Israel expects a long war and sends some reservists home – the night update Assange supporter: Australian journalist John Pilger has died

In Israel, there were new rocket alarms in several cities on New Year’s Eve. The Israeli army said on Monday evening that sirens sounded at the border with the Gaza Strip and inland. As the Times of Israel newspaper reported, the Islamist Hamas fired more than twenty rockets into Israel from the Gaza Strip. Most were intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system. According to the rescue service, there were initially no injuries as a result of the shelling.

Israel leaves some reservists at home

Three months after the start of the war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli army is now adjusting its troop deployment in anticipation of even longer fighting and allowing some reservists to temporarily return to civilian life. “The objectives of the war require a longer fight, and we are preparing accordingly,” Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari said on Sunday evening. According to the Times of Israel, the military considers it likely that the Gaza war will continue into 2024.

“We adapt our style of warfare and the required forces for each area in the Gaza Strip to best fulfill the mission, as each area has different characteristics and different operational needs,” Hagari said. Some of the reservists will “return to their families and their jobs” this week. This will ease pressure on Israel’s economy and allow the reservists to “gather strength for the coming activities” in the new year.

Report: Investigation into the Hamas massacre

Israeli investigators are now reconstructing the October 7 massacre using approximately 200,000 photos and videos and 2,000 witness statements with the intention of taking legal action against those responsible, as the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday. It would be the most important trial since the trial of Nazi criminal Adolf Eichmann in Israel in 1961. During the Nazi era, he had millions of Jews deported to death camps. Eichmann was sentenced to death and hanged.

Forensic evidence provided to the newspaper by Israeli officials showed, among other things, that some victims were burned alive. Photos show mutilations of the victims’ bodies, including the genitals of men and women. The bodies of women and girls showed various signs of sexual violence. Hamas denies that children have been murdered and women raped.

Experts: Evidence of torture and executions

Israel has so far identified about 800 civilians killed on October 7, including 37 minors under the age of 17, six of whom were under the age of five, the newspaper reported. According to the head of the forensic center, computed tomography scans showed signs of torture and executions. The terrorists posted videos of murders and kidnappings to their victims’ social media pages for friends and family to view, the Wall Street Journal reported.

More incidents with Houthi rebels

Meanwhile, attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on merchant ships in the Red Sea led to a direct confrontation with the US military. The pro-Iranian group attacked a Danish container ship with small arms from four small boats and tried to board the ship, the responsible US regional command said on Sunday on the X platform, formerly Twitter. A security team on board returned fire. US forces then intervened, attacking themselves and eventually killing several rebels, it was said.

Since the outbreak of the Gaza war, the Houthis have repeatedly attacked ships with suspected Israeli connections in the Red Sea. They also repeatedly attack Israel directly with drones and missiles.

What will be important on Monday

The humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip remains catastrophic. Nevertheless, Israel continues the fight. (sda/dpa)