ZIKIM, Israel – Breitbart News accompanied an Israeli tactical vehicle unit on a visit to the northern border of Gaza on Monday to get an overview of the situation in the Gaza Strip, where the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) continue to battle remnants of Hamas. I inspected it.
unit known as Yataris a rapid response force that is affiliated with, but officially outside of, the IDF. We operate off-road Maverick vehicles that can move quickly through difficult terrain and are difficult targets for terrorists.
On the Lebanese border, Yatar supports patrols to monitor the infiltration of Hezbollah terrorists across the mountain border between Har-Dob and Mount Hermon, which has no fences or physical barriers.
In Gaza, Yatar helps evacuate wounded soldiers within minutes, often moving through dense urban areas that helicopters cannot reach.
Our journey begins at Zikim Beach, where Hamas Navy SEALs landed on October 7th and began killing innocent people, including fishermen, swimmers, and hikers, on their way to invading a nearby IDF search and rescue base. I did.
The waves were so high it was easy to see why President Joe Biden's deadly “floating pier” was doomed to failure.
We then continued south, passing several military checkpoints and passing through an area where humanitarian trucks were waiting to enter the Gaza Strip. Hamas often loots vehicles and resells aid to desperate Gaza residents.
Humanitarian aid trucks gather near Gaza, November 25, 2024 (Joel Pollack/Breitbart News)
We traversed rocky sand until we reached a paved military road along the fence separating Gaza and Israel. It was about 20 feet tall and had heavy razor wire wrapped around it. On October 7, Hamas caught IDF forces by surprise by using a special flame explosive to blow holes in the fence.
We climbed to the top of the dune. There, empty shell casings of various types of ammunition littered the ground, evidence of past battles.
Yatar's guide cautioned us not to bow our heads, as theoretically the dunes were exposed to sniper fire.
Yatar's guide gestures from behind the embankment towards the battle of Beit Rahiya. November 25, 2024. (Joel Pollack/Breitbart News)
The landscape was vast, taking in all of northern Gaza. Beit Rahiya in front of me. Beit Hanoun to the east. and Jabaliya and Shejaiya further south. In the distance to the south, smoke could also be seen rising from Khan Yunis.
Below us, IDF jeeps were monitoring the area near the border.
An Israeli Defense Forces jeep looks out over northern Gaza, November 25, 2024. (Joel Pollack/Breitbart News)
There was a loud thud, a crash, and smoke billowed from Beit Rahiya. This is evidence of ongoing fighting, and it is possible that tank shells were fired at the building.
On November 25, 2024, smoke rises from Beit Lahiya in Gaza. (Joel Pollack/Breitbart News)
We didn't stay long, but turned back, admiring several military outposts that Hamas had targeted on October 7th.
Fighting in Gaza continues, and Hamas has become a guerrilla force across much of the Strip. IDF officials told Breitbart News that the current strategy is to continue fighting and putting pressure on Hamas and gradually expand the Netzarim corridor in central Gaza to increase IDF control over the area. Ta. There are still four areas in Gaza that the IDF does not have access to. It is believed to be where the remaining 101 Israeli hostages are being held.
The risk to the hostages may be too great to attempt a direct rescue, but the IDF clearly hopes that by surrounding Hamas it will encourage negotiations. There is another reason for the slow movement of the military. The United States is slowing progress by delaying deliveries of weapons and equipment and forcing the Israel Defense Forces to improvise.
Meanwhile, fighting continues and Israel relies on reservists, many of whom have been away from home for months.
If a ceasefire is reached in Lebanon, as is expected in the coming days, the focus of the war could shift back to Gaza and the plight of the hostages. As the fight against Hamas intensifies, Yatar is there and ready to respond.
Joel B. Pollack is a senior editor at Breitbart News. Breitbart News Sunday Sunday nights from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM ET (4:00 PM to 7:00 PM PT) on Sirius XM Patriot. he is the author of Agenda: What should President Trump do in his first 100 days?available for pre-order on Amazon. He is also the author of Trumpian Virtues: Lessons and Legacy of the Donald Trump Presidencynow available on Audible. He is the recipient of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter @joelpolak.
