In the early morning hours of October 7, a Hamas-Led Palestinian invasion of Southern Israel began with 2,200-5,000 rockets being launched, hundreds of men in motorized paragliders dropping into Israeli settlements along the border, and 30 plus breeches made in the defensive barrier between Gaza and southern Israel created.
So far, over 600 Israelis are reported to have been killed, with over 2,000 injured, while 300 plus Palestinians have been killed. The Palestinians seized Israeli military bases, capturing a number of Merkava tanks and Armored Personnel Carriers.
The Palestinians also utilized terror as a weapon of war, systematically executing Israelis wherever they could find them, including a massacre of over 260 people at a music festival that was going on at the time of the invasion. Israelis not killed were captured and taken as hostage, which includes a number of high-ranking Israeli officers.
The reaction from the world and America has been mixed, with the Progmerican left being divided between support for Israel and support for Palestine, and the conservatives overwhelmingly supporting Israel.
As of right now, the Israelis appear to be amassing in preparation of a land invasion of Gaza following two days of intense strikes to the 2 million strong city. Turkey, Iraq, and Iran have warned Israel not to invade Gaza by land but that appears to have had no effect on Israel’s decision-making so far.
The invasion began on the 50th Anniversary of the Yom Kippur War, which also happened to be on the day of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, the most holy day of the year for practicing Jews.
What follows are links from the media, including some blurbs, revealing the actions that have taken place up to this moment:
Israel Fights for Survival Notes
Most Recent News links:
Israel announces ‘total’ blockade on Gaza – Al Jazeera
Israel ‘going on the offensive’ after retaking territories overrun by Hamas – The Guardian
‘They’re only babies’: Israeli relatives of hostages plead for help – The Guardian – Women, infants and disabled people among about 100 thought to have been taken by Palestinian militants as ‘insurance policy’
Oil Surges as Israel Conflict Reignites Middle East Volatility – Bloomberg
The Opening Day
Hamas starts war on Israel, captures and kills soldiers – moderndiplomacy.eu
Excerpt:
Hamas, the group running the besieged Gaza Strip, announces the start of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against Israel, Al Jazeera reported.
It says it has fired was thousands of rockets towards Israel.
Israeli military radio also reports that Palestinian fighters from Gaza have “infiltrated” Israel.
The unprecedented offensive started a few minutes before 7 a.m. as Israelis celebrated the last day of the weeklong Sukkot festival, with hundreds of rockets fired at Israel, according to Press TV.
Red alert warning sirens were activated in Tel Aviv, Sde Boker, Arad, and Dimona in the south as explosions were heard by residents on Saturday. In al-Quds, rocket sirens sounded followed by the sound of explosions.
Cars were seen on fire after a rocket landed in Ashkelon, southern Israel.
Hamas’ armed wing said more than 7,000 rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel on Saturday, declaring it had started “Operation al-Aqsa Flood”.
“We decided to put an end to all the crimes of the occupation, their time for rampaging without being held accountable is over,” Hamas said. “We announce Operation al-Aqsa Flood and we fired, in the first strike of 20 minutes, more than 5,000 rockets.”
The occupation forces are fighting Hamas fighters in seven locations in southern Israel near the fence with the Gaza Strip.
The gun battles are taking place in and around the towns of Kfar Aza, Sderot, Sufa, Nahal Oz, Magen, Be’eri, and the Re’im military base, the Times of Israel reported.
… The Israeli police southern district has said the fighting is likely to continue in the days ahead.
“This will probably go on for days. Some of the casualties are police officers,” the police said, according to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz.
Hamas says it has taken Israeli hostages in surprise attack – MSNBC – www.msnbc.com
The Initial Response
Excerpt:
Responding to Hamas’s surprise attack, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Saturday launched operation ‘Iron Swords’. IDF is striking Hamas targets in Gaza. “In response to the barrages of rockets launched by Hamas from Gaza at Israel, the IDF is currently striking Hamas targets in Gaza,” IDF said on ‘X’.
What is Operation Iron Swords?
Operation Iron Swords is Israel’s retaliation for a surprise attack by Hamas, a Palestinian Islamist militant organisation, on Israel. On Saturday morning, Hamas launched the biggest attack on Israel in years, killing at least 100 people and claiming it had taken dozens of hostages.
The Israeli military said it had responded with air strikes into Gaza, where witnesses reported hearing heavy explosions and multiple dead and wounded being carried into hospitals. The Israeli military said navy forces killed dozens of Palestinian militants trying to infiltrate Israel by sea.
