Israel-Hamas War: What happened on Day 223?

Sirens sound in Northern Israel, from Nahariya northward to Rosh HaNikra.

Israel must be stopped from wiping Gaza off the map, South Africa argued in an urgent appeal to the International Court of Justice to stop the war and prevent the IDF from making the enclave uninhabitable.

“Israel's declared aim of wiping Gaza from the map is about to be realized,” British attorney Vaughan Lowe told the ICJ during a hearing at The Hague.

“The court is not powerless,” Lowe said as he urged the ICJ to assert both its authority and that of international humanitarian law.

South Africa at the ICJ

“In order to secure the entry and distribution of food and humanitarian supplies, and to save lives, a halt to Israeli military operations across Gaza is essential,” Lowe stated.

The ICJ is already adjudicating South Africa’s charge, filed in December, that Israel violated the United Nations 1948 convention on the prevention of genocide.

Israel is deliberately avoiding ceasefire efforts as it focuses on a military solution to Hamas in Gaza and is levering control of the Rafah crossing to strengthen its hold on the enclave, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said at the 33rd Arab Summit in Bahrain on Thursday.

“Israel continues to engage in evasive actions to shirk its responsibilities and in devious maneuvering around efforts to achieve a ceasefire,” he said.

“Furthermore, it is defiantly adamant about its widely condemned military operation in Rafah, and seeks to leverage the Rafah crossing, from the Palestinian side, to solidify its siege on the Gaza Strip.”

Egypt along with Qatar, have been the main mediators for a hostage deal to release the remaining 132 hostages which has come to a standstill.

Military operation in Rafah is an important pressure lever to sway Hamas

Israel has insisted that its military operation in Rafah is an important pressure lever to sway Hamas to make a deal and a necessary step to ending the war by destroying Hamas.

Following sirens in Kiryat Shmona and the surrounding area on Thursday, several rockets fell in open areas, according to Israeli media reports citing the Upper Galilee Regional Council.

There were no reports of casualties or property damage from the fall. 

The floating pier in the Gaza Strip has been successfully connected and completed, and trucks with aid are expected to use it in the upcoming days, the IDF said on Thursday afternoon.

Preparations for the completion of the pier were carried out in cooperation with the United States military.

"The IDF, via COGAT, is continuing ongoing humanitarian efforts and working in cooperation with the US Central Command to establish the floating pier for humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip,"  the IDF said. 

An IDF soldier was severely wounded following the explosion of a UAV in the northern town of Metula that was fired from Lebanon on Thursday, the IDF said on Thursday afternoon.

In addition to the severely wounded soldier, two additional IDF soldiers were lightly wounded. 

All the soldiers were evacuated to the hospital for medical treatment, and their families were notified. 

The IDF announced that it had received a report on Thursday concerning a suspected stabbing terror attack in the West Bank.

According to reports, details remain unclear, and the IDF began investigating the incident.

This is a developing story.

Arab countries are gathering this week for the Arab League summit. Restoration and development of Gaza is expected to be a key topic between the countries leaders.

Tel Aviv Border Police officers made a major arrest of 61 suspects after responding to a call about a stolen bike. All of the suspects have been transferred to Tel Aviv Police for further investigation.

An attempted terrorist rushed at Border Police officers with a knife after being stopped for inspection in Jerusalem. The officers were able to shoot the assailant before he could successfully attack any of them.