Israel “At War”: Netanyahu—Initial Reporting on Swords of Iron

This article is now closed. It was first published on October 8, 2023 and updated until October 13. Please see our day-by-day coverage on the main page.

2 pm
Hezbollah deputy chief Naim Qassem says they are “fully prepared” for action when the time comes and told supporters at a Beirut rally that they will not heed requests to stay out of the conflict.

It is reported that some tanks have been deployed to Gaza with ghost units for battlefield shaping.

1:35 pm
The Israeli Defense Ministry have advised the residents of Gaza and all UN personnel in Gaza to immediately evacuate to the south of Wadi Gaza. The IDF posted a “safe route” map on X (Twitter), stating that “the Israeli army will refrain from touching the route marked on the map until” 8 pm local time.

10:10 am
Today, Israel’s economy ministry declared an exemption for dozens of imported products from inspection, along with facilitating their importation into Israel and help to prevent shortages during the war with Hamas. This does not exempt importers from compliance with the standard, but only from the obligation to produce a standard approval upon importation.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino offered condolences to the soccer associations of Israel and Palestine over the “horrendous violence” in the past week. Israel’s Euro 2024 qualifying matches against Switzerland and Kosovo have both been postponed, while the Palestine football team was forced to pull out of a friendly tournament in Malaysia because the team was unable to travel.

In the West Bank, protesters scuffled with Israeli security forces while throwing rocks. At least nine protesters were killed in fighting with Israeli forces.

8:30 am
GMU students protested on campus yesterday in support of Hamas. University of Arizona students planned a pro-Hamas protest but cancelled it after pushback from the administration. Stanford Law School moved classes today to Zoom over fears of violence due to the ongoing turmoil on campus.

4 am
An Israeli diplomat was stabbed in Beijing in what may have been a terrorist attack.

Friday, October 13, 2023

11:30 pm
The IDF notified the United Nations that the entire Palestinian population north of Wadi Gaza—approximately 1M people—should relocate to southern Gaza within 24 hours, a UN spokesperson says.

10 pm
The Arch of Titus in Rome was illuminated with the Israeli flag in support.

6:40 pm
A UVA professor offered extra credit to students attending a pro-Hamas or anti-Israel rally; the state AG is investigating.

5:50 pm
The IDF used a bulldozer to demolish a Huwara pizzeria that posted an adverti featuring an elderly woman abducted by Hamas to Gaza.

5:35 pm
The Charles E Smith Jewish Day School in Montgomery County, MD announced it would be closed on Friday, October 13, 2023 (28 Tishrei 5784).

In light of recent information that we received from the Israeli Embassy, while there is no specific threat to the CESJDS community at this time, and in an abundance of caution, we have decided to take the unprecedented step of closing our campuses and canceling classes tomorrow, Friday, October 13.

The safety and security of our school community on campus remains our top priority. This situation is very fluid, with new information coming at us regularly. We continue to closely monitor the situation and maintain continuous direct contact with the FBI, Montgomery County Police, DC Fusion Center, Israeli Embassy, Security Desk at the Federation, and other Jewish schools in the area.

We understand this is an ever-evolving situation and it’s a very difficult time for all of us. Our goal this week has been to remain calm, supportive, flexible, and understanding for our students and our school community. Thank you for being our partners in this unprecedented time.

CESJDS continues to stand in complete solidarity and support with Israel and its people at this most difficult time in Israel’s history. Just as Israel plays a central role at school on a daily basis, CESJDS stands and will always stand together with Israel and her people.

We pray for the safety of Israel, its defense forces, all of our Jewish brothers and sisters around the world, all innocent people in the region who are in harm’s way, and for the speedy, safe return of those who have been captured.

5:25 pm
Per the Al Quds Brigade: Commander-in-Chief of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades Sami Al-Hassani, has been killed by an Israeli airstrike on his home. Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades is based in the West Bank, not Gaza.

5:00 pm
The UN’s World Food Program (WFP) declared the situation in the Gaza Strip “dire,” warning that supplies of food and water are running out after Israel cut off supply. WFP Palestine country director Samer Abdeljaber said the situation is “devastating.” 

“We’re seeing shortages of fuel, of water [and] electricity. We are seeing our shelters that are overcrowded. We don’t have capacity…The bakeries are not going to be able to provide food for tomorrow. So tomorrow is going to be a very difficult situation for the people in the shelters and the people outside the shelters.”

“It’s a dire situation in the Gaza Strip that we’re seeing evolve with food and water being in limited supply and quickly running out,” said Brian Lander of WFP. “We’re providing food to thousands of people that have sought shelter in schools and elsewhere across the territory. But we’re going to run out very soon.” Lander asked Israel and Egypt to create a humanitarian corridor to allow relief workers to bring supplies to Gaza. “We’ve seen a number of sites that are considered humanitarian, or clinics and schools that have been hit by the strikes. So … we again … we are calling on the parties to the conflict to abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law.”

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said fuel for hospital generators in Gaza will be exhausted soon, and that stocks of aid and medicine within Gaza were stranded.

Israeli energy minister Israel Katz said no power, water or fuel will be allowed to enter Gaza until Israeli hostages are returned home.
The number of Palestinian deaths has risen to 1,537.

4:40 pm
Israeli PM Netanyahu says he was updated about Hamas terror infiltration at 6:29 am on Saturday, Oct. 7.Senior IDF and security officials reportedly held an assessment hours before the incursion after receiving “weak scraps” of information of threats, but concluded that the activity in Gaza was likely a drill.

4:21 pm
Mass protests by immigrants broke out in Paris in support of Palestine and Hamas. Police used tear gas to quell the protesters.

"Let us not, through illusion or calculation, add national divisions to international divisions, and let us not give in to any form of hatred", said French premier Emmanuel Macron, saying that the number of French people killed by Hams has risen to 13. There are 17 French citizens, including four children, who are missing. Macron promised to do "everything" to retrieve the hostages. "I speak to the families tonight and I want to tell them that France is doing everything in its power, with the Israeli authorities and our partners, in order to bring them home safely because France never abandons its children,” he said.

3:46 pm
Israel is preparing for a long ground war in response to Hamas's unprecedented and deadly surprise attack. The IDF has hit more than 2,700 targets in Gaza, including 136 command centers and 40 underground facilities. An underground parking structure is being prepared as a hospital. The number of IDF troops killed reached 220. There are numerous reports that Hamas is holding at least 150 Israelis hostage.

3:40 pm
Al Jazeera columnist Marwan Bishara penned a column titled "Israel is manufacturing a case for genocide" for the online journal. "Calling Saturday’s Hamas attack ‘Israel’s 9/11’ will only help the fanatical Israeli government unleash armageddon on the region," was the subtitle. Bishara wrote, "Some of the images from Israel are no doubt gruesome – but the images from Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen, Libya, etc have been no less horrific. Two decades of Western and Israeli wars in the Middle East have led to not thousands, but millions of Arab and Palestinian casualties. In the eyes of the West, it seems, Israel has a “duty” to defend its people, but the Palestinians don’t have the right to protect themselves as if they are people of a lesser god! Israel seemingly also has a right to defend and even expand its occupation and apartheid regime, but the Palestinians have no right to express their frustration or struggle for freedom and justice after seven decades of dispossession, oppression and siege."

3:25 pm
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will visit Israel on Oct. 13 and meet with Israeli PM Netanyahu. It follows Secretary of State Blinken's visit to Israel. Austin will meet defense officials and Israel’s new emergency government.

Israel is warning its citizens abroad to take extra care tomorrow, when Hamas has urged ‘day of rage’. The Foreign Ministry and the National Security Council issued a joint statement urging all Israelis abroad to take extra care, citing the Hamas terror group’s call on its supporters worldwide to participate in a “day of rage.” Israel expects Hamas to attack on Israelis and Jews, and that rallies will be violent. Israelis and Jews are recommended to “show alertness, stay away from protests and demonstrations, and if possible get updates from local security forces about possible protests and incidents of unrest around them.” Security is being increased at Israeli embassies worldwide. France is also increasing security at Jewish schools, community centers, and synagogues.

3:16 pm
Despite video and ocular evidence,  Hamas’s deputy leader Saleh al-Arouri said that the terrorist group’s policy is to not target civilians. He claimed that Hamas only targeted the IDF’s Gaza Division stationed on the Israeli border despite overwhelming proof of systematic rape and murder of civilians, including infants and women. “We knew that there were [Israeli] plans to launch a massive attack against us after the [Jewish] holidays,” al-Arouri said, according to the pro-Hamas Shehab news outlet. “We preempted it by surprising the commanders of the Southern Command,” which includes the Gaza Division. He did not provide evidence of Israel's plans to attack Gaza.

3:04 pm
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi acknowledged failures that allowed Hamas’s infiltration and mass murders. “The IDF is responsible for the security of the country and its citizens, and on Saturday morning in the area surrounding the Gaza Strip, we did not handle it. We will learn, we will investigate, but now is the time for war,” Halevi said in his first public statement since the conflict began.

Germany offered military help to Israel and will address support for Hamas in Germany. Chancellor Olaf Scholz reiterated Germany's responsibility for Israel's security.

The German Defense Ministry has agreed to allow Israel to use two of five Heron TP combat drones that are currently leased by the German military and were already in Israel for the training of German servicepeople. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said Israel has requested ammunition for warships, a request that will now be discussed.

According to IDF, 247 soldiers have been killed since the war began. Yesterday, the butcher's bill stood at 222.

Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi deplored statements made this week by Donald Trump, who mocked Israel for intelligence failure to anticipate the attacks and for failing to go on the offensive against Hezbollah following deadly clashes along its northern border. The former president accused PM Benjamin Netanyahu of “letting him down,” and called Defense Minister Yoav Gallant a “jerk.” Minister Karhi told Israel’s Channel 13 that it is “shameful that a man like that, a former US president, abets propaganda and disseminates things that wound the spirit of Israel’s fighters and its citizens.”

3 pm
US, Qatar reach “quiet agreement” to not release US$6B after Hamas Attack, Iranian Support.

2.51 pm
White House national security spokesman Adm. John Kirby said that Iran has not accessed any of the $6 billion in funds transferred to a Qatari account as part of a prisoner swap with the Islamic Republic amidst reports that the U.S. and Qatar seek to block access to the funds.

2:45 pm
French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin banned all pro-Palestine protests  as fears of antisemitic violence rise in France and the rest of Europe. There are approximately 500,000 Jews and 5 million Muslims in France. France has the largest Jewish community in Europe. 

2:39 pm
Police in Jerusalem killed a terrorist near Herod's Gate: the entrance to Jerusalem's old city. Two officers were wounded in the attack by the terrorist, who had used a makeshift submachine gun. One officer was seriously wounded while the other was slightly wounded, police said.

2:30 pm
Two Jewish schools near London, England were closed "for safety of children." Following reports of increasing incidents of antisemitism, Torah Vodaas primary school and Ateres Beis Yaakov primary school, both in north London, said they would not reopen until Oct. 16. Citing Rabbi Feldman of Torah Vodaas in Edgware, reports said that while there was “no specific threat to our school”, it was “not a decision that has been taken lightly”.

Secretary of State Blinken said in Israel that the US is working “as hard as we can” to ensure there will not be an expasion of the war. He echoed President Biden's warning that no state or non-state actor should take advantage of the situation. He said it is “vitally important” that democracies respect and follow international law. “It’s what distinguishes us from terrorist organizations like Hamas, which have absolutely no regard for the rule of law, for humanitarian rules and rights for any basic standards of human decency,” he said.

When asked about images shown to him by Israeli officials, he said he had seen some but  “unfortunately there are many, many others”. Blinken said, "Every day, the world is seeing new evidence of the depravity and the inhumanity of Hamas. Depravity and inhumanity directed at babies, at small children, young adults and elderly people, people with disabilities. The list goes on."

The chief diplomat said he has discussed with Israeli leaders how to address the humanitarian needs of Gazans. Blinken said Hamas terrorists are using Gazan civilians as human shields, putting them in danger in order to protect themselves. Civilians should not be targeted by miiltary, he said, even while Israel “conducts its legitimate security operations to defend itself from terrorism”. Regarding a humanitarian corridor for Gazans to flee the destruction, he said, “That’s a discussion that we will pursue in the coming days.”

2:24 pm
X, formerly known as Twitter, removed hundreds of accounts associated with Hamas and removed or labeled thousands of pieces of content since the militant group's attack on Israel, according to the CEO Linda Yaccarino. Today, she spoke of her company's efforts to deal with illegal content flourishing on the platform in response to demands from a top EU official to know how X is complying with the EU new digital rules during the Israel-Hamas war.

12:38 pm
Britain will send two Royal Navy vessels to the eastern Mediterranean and begin surveillance flights over Israel in a show of military support designed to reassure Israel, per The Times of London.

11 am
NYC braces for so-called “Global Jihad Day”; all NYPD officers told to report in uniform beginning Friday Oct 13.

10:57 am
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Catholic patriarch of Jerusalem, issued a statement calling for prayer and fasting on Oct. 17 in the cause of peace. He called on Christisn to pray and “to deliver to God the Father our thirst for peace, justice, and reconciliation … In this time of sorrow and dismay, we do not want to remain helpless. We cannot let death and its sting (1 Cor 15:55) be the only word we hear.”

9:57 am
In Israel, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, “Israel has the right to defend itself”, but added: “How Israel does this matters.” Israel has continued to bomb Gaza, killing terrorists and Palestinian civilians. “We know Hamas doesn’t represent the Palestinian people,” says Blinken, adding that the militant group rules repressively.

9:40 am
On the evening of Oct. 11, hundreds of supporters of Palestine crowded into a public theatre in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit that has the largest mosque in North America.
Waving Palestinian flags, the crowd heard Osama Siblani of Arab American News, who spoke to the cheering crowd and said:

"We are not going to be intimidated when they say Hamas is a terrorist organization. The fact is that it is not a terrorist organization. And we have to say to them 'The terrorist is Benjamin Netanyahu and his government." The US government has designated Hamas a terrorist organization.

Nasser Beydoun, who is running as a Democrat for the US Senate, denounced Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) and US Senator Gary Peters (D). "They are not with us today because they were busy dancing yesterday. I want you to remember that before we can end the occupation of Palestine, we have to end the occupation in Congress." Beydoun wore a keffiyeh scarf around his neck as the crowd cheered him and booed at the names of the Democrats he mentioned. Some members of the crowd wore keffiyeh scarves or balaclavas to disguise their faces, while some wore headbands reminiscent of those worn by Hamas terrorists. While most of the groups were Muslim, there was one ant-Zionist Jewish organization present, according to a report by WDIV television news. 

9:22 am
Syrian media reported that the IAF struck Aleppo International Airport and Damascus International Airport. No casualties were reported at either, according to the report. 

Israeli PM Netanyahu met privately with Secretary of State Blinken in Israel this morning.In a bilateral news conference, Netanyahu said the “barbarians of Hamas” must be crushed. “Thank you for your important visit here today,” and added, “Thank you, thanks to President Biden, and thank you to the American people for your incredible support for Israel in our war against the barbarians of Hamas.” In Hebrew, he said, “Mr. Secretary, you have come to a hurting nation, a fighting nation, a nation of lions, a nation that is determined to defeat the forces of evil around us.”

In English, he said, the visit “is another example of America’s unequivocal support for Israel.” “Hamas has shown itself to be an enemy of civilization. The massacring of young people at an outdoor music festival, the butchering of entire families, the murder of parents in front of their children and the murder of children in front of their parents. The burning of people alive. The beheadings. The kidnappings – of a young boy, not only kidnapped, molested, hurt, attacked,” Netanyahu says.

Deploring the “celebration and glorification of evil,” he said, “President Biden was absolutely correct in calling this sheer evil.” 

Netanyahu continued, “Hamas is ISIS, and just as ISIS was crushed, so too should Hamas be crushed.” “And Hamas should be treated exactly as ISIS was treated…They should be spit out from the community of nations. No leader should meet them. No country should harbor them. And those that do should be sanctioned,” he says.

“Thank you America for standing with Israel today, tomorrow, and always, “ Blinken replied.

Sirens wailed in Jerusalem, warning against missile strikes. No reports of injuries or damage at this time.

El Al to fly on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath, for the first time in more than 40 years to fly Israeli reservists into the theatre of war. Flights will come from the US and Asia to bring reservists, security and rescuers stranded abroad. El Al Israel Airlines announces that for the first time since 1982, it will fly on a Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath, to bring back Israelis called up for emergency military reserve duty as well as security and rescue forces stranded abroad. The carrier will not charge for these flights and has received religious approval for flying on the Sabbath based on the principle that saving a life trumps other requirements of Judaism. 

8:30 am
It is reported that the IDF have demanded that the residents of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip vacate their homes, about 70-80 thousand people. Hamas often then threatens them not to leave, to force them to be human shields. In this case, the warning is more than enough per international law.

Prof. Asher Cohen, President of the Hebrew University, Prof. Tamir Sheafer, Rector of the Hebrew University, and Prof. Barak Medina have written to the presidents of Harvard and Stanford to make it “unequivocally clear that there is no room for ‘balance’ or justification when it comes to such a heinous assault by Hamas on Israel.”

Rep Jack Bergman (R-MI) has introduced a motion to censure Rep Rashida Tlaib (D-MI).

A set of resources for explaining Israel in many languages has been compiled for wide reading and sharing.

