Israel at War—I share my thoughts
Oct 25, 2023 13:28:11 #
Israel’s war against Hamas has entered its nineteenth day, two weeks after Hamas killed at least 1,300 Israelis and wounded more than 3,300 in a merciless assault. In the Gaza Strip, the Hamas-controlled health ministry reports that at least 6,546 Palestinians have been killed. Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad are holding hostage more than 222 soldiers and civilians, including foreign nationals.
Hamas rocket fire at Israel, including long-range missiles, and Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, continue. Tensions on Israel’s northern border simmer, with Hezbollah rocket fire and drones. Despite its combat readiness, reports suggest an IDF ground offensive into Gaza may be delayed, as the U.S. transfers defensive supplies for Israel and mobilizes its own forces to the area to deter Hezbollah and Iran.The fourth convoy of humanitarian aid was delivered to Gaza via the Rafah crossing. Qatar’s prime minister said he hopes there’ll be a breakthrough on hostages held by Hamas “soon.”
Here’s what you need to know 19 days into the war.
What happened today
People search for survivors and the bodies of victims through buildings that were destroyed during Israeli bombardment, in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on Wednesday.
■ Hamas continued to launch rockets, including its longest-range missiles, at the environs of the northern city of Haifa on Wednesday and expanding its targets to include Israel's southernmost city, Eilat. In the north, Hezbollah fired rockets at both civilian and military targets. The IDF retaliated with artillery fire.
■ Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah met with the head of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Ziad Nahleh, and deputy head of Hamas' political bureau, Saleh al-Arouri, in Lebanon. They reportedly discussed how their "axis of resistance" should act to achieve a "real victory" in Gaza.
■ Israel’s National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi called Qatar’s efforts to secure the release of Israelis held hostage by Hamas "crucial.” Qatar's prime minister declared hopes of a breakthrough on hostage releases “soon.” Hanegbi’s praise for Qatar was sharply criticized by former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett who said that Doha was a key mentor and funder for Hamas and that Qatar’s goal was to “save Hamas.”
■ Israel has agreed to hold off on a Gaza ground invasion amid U.S. pressure, the Wall Street Journal reported, until U.S. forces can better bolster their defenses across the Middle East. Iran-proxy fighters have launched more than a dozen strikes toward U.S. and coalition forces in Iraq and Syria over the past week.
■ The U.S. is planning on sending its entire Iron Dome stockpile – including two batteries and more than 300 interceptors owned by the U.S. Army – to Israel as part of its efforts to lend military assistance following the Hamas attack, a U.S. source told Haaretz.
■ Jordan’s King Abdullah II told visiting French President Emmanuel Macron that ending the war in Gaza was an urgent necessity and warned the alternative was an "explosion" in the region.
■ According to the Hamas-controlled health ministry in Gaza, 6,546 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed since the start of the war.
■ In Gaza, a fourth convoy of 20 aid trucks crossed over from Egypt into Gaza. UNRWA stated that their shelters were four times above their capacity and that many people were sleeping in the streets. Egyptian President Sissi said displacing Gazans into Egypt would be “extremely dangerous.”
■ The IDF and the Shin Bet announced that they killed the commander of Hamas' northern Khan Yunis battalion, as well as struck hundreds of Hamas military and government targets.
■ The IDF and Shin Bet announced they had arrested 58 Hamas operatives Wednesday overnight. In Jenin, an IDF drone struck a unit attacking Israeli forces. The Palestinian Health Ministry in the West Bank reported six Palestinians were killed in clashes with Israeli forces overnight.
■ Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told parliament that Hamas was not a terrorist organization, but a “liberation group waging a battle to protect its land” and called Israel’s airstrikes a “mental illness.” Israel “wholeheartedly” rejected Erdogan’s comments.
■ UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was slammed by Israel’s government after he said Hamas’ attacks “did not happen in a vacuum.” Israel’s foreign minister pressured families of Israeli hostages to cancel their scheduled meeting with him.
Hamas rocket fire at Israel, including long-range missiles, and Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, continue. Tensions on Israel’s northern border simmer, with Hezbollah rocket fire and drones. Despite its combat readiness, reports suggest an IDF ground offensive into Gaza may be delayed, as the U.S. transfers defensive supplies for Israel and mobilizes its own forces to the area to deter Hezbollah and Iran.The fourth convoy of humanitarian aid was delivered to Gaza via the Rafah crossing. Qatar’s prime minister said he hopes there’ll be a breakthrough on hostages held by Hamas “soon.”
Here’s what you need to know 19 days into the war.
What happened today
People search for survivors and the bodies of victims through buildings that were destroyed during Israeli bombardment, in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on Wednesday.
■ Hamas continued to launch rockets, including its longest-range missiles, at the environs of the northern city of Haifa on Wednesday and expanding its targets to include Israel's southernmost city, Eilat. In the north, Hezbollah fired rockets at both civilian and military targets. The IDF retaliated with artillery fire.
■ Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah met with the head of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Ziad Nahleh, and deputy head of Hamas' political bureau, Saleh al-Arouri, in Lebanon. They reportedly discussed how their "axis of resistance" should act to achieve a "real victory" in Gaza.
■ Israel’s National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi called Qatar’s efforts to secure the release of Israelis held hostage by Hamas "crucial.” Qatar's prime minister declared hopes of a breakthrough on hostage releases “soon.” Hanegbi’s praise for Qatar was sharply criticized by former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett who said that Doha was a key mentor and funder for Hamas and that Qatar’s goal was to “save Hamas.”
■ Israel has agreed to hold off on a Gaza ground invasion amid U.S. pressure, the Wall Street Journal reported, until U.S. forces can better bolster their defenses across the Middle East. Iran-proxy fighters have launched more than a dozen strikes toward U.S. and coalition forces in Iraq and Syria over the past week.
■ The U.S. is planning on sending its entire Iron Dome stockpile – including two batteries and more than 300 interceptors owned by the U.S. Army – to Israel as part of its efforts to lend military assistance following the Hamas attack, a U.S. source told Haaretz.
■ Jordan’s King Abdullah II told visiting French President Emmanuel Macron that ending the war in Gaza was an urgent necessity and warned the alternative was an "explosion" in the region.
■ According to the Hamas-controlled health ministry in Gaza, 6,546 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed since the start of the war.
■ In Gaza, a fourth convoy of 20 aid trucks crossed over from Egypt into Gaza. UNRWA stated that their shelters were four times above their capacity and that many people were sleeping in the streets. Egyptian President Sissi said displacing Gazans into Egypt would be “extremely dangerous.”
■ The IDF and the Shin Bet announced that they killed the commander of Hamas' northern Khan Yunis battalion, as well as struck hundreds of Hamas military and government targets.
■ The IDF and Shin Bet announced they had arrested 58 Hamas operatives Wednesday overnight. In Jenin, an IDF drone struck a unit attacking Israeli forces. The Palestinian Health Ministry in the West Bank reported six Palestinians were killed in clashes with Israeli forces overnight.
■ Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told parliament that Hamas was not a terrorist organization, but a “liberation group waging a battle to protect its land” and called Israel’s airstrikes a “mental illness.” Israel “wholeheartedly” rejected Erdogan’s comments.
■ UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was slammed by Israel’s government after he said Hamas’ attacks “did not happen in a vacuum.” Israel’s foreign minister pressured families of Israeli hostages to cancel their scheduled meeting with him.
Oct 26, 2023 13:30:52 #
Israel’s war against Hamas has entered its twentieth day, two weeks after Hamas killed at least 1,300 Israelis and wounded more than 3,300 in a merciless assault. In the Gaza Strip, the Hamas-controlled health ministry reports that at least 7,000 Palestinians have been killed. Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad are holding hostage more than 224 soldiers and civilians, including foreign nationals.
Hamas rocket fire at Israel, including long-range missiles, and Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, including targeted assassinations, continue. Tensions on Israel’s northern border simmer, with Hezbollah rocket fire and drones. Despite its combat readiness, reports suggest an IDF ground offensive into Gaza may be delayed, as the U.S. transfers defensive supplies for Israel and mobilizes its own forces to the area to deter Hezbollah and Iran. A total of 74 humanitarian aid trucks have entered Gaza via the Rafah crossing so far. Qatar’s prime minister said he hopes there’ll be a breakthrough on hostages held by Hamas “soon.”
Here’s what you need to know 20 days into the war.
What happened today
TOPSHOT - A picture taken from the southern Israeli city of Sderot on October 25, 2023, shows smoke ascending over the northern Gaza Strip following an Israeli strike, amid the ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. (Photo by RONALDO SCHEMIDT / AFP)
■ IDF said it attacked more than 250 targets in an overnight ground offensive in the northern Gaza Strip. It also claimed it assassinated Hamas' rocket firing system commander. Hamas continued to target Tel Aviv and its environs with rockets on Wednesday.
■ Israeli forces continued to sporadically trade fire with Hezbollah in the Lebanese border.
■ The Israeli military said 224 families have now been informed that their relatives are held hostage by Hamas. The police have confirmed the identity of 1,117 soldiers and civilians killed in the war. More than half the estimated 220 hostages have foreign passports from 25 different countries, including 54 Thai nationals, 15 Argentinians, 12 Germans, 12 Americans, six French, and six Russians.
■ Israeli War Cabinet member Benny Gantz said that an Israeli ground incursion into Gaza would only be the first stage of a "combined effort" to include "security, governmental and social aspects that will take years."
■ Hundreds of residents of the Gaza border community of Kfar Azza, which suffered a ferocious blow in Hamas’ onslaught, rallied in front of the defense ministry in Tel Aviv to call for the hostages’ immediate release.
■ Israeli security forces arrested 46 Hamas operatives in the West Bank on Thursday overnight, according to reports from the IDF and Shin Bet.
