 Israel's story must reach the whole world. The I-24 News channel broadcasting from Israel, with dozens of correspondents throughout the world, brings the truth from Israel to hundreds of millions of people in scores of countries. They're going to be completely sundown in their beds. From the border between Israel, the state of emergency, and war in Israel. Bringing Israel's story to the world, I-24 News channels, now on Hot. Good afternoon, you're watching I-24 News. I'm Sarah Martinez, live from Tel Aviv. Today marks the 86th day of the Israel Hamas War, as Israel intensifies its ground offensive to dismantle the terror group in Gaza. A short while ago, incoming rocket alert sirens sounded in the Gaza border community of Kisufim after a 24-hour loan. Meanwhile, battles are underway throughout the enclave. The IDF says it's killed dozens more terrorists. Overnight, Israeli Air Force fighter jets reportedly carried out a wave of airstrikes, destroying Hamas military buildings, a tunnel, and other infrastructure. The military announcing this morning the death of two Israeli soldiers killed in combat. 37-year-old Sergeant Major in the Reserves, Eriraz Gabay, and 23-year-old First Class Sergeant in the Reserves, Liad Isiada, bringing the death toll of slain troops since the start of the ground offensive to 172. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu says the war will continue for many more months. The Premier is facing internal pressure over his handling of the war. Saturday evening, thousands rallied across Israel, calling for his ousting. The Israeli War Cabinet is set to meet this evening to discuss a possible hostage deal brokered by Egypt to secure the release of the 129 hostages still held captive in Gaza. This is reports of a visit by an Egyptian delegation to Israel surfaced over the weekend, reports which were then denied by sources in Cairo. The security echelon will also discuss the next phase of the war. I-24 News senior defense correspondent Jonathan Ragev with the details. Two months into the IDF's ground operation in Gaza, questions are rising as to the end strategy of the current high-intensity phase and a move on to the next phase. On one hand, there are still constant firefights with Hamas terrorists, especially in the area of Chanyunis. We found here plenty of enemy infrastructure. There was a terrorist here with a Kalachnikov that tried to shoot at our soldiers. We killed him and caught another terrorist and took him for interrogation. Along with that, Hamas officials are also being killed. One of them is Abdel Fattah Mali, the closest associate of Ichi Ayash, who was known as the engineer and responsible for various terror attacks in the 1990s. On the other hand, there is a feeling that in the current phase, the IDF is not able to reach the hostages or the Hamas senior leadership and some other way is now needed. When will Israel head for that other way? The prime minister may have set the goal for that. The Philadelphia corridor, or to put it more correctly, the southern end of Gaza, must be in our hands. No other solution can ensure the demilitarization we seek. The Philadelphia corridor separates Gaza from Egypt and the assumption is that huge amounts of weapons were and maybe still are smuggled to Gaza in tunnels running under it. On paper, Egypt seems to refuse any such move. And Israel needs Egyptian backing for another crucial move, a hostage deal. Families and protesters believe the government is not doing enough in that field. I'm afraid that the government of Israel has prioritized otherwise its political ambitions and the hostages is not on the top priorities. A possible hostage deal, the control of the Philadelphia corridor, the effectiveness of the IDF's current tactics. Many critical issues for the future of this war, but none of them with a concrete solution at hand. Joining me now in studio is journalist Nari Zilber. Nari, thank you very much for joining us this afternoon. I want to ask you, Netanyahu, who says the war against Hamas is at its highest level and will continue for months. What does that mean, though, practically on the ground? So it's not a surprise. The prime minister was essentially commenting on what had been and still is the Israeli war plan. In other words, that we're currently, as everyone's talking about, the high intensity phase of the ground operation for divisions from the IDF inside the Gaza Strip. That was always likely to end sometime in the new year. Tomorrow is the new year. So at some point in January, most likely, they will start moving especially the reserve troops back home, out of the Gaza Strip and back home, essentially minimizing the IDF presence on the ground inside the Gaza Strip. And I imagine primarily the northern Gaza Strip, but that doesn't mean the war will be over far from it. The prime minister correctly said this will take many more months. Likely Israel will be fighting inside the Gaza Strip in one form or another for most of 2024. And I want to ask you simultaneously, this reported Qatari proposal for a second hostage deal. Qatari mediators have reportedly told Israel that Hamas has agreed in principle to resume negotiations. Is this a sign Hamas is starting to bend Israel's military pressure here? No, I don't believe so. If you probably asked Hamas leaders, they think they're winning. And that's a whole other conversation, maybe for another time. But in terms of an actual hostage deal right now, the entire signaling from Hamas, and by the way, Islamic jihad also, smaller militant group that also is believed to be holding some Israeli hostages for the past two weeks, has been we're not going to cut another hostage deal, hostage release deal, except for the end of the war, end of the fighting. Not a temporary ceasefire like we saw in late November, early December, not like the terms that are being discussed now in the Qatari or Egyptian deal. And so at least from the other side, from the Hamas and Islamic jihad side, this is a non-starter. From the Israeli point of view, the government would very much like to broker some kind of hostage deal that gets at least some of the over 100 people still being held in captivity back home, but not at any price. Not at any price. And Israel has made clear, as the Prime Minister said last night, the fighting will continue. Mary Stowe, wait for me. I want to cross over to our correspondent, Nicole Sedeck. She's in Veri. That's the southern Israeli border town in the South there. Nicole, what's the latest there on the ground operation? Well, within the past hour, we did see the first red alert sirens about billiaring through some of these Southern Israelis towns, specifically the town of Kisufim. It's been more than a 24-hour lull. And this is what we've seen day after day, showing that the Hamas' rocket capabilities are decreasing as we are going day by day and seeing just one to two of these rockets fired towards Southern Israeli towns. But according to a new report out of the Israeli Army radio speaking to some unnamed IDF officials, they're not sure if Hamas' rocket firing capabilities will ever completely be eliminated. They say the IDF is absolutely working to eliminate more of their long-range rockets, and that's why it has been more than a week since we have seen some rockets fired towards central Israel, towards Tel Aviv. But these border communities, according to this official, they might always be at risk for a few rockets here and there coming from the Gaza Strip. And these are places where you have 10 to 15 seconds to run into your shelter. So that report coming out is definitely something to keep an eye out when we're talking about the capabilities of Hamas and how the IDF is continuing to work to eliminate them as we're talking about the continued fighting as it's moving more south as they try and get a stronghold in the northern part of the Gaza Strip. The IDF also announcing today that the elite paratroopers brigade that had been operating for the past two months in the north of the Gaza Strip has now moved to join the other brigades operating in Hanyunas in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. It's been a hotspot for terrorist activity. Although there's been several weeks of heavy, heavy fighting in Hanyunas, we continue to see many, a lot of this terrorist infrastructure, the IDF continuing to hit hard and continuing also to urge residents, any of them that might be in Hanyunas to evacuate now if they haven't. We've heard from the IDF spokesperson in Arabic, taking to Twitter or X now, posting on social media just these new updates for any of the residents who might still be in some of these hotspots where the IDF is still heavily using their military capabilities saying if there are any residents there, you have to leave now. This is an active war zone and there are different bypass routes that the IDF is still encouraging residents to use to evacuate more to now central areas that have more shelters and are more of a safe haven compared to where this active fighting is still ongoing. And Nicole, you're in Berri, the site of one of the worst attacks of October 7th massacre. We're now two months into the war. When are these Gaza border residents able to go home? That's really the main question right now. And right now, actually, we were in Berri earlier today. We've kind of been doing a tour of the South Rence they wrote now. It's still a ghost town. You drive on the highways and you can even see maybe some of the cars behind me on the highways and the highways are back to normal. But as we've seen within the past hour, there are still rockets being fired towards these southern communities. So when you look at Kibbutz Berri, some people are trying to move home. Some of them have successfully moved home. As they say, they don't like the hustle and bustle of the city life. And they also, some of them saying it's too noisy and they'd rather exchange the noise of the outgoing artillery, which let me tell you, it shakes the ground at Kibbutz Berri and even sometimes here in Steroz as well. But these residents, they want to return home. They want to be safe. They want to start even rebuilding their communities. Because let's remind our viewers also, although some of them are able to return home, others have no homes to return to. So when we talk about rebuilding the community, that's one of the main aspects that many of these community members want to see started as soon as possible because they want everyone to come back and really just start rebuilding from the rubble because that's what so many of these houses are left like. Nicole Sadek, thank you very much for that update from Southern Israel. So with me here in studio, journalist Neri Zilbert. Neri, we just heard our correspondence Nicole speaking about that Israel Army radio reporting that the IDF might not ever be able to fully destroy the rocket launching capabilities of those terror groups in Gaza, quoting a senior officer saying even in two years time, those residents might still be running for shelter from rocket alerts. The war cabinet has repeatedly said that the main objective of this war is to dismantle Hamas to ensure the safety of those Gaza border residents. Is the campaign of the war failing here? I don't believe so. I can't speak to. Israeli military officials speaking to army radio. But what I do know from my conversations with Israeli army officers and other security officials is that the war aim is very clear. They want to destroy Hamas as a governing and military force in the Gaza Strip. That hasn't changed no matter that we're now almost three months into this war. And like we were talking about earlier, I will likely last at least militarily well into the coming year. Now, having said that, I have spoken to many Southern Israeli residents, especially in and around the Gaza Strip. And they also, their objective is very clear. We don't want to live with red alerts, with incoming rocket sirens anymore. We've been living with this for 20 years. It reached its peak, or maybe it's nader on October 7th with the cross-border savage raid and assault on their communities. They want to come back to those