Early this morning, the Israel Defense Forces released the names of two fallen Paratroopers from Battalion 890, Sergeant Dvir Barzani, 20, from Jerusalem, Sergeant Yanon Tamir, 20, from Pardes Hana-Karkur, and a Givati Brigade soldier, Staff Sergeant Eytan Dishon, also from Jerusalem, were killed in northern Gaza. That brings the total Israeli casualties from the start of the ground invasion to 65.
Meanehile, Al Jazeera released footage showing tanks near the Indonesian hospital in Gaza. IDF forces have been active around four main hospitals in Gaza—Shifa, Nasser, the Indonesian, and Rantisi—for the past week. This operation, involving periodic scans of these medical institutions, aims to locate terrorist strongholds and is set to continue for one or two more weeks.
⚡️Video filmed from inside the Indonesian hospital in Gaza showing tanks surround the complex pic.twitter.com/eEyZQQucG5
— War Monitor (@WarMonitors) November 20, 2023
The IDF has stated that their operations in Gaza are focused on targeting terrorists and their infrastructure. This includes airstrikes against terrorist locations and efforts to find weapons and military equipment. A recent incident saw the Nahal Brigade combat team neutralize a group of terrorists in a nearby building. The subsequent airstrike not only eliminated the terrorists but also destroyed their ammunition depot. Hamas has reported that this Israeli operation resulted in 12 deaths at the hospital.
Also, repeated red color alerts were activated in Netiv Ha'Tara, the Nir Am range, and Kibbutz Meflisim in Gaza overnight. Palestinian sources describe the situation around the Indonesian hospital as an "unprecedented attack" and a siege. Reports from the Palestinian news agency "Wafa" allege that the IDF has placed snipers around the hospital, with tanks encircling it, and carried out attacks using drones and artillery. It's also claimed that fire was opened on anyone trying to leave, injuring several, including doctors, and that the hospital's generators have stopped working.
Rocket Alerts [11:24:29] - 1 Alert:
— ILRedAlert (@ILRedAlert) November 20, 2023
• Gaza Envelope — Netiv HaAssara#Israel #RocketAlert #RedAlert pic.twitter.com/HXJ9RH6XTI
And in response to a bombastic claim by the Palestinian Authority, the American National Security Council has responded to their denial of Hamas' role in the October 7 "Nova" festival massacre - a claim that they also retracted overnight. The Palestinian Authority initially suggested Israeli helicopters were responsible for the deaths of over 350 partygoers, a claim later echoed by Hamas, alleging an Israeli jet conducted the attack. The National Security Council has criticized these statements, emphasizing respect for the victims' families and condemning the terrorist act committed by Hamas.
The Palestinian Authority has gone full 9/11 Truther on the October 7 Massacre. pic.twitter.com/yCVDT4zNwi
— Eylon Levy (@EylonALevy) November 20, 2023
The claim came on the heels of a report over the weekend by Haaretz, which said that an Israeli Police helicopter fired indiscriminately on party-goers believeing they were terrorists, a claim wholly denied by the Israel police. Helicopters were in the air later in the day, and near the Kerem Shalom crossing further south, but no evidence exists that police or military attack helicopters were near the festival in the early morning of October 7th.