Israel - Palestinian militants launch massive attack, 7 Oct 2023 #5

[dotr]

Surveillance video appears to show failed rocket launch causing Gaza hospital blast

* * *

www.timesofisrael.com

Full recording from @ajmubasher feed.
You can see outgoing rocket fire some distance away. The rocket is intercepted in the air, and breaks apart into shrapnel.
After this 2 explosions are seen: one smaller one, perhaps on the rocket launcher, and a big one on the hospital. pic.twitter.com/upR4Dnrvsq
— Yousuf (@yousuf_tw) October 17, 2023

Another video, published by Palestinian media outlets, shows the blast at the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, which Israel says was caused by a failed Palestinian Islamic Jihad rocket.'

IDF Spokesperson: IJ is Responsible for the Rocket that Hit the Hospital in Gaza​

 

[JennieM]

28 min ago

State Department: About 1,500 citizens and family members have departed Israel on US-chartered transportation​

From CNN's Jennifer Hansler

Around 1,500 US citizens and their family members have departed from Israel on US government-chartered transport, a State Department spokesperson told CNN Tuesday.

“Since October 13, we have augmented the limited commercial flight availability by offering more than 5,000 seats on U.S. government-chartered transport by air and sea to U.S. citizens and their immediate family members,” the spokesperson said.

They added that “U.S. government-facilitated flights are scheduled to continue on a rolling basis from Ben Gurion International Airport through at least Sunday, October 22.”
“The departure options we have offered have generally departed at half capacity or less,” they said.
They said “thousands of U.S. citizens have reached out via our online form or via phone since October 7,” but “many have not sought to depart.”

“We have sent messages to every U.S. citizen who contacted us to inform them that we will provide detailed information to any U.S. citizen who indicates interest in departure assistance,” the spokesperson said.

“We are not in a position to share detailed breakdowns of the number of U.S. citizens seeking departure assistance, or the number of U.S. citizens whose departure we have facilitated, given this is an unfolding situation,” they added.

Live updates: Israel-Hamas war rages as crisis in Gaza deepens

US President Joe Biden will visit Israel on Wednesday as he seeks to demonstrate staunch support for the country while also pressing for ways to ease humanitarian suffering in Gaza. Follow here for the latest.

edition.cnn.com

 

[JennieM]

Words fail me - UN human rights chief​

The deadly blast on a hospital in the Gaza Strip is "totally unacceptable", the UN human rights chief said.

"Words fail me," Volker Turk said in a statement.

"Tonight, hundreds of people were killed - horrifically - in a massive strike at Al Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza City, including patients, healthcare workers and families that had been seeking refuge in and around the hospital. Once again the most vulnerable."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-middle-east-67141589

 

[JennieM]

1m ago

UN chief to arrive in Egypt on Thursday​

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will arrive in Cairo on Thursday, focused on reopening the Gaza border to allow in desperately needed aid for millions of Palestinians.

UN spokespersonStephane Dujarric, who made the announcement Tuesday, said the secretary-general will engage with Egyptian leaders including President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi and speak at an international conference on Saturday hosted by the president.

“This situation is becoming more than critical,” he said. “We are at a time of extreme tension, where we’re calling to move away from further escalation and any possible miscalculation.”

US president’s visit to Jordan cancelled – as it happened

This blog is now closed.

www.theguardian.com

 

[Vern]

Right....but I've never seen a leader of a country in quite that vulnerable of a position (not that you can see him on the video).

jmo

I've seen it a couple of times on two-way firing ranges when 'official visits' have been happening. It's just that the media isn't usually right there to capture the 'bad' stuff.

 

[Momoffourboys]

This misfire is really working out well for Hamas.
We know they don’t give a poop about the Gazans. Use them as human shields. Deny them basic human necessities.
OOPSIES! The rocket misfires and the world is enraged at Israel.
All the focus has turned to this hospital catastrophe.
They couldn’t have planned it better.

 

[Momoffourboys]

The number of Americans killed from the Hamas attack on Israel now stands at 31 - White House​

Number of Americans killed from the Hamas attack on Israel now 31

The number of Americans killed from the Hamas attack on Israel now stands at 31, White House spokesperson John

www.jpost.com

 

[acutename]

Right....but I've never seen a leader of a country in quite that vulnerable of a position (not that you can see him on the video).

jmo

how long before somebody "important" (we're all important but some people are world leaders) gets killed? shelling and rockets.... stuff gets blown up and people get killed

 

[JennieM]

39m ago

Julian Borger

The deadly blast has upended US diplomatic efforts aimed at fending off the humanitarian disaster in Gaza and thrown a dark shadow over president Joe Biden’s imminent visit to the region.

It was hoped that Biden’s trip to Israel would help to rein in reprisal attacks on Hamas in Gaza, which has been under constant bombardment while running out of water, food and medical supplies. The UN says more than 3,000 Palestinians have died in the days since the Hamas attack.

Protests broke out across the West Bank after the hospital blast, and in Ramallah, the seat of the Palestinian Authority, demonstrators threw rocks at the Palestinian security forces who fired on the crowds with stun grenades.

The outpouring of anger against Israel also fuelled a large rally on Tuesday near the Israeli embassy in Amman, Jordan, where police used teargas to disperse several thousand protesters who chanted slogans in support of Hamas and demanded the government close the embassy and scrap a peace treaty with Israel. Jordan’s peace treaty with Israel is widely unpopular among many citizens.

Read more
Biden flies in to storm as Gaza hospital blast sinks Jordan summit and ignites protests

US president’s visit to Jordan cancelled – as it happened

This blog is now closed.

www.theguardian.com

 

[JennieM]

Biden flies in to storm as Gaza hospital blast sinks Jordan summit and ignites protests​

US president to meet only Israeli figures on Wednesday after Jordan summit cancelled and protests spread across the Middle East

Biden flies in to storm as Gaza hospital blast sinks Jordan summit and ignites protests

US president to meet only Israeli figures on Wednesday after Jordan summit cancelled and protests spread across the Middle East

www.theguardian.com

 

[Vern]

Ok.

So, um, what exact time did Hamas use the words “one hour window” about the hostages.

[Find/Insert video I stiiiiilll haven’t watched yet]

Did Hamas say they would release the hostages within a hour if Israel stops bombing befoooore the hospital was hit?

Because IF so, how convenient.

“We were goooooinggg to release the hostages, but then you hit our hospital…so too bad…no hostages.”

Meanwhile they’ve possibly already been killed anyway, and that ISIS-like hostage video of Maya Schem released yesterday was filmed immediately after her abduction. (I’ve seen her ways spelled 3 different ways already, note to find the right one)

Agenda gains support from allies and continues/escalates.


Prove or disprove possible theory, might take a while to find exactly what time they said that about the hostages.

* This possible angle/theory is void if:

1. The hostage statement was made after the hospital was hit
2. The rocket “fell short” (which eh, that’s a whole different discussion, ranges, accuracy, etc.)
3. The rocket is Israeli

I was also going to bring that up earlier ... seemed like they really didn't want IDF coming into the Gaza where any possible evidence of munition-type could be collected for investigation.

BUT, then they saw that it immediately caused the outrage against Israel and the west that they've been trying to generate since 7 Oct but had so far failed to do. Colour me not surprised.

I posted in here this morning a post where Hamas made a statement that they were absolutely were not going to release any hostages. That attitude changed right after the hospital was struck to "we'll release them all in an hour if Israel stops firing."

So convenient for them.

Post from last thread here with link to their Xitter from this morning:

Israel-Hamas war: Hamas spokesman says the group has no plans to release hostages​

And they claim that it is all "fake news" and Israeli propoganda about them taking civilian hostage ...

Israel - Palestinian militants launch massive attack, 7 Oct 2023 #4

https://nypost.com/2023/10/16/israels-mossad-accuses-al-jazeera-of-revealing-army-positions-to-hamas/ That might explain why the link in my post also says ... "Israeli forces detained 70 people, including two journalists, in the occupied West Bank in raids overnight and in the early morning on...

www.websleuths.com

 

[bestill]

Total opinion this visit by Biden is going to backfire and his administration is putting him in harms way. I don't like it at all.

 

[PommyMommy]

Israel-Hamas war live updates: Israel and Hamas blame each other for Gaza hospital blast (nbcnews.com)
10m ago / 7:32 PM PDT

State Department urges Americans not to travel to Lebanon​

The U.S. State Department today urged Americans not to travel to Lebanon amid exchanges of ordnance with Israel, kidnappings, and new protests over the deadly blast at Gaza hospital.