7:47 am
Israeli defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Israel has suffered “the worst terror attack the world has ever seen.”

“What happened has not happened to the Jewish people since 1945,” he said of the surprise attack by Hamas. Recounting stories of heroism on the part of Israeli civliians and military to stave off the attackers, he vowed that Hamas will be "obliterated." Standing next to PM Netanyahu and National Unity leader Gantz, he said,  “Hamas, DAESH of Gaza will be wiped from the face of the earth.” He said, “There’s no situation in which you kill Israeli kids and we go about our business.”

7:00 am
China’s foreign ministry said its ambassador for Middle East affairs Zhai Jun liaised with Egypt's minister for Palestine on Oct. 11 to reiterate China's support for a two-state solution and promote an “immediate ceasefire and cessation of violence”.

Zhai emphasized that a two-state solution as “the fundamental solution” for peace. Zhai was quoted as saying, according to The Guardian, “The international community should make practical efforts with the utmost sense of urgency to promote it.” China has offered humanitarian to Gaza.

IDF spokesperson Jonathan Conricus said the military “can say with relative confidence” that it was Hamas who decapitated babies at Kibbutz Be’eri on Oct. 7. The Guardian said it had not independently confirmed whether babies had been beheaded at Be'eri and Kibbut Kfar Aza on Israel's border with Gaza.  Yossi Landau, who heads Israel's volunteer civilian emergency response in southern Zaka, told CBS news that he saw beheaded children and babies at an unspecified location. However, as of October 12, it remains unconfirmed that there were decapitated children at the kibbutz.

Conricus said, "Out of 1,000 Israelis who lived in this beautiful community, 100 were killed. Today, body bags, many body bags, were evacuated from that kibbutz, including those of children, and including those of babies. We got very, very disturbing reports that came from the ground that there were babies that had been beheaded. And I admit it took us some time to really understand and to verify that report and it was hard to believe that even Hamas could perform such a barbaric act. But after eyewitnesses came forward, and after a senior official in the Israeli coronary service Zaka came forward on record on CBS news and said ‘yes, I saw the bodies of beheaded babies’, I think we can now say with relative confidence that this is unfortunately what happened in Be’eri. This is what Hamas did to Israeli citizens.”

Hamas has not commented on the claims. At Kibbutz Be'eri, approximately 100 bodies of Hamas terrorists were found by IDF troops when they reached the town.

The IAF tweeted that it killed senior Hamas operatives last night. The announcement read: "During the night (Thursday) the air force launched a wave of attacks with the aim of continuing to damage the commando force of the terrorist organization Hamas known as ‘Nachaba’, by attacking operational headquarters which were used by operatives who infiltrated the Otaf settlements last Saturday. Also, air force aircraft killed Muhammad Abu Shamla, a senior operative from the Hamas naval formation in the Rafah Brigade. Abu Shamla’s house was also used to store naval weapons intended to carry out terrorist operations against Israel."

6:58 am
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is offering to negotiate the release of hostages taken into Gaza. There are more than 150 Israelis and others being held by the Hamas terrorists in Gaza, following the surprise attack on Oct. 7. Among the hostages are members of Israel's military and civilians, including women, children, and elders.“As a neutral intermediary we stand ready to conduct humanitarian visits; facilitate communication between hostages and family members; and to facilitate any eventual release,” said Fabrizio Carboni, the ICRC’s regional director for the Near and Middle East. Carboni said the taking of hostages is forbidden by international law; hostages must be released immediately, he said.

Regarding Israel's retaliation for the attacks, Carboni said, “The human misery caused by this escalation is abhorrent.” Having announced a "complete siege" of Gaza, Israel has cut off the supply of electricity, water, and food. Egypt is refusing entry to Gazan refugees. The US is negotiating with Egypt and Israel to form a humanitarian corridor to relieve the Gazaqns. Carboni said of that by depriving Gaza of electricity, “hospitals lose power, putting newborns in incubators and elderly patients on oxygen at risk. Kidney dialysis stops, and X-rays can’t be taken." He added, "Without electricity, hospitals risk turning into morgues.” Drinking water is scarce; Carboni said, "No parent wants to be forced to give a thirsty child dirty water.”

In the early morning hours, the IAF conducted “large-scale strike” on Hamas targets, including Jabalia. According to Palestinian media, the death toll in Gaza has risen to 1,200, with around 5,600 wounded.

Israel’s ambassador, Gilan Cohen, in Tokyo: “Japan should be vigilant and look at what Hamas is doing with the aid.” Cohen also thanked Japan for acknowledging the Hamas attacks as “terrorism” and averring Israel's right to self-defense.

5:38 am
Israeli energy minister Israel Katz tweeted:

“Humanitarian aid to Gaza? No electrical switch will be turned on, no water hydrant will be opened and no fuel truck will enter until the Israeli abductees are returned home. Humanitarianism for humanitarianism. And no one will preach us morality.”

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi of Egypt had spoken to UK PM Rishi Sunak about the need for regular humanitarian relief to Gaza. This followed a “complete siege” by Israel, blocking movement of civilians and the supply of food, fuel, electricity, and water to Gaza. Egypt’s border crossing to Gaza is closed following allegations that Israel had bombed the area. Israel would neither confirm nor deny. Egypt has not declared whether Palestinians will be allowed entry.

Israel confirms identity of 97 hostages held in Gaza by Hamas since Oct. 7. Over 100 people have been abducted by the terrorist organization.

“The military is preparing for the next stage of the war,” Daniel Hagari said in a press briefing, adding that 222 soldiers had been killed since Oct. 7. Saturday.

Black and White

According to The Guardian, Israeli ambassador to EU and Nato Haim Regev spoke about Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant’s message to NATO. “The main message of the minister was that it was a savage attack, brutal attack by terrorists – Hamas is Isis – and we are expecting full support,” the ambassador said. “We do not ask specific things from NATO as NATO,” he added. “The idea,” the ambassador said, “was to share with NATO what Israel faces since the beginning, since Saturday morning – and the minister focused on that, because it’s important to understand against whom we are standing.”

“It’s black and white,” he added. “Israel is fighting against a terror group – not against anybody else.”

According to Gallant, Iran provides funds and other support to Hamas. The NATO ministers were shown video displaying Hamas atrocities. Regev said strong backing for Israel resulted from the meeting. “We would like to see a statement by NATO – strong statement, strong support,” he said. “For us, it was extremely important that the defense ministers will hear from firsthand what happened,” he added. As to whether Israel had asked for support from any NATO members other than the US, Regev said, “Israel is a strong country.” “We have all the means right now that we need,” he said, noting that with the exception of the US, Israel is not asking for specific assistance.

UK health secretary Steve Barclay said Hamas is responsible for its attacks on Israel. He promised “strong support” for Israel even while calling for adherence to international rules of war. Regarding the effects of Israel’s bombing on Gazans, he said, “The UK does have sympathy. That’s why we contribute about 10% of the aid that is distributed in the region through the United Nations.” However, Barclay said, “Israel has a right to defend itself but also to deter future attacks from Gaza. So Hamas are responsible for what we’re seeing in Gaza.”

He added: “We agree that international law, international rules of war should be adhered to. And those are the sort of conversations I’m sure the foreign secretary [James Cleverly] was having in Israel yesterday. But we should also be very clear: it is Israel that has been attacked here.”

According to authorities in Gaza, more than 1,200 residents have been killed and 5000 wounded.

Oct 12, 2023

8:24 pm
A second US aircraft carrier, the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, will soon arrive in the Mediterranean on a previously scheduled tour but available to show support for Israel, the White House said, following the arrival of the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier group in theatre. National Security spokesman Adm. John Kirby said the ship "certainly will be an available asset if needed,” while admitting that the US is “clearly concerned” by Hezbollah rocket attacks on northern Israel.

Israeli Health Minister Moshe Arbel ordered all public hospitals to stop treating Hamas terrorists. In a letter to PM Netanyahu, he wrote: “Since the beginning of the fighting, the issue of treating the damned and despicable Hamas terrorists within the public hospitals has piled up a tremendous difficulty on the health system.”

8:00 pm
Fox News reports that a ground attack by Israel on Gaza appears to be imminent tonight. The report said that 300,000+ reservists have been called to duty and are readying weapons and materiel along the country's border with Gaza.

7:52 pm
US to Israel: We've got your back

Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters before flying out to Israel that he is taking “a very simple and clear message on behalf of the president of the United States and on behalf of the American people, and that is that the United States has Israel’s back. We have the back of the Israeli people. We have their back today. We’ll have it tomorrow. We will have it every day.”
Blinken will meet Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog in Israel. He said that the US will work to ensure no further enemies of Israel join in the war. He will also foster cooperation between the US and Israel to release hostages, including Americans, held by Hamas.

When asked whether the US has asked Israel to restrain its retaliation on Gaza, he said, “We know that Israel will take all of the precautions that it can—just as we would. That’s what separates us from Hamas and terrorist groups that engage in the most heinous kind of activities.”

On Oct. 13, Blinken travels to Jordan to meet Jordanian officials and with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and a Palestinian delegation that that includes PA intelligence chief Majed Faraj and PLO Executive Committee Secretary-General Hussein al-Sheikh.

Travel Advisory: A travel advisory for Israel was issued by the State Department, raising the stakes to a Level 3 for the West Bank and Israel. Americans are asked to rethink travel to the area. Before the attack, Israel and the West Bank were at a Level 1 travel advisory. The travel advisory for Gaza remains at a “Level4 —Do Not Travel.”

Israeli teams are on the scene at Kibbutz Be'eri on Israel’s border with Gaza and are still extracting bodies of Israelis murdered by Hamas on Oct. 7. Approximately 110 dead Israelis have been identified, while more corpses are being pulled from ruined homes. Some 103 terrorists were found dead in the kibbutz.

Biden confirms children beheaded by Hamas

President Joe Biden, in the company of Doug Emhoff—husband of VP Kamala Harris—gave an emotional speech to Jewish community leaders at the White House. “It is important for Americans to see what is happening. I have been doing this for a long time. I never thought that I would see… have confirmed pictures of terrorists beheading children … Downplaying Hamas’s atrocities and blaming the Jewish people is unthinkable,” the president said, and added “Silence is complicity. I refuse to be silent.”

Biden described the attack on Israel as “not only terror but sheer evil, sheer evil.” He said, “More than 1,000 civilians slaughtered.” “This attack was a campaign of pure cruelty, not just hate, but cruelty, against the Jewish people,” he said, adding that it was the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust.

“It goes beyond rejecting terrorism,” he says, noting what the administration is doing to back Israel militarily. “We made it clear to the Iranians: be careful.”

Saying he has wished to combat hatred, he emphasized, “That’s why I took my kids, everyone when they turned 14, one at a time, put them on a plane and took them to Dachau, I wanted them to see, that you could not not know what was going on, walking through those gates. You could not fail to understand as a country what was going on.” He said that “were there no Israel, no Jew would be safe,” repeating several times that there would be “no guarantee.”

Hamas will be destroyed

IDF carried out a new wave of bombing sorties on the afternoon and evening over Gaza. The IDF was striking “many” Hamas targets. PM Netanyahu’s political opponent, National Union head Benny Gantz, has joined the emergency government as a minister. Praising the heroism of Israelis, he said: “Our friends, our families, have been murdered and abducted.”

“I understand the fear, I understand the pain, and I have no words of comfort. But he says “Israel is the strongest state in the region and has the strongest army…We will win, and change the security and strategic reality in the region.”

Disavowing politics in the government convened by Netanyahu, Gantz said: “It’s a partnership for our fate.” Saying that his party stands with Netanyahu, he said, “We are all soldiers of the State of Israel.”

“The enemy will be destroyed. Security will be restored. The killing grounds where our heroes fell will be rebuilt. The entire State of Israel will thrive again,” Gantz promised. “There’s a time for peace and a time for war; now is the time for war,” he said.

4:14 pm
Hamas leader Khalid Mashal called on Muslims around the world to rise up against the US and Zionists around the world. Calling it “the Friday of Al-Aqsa flood”, he asked Muslims to contribute money to his terrorist organization in a "financial jihad" to compensate Hamas terrorist for the homes destroyed by Israeli retaliation.

Mashal asked Muslims to pressurize governments to stop Israel's probable invasion of Gaza. According to a translation on X, formerly Twitter, Mashal asked Muslims to fight and be martyrs for the Al-Aqsa Flood assault. He called on Muslims to attack Jews, starting with the countries surrounding Israel but also in other countries, and to assail Israel's borders. He called for jihad [Islamic religious war] to be applied in practice rather than mere theory. "Funds are important but today we are asking for your blood and souls [to be sacrificed for Palestine]."

4:07 pm
Lebanese analyst Lina Khatib told Spanish newspaper El Pais that Hamas's offensive against Israel is largely supported by Palestinians. The scholar, who works at the SOAS Middle East Institute in London added, “My own interpretation is that it’s unlikely that Lebanon will become another front in this war,” she says of the conflict in Israel. “Hezbollah knows that it’s expected to be seen as reacting, and it has done that through launching rockets from southern Lebanon into Israel. But I don’t think it’s likely that Hezbollah is going to widen the scale of its engagement [in the Hamas offensive]."

Khatib said that she believes Hamas would not have been able to mount the invasion without weapons, materiel, and other assistance from Iran, its patron state.

3:58 pm
Hezbollah, the Iran-backed terrorist organization based in Lebanon slammed the US for supporting Israel. The USS Gerald R. Ford carrier group, currently on its way to the region, “will not scare our people or the resistance movements that are ready for the confrontation” Hezbollah declared. The US, it said, “is a full partner of the Zionist aggression and is responsible for the killings, crimes, siege, the destruction of homes, and horrifying crimes against innocent civilians.”

According to the Times of Israel, an Egyptian official claimed that Israeli intelligence was told about Hamas's plans in advance of the Oct. 7 invasion. The Egyptian intelligence official speculated that Israeli PM Netanyahu had been kept in the dark about "something big" in the offing before the Saturday attack.

Scores of Israeli children have been taken hostage by Hamas. Some of them are as young as nine months old. Hamas has vowed to kill one hostage for every Israeli airstrike on a Gazan home. Israeli families are begging the terrorists to spare the children. Hamas spokesman Abu Obeid said that "dozens" of hostages are kept in“safe places and tunnels and resistance” over the border in Gaza.

3:05 pm
GOP Rep. Jack Bergman of Michigan will introduce a censure resolution directed at Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich. in response to her "long history of making anti-Semitic and anti-Israel remarks." Bergman slammed Tlaib for her reaction to Hamas's unprecedented and deadly attack on Israel by Hamas terrorists, which left at least 1,200 Israelis dead and thousands more wounded. "As Hamas terrorists beheaded infants, paraded dead Jewish teenagers through town, and attacked innocent concert-goers in the most deadly day for Jews since the Holocaust, Rep. Rashida Tlaib chose to place the blame solely on Israel and the Jewish people," Bergman said. He is a 40-year veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, according to Fox News. In a statement, Bergman declared "There is no moral equivalence between Israel defending itself and Hamas attacking innocent Israeli civilians. Tlaib’s long history of anti-Semitic tropes and blatant anti-Jewish propaganda is both disturbing and evil – and should have no place in the halls of Congress."

"One day after a series of coordinated attacks on Israel perpetrated by Hamas terrorists and leaving more Jews dead than any single day since the Holocaust, Congresswoman Tlaib issued a statement calling Israel an apartheid state and insinuating the United States should end its support for the State of Israel," Bergman's resolution charges.

2:57 pm
Egypt and the US and others are talking about providing humanitarian aid through its border with the Gaza Strip. However, Egypt has rejected the idea of establishing safe corridors for refugees fleeing the enclave. Egypt has long throttled the influx of Gazans, even during previous conflicts. Egypt always insists that Israel and Palestine result their own conflicts, saying this is how Palestine can obtain statehood.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said supplies, including fuel, food and water, must be allowed into Gaza."We need rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access now,” he told reporters. Guterres thanked Egypt "for its constructive engagement to facilitate humanitarian access through the Rafah crossing and to make the El Arish airport available for critical assistance.”

The US has held negotiations with Israel and Egypt about the idea of a safe passage for civilians.

2:49 pm
Soldiers and police are sifting through ruined homes in Kibbutz Be'eri where Hamas terrorists slew children in front of their parents on October 7 during is highly coordinated and violent incursion into Israel. According to the Times of Israel, IDF Maj. Doron Spielman said knives were found in the bodies of some of the children. Body parts of children were found at the kibbutz that remain to be identified by genetic testing of presumed relatives. Bodies are still being removed from the kibbutz, which Maj. Spielman said will be remembered as a symbol of Hamas’s massacre just as Auschwitz is the symbol of the Holocaust. At least 100 Israelis were murdered at Be'eri.

Spielman said, “It will take weeks to understand what happened here.” In one home, 40 civilians were held by 20 terrorist special forces. Six terrorists were killed during the raid.

2:42 pm
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) said the US is “not quite sure” how Israel and itself “missed” the portents of Hamas's incursion into Israel over the weekend. Following a closed-door intelligence briefing, McCaul said. “We’ve heard from the administration, there seems to be a failure of intelligence as well. We’re not quite sure how we missed it. We’re not quite sure how Israel missed it,”

In a statement, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) slammed Israel for cutting off food, fuel, water, and electricity to Gaza where more than 2 million people live. He dubbed it "a serious violaion of international law” that will cause thousands of children to suffer. “The targeting of civilians is a war crime, no matter who does it. Israel’s blanket denial of food, water, and other necessities to Gaza is a serious violation of international law and will do nothing but harm innocent civilians,” said Sanders, a leading progressive.

