Isreal Realtime November 23rd

ISRAEL REALTIME – “Connecting the World to Israel in Realtime”

NEWSFLASH – Morning – Nov 23

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???? HOSTAGE RELEASE on hold!
???? CEASEFIRE on hold!

????“An Israeli official tells AFP early Thursday that there would be no halt in the fighting between Israel and Gaza’s Hamas rulers or any release of hostages held by the terrorists “before Friday.”

????National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi said in a surprise announcement before midnight that none of the hostages would be freed before Friday.

????“Negotiations for the hostages “are constantly progressing” and “the release will begin according to the original agreement between the parties, and not before Friday.”

????A source familiar with the matter said that the delay in the release of the hostages stems from Israel not yet receiving the names of those supposed to be released, describing these as “last-minute delays.”

????What is missing to complete the deal? There is no list of names of abductees in Israel’s hands (general lists were exchanged between the parties, not specific lists for the meeting that was supposed to take place today), Hamas has not finally signed the deal with Qatar, the exchange mechanism has not been finalized and there is a minor disagreement about what is allowed and what is not allowed during the ceasefire.

????Israeli source: In our opinion, it will be possible to move forward with the outline after the agreed sections are refined.

????ROCKETS from GAZA… Ashkelon and surrounds.

◾IDF ATTACKS LEBANON…. Following the reports in Lebanon about the Israeli attack on the village of Beit Yahon in the south of the country: Hezbollah confirmed – that five Hezbollah operatives were killed, including the son of the organization’s senior leader.

◾HOUTHIS ATTACK… (unclear if targeting Israel or US Navy ship) The United States Central Command announced that the warship USS Thomas Hudner shot down numerous suicide drones launched by the Houthis in Yemen.

◾SAMARIA – SHECHEM (Nablus)… overnight security activity, firefight, terrorist(s) shot.

????ROCKETS from LEBANON… Yir’on, Shlomi, Arab al-Aramshe, multiple rounds. Barrage towards HaGalil HaElyon, Merom, Bar Yochai, Merom HaGalil Regional Center.

???? HOSTAGE RELEASE on hold. CEASEFIRE is on hold. Spokesman of the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs: The announcement of the effective date of the ceasefire agreement will be in the next few hours.

◾GAZA – INDONESIAN HOSPITAL… “Israel asked us to evacuate the Indonesian hospital within 4 hours.”

◾IDF ATTACKS HEZBOLLAH… son of a member of parliament on behalf of Hezbollah was killed in an Israeli attack in Beit Yahon in southern Lebanon. Israel hit a number of private homes of Hezbollah leaders and associates. Enemy reports are coming about the assassination of the commander of a primary Hezbollah force.

◾IDF ATTACKS LEBANON… (enemy sources) Israel attacked from the air in the last hour near the villages of Bustan and Yarine in the western sector of southern Lebanon. A Lebanese report of hearing explosions and an exchange of machine gun fire on the borderline in front of Bint Jebel, at the same time intense air force flights.

Hezbollah reported yesterday had 12 military operations against Israel.

◾SIGNIFICANT BATTLES IN GAZA… reports of many air strikes with enemy forces killed, dozens of attacks were carried out all over the Strip, including attacks by the Navy on targets in the west of Gaza City.

◾MENTALLY UNSTABLE MAN ATTACKS, “EAST” JERUSALEM – by JEBAL MOKBAR (ג’בל מוכבר)… (area – east of Tzomet Allenby, by Ala’r St) security forces thought they were being attacked by a terrorist, shot the attacker. The attacker turned out to be a mentally unstable Jewish Israeli.

◾GERMANY RAIDS HAMAS… German police conducted raids on properties in four states connected to Hamas and Samidoun. “With the bans on Hamas and Samidoun in Germany, we have sent a clear signal that we will not tolerate any glorification or support of the barbaric terror of Hamas against Israel. Islamists and ant-Semites must not feel safe anywhere.” Searches were carried out in Berlin,  Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Schleswig-Holstein.

November 23rd, Noon

????ROCKETS & Anti-Tank MISSILES from LEBANON… Hezbollah claims to have fired over 50 rockets so far today. Ongoing attacks across northern Israeli towns. Hezbollah: “We launched 48 Katyusha rockets at 10:15 at the Ein Zeit military base in Safed.” After a heavy barrage, Hezbollah fired two anti-tank missiles at Menara and hit two houses.