communities and not have to even think about running into shelter. And those are some live images of the Gaza Strip right there. You can see those plumes of smoke right there. But B'nari, I want to ask you, how can the government expect these residents to go home? So I think what the IDF, the anonymous IDF officer was trying to get at, is that, okay, we may be able to destroy Hamas, quote unquote, militarily, and as a governing force in the Gaza Strip. That doesn't mean that there won't be any incoming rocket sirens in southern Israel, that we can't get to every last one mortar or rocket. I think that's being honest and that's being credible vis-a-vis the Israeli public. But it's a very far cry from giving up or calling the war aims unachievable or a failure at the moment. Let's cross over to the north now. Israel is believed to be behind strikes on military positions in eastern Syria that according to Syrian Observatory for Human Rights killed 23 pro-Iranian fighters. Now, although we both know Israel has a policy of not commenting on these strikes against Iranian proxies in the region, is this connected to the escalation and violence we're seeing on the Lebanese border? Look, Israel has been hitting with a wink and a nod. Iranian assets, whether in Syria or farther afield, for well over a decade. What we have seen now since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war is Hezbollah and other Iranian proxies all across the region, whether in Syria or now in Yemen via the Houthis, joining in, joining in a very real way, whether in the north with Hezbollah from Yemen, firing on Israel ballistic missiles and drones at a lot or trying to fire on shipping through the Red Sea and so on and so forth. So Israel is responding in kind, whether in southern Lebanon against Hezbollah or in other places that we can imagine and that we hear about through various reports overnight. And as you just mentioned, those Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen continue to threaten the region, launching a missile at a commercial vessel in the Red Sea and later attempting to attack that very same ship again, the first successful attack since the launch of the US-led International Coalition to patrol the key commercial waterway 11 days ago. I-24 News, Middle East Correspondent Ariel Al-Saron has the details. A moment of truth for the US-led naval coalition in the Red Sea. American naval forces sank three Houthi small boats as they attacked a commercial vessel off the coast of Yemen on Sunday, hours after the same vessel was hit by an anti-ship ballistic missile in a separate attack. The US Central Command said gunmen on board the boats opened fire at the Danish-owned Maersk Hangzhou and attempted to board it. The gunmen then opened fire at US Navy helicopters responding to the distress call. The helicopters returned fire, sinking three boats and killing its crews. A fourth boat fled the area. This would be the 24th attack by the Houthis on international shipping since October and the first ship to be attacked since the naval coalition was formed. The Houthis have emphasized many times in their statements that the actions taken in response to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict are only targeted at Israeli ships or ships related to Israel or ships heading to Israeli ports. Therefore, the United States and Israel should bear direct responsibility if any obstructions or delays happen to ships entering the port of Udeida. In an interview with the Associated Press, the commander of US naval forces in the Middle East, Vice Admiral Brad Cooper, said before Saturday's incident that quote, we are clear eyed that the Houthi reckless attacks will likely continue. The statement comes as Denmark becomes the latest country to sign on the more than 20 nation coalition highlighting the global importance of the threat by the Iranians back to Houthis. Iran leads the axis of evil and aggression against us on the various fronts. This aggression is directed not only against Israel but against the entire free world. We operate against Iran all the time, everywhere, in every way. The attacks on the Meir's Khengzhou come as the shipping company announced it would resume sending its ships through the Red Sea due to the maritime coalition in the area. A statement since reversed following the latest attack but continued attacks will test the coalition whether it's going to be more than a floating iron dome simply protecting ships or whether it will actually take proactive steps against the Houthi attacks. And joining us here in studio is I-24 News, Middle East correspondent Arielle Serrana. Arielle, we just heard that US military official there saying that they believe these attacks will continue. Indeed, and that's concerning because the goal of this coalition was to stop these attacks or at least to increase the protection of the vessels navigating commercial vessels navigating through the Red Sea. This is a strategic kind of point of access to the Suez Canal, about 10 to 15% of the global maritime trade travels through there. So it really raises the question, what is the goal? Is the goal just to protect the ships? Is the goal to take proactive action? So far, we have not seen any proactive action taken. We have seen two attacks against the same ship. And it is important to note that that statement was made before this attack, but indeed we're seeing that this is an international problem and international coalition was formed to take care of it. Now the question is, the question will be, will the international community be willing to take it a step further and act against these attacks, not just try and prevent them from happening? Mary, what's your take on that? Look, it's certain progress, right? But the fact that the first time the US military struck back and sunk Houthi vessels, I imagine that many or some Houthi naval elements were killed. That's a cruiser of three boats, but this is boats attacking the ships. This isn't an attack on Houthi territory. As Israel calls it, it's proactive defense, like Israel is doing up north against Hezbollah. The issue, I think, is twofold and it's more political than military. The US politically inside the United States right now, I'm having a very hard time justifying and defending its policy vis-à-vis Israel and Gaza and Hamas. So the Biden administration may be wary of itself escalating and striking inside Yemen, number one. Number two, there's a fear of retaliation by the Houthis in Yemen, not against the US or Israel, because it's already firing on Israel, but against Saudi Arabia and the UAE and other Gulf Arab states. And so I think the US needs to at least broker some understanding in the Middle East that a more proactive or aggressive approach vis-à-vis the Houthis in Yemen is what's called for now. As was mentioned earlier, these attacks will probably not stop anytime soon. And Ariel, there were reports earlier last week about a possible peace negotiations between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis. Could we see Saudi Arabia try to exert some sort of pressure on the Houthis through that deal to stop attacking in the Red Sea? Well, so far we're seeing the opposite. We're seeing the Saudis trying to de-escalate the situation in terms of state rhetoric against the Houthis, in terms of plans to perhaps even attack Houthi strongholds in Yemen. We're seeing that basically Saudi Arabia is continuing the wave of trying to get closer to Iran diplomatically. They see that that or they hope that that is the right way to go about trying to appease Iran, trying to de-escalate the situation, following the renewal of ties between Riyadh and Tehran back in March and then in April. Now, whether this will lead to results in the ground, I am not so sure. But if there's anything that we're hearing from Riyadh regarding this issue, is to try and de-escalate the situation and to prevent further attacks on the Houthis. They hope that will lead to further attacks by the Houthis. I think history has shown that that is not necessarily the case. Right. And briefly, Ariel, I want to discuss with you diplomatic efforts to push Hezbollah fighters away past the Latani River in the north to de-escalate the situation there. Envoys from the US and France and even the UN, according to my information, have been traveling to Beirut quite often over the past month, trying to broker some kind of diplomatic agreement over the borderline. Even Israeli officials aren't optimistic. They put the chances of a diplomatic solution to what's happening up north at less than 50%. Mary Zambler, RSO, I'm thinking about the joining you today. The October 7th massacre deeply shook the Middle East and the repercussions are still being felt around the region and the world. I-24 News correspondent Ariel Saran shares the challenges but also the opportunities amid the changing region. Until October 7th, there were high hopes for big changes in the Middle East. Talk of US mediated peace between Israel and Saudi Arabia, which in turn would spread to other Arab countries, created much anticipation. But then, after thousands of Hamas terrorists rampaged through southern Israeli communities and IDF bases, slaughtering, burning, and kidnapping everything in their path, the delicate house of cards collapsed. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia affirms its categorical rejection of the continuation of aggression, occupation, and the forced displacement of Gaza's population. The Kingdom holds the occupation authorities responsible for the crimes committed against the Palestinian people and their properties. We are certain that the only way to guarantee security, peace, and stability in the region is to end the occupation siege and settlements. But sidelining Israel's Saudi normalization for the unforeseeable future was only one of the effects of that dark October 7th on the region. It also saw the solidification of the Iranian axis of proxies. From Iraq to Lebanon, all the way to Yemen, Tehran's branches all began to attack Israel. We're in a multi-Arena war. We are being attacked from seven different sectors, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Judea and Samaria, Iraq, Yemen, and Iran. We have already responded and taken action. And I say here in the most explicit way, anyone who acts against us is a potential target. There is no immunity for anyone. In an attempt to get a better understanding of how the region as a whole was affected by the October 7th attacks, I-24 News reached out to journalists in the region to give their perspective. One of them is a journalist from Yemen. We blurred his face and distorted his voice for his safety, speaking with an Israeli-based news outlet. The situation in the United States has been very serious. This operation affected more of the conflict in the region. It also affected the state of the Red Cross and the Swiss border. Perhaps the most surprising front to many has been the continuous drone and missile attacks by the Houthis in Yemen towards Israeli territory, and then at international commercial ships navigating through the Red Sea. The Yemeni armed forces affirmed their continued support for the Palestinian people as part of the religious, moral and humanitarian duty, and confirmed the continuation of operations in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea against Israeli ships, or those heading to the ports of occupied Palestine, until the food and medicine needed by the Gaza Strip are brought in. But according to the journalist in Yemen, the Houthis are simply the ones pulling the trigger in service of their patrons. Beyond emboldening the Iranian access, the October 7th attacks also seem to have affected the streets in many of the region's capitals in support of the Palestinians. I see a lot of change among the awareness of ordinary people who never really paid attention to political issues of the Palestinian situation. I've seen especially in Arab countries, Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, many of the countries are really much more involved now. And I think we've seen also progressives and young people around the