Yom Chamishee
Thursday
12 Cheshvan 5784
October 26 2023
UPDATE 10:05 PM
Missile and mortar attacks since 5:00 pm
In south and central Israel:
Tel Aviv, Rishon Lezion, Ramat Gan, Petah Tikva, Rehovot (10:01); Holit, Sufa (6:05 pm); Tel Aviv, Herzliya, Bat Yam, Givatayim, Savyon, Kfar Chabad 6:03 pm.
In northern Israel:
At 6:51 pm, the IDF attacked and eliminated a terror squad attempting to launch anti-tank missiles at an IDF post on the border.
HamISIS command targeted
It has been a lethal three hours in Gaza for HamISIS senior leaders since 7 pm.
The entire command structure of the Dari Tafah Battalion–a Gaza City Brigade which took part in the October 7 massacres was killed:
*the commander, Rafat Abbas
*the deputy commander, Ebrahim Jadeva
*the commander of combat, Tarek Maruf
Also killed:
*the deputy head of HamISIS intelligence and head of the attack department, Shadi Barud
*unknown leaders were killed in an attack on a 4 story building in the south of Khan Younis. When local people began to evacuate the dead and wounded, HamISIS terrorists showed up and drove them away–and took control of the ambulances that had arrived.
UPDATE 5:00 PM
Major Shahar Saudein. May her heroic memory always be for a blessing.
Maj. Saudein was one of the IDF’s best Iron Dome operators with a record of 190 missile shootdowns. On the morning of October 7, she was making her way to her Iron Dome battery when she was surrounded by the HamISIS terrorists. After an extended firefight she was killed.
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The shepherd who was axed in the head in the attack this morning near Rimonim is in very critical condition. His family asks for your prayers: his prayer name is Hanina ben Tzufit
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250,000 Israelis have now evacuated their homes or have been displaced.
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On the Ground Since Our Last Update
Mortars and Missiles fired since 12:00 pm
We just had a barrage of 8 missiles targeting Ashdod with 8 interceptions over our house. The interceptions were extremely low and extremely explosive. Huge blasts in the sky with missile parts everywhere on the ground.
Also:
Zikim, Ashkelon (4:14); Ashdod, Ashkelon (4:01); Ein Hashlosha (3:28); Kerem Shalom (3:06); Kerem Shalom (2:54); Nirim (2:21); Kissufim (2:14); Rishon LeZion, Tel Aviv, Bat Yam, Palmachim, Savyon, Rehovot, Nes Ziona, Hod Hasharon, Ramat Gan (1:31); Kissufim (1:18).
UPDATE 12:00 PM
Bodies Strewn on the Ground
On the radio this morning, a captain in the Givati reserves told how he and his soldiers are making regular forays into Gaza to “rescue” the bodies of Israelis who were murdered on Oct. 7, dragged into Gaza, and then left to rot on the ground. So far, he said that they have recovered 10 bodies–and have intelligence indicating where more are.
A Sense of the IAF Bombing Campaign
The IDF spokesman reported that the IAF hit 250 targets in Gaza last night. The IAF has been particularly targeting northern Gaza–especially all of the HamISIS facilities in Beit Hanoun.
First is a photo of what Beit Hanoun used to look like:
The Beit Hanoun neighborhood from the air.
What Beit Hanoun looks like now:
Of course, the IDF repeatedly warned citizens to move to southern Gaza before bombing.
Fake or real?
Al-Qassam Brigades: “We targeted a helicopter east of Bureij with a “SAM 7” missile, and our mujahideen confirm it was hit.”
Mortars and missiles in the South in the last 4 hours:
(10:30 am): Kissufim, (10:34): Kissufim; (10:37) Kfar Aza; (11:50) Nirim,
On the northern border:
The IAF intercepted an air to surface missile launched from Lebanon.
In Judea and Samaria:
5 Palestinian terrorists wielding axes attacked two Jewish shepherds near Rimonim. One of the shepherds is in critical condition at Sha’are Zedek Hospital. The terrorists escaped.
UPDATE 8:00 AM
New information about the hostages
Of the 222 hostages held by HamISIS, 138 are foreign citizens from 25 different countries including:
54 Thais, 15 Argentines, 12 Germans, 12 Americans, 6 French, 6 Russians, 5 Nepalese
New information about the massacres
The descriptions yesterday by IDF soldiers of what they found when they entered homes is ever more gruesome. Young teenaged girls were singled out, raped, and then shot in the head. Interrogations have revealed that the many of the terrorists knew their adult victims by name having worked in the kibbutzim.
Since our last update
7:04 am: Aside from the extensive bombing in Gaza overnight, the IDF reports that it carried out “a raid” with infantry and armored forces more deeply into Gaza than before.
12:21 am: Hezbollah reports that 44 of its “operatives” (aka terrorists) have been killed by Israeli forces while firing anti-tank missiles
11:53 pm: Fear of infiltration in Sderot; police are currently going through the many abandoned houses in the city.
10:49 pm: A terrorist paraglider penetrated Israel airspace near Kerem Shalom. He was shot by Israeli forces.
9:59 pm: A barrage of missiles hit here in Ashdod. We counted 4 intercepts over our house.
9:30 pm: A barrage of missiles hit Holon, Bat Yam, Rishon Lezion (2 Israelis were wounded in from a direct hit)
9:07 pm: A barrage of missiles hit Zikim and Nativ HaAsara.
A student from Malawi, who had worked with an Israeli health volunteer in his country battling AIDS, came up to us as we walked down the street in the UC-Davis Picnic Day Parade and wanted to carry the Israeli flag.