2:38 pm
New York University’s Law Student Bar Association sought to oust its president who wrote a column in the university newsletter applauding Hamas's terrorism in Israel. President Ryna Workman wroe that Israel was guilty of “state-sanctioned violence” and bears “full responsibility” for the barbaric and highly coordinated attacks that killed more that 1,200 including children on Saturday.

2:30 pm
The US is working with Qatar and other countries to rescue hostages taken by Hamas. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said: “We know that a number of those [17 missing] Americans are being held hostage right now by Hamas. I think we all need to steel ourselves for the very distinct possibility that these numbers will keep increasing and that we may find out that more Americans are part of the hostage pool.” Kirby said, "The Israelis have a very robust hostage recovery capability of their own…but we also have a lot of know-how, too, and we’re offering to share that with the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF).” There are reports that SEAL Team Six and Delta special operators are on their way to Israel. Kirby would not rule out direct involvement of the US in hostage rescues. He added that the US does not know the hostages' wherabouts.

A leader of the Houthi rebels in Yemen has vowed that his forces will engage with the US should Americans become involved on the ground in Israel.

2:25 pm
According to a press release from the Anti-Defamation League, ADL board member Sharon Nazarian is urging an Icelandic court to compel an Icelandic domain hosting company to shut down dangerous antisemitic website targeting Boston's Jewish community. A witness from ADL the court to shutter the Boston Mapping Project, an antisemitic website that pinpoints the locations of Jewish communal organizations in Massachusetts. In the wake of the recent violence in Israel, The Mapping Project has ramped up its calls in support of the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas and urged its readers to follow an antisemitic news channel. Nazarian testified on behalf of ADL in the case filed against Reykjavík-based 1984 Hosting Co., and explained how the project was purposely designed to name and target Jewish communal leaders and organizations in Massachusetts and beyond, falsely blaming them for many of the world’s problems and specifically calling out Zionism as a “harm,” thus implicating the vast majority of the Jewish community.

2:08 pm
There will be a press conference at the White House. President Biden is meeting with Jewish-American leaders, accompanied by Doug Emhoff, husband of Vice-president Harris.

The Biden administration will submit a funding request to Congress to seek funds for the defense of Israel, Taiwan, Ukraine, and the US southern border, according to NBC News.

The US announced that 22 American citizens have been killed during Hamas's assault on Israel and is likely to rise again. On Oct. 10, the toll stood at 14. Currently, 17 Americans are missing and may be among hostages held by Hamas. The White House did not report on their whereabouts or welfare.

President Biden said: "This attack has brought to the surface painful memories and scars left by a millennium of antisemitism and genocide against the Jewish people. My commitment to Israel’s security and the safety of the Jewish people is unshakeable. The United States has Israel’s back."

"We extend our deepest condolences to the victims and to the families of all those affected. The US is watching developments on the Lebanon-Israel border closely, said national security spokesman John Kirby. "We have seen rocket fire coming from southern Lebanon … into northern Israel. We obviously are watching this with great concern. We don’t want to see this conflict widened or expanded."

Summary:

The death toll among Palestinians rose to 1100, including 326 children according to Hamas. The UN estimate the number of people fleeing their homes at 260,000. Dead Israelis number approximately1,200, most of whom are civilians. Many are children. Over 2700 are wounded. And IDF spokesman said that the toll rose "not because there is ongoing fightin” but because “now as the time has gone by we are discovering bodies of dead Israelis in the various communities that Hamas infiltrated and where they conducted their massacres”.

Gaza’s only power plant ran out of fuel. However, generators are still runing by will also exhaust fuel supplies following a cut-off by Israel.

PM Netanyahu is forming a war cabinet that includes former defence minister and centrist opposition party leader Benny Gantz and to focus entirely on the conflict.

The IDF struck hundreds of targets in Gaza overnight, including 80 in the neighbourhood of Beit Hanon and over 450 targets in the Al-Furqan neighborhood in the last 24 hours, and 70 more “targets” were hit in the neighbourhood of al-Daraj. The IDF struck banks and facilities it says used by Hamas to direct fire at Israel. Israel's goal is to neutralize Hamas militarily.

Hezbollah admitted to firing missiles from Lebanese territory into Israel and towards the town of Arav Al-Amsha, which lies close to the “blue line” that demarcates northern Israeli territory from southern Lebanon.

UK citizenn Jake Marlowe, 26, went missing while serving as an armed guard at a music festival near the village of Re’im on the border with Gaz. Seventeen Britis, including children, are feared dead or missing in Israel after an attack by Hamas.

11:45 am
Hundreds of drone attacks from Lebanon are being reported in northern Israel. In addition, at least 20 terrorists flying paragliders were seen entering Israel from Lebanon.The IDF would later give the all clear, denying that the drones had entered the country, frightening the populace.

11:30 am
Colorado state legislator Tim Hernandez refused to condemn Hamas's terroristic attacks on Israel. In a video posted on X, formerly Twitter, Democrat Hernandez dismisses an amateur videographer when asked, "Do you condemn the murder of women and children in the streets by Palestinian terrorists?" Hernandez replies, "I condemn any form of colonial violence perpetuated upon any group of people."

11:27 am
British Airways has suspended flights to and from Israel due to safety concerns, the airlines has announced. The suspension came after Flight BA165 returned to Heathrow Airport in London after nearly reach Tel Aviv this afternoon Israeli time.

A BA spokesperson said: "Safety is always our highest priority and following the latest assessment of the situation, we’re suspending our flights to and from Tel Aviv.

"We’re contacting customers booked to travel to or from Tel Aviv to apologise for the inconvenience and offer options including a full refund and rebooking with another airline or with British Airways at a later date. We continue to monitor the situation in the region closely." Hamas has fired rockets at the Tel Aviv airport.

UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly ran for cover while visiting the town of Ofakim in southern Israel when sirens rang out to warn of incoming Hamas missiles.

Israel continued to bomb the Gaza Strip in retaliation for Hamas’s terrorist attacks. More than 1,200 Israelis have been killed, of whom some were children murdered in their beds. More than 1000 people have been killed in Gaza and 260,000+ have fled their homes as Israel prepares a ground invasion. Hundreds of thousands of Israeli regular military and reservists are prepared to move on Gaza. Video has revealed that whole neighborhoods have been reduced to rubble in Gaza following Israeli bombing sorties.

According to The Guardian: François Conradie, an analyst at the Oxford Economics Africa consultancy, writes:

“The conflict in Gaza has put an uncomfortable spotlight on Egypt’s bilateral relations in the region. Pro-Palestinian sentiment has intensified criticism of President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi’s good relations with Israel, and there is pressure on the former military man to stand up against Israeli warnings regarding humanitarian assistance.

“Mr Sisi’s government’s good relations with Israel are a political liability at times of conflict between Israel and the Palestinians,” he writes, but he says Sisi does not want an influx of Palestinians from Gaza into Egypt.

“The risk of a serious anti-government protest movement [in Egypt] is trending higher, as is the risk of disunity and factionalism within the military-political elite.”

Spain confirmed the death of Maya Villalobo Sinvany, a 19-year-old Spanish-Israeli woman in Israeli military service. A Spanish man married to an Israeli woman who had been living on a kibbutz near Gaza is missing. The Spanish foreign ministry declared: “The Spanish government once again forcefully condemns Hamas’s terrorist attack on Israel and sends its deepest condolences to the family and friends of Maya Villalobo Sinvany.”

Israeli armed services and citizens shot three Palestinians to death in Qusra, a village near Nablus.

French PM Élisabeth Borne told the senate that 10 Frenchmen have been killed and 18 are missing. Some are children, who can be assumed are hostages.

Former Israeli defense minister Benny Gantz, a member of PM Netanyahu's opposition, has agreed to join an emergency government. Netanyahu wants to expand the current government to include opponents despite deep divisions in order to have national unity during the crisis.

10:24 am
The death toll in Israel stands at 1,200+, according to the IDF. More than 3,000 Israelis have been injured by the attack by Hamas terrorists, while the fate of more than 150 missing people is not known.

10:00 am
The Army's DELTA Force and Navy's elite SEAL Team 6 has been deployed in Israel to assist with hostage rescues.

9:50 am
The only power plant in Gaza has exhausted its fuel and shut down, following Israel cutting the supply of fuel.

Israeli media is reporting that opponents of Israeli PM Netanyahu will join in an emergency “unity government”.

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said on October 10 that talks are being held with Israel and Egypt to create a safe corridor for civilians escaping Gaza. “We are focused on this question. There are consultations going on. But the details of that are something that are being discussed among the operational agencies and I don’t want to share too much of that publicly at this time,” he said. He is due to arrive in Israel on October 12.

According to Canadian foreign minister Melanie Joly, three Canadians have died in Hamas' invasion of Israel and three are missing. She told the media that 4,700+ Canadian citizens and permanent residents are registered in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank. She did not say how many desire evacuation.

According to Reuters, Russian leader Vladimir Putin blamed the US for failing to pursue a solution to Hamas' war on Israel. He said that it cannot be fixed without addressing the establishment of a Palestinian state. On Oct. 11, Putin accused the US of passing up a process of resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by taking matters into its own hands. “Part of the lands that the Palestinians consider and have always considered part of the original Palestinian lands is occupied by Israel at different times and in different ways. Mainly, of course, with the help of military force,” Putin said according to official Tass media. Putin’s press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters: “We maintain our contacts with the parties to the conflict,” affirming Russia “continues to carefully analyse the situation” and that it “retains its position as a country that has the potential to participate in settlement processes”.

US chargé d’affaires ad interim Stephanie Hallett visited a site in Israel near the Gaza border inside Israel, she said, “to bear witness to the atrocities committed by Hamas terrorists”.

“It’s really unbelievable. As a mother … and just as a human being … to see and know what happened here. It is really important to say that we’ve been, we’ve seen it, and it is evil. And we stand with Israel. All of us. We stand with Israel,” Hallett said.

France deported three foreign nationals for antisemitic acts or comments since the weekend, a government spokesman said. Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said on Oct. 11 that any foreign national accused of antisemitic acts would have his or her resident permit cancelled and be immediately expelled.

Reuters reported that a spokesperson for Germany’s government has said it currently has no valid evidence of Iranian direct involvement in the Hamas attack.

UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has arrived in Israel and will meet survivors of the Hamas attack. “The foreign secretary has arrived in Israel today to demonstrate the UK’s unwavering solidarity with the Israeli people following Hamas’ terrorist attacks,” a Foreign Office spokesperson said. “He will be meeting survivors of the attacks and senior Israeli leaders to outline UK support for Israel’s right to defend itself.”

9:43 am
Hamas founding member Abd al-Fattah Dukhan a.k.a Abu Osama was killed in a bombing raid by the IAF on Oct. 10, according to Palestinian and Israeli reports. He was felled in the Nuseirat neighborhood in the center of Gaza. In addition, two other senior Hamas leaders, Zachariah Abu Ma’amar and Jawad Abu Shamala, were also killed.

8:16 am
Palestinian media are telling the residents of Gaza not to leave their homes despite Israel's encouragements to do so and avoid destruction in bombing raids: “We Live in our Homes and Die in our Homes. We will not Move. We will not Budge. We are all Behind the Resistance"

It has been reported that Abdul Fattah Dukhan, founding leader of Hamas and author of the charter calling for the annihilation of Israel, has been killed.

8:15 am
It has been reported that Abdul Fattah Dukhan, founding leader of Hamas and author of the charter calling for the annihilation of Israel, has been killed.

7:57 am
Dozens of Harvard faculty members signed an open letter condemning Hamas's terroristic campaign:

We recognize that Harvard has students and community members from all regions, including from the Gaza Strip. These are not easy times, and we pray for the safety of all our members and their families. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has a long and complex history. We hold varying opinions, but none of us endorses all of Israel's past actions. However, the events of this week are not complicated. Sometimes there is such a thing as evil, and it is incumbent upon educators and leaders to call it out, as they have with school shootings and terrorist attacks. It is imperative that our academic leadership, whose good faith we do not doubt, state this clearly and unequivocally. Further, while individuals’ free speech should be protected, our leaders should make it clear that our community rejects any statements that excuse terrorist acts.

We are faculty at Harvard who are deeply concerned about the events in the Middle East, as well as the safety of our students here on campus. On October 7th, Hamas launched a premeditated attack on the Israeli population. Hundreds of terrorists infiltrated Israeli towns and houses. Children were killed in front of their parents; entire families were executed. Grandmothers, mothers, and their babies were kidnapped. All in all, more than 900 Israelis were killed in a single day and the death toll is continuing to grow. There have also been deaths on the Palestinian side, including hundreds of terrorists and, tragically, civilians as well.

Every innocent death is a tragedy. Yet, this should not mislead us to create false equivalencies between the actions leading to this loss. Hamas planned and executed the murder and kidnapping of civilians, particularly women, children, and the elderly, with no military or other specific objective. This meets the definition of a war crime. The Israeli security forces were engaging in self-defense against this attack while dealing with numerous hostage situations and a barrage of thousands of rockets hidden deliberately in dense urban settings.

The leaders of the major democratic countries united in saying that “the terrorist actions of Hamas have no justification, no legitimacy, and must be universally condemned” and that Israel should be supported “in its efforts to defend itself and its people against such atrocities.“ In contrast, while terrorists were still killing Israelis in their homes, 35 Harvard student organizations wrote that they hold “the Israeli regime entirely responsible for all unfolding violence,” with not a single word denouncing the horrific acts by Hamas. In the context of the unfolding events, this statement can be seen as nothing less than condoning the mass murder of civilians based only on their nationality. We’ve heard reports of even worse instances, with Harvard students celebrating the “victory” or “resistance” on social media.

As a University aimed at educating future leaders, this could have been a teaching moment and an opportunity to remind our students that beyond our political debates, some acts such as war crimes are simply wrong. However, the statement by Harvard’s administration fell short of this goal. While justly denouncing Hamas, it still contributed to the false equivalency between attacks on noncombatants and self-defense against those atrocities. Furthermore, the statement failed to condemn the justifications for violence that come from our own campus, nor to make it clear to the world that the statement endorsed by these organizations does not represent the values of the Harvard community. How can Jewish and Israeli students feel safe on a campus in which it is considered acceptable to justify and even celebrate the deaths of Jewish children and families?

We recognize that Harvard has students and community members from all regions, including from the Gaza Strip. These are not easy times, and we pray for the safety of all our members and their families. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has a long and complex history. We hold varying opinions, but none of us endorses all of Israel's past actions. However, the events of this week are not complicated. Sometimes there is such a thing as evil, and it is incumbent upon educators and leaders to call it out, as they have with school shootings and terrorist attacks. It is imperative that our academic leadership, whose good faith we do not doubt, state this clearly and unequivocally. Further, while individuals’ free speech should be protected, our leaders should make it clear that our community rejects any statements that excuse terrorist acts.

We stand with any member of the Harvard community who feels unsafe or alone and pledge to do what we can individually and collectively. We hold our hope for better days in the future. To quote President Obama, 'As we support Israel’s right to defend itself against terror, we must keep striving for a just and lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinians alike.'

7:40 am
French interior minister Gérald Darmanin announced that authorities had arrested 20 persons accused of commiting antisemitic acts and threats since the weekend. On a visit to a Jewish school north of Paris today, he said, “It’s important that all French Jewish people know they are protected.” Security at some 500 Jewish schools, synagogues, and cultural centers has been increased. Darmanin said those sites had reported 50 antisemitic attacks, “which shows both the efficiency of the measures, but also the threat which weighs on French Jewish people.”

Among the antiisemitic attacks in France included large assemblies of people outside synagogues who issued threats and insults, while drones bearing cameras entered school precincts.

The Guardian reported about the murders in Kibbutz Kfar Aza:

"In Kfar Aza, no one was too old, too young or too weak for slaughter. It took the Israeli army half a day to reach the kibbutz of 750 people in southern Israel, and fighting continued there for three days. In that time, Hamas gunmen killed and mutilated dozens of civilian residents.

“'Mothers, fathers, babies, young families killed in their beds, in the protection room, in the dining room, in their garden,' Maj Gen Itai Veruv, of the Israel Defence Forces, told the BBC as his troops searched homes for bodies of victims. “It’s not a war, it’s not a battlefield. It’s a massacre.”

"The kibbutz was one of the first Israeli settlements reached by Hamas militants when they launched an assault early on Saturday morning.

"The community had a security team, and houses had safe rooms, but they – like the highest echelons of the Israeli army and government – were not prepared for the wave of attackers racing out of the breached Gaza."

According to the IDF, Hamas terrorists ‘killed families in their beds’ ".

The BBC reports that there are 17 dead or missing UK nationals, including children. A previous estimate set the toll at more than 10 dead or missing.

The Philippines embassy reports that a third Filipino may have been murdered during the invasion. Three others remain missing. Two deaths have been confirmed.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said in a statement: “My heart is heavy upon hearing confirmation of the deaths of two Filipinos in Israel. The Philippines condemns these killings and stands firmly against the ongoing terror and violence.”

30,000 Filipinos live in Israel.

