JERUSALEM, Israel – As the Israeli military continues its largest operation in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank) in decades, another hostage body has been returned, and the United Nations has ignored Hezbollah's activities in southern Lebanon in its renewal of the U.N. troops' mission there.
Israel Defense Forces found and destroyed a terrorist command center in a mosque in the northern West Bank. Drone footage released by the IDF shows displays of dead terrorists' photos outside the command center, and equipment to make bombs, as well as several explosive devices inside.
According to Arab media reports, a top Hamas official, Khaled Mashaal, is calling for the resumption of suicide attacks against Israelis. In a video, he said, "I repeat my call to everyone to participate on multiple fronts in the actual resistance against the Zionist entity."
The United Nations Security Council on Wednesday renewed its mandate to maintain U.N. peacekeepers in southern Lebanon, without mentioning Hezbollah or condemning the terror group.
The U.N. action confirms the 2006 resolution (1701) to end hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah and includes the complete disarmament of all armed groups in Lebanon.
That comes despite the clear evidence those peacekeepers have done little to stop Hezbollah from operating openly there as the group launched some 8,000 missiles and drones into Israel in the past ten months.
The U.S. Representative at the U.N., Robert. A. Wood, pointed out that none of the nations present would themselves put up with what Israel must endure from Hezbollah.
Wood stated, “No member of this council facing a brutal terrorist organization on its border would tolerate daily attacks and displacement of tens of thousands of its own people."
Israel warned that since U.N. peacekeepers won't do anything to keep the peace, Israel must do the job itself.
Danny Danon, Israel's U.N. ambassador, declared to Lebanon, "You and your government have a choice to make: confront Hezbollah today or watch as your country is dragged into chaos and destruction."
More than 60,000 Israelis have had to flee their homes in the north to escape Hezbollah's daily attacks.
On a visit to the area, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Jewish nation won't give up until Hezbollah can no longer use southern Lebanon as a giant launching pad for its missiles and drones.
He asked, "When will it be the end of the story? Only when we can bring back security, and the residents to their homes safely.”
Meanwhile, in Gaza, Israel announced it recovered the body of a soldier killed on October 7th and his body abducted into Gaza. His family didn't want his identity revealed.
The Jewish Chronicle reports that according to an intelligence source, Hamas holds only 22 live hostages. While it's unclear how many hostages other terrorists hold, the Chronicle report stated the smaller terror groups had been planning a coup against Hamas.
In southern Israel, 300 vehicles holding families and friends of those held hostage drove from Tel Aviv to Kibbutz Be'eri, one of the hardest-hit communities on October 7th. Some ran past the security fence between Israel and Gaza to get closer to loved ones. Many of them called out to Gaza to their loved ones, including the American mother of Hersh Goldberg-Polin.
Rachel Goldberg-Polin said to her son, "I need you to know I’m giving you now the blessing I give you every single morning when I pray for you and every Friday night, I go out on the porch and I put my hands up toward Gaza and I give you the Cohenic (priestly) Blessings: 'May God bless you and keep you, May God shine His face upon you, and be gracious to you.'"
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