This is the 92nd day in the Israeli conflict, and I, Pinto, am reporting to you from the Gaza Strip. Gaza, once a place of leisure, has been transformed into a vast amusement park for terrorists. Each day, as we venture into the fray in Gaza, I find myself pondering what new surprises Hamas has in store. Yet, every day brings a fresh shock, prompting the question of how one can take the gift of life bestowed by God and turn it into a living hell on Earth.
The pervasive dedication to hatred, the commitment to a murderous Islamic ideology, creates a dark world—a world without a future, devoid of hope, love, and any semblance of a positive outlook. Even hotels in Gaza have become intertwined with the concept of tunnels, a vacation notion taken to perplexing extremes.
In the northern part of the Gaza Strip, near the seashore, the combat team of the 14th Brigade executed a raid on the Blue Beach Hotel. Here, dozens of Hamas terrorists had barricaded themselves, firing anti-tank missiles at IDF forces. Counterfire ensued, leading to the elimination of some terrorists. The raid uncovered a terrorist infrastructure, complete with tunnels housing living quarters for Hamas militants. These hotels served as both refuge and command centers for waging war, presenting a paradox of luxury conditions for terrorist activities.
Underneath the hotel, an underground cache revealed a myriad of weapons, including AK-47s, assorted explosives, and drones. In the El-Big Camp, the 414th Battalion confronted an armed terrorist squad attempting to attack a tank. A drone tracked the squad through a residential area, and with precise identification, an Air Force fighter jet neutralized the terrorists entrenched in a building.
In the Kanun area, Battle Team 4 discovered launch positions for attacks on Israeli territory, subsequently destroying them. Numerous clashes resulted in the neutralization of dozens of terrorists in the Towers neighborhood, situated in the central Gaza Strip. The 646 Combat Team completed an operation targeting tall buildings in this neighborhood, repurposed by Hamas as firing positions against IDF forces.
These buildings concealed anti-tank and anti-aircraft weaponry, rocket launchers, and booby-trapped structures. In addition, a warehouse and chemical laboratory used by Hamas for weapon production were discovered. Amid engineering operations and airstrikes, explosive-rigged buildings, observation posts, and underground shafts were systematically destroyed.
In Khul village in Judea and Samaria, a front against Palestinian terror elements, a reserve unit of the IDF, including the Shin and Border Police forces, seized equipment from a printing house producing inflammatory materials for Hamas and coloring books depicting terrorists who harm Jewish children.
In the city of Heon in Judea and Samaria, forces arrested a wanted individual and confiscated explosive charges, Molotov cocktails, and a drone. On Israel’s northern front against Kisala in Lebanon, an Air Force fighter jet attacked operational headquarters, while additional attacks were carried out with tank and artillery fire in response to launches from Lebanon towards Israel.
As we navigate through these challenging times, let us remember and pray for the brave souls of the IDF who sacrificed their lives in the ongoing wars against Hamas, Kisala, and other entities seeking the annihilation of Israel and the Jewish people. This is a spiritual war, a battle against evil forces, and in our collective prayers, we seek divine intervention for the IDF soldiers, their families, and the peace of Jerusalem.
