#UPDATE |

Destruction aftermath in the town of Markaba, southern Lebanon, following bombardment by the Israeli army

Nahum Barnea - Yedioth Ahronoth:

- It is likely that the army will soon reduce its activity in the Gaza Strip.

- The expansion of the Israeli army's ground operations reveals two things: First, the northern gates of the Gaza Strip have not been completed, where Hamas fighters sometimes emerge from columns and buildings to track soldiers.

- Second, the army senses the end and is trying to achieve more accomplishments before announcing a ceasefire.

- These days could be called final arrangements in Gaza, with the goal of facilitating the army's presence in the Gaza Strip in the next stage.

🔻Exclusive sources for the Quds Network: A Qassam ambush killed at least 7 Ukrainian mercenaries who were fighting with the occupation army in the Shujaiya neighborhood on December 14 after spotting them on Hassanein Street in the neighborhood.

Quds sources: The occupation army did not include the dead among the numbers it acknowledges regarding its losses among soldiers in Gaza.

The ambush killed a number of other occupation army soldiers.

A video of the mercenary unit in a Shujaiya school was circulated, recording the same day of the targeting.

🔻Israeli media:

The Kiryat Shmona settlement is a ghost town and there is no other description of the situation in the settlements, most of whose residents have been evacuated.👻

A child hugs his martyr father: “He used to hug me like this and say I love you.”💔

🔻 Yedioth Ahronoth:

Israel's bet on the return of Hamas leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, to negotiations with increasing military pressure has failed, and it has become clear that Sinwar did not bat an eyelid.👁

Yedioth Ahronoth:

Israel's gamble on the return of Hamas leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, to negotiations amid increasing military pressure has failed. It has become evident that Sinwar did not flinch under the pressure.

🔻One of the Ukrainian mercenaries fighting with the Israeli army in Gaza had painted on a school board in Gaza the Ukrainian flag and wrote the phrase, "My mother, I am fighting in Gaza."

Media sources previously reported the killing of 7 Ukrainian mercenaries in an ambush by the Al-Qassam Brigades in recent days.

Israeli media: Closure of all roads and settlement gates in the “conflict line” area in the Western Galilee on the border with Lebanon.

Ehud Barak: Netanyahu sank the Israeli Titanic, and his rule must be overthrown. He is not trustworthy, and only cares about his own interests. He continued, disdainfully and sarcastically: “Netanyahu led the Israeli Titanic, and sank us while we were on board, and now he demands to put his hands on the steering wheel of its replacement ship.” We must drop him now, as he is a burden and a danger threatening Israel.”

🔻Al-Quds Brigades: Our Mujahideen targeted a gathering of enemy soldiers in the vicinity of the Civil Administration in the northern Gaza Strip with a barrage of mortar shells.🔥🔥🔥

🔻Al-Quds Brigades: We bombed the "Nahal Oz" site and the enemy's concentrations in the vicinity of the Badr site north of the beach and the advance axes with missile and mortar shells.💣🚀🎯🔥🔥🔥

This was reported by Ynet

Egyptian officials discussed the negotiations between Israel and Hamas regarding the release of hostages and a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip in an interview with the Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Akhbar newspaper. According to the sources, the principle under which one Israeli hostage will be released in exchange for 10 Palestinian prisoners is still on the table. The sources added that Israel wants to see Hamas' demands - including the names of the prisoners the organization wants to be released as part of the deal - before giving final approval to the move. (Lior Ben Ari)

Kiryat Shmona Settlement Council: After assessing the situation we conducted with the security forces, we ask the settlers who remain in the settlement to reduce traffic and stay near protected areas. The burial ceremony that was scheduled this morning in the cemetery in Kiryat Shmona has been postponed to another date.

The Zionist Minister of National Security (Ben Gvir): The idea of ​​reducing operations in Gaza reflects the failure of the War Council in managing the battle.

Ben Gvir: "If there is anyone intending, God forbid, to stop the Israeli army before defeating Hamas and returning all the captives, they should consider that Otzma Yehudit is not with them. The idea of reducing activity in Gaza is a failure in managing the war for the limited government and must be resolved immediately. It is time to return control to the expanded government."

🔻Al-Quds Brigades: At dawn today, we killed and wounded a group of enemy soldiers during fierce clashes that we engaged in with machine guns and anti-personnel missiles with the group that barricaded themselves in a house in the Sheikh Radwan axis.🔥🔥