world taking up the Palestinian cause in a much more powerful way than we've ever seen before. Like the journalist in Yemen, Qutb 2 believes that the war in Gaza has put a strain on Israel's existing peace agreements with Jordan and Egypt. Both peace treaties have held on so far, but on a very thin ice, I think that there is strong opposition in both countries to their countries continuing the peace agreements. But more importantly, I think people want civilian lives to be saved. Besides threats, there are some silver linings that have emerged from the horrific attacks on Israel and ensuing war in Gaza. Not only the American-led Maritime Coalition aimed at ensuring the safe navigation in the Red Sea, but that Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Jordan all intercepted Houthi drones and missiles over their territories on their way to Israel. An indication that Jerusalem does have shared strategic interests in the balance of power in the Middle East. Well, I think Arab countries are trying to be peacemakers as much as they can. They're trying to provide material support to people who are in terrible need. And I don't think we've seen a major shift, especially in countries that have had normalization relations with Israel. Their leaders are still insisting on keeping some form of relationship, even though public opinion has changed. And so, with the war in Gaza in full steam and further escalation with his balloon to horizon, the October 7th attacks seem to have changed not only Israel, but the region as a whole. Now, Israel finds itself at a critical juncture, a regional war, or increased regional cooperation. Whether or not it's up to Israel to decide what the outcome will be, that still remains to be seen. We're going out for a quick break, but don't go anywhere. I 24 News will be right back with more rolling coverage of the Israel Hamas war. Is in a state of war, families completely done down in their beds. We have no idea where she is. Our soldiers are fighting on the front line, but the general perception is something that certainly needs to to be fought as well. And thanks for staying with us here on I-24 News. In her first interview since being released, Mia Shen talks about her time in Hamas captivity in Gaza and the cruelty she endured at the hands of her captors. Here's more in this adaptation from Israel's Channel 12 News. Hello, my name is Mia Shen. I'm 21 years old from Shoham. At the moment, I'm in Gaza. They have operated on my hand here at the hospital. They've taken care of me. They're giving me medicine. Everything is okay. The only thing I'm asking is that you bring me home as soon as possible to my family. Four terrorists came towards me. They told me, get up now, video. My thoughts are starting to take over. Why are they shooting a video of me? What's going on? I compared myself to Gilad Shalit. I thought I'll stay here for years. Terrifying. Mia Shen became the hostage every Israeli knew. She was in the thoughts of every Israeli soldier before going into war. She was held in Hamas captivity for weeks, injured in a small room with no daylight, sitting on a mattress while a guard was across from her, watching her 24-7. I can see his face in my mind. His eyes are burned into my memory. Sitting in front of him, she decided she will come back. She will survive this. And for the first time, she's speaking candidly on the isolation and the brutality. I was not allowed to cry. Why? Because if you will cry, we'll send you to the tunnels. On October 7th, Mia and her best friend, Elia Toledano arrived at the Nova Music Festival. I had a bad feeling when I arrived. I had a feeling something will go wrong, so I didn't enjoy myself. When the rocket fire started, they left immediately, making their way home. After 20 to 25 minutes of driving, we saw terrorists on the side of the road. Waiting for us was two trucks filled with terrorists. Elia was screaming. Mia, they're shooting. Then they started shooting towards us through the windows. A terrorist truck passed us. One of them looked at me and shot me in the hand. It was from close range. It was very, very small. Where did he hit you? Here. I screamed. I screamed. Well, here. I screamed. I don't have a hand. I don't have a hand. I was sure I lost it. What do you tell yourself? I pray, Shmai Israel, I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. Elia was a bit before me. A terrorist came. He asked him to get up, tied his hands. Elia turned to me and said, please, Mia, please come with me. Please, Mia, please. I was terrified. I thought they were going to shoot him. That was the last time I've seen him. While Mia was lying on the floor in the puddle of her own blood, Elia was kidnapped to Gaza. Then the fire from the burning car started making its way towards her. Through the flames, a Hamas terrorist made his way to her. It was an instant call, whether to go with him to the unknown or stay and die in the fire. I went to him. He started touching me or the upper part of my body. While I was holding my injured hand, I was covered in blood. I started screaming like a maniac. From nowhere, our car came with four terrorists inside. One of them pulled my hair and dragged me inside. He forced my head down and we were on our way to Gaza. When we arrived in Gaza, they pulled me out of the car by my hair. They threw me in a back room of some hospital. They stretched my hand and tied it to a piece of plastic. And that's how I was for three days. After three days, they told me, put the hijab on, get dressed, cover yourself, dressing me up as a Muslim so no one would recognize me. From there, straight to the operation room. No painkillers, no nothing. I saw the sergeant but I didn't see his face. He looked at me and said, you will never go back home. After the operation, Hamas filmed the video. They took her to a home of a family. They put her in a windowless room where she would stay for the weeks to come. I was in a tiny room, eight feet by eight feet. Two people were in it. Me and a terrorist looking at me, 24-7, examining me. I was afraid he would rape me. There's a fear of him taking his weapon and putting a bullet in my head with no warning. The room was closed. They would throw food once a day. Some days there was no food. The kids would open the door, look inside, talk about me, laugh about me. They looked at me as if I was an animal. I was afraid anything could happen at any moment. He could touch me. Did he ever do something like that? No. No, only because his wife was outside the door. If we were there alone, something was bound to happen. In this small room, there were rules. Mia wasn't allowed to talk or move or even cry. Once I was choked up with tears, he looked at me and said in Arabic, enough, stop crying or I'll send you to the tunnel. I'm telling myself, say strong. Don't fall apart here. You'll be back home soon. That's what I was telling myself all the time. Mia understood that in order to survive, she needed to pretend to play the cruel game of the terrorists that were sitting across from her. Once he lost it, he started crying and took his Kalashnikov. I was sure he was about to put a bullet in my head. I got close to him and sat down and asked, what's wrong? What's wrong? Why are you crying? He told me that two of his friends died in an Israeli attack. Secretly, I was elated. But I was like that, playing the game, you know? As if you are consoling him? Yes, as if I was sorry for him. After a while, she was moved between apartments. Some of those moves were done by ambulances and the terrorist's family moved with her, the same terrorist that was assigned to her. I didn't see daylight for 54 days. I also didn't move, so I was barely walking. My legs were shaking. Were you able to sleep there? Maybe for an hour? You can't really sleep when a Hamas terrorist is sitting and staring at you. I can hear the strikes, heavy strikes, massive strikes. The windows shattered on me. There were a few days when I lost my hearing. I wasn't scared from the strikes for a moment. It cheered me up. And then one day, it was completely silent. And I told myself something is happening. The ceasefire between Hamas and Israel came into effect. When the exchange of prisoners and hostages started, Mia was moved to another location. There, after almost 50 days alone, she met other hostages. We were all in the same boat. And then what? They tell people daily he was getting released? It was a Russian roulette. I have chills. It was the most horrible thing I've ever seen. That some are released and some others are not? She was released in the final exchange. And the moment she said goodbye to the hostages in Gaza does not leave her. They got up, hugged me, and tell me goodbye. They told me, Mia, please, do everything so they won't forget us. And I apologized for getting out. I'm sorry, sorry, sorry. You'll never forget me. I'm getting out. I'm sorry, sorry, sorry. You'll get released. I promise you'll get released. On her way home, Hamas shot this video. People are very good. Very kind to me. Full of kindness and everything. You know your second's away from going back home and Hamas here is shoving a camera on your face. He told me, say the people of Gaza are nice. Say good things. What can I say? Your crap? If I was the one putting the camera there and I asked you to say how you really feel. I don't want to curse, but I would say there's not one innocent Gaza civilian. There's none. They don't exist. Karen, Mia's mom, did everything she could for this moment. They are together again. But her best friend, Elia, was with her at the party and was kidnapped right next to her, was killed. The IDF extracted his body from Gaza. Mentally, she's still in Gaza. And no one knows how long it will take until she'll return. But physically, she's here. Exactly like she dreamed all those nights in captivity. This was my dream. I can't believe I'm here. At home. In a comprehensive, horrifying expose published last week, The New York Times has published a detailed report of the systematic sexual violence against Israeli women and girls employed by Hamas's unprecedented October 7th rampage through southern Israel. The two-month investigation includes interviews with more than 150 witnesses, medical personnel, first responders, soldiers, rape counselors, and government officials along with the scanning of video footage, photographs, and GPS data from cell phones. Now, despite the criticism of the revert outlets biased towards Israel, the expose provides some relief for Israelis and Jews who have been outraged by the silence of international women's groups and the United Nations' failure to condemn Hamas for these atrocious acts. Joining me now is Dr. Alona Hagai-Frey. She's a research fellow at the Jewish People Policy Institute and teaching fellow at the law department of the Jewish People Policy Institute and author of Sex and Gender Crimes in the New International Law Past, Present, Future. Thank you very much for joining us today. There have been numerous accounts of rape and sexual violence against women October 7th, as we just mentioned. These weren't isolated instances of violence, but rather systematic, methodologically planned by Hamas to use sexual violence as a weapon of war. Yes, of course. We can see all the evidence pointing from the combat order to the religion and leaders that permit all the terrorist soldiers to rape in this occasion and the evidence that we can see it was systematically part of the battle plan that Hamas initially planned to do. And despite the numerous first-hand accounts by both witnesses, victims, doctors, why has it been so difficult for Israeli police to document the mounting rape cases? It's very difficult because in the few hours, the few days, you don't think about forensic evidence. You think about the shock, the trauma, the curse of the battle, and there was a lot of violence. You know, it was a lot of bodies, so we didn't unfortunately think about it. But after a few days the evidence started to collected. Maybe we don't have most of the forensic evidence because most of the women that raped were murder afterwards and so they buried afterwards. But