As of the time of this writing, there are 250 Israelis confirmed dead, with more than 1,400 wounded. Netanyahu announced a massive mobilization of reserve forces to respond, and many of my friends and colleagues have been called to get their uniforms and go out to defend the nation.
Armed Palestinian militants entered Israeli territory by land, dismantling the border security fence in the Gaza Strip; by air, using paragliders; and by sea, employing rubber boats. Hamas terrorists took over various villages, a military base, and a city in southern Israel. This information is confirmed by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
Israeli civilians near the Gaza Strip were in distress as Hamas militants infiltrated the area, shooting civilians within kibbutzim or kibbutz communities and residential zones, with a limited IDF presence in some locations. One resident’s father was kidnapped and taken to Gaza by Hamas. Gun battles broke out in several towns and kibbutzim, including Kfar Aza, Sderot, Sufa, Nahal Oz, Nirim, Magen, Be’eri, and the Re’im military base.
Local authorities report that Ofir Liebstein, the leader of the Sha’ar Hanegev Regional Council, lost his life while clashing with Hamas terrorists earlier today. The council takes responsibility for an area in the north of the Negev, which is Israel’s southern part. The council states, “Ofir was fatally injured while bravely defending a town during the terrorist assault.” Yossi Keren, the deputy head of the council, is now assuming his responsibilities.
The Commander of the Nahal Brigade, the late Lt. Col. Yonathan Steinberg, tragically lost his life as well in a confrontation with a terrorist near Kerem Shalom. Lt. Col. Yonatan Steinberg, 42, a resident of Kibbutz Shumaria, was en route to support his subordinates engaged in a firefight with terrorists. During his journey, he encountered a terrorist and was fatally wounded in the exchange of gunfire near Kerem Shalom.
A very disturbing part of today’s attack includes what happened at a rave party in Israel’s south. Young people celebrating the holiday had to leave a festival by foot as Hamas operatives literally chased them down and grabbed individuals, shoving them into vehicles and taking off. Hamas has an unknown number of hostages, which have been brought into Gaza by vehicle and through underground tunnels.
There were about 1,000 youths at this nature party, and many of them had been under the influence of drugs and alcohol the night before and were not 100 percent aware or sharp in the morning. They were subjected to incoming rocket fire and then also found themselves surrounded by armed terrorists who were encircling them and indiscriminately firing and throwing grenades into their tents. Some of the party-goers managed to reach their cars but were pursued by the attackers on foot. One group narrowly escaped their vehicle on the highway before it was obliterated by an incoming missile.
Some sought refuge in orchards, while others climbed trees to get to safety. Shock grenades incapacitated a group of 50, and they were subsequently fired upon, with only 12 managing to survive. Witnesses grimly observed Hamas militants dragging away the fallen.
Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, 51, swiftly mobilized for duty. In the southern regions, officials advised residents to securely seal themselves in rooms with steel doors. Some individuals reported waiting for rescue for nine hours. One family on the outskirts of Kfar Aza, confined to a sealed room, could hear terrorists inside their residence. Another recounted a harrowing conversation with their uncle in a border village, where a grenade had been hurled inside their house. In an act of self-defense, the uncle bravely neutralized the terrorist. The family remained sheltered, but a young girl suffered a head injury from the grenade blast.
An Israeli radio correspondent shared an interview with an injured man at Soroka Hospital in Beersheba. He and his family were met by a group of about 15 motorcyclists who opened fire, tragically killing the man’s wife.
One distressed mother sought information about her daughter, Roni Gonen, and her friend, Gaya Halifa, who had attended the nature party. Her last communication with her daughter indicated that they were in a car, and she says she heard male voices conversing in Arabic over the phone.
Jerusalem’s deputy mayor, Fleur Hassan Nahoum, has contacted me over a 23-year-old community member from her neighborhood. His parents last heard at 8:11 a.m. when he went to this rave party in the south of the country. He sent them text messages they did not understand which said “I love you” and “I’m sorry.” They say they last saw him at 11 p.m. after they attended holiday services and dinner together with family friends. The young man left with a backpack to join a friend, and the family later learned he was at an all-night “nature party” as it is being called near Kibbutz Re’im, which is an area close to the Gaza Strip. A major terrorist attack occurred here. Handwritten lists of party attendees and their locations circulated on social media, but this man and his friend remain unaccounted for. The Jerusalem police are involved in the search, and pictures of the missing young men are being circulated on social media, while efforts to find them continue. This story is not an isolated one. Facebook groups are filled with people looking for their friends who went to this nature party. I saw a horrific video of a young woman crying while she was being taken and pushed violently into a vehicle. She was bloody.
Residents defended their homes without military support. A pregnant woman from Kibbutz Sufa pleaded for help as armed residents tried to hold off the attackers. Videos coming out from these invasions are terrifying as the attackers literally approached buildings and homes carrying weapons and banging on people’s doors.
