JERUSALEM, Israel – The Israeli Defense Forces say they've completed their operation in Jabilia after twenty days of fighting. They also announced they have discovered more than 80 terror tunnels leading from Rafah to Egypt.
The military operation in Rafah continues, as Israel wages battles in other parts of Gaza and along the Egyptian border.
Despite the recent advances in the Philadelphi Corridor, the fate of the remaining hostages looks grim.
Israel's National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi told family members of the hostages Thursday that Israel won't end the war as a condition to free all of the hostages.
Hamas demands Israel end the fighting and remove all Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip to secure the captives' release.
Israel has made clear those demands are off the table.
There are now believed to be 125 hostages remaining in Gaza. Of those, Israel estimates 39 are dead and murdered in captivity by Hamas.
The Israel Defense Forces on Thursday released footage of a tunnel where the bodies of seven hostages were recently found.
After the discovery, the IDF destroyed the tunnel.
In the meantime, National Unity Party leader Benny Gantz, a member of the War Cabinet, introduced a measure in the Knesset to dissolve the government and schedule new elections.
It's unlikely the measure will pass, but some analysts wonder why Gantz would want to dissolve the government in the middle of a war, which would introduce months of political uncertainty and likely embolden Israel's enemies.
In a sign that support for Hamas is waning inside Gaza, Israel's Channel 11 reported that many Gazans are angry at Hamas leaders.
The report concludes that top Hamas officials fear internal dissent more than Israel's military.
In one clip of the report, a Gazan exclaims, "(Hamas Gaza Chief Yahya) Sinwar, you are killing your own people! It is you who are killing them, Sinwar! Not the Israeli army, it is you who is killing us!”
The report claims Hamas terrorizes its own people to maintain its hold on power.
As Israeli forces operate in Rafah, it's expected they are getting closer to the location of Sinwar and the hostages.
On Thursday, Slovenia became the latest nation to advocate for a Palestinian state.
Prime Minister Robert Golob declared, "This message of recognition is not directed at anyone, not even the State of Israel. This is a message of peace. We believe that the moment has come today when we all, the whole world, must act in one direction. The direction that brings lasting peace in the Middle East – that is, in the direction of two states.”
Earlier this week, Norway recognized a Palestinian state, and several Christian leaders from Norway came to the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast to say they don't support their government's decision.
“Our message really was a message of repentance," Stephan Christiansen told CBN News. "We've come to say, forgive us. We love Israel and the irony of it all is that there might not be any nation in Europe – I don't know exactly, but that has got close to one percent of its population – that are members of a pro-Israel organization of some sort So, in the spirit of God, we are renouncing our government's decisions and we pray for a reversal. And we pray that our nation once again will be a blessing for Israel."
Four hundred evangelical leaders from 40 nations gathered at the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and show their support for the Jewish people at this time of national crisis.
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