■ According to the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry in Gaza, 7,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed since the start of the war. A Hamas spokesperson claimed that around 50 hostages were killed in Gaza due to Israeli strikes.
■ The Palestinian Red Crescent said that 12 humanitarian aid trucks have entered Gaza through the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, but that no fuel trucks have entered yet. Since the start of the war, 74 aid trucks have entered Gaza.
■ The Oxfam charity says that only 2 percent of food earmarked for Gaza has been able to enter since October 9, when Israel tightened restrictions on supplies allowed into the Strip.
■ In an audio recording published by the IDF, a Gaza resident is heard saying that Hamas is setting up roadblocks to prevent Gazans from moving south away from the area Israel has called on them to evacuate.
■ Hezbollah cells in Iraq attacked the Ain al-Asad air base, which hosts U.S. and other international forces in western Iraq.
■ A Hamas delegation is currently visiting Moscow, according to Russia’s Foreign Ministry. Russia says it held talks in Qatar with Hamas representatives regarding the hostages held in Gaza. The deputy chief of Hamas' political wing, Saleh al-Arouri, said that senior Hamas officials have met with Hezbollah Secretary General Nasrallah on the day the deadly assault was launched.
■ European Union leaders met on Thursday to discuss the Israel-Hamas war.
■ In a joint statement, the UAE, Jordan, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt and Morocco said Israel’s right to self-defense does not justify violations of international law, collective punishment and and the targeting of civilians in Gaza
■ Israel is collecting digital evidence to serve future war crimes and crimes-against-humanity trials against the Hamas terrorists who perpetrated the October 7 attack.
Hamas rocket fire at Israel, including long-range missiles, and Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, including targeted assassinations, continue. Tensions on Israel’s northern border simmer, with Hezbollah rocket fire and drones. Despite its combat readiness, reports suggest an IDF ground offensive into Gaza may be delayed, as the U.S. transfers defensive supplies for Israel and mobilizes its own forces to the area to deter Hezbollah and Iran. A total of 74 humanitarian aid trucks have entered Gaza via the Rafah crossing so far. Qatar’s prime minister said he hopes there’ll be a breakthrough on hostages held by Hamas “soon.”
Here’s what you need to know 20 days into the war.
What happened today
TOPSHOT - A picture taken from the southern Israeli city of Sderot on October 25, 2023, shows smoke ascending over the northern Gaza Strip following an Israeli strike, amid the ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. (Photo by RONALDO SCHEMIDT / AFP)
■ IDF said it attacked more than 250 targets in an overnight ground offensive in the northern Gaza Strip. It also claimed it assassinated Hamas' rocket firing system commander. Hamas continued to target Tel Aviv and its environs with rockets on Wednesday.
■ Israeli forces continued to sporadically trade fire with Hezbollah in the Lebanese border.
■ The Israeli military said 224 families have now been informed that their relatives are held hostage by Hamas. The police have confirmed the identity of 1,117 soldiers and civilians killed in the war. More than half the estimated 220 hostages have foreign passports from 25 different countries, including 54 Thai nationals, 15 Argentinians, 12 Germans, 12 Americans, six French, and six Russians.
■ Israeli War Cabinet member Benny Gantz said that an Israeli ground incursion into Gaza would only be the first stage of a "combined effort" to include "security, governmental and social aspects that will take years."
■ Hundreds of residents of the Gaza border community of Kfar Azza, which suffered a ferocious blow in Hamas’ onslaught, rallied in front of the defense ministry in Tel Aviv to call for the hostages’ immediate release.
■ Israeli security forces arrested 46 Hamas operatives in the West Bank on Thursday overnight, according to reports from the IDF and Shin Bet.
■ According to the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry in Gaza, 7,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed since the start of the war. A Hamas spokesperson claimed that around 50 hostages were killed in Gaza due to Israeli strikes.
■ The Palestinian Red Crescent said that 12 humanitarian aid trucks have entered Gaza through the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, but that no fuel trucks have entered yet. Since the start of the war, 74 aid trucks have entered Gaza.
■ The Oxfam charity says that only 2 percent of food earmarked for Gaza has been able to enter since October 9, when Israel tightened restrictions on supplies allowed into the Strip.
■ In an audio recording published by the IDF, a Gaza resident is heard saying that Hamas is setting up roadblocks to prevent Gazans from moving south away from the area Israel has called on them to evacuate.
■ Hezbollah cells in Iraq attacked the Ain al-Asad air base, which hosts U.S. and other international forces in western Iraq.
■ A Hamas delegation is currently visiting Moscow, according to Russia’s Foreign Ministry. Russia says it held talks in Qatar with Hamas representatives regarding the hostages held in Gaza. The deputy chief of Hamas' political wing, Saleh al-Arouri, said that senior Hamas officials have met with Hezbollah Secretary General Nasrallah on the day the deadly assault was launched.
■ European Union leaders met on Thursday to discuss the Israel-Hamas war.