????THE DEAL IS TEETERING… Hamas rejected the transfer of the abductees to Israel within a day. Egypt says:
Hamas demands guarantees that Israel will not eliminate its leaders. This is what is delaying the first phase of the exchanges. Americans discussed this with Israel overnight.

◾JUDEA – SAMARIA (West Bank)… the IDF launched an extensive arrest operation of terrorist operatives with an emphasis on Hamas in Tubas, Balata camp in Nablus, Yaobed south of Jenin, El Aroub camp north of Hebron, Azon in Qalqilya sector, and locations in the Ramallah sector. Continuing this morning, IDF forces have been carrying out extensive arrests in the Balata camp in Nablus for many hours. This morning IDF forces blew up an explosives laboratory in Romana village, Jenin district.

◾GAZA WAR… (enemy reports) IDF forces have almost completed the takeover of the large Zeytoun neighborhood (the largest in Gaza, marked in red) and have reached the Salah al-Din axis (marked in blue), which is the eastern border of the neighborhood (Gaza City – southern neighborhood).

◾EGYPT SAYS… tomorrow and Saturday they will allow Gazans “stuck” in Egypt to return to the Gaza Strip through the Rafah crossing.

◾SHIFA TUNNELS… IDF has taken reporters through the extensive tunnel system under Shifa Hospital. IDF reveals the continuation of the terror tunnel route, tens of meters of branching tunnels, which also passes under the Qatari building near the hospital, fighting rooms, hiding and residence rooms, toilets, kitchens, air conditioning, and more.

◾BRITISH FOREIGN MINISTER… who was previously British Prime Minister, Cameron, is visiting Israel and viewing Be’eri.

◾HIGH COURT REJECTS PETITIONS AGAINST HOSTAGE DEAL… multiple petitions were rejected with “it’s a political matter”.

????ROCKETS & Anti-Tank MISSILES from LEBANON… continued fire from Hezbollah: Shlomi, Zarit

????THE DEAL IS WACKO… We are now getting “official” updates via… hostage family members. Some of the families of the abductees updated: “Indeed progress has been made, they are awaiting official confirmation.” One of the points of contention – Hamas demands that the abductees be taken through Egypt, while in Israel they demand that they be taken through the Red Cross. Al-Arabiya network: Hamas refuses to commit to a date for the transfer of the abductees. (According to foreign sources) Hamas also demands guarantees that senior Hamas officials will not be eliminated worldwide during the ceasefire.

◾COMM. MINISTER TO FORBID HAARETZ… (( Ha’aretz (The Land) is an extremely leftist Israeli newspaper. )) “In light of the consistent distribution of “defeatist and false propaganda, and incitement against the State of Israel during the war in Haaretz newspaper”, Communications Minister Karai submitted a proposal to stop the buying, subscribing or advertising in Haaretz newspaper, for all Israeli government users including the IDF, police, Shabak, government ministries and any government company. The explanation for the proposal reads: The Haaretz newspaper takes an offensive line, which undermines the goals of the war and weakens the military effort and our social resilience. Stopping the purchase of services from Haaretz by government bodies will reduce the severe harm that Israeli citizens feel not only from the publications in the newspaper but also from the fact that they are obliged to pay for it with their tax money.

◾GAZA SHIFA HOSPITAL DIRECTOR… arrested and taken for interrogation. “The director of Shifaa Hospital was arrested and transferred to the Shin Bet for interrogation after much evidence was revealed that the hospital, under his direct management, served as the headquarters of the terrorist organization Hamas.”

◾HAMAS, IT’S NOT A TUNNEL, IT’S AN OLD WATER WELL… (with air conditioning, kitchen and bathroom – special good features) Hamas Info Office: “What the spokesman of the occupation army revealed as a “tunnel under the Shifa Hospital” is actually an old water well the digging of which was not completed.”

◾ATTEMPTED ROCKET FROM JENIN TO SHAKED… for the 3rd or 4th time we get a video of an attempted short-range rocket launch from Jenin towards the Israel town of Shaked. It fails, but they keep trying to get it right and kill some Jews.

November 23rd, Evening

????THE DEAL IS ON?… Reports are coming from Qatar, from Hamas spokesmen, but limited or no official statements from Israel. Are the enemy reports accurate? They weren’t last time.

