Daily Recap: Hamas - Israel War October 26th, 2023 (19:00) - Day 20

Summary

• Field Notes: Lt. Col. Richard Hecht shares updates thoughts on the ongoing rocket fire from Gaza towards the Israeli homefront
• Key Links: Video footage of IDF activity in Gaza, footage of the initial combat defending the community of Be'eri, and more
• Arena overview, including more on the IDF's armored activity in Gaza last night, the targeting of a Hamas deputy commander, updates on the northern border and more

Field Notes from Lt. Col. Richard Hecht, IDF Spokesperson to International Media

At about 1:31 pm, air raid sirens went off in cities across the country, including in Tel Aviv. It’s strange how routine a terrorist organization shooting rockets indiscriminately at civilians can become.

After over twenty years of experience with Hamas rockets, Israel has adapted. Building codes in new buildings require a bomb shelter. Israel built the Iron Dome, a tech masterpiece that shoots rockets out of the air. It’s easy to forget, to sigh, and to head to a bomb shelter. In some places, many times a day.

Over 7,000 rockets have been fired at Israel this war. Casualties remain low but this terrorism isn’t just an inconvenience. Hamas is a sophisticated terrorist organization with military-like capabilities. Yesterday, rockets were fired over 130 miles from Gaza. An apartment building was hit in Rishon LeTzion. Cameras show the family leaving for the communal bomb shelter, baby in arms, only seconds before the building was slammed by a rocket. People have been killed from these rockets. It is a real threat. It is terrorism.

So we choose to invest in protection. In bomb shelters, in public training and in active missile defense. But this is all in response to Hamas’ choice. A choice to invest in rockets. A choice to invest in terror.

As I’ve said so many times, this isn’t a war we started. But it is a war to defend our people…and it is a war we will win.

Key Links

• A video clip of an IDF naval strike on a Hamas Surface to Air missile launch post in the Khan Yunis, deliberately located near a mosque and a kindergarten.
• Recording of a phone call between an IDF soldier and a resident of Gaza in which the resident reiterates that Hamas continues to prevent civilian evacuation towards southern Gaza. (Link and transcript)
• Security camera footage of IDF special forces fighting Hamas terrorists and evacuating residents in Be’eri - see below

Event Overview

Southern Arena

As part of the IDF’s ongoing response to Hamas’ October 7th attacks, and in preparation for further intensification, IDF troops carried out a limited operation in the territory of the Gaza Strip. This operation was larger than the prior operations across the fence that were conducted since the war started and included armored forces under the command of the Givati Brigade. The operation aimed to eliminate terrorists and infrastructure and also included engineering work to prepare for expanded operations. In parallel, the IDF completed work on clearing explosives from near the security fence while rehabilitating the IDF’s surveillance network around the Gaza Strip.

In parallel, the IDF continues to target terrorist infrastructure across the Gaza Strip. Strikes were carried out across over 250 sites in Gaza, including operational command centers, tunnel shafts, and rocket launchers positioned in civilian areas. As part of the IDF’s ongoing targeted strikes on senior and operational commanders, IDF fighter jets, killed the Commander of Hamas' Northern Khan Yunis Rockets Array, Hassan Al-Abdullah. The IDF and ISA killed the Deputy Head of Hamas’ Intelligence Directorate, who was responsible for planning the October 7th massacre together with Yahya Sinwar. In addition, leveraging precise IDF and ISA intelligence, IDF fighter jets struck the Deputy Head of the Hamas’ Intelligence Directorate, Shadi Barud. In his previous role as the Head of the Fire Control Center in Hamas' Operations Unit, Barud planned the barbaric October 7th attacks together with Yahya Sinwar.

As another example of Hamas’ sophisticated military capabilities, as well as the IDF’s ability to target them, the Israeli navy targeted a Hamas surface-to-air missile launch site in the Khan Yunis area. The post was located in close proximity to a mosque and kindergarten.

Hamas continues to systematically use the civilians of Gaza as human shields, preventing them from evacuating to the south. They use a variety of methods including roadblocks, threats and even violence.

Northern Arena

As part of their ongoing attempts to deflect IDF attention from Gaza, Hezbollah attacks on Israel continued, including shots fired yesterday into Moshav Dovev. An Israeli Air Force aircrfat targeted the cell. 

Other attacks included a terrorist unit firing an anti-tank missile at IDF soldiers near Avivim as well as a terrorist unit in the area of Arab al-AramsheIn. A surface-to-air missile (SAM) was fired from Lebanon at an IDF UAV but was intercepted by the Israeli Aerial Defense Array. In response, the IDF struck these terrorist units. In total, over the last day, the IDF eliminated 5 terrorist cells of Hezbollah terrorists who tried to fire into our territory 

Homefront

Rockets attacks from the Gaza strip to Israeli communities continue throughout the day towards the area around the Gaza strip and central israel, including sirens in the great Tel Aviv earlier. This followed even longer range rockets fired at the Carmel (+100 miles) and Eilat (+130 miles) the day before. On Wednesday evening a a building in Rishon Le’zion suffered a direct hit from a Gaza rocket.

To date, over 250,000 Israelis have been evacuated from the Gaza surrounding area and the northern border to safer locations. The families of 309 IDF fallen soldiers and 224 hostages have been notified. Over 100 people remain unaccounted for.