■ In a joint statement, the UAE, Jordan, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt and Morocco said Israel’s right to self-defense does not justify violations of international law, collective punishment and and the targeting of civilians in Gaza
■ Israel is collecting digital evidence to serve future war crimes and crimes-against-humanity trials against the Hamas terrorists who perpetrated the October 7 attack.
Oct 26, 2023 16:12:41 #
DennyT wrote:
100% correct and anyone using the @ antisemite crap “ is ignorant of facts
Way to draw the wrong conclusion.
According to Patton, you win a war by making the other "SOB" die for his country.
That is exactly what Israel has done and and will continue to do so.
God bless Israel. (Go read your Old Testament for a history lesson)
Oct 26, 2023 16:17:04 #
thom w
Loc: San Jose, CA
LinksUp wrote:
Way to draw the wrong conclusion.
According to Patton, you win a war by making the other "SOB" die for his country.
That is exactly what Israel has done and and will continue to do so.
God bless Israel. (Go read your Old Testament for a history lesson)
According to Patton, you win a war by making the other "SOB" die for his country.
That is exactly what Israel has done and and will continue to do so.
God bless Israel. (Go read your Old Testament for a history lesson)
That would be the part of the bible that tells israelites to Kill everyone in a country that they conquer except the virgin females and to rape them, wouldn't it?
Oct 26, 2023 16:30:02 #
thom w wrote:
That would be the part of the bible that tells israelites to Kill everyone in a country that they conquer except the virgin females and to rape them, wouldn't it?
Where does it say that? Numbers 31:17-18?
I think you should read the passage before making that broad brush comment.
https://hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/questions/5579/why-did-moses-order-female-virgins-to-be-kept-alive-but-all-others-killed-in-num
Oct 26, 2023 23:08:28 #
thom w wrote:
That would be the part of the bible that tells israelites to Kill everyone in a country that they conquer except the virgin females and to rape them, wouldn't it?
You got the first 2 parts right. You will have to show me the scripture, and please do, that tells the Israelites to rape the women.
Oct 27, 2023 10:00:48 #
The genocidal massacre attack of October 7th on Israel is comparable to the genocide of the Jews in the Holocaust. The difference between the Hamas massacre of Jews and the Holocaust is that the Jews today have their own state and an army. Which makes the Jews not defenseless and at the mercy of others.
Right now the sincerity of the world leaders, the UN, the EU and other influencers are put to the test and if they indeed stand behind their pledges of “Never Again” on International Holocaust Memorial Day and on their visits to Israel.
Further, if these „big shots“ will finally stop trying to find an excuse or any explanation of justification for the Palestinians, Hamas and Hezbollah, of carrying out brutal ISIS like manslaughter and terroristic attacks on Jews in Israel, as well as not to underestimate their hate baring determination of global incitement (with the backing of the Arab representatives from the Arab nations in the UN) against Jews and the Jewish State, not just to the man in the street, but also on the world leaders and authorities.
There is nothing to understand or explain, only that they do not want any Jew alive! For that they are determined to do anything.
Their hate knows no limits.
The blame is not on Israel but on those who want to cleans the world from Jews. Same old hatred going back millennia. Each time in a different wrapping.
Their (the Arab /Palestinian hating Jews) motives and actions, going back to the beginning of the last century, speak for themselves, which should no longer be so easily shoved under the rug.
Shame on those who claim that it is the fault of the Jews and Israel and that they have brought it on themselves.
Shame on those who consider the selfdefense of Israel as a collective punishment of Gaza citizens.
It is the Palestinian authorities and leaders who fail to protect and have no interest in their own people as they do not value life, only money for their own wealth while stealing from the Jews: their lives and land.
Stand with Israel and stop feeding terrorists.
What starts with the Jews never ends with the Jews.
Do not abuse this post as a platform for personal propaganda benefits to spread comments of Jew hatred, Israel hate, and support of pro-terror actions against Jews, including false facts and accusations against Jews and Israel.
🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱
Natali Herschel, MSc
Combatting Antisemitism and Israel Hate
Right now the sincerity of the world leaders, the UN, the EU and other influencers are put to the test and if they indeed stand behind their pledges of “Never Again” on International Holocaust Memorial Day and on their visits to Israel.
Further, if these „big shots“ will finally stop trying to find an excuse or any explanation of justification for the Palestinians, Hamas and Hezbollah, of carrying out brutal ISIS like manslaughter and terroristic attacks on Jews in Israel, as well as not to underestimate their hate baring determination of global incitement (with the backing of the Arab representatives from the Arab nations in the UN) against Jews and the Jewish State, not just to the man in the street, but also on the world leaders and authorities.
There is nothing to understand or explain, only that they do not want any Jew alive! For that they are determined to do anything.
Their hate knows no limits.
The blame is not on Israel but on those who want to cleans the world from Jews. Same old hatred going back millennia. Each time in a different wrapping.
Their (the Arab /Palestinian hating Jews) motives and actions, going back to the beginning of the last century, speak for themselves, which should no longer be so easily shoved under the rug.
Shame on those who claim that it is the fault of the Jews and Israel and that they have brought it on themselves.