there are survivors that maybe will talk a lot of evidence from other points of view. As you said, the paramedics that came to the scene, the Shura pathologics, the witnesses that were in the scene. So I think we can collect evidence unfortunately after a few days, but we can do it. Tell me, how will Israeli authorities be able to prosecute Hamas in an international court like the ACC with so little evidence? I don't think it's little evidence. I think we even have feelings that the Hamas attackers that feel by themselves, raping and cheering. I think the forensic may be not in our side, but there are other evidence that we can see. We took photos, we have eyewitnesses, we have a lot of other evidence that can show it. It's an international court. It will be difficult because to prove an international court it's not easy, but I know that as we can see the map of evidence now that we could do it. It will be difficult, but it will be done. I want to get your take on this New York Times article that finally sheds light on the sexual violence against women on October 7th. Some 86 days later were almost three months since the start of the war. Yes, it's late, but it's done. I think a lot of testimonies and a lot of interviews were done to tell the war would happen because the silence was perfect. Maybe like the crime itself the victims, and also the survivors need the voice. The voice will be heard. Finally, the last couple of weeks it's it sounds like it happened and we can read the article that I did say about the evidence that we can show the world what happened in October 7th and I hope all the women organization and the human rights organization and the UN will come and stand by Israeli and by the victims because it's now never because we are fighting for these women, the good of the world also. As a Israeli woman, how do you feel about these international women's rights groups that are meant to protect the rights of women regardless of gender, religion, nationality who have remained silent and sometimes even denying that these events took place? I feel betrayed because the silence from the human community it's not new. It's always quiet, it's always silence but all the time it was men men that silent and now it's women it's women organization it's women organizations that fight so many years that we will have rights so many years that bodies of women won't be a weapon and now they silent and even as you said sometimes even denied I feel betrayed I think all Israeli women feel betrayed and every women need to feel betrayed because the aim of this organization is to say that we believe women, we believe all women and I think it's not late for those organizations to say okay, you're wrong our reaction was weak and not in place and to correct the way and to send force to report what happened because it's never too late to do justice and this is the time this is the time to prove that the women body can't be weapon never and in no place Despite it being too late do you think that this New York Times article will sway at all the international community's opinion will happen on October 7th? I really hope so because I speak with reporters I read the news I read the reports and it's still so weak it's still the opinion about what happened in Israel in the shadow of what happened in Gaza and I think you know something can be wrong but other thing can wrong too so we have to remember that if we don't believe in rape if we believe in women rise it's not matter if it's Jewish women it's not matter if it's Israeli women we deny it and we will punish the guilty and the rapist and I think again it's not like it's not like for the war to wake up and I really really hope it will because you know today is the Israeli women maybe tomorrow it will be other women and it is a very very bad present How does an international prosecution like this go about? How can we prosecute these terrorists? There are a lot of options we can see we have the international criminal court we have a special tribunal that built after Rwanda and after Yugoslavia and after Istimor and even maybe in Israel can be built other tribunals that will deal only with this I think it will be it has to be a very distinguished tribunal that deal only with the Hamas crimes because it's difficult to prove and it's very very important that the justice will be seen and the justice will be done Absolutely Dr Alona Chagai Frey, thank you very much for your insight today Thank you More than 3,000 people were at the Supernova music festival when Hamas terrorists launched an assault on southern Israel on October 7th what was supposed to be a celebration of music and life it turned into a blood bath hundreds of young innocent party goers were brutally killed, raped mutilated and dozens more abducted nearly 90 days later it's still difficult to fully comprehend the horrors that took place that day a simulation exhibit has been erected at Tel Aviv's Expo center so viewers can get a sense of the horror our producer Fabio Shapiro reports 6 29 October 7 it was the dawn of the day that never ended the Nova Rave held adjacent to the Gaza Strip was suddenly stopped by a different music the sound of sirens announcing the Hamas attack from land and air perpetrating the deadliest terror attack in Israeli history murdering 364 civilians at the rave alone and kidnapping 40 others we were quite close to the borders and this community that has around 10,000 members was the biggest community that was hit third of all the victims the murdered victims from the 7th of October are coming from the party almost 400 people and the number is still rising there are still hostages now we saw the Hamas keep murdering people in captivity and some of them are dancers in the party and this is how my life has been going on for the last three months I find the death of my friend finding out new information about how they died and not to find new information about how my friends escaped from this area at the Expo Tel Aviv the reminders of a fateful day straw mats tents, hammocks all retrieved from the place of the massacre the Nova 6 29 exhibit takes you back to that morning October 7 if you even if a little bit as if you were there this large expo center becomes a memento to the victims of the festival all the objects you can see here they were retrieved as they were left in Kibbutz Reim portable toilets riddled with bullets cars burned down this is the result of Hamas keeping free this exhibition was made because Kibbutz Veri and Kibbutz Neroz the villages around Gaza they have something to show they can show the world this is what was done for us and we have nothing our parties are being built and assembled in around five hours so we decided we're going to rebuild it here and we're going to add to it the burnt cars of our friends even one of the burnt cars here is the one I rode to and the battle cells with the shooting guns everything we could have shown to the world because we have to explain it we were in such a big high for this party we were in such a good place at 628 and at 1629 my whole world collapsed the earth was just blank around my feet and everyone else in this party 3,500 people were there 15% were murdered and this exhibition is there to show what happened to us and to show who is the Nova community and what we stand for the lost and found area is filled with the shoes, clothes, bags and other items from the thousands of participants of the rave who had to live all behind in the hope of surviving the massacre an image that alludes to the millions of personal items left by the Jews during the Holocaust an image that impacts all visitors for me it's really emotional to be here my best friend was murdered in the party he had a painting store so we painted all the night and many people came to see him painting in the end he tried to get out and escape and him and the other best friend were murdered in the car I think this presentation is amazing it really makes people feel what they felt and to feel what being going through in this terrible, terrible time when the attack appeared so it's like a small taste of what happened once more we are presented with the harsh reality another event scarred in Jewish history to be forever recalled so it may never happen again so the pain may give place to joy and love so we may one day dance again in this exhibit we'll also be coming to New York City we're going out for a quick break but don't go anywhere we'll be right back after a break with more rolling coverage of the Israel Hamas war What do you know from where you come from? Look here and the package for when and recharge that you already know where you're going on International Recharges to TIS your people at NRW access our website www.recargas.tis.com.co select Recharges and type the number you want to place the recharge also they receive the double balance in Recharges of $8 or more TIS, the global network of the Dominicans State of war families completely in their beds we have no idea where is she as our soldiers are fighting on the front line but the general perception is something that certainly needs to be fought as well This week on News 24 Israel under attack News 24 in Spanish brings the analysis and the information of the events of the war, sword of iron exclusive interviews reports from the war zone the reaction of the Spanish-speaking countries News 24 the only medium in Spanish that keeps you informed and connected with the Latin-Israel community News 24 only on I-24 news Welcome back and thanks for staying with us here on I-24 news if you're just joining us here's a recap of day 86 of the Israel Hamas war incoming rocket alert siren sounded in the Gaza border community of Kisufim earlier today after a 24-hour lull Meanwhile battles are underway throughout the enclave dozens more terrorists Overnight Israeli Air Force fighter jets reportedly carried out a wave of airstrikes destroying Hamas military buildings a tunnel and other infrastructure The IDF announcing this morning the death of two more Israeli soldiers killed in combat 37-year-old sergeant major in the reserves 23-year-old first sergeant in the reserves bringing the death toll of slain troops since the start of the ground offensive to 172 Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu says the war will continue for many more months the premier is facing internal pressure over his handling of the war Saturday evening thousands rallied across Israel calling for his ousting The Israeli war cabinet is set to meet this evening to discuss the possible hostage deal brokered by Egypt to secure the release of the 129 hostages still held captive in Gaza this has reports of a visit by an Egyptian delegation to Israel surfaced over the weekend reports which were then denied by sources in Cairo Meanwhile Iran backed Houthis in Yemen continue to threaten the region launching a missile at a commercial vessel in the Red Sea and later attempting to attack that very same ship by boat the first successful attack since the launch of the US-led International Coalition to patrol the key commercial waterways part of 11 days ago and let's cross over to I-24 news correspondent Nicole Sedeck she's in Berri in southern Israel Nicole what's the latest where you are we just got some new statements coming out of the IDF at the top of this hour talking about the ongoing fighting that's happening specifically in the southern city of Khanunis and they're releasing another example of how Hamas terrorists continue to use civilian infrastructure to hide and hide their terrorist activity specifically from IDF forces according to this most recent publication in the city of Khanunis terrorists were using this civilian infrastructure that was supposed to be an education center a cultural center and a school but instead the IDF found in there weapons, rockets, different documentation all alluding to this Hamas terrorist activity that's been happening in there and this is just another example time and time again that we continue to see this example happening in the southern part of the Gaza Strip but earlier today the IDF publishing a different example which is in the northern