Israel-Hamas War: What happened on day 113?

The head of the UN Refugee Agency for Palestinians (UNRWA) said on Saturday that nine countries' decisions to suspend funding over allegations staff were involved in the October 7 attacks on Israel was shocking and urged them to reverse course.

"These decisions threaten our ongoing humanitarian work across the region, including and especially in the Gaza Strip," Philippe Lazzarini said in a statement.

Israel informed Egypt on Saturday evening of its intention to send troops into Rafah and the Philadelphi Corridor, despite Egypt's firm opposition to such a decision, Maariv reported, citing Sky News Arabia.

According to the report, Egypt rejected the request.

Head of the State Information Services (SIS) Diaa Rashwan said earlier this week, “It must be strictly emphasized that any Israeli move in this direction will lead to a serious threat to Egyptian-Israeli relations.”

In response to a question about Qatar and Egypt, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday evening that "Relations with Egypt are ongoing and normal between the governments all the time. Each of us has interests; Egypt needs to say certain things. They take care of their interests, and we take care of ours."

Former IDF spokesman Avi Benyahu also hinted this week in his X account that the IDF may make its way further south, reaching Rafah, Maariv reported.

Trucks carrying aid arrive, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Rafah, January 17, 2024 (credit: REUTERS/MOHAMMED SALEM)

In the Arab media, news has spread according to the IDF demands that the soldiers on the Egyptian side clear the corridor for the IDF's arrival.

Israeli-Egyptian relations already tense

The Wall Street Journal also reported the same day as the Sky News report that the tense relationship between Israel and Egypt is on the verge of collapse following weeks of a 'deepening chill' amid the IDF's war on Hamas.

The report stated that Netanyahu had not spoken to his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in weeks, with the latter refusing to take calls from the prime minister, and said that Cairo is "convinced" of a secret Israeli plan to expel the Palestinians from the Strip to the Sinai Peninsula.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday night traded barbs with families of the remaining Gaza hostages, who accused the prime minister of scolding them while not doing enough for the release of their loved ones. 

In a Tel Aviv press conference, Netanyahu rejected an accusation from a reporter that he was alienating the mediators and defended his efforts to secure the release of the hostages, amid growing criticism, particularly from the families of the captives.

At all moments, Netanyahu said, he was working to secure the release of those kidnapped in the October 7 Hamas-led attack. 

Both he and his family, Netanyahu noted, had a history of acting on behalf of Israeli hostages. He explained that he was injured in 1972 when he was part of a mission to rescue the 90 passengers aboard the hijacked Sabina Flight 571. In 1976 Netanyahu’s brother Yonatan was killed rescuing hijacked Israeli from Entbee Uganda.

“So no one needs to encourage me to push for the release of the hostage, “I am working on this all the time,” he said.

Protest in Haifa calling for elections to be held immediately, January 27, 2024 (credit: MIRI PORAT)

But he had harsh words for the protest campaign the families of the hostages have led demanding an immediate deal, warning that their activities only played into the hands of Hamas.

"I understand that it is impossible to control one’s emotions” in this situation but it also “doesn't help” and only “hardens Hamas’ demands and delays the results that we all want.”

Gaza hostages' families: What if it were Netanyahu's children?

The families’ campaign for the release of the hostages said that if they did not work publicly for the release of their loved one, they would end up like the Israeli pilot Ron Arad, who was captured in 1986 and held for two years before he disappeared and his fate remains unknown until this day. His family was also advised to stay silent so the price would not be raised and the result was that he was forgotten, the campaign stated.

The “Prime Minister should remember that he is an elected official whose job it is to correct the mistakes” that occurred on October 7 “and not to scold those whose family members were kidnapped,” the campaign stated.

If his children were “now being held by Hamas in the Gaza tunnels at the hands of despicable murderers, Mr. Netanyahu and his wife would be with us in the compound of the kidnapped families fighting for their lives,” the campaign stated.

A report was circulated on social media on Saturday by a reporter from the Lebanese Al-Manar network, which is affiliated with the terrorist organization Hezbollah, allegedly quoting Israeli media and according to which the Israeli government will declare war with Lebanon within hours, Maariv reported.

There is no such report by Israeli media, Maariv stated, but the warnings in the Arab media cause great concern in Lebanon.

