Since day one, Jewish Federation of Orange County has been in communication with our national & international partners to understand the immediate needs. We're mobilizing our nonprofit network and donor community to provide help — immediately and strategically, with full compassion and broken hearts.
This is a moment where Israel needs our support more than it has for decades. Please give to our Israel Emergency Campaign and stand with the people of Israel.
100% of the dollars raised will be distributed to our partner organizations including, the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI), the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), and others to address immediate humanitarian needs on the ground including:
The needs are great, but so is our resolve and our ability to meet those needs. We do not know what the days and weeks ahead will bring, but we do know that with you by our side, we’ll continue to provide urgently needed relief to Israel and all of her people.
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Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Activities This week has seen the assassinations of two leaders of terrorist groups that are committed to Israel's destruction. Hamas announced that its political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, was assassinated in Tehran early Wednesday morning by a remote control bomb that had been smuggled into his guesthouse two months ago. The group blamed Israel for the attack, though Israel has not commented on Haniyeh's assassination. Hezbollah has confirmed the death of its senior commander and chief of staff, Fuad Shukr, in an Israeli attack in southern Beirut on Tuesday. According to the Israeli military, in addition to a long litany of terrorist attacks, Shukr was responsible for the missile strike that killed 12 Druze children in Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights on Saturday. Click here for our leadership message from last weekend on what we are doing, through the Jewish Agency’s Victims of Terror Fund, to help the devastated Druze community. Click here for media coverage of our efforts. Haniyeh became Hamas’s political leader in 2017 and a year later was named a “specifically designated global terrorist” by the United States. As the political head of Hamas, Haniyeh was a proponent of "armed struggle," including targeting civilians in terrorist attacks. Since Oct. 7, Haniyeh had played a crucial role in negotiations with international mediators like Egypt and Qatar during hostage and ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas; experts have raised concern about how his death would affect negotiations. The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting on Wednesday to discuss the growing instability in the Middle East. Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has ordered an all-out attack on Israel in retaliation for Haniyeh’s assassination. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has pledged US support in the event of an attack by Iran upon Israel, although he emphasized that the goal now is de-escalation of the situation. The Israel Defense Forces confirmed on Thursday that Mohammed Deif, a top Hamas military leader, had been killed in Israeli strikes in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, in mid-July. |
Storming of Military Bases Right-wing protesters along with several Knesset lawmakers stormed the military bases of Sde Teiman and Bet Lid to protest the arrest of nine IDF soldiers, who have been accused of physically and sexually abusing a suspected Palestinian terrorist at Sde Teiman, a facility on a military base in the Negev that detains Palestinians who were captured in Gaza Israel's top leadership condemned the events. Prime Minister Netanyahu issued a brief statement on Monday condemning the attempts to break into IDF bases. President Isaac Herzog also denounced the riots and emphasized that Israel is a country governed by law. Head of the Opposition Yair Lapid condemned the “invasion” of two military bases. “We are not on the brink of the abyss; we are in the abyss,” he said. An Israeli military court began a preliminary hearing on Tuesday |
Other IDF News On Wednesday, the Attorney General’s Office directed the IDF to broaden its mobilization of ultra-Orthodox men to include full-time yeshiva students, not just those in the workforce. This follows a High Court ruling deeming previous service exemptions for Haredim illegal. Earlier this month, the IDF began conscripting 3,000 ultra-Orthodox men aged 18-26, with the first thousand already mobilized on July 21 and the second batch preparing for deployment. Some lawmakers in Netanyahu’s governing coalition have joined the opposition in advocating for the Haredi community to enlist. An Israeli man in his 50s was seriously wounded Wednesday morning in a stabbing attack by a Palestinian terrorist at a junction on Route 60 near Beit Einun in the southern West Bank. The attacker, who arrived by car armed with a handgun and knife, fired at the victim’s car before stabbing him when his weapon jammed. IDF soldiers at the scene shot and inured the assailant who managed to escape, leaving behind his weapons and car. The IDF subsequently launched a manhunt and later apprehended the suspect, who was taken for treatment at Shaare Zedek Hospital in Jerusalem. Another Israeli man was killed in a Hezbollah rocket strike on a kibbutz in northern Israel on Tuesday afternoon amid escalating tensions following the deadly rocket attack on the Golan Heights. Medics reported that Nir Popko, 28, from Kibbutz HaGoshrim, was fatally wounded when a rocket hit Kibbutz HaGoshrim in the Upper Galilee. |
Hostages After 300 days, 111 of the 251 hostages seized by Hamas on October 7 remain in captivity in Gaza. This total includes the remains of 39 victims who have been confirmed dead by the IDF as well as two Israeli civilians who entered the Strip in 2014 and 2015, and the bodies of two IDF soldiers killed in 2014. Hostage families will hold a march and rally in Tel Aviv this evening to mark the 300th day since their loved ones were abducted by terrorists. Under the banner “Deal or Abandonment,” the march will start from Hostages’ Square at 7 p.m., proceed to military headquarters, before returning to the Square. Recent military operations in the Gaza Strip to recover the bodies of hostages have led the IDF to conclude that some of those abducted by Hamas on October 7 may never be found. During a raid last week in Khan Younis, the IDF’s 98th Division and Shin Bet recovered the bodies of five hostages who had been killed and then taken to Gaza during the October attack. The names and stories of these five victims can be found here. According to the IDF, 689 soldiers have been killed since October 7, including 329 who have perished since the IDF's ground operation in Gaza began on October 27. On Sunday, the IDF announced that Sergeant Yonatan Aharon Greenblatt, a 21-year-old soldier from Beit Shemesh, had died of his wounds caused by anti-tank missile fire in Rafah last week. |
International Seven airlines have canceled flights to Israel due to escalating tensions with Iran, Channel 12 reports. Delta, United Airlines, Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and Air India have suspended all upcoming flights to Israel. This follows an incident where a Lufthansa flight from Munich to Tel Aviv diverted to Larnaca, Cyprus, early this morning before returning to Germany; the crew refused to fly to Israel. |
Israel at the Summer Olympics Israeli athletes competing in Paris may be in greater jeopardy following the two assassinations in the Middle East. Before the Olympics, Israeli athletes received messages threatening a repeat of the terrorist attack at the Summer Games in Munich in 1972 in which 11 Israeli athletes were murdered. A number of viral videos of Israelis purportedly showing them at the Summer Games with messages to “Bring Them [the hostages] Home Now” are not authentic, in a sobering reminder of how misinformation can spread to even seemingly innocuous content on the Internet. Israel won its first medal, a bronze in judo. A pair of Israeli windsurfers have a good chance of winning medals in the final competition in Marseilles tomorrow. |
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Activities On Wednesday, the IDF and Shin Bet recovered the remains of five hostages: Maya Goren, IDF Staff Sergeant (res.) Oren Goldin, IDF Staff Sergeant Tomer Ahimas, IDF Sergeant Kiril Brodsky, and Ravid Arie Katz. They were all abducted by Hamas on October 7th and recovered as part of an operation in Khan Yunis that killed at least 70 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry. See here for the full list of those still held hostage. Israel retaliated last Saturday to a drone attack on Tel Aviv on the previous day by Houthi rebels from Yemen that targeted a branch office of the US Embassy. The Houthis have fired missiles on ships in the Red Sea since Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza in the wake of October 7th, but this was the first successful direct attack on Israeli soil. After Israel struck back on Saturday, the Houthis claimed to launch another barrage of missiles towards Israel. A knife-wielding Canadian citizen was shot dead on Monday by Israeli guards near the border with Gaza in Netiv HaAsara. An official with Israel’s Interior Ministry said that the 22-year-old man, who has not been identified, entered the country on a tourist visa. Israeli officials have decided that approximately 15,000 displaced children, many of whom are living in hotels, will begin the new school year in the places where they are temporarily residing. The Israeli military issued call-up notices to 1,000 members of the ultra-Orthodox community on Sunday. The call follows a Supreme Court ruling last month that the defense ministry could no longer grant blanket exemptions to Jewish seminary students. Two Israeli soldiers were wounded on Thursday in a drive-by shooting on the Route 55 highway in the West Bank near the Palestinian village of Nabi Ilyas. One soldier was moderately wounded, and the other was in good condition. A third soldier was treated for minor injuries on-site. The IDF is searching for the assailants and has increased its presence in the area, encircling nearby Palestinian towns. The wounded soldiers were taken to Meir Hospital in Kfar Saba. Cpt. Ariel Topaz, 24, from Pardes Hanna, who was seriously wounded two weeks ago in a car-ramming attack near a military base in central Israel, died yesterday of his injuries. |
Prime Minister Netanyahu's Speech On Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed a joint session of Congress to bolster support from the US government for the Jewish State and its ongoing military campaign in Gaza. Jewish Federations President and CEO Eric Fingerhut accompanied Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), who is chairing the ongoing hearings on antisemitism on college campuses, as she walked into the chamber. Netanyahu’s address before Congress, which was his fourth, was the most ever for a foreign leader; Winston Churchill spoke three times in the same setting. It was the 10th address to a joint session by any Israeli leader, which is also a record. While many had hoped that the prime minster would announce a ceasefire and hostage deal during his speech, he did not do so, provoking disappointment and anger from hostage families. Dozens of Democratic lawmakers refused to attend, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who called it “by far the worst presentation of any foreign dignitary invited and honored with the privilege of addressing the Congress of the United States.” Presumptive Democratic presential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, did not attend the speech because of a prior commitment on the campaign trail, but she and Biden separately met with Netanyahu yesterday. Republican VP nominee J.D. Vance also did not attend the speech due to a campaign commitment. Netanyahu is visiting former president Donald Trumpp at Mar-a-Lago today. While Netanyahu dismissed the protesters as “not many,” there were in fact thousands of protesters at the Capitol, outside Union Station, on the National Mall, and in other locations in the district. At the train station, pro-Palestinian protesters set an American flag ablaze, along with an effigy of Netanyahu; they also spray-painted the Christopher Columbus fountain and adjacent Liberty Bell reproduction with messages like “Free Gaza,” “All Zionists are bastards,” and “Free Palestine.” These reprehensible actions drew sharp rebukes from US politicians. |
Ceasefire Talks Today’s scheduled departure of the Israeli negotiating team that is attempting to secure a deal mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and the US has been postponed until next week so that Netanyahu and Biden can have time to discuss strategy. Last Saturday night, a group of eight lawmakers from Likud sent the prime minister a letter that warned him not to make too many concessions to Hamas while negotiating a hostage release. The letter said that precisely because bringing the hostages home is a “top moral priority,” the government must “significantly intensify offensive operations and military control throughout the Gaza Strip” to defeat Hamas and trigger a ceasefire. A clear majority of the Israeli government, including Aryeh Deri’s ultra-Orthodox Shas Party, is in favor of a ceasefire. A senior US official has said that the two sides seem to be close to a deal, though similar assessments have been made several times in recent months to no avail. |
International The Biden administration has released about half of the shipment of heavy bombs it has withheld from Israel since May over concerns the IDF would use them in densely populated areas of Gaza. A senior Emirati official suggested this week that Abu Dhabi would be willing to contribute troops to a postwar peacekeeping force in Gaza, signaling a possible role in future governance arrangements and making the United Arab Emirates the first Arab country to publicly back the effort. |
Israel at the Summer Olympics Israeli swimmer and doctor from the US, Anastasia Gorbenko, is Israel's Olympic flagbearer for the 2024 Paris Olympics. 88 Israeli athletes will compete in 15 sports at the Paris Olympics this week. Israeli officials are optimistic about matching or even exceeding their record of four medals from Tokyo. The awarding of a gold model would offer a rare opportunity to hear the Israeli national anthem amid strong anti-Israel sentiment at the Games, including ongoing protests. However, The National Security Council has warned Israelis traveling to Paris for the Olympics that global jihadist and Iran-backed terror organizations are planning attacks on Israelis and Jewish targets there. Israeli athletes have received death threats in which terrorists have vowed to repeat the deadly attack at the Munich Summer Games in 1972, in which 11 Israelis athletes were killed. |
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Activities Last weekend, the IDF conducted an airstrike on a compound where Hamas’s number 2 in Gaza, Mohammed Deif, who is also the organization’s military chief, was hiding. He appears to have been killed in the attack. The IDF confirmed that Hamas senior commander Rafa’a Salameh, who oversaw the terrorist group’s Khan Younis battalion, was killed. Hamas claims that 90 people were killed in the attack. According to the IDF, a majority of those killed, including guards of Dief and Salameh, are affiliated with Hamas. Deif was a founding member of Hamas’s Qassam Brigades; he was one of the masterminds behind the October 7 massacres. For over three decades, he promoted terrorism, planned bombings, and masterminded the murder of Israelis and the abduction of soldiers. In 1989, during the height of the first Palestinian Intifada, Deif arrested by Israel and released after 16 months in prison. Deif was designated as a terrorist by the United States in 2015, along with Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. Deif has been on Israel’s most-wanted list since 1995. He has survived multiple assassination attempts in the past. Photos of the location of the strike show the scene both before and after. They support the IDF's claims that this strike was targeted solely at the Hamas compound. On Sunday, in a ramming attack at a bus station near Ramle (south of Tel Aviv), a Palestinian drove his car into a bus stop, injuring four, including one critically. See here for a complete list of IDF soldiers killed since October 7. |
Truce Talks and Hostages To pressure the government to reach a deal for the release of the hostages, the parents of five female soldiers who were abducted from the Nahal Oz base on October 7, held a press conference and published photos of their daughters in captivity. The photos are part of a short video that the families received months ago from the IDF. In the photos, theappeir daughters appear injured, shocked, and frightened. Some are bandaged. Gaza ceasefire negotiations resumed in Doha on Wednesday then returned to Cairo today after talks on Tuesday between Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and US Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns, Egypt's state-affiliated Al-Qahera News TV said. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told his U.S. counterpart that military operations in the Gaza Strip have created conditions that would enable a hostage deal to be reached. Gallant made the comments during an overnight call with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. Earlier in the week, Gallant said in a closed meeting that a deal needs to be reached within the coming weeks, otherwise the hostages’ “fate will be sealed.” The ultra-Orthodox Shas Party, a member of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s coalition, yesterday called on the Prime Minister to sign a deal. Reports suggest that numerous members of the government, including Minister Ron Dermer, who is considered to be the Prime Minister’s closest ally and confidant, are urging Netanyahu to agree. Israeli media is saying that if a deal is brought to a vote in the Cabinet, it would pass. Nonetheless, some leaders of coalition parties who are further to the right have threatened to bolt the government if the current deal goes ahead. If that happens, the government would fall, triggering new elections. Prime Minister Netanyahu faced criticism from hostage families after reportedly downplaying the danger to hostages during a security cabinet meeting. The Hostages Families Forum condemned his remarks. The CIA has assessed that the leader of Hamas in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, is coming under increased pressure from his military commanders to accept a ceasefire deal and end the war with Israel. See this full list of those still being held hostage by Hamas. |
International On July 24, Prime Minister Netanyahu will deliver an address to a joint session of Congress. Jewish Federations of North America are encouraging members of Congress to attend the speech to show their solidarity with Israel. The US Government has released about half of the shipment of heavy bombs it has withheld from Israel since May over concerns the IDF would use them in densely populated areas of Gaza. In May, the White House announced a decision to withhold a shipment of 1,800 2,000-pound bombs and 1,700 500-pound bombs. |
Stories of Heartbreak, Heroism, and Hope See this story of 19-year-old Liri Albag from Moshav Yarhiv. The third daughter of four children to Shira and Eli, Liri dreams of being an interior designer. She is described as a cheerful person who loves to travel. On October 7, Hamas terrorists kidnapped her from Nahal Oz and publicized footage of the horrific abduction. Earlier this week, new photos were released from the beginning her captivity with four other young women. Her mother Shira looks forward to the moment when her daughter returns home. Yael Rozman, 26, from Kfar Saba, was murdered while fleeing the Nova music festival on October 7. She attended the rave with her boyfriend of three years, Jonathan Kendror. When the rocket fire began, they left in their car with another friend to head home. At a junction along the road, terrorists opened fire at the car and the three jumped out and split up. The friend managed to survive, but the bodies of both Yael and Jonathan were found days later. |
Truce Talks and Hostages Numerous reports suggest that progress has been made in talks towards a comprehensive deal. The agreement would likely see a release of hostages in numerous stages, the freeing of a large number of terrorists from Israeli jails (including those serving time for the murder of civilians), and a prolonged ceasefire. An emerging deal would see both Israel and Hamas acknowledge that neither side would rule Gaza once an agreement is complete. Yesterday, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said that the Lebanese terror group would also abide by an agreement, even though they are not formally a party to the deal. Indirect talks, facilitated by mediators from the US, Qatar, and Egypt, continue. The US says it is cautiously optimistic about the negotiations. See here for the full list of those still being held hostage by Hamas. |
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Activities Significant rocket fire continues in the north. At least thirty rockets were launched at the Golan Heights yesterday, and a female IDF soldier was injured during an attack by three Hezbollah UAVs. Barrages continue today, with at least one person critically injured. A young couple, Nir and Noa Baranes, were killed on Tuesday when a Hezbollah rocket hit their car in the Golan. The couple left behind three children. See a complete list of civilians killed since October 7 here. In response, the IDF conducted widespread bombings of terror targets in southern Lebanon. Since October, among the thousands of attacks on Israel, Hezbollah has launched some 400 drones at the Jewish state, some of which have been used for surveillance purposes and many of which carry explosive payloads. This number has dramatically increased in recent weeks, with 130 drones being fired in June alone. Hezbollah has also launched drones to film propaganda videos that show Israeli military bases in the north. Projectiles launched by Hezbollah since October 8 have left 28 Israelis dead and injured dozens more. They have also burned more than 12,000 acres of Israeli nature and forced 60,000 residents of the north to evacuate their homes for safety. See here for a complete list of IDF soldiers killed since October 7. |
Humanitarian Aid Yesterday, it was reported that 1,150 trucks carrying humanitarian aid for Gazan civilians – and facilitated by Israel – are waiting on the Gaza side of the Kerem Shalom Crossing, but have not been picked up for distribution. A UN spokesman acknowledged the problem and said that the UN is “doing its best” to distribute the aid, adding that once the trucks head into Gaza, they often come under attack by the local population, which leads to looting that endangers UN staff. International On Wednesday, July 24, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will deliver an address to a joint session of Congress. Jewish Federations of North America is encouraging members of Congress to attend the speech to stand in solidarity with Israel during its time of need. Yesterday, Prime Minister Netanyahu met with US President Joe Biden's Special Envoy for the Middle East, Brett McGurk, in Jerusalem. The US Government has released about half of the shipment of heavy bombs it has withheld from Israel since May over concerns the IDF would use them in densely populated areas of Gaza. In May, the White House announced a decision to withhold a shipment of 1,800 2,000-pound bombs and 1,700 500-pound bombs. See this IDF video featuring vows by Hezbollah officials to destroy both Israel and America. |
Stories of Heartbreak, Heroism, and Hope Read this story of 20-year-old Israeli-American Edan Alexander. Edan was born in Tel Aviv and raised in Tenafly, New Jersey. He returned to Israel after graduating from high school in 2022. The oldest of three siblings, Edan is a swimmer and loves Thai and Japanese foods. His mother calls him “a great all-American kid." He planned to study business at a college in the US before he was abducted by Hamas terrorists on October 7. Edan is one of five Israeli-Americans who are still being held captive by the terrorist group. Many of the evacuated residents of Kiryat Shmona suffer from trauma. They find themselves in unfamiliar places without the support systems they need. Especially affected are the community’s high school students, some of whom stopped attending classes or preparing for matriculation exams which are used to determine eligibility for university studies. In partnership with the Rashi Foundation, the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver, and JFC-UIA Canada Coast-to-Coast, Kiryat Shmona’s Education Department ran a "boot camp" to help students prepare for their exams. Spending time away from home together with their classmates and friends gave students both the academic push they needed and a chance to heal and strengthen their resilience. |
Israel Defense Force (IDF) Activities Earlier today, an Arab-Israeli terrorist went on a stabbing spree in a shopping mall in Karmiel, killing one Israeli and wounding another. The terrorist was shot dead by security personnel. The most senior Hezbollah leader to be hit since October 7 has been killed in an Israeli strike in Lebanon. Abu Nama Nasser, a military commander responsible for one of three sectors in south Lebanon, was slain in an Israeli strike on a car in the Lebanese city of Tyre. As fighting inside Gaza continues, the IDF’s Chief of Staff Herzi Ha-Levi said that the army has killed over 900 terrorists in the Rafah area and that Hamas is suffering significant defeats. Listen to senior Hamas official Ahmad Abd Al-Hadi tell a Lebanese media outlet that if Hamas could go back in time, it would carry out the October 7 attacks again. In the north, the deputy leader of Hezbollah, Sheikh Naim Qassem, said that the only sure path to a ceasefire on the Israel-Lebanon border is a full ceasefire in Gaza. “If there is a ceasefire in Gaza, we will stop without any discussion.” Hezbollah’s participation in the Israel-Hamas war has been as a “support front” for its ally. “If the war stops, this military support will no longer exist.” |
Hostages Liora Argamani, 61, the mother of rescued hostage Noa Argamani, passed away Monday night after a long battle with cancer. For nine months, Liora had said that her last wish was to hug her daughter one more time, a wish that was granted following Noa’s dramatic rescue by Israeli forces a few weeks ago. “My mother is the best friend there is, the most beautiful and strong person I have ever known in my life,” Noa said at her funeral. "I stand here today and still have a hard time digesting. Against all odds, I was privileged to be with you in the last moments and to hear the last words. Thank you for being strong and holding on so that I could see you at least one more time and so that Father would not be left alone.” |
Humanitarian Aid The IDF began work yesterday to connect a water facility in Gaza to Israel’s electric grid to provide water on a medium- to longer-term basis for Gazans at a rate of up to 20,000 liters per day. Israel and the United Nations are said to be discussing deploying Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite-Internet system in Gaza to help humanitarian workers coordinate aid distribution. Since the beginning of the war, the delivery of 716,105 tons of aid on 38,212 trucks has been facilitated by Israel. Israel has also established 10 field hospitals, with an additional three to be completed shortly. Over the past few months, Israel has significantly increased the number of humanitarian aid trucks that have entered Gaza after it opened the Erez checkpoint that was destroyed by Hamas on October 7, and has created additional entry points into the strip. See the latest COGAT figures on humanitarian aid here. In March 2024, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) organization spoke of an “imminent famine in Gaza” that would occur from mid-March to May. This warning set off alarm bells throughout UN agencies and other humanitarian organizations and was repeated by media outlets. The allegation that Israel is “intentionally” starving the Gazan population was used against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). An updated report issued last week by the IPC has concluded that “available evidence does not indicate that famine is currently occurring.” Watch this short video about Hamas’s ongoing efforts to prevent aid from reaching Palestinian civilians by attacking aid deliveries at humanitarian crossings. See this IDF report on recent measures it has implemented to assist UN aid agencies in bolstering their capacity to collect and distribute aid after it is delivered by Israel. International Israeli media are reporting that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will likely meet with US President Joe Biden when he comes to Washington later this month. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken framed what is happening in the north in stark terms on Monday. “You have 60,000 or so Israelis who have been forced from their homes in northern Israel. Israel effectively lost sovereignty in the northern quadrant of the country because people don't feel safe going to their homes." Israel’s closest non-Arab neighbor, Cyprus, has become caught up in the rhetoric of the fight with Hezbollah. See this piece on Hezbollah's threat to Cyprus. The two traditional parties on the left side of Israeli politics, Labor and Meretz, announced a formal merger into one party to be called "the Democrats." The head of the amalgamation is former IDF General Yair Golan, who was recently elected leader in the Labor primaries. In honor of International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, Jewish Federations of North America joined over 50 organizations in signing a letter to the UN Secretary-General that calls for an unbiased and independent investigation and demands that Hamas be held accountable. |
Stories of Heartbreak, Heroism, and Hope Read this story of 32-year-old Celine Ben David, a new parent who was enjoying motherhood with her sixth-month-old baby Ellie. A French immigrant who arrived in Israel at the age of 16, Celine was described as “an amazing mother who was beautiful inside and out.” Celine was on the way to the Nova music festival with two friends, but they never made it. She was murdered by Hamas terrorists and her body was identified ten days later. “You gave me four perfect years and I have everything I need to tell Ellie about all the happy moments we had together,” her husband Ido said. Addir Mesika, 23, was murdered by Hamas terrorists at the Nova music festival on October 7. He is survived by his parents, Alon and Shiri, and his siblings, Liran, Uri, and Libi. Mesika was in touch with his younger brother that morning, letting him know that Hamas terrorists were shooting at them. “He told them he didn’t think he would make it and that he loved them very much,” said Lotan. |
Israel Defense Force (IDF) Activities An IDF soldier was killed overnight during an anti-terror operation in the West Bank city of Jenin when troops came under attack. An armored personnel carrier (APC), operating as a frontline medical evacuation vehicle, drove over a large explosive charge buried deep under the road. When the charge exploded, several soldiers were injured. A rescue force that arrived on the scene was then hit by a remotely–operated explosive charge. One officer was killed and sixteen troops were injured, including one soldier who was critically wounded. Earlier today, Palestinian media reported a series of Israeli strikes as well as the advancement of tanks in Gaza City’s Shejaiya neighborhood. The IDF withdrew from Shejaiya in April, but reports suggest that many Hamas operatives have since moved back. Amid growing fears about the outbreak of full-scale war in the north, numerous Western countries have issued new travel guidance to their citizens. Yesterday Germany and Holland recommended that all their citizens in Lebanon leave the country immediately. |
Hostages US Vice President Kamala Harris met last week with a former Israeli hostage who was the victim of sexual torture during her captivity in Gaza; the Vice President also spoke with women who survived other conflict-related sexual violence around the globe. On Monday, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum released a difficult video (warning: graphic content) of the moment Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Or Levy and Eliya Cohen were captured by Hamas terrorists. Listen to this MSNBC interview with Hersh Goldberg-Polin’s parents, about the latest potential hostage deal and the experiences they have endured over the past eight months since their son was abducted. Read more about the three young men depicted in the video: Berkeley-born 23-year-old Hersh Goldberg-Polin is known as a devoted brother to his two sisters and a beloved son to his American-born parents, Rachel and Jon. He is a Jerusalemite who immigrated to Israel with his family at the age of seven, a nature and music lover, a major soccer fan, and a world traveler. He spent last summer exploring Europe and attending music and trance festivals. Hersh is described by loved ones as a quiet child and a voracious reader. He was taking refuge in a bomb shelter with fellow partygoers at the Supernova music festival when Hamas terrorists hurled a grenade into the room, seriously injuring him and killing others. The last messages he sent that morning to his parents were, “I love you guys” and “I’m sorry.” Or Levy works in tech and is raising his two-year-old son, Almog, together with his wife Eynav. The 33-year-old, whose name means light, is described as an intelligent and happy young man who is always smiling and helping others. On the morning of October 7 Or and his wife traveled to the Nova music festival and left their young child with family. They sought refuge in a shelter that was overpowered by terrorists using grenade fire, which killed most of the people in the shelter, including Eynav. Or was later abducted into Gaza. Their son Almog celebrated his third birthday last week, without his parents by his side. Eliya Cohen is a 27-year-old young man who was living in Tel Aviv with his girlfriend Ziv before he was abducted by Hamas terrorists from the Nova music festival. He is described by his mother as a boy with “a huge, big heart.” He enjoyed dancing at parties in Israel and around the world, where he met many friends. He is also an animal lover. His mother called on the international community to first of all believe what happened on October 7. “They’re just civilians that went to dance. Just young people who went to celebrate life.” |
Israeli Public Opinion Pew Research has published the results of a new study on how Israeli society has remained united and divided since October 7. Among the findings: 28% of Israeli adults say there are very strong conflicts between Israeli Arabs and Israeli Jews, down from 46% last year. 18% say there are very strong conflicts between religious people and people who are not, down from 29%. 24% see very strong conflicts between those on the political left and right, down from 32%. See full results here. International According to the Washington Post, Israel has received nearly $6.5 billion in military aid from the US since October 7. In honor of International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, Jewish Federations joined over 50 organizations to sign a letter addressed to the UN Secretary-General calling for an unbiased and independent investigation and for Hamas to be held accountable. You can read the full letter here. As the International Criminal Court in The Hague continues its investigations, it has been noted that if it issues arrest warrants in the Gaza War, there will be serious legal and political consequences for “Palestine” which, unlike Israel, is a state party to the Court’s treaty. See more here. |
Supreme Court Ruling On Tuesday, Israel’s Supreme Court handed down a landmark decision about conscripting ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) men to the IDF. The issue of IDF exemptions for Haredim has been around for decades but has taken on significantly greater urgency and importance because of the shortage of manpower for the military since October 7, and the resulting extensions of service required by many non-Haredi Israelis. The Supreme Court had granted the government numerous extensions, over many years, to enable it to come up with legislation to deal with this issue, while finding the status quo to be inequitable and thus unconstitutional. This week, the Court announced a unanimous 9-0 decision, saying that the state must begin to draft eligible Haredi men, and/or to impose sanctions on those who do not enlist. The Court stated clearly that the government does not have the authority to exempt ultra-Orthodox men from the draft and will be required to cut funding to institutions who do not send their eligible students to military service. The ruling was penned by acting Chief Justice Uzi Fogelman, who wrote that “the inequality between those willing to sacrifice their lives in war and those unwilling to do so is a most extreme case of disparity and inequality which cannot be accepted.” Israel’s Ministry of Defense will now need to determine how many Haredim it can and will draft, and how soon that can happen. It will no doubt be a logistical and organizational challenge for the IDF to implement the decision quickly. Haredi politicians have already issued harsh statements against the decision, and widespread protests are expected. The Coalition is pushing to pass legislation that it sees as a compromise on the issue, but many obstacles remain before that could be completed. |
Stories of Heartbreak, Heroism, and Hope Karina Ariev is a 19-year-old resident of Jerusalem, the daughter of Albert and Ira. Described by her sister Sasha as "the sweetest person," Karina dreams of studying either psychology or sociology to help others. She was taken captive from Kibbutz Nahal Oz by Hamas terrorists on the morning of October 7. Three months later, Hamas released a propaganda video showing her bloodied and bruised face, with terror in her eyes. Her sister pleaded, "Ask people to pray for Karina Bat Ira and do whatever they can to bring her home." Kaid Farhan Elkadi resides in the Bedouin community of Rahat in southern Israel. On the morning of October 7, he was abducted from Kibbutz Magen while guarding a packaging facility. The 53-year-old is married and father to 11 children. |
Past updates can be found here. Debate on proposals to conscript Israel’s ultra-Orthodox population into the IDF, often referred to as “sharing the burden,” has raged for many years. Following October 7th and the military’s need for additional manpower, these debates have intensified. Join Jewish Federations and the Israel Democracy Institute for an in-depth webinar on the future of IDF conscription for ultra-Orthodox Israelis, to be held on Tuesday, May 28 at noon ET. |
Registration for the 2024 General Assembly is now open and we are looking forward to seeing you there! It will take place from Sunday, November 10th to Tuesday, November 12th, 2024 in Washington, DC. and will include a special Evening of Unity on Sunday, November 10th at Nationals Park Stadium. |
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Activities Three soldiers fell in battle in Gaza yesterday as fighting remains intense at numerous points across the Strip. In battles in Nuseirat in central Gaza, IDF forces encountered terrorists who were operating out of an UNRWA school. The compound was being used as a storage facility for guns, explosive devices, and mortar launchers, and was subsequently destroyed in an IDF air strike. Yesterday, acting on intelligence regarding the location of a high-ranking Hamas terrorist who had led strikes on October 7, the IDF prepared an attack on the house in question. As seen in this video, just before deploying a strike, an IDF drone identified a young child approaching the location on a bicycle. The operation was immediately halted as the boy stopped in front of the target's house and the terrorist came out to talk to him. When the boy then rode away from the house, the terrorist walked back inside. At this point, a green light for the attack was reissued, the terrorist was killed, and the child was saved. Humanitarian Aid Despite the completion and operation of the new floating pier by the US military, the Pentagon said that it has so far been unsuccessful in delivering aid to the Gazan population. See more figures on humanitarian aid here. |
Hostages Last night, following four hours of debate, Israel’s war cabinet instructed the country’s negotiating team to continue efforts to reach a hostage release deal, despite Hamas’s reported intransigence. CNN has reported new details about the failed hostage deal from three weeks ago. According to the broadcaster, Egypt had unilaterally amended the terms of the proposal transmitted to Hamas which was different from the draft proposal that Israel had given to the Egyptians. Hamas then "agreed" to the terms but Israel denied that those terms had been approved. The primary point of contention concerned the stage of the agreement at which the war would end, as well as the future existence of Hamas as a governing entity in Gaza. In a dramatic move, a video taken on October 7 from body cameras of Hamas terrorists was released yesterday. The video was filmed during the attack and infiltration of the Nahal Oz IDF base. The footage depicts the two hours in which hundreds of terrorists were inside the base, during which they killed many soldiers and abducted others. The families of five female soldiers abducted on that day (who remain in captivity) asked that the video be shared with the public. A censored, heavily-redacted version, totaling three minutes and ten seconds was released. The clip is so disturbing that Jewish Federations have chosen not to share a link, even though the video is widely available. In the uncensored portion of the footage, which was not made public, Hamas terrorists are seen executing many soldiers. The edited version shows five female soldiers, Liri Albag, Carina Arayev, Adam Berger, Danielle Gilboa and Naama Levy (all under 19 years old), badly bruised and bleeding, being handcuffed with their hands behind their backs and made to sit on the floor. The young girls are surrounded by dozens of armed Hamas men wearing military vests and green Hamas bandanas on their heads. The terrorists scream at the women, calling them dogs and saying they will “crush them.” One of the terrorists threatens, “These can be impregnated.” Another terrorist looks at one of the women and comments, “You are very pretty”. One of the girls, 19-year-old Naama Levy, has dedicated her life to promoting peace and understanding between Israelis and Palestinians. She became deeply involved with Hands of Peace, an organization committed to organizing meet-ups, fostering dialogue and mutual understanding among young people from both sides of the conflict. In the video, she tells the terrorists that, “I have friends in Palestine,” and asks them to call her Palestinian friends. They tell her to “Shut up.” (Read more here). The prisoners are then seen being carried out to the jeeps that would take them to captivity in Gaza, where they have been held for the past 230 days. Read more on the video here. International Response Spain, Norway, and Ireland announced yesterday that they will recognize a Palestinian state. Israel has recalled its ambassadors from those countries, arguing that the recognition is “rewarding terrorism.” The judge in the International Court of Justice case brought by South Africa against Israel has clarified the Court’s decision, explaining that, contrary to media reports, the judges did not decide that there was a plausible case of genocide to answer. The Court also said that it will rule Friday afternoon on South Africa’s request to order a halt to Israel’s Rafah offensive in Gaza. Following last week’s decision by the ICC Prosecutor to recommend indictments for both Israeli and Hamas leaders, many have voiced their opposition and even outrage. You can view Jewish Federations’ statement on the issue here, and see this editorial in The Wall Street Journal on the decision to “lump together” Israel’s democratic leaders who are fighting a just war with Hamas’s leaders who are determined to murder as many Israelis as possible. US President Joe Biden said, “The ICC prosecutor’s application for arrest warrants against Israeli leaders is outrageous. And let me be clear: whatever this prosecutor might imply, there is no equivalence - none - between Israel and Hamas. We will always stand with Israel against threats to its security.” Israel’s President Isaac Herzog called on leaders of the free world to condemn the ICC’s announcement. He also said, “Any attempt to draw parallels between these atrocious terrorists and a democratically elected government of Israel - working to fulfill its duty to defend and protect its citizens entirely in adherence to the principles of international law – is outrageous and cannot be accepted by anyone.” |
Rockets Rocket fire from Hamas in Gaza has been on the rise in the last few weeks. Recent days have seen almost daily fire at Sderot and other locations near the Strip. Regular attacks against Ashkelon have also been launched. However, there have been no attempted firings at the center of Israel for many months. In the north, Hezbollah continues to fire at Israeli targets, triggering significant retaliations. In recent weeks, there has been a marked increase in rocket fire in the area. In the Red Sea, the US, the UK, and Israel continue to defend against attacks by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. Similarly, the US military continues to strike at pro-Iranian targets in both Syria and Iraq. |
Stories of Heartbreak, Heroism, and Hope Toldot Yisrael produces video testimonies of women and men who fought in 1948 and before. The organization’s founder speaks here about what has been learned from interviewing soldiers who are serving now. October 7th was “the first time that a Jewish army has stopped a pogrom.” Watch the story of 27-year-old Inbar Haiman, a graffiti artist described by loved ones as a “free spirit” and “light” in the world. Inbar was a student of visual communications in Haifa. Before her army service, she spent a year teaching Arab and Jewish children in the south of Israel. Inbar attended the Nova festival as a volunteer and fled the site when terrorists infiltrated on the morning of October 7. She escaped to a nearby field where she was murdered by gunmen. Her bloody body was taken into Gaza, where it is still being held by Hamas. Her boyfriend Alon called her “the most amazing girl that I’ve ever met.” |
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Activities Five IDF soldiers were killed and eight were injured (three seriously) as a result of a friendly fire error in Gaza overnight. The soldiers from an ultra-Orthodox unit were inside an abandoned building when an IDF tank force saw their rifle barrels at a window and mistakenly thought they were terrorists. The tanks fired two shells at the building, killing all five. The IDF is currently investigating the incident. In addition, a sixth soldier was killed yesterday in fighting in Rafah. The IDF is reporting increasing examples of Hamas returning to areas in the Gaza Strip that had already been cleared of the terror group by the IDF, including the Shifa hospital, Jabalya, Zeitoun, and other areas in the north. The IDF’s Commando Brigade was deployed to southern Gaza’s Rafah last night, joining the 162nd Division which has been operating in the eastern part of the city since earlier this month. The move comes as the Israeli government is expected to approve widening the offensive there. Last night, Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant sparked a political storm by publicly criticizing his fellow Likud member, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and his handling of the subject of who will govern Gaza after Hamas is defeated. The harsh comments came after months of tension between the two and after reports emerged earlier this week that senior IDF officers believed that the lack of a governing alternative to Hamas had forced the IDF to return and fight in areas that had already been cleared out. Gallant argued that “indecision is, in essence, a decision” that would lead to one of two bad results: Continued Hamas rule, or IDF control over Gaza's civilian population. In response, the Prime Minister said “I am not willing to replace Hamastan with Fatahstan. As long as Hamas stands on its feet, no other body will enter to run civilian matters in Gaza, especially not the Palestinian Authority,” which, Netanyahu said, “supports terror, educates to terror, and funds terror.” Read more here. See more here about the possible political ramifications of Gallant’s comments. Humanitarian Aid The US military has finished installing their recently completed floating pier for the Gaza Strip. The structure is poised to begin allowing the ferrying of humanitarian aid into the enclave via the sea. Israeli forces will be in charge of security on the shore, but there are also two US Navy warships near the area in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, the USS Arleigh Burke and the USS Paul Ignatius. Both ships are destroyers equipped with a wide range of weapons and capabilities to protect American troops offshore and allies on the beach. See more figures on humanitarian aid here |
Hostages Reports persist, as they have for months, that the sides may be close to a hostage deal, yet no agreement has been finalized. Read more: The Hostage Release Deal, Rafah, and Defeating Hamas. Where Are We? Mosaic: What’s Happening with the Hostage Negotiations? International Response There continues to be disagreement between various parties on what post-war Gaza will look like. Yesterday US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan presented an overview of President Joe Biden’s approach to the Israel-Hamas war. Among the points he made, which include his reiteration of the President’s ironclad support of Israel and its aim to defeat Hamas and its military leader Yahya Sinwar, he emphasized the President’s determination to see a political strategy for post-war Gaza. |
Rockets While, the number of Hamas rocket attacks on Israel remains fairly low, rocket fire from Gaza has increased over the last two weeks. Recent days have seen almost daily fire at Sderot and other locations near the Strip. In the north, Hezbollah continues to fire at Israeli targets, triggering significant Israeli retaliations. In recent days, there has been a marked increase in rocket fire in the area. Earlier today, Hezbollah said that they targeted three military bases and fired 60 Katyusha rockets. The IDF reported that some 40 rockets crossed the border in the attack. Yesterday, a Hezbollah explosive-carrying drone launched from Lebanon hit a “sensitive military facility” near the Golani Junction in the Galilee. Two drones were launched in the attack, with one being downed by air defenses. The second explosive drone struck the site, and the damage is “currently being evaluated by the military.” Read this piece from INSS, The Likelihood of the Conflict Between Israel and Hezbollah Expanding. In the Red Sea, the US, the UK, and Israel are defending against attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. Similarly, the US military is striking pro-Iranian targets in Syria and Iraq. Earlier this week, a US Navy destroyer intercepted a Houthi anti-ship missile over the Red Sea after the group claimed they had targeted the warship. US forces also destroyed two drones. |
Stories of Heartbreak, Heroism, and Hope Read this story of 22-year-old Amit Mann, an MDA paramedic from Kibbutz Be’eri. Amit, the youngest of five sisters, began volunteering with MDA at 15 and aspired to study medicine. On October 7, when terrorists overran her kibbutz, she ran to the clinic to treat the wounded instead of hiding. Despite being under fire, she treated victims for hours until she was shot in the legs and head. A website dedicated to her memory says, “In the darkest of places, she was a great light and demonstrated compassion, humanity and giving.” Watch these two videos from Jewish Federations’ partner, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC): “I Feel Completely New”: Prioritizing Emotional Healing in Israel; and Community Resilience in Ofakim. |
On Campus See this piece: How Do Palestinians View the U.S. “Campus Intifada?” And read, Hatred of Israel Invades Universities in Europe and America |
Yom Hazikaron, the Memorial Day for Israel’s fallen, will be marked for this first time since the October 7 attacks this coming Sunday night and Monday. Join the official ceremony in English live from Latrun on Sunday, May 12 at 12:50 pm here. Hostages Based on new, concrete intelligence, the IDF has declared that the hostage Lior Rodaif, 61, from Nahal Oz, was killed on October 7 and his body was taken to Gaza. Thirty-eight hostages are now confirmed dead and held by Hamas. Authorities believe that it is likely that others have died, among the 132 hostages still in captivity. On Monday, in a dramatic announcement, Hamas said that it had accepted a hostage deal. However, it soon became clear that the “deal” Hamas accepted, was not the agreement that had been negotiated with the US, Qatar, and Egypt. Many pointed out that the declaration was more of a publicity stunt, without real substance. As a result, negotiations over a potential deal continue, with conflicting reports emerging on whether an agreement is close. Israel’s Channel 12 reported yesterday on what it understood to be the main stumbling blocks and differences of opinion over a deal. It summarized these challenges as follows: Israel is demanding that 33 live hostages be released in the first phase, while Hamas said it agrees to 18 “live or dead” hostages. Israel is demanding that three hostages should be released every day, but Hamas will only agree to return three hostages a week. Israel will agree to release 20 Palestinian prisoners for each hostage and 40 “serious” prisoners (usually meaning those convicted of murder) for each female soldier. Hamas, meanwhile, is demanding the release of 30 prisoners for each hostage and 50 “serious” prisoners for each female soldier. Israel says it should have a right of veto over the identity of each prisoner it releases. Hamas refuses to accept this stipulation. Israel says only Palestinian civilians should be able to return to the northern Gaza Strip. Hamas demands that all Palestinians be allowed north, including those who are armed. Israel says it will not declare the end of the war once the deal is completed, while Hamas demands that Israel announce the end of the war before the end of phase one. Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Activities Israel told the US that its operation at the beginning of the week in Rafah was limited, implying it was not part of a larger impending operation to clear out Hamas. Israel sees Rafah as the last major enclave critical to defeating Hamas. The IDF claims that it has disbanded 20 of 24 Hamas battalions, while four of the remaining intact battalions and many Hamas senior leaders, as well as hostages, are believed to be in Rafah. According to military analysts, most of the weapons Hamas used to massacre Israelis on October 7 came through the Rafah crossing. The IDF reported that during the operation, the military eliminated 20 terrorists in the area, struck Hamas targets, and located several tunnel entrances. The IDF also established operational control of the Gazan side of the Rafah crossing, where special forces are currently scanning the area, after Israeli intelligence showed it was being used for terror purposes. The crossing is located some 1.8 miles from the Israeli border along the Philadelphi Corridor where weapons are frequently smuggled into Gaza from Egypt. See more about Rafah here. Watch this CNN interview with U.S. Lt. General Mark Hertling on the strategic importance of destroying Hamas’s four battalions in Rafah. |
Humanitarian Aid Even though Hamas fired 14 rockets at the Kerem Shalom, destroying one of the major truck crossing points for humanitarian aid and killing four Israelis there, the passage was reopened for aid traffic yesterday. In addition, the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt, captured by the IDF two days ago, was opened today, allowing fuel trucks to enter Gaza. The humanitarian sea port built by the US Army, with IDF assistance, off the Gazan shore, has now been completed at a cost of over $300 million. It will begin operations as soon as weather conditions at sea permit. Hundreds of US troops have spent weeks building the structure, which is aimed at easing the humanitarian crisis in the area. See more figures on humanitarian aid here. International Response Yesterday, US President Joe Biden warned Israel that he will stop US weapons shipments earmarked for a Rafah offensive if the IDF embarks on a major military operation there. The President told CNN, “I’ve made it clear that if they go into Rafah… I’m not supplying the weapons that have historically been used to deal with Rafah.” Earlier in the day, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told the Senate Appropriations Committee the US had already paused one shipment to Israel of payload munitions due to concerns over Rafah. Nonetheless, Biden reiterated what he has repeated many times in recent weeks, and that is the US’ “ironclad” support and commitment to Israel’s security. Specifically, he told CNN, “We’re not walking away from Israel’s security. We’ve walked away from its ability to make war in those areas.” Biden also said that what Israel has done so far in Rafah does not constitute a major military operation in that southern part of the enclave. |
Rockets While the number of Hamas rocket attacks on Israel remains negligible on most days, rocket fire continues to emanate from Gaza. In the north, Hezbollah continues to fire at Israeli targets, triggering significant Israeli retaliations. The level of rocket attacks has increased in recent weeks. In the Red Sea, the US, the UK, and Israel continue to defend against attacks by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. Similarly, the US military continues to strike at pro-Iranian targets in Syria and Iraq. |
Stories of Heartbreak, Heroism, and Hope A documentary one-hour film by Sheryl Sandberg about sexual violence committed against Israeli women on and after October 7 has been released; it is told through the stories of survivors, first responders, and released hostages. Click here for the full documentary #ScreamsBeforeSilence. Read the story of 21-year-old Shir Yaron, a lover of nature, travel, desserts, and extreme sports who was known for her creativity and gentle demeanor. She was planning a trip to South America with her good friend last November. But her plans were cut short by Hamas terrorists who murdered Shir at the Nova music festival when she tried to escape along with four other friends. A day later their bodies were discovered on the road; they were riddled with bullets from the attack. Her mother said, “She was my best friend, she was my daughter, a true princess, the pride of any mother.” |
On Campus Last week, after months of leadership, advocacy, and lobbying by Jewish Federations, the US House passed the Antisemitism Awareness Act with an overwhelming bipartisan majority. This bill would require the Department of Education to utilize the IHRA definition of Antisemitism to determine more accurately what is and is not antisemitism. This comes amidst overwhelming antisemitism on campuses across the country. The bill now heads to the Senate. Please urge your Senator to support this bill by taking action here. |
Statistics As it does every year on the country’s Independence Day, Israel’s Bureau of Statistics, released the following updated information: The population of Israel is now 9.900 million: 7.427 million Jews (73.2%) 2.089 million Arabs (21.1%) 564,000 others (5.7%) Since last year’s Independence Day, Israel's population has grown by 189,000 (an increase of 1.9%). During this period, some 196,000 babies were born, about 37,000 immigrants arrived, and around 60,000 people died. At the time of the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, the population of Israel was 806,000. It has increased by a factor of more than 12 since then. Since the State’s founding, over 3.4 million immigrants have arrived in Israel. Around 1.6 million (47.1%) of these people arrived since 1990. According to the current rate of growth, by the next Independence Day, the population of Israel is expected to number more than 10 million. At the end of 2022, about 45% of the world's total Jewish population lived in Israel. About 80% of the Jews in Israel are now Israeli-born (sabras). |
The Latest Major rocket attack in the south kills four Israelis—additional attacks in the north. IDF orders the evacuation of parts of Rafah in apparent preparation for an assault on the city The hostage deal is still undecided Rockets While the number of Hamas rocket attacks on Israel remains negligible on most days, a barrage of fourteen rockets and mortars was launched yesterday from Rafah towards the Kerem Shalom border station. Four Israeli soldiers were killed in the attack, and at least seven others were injured. The crossing, used for humanitarian aid trucks, was shut down due to the attack and truck traffic was halted. In the north, Hezbollah continues to fire at Israeli targets, triggering significant Israeli retaliations. Yesterday, over 65 rockets and mortars were launched into the Kiryat Shmona and Upper Galilee areas, causing property damage. Today, two people were seriously wounded after a drone launched by Hezbollah hit the Metula area. Shortly after the attack, the IDF struck 15 targets belonging to Hezbollah's Radwan Force at a military camp in Al-Lwazia in southern Lebanon. Watch an Israeli retaliatory strike on a terror target in Markaba, southern Lebanon, here. In the Red Sea, the US, the UK, and Israel continue to defend against attacks by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. Similarly, the US military continues to strike at pro-Iranian targets in Syria and Iraq. Hostages According to many media reports, the United States, Egypt, and Qatar are awaiting a final answer from Hamas on whether the terror group will accept the currently proposed deal that will see the release of some hostages. US Secretary of State Blinken has called the latest Israeli concessions “very generous,” and said that agreeing to the deal should be a “no-brainer” for Hamas. To date, the group has delayed issuing a response to the deal numerous times and appears to be trying to buy more time. The Wall Street Journal has reported that Israel has issued an ultimatum to Hamas that the IDF will begin its proposed attack on Rafah (see below) if the deal is not accepted by the end of this week. Numerous sources suggest that the proposal now on the table involves the release of 33 out of the 132 hostages being held. In return, Israel would free 40 terrorists (including many who are serving sentences for murder) in exchange for each of the female soldiers to be released, as well as 10 terrorists in exchange for each Israeli civilian. The deal is also purported to involve a halt to all fighting for an extended period, opening Gaza’s north for evacuees to return, and other conditions. Protestors in Israel have increased the scope and frequency of their demonstrations, blocking highways and assembling in major public places. The mother of one hostage has said she will begin a hunger strike to urge the government to show even greater flexibility and a willingness to compromise to reach a deal. The IDF, the National Institute of Forensic Medicine, and the Ministry of Health have notified the family of Elyakim Libman, who until now had been classified as a hostage, that he was murdered on October 7. DNA evidence showed that his badly-burned body was in fact inside the grave of another fallen soldier. |
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Activties The IDF continues to operate at a lower level inside Gaza as it awaits instructions from the government as to whether or not to enter Rafah. Daily skirmishes between troops and terrorists continue as the IDF maintains its presence in the rest of the Strip. Earlier today, the IDF began evacuating civilians from eastern Rafah to a new expanded humanitarian zone which includes al-Mawasi and parts of Khan Yunis and central Gaza, reportedly ahead of planned IDF operations in the Rafah area. The new humanitarian zone includes field hospitals, tents, and increased provisions of food, water, medicine, and other supplies. The call to evacuate is being made through leaflets, text messages, phone calls, and statements in Arabic; approximately 100,000 people are sheltering in that area. Yesterday, an Israel Air Force aircraft killed Hamas leader Saleh Jamil Muhammad Amad, who was responsible for combat support within the group’s Bureij Battalion. He was eliminated along with several other terrorist operatives. A similar attack eliminated three Hamas “Nukhba” terrorists, some of whom took part in the October 7th massacres. Other targets hit yesterday included military installations, terrorist infrastructure, and weapons storage facilities. As Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Memorial Day is commemorated in Israel today, the IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi issued this statement: “We fight in memory of the six million who could not fight the enemy that rose to destroy them; for our people who looked in horror and helplessness through the barbed wire fences…. While we fight our just war, let this memory be the source of our strength and a reminder of the importance of maintaining a protective force for our people. We shoulder the responsibility to continue fighting for the freedom of the people of Israel and to ensure: Never Again.” General Halevi also visited troops operating inside the Gaza Strip. The Israeli government unanimously authorized the closing of Al Jazeera’s news network operations in Israel, in line with a law passed by the Knesset in April. According to Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, who strongly advocated for the law, “Our orders will go into effect immediately…. to finally stop the well-oiled incitement machine of Al Jazeera, which harms the security of the state.” Karhi is now empowered to order Israel’s television providers to cease broadcasting Al Jazeera, to order the channel’s Israeli offices to be closed, toconfiscate the channel’s equipment, and to block access to Al Jazeera’s website. Humanitarian Aid At the end of last week, Hamas managed to seize a major shipment of humanitarian aid that was delivered to Gaza from Jordan, according to US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller. The supplies were the first to be shipped to the enclave through a newly-reopened Israeli border crossing. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken viewed the shipment on Tuesday just before it departed from the headquarters of the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organization in Amman bound for the renovated crossing into the Gaza Strip at Erez, which was largely destroyed by Hamas on October 7. As mentioned above, yesterday, Hamas fired 14 rockets at Kerem Shalom, destroying one of the major truck crossing points for humanitarian aid. Four Israeli soldiers were killed in the attack. The US military is nearing completion of a $320 million floating pier off Gaza, a complex project to allow seaborne humanitarian aid into the Strip. Hundreds of US troops have spent weeks building the structure, which is aimed at easing the humanitarian crisis in the area. Some additional data (from the IDF’s Coordinator of Aid to Gaza): 223 trucks containing aid were delivered to Gaza by UN aid agencies, 134 of them containing food aid, (May 4) 94 pallets containing tens of thousands of packages of food aid were airdropped, in coordination with partner countries over northern Gaza yesterday (May. 4). 63 aid trucks were coordinated to northern Gaza (50 from the private sector, 12 WFP, and 2 containing fuel) (May 4). 26 bakeries are currently operational in Gaza, providing close to 5 million loaves of bread, rolls, and pita daily. The northern water pipeline from Israel is now fully operational, providing an average of more than 13 gallons per person per day in Gaza. |
International Response The Eurovision Song Contest, while not well-known in North America, is a major international event throughout Europe and the world, including in Israel. It is the largest live-music event in the world and attracts some 160 million viewers. This year, Eurovision will be held in the Swedish city of Malmo from May 7 to 11. As always, Israel is participating in the contest. Despite calls for Israel to be dropped from this year’s line-up, Eden Golan will sing her new song Hurricane in Malmo. The song was originally entitled “October Rain," and dealt sqarely with the October 7 attacks, but the lyrics were deemed too political by organizers. The new version vaguely hints at the tragedy. Watch this video of Golan boarding her special El Al flight to Malmo and the surprise organized by the ground crew at Ben Gurion Airport. Despite threats of boycotts against Golan and the performance and a perceived strong anti-Israel feeling in Europe, the song continues to rank in the top 10 of the competition across dozens of polls. (Eurovision scoring includes public votes from all competing countries). Malmo (which has one of the highest concentrations of Syrian, Lebanese, Iraqi, and Iranian migrants in Europe) is known as a focus for anti-Israel protests, which occur weekly and frequently include incitement, calls to attack Jews and Israelis, and the burning of Israeli flags. It has been reported that on October 7, anti-Israel elements publicly celebrated the massacre that Hamas perpetrated in Israel. On 19 March, ISIS operatives who were planning to attack the Swedish parliament were arrested in Malmo. Israel’s National Security Council (NSC) has said that these developments raise the tangible concern that terrorists will exploit expected anti-Israel protests at the competition to attack Israelis attending Eurovision. As a result, Golan and her entourage, who are under extremely high security, have been ordered to remain in their secured hotel the entire time they are in Malmo, other than for the performance itself, plus rehearsals at the venue. The NSC has also upgraded its travel warning for Malmo from Level 2 (potential threat) to Level 3 (moderate threat) and recommends that Israelis due to arrive in the city reconsider the necessity of the trip. The travel warning applies during the period of the Eurovision contest. |
Stories of Heartbreak, Heroism, and Hope Read about Shir Yaron, 21, an extreme sports lover who had big travel plans before she was killed on October 7. Watch this story of Lia, a lone soldier from Texas. While she was recording a Pesach holiday greeting on her base for her family back home in Texas, she received a very emotional surprise. Miriam Haber: Two packs of tissues and an arm around my shoulders – “I knew nothing could prepare me for saying Yizkor for my son, recently killed in the war, but it was a woman's kind comfort that surprised me.” See this story about Aviel Oren, 29, a triplet who was known by all as a "man of kindness," who was killed at the Nova festival. |
On Campus Over the last two weeks, anti-Israel protests have engulfed hundreds of North American university campuses, and more than 2,000 people have been arrested. Read Jewish Federations’ statement and see this Instagram post about what Federations say university administrators must do to ensure the safety of their Jewish students. Several Federations have also issued powerful statements. Examples include Los Angeles, New York, and Dallas. Federations are also working in close coordination with national partners and will continue to monitor this situation and provide updates as they become available. Jewish Federations of North America’s president and CEO Eric Fingerhut, along with two other alumni of Northwestern, sent a letter to the board of the university calling on them to dismiss the president for giving in to the protesters' demands. |
(Please note that publication of this update will be paused over Passover). Following last weekend's unprecedented attack on Israel by Iran, we are calling on the House to advance a supplemental aid package to provide $26.4 billion in vital support, including funds for essential defense systems. This package will also allocate additional resources to the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) to safeguard communities from antisemitic violence. Contact your representatives to stress the significance of this funding. |
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Activities Following Iran’s attack on Israel on Saturday night, Israeli officials have reassured allies across the globe that Israel intends to retaliate in only a limited manner that avoids escalation into a wider war. On Sunday, Iran shut down its nuclear installations and evacuated international observers from those sites; it did reopen them on Tuesday. Iran’s President Ibrahim Raisi threatened that if Israel attacks, Iran will respond “in a wide-ranging and painful manner to any small act that would harm Iran’s interests.” Watch this CNN interview with Senior Fellow at JPPI Yaakov Katz who describes Israel’s dilemma in either containing the Iranian threat or retaliating based on lessons it learned from Hamas on October 7. According to various news reports, the US has now approved a potential Israeli Rafah operation in exchange for the Jewish state not directly conducting counterstrikes on Iran at present. See here for additional information, background, and resources on the Iran attack. IDF reserve soldiers and the local emergency response squad were using a local community center as a makeshift residence, and Hezbollah launched a precise rocket attack at the building and a car parked on the street, causing a large number of casualties. When soldiers started tending to the wounded, Hezbollah launched a follow-up drone that was carrying explosives and crashed it at the site to disrupt evacuation efforts. Meanwhile, the IDF conducted a large-scale exercise in the northern sector, where forces trained for possible offensive operations as well as defensive measures. In recent evacuations of wounded soldiers from the Gaza Strip, it has taken an average of 27 minutes from the moment a soldier is wounded until they are in a helicopter on the way to the hospital “If you live in Tel Aviv, it takes longer to order a pizza than for a wounded person to get a helicopter in Gaza.” Hostages Israel is still waiting for a positive Hamas response to a proposal for a hostage deal and truce put forward by the US, together with Egyptian and Qatari mediators. Israel had previously accepted the agreement. US President Joe Biden said “It’s now up to Hamas. They need to move on the proposal that has been made so we get these hostages home where they belong.” Meanwhile, Rachel Goldberg, mother of American-Israeli hostage 23-year-old Hersh Goldberg-Polin, was named to Time Magazine’s 2024 annual TIME100 list of the most influential people in the world. “Rachel’s inclusion on the TIME100 list is in recognition of the impact she and her husband Jon Polin, along with hundreds of other families of hostages taken by Hamas, and millions of people around the world, have had in raising global awareness of the hostage crisis and their unwavering efforts to continue to fight for the release of Hersh and every hostage,” a group representing hostages’ families said on Wednesday. |
Humanitarian Aid According to the IDF, Israel has opened a new northern crossing to Gaza, more trucks are crossing into the Hamas-run enclave, and the humanitarian situation on the ground has improved. US naval ships, headed for the Gaza Strip to build a temporary pier or floating dock have now arrived in Crete. The ships left Fort Eustis on the James River on March 12 to make their way across the Atlantic Ocean to Gaza. See more on these efforts here. Israel continues to do everything in its power to bring massive quantities of aid into the Gaza Strip. Almost every day, the number of aid trucks entering Gaza breaks a new record. See more on humanitarian aid here. Rockets In the north, Hezbollah continues to fire at Israeli targets, triggering significant Israeli retaliations. The number of Hamas rocket attacks on Israel remains negligible on most days, due to Hamas’ significantly diminished capabilities. In the Red Sea, the US, the UK, and Israel continue to defend against attacks by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. Similarly, the US military continues to strike at pro-Iranian targets in Syria and Iraq. |
International Response British Foreign Secretary David Cameron and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock are visiting Israel. They met yesterday with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who reiterated that Israel would maintain its right to self-defense. Netanyahu thanked foreign ministers for their countries’ “unequivocal support” and for their “unprecedented standing up in defense of the State of Israel against Iran's attack.” Yesterday, the Israeli Cabinet approved a five-year, $5 billion plan to rebuild and to strengthen communities near the Gaza border after the October 7 attack. The funds are slated to go toward housing, infrastructure, education, employment, health, and other areas. |
Stories of Heartbreak, Heroism, and Hope See this story of 85-year-old Arye Zalmanovich, a father of two, grandfather of five, and farmer who had deep historical knowledge and was profoundly committed to his country. A revered founder of Kibbutz Nahal Oz, Aryeh was in his home the morning of October 7 when terrorists infiltrated. Released hostages shared stories of his bravery in captivity, and how he managed to maintain his dignity despite the harrowing conditions and to show great compassion for his fellow captives. On December 1, the IDF announced that Arye was murdered by terrorists in captivity. Loved ones shared that before he was taken captive, Arye continued to wear his work clothes every morning and drink coffee with the young generation of farmers on the Kibbutz. Read this CNN article on the plight of families of dead American hostages who are doing everything they can to retrieve their bodies. A message from the Jewish Agency for Israel project: "Each of us has a story. Our heritage is transmitted through stories that our people have been telling for generations. Next week, we will gather around the seder table and recount our oldest story - the story of the Exodus, the moment when our people became a nation. Each of our Shlichim (Israeli emissaries) has a story too. They connect with many other stories as they meet so many diverse people along the way, and then share those with the Jewish people wherever they go. We created the Sipurim project to enable these stories to be shared worldwide. Our Shlichim are creating content that truly resonates on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, connecting our people and their personal stories into one: the virtual story of our global Jewish family." See more. Read this story about 70-year-old Carol Siman Tov, a native of Pennsylvania who made aliyah at the age of 21. Carol worked as a nurse at Kibbutz Nir Oz where she lived. She was an avid traveler and had a bucket list of many places around the world she wanted to visit. Carol was murdered by terrorists in her home on October 7. That same day, Hamas murdered her son Johnny and his wife and three grandchildren and also shot Carol’s puppy. Carol was eulogized as a “symbol of resilience and unconditional love which illuminated generations of children and grandchildren. She didn’t keep the good for herself, she always shared everything generously.” |
For the first time since the Gulf War in 1991, a sovereign nation directly attacked Israel overnight. The Islamic Republic of Iran launched a massive strike of over 331 missiles and drones at the Jewish state. In what is being described as a remarkable military success, an international coalition, led by the US military, combined with Israel’s multi-layered and technologically sophisticated aerial defense systems, intercepted 99% of the arsenal fired, resulting in only one major injury. Meanwhile, Hamas has formally rejected a proposed ceasefire deal in Gaza. Jewish Federations will present a special briefing, including updates from the IDF, today, Sunday, April 14th, at 10 am ET. Register here. Jewish Federations are aware of several Federations with lay leaders and professional staff in Israel. If you need any assistance in Israel, please contact Dani Wassner. Our Israel staff will mobilize to be of assistance. |
The Attack Following an air strike just over a week ago that destroyed a building adjacent to the Iranian Embassy in Damascus, killing senior members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, Iran had promised significant retaliation against Israel. Overnight, the Islamic Republic launched a massive strike on Israel that comprised: 185 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs, also known as drones), each carrying a 20kg payload. 36 cruise missiles 110 sophisticated ballistic missiles (See below for more information on these different types of weapons) In addition, very loud “booms” were heard by vast swaths of the population. While most Israelis are familiar with the loud explosions of Iron Dome interceptions, the Arrow interceptions from last night were much louder, causing considerable anxiety for many citizens. A nine-year-old Bedouin girl was seriously injured by falling shrapnel following the interception of a ballistic missile. She remains sedated in hospital and in critical condition. One Israel Defense Forces (IDF) base was hit; it sustained minor damage and no injuries. The Defense The IDF has said that 99% of the 331 incoming threats were neutralized. While a precise breakdown has not been released, it is believed that numerous UAVs were intercepted over Iraq, Syria, and Jordan by US, British, and French forces. In addition, and highly significantly, Jordan also shot down some of the UAVs over its territory, clearly placing the Kingdom in the Western, anti-Iranian camp, alongside the US and Israel. The majority of the incoming weapons were intercepted by Israel’s multi-layered and technologically sophisticated aerial defense systems, in what is being described as a remarkable success. Those systems include Air Force fighter jets, the Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow Three. See these photos, and this video, of Israel Air Force fighter jets returning from a successful mission to down incoming missiles. None of the UAVs or cruise missiles reached Israeli airspace, although some ballistic missiles crossed into the Jewish state. In addition, Israel’s airspace was closed to commercial traffic, and large numbers of scrambled fighter jets could be heard crisscrossing the country in an added layer of defense. The vast network of public shelters, including millions of homes with private “safe rooms” provided a final, additional line of defense. Throughout the night, Israel’s top political and military leadership met in secure below-ground facilities at the Kirya - IDF’s military headquarters in Tel Aviv. See photos and video. Israel’s President Isaac Herzog expressed his gratitude, tweeting, “Bless you dear soldiers and commanders of the IDF and IAF. Bless the coalition of nations led by the US and @POTUS. Bless my sisters and brothers, the people of Israel, for their exceptional show of resilience. Together, the forces of good will overcome the forces of evil.” |
Home Front Earlier in the evening, Israel’s Home Front Command had issued special orders, ordering many citizens to remain close to shelters, closing educational institutions, and barring many public activities. See full instructions here. Today, the first day of the Passover school vacation in Israel, presents special difficulties for many families as scheduled day camps, educational activities, youth group trips, and more have all been closed and canceled. Ben Gurion Airport was closed from 11:00 pm until 7:00 am today, presenting challenges for many on one of the busiest days of the year for air traffic. As of the time of writing, airlines are trying to reschedule flights to the reopened international airport. This morning, shares on the Tel Aviv stock exchange declined moderately. Iran's Arsenal In addition to its fighter jets, Iran has three main categories of weapons capable of reaching Israel: Drones (UAV's): These take around nine hours from launch to reach the Jewish state. The Iron Dome and other means can intercept them. These take around two hours from launch to reach Israel. They can be intercepted by the Iron Dome and David’s Sling systems. These weapons leave the earth’s atmosphere and take only twelve minutes from launch to reach Israel. The Arrow defense systems can intercept them. Iran does not have a sophisticated aerial defense system in place. |
What Will Come Next Israel had vowed that any direct attack from Iran would result in devastating retaliatory strikes. Israel’s defense doctrine dictates that attacks such as those seen last night cannot go unpunished. Israeli military commentators are saying that Iran’s aggression yesterday was unprecedented and that a lack of response “will be misinterpreted as weakness in a neighborhood where one cannot appear to be weak.” Nonetheless, Iran has said that it considers the episode to be over, suggesting it will not attack further. Iran also warned Washington that any backing of Israeli retaliation would result in US bases being targeted. Since damage and injuries in Israel were minimal, the international community is keen to see the episode contained and not spread further. While the US had earlier said that it might join in any retaliation against Iran should the Islamic Republic attack Israel, the Biden Administration now says that it does not want to see further escalation. Many Israeli leaders, including Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz, have said that Israel will retaliate, and cannot afford to lose Israel’s deterrence capacities by letting the Iranian attack pass without a response. Israel now has numerous options, including: Taking advantage of the situation and massively striking Iran, possibly hitting the country’s potential nuclear facilities. Launching a lower-scale attack on Iranian territory. Striking Iranian forces or interests in Syria, Iraq, or elsewhere. Engaging in a cyber-attack against Iran. Carrying out another form of offensive, using clandestine and espionage tools. Exercising self-restraint and not responding. |
International Reactions The US, the UK, Canada, Germany, Denmark, Norway, the Czech Republic, Argentina, and Paraguay all condemned Iran’s attack, as did UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrel. President Biden issued a very strongly-worded statement condemning Iran and vowing to help protect Israel. He said, “I’ve just spoken with Prime Minister Netanyahu to reaffirm America’s ironclad commitment to the security of Israel. I told him that Israel demonstrated a remarkable capacity to defend against and defeat even unprecedented attacks – sending a clear message to its foes that they cannot effectively threaten the security of Israel.” British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the UK would “continue to stand up for Israel’s security.” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada “unequivocally condemns Iran’s airborne attacks against Israel,” adding, “We support Israel’s right to defend itself and its people from these attacks.” Germany’s foreign minister expressed solidarity with Israel, as did Argentinian President Javier Milei whose office said it “expresses its solidarity and unwavering commitment to the State of Israel.” The United Nations Security Council will hold an emergency meeting today over Iran’s unprecedented drone and missile attack on Israel. Thousands of Iranians took to the streets of Iran early today in a show of support for the attack. Chants of “Death to Israel” and “Death to America” were made by pro-government demonstrators in Tehran’s Palestine Square shortly after the attacks began. In Chicago, pro-Palestinian activists clapped and resolved to prevent the United States from helping Israel after it was announced at a conference that Iran had launched drones at Israel. Similarly, in Toronto, pro-Palestinian protesters cheered as Iran fired missiles at Israel. |
Join FBI Director Christopher Wray for a webinar, "Passover Without Fear: Preparedness & Security Considerations in Today’s World" on Wednesday, April 17 from 2-3:30 pm ET. Hosted by the Secure Community Network (SCN) and co-sponsored by Jewish Federations of North America, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, the program will present a pre-Passover briefing on the threat environment and will furnish best practices to keep this Passover season safe, secure, and welcoming. To register click here. |
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Activities Earlier today, the IDF launched a targeted operation against Hamas in the central Gaza Strip, on the outskirts of Nuseirat, an area where ground troops have not yet operated during the ground war. The air force carried out strikes against dozens of Hamas targets, including tunnel infrastructure, following intelligence indicating “the presence of terror infrastructure and many terrorists in the area.” Yesterday, three of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh’s adult sons were killed in an air strike in Gaza. All three were senior Hamas operatives. Qatar-based Haniyeh said that the attack would not deter Hamas. Hostages Israel is still waiting for an official Hamas response to a proposal for a hostage deal and truce put forward by the US, together with Egyptian and Qatari mediators. Israel had previously accepted the agreement. US President Joe Biden said “It’s now up to Hamas. They need to move on the proposal that has been made so we get these hostages home where they belong.” Meanwhile, Israel chief negotiator, Mossad chief David Barnea said that freeing all 133 captives and bodies in a single truce agreement would be impossible, and at best 40 people could be freed at this stage. |
Humanitarian Aid Israel has reiterated its promise to “flood Gaza with aid.” It will open a new land crossing into the Strip designed mainly to facilitate deliveries from overseas and from neighboring Jordan. Israel has already been facilitating a large number of aid trucks entering Gaza. Over the past week, the number of trucks entering the Strip has broken records on an almost daily basis, with a new average of over 400 trucks bringing in supplies each day (and over 500 today). Meanwhile, the US is working to have a maritime corridor up and running in the coming weeks, which will be able to bring in additional assistance. The new route will allow over 500 trucks daily of commercial and humanitarian help. Read: The American Pier in Gaza: An Opening to US-Israeli Cooperation in Gaza Beyond Humanitarian Aid: A Plan for Gazan Civilians Is a Strategic Necessity for Israel Rockets In the north, Hezbollah continues to fire at Israeli targets, triggering significant Israeli retaliations. The number of Hamas rocket attacks on Israel remains negligible on most days, due to Hamas’ significantly diminished capabilities. In the Red Sea, the US, the UK, and Israel continue to defend against attacks by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. The US military also continues to strike at pro-Iranian targets in Syria and Iraq. Yesterday, the US military said that its forces had successfully engaged three unmanned aerial vehicles launched from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen over the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea. There were no injuries or damage reported by US, coalition, or commercial ships. US forces also destroyed eight UAVs in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen later on April 10. |
International Response US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in a call with Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant yesterday, made clear that the United States will stand with Israel against any threats by Iran. According to media reports, the US will assist in defending Israel if it is attacked by Iran or by one of its proxies. Earlier, President Joe Biden pledged that US support for Israeli security is “ironclad.” Media reports have indicated that if an Iranian attack involves missiles and drones, American forces could help in downing them and that the US hasn’t ruled out launching a joint response with Israel if the Jewish state is attacked – directly or indirectly – by Iran. In addition, Minister Gallant and Foreign Minister Israel Katz both warned that if Iran launched an attack from its soil then Israel would strike back inside Iran. The recent elimination of a senior Iranian general in Syria is said to challenge Iran’s ability to stay out of the war. Read more here. Over the last six months, Hamas has waged an information war as part of its strategy to defeat the Jewish State. Misinformation has played a significant role in the Israel-Hamas War by manipulating the Western World to stand with Hamas. Read more here. |
Stories of Heartbreak, Heroism, and Hope Watch this Jewish Federations’ video of Ofer Baram, who dedicated his life to helping victims through The Jewish Agency for Israel's Fund for Victims of Terror. Ofer now finds himself as a recipient of that same aid after his son Aviv died defending their kibbutz on October 7th. Financial aid for this program is supported by Jewish Federations and has showed the lifesaving strength of our community. Read the story of 47-year-old Elad Katzir, described as a man of the soil and a person of principles who lived his values as a farmer and social activist. A proud Zionist, Elad was the prime caretaker of his parents on Kibbutz Nahal Oz. On October 7, Elad and his parents were taking refuge in their shelter when terrorists infiltrated their home, killing Elad’s father and taking Elad and his mother Hanna captive. Hanna was released in the earlier hostage deal. Over the weekend, the IDF recovered Elad’s body from Gaza, bringing him home for proper burial. The IDF estimates that terrorists murdered Elad in January. His sister eulogized him, saying, “You had the biggest heart of anybody around you.” |
Past updates can be found here. The Hostage and Missing Families Forum are hosting a march in Washington, DC to demand the release of the remaining 134 hostages, who have now been in captivity for almost six months. The Jewish community and their allies will march this Sunday, April 7 at 2:30 pm on the National Mall at the Washington Monument, concluding with a rally at the Lincoln Memorial at 3:30 pm. Click here for more information and to receive updates on how to join. Jewish Federation of Greater Houston placed this full-page ad in the Houston Chronicle with 10 Facts about the Israel-Hamas war. The ad was part of an effort to combat misinformation around Israel and educate the broader public about the dangers of Hamas, Israel’s efforts to minimize civilian harm and provide aid to Gazans, and the root causes of the war. |
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Activities On Tuesday night, seven international workers - part of the World Central Kitchen team that delivers food to civilians in Gaza - were tragically killed due to an errant Israeli strike. Click here for Jewish Federations' statement on the incident. The seven aid workers affiliated with World Central Kitchen were identified as nationals from Australia, Poland, and Britain, a dual U.S.-Canadian citizen, and one Palestinian. According to commentators, the IDF believes the tragic error was caused by either mistaken identity of the vehicle by the Israeli Air Force or miscommunication between Israeli intelligence and the Air Force. After speaking with Chef José Andrés, IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari expressed his condolences over the tragic death of the workers “as they fulfilled their vital mission of bringing food to people in need.” Hagari said that Israel is “committed to examining our operations thoroughly and transparently.” Hagari also praised the World Central Kitchen’s work as “vital.” Prime Minister Netanyahu called the strike “tragic” and “unintentional,” and stated that Israel “will do everything to prevent this [incident] from happening again.” Israel’s Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant held an operational assessment together with IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi and senior members of the defense team. He noted the complex environment that the IDF operates in. He highlighted the important role of aid organizations and Israel’s commitment to collaborating with them. His instructions to the defense team included establishing a professional team to immediately investigate the incident and setting up a mechanism that would directly coordinate aid efforts with the IDF going forward. For more background and information on the incident, see here. Israel still insists that it will conduct an operation in Rafah in the south of the Gaza Strip to rid the area of the last major bastion of Hamas power. This is despite international pressure against such a move, due to the one million civilians who have sought refuge in the town. Many commentators think that it is likely that the IDF is waiting to enter Rafah until Ramadan ends next week, and until suitable arrangements have been made to allow civilians to escape the area, including safe corridors and a humanitarian zone with proper facilities. Even if/when an operation begins, most believe it will likely be limited in scope, due to US and other international pressure. An air strike attributed to Israel destroyed a building in Damascus earlier in the week, killing Mohammad Reza Zahedi, who was the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps commander for Syria and Lebanon. Zahedi was the highest-ranking Iranian to be killed since the assassination of Qasem Soleimani by the US in 2020. He is also the highest-ranking commander of any force allegedly killed by Israel since October 7. As a result of the attack, IDF forces have been put on high alert (including all leave canceled for combat soldiers) in expectation of a forceful Iranian retaliation against Israel from within Syrian territory (or elsewhere). Officials are also concerned that Iran may attempt to strike “soft targets” such as Israeli embassies, diplomats, and tourists around the world, or even local Jewish communities. |
Hostages A hostage deal is still being negotiated, but Hamas continues to stick to what Israel calls “impossible demands.” Israel has accepted multiple compromise proposals suggested by the US, Qatar, and Egypt, but Hamas has yet to agree to those terms. Meanwhile, protesters in Israel are becoming increasingly vocal in calling on the government to soften its positions and ensure the release of the 134 remaining hostages as soon as possible. (At least 30 of these are known to be no longer alive.) Qatar said that the main point of dispute in negotiations on a ceasefire is over the return of displaced Palestinians to the northern Gaza Strip. Rockets In the north, Hezbollah continues to fire at Israeli targets, triggering significant Israeli retaliations. Yesterday, Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said that a full-blown war in Lebanon would be disastrous not only for Hezbollah but for all of Lebanon. The number of Hamas rocket attacks on Israel remains negligible on most days, due to Hamas’ significantly diminished capabilities. In the Red Sea, the US, the UK, and Israel continue to defend against attacks by the Iran-back Houthi rebels in Yemen. Similarly, the US military continues to strike at pro-Iranian targets in Syria and Iraq. |
International Response Meanwhile War Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz yesterday called for Israel to hold early elections by September. In a televised press conference, Gantz insisted that going to the polls in some six months would be necessary to “maintain unity” and “renew trust” in the government he joined on an emergency basis following October 7. |
Stories of Heartbreak, Heroism, and Hope Watch this Jewish Federations video of Yael, a therapist, who offers crucial psychological support to families grappling with trauma following the October 7th terrorist attacks. Her program, operating out of Beit Issie, is funded by Jewish Federations and provides therapy, respite, emotional support, and coping mechanisms for individuals with disabilities across Israel. These interventions serve as vital steps toward recovery for survivors. See this story of 53-year-old Mira Stahl, a special education teacher who touched countless lives both in and out of the classroom. The wife of Noam and mother of Rotem, Moran, and Ella, Mira’s career was dedicated to advancing the lives of children with disabilities. She worked as a school counselor and most recently taught psychotherapists training to work with disabled children. She inspired her students to look beyond their limitations. She also had a passion for dance; she met her husband while teaching folk dancing on Kibbutz Kfar Aza. Mira was murdered by Hamas terrorists on the morning of October 7. Her son vowed, “I swear not to become a bitter person, and I swear I will dance, like you, all the way to the grave.” Read this opinion piece from the Jerusalem Post: Is Israeli society at the fifth stage of grief? |
Past updates can be found here. Join Jewish Federations and the Israel Democracy Institute (IDI) tomorrow, Tuesday, April 2 at 1:30 pm ET to explore the impact of the ongoing war in Israel on the country's economy. Delve into the dramatic shifts in economic priorities prompted by the October 7 terrorist attack and subsequent conflict, as securing resources for the war effort and civilians' immediate needs, supporting essential industries, and maintaining basic infrastructure have become paramount. Gain valuable insights into Israel's recently passed wartime budget and its implications for national security and post-conflict stability. Speakers include: Prof. Karnit Flug, former Governor of the Bank of Israel and IDI’s Vice President of Research. Register here. Readers can also see the Bank of Israel’s new annual report, issued yesterday. Jewish Federations are working with ReGrow, a project of Volcani International Partnerships and Mishkei Hanegev, to support the farming communities of the Western Negev. Federations are offering grants of up to $12.5 million to replace tractors and other equipment that Hamas terrorists destroyed and looted. |
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Activities Over the weekend, terrorists shot an RPG (rocket-propelled grenade) at a top-story apartment in a building in Khan Yuneis in the southern Gaza Strip where IDF soldiers were stationed. As a result of the explosion and ensuing collapse of some of the walls, a soldier was killed and sixteen were injured including six who are in serious condition. The IDF has now concluded its operations in and around the Shifa Hospital in Gaza; and is withdrawing forces from the hospital complex. After two weeks of fighting, dozens of terrorists have been killed and hundreds detained, including high-ranking members of both Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. In addition, large quantities of weapons were discovered and confiscated in the hospital complex including pistols, rifles, rocket-propelled grenades, thousands of rounds of ammunition, and explosives. Weapons were even found hidden in beds and pillows in the maternity ward. Remarkably, 6,000 civilians were evacuated by the IDF to keep them safe. 200 Hamas terrorists were killed. 500 Hamas terrorists have been captured. And, incredibly, zero civilians were killed. Earlier today, IDF forces arrested the sister of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tel Sheva on suspicion of having ties to Hamas and engaging in incitement and support for terror. A new survey conducted by the Israel Democracy Institute polled the public’s assessment of the performance of Israel’s political and military leadership since October 7. IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi topped the rankings of positive performance (48%), followed by Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant (40%) and Minister Benny Gantz (34%). Only 28% ranked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s performance as positive, while 57% of respondents ranked it as “poor” or “very poor.” With tensions rising between the US administration and the Israeli government about the necessary next steps in the war, the survey also asked whether Israel should act on its own or in coordination with the US. Most Israelis think Israeli leaders should act on the basis of their own judgment, though there has been a slight increase among Jewish Israelis who favor coordination with the US, from 38% in January 2024 to 43% in the present survey. See the full results here. Every year before the spring holidays, Israel’s National Security Council publishes an assessment of the threat of terrorism for Israelis traveling abroad. See this year’s advisory. As the debate in Israel continues on the question of ultra-Orthodox conscription, a Real-Time Data Institute survey was published by Haredi news site Kikar HaShabbat, with surprising results. Among Ultra-Orthodox responders: 89% said it was essential for their children to live in Israel; 69% were proud to be Israeli; 63% were proud of the IDF; 63% said that haredim who are not involved in full-time Torah study should serve in the IDF; 55% said that secular Israelis feel animosity towards Haredim 15% said they felt animosity towards the secular public. |
Humanitarian Aid Ships carrying 332 tons of food left Cyprus over the weekend, in a convoy that will reach Gaza in the coming days. The aid will be taken to the Strip on a cargo ship and a barge towed by a salvage vessel, along with a tugboat carrying a support team. This is the second shipment from Cyprus this month after Israel announced that it would allow all food aid into Gaza after screening for weapons. Cypriot and Israeli authorities have established a maritime corridor to facilitate pre-screened cargoes arriving directly in Gaza, which does not have any port facilities. The aid in the first mission (which included almost 200 tons of food) was unloaded at a makeshift jetty, that been constructed from rubble. The new convoy includes two forklifts and a crane to assist with future marine deliveries, as well as a team to operate the crane. The United States is currently working to construct a floating pier off Gaza to receive aid. The target for completion of the facility is May. See the latest facts and figures on Israel’s humanitarian aid to Gaza here. Hostages Tens of thousands of Israelis protested on the streets of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and other locations yesterday, pressing the government to do more, and to act with greater flexibility, in order to reach a deal that would see the release of the hostages. Many protestors also called on the Prime Minister and the government to accept responsibility for the war and to resign. A high level delegation from Hamas met with leaders of Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Iran on Friday. In a joint statement they said that they have agreed on four firm demands that must form the basis of any future hostage deal: A full withdrawal of IDF forces from Gaza; a complete halt to fighting; the return of Palestinian evacuees to their homes; and humanitarian aid. Despite this apparent intransigent position expressed by the terror organizations, the Heads of Shin Bet and Mossad are traveling separately to Cairo and Doha this week to continue talks on a possible deal. Rockets In the north, Hezbollah continues to fire at Israeli targets, triggering significant Israeli retaliations. Over the weekend, in a targeted attack in Tyre, Lebanon, Israel killed Ali Abd El-Hassan Na'im, Hezbollah's deputy commander of its Missiles and Rockets Unit. The number of Hamas rocket attacks on Israel remains negligible on most days, due to Hamas’ significantly diminished capabilities. In the Red Sea, the US, the UK and Israel continue to defend against attacks by the Iran-back Houthi rebels in Yemen. Similarly, the US military continues to strike at pro-Iranian targets in Syria and Iraq. Yesterday, a drone successfully struck a naval base in the southern Israeli city of Eilat, causing minor damage, but no injuries. It had been launched by pro-Iranian militia forces in Iraq. See analysis here. |
International Response On Friday, the Washington Post reported that despite apparent disagreements between the White House and Prime Minister Netanyahu, the United States recently agreed to quietly send a large shipment of weapons to Israel, worth billions of dollars, including 25 F-35 stealth fighter jets. Last week, Israel’s Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant visited Washington, DC to coordinate the next steps in the Hamas-Israel war. The trip was aimed at discussing Israel’s military position and security needs: Minister Gallant met with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, and CIA chief William Burns. Gallant arrived in Washington with a list of U.S. weapons and weapons systems Israel is asking to be expedited, along with the ability to purchase warplanes for a potential full-scale war with Hezbollah. Secretary Austin emphasized the importance of improving the humanitarian situation and prioritizing civilian protection in Gaza even as he maintained the US position of ensuring that “Israel has what it needs to defend itself.” After Prime Minister Netanyahu cancelled Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and National Security Council chairman Tzachi Hanegbi’s trip to Washington, Rafah became a focal point of Gallant’s meetings. According to reports, discussions did not focus on stopping the operation, but rather on protecting civilians who are sheltering in Rafah, while still ensuring that Israel can dismantle the four remaining Hamas battalions in the enclave. Both sides agreed that Hamas cannot be allowed to rearm, and that defeating Hamas in Rafah is critical to ending the war. National Security Council Communications Adviser John Kirby said the White House “just can’t support a major ground offensive in Rafah that doesn’t include an achievable, verifiable plan to look after the safety and security of the 1.5 million Gazans who have sought refuge there.” Following the meetings, Gallant reported, “I think there is an understanding we have to dismantle Hamas.” During the multi-day trip, U.S. and Israeli officials both reaffirmed the importance of the relationship between the two countries and the shared goals of Israel’s war against Hamas. Also over the weekend, Prime Minister Netanyahu reached out to the White House to reschedule the meeting to discuss Israel's Rafah operation. |
Stories of Heartbreak, Heroism, and Hope Remembering Noya Dan on Autism Awareness Day- “It would have taken just a little humanity for Hamas to leave this girl and her grandmother alive, but the terrorists possessed no such humanity.” Read the story of 19-year-old Karina Ariev, a resident of Pisgat Ze’ev and the sister of Sasha and daughter of Albert and Ira. Described by her sister as “the sweetest person,” Karina has dreams to study either psychology or sociology so that she can help others. Karina was taken captive from Kibbutz Nahal Oz by Hamas terrorists on the morning of October 7. Three months later, Hamas published a propaganda video showing her bloodied and bruised face, with a look of horror in her eyes. “Ask people to pray for Karina bat Ira,” her sister pleaded. “Ask them to do whatever they can to help bring her home.” |
International Response A vote passed in the UN Security Council today, calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. At the last moment, the US did not exercise its right of veto, allowing passage of the resolution. Earlier, Prime Minister Netanyahu said he would ask members of his government to cancel expected meetings in Washington this week if the US did not veto the vote. Israel’s Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant is visiting Washington, D.C. to coordinate the next steps in the war with the US administration. Separately, Minister for Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer and National Security Advisor Tzahi Hanegbi were also planning to visit the US for talks. After attending a traditional reading of Megillat Esther over Purim, Prime Minister Netanyahu vowed to kill Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. He said, “We will unite, fight, and win just as we did in ancient times. We will enter Rafah and achieve total victory. We took out Haman; we will also take out Sinwar.” After again stressing that the IDF would carry out its invasion of Rafah, Netanyahu explained that “absolute evil cannot be defeated when it is left to its own devices.” The US-based Pew Research Center has released new findings exploring the complex views of Americans about the Israel-Hamas war, including views among Jewish and Muslim Americans. The survey was conducted from Feb. 13-25.Regardless of whether they approve of how Israel is fighting the war, most U.S. Jews (89%) see Israel’s reasons for going to war against Hamas as valid; only 18% of US Muslims see Israel’s reasons as valid. Around half of Muslims (49%) say Hamas’ reasons for fighting Israel are valid, regardless of how they feel about the acceptability of the Oct. 7 attack on Israel; 16% of US Jews see Hamas’ reasons as valid. 62% of US Jews say the way Israel is carrying out its war in Gaza is acceptable; only 5% of American Muslims agree. Most Muslim Americans (68%) describe Israel’s methods as unacceptable. Few people in any religious group describe Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack as acceptable (roughly 5% or fewer), including 3% of Jewish Americans. However, among US Muslims, 10% say the way Hamas carried out the attack was completely acceptable and 11% say it was somewhat acceptable. Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Activities A completely false and fabricated story about IDF soldiers raping a pregnant woman at Shifa Hospital has been circulating on social media. After more than 24 hours of allowing the story to run freely, Qatari-based Al Jazeera deleted the page featuring the item after overwhelming evidence came to light that the facts had been made up. Rafah is the last bastion of Hamas control. The IDF claims that it has disbanded 18 of 24 Hamas battalions, while four of the intact battalions are in Rafah. Approximately 1.3 million Palestinians are sheltering in Rafah, including many who followed Israel’s orders to evacuate northern Gaza to safer territory. Rafah is also a major entry point for humanitarian aid. The United Stated has expressed its concerns over an Israeli operation in Rafah, while Israel insists that entering Rafah is critical to destroying Hamas and safeguarding Israel. Some background and additional information on Rafah:Located on the Egyptian border with Gaza, Rafah has served for many years as a key site for Hamas to smuggle weapons backed by Iran and other terrorist proxies into the Strip. According to military analysts, most of the weapons Hamas used to massacre Israelis on October 7 came through the Rafah crossing. If Israeli troops enter Rafah, the focus of the fighting will be on engaging entire units of Hamas terrorists, as opposed to targeting individual Hamas operatives. Senior Israeli military expert Col. Gabi Siboni explained that because Hamas has situated its military infrastructure under civilian homes and facilities as part of its strategy to hide behind human shields, there is no way the IDF can dismantle Hamas in Rafah without causing significant destruction to the infrastructure. Earlier this week, President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke about a potential military operation in Rafah. President Biden expressed his concerns that a major ground offensive would be a mistake due to the high number of civilians sheltering there. He emphasized that in order to defeat Hamas, Israel needs a strategy that does not put thousands of innocent civilians at risk. President Biden had invited Prime Minister Netanyahu to send a delegation to Washington to discuss the pending operation. Israel’s Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant, Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer, and National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi are in Washington this week. Netanyahu told a Knesset committee last Tuesday, “We do not see a way to eliminate Hamas militarily without destroying these remaining battalions.” The prime minister reportedly told security cabinet members that he never said an operation would take place during Ramadan, which ends on April 9. Israel looks likely to approve an evacuation plan for Palestinians in Rafah. Netanyahu stated, “I have already approved the IDF's operational plan, and soon we will also approve the plan to evacuate the civilian population from the battle zones.” Minister for Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer, often referred to as the person closest to Prime Minister Netanyahu, said over the weekend that Israel will have to enter Rafah, with or without the international community’s (and American) support. The Egyptian government and military are extremely concerned about an IDF Rafah operation. While officially the main worry is over the fate of Gazan civilians, many commentators have said that Egypt fears that hundreds of thousands of Gazans will storm the border and cross into Egypt. Israel has said that it would do its best to coordinate moves with the Egyptian government. The IDF has so far arrested and taken for interrogation over 800 suspects at Gaza's Shifa Hospital. In response to accusations that Israel is harming patients and medical staff at the hospital, the IDF published the following statement: "IDF and Israel Security Agency forces are operating in the area of the Shifa Hospital while avoiding harm to civilians, patients, medical teams and medical equipment. As part of the operation at the hospital, the sick and wounded were evacuated to a designated compound in the hospital in order to prevent harm to them….IDF soldiers… facilitated the entry of trucks full of medical equipment, food, and water into the hospital….The medical equipment that was brought into the hospital includes over ten thousand units of medications, hundreds of pain relievers, over a hundred packages of bandages and infusions, and dozens of advanced monitoring devices….about two tons of food and three tons of water were brought in, along with the medical equipment." The government of Israel continues to debate possible new legislation regarding the ultra-Orthodox draft exemption. War Minister and National Unity Party Leader Benny Gantz threatened to quit the government if the bill passes in the Knesset. |
Humanitarian Aid The IDF has reiterated that Israel allows the full and free entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza on the ground, in the air and from the sea according to the rules of international law. There is currently no limit on the amount of aid that can be sent to Gaza, and Israel has been encouraging international aid organizations and countries to send additional supplies. Since the beginning of the war, Israel has facilitated the entrance of over 17,400 trucks of food and medicine into Gaza, carrying over 218,000 tons of aid. Before October 7, international organizations brought an average of 70 trucks a day to Gaza. The current daily average is significantly more than that – some 125 trucks per day. However, a large percentage of the aid has been confiscated by Hamas or looted by Palestinian gangs and others who storm the trucks as they enter Gaza. Israel has said that the United Nations is not ensuring the proper distribution of the food and not allocating enough of its personnel to make sure the food is given out, and not looted. Israeli officials strongly deny that there is mass starvation in Gaza, saying that there is no food shortage in the southern Gaza Strip (where the overwhelming majority of Gazans are currently living); while in the northern Strip there are some areas that are experiencing moderate levels of shortage. See the latest facts and figures on Israel’s humanitarian aid to Gaza here. |
Rockets In the north, Hezbollah continues to fire at Israeli targets, triggering significant Israeli retaliations. The number of Hamas rocket attacks on Israel remains negligible, due to Hamas’ significantly diminished capabilities. However today, a number of rockets were fired at the southern Israeli city of Ashdod – a sign that Hamas still has some capacity. In the Red Sea, the US, the UK and Israel continue to defend against attacks by the Iran-back Houthi rebels in Yemen. The US military also continues to strike at pro-Iranian targets in Syria and Iraq. |
Hostages Amid declarations by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken that a hostage deal is within reach, Mossad Chief Dadi Barnes is currently in Qatar with CIA Director William Burns, Qatar’s Prime Minister, and Egypt’s Minister of Intelligence, where talks on a new hostage deal continue. Still being negotiated is the number of Palestinian prisoners to be released in exchange for every Israeli hostage. Over the weekend, it was reported that Israel had agreed to a compromise by agreeing to release considerably more prisoners than had earlier been proposed. Hamas has yet to respond to the new proposal. In exchange for the release of some 40 women, elderly, and wounded hostages, Israel has reportedly agreed to release between 700-800 Palestinian prisoners. These would include hundreds who are serving life sentences for murdering Israelis in terror attacks. Hamas' priorities from ongoing negotiations are “stopping the aggression, bringing in aid, the return of the displaced, and a clear reconstruction plan,” said Hamas spokesperson Hossam Badran, according to Hezbollah-owned news site Al-Ahed News. See more here. |
Stories of Heartbreak, Heroism, and Hope In an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail, Israeli hostage Liri Albag's family stated that they marked the Purim holiday by sharing childhood photos of her costumes throughout the years, pressuring negotiators not to forget her as she remains captive by Hamas. See more here. The defenders of Kibbutz Alumim fought off Palestinian terror squads on Oct. 7 and saved their homes and families. Remarkably, Israel placed fifth in the world in the newly released UN World Happiness Index. While the study was taken after October 7, it reflects a three-year average (had the data reflected 2023 only, Israel would have ranked 19th – still ahead of the US and the UK). Read more here. See this story of 23-year-old Amit Lahav from Rishon Lezion, described by her father as “a child of light and love.” Amit loved adventure and lived life to the fullest. She hiked up volcanic mountains in Central America, swam with sharks and ziplined in rainforests. Lahav was celebrating life at the Nova festival when she was murdered by Hamas terrorists. She was looking forward to beginning her university studies just a week later. |
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Activities During extensive, ongoing IDF operations at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, over 350 Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists have so far been captured, including numerous high-ranking commanders.At least 90 terrorists and one Israeli soldier have been killed in the fighting. Dozens of terrorists were hiding in the hospital and firing from its windows. IDF forces are reporting that terrorists were disguised as patients and doctors, thus endangering the lives of real patients and medical personnel. According to IDF Spokesperson Daniel Hagari, IDF troops underwent special training in order to prepare them for the complex operation and adhered to strict measures to mitigate civilian harm. Prior to the battle, the IDF made a warning call to the head of the hospital. The forces were joined by Arabic speakers in order to communicate with patients, as well as by IDF doctors to assist patients in need. The IDF also delivered humanitarian supplies to the compound. During searches inside the hospital, troops found large quantities of Hamas equipment, including a weapons cache next to the hospital director’s office. Among those killed was senior Hamas official Faiq Mabhouh, who was hiding in the hospital, from where he was directing terror activity. The IDF says that no harm was caused to civilians, staff or medical equipment by Israeli forces. It also uncovered $11 million in terrorist funds inside the hospital. Also, among those terrorists captured was Mahmoud Kawasmeh, who was responsible for planning and coordinating the abduction and murder of the three teenage boys in the West Bank who were kidnapped from a bus stop in 2014. The boys, Naftali Frenkel, Gil-Ad Sha’er and Eyal Yiftah, were missing for days before their bodies were found. This precipitated the 2014 Israel-Gaza war. The United States has corroborated Israel’s position on the misuse of hospitals by Hamas, stating in a Pentagon release that, “We do have information that Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (use) some hospitals in the Gaza Strip, including the al-Shifa hospital, as a way to conceal and support their military operations and hold hostages." International law stipulates that medical facilities lose their protected status if they are used for military purposes, and that the defending military must provide warnings and consider other protections before attacking a hospital. See these comments on Hamas’ use of hospitals by Rear Admiral Chris Parry, British naval officer, former Director of Operational Capability at the UK Ministry of Defence, and former commander of the UK’s Amphibious Task Group. On Monday, IDF fighter jets eliminated senior Hamas operatives in Rafah who assisted its military wing in establishing continued control. The operatives were the representatives of Hamas’s senior leadership in Rafah. As part of their roles, they were responsible for coordination with Hamas operatives in the field. Israel looks likely to approve an evacuation plan for Palestinians in Rafah. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated, “I have already approved the IDF's operational plan, and soon we will also approve the plan to evacuate the civilian population from the battle zones.” |
Humanitarian Aid The issue of humanitarian aid for the Palestinian civilian population in Gaza continues to be a major issue. Last week, Israel promised to “flood Gaza with humanitarian supplies.” The US, Israel, and other nations are working together to ensure humanitarian assistance reaches Gaza, whether by land, air, or sea. Currently, an average of 200 trucks per day are arriving in Gaza with medical supplies, water, fuel, cooking gas, and food. Delivery of aid is slowed down by inspections to ensure safety, because of Hamas’s repeated smuggling of deadly weapons in humanitarian aid convoys and ambulances. Click here for more information regarding Israel’s commitment to humanitarian aid. US Centcom Deputy Commander Vice Adm. Brad Cooper visited Israel this week for talks on the US construction of a port in Gaza for humanitarian aid. The temporary pier will allow for the direct delivery of humanitarian assistance via the Mediterranean Sea; the US is coordinating with Israel to ensure all security concerns are met. Cooper also met with the UN and humanitarian organizations on the ground to ensure that aid would be properly distributed. According to the Wall Street Journal, Israel is working on a plan that would see Palestinian leaders and businessmen with no ties to Hamas take a key role in distributing aid in Gaza. This would eventually develop into a Palestinian-led governing authority. Israeli peace activists have delivered Ramadan food aid to the West Bank. See the latest facts and figures on Israel’s humanitarian aid to Gaza here. |
Rockets In the north, Hezbollah continues to fire at Israeli targets, triggering significant Israeli retaliations. The number of Hamas rocket attacks on Israel remains negligible, due to Hamas’ significantly diminished capabilities. In the Red Sea, the US, the UK, and Israel continue to defend against attacks by the Iran-back Houthi rebels in Yemen. Similarly, the US military continues to strike at pro-Iranian targets in Syria and Iraq. Earlier this week, a cruise missile was launched at Israel from Yemen. The missile overflew Eilat and crashed in the desert north of the Israeli southern port city. |
Hostages US Secretary of State Antony Blinken commented on a possible hostage deal yesterday, saying that “the gaps are narrowing, and I think an agreement is very much possible.” He was referring to a potential deal between Israel and Hamas that would see some 40 Israeli hostages released and a six-week ceasefire put in place. Blinken also noted,“We worked very hard with Qatar, Egypt, and Israel to put a strong proposal on the table… Hamas wouldn’t accept it. They came back with other demands. The negotiators are working on that right now, but I believe it’s very much doable, and it’s very much necessary…. If Hamas cares at all about the people it purports to represent, then it would reach an agreement because that would have the immediate effect of a ceasefire, alleviating the tremendous suffering of people, bringing more humanitarian assistance in, and then giving us the possibility of having something more lasting.” |
International Response Canada has announced that it is suspending arms supplies to Israel. The Israeli government criticized the Canadian decision with Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz saying that “history will judge Canada.” The Jerusalem Post: Canada should be ashamed of its 'arms embargo' on Israel. You can find the response from CIJA, Jewish Federations' Canadian public affairs organization, here. Following a relatively speedy process, leading to its passage in the House, the Jewish Federations-backed Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act has now been referred to the Senate, where the Committee on Commerce, Energy and Transportation is considering it. Readers are invited to sign this action alert today to urge senators to support the legislation to curb the proliferation of antisemitic content on social media. An Israeli delegation led by Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and National Security Adviser Tzahi Hanegbi is expected to visit Washington next week to discuss Israeli military plans for Rafah, which is home to the last bastion of significant Hamas control. US President Joe Biden had asked Prime Minister Netanyahu to send such a delegation when the two spoke earlier this week. At the same time, US Secretary of State Lloyd Austin has separately asked Defense Minister Yoav Gallant to speak with him and other defense officials at the Pentagon. Gallant will travel to the US next week. Israel has submitted written assurances as required by the US State Department stating its use of American-supplied weapons is not being used to violate humanitarian laws in Gaza. The US has yet to publicly confirm that it has received this assurance from Israel despite reports that Defense Minister Yoav Gallant signed the relevant letter last week. Out of more than 150 foreign carriers that were flying to Israel before the outbreak of the war, only about 50 have resumed some of their operations in Israel this year. |
Stories of Heartbreak, Heroism, and Hope President Isaac Herzog will conduct a ceremony to honor the bravery of three hostages who escaped from their Hamas captors only to be mistakenly killed by the IDF, he announced on Wednesday. Watch the Jewish Federations’ video about Ethiopian olah, Addise, who evacuated to a hotel in Netanya after the Oct 7th attacks, where she discusses the importance of living in a safe place where all of her community's needs are being provided. Read the story of 22-year-old Cpt. Daniel Peretz, a native of South Africa immigrated with his family to Israel at the age of 13. Daniel is described by loved ones as a young man who was full of life and had a great sense of humor. He was serving as a tank commander when Hamas terrorists infiltrated his base on October 7. For over five months, his family did not know what had happened to him. On Sunday evening, the IDF announced that Daniel was killed on October 7 and that his body was taken into Gaza, where it is still being held. At his funeral, his commander described Daniel as a hero who looked after his comrades and acted like a brother to them. Daniel leaves behind his grieving parents and three siblings. |
Rockets
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Activities
Hostages
International Response
Stories of Heartbreak, Heroism, and Hope
Further Reading
Jewish Federations Resources
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Activities
Over the weekend, the IDF said that according to its estimates, 60% of the humanitarian aid entering Gaza ends up in the hands of Hamas. It is estimated that the value of aid confiscated by Hamas since the beginning of the war is approximately $130 million.
Click Here for the complete report.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Activities
Rockets
Hostages
International Response
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Activities
Rockets
Hostages
International Response
Stories of Heartbreak, Heroism and Hope
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Operations
Rockets
Hostages
International Response
Stories 0f Heartbreak, Heroism and Hope
ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES (IDF) OPERATIONS
ROCKETS
HOSTAGES
INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
STORIES OF HEARTBREAK, HEROISM AND HOPE
Israel Defense Forces Operations
As the ground operation progresses, the IDF has completed the encirclement of Jabaliya in northern Gaza. It says that heavy strikes were carried out by artillery and air force units in the area to “prepare the ground for battle.” On the outskirts of Jabaliya, three tunnel entrances were struck with Hamas operatives inside.
The military also found and destroyed rocket launchers nearby. See footage here of the IDF operating around Jabaliya, and see photos here.
The IDF also carried out airstrikes against an additional 250 Hamas targets over the past day and hit terrorists, rocket launchers, and military infrastructure. Troops continue to discover large quantities of weapons hidden in civilian locations including in mosques, and even one anti-tank missile was even found under the mattress of a baby’s crib). See the photos here and the video here.
The level of rocket fire from Gaza remains low, presumably due to Hamas’ diminished capabilities. However, following one barrage last night, a 54-year-old woman was pronounced dead after she collapsed while running to a shelter in the center of the country.
In the north, rocket and other fire by Hezbollah continues at a steady pace, as do Israel’s retaliations against Hezbollah. Hezbollah has fired more than 1,000 rockets and other projectiles at Israel since fighting began on October 7.
Meanwhile, 29 premature Palestinian babies arrived in Egypt yesterday after they were evacuated from Shifa Hospital. The babies were transported across the border, a day after they were evacuated from Gaza’s largest hospital, which has become a focal point of fighting. The infants were evacuated with Israeli assistance after troops took control of the hospital over the weekend (see video here). Also yesterday, the first Jordanian field hospital was set up in southern Gaza. See here footage of a captured Palestinian giving information about Hamas’ use of hospitals.
It has also been revealed that two weeks ago, two Hamas terrorists were arrested in the southern Bedouin city of Rahat, after having apparently hidden out in the town for a month following their part in the attacks of October 7.
The Hamas-run Gazan Health Ministry says that over 13,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 7, as a result of the war.
The Home Front
After meeting with the families of the hostages, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stressed his commitment to securing their release, calling it “a sacred and supreme mission.” He said, “We will not let up until they are returned, and this is the responsibility of me and the war cabinet. I listened to the pain of the families. We spoke heart to heart. I shared with them as much as I could about the diplomatic, intelligence, and operational efforts we are leading around the clock… We will not stop fighting until we bring our hostages home, destroy Hamas, and ensure there will no longer be a threat from Gaza.”
The country continues to mourn the victims of the massacre of October 7 and soldiers who have fallen in the fighting; and to demand the return of the hostages:
Israel’s coalition government has announced that it will advance legislation to enshrine the status of Israel’s Druze community, amid the climbing death toll among Druze soldiers in the current war. Prime Minister Netanyahu and other senior figures suggested they would find a way to complement the 2018 Basic Law: Nation-State of the Jewish People, which the Druze community says marginalizes them. Foreign Minister Eli Cohen and coalition whip Ofir Katz, both of Likud, said the following over the weekend, “In the coming days, we will promote a draft Basic Law for the Druze community, which aims to anchor the important status of the Druze community in the State of Israel.”
International Response
Roughly 300 UN diplomats attended a screening at UN headquarters in New York of footage showing atrocities on October 7. The screening of the 40-minute video, compiled by the IDF and featuring uncensored, difficult-to-watch scenes, many taken from Hamas terrorists’ bodycams, was organized by the Israeli Mission to the United Nations. While the footage will not be released publicly, Israeli diplomats have been holding special screenings for journalists, members of parliaments, diplomats, and other influential personalities.
Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for a UN protectorate involving US and Arab forces remaining in Gaza for a transitional period after the war.
International Committee of the Red Cross president Mirjana Spoljaric met yesterday with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Qatar. Following the meeting, the Red Cross issued a statement that read, “The ICRC has persistently called for the immediate release of hostages. The ICRC is insisting that our teams be allowed to visit the hostages to check on their welfare and deliver medications, and for the hostages to be able to communicate with their families. Agreements must be reached that allow the ICRC to safely carry out this work. The ICRC cannot force its way in to where hostages are held, nor do we know their location. The ICRC does not take part in negotiations leading to the release of hostages. As a neutral humanitarian intermediary, we remain ready to facilitate any future release that the parties to the conflict agree to, as ICRC staff have already done on two occasions.”
Dramatic footage has been released of Houthi rebels from Yemen seizing a ship in the Red Sea that they say is Israeli-owned. According to Israel, the ship is British-owned and Japanese-run, and no members of the crew are Israeli.
Inspiration
Israelis of all stripes have come together to support soldiers and bolster morale in the country, many sharing inspiring tales.
Israel Defense Forces Operations
As the ground operation progressed, Israeli forces reportedly dropped leaflets warning Palestinians to leave parts of southern Gaza, signaling a possible expansion of operations. The leaflets were dropped near the city of Khan Yunis, and warned civilians to evacuate the area, saying anyone in the vicinity of terrorists or their positions “is putting their life in danger.” Similar leaflets were dropped over northern Gaza for weeks ahead of the ground invasion there. Watch a statement by the head of the IDF’s Southern Command here.
Meanwhile, Israel struck the home of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh — who lives in Qatar — in Gaza overnight. The IDF says the home was “used as terror infrastructure and, among other things, as a meeting place for the senior officials of the organization.” (See video of the strike here). Hamas has previously said the IDF hit two homes belonging to Haniyeh and his family, but this is the first strike confirmed by the military.
Watch the video of IDF battles with Hamas yesterday, here, and see photos here. See photos of captured weapons here.
Also yesterday, Israeli forces successfully captured Gaza’s port. See footage of the operation and photos here.
Watch an IDF video of the MRI department at Gaza’s recently captured Shifa Hospital here where large quantities of weapons were stored by Hamas, in the hospital facilities themselves. The IDF is still operating underneath the hospital and other hospitals in Gaza where terror tunnels are used to store weapons and house command and control centers and refuges for terrorists. The IDF says that some of the tunnels under the hospitals may also hold hostages. Watch a report on this by FOX News, from inside Gaza. White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters during a briefing “We have information that Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad use some hospitals in the Gaza Strip, including al-Shifa, and tunnels underneath them to conceal and to support their military operations and to hold hostages.”
The Hamas-run Gazan Health Ministry says that over 11,200 Palestinians have been killed since October 7, as a result of the war.
The Home Front
The country continues to mourn the victims of the massacre of October 7 and soldiers who have fallen in the fighting; and to demand the return of the hostages:
Reports continue to suggest that a deal between Israel and Hamas that would see the release of 50 - 100 women and children being held in Gaza could be announced within days. Under the emerging outline, the hostages would be released in groups, in exchange for Palestinian women and young people being held by Israel. According to the reports, Israel would also agree to a temporary ceasefire of three days, to allow safe passage for the hostages and an influx of aid for Gazan civilians.
The level of rocket fire from Gaza remains low, presumably due to Hamas’ diminished capabilities.
In the north, rocket and other fire by Hezbollah continues at a slow, but steady pace.
International Response
U.S. President Joe Biden said that Israel’s operation in Gaza, “will end when Hamas no longer maintains the capacity to murder, abuse, and do horrific things to the Israelis.” Biden said that Israel’s military has “an obligation to use as much caution as they can in going after their targets. Hamas said they plan to attack Israelis again and this is a terrible dilemma.”
Germany’s interior minister announced raids in seven of the country’s regions on an Islamist association suspected of links to Hezbollah. She stated, “At a time when numerous Jews feel particularly threatened,” Germany will “tolerate neither Islamist propaganda nor antisemitic incitement hostile to Israel.” The police raids targeted the Hamburg Islamic Center and five affiliated groups.
French President Emmanuel Macron says his country is making real efforts to help secure the release of the hostages. In separate tweets in French, English, and Hebrew, Macron says France is “putting all our efforts, all our strength, into freeing the hostages held by Hamas and allowing their families to be reunited with their loved ones.”
Yesterday, the UN Security Council approved a resolution calling for “urgent and extended humanitarian pauses and corridors throughout the Gaza Strip” after four failed attempts to respond to the war. The vote was 12-0 with the United States, the United Kingdom, and Russia abstaining. The final draft watered down language from a “demand” to a “call” for humanitarian pauses. It also called for “the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas and other groups.”
Inspiration
Israelis of all stripes have come together to support soldiers and bolster morale in the country, many sharing inspiring tales.
Key Points Israeli society is displaying unprecedented unity during this war and has come together wiith extensive volunteer efforts and aid from various organizations. Heroic stories are emerging, including a journalist's rescue by his father and a retired couple's ordeal during a 20-hour Hamas hostage situation. The war is impacting Israel's economy, with business limitations and ongoing challenges due to terrorist activity. Arab Israelis struggle with the aftermath of the conflict, as questions on ethical considerations and the proportionality of Israel's response arise. International support for Israel escalates, with the US dispatching additional military aid, and European leaders expressing steadfast support for Israel. Jewish Federations launched a $500 million campaign, offering aid and resources for those affected, while maintaining close collaboration with Israeli authorities and partners on the ground. Today is day 9 of Israel’s War with Hamas and this update takes a slightly different approach. In addition to the latest developments, today we will provide links and information focusing on more behind-the-scenes developments and areas, to give readers a better sense of the feeling in Israel. Israeli Society Israeli society has been galvanized by the war, leading to extraordinary giving and unity. See more in these links: Israelis are united as never before Israeli artists give their all to console, entertain amid Hamas war Legendary show Zehu Ze reunites for war effort How Israeli teens can help See this ad from Israel’s largest bank, as an example of how commercial entities are supporting the public. Jewish Federation partners are also involved in numerous volunteer efforts, including:Many Jewish Agency Masa Fellows are participating in volunteer activities, including assembling food packages, babysitting, conducting deliveries and more. Kids studying at a vocational school supported by are helping survivors in the south. Students in the carpentry track created locks for safe spaces in apartments, to enhance their protection, while others in the culinary track prepared hot meals for families in the South. Also, JDC converted an employment center in the ultra-Orthodox city of Bnei Brak into a volunteer hub. So far, 500 Haredi volunteers have signed up and are staffing call centers, visiting elderly, and supporting community services. JDC aims to replicate this model in similar centers throughout Israel. Across Israel, hundreds of thousands of citizens are taking part in a multitude of activities to assist soldiers, those evacuated from the south, and others in need. A few, almost random examples:In the ultra-Orthodox city of Elad, youth are making 3,000 sandwiches a day for soldiers at a nearby IDF base. In this writer’s street in a city in the center of the country, a call went out on Saturday night from a resident who explained that her son was returning from the Gaza Front for just twelve hours bringing uniforms, socks and underwear from many soldiers in his unit. Dozens of families immediately volunteered to do laundry and he headed back to the front with clean clothes for the whole unit. There are endless stories of soldiers entering restaurants, falafel stands and countless other businesses being told, “their money is no good here” with products and services being provided for free. Makeshift donation centers have sprung up in shopping malls, parking lots, and multiple other venues. Tens of thousands of Israelis are bringing food, clothing, personal hygiene items, home-baked cakes and cookies to these hubs so other volunteers can get them to soldiers at the front. Stories of Heroes Every day, we are learning more details, particularly about the events on the first day of the war, and with them countless stories are emerging of heroism, sometimes from unlikely places. See a collection here. Haaretz journalist Amir Tibon was rescued from the fighting by his 62-year old father, a retired major-general. See here for more on the story, and here for Amir Tibon’s own retelling. Read here the account of journalist Nir Gontarz who traveled south to save his son at the Rave attacked by Hamas gunmen. One of the stories that has captured many Israelis’ attention has been that of Rachel and David Edri, a retired couple, held hostage in their home by Hamas for 20 hours. Rachel “bought time” until rescue forces could arrive by, among other methods, cooking food for the terrorists. See more, including video footage, here. The Economic Impact of War Conflict of this scale has, by definition, a significant impact on both the Israeli and the global economy. With so many reservists called up, key employees are out of pocket in many firms and businesses, and the Home Front Command has imposed restrictions on hours of operation for shopping malls and many other venues. Read below for more insight on this aspect of the war. How has the war impacted Israel’s economy so far? Terrorists stole credit cards from their Israeli victims Israeli fintech experts mobilize to thwart financial transfers to Hamas Arab Israelis Arab Israelis face unique questions any time there is an escalation. The barbarism and horrific nature of the October 7th attack, has left many struggling. Read more here: Israel’s Arab citizens torn Jews and Arabs join forces to help war victims and prevent riots Paramedic Awad Darawshe, 23: Killed treating wounded at rave massacre Ethical Questions A number of ethical questions have arisen in connection with Israeli’s retaliation for the attacks of October 7th and as this conflict continues, we can anticipate that additional issues will come up. Here are 3 examples. Should Israeli hospitals refuse medical treatment to Hamas terrorists? Cutting off electricity and water to Gaza: Ethical or excessive? Many are discussing the issue of “proportionality” in Israel’s response. See here for a discussion, from British television that includes a forceful response as to why the call for “proportionality” is baseless. In the international community, many are asking questions about Israel’s action. Below are two questions, and suggested answers: Question: Are Palestinian civilians being targeted by Israel? Answer: Israel was attacked by one of the most barbaric, immoral, inhuman organizations that the world has ever known - one that vows to wipe the entire country off the face of the earth. Hamas is a group that purposely targets civilians with documented plans to commit horrific atrocities. These plans were implemented and included beheadings, burning people alive, killing dozens of babies, raping women, taking Holocaust survivors and others as captives. This evil organization was elected by the people of Gaza. Nonetheless, Israel is a humane, law-abiding country, and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reflect those values. Despite the terrible crimes committed, and the unprecedented threats against the Jewish state, Israel is NOT targeting civilians, and is even warning Palestinians before it strikes Hamas’ terror and military targets; losing the element of surprise as the price it must pay for keeping Gazan non-combatants out of harm's way. Israel has repeatedly warned Gaza’s civilian population to evacuate certain areas to avoid being caught in the violence. Cynically, disturbingly, and once again demonstrating their complete disregard for human life and civilian populations, Hamas has ordered residents not to leave and to stay in place, despite the warnings that Israel has given, potentially condemning some of their own people to die. And now, evidence has emerged of Hamas blocking the safe corridors created by Israel, forcing their own civilian population to remain in the fighting zone and become human shields and propaganda pawns. Question: Why is Israel cutting off electricity and other supplies to Gaza? Answer: Hamas, elected by the people of Gaza, is the authority in charge of the Strip, and responsible for the well-being of its citizens. If the hostages are released, Israel has said that it will immediately resume electricity and other supplies, even though, in the past, the regime has diverted large quantities of provisions and aid for military and terror purposes, while its wealthy leadership has squandered urgent resources for themselves. For example, we have seen again and again that emergency supplies of much-needed diesel fuel (used to power generators for hospitals, among other purposes) has been redirected to Hamas’ rocket program and other military uses. It should also be noted that in regular times, Israel only supplies 10% of Gaza’s water and 50% of its electricity (a further 25% comes from solar power, and the rest from Egypt and other sources). In short: Israel is fighting an unprecedented war against a barbaric enemy that has committed horrific atrocities not seen since the Holocaust. Hamas was elected by the people of Gaza and is responsible for their welfare. Hamas purposely targets civilians and continues to do so. Israel does not, and will not, target non-combatants, and gives warning to civilians before attacks. Israel will resume supplies to Gaza if Hamas releases the 126+ hostages it abducted including young children, women and many elderly civilians; even though it is well-known that Hamas will almost certainly redirect those resources for military purposes. Philanthropic Responses from North America and Israel Jewish Federations are raising funds at lightning speed for urgent needs in Israel towards our $500 million goal. Business magnate Mike Bloomberg has committed to matching all donations to Magen David Adom. As of Wednesday, Bloomberg had matched $7.5m in new gifts. See more on North American philanthropy for Israel during the war, here. Israeli philanthropist Ofer Yannay has established a Help Center for IDF soldiers, and also launched a campaign to raise national spirits, including full page ads in all of the country’s weekend newspapers with the slogan, “Am Yisrael will win.” The Home Front Funerals took place across Israel, as the country continues to bury its dead. Professor Erdan Segal of the Weizmann Institute published data showing that last week’s massacre was the deadliest terror attack anywhere in the world proportionate to the size of the country. Per millions of citizens, the attack was at least thirteen times as deadly as the attacks of 9/11. See here for an account of those involved in the grim task of identifying victims. At least 265 families have now been notified officially of the death of family members. Tragically, there are still over a thousand victims awaiting final identification and burial. This process is extremely difficult due to the fact that bodies have been badly mutilated, beheaded and burned beyond recognition. Forensic teams are working hard to identify them using DNA or dental records. In addition, some 120 families have been notified of the positive identification of their loved ones as hostages in the hands of Hamas. See here for a list of the names of those murdered that have been released so far, and here for a site in Hebrew with the names and photos of fallen soldiers. View dramatic footage here from an IDF helicopter involved in rescuing injured soldiers during the initial fighting last Saturday. Two-thirds of the residents of the city of Sderot in the south have already left their homes, and the remaining third have been urged by the IDF to leave today ahead of an expected ground war. Rocket fire has slowed considerably, but has been punctured by barrages, including to Tel Aviv and other locations in the center of the country. See here for video of the impact of a rocket that fell in the town of Bat Yam, just outside of Tel Aviv yesterday. While schools and most businesses in Israel are shuttered, there are some signs that elements of normalcy may be returning. The Ministry of Education has announced that commencing Monday, there will be a gradual return to in-person schooling, in safer areas. Meanwhile the Ministry of Health announced that non-elective surgeries would recommence in areas not directly affected by the fighting. A large area around the Gaza Strip remains a closed military zone, to which entry by civilians is prohibited. See map here. Last night, the area within 4 kilometers of the northern border was also closed to all but residents, who were ordered to remain in close proximity to shelters and safe rooms. Israeli Reponse On Saturday, a small group of Israeli ground forces briefly entered the Gaza Strip. Based on precise intelligence information, they recovered the bodies of an undisclosed number of Israelis who had been captured by Hamas during last week’s incursion. Israeli forces appear to be poised for a ground invasion of Gaza. See video here of troop preparations underway, and photos here. Following the IDF warning issued to Gazan civilians to evacuate the north of the Strip, Israel estimates that more than 600,000 of the area’s one million residents have left their homes. Israel opened three “humanitarian corridors” to provide safe passage for civilians. Sadly, and cynically, Hamas has placed roadblocks on these two routes, to stop civilians from leaving the area. See video images of Hamas road blocks here, and still photos here. At one point, Hamas announced that Israel never issued a call for Gazans to leave, prompting IDF Spokesman Daniel Hagari to appear on Al Jazeera TV where he told Gazans to leave the area immediately, in his own voice. While a full-scale escalation has not erupted in the north, Hezbollah continues to provoke Israel. Yesterday and today, the terror group fired mortar shells and rockets into Israeli territory as well as multiple anti-tank rockets at IDF positions near the border. The IDF retaliated with artillery fire towards the source of fire in Lebanon. In addition, rockets were fired at Israel from Syria today. Israeli media have described the attacks in the north as “more a show of solidarity with Hamas than an actual intent to enter the war.” Nonetheless, the frequency of attacks in the north appears to be increasing. Overnight, the IDF carried out ongoing airstrikes against hundreds of Hamas targets in Gaza. Among the targets were terror tunnels, multi-story buildings housing Hamas assets, military compounds, residences of senior Hamas members used as military command centers, weapons storage warehouses, and communications rooms. According to Hamas sources, some 2,329 Palestinians – many of them Hamas representatives – have been killed in Israeli strikes, in addition to the 1,500 terrorists killed during the initial invasion into Israel on Saturday. Following the formation of the national unity government in Israel, the Likud party announced that Yisrael Beitenu Party chair Avigdor Liberman, a former minister of defense, would also join the emergency government. This has not yet been confirmed by Liberman. International Response On Saturday night, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to US President Joe Biden for the fifth time since fighting began. The Prime Minister updated the President on latest developments, and the President reiterated the United States’ firm backing of Israel in the current war. The US has now dispatched a second aircraft carrier, the USS Eisenhower along with its entire carrier group to further bolster Israel in this dark hour; and the United Kingdom is also sending an aircraft carrier. The Prime Minister also spoke with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis today. The European leaders expressed their unswerving support for Israel. A bipartisan delegation of United States senators led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer arrived in Israel earlier today and have met with President Isaac Herzog and other leaders. |
Key Points:
On Day 7 of Israel’s war with Hamas, the IDF appears poised for a massive ground invasion of Gaza, and has ordered one million Palestinians in the north of the Strip to evacuate.
The Home Front
Hundreds of funerals have taken place across Israel, as the country continues to bury its dead. See here for a list of the names of those murdered that have been released so far, and here for a site in Hebrew with the names and photos of fallen soldiers.
Rocket fire has slowed considerably, but, following 14 hours of quiet, a barrage was fired at the Israeli civilian population. Unconfirmed reports indicate that Hamas is losing control and that chaos is reigning inside Gaza, limiting the terror group’s ability to launch rockets effectively.
Schools and most businesses in Israel are shuttered and a large area around the Gaza Strip remains a closed military zone, to which entry by civilians is prohibited. See map here.
In some unusual moves, special arrangements have been made for Shabbat, mainly with the backing of the Chief Rabbinate:
Day of Rage?
Earlier this week, former Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal called for Muslims and their supporters worldwide to “mobilize for jihad,” and to gather across the world on Friday for a “Day of Rage.”
In response, Israel’s National Security Council along with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has called for Israelis and Jews around the world to stay vigilant. In a joint statement, they said, “Against the background of the Swords of Iron War, the Hamas leadership issued a call to all their supporters in the world to hold a 'Day of Rage' this coming Friday (October 13), including a call to go out and harm Israelis and Jews. From this it is likely that there will be protest events in various countries around the world, which may develop into violent events.”
The Israeli government urged Israelis abroad to remain vigilant, stay away from demonstrations, and, if necessary, keep updated with local security forces about possible demonstrations and riots.
Similarly, Jewish Federations of North America and the Secure Community Network (SCN) are working in close coordination and with federal, state and local law enforcement to safeguard the Jewish community. Based on current assessments and absent information provided directly by law enforcement or public safety partners to a specific community or organization, they are advising that organizations can remain open and operational. See more on the Jewish community’s response here.
Israeli Response
The IDF believes that some 300,000 Gazans have already fled the area of fighting, and has now ordered approximately 1 million Palestinians living in the northern Gaza Strip to evacuate their homes within 24 hours, in apparent preparation for a ground invasion. In explaining the order, the IDF stated, “We are fighting a terror group, not the Gazan population. We don’t want civilians to be harmed, but we cannot live with the rule of Hamas-ISIS near our border.”
Despite this, Hamas has ordered citizens to remain in their homes. According to some Israeli officials, the Hamas request is “a cynical attempt to ensure human shields and even civilian casualties.”
Following the IDF order, the United Nations said that it, “considers it impossible for such a movement to take place without devastating humanitarian consequences. The UN strongly appeals for any such order, if confirmed, to be rescinded, avoiding what could transform what is already a tragedy into a calamitous situation.”
Israel’s Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan commented, “The UN’s response to Israel’s early warning to the residents of Gaza is a disgrace. For many years, the UN turned a blind eye to the arming of Hamas and its use of civilian populations and infrastructure in the Gaza Strip for murder and for stockpiling its weapons. Now, instead of standing with Israel whose citizens were slaughtered by Hamas terrorists and which still tries to minimize harm to non-combatants, it preaches explicitly to Israel.”
The IDF’s Cyber Directorate hacked Hamas’s “Al Aqsa” television station, taking over its transmission yesterday. Messages in Arabic were then broadcast to Gazans calling on them to abandon their homes and escape, ahead of a major attack. Videos were screened of Israeli fighter jets being armed with bombs. At the same time, Israeli planes dropped fliers over neighborhoods in Gaza advising people to leave their homes; while Israeli intelligence services made robo-calls to thousands of cell phones in Gaza with the same messages.
IDF Chief of the General Staff Hertzi Ha-Levi spoke to Israeli media today and said that all Hamas senior leaders including the organization’s number one figure, Yehia Sinwar, are condemned to die and their organization will be dismantled. This is the first direct threat issued against Hamas leadership who until now had been considered exempt from direct targeting.
Overnight, the IDF carried out airstrikes against at least 750 Hamas targets in Gaza. Among the targets were 12 multi-story buildings housing Hamas assets. Other targets included tunnels, military compounds, residences of senior Hamas members used as military command centers, weapons storage warehouses, and communications rooms. Hamas claims that 15 of the Israeli hostages it is holding were killed in Israeli air strikes. See here for a video of the thwarting of Hamas operatives who specialize in mortar fire.
According to Hamas sources, some 1,500 Palestinians – many of them Hamas representatives – have been killed in Israeli strikes, in addition to the 1,500 terrorists killed during the initial invasion into Israel on Saturday.
There has been no further significant activity on Israel’s northern border, and Israel remain cautiously optimistic that Hezbollah will stay out of the conflict.
Following the formation of the national unity government in Israel, and after developments of the last week, data indicate that support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has plummeted while those of newly-appointed Minister Benny Gantz, have soared. Results from a poll taken by the Ma’ariv newspaper, suggest that if elections were held now, Netanyahu’s Likud would drop from its current 32 seats to just 19, while Gantz’s National Unity Party would rise from 12 to 41 seats. Support has also dropped, although more modestly, for other parties in the coalition.
International Response
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken completed his trip to Israel yesterday. Speaking to media, he referenced photos he was shown from Hamas's assault on southern Israel and said that "it almost defies human comprehension, precisely because it’s not human."
Blinken also stated, “It’s genuinely overwhelming. The world’s already seen a lot of these images, but I saw some images today that I hadn’t seen before, and I suspect others hadn’t. I almost hesitate to get into it, but a young infant riddled with bullets; a family hugging each other in a death embrace, having been burned to death; beheaded soldiers; more. It almost defies human comprehension, precisely because it’s not human. And it reminds me in some ways of the worst of what we saw from ISIS a few years ago. Thankfully, ISIS has been dealt with. Hamas – not yet.”
Following Blinken’s visit, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has arrived in Israel and will meet with senior leaders as well as view some of the US weapons and security assistance that the US Government has delivered. US officials said the Secretary wants to underscore America’s unwavering support for the people of Israel, and that the United States is committed to making sure the country has what it needs to defend itself.
Meanwhile an Israeli embassy staffer in Beijing has been hospitalized after an attack, Israel’s Foreign Ministry says. The diplomat is in stable condition.
Federation Partners on the Ground
The Jewish Agency for Israel
The Jewish Agency’s Fund for the Victims of Terror continues to provide immediate financial assistance to victims and their families. So far, 150 grants have been distributed and more will be disbursed today - this time to victims from Sha’ar HaNegev and Eshkol. The Fund is operating on a wider scale than ever before, and the Agency is coordinating resources to expand its activities to support those impacted. A hotline will also be established shortly to better serve victims and their families.
The Jewish Agency’s 12 absorption centers in the south house 3,800 olim while 3,900 olim live in the 12 absorption centers in the north. In the past few days, more than 1,600 olim have been evacuated from the south to safer locations and the Agency is organizing various respite activities. They have also partnered with the Association of Youth Hostels to reserve 400 beds in Eilat and 220 beds in Mitzpe Ramon in case there is a need to evacuate olim from northern Israel.
The Agency continues to work to find alternate flights for olim who were scheduled to make Aliyah but had their flights cancelled; all new olim are being given information kits on how to stay safe during the emergency on arrival.
Agency shlichim worldwide have organized, attended and spoken at rallies and gatherings in solidarity with Israel occurring on college campuses and in cities globally.
At the Agency’s Amigour homes for the elderly, staff continue to work to ensure the safety and care of 2,617 residents in housing in the south, and 2,337 residents in the north and center.
The Israel Trauma Coalition (ITC):
ITC’s Southern Resilience Centers have received some 4,000 requests for emotional help and to provide trauma care in evacuated areas. Staff are providing telephone and Zoom assistance when face to face direct care has not been possible. Demand is nearly three times what was recorded during previous crisis situations. In addition, over 5,500 inquiries have been made to ITC’s ERAN hotline.
Thirty-two centers have been set up for evacuees from the Gaza Envelope, in cooperation with the Ministry of Health and ITC. ITC teams are on site assessing needs and providing trauma care in hotels and other centers.
ITC is also supporting the teams helping families during the process of identification of bodies and with those who have family members missing.
The Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI) is providing daily in-depth and inside analysis, sponsored by Jewish Federations and the Jewish Agency. A rotating team of top analysts on Israeli military affairs, the US-Israel relationship, Israel’s political system and the country’s diverse society, will speak Sunday to Thursday, 11:00 - 11:30a.m. EDT by Zoom. Join here.
For those looking for opportunities to volunteer and assist Israel, please see this guide, prepared by Jewish Federations.
Jewish Federations Natonal Young Leadership Cabinet recently held a webinar on "How to Talk to Kids about Operation Swords of Iron" with Dr. Jenna Shapiro. Click here for a recording. Click here for a resource guide from Dr. Shapiro.
Jewish Federations issued a statement on the current fighting.
Our Israel Office, having activated emergency protocols, is working closely with our partners on the ground, and is close contact with the Government of Israel and the IDF. We will continue to update as the situation develops.
Key Points More than 1,300 Israelis killed, including at least 220 soldiers, 22 US citizens and 2 Canadians Some 3,300 Israelis wounded, including 350 in serious condition Over 6,000 rockets fired at Israel An estimated 150 Israelis being held hostage in Gaza For those looking for help, critical information about the situation on the ground, or other assistance, see this resource page put together by Jewish Federations. See also this Jewish Federations update on requests for personal protective equipment which are circulating. On Day 6 of Israel’s war with Hamas the casualty rate has again risen, reaching 1300 Israelis killed. In a massive display of unity with Israel, Jewish Federations have held (or are planning) some 120 solidarity gatherings in communities across North America, as part of an unprecedented effort to support Israel. See here for more. The Home Front Funerals took place across Israel yesterday, with many more scheduled for today as the country begins the heart-wrenching task of burying its dead. With such large numbers, many are attending multiple funerals and the IDF rabbinate, burial societies and others are working around the clock to enable an honorable funeral for every victim. One of the fallen was Bruna Valeanu, a 24-year-old Brazilian-Israeli who was murdered at the Rave. Only Bruna’s mother and sister live in Israel and they were concerned that there would not be a minyan (prayer quorum) at the funeral. A message was sent out on social media asking for volunteers to ensure that wouldn’t happen. Instead of the 10 that they sought, an astonishing 10,000 people showed up for the funeral in Petach Tikva last night. See here for a list of the names of those murdered that have been released so far, and here for a site in Hebrew with the names and photos of fallen soldiers. Most people from the towns around Gaza have been evacuated, leaving authorities continuing the grim task of collecting bodies, and surveying the severe damage. In some kibbutzim and towns, large portions of the population have been murdered and most houses, cars and other property destroyed. In some cases, it remains unclear whether the towns or kibbutzim will be rebuilt at all. Among other items, in Kibbutz Sufa, Hamas fighters left behind an ISIS flag (see photo here). At the same time, tales of heroism are emerging from the first day of fighting. Read some inspiring stories here. Rocket fire continues across the country but has slowed considerably. Seven houses in Sderot were hit causing considerable damage and four people have been injured, two seriously. For ten hours last night, not a single rocket was fired. This could be because Hamas is “pacing itself,” preparing for a protracted battle with Israel, and trying to save supplies; but could also be due to IDF efforts fighting the terror group. According to the IDF, Hamas is showing signs of losing control, and its senior leadership may have lost communication with numerous commanders. Schools and most businesses are shuttered and a large area around the Gaza Strip remains a closed military zone, to which entry by civilians is prohibited. See map here. At the request of the Home Front Command and the Chief Rabbinate of Israel: During the upcoming Shabbat, Channel 14 will broadcast a “Gal Shaket” to be used for the Shabbat-observant public. During Shabbat, Home Front Command personnel will be on the channel, and when necessary, they will deliver life-saving instructions. The rest of the time the channel will be in silent mode. The silent broadcast will also provide a solution to the hearing impaired, with text instructions provided simultaneously on the Idan Plus TV system. Under the guidance of the chief rabbis of Israel, the channel must be turned and left on from before Shabbat begins. Similarly, Israeli carrier El Al, which does not fly on Shabbat, announced it would be operating special flights on Shabbat to carry the large number of IDF reservists who are trying to fly back to Israel to join their IDF units. The company, whose majority stake is owned by an ultra-Orthodox Jew, received authorization from a number of rabbis to fly on Shabbat this week. Israeli Response With 360,000 reserve soldiers called, in addition to the regular standing army, almost every family in Israel is directly connected to the fighting. See video footage here of reserve soldiers preparing for battle earlier today. Since Saturday, the IDF has already carried out strikes against more than 2,650 targets across the Gaza Strip. Overnight, attacks killed Muhammed Abu Shamala, a senior operative of Hamas’ naval forces whose house was used to store naval weapons; as well as Mustafa Shahin, a Hamas operative who filmed and broadcast the terror group’s murders in southern Israel on Saturday. See footage of IDF strikes overnight here. The IDF is using videos posted on the internet of the murders, attacks and kidnappings, to identify perpetrators with the help of facial recognition technology. According to Hamas sources, some 1,200 Palestinians – most of them Hamas militants – have been killed in Israeli strikes, in addition to the 1,500 terrorists killed during the initial invasion into Israel on Saturday. Israel’s Energy Minister Yisrael Katz confirmed that Israel will not reconnect Gaza’s electricity supply until the hostages held by Hamas are released. He stated, “Humanitarian aid to Gaza? No electrical switch will be turned on, no water pump will be opened and no fuel truck will enter until the Israeli abductees are returned home. Humanitarianism in exchange for humanitarianism. No one can preach morality to us.” While hopes remain high that a significant escalation on Israel’s northern border can be avoided, the IDF has considerably bolstered its forces across the region as a precautionary step. Early yesterday evening, there were reports of 15-20 manned paragliders crossing the border from Lebanon, sounding sirens across Israel’s north. While details around the event have not been released, the IDF confirms that there were no successful incursions. The IDF maintains that there is no shortage of essential equipment for soldiers, although acknowledges some logistical challenges resulting from the unprecedented call-up and large number of reserve troops in active service (see photos here). Today, the IDF announced that it has already successfully: Provided hundreds of heavy weaponry units to IDF units. Supplied 24,000 tons of infrastructure materials (asphalt, gravel, and earthworks). Employed over 60 construction companies to assist the IDF. Established 5 factories for the production of protective equipment. Rented hundreds of generators. Prepared approximately 1,500 buses for transporting IDF soldiers, focused mainly on reserve forces. Delivered over 1,000 carriers, semi-trailers, trucks, and around 1,200 rental vehicles to combat forces. Distributed a wide variety of equipment including baby food to the residents of the city of Sderot. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and National Union Chair Benny Gantz formalized the national emergency government last night. Appearing together, the Prime Minister said: “Citizens of Israel, this evening we have formed a national emergency government. The people are united and today its leadership is also united. We have put aside every other consideration because the fate of our country is at stake. We will work together, shoulder to shoulder, for the citizens of Israel and for the State of Israel… I would like to stand by the soldiers, and the security service and rescue personnel, who are working around the clock in all sectors. The entire people of Israel are behind you. I say to you, citizens of Israel, to my colleagues here, and to all of you the words of the prophet Isaiah: 'They helped every one his neighbor; and every one said to his brother: 'Be of good courage.' The people of Israel live – and together we will win.” Minister Gantz added: “Our standing here, shoulder to shoulder, is a clear message to our enemies, and more importantly, a message to all citizens of Israel – we are all together, we are all mobilizing. Ours is not a political partnership but a shared fate. All citizens of Israel share a common fate, and together we will shape our fate and reality. At this time, we are all soldiers of the State of Israel. This is the time to come together and win. This is not the time for difficult questions, it is the time for crushing responses on the battlefield. I would like to turn to all citizens of Israel and tell them that the enemy will be destroyed, security will be restored the killing fields in which our heroes fell will be rebuilt and the entire State of Israel will flourish anew and be strengthened.” International Response Last night, a first shipment of equipment for the IDF from the US Government arrived in Israel and is already being deployed. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken landed in Israel on Thursday morning to express the solidarity of the United States with Israel. Among other meetings, he has met with Prime Minister Netanyahu, and will meet with the families of American citizens abducted by Hamas. In their meeting, Netanyahu said to Secretary Blinken, “Just as ISIS was crushed, so too will Hamas be crushed. And Hamas should be treated exactly the way ISIS was treated.” Meanwhile US President Joe Biden is said to be considering re-freezing the $6 billion dollars that was released in August for Iran. Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant met with 31 NATO defense ministers who were gathering in Brussels earlier today. Gallant spoke of the atrocities committed by Hamas against children, women, men and the elderly and told the assembled ministers, “We have been hit hard. Yet make no mistake – 2023 is not 1943. We are the same Jews, but we have different capabilities. The State of Israel is strong. We are united, and powerful.” Gallant also presented an unreleased and uncensored video of some of the horrific acts committed by Hamas against Israeli civilians and soldiers, as well as foreign nationals who were either kidnapped or killed. Last night, Israel’s President Isaac Herzog spoke with the United Kingdom’s King Charles III, who called to express his condolences and “deep shock at the criminal and barbaric actions of the terrorist organization Hamas in its attack on the citizens of Israel.” Federation Partners on the Ground The Jewish Agency for Israel Some 40 more grants were distributed by the Jewish Agency’s Fund for the Victims of Terror yesterday, and more are expected to be distributed very soon. The Agency has also convened a Roundtable with the National Emergency Forum to discuss bringing medical volunteers from overseas, including doctors and paramedical professionals. At the same time, the Agency is preparing an evacuation plan for communities in the north should that become necessary. The 1,480 olim who have been evacuated from Jewish Agency absorption centers in the South to safer locations elsewhere in Israel will remain on respite until at least Monday. The Agency is also working on finding alternate flights for Olim that were scheduled to arrive and have had their flights cancelled. All new Olim are being given an information kit to help them on arrival. Masa participants are participating in volunteer activities, including assembling food packages, helping with babysitting, conducting deliveries, and more. All participants in the Agency’s Haredi Mechina Program in Moshav Ora returned to their program yesterday, and some other Mechinot will resume by the end of the week. The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC): Some of JDC's response to the current situation in recent days included the following: A first group of 170 families at risk in the south of Israel were approved to receive vouchers for food, household items, toys and medicines. This assistance is aimed at helping recipients who were struggling financially before the crisis, make emergency purchases such as water, toys, and other supplies for shelters and safe rooms. JDC professionals visited centers throughout Israel, housing Holocaust survivors from the communities bordering the Gaza Strip, who were evacuated after the tragic attacks. JDC staff met with elderly Holocaust survivors to assess their needs and determine responses. Youth studying at a vocational school supported by JDC volunteered to use their skills to support survivors in the south of Israel. Students studying in the carpentry track created locks for safe spaces in apartments, to enhance their protection, and students studying in the culinary track prepared hot meals for families in the South. JDC, in collaboration with the Ministry of Labor, converted a JDC-initiated employment center in the Haredi city of Bnei Brak into a volunteer hub. So far 500 Haredi volunteers have signed up and are staffing call centers, visiting elderly, and supporting vital community services. JDC aims to replicate this model in other JDC-initiated employment centers throughout Israel. The JDC cafeteria in Jerusalem has been repurposed to support the major relief efforts taking place in Israel. Professionals in our Israel office are volunteering their time to make food for forensic police officers working around the clock to identify the bodies of civilians and soldiers who fell victim to the recent terrible attack. The Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI) is providing daily in-depth and inside analysis, sponsored by Jewish Federations and the Jewish Agency. A rotating team of top analysts of Israeli military affairs, the US-Israel relationship, Israel’s political system and the country’s diverse society, will speak Sunday to Thursday, 11:00 - 11:30a.m. EDT by Zoom. Join here. For those looking for opportunities to volunteer and assist Israel, please see this guide, prepared by Jewish Federations. Jewish Federations issued a statement on the current fighting. Our Israel Office, having activated emergency protocols, is working closely with our partners on the ground, and is close contact with the Government of Israel and the IDF. We will continue to update as the situation develops. |
Key Points
On Day 5 of Israel’s war with Hamas the casualty rate has yet again risen significantly. Additional hostile acts by Hezbollah are stoking fears of a two-front war.
Late in the afternoon today, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and National Union Chair Benny Gantz announced the formation of a national emergency unity government. Five National Unity MKs will join the government as ministers without portfolio, and a new Security Cabinet will be comprised of Netanyahu, Gantz, and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, with Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer as well as National Unity MK Gadi Eizenkot (a former IDF Chief of Staff) serving as observers.
Yesterday morning, Israel’s President Isaac Herzog met with President and CEO of Jewish Federations of North America Eric Fingerhut, along with the CEO of UJA Federation New York Eric Goldstein, and Jewish Federations Senior Vice President Rebecca Caspi, to discuss the emergency situation.
President Herzog said, “Israel is under attack and its people are grieving. But the Jewish state has always shown incredible resilience under fire and today is strong, determined, and united.” The president specifically thanked global Jewry, and singled out the North American Jewish community for “standing shoulder to shoulder with Israel in its hour of need” and thanked us “for all you are doing to speak up, support and defend Israel on the global stage: In the corridors of power, the press, social media and throughout the public arena. We in Israel feel greatly comforted by the fact that the entire Jewish People is with us at this fateful hour.”
In a massive display of unity with Israel, Jewish Federations have organized (or are planning) more than 115 solidarity gatherings in communities across North America. See more here.
The Home Front
The IDF reaffirmed that it has regained control of all cities in the country’s south and successfully prevented multiple terrorist infiltrations of the border fence with Gaza in the last two days. In addition, a Hamas diver trying to enter Israel via the sea was killed. In the last 24 hours, there have been seven live engagements between troops and Hamas terrorists inside Israel, and IDF forces have neutralized 18 gunmen. The military continues to warn that some terrorists may remain inside Israel from earlier incursions.
IDF spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari clarified that, in the IDF’s opinion, Hamas, in its initial attack on Saturday, “intended to occupy the area, not raid and return to Gaza.”
As more bodies are discovered from Saturday’s attack, the official death toll has risen above 1,200, and funerals are being held around the clock (see here). The IDF Rabbinate and other officials are struggling with the sheer quantity of bodies, significantly slowing both the identification process and the go-ahead for funerals (see details here). To accommodate the large number of military casualties, a new section has been opened at the national military cemetery on Mt. Herzl. Last night hundreds of volunteers showed up on site, following an urgent call to begin the somber task of digging fresh graves (see photo here).
See here for a page, in Hebrew, with information about soldiers who have fallen in the fighting. As details emerge, it is becoming clearer that terrible events were perpetrated by Hamas in the first day of the war, including rapes, beheadings, and the murders of many babies. In addition, towns that were temporarily overrun by terrorists saw homes and stores looted, buildings burned, and more. Estimated damage in one day is more than $1 billion USD.
Updated figures indicate that at least 14 US nationals and two Canadian citizens were killed in the Hamas attacks, and that some 20 Americans and two Canadians are still missing.
Significant rocket fire continues across much of the country; earlier today, the city of Ashkelon reported direct hits to property, where two people were lightly injured. Five buildings in Sderot were also hit. Rockets have also been reportedly launched by Hamas drones. Early this evening, sirens sounded across northern Israel as Israeli airspace was breached.
For a fourth straight day, millions of Israelis ran to shelters as sirens blared. Schools and most businesses remained shuttered across the country. A large area around the Gaza Strip has been declared a closed military zone, to which entry by civilians is prohibited. See map here.
In another sign of unity, members of the anti-judicial reforms protests movements have joined their IDF units, while others have organized and are collecting food, clothing, and other materials for soldiers as well as for the victims of the attacks.
Israeli Response
At least 360,000 soldiers have been called up, thus boosting security in all areas of the country in preparation for a potential ground invasion of Gaza. See here for video footage of the IDF Chief of Staff Hertzi Halevi visiting troops who are readying for battