad Freej al-Farij, aka Jihad, 21 years old, an operative in the Shaheed Abu Hamza al-Majdoub Battalion – Lebanese arena, from the Burj al-Shemali refugee camp in Lebanon.
The Jerusalem Brigades' casualties (Jerusalem Brigades combat information Telegram channel, December 30, 2023)     The Jerusalem Brigades' casualties (Jerusalem Brigades combat information Telegram channel, December 30, 2023)
The Jerusalem Brigades’ casualties
(Jerusalem Brigades combat information Telegram channel, December 30, 2023)
Mourning notices for their deaths (X account of Abu Samer Musa, responsible for PIJ Palestinian relations in the Lebanese arena, December 30, 2023)    Mourning notices for their deaths (X account of Abu Samer Musa, responsible for PIJ Palestinian relations in the Lebanese arena, December 30, 2023)
Mourning notices for their deaths (X account of Abu Samer Musa, responsible for PIJ Palestinian relations in the Lebanese arena, December 30, 2023)
  • According to reports, a rocket launcher with four rockets prepared for launching was located near the Sky Plaza restaurant in the town of Rmeish across from the IDF Biranit camp (Lebanese Phalanges Party X account , December 30, 2023).

A launcher with four rockets ready for firing, located in the town of Rmeish (Lebanese Phalanges Party X account , December 30, 2023)
A launcher with four rockets ready for firing, located in the town of Rmeish
(Lebanese Phalanges Party X account , December 30, 2023)

  • Hezbollah claimed that after its operatives had shot at most of the cameras and equipment on the Israel-Lebanon border used by the IDF for gathering combat information, the IDF had lost a significant part of its surveillance and eavesdropping capabilities, whose objectives were to harm the [terrorist] operatives and monitor their movements. Hezbollah claimed that in compensation, the IDF had recently began hacking civilian cameras installed in front of homes, businesses, and institutions in the villages near the border which were connected to the Internet. Hezbollah called on local residents, especially those in the villages near the border, near which the “resistance” [Hezbollah terrorist operatives] conducted activities, to disconnect the cameras from the Internet to hide the activities and movements of the organization’s operatives in the region from the IDF forces (Hezbollah combat information Telegram channel , December 28, 2023).
UNIFIL
  • According to an article published in al-Akhbar, in contrast to previous campaigns against Israel, in recent days there has been increased activity by UNIFIL forces and an increase in the number of patrols carried out along the border. “Sources” explained that it was due to international pressure exerted on UNIFIL by several countries, including France, Germany and Britain, which called for the force to create a buffer zone south of the Litani River. It was also reported that the unusual activity of the forces angered the villagers and caused friction and violent incidents (al-Akhbar, December 29, 2023).
Hamas
  • Senior Hamas terrorist Osama Hamdan said it was good that Hezbollah was trying to help and was carrying out operations in south Lebanon, sacrificing shaheeds, and that the homes of its families and loyal members were subject to daily attacks by Israel. He said they were all valued victims. According to Hamdan, Hezbollah’s activity had affected Israel’s ability to divert all its resources against the Gaza Strip, and it was forced to channel some of them to the north. He said Hamas did not determine what was required of someone or what they should do; rather, it asked everyone to do what they could and what they saw fit (Anadolu News, December 29, 2023).
The Lebanese government
  • Najib Mikati, prime minister of Lebanon’s interim government, met with David Cameron, the British foreign secretary, to discuss bilateral relations and the war in the Gaza Strip. Mikati reiterated the demand to stop Israel’s “aggression” against the Gaza Strip and south Lebanon, saying that continuing such actions could lead to a deterioration of the situation and the outbreak of an all-out war in the region. He stressed that continued British aid to the army would assist its efforts in the difficult circumstances. Cameron said that the spillover of the conflict from the Gaza Strip to Lebanon, the Red Sea, or the entire region would increase the risks and insecurity in the world (Mikati’s X account, December 28, 2023).
  • Najib Mikati also spoke with Catherine Colonna, the French foreign minister, and expressed his concern about the escalation of Israeli aggression against south Lebanon and the extensive attacks against civilians. He said the continued attacks would lead Lebanon to enter a confrontation that could affect all countries in the region (Mikati’s X account, December 28, 2023).
Syria
  • On the evening of December 29, 2023, two rocket launches crossed from Syrian territory into Israeli territory. The rockets fell in an open area. IDF forces attacked the sources of fire (IDF spokesperson, December 29, 2023).
  • “Syrian military sources” reported several attacks carried out against targets in Syria:
    • On the evening of December 28, 2023, an attack was carried out against Damascus International Airport. Eleven Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commanders in eastern Syria were reportedly killed, and Nur Rashid, IRGC commander in eastern Syria, was wounded. The commanders reportedly welcomed members of a high-level delegation at the same time (al-Arabiya, December 29, 2023).
    • On the evening of December 29, 2023, a Syrian army company was attacked on the Qasr al-Nafl hill and the area of the town of Hader in the rural area of Quneitra. Two operatives of Palestinian origin belonging to the Golan Liberation Brigade, which operates alongside Hezbollah, were killed (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, December 30, 2023).
    • On the night of December 29, 2023, an airstrike was carried out against targets of Iranian-affiliated militias in the Iranian security square in al-Hajana Square and positions of the 47th Fawj (regiment) in the desert area of Albukamal (the Syrian-Iraqi border). An airstrike was also carried out against a convoy entering Syria from Iraq, as well as against headquarters, an ammunition depot, and vehicles. A total of 25 people were reportedly killed: five Syrians and 20 non-Syrians, which included four Hezbollah operatives, six Iraqis and ten non-Syrians, members of Iranian-affiliated militias (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, December 30-31, 2023). The airstrike reportedly targeted a convoy of eight trucks, destroying at least four of them. Many attributed the attack to the United States. An American military source denied involvement in the attack (Reuters, December 30, 2023).
    • In the early evening of December 30, 2023, a missile attack was carried out between the villages of al-Dhahabiya and Sheikh Saeed in the area of the al-Nayrab military airbase in Aleppo, where warehouses and headquarters of Iranian-affiliated militias are located. Four non-Syrian operatives in the Iranian-affiliated forces were killed. Another missile hit the area of Aleppo International Airport and the al-Nayrab military airbase, but no damage was caused (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, December 30, 2023).
  • According to a Syrian military source, Iran has stepped up its efforts to supply Syria with air defense systems that would help it deal with the Israeli attacks, pondering the possibility that the campaign in the Gaza Strip would spread (Reuters, December 29, 2023).
  • The Syrian foreign ministry sent a communiqué to the UN secretary-general and the president of the Security Council regarding the Israeli airstrikes on Syrian territory following “two new acts of aggression,” one carried out on December 28 at 23:50 and the other on December 29 at 01:20. The ministry reiterated its call on the Security Council and the UN to take responsibility and implement international law, stressing that Israel’s massacres against the Palestinian people and Israeli and American attacks against the Syrian people had to be stopped (SANA, December 29, 2023).
  • Ramazan Sharif, IRGC spokesman, denied reports that 11 senior IRGC commanders had been killed in an attack attributed to Israel in the Damascus area on the night of December 29, 2023. The Syrian news website Ayn al-Furat reported (December 29, 2023) that several senior commanders had been unusually present at the scene during the attack, and that a commander in the IRGC’s intelligence organization in the area of the Middle Euphrates River had been killed in the attack.

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Judea and Samaria
Terrorist attacks
  • On the afternoon of December 30, 2023, a vehicle ramming attack was carried out near a military post in the al-Fawwar refugee camp (southwest of Hebron). A soldier was severely wounded. The forces at the scene shot and killed the driver (IDF spokesperson and Israeli media, December 30, 2023). The driver was reportedly Muhammad Hussein Ismail Masalmeh, 30, from Beit ‘Awa (west of Hebron). Following the attack, IDF forces raided his home and detained several members of his family (al-Ayyam, December 30, 2023).
  • On the afternoon of December 29, 2023, another vehicle ramming attack was carried out near a military post at the Adoraim Junction (south of Hebron), wounding five soldiers (one severely and four superficially). The soldiers at the scene shot and killed the driver (Israeli media, December 29, 2023).
The scene of the ramming attack at the Adoraim Junction (Wafa, December 29, 2023)    The scene of the ramming attack near the al-Fawwar refugee camp (Wafa, December 30, 2023).
Right: The scene of the ramming attack near the al-Fawwar refugee camp (Wafa, December 30, 2023). Left: The scene of the ramming attack at the Adoraim Junction (Wafa, December 29, 2023)
  • On the evening of December 28, 2023, a Palestinian arrived in his vehicle armed with a knife at the Mazmoria Crossing in south Jerusalem. After being stopped near the security checkpoint, he got out of his car and tried to stab a civilian security guard and a Border Police fighter who were at the scene. The two sustained light-to-moderate injuries. They shot and killed him (Israel Police Force Facebook page, December 28, 2023). The Israeli media reported that the perpetrator was Ahmed Alyan, 23, from the Jabal al-Mukaber neighborhood in East Jerusalem. It was noted that he had worked as a contract worker at Hadassah Ein Karem Hospital in Jerusalem. He is the cousin of Baha Alyan, who had murdered three Israelis on a bus in the Armon Hanatziv neighborhood in 2015. In a final post on his Facebook account, he wrote, “Blessed are those who choose martyrdom” (Israeli media, December 30, 2023).
The knife with which the terrorist carried out the stabbing attack (Israel Police Force, December 28, 2023)     The scene of the stabbing attack at the Mazmoria Crossing (United Hatzalah, December 28, 2023).
Right: The scene of the stabbing attack at the Mazmoria Crossing (United Hatzalah, December 28, 2023). Left: The knife with which the terrorist carried out the stabbing attack (Israel Police Force, December 28, 2023)
  • Hamas praised the “heroic” attack at the Mazmoria checkpoint, saying it was a natural response to the massacres carried out by Israel in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. It also stressed that they would continue to resist the occupation on all their lands and called on Palestinians in the West Bank and Israeli territory to carry out additional operations by any means possible (Hamas Telegram channel, December 20, 2023).
  • The PIJ praised the recent “heroic actions” carried out by the Palestinians in Hebron and Jerusalem, saying they were a response to the “crimes of the settlers and the terror of the occupation army.” The organization said its operatives throughout Palestine and abroad would continue to confront Israel until it was defeated (PIJ Telegram channel, December 29, 2023).
  • Senior Hamas terrorist Osama Hamdan called on the PA security forces in Judea and Samaria to point their weapons at Israel and take part together with their brothers in resisting the acts of aggression by IDF soldiers and settlers (Palinfo, December 28, 2023; al-Jazeera TV website, December 28, 2023).
Counterterrorism activities
  • The Israeli security forces continued their counterterrorism activities throughout Judea and Samaria. Since the beginning of the war in the Gaza Strip, about 2,550 wanted Palestinians have been detained, of whom about 1,300 were Hamas operatives (IDF spokesperson’s X account, December 31, 2023). The Palestinian media reported 16 Palestinian detainees during the past 24 hours (Wafa, December 31, 2023).
  • One of the focal points of activity was the Nur al-Shams refugee camp (east of Tulkarm). The Israeli security forces uncovered and destroyed IEDs under and on the sides of the roads. Five wanted Palestinians were detained and weapons and IEDs were seized. During the operation, armed Palestinians shot and threw IEDs at the forces, who responded with gunfire. An IDF aircraft attacked terrorists who shot and threw IEDs at the forces (IDF spokesperson, December 31, 2023).