Operation Iron Swords takes into account all the attackers who have infiltrated into Israel and are carrying out attacks on civilians and Israeli defence forces.
“The IDF will protect the residents of the State of Israel, the terrorist organization Hamas will pay a very heavy price. The public is asked to obey the orders of the Home Front Command to stay near protected areas, and residents of the Gaza Strip are asked to stay in their homes,” IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari had said earlier.
We will be victorious in this war despite an unbearable price. This is a very difficult day for all of us.
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) October 7, 2023
Hamas wants to murder us all. This is an enemy that murders children and mothers in their homes, in their beds, an enemy that abducts the elderly, children and young women, that slaughters and massacres our citizens, including children, who simply went out to enjoy the holiday.
What happened today is unprecedented in Israel – and I will see to it that it does not happen again. The entire government is behind this decision.
The IDF will immediately use all its strength to destroy Hamas’s capabilities. We will destroy them and will forcefully avenge this dark day that they have forced on Israel and its citizens. As Bialik wrote: ‘Revenge for the blood of a little child has yet been devised by Satan’.
All of the places which Hamas is deployed, hiding and operating in, that wicked city, we will turn them into rubble.
I say to the residents of Gaza: Leave now because we will operate forcefully everywhere.
At this hour, the IDF is clearing the terrorists out of the last communities. They are going community by community, house by house, and are restoring our control.
I embrace and send heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families whose loved ones were murdered today in cold blood and endless brutality.
We are all praying for the well-being of the wounded and all those who are being held hostage. I say to Hamas: You are responsible for their well-being. Israel will settle accounts with anyone who harms one hair on their heads.
I appeal to the residents of the south: We all stand alongside you. We are all proud of your heroism and your fighting.
To our beloved IDF soldiers, police officers and security forces personnel, remember that you are the continuation of the heroes of the Jewish people, of Joshua, Judah Maccabee and the heroes of 1948 and of all of Israel’s wars.
You are now fighting for the home and future of us all. We are all with you. We all love you. We all salute you.
To the medical and rescue teams, and the many volunteers in a long list of places, the people of Israel salute you. With your spirit, we will overcome our enemies.
US defense secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement that Washington will make sure Israel has what it needs to defend itself.
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.
… US White House National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said that Washington condemns the attack and extends condolences.
The US unequivocally condemns the unprovoked attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli civilians. There is never any justification for terrorism. We stand firmly with the government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks.Read Full Article
Excerpt:
The Palestinian group Hamas has launched the biggest attack on Israel in years with many killed, hostages taken, and fighting raging after a surprise assault that included gunmen entering Israeli towns after a barrage of rockets fired from the Gaza Strip.
Israel said Hamas has declared war as its army mobilised and air force launched strikes on Gaza with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promising harsh retaliation.
Here is international reaction to the fighting so far:
Belgium
Belgium strongly condemns the massive rocket attacks against Israeli civilians. Violence and terror only perpetuates suffering and hinders the path to dialogue. Our thoughts are with all those affected. We are monitoring the situation closely.
— Hadja Lahbib (@hadjalahbib) October 7, 2023
European Commission
I unequivocally condemn the attack carried out by Hamas terrorists against Israel.
It is terrorism in its most despicable form.
Israel has the right to defend itself against such heinous attacks.
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) October 7, 2023
Egypt
Egypt warned of “grave consequences” from an escalation in tensions between Israel and the Palestinians in a statement from the foreign ministry carried by the state news agency.
It called for “exercising maximum restraint and avoiding exposing civilians to further danger”.
Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri also held a call with European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell to discuss developments, stating that both sides should exercise restraint to avoid serious risks.
France
French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the “terrorist attacks” against Israel.
“I strongly condemn the terrorist attacks which are currently hitting Israel. I express my full solidarity with the victims, and their families and those close to them,” Macron wrote on X.
The French embassy in Israel on Saturday described the attacks as “inadmissible terrorist attacks”.
“Horrified by the developments coming from the south of the country. These terrorist attacks are inadmissible and must be condemned by everyone. We stand side by side alongside Israel and Israelis,” the French embassy wrote on X.
Germany
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Berlin “firmly condemns the terrorist attacks from Gaza against Israel”.
Baerbock said Hamas “contributes to the intensification of violence”, adding that “violence and rockets aimed at innocent people must stop immediately”.
Greece
Greece strongly condemns today’s launch of heavy rocket attacks from Gaza against Israel.
Greece stands with Israel and is deeply concerned by this unacceptable escalation of violence. pic.twitter.com/xQbrsgbBx0
— Υπουργείο Εξωτερικών (@GreeceMFA) October 7, 2023
Hezbollah
The Lebanese armed group Hezbollah issued a statement saying it was closely following the situation in Gaza and was in “direct contact with the leadership of the Palestinian resistance”.
Following events involving Gaza fighters who fired a barrage of rockets into Israel, the statement added that it was a “decisive response to Israel’s continued occupation and a message to those seeking normalisation with Israel”.
Iran
An adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Hosseini Khamenei said that Iran supported the Palestinians’ attack, the semi-official ISNA news site reported.
“We congratulate the Palestinian fighters,” it quoted adviser Rahim Safavi as saying. “We will stand by the Palestinian fighters until the liberation of Palestine and Jerusalem.”
Italy
Italy said it backed “Israel’s right to defend itself” against the “brutal attack” by Hamas.
The government said it “condemned in the strongest terms the terror and the violence under way against innocent civilians”.
Palestinian President Abbas
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said that the Palestinian people have the right to defend themselves against the “terror of settlers and occupation troops”, the official news agency WAFA quoted him as saying.
He was speaking at an emergency meeting held in Ramallah with a number of top officials from the Palestinian Authority.
Poland
“I strongly condemn Hamas’ ongoing attacks on Israel. This baseless aggression and acts of violence, especially against civilians, are unacceptable. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by these terrible events,” Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau wrote on X.
Qatar
Qatar’s foreign ministry issued a statement saying Israel alone was responsible for the ongoing escalation of violence with the Palestinian people.
It called on both sides to exercise utmost restraint and calls on the international community to prevent Israel from using these events as an excuse to launch a disproportionate war against Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
Russia
Russia said it is in contact with Israel, the Palestinians and Arab countries in connection with the escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Interfax news agency reported, citing Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov.
“It goes without saying that we always call for restraint,” he added.
Saudi Arabia
The ministry called for an “immediate cessation of violence” between Israel and the Palestinians, the state news agency reported.
“We are following the unprecedented developments between a number of Palestinian factions and Israel occupation forces which has led to a high level of violence on a number of fronts”.
Spain
Spain’s acting Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said on X that he condemned the attacks from Gaza against Israel.
“We strongly condemn the very serious terrorist attacks from Gaza against Israel. “Overwhelmed by this indiscriminate violence. All our solidarity (is) with the victims.”
The Czech Republic
“The attack conducted from the Gaza Strip is a deplorable act of terrorism against the State of Israel and the civilian population,” President Petr Pavel said in a statement
“The rocket attacks and the infiltration of Hamas commandos into Israel will block any efforts for a peaceful solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict for a long time.”
Netanyahu postponed a trip to the Czech Republic, following the hostilities, a statement from the Czech presidential office said.
Turkey
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan called on Israelis and Palestinians to act with restraint and refrain from hostile acts that could exacerbate the situation.
“We call for restraint from all parties,” Erdogan said at a congress for his ruling AK Party in Ankara. “They must refrain from aggressive acts,” he said.
Ukraine
Ukraine’s foreign ministry condemned what it described as “ongoing terrorist attacks” on Israel.
“Ukraine strongly condemns the ongoing terrorist attacks against Israel, including rocket attacks against the civilian population in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv,” the ministry said on X.
“We express our support for Israel in its right to defend itself and its people.”
United Kingdom
The UK also criticised the attack by Hamas on Israel on Saturday, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said.
The UK unequivocally condemns the horrific attacks by Hamas on Israeli civilians.
The UK will always support Israel’s right to defend itself.
— James Cleverly (@JamesCleverly) October 7, 2023
World reacts to surprise attack by Hamas on Israel – www.reuters.com
Excerpt:
Oct 7 (Reuters) – The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas launched the biggest attack on Israel in years on Saturday in a surprise assault that combined gunmen crossing into several Israeli towns with a heavy barrage of rockets fired from the Gaza Strip.
Israel said it was on a war footing and began its own strikes against Hamas targets in Gaza, with Israeli media reporting gunbattles between bands of Palestinian fighters and security forces in southern Israel.
Here is reaction to the attack from around the world.
… DUTCH PRIME MINISTER MARK RUTTE
“Just spoke with Prime Minister @netanyahu about the unprecedented attack by Hamas on Israel. I told him that the Netherlands unequivocally condemns this terrorist violence and fully supports Israel’s right to defend itself,” Rutte said on social media.
UKRAINIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY
“Ukraine strongly condemns the ongoing terrorist attacks against Israel, including rocket attacks against the civilian population in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv,” the ministry said on X.
“We express our support for Israel in its right to defend itself and its people.”
AUSTRIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ALEXANDER SCHALLENBERG
Schallenberg strongly condemned what he called a “cowardly and underhand” attack on Israel by Hamas.
“Israel has the right to defend itself against this barbaric terror,” he said in a statement. “This attack goes beyond what we have seen in recent years. This is an entirely new dimension.”
SWISS DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
“We call for an immediate end to the violence and for the protection of civilians,” the department said on X.
BELGIAN FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER HADJA LAHBIB
“Belgium strongly condemns the massive rocket attacks against Israeli civilians. Violence and terror only perpetuates suffering and hinders the path to dialogue. Our thoughts are with all those affected. We are monitoring the situation closely,” she said on X.
GREEK FOREIGN MINISTRY
“Greece strongly condemns today’s launch of heavy rocket attacks from Gaza against Israel. Greece stands with Israel and is deeply concerned by this unacceptable escalation of violence,” the ministry posted on X.
What regional leaders had to say on Hamas’ attack on Israel – www.news24.com
… Jordan
Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi warned of the “volatility” of the situation, “particularly in light of what cities and areas of the West Bank are witnessing of Israeli attacks and violations against the Palestinian people”.
The Hamas assault follows months of surging violence in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with fatalities in the occupied West Bank reaching a scale not seen in years.
Jordan and Egypt were the first two countries in the region to agree peace deals with Israel.
UAE
The United Arab Emirates called for “an immediate ceasefire” and “exercising the utmost restraint,” state news agency WAM reported.
“The UAE has expressed its sincere condolences to all the victims of the recent crisis,” a foreign ministry statement said, stressing the importance of protecting civilians.
Abu Dhabi normalised relations with Israel in 2020 under the US-backed Abraham Accords, along with Bahrain and Morocco.
Morocco
“The Kingdom of Morocco expresses its deep concern at the deterioration of the situation and the outbreak of military action in the Gaza Strip, and condemns attacks against civilians wherever they may be,” a foreign ministry statement said.
Arab League
Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit called for “an immediate halt to military operations in Gaza” and “the cycle of armed confrontation between the two sides”.
He said: “Israel’s continued implementation of violent and extremist policies is a time bomb depriving the region of any serious opportunity for stability in the foreseeable future.”
Yemen
Huthi rebels who control the capital Sanaa said they supported “the heroic jihadist operation”.
In a statement published on the website of the Huthi-controlled SABA news agency, the Iran-aligned militant group said the attack “revealed the weakness, fragility and impotence” of Israel.
It called the operation “a battle of dignity, pride, and defence”.
Iran Praises Hamas Terror Attack on Israel as a ‘Proud Operation’ – RedState – redstate.com
U.S. REACTS
Excerpt:
Political leaders in the U.S. are vowing to support Israel after a surprise early-morning attack by Hamas militants.
The attack has killed at least 200 people in Israel so far, and hundreds more are reportedly injured. The multi-front attack began with rocket fire, and then expanded as Hamas members invaded Israel from Gaza. In a televised address, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the country is “at war” and swore the militants “will pay an unprecedented price.” The Associated Press reported that nearly 200 people have died in Palestine, with hundreds of injuries reported, in Israel’s response.
President Joe Biden called Netanyahu Saturday morning. The Israeli president said Mr. Biden “emphasized that the U.S. stands alongside Israel” and “fully supports” the country’s right to self-defense. Netanyahu characterized Biden’s support as “unreserved.”
The White House told CBS News that Mr. Biden, who met with Netanyahu last month, has been briefed on the situation and will “continue to receive updates” as officials “remain in close contact with Israeli partners.”
… Congressional leaders react
The leaders of both political parties have also issued statements about the situation. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York, called the attacks “absolutely horrific” in a statement shared on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter.
“The U.S. stands with Israel in its unwavering right to defend itself. I stand ready to ensure Israel has the support to do so,” Schumer said.
The terrorist attacks by Hamas on the people of Israel are absolutely horrific. The U.S. stands with Israel in its unwavering right to defend itself. I stand ready to ensure Israel has the support to do so. My prayers are with the dead, reported hostages, and hundreds injured.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) October 7, 2023
Rep. Patrick McHenry, Republican of North Carolina, the speaker pro tempore and temporary leader of congressional Republicans after Rep. Kevin McCarthy, Republican of California, was ousted from the speakership earlier this week, called Israel the U.S.’ “most sacred ally” on X.
“America stands with Israel,” McHenry said. “The Israeli people have our unwavering support and the Israeli government has every right to defend its citizens against this act of war.”
America stands with Israel.
The vicious attack on our most sacred ally by Hamas terrorists cannot stand. The Israeli people have our unwavering support and the Israeli government has every right to defend its citizens against this act of war.
— Patrick McHenry (@PatrickMcHenry) October 7, 2023
Sen. Ben Cardin, Democrat of Maryland, the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a statement that he condemned “the brazen and ongoing terrorist attack.”
“I mourn those lost and my heart goes out to their families. May their memory be for a blessing,” Cardin said. “Just as the United States stood by Israel after it was attacked exactly 50 years ago on Yom Kippur, today we stand by Israel in this time of crisis. As chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I am committed to ensuring that Israel has what it needs to defend itself and its citizens, today and every day.”
The chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Sen. Mark Warner, Democrat of Virginia, called the attack “unprovoked and despicable” in a statement.
“Today, Hamas terrorists launched an unprovoked and despicable attack on Israeli civilians,” he said. “The United States must stand firmly beside our friend and partner Israel as it defends its security and its citizens,” and he said the committee would “continue to monitor the situation closely.”
NBC Breaks Out ‘Extreme Right’ Label As Israel Works To Save Hostages – www.newsbusters.org
Excerpt:
NBC’s Raf Sanchez picked the worst possible time to break out the “extreme right” labeling as he reported from Israel on Saturday’s Today in the aftermath of the massive Hamas terrorist attacks and the possibility that the “extreme right” Israeli government may decide to invade Gaza to rescue the hostages there.
Host Laura Jarrett wondered, “Raf, we know this is all unfolding right now. It’s obviously an active situation. But talk to us about the hostages. What are we talking about in terms of how many people and the plan to get them back?”
Sanchez’s immediate response wasn’t so bad, “The Israeli government, the Israeli people, the state of Israel puts an enormous value on getting its people back, whether they are alive or whether they are dead. And if there are live Israelis, soldiers, but especially if there are civilians inside of Gaza right now, there is almost no length that the Israeli government will not go to get them back.”
However, he then, for some inexplicable reason, decided to make things partisan, “And it may be that this Israeli government, this extreme right Israeli government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Netanyahu, feels it has no choice but to launch a major ground offensive inside of Gaza to rescue these Israeli hostages.”
NYC pro-Palestine rally splits Democrats over Israel – www.politico.com
Excerpt:
The rally — attended by more than 1,000 pro-Palestine backers, who chanted “Resistance is justified when people are occupied” — highlighted differences over how progressive members responded to the attacks.
Mainstream Democrats were quick to call out anything less than unequivocal support for Israel.
“The NYC-DSA is revealing itself for what it truly is: an antisemitic stain on the soul of America’s largest city,” Bronx Rep. Ritchie Torres wrote on X. “There is a special place in hell for those who glorify the cold-blooded murder of civilians and children.”
“The Squad” members, which includes members of Democratic Socialists and who have long supported Palestinians, were knocked by Republicans and some members of their party for not noting Israel’s right to defend itself against attacks.
“.@AOC do you agree with these lunatics?” Hudson Valley GOP Rep. Mike Lawler, who has a large Jewish population in his district, wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Yesterday’s terrorist attack perpetrated by Hamas and sponsored by Iran is the fault of Israel? You should denounce this if you don’t agree with it.”
… Rep. Cori Bush, (D-Mo.) a Democratic Socialist, was more critical of Israel than some of her colleagues.
“As part of achieving a just and lasting peace, we must do our part to stop this violence and trauma by ending U.S government support for Israeli military occupation and apartheid,” she said in a statement.
… The Times Square protest was organized by the A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition, the Palestinian Youth Movement and other groups.
The group began in Times Square where they were met by dozens of pro-Israel protesters, but then marched east toward the Consulate General of Israel, where a concurrent rally in support of Israel was taking place.
Over 100 NYPD officers and NYC personnel were on the scene coordinating the march and setting up barricades.
The NYPD barricaded the scene, about a block away from the consulate, preventing the two groups from clashing.
Aryeh Lightstone (left), who’s in Israel witnessing the conflict as it unfolds, told Fox News Digital he was shocked by the “fraudulent nature” of Michigan Gov. Whitmer’s response. (Aryeh Lightstone, John Nacion/WireImage)
Elaborating on his comments, Lightstone — who’s in Israel witnessing the conflict as it unfolds — told Fox News Digital he was shocked by the “fraudulent nature” of Whitmer’s response.
“The job of a leader is to know the difference between right and wrong. The job of a politician is apparently to say nothing, and she demonstrated that she’s a politician,” he said.
“She watched this happen in real time. And to watch women and children be kidnapped and raped and murdered, and to not be able to say something? She should resign immediately,” Lightstone said of Whitmer.
The Second Day
Israel will cut off its supply of electricity to Gaza: Energy minister – www.reddit.com
Excerpt:
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Hamas deputy chief Saleh al-Arouri says group expects fighting with Israel to continue after major operation.
A senior Hamas leader has said that the group had captured enough Israeli soldiers during an unprecedented attack against Israel to make Israeli authorities free all Palestinian prisoners in its jails.
“We managed to kill and capture many Israeli soldiers. The fighting is still on,” Saleh al-Arouri, deputy chief of Hamas’s political bureau, told Al Jazeera on Saturday.
“Our detainees in [Israeli] prisons, their freedom is looming large. What we have in our hands will release all our prisoners. The longer fighting continues, the higher the number of prisoners will become,” added al-Arouri, who said senior officers were among those captured, but did not provide any figures.
According to the latest figures by Addameer, a prisoners’ rights NGO, nearly 5,200 Palestinians are in Israeli jails, including 33 women, 170 minors and more than 1,200 placed under administrative detention.
UN Security Council to meet over Hamas attacks on Israel – www.dailytelegraph.com.au
Excerpt:
The United Nations Security Council is due to meet on Sunday after Palestinian Islamist group Hamas launched the biggest attack on Israel in years on Saturday, diplomats said. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack by Hamas and urged “all diplomatic efforts to avoid a wider conflagration, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a statement. FRANCE 24’s Jessica Le Masurier reports.
Excerpt:
Brazil’s Foreign Ministry said on Saturday it would convene an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council following the biggest attack on Israel in years.
Brazil, which assumed the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council this month, condemned the attacks in a public statement and expressed solidarity with the people of Israel. It also reaffirmed a commitment to a “two-state solution,” with Palestine and Israel coexisting within mutually agreed and internationally recognized borders.
The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas launched the largest attack on Israel in years on Saturday, killing at least 40 people and injuring hundreds. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to retaliate, declaring his country was at war.
Israeli Opposition Leader Calls for Emergency Government After Meeting Netanyahu – www.wsj.com
Excerpt:
Israeli Opposition leader Yair Lapid called for the formation of a unity government after meeting Saturday evening with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Lapid said such a government should be “an emergency, narrow, professional government with him to manage the difficult and complex operation ahead of us.”
Lapid said Netanyahu understood that he can’t manage a war with his current government, which is dependent on far-right parties with limited security experience and hasn’t commanded a majority support in polls in many months.
Dozens of Israeli fighter jets struck Hamas targets – defence-blog.com
Excerpt:
The Israel Defense Forces said that “dozens” fighter jets have struck near the Gaza border fence in Beit Hanun. According to an IDF statement, Israeli forces continued efforts to clear terrorists from a number of Israeli towns and bases on the second day of the war. The Israeli Air Forse also confirmed that during the […]
The post Dozens of Israeli fighter jets struck Hamas targets first appeared on Defence Blog.
Israel-Hamas war LIVE updates: US moves warships closer to Israel – www.hindustantimes.com
Excerpt:
Israel-Hamas war: 19 members of Palestinian family killed in air strike in Gaza
Israel-Hamas war LIVE: Nasser Abu Quta said 19 members of his family including his wife were killed when an airstrike hit their home, where they were huddling on the ground floor in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
There were no militants in his building, he insisted. “This is a safe house, with children and women,” the 57-year-old Abu Quta said by telephone. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the strike. Another strike in the same city early Monday killed 11, including women and children.
As of late Sunday, the retaliatory Israeli airstrikes had destroyed 159 housing units across Gaza and severely damaged 1,210 others, the U.N. said. It said the number of displaced Gazans had jumped by tens of thousands, to more than 123,000. The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, said a school sheltering more than 225 people took a direct hit. It did not say where the fire came from.
Excerpt:
US pushes for harsh condemnation of Hamas but fails to achieve the consensus necessary for a statement.
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has met behind closed doors in an emergency session amid the war between Israel and Gaza but failed to achieve the unanimity needed for a joint statement.
At least 1,100 people have already been killed since Hamas, the Palestinian group that controls the blockaded Gaza Strip, launched an assault on Israeli towns on Saturday and took hundreds of people hostage.
Israel retaliated by declaring a state of war and pounding densely-populated Gaza, killing hundreds of people.
The United States called on the council’s 15 members to strongly condemn Hamas.
“There are a good number of countries that condemned the Hamas attacks. They’re obviously not all,” senior US diplomat Robert Wood told reporters after the session.
The Blame Game
Excerpt:
After the brutal, unprovoked attacks on Israel by the terrorist organization Hamas, many Republicans focused on President Joe Biden and the recent deal he made with Iran.
Rockets rained down on Israel from the Gaza Strip this weekend as Hamas terrorists stormed the border and kidnapped and murdered men, women, and children.
The videos and images were horrifying and shocking, and many speculated that the attacks were, in part, funded by Iran, though no concrete evidence has yet determined that.
But considering Iran’s history of hatred for Israel and its history of supporting terrorist groups, many Republicans shredded the president for negotiating with them.
“Just weeks ago, the Biden administration handed over $6 billion to Iran, and today, innocent Israelis were murdered by Iran-backed terrorists,” Tennessee Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn said. “We must continue to support our strongest ally in the Middle East and their right to defend themselves against these unprovoked, horrific attacks.”
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“Biden just gave Hamas sponsor Iran $6 billion. Today, innocent Israeli citizens have paid with their lives for his and the Obama holdovers’ venal incompetence. America must unflinchingly support Israel’s right of self defense in all its fullness. God bless and save Israel,” North Carolina Rep. Dan Bishop said.
“Iran-controlled Hamas terrorists launched a literal war against Israel last night. Our Israeli allies will now do what they must to defend themselves and I stand with them as they confront this violence and these atrocities. The United States must continue to support Israel’s absolute right to self-defense and ensure it has the military resources and diplomatic support it needs to confront the genocidal Iran-controlled terrorists who seek Israel’s destruction,” Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said.
“This is a clear attack on Israel. We must fully #StandWithIsrael to defend itself & stand strong on the front lines of terrorism,” Texas Rep. Chip Roy said. “We must act quickly to help Israel & reverse the damage of Biden’s $6BB funding of an Iranian regime backing each of the groups likely involved.”
“Iran is the biggest funder of Hamas. This is the Biden $6 billion ransom payment at work,” Republican presidential candidate and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott said.
The administration of Biden, meanwhile, has hit back against the claims that any of the $6 billion was spent on the attacks.
“Not a single cent from these funds has been spent, and when it is spent, it can only be spent on things like food and medicine for the Iranian people,” Adrienne Watson, a National Security Council spokesperson, said.
“These funds have absolutely nothing to do with the horrific attacks today and this is not the time to spread disinformation,” she said.
Excerpt:
IRAN reportedly helped Hamas terrorists plot their surprise attack on Israel over several weeks.
It comes as the death toll hit the grim milestone of more than 1,000.
The ayatollah shared a clip of terrified civilians fleeing a music festival where Hamas killed 260 people
Hamas insiders said that top officers from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had worked on the plans since August – and gave the go-ahead at a meeting in Beirut, Lebanon, on Monday.
Militants from Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed militia that runs much of Lebanon and has often clashed with Israel, also said Iran helped plot the slaughter.
Revolutionary Guard leader Ismail Qaani reportedly led the meetings, which were attended by Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah and Hamas’s Saleh al-Arouri.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian also sat in on two of the fortnightly meetings in Beirut.
Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khameini praised the attacks on Twitter on Sunday.
He said: “God willing, the cancer of the usurper Zionist regime will be eradicated at the hands of the Palestinian people and the Resistance forces throughout the region.”
Excerpt:
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday that it is not clear there was any involvement by Iran in the weekend attack by Hamas on Israel.
Iran has long been a supporter of Hamas, the group designated by the U.S. as a terrorist organization, whose attack on Saturday left at least 250 in Israel dead.
“We have not yet seen evidence that Iran directed or was behind this particular attack, but there is certainly a long relationship,” Blinken said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
Some Republican leaders have pointed to Iran as a cause of the attack. Rep Michael McCaul (R-TX) said later on CNN that “we do know that Iran was behind this” but did not specify whether he was talking about specific information on this weekend’s attack or just the country’s historic support of Hamas in general.
Saudi-Israel ties may have motivated Hamas attack: Blinken – www.ctvnews.ca
Excerpt:
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said part of the motivation for Hamas’ latest attack on Israel may have been disrupting a potential normalizing of Israel-Saudi Arabia ties and said Washington will announce new assistance for Israel on Sunday.
“It wouldn’t be a surprise that part of the motivation may have been to disrupt efforts to bring Saudi Arabia and Israel together, along with other countries that may be interested in normalizing relations with Israel,” Blinken told CNN in an interview on Sunday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said last month he believed his country was on the cusp of peace with Saudi Arabia, predicting it could reshape the Middle East. Saudi Arabia, the home of Islam’s two holiest shrines, has long insisted on the Palestinians’ right to statehood as a condition of recognizing Israel – something that many members of Netanyahu’s nationalist religious coalition have long resisted.
The Fallout
Excerpt:
A former deputy national security advisor for Israel is calling the attack by Hamas this weekend an “earthquake” for the country and people’s sense of security, and says the conflict has become a “battle for national survival.”
Chuck Freilich made the comments in an interview with The West Block‘s Mercedes Stephenson on Sunday, a day after Hamas militants launched a slew of rockets into Israel’s south, as well as attacks by land and sea, in what is being seen as an unprecedented attack.
More than 600 in Israel have been killed, according to government numbers, with claims by Hamas of capturing military soldiers and reports of residents also being abducted.
“This is one of the worst developments in Israel’s history. It’s the first time since the War of Independence in 1948 that Israeli territory was occupied even briefly,” said Freilich, a professor of political science at Columbia University and previously a deputy national security adviser in Israel.
Excerpt:
Iran wants to make it impossible for Saudi Arabia to strike deal with Israel, while others in region cannot afford mayhem in Gaza
As the death toll rises, and the security consequences multiply, Israel is pointing its finger of accusation at Tehran for orchestrating the attacks by Hamas. The attacks may have been born of anger, specifically at the months-long behaviour of the Netanyahu coalition, including the provocations at al-Aqsa mosque, but Iran and the forces it supports have a longer-term strategic goal: to thwart the US-led effort to achieve a normalisation of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel, a move that would entrench the US in the Middle East – and in Iran’s eyes deprive the Palestinians of their last influential sponsor.
Iran’s goal is to denormalise the region, and make it near-impossible for Saudi Arabia to strike a deal. Israel, by contrast, wants to shrink the Palestinian conflict diplomatically so it gradually becomes an irrelevance, a historical curio such as the Yom Kippur war. The aid it drip-feeds to Gaza via Qatar is one leg of this strategy.
Excerpt:
Dramatic Images of the U.S. and Israel flag engulfed in flames has started to emerge across the world, after Hamas terrorists launched a brutal attack on Israel.
Around 600 Israelis are believed to have been killed and more than 370 Palestinians are dead with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warning of a ‘long and difficult war’ ahead.
Nations across the world watching the violence unfold in the region appear to have already chosen sides in the conflict, which has so far been the bloodiest weekend in the region for 50 years.
Kidnapped Israelis biggest challenge for PM Benjamin Netanyahu – m.tribuneindia.com
Excerpt:
For Israel, the fate of its kidnapped civilians and soldiers will be its biggest worry, regardless of the trajectory of its ongoing war with Hamas.
Israel puts a high price on the lives of its citizens and Mossad hit squads have travelled to far-off destinations to launch spectacular rescue or retaliatory operations. But it gets complicated when Israel must free its citizens from the rival’s custody.
… In 2011, for one Israeli soldier, Tel Aviv released over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners after five years of negotiations. In 1985, it similarly released over 1,150 PLO and Hezbollah prisoners. The deal to get back hundreds of Israeli women, children and military men taken away into Gaza Strip by Hamas militants will be humungous. To make matters tougher, Hamas has also announced that it has Israeli army commanders in custody. In fact, intense negotiations have been held on even the transfer of remains.
Excerpt:
Israeli emergency services have reported the discovery of 260 bodies at the site of a music festival near the border with Gaza which was attacked by armed Hamas terrorists.
The Supernova Sukkot Festival near Kibbutz Re’im had been hosting a rave and was packed with young partying Israelis when Hamas fighters struck without warning.
Having broken through the Gaza border defences, the Palestinian terrorists managed to overrun military bases and checkpoints killing or capturing the soldiers inside before moving on into surrounding settlements.
Arriving at the festival the gunmen open fire from the back of pickup trucks on the helpless festivalgoers.
Emergency workers working to count the dead have reported removing at least 260 bodies from the scene of the massacre.
