Iron Sword War - Day 78: The IDF deepens its control over Gaza, claiming that the forces are approaching a "full operational hold in the northern Gaza Strip." IDF Spokesperson: "The forces are preparing to expand the operation in the south." After more than two months, the UN secretary-general clarified: "There is nothing that can justify an attack like the one launched by Hamas." White House: "Iran is deeply involved in attacking vessels in the Red Sea." Following the announcement of the fall of a soldier in the 71st Battalion, Sergeant Amit Hod Ziv, the IDF attacked Hezbollah targets in Lebanon last night.
Regular updates:
04:10 a.m.: After Harvard's presidential hearing earlier this month: Former U.S. President Barack Obama supports keeping Harvard University President Claudine Gay in office, U.S. media reports. Former President Obama, a graduate of the class of 91 of Harvard University, has connections and familiarity with the corporation that owns the university. He is reportedly working to prevent the president's impeachment or resignation.
Gay was pressured to resign after she said at a hearing earlier this month that calling for harm to Jews violated campus rules only "depending on the context in which it was made."
"It sounds like people want to crowd the ranks to keep management stable — and its composition," said a source familiar with the matter.
02:40 a.m.: UN Secretary-General Anthony Guterres responds to critics who claim to have justified Hamas' actions on October 7, saying: "There is nothing that can justify such a brutal attack as the one launched by Hamas that resulted in the abduction of 250 hostages. I repeat my call to release them immediately and unconditionally."
Nothing can possibly justify the horrific terror attacks launched by Hamas on 7 October, or the brutal abduction of some 250 hostages.
I repeat my call for all remaining hostages to be released immediately and unconditionally.
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) December 22, 2023
He also claimed that "although at the moment it seems difficult, the obvious solution to the situation in Gaza is the two-state solution," adding: "Any other proposal would harm the human rights, dignity and hope of the Palestinian people."
02:00: Palestinian sources reported last night that the deputy secretary general of the Popular Resistance Committees, Razeq Aruk, was killed in an IDF attack. It is the third largest terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip. The head of the terrorist organization, Rafat Abu Hilal, was assassinated on the third day of the war.
01:40:70 Aid trucks entered the Gaza Strip yesterday through the Rafah crossing that connects Gaza to Egypt, CNN reported. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society claims: "The trucks contain food, water and medical equipment."
00:30: According to a detailed assessment by the American Institute (ISW), Israel significantly damaged all 12 of Hamas' northern brigades in the Gaza Strip. Three of them are inactive. In the other 8-9 there was still fighting in pockets of resistance to varying degrees. Another 12 battalions in the southern Gaza Strip are currently under intensive IDF attack (air, land and sea).
This time the Institute sharpened its definitions more: 1. Active, 2. Inactive. 3. Significantly damaged. The institute defines significant damage as a temporary situation, in which the losses of the Hamas battalion make it very difficult for it to function, but it still has the ability to operate. For example, if a battalion lost most of its command and hundreds of its terrorists died, it is defined as "significantly damaged." If the area has been cleared like Beit Hanoun, it is defined as inactive.
00:05: US President Biden reacts to the announcement that Gad Hagai, who until now was considered abducted, was murdered by Hamas on 7 October. "Jill and I are heartbroken by the news," the White House said in a statement. "We continue to pray for the safe return from captivity of his wife Judy. Their daughter joined the telephone meeting I held with the families of the abductees last week. I repeat our commitment not to stop working until all the abductees return."
23:13: "Iran is deeply involved in the attack on the vessel in the Red Sea," the White House said hours after the report that an Iranian surveillance vessel was directing Houthi attacks on ships in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
Participants in the preparation of this report were: Lilach Shoval, Idan Avni, Dana Ben Shimon, Shahar Kleiman, Ariel Kahane, Shirit Avitan Cohen, Yoav Limor, Hanan Greenwood, Netael Bandel, Ran Reznik, Ilya Yegorov, Avi Cohen, Michel Mechel, Meital Yassour Beit Or, Itzik Saban, Efrat Forsher, Yehuda Schlesinger, Yaron Doron, Neta Bar, Assaf Golan, Ronit Silberstein, Sonia Goroditsky, Shimon Yaish, Hayali Yaakobi-Handelsman, Yuri Yalon, Noam (Dabol) Dvir, Eyal Levy, Tal Ariel Yakir, David Baron, Merav Sever, Dor Malul and Matti Tuchfeld
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