  • The Palestinian media reported heavy exchanges of fire in the refugee camp. Medical sources reported four wounded. At the same time, heavy damage to infrastructure in the camp was also reported (Wafa; al-Arabi TV, December 31, 2023).
Israeli security forces operating in the Nur al-Shams refugee camp in Tulkarm (Wafa, December 31, 2023)     Israeli security forces operating in the Nur al-Shams refugee camp in Tulkarm (Wafa, December 31, 2023)
Israeli security forces operating in the Nur al-Shams refugee camp in Tulkarm
(Wafa, December 31, 2023)

Some of the weapons seized by the forces (IDF spokesperson, December 31, 2023)
Some of the weapons seized by the forces (IDF spokesperson, December 31, 2023)

Preventive activity by the PA’s security services
  • Recently, several reports have accumulated about counterterrorism activities carried out by the PA’s security services. For example, “eyewitnesses” reported that on December 30, 2023, a force of the PA’s security service, reinforced by members of the explosives neutralization unit, neutralized IEDs in several areas in the Jenin district prepared against IDF patrols. It was noted that it was the fourth time in recent days that the PA’s security services had neutralized IEDs (al-Shahed website, December 30, 2023). On December 24, 2023, the Palestinian security services reportedly neutralized three large IEDs and seized homemade bombs in the town of Azzun, near Qalqilya. The IEDs were hidden ahead of Israeli security forces’ activity there (QudsN X account, December 25, 2023). On December 25, 2023, the Palestinian security services in the Balata camp neutralized IEDs prepared against IDF forces (al-Shahed website, December 25, 2023).
  • It was also reported that the security services in Jenin tried to detain two Jenin Battalion operatives in the early morning hours of December 30, 2023, and even shot at them, but the two managed to flee (al-Shahed website, December 30, 2023; JeninCamp1950 X account, December 30, 2023). In response, the headquarters of the Muqata’a (offices of the provincial governor) was targeted by gunfire (al-Shahed website, December 30, 2023).
Prayers on the Temple Mount
  • On Friday, December 29, 2023, Israeli security forces reportedly set up checkpoints around the Temple Mount and the Old City of Jerusalem, allowing only adults to come and pray on the Temple Mount. A senior official in the Department of Endowments in Jerusalem said that 12,000 Muslims had participated in the Friday prayer, compared to 50,000 on normal Fridays (Anadolu News, December 29, 2023).
Palestinian Authority (PA)
  • Rawhi Fattouh, chairman of the Palestinian National Council of the PLO, speaking in the Arab parliament of the Arab League in Cairo, said that the PA would not return to rule the Gaza Strip with Israeli tanks or an American force and that the Palestinians would oppose any such initiative. He said there would be no rule in the Gaza Strip without a complete withdrawal of the IDF forces, stressing that the Gaza Strip was an integral part of the Palestinian state (Amad website, December 28, 2023).
  • Hussein al-Sheikh, secretary of the PLO’s Executive Committee, said Israel’s statements regarding the return to control the Philadelphi Route and the Rafah Crossing from the Palestinian side and the creation of buffer zones were evidence of the decision to restore the “occupation” in full, destroy the agreements with Egypt and end the agreements with the PLO. He added that it required a united Palestinian-Arab decision to deal with the consequences of the war and Israel’s attempts to impose a new reality after the war (Hussein al-Sheikh’s X account, December 31, 2023).