The Philippines is prepared to evacuate citizens and their families from Israel if necessary.

Hezbollah has said it was responsible for firing precision missiles from Lebanon on Israel on Oct. 11 in response to Israeli attacks. The IDF was targeted with anti-tank fire on the same day and is attacking Lebanon in return. The IDF said a missile was fired toward Arav Al-Amsha, a town near the “blue line” that marking off northern Israeli territory from southern Lebanon.

Israel “struck targets” at Al-Dhahira in southern Lebanon in response, according to Turkey’s Anadolu news agency.

The IDF and the Iranian-back Hezbollah terrorists have exchanged fire in the days following the initial attack on southern Israel by Hamas. Terrorists from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad attempted to enter Israeli territory, while Hezbollah has repeatedly targeted territory in the Golan Heights. Concern that the war may be escalating were piqued by terrorists' strike on the town of Arav Al Amsha.

Pope Francis called for the release of all hostages held by Hamas, while citing worries about Israel's "total siege" in Gaza.

7:31 am
International journalists reviewed the scene at Kibbutz Kfar Aza, a community on Israel's border with Gaza where Hamas terrorists invaded the town and murdered its residents. “Soldiers who spent much of the day in the ruins recovering bodies of civilians said that there had been a massacre. It seems likely that much of the killing happened in the first hours of the assault on Saturday,” the BBC reports.

Davidi Ben Zion, the deputy commander of paratrooper Unit 71, told the BBC: “Thank God we saved many lives of many parents and children.” He said, “Unfortunately, some were burned by molotov [cocktails].” Journalists saw soldiers comforting each other who had seen the carnage.

Bullet holes could be seen within a safe room where residents had sheltered. Ben Zion told the BBC that Hamas terrorists who killed babies and families were “just a jihad machine to kill everybody, [people] without weapons, without nothing, just normal citizens that want to take their breakfast and that’s all”.

The New York Times reported: "Past the village dining hall, kindergarten and culture center, the tidy rows of one-story beige houses came into view. And the scale of the horror began to unfold … After days of stunned national numbness and chaos, the dimensions of the atrocity that took place here were now coming into clear focus. In all, more than 1,000 soldiers and civilians have been killed in Israel. Nobody could say how many of them were lying here, in Kfar Azza, but it is emerging as one of the worst sites of the bloodshed. Soldiers and rescue workers said scores, possibly hundreds, had been slaughtered here, including grandparents, infants and children.”

Germany’s foreign ministry says 5,000 Germans are seeking evacuation. The spokesperson did not say how many had eft using their own means.

UNRWA reported that Israeli bombing raids have claimed the lives of nine United Nations workers to date.
The first U.S transport plane bearing specialized ammunition landed in Israel at the Nevatim airbase.

Concern for the welfare of the Jewish community in Europe is growing. Authorities at the Modern Orthodox Jewish Free School in North London UK has told students that they are not required their distinctive school blazers at this time. The 300-year-old co-education school tutors 2,000+ students. It was once the largest Jewish school in the world with more than 4,000 pupils.V

Oct 11, 2023

7am
The first US transport plane bearing specialized ammunition landed in Israel at the Nevatim airbase.

Concern for the welfare of the Jewish community in Europe is growing. Authorities at the Modern Orthodox Jewish Free School in North London UK has told students that they are not required their distinctive school blazers at this time. The 300-year-old coeducational school tutors 2,000+ students. It was once the largest Jewish school in the world with more than 4,000 pupils.

The Israeli Government issued this urgent advisory to its citizens: Within the next few hours, Hamas terrorists are expected to disseminate photos and videos of hostages and acts of torture across social media platforms. The Government of Israel urgently requests the following actions be taken:

1. Do not engage in sharing these images or videos under any circumstances. Doing so contributes to psychological warfare against both the State of Israel and its citizens.
2. Shield minors from exposure to this disturbing content. The images and videos are highly graphic and could induce significant emotional distress. Your cooperation in adhering to these directives is critically important.

9 pm
An Air Canada pilot has been removed from flight duty for an unspecified amount of time after his anti-Israel social media posts left others expressing concerns about his trustworthiness in the cockpit. The StopAntisemitism Twitter account posted screenshots of several selfies posted to social media by Air Canada’s Captain Mostafa Ezzo, noting that the plane that he flies is the same one that the airline typically flies to Tel Aviv.

A Hamas flag was on display at at least one Canadian pro-Palestinian Rally, per B'nai B'rith Canada.

Will Hezbollah attempt to take advantage? A Foreign Affairs analysis.

Fox News Corp has announced a US$1M donation to United Jewish Appeal for emergency Israel relief.

Anton Troianovski for the NYT: “Putin Offers Muted Response to Attack on Israel. That Speaks Volumes.”

Vladimir Putin has long projected friendly ties to Israel. But his silence since Saturday’s assault illustrates how the war in Ukraine has strained the relationship between the two countries … [read more (PDF)]

Bruce Hoffman at The Atlantic reads Hamas’s founding documents and reminds us to believe Hamas when they say who they are—genocidal and committed to Israel’s utter destruction.

6 pm
The law firm Winston & Strawn have withdrawn their offer to hire the NYU Law Student Bar Association president after her atrocious statement in support of Hamas. Similarly, the Playboy organization have fired Mia Khalifa and removed her YT channel.

A Columbia professor posted his support of Hamas, cheering their barbaric actions.

5:03 pm
Israeli Defense Minister Gallant says Israel is moving to a “full offense” against the Gaza Strip even as the IDF and police engage in clashes with Hamas along the southern border of the country. “I have released all the restraints, we have [regained] control of the area, and we are moving to a full offense,” Gallant told troops on the Gaza border. “You will have the ability to change the reality here. You have seen the prices [being paid], and you will get to see the change. Hamas wanted a change in Gaza, it will change 180 degrees from what it thought,” Gallant said.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Israeli armoured vehicles and Merkava Mark lll and lV tanks are arriving at staging points in the north of the country near the border with Lebanon. According to the Times of Israel, Israel is preparing for months of warfare in Gaza.

President Biden said at the White House today: "DHS and FBI are working closely with state and local law enforcement...to identify and disrupt any domestic threat that could emerge in connection to these horrific attacks..."

4:45 pm
The IAF is launching an "extensive attack against terror targets" in Gaza. UN human rights chief Volker Türk reminded Israel of “the obligation to take constant care to spare the civilian population and civilian objects”.

In a briefing, US national security adviser Jake Sullivan said that 20 American citizens are currently unaccounted for in Israel, in addition to the 14 US citizens killed by Hamas. He said that it is unclear whether the 20 missing are hostages, although the White House confirmed that some Americans are hostages.

Sullivan said that the US does not have any confirmation whether Iran is directly linked to Hamas's attacks, but added that Iran is “complicit, in a broad sense” because of its historic support for the terrorist group. He said that the US intelligence community did not foresee that "an attack of this type would unfold.” He said that the US is in talks with Israel about creating an evacuation corridor for Gaza's civilians. “We are focused on this question, there are consultations going on,” he said.

New Jersey Democrat Josh Gottheimer bashed two members of his own party who called for an end to US aid to Israel amidst that country's response to Hamas terrorism. According to Fox News, Gottheimer condemned Democratic Reps. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Cori Bush of Missouri over their comments. Gottheimer, who is Jewish, noted that tthey "called for America to end assistance to Israel, despite the countless images of Israeli children, women, men, and elderly, including Americans, murdered by radical Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists."

"Families were violently pulled from their homes as hostages," Gottheimer said. "This is a deliberate and coordinated terrorist attack, savagely targeting innocent civilians."

"It sickens me that while Israelis clean the blood of their family members shot in their homes, they believe Congress should strip U.S. funding to our democratic ally and allow innocent civilians to suffer," Gottheimer said. Tlaib and Bush are members of the so-called "Squad" of socialists in the Democratic caucus, which includes Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, Greg Casar of Texas, and Summer Lee of Pennsylvania.

4:30 pm
Over the weekend, Muslims and supporters of Hamas assembled outside the iconic Sydney Opera House in Australia. Video circulated of the assembly waving Palestinian flags and chanting in unison "Gas the Jews", "Fuck the Jews", and "Allahu akbar."

4:28 pm
Professor of Modern Arab Politics and Intellectual History Joseph Massad of Columbia University described Hamas' terrorists invasion of Israel as "the Palestinian war of liberation." He described on his Electronic Intifada blog the "shocking success" of "the Palestinian resistance." Long accused of anti-Semitism, Massad applauded the "astounding," "striking," "awesome," and "innovative" "victories of the resistance."

4:11 pm
According to the Times of Israel, Israeli authorities may have identified the majority of Hamas' hostages, and is notifying families. Video is circulating of beaten and bleeding hostages who are visibly terrified and dragged through the streets of Gaza. The scenes were recorded by Hamas and shared on social media and Whatsapp groups.

According to Israeli UN ambassador Gilad Erdan, the hostages number between 100 and 150.

The Qassam brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, have threatened to execute one hostage for each new Israeli airstrike on civilian targets without warning.

The IDF claims artillery has blasted shells from Syria that have landed in Israeli territory.

Médecins Sans Frontières teams were unable to reach colleagues in Gaza today, while food, water, electricity, and gas have cut by Israel. Léo Cans of MSF said Gazans are “terrified” and in “terrible mental distress”. “There aren’t words to describe what people are going through,” he added.

An MSF statement read: "The declaration of war must not, under any circumstances, lead to collective punishment of the population of Gaza. Cutting off water, electricity and fuel supplies is unacceptable, as it punishes the entire population and deprives them of their basic needs."

Secretary of State Blinken will visit Israel on Oct. 12 and meet with Israeli leaders. State Dept spokesman Matthew Miller said, “It will be a message of solidarity and support,” in a briefing today. Miller added, "He, of course, wants to hear from the leaders of Israel, hear from them directly about the situation they’re facing ... about what they need and how we can best support them."

The EU warned Elon Musk over disinformation allegedly distributed on Twitter about Hamas' attack. The EU said fake news and “repurposed old images” were being distributed on X, which was formerly known as Twitter. Less than two months ago, the EU passed law regulating content on social media seen in the EU. If Musk, the owner of X, does not comply with the Digital Service Act, he can face a fine of 6% of his revenues from X or a total blackout in the EU.

In the letter, EU Commissioner Thierry Breton told Musk to ensure “a prompt, accurate, and complete response” to the request to contact Europol, the EU police enforcement agency and “relevant law enforcement agencies” within the next 24 hours.

Breton called on Musk to have “proportionate and effective mitigation measures to tackle the risks to public security and civic discourse stemming from disinformation”. He wrote: "Following the terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas against Israel, we have indications your platform is being used to disseminate illegal content and disinformation in the EU."

Breton added: "Public media and civil society organisations widely report instances of fake and manipulated images and facts circulating on your platform in the EU, such as repurposed old images of unrelated armed conflicts or military footage that actually originated from video games. This appears to be manifestly false or misleading information."

4:00 pm
Barack Obama tweeted on Oct. 9: "All Americans should be horrified and outraged by the brazen terrorist attacks on Israel and the slaughter of innocent civilians. We grieve for those who died, pray for the safe return of those who’ve been held hostage, and stand squarely alongside our ally, Israel.

On the same day, Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel appeared on Fox News and deemed Hamas's terrorist attacks in Israel a "great opportunity" for Republican candidates.

3:54 pm
Senate Republicans led by Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) wrote a letter to President Biden demanding that he refreeze the $6 billion in Iranian assets in South Korean banks that are supposedly to be used solely for peaceful purposes.

The money was frozen during the Trump administration after President Trump banned Iranian oil exports in 2019.

The Oct. 9 letter stated, “Your administration claims these funds are only available for humanitarian use, but money is fungible, and there is significant risk they could be used to further efforts by Iran or Hamas against Israel.” They wrote, “Moreover, allowing $6 billion to flow into Iran’s economy, even if the purpose is for humanitarian aid, allows the Iranian regime to reallocate even more funds to supporting terrorism,” they argued.

Oversight of the funds “is not enough” because “the oversight mechanism is crippled by your reported decision to pull the longstanding Treasury attaché from Qatar.”

Signatories include GOP Sens. Thom Tillis (N.C.), Steve Daines (Mont.), Rick Scott (Fla.), Kevin Cramer (N.D.), Senate Republican Whip John Thune (S.D.), James Lankford (Okla.), Mike Lee (Utah), John Cornyn (Texas), Bill Cassidy (La.), Lindsey Graham (S.C.), Katie Britt (Ala.), Tom Cotton (Ark.), Pete Ricketts (Neb.), Mike Braun (Ind.), Markwayne Mullin (Okla.), Eric Schmitt (Mo.), Ted Budd (N.C.), Marco Rubio (Fla.) and Roger Marshall (Kan.).

Just last week, Biden thanked Qatari emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani for facilitating the deal with Iran to free American hostages. The deal included the release of five Iranian nationals held in the US.

On October 8, Secretary of State Blinken claimed that the assets may have been used by terrorists, telling ABC that that “not a single dollar from that account has actually been spent to date.” Blinken claimed that the assets are “closely regulated by the Treasury Department to make sure that it’s only used for food, for medicine, for medical equipment.”

3:35 pm
Photos emerge on social media of the charred corpses of Israeli children possibly burned to death by Hamas

3:00 pm
Per Avi Mayer, an Orthodox Jewish man who preferred to remain anonymous stood quietly near the El Al counter at New York's JFK Airport yesterday. Anyone who showed him an IDF call-up notice got his ticket paid for. He paid for 250 tickets

3:00 pm
Speaking at the White House, President Biden condemned the terror attack by Hamas. "In this moment, we must be crystal clear," Biden said. "We stand with Israel. We stand with Israel." He said “vicious attacks" led to the deaths of 1,000 Israelis and at least 14 Americans.

Biden said Americans are among Hamas’ hostages in Gaza, but did not say how many. Saying that the US will offer expertise in hostage release, he added, "I have no higher priority than the safety of Americans being held hostage around the world."

Making a reference to politics in Washington DC, where Congress has no Speaker of the House, he called on Congress to take "urgent actions to fund the national security requirements of our critical partners." "This is not about party or politics," he said. "It's about the security of our world."

His remarks followed a phone call to Israeli PM Netanyahu.

Today, the IDF said it has regained control of Israeli territory after having ordered a “full siege” of Gaza. No food, water, gas, or electric power from Israel is being allowed into Gaza.

Meanwhile, Hamas has threatened to start executing hostages if Israel bombs civilian targets in Gaza.

“We are seeing the immense scale and reach of this tragedy,” Biden said. “In this moment of heartbreak, the American people stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Israelis. We remember the pain of being attacked by terrorists at home, and Americans across the country stand united against these evil acts that have once more claimed innocent American lives. It is an outrage.”

Biden said he told Netanyahu that the U.S. would “continue to make sure Israel has what it needs to defend itself and its people.”

In Tel Aviv, the family members of American hostages called on Biden to bring them home. The son of 66-year-old Adrienne Neta said Biden has a responsibility for U.S. citizens caught up in the war. “They’re responsible to bring the U.S. citizens back home, safe and sound. We expect nothing less from the U.S. administration from President Biden and Secretary of State Blinken,” he said. “I speak in the name of myself and my family and I wish for the quick solution for this terrible, terrible situation that all of us are in.”

The USS Gerald R. Ford carrier group is steaming to waters near Israel in a show of force.

2:45 pm
Students for Justice in Palestine at UVa issued an Oct 8 statement, saying Hamas brutality makes them “hopeful for the future of Palestine.”

Over the past two days, many of us have been afraid, worried, and even hopeful for the future of Palestine. Students for Justice in Palestine at UVA unequivocally supports Palestinian liberation and the right of colonized people everywhere to resist the occupation of their land by whatever means they deem necessary. We mourn the loss of human life and hope for long-lasting peace, which cannot be achieved without the firm establishment of equality and justice. In an unprecedented feat for the 21st century, resistance fighters in Gaza broke through the illegitimate border fence, took occupation soldiers hostage, and seized control of several Israeli settlements that are illegal under international law.

While the Israeli government publicly declared war today, the war and genocidal campaign against Palestinians began over 75 years ago. The Nakba started in 1948 with the ethnic cleansing of hundreds of Palestinian villages, forcing 2 million Palestinians into the Gaza Strip and expelling over 700,000 from Palestine entirely. Gaza exists as an open air prison for its residents, many of whom have lived under siege and naval blockade for much of their lives. Israel's 17 year siege of Gaza has denied Palestinians basic human rights including access to food, clean water, medical treatment, and humanitarian aid. The people of Gaza are denied freedom of movement, are under calorie restrictions, and are routinely bombed and brutalized by Israeli forces. This history shows that yesterday's rebellion was not "unprovoked," as many have claimed, but is the consequence of years of mass killings, ethnic cleansing, and oppression from Israel. The quotidian violence of Israeli occupation has left many Palestinians feeling like they have no choice but to die quietly or resist loudly.

Some place the impetus on Palestinians to be the "perfect victims" of their own colonial narrative, only resisting through nonviolent protest and appealing to the moral character of the imperialist nations that fund their colonization. We reject the assumption that oppressed people cannot take their liberation into their own hands or that outside onlookers know better than the subjects of colonial occupation what is necessary to gain their freedom.

