Following the accidental killing of three hostages by IDF forces in the Gaza Strip's Shijaiyah, IDF Spokesperson Daniel Hagari said in his daily briefing Saturday that, "IDF representatives presented the findings to the families of the deceased, and the entire IDF bows its head and embraces the families. We will continue to investigate the incident thoroughly. We are in the midst of a war that presents us with very difficult situations we have not yet faced."
More stories:
Hagari added, "What likely led to these hostages escaping or being abandoned was the ground operation, and we may have more such opportunities."
IDF forces found weapons concealed in incubators inside a Gaza Strip medical center, the army revealed on Saturday, highlighting the use of civilian infrastructure for military purposes by Palestinian terrorist groups.
In a statement, the IDF said recently completed, in cooperation with the Shin Bet security agency, a large-scale operation at the Kamal Adwan Hospital in Jabaliya, which had been utilized by Hamas as a command and control center.
The IDF reported the apprehension of approximately 90 individuals suspected of terrorist activities, including some implicated in the October 7 massacre.
6 View gallery
IDF forces find weapons in incubators at the Kamal Adwan Hospital in Jabaliya
(Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
A notable aspect of the operation was the IDF and Shin Bet's interrogation of hospital staff, who revealed that weapons were concealed in incubators within the NICU – incubators meant for the care of premature infants. This led to the subsequent discovery of additional weapons, classified documents and tactical communication devices hidden in the hospital.
The IDF reported Saturday evening that Warrant Officer (res.) Yehezkel Azaria, 53, of the 8th Armored Brigade’s 129th Battalion, from Petah Tikva was killed in a drone attack earlier near the northern community of Margaliot near the Lebanon border.
According to the statement, two servicemembers, from the Alexandroni Brigade’s 6609th Reconnaissance Battalion, sustained minor and serious injuries in the attack.
Furthermore, an officer of the 7016th Battalion of the 4th Armored Brigade, was seriously wounded in action in the southern Gaza Strip.
Earlier, loud explosions were heard in the Tiberias area in northern Israel. Videos circulating online depict several interceptions by air defenses. No sirens were activated.
The army later said that air defenses intercepted an anti-aircraft missile launched toward an IDF drone in Lebanese territory. According to the army, the drone was not hit and continued its mission. The missile did not cross into Israeli territory.
This comes hours after incoming rocket attack sirens sounded multiple times over several minutes in northern Israeli communities along the Lebanon border.
The IDF said that three launches from Lebanese territory toward Israel were identified. All rockets fell in unpopulated areas and air defenses were not activated. The army responded with artillery fire toward the source of the launches.
Furthermore, the IDF struck several suspects identified in an “area in Lebanon known to belong to Hezbollah.”
Egyptian air defense on Saturday shot down a suspected drone off the Red Sea coast near the resort town of Dahab on Egypt's eastern Sinai coast, two security sources said. They said the drone's origin was unknown. Witnesses in Dahab said they saw an object fall into the water. They said they saw another flying object fall in the nearby mountains.
Earlier, Egyptian choppers were seen flying over the Egyptian side of Rafah on the border with Gaza for the first time since the war began.
At least 30 Hamas terrorists were killed in the Rimal neighborhood in Gaza City the IDF said on Saturday. they were hiding in two schools and were uncovered by troops. Others who were nearby surrendered to the forces.
The military said that although its forces have been operating in the neighborhood since the ground offensive began, they still encounter terrorists there.
Lebanese media affiliated with the Hezbollah terror group said on Saturday that 2 IDF positions were attacked and that the military responded with strikes on south Lebanon. Earlier, Sirens were heard in the upper Galilee region warning of incoming fire.
In the south, rockets targeting the Gaza border area resumed after a 14-hour lull but continued into the morning hours. The IDF struck Hamas targets in Gaza
A spokesperson for the Houthis in Yemen said any hostile move against Yemen would have dire consequences and great costs. "The Houthis will not abandon the Palestinian cause, regardless of any U.S., Israeli, or Western threats," he said, adding that operations against Israel will continue," Ali al-Qahoum, member of the Houthi group's Ansarullah politburo, told Al Mayadeen TV late on Friday.
Earlier, the Houthis struck two Liberian-flagged ships in the Bab al-Mandab Strait causing a fire on one of the vessels. Danish shipping company A.P. Moller-Maersk said it would pause all container shipments through the Red Sea until further notice. German container line Hapag Lloyd said it was considering a similar move.
6 View gallery
A Houthi fighter on after boarding the Galaxy Leader off Yemen earlier in the week
(Photo: Yahya Arhab / EPA)
U.S. Special Envoy for Yemen, Tim Lenderking, said on Thursday that Washington wanted the "broadest possible" maritime coalition to protect ships and signal to the Houthis that attacks would not be tolerated.
Iran warned that the proposed multinational naval force would face "extraordinary problems" and nobody "can make a move in a region where we have predominance."
First published: 09:48, 12.16.23