part of the Gaza Strip about how Hamas terrorists were using a kindergarten in the northern part of the Gaza Strip filled with ready to use chargers and explosive devices that the IDF then detonized and neutralized the threat but we're seeing it time and time again how Hamas is hiding behind not only civilian infrastructure but children's civilian infrastructure as well and they continue to fight against them and to push into these ongoing efforts specifically as the IDF is moving trying to get a hold of the northern part of the Gaza Strip increasing their war efforts in the central part and the southern part now the elite paratroopers brigade after two months of fighting in the northern part of the Gaza Strip they are heading towards the southern city of Kanyunas to also assist in this ongoing fighting that we have seen for several weeks specifically in Kanyunas the fighting absolutely picking up a lot of this face to face close combat fighting between ISIS and as you mentioned it is absolutely taking a heavy toll at least 172 soldiers have been killed so far that's where the death toll stands since October 7th and since this ground operation began but as we're noting all of these accomplishments that the IDF has continued to accomplish as we enter the fourth month of the war it is important to note also those heavy losses that they faced as well Nicole Zedeck thank you very much for that update from the Israel-Gaza the current high intensity phase of the Gaza war about to end well the Israeli war cabinet is set to meet this evening to discuss that very question along with a possible hostage deal brokered by Egypt this has reports of a visit by an Egyptian delegation to Israel surfaced over the weekend which reports which were denied by Cairo so where is this war going I-24 news senior defense correspondent Jonathan Regev with the details two months into the IDF's ground the Gaza questions are rising as to the end strategy of the current high intensity phase and a move on to the next phase on one hand there's still constant firefights with Hamas terrorists especially in the area of Chanyones we found here plenty of enemy infrastructure there was a terrorist here with a Kalachnikov that tried to shoot at our soldiers we killed him and caught another terrorist and took him for interrogation along with that the hostages are also being killed one of them is Abdel Fattah Mali the closest associate of Ichi Ayash who was known as the engineer and responsible for various terror attacks in the 1990s on the other hand there's a feeling that in the current phase the IDF is not able to reach the hostages or the Hamas senior leadership and some other way is now needed when will Israel head for that other way the prime minister may have set the goal for that the Philadelphia corridor or to put it more correctly the southern end of Gaza must be in our hands no other solution can ensure the demilitarization we seek the Philadelphia corridor separates Gaza from Egypt and the assumption is that huge amounts of weapons were and maybe still are smuggled to Gaza in tunnels running under it on paper Egypt seems to refuse any such move and Israel needs Egyptian backing for another crucial move a hostage deal families and protesters believe the government is not doing enough in that field I'm afraid that the government of Israel has prioritized otherwise its political ambitions and the hostages is not on the top priorities a possible hostage deal the control of the Philadelphia corridor the effectiveness of the IDF's current tactics many critical issues for the future of this war but none of them with a concrete solution at hand joining me in studio is Benjamin Anthony he's co-founder and CEO of the Miriam Institute thank you very much for joining me today thanks for having me we're now 86 days into the war the last day of 2023 we're about to take this war into another year I want to get your assessment of the situation of where things stand now on the ground is that the Israel Defence Forces is clearly prevailing when it comes to its face-to-face engagements with Hamas and with the terror organization there inside the Gaza Strip we're making progress there it's not as rapid and as speedy as people might like it to be there seems to have been a slowing of that progress as a consequence of the Americans asking for lessons learned during our fighting in northern Gaza to be implemented during our fighting in southern Gaza and that of course is referenced to the bombing campaign that was launched to soften up the ground in advance of our ground troops going in there international community is leaping on the bandwagon as is their want that states and rides towards accusations against the Israel Defence Forces accusing us of war crimes, improprieties and so forth I have absolutely zero concerns about any of that I'm quite sure that when the death settles the international organizations that seek to prosecute our soldiers won't lay a glove on them I'm very comfortable with the moral standards of the Israeli Defence Forces what concerns me is the north what concerns me is southern Lebanon I said before October 7th and I said after October 7th the Israel Defence Forces needs to preemptively hit Hezbollah and reduce their rocket capabilities we haven't done that with sufficient force and I think that we're going to be hard pressed to turn our attention full bore towards that front but I very much hope that we will do and before we do turn to the north of Hezbollah and Lebanese border I want to get your understanding given your experience on the ground the complexity of the battlefield which is in Gaza which is one of the most complex battlefields it's not just on the ground it's also underground we're as well facing a hostage situation simultaneously that's very complicated for the troops on the ground there it's extremely complicated I'll be very frank nobody has faced anything like that which we're facing at the moment during the war against Hamas I have not faced anything of similar consequence or with similar ramifications ramifications or complexities when I was drafted in 2012 and 2014 I was sent to Judea and Samaria to operate there my experience is not in the Gaza Strip my primary experience is in the second Lebanon war of 2006 which feels like ancient history now but the reality of the matter is these two goals of the war in my opinion must be achieved to proceed the other I think that we have to smash and destroy Hamas I think we're fighting Hamas now the way we ought to have fought Hamas from the time of the first rocket being flown and fired towards the State of Israel and I think of course we have to bring the hostages home and we must not forget about them and yet we're 86 days in we still have 129 hostages still left there what can you tell us about any progress the Qatari proposal for a second hostage deal what can you tell us about that we'll wait and see I don't know whether or not we'll see that came to fruition there was a point just in recent days where Hamas was saying it's not going to have any negotiations or any talks about any hostage deals until there's a complete cessation of all hostilities inside the Gaza Strip now there seems to be talk about a readiness to sit down and to engage in a conversation about releasing 40 more hostages in exchange for many more prisoners terrorists who are held by the State of Israel and who have blood on their hands we'll see where all of that goes but the reality is there's an overarching problem here that is that all of this has come about in my opinion as the result of a lack of policy when it comes to the Gaza Strip that has transcended successive governments here in the State of Israel and has given Hamas every reason to believe that it can launch crimes against our people crimes against our civilians and somehow walk away from that still standing. I want to ask you Israeli army radio reporting this morning that the IDF does not believe it will fully be able to destroy the rocket launching capabilities of Hamas or any other terror organizations there quoting a senior officer saying even in two years time it's possible that those Gaza border communities may still be running 15 seconds to shelter so how does the Israeli government intend to ensure the safety of the residents down south? I think that I'm hopeful that there's disparity between the opinion of that senior officer that you're quoting and the resolve of the government in the State of Israel I'll be very candid with you I've worked a lot with very senior officers in the Israel Defense Forces over the course of my career I think that they have a place and a space where their opinions are very relevant but there are also times when they should absolutely not be listened to and I do not believe that it is within the job description of senior officers to anonymously claim that we are unable to reduce or eliminate the rocking foreign capabilities from the Gaza Strip actually their job is to go and finish that task and I believe that we're sufficient resolved at the governmental level if it's there that can be done and before we address the other Iranian proxies in the region I want to turn to the situation of folding in the north 90% of those residents have been evacuated we're talking about 200,000 Israelis in total evacuated from the south and the north the mayor of Kiyachmuna saying he will not allow his residents to come home until Hezbollah has been pushed back but beyond the Lattani river the conversation in the beginning was if we end up in a sort of frontal confrontation with Hezbollah now it's not becoming if but when and again it's becoming when because we failed to affix a clear policy you asked me earlier about my experience I remember coming back into Israel after serving inside southern Lebanon during the second Lebanon war the talk and the rhetoric was that we had largely not our particular brigade but Israel had largely failed to eliminate the rocket firing capabilities of Hezbollah and therefore there would be another round in the coming months that didn't happen we've allowed them to mass this enormous arsenal of rockets that is pointed towards us and no the residents of the north should not be expected to go back without that threat being neutralized I hope that does end up dissimating thank you very much for joining us thank you Meanwhile Iran back to Houthis in Yemen continue to threaten the region launching a missile at a commercial vessel in the Red Sea and later attempting to attack that very same vessel again the first successful attack since the launch of the US-led international coalition to patrol those key commercial waterways 11 days ago I-24 News Middle East correspondent Ariel Saran has the details A moment of truth for the US-led naval coalition in the Red Sea American naval forces think three Houthi small boats as they attack the commercial vessel off the coast of Yemen on Sunday hours after the same vessel was hit by an anti-ship ballistic missile in a separate attack the US central command said gunmen on board the boats opened fire at the Danish owned mayor's Kang Zhu and attempted to board it the gunmen then opened fire at US Navy helicopters responding to the distress call the helicopters returned fire sinking three boats and killing its crews a fourth boat fled the area this would be the 24th attack by the Houthis on international shipping since October and the first ship to be attacked since the naval coalition was formed the Houthis have emphasized many times in their statements that the actions taken in response to the Palestinian Israeli conflict are only targeted at Israeli ships or ships related to Israel or ships heading to Israeli ports therefore the United States and Israel should bear direct responsibility if any obstructions or delays happen to ships entering the port of Udeida in an interview with the Associated Press the commander of US naval forces in the Middle East Vice Admiral Brad Cooper said before Saturday's incident that quote we are clear-eyed that the Houthi reckless attacks will likely continue the statement comes as Denmark becomes the latest country to sign on the more than 