Yom Chamishee
Thursday
8 Iyar 5784
May 16 2024
UPDATE 11:30 PM
The last few hours have brought more bad news.
Another IDF soldier has fallen. We will identify him tomorrow.
Two more hostages have been declared dead. They were both Thai agricultural workers who were killed on October 7.
An Israeli was run over by a Palestinian terrorist at the Tapuach Junction.
UPDATE 7:00 PM
May Their Memories Be For A Blessing
Bottom left to right: Sgt. Daniel Chemu, Sgt. Ilan Cohen, Sgt. Betziel Shashuah–Top left: Sgt. Gilad Boim; top right: Sgt. Roi Yaakov.
All five soldiers were paratroopers:
Sgt. Daniel Chemu, 20, was from Tiberias.
Sgt. Ilan Cohen, 20, came to Israel after finishing high school in Argentina.
Sgt. Betzalel David Shashuah, 22, was from Tel Aviv.
Sgt. Gilad Arye Boim, 22, was from Karnei Shomron in Samaria.
Capt. Roy Beit Yaakov, 22, from Eli, in Samaria.
All five soldiers were killed by friendly fire. Eight other soldiers were injured in the incident, three of them seriously.
The incident occurred when an Israeli tank fired into a house in Jabaliya in northern Gaza from which they saw “a barrel” protruding. Because of the rash of terrorist RPG attacks on our forces in Jabaliya in the last two days, those in the tank thought they were being targeted.
Two Observations
The IDF doesn’t keep a running list of those IDF soldiers killed by friendly fire, but our OneIsrael unofficial count is now between 40-50. When you consider that some 274 soldiers have fallen since the Gaza operation began on October 27, this means that around 1 out of every 6 soldiers killed have been killed by friendly fire–a high number but one in keeping with the average of about 15% in all wars.
Secondly, one cannot help but weep over the loss of the flower of our youth. So far:
18 soldiers 18 years of age have fallen
81 soldiers 19 years of age have fallen
126 soldiers 20 years of age have fallen
80 soldiers 21 years of age have fallen
47 soldiers 22 years of age have fallen
34 soldiers 23 years of age have fallen
36 soldiers 24 years of age have fallen
24 soldiers 25 years of age have fallen
In total so far, 446 soldiers under the age of 25 have fallen in defense of Israel–well over 75% of all the soldiers who have fallen.
Israel is paying an extraordinarily heavy price to take care of the problem in Gaza that has festered for almost 20 years.
OneIsrael’s Campaign For Our Soldiers
IDF soldiers on the ground need basic protective gear, armaments, and supplies.
OneIsrael is now engaged in a campaign to help protect our soldiers. This campaign will extend to Shavuot.
Please consider donating to our campaign by clicking on the donate button in the right hand column on this page. All donations go directly to our soldiers.
Thank you to those of you who have already contributed to the protection of our brave men and women in uniform; because of generous donations yesterday, we have now reached over $6000 on the way to our goal of $10,000!
On the Ground in the North
Hezbollah continues sending missiles and suicide drones into northern Israel at the rate of about 100 per day.
Northern Israel has been turned into a “no-man’s land.”
This morning, three IDF soldiers were wounded, one very seriously, as a result of a missile strike on Metula.
On the Ground in Judea and Samaria
This morning an IDF soldier was stabbed by a Palestinian terrorist near Huwara in Samaria. He is in serious condition with wounds to his chest. A manhunt is now underway for the terrorist.
Port Biden Is Ready
The absurd dock that American soldiers have built on the coast of Gaza is now complete, and ships from Cyprus will soon begin ferrying “humanitarian aid” to Palestinian terror state.
In what can only be described as a disgusting statement, the White House said in making the announcement that “At no point were there any American forces on the shore.”
In other words, it is now Israel’s responsibility to guard the incoming aid for HamISIS.
Israel Bails Out Jordan, Again
Israel has agreed to transfer 50 million cubic meters of water to Jordan at zero price for another six months. The Jordanians had demanded a 5 year agreement, but Israel refused.
Of course, it was the Biden Administration that pushed Israel to agree to the transfer.
And so it goes in Israel until our next update.
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.