Hamas gunmen took over a military base, and gunmen moved through Israeli border communities, killing and capturing residents, apparently with little resistance from Israeli forces, according to residents. Hamas itself is now reporting it has taken 164 hostages, though Israeli officials estimate 52 have been taken. At Kibbutz Re’im, around 1,000 youths gathered for a nature party and were suddenly thrust into a nightmarish scenario. They were subjected to incoming fire, finding themselves surrounded by armed terrorists who indiscriminately fired and threw grenades into their tents. Some managed to reach their cars, but tragically, they were pursued by the attackers. One group narrowly escaped their vehicle on the highway before it was obliterated by an incoming missile. The exact number of casualties and missing individuals at Kibbutz Re’im remains uncertain. Survivors recounted the chaos, describing the disorienting blend of explosions and gunfire that jolted them awake, exacerbated by the disorientation from the previous night’s revelry. Some sought refuge in orchards, while others even climbed trees to evade the onslaught. Shock grenades incapacitated a group of 50 individuals, and they were subsequently fired upon; tragically, only 12 managed to survive. Witnesses grimly observed Hamas militants dragging away the fallen. Remarkably, Israeli reservists, including former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett at 51, swiftly mobilized for duty. In the southern regions, officials advised residents to securely seal themselves in rooms with steel doors. Some individuals reported waiting for rescue for agonizingly long stretches. One family on the outskirts of Kfar Aza, confined to a sealed room, could hear terrorists inside their residence. Another recounted a harrowing conversation with their uncle in a border village, where a grenade had been hurled inside their house. In an act of self-defense, the uncle bravely neutralized the terrorist. The family remained sheltered, but a young girl suffered a head injury from the grenade blast. An Israel radio correspondent shared an interview with an injured man at Soroka Hospital in Beersheba. He and his family encountered a group of about 15 motorcyclists, initially assumed to be recreational enthusiasts. However, the riders opened fire, tragically claiming the life of his wife. In a desperate bid to protect his child, he fled the vehicle. Amidst the turmoil, one distressed mother sought information about her daughter, Roni Gonen, and her friend, Gaya Halifa, who had been attending the ill-fated party at Kibbutz Re’im. Her last communication with her daughter indicated that they were in a car, with male voices conversing in Arabic, adding to her anguish. There are photos of dozens of young men and women. Beautiful young women in their 20s and 30s. Their faces are being shown on social media as their families hope to locate them. I am terrified for these women who are likely all in the hands of Hamas terrorists as we speak. Unless, which I hope, some may be in hiding. Lian Gold, a DJ, businesswoman, and friend has set up an Instagram page called “We Are One Israel” where people are submitting their friends and family’s photos in an effort to help locate them. Videos are circulating of Hamas militants displaying seized Israeli military vehicles, including a tank, while in Gaza, an Israeli soldier was seen being dragged and mistreated by a crowd of Palestinians. The Magen David Adom rescue service reported that two of their ambulances were taken, and at least one medic lost his life. Unverified footage from the Gaza Strip shows Hamas terrorists with the body of an IDF soldier taken from Israel during the attack. The IDF Northern Command Chief is now reportedly preparing for Hezbollah to join the war on Israel, and forces in northern Israel are being beefed up. Hezbollah is an Iranian proxy terror group that operates out of Lebanon mainly but also works in Syria. Both of these nations border Israel in the north. Reports say that people have abandoned several UNIFIL posts on the Lebanese border, and the IDF is on high alert. Unifil stands for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon. It’s a UN group that operates in the border region between Israel and Lebanon. The fact that these representatives are not there is very scary. In response to this violent pandemonium, the IDF has launched an operation called “Swords of Iron,” and it has already conducted airstrikes targeting terrorist squads in southern Israel and several Hamas sites in Gaza, including military compounds and towers. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant says Israel is determined to win this war. Routine Saturday night protests against the government’s judicial overhaul were canceled tonight. President Isaac Herzog urged citizens to follow Home Front Command instructions and stand together in the face of the crisis. Netanyahu, in a live address, told the nation, “We are standing together in this…we will win.” US President Joe Biden made an address on live television where he said the US support for Israel is rock solid and unwavering; he also warned, “Any hostile party to Israel not to exploit Israel at this time as the world is watching.” He says he has spoken with the king of Jordan, is making sure Israel has what it needs, and is in constant contact with leaders from Egypt, Turkey, Qatar, Oman, and the UAE. He called it a terrible tragedy on a human level and said it is sad to see families torn apart. Meanwhile, over in Iran, a senior adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, openly endorsed the large-scale attack carried out by Hamas, praising it as a “proud operation.” Yahya Rahim Safavi, a high-ranking general in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, voiced his support for the operation at a meeting in Tehran focused on Palestinian children. Today’s attack, by the way, coincides with the 50th anniversary of a similar surprise invasion into Israel on Yom Kippur called the Yom Kippur War. ISRAEL’S IDF spokesperson says after restoring calm, closing the border, and hitting Hamas, they will investigate how this event happened and asserts that the attack was funded and equipped by Iran, who intended to abduct and kill Israeli civilians.
Update: Some 200 people have been killed, 900 – 1,000 injured and Israelis have been violently taken hostage into Gaza, ripped out of their communities in the south of Israel. I am worried about their survival and current state.
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