Shame on those who consider the selfdefense of Israel as a collective punishment of Gaza citizens.
It is the Palestinian authorities and leaders who fail to protect and have no interest in their own people as they do not value life, only money for their own wealth while stealing from the Jews: their lives and land.
Stand with Israel and stop feeding terrorists.
What starts with the Jews never ends with the Jews.
Do not abuse this post as a platform for personal propaganda benefits to spread comments of Jew hatred, Israel hate, and support of pro-terror actions against Jews, including false facts and accusations against Jews and Israel.
🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱
Natali Herschel, MSc
Combatting Antisemitism and Israel Hate
Oct 27, 2023 13:10:59 #
Israel’s war against Hamas has entered its twenty-first day, two weeks after Hamas killed at least 1,300 Israelis and wounded more than 3,300 in a merciless assault. In the Gaza Strip, the Hamas-controlled health ministry reports that at least 7,000 Palestinians have been killed. Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad are holding hostage more than 229 soldiers and civilians, including foreign nationals.
Hamas rocket fire at Israel, including long-range missiles, and Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, including targeted assassinations, continue. Tensions on Israel’s northern border simmer, with Hezbollah rocket fire and drones. Israel has been conducting nightly raids in the northern part of the Strip ahead of a possible ground offensive. A Hamas delegation is visiting Moscow, and has also met Iranian officials there. 84 humanitarian aid trucks have entered Gaza via the Rafah crossing so far. Qatar’s prime minister said he hopes there’ll be a major breakthrough on hostages held by Hamas “soon.”
Here’s what you need to know 21 days into the war.
What happened today
Families of Israeli hostages currently held by Hamas hold a rally in Tel Aviv on Thursday evening.
■ Three people were wounded after a rocket hit a residential building in Tel Aviv amid a barrage fired from Gaza at central Israel. Another direct hit on a home in Ashkelon left no casualties.
■ In the north, the IDF said several rockets launched from Lebanon towards Israel fell in Syrian territory.
■ At least 229 people, civilians and soldiers, were kidnapped by Hamas on October 7, according to the IDF.
■ Regional tensions continue to mount after an unidentified drone crashed near a hospital building in the Egyptian Red Sea town of Taba near the border with Israel, wounding six people. The IDF’s spokesperson noted that “Israel will work with Egypt and the U.S. to bolster regional defenses” against such threats.
■ A U.S. defense official said U.S. troops brought down a drone near Al-Assad base in Iraq on Friday, and the IDF announced that the air force intercepted attack drones flying over the Red Sea earlier in the day.
■ The IDF said it attacked more than 250 Hamas targets and entered northern Gaza overnight for the third time in 24 hours. According to the military, they also assassinated a senior Hamas commander in Khan Younis, destroyed part of Hamas’ tunnel infrastructure and conducted a raid in southern Gaza using a marine commando unit.
■ A poll published on Friday shows that almost half of Israelis want to hold off on any major ground invasion of Gaza, a significant dip in support related to the prioritization of returning hostages home. Al Jazeera reported that advanced negotiations for a ceasefire and the release of hostages were underway with Qatar’s mediation.
■ Hamas' main command center is located beneath Gaza's central Shifa hospital, the IDF said on Friday. The headquarters, from which orders are given and rocket launches are coordinated, are connected to the hospital's electrical grid, according to the statement.
■ Hamas officials, including Mousa Mohammed Abu Marzook, have been visiting Moscow and met with Iranian officials including Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani. Iran has demanded an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. A Russian newspaper quoted one Hamas representative who said hostages would not be released before an agreed ceasefire. Israel condemned Russia for hosting Hamas representatives; the Kremlin responded that it believed it was necessary to maintain contacts with all sides in the conflict
■ The IDF said it arrested 17 Hamas members in the West Bank on Thursday night. According to West Bank medical sources, three Palestinians were killed in clashes with the IDF, two from Jenin and one from Qalqilyah. An Islamic Jihad member was reportedly killed in the clashes.
■ Pamphlets warning Palestinians of a "Big Nakba" ("catastrophe" in Arabic) were distributed and placed on the windshields of cars in a West Bank village. The head of the village council told Haaretz settlers also came and threw stones at the locals.
■ A team of foreign doctors and 10 aid trucks entered the Gaza Strip on Friday via the Rafah crossing with Egypt, carrying water, food and medicine.
■ U.S. Special Envoy David Satterfield acknowledged the need for fuel to alleviate Gaza's humanitarian crisis. “We are focusing with Israel and UN partners on addressing the issue of fuel in Gaza, which we know is essential," he said.
■ Israel's State Prosecutor Office has indicted five Israelis for inciting terrorism or identifying with Hamas. Since the beginning of the war, 24 similar indictments have been filed against Israeli citizens.
■ Over 200 North American rabbis from across denominations signed a letter calling for the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza.
■ Polish President Andrzej Duda met Friday with Yuval Dantzig, son of Israeli-Polish hostage Alex Dantzing, kidnapped from his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz by Hamas. Duda said he would do all in his power to bring about the father's release.