20 nation coalition highlighting the global importance of the threat by the Iranian back Houthis Iran leads the axis of evil and aggression against us on the various fronts this aggression is directed not only against Israel but against the entire free world we operate against Iran all the time everywhere in every way the attacks on the Marist King's come as the shipping company announced it would resume sending its ships to the Red Sea due to some coalition in the area a statement since reversed following the latest attack but continued attacks will test the coalition whether it's going to be more than a floating iron dome simply protecting ships or whether it will actually take proactive steps against the Houthi attacks on Israel's northern border tensions continue to surmar almost a boiling point with Israel and Hezbollah seemingly locked into fighting that nonetheless below a full scale war the Biden administration wants to keep it that way which is why senior diplomatic correspondent Owen Alderman tells us the administration's envoy is on his way to the region America's point man on Lebanon trying to do on land what he did at sea with Amos Hoxstein reportedly set to fly back into Beirut this week to try to broker a deal that would bring quiet to the land border between Lebanon and Israel the way he did last year with the border between zones at sea the most important piece of this agreement is that it is entirely in the interest of each country to not violate it and to move forward the background now of course is the war and the element of it on the Israel Lebanon border where the Lebanese terror group Hezbollah has been firing four months at communities on the Israeli side and the Israeli military has responded by firing Hezbollah targets the Biden administration wants the situation contained below the threshold of a wider war as does the French government Israel has killed more than 130 Hezbollah fighters Israeli attacks have intensified and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has a warning we have approved operational plans for the continuation of the fighting if Hezbollah expands the war it would absorb blows that it has dreamed of and Iran as well Iran Hoxdeen's apparent plan to incentivize Hezbollah to move its troops away from the Israeli border in exchange for apparent Israeli concessions on marking that border in at least some of the 13 points of dispute the Biden administration does not want a full scale war Israel's plan A is not to have a full scale war and the Lebanese public does not want to have a full scale war which all point to the sides getting to a deal that forestalls a full scale war at least for now So with me here in studio is Benjamin Anthony co-founder and Serio of the Miriam Institute Benjamin thank you very much for staying with me here in studio I want to ask you about this strategy by the Biden administration this diplomatic strategy who as we just saw in this report by Owen said on the situation of north and and pursue diplomatic solutions instead but do they really understand the situation here on the ground that we're not dealing with a normal government but we're dealing with a terrorist entity I think we can on the one hand thank the Biden administration for outsized support for the state of Israel both militarily and diplomatically while criticizing that where it may be misguided the reality of the matter is that we're seeing a return to this orthodoxy of people saying it's better interest to escalate but guess what we're in an escalation and it's a very real escalation with very real consequences such as those that you expressed 70,000 of our citizens are now basically refugees in our own land in order to turn that situation back on itself we're going to have to operate there in southern Lebanon it may be sooner it may be later but it should be at a time of our choosing and I personally believe that October 7th represented the not in a cynical way in a very tragic way for us to understand when our enemies call for our distraction they mean it and we must destroy their capabilities before they come to kill our men women children and to kidnap them back into their own what is one final thing what emanates from southern Lebanon if and when it does in full form has the potential to make what took place on October 7th look like child's play we can't afford that and just a reminder for our viewers Hezbollah did begin those attacks in the communities that the very next day on October 8th meanwhile all this is happening Israel is believed to be behind strikes on military positions in eastern Syria killing reportedly 23 pro Iranian fighters now we both know Israel has a policy of not commenting on these strikes on these Iranian proxies but we can assume this connection to the situation that's happening into the north is this a sign that Israel is taking matters into its own hands where the Iranians have failed you know with regard to southern Lebanon there is a diplomatic resolution on the table it's called Resolution 1701 that was ratified by the UN Security Council it's failed it's failed resolutely with regard to southern Syria Israel has been operating to push back against the entrenchment of Iranian proxies over there in southern Syria we've been successful to an extent but I'm pleased to see that we're ramping up our agenda and with regard to leaving room for plausible deniability of our engagement I think that there was an interesting development with former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett just a couple of days ago where in his op-ed he actually went around the media censor in the states of Israel and published revelations that he had ordered two strikes inside Iran during the course of his short tenure very dangerous implications but here's what I think we're all running for elections we are in the beginning stages in my judgment of an election campaign here in Israel as much as everybody says they're not doing and what surprise surprise has Naftali Bennett decided to attack the current Prime Minister on the issue of security Benjamin Anthony it will be certainly very interesting year to see and hopefully that year will be without wars let's hope thank you very much like many others who attend the Nova Ray for Aviv Balhanin his life turned into the worst day of all a day in which his luck and resourcefulness stood by him saved him first from the death trap in a shelter and later from terrorists who were after him while running for his life Aviv managed to rescue another couple from the Inferno here's the story this is a long a long a long a long a long a long a long a long long a real a long a rear I saw that all the soldiers who came to this shelter, from the snipers, in the first room he was sniping, he came back alive and he went to the shelter for a reason, he went to the shelter, he was without a gun, he went to the junta, and I saw everyone in his car in stress. At that moment I realized that I couldn't go to the shelter. I went back to the shelter for a reason. I almost went to the shelter in the church and there I heard a lot of gunshots, a lot of gunshots, and I already saw the soldiers coming from the back of the car. At that moment, once again, I opened the door, I went to the shelter for a reason. At that time I tried to think what to do, that I was standing between a shelter that I don't know if it's a shelter or a shelter, between shelters that I know that are shelters. And once again I arrived at the shelter almost two meters before the shelter, once again I went back to the shelter, to the shelter. Just in order to bring another moment of thought, of what I was going to do. And I told my wife that I was in the shelter, and I looked over the way to the shelter, and she said that I was going to take care of her. And they said, no problem, we're with you. I went to the shelter that also tried to go to the shelter, because we were really close, and I saw that he didn't have a gun in hand. And I realized that it was Jewish, I took him, you're a friend of people who go to the shelter, he takes care of everyone, and he tells me that there will also be a government. What I was going to do was to tell Israel, and to start trying to continue. I realized that I had to leave the shelter only to the shelter, to the shelter that I wasn't trying to give. And we went through a very difficult road, almost three hours to get home, a lot of sand on the road, and a lot of dirt on the road, and I realized that I had to leave the shelter. I realized that I had to leave the shelter. So with me here in the studio, Benjamin Anthony, your take. You know, we're about to countdown to the new year. Our organization has been very involved with the hostage families. We were working with the families of Yotam Chaim of Lessed Memory, with the families of Evia Tal David, and also with Almog Meir Jan. We're taking two members of those families to Aspen and Colorado. Next week, so that we can keep their story at the forefront of public consciousness, I think, given the circumstances, the hostages and the loss of our soldiers, I think that this year's countdown to 10 to 0, that should actually be a moment of silence for Jewish people and friends of Israel around the world, and not a moment of ablation as it typically has been. Absolutely. Benjamin Anthony, thank you very much for joining us today. That wraps this hour's broadcast, but don't go anywhere. I, 24 News, will be back at the top of the hour with more rolling coverage of the Israel Hamas War. I'm Sara Martinez. Thanks for watching. Israel is in a state of war. Families completely gunned down in their beds. We have no idea where she is. Our soldiers are fighting on the front line, but the general perception is something that certainly needs to be fought as well. What I saw today was unbelievable. The devastation on the homes, the destruction, the scenes still that you could imagine of what happened. It was like something out of a movie and still also the smell overpowering. It was an important day for me and to show the viewers of I-24 News, but it was a difficult challenging day. This was the home of Yanniv Ohana, to see basically a modern-day pogrom and to feel the vulnerability. We live in Israel. We are so dependent on the army and the government and authorities to provide security, to see how all of that can be overturned in the course of one day. I think it really makes us understand how fragile our lives are and how much we're going to have to fight for our existence, our very existence in this corner of the world. Welcome to this special broadcast on I-24 News. I'm Khaled Bendevi. This month marks the 38 years since I started as a journalist in Israel and nothing was like the last two months. This has been the most challenging, most emotional, most heartbreaking and in some ways the most complex story that I've had to cover during that time and never I felt the kind of responsibility that I had to present this story to the world in the right context with the right facts and to really speak truth to power in this situation. Welcome back and thanks for staying with us here on I-24 News. If you're just joining us, here's a recap of day 86 of the Israel Hamas War. Incoming rocket alert siren sounded in the Gaza border community of Kisufim earlier today after a 24-hour lull. Meanwhile, battles are underway throughout the enclave. The idea says it's killed dozens more terrorists. Overnight, Israeli Air Force fighter jets reportedly carried out a wave of airstrikes, destroying Hamas military buildings, a tunnel, and other infrastructure. The IDF announcing this morning the death of two more Israeli soldiers killed in combat. 37-year-old Sergeant Major in the Reserves, Elias Gabbay, the 23-year-old first Sergeant in the Reserves, Elias Sada, bringing the death toll of slain troops since the start of the ground offensive to 172. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu says the war will continue for many more months. The premier is facing internal pressure over his handling of the war. Saturday evening, thousands rallied across Israel, calling for his ousting. The Israeli War Cabinet is set to meet this evening to discuss the possible hostage deal brokered by Egypt to secure the release of the 129 hostages still held captive in Gaza. This has reports of a visit by an Egyptian delegation to Israel surfaced over the weekend, reports which were then denied by sources in Cairo. Meanwhile, Iran, back to Houthis and Yemen continue to threaten the region, launching a missile at a commercial vessel in the Red Sea and later attempting to attack that very same ship by boat. The first successful attack since the launch of the U.S.-led International Coalition to control key commercial waterways part of 11 days ago. And let's cross over to I-24 News Correspondent Nikol Sedek, she's in Berri in southern Israel. Nikol, what's the latest where you are? Well, we just got some new statements coming out of the IDF at the top of this hour, talking about the ongoing fighting that's happening specifically in the southern city of Khanunis. And they're releasing another example of how Hamas terrorists continue to use civilian infrastructure to hide and hide their terrorist activity specifically from IDF forces. According to this most recent publication in the city of Khanunis, terrorists were using this civilian infrastructure that was supposed to be an education center, a cultural center and a school, but instead the IDF found in their weapons, rockets, different documentation all alluding to this Hamas terrorist activity that's been happening in there. And this is just another example time and time again that we continue to see. This example happening in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, but earlier today the IDF publishing a different example which is in the northern part of the Gaza Strip about how Hamas terrorists were using a kindergarten in the northern part of the Gaza Strip filled with ready to use chargers and explosive devices that the IDF then detonized and neutralized the threat, but we're seeing it time and time again how Hamas is hiding behind not only civilian infrastructure, but children's civilian infrastructure as well. And they continue to fight against them and to push into these ongoing efforts specifically as the IDF is moving trying to get a hold of the northern part of the Gaza Strip increasing their war efforts in the central part and the southern part. Now the elite paratroopers brigade after two months of fighting in the northern part of the Gaza Strip they are heading towards the southern city of Kanyunas to also assist in this ongoing fighting that we have seen for several weeks specifically in Kanyunas the fighting absolutely picking up a lot of this face to face close combat fighting between IDF soldiers and Hamas terrorists and as you mentioned it is absolutely taking a heavy toll at least 172 soldiers have been killed so far that's where the death toll stands since October 7th and since this ground operation began but as we're noting all of these accomplishments that the IDF has continued to accomplish as we enter the fourth month of the war it is important to note also those heavy losses that they faced as well. Nicole Sedeck, thank you very much for that update from the Israel-Gaza Porter. Is the current high intensity phase of the Gaza war about to end? Well, the Israeli war cabinet is set to meet this evening to discuss that very question along with a possible hostage deal brokered by Egypt. This is reports of a visit by an Egyptian delegation to Israel surfaced over the weekend which reports which were denied by Cairo. So where is this war going? I-24 News Senior Defense Correspondent Jonathan Raghed with the details. Two months into the IDF's ground operation in Gaza questions are rising as to the end strategy of the current high intensity phase and a move on to the next phase. On one hand there are still constant firefights with Hamas terrorists especially in the area of Chanyones. We found here plenty of enemy infrastructure. There was a terrorist here with a Kalachnikov that tried to shoot at our soldiers. We killed him and caught another terrorist and took him for interrogation. Along with that, Hamas officials are also being killed. One of them is Abdel Fattah Mali the closest associate of Ichi Ayash who was known as the engineer and responsible for various terror attacks in the 1990s. On the other hand, there is a feeling that in the current phase the IDF is not able to reach the hostages or the Hamas senior leadership and some other way is now needed. When will Israel head for that other way? The prime minister may have set the goal for that. The Philadelphia Corridor or to put it more correctly the southern end of Gaza must be in our hands. No other solution can ensure the demilitarization we seek. The Philadelphia Corridor separates Gaza from Egypt and the assumption is that huge amounts of weapons were and maybe still are smuggled to Gaza in tunnels running under it. On paper, Egypt seems to refuse any such move and Israel needs Egyptian backing for another crucial move a hostage deal. Families and protesters believe the government is not doing enough in that field. I'm afraid that the government of Israel has prioritized otherwise its political ambitions and the hostages is not on the top priorities. A possible hostage deal the control of the Philadelphia Corridor the effectiveness of the IDF's current tactics many critical issues for the future of this war but none of them with a concrete solution at hand. Joining me in studio is Benjamin Anthony he's co-founder and CEO of the Miriam Institute thank you very much for joining me today. Thanks for having me. We're now 86 days into the war the last day of 2023 we're about to take this war into another year I want to get your assessment of the situation of where things stand now on the ground. Is that the Israel Defense Forces is clearly prevailing when it comes to its face-to-face engagements with Hamas and with the terror organization there inside the Gaza Strip. We're making progress there it's not as rapid and as speedy as people might like it to be. There seems to have been a slowing of that progress as a consequence of the Americans asking for lessons learned during our fighting in northern Gaza to be implemented during our fighting in southern Gaza. And that of course is representative to the bombing campaign that was launched to soften up the ground in advance of our ground troops going in there. International community is leaping on the bandwagon as is their want that states and rides towards accusations against the Israel Defense Forces accusing as a war crimes in proprieties and so forth I have absolutely zero concerns about any of that I'm quite sure that when the death settles the international organizations that seek to prosecute our soldiers won't lay a glove on them very comfortable with the moral standards of the soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces. What concerns me is the north. What concerns me is southern Lebanon. I said before October 7th and I said after October 7th the Israel Defense Forces needs to preemptively hit Hezbollah and reduce their rocket capabilities. We haven't done that with sufficient force and I think that we're going to be hard pressed to turn our attention full bore towards that front but I very much hope that we will do. And before we do turn to the north and the situation unfolding there with Hezbollah and the Lebanese border I want to get your understanding from you given your experience on the ground the complexity of the battlefield which is in Gaza I mean which is one of the most complex battlefields. It's not just on the ground it's also underground where as well facing a hostage situation simultaneously that's very complicated for the troops on the ground there. It's extremely complicated. I'll be very frank nobody has faced anything like that facing at the moment during Operation Sorts of Iron Israel's war against Hamas I have not faced anything of similar consequence or with similar ramifications ramifications or complexities when I was drafted in 2012 and 2014 I was sent to Judea and Samaria to operate there. My experience is not in the Gaza Strip my primary experience is in the second Lebanon War of 2006 which feels like ancient history now but the reality of the matter is these two goals of the war in my opinion must be achieved. I don't think one has to proceed the other. I think that we have to smash and destroy Hamas I think we're fighting Hamas now the way we ought to have fought Hamas from the time of the first rocket being flown and fired towards the State of Israel and I think of course we have to bring hostages home and we must not forget about them and yet we're 86 days in we still have 129 hostages still left there. What can you tell us about any progress there are reports about this Qatari proposal for a second hostage deal what can you tell us about that we'll wait and see I don't know whether or not we'll see that came to fruition there was a point just in recent days where Hamas was saying it's not going to have any negotiations or any talks about any hostage deals until there's a complete cessation of all hostilities inside the Gaza Strip now there seems to be talk about a readiness to sit down and to engage in a conversation about releasing 40 more hostages in exchange for many more prisoners terrorists who are held by the State of Israel and who have blood on their hands we'll see where all of that goes but the reality is there's an overarching problem here that is that all of this has come about in my opinion as the result of a lack of policy when it comes to the Gaza Strip that has transcended successive governments here in the State of Israel and has given Hamas every reason to believe that it can launch crimes against our people crimes against our civilians and somehow walk away from that still standing. To that point I want to ask you Israeli Army Radio reporting this morning that the IDF does not believe it will fully be able to destroy the rocket launching capabilities of Hamas or any other terror organizations there quoting a senior officer saying even in two years time it's possible that those Gaza border communities may still be running 15 seconds to shelter so how does the Israeli government intend their residents down south? I think that I'm hopeful that there's disparity between the opinion of that senior officer that you're quoting and the resolve of the governments of the State of Israel. I'll be very candid with you. I've worked a lot with very senior officers in the Israel Defense Forces over the course of my career. I think that they have a place and a space where their opinions are very relevant but there are also times when they should absolutely not be listened to and I do not believe that it is within the job description that we are unable to reduce or eliminate the rocking foreign capabilities from the Gaza Strip. Actually their job is to go and finish that task and I believe that we're sufficient resolve at the governmental level. If it's there that can be done. Before we address the other Iranian proxies in the region I want to turn to the situation of folding in the north. 