The department raised its travel advisory to the highest level, 4, to reflect "terrorism, civil unrest, armed conflict, crime, kidnapping and Embassy Beirut’s limited capacity to provide support to U.S. citizens," the notice states.

Protests erupted in Beirut following the hospital blast, and skirmishes between Israel and militant groups in Lebanon, including Hezbollah, continued to threaten to bring a new, northern front to Israel's wartime stance.

The State Department emphasized the possibility of terror attacks, kidnapping, and "large protests" that could be unsafe.

It said family members of government personnel and some non-emergency government workers will be authorized to leave Lebanon on a case-by-case basis. The same "authorized departure" status was implemented for the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem on Friday.

Israel and the West Bank were under a level 3 advisory, and Gaza was at level 4. Level 3 asks Americans to reconsider travel to those areas.

The advisory warns of unpredictable violence.

 

[margarita25]

I’ve been thinking for a few days now that it’s pooooooossibly unlikely they’ve chosen to keep all the hostages alive.

I’m thinking they have kept some for various strategic purposes (women for some, soldiers for some, kids for some…elderly unlikely kept alive imo) and killed others, of course who know really, but that’s kind of where I’m at.

 

[Leve]

Total opinion this visit by Biden is going to backfire and his administration is putting him in harms way. I don't like it at all.

Conspiracy theory stuff but I agree, if anything happens to him, I swear it'll have been a set up. JMO MOO ect ...

 

[margarita25]

Total opinion this visit by Biden is going to backfire and his administration is putting him in harms way. I don't like it at all.

Hey bestill.

IMO, Biden HAS to go and show strong support for Israel. Biden, or no Biden, whoeeeeeever was President at this time, would have to do it, jmo. It goes back to years and years of diplomatic/political factors.

I think he also wants to do it, knows it’s the right thing, and of course even if he refused, which I doubt he would ever do anyway, he would be called a pansy and everything else.

—-

Eta: Also, this is a veryyyy serious situation with global ramifications. He HAS to go. It is his job.

Jmo.

 

[Gypsy Road]

Total opinion this visit by Biden is going to backfire and his administration is putting him in harms way. I don't like it at all.

I don’t like it either and feel uneasy. Why does he have to go in person?

 

[dotr]

'Oct 17, 2023 #Israel #Gaza #Lebanon
While Israel and Hamas fight near Gaza in the south, Hezbollah is launching missiles from Lebanon along the northern border. NBC's Josh Lederman explains how Israeli troops are preparing for the possibility of a simultaneous war along both borders.'

'Oct 17, 2023 #Hamas #Gaza #Iran
NBC's Steven Romo explores how Hamas receives funding since it is designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. and EU. The organization is able to receive funding through taxes on Gaza's commerce, money from Iran, and crypto.'

 

[JennieM]

Biden's visit is a high-stakes gamble​

Sarah Smith
North America editor


Getty Images
US President Joe Biden

For an American president, turning up in a warzone is an extraordinary move.

Joe Biden's trip to the Middle East on Wednesday was always going to be a high-stakes gamble.

But he is now flying into an even more volatile situation, after the bombing of a hospital in Gaza that is thought to have killed hundreds of Palestinians.

Hamas has blamed an Israeli air strike, but Israel said the blast at Al Ahli hospital was caused by rockets fired by Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

Biden's hastily-organised visit is designed to further demonstrate America's firm solidarity with the Jewish state.

But he is having to balance his support for Israel's aim of destroying Hamas with his deep concerns about the civilian and humanitarian cost.

Now it is time for the US president to use all the influence and leverage he has at his disposal to try to limit the bloodshed and loss of life, and prevent an all-out war across the Middle East.

All while events on the ground are making it harder than ever.

Read more about the situation here.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-middle-east-67141589

 

[PommyMommy]

Israel-Hamas war live updates: Israel and Hamas blame each other for Gaza hospital blast (nbcnews.com)
8m ago / 7:43 PM PDT

Israeli troops prepare for possible two-front war​

NEAR THE ISRAEL-LEBANON BORDER — While Israel and Hamas fight near Gaza in the south, Israel's north has also been under daily attack.

From Lebanon, the militant group Hezbollah has been launching missiles, mortars and armed drones along Israel's northern border.

Israel is striking back with artillery shells and fighter jets.

Israeli military officials are urging residents to stay away from the border for their own safety and have restricted GPS in what the military calls “active combat zones.”

Hezbollah is launching missiles from Lebanon along the northern border.