■ National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said he plans to radically loosen the rules of engagement for the Israel Police. According to Ben-Gvir, the proposed bill would enable district commanders to fire live rounds at crowds blocking roads or rioters when a state of war or emergency is declared by the government.
Hamas rocket fire at Israel, including long-range missiles, and Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, including targeted assassinations, continue. Tensions on Israel’s northern border simmer, with Hezbollah rocket fire and drones. Israel has been conducting nightly raids in the northern part of the Strip ahead of a possible ground offensive. A Hamas delegation is visiting Moscow, and has also met Iranian officials there. 84 humanitarian aid trucks have entered Gaza via the Rafah crossing so far. Qatar’s prime minister said he hopes there’ll be a major breakthrough on hostages held by Hamas “soon.”
Here’s what you need to know 21 days into the war.
What happened today
Families of Israeli hostages currently held by Hamas hold a rally in Tel Aviv on Thursday evening.
■ Three people were wounded after a rocket hit a residential building in Tel Aviv amid a barrage fired from Gaza at central Israel. Another direct hit on a home in Ashkelon left no casualties.
■ In the north, the IDF said several rockets launched from Lebanon towards Israel fell in Syrian territory.
■ At least 229 people, civilians and soldiers, were kidnapped by Hamas on October 7, according to the IDF.
■ Regional tensions continue to mount after an unidentified drone crashed near a hospital building in the Egyptian Red Sea town of Taba near the border with Israel, wounding six people. The IDF’s spokesperson noted that “Israel will work with Egypt and the U.S. to bolster regional defenses” against such threats.
■ A U.S. defense official said U.S. troops brought down a drone near Al-Assad base in Iraq on Friday, and the IDF announced that the air force intercepted attack drones flying over the Red Sea earlier in the day.
■ The IDF said it attacked more than 250 Hamas targets and entered northern Gaza overnight for the third time in 24 hours. According to the military, they also assassinated a senior Hamas commander in Khan Younis, destroyed part of Hamas’ tunnel infrastructure and conducted a raid in southern Gaza using a marine commando unit.
■ A poll published on Friday shows that almost half of Israelis want to hold off on any major ground invasion of Gaza, a significant dip in support related to the prioritization of returning hostages home. Al Jazeera reported that advanced negotiations for a ceasefire and the release of hostages were underway with Qatar’s mediation.
■ Hamas' main command center is located beneath Gaza's central Shifa hospital, the IDF said on Friday. The headquarters, from which orders are given and rocket launches are coordinated, are connected to the hospital's electrical grid, according to the statement.
■ Hamas officials, including Mousa Mohammed Abu Marzook, have been visiting Moscow and met with Iranian officials including Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani. Iran has demanded an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. A Russian newspaper quoted one Hamas representative who said hostages would not be released before an agreed ceasefire. Israel condemned Russia for hosting Hamas representatives; the Kremlin responded that it believed it was necessary to maintain contacts with all sides in the conflict
■ The IDF said it arrested 17 Hamas members in the West Bank on Thursday night. According to West Bank medical sources, three Palestinians were killed in clashes with the IDF, two from Jenin and one from Qalqilyah. An Islamic Jihad member was reportedly killed in the clashes.
■ Pamphlets warning Palestinians of a "Big Nakba" ("catastrophe" in Arabic) were distributed and placed on the windshields of cars in a West Bank village. The head of the village council told Haaretz settlers also came and threw stones at the locals.
■ A team of foreign doctors and 10 aid trucks entered the Gaza Strip on Friday via the Rafah crossing with Egypt, carrying water, food and medicine.
■ U.S. Special Envoy David Satterfield acknowledged the need for fuel to alleviate Gaza's humanitarian crisis. “We are focusing with Israel and UN partners on addressing the issue of fuel in Gaza, which we know is essential," he said.
■ Israel's State Prosecutor Office has indicted five Israelis for inciting terrorism or identifying with Hamas. Since the beginning of the war, 24 similar indictments have been filed against Israeli citizens.
■ Over 200 North American rabbis from across denominations signed a letter calling for the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza.
■ Polish President Andrzej Duda met Friday with Yuval Dantzig, son of Israeli-Polish hostage Alex Dantzing, kidnapped from his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz by Hamas. Duda said he would do all in his power to bring about the father's release.
■ National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said he plans to radically loosen the rules of engagement for the Israel Police. According to Ben-Gvir, the proposed bill would enable district commanders to fire live rounds at crowds blocking roads or rioters when a state of war or emergency is declared by the government.
Oct 27, 2023 15:47:03 #
thom w
Loc: San Jose, CA
lbrande wrote:
The genocidal massacre attack of October 7th on Is... (show quote)
Jews lived there in piece alongside Christians and Muslims until jews decided to take the whole area as their own. Israel needs to win the hearts of the Palestinian people if it wants to live in peace. The idea that one can't disapprove of how israel behaves without hating jews is absurd. There are a great many jews who do not support the current government of Israel. Netanyahu is playing this for all it's worth to try to get the people to forget the charges of corruption that have been levied against him.
