The Gaza War: Day 8

Yom Shabbat

Saturday

29 Tishrei 5784

October 14 2023

Regular readers of OneIsrael know that we do not publish a blog on Shabbat unless circumstances warrant. The continuing war means that circumstances warrant. We will continue to publish updates on Shabbat until the war comes to an end.

UPDATE 10:00 PM (final update of the day)

The IDF spokesman says that the IDF will be entering Gaza “very soon.”

In what can only be described as outrageously nauseating, the Israeli left has suddenly erupted in protests against Netanyahu again. A few minutes ago, the chant in Tel Aviv was “Murderer Netanyahu, Murderer Netanyahu!” Whatever unity we had just after the Saturday massacre seems to be quickly dissolving.

By the way, Hamas just asked the anti-government movement to begin protesting more against Netanyahu and Gallant.

Unbelievable.

And what we reported in the last update has not happened, yet. Avigdor Liberman has decided to back out of the apparent agreement he had with Netanyahu. That may change again tomorrow. You never know with Liberman.

UPDATE 9:00 PM

14 more IDF soldiers have fallen in battle: the total number who have fallen is 279.

Avigdor Liberman, head of Yisrael Beiteinu, has joined the Emergency Government and been asked to join the War Cabinet–which is meeting at this moment. PM Netanyahu has asked Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich to establish a civilian cabinet to handle all non-military issues.

In the last 5 hours, the Palestinian terrorists in Gaza have been firing nonstop mortars at our soldiers massed all along the Gaza border. Nahal Oz, Kissufim, Karmia, Nir Am, Ein Hashlosha, Sderot and other locations have been hit hundreds of times.

Here in Ashdod, we have been to the bomb shelter three times–most recently 15 minutes ago when we were by a barrage of 10 missiles all of which were intercepted directly over our house.

The IDF gave the Palestinian Red Crescent until 6 pm to evacuate the “Al Quds” Hospital in northern Gaza.

50,000 ceramic vests and 20,000 helmets have been donated by the Association of the Soldier to IDF soldiers.

Kolakevod!

Rep. Brian Mast, U.S. Congressman from Florida arrived at a meeting in Congress in Washington today wearing an IDF uniform.

An Army veteran who lost both legs in an IED explosion in Afghanistan, Mast commented: “Tlaib has her flag, I got my uniform.” His reference is to the abominable Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib who carries a Palestinian flag wherever she goes.

UPDATE 1:30 PM

*Another soldier in a staging area along the border has been wounded–this time by an anti-tank missile fired at Israelis. Fortunately, he listed in “moderate condition.”

*The IDF announced that we have killed one of the commanders of the terrorists who slaughtered Israelis on Saturday. Ali Kachi was convicted of the kidnapping and murder of Israelis in 2005 and sentenced to life in prison, but was unbelievably released as part of the Gilad Shalit deal in 2011.

*Egypt and Israel have agreed that Palestinian-American and American citizens who are not Palestinian can be evacuated through the Rafah Crossing today.

UPDATE 12:00 PM

Three hours ago, we wrote this in our 9:00 AM update:  The longer we wait [to enter Gaza on the ground], the longer Hamas has to dig in to ambush our troops, fire mortars at our soldiers on the border, and fire missiles at us.

That is precisely what has happened in the last three hours.

4 soldiers were just wounded by a mortar that hit their staging area on the border.

1 Israeli has just died from a missile hit. Numerous others have been wounded in missile attacks that stretched from the Gaza border to Tel Aviv.

It is all fine and good to be humanitarian to try to save Palestinian lives–but not at the expense of our lives and those of our soldiers. 

UPDATE 9:00 AM

This war started one week ago. At this time last Saturday, Hamas terrorists had already crossed the “security fence” in numerous places and were in the border communities slaughtering men, women, and children. This morning here in Ashdod, we have awakened to the sounds of airplanes high overhead and bombs dropping on northern Gaza.

On the Gaza front:

The IDF has created a humanitarian corridor between the hours of 10:00 am-4:00 pm to allow free movement of residents south between Hayam Street and Salah al-Din Street in Gaza.

The IDF spokesman in Arabic, Lt. Col. Avihai Adrai issued this statement: “If you care about yourselves and your loved ones, take advantage of the short time to move south to Khan Yunis. The IDF will allow movement on these streets without injury.” 

*There are several unconfirmed reports this morning concerning the Gaza evacuation.

First, various news agencies say that President Biden has asked Israel to delay a ground invasion until Palestinians have evacuated the area. There is no report of whether Israel has acceded to this request or if we have for how long. The longer we wait, the longer Hamas has to dig in to ambush our troops, fire mortars at our soldiers on the border, and fire missiles at us.

Second, there are ongoing reports that the Biden Administration is close to reaching a deal with Egypt to allow passage of Gazans through Egypt–to where is uncertain. In the meantime, according to a senior Egyptian official, Egypt has taken “unprecedented steps” to strengthen its border with Gaza.

Until the government gives the army the go ahead, our ground forces are stalled on the border and the bombing, as noted above, continues.

More on the Biden Administration

Some good news: the Biden Administration has ordered all American diplomats NOT to use these phrases:  “de-escalation/ceasefire”, “end of violence/bloodshed” and “restoration of peace”.

In The Air and On the ground

*The IDF reports that the head of the Hamas “Air Unit” in charge of drones and paragliders was killed last night.

*Documents discovered on the bodies of terrorists reveal that Hamas had assigned terror units to each school in the Gaza border communities with the hope of killing and capturing as many children as possible. The plans were meticulously laid out; information had been gathered from workers that Israel had allowed in the country.

*A Hamas terror attack on Highway 1 near Jerusalem was thwarted last night when security forces eliminated a terrorist who had broken through checkpoints and was driving in the wrong direction.

In the North:

A 4-man terror commando group has just been killed from the air outside Kiryat Shmona. It is not clear at this time whether they were from Hezbollah or Lebanese Hamas. It is also not clear how they got from the Lebanese border to Kiryat Shmona.

Israel and Hezbollah have been engaged in a dangerous tit for tat over the last few days with Hezbollah attempts at infiltration, anti-tank missile fire, and other provocations being answered by Israel at every turn.

An Observation:

Where Did Hamas Get The Money, Expertise, and Weapons?

We have always known than Iran was behind the terrorists. Endless meetings took place in Lebanon between Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iranians up until a few weeks ago. There are reports that some of the terrorists who took part in the slaughter trained with Hezbollah and Iranian Revolutionary Guards in Lebanon. There is even a videotape from last Saturday of some of the terrorists speaking Persian to each other during the massacre.

Two days ago, a senior Iranian official proudly asserted that some of the money that the U.S. released to Iran to get American hostages released was funneled to Hamas. The simple fact is that every Arab and western country that has “donated” money to Gaza was contributing to the massacre of Israelis. 

Weapons of course came from Iran. Interestingly, some of the weapons that we took off of dead terrorists came from North Korea. The routing was probably North Korea to Iran to Lebanon or the Sinai to Gaza.

One last unbelievable piece of information.

How did Hamas get the idea for the paraglider (hang glider) attack? Click here to see how German envoy and EU’s ambassador to the Palestinians Sven Kuhn gave Hamas the idea several months ago.