Read Online

SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE  |  DECEMBER 2, 2023

Did you miss our previous newsletter? You may find it here.

Fighting Resumes in Gaza After Week of Exchanging Hostages for Prisoners

A seven-day ceasefire between Israel and Hamas ended on Dec. 1 after a series of exchanges of hostages the terror group kidnapped on Oct. 7 for Palestinian prisoners held by the Jewish state.

The ceasefire had had multiple extensions, but fighting resumed. The two sides blamed each other for the renewal of hostilities. Israel, announcing its resumption of combat early on Dec. 1, accused Hamas of violating the "operational pause," while Hamas said Israel had declined offers to free more hostages.

Early on Nov. 30, Palestinian terrorists opened fire on people waiting for buses into Jerusalem, killing at least three and wounding 16 more. The attack, at Givat Shaul junction, is on the main highway from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

The two attackers, brothers from East Jerusalem, were killed by two off-duty soldiers and an armed civilian. Terror group Hamas claimed the pair as its members.

The fighting seemed restrained initially, with the IDF not pushing forward on the ground and limiting itself to bombs targeting leaders and terror squads, while Hamas's rockets had been few and short-range, notably a single one aimed at Beersheva. Both sides were seen to be positioning themselves for a resumption of the ceasefire and hostage/prisoner exchanges.

The IDF, though, posted on X (formerly Twitter) later on Dec. 1 that "Central Israel is under a heavy barrage of rockets from Gaza." Some analysts expect Israel to focus now on southern Gaza, where it believes Hamas leaders are hiding. The IDF has previously centered its attacks on northern Gaza.

Smoke billows in Rafah on the southern Gaza Strip city after the end of a seven-day ceasefire, on Dec. 1, 2023. (Said Khatib/ AFP via Getty Images)

During the seven-day ceasefire, which began on Nov. 24, Hamas freed 110 hostages, mostly women and children, according to the Israeli government. Of them, 86 were Israeli, including several dual citizens, and 24 were foreign nationals. Two American dual nationals were released. Fewer than 10 Americans are still being held hostage, according to the White House.

Israel released 240 Palestinian prisoners, 83 women, and 157 described as "children and teens." Israelis have argued many of the latter are young men of fighting age.

Hamas took an estimated 240 people hostage on Oct. 7 during savage attacks on Israeli communities and a spiritual peace and music festival near the Gaza frontier, during which terrorists massacred more than 1,200 people.

A four-day ceasefire was initially agreed to on Nov. 22, with 50 Hamas hostages to be released in exchange for 150 prisoners held by Israel. The exchanges were conducted daily, with three prisoners released for each Israeli hostage. Hamas additionally freed foreign nationals, most from Thailand and one from the Philippines.

On Nov. 27, Israel and Hamas agreed to a two-day extension. The exchanges continued each day, with the most recent, on Nov. 30, a swap of seven Israeli women and one teen for 30 prisoners, including seven women and 23 children or teens. Israel alleged that Hamas's failure to produce a list of another 10 hostages to be freed early on Dec. 1  constituted a truce violation.

Still being held by Hamas are adult male hostages, Israeli soldiers, and a few Americans, categories viewed as valuable by Hamas, according to the Wall Street Journal. Hamas claims some of the hostages are held by other groups.

Mediators Egypt and Qatar on Dec. 1 sought a new deal to halt Israel's offensive. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken pressed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the week in efforts to limit or stop Israel's use of force. Israel's military offensive has killed more than 15,000 Gazans, according to Hamas, but it didn't distinguish civilians from fighters.

Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, though, pointed to Nov. 30's bus stop attack as evidence that: "Hamas is speaking with two voices here. This event proves again how we must not show weakness, that we must speak to Hamas only through the [rifle] scopes, only through the war." He also said Israel would continue to ease regulations for issuing gun licenses to citizens.

"Gazans are being left to die by Hamas," the IDF said in a video posted on X on Dec. 1. "Women and children are endangered when Hamas chooses to use mosques, hospitals and schools as bases to store weaponry, launch rockets, and cover terrorist tunnels." For the terrorist group's entire history since being formed in 1987, the IDF said: "Hamas has always used civilians as fodder for their terrorist strategy."

As it resumed fighting, Israel released a Gaza map dividing the territory into numbered zones that residents can use in planning their evacuation. The IDF warns civilians of impending attacks on their neighborhoods, it said.

To dig deeper into the subject, read the following original reporting by our journalists:

Thank you for being a subscriber
If you enjoy what you’re reading, please consider forwarding this email to someone who might find it informative.
Your Feedback
What do you think of our pick for the top story this week?
We'd love to hear from you. You can email me at topstory@epochtimes.nyc.
We may feature an exerpt of your response in the next newsletter.