Oct 27, 2023 15:51:02 #
thom w
Loc: San Jose, CA
lbrande wrote:
Israel’s war against Hamas has entered its twenty-... (show quote)
Netanyahu claims Hamas is hording more fuel than the palestinians could possibly use. I don't know the truth, but I noticed you didn't even mention it.
Oct 27, 2023 16:15:22 #
Racmanaz
Loc: Sunny Tucson!
thom w wrote:
Netanyahu claims Hamas is hording more fuel than the palestinians could possibly use. I don't know the truth, but I noticed you didn't even mention it.
You’re right when you say you don’t know the truth, you don’t know the truth about anything just lies.
Oct 27, 2023 16:24:18 #
thom w
Loc: San Jose, CA
Racmanaz wrote:
You’re right when you say you don’t know the truth, you don’t know the truth about anything just lies.
"You don't know the truth about anything"? No matter who you might say that too it is very unlikely to be true. I'm guessing pretty much everyone other than you knows that. If you matched wits against a sloth, my money wouldn't be on you.
Oct 27, 2023 20:47:14 #
Racmanaz
Loc: Sunny Tucson!
thom w wrote:
"You don't know the truth about anything"? No matter who you might say that too it is very unlikely to be true. I'm guessing pretty much everyone other than you knows that. If you matched wits against a sloth, my money wouldn't be on you.
your responses always sounds like somebody that’s on illicit substances.
Oct 27, 2023 22:33:20 #
thom w wrote:
Jews lived there in piece alongside Christians and... (show quote)
Really, piece? You don't know the correct word is peace in this context? A little confused? Off your meds? Knowing this is 4th grade level English.
I'm also waiting for my scripture that shows the Lord told the Israelites to rape the women. Or did you just make that up so it would fit your warped narrative?
Oct 29, 2023 14:38:36 #
Israel’s war against Hamas has entered its twenty-third day, three weeks after Hamas killed at least 1,300 Israelis and wounded more than 3,300 in a merciless assault. In the Gaza Strip, the Hamas-controlled health ministry reports that at least 8,005 Palestinians have been killed. Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad are holding hostage more than 230 soldiers and civilians, including foreign nationals.
Over the last 24 hours, significant Israeli ground forces have operated inside Gaza. Hamas rocket fire at Israel, including long-range missiles, and Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, including targeted assassinations, continue. Tensions on Israel’s northern border simmer, with Hezbollah rocket and anti-tank fire and drones. As more international voices call for a humanitarian truce in Gaza, Israel has opened a second pipe for drinking water to the Strip.
Here’s what you need to know 23 days into the war.
What happened today
A picture taken from Israel's southern city of Sderot shows a fire erupting following Israeli shelling of the northern Gaza Strip, on October 29, 2023, amid ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement. (Photo by JACK GUEZ / AFP)
■ Over the last 24 hours, large Israeli ground forces have operated inside the Gaza Strip. The IDF spokesperson said the ground operation would expand, and that Israel’s air force has attacked over 450 Hamas targets across Gaza.
■ War cabinet minister Benny Gantz said that, alongside returning hostages, the war aims are "To change the reality in the south [Hamas] and also vis-à-vis our enemies in the north [Hezbollah]."
■ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted a tweet at 1:10am Sunday pinning blame on Israel’s security chiefs for the Hamas onslaught of October 7 but accepting no responsibility himself. After a furious backlash from his war cabinet and his own political circles, the PM deleted his tweet and apologized.
■ Rocket barrages targeted northern and southern Israel throughout the day. Israel said security forces killed a unit of terrorists who emerged from a tunnel near Israel’s border crossing with Gaza. Israeli forces exchanged fire with Hezbollah fighters near the Lebanon border.
■ Palestinian Islamic Jihad said that one its senior political officials was killed in a strike in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.
■ U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that negotiations are ongoing to free the hostages and to permit foreign nationals to leave Gaza via the Rafah crossing. He emphasized that “Netanyahu has a responsibility to rein in the settlers,” a reference to soaring settler violence against West Bank Palestinians since October 7. U.S. President Joe Biden is set to speak with Netanyahu later on Sunday.
■ International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan visited the Rafah crossing on the Egypt-Gaza border amid accusations that both Israel and Hamas are violating international law. Khan said the ICC is conducting “active investigations” into the events of October 7 “and also in relation to Gaza and the West Bank. Our jurisdiction goes back to 2014.”
■ The Hamas-controlled Health Ministry in Gaza reported that 8,005 people have been killed, including 3,342 children, since the start of the war.
■ The Palestinian Health Ministry in Ramallah said five Palestinians were killed in clashes with the IDF during the night. Additionally, the Red Crescent said a 31-year-old was killed in the Askar refugee camp in Nablus.
■ UNWRA said that thousands of Gaza residents broke into its warehouses and distribution centers, grabbing flour and "basic survival items."