The events that took place yesterday are a step towards a free Palestine. They reflect the power and resilience of the Palestinian people in the face of 75 years of continued brutal oppression. The occupation is unsustainable, freedom is not a matter of if, but when. We stand in solidarity with Palestinian resistance fighters and all oppressed people around the world seeking freedom and a better world.

Palestine will be free.

2:40 pm
Republicans in the U.S. Senate are calling on the Biden administration to rescind the nearly $6 billion due to Iran. Led by Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn), the GOP caucus to refreeze the Iranian assets currently frozen in South Korean banks in exchange for Americans held hostage in the Islamic Republic. The money had been frozen after President Trump banned Iranian oil exports in 2019.

In a letter to President Biden, the Republican senators asked him to stop the the $6 billion into Iran, even though the funds are only intended for humanitarian purposes. “Your administration claims these funds are only available for humanitarian use, but money is fungible, and there is significant risk they could be used to further efforts by Iran or Hamas against Israel,” said the letter. “Moreover, allowing $6 billion to flow into Iran’s economy, even if the purpose is for humanitarian aid, allows the Iranian regime to reallocate even more funds to supporting terrorism,” they wrote.

Oversight over the use of the unfrozen assets “is not enough,” they wrote, because “the oversight mechanism is crippled by your reported decision to pull the longstanding Treasury attaché from Qatar.”

Signatories include: Republican Sens. Thom Tillis (N.C.), Steve Daines (Mont.), Rick Scott (Fla.), Kevin Cramer (N.D.), Senate Republican Whip John Thune (S.D.), James Lankford (Okla.), Mike Lee (Utah), John Cornyn (Texas), Bill Cassidy (La.), Lindsey Graham (S.C.), Katie Britt (Ala.), Tom Cotton (Ark.), Pete Ricketts (Neb.), Mike Braun (Ind.), Markwayne Mullin (Okla.), Eric Schmitt (Mo.), Ted Budd (N.C.), Marco Rubio (Fla.) and Roger Marshall (Kan.).

1 pm
Israeli National Security minister Itamar Ben Gvir announced his government's purchase of 10,000 rifles to arm “civilian security teams” across Israel and the occupied West Bank.

Statement from Harvard President Claudine Gay:

As the events of recent days continue to reverberate, let there be no doubt that I condemn the terrorist atrocities perpetrated by Hamas. Such inhumanity is abhorrent, whatever one’s individual views of the origins of longstanding conflicts in the region.

Let me also state, on this matter as on others, that while our students have the right to speak for themselves, no student group — not even 30 student groups — speaks for Harvard University or its leadership.

We will all be well served in such a difficult moment by rhetoric that aims to illuminate and not inflame. And I appeal to all of us in this community of learning to keep this in mind as our conversations continue.

Claudine Gay
President, Harvard University

12:55 pm
Gallant: “Israel moving to full offense, Gaza will never return to what it was.”

12 pm
IDF says it is responding with artillery fire in Lebanon following the rocket attack on northern Israel (TOI Fabian). Lebanese channels: The IDF attacks Ba-Chhira in southern Lebanon in response to the launching of rockets towards Israel from Lebanese territory. Reporter from the Lebanese Al Mayadeen channel: 3 rocket barrages were fired from Lebanon towards Israel. An alarm was triggered at UNIFIL bases in southern Lebanon... they went to take a break in their shelter.

BLM Grassroots issues a "statement of solidarity with the people of Palestine" per DiscloseTV.

The president of the NYU Law Student Bar Association posted:

This week, I want to express, first and foremost, my unwavering and absolute solidarity with Palestinians in their resistance against oppression toward liberation and self-determination. Israel bears full responsibility for this tremendous loss of life. This regime of state-sanctioned violence created the conditions that made resistance necessary. I will not condemn Palestinian resistance. Instead...
I condemn the violence of apartheid. I condemn the violence of settler colonialism. I condemn the violence of military occupation. I condemn the violence of dispossession and stolen homes. I condemn the violence of trapping thousands in an open-air prison. I condemn the violence of collective punishment. I condemn the violence of phosphorous bombs. I condemn the violence of the United States military-industrial complex. I condemn the violence of obfuscating genocide as a "complex issue." I condemn the violence in labeling oppressed people as "animals." I condemn the violence in removing historical context. I condemn the violence of silence.
Palestine will be free.
Your SBA President,
Ryna

11:30 am
The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) addresses a message to Gazan residents and Hamas leadership, lambasting Palestinian popular support for the terror group. In a video statement, Maj. Gen. Ghassan Alian, head of COGAT, says: “Kidnapping, abusing and murdering children, women and elderly people is not human. There is no justification for that. Hamas has turned into ISIS, and the residents of Gaza, instead of being appalled, are celebrating. Human animals must be treated as such. There will be no electricity and no water [in Gaza], there will only be destruction. You wanted hell, you will get hell.”

11 am
According to the IDF, approximately 1,500 Palestinian terrorists have been killed in Israeli territory since the invasion began on Oct. 7. IDF spokesman Lt. Col. Richard Hecht said security forces had “more or less” regained control over the Gaza border.

Hecht added that no Palestinian terrorists have crossed into Israel from Gaza since Monday night, but warned of possible future infiltrations.

The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories Maj. Gen. Ghassan Alian lambasted Gazan residents, saying: “Kidnapping, abusing and murdering children, women and elderly people is not human. There is no justification for that. Hamas has turned into ISIS, and the residents of Gaza, instead of being appalled, are celebrating. Human animals must be treated as such. There will be no electricity and no water [in Gaza], there will only be destruction. You wanted hell, you will get hell.”

10:15 am
Bodies of Israeli babies, some decapitated, have been found at the southern Israeli kibbutz Kfar Azar near the Gaza border. Arriving IDF troops discovered the tiny bodies amidst torched homes, where Hamas terrorists had destroyed and strewn furnishing and burned cars. According to an i24 Israel journalist on Twitter, “Talking to some of the soldiers here, they say what they witnessed as they’ve been walking through these communities is bodies of babies with their heads cut off and families gunned down in their beds. We can see some of these soldiers right now, comforting each other.”

Kfar Aza was cruelly struck by Hamas on October 7. IDF soldiers are retrieving civilian corpses in body bags. They had not been able to retrieve them earlier because they were encountering deadly booby-traps. Israeli Major General Itai Veruv said: “You see the babies, the mothers, the fathers, in their bedrooms, in their protection rooms and how the terrorist kills them. It's not a war, it's not a battlefield. It's a massacre, it's a terror activity.

Hamas is attacking the Israeli city of Ashkelon with rocket fire as alarms rang out on Israel's northern border. Earlier, the militant group warned civilians to leave before 5pm local time.

10:11 am
First Minister Humza Yousaf of Scotland called on UK foreign secretary James Cleverley to push for a humanitarian corridor in order to evacuate civilians from Gaza.

On October 9, Yesterday, Yousaf said wife's parents are trapped in Gaza. Wife Nadia El-Nakla is of Palestinian descent and said her parents were struggling to find safe passage.

He told Cleverley that he condemned the “abhorrent terrorist actions of Hamas” and added, “collective punishment of innocent civilians cannot be justified and will do nothing to set the conditions for peace in the region”. “As a close friend and ally of Israel, I therefore ask the UK Government to call on the Government of Israel to ensure innocent civilians are protected and to put in place an immediate ceasefire to allow the safe passage of civilians through the Rafah border. Furthermore, it should open a humanitarian corridor into Gaza to allow supplies, including food, fuel, water and medical supplies, for those civilians who are trapped, helpless and cannot leave.”

More Hamas rocket strikes on cities in central Israel, including Tel Aviv, reported.

Jawad Abu Shammala and Zakaria Abu Maamar, Hamas operatives, were killed in an air strike in Khan Younis in southern Gaza Strip, Hamas revealed to Reuters. Israel confirmed the overnight strike that killed them.

The EU’s chief diplomat Josep Borrell said that the Gulf States had in a joint statement with the EU agreed on “the importance of sustained financial support for UNRWA (the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees), and to continue humanitarian and development support for the Palestinians in the occupied territories.”

Borrell added that reports are false that Germany was cancelling aid. “The German minister has clearly stated that this was not the case at all, that Germany will continue providing this support,” he said.

Israel has warned Egypt against providing aid to Gaza, saying the IAF would bomb trucks carrying supplies to the area. Shortly thereafter, trucks carrying fuel and other goods bound for Gaza via its southern border with Egypt retreated, The Rafah border crossing is closed indefinitely.

Regarding the alleged threat to Egypt, and IDF spokesman said, “No comment- all we can say is that we are following orders from the political echelons, and the ministry of defence has ordered a siege.” The IDF is subjecting Gaza to a siege, cutting all water, fuel and food supplies. UN secretary general António Guterres previously said he was “deeply distressed” by Israel’s siege of Gaza. “The humanitarian situation in Gaza was extremely dire before these hostilities; now it will only deteriorate exponentially,” Guterres said in New York City: “Medical equipment, food, fuel and other humanitarian supplies are desperately needed, along with access for humanitarian personnel.”

Guterres said the invasion of Israel “does not come in a vacuum,” and instead “grows out of a long-standing conflict, with a 56-year long occupation and no political end in sight.”

The Israeli embassy to the United States said 1,008 Israelis have been killed since Hamas forces crossed into the country. At least 11 Americans have been killed. More than 3,400 Israelis have been injured, it said.

The Israeli government has not released a breakdown of those killed in the violence.

10:05 am
Among the victims of Hamas terror is the Kedem family, consisting of a father, mother, and three young children. In a tweet, the Israeli government noted: “Tamar, Yonatan and their children Shachar, Arbel, Omer,” the caption read. “An entire family wiped out by Hamas terrorists. There are no words. May their memory be a blessing.”

Former Israeli PM Naftali Bennett reposted the photo. “An entire family murdered in cold blood,” he wrote. “Look at their happy faces. Their love. All of them murdered by Palestinian terrorists at Nir Oz kibbutz. Just because they’re Jews.”

7:24 am
Israeli PM Netanyahu’s Likud party announced that his coalition has approved the inclusion of opposition politicians. An “emergency national government” is hoped to unify a country with domestic political divisions during a crisis.

There is debate in Germany about the country's aid to Palestinian groups. Development minister Svenja Schulze announced that its “entire engagement in the Palestinian territories on the weighing scales”. Any financial help flowing to the region has been “temporarily suspended.”

However, Germany's foreign ministry, under Annalena Baerbock, sees no need to alter its programs, which it is “constantly checking that the aid sent is reaching those in need of it” and the goodwill of the Palestinian organizations it funds. In a statement, the ministry says the same standard is applied to other countries, e.g. Syria or Yemen, and claimed no German money is “finding its way to Hamas or other terrorist organizations”. The foreign ministry has committed 72 million Euros to the Palestine via German and international aid agencies, as well as the UN. Germany funds programs ranging from food to social welfare and security. In addition, development aid currently amounts to 250 million Euros.

Germany's Christian Democratic Union party is pressurising the government to review all of its aid to the region. CDU foreign policy spokesman Roderich Kiesewetter called for closer attention to be paid to whether organizations had “connections to the Palestinian Authorities, or to terror organizations like Hamas or Hezbollah”. Kiesewetter said a closer look is need even domestically, e.g. Hamburg’s Islamic Centre, which is accused of having contact with Hezbollah, and is considered to be the German operational hub of Iran’s Islamic regime. Iran stands accused of aiding the Hamas attack on Israel.

Both the CDU and the pro-business FDP, part of the government of Olaf Scholz, have recommended freezing all monies to the region until thorough checks have been carried out.

Calls for changes to other areas of foreign policy, such as Germany’s adherence to a nuclear agreement with Iran, and its acceptance of Hezbollah as the governing party in Lebanon, have also been rife in the light of the attacks. “We can’t wait for an agreement any longer, in which Iran has absolutely no interest,” Kiesewetter said. “It is no longer possible to negotiate with Iran”.

In addition, the FDP’s leadership is urging the EU to place Iran’s revolutionary guard on its list of terrorists. Baerbock has given her support for the move, but there has so far been no universal agreement on the matter amongst EU members.

Summary:

Hamas has “nowhere to hide” in Gaza, declared a statement from Israel while the IAF conducted bombing raids at 4 hour intervals. “We will reach them everywhere,” chief military spokesperson Daniel Hagari said in a briefing. The Israeli air force has announced on social media that it is “launching an extensive attack against terror targets of the terrorist organisation Hamas in the Gaza Strip”.

The UN human rights chief said on Oct. 9 that the IAF had bombed residential buildings, schools and UN buildings in Gaza, killing and wounding civilians. Gaza’s health ministry claims 770 killed and 4,000 wounded by Israeli airstrikes since Oct. 7.

Israeli media reports that Hamas fighters killed about 900 people inside Israel over the weekend. However, Israel has taken back control of the Gaza border fence breached by Palestinian Hamas terrorists, while the IDF is planting mines where the barrier was toppled. Hagari said there no new infiltrations from Gaza have been recorded since Oct. 9.

The IDF will inform 100 families that their loved ones are hostages of Hamas held in Gaza. Hamas intends to use the dozens of hostages to secure the release of Palestinians detained in Israel and overseas. Among the hostages are babies and elderly people. A video circulated by Hamas depicted the execution of a toddler.

The IAF has flown in “hundreds of IDF soldiers who were abroad” in order to contribute to “the IDF’s efforts to mobilize additional forces to continue fighting.”

UK foreign secretary James Cleverly said that Israel was focused exclusively on destroying Hamas in Gaza, and not on attacking Palestinians in general or the Arab world.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei claimed Iran was not involved in the Hamas attack on Israel, but hailed what he called Israel’s “irreparable” military and intelligence defeat. “We kiss the hands of those who planned the attack on the Zionist regime,” Khamenei said in his first televised speech since the attack. “The Zionist regime’s own actions are to blame for this disaster,” he added. The French president, Emmanuel Macron, said the comments were unacceptable. However, spokespersons for Hamas have thanked Iran for arming the terrorist group.

Acting Spanish foreign minister José Manuel Albares said Spain opposes the suspension of EU aid to Palestinians. “This cooperation must continue, we cannot confuse Hamas, which is in the list of EU’s terrorist groups, with the Palestinian population, or the Palestinian Authority or the UN organizations on the ground,” Albares said. His views were echoed by France’s foreign ministry, which issued a statement in Paris this morning saying: “We are not in favor of suspending aid that directly benefits the Palestinian people.”

The French foreign ministry has announced that four French nationals have died in the attacks, and 13 are missing. Two Spaniards are missing. The US claims that 11 Americans are confirmed dead.

Austria is arranging an evacuation of its citizens from Israel by military transport aircraft on Wednesday, chancellor Karl Nehammer said. Cyprus has said it is ready to help with the evacuation of nationals from third countries who might want to leave Israel. Brazil has also airlifted its citizens.

Eighteen Thais have been killed in the conflict, the kingdom’s government said. Nine Thais were wounded and 11 taken hostage. About 30,000 Thais work in Israel.

Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, has said Moscow and Washington have not been in contact over the escalation of the conflict.

Approximately 770 Palestinians have been killed and 4,000 wounded in Israeli airstrikes, said Gaza’s health ministry. About 18 people were killed and 100 injured in the West Bank since Oct. 7.

French president Emmanuel Macron said on Oct. 10: “I have no comment to make about the direct involvement of Iran for which we have no formal proof, but it’s clear that the public comments by Iranian authorities were unacceptable. And that it is likely that Hamas was offered help,” Reuters reported. “But I will remain careful on that point until we have stabilised intelligence.”

UN human rights chief, Volker Türk reminded Israel of “the obligation to take constant care to spare the civilian population and civilian objects”.

7:15 am
Hamas distributed video on social media depicting execution of Israeli civilians in a bomb shelter.

Over 300,000 Israeli reservists have been called to service.

Oct 10, 2023

7:12 am
The IAF announced on social media it is “launching an extensive attack against terror targets of the terrorist organisation Hamas in the Gaza Strip”.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, has announced his ministry is buying 10,000 rifles to arm “civilian security teams” across Israel and the occupied West Bank

11 pm
Senior Hamas official says they are prepared for a "long war."

8:35 pm
Hamas official says they are open to discussions over truce with Israel.

The U.S. has begun delivering critically needed munitions and military equipment to Israel. The Pentagon is reviewing inventories to see what else can be sent quickly to boost Israel in its three-day-old war with Hamas, a senior Defense Department official said. Planes have already taken off, said the official, who declined to provide details on the weapons.

 

8:34 pm

 

 

A preacher said in public at the October 8 pro-Palestine rally in New York City: "We're done being tortured and hurt and judged. This is the correct religion. This is the religion that all of humanity needs to be—Islam."

"We will not stop until it enters every home. So I want you to repeat after me. I want to hear it in every single district. It should tremble Brooklyn should hear it. The Bronx should hear it. Queens should hear it. Say it — There is no God worthy of worship except Allah. The God of Jesus, the God of Moses, the God of Abraham, and the God of the last and final prophet, Muhammed..."

3 pm
A Hamas invader used his victim's social media to livestream his murder of an Israeli grandmother.

11:30 am
The President of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, tweeted:

"As a Salvadoran with Palestinian ancestry, I'm sure the best thing that could happen to the Palestinian people is for Hamas to completely disappear.

"Those savage beasts do not represent the Palestinians.

"Anyone who supports the Palestinian cause would make a great mistake siding with those criminals.

