Israel’s war against Hamas entered its 102nd day on Tuesday, with rocket-alert sirens sounding in western Negev communities.
Over the past 24 hours, IDF forces located some 100 rocket installations and 60 ready-to-launch rockets in the area of Beit Lahiya in the north, close to the Israeli border. The troops killed dozens of terrorists during the activity.
כוחות צה"ל ממשיכים לחסל מחבלים ולאתר אמצעי לחימה ברחבי הרצועה; לוחמי צוות קרב חטיבה 401 איתרו כ-100 מתקני רקטות.
במרחב בית לאהיה, לוחמי צוות קרב חטיבה 401 איתרו כ-100 מתקני רקטות וכ-60 רקטות מוכנות לשיגור. הלוחמים חיסלו עשרות מחבלים במהלך הקרבות>> pic.twitter.com/IVJpU5ZmQ2
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) January 16, 2024
Nine terrorists were also eliminated in the northern Shati Camp along the Mediterranean coastline.
The operations in northern Gaza come as Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced an official end to heavy combat operations in that part of the territory.
“The intensive maneuvering phase in the north of the Gaza Strip has ended, and in the south it will also end soon,” Gallant said on Monday evening.
“Some three months ago … we specified the stages of implementation and made it clear that the intensive maneuvering phase would last for approximately three months—in the north of the Gaza Strip, this phase has concluded,” added the defense minister.
According to Gallant, “In the south of the Gaza Strip, we will reach this achievement soon, and in both places the moment will come when we move to the next phase.”
Earlier on Monday, the military’s largest regular-service armored division exited Gaza for rest and training, leaving three other divisions fighting Hamas.
At the same time, the IDF is continuing its push into the Hamas stronghold of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, where over the past 24 hours, an attack helicopter hit an “observational device” threatening troops, according to the military.
Meanwhile, the IDF death toll in Gaza has risen to 190 since the start of the ground operation on Oct. 27, with the announcement on Tuesday morning that 21-year-old Sgt. First Class (res.) Nitzan Schessler was killed in battle in the southern Gaza Strip on Monday. This was followed by the publication on Tuesday afternoon of the death of Sgt. Maj. (res.) Noam Ashram, 37, from Kfar Saba, who died from wounds sustained during a battle in the central Gaza Strip on Dec. 29.
We are heartbroken to report on the death of an additional @IDF soldier: 21-year-old Sergeant First Class (res.) Nitzan Schessler was killed in #Gaza during this current operation against #Hamas terrorists. May the memory and heroism of this brave IDF soldier forever be a… pic.twitter.com/DhfzdbNKRK
— StandWithUs (@StandWithUs) January 16, 2024
🔴 The IDF released the name of an additional soldier killed in combat in #Gaza
Sergeant major (res.) Noam Ashram, 37 pic.twitter.com/f3vN8YBpjx
— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) January 16, 2024
A total of 524 soldiers have been killed since the war began on Oct. 7.