Israel - Palestinian militants launch massive attack, 7 Oct 2023

[JennieM]

9m ago

Israel retakes control of Gaza border fence, no new infiltrations since Monday​

Israel has retaken control of the Gaza border fence breached by Palestinian Hamas gunmen who carried out a weekend mass-incursion, and is planting mines in the parts where the barrier was toppled, the chief military spokesperson said on Tuesday.

In remarks aired by Israel’s Army Radio, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said there had been no new infiltrations from Gaza since Monday.

Israel-Hamas war live: Israel defence minister ‘releases all restraints’ on troops; Biden calls Hamas attack an ‘act of sheer evil’

UN commission sees proof of crimes on both sides and is ‘gravely concerned’ by Israel’s siege announcement; Biden says Israel ‘has a duty to respond’ to attacks

www.theguardian.com

 

[PommyMommy]

15min ago

Israeli forces strike more than 200 Gaza targets overnight​

The Israel Defense Forces says it struck more than 200 targets in the Gaza Strip overnight.

The IDF says the sites include a weapons storage site in a mosque, an apartment used by Hamas’ anti-tank guided missile forces, and a high-rise tower used by the terror group, among other military installations.

The military releases footage showing several of the strikes.

**********​

Translated from Hebrew by Google:
In recent hours, IDF warplanes and vessels have attacked many targets of the terrorist organizations throughout the Gaza Strip. Dozens of fighter jets attacked over 200 targets throughout the Rimal neighborhood and Khan Yunis during the night >>

https://twitter.com/x/status/1711604114222637109

 

[JennieM]

2m ago

Chuck Schumer criticises China's response to Israel-Hamas war​

Helen Davidson

The US senate majority leader, Chuck Schumer, has criticised China’s response to the Israel-Hamas conflict while in China, calling on the government there to show more support for Israel.

Schumer spoke repeatedly about China’s response, including directly to China’s leader, Xi Jinping, on Monday, during a rare meeting on a multi-day trip to the country.

“I urge you and the Chinese people to stand with the Israeli people and condemn the cowardly and vicious attacks upon them,” he told Xi in Beijing.

Earlier he had accused China’s foreign minister Wang Yi of showing “no sympathy or support for Israel during these tough, troubled times.”

On Sunday, China’s foreign ministry released a statement calling on “relevant parties” to end to hostilities and protect civilians. It said “the fundamental way out of the conflict lies in implementing the two-state solution and establishing an independent State of Palestine”.

Speaking in Shanghai, Schumer said he was “very disappointed” with China’s initial statement. He also said he had asked for China to use its “influence” on Iran to “not allow the conflagration to spread”. On Monday, at the first daily press conference since a week-long holiday break in China, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Mao Ning responded to Schumer’s criticism by reiterating Beijing’s concern over the conflict and calling for peace.

Facing multiple questions on the topic, Mao said China was closely following the “recent escalation of tensions”.

“We are deeply saddened by the civilian casualties caused by the conflict and oppose and condemn acts that harm civilians. China opposes escalating the conflict and destabilising the region.”

In response to comments by Israel’s embassy in China that it had expected to see “stronger condemnation” of Hamas, Mao reiterated calls for a two-state solution, and said China was “a friend to both Israel and Palestine”. “What we hope to see is the two countries living together in peace”.

Israel-Hamas war live: Israel defence minister ‘releases all restraints’ on troops; Biden calls Hamas attack an ‘act of sheer evil’

UN commission sees proof of crimes on both sides and is ‘gravely concerned’ by Israel’s siege announcement; Biden says Israel ‘has a duty to respond’ to attacks

www.theguardian.com

 

[Herat]

BBC reports 18 Thai nationals were killed in the HAMAS attack.

 

[PommyMommy]

33min ago

Thai diplomat: 18 citizens killed by Hamas​

The death toll of Thai citizens in Hamas attacks on Saturday has risen to 18, Deputy Foreign Minister Jakkapong Sangmanee says.

According to the Bangkok Post, many victims’ bodies are unreachable.

Some 5,000 Thai workers were in the Gaza border area during the assault, out of some 30,000 in Israel, reports the Post.

 

[Herat]

I think BBC said that IDF estimated there have been 2100 strikes made in Gaza. It might have been 2500. Needs confirmation

 

[DS2021]

Pro-Palestine protesters condemned over 'abhorrent' Opera House rally

Hundreds of angry pro-Palestine protesters have been condemned for marching to the Sydney Opera House lighting flares and chanting " Israel".

www.skynews.com.au

Hundreds of angry pro-Palestine protesters descended onto one of Sydney's most famous landmarks, which turned blue and white on Monday night, burning an Israel flag and allegedly chanting "gas the Jews".

 

[PommyMommy]

Israel-Hamas war live: Hamas surprised by extent of ‘gains’ in Israel; White House says military aid on its way (theguardian.com)
10m ago01.23 EDT

Israeli military suggests Palestinians flee to Egypt​

The Israeli military suggested on Tuesday that Palestinians fleeing its air strikes in the Gaza Strip head to Egypt, which also borders the blockaded enclave.