■ Israel opened a second water pipeline to the Gaza Strip, which was closed since the outbreak of the war. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and French President Emmanuel Macron expressed their concern about getting enough aid into Gaza in a phone call on Sunday, according to a Downing Street readout.
■ House Republicans will consider a bill this week aimed at providing more than $14 billion in immediate emergency military assistance to Israel as a standalone bill, splitting it from aid to Ukraine.
■ Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian on Sunday described claims that Iran was directly connected to Hamas' October 7 attack as "baseless."
■ Israel’s North District Prosecutor's Office filed an indictment against Arab-Israeli actress Maisa Abd Elhadi for inciting terrorism and identifying with a terrorist organization after the 30 year-old shared a video showing Hamas breaching the border with a caption that said: "Let's Go, Berlin [Wall] Style." Israel’s interior minister called for her citizenship to be revoked.
■ In New York City, thousands marched from Brooklyn through Manhattan on Saturday demanding an end to “Zionist genocide” and calling for an “intifada revolution.” Leading the march was a group holding a banner that read “By Any Means Necessary.” There were major pro-Palestinian protests across Europe and in Turkey over the weekend.
Over the last 24 hours, significant Israeli ground forces have operated inside Gaza. Hamas rocket fire at Israel, including long-range missiles, and Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, including targeted assassinations, continue. Tensions on Israel’s northern border simmer, with Hezbollah rocket and anti-tank fire and drones. As more international voices call for a humanitarian truce in Gaza, Israel has opened a second pipe for drinking water to the Strip.
Here’s what you need to know 23 days into the war.
What happened today
A picture taken from Israel's southern city of Sderot shows a fire erupting following Israeli shelling of the northern Gaza Strip, on October 29, 2023, amid ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement. (Photo by JACK GUEZ / AFP)
■ Over the last 24 hours, large Israeli ground forces have operated inside the Gaza Strip. The IDF spokesperson said the ground operation would expand, and that Israel’s air force has attacked over 450 Hamas targets across Gaza.
■ War cabinet minister Benny Gantz said that, alongside returning hostages, the war aims are "To change the reality in the south [Hamas] and also vis-à-vis our enemies in the north [Hezbollah]."
■ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted a tweet at 1:10am Sunday pinning blame on Israel’s security chiefs for the Hamas onslaught of October 7 but accepting no responsibility himself. After a furious backlash from his war cabinet and his own political circles, the PM deleted his tweet and apologized.
■ Rocket barrages targeted northern and southern Israel throughout the day. Israel said security forces killed a unit of terrorists who emerged from a tunnel near Israel’s border crossing with Gaza. Israeli forces exchanged fire with Hezbollah fighters near the Lebanon border.
■ Palestinian Islamic Jihad said that one its senior political officials was killed in a strike in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.
■ U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that negotiations are ongoing to free the hostages and to permit foreign nationals to leave Gaza via the Rafah crossing. He emphasized that “Netanyahu has a responsibility to rein in the settlers,” a reference to soaring settler violence against West Bank Palestinians since October 7. U.S. President Joe Biden is set to speak with Netanyahu later on Sunday.
■ International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan visited the Rafah crossing on the Egypt-Gaza border amid accusations that both Israel and Hamas are violating international law. Khan said the ICC is conducting “active investigations” into the events of October 7 “and also in relation to Gaza and the West Bank. Our jurisdiction goes back to 2014.”
■ The Hamas-controlled Health Ministry in Gaza reported that 8,005 people have been killed, including 3,342 children, since the start of the war.
■ The Palestinian Health Ministry in Ramallah said five Palestinians were killed in clashes with the IDF during the night. Additionally, the Red Crescent said a 31-year-old was killed in the Askar refugee camp in Nablus.
■ UNWRA said that thousands of Gaza residents broke into its warehouses and distribution centers, grabbing flour and "basic survival items."
■ Israel opened a second water pipeline to the Gaza Strip, which was closed since the outbreak of the war. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and French President Emmanuel Macron expressed their concern about getting enough aid into Gaza in a phone call on Sunday, according to a Downing Street readout.
■ House Republicans will consider a bill this week aimed at providing more than $14 billion in immediate emergency military assistance to Israel as a standalone bill, splitting it from aid to Ukraine.
■ Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian on Sunday described claims that Iran was directly connected to Hamas' October 7 attack as "baseless."
■ Israel’s North District Prosecutor's Office filed an indictment against Arab-Israeli actress Maisa Abd Elhadi for inciting terrorism and identifying with a terrorist organization after the 30 year-old shared a video showing Hamas breaching the border with a caption that said: "Let's Go, Berlin [Wall] Style." Israel’s interior minister called for her citizenship to be revoked.
■ In New York City, thousands marched from Brooklyn through Manhattan on Saturday demanding an end to “Zionist genocide” and calling for an “intifada revolution.” Leading the march was a group holding a banner that read “By Any Means Necessary.” There were major pro-Palestinian protests across Europe and in Turkey over the weekend.
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