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Iran
  • Hossein Amir Abdollahian, Iranian foreign minister, meeting with clerics in the city of Qom, said that the scope of the Hamas and PIJ tunnels in the Gaza Strip was currently greater than the area of Gaza. He noted that since the beginning of the war until today, and despite the Israeli attacks, not a single workshop or facility for manufacturing rockets, missiles and drones had been closed in the Gaza Strip if only for one hour. He added that Hamas, which had at most 30,000 to 40,000 fighters in a limited area under siege, had succeeded in forcing Israel to negotiate with it. He also said the United States had appealed to Iran several times not to expand the scope of the war and to work with its proxies so that they would not act against it. Abdollahian said Iran replied to the Americans that it was not interested in expanding the war, but that they had to stop their military support for Israel. He said Israel’s defeat in the war was now considered the United States’ defeat (Fars, December 28, 2023).
  • In another statement, Hossein Amir Abdollahian said the assassination of Seyyed Razi Mousavi would not compromise Iran’s objectives of ensuring the security of the country and the region and would even increase Iran’s determination to continue on this path. He noted that Israel had suffered two defeats since the outbreak of the war: the first defeat on October 7, when it collapsed completely politically and security-wise, and the second one on the last 80 days, when it collapsed militarily in the face of the “resistance” in Gaza. He added that Mousavi’s assassination stemmed from Israel’s nervousness over its political, military and security failures (ISNA, December 30, 2023). 
  • Mohammadi Golpayegani, head of the Iranian Supreme Leader’s office, said that the story of the Gaza Strip was the story of the Palestinians, and that Iran was not directly involved in it. He said that the Palestinians had drawn a lesson and an example from the Islamic revolution, and that one of the lessons was the popular resistance. He also said the American president and the American regime were complicit in the “crimes of the Zionist regime” and should be prosecuted for it (Fars, December 28, 2023). 
  • Esmail Qaani, commander of the IRGC’s Qods Force, said that from the very first day of the war in Gaza, the Americans had mobilized all their strength to defend the Zionists, and the Europeans announced their support one by one. On the other hand, none of the Arabs came to help, and only the resistance front defended the Palestinians. He added that all the world powers had been fighting the resistance for more than 80 days, and that the United States and Israel were desperate. Qaani noted that thousands of Israelis had been killed so far, but Israel refrained from publishing its number of fatalities. He also said Operation al-Aqsa Flood had been a completely Palestinian operation, carried out step by step in accordance with the plan and resourcefulness of the Palestinian resistance. He noted that Israel had eliminated Seyyed Razi Mousavi because it had achieved nothing on the battlefield in the Gaza Strip, but that Iran would not be tempted by its plans. He warned the United States that if it continued its illogical conduct in Iraq, the Iraqi resistance would set aside its considerations and respond differently (borna.news; IRNA, December 29, 2023).
Pro-Iranian militias
Iraq
  • The Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility for a series of attacks against American bases in Syria and Iraq by launching rockets and drones. Attacks were launched against the American base in the Koniko oil field in Syria (December 28); the Harir base in Erbil in northern Iraq (December 29); the al-Shadadi base and the Kharab al-Jir base in Syria (December 29); Harir base in Erbil in northern Iraq (December 30, 2023); and Ramilan base in northeastern Syria (December 31, 2023) (Islamic Resistance Telegram channel, December 28-31, 2023)
  • Saberin News, a Telegram channel affiliated with the pro-Iranian militias in Iraq, reported that in response, the United States had attacked targets in Deir ez-Zor in eastern Syria from the air (Saberin News Telegram channel, December 31, 2023).
Yemen
  • Mohammad al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthi political bureau, said that Houthi leader Abd al-Malik Badr al-Din al-Houthi had confirmed that if Yemen was attacked, every American ship would be a target for them. He said Yemen would assist each of the ring countries (countries bordering Israel) in their campaigns against Israel (al-Mayadeen, December 30, 2023). Yahya Saria, Houthi armed forces spokesman, said their forces were on full military alert to implement Abd al-Malik al-Houthi’s orders at all times (Yahya Saria’s Telegram channel, December 29, 2023).
