Day 17 of the War, Monday, January 12, 2009

Day 17 of the Gaza War, Monday, January 12, 2009 -- Daily sticky post, constantly updated.

More liveblogging at IsraellyCool and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/muqata Keyword #GazaWar

Note: Using the "Refresh" (F5 key) command in your Web Browser will show you the latest updates -- Refresh on an Apple/Mac is apple+R.

Please say a prayer for the safety of our soldiers.

Additional New posts from today can be found below this post.

As a general rule we will try and keep operational details to a minimum, that includes troop movements and the exact location of rocket hits. If items are reported in the Mainstream Israeli Media we will report them as well.

12:04 AM (Tuesday) Reports from Kiryat Arba of a terror attack -- gunfire into Kiryat Arba from Hebron's Gabal Je'ar results in two lightly wounded Israelis.

11:59 PM Photos from IDF Spox of Reservists going into Gaza.

(source)

11:54 PM IAF jets continue striking targets in Gaza.

11:48 PM OK people -- time for me to get some sleep.

Last night's Magen David Adom ambulance shift kept me up all night, which put a serious dent in my productiveness today (but I did get a chance to drive an ambulance into Ben Gurion airport, drive past and around airplanes, so close I could touch them...which was rather fun).

Wishing you all a good night from the Muqata Crew. Thanks again for your letters of encouragement, contructive comments and feedback, and for those who gave gave donations to the Muqata blog.

See you in the morning.

Regards,

Jameel & The Muqata Crew.
muqata @ gmail . com


11:43 PM Embedded TV Crew in Gaza from Israel Channel 2 TV (Amir Bar Shalom) has the night vision video of a gun battle with Hamas terrorists, tonight in Gaza. It's in Hebrew, but the video speaks for itself.

תעוד וידאו מיוחד: צה"ל מחסל חוליית מחבלים בעזה

11:29 PM Palestinians report heavy gunfire from Israeli Navy gunboats at Hamas targets along the Gaza coastline.

11:28 PM Apparently, the IDF soldiers wounded today were from "friendly fire". IDF investigating.

11:00 PM Released for publication by IDF censor: 1 IDF soldier seriously wounded in Gaza this evening, 3 lightly wounded.

10:46 PM Palestinian sources report very heavy IDF artillery shelling in Northern Gaza, accompanied by heavy IAF helicopter gunship support fire.

10:24 PM While I cannot personally attest to the veracity of this story, it has been flying around the Hebrew blog forums. After seeing it at Rafi G's "Life in Israel" blog, I've decided to post a translation from the Hebrew version on one of the forums.

It may already be an urban [combat] legend, but there are no atheists in foxholes. (Update - similar story found here as well)

An IDF soldier that entered Gaza along with his troop, passed by a house in Gaza. Next to the house he saw an old woman who warned him, "Don't enter this house, it's booby-trapped." The soldier ignored her, and continued towards the house, when to his suprise, he noticed the house was indeed booby-trapped.

The soldiers continued on into Gaza, and he saw the same old woman at another home, and she warned him once again, "Don't enter this house, it's booby-trapped." The soldier asked the woman, "You were at the other house, what are you doing here?"

The elderly woman replied, "I am Rachel the matriach, and I'm here to protect you."

The solider called his Rabbi who told him that the previous day, his community was immersed in prayer, and beseeching Rachel to watch over the soldiers.

יד כֹּה אָמַר ה, קוֹל בְּרָמָה נִשְׁמָע נְהִי בְּכִי תַמְרוּרִים--רָחֵל, מְבַכָּה עַל-בָּנֶיהָ; מֵאֲנָה לְהִנָּחֵם עַל-בָּנֶיהָ, כִּי אֵינֶנּוּ	Jerimiyah 31: 14 Thus saith the LORD: A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children; she refuseth to be comforted for her children, because they are not. {S}
טו כֹּה אָמַר ה, מִנְעִי קוֹלֵךְ מִבֶּכִי, וְעֵינַיִךְ, מִדִּמְעָה: כִּי יֵשׁ שָׂכָר לִפְעֻלָּתֵךְ נְאֻם-ה, וְשָׁבוּ מֵאֶרֶץ אוֹיֵב	15 Thus saith the LORD: Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears; for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the LORD; and they shall come back from the land of the enemy.
טז וְיֵשׁ-תִּקְוָה לְאַחֲרִיתֵךְ, נְאֻם-ה; וְשָׁבוּ בָנִים, לִגְבוּלָם	16 And there is hope for thy future, saith the LORD; and thy children shall return to their own border. {S}

10:20 PM 1,500 brave the Cleveland cold to demonstrate their support for Israel

(photo courtesy of the Daf Yomi website)

10:14 PM Surprise Visit to Gaza Home -- an IAF's fighter jet's spent fuel tank landed in this Gazan home. It would look great in the living room next to the fireplace.


