Israel - Palestinian militants launch massive attack, 7 Oct 2023 #8

[Friday Fan]

Families of hostages call for Israel to exchange Hamas prisoners for hostages

Israel should consider the release of all the Hamas prisoners in exchange for Hamas freeing all the kidnapped Israelis it holds in Gaza, representatives of the kidnapped said at a rally in Tel Aviv Saturday night after a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Families of hostages call for exchange of Hamas prisoners for hostages | The Jerusalem Post

“We demand that no move be taken that endangers the fate of our family member, and that every action takes their well-being into account,” said Leshem Gonen.

www.jpost.com

______________________________________


I don't know how I would respond if my family member was kidnapped. I don't think this is going to happen and I don't think it's a good idea at all. I feel so bad for them. I don't think think they would want this if it wasn't their family member. I don't know how I would respond.....

 

[PommyMommy]

15min ago

IDF raises number of captives to 230, says ‘military pressure’ on Hamas meant to free them​

“The IDF is gradually expanding its ground operations in Gaza and the scope of its forces,” Hagari says.

He says the “military pressure” on Hamas is also aimed at releasing the hostages the terror group is holding in Gaza.

Hagari says the military has notified the families of 230 hostages that their loved ones are currently being held in the Gaza Strip. He says the number is not final as the military investigates new information.

The number also does not include four released hostages — mother and daughter Judith and Natalie Ra’anan last Friday night, and elderly women Yocheved Lifshitz and Nurit Cooper on Monday night.

12min ago

Sirens sound in Ashdod, Ashkelon and other southern communities​

Incoming rocket alerts sound in numerous southern communities, including the coastal cities of Ashdod and Ashkelon.

 

[katydid23]

You’re correct— that article doesn’t specifically mention carpet bombing. And I hope you are right that the IDF isn’t trying to obliterate the innocent Palestinians in Gaza in retaliation.

IMO, though, the number of civilian fatalities in Gaza doesn’t seem to indicate precise surgical strikes considering the thousands and thousands of Palestinians killed.

Is that number really accurate? Who can verify the actual numbers of casualties?

I agree the news sources that note “carpet bombing” tend to be left leaning publications that are listed as “mostly factual” by media monitoring sites. By the same token, at least several of the the media sources used heavily in this thread ( j post for example) etc are noted to be right leaning, “mostly factual” resources.

The Jerusalem Post - Bias and Credibility

RIGHT-CENTER BIAS These media sources are slightly to moderately conservative in bias. They often publish factual information that utilizes loaded words

mediabiasfactcheck.com

 

[Friday Fan]

Netanyahu to hostages' families: Efforts underway to bring them home

The families of Israeli hostages held in Gaza stressed that Israeli operations do everything to avoid endangering the abductees.

www.jpost.com

 

[PommyMommy]

10:38 pm

Rocket lands in Ashdod, damages property; several treated for anxiety​

People gather at the site of a rocket impact in the souther port city of Ashdod, October 28, 2023. (Courtesy(

A rocket launched from the Gaza Strip causes damage to property in the coastal city of Ashdod.

The United Hatzalah emergency service says its medics treated several people for acute anxiety.

Footage from the scene shows that the rocket landed on a street, damaging nearby cars and homes.

 

[katydid23]

Families of hostages call for Israel to exchange Hamas prisoners for hostages

Israel should consider the release of all the Hamas prisoners in exchange for Hamas freeing all the kidnapped Israelis it holds in Gaza, representatives of the kidnapped said at a rally in Tel Aviv Saturday night after a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Families of hostages call for exchange of Hamas prisoners for hostages | The Jerusalem Post

“We demand that no move be taken that endangers the fate of our family member, and that every action takes their well-being into account,” said Leshem Gonen.

www.jpost.com

______________________________________


I don't know how I would respond if my family member was kidnapped. I don't think this is going to happen and I don't think it's a good idea at all. I feel so bad for them. I don't think think they would want this if it wasn't their family member. I don't know how I would respond.....

If my grandchildren were hostages, I'd probably beg Netanyhou to trade the thousands of prisoners for my family members.

