On the 24th day of war between Israel and the Hamas terrorist group, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced new progress in their incursions into the Gaza Strip. The Israeli armed forces entered Gaza last Friday to carry out what they described as a preliminary stage to the large-scale ground invasion. Over the weekend, IDF elements engaged in combat against units of the Al Qassam Brigades and destroyed several Palestinian fortified points in the northern strip.

Important advances in Gaza

According to the IDF, the early morning fighting on Monday resulted in positive results for Israel. The advance of the Israeli infantry was supported in Gaza by tanks. Together with air force coverage, they hit a Hamas position occupied by more than 20 armed men from the Al Qassam Brigades. According to IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari, Israeli troops encountered resistance from Hamas forces, who responded to the Israeli advance with anti-tank weapons.

According to the IDF, air strikes continued on Monday, claiming the lives of more Hamas leaders. Among them were the head of the terrorist group's naval forces in central Gaza, Muhammed Safadi; the head of the Hamas anti-tank guided missile detachment in Tuffah, Moumen Hijazi; and Muhammad Awdallah, a senior Hamas operative involved in weapons manufacturing.

Throughout Monday, new images of the advance of the Merkava armored vehicles arrived from Gaza. After analyzing different sequences recorded in Gaza, several OSINT sources agree that the scene of a tank opening fire happened on Salah al Deen Avenue, one of the largest roads that crosses Gaza from north to south that would test the advance of Israeli forces within the strip.

The IDF reported the number of soldiers killed in combat has risen to 315. In the last few hours, three Israeli fighters were reported killed by the Hamas terrorist group: Lieutenant Colonel Meidan Israel, Major Yair Zloof and reserve Lieutenant Maor Refael Shalom.

239 hostages confirmed

The official number of hostages was updated again. According to Israeli authorities, 239 people have been captured in the hands of Hamas since the attacks on Saturday, Oct. 7. On Monday, Hamas published a video of three of these hostages calling on the Israeli government to negotiate with Hamas for their release.

The same day, President Isaac Herzog confirmed the death of the young German woman Shani Louk, who was captured at the music festival near the Gaza Strip on Oct. 7.

Bombings in Lebanon

As has been common since the outbreak of the conflict, the IDF on the northern border reported some artillery exchanges with Hamas militants from Lebanon. So far on Monday, no injuries have been reported, but there were some moments of intense exchanges of artillery ammunition.

In Lebanon, acting Prime Minister Najib Mikati met with the Spanish command of the United Nations peace mission in Lebanon. Although Mikati does not have direct control over Hezbollah militias, which mostly respond to Iran, the prime minister assured United Nations peacekeepers that he is actively working to reduce tensions between the Shiite militants and Israel.

IDF frees hostage in Gaza

The IDF and the Interior Ministry's intelligence agency, the Shin Bet, announced Monday that they succeeded in freeing a hostage in Gaza. During operations inside the strip last night, Israeli forces located and released an IDF soldier who was captured during the attack on Saturday, Oct. 7.

The rescued hostage is Private Ori Megidish, who according to the IDF is now with her family and is in good health. According to The Times of Israel, Megidish is an Israeli military light infantrywoman and guard who was taken hostage by Hamas when the terrorists stormed the Nahal Oz base.