  • The United States Army Central Command (CENTCOM) reported that the American destroyer USS Mason had intercepted a drone and a ballistic missile in the southern Red Sea launched by the Houthis in Yemen. It was reported that no ship was damaged in the area at the time of the attack (CENTCOM X account, December 29, 2023).
  • On December 31, 2023, CENTCOM reported that the USS Gravely and USS Laboon had responded to distress calls from a Singapore-flagged ship that had been hit in the Red Sea. The USS Gravely intercepted two ballistic missiles fired at it by the Houthis. No casualties or damage were reported (CENTCOM X account, December 31, 2023).
  • CENTCOM later stated that the container ship Maersk Hangzhou had sent a second distress call within a day and reported that it was being attacked by four Houthi boats that fired at the ship’s crew, who returned fire. American helicopters responding to the SOS call arrived at the scene. Three of the four boats were sunk, and their crews were killed. A fourth boat managed to escape (CENTCOM X account, December 31, 2023).
  • Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of the United States Navy’s Fifth Fleet, said that since the start of Operation Prosperity Guardian, 1,200 ships had passed through the Red Sea, none of which had been damaged. However, he noted that the Houthis in Yemen showed no signs of ending their attacks. He said it was an important international operation that required a collective response. According to Cooper, American, French and British warships were currently patrolling the southern Red Sea, and they expected other countries to join in the coming weeks (AP, December 30, 2023).
  • American Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke with Grant Shapps, Britain’s defense secretary, to discuss Houthi attacks from Yemen on the Red Sea. They noted that the attacks violated the freedom of navigation protected by international law and threatened several countries. They also stressed that recent events were unacceptable, undermined stability and affected trade, the food industry, fuel and humanitarian aid all over the world (American Department of Defense website, December 31, 2023).
  • The American Treasury Department reported that it had put one person and three entities on the terrorist list for funneling Iranian funds to the Houthi forces, including the head of the money changers union in Sana’a and three money changers’ offices in Yemen and Turkey (Treasury Department website, December 28, 2023).
The International Arena
South Africa
  • South Africa petitioned the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to initiate proceedings against Israel on the grounds that it was committing deliberate genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. According to the petition, there are acts and omissions on the part of Israel, of a genocidal nature, since they are being carried out with the specific intention of deliberately destroying the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip as part of a broad Palestinian national, racial and ethnic group (Israeli media, December 29, 2023).
  • Hamas congratulated South Africa on its petition. According to Hamas, it is an important step towards settling scores with Israeli leaders. It called on other countries to submit similar petitions against Israel to the courts and ensure that Israel would not escape punishment (Hamas Telegram channel, December 30, 2023).
  • Senior Hamas terrorist Bassem Na’im praised the fact that South Africa had submitted the petition, saying it was a very important and big step. He said this step would not lead to an end to the aggression, but it was an important step in deterring and isolating Israel, and it would certainly help in the long run to stop the aggression and prevent Israel from repeating it because Israel would not be able to continue without international support (Arab World News Agency (AWP), December 30, 2023)
  • Musa Abu Marzuq, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, called on the Arab and Islamic countries, especially the Palestinian Authority, which was a member of the International Court of Justice, to join South Africa in the lawsuit filed against Israel (Musa Abu Marzuq’s X account, December 30, 2023).
  • The PIJ also welcomed South Africa’s decision, saying it was welcome even though the PIJ did not trust international institutions that had never done justice to the Palestinian people. According to the PIJ’s statement, the Israeli foreign ministry’s response to the decision, according to which they target the resistance and not the residents of the Gaza Strip, is an attempt to evade the genocidal crimes that were committed and are still being committed in the Gaza Strip (PIJ Telegram channel, December 30, 2023).
Turkey
  • The Turkish interior minister announced that as part of a detention operation carried out in nine different provinces of the country, a total of 29 people had been detained. They were suspected of ties to ISIS and, according to the interior minister, planned to attack churches and synagogues in Istanbul (Turkish interior minister’s X account, December 29, 2023).

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