But in reality, that request of 6 to 8 thousand vs 200 is ridiculous. How about making it more equal, number wise?

 

[PommyMommy]

Airstrikes pound Gaza as Israel expands ground operation: Live updates (nbcnews.com)
10m ago / 12:33 PM PDT

Paris police use tear gas during pro-Palestinian demonstration​

The Associated Press
PARIS — Police encircled hundreds of people who defied a ban on a pro-Palestinian demonstration Saturday in central Paris. The officers tried to contain the protest but fired tear gas when tensions rose as a breakaway group tried to march.

The protest collective known as Urgence Palestine called for a cease-fire in the increasingly intense war between Israel and Hamas. At least 80 people were given citations, according to French media. Other pro-Palestinian demonstrations were held in Marseille and Strasbourg in the east.

 

[PommyMommy]

46 min ago

In response to three rockets launches from Lebanon, the IDF is currently striking Hezbollah terrorist targets in Lebanon.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1718342541861323043

20 min ago

A Fire can be seen Burning at the “Al-Abad” Operations Base used by the Israel Defense Force near the Border with Lebanon following a possible Attack by Hezbollah Fighters.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1718348406576361676

10:48 pm

IDF hits Hezbollah compound, observation posts after attacks along border​

The Israel Defense Forces says it struck a compound belonging to the Hezbollah terror group and a number of observation posts in southern Lebanon in response to rocket and missile attacks today.

 

[Friday Fan]

Is that number really accurate? Who can verify the actual numbers of casualties?

Going by past records, Israel’s Foreign Ministry said the 2014 war killed 2,125 Palestinians — just a bit lower than the ministry’s toll of 2,310. There was a difference of 185 from Israel's official count.

What is Gaza's Ministry of Health and how does it calculate the war's death toll?

As the Israel-Hamas war rages, international and local monitoring groups in Gaza have been unable to keep up. The only source reporting how many people have been killed in Hamas-ruled Gaza is the Ministry of Health.

apnews.com

— 2008 war: The ministry reported 1,440 Palestinians killed; the U.N. reported 1,385.

— 2014 war: The ministry reported 2,310 Palestinians killed; the U.N. reported 2,251.

— 2021 war: The ministry reported 260 Palestinians killed; the U.N. reported 256.

While Israel and the Palestinians disagree over the numbers of militants versus civilians killed in past wars, Israel’s accounts of Palestinian casualties have come close to the Gaza ministry’s. For instance, Israel’s Foreign Ministry said the 2014 war killed 2,125 Palestinians — just a bit lower than the ministry’s toll.

There are now numerous articles about the death tolls:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/gaza-death-toll-records-1.7010255

Despite Biden's doubts, humanitarian agencies consider Gaza toll reliable

U.S. President Joe Biden has cast doubt on casualty figures provided by Palestinian officials in Gaza, but international humanitarian agencies consider them broadly accurate and historically reliable.

www.reuters.com

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/10/24/gaza-death-toll-palestinian-health-ministry/

Gazans Release Names of 6,747 People They Say Were Killed in Israeli Strikes

The detailed list from the Hamas-controlled health ministry — including ages, genders and ID numbers — followed President Biden’s comment that he had “no confidence” in its figures.

www.nytimes.com

UN says Gaza Health Ministry death tolls in previous wars ‘credible’

As US casts doubt on casualty figures from Gaza, UN official says that few have doubted their reliability in the past.

www.aljazeera.com

Can we trust casualty figures from the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry?

Israel and Joe Biden have shown scepticism about accuracy of rising death toll but others point to historical reliability of data

www.theguardian.com

 

[PommyMommy]

Live updates: Israel says ground operations expanding in Gaza as war with Hamas rages (cnn.com)
16 min ago

Israel says it will fight Elon Musk's pledge to provide aid organizations in Gaza with satellite service​

Israel vowed to fight Elon Musk’s pledge to provide aid organizations in Gaza with Starlink satellite service as the besieged strip struggles with internet connectivity.

Israeli Minister of Communications Shlomo Karhi said on X, formerly known as Twitter, that Hamas "will use it for terrorist activities."

