Swords of Iron: Here is what happened on days 1 and 2
Hamas rocket directly slams into building in Ashkelon • 2,315 wounded, over 300 in serious condition
WATCH: Ukrainian soldiers offer support to Israel
Ukrainian Warriors recorded messages in support of Israel.
— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) October 8, 2023
📹: StratCom of AFU pic.twitter.com/p7yWk0I56P
Netanyahu appoints Gal Hirsch as hostages, missing persons coordinator
Over 100 Israelis, both soldier and civilian have been abducted by Hamas, and many more are still unaccounted for.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appointed retired military general Gal Hirsch on Sunday to be in charge of the issue of abductees and missing persons after calls by opposition leader Yair Lapid to appoint such an official to work with the families of people who were abducted into Gaza on Saturday.
"Since the current government was formed, Israel has not had a hostages and missing persons coordinator," he said. "I called on the prime minister to appoint a coordinator today so that there will be someone who can work with the families."
Over 100 Israelis, both soldier and civilian have been abducted by Hamas, and many more are still unaccounted for.
Go to the full article >>Iran supports 'legitimate' Hamas attack on Israel, Raisi says
Iran supports the legitimate defense of the Palestinian nation, said Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in a statement on Sunday, according to Tasnim news agency, adding that "the Zionist regime and its supporters are responsible for instability in the region."
Palestinian Islamist group Hamas took Israel by surprise with the biggest attack in decades by gunmen who killed scores of people and brought hostages back into the Gaza Strip.
Go to the full article >>Zelensky, more world leaders pledge unwavering support to Israel
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, as well as with German Chancellor Olaf Scholtz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister's Office said.
All leaders expressed their unwavering support for Israel, Netanyahu's office added.
Go to the full article >>Over 300 Palestinians killed in Israeli airstrikes - Gaza health ministy
Over 300 Palestinians were killed in Gaza since the beginning of the war on Saturday, the Palestinian Health Ministry said Sunday.
In addition, over 1,990 Gazans were injured "as a result of Israeli airstrikes."
Disrupting Saudi-Israel ties may have motivated Hamas attack, Blinken says
Disrupting a potential normalization of ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia could certainly be part of the motivation for the latest attack on Israel by Hamas, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told U.S. media on Sunday.
The United States has also taken note of reports of several Americans killed in Israel and Washington is looking to verify the details and figures, Blinken added in his interview on Sunday with CNN.
In an interview with Fox News on Sunday, US Deputy National Security Adviser Jon Finer said "It is too soon to determine how the attack on Israel unfolded, what possible role Iran may have played, or whether the attack was meant to derail Saudi-Israeli normalization talks.
"We think it would be in both countries' interests to continue to pursue this possibility."
Go to the full article >>Israel's envoy to Turkey says too early to talk mediation, calls for end of Hamas presence
Israel's Ambassador to Turkey, Irit Lillian, said on Sunday it was too early to talk about mediation offers between Israel and the Islamist group Hamas, adding the attacks showed that Hamas should not have any presence in Turkey or elsewhere.
On Saturday, Hamas launched an attack against Israel, for which Israel vowed "mighty vengeance" in response. Hundreds of Palestinians and Israelis have been killed, in what Israel has said is a war.
In an online briefing with journalists, after Turkey said it was in contact with all parties and stood ready to de-escalate, Lillian said Israel's priority was its response to the attack.
Go to the full article >>Survivor of Hamas attack: 'I don't know if I'm alive or not'
“The soldiers protected us with their bodies, and we saw them falling [from Hamas gunfire] before our eyes.”
“An all-night’ nature party’ filled with thousands of dancing, singing young Israelis near Kibbutz Re’em turned into a horrific killing field Saturday morning when dozens of Hamas terrorists hunted them down: killing dozens, wounding scores, and kidnapping others into the nearby Gaza Strip.
Raziel Tamir, one of the survivors of the attack, said in a harrowing interview on Sunday morning on Kan Bet, “I don’t believe I’m alive; I don’t know if I’m alive, or if this is the way the dead feel.”
Tamir, who went to the party with four other friends, none of whom have returned, said that he was awoken in his tent at about 6:00 a.m. to the sound of gunshots, screams, explosions, and the smell of smoke.
“When I went outside my tent, I saw a crazy number of bodies, and terrorists running and firing everywhere, throwing grenades and stun grenades at people,” he said. “People tried to run to their cars, but the terrorists waited and slaughtered them as they tried to get into their cars and escape.” He said that rockets were shot at those trying to flee.
Go to the full article >>'Tens' of IDF fighter jets striking Hamas targets inside Gaza Strip
Dozens of IDF fighter jets have struck near the Gaza border fence in Beit Hanun, according to an IDF statement.
Go to the full article >>European Union flies Israeli flag in Brussels
Today, the Israeli flag flies high in front of our headquarters in Brussels.
— European Commission (@EU_Commission) October 8, 2023
Hamas terrorists have struck at the heart of Israel capturing and killing innocent women and children.
We deeply mourn the victims of these devastating attacks. pic.twitter.com/YZWqdXowGV