"It would be like if Salvadorans would have sided with MS13 terrorists, just because we share ancestors or nationality.

"The best thing that happened to us as a nation was to get rid of those rapists and murderers, and let the good people thrive.

"Palestinians should do the same: get rid of those animals and let the good people thrive.

"That's the only way forward."

11:18 am
Retired US Army General and advisor to Trump administration Mike Flynn wrote on Twitter:

"Do NOT be distracted by those USG officials and Sunday talk show hard left media pundits talking about money.

"That is a massive distraction from the colossal failure of US & Israeli intelligence, diplomatic & defense officials are currently witnessing in the Middle East.

"They will say how the $6B is to address humanitarian issues. That is an utter LIE!

"Iran will spend the money however Iran wants to spend this money (PERIOD!). And they will spend it on destroying those enemies they perceive as threats — especially America, who Iran perceives as the great Satan and Israel, who Iran has emphatically stated they will wipe off the face of the earth.

"This failure is on a scale not seen since 9-11 or maybe our Pearl Harbor attack by Japan that led us into WWII. The Hamas surprise attack into Israel is massive and while the war continues to be waged, quick accountability needs to happen. If people need to be fired for their incompetence so be it. Find better people.

"The initial invasion was conducted by ground, air, sea and cyber. It was a well led, tightly coordinated and masterfully timed in order to gain huge tactical and strategic advantage. With so many hostages, Hamas still holds an advantage and tough decisions in the days ahead by the Government of Israel’s leaders must be made. The costs of war are monumental, the costs of losing a war are historic.

"An immediate question that must be addressed while simultaneously fighting this brutal war is:

"How did our US Intelligence Community not know about these attacks before they happened. There is simply NO EXCUSE! With the hundreds of people along with all the major military commands focused on this vital national security interest and ally Israel, this is inexcusable.

"My life has been in the world of “Indications and Warnings” and this system is one of the more refined, mature systems in the USIC and instead of functioning properly, there appears to be a complete meltdown. This was not a technical glitch, this was a breakdown of leadership.

"From 9-11 to this recent failure, we continue to piss away money on failure instead of putting it toward success. I’ve said many times, we get an A for participation in endless wars with no chance of victory and no clearly stated objectives. But we get an F for winning or accomplishing anything except increasing the profits for the military industrial and security state complexes and their corporate leaders and government benefactors.

"For instance, 20 years in Afghanistan and yet departing was a debacle of epic proportions with images of humans hanging off planes and literally falling from the sky.

"The situation in Ukraine has now become clear that it is a bottomless money pit where some in our government have taken criminalization of their government service to new levels. And we are in Ukraine without clearly stated objectives or even a plan.

"Our very own US border invasion by Mexican drug cartels working in cooperation with both the CCP (China) and organizations such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and other Iranian surrogates. This is resulting in American deaths in excess of 100K killed and tens of thousands more wounded by the epidemic of fentanyl and other deadly street violence.

"Lastly, the graveyard of empires, now stretching into this latest Middle East “surprise” without the warning of our massive US Intelligence system, AND it’s being reported that some Americans are among the dead and possibly captured!

"Enough of the incompetency and failure. #WeThePeople have simply had enough!

"THIS complete LACK of Leadership in the United States administration must end now!

"Lives are at stake, the economy & debt will only get worse, AND America will be the ultimate loser while China only gets stronger!

"I don’t hate anyone, I love our country. I’ve stood watch for most of my life in some of the worst places on the planet.

"IT IS TIME FOR LEADERS TO STAND UP!!! And Congress, do something, anything, but the time is now to act!"

11:00 am
Following claims by an Egyptian intelligence official that Egypt had warned of an imminent attack, Israeli PM Netanyahu's office denied it had received a warning, according to Israeli public radio. The Egyptian said: “We have warned them an explosion of the situation is coming, and very soon, and it would be big. But they underestimated such warnings.”

Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf said today parents-in-law are trapped in Gaza. “They’ve been in Gaza and are currently trapped in Gaza, I’m afraid,” he told reporters.

Arab League foreign ministers will meet this week to "stop the Israeli aggression” against the Gaza Strip, according to Reuters.

Air raid sirens blared in Jerusalem following flights of Hamas rockets fired at the holy city. Hamas said it was retribution for Israeli bombing raids on Gaza following Hamas attack on Israel.

People are taking shelter in Jerusalem, where streets are empty and army units are active.

The family of Col. Roi Levy, the commander of the elite 'Ghost' spec-ops unit, mourned his death at his funeral and burial at Mt. Hertzl Military Cemetery in Jerusalem today.

The residents of Metula, an Israeli town right near the border with Lebanon, were told by authorities to seek shelter.

10:58 am
Fist fights broke out in Seattle, Washington, between flagwaving supporters of Israel and supporters of Hamas.

10:52 am
UK PM Rishi Sunak says Britain is "poised" to help Israel militarily if asked for assisted. Pledging to provide security, diplomatic, and intelligence support, the premier said that the UK has not ruled out an evacuation of British subjects. He is convening an emergency cabinet meeting today. Home Secretary Suella Braverman said police are expected to “use the full force of the law” against displays of support for Hamas. Speaking on October 8, Braverman spoke after Hamas supporters were seen celebrating the attack on Israel over the weekend. Police patrols have been increased in areas of north London where many members of the Jewish community are based.

9:57 am
An American embassy spokesperson in Israel declared that "at this point we can confirm the death of nine American citizens. We send our deepest condolences to the victims and the families of all those affected." He noted: "We continue to closely monitor the situation and remain in contact with our Israeli partners and the local authorities. We are in contact with the families and provide all appropriate consular assistance."

Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) told Chinese President Xi Jinping that he was “very disappointed” by China's failure to strongly condemn the recent Hamas attack on Israel and show sympathy for the country and its people. Schumer is leading a delegation of six senators to China this week.

9:20 am
Itay and Hadar Berdichevsky hid their 10-month-old twins in a covert shelter as Hamas terrorists were assaulting their home. Both were murdered by Hamas. Their children were found alive by Israeli soldiers 12 hours later

9:15 am
Shani Louk, a 30-y.o. German Jewish mother of a 5-y.o. son was shot to death at a music festival on October 7 by Hamas terrorists. She was reportedly stripped and her body paraded through the streets of Gaza by Hamas. Locals spat on her body. Her body was identified in videos seen by her parents. The Washington Post reports on other such abductions of children, women, and elderly. Israeli soldiers are being summarily shot to death after surrendering to Hamas forces or while wounded.

 

9:01 am
A video appearing on social media purportedly shows a Hamas terrorist with an abducted Israeli toddler girl. There are reports women and girls have been raped and killed by the terrorists.

8:53 am
Hundreds of protesters marched in Sydney, Australia, after Israel formally declared war against Hamas in response to its surprise attack on Oct 7.

Organized by Palestine Action Group Sydney, attendees marched from the town hall to Sydney's famed Opera House on Monday arriving at 7 pm local time. Meanwhile, the landmark building was illuminated in blue and white in solidarity with besieged Israel.

Greens MP Jenny Leong said the tribute to Israel was “appalling” and added: “What about all of the Palestinian lives lost since occupation?” For his part, PM Anthony Albanese called for calm, telling local media: “I absolutely believe [the march] should not [go ahead]. I think people need to really take a step back

8:37 am
Summary:

Israeli has deployed troops against possible infiltration from Lebanon, which local media says took place near the center of the international border. “A report was received regarding the infiltration of a number of suspects into Israeli territory from Lebanese territory. IDF soldiers are deployed in the area,” said a military statement. Israel’s Army Radio gave the location as near Adamit, across from the Lebanese border towns of Aalma El Chaeb and Zahajra. Later reports claimed that two combatants were killed after crossing into Israel.

According to the Gaza Health Ministry, 560 Palestinians killed by Israeli strikes, 2,900 wounded. Drone footage shows extent of damage caused by dozens of IAF bombing raids. A mosque and apartment buildings were among the targets. Several leading Hamas military figures were reportedly killed in the strikes.

IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari said Israel is “in control” of all communities and at the moment there is no fighting inside Israe. An evacuation is under way of all border towns.

The IAF is making bombing sorties every four hours, striking hundreds of targets. Israel is only targeting places where terrorists are present, the spokesman said.

Israel is also on high alert in the north. There have been some local incidents reported in the north yesterday, but there is no fighting.

Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant said that Israel is imposing a “complete siege” on Gaza. “There is no electricity, there is no food, there is no water, there is no fuel,” he said.
Israeli airstrikes have hit the Jabalia camp in the Gaza Strip, killing more than 50 people, Al Jazeera reported.

With US input, Qatari mediators are negotiating with Hamas to free Israeli women and children in Gaza in exchange for the release of 36 Palestinian women and children from Israel’s prisons. The number of Israeli hostages held by the terrorists is not yet clear.

Tomorrow, the EU will hold an extraordinary meeting of the foreign ministers in Oman. A EU spokesperson said that none of the €200 million in financial assistance for the Palestinian people granted this year went to Hamas, but has not had dialogue with Hamas since 2007.“The priority right now is for the aggression by Hamas to stop. The hostages need to be released, and we need to see the overall escalation of the situation ended. Ministers are going to discuss the position on next steps of the European Union in all the aspects,” said a spokesperson for EU foreign representative Josep Borrell.

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said negotiations on a two-state solution are the only way forward once hostilities have ended.

Austria is suspending aid amounting to about €19m (£16.5m, $20m) for Palestinians, said foreign minister Alexander Schallenberg.

Arab League Chief Ahmed About Gheit, in a meeting with Russian FM Lavrov said Israel can expect more wars if it does not change its policy toward Palestine.

According to Tass, Lavrov said. “We confirmed our position on the unacceptability of any violence, the unacceptability of causing damage and death to civilians, no matter what side they are on, and the unacceptability of taking women and children hostage. The League and the Russian Federation, in parallel, call for an immediate cessation of any hostilities, any violence and a transition to negotiations.”

8:30 am
800 Israelis have been killed.
2,500 Israeli have been injured.
Over 130 hostages in Gaza.

8:23 am
The IDF announced that military reservists have been called to active duty, increasing from 100K to more than 300K.

The IDF announced this morning that all settlements and facilities near the Gaza Strip border have been secured. While there is no active fighting currently, the IDF believes terrorists are still in-country.

Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant has ordered a “Total Siege” of the Gaza Strip that bars food, fuel, and electricity to the enclave. Gallant further stated, “We are Fighting with Human Animals and we will act accordingly.”

Pro-Palestinian demonstrations were noted in Washington DC, New York City, Sydney Australia, Barcelona Spain, Rotterdam Netherlands, and Cologne Germany.

Oct 9, 2023

6:36 am
Middle East Monitor reports that President Biden had approved release of $75 million dollar aid to Palestine just hours before Hamas's terrorist attack on Israel. Secretary of State Blinken approved the release of $75 million in crucial food assistance for Palestinians just hours before the funds were set to be redistributed elsewhere.

UNRWA has been a frequent target of Republicans. After he assumed office, President Joe Biden reversed ex-President Donald Trump’s efforts to squeeze off funding to the UN agency and Palestinians generally.

6:25 pm
The Wall Street Journal reports: "Iranian security officials helped plan Hamas’s Saturday surprise attack on Israel and gave the green light for the assault at a meeting in Beirut last Monday, according to senior members of Hamas and Hezbollah, another Iran-backed militant group."

4:41 pm: Summary
At approximately 10pm local time in Gaza, explosions are lighting up the night sky in the last hour as the IAF continues to make bombing sorties.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has ordered the USS Gerald R Ford carrier to head its “strike group” closer to Israel following Hamas’s “heinous” attacks.

President Biden told Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu that “additional assistance for the Israeli Defense Forces is now on its way to Israel with more to follow over the coming days.”

The United Nations World Food Programme wants humanitarian corridors established to deliver food into Gaza following Israeli air strikes in response to Hamas’s attacks.

UK premier Rishi Sunak told Netanyahu that Britain stands with Israel “unequivocally against these acts of terror,” but that “no-one wants to see regional escalation.”

Hezbollah combantants, who receive support from Iran, have been seen approaching Israel's border with neighboring Lebanon.

Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi said Iran supports Palestine: “Iran supports the legitimate defence of the Palestinian nation” and added “the Zionist regime and its supporters are responsible for endangering the security of nations in the region.”

Israel said 800 Hamas targets have been struck in Gaza since the Palestinian militant attacks started on October 7. Hundreds of Hamas fighters have been killed, and dozens more captured.

The UN’s relief agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, claims thousands of people are sheltering in its 44 schools around Gaza and food distribution for more than 112,000 families was put on hold.

Up to 100 Israeli hostages, including women and children, may have been taken into Gaza by Hamas, hugely complicating any Israeli military operation to free them. The US government is investigating reports of American hostages also being taken, as well as some other nationalities. Hamas is distributing videos of Israeli women being abducted.

Israel's death toll rose to at least 600, including 44 soldiers. In Gaza, officials reported at least 413 deaths.

Israeli PM Netanyahu said Israel is at war and would exact a heavy price from its enemies. Hamas leaders said they were prepared for further escalation.

The IDF stated that the Israeli military has killed “hundreds of terrorists” and captured dozens captured during street fighting.

As a wider war was expected, UN secretary general, António Guterres, urged “all diplomatic efforts to avoid a wider conflagration”.

 

2:44 pm
Israel's ambassador told reporters ahead of a UN Security Council meeting on Sunday that Hamas's attacks on Israel are war crimes. Ambassador Gilad Erdan said it is time to "obliterate" Hamas' military infrastructure.

Hamas is the Gaza branch of ISIS, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said. "In this war, we are fighting against a murderous terrorist organization that harms the women, infants and the elderly," Gallant tweeted, adding: "We will fight it as we fight against criminal terrorists, and we will win."

 

President Joe Biden told Israeli PM Netanyahu that the US is sending additional assistance for the Israeli Defense Forces.

Precision strikes by the IDF have struck multiple Hamas observation posts and combat positions, according to an IDF statement.

Iran supports Hamas, said Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in a statement. According to a Tasnim news agenc report, he said that "the Zionist regime and its supporters are responsible for instability in the region."

Hezbollah combatants are approaching the Israeli Border, according to the Jerusalem desk of Jewish News 24.

2:30 pm
Journalist Hananya Naftali posted a video of an Israeli family apparently being held hostage by Hamas terrorists. A man and a woman, a boy and a girl are in view. The boy sobs uncontrollably while the girl says she can't believe her sister is dead. Blood can be seen on the hands of the man being held hostage.

2:26 pm
An Israeli father wept openly and begged for his daughter's life. She was abducted by Hamas terrorists, who swept her away on a motorbike to parts unknown. Dozens of other Israelis have been abducted. Children, too. The British press issued a still from a video of the abduction in which the young woman cried, "Don't kill me!"

2:00 pm
The Democratic Socialists of America held a rally in NYC's Times Square in solidarity with the Hamas terrorists who invaded Israel on October 7. The party boasts as many as six U.S. House of Representatives as members, including Reps. Jamaal Bowman of New York, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Greg Casar of Texas, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, Cori Bush of Missouri, and Ilhan Omar of Minnesota. All of them caucus with the Democratic Party.

The Democratic Socialist Party of America announced its rally on Twitter, saying, “In solidarity with the Palestinian people and their right to resist 75 years of occupation and apartheid.” In a series of missives, the New York City chapter tweeted: “Today’s events are a direct result of Israel’s apartheid regime—a regime that receives billions in funding from the United States.”

Rep/ Ocasio-Cortez is a bitter critic of Israel and has referred to the “occupation of Palestine.” During the 2018 Hamas-organized Gaza border riots she accused Israel of a “massacre.”

In 2020, Ocasio-Cortez praised at least 10 antisemitic groups in a letter she signed along with other Democrats opposed to Israel’s possible annexation of parts of Judea and Samaria.

Rep. Omar, a Muslim native of Somalia, tweeted in 2019: “It’s all about the Benjamins baby” in reference to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and accused Israel of “hypnotizing” the world. She also sponsored a House resolution equating boycotting Israelis to boycotting Nazis. Omar was voted “Antisemite of the Year” in a poll sponsored by the watchdog group StopAntisemitism.org.

1:55 pm
The spokesman of Izzuddin Al-Qassam Brigades, Abu Obaidah, said: “We thank the Islamic Republic of Iran who provided us with weapons, money and other equipment! He gave us missiles to destroy Zionist fortresses, and helped us with standard anti-tank missiles!”

1:17 pm
The UK issued a travel advisory advising against all but essential travel to Israel and Palestine.

Britons requiring consular assistance should call the following numbers: +972 (0)3 725 1222 or +972 (2) 5414100. If you experience technical difficulties with these or if you are in the UK, call +44 20 7008 5000, the advisory said. The UK Foreign Ministry warned that the international air and land borders in Israel and Palestine may close at “short notice.” “The security situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories can be fast moving, tense and unpredictable. You should be vigilant at all times and keep up to date with local media and travel reports. Terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Attacks could be indiscriminate, including places visited by foreigners including the Old City in Jerusalem, on public transport, and in busy public spaces,” it added.