"Perhaps Musk would be willing to condition it with the release of our abducted babies, sons, daughters, elderly people. All of them! By then, my office will cut any ties with starlink,” Karhi posted.

[...]

 

[Friday Fan]

Gotta wonder what the "deal" is????????


Jonathan Lis
9:33 PM

Negotiations over hostages ongoing, deal remains on the table, sources involved in talks say​

Sources involved in the negotiations for the release of the Israeli hostages held by Hamas have indicated that discussions are still underway. According to them, the expansion of the military operation by Israel has made the negotiation process more challenging but hasn't taken the deal off the table.

Former Mossad head Yossi Cohen, who is involved in the attempts, stated in an interview with Channel 11 that he is "working deep in the Middle East to find a solution that touches on strategic aspects and other issues, including the matter of the hostages." He added that "the picture is getting closer to a full understanding" regarding the situation of all the captives.

According to diplomatic sources, the indirect negotiations conducted by Qatar between Israel and Hamas play a strategically important role for both parties since it is the most significant channel for dialogue during the conflict. Diplomatic sources suggest that this channel can facilitate the submission of requests and demands as the war unfolds.

A source told Reuters that Qatar-mediated negotiations ongoing at a "much slower pace" than before the escalation.

 

[PommyMommy]

Renana Jacob from Kibbutz Nir-Oz, whose two sons, Or (16) and Yagil (12), were kidnapped, created an animated short film that describes her last phone call with them. "Don't take me, I'm just a child", were the last words she heard them say to the Hamas terrorists who broke into their home and kidnapped them into Gaza. #BringThemHome

https://twitter.com/x/status/1718275127949795551

 

[Dotta]

"A strong statement regarding Israel.​

'Strong condemnation'​

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia issued an official statement expressing strong condemnation of all ground activities carried out by Israeli forces.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia expresses its
'strong condemnation of the ground operations conducted by the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip',
the statement read.

'We also wish to warn against the danger of continuing these flagrant and unjustified violations of international law that affect our fellow Palestinians', it added."

Stanowcze oświadczenie ws. Izraela. "Zdecydowane potępienie"

Ministerstwo Spraw Zagranicznych Królestwa Arabii Saudyjskiej wydało oficjalne oświadczenie, w którym wyraziło stanowcze potępienie dla wszelkich działań lądowych prowadzonych przez siły izraelskie. Według ocen...

wiadomosci.wp.pl

 

[CeraUnderscore]

Exactly!!!

On a human being scale...if you had a choice to either:

A. Live in abject TERROR from those who wish ( and have attempted to succeed...see 1400 + lives ) to annihilate you, or:

B. Wipe the TERRORISTS off the earth, so you and your families, as well as those around you, can live in peace.

I would choose B.

But....that is JMO

Peace

And what if by choosing B you kill thousands of innocent men, women, and children? And annihilate their homes and infrastructure so that there is no end for them?

 

[Friday Fan]

Scottish politician has not heard from wife’s family in Gaza since Friday

Israel says the next stage of its war with Hamas has begun after expanding its ground operations in Gaza. "The war inside Gaza is going to be long," the Israeli prime minister warned.

www.cnn.com

Communications blackout leaves medics struggling to reach wounded Gazans and families unable to talk

Israel says the next stage of its war with Hamas has begun after expanding its ground operations in Gaza. "The war inside Gaza is going to be long," the Israeli prime minister warned.

www.cnn.com

October 28, 2023 Israel-Hamas war

Israel says the next stage of its war with Hamas has begun after expanding its ground operations in Gaza. "The war inside Gaza is going to be long," the Israeli prime minister warned.

www.cnn.com

“As we hit the enemy harder, there's a better chance that the enemy will agree to solutions to return the loved ones,” Gallant said.

The expansion of ground operations has alarmed families of hostages, with an advocacy group saying Saturday that loved ones face "absolute uncertainty regarding the fate of the hostages held (in Gaza), who were also subject to the heavy bombings."