“I am aware that the Rafah crossing (on the Gaza-Egypt border) is still open,” Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Hecht, chief military spokesperson to the foreign media, said in a briefing.

“Anyone who can get out, I would advise them to get out.”

7m ago06.26 BST

Israeli airstrikes on Gaza totally destroy 790 housing units, damage 5,330​

Israeli airstrikes on Gaza have razed 790 housing units and severely damaged 5,330, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said early Tuesday.

Damage to three water and sanitation sites have cut off services to 400,000.

 

[PommyMommy]

Live updates: Israel-Hamas war (cnn.com)
17 min ago

IDF adds "tens of thousands" of additional troops along border with Lebanon after deadly clash​

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has amplified its presence along the border with Lebanon, adding tens of thousands of additional troops after clashes in the disputed region, according to IDF spokesperson Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus.

“The situation [on the Lebanon border] is volatile. We are vigilant. We have added tens of thousands of additional troops along the border — reservists as well as regular units — in anticipation of a Hezbollah attack," Conricus told CNN.
“We have strongly urged them to think twice before they embark on any such attack against Israel," he said. “So far in the last few hours, the situation has been quiet. Let’s hope it remains like that."

Some context: Lebanon and Israel are considered enemy states, but a truce between the two has largely held since a conflict between them in 2006.

There have been several small-scale rocket attacks in recent years from Lebanon that have prompted retaliatory strikes from Israel. Palestinian factions in Lebanon were believed to be behind those rocket attacks.

On Monday, the IDF said militants had infiltrated from Lebanon into Israeli territory, with a "number of armed suspects" killed and IDF troops searching the area. An IDF officer died after an "encounter" with the militants, Israeli hospital officials said.

It came after Hezbollah, an Iran-backed group that is considered a terrorist organization by the US and much of the West, on Monday said three of its members died during an Israeli air raid in southern Lebanon.

 

[Friday Fan]

(I think that the creation of a Jewish state was a must, but wonder whether the location - British Mandate Palestine - was such a good choice. And it has less to do with the Jews and more with the fact that the natural history of the Middle East, where desert tribes were slowly getting united, suddenly got steroidized by the world's need in hydrocarbons. But we don't have "alternative history" to compare).

But to say that the it is a reservation is not right either. Israel has done a lot to educate Arabs. Here: Accessibility of higher education in the Arab Sector.

I think Israel has also gotten very crowded. It used to be very agrarian. I saw a documentary on PBS about 10 years ago called: 1913 Seeds of Conflict. At first there wasn't all this tension, but everyone seemed to have "space". It only seems to have gotten worse as time goes on. I remember back to the six day war. I have a friend who is a Palestinian Christian. The family left in 1948, as did many Christians. Armenians leaving is a fairly recent thing. I personally knew the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem. He used to be the Archbishop for the Eastern US. It was a step up to go to Jerusalem.

Nowadays, I don't think that is the case.
To be fair, the office was vacant from 1949-1960. However, this was the longest vacancy in the Patriarchate since it was created in 638.

​

 

[Leve]

I think there is a miscommunication. I think the first poster was talking about Islamic terrorists and the second poster was saying the same Islamic terrorists hated the US, too . Then the 3rd poster chimed in saying Jews have never attacked the US. At least that's the way I interpreted the exchange. Maybe a bit of clarification needed?

Lol, close. The first poster was talking about Islamic terrorist. The second poster said "Jews hate America too", I being my sarcastic self replied that we all remember when the Jewish people attacked Americans (never happened).

 

[PommyMommy]

Live updates: Israel-Hamas war (cnn.com)
6 min ago

"The house and living room were filled with bullets": Survivors recount horror of Hamas attack​

Members of an Israeli family who survived a Hamas attack on their home have described the terror unleashed by the Islamist militants during their unprecedented assault in southern Israel on Saturday.

The Shindler family's home in the kibbutz of Kerem Shalom is located mere steps away from where militants bulldozed through the Gaza border as they launched a killing spree against civilians.

"They woke us up at 6:30, 'red alert,'" mother of six young children, Revital Shindler, told CNN. "We went to the bathroom. We started hearing shots from everywhere, and the house and living room were filled with bullets.

"My husband heard noises in Arabic in the house. He immediately went into the safe room and held the door handle so that nobody could get in. They screamed at us 'we are IDF soldiers, we want to come in.'

"We heard they had an Arabic accent, we said: 'We are not opening the door,' and there was a battle of shouting."

She said the militants threw a grenade at the door, sending her husband, Amichai, flying through the air.

Amichai Shindler, 33, survived the blast and is recovering in hospital in Tel Aviv after one of his arms was amputated, his wife said.

It's not the first time the family has experienced the pain of a terror attack. Over a decade ago, they lost Amichai’s 24-year-old brother, said his mother, Sagalit. He was shot by militants during a flare-up of tensions between Palestinians and Israelis.

"It brings me back 13 years ago, to cope with this massacre, this monstrosity. It’s just so difficult and sad," she said.

Despite the horror of Saturday's attack, the family said they remain positive and hoped those injured would pull through.

"We believe Amichai will get out of this alive, and everyone else injured will, too. We want peace, this is all we want," Revital told CNN.

"We are not afraid, we will continue to live in these places. We won't flee as they wish because this is our home and we don’t have another."

 

[MassGuy]

Israel-Gaza latest: Bodies of 1,500 Hamas militants found in Israeli territory - IDF

The Israeli Defence Force (IDF) has confirmed 900 Israelis have been killed since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. Additionally, the bodies of 1,500 Hamas militants have been found on Israeli territory, a spokesperson for the IDF said.

news.sky.com

 

[Helechawagirl]

Wow, I had no idea we just gave $6B to Iran. That's nuts.

We returned their money as we had agreed to do when they met certain conditions. We had no choice under the law.

 

[Elley Mae]

We returned their money as we had agreed to do when they met certain conditions. We had no choice under the law.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken signed off on the sanctions waivers late last week, a month after U.S. and Iranian officials said an agreement in principle was in place. Congress was not informed of the waiver decision until Monday, according to the notification, which was obtained by The Associated Press.

U.S. makes deal with Iran to swap prisoners and release $6 billion in frozen money

The transfer of the $6 billion was the critical element in the prisoner release deal, which saw four of the five American detainees transferred from Iranian jails into house arrest last month.

www.pbs.org

…

An agreement in principal, not so sure about conditions met.

Jmo

 

[Charlot123]

I think Israel has also gotten very crowded. It used to be very agrarian. I saw a documentary on PBS about 10 years ago called: 1913 Seeds of Conflict. At first there wasn't all this tension, but everyone seemed to have "space". It only seems to have gotten worse as time goes on. I remember back to the six day war. I have a friend who is a Palestinian Christian. The family left in 1948, as did many Christians. Armenians leaving is a fairly recent thing. I personally knew the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem. He used to be the Archbishop for the Eastern US. It was a step up to go to Jerusalem.

Nowadays, I don't think that is the case.
To be fair, the office was vacant from 1949-1960. However, this was the longest vacancy in the Patriarchate since it was created in 638.

​

It got crowded for obvious reason. The amended Law of Return gives the right to immigrate to Israel to children, grandchildren, and a spouse of a Jew, as well as spouses of their children and grandchildren. So, one Jewish grandparent brings in a whole big family of non-Jews. The legend of the ten lost tribes brought in immigrants from Ethiopia and Sudan. With the world instability increasing, more people will come. Not easy.

But, I think the root of the problem lies in a very unhappy timing. The changes of the world after WWII world, the Cold War and plus, certain inertia. The state of Israel was created precisely when the British colonial world was collapsing. It is as if you put in a tiny bead, Israel, into an oyster clam, the Arab world, and leave forever. Immediately, the area changes, monarchies fall, charismatic opportunists come to power and the parties on both sides of the Iron Curtain make their bets. Had the Brits stayed longer, all would have been very different. JMO, many might disagree, but I believe, tragic timing. And now, 75 years later, the world has radically changed, but old commitments stay.

 

[Charlot123]

Hamas Commander is a lunatic.

He is a corrupt demagogue. I remember how Yasser Arafat, with his PLO and PNA, ended up a very rich man, from 1 to 3 billion is what's accounted for. Something tells me that Al-Zahar is not poor either. Maybe not that rich, but his known wealth is steadily growing Mahmoud al-Zahar net worth and salary income estimation

 

[katydid23]

Where are they going to go?

No one will take them.

Why won't Palestine or Lebanon take them?

 

[Elley Mae]

The Biden administration’s former special envoy to Iran, who was placed on leave earlier this year for allegedly mishandling classified material, should face “extensive scrutiny” for his “permissive” stance toward the Tehran regime after it aided Hamas and Hezbollah in carrying out terrorist attacks against Israel, critics said Monday.

“Rob Malley deserves extensive scrutiny — yesterday, today and tomorrow,” Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) told The Post after the Wall Street Journal reported officers of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps planned and signed off on this weekend’s atrocity that killed at least 900.

Suspicion surrounds ex-Iran envoy Rob Malley after Israel attack: ‘Worst State Department scandal’

“Rob Malley deserves extensive scrutiny — yesterday, today and tomorrow,” Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) told The Post after officers of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps pla…

nypost.com

 

[Friday Fan]

Lots of bombs going off in Gaza

Why won't Palestine or Lebanon take them?

Palestine as a state does not exist.

It's part of Israel.


Their traditional homeland on the West Bank keeps shrinking. The Israeli govt keeps expanding into the Palestinian's home turf on the West Bank. The displaced Palestinians are then crowded into Gaza (which is also in Israel), It was the Palestinian's home before it became Israel. (Think of Native-Americans in the US)


I read a book by Thomas Friedman years ago. "From Beirut to Jerusalem". In the 1980s, they went everywhere and were rejected. I guess it's "tribalism". Maybe they didn't like Arafat? Either way, other countries did not want them.