12:30 pm
Israeli ambassador to the US Michael Herzog said that there was an “element of surprise” in the Hamas attacks. He said that Israel “will have enough time to investigate once we conclude that war in victory.” Herzog told CBS’s Face The Nation: “We suspect Iranian hands behind the scenes, as you know Hamas and Iran are closely tied. Iran provides a material support, funding weapons to Hamas. They are tied in what they call the Axis of Resistance, of course, resistance to the existence of the State of Israel. They are part of the same coalition. So, as far as we are concerned, this is an Iranian led coalition and we suspect that Iran is involved.”

As to whether Israel will retaliate against Iran, he said. “I’m not going to say what exactly Israel is going to do. But I will just say that whoever strikes Israel, we’ll strike back.”

AFP reported that Iranian president Ebrahim Raisii said the Islamic Republic supports Palestinians’ right to self-defense. He said, “Iran supports the legitimate defense of the Palestinian nation.” On Iranian state television, Raisii said, “The Zionist regime and its supporters are responsible for endangering the security of nations in the region, and they must be held accountable in this matter.” He also urged Muslims to support Palestine.

Foreign Secretary Alicia Bárcena of Mexico said two Mexican citizens, a man and a woman, have allegedly been taken hostage by Hamas in Gaza yesterday. "We are in contact with authorities in Israel and family members to provide follow-up, support and care,” Bárcena said.

One French citizen has been killed amid the ongoing violence in Israel and Gaza, Reuters reported on October 8. French president Emmanuel Macron condemned Hamas’s attacks against Israel and talked to Israeli PM Netanyahu, Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas and other regional leaders.

12:00
Israel struck 800 Hamas targets in Gaza, killing hundreds of Hamas terrorists, said an Israeli military spokesperson. Dozens Hamas operatives have been captured.

Former US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said: “It’s not Israel that needs America. America needs Israel.” The Republican presidential candidate said, “Americans need to remember, it’s not that Israel needs America. America needs Israel. Israel is the front line of defense for the Iranian regime and terrorists that want to hurt us and want to hurt our friends and we need to be honest with the American people about that,” said Haley.

11:00 am
Hamas distributes video of Israeli children abducted by the terrorists and now held in Gaza. The toddlers are being kept in cages.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy spoke with Israeli PM Netanyahu to offer Ukraine’s solidarity. In a Sunday tweet, Zelenskiy expressed his condolences for the victims in the ongoing attacks. “The Prime Minister informed me of the current situation and the actions of Israel’s Defense Forces and law enforcement to repel the attack. I noted the cooperation between the Israeli police and Ukrainian diplomats with regard to the safety and protection of Ukrainian citizens in Israel,” he added.

Major airlines cancelled dozens of flights to Tel Aviv as fighting continued. American Airlines, Air France, Lufthansa, Emirates, Iberia, Air Canada, and Ryanair were among those pulling flights to Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport. However, commercial air links with Israel’s second international airport at Eilat, a tourist destination on the Red Sea, continue.

The Israeli flag carrier El Al is maintaining its Tel Aviv flights for now, though some flights operated by foreign partners had been cancelled.

The UN’s relief agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, said thousands of people were sheltering in 44 Gaza schools around Gaza. Distribution of food to over 112,000 families was put on hold.

10:30 am
The German government said it's reviewing its hundreds of millions of euros of aid to Palestine following its attack on Israel. Development Minister Svenja Schulze claimed Germany had always been careful to check that the money was only used for peaceful purposes. “But these attacks on Israel mark a terrible fracture,” she said. “We will now review our entire engagement for the Palestinian territories.” Germany will discuss how development in the region could best be served, and coordinate with international partners, she said. Armin Laschet, chancellor candidate for conservatives in the last election said, "All of Europe, all 27 states, must now say: we need a new start and we will no longer finance terrorists,” while calling for an end to EU cooperation with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who is based in the West Bank.

Gregor Gysii of the Left party said Hamas, and not all Palestinians, were responsible for the attack.

IDF spokesman Lt Col Jonathan Conicus said as many as 100 Israelis, including women and children, may have been abducted and taken into Gaza by Hamas. Video is being circulated by Hamas of bloodied Israeli soldiers and civilians - some hooded and with their hands tied – being frog-marched away by Hamas terrorists to whereabouts unknown.

Israeli PM Netanyahu held discussions with German chancellor Olaf Scholz, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni, and British PM Rishi Sunak. His office said all expressed support for Israel’s right to defend itself “as much as it takes.”

The United States is seeking to verify reports that Americans were killed in Israel, acording to Secretary of State Blinken. He called the attack the worst since the 1973 Yom Kippur War, “but there’s a fundamental difference. That was a war that was state-to-state, country-to-country, army-to-army. This is a massive terrorist attack that is gunning down Israeli civilians in their towns, in their homes.” He added, “As we’ve seen so graphically, they’re literally dragging people across the border with Gaza, including a Holocaust survivor in a wheelchair, women and children. So you can imagine the impact this is having throughout Israel and the world should be revolted at what it has seen.”

Two Argentines and are reported dead and two Brazilians are missing since the outbreak. Rodolfo Fabián Skariszewski, a 56-year-old father-of-three from Córdoba in Argentina was reportedly killed in Moshav Ohad, a village near the Gaza Strip, while walking his dog on Oct. 7. Argentine president, Alberto Fernández increased state security for Argentina's Jewish community, and condemned what he called Hamas’ “brutal terrorist attack”.

A second Argentine, named as Abi Korin, was also killed, according to the ArgentineJewish News Agency (AJN). Korin lived at the Holit kibbutz, also near Gaza.

At least two Brazilians have also been reported missing including a 24-year-old from Porto Alegre called Ranani Glazer. Glazer had been attending a local edition of the Brazilian psychedelic trance festival “Universo Paralello” near the Gaza border when it was attacked. He reportedly fled to a nearby shelter before disappearing. “Nobody knows where he is,” his friend, David Hodara Hodz, told the Brazilian news website G1.

A witness told Estado de São Paulo newspaper that she and boyfriend looked up at the sky at 6:30 am on October 7 and saw incoming missiles. She said some people fled on foot or automobile but others sheltered in place because they did not know there was also an assault on land.

9:00 am
Israel's schools will remain closed until at least Tuesday night. Businesses south of Netanya and north of the central Negev could only be opened if there was access to bomb shelters. Outdoor gatherings are restricted 10 people and indoors gatherings restricted to 50 in those areas.

9:28 am
Donald Trump Jr. tweeted: "If you’re cheering on the slaughter and rape of innocent women and children even from the sidelines
ou’re an enemy combatant whether you pick up a gun or not."

Summary:

IDF is battling Hamas on the streets of southern Israel while launching strikes that leveled buildings in Gaza, more than 24 hours after Hamas launched a surprise attack and unprecedented incursion into Israel that is the deadliest since the Yom Kippur War.

Israeli media reports at least 600 Israelis were killed, including 44 soldiers, and more than 2,000 wounded. 313 Palestinians were killed, including 20 children, and nearly 2,000 wounded as a result of airstrikes in Gaza since Saturday, the Palestinian authority said. Seven people were also killed by Israeli army fire in the West Bank.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the country was at war and would exact a heavy price from its enemies. Hamas and Hezbollah leaders said they are prepared for further escalation.

IDF said “hundreds of terrorists” had been killed and dozens captured as the fighting continued on Oct. 8.

In northern Israel, a brief exchange of strikes between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group, also funded by Iran, piqued fears of a broader conflict. Hezbollah has already vowed to go to war with Israel should the Jewish State invade Gaza.

In Egypt, a policeman shot dead two Israeli tourists and an Egyptian at a tourist site in Alexandria.

The UN Security Council is due to meet on Sunday after the secretary general, António Guterres, urged “all diplomatic efforts to avoid a wider conflagration”.

Briton Jake Marlowe, 26, went missing early on Oct 7 after an attack on an outdoor dance party near the Israeli kibbutz of Reim. His mother said he was providing security at the rave. Mother Lisa Marlowe told Jewish News, "He was doing security at this rave and called me at 04:30 to say all these rockets were flying over,” she said. “Then, at about 05:30, he texted to say, ‘signal very bad, everything OK, will keep you updated I promise you,’ and that he loves me.”

She said his phone was on but she could not reach him.

7:30 am
France has stepped up visible security around synagogues and Jewish schools following Hamas attacks in Israel, according to French PM Élisabeth Borne. She told BFMTV: “We have stepped up security at places of worship and at the schools. There is no specific threat at this stage, but we will remain extremely vigilant.”

7:13 am
A US-based group that opposes anti-Semitism has revealed that an editor at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation has issued directives to journalists concerning coverage of Hamas' invasion of Israel. According to StopAntiSemitism.org: "We have just obtained what appears to be a leaked email written by CBC (Canadian Broadcast Corp) employee George Achi instructing reporters to: 1. not to mention Gaza has not been occupied since 2005. 2. not refer to Palestinian terrorists as terrorists . If true, this employee, must be fired." Achi is the Director of Journalistic Standards at CBC, the newsite that is subsidized by the Canadian government.

7:08 am
The Democratic Socialists of the US announced on Twitter that it is organizing a rally in support of the Hamas terrorist invasion of Israel at Times Square in New York City at 1 pm today.

7:00 am
Israel has killed “hundreds of terrorists” and captured dozens while engaged in combat with Hamas terrorists who invaded the country on October 7.

Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari told reporters that Hamas had launched an unprecedented assault, killing hundreds of Israelis and taking hostages into Gaza while firing thousands of rockets.

Meanwhile, Israel Defense Forces have launched airstrikes throughout Gaza and levelled buildings.

Pope Francis called for end to attacks and violence in Israel , telling people assembled outside St. Peter's Basilica that war would not solve any problems. “War is a defeat, only a defeat. Let’s pray for peace in Israel and Palestine,” the pope said in his weekly address.

The Guardian reported that dozens of people are registering at a missing persons center at a police station near Ben Gurion airport, getting DNA swabs.

Two Israeli tourists and an Egyptian national have been shot dead in the northern Egyptian city of Alexandria by a police official, according to the news website Cairo24. The attack occured at the Serapeum of Alexandria, an ancient Roman monument.

The newsite, which has links to the Egyptian intelligence services, said a police officer working with the security service in the area fired shots “from his personal weapon” at an Israeli tour group that was visiting the shrine.

“The police officer was immediately arrested and legal proceedings will be taken against him,” they said. One injured person was transferred to hospital for treatment.

In recent years, bilateral Israel and Egypt relations have improved. Egyptian officials, including top intelligence official Abbas Kamel, have mediated with Palestinian militant groups in an effort to cool relations in Gaza, despite Egypt closing its border with the Gaza Strip.

Hamas attacked a rave party during the morning hours on October 7. The outdoor rave had drawn hundreds of people near Israeli kibbutz of Reim. Video on social media showed dozens of people running through fields and along a road, escaping militants as gun shots were heard. “The music stopped and there was a rocket siren,” a young woman named Ortal told Israel’s N12 News television. “Suddenly out of nowhere, they started shooting.”

On October 8, Israeli families continued to search for young people who were missing from the party.

The Israeli embassy in London confirmed to the BBC that a British citizen, Jack Marlowe, was missing. The BBC reported that his mother said he had been working as security staff at the dance party.

October 8, 2023

 

11:15 am as reported

— SHIN BET announces the murder of 5 staff in the Gaza area by Hamas murderers.

— GENERAL GAL HIRSCH appointed by PM to be in charge of abducted and missing citizens. General Hirsch has a history of innovation and effectiveness, and being pushed out for political battles.

— ATTEMPTED TERROR ATTACK HOD HASHARON… terrorists on motorcycles stopped at Eden Junction.

— CONCERN OVER STOLEN AMBULANCE, POSSIBLY HEADED TO JERUSALEM. An ambulance stolen in the Gaza area may be headed towards Jerusalem.

— REPORTS OF GUNFIRE, Kibbutz KARMIA.

9:30 am
IDF: Two of Israel's elite commanders, many officers killed

9 am as reported
— ISRAELI HACKERS ATTACK AL JAZEERA … “Silencers of Evil” is both attacked to penetrate and kill their servers and using a denial of service attack to reduce their capacity to be viewed.

— POLICE & VILLAGE ARMORIES ORDERED OPENED … Minister of Security Ben-Gvir has ordered the opening of police armories, arming all volunteer police … All private licenses in processing are to be extremely expedited.

— ALL NORTHERN VILLAGES NEAR GAZA DECLARED CLOSED MILITARY ZONE … all residents to be evacuated, tanks are being deployed.

— ANTI-AIR FROM GAZA? Gaza news reports firing of anti-aircraft missiles at Israeli aircraft. Provided pictures seem to confirm it. No statement from the IDF on the matter, no reported aircraft hit.

— IDF NAVY shelling Gaza port. Boats seen burning.

Hundreds of bodies of young people were collected from the site of a rave.

8 am
Death toll from Hamas's terrorist attack on Israel rises to 600 per Channel 13 news. Health Ministry says more than 2,000 wounded.

7 am
Spokesperson of Izzuddin Al-Qassam Brigades, Abu Obaidah:

“We thank the Islamic Republic of Iran who provided us with weapons, money and other equipment! He gave us missiles to destroy Zionist fortresses, and helped us with standard anti-tank missiles!”

6:28 am
Hamas distributed a video on social media depicting an abducted Israeli child being taunted by Muslims in Gaza with cries of 'Little Jew', as he was manhandled by adults and children.

According to Israel's health ministry, at least 250 Israelis have died in Hamas attacks,more than 1,590, Israelis have been wounded.
At least 230 Palestinians have been killed and 1,610 wounded in Gaza by Israeli retaliation after the Hamas attack.
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel is “embarking on a long and difficult war” and that the first stage had just begun.
Israeli civilians and soldiers are being held hostage in Gaza, a spokesperson for the Israeli defense forces confirmed. The number of hostages and prisoners is not confirmed.

Oct 8, 2023

8:00 pm
Summary: Israel’s security cabinet finished its meeting. PM Netanyahu’s office has approved steps to destroy the military and governmental capabilities of Hamas and Islamic Jihad “for many years,” including cutting electricity and fuel supplies and the entry of goods into Gaza. Energy Minister Israel Katz said in a statement, “It’s not going to be how it was.” Gaza is largely reliant on Israel for its power.

From 10–11 pm, the Empire State Building in NYC was illuminated with the colors of the Israeli flag. In Berlin, the city's iconic Brandenburg Gate was illuminated with the colors and flag of Israel.

The IDF banned anyone from entering Gaza and “asks the public to be vigilant”. Israeli ighter jets attacked three Hamas operational headquarters, and the Israeli Navy fended off an attack by seven terrorists in the area of ??Zikim beach in the territory of Israel.

Israeli broadcaster Kan has reported that an Israeli couple being held hostage in Ofakim has been rescued, with three soldiers “moderately and lightly wounded” and the hostage takers killed.

Israeli forces regained complete control of the police station in the city of Sderot, killing 10 terrorists were killed.
The Barzilai hospital in Ashkelon was hit by Hamas rockets. No casualties were reported. Doctors had already moved patients to safety.
Reportedly, Hamas has fired at least 5,000 rockets into Israel and scored direct hits.

4:33 pm
Saudi Arabia said its foreign minister had told Secretary of State Blinken that the kingdom rejects the targeting of unarmed civilians “in any way”. Prince Faisal bin Farhan called for “concerted efforts to calm the situation and avoid further violence,” the Saudi foreign ministry said in a statement.

In a call with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged the Palestinian Authority to restore calm and stability in the West Bank. Blinken “reiterated the United States’ unequivocal condemnation of the terrorist attacks by Hamas against Israel, and called on all leadership in the region to condemn them,” a State Department spokesperson said.

“The Secretary urged the Palestinian Authority to continue and enhance steps to restore calm and stability in the West Bank,” a spokesperson said.

4:27 pm
Video appears on social media purportedly showing a drone dropping an explosive device on an Israeli Merkava tank. The tank was destroyed, as seen in other video. This is an innovation for Hamas. Russia and Ukraine have experience using drones as delivery vehicles for explosives in current war in Ukraine.

4:15 pm
The IAF destroyed a tower block in Gaza City this morning following Hamas invasion of Israel, which included rocket attacks on Tel Aviv, Ben Gurion Airport. Rocket attacks continued this evening.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has offered a unity government after declaring a state of war. Opposition leader Yair Lapid vows Israel is united. Netanyahu made the offer after meeting with Lapid and National Unity party leader Benny Gantz, according to The Times of Israel.

Egypt is talking to Saudi Arabia and Jordan to defuse Palestinian-Israeli the conflict, according to the Egyptian foreign ministry. Egyptian FM Sameh Shoukry phoned his Saudi and Jordanian counterparts and called for “uniting international and regional efforts” to contain the escalating violence, a statement read.

Israeli PM Netanyahu vowed “mighty vengeance” against Hamas, as Hezbollah vows to fight Israel if the IDF invades Gaza. In an address, Netanyahu said Hamas would be held responsible for the well-being of the captives and said Israel would settle the score with anyone who harmed them. Video distributed by Hamas showed an Israeli mother and her daughters being roughly treated as they were abducted amid the cheers and taunts of passersby in Gaza.

At least 250 people in Israel killed and around 232 people killed in Gaza Strip today. According to Israeli officials, at least 1,800 are wounded or injured. The Red Crescent said 92 people had been injured in the West Bank. On Israeli television, family members of the dead, and of dozens of missing people taken hostage by Hamas, described how their homes and communities had been attacked while families slept.

Video emerged on social media of Hamas terrorists shooting civilians and vehicles this morning in Sderot, firing wildly.