In the meantime, the head of the Hezbollah faction in the Lebanese parliament, Mohammad Raad, warned Israel against attacking. During a memorial service for one of Hezbollah's terrorists, Raad stated that Lebanon's security is above all else and that Hezbollah is well prepared for war, and if until now Israel has felt only the partial power of the organization, then in an all-out war, "it will taste the extension of its arm."

Rumors start amid escalation of rocket attacks in Israel's north

Earlier, anti-tank missiles resumed fire on Israel's north after rocket sirens were activated in the settlement of Shlomi. A fall was detected in an open area, but no injuries or damage have been reported so far. Alerts were later activated in the settlements Dafna, Gosher, Ajjar, Kibbutz Dan, She'ar Yashuv, and Shnir for fear of a hostile aircraft infiltration.

The renewal of attacks comes after at least four Hezbollah terrorists were killed in IDF strikes in the town of Beit Leaf in southern Lebanon on Friday night. After that, throughout Saturday evening, a large number of rocket sirens were heard in Israel's northern region. The alarms were heard in the settlements of Arab al-Aramshe, Adamit, Zrait and Shumra.

Israeli artillery near the Israeli border with Lebanon, northern Israel, January 15, 2024 (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)

"IDF warplanes attacked two operational infrastructures where the operatives of the terrorist organization Hezbollah were located, which was in the village of Beit Leaf and a military structure in the area of ​​the village of Deir Ams in southern Lebanon," a military spokesperson said in response to the sequence of events.

The mother of fallen IDF soldier Cydrick Garin will be given Israeli citizenship, Transportation Minister Miri Regev announced on Saturday.

"I spoke with Interior Minister Moshe Arbel regarding citizenship for the mother of Israel's hero - Major-General Cydrick Garin, who was killed in Gaza. Arbel assured me that the issue would be resolved. It is clear to us that whoever gave his life to the state, the least the state can do is grant citizenship to his mother. I will continue to accompany the family with what they need."

Garin was the son of immigrants from the Phillippines. 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu doubled down on his harsh critique of Doha ahead of an anticipated meeting by US Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns with Qatari, Egyptian, and Israeli officials in Europe on the possibility of a second hostage deal. 

“I do not retract a single word I said,” Netanyahu exclaimed during a Saturday day press conference with reporters in Tel Aviv.

“I will not give up even one option of placing pressure on Hamas or on anyone who can pressure it,” he stated.

Netanyahu spoke on Channel 12 last week and published a leaked tape in which he referred to Qatar, which along with Egypt, is attempting to mediate a deal to free the remaining 136 hostages. Qatar has since said that such comments have harmed the negotiations for a deal.

On Saturday night Netanyahu stated that “Qatar hosts the leaders of Hamas and finances the organization. It has leverage over Hamas.”

Netanyahu also pointed to the deal made earlier this month with France’s help by which medicine was supposed to be delivered by the hostages, but no proof has been given It has pledged that the drugs will reach the abductees.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks on January 27, 2024 (credit: TOMER APPELBAUM HAARETZ/POOL)

Netanyahu denies brewing crisis with Egypt

Netanyahu pushed back at reports of a brewing crisis with Egypt, which has issued a warning statement that the alliance between the two countries which has been in place since 1979, is in jeopardy. 

"Relations with Egypt are ongoing and normal. Of course, each of us has our own interests, and there is the need to say certain things. They take care of their interests and I take care of ours,” he stated.

Israel informed Egypt on Saturday evening of its intention to send troops into Rafah and the Philadelphi Corridor, despite Egypt's firm opposition to such a decision, Maariv reported, citing Sky News Arabia.

Head of the State Information Services (SIS) Diaa Rashwan said earlier this week “It must be strictly emphasized that any Israeli move in this direction will lead to a serious threat to Egyptian-Israeli relations.”

This is a developing story.

The Iranian-backed Houthis claim they have targeted Israel ten times since early October, and they have targeted 20 ships in the Red Sea, the militant organization's media channel Al-Masirah reported on Saturday.

This came hours after the Houthis attacked the M/V Marlin Luanda ship with an anti-ship ballistic missile. They also targeted the USS Carney - a US naval warship - which intercepted the attack. US Central Command also said they struck an anti-ship missile that the Houthis were preparing to launch.

The new data from the Houthis, in which they brag about all their attacks, illustrate the group is not deterred. The Houthis also claim they have launched new attacks on US and UK ships. They call this “direct engagement” and suggest they are escalating attacks.

