IDF Lt. Colonel Jonathan Conricus (reserve) returns this morning with a nine-minute briefing on the status of Israel’s war on Hamas. He begins with news of the rescue of an Israeli hostage yesterday. According to Conricus, that’s one down, 238 to go. He gives us a glimpse of IDF Major General Yaron Finkelman, head of the IDF Southern Command, “leading the troops from the front.” According to the Times of Israel, Finkelman entered Gaza yesterday with ground forces to carry out an assessment.
The tone and tempo of this update reflect the entry of the IDF into Gaza. “Please remember, we are 25 days into the fighting. We didn’t start this, we didn’t want it, but we are definitely going to end it, and it will end with a totally dismantled Hamas in a totally different security situation in the south,” he says.
He moves on with a brief look at Hamas command HQ at — where else? — Shifa Hospital. He concludes with a report on the northern front where Israel faces Hezbollah. If you have been following these updates so far, you won’t want to miss this one.
Operational Update with an IDF Spokesperson, @jconricus https://t.co/3rYeT2Nc2e
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 31, 2023
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