Despite Hamas’s repeated violations of the hostage agreement and the fact that the hostage Arbel Yehud has yet to be released, the IDF has withdrawn from the Netzarim route, losing its last point of leverage in the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, in northern Israel, the ceasefire agreement has ended, and Hezbollah, along with Lebanese civilians, are provoking Israeli soldiers at point-blank range.
“Now, masses of people are beginning to flow toward Gaza City and northern Gaza, to thwart what is called “the Generals’ Plan” and derail the displacement plan,” wrote one Gazan on Twitter, as translated by Daniel Wachtel. “Our people and our resistance today broke the occupation’s plans. These are historic moments that came after 471 days of hunger, siege, betrayal, destruction, steadfastness, jihad, and patience.”
Photographs show tens of thousands of Gazans marching north along the Netzarim Corridor, which was blocked until this morning, as armed Hamas operatives demonstrate their presence and our enemy celebrates the victory it has achieved against Israel.
The corridor was opened for passage despite Israeli explanations that Hamas had violated the hostage agreement, and that the route would not open until Arbel Yehud—who was supposed to be released this past Saturday—was freed.
Under the new agreement with Hamas, Arbel will be released on Friday, along with two other hostages, and another exchange will take place on Saturday, as originally planned. In the meantime, despite Hamas’s repeated violations of agreements, the IDF has relinquished its primary and final point of leverage and has conceded the Netzarim Corridor.
Photos circulating show American personnel—from the company whose mission is to inspect vehicles moving northward on the Netzarim Corridor—entering Gaza in white Toyota vehicles. However, it is hard to believe that they will be able to provide real-time oversight if Hamas decides to smuggle anything, especially since pedestrians will not undergo inspections, and the vehicle lane has thousands of cars pressing through the crossing.
The difficult images of Gazans returning to northern Gaza have sparked harsh reactions among soldiers who risked their lives to prevent this outcome. “What do you say to a friend breaking down in tears after months of risking his life in a sardine can (Merkava 3) on the Netzarim Corridor, only to wake up to these videos?” wrote Shalom Friedman.
Knesset Member Itamar Ben-Gvir wrote: “The opening of the Netzarim Corridor this morning and the entry of tens of thousands of Gazans into northern Gaza are Hamas’s victory pictures and another humiliating chapter in a reckless deal. This is not what ‘total victory’ looks like—this is what total surrender looks like. IDF soldiers did not fight and risk their lives in Gaza to allow for these images.”
Journalist Doron Kadosh summarized: “This morning, Hamas received everything it wanted:
Full control of northern Gaza.
Northern Gaza will quickly return to being an area populated by over 1.5 million Gazans (after having been nearly emptied, with only about 200,000 people remaining).
This will make it extremely difficult for Israel to resume fighting in northern Gaza if it chooses to do so after Phase A of the agreement. Fighting again in a dense and populated area like Gaza City will become nearly impossible within a few weeks.”
Despite the ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah, which was supposed to dictate the withdrawal of the IDF from all captured areas in Lebanon, the IDF has not exited Lebanon due to hundreds of violations of the ceasefire agreement.
According to the agreement, the Lebanese army was supposed to seize all weapons, deploy forces in the area, and effectively dismantle Hezbollah. However, not only has this not been done properly, but the Lebanese army is also supporting Hezbollah’s return to southern Lebanon.
Videos coming out of Lebanon show Lebanese soldiers marching with crowds in civilian clothing waving Hezbollah flags. According to the British newspaper The Times, the highest ranking intelligence officer in southern Lebanon, Suheil Bahij Gharab, and dozens of other officers have been leaking sensitive intelligence on IDF activities to Hezbollah throughout the ceasefire.
According to The Times, Lebanese military intelligence has shared information with Hezbollah on IDF movements and positions, enabling the group to transport weapons and personnel undetected by the IDF. These officers are also cooperating with the American military, and according to The Times, “sensitive information” has been leaked to the terrorist organization from a security control room managed by the United States, France, and the UN peacekeeping force.
In many parts of Lebanon, “civilians” and Hezbollah operatives, accompanied by military tanks and often by soldiers from the Lebanese army, have been violently confronting IDF soldiers. In several incidents, the IDF opened fire, resulting in enemy casualties. According to Lebanese reports, there have been 22 fatalities and 124 injuries in these clashes.
The White House announced that the ceasefire agreement with Lebanon will be extended until February 18, and Israel and Lebanon will begin negotiations concerning the return of Hezbollah terrorists held by Israel.