90% of those residents have been evacuated. We're talking about 200,000 Israelis in total evacuated from the south and the north. We're not saying he will not allow his residents to come home until Hezbollah has been pushed back but beyond the Latani river. The conversation in the beginning was if we end up in a sort of frontal confrontation with Hezbollah. Now it's not becoming if but when. Yeah and again it's becoming when because we failed to affix a clear policy. You asked me about my experience. I remember coming back into Israel after serving inside Lebanon during the Second Lebanon War. The talk and the rhetoric was that we had largely not our particular brigade but Israel had largely failed to eliminate the rocket firing capability Hezbollah and therefore there would be another round in the coming months that didn't happen. We've allowed them to mass this enormous arsenal of rockets that is pointed towards us and no the residents of the north should not be expected to go back without that threat being neutralized. Thank you very much for joining us. Thank you. Meanwhile Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen continue to threaten the region launching a missile at a commercial vessel in the Red Sea and later attempting to attack that very same vessel again. The first successful attack since the launch of the US-led international coalition to patrol those key commercial waterways 11 days ago. I-24 News Middle East correspondent Ariel Saran has the details. A moment of truth for the US-led naval coalition in the Red Sea. American naval forces sank three Houthi small boats as they attacked a commercial vessel off the coast of Yemen on Sunday hours after the same vessel was hit by an anti-ship ballistic missile in a separate attack. The US Central Command said gunmen on board the boats opened fire at the Danish-owned Mars Kang Zhu and attempted to board it. The gunmen then opened fire at US Navy helicopters responding to the distress call. The helicopters returned fire sinking three boats and killing its crews. A fourth boat fled the area. This would be the 24th attack by the Houthis on international shipping since October and the first ship to be attacked since the naval coalition was formed. The Houthis have emphasized many times in their statements that the actions taken in response to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict are only targeted at Israeli ships or ships related to Israel or ships heading to Israeli ports. Therefore, the United States and Israel should bear direct responsibility if any obstructions or delays happen to ships entering the port of Udeida. In an interview with the Associated Press, the commander of US Naval Forces in the Middle East, Vice Admiral Brad Cooper said before Saturday's incident that quote, we are clear eyed that the Houthi reckless attacks will likely continue. The statement comes as Denmark becomes the latest country to sign on the 20-nation coalition highlighting the global importance of the threat by the Iranians back to Houthis. Iran leads the axis of evil and aggression against us on the various fronts. This aggression is directed not only against Israel, but against the entire free world. We operate against Iran all the time. Everywhere. In every way. The attacks under Meir's Khengzhou come as the shipping company announced that it will continue to attack the Houthi. The Houthi will continue to attack its ships through the Red Sea due to the maritime coalition in the area. A statement since reversed following the latest attack. But continued attacks will test the coalition whether it's going to be more than a floating iron dome simply protecting ships or whether it will actually take proactive steps against the Houthi attacks. And to fighting that nonetheless still remains below a full-scale war the Biden administration wants to keep it that way which is why senior diplomatic correspondent Owen Alderman tells us the administration's envoy is on his way to the region. America's point man on Lebanon trying to do on land what he did at sea with Amos Haakstein reportedly set the flight back into Beirut this week to try to broker a deal that would bring quiet to the land border between Lebanon and Israel the way he did last year with the border between zones at sea. The most important piece of this agreement is that it is entirely in the interest of each country to not violate it and to move forward. The background now of course is the war and the element of it on the Israel-Lebanon border where the Lebanese terror group Hezbollah has been firing for months at communities on the Israeli side and the Israeli military has responded by firing at Hezbollah targets. The Biden administration wants the situation contained below the threshold of a wider war as does the French government. Israel has killed more than 130 Hezbollah fighters. Israeli attacks have intensified and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has a warning. We have approved operational plans for the continuation of the fighting if Hezbollah expands the war it would absorb blows that it has not dreamed of and Iran as well. Iran. Hoxene's apparent plan to incentivize Hezbollah to move its troops away from the Israeli border in exchange for apparent Israeli concessions on marking that border in at least some of the 13 points of dispute. The Biden administration does not want a full-scale war. Israel's plan A is not to have a full-scale war and the Lebanese public does not want a full-scale war. Which all point to the sides getting to a deal that forestalls a full-scale war. At least for now. So with me here in studio is Benjamin Anthony co-founder in Syria of the Miriam Institute. Benjamin thank you very much for staying with me here in studio. I want to ask you about this strategy by the Biden administration this diplomatic strategy who as we just saw in this report of the government they want to keep a lid on the situation of North and pursue diplomatic solutions instead but do they really understand the situation here on the ground that we're not dealing with a normal government but we're dealing with a terrorist entity? I think we can on the one hand thank the Biden administration for outsize support for the state of Israel both militarily and diplomatically while criticizing that where it may be misguided. The reality of the matter is that we're seeing two escalators not in Lebanon's interest or his brother's interest to escalate but guess what we're in an escalation and it's a very real escalation with very real consequences such as those that you expressed 70,000 of our citizens are now basically refugees in our own land in order to turn that situation back on itself we're going to have to operate there in southern Lebanon it may be sooner it may be later but it should be at a time of our choosing and I personally believe that October 7th the opportunity and the justification not in a cynical way in a very tragic way for as to understand when our enemies call for our destruction they mean it and we must destroy their capabilities before they come to kill our men women children and to kidnap them back into their own borders one final thing what emanates from southern Lebanon if and when it does in full form has the potential to make what took place on October 7th look like child's play we can't afford that and just to remind you for our viewers did begin those attacks on Israeli communities the very next day on October 8th meanwhile all this is happening Israel is believed to be behind strikes on military positions in eastern Syria killing reportedly 23 pro-Iranian fighters now we both know Israel has a policy of not commenting on these strikes on these Iranian proxies but we can assume this connection to the situation that's happening into the north is this a sign that Israel is taking matters into its own hands where diplomatic solutions have failed you know with regard to southern Lebanon there is a diplomatic resolution on the table it's called resolution 1701 that was ratified by the UN Security Council it's failed it's failed resolutely with regard to southern Syria Israel has been operating to push back against the entrenchment of Iranian proxies over there in southern Syria we've been successful to an extent but I'm pleased to see that we're ramping up our response to what's taking place in southern Syria and with regard to leaving room for plausible deniability of our engagement I think there was an interesting development with former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett just a couple of days ago where in his op-ed he actually went around the media censor in the states of Israel and published revelations that he had ordered two strikes inside Iran during the course of his short tenure very dangerous implications but here's what I think we're looking at the first horse to shoot out of the stable running for elections we are in the beginning stages in my judgment of an election campaign here in Israel as much as everybody says they're not doing and what surprise surprise has Naftali Bennett decided to attack the current Prime Minister on the issue of security Benjamin Anthony it will be certainly very interesting year to see and hopefully that year will be without wars let's hope thank you very much like many others who attend the nova rive Bar Hanin the happiest day of his life turned into the worst day of all a day in which his luck and resourcefulness stood by him and saved him first from a death trap in a shelter and later from terrorists who were after him while running for his life he managed to rescue another couple from the inferno here's his story and the the final the the the the the the the the the the I went to Behrin, to Shamm al-Amigunit and slowly they started to, we started to gather there, they started to come to the people, we gathered 30 or 40 people in Shamm al-Amigunit. And in the middle of the night it was not going to pass, I had to go outside to sleep. So I looked behind the Shamm al-Amigunit, what happened? As soon as I saw that people wanted to come to us and we were hungry, they cried. And as soon as I was making it, I heard the sound of the sounds of the birds. Oh, who's there? Come to the center. As soon as I returned to the Shamm al-Amigunit, I saw everyone who was hungry, and I ran to him. I went to him, I started to get up in the morning and really at the beginning of the morning I found some group that was also in the Shamm al-Amigunit, who asked me the truth about the road, and we passed through the road to the people, and I saw the road of the Shamm al-Amigunit, a kind of a hand that touches the road with one hand, and I saw that all the roads that come to this road are blocked, and the first road that is blocked, which he returned to live, he tried to get to the main road in the back, which he went to live, he was without any obstacles, he tried to jump, and I saw everyone in the car in stress. At that moment I realized that I was not able to get to the main road, so I was sure that he would see me. I returned to the main road, I almost reached the main road, in the church, and there I heard the sounds of the trees, really loud, and I already saw the crowd coming from the main road, and at that moment, once again, I crossed the road, I tried to get to the main road, and at that moment I tried to think about what to do, that I would get to the main road that I do not know if it is blocked or blocked, to the main road that I knew that they were blocked, and once again I reached the main road, almost before the main road, once again I returned to the main road, to the main road, just to give you another moment of thought, of what to do, and I told my wife that I was in the main road, and I looked over the road, and she told me that she said that I was going to cross it, and they told me that there was no problem, we are with you. I went to a main road that also tried to get to the main road, because we were really close, and I saw that he did not have a gun in hand, and I realized that it was Jewish, I gave him a gun, and he told me that there would be a gun in front of him. What I had to do was to tell Israel, and to start trying to keep going. I realized that I had to leave the area, just to get to the main road that I do not know how to cross. And we passed a very heavy road, almost three hours to get to the main road, to the main roads on the road, and there were heavy roads in the middle of the road, the signs that did not allow us to cross the road. So with me here in studio, Benjamin Anthony, your take. You know, we're about to countdown to the new year. Our organization has been very involved with the hostage families. We were working with the families of Yotam Chaim, of Lesson Memory, with the families of Evia Tal David, and also with Almog Meir Jan. We're taking two members of those families, two Aspen and Colorado, next week, so that we can keep their story at the forefront of public consciousness. I think, given the circumstances, the hostages and the loss of our soldiers, I think that this year's countdown, the 10 to 0, that should actually be a moment of silence for Jewish people and friends of Israel around the world, and not a moment of...