4:11 PM
Following an attack on Sderot, a group of Hamas terrorists was seen returning to Gaza in what is apparently a Hummer military vehicle.

3:48 pm
Reporter Hananya Naftali reports Hamas missiles are landing in Tel Aviv. And that mosques in Jerusalem are calling on Muslims over loudspeakers to fight against Israel.

3:44 pm
Actress Roseanne Barr tweets in response to President Biden's declaration of solidarity with Israel: "Did you apologize for giving 6 billion dollars to Iran to pay for this attack?"

3:36 pm
Former Israeli PM Naftali Bennett heeded call to reserve duty.

Channel 11 reporter reported live that police station in Sderot police station is being held by Hamas terrorists, who are being engaged by IDF. The local Israeli commander, after suffering for some time from gunfire from the building, just ordered the building destroyed with the terrorists inside.

Official Israeli sources say that the toll of wounded and injured Israelis has risen to 1,452. Health ministry says 18 in critical and 267 in serious condition.

As Israel is now under home front emergency regulation, the IDF is preparing for a major ground operation.

Hamas terrorists took hostages at a concert.

Israel stopped providing electricity to Gaza indefinitely, according to Energy Minister Katz. Gaza has only a few hours of gas left.

IAF has dropped at least 16 tons of munitions.

11:48 am

The War So Far:

Summary: Hamas terrorists launched an attack on Israel early Saturday morning, launching thousands of rockets, and invading on foot and via ultralight aircraft. Hamas rockets made direct hits in Ashkelon and elsewhere in Israel. Israel reports at least 70 Israelis killed and hundreds wounded and injured. Reportedly, severl kibbutz were seized by Hamas, which is now engaged by Israeli defense forces. Israel has confirmed that an undetermined number of soldiers have been captured and that civilians have been taken hostage by Hamas.

What? When? Where?

Hamas started "Operation Al-Aqsa Flood” against Israel. It is the most serious escalation since Israel and Hamas fought an 11-day war in 2021.
Hamas said it fired 5,000 rockets as its combatants entered Israel via land, sea and air.
The first round of rockets was fired at 6:30am local time (03:30 GMT).
The Israeli army has since launched “Operation Iron Swords” in retaliation, and has called up reservists. The Israeli air force has flown bombing sorties on numerous targets in Gaza.
The attack happened on Simchat Torah, a Jewish holy day which falls towards the conclusion of the weeklong Jewish festival known as Sukkot, or the Feast of Tabernacles.
The rockets were fired as far north as Tel Aviv, while terrorists also entered the country along its southern border.
Terrorists opened fire on passers-by in the town of Sderot. Images are circulating on social media of dead elderly Israelis who were killed while waiting for a bus. There is also footage of alleged abduction of Israeli civilians.
Video distributed by Hamas showed gunfights on city streets as well as terrorists roaming the countryside in jeeps. There are claims that Hamas has seized multiple Israeli civilian population centers, where residents were begging for help from their government. The IDF released a statement saying that special forces have been deployed to relieve the captives.
Dozens of Israeli fighter jets carried out attacks on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip.
There are now armed engagements in the towns of Kfar Aza, Sderot, Sufa, Nahal Oz, Magen, Be’eri, and the Re’im military base, according to the Times of Israel. Israeli media reported on gunbattles between bands of Palestinian fighters and security forces in towns in southern Israel. Israel’s police chief said there were “21 active scenes” in southern Israel.
Al Jazeera reported that Israeli forces surrounded a house in the Ofakim settlement and negotiations are under way with Palestinian fighters who are allegedly holding hostages.

Casualties

Gaza authorities claim at least 160 Palestinians were killed and more than 1,000 wounded.
Israeli health officials said at least 40 Israelis have been killed and 750 wounded in Hamas attacks.

Justifications

Hamas spokesperson Khaled Qadomi has Al Jazeera that the terrorists were responding to alleged atrocities committed by Israel on Palestinians over the decades.
“We want the international community to stop atrocities in Gaza, against Palestinian people, our holy sites like Al-Aqsa. All these things are the reason behind starting this battle,” he said.
“This is the day of the greatest battle to end the last occupation on Earth,” Mohammed Deif, the Hamas military commander said, adding that 5,000 rockets were launched.
“Everyone who has a gun should take it out. The time has come,” Deif said, according to reports.
Hamas called on “the resistance fighters in the West Bank” as well as “our Arab and Islamic nations” to join the battle, in a statement posted on Telegram.

The Israeli army warned Israelis who live near Gaza to stay in their homes or head to shelters.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his country is in a war it “will win”.
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said Israel “will win this war.” Hamas, he said, had made a “grave mistake this morning and launched a war against the State of Israel”.

The Israeli Ministry of Education says all schools will remain closed across the country on Sunday, while Gaza's Ministry of Health in Gaza issued a call for blood donations at hospitals.

International Reaction

The EU, UK, and US have all condemned the terrorist attacks. For its part, Egypt warned of “grave consequences” should Israel escalate the conflict. The government-sponsored news site released a statement from the foreign ministry that called for “exercising maximum restraint and avoiding exposing civilians to further danger”.

Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah issued a statement on Saturday saying it was closely following the situation in Gaza and was in “direct contact with the leadership of the Palestinian resistance”. There were celebrations in Iran in celebration of the attacks.

11:42 am
Russian geopolitical analyst Alexander Dugin writes on Twitter that Hamas has no chance to win the current war but that Israel has no reason to fight. He predicts a "chain reaction" to the war in Gaza. He writes:

"In the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, it is difficult - at least for now - for Russia to choose one side. There are pros and cons in every configuration. Ties with the Palestinians are ancient and, of course, victims, but Israel's right flank also tries to pursue a neutrally friendly policy towards Russia and, in doing so, deviates from the wild and unequivocal Russo-phobia of the collective West. Much will now depend on how events unfold in the future.

"Yes, and of course we must not lose sight of the eschatological dimension of events. The Palestinians have called their operation the 'Al-Aqsa Storm', i.e. the tension around Jerusalem and the messianic (for Israel) horizon of building the Third Temple on the Temple Mount (impossible without demolishing the Al-Aqsa Mosque, an important Muslim shrine) is growing again. The Palestinians are trying to ignite the eschatological sensibilities of Muslims - both Shiites, who are increasingly sensitive to this issue, and Sunnis (after all, they are no strangers to the reasons for the end of the world and the final battle). Israel and Zionism are the Dajjal for Muslims.

"To what extent this is serious, we shall soon see, but in any case it is clear that those who ignore eschatology will not understand anything about great modern politics. And not only in the Middle East, although it is more evident there."

11:32 am
According to Israeli Brig. Gen Daniel Hagari, “There are hostages and prisoners of war that Hamas took. There are also deaths among IDF soldiers. We don't have an exact number yet - we are at war,” he said.

Israeli Emergency Services estimates about 70 people are now dead in Israel, with hundreds seriously injured, during Saturday's surprise attack from Gaza terrorists. Hamas launched over 2000 rockets and launched combatants flying ultralight aircraft and by sea and land. In Gaza, at least 198 Palestinians have been killed, with 1,610 injured, according to the Palestinian health ministry said. Israel launched air strikes on Gaza in response to the attack, as Netanyahu vowed to "exact a huge price from the enemy."

11:28 am
Iran stated that if Israel’s Defense Forces begin a ground war in Gaza, then Iranian-funded Hezbollah will infiltrate Israel. Hezbollah has 100,000 stockpiled weapons. In Tehran's Palestine Square, free lemonade was distributed to passersby in celebration of the invasion, according to official Mehr News.

Israel has authorized a ground war in Gaza that has been dubbed Operation Iron Swords.

11:15 am

According to the Palestinian health ministry, at least 198 Palestinians were killed in Gaza on Saturday, but did not specify whether they were civilians or combatants. Likewise, there were 1,610 injured, the Palestinian health ministry in Gaza said.

Israeli Maj. Gen. Ghassan Alian said that Hamas had "opened the gates of hell" with its surprise attack. He said, ”I want to say one thing — Hamas has opened the gates of hell into the Gaza Strip. Hamas made the decision, and Hamas will bear the responsibility and pay for its deeds."

11:12 am
President Joe Biden tweeted, "Today, I spoke with Israel PM [Benjamin Netanyahu] about the appalling Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel. I offered our support and reiterated my unwavering commitment to Israel’s security. "

11:08 am
According to Al Jazeera political analyst Marwan Bishara, the surprise attack by Hamas on Israel will transform the Mideast and various stakeholders worldwide. “You could say that we’ve just lived through 10 hours that shocked Israel and the Middle East. These are a dramatic 10 hours that are a game changer in this region,” he said.

“They will transform and reverse much of the strategic military and political calculus of both Palestinians and Israelis, as well as most of the countries involved in this whether through partnership or normalisation or as enemies of Israel,” Bishara said.

11:05 am
Acting US Ambassador to Israel Stephanie Hallett tweeted: "I condemn the indiscriminate rocket fire by Hamas terrorists against Israeli civilians. I am in contact with Israeli officials, and fully support Israel's right to defend itself from such terrorist acts."

11:00 am
Images emerged on social media of elderly Israelis shot dead as they waited for a bus on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath. At least four corpses were seen at a bus stop in Israel.

10:54 am
Hamas distributes video showing terrorists going door-to-door looking for Israelis at Kibbutz Be'eri near Israel's border with Gaza. According to the Jerusalem Post, dozens of Israeli's are being held hostage there..

10:47
According Iranian official Tasnim News, Luxembourg has released $1.7 billion in Iranian assets. In September, the Biden administration released $5.9 billion in frozen assets as part of a deal to release Americans held by the Islamic Republic.

10:36 am
Israeli intelligence agencies can expect an investigation into how they missed the surprise attack by Hamas, said former Israeli justice minister Yossi Beilin according to Al Jazeera.

Al Jazeera reported that analysts said Israel is well known for its sophisticated intelligence capabilities and monitoring of Palestinians, even though the attacks were apparently unexpected.

“I believe that when it ends, then there will be inquiries and people will be asked tough questions, eventually there will be decisions about it,” Beilin said.

10:33 am
Several injured in clashes between Israeli forces, terrorists at Sderot police station. Massive amounts of gunfire and explosions are heard in the southern city of Israel.

10:32 am
Iranian Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi, the top military adviser to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, said Iran supports the Hamas Al Aqsa Storm invasion of Israel.

10:25 am
Former US president Donald Trump said Hamas' attack is a “disgrace” and asserted that Israel “has every right to defend itself with overwhelming force.” “Sadly, American taxpayer dollars helped fund these attacks, which many reports are saying came from the Biden Administration,” in an apparent reference to the Biden administration's releasing of millions of dollars to the Iranian government. “We brought so much peace to the Middle East through the Abraham Accords, only to see Biden whittle it away at a far more rapid pace than anyone thought possible. Here we go again,” Trump said in a statement.

10:21 am
After speaking to Israeli PM Netanyahu, French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted, “I condemn the terror attacks from Gaza against Israel, its soldiers and citizens. France stands by Israel and Israelis, supports their security and their right to defend themselves.”

10:16 am
President Joe Biden called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and stressed that the US stands by Israel and fully supports Israel’s right to defend itself. According to the Israeli premier’s office, Netanyahu thanked Biden for his support and told him that a “prolonged and powerful campaign would be required in which Israel would win,” reports The Guardian.

Secretary of State Anthony Blinken says the US “unequivocally condemns the appalling attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israel, including civilians and civilian communities.” The chief diplomat said, “There is never any justification for terrorism. We stand in solidarity with the government and people of Israel, and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks.” He added: “We will remain in close contact with our Israeli partners. The United States supports Israel’s right to defend itself.”

The Times of Israel reports that at least 100 Israelis have been killed today.

10:12 am
“All of Israel is asking itself: Where is the IDF, where is the police, where is the security?” asked Eli Maron, the former head of the Israeli navy, on live television. “It’s a colossal failure; the hierarchies have simply failed, with vast consequences," according to The Guardian.

10:08 am
Elon Musk wrote on Twitter: "Sorry to see what’s happening in Israel. I hope there can be peace one day."

10:03 am
Video emerges on social media showing a young Israeli woman allegedly being taken hostage by Hamas militants. Her hands tied behind her back, she is shoved into a jeep and roughly handled by armed men.

9:49 am
The War So Far:

The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas has launched a surprise attack on Israel, the biggest in many years. Terrorists made incursions into Israel during early hours of Saturday morning, apparently seizing control of communities in the southern and western margins of the country.

Hamas fired more than 2,000 rockets into Israel, said Israeli authorities.
The death toll in Israel has risen to 40, according to CNN, which also reported at least 799 injured and wounded.
Israel has launched airstrikes on Gaza, destroying at least one five-storey building.
There are reports of Israelis taken hostage in Gaza. Video is being distributed by Hamas that showed atrocities committed in the open-air against Israelis.
“We are at war and we will win it,” vowed Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu in a video address.
UK Rishi Sunak said he was “shocked by this morning’s attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli citizens” and “Israel has an absolute right to defend itself.”
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that the US stands by Israel.

Palestinians celebrate taking possessionof an Israeli tank.

9:43 am
IDF spokesman says “there will be no more live terrorists in Israel” by end of the day.
"We are very much focused on saving forces, where there is ongoing fighting as we speak and handling these terrorists, hopefully by the end of the day there will be no more live terrorists inside Israel,” said IDF spokesman Richard Hecht, according to CNN. Special forces are fighting in several locations to secure civilians, while tens of thousands of reservists have been called to service. He said that IDF is ready for incursions from Syria and Lebanon.

9:39 am
Iranian lawmakers chanted "Death to Israel" and "Palestine Will Be Victorious, Israel Will Be Destroyed" in parliament on Saturday, expressing their support for Hamas' invasion of Israel.

Palestinian TV reports that terrorists are keeping 35 Israeli combatants hostage. Some are believed to be civilian women and children.

9:35 am
Hamas-affiliated Shehab news agency reports that "occupation war planes" have struck targets in northern Gaza.

9:34 am
CNN reports at least 799 injured, 40 dead in Israel as a result of the terrorist attack from Gaza.

9:29 am
Al Jazeera reports “intense and ongoing” Israeli drone and artillery attacks in eastern Gaza. Also strikes in Jabalia, Beit Lahia, Bureij, Khan Younis and Rafah, according to the report.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu calls on Israel to unite. Speaking before an emergency cabinet meeting, the premier said Israel has three goals:

• To clear the impacted areas from militants and restore security
• To impose a vast cost on Israel’s enemy
• To shore up other areas so that no one would make the mistake of joining the war.
  “I call on all of Israel’s citizens to unite,” he said, so that the country would reach its aim of winning the war

Hamas and Islamic Jihad both claim to hold Israeli soldiers hostage. Hamas is circulating images of an alleged Israeli soldier hostage. The images have not been verified and Israel has not confirmed that any soldiers are being held by the terrorists.

9;25 am
Hamas-affiliated Shehab news agency claims that a five-storey building has been destroyed after an Israeli strike in Gaza.

9:23 am
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin stated: "I am closely monitoring developments in Israel. Our commitment to Israel’s right to defend itself remains unwavering, and I extend my condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this abhorrent attack on civilians. Over the coming days the Department of Defense will work to ensure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself and protect civilians from indiscriminate violence and terrorism."

9:20 am
At least 160 Palestinians have been killed, says Al Jazeera, which reported claims of at least 1,000 people wounded.

Israel's air force distributed video of an air attack on a terrorist cell attempting entry near the Erez Crossing. The video shows the apparent destruction of the cell.

Israel's public radio reports Israelis are being held hostage inside Israel by terrorist cells.

There are reports of entries by terrorist cells at Erez Crossing, Sderot, Karni, and near Kissufim and Sufa.

9:12 am
“Hamas are terrorists,” wrote UK foreign secretary James Cleverly on social media. "There is no other word to describe the brutality of firing rockets or terrorist attacks targeting civilians." Hamas’ political wing is not a designated as terrorist by the UK, while its military wing is designated as a terror group.

9:08 am
Israeli public radio reports a family is missing and that the mother's phone has been geolocated in Khan Yunis, a city in the Gaza Strip. This comes amid claims by Hamas that it is holding numerous Israelis hostage. While Israeli authorities have not formally confirmed that there are hostages in Gaza, EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell said on social media that he has spoken with foreign ministers from the region and there is a need for “liberation of hostages and negotiations”.

9:07 am EDT
Magen David reports that hundreds of victims are being treated in hospitals in Israel, confirming at least 40 fatalities. A wide range of injuries are being reported as ambulances, helo evacuation, and mobile intensive care units are active. Specialized bullet-proof ambulances are deployed.

9:00 am EDT
Hamas circulates videos of open-air atrocities against Israeli men, women and children. The Morning Rattle will not be linking to any of these atrocity videos.

8:10 am EDT
Hamas fighters were reported in the streets of Ashkelon. Amateur video shows terrorists on the street outside of a civilian apartment building.

Oct 7, 2023
Hamas gunmen overnight infiltrated areas of southern Israel, including by hang-glider, and launched rocket barrages from the Gaza Strip in the opening hours of the attack.

Israel has responded with Operation Iron Swords.

Hamas and Islamic Jihad have both claimed to be holding Israeli civilians and soldiers hostage, and 22 Israelis have been reported killed so far.

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PM Netanyahu addressed the nation: