Soldiers carrying body bag Kibbutz Be’eri
According to IDF spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari over 1200 Israelis were killed and 2700 injured and over 150 kidnapped in the Hamas terrorist incursion on Oct 7, 2023. The number of dead and wounded is expected to continue to rise as the settlements are searched for bodies. And while the IDF scours the Gaza settlements for terrorists lingering after the invasion. So far, according to the IDF, over 1,000 terrorists have been killed. The southern Gaza border has been sealed and the area secured.
The spokesman also said that over 5,000 missiles have been fired into Israel from Gaza since the war began.On Tuesday and Wednesday sirens continued to blare a warning in Israel.
On Tuesday night rockets fell in the Tel Aviv area, landing as far as Herzliya. At least two people were killed by missile fire in Ashkelon.
Firefights continued on Wednesday as the IDF swept the south searching for terrorists. According to reports, Hamas had intended to ‘occupy’ the southern settlements expecting Hezbollah in the North and Islamic Jihad and other terrorist groups in the West Bank to join in the fighting. Israel’s military response to the estimated 1,500 terrorists who invaded Israel stopped Hamas’ expectations cold.
According to analysts, Hamas has been preparing the attack for a year. During the last several weeks protesters have gathered along the Gaza border setting off explosive charges, hurling fire bombs and rocks. Israel treated this as a minor annoyance not realizing these protests were a trial run for the invasion.
Israel has also been concentrating on terrorist attacks on Israeli cars driving through the Arab town of Harawa on their way to settlements in the West Bank. The IDF removed divisions from guarding the Gaza border to protect the settlers in the West Bank. This is now also seen as part of Hamas’ long range plan, weakening the Israeli defensive capabilities along the Gaza border.
Analysts also said that Hamas was founded with the goal of destroying Israel and the Jews living there. Over the years they hid their founding ideology, accepting money to keep themselves afloat, and jobs for Gazans in Israel. ‘Money for quiet’ was the operative idea from Israel. But that idea didn’t take into account that Hamas was only waiting for an opportunity to carry out their basic ideology. Israel TV Kan reported that flags for ISIS were found in the ruins of the massacre at Kibbutz Sofa.
Stories of Hamas arriving with equipment capable of breaking into secure rooms of the communities. Or bringing in tires, setting them on fire and smoking out the residents, killing them and then torching the homes.
Zaka, a religious organization that functions as a sort of Red Cross, was sent in to help clear the bodies. A leader of one group told Danny Kasharov of Channel 12 that he’d find shelter after shelter with entire families shot and burned to death.
Reportedly, Hamas used sophisticated methods to neutralize Israel’s communications, besides the bombing of Israeli watch towers using unmanned drones. Hamas also disguised their Jeeps and trucks and soldiers with Israeli army and police uniforms.
Israel radio reported heroic efforts by soldiers on duty when the attacks began. One soldier in an elite unit along with four others fought off terrorists killing twenty until reinforcements arrived.
Chaim Yelin, former head of the Eskol Regional Council, that included the kibbutzim and settlements along the border, appeared on Israel TV’last night telling the horror stories of Kibbutz Be’eri, where he is a long time member. He said the kibbutz lost 100 people, ten percent of the kibbutz’s population. Entire families were wiped out. He was in tears by the end of the interview. He said that no one would feel safe in Israeli communities on the Gaza border until Hamas was eliminated.
Yelin also pointed out that disinformation and panic was easy to find. The rumor that 50 members of Kibbutz Be’er were captured and held hostage by Hamas terrorists never happened. 12 members of the Kibbutz hid in a dining room of one of the members. But there was never any terrorist holding them hostage.
Analysts are also studying the current military situation to determine the reason for Hamas’ attack and if there isn’t a bigger game at play. For instance, drawing Israel into a sense of security, then attacking from Gaza. Are there further chess moves, wonder the analysts? Drawing Hezbollah into the fight, then the West Bank Islamic fundamentalists, those Iranian militia groups in Syria, and finally Iran itself.
Biden standing tall and warning Israel’s enemies who were thinking of taking advantage of the situation. “Don’t,” he said. And repeated. “Don’t.” Perhaps The USA’s firm commitment to Israel’s security, sending in an aircraft carrier, and sending planes, that have already landed in Israel, that can carry highly destructive “bunker buster” planes that Israel didn’t previously possess. These moves may well upset any overall Iranian plan.
Experts on the panels on Israel TV ran the spectrum of possible responses the the incursion from Gaza, from flattening Gaza completely, to removing Hamas as a military and political entity. Israel allowed the international press into the southern communities yesterday to witness first hand the massacre Hamas committed. They saw bodies of Israelis in bodybags loaded into trucks. Blood on the walls and on the floors where Hamas had killed men, women and children.
The massacre was likened to the pogroms by the Cossacks in Russia when entire villages were raided and the Jews killed. An Israeli officer said these pogroms were like that his grandparents went through in Europe under the Nazis.
Another commentator likened the Hamas attacks to that of the Nazi SS Eizengrupon’s “Aktion” massacring hundreds of Jews in Poland and dropping them in mass graves, as the Nazis did at Babi Yar in the Ukraine. One commentator said that Israel should do what the Allies did in WWII, carpet bomb Gaza as was done to Berlin until nothing is left but rubble.
US President lifted the spirits of Israelis when he spoke on TV Tuesday night calling Hamas “sheer evil.” He promised that the USA was standing with Israel, and would provide any support necessary for Israel to win the war.
This promise was important since Iran, the sponsor of Hamas and Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad and other terrorist organizations, was reportedly waiting for an opportunity to unleash those assets and attack Israel from three fronts.
According to theTimes of Israel EU Chief von her Leyen has said that the Hamas attack was an ‘act of war’ that reflects ancient evil. So far, Thai citizens were killed in the Hamas strike. Yahoo News reported at least three stories of families from the Chicago area who were either killed by strikes or taken captive.
Channel 12tv’s Ohad Hemo on a panel discussing the events read a message from the newspaper Al Arabia, “which is generally reliable” that Egypt had been in contact with Hamas who assured the Egyptians that foreign hostages our those with dual citizenship would not be harmed. But left out any mention of Israelis who make up the mass of the hostages.
The Army Spokesman’s office yesterday posted statistics that Hamas had 15,000 fighters and 15,000 missiles. When a TV panelist asked a military correspondent how many missiles had just been launched in a flurry that fell in Ashkelon and other towns he said “Seven.” So, at that rate, one of the panel members said, they could continue firing for months before using up their supplies.
Another chart went up on the screen showing Hezbollah with 150,000 soldiers and nearly 200,000 missiles. This was a serious threat. So far Hezbollah has largely kept out of the fight, although a small band of terrorist did infiltrate from Lebanon on Tuesday and were killed, but not before killing a Lt. Col. and two other soldiers.
Hezbollah responded with 15 rockets that landed in open areas near Kibbutz Hanita and the town of Shlomi. Israel responded to the rocket fire with artillery fire taking out watch towers. Hezbollah responded by sending in more rockets. This cycle of attack and response could end once Hezbollah is satisfied they’ve extracted revenge for the killing of their soldiers. Or it could escalate.
Dan Harel, former deputy-director of the Shin Bet said that Israel must go into Gaza quickly, carefully and fiercely and take over Gaza. He said putting Markava 4 tanks in the streets of Gaza to take control.
Tomer Heyman, former head of military intelligence said that Israel can’t be fooled by the psychological tricks of Sheik Nasrallah head of the Hezbollah terrorist organization and be drawn into making a mistake that would give Hezbollah an excuse to enter the war. “The government must focus on Gaza. That’s the target.”
Israel has been attacking Hamas targets in Gaza non-stop. So far Israel has reportedly struck over 120 targets on Tuesday night, destroyed Hamas’ financial center, buildings where Hamas leaders live, killed two mid-level Hamas operatives, bombed the home of Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif. and members of his family. Israel has made it clear they are looking for the leaders of Hamas and have every intention of eliminating them.
Israel’s strategists were complimented for sending troops to the northern border to prevent Hezbollah leader Nasrallah from launching a surprise attack as was done by Hamas in the South.
The IDF had requested all residents of the communities along the norther border with Lebanon to leave their homes and find somewhere safe. This follows what had happened in the south. But on Wednesday night the Army Spokesman declared the area safe and said people could go back to their normal activities.
The IDF requested all residents of the southern communities to leave, and provided housing alternatives for many. Only a few remained reportedly not wanting to leave their community completely abandoned and open to looting.
Ofek students collecting donations
Meanwhile, on the home front, Israelis have responded to calls for clothing, food, water, medicines even diapers.Groups of young Israelis were assigned to locations outside of grocery stores, receiving donations from shoppers.
Volunteers sorting donations at the Cafit restaurant
In the city of Modiin, the goods collected were sent to a restaurant Caffit, that had been closed to receive the donations. Scores of volunteers were inside the restaurant sorting the donations, then boxing them, and loading them boxes in cars that were driven to the South and even hotels in Tel Aviv where the Israeli residents of the Gaza border communities had been relocated.
Yozma Synagogue collecting donations
Yozma, a Modiin community affiliated with the Reform movement, sent out a notice requesting donations. Tables were set up inside the Yozma center, that housed kindergartens as well as a synagogue, where the goods were sorted and boxed for shipment.
Buildings and communities received requests to house Israelis who were displaced from the south.
Over 300,000 reserve soldiers have been called up and sent either to the south and the Gaza border, or the north and the border with Lebanon.
Israeli transport plane loading reserve soldiers returning to Israel
Israelis who were abroad, from Thailand to the United States, and received a “Tzav 8” a call up to reserve duty, raced to get home and join their units.
The IDF sent planes to bring some, others were ferried in on planes leased by the IDF. According to Nir Dvori on Chanel 12tv, ‘These are people fighting to get on these planes. To come home and defend their country.”
Horror stories continued to pour in as survivors came on TV to tell terrifying stories. The news also broadcast names of the fallen soldiers and police, the numbers running into the hundreds. Footage of soldiers’ funerals was also shown. The current head of the Eshkol Regional Council said that he’d attended five funerals Wednesday morning and nine the day before. “And that is just the beginning,” he said.
Amos Yadlin, former head of military intelligence, told a tv panel that Israel must strike at Hamas in Gaza. But use surprise. He said Hamas was expecting a ground invasion and had prepared booby-traps and defensive strategies. Israel has to be smart and use tactics Hamas didn’t expect. He said he wouldn’t elaborate. “Why give the enemy information?”
On Monday, a group of mayors from towns in the south sent a letter to Prime Minister Netanyahu demanding that he immediately establish a national unity government and a war cabinet staffed with people with experience in fighting battles.
Finally, on Wednesday evening, Netanyahu and opposition leader Gen (ret.) Benny Gantz, Gen (ret.) Gadi Eizenkot, and others from the opposition joined a national unity government. Gantz, Eisenkot and a few others will be part of a small War Cabinet. Reportedly, Gantz and Eisenkot have already set up leaders for military units to coordinate the future plans for the offensive side of the war.
Yesh Atid’s Yair Lapid declined to join the national unity government. Lapid said that the fact the war cabinet had to receive permission from the general cabinet would only lead to chaos.
But Itamar Ben Gvir, National Security Minister, objected to a war cabinet that excludes him but is still part of the general cabinet. He and ultra nationalist Finance Minister Bezalel Smotritch could create problems.
Ben Gvir, a media hog, toured the south today and warned Israelis of attacks from Arabs in their communities. He was roundly criticized for making irresponsible statements just to get headlines.
Benny Gantz, in a TV speech after the announcement of the national unity government, said “We are a united nation, one people and we will win this war. …We are all soldiers who have received a Tzav 8, a call up notice. …Kind David said we must be strong in war, and we will be strong in war.”
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, had been a supporter of Israel because, he said, more than a million Russians were living there. But Putin has been noticeably absent since the outbreak of the war. He has not called Israel’s PM Netanyahu and offered his condolences and support. One Russian news source is quoted as having said that Putin blames the USA for the Hamas invasion. He said that the USA had diverted weapons and supplies from Israel to the Ukraine thus weakening Israel and allowing Hamas to invade.
As of Wednesday Oct 11, 2023, as Israel was still organizing its forces along the Gaza border, Hamas tried to sneak into Israel through holes in the security fence but were stopped by the Israel army. Channel 12tv’s Ohad Hemo said that several attempts by Hamas had been carried out along the border. Hamas was still trying to get more terrorists into Israel.
The IDF was beefing up forces on the northern border. The clock is ticking.