. Qatar: Gaza truce to kick off Friday at 7 a.m., 13 hostages will be freed at 4 p.m.
. Hamas spokesthing…

.. The truce will last four days, during which all military operations will cease, including air flights in the southern Gaza Strip.
.. For each hostage released, three Hamas security prisoners will be released.
.. During the pause, 50 abductees, all women and children, will be released. A child was reportedly defined as under 19 years of age.
.. In addition to the release of security prisoners, about 200 trucks of humanitarian aid and medical equipment will arrive in the Gaza Strip every day. In addition to these trucks, four fuel and cooking gas trucks will enter the strip every day.

. PMO: Israel confirms that a preliminary list of names has been received.
. PMO: Officials are checking the details of the list and are in contact with the families.
. The war cabinet will meet at 8 pm.
. The Missing Office: We ask the media not to publish the list of names until our abductees are returned to Israel.

. Red Cross: Cannot confirm they are involved with this process, or take an active part in the release process, or check on hostages still held as required by international law. Qatari Foreign Ministry stressed: “The Red Cross and the Red Crescent will be an integral part of the process of transferring the abductees. We have confirmation that all the abductees who will be released in the first instance are alive.”

. More on Red Cross: Minister Miki Zohar on the fact that the section regarding the Red Cross visits did not appear in the Qatar and Hamas announcement: “It appears in the agreement with the US and Qatar if Hamas does not allow Red Cross visits. At the end of the process, if Hamas does not do this, it will violate the agreement, and the US will have to be a guarantor for its existence.

◾GAZA CHILDREN ADMITTED FOR TREATMENT?? While dozens of Israeli children are being held captive in Gaza, today Israel admitted children from Gaza to the Barzilai Hospital for medical treatment. In the past mothers have been interviewed following treatment and stated “I will raise my child to be a martyr and kill Jews.”

◾GAZANS TO RETURN TO (NOW OCCUPIED) AREAS? (Enemy report) Palestinian journalists: Many families who evacuated from the north of the Gaza Strip to the south plan to return tomorrow, back to their homes in the north of the Gaza Strip (at 1:00 PM after the Friday prayer) following the ceasefire agreement.

◾EXTENDED WAGE BENEFITS FOR EVACUEES… The Ministry of Finance will extend the compensation of wages to the evacuees until the end of the year: in order to prevent spending on unemployment benefits or layoffs of people who were evacuated from their homes.

November 23, 20:00

◼IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari warns that there may be changes amid the hostage deal with Hamas and that the terror group will attempt to use “psychological terror” against the Israeli public.

He says officers contacted the hostages’ families and notified them who is being released, “with the necessary reservations.”

“These will be complex days, nothing is final until it actually happens. And even amid the process, there may be changes at any moment,” he says.

“It is important to note that Hamas terrorists is a ruthless enemy. Difficult days are ahead of us, joy mixed with sadness,” he says.

“Hamas terrorists will try to use the days of the deal and pause in fighting to spread fear, disinformation, and psychological terror,” Hagari warns.

He says that the deal is not “the end of the process, but the start.”

I attached the translated evening briefing of the IDF Spokesperson, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari:
https://www.idf.il/155727

◼Defense Minister Yoav Gallant to troops of the Navy’s Shayetet 13 commando unit: “This will be a short respite, after which the fighting will continue with intensity, and pressure will be made to bring back more hostages. At least two more months of fighting is expected.”

◼ IDF spokesperson: IDF fighter jets, directed by IDF and ISA intelligence, killed Amar Abu Jalalah, commander of the Hamas naval forces in Khan Yunis, and an additional operative in Hamas’ naval forces.

Amar Abu Jalalah was a senior operative in Hamas’ naval forces and was involved in directing several terror attacks by sea that were thwarted by the IDF.

During the war, directed by Israeli Navy intelligence, weapon storage compounds, tunnel sites near the beach, training compounds, and maritime observation posts, were located and destroyed.

Attached is a video of the strike on Amar Abu Jalalah, commander of the Hamas naval forces in Khan Yunis: https://bit.ly/46s9skU

◼ Gazan residents of Nuseirat camp confirmed an attack on a convoy of vehicles, with six likely terrorists, have been eliminated in the target assassinations.