10:11 PM Aid boat headed from Cyprus to Gaza turns back due to engine trouble (Reuters) (hat-tip: Alegria...note, this is not the Iranian Pirate ship...which has fallen off of the radar)

10:04 PM Hamas rocket launched at Israel, crashes into Hamas controlled area in Gaza. No injuries to Israelis.

9:52 PM Palestinians report that another 5 Hamas terrorists were killed by IDF troops this evening in the Gaza City neighborhood of "Zeitoun", bringing the current total of Hamas terrorists killed today, to 25.

9:39 PM Day 17 of IDF Operation Cast-Lead -- in Photos. (from AP and Reuters)






This picture is very cool -- its the reflection of a solider in the forward lens of a MeproLight rapid target acquisition sight, mounted on an M4 rifle

(I have the same one on my personal rifle -- Jameel)



9:22 PM Excellent post about "Why Children Die in Gaza?" including every video you'll ever need to win a "war of facts" with pro-Hamas losers. (hat-tip: Abbi)

9:05 PM Both Channel 1 and Channel 2 Israel TV report that an Israeli flag is now flying over the ruins of the Jewish Netzarim settlement.

Reminder: Jubilant Palestinians destroying the Netzarim Synagogue after IDF forces withdrew from Gaza and Israel removed all Jews from the Gaza strip 3 years ago.



9:04 PM Ongoing battles between IDF forces and Hamas -- IDF tank unit attacks Hamas terror cell on location of destroyed Netzarim settlement.

9:02 PM Channel 2 Israel TV (Danny Kushmarov) reports that a "broken" Ismaeel Haniyeh is requesting a "cease fire".

8:33 PM Reports from Gaza that the IDF is warning reporters and all to evacuate the "News Tower" in Gaza...

8:29 PM Attempted smuggling of consumer electronics within the "Humanitarian Aid" going into Gaza at the Kerem Shalom checkpoint. IDF confiscated the equipment and opened an investigation. (ynet)

8:22 PM Arab parties disqualified from running in Israeli elections due to failure to recognize Israel.

Arab Party Balad's chairman Jamal Zahalka said during the heated debate to MK David Tal from Kadima: "You drink Palestinian blood. You are a racist."

MK Ahmed Tibi added: "Every vote for Kadima is a bullet in the chest of a Palestinian child."

(read it all here at ynet)

8:20 PM Significant numbers of IDF reserve forces entering Gaza (Hebrew, ynet)

8:18 PM Hamas kingpin Ismaeel Haniyeh on Al-Jazeera: "Victory is Near!"

8:08 PM As a result of the war, Israel's Ministry of Education announced that students taking winter-time "bagrut" (matriculation) exams would be entitled to the following advantages:

1. An additional bonus of 10 points
2. Longer time to take the exams
3. The school term average (magen)would count for 60% of a student's grade and the matriculation exam 40%, instead of 50-50.

7:44 PM Who is subsidizing the Hamas birthrate in Gaza?

The reason for Gaza's endless youth bulge is that a large majority of its population does not have to provide for its offspring. Most babies are fed, clothed, vaccinated and educated by UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. Unlike the U.N. High Commission for Refugees, which deals with the rest of the world's refugees and aims to settle them in their respective host countries, UNRWA perpetuates the Palestinian problem by classifying as refugees not only those who originally fled their homes, but all of their descendants as well.

UNRWA is benevolently funded by the U.S. (31%) and the European Union (nearly 50%) -- only 7% of the funds come from Muslim sources. Thanks to the West's largesse, nearly the entire population of Gaza lives in a kind of lowly but regularly paid dependence. One result of this unlimited welfare is an endless population boom. Between 1950 and 2008, Gaza's population has grown from 240,000 to 1.5 million. The West basically created a new Near Eastern people in Gaza that at current trends will reach three million in 2040. Within that period, Gazans may alter the justifications and directions of their aggression but are unlikely to stop the aggression itself. See the rest here on the Wall Street Journal.

Thanks to all those who sent a link to this article.

7:40 PM Ismael Haniyeh -- Hamas leader from Gaza to make a special announcement from his bunker in Gaza in the coming minutes.

7:39 PM One IDF soldier was lightly wounded today in Gaza.

7:31 PM As of 7:30 PM, 18 rockets were shot at Israel today -- cities hit include Kiryat Gat, Ashkelon, and Be'er Sheva.

7:19 PM Over the past hour, 3 rockets landed in the Western Negev. No injuries or damage reported.

5:37 PM "Psychological Warfare Hamas Video". If this is the best they can come up with, they should really send their video crews back for retraining. Israel's leftists are scarier than this video.



5:29 PM Palestinians throw firebomb at Jewish motorist east of Tapuach Junction (Shomron/West Bank). No injuries.

5:27 PM Rockets landed in open areas outside Be'er Sheva. No injuries, no damage.

5:17 PM Rockets landing NOW in Be'er Sheva area. Air Raid sirens going off the past minute.

4:56 PM IDF tank goes up in flames in Gaza due to electrical problem. No injuries to IDF soldiers. (Though I'm sure the empty hotdog plastic wrapper marauders in Gaza will try to claim credit)

4:49 PM See Humanitarian Aid delivered to Gaza via Israel's "Kerem Shalom" checkpoint in "real-time" on the live IDF webcam feed. While the live feed will operate 24x7, you won't always see trucks going in. For now, the current "Humanitarian Aid" cease-fire times for deliveres are 10 AM to 1 PM Israel time (GMT+2)... (of course, that doesn't stop Humanitarian Aid Hamas (HAH) from continuing to shoot rockets at Israel) [hat-tip: AF]

4:45 PM Hamas once again rejects Egypt's updated cease-fire proposal, insisting on necessary modifications to the proposal. Reports that the Hamas reps will be returning to Damascus.

4:43 PM Just before the Disengagement, we were promised how safe Israel would become. This video was shown Israel Channel 10 yesterday...subtitled into English. (hat-tip MB)



4:24 PM Another false Air Raid Siren alarm in Be'er Sheva

4:17 PM Reports of rocket landings in Sderot. Teams investigating

4:15 PM DoubleTapper at the front.

As I mentioned yesterday, my good buddy DoubleTapper was called in yesterday for emergency reserve IDF duty. He just sent me a photo...


4:10 PM "Peace" vandalism in Jerusalem.

Anat from Jerusalem called the police this morning after finding her car in Jerusalem with paint sprayed on it. Besides paint on the car, her pro-YESHA bumper sticker was painted over, and the words, "Peace Yes. Occupation No" were sprayed on her car. Jerusalem police report that dozens of other cars were vandalized in the same manner. (source)




4:09 PM Rockets land in open fields. No injuries or damage.

4:07 PM Rockets on their way to Western Negev.

Sirens in Beer Sheva at 3:57 PM -- false alarms, no rockets launched.

1:54 PM New advertiser alert: Celebrate Pesach in Israel (maybe even meet Jameel).

1:38 PM Before and After pictures of Grad rocket hit on a house in Ashkelon...(more pics here as well)

Before Hamas Rocket:



After Hamas Rocket:

(source)

1:25 PM Jameel back in the saddle (and yes, I'm exhausted, will explain soon). In the meantime you decide:

While Hamas triumphantly announced yesterday that they had successfully captured empty plastic hotdogs wrappers left over by IDF forces,


The IDF shows off some of what they found:

(source)

I'm sure this disproportionate display of captured bounty will soon be added to the growing list of "war crimes" by Israel. (I was accused last week of "stealing" the "Muqata" name from Palestinians as well...the Hague is getting ready)

12:18 PM Grad missile hit Ashkelon around 15 minutes ago. Direct hit on building. All residents were in bomb shelter. No injuries. Yes damage.

Unilateral ceasefire still in place.

11:50 AM Rocket launched at Ofakim. Ceasefire holding on Israeli side as usual.

11:41 AM Cease Fire? Hamas rocket hits Ashkelon. I wish I could publicize where it hit. The true definition of irony.

9:49 AM Rocket/Mortar attack on Kissufim.

9:39 AM MUQATA SCOOP: As first mentioned on this blog at the start of the war, it is now acknowledged that Hamas terrorists are hiding in bunkers built under the Shifa hospital and are connected by tunnels to the rest of Gaza. The Shifa hospital was seriously refurbished and upgraded by Israel for the Gazan residents when Israel still controlled that part of Eretz Yisrael. Many of the terrorists are hiding under Building 2 of Shifa hospital.

Israel built these "bunkers" under the hospital originally as a basement and strong foundation for Building 2 of the hospital (which Israel built). It was meant for the laundry machines and other services.

9:38 AM Earlier this week, IDF uncovered an entire school (next to the Gaza zoo) which was booby trapped.

9:36 AM Between 10:00 AM and 1PM the IDF will take a break in attacking to allow Humanitarian aid into Gaza. Hamas fully expected to take advantage of this lull to reposition for better aimed attacked against Israel.

9:33 AM At 7:30 AM a rocket hit the empty courtyard of a Chabbad school in Be'er Sheva. School was canceled today because of the war, otherwise the courtyard would have been full.

9:28 AM Grad missile hits near Kiryat Gat today. Officially it is the first time a rocket has been acknowledged to have hit near this town.

Kiryat Gat is the home of a large Intel manufacturing plant. A direct hit on the Intel factory could result in serious ecological damage to the immediate region (and depending on the wind, damage even further away).

9:26 AM Sorry, slight blip in ten reporting after we all crashed from exhaustion from this 24/7 reporting these past 2 weeks (even with the Shabbat break) as well as our other duties (as Jameel mentioned last night).

Updates will commence soon.

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