Israel-Hamas war live updates: Gaza ground operations, humanitarian crisis

The Israel Defense Forces announced Friday it is "expanding ground operations" in the Gaza Strip and "operating forcefully" on all fronts to fulfill its goals in the war with Hamas. Follow for live updates.

www.cnn.com

 

[PommyMommy]

1min ago

Warning sirens activated in parts of Ashkelon​

Rocket warning sirens are triggered in parts of the southern coastal city of Ashkelon.

11:11 pm

Hamas deputy chief meets with speaker of Lebanon’s Parliament​

Hamas deputy chief Saleh al-Arouri meets in Beirut with Nabih Berri, the speaker of Lebanon’s parliament and a Hezbollah ally.

The Hamas leader, accompanied by other members of the Gaza-ruling terror group’s political bureau, including Ghazi Hamad, speaks with Berri about the ongoing conflict with Israel and the need to allow humanitarian convoys into Gaza.

Berri, head of the Shiite Amal movement, congratulates Hamas for its brutal onslaught against Israel on October 7, in which 1,400 Israelis were killed, most of them civilians.


Hamas deputy chief Saleh al-Arouri (2nd-L) and other members of the terror group's political bureau with Nabih Berri, the speaker of Lebanon's parliament, in Beirut on October 28, 2023. (Courtesy(

 

[Simply Southern]

Live updates: Israel says ground operations expanding in Gaza as war with Hamas rages (cnn.com)
16 min ago

Israel says it will fight Elon Musk's pledge to provide aid organizations in Gaza with satellite service​

Israel vowed to fight Elon Musk’s pledge to provide aid organizations in Gaza with Starlink satellite service as the besieged strip struggles with internet connectivity.

Israeli Minister of Communications Shlomo Karhi said on X, formerly known as Twitter, that Hamas "will use it for terrorist activities."

"Perhaps Musk would be willing to condition it with the release of our abducted babies, sons, daughters, elderly people. All of them! By then, my office will cut any ties with starlink,” Karhi posted.

[...]

I agree. The UN and other relief agencies have protected Hamas. They allowed bunkers and tunnels to be built below hospitals and schools.

They are part of the problem. I wish it were not so.

Moo...

 

[Friday Fan]

If my grandchildren were hostages, I'd probably beg Netanyhou to trade the thousands of prisoners for my family members.

But in reality, that request of 6 to 8 thousand vs 200 is ridiculous. How about making it more equal, number wise?

I believe there may have been a deal offered by Israel with 200 or so women and children prisoners. (I read it one article and I would need to hunt it down, so accuracy is questionable....) If it was offered, obviously it was not accepted by Hamas.

 

[PommyMommy]

Airstrikes pound Gaza as Israel expands ground operation: Live updates (nbcnews.com)
1m ago / 1:40 PM PDT

Heavy Israeli bombing underway in northern Gaza​

SDEROT, Israel — Heavy Israeli bombing is underway in northern Gaza, which can be seen from Sderot on Israel's border with the enclave.

The distant skyline of Gaza City and its surrounding neighborhoods are covered in darkness. Every few minutes, parts of the sky glow orange from the fireballs that follow strikes, then a resounding boom can be heard as the sound travels to Sderot — some loud enough to rattle the windows and shake buildings.

11:32 pm

Hamas supporters take to the streets in West Bank city of Tulkarem​

A mass rally is ongoing in the West Bank city of Tulkarem, as hundreds of protesters wave Hamas flags and chant in support of the Gaza-ruling terror group

“The people want the al-Qassam Brigades,” the protesters chant, referring to the military wing of Hamas.

Tulkarem is considered one of the bastions of support for Hamas in the northern West Bank, together with Jenin and Nablus.

 

[Ontario Mom]

If my grandchildren were hostages, I'd probably beg Netanyhou to trade the thousands of prisoners for my family members.

But in reality, that request of 6 to 8 thousand vs 200 is ridiculous. How about making it more equal, number wise?

If my grandkids were hostages, and the deal on the table was to free them in exchange for more of the very same people that took my grandkids hostage to begin with, knowing full well they'll eventually turn right around and do the exact same thing to someone else's kids or grandkids... I'd be begging for a different deal.

jmo