The US and UK have carried out multiple airstrikes on the Houthis over the last month to try to stop their attacks on shipping. An attack on Friday caused a fire on a ship which also illustrates how dangerous the Houthis have become.

The new data from the Houthis include claims they targeted Eilat, which they call “Umm Rashrash” ten times. They claim these attacks began on October 31 and continued through December 26. For instance, on December 26, they claim, “Umm al-Rashrash was destroyed with drones, in a double operation by the Yemeni armed forces, during which they were able to destroy Umm al-Rashrash in the Israeli entity with drones and targeting the ship (MSC United) with a naval missile in support of the Palestinian people,” the Houthis claim. There is no evidence of the level of destruction and “successes” that they claim.

People walk down a ladder after they toured the Galaxy Leader commercial ship, seized by Yemen's Houthis last month, off the coast of al-Salif, Yemen December 5, 2023 (credit: REUTERS/KHALED ABDULLAH)

After the attacks on Israel, some of which were intercepted by US warships and others of which were intercepted by Israeli air defenses, the Houthis claim that they began to shift their target to commercial ships. They also note that the US announced Prosperity Guardian, a task force designed to protect ships in the Red Sea.

Shifting shipping methods around Africa

The Houthi attacks have resulted in many companies shifting their shipping methods around the Horn of Africa rather than risk the Red Sea.

“From November 19, 2023, until January 27, 2024, the Yemeni armed forces carried out 16 naval operations, targeting 20 ships, including three ships owned by the Israeli entity, 6 American ships that included a warship, a British oil ship, and 10 ships that were heading to the occupied Palestinian ports," the Houthis claim. "In addition, several ships changed their course in response to warnings and calls from the Yemeni Navy.”

The latest claims illustrate that the Iranian-backed group is not deterred, has increased its attacks, and continues to escalate attacks on shipping. The Houthis also clearly indicate they have shifted their attacks from focusing on Israel and what they claim are Israel-linked ships to targeting the US Navy and other ships.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu displayed an Arabic copy of Mein Kampf, which was found by IDF soldiers in Gaza, during a press conference in Tel Aviv on Saturday.

Netanyahu referred to the verdict in the International Court of Justice in The Hague, saying: "There is no greater absurdity than that on the eve of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, there were those who came to The Hague to accuse us with the false charge of genocide. 

"They came on behalf of Hamas, the new Nazis, who came to commit genocide against us," Netanyahu said while holding the book written in Arabic, which he said was Mein Kampf, in which Adolf Hitler wrote his fascist ideology.

'South Africa came to ICJ in the name of the new Nazis'

"I am holding here Hitler's Mein Kampf book in Arabic, which our soldiers found in homes in the Gaza Strip. They also found extensive antisemitic and Nazi literature [in Gaza]. That is what they are educating their children. The day after [the war] in Gaza there will not be a group that will educate its children for the destruction of Israel and the destruction of the entire Jewish people.

"In their name, South Africa came to The Hague. The very willingness to discuss this ridiculous claim proves that many in the world have not learned anything from the Holocaust. But we have learned. The central lesson of the Holocaust is that only we will defend ourselves with our forces, no one will do it for us. Therefore, in the face of the great pain that burns our hearts, we must continue to be strong and determined, and to wage war," he added.

A copy of Mein Kampf in Arabic found in a children's bedroom in Gaza used by Hamas for military purposes. (credit: PRESIDENT'S RESIDENCE)

"The State of the Jews arose from the ashes of the Holocaust to ensure a protective force for the Jewish people and Israel, as every sovereign state has the basic right to defend itself. No one will take this right from us. This is a war imposed on us by an enemy who declares its intention to murder all Jews wherever they are, if they had the opportunity they would slaughter all of us. If we do not eliminate Hamas, the next massacre is a matter of time," Netanyahu read.

He also updated that "our fighters completed the encirclement of Khan Yunis this week, they are fighting with supreme bravery to ensure our lives in our land. I have instructed the Defense and Treasury Ministers to bring before the government a huge plan to strengthen the security industries for decades to come. We will do this with immense investment and we will do this to ensure our security independence and freedom of action," he said.

"The people believe in our spirit and the resilience and our soldiers, we are all proud of them and embrace them," said Netanyahu. However, he added

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Saturday, "There will be a military government in Gaza that will also be responsible for civilian issues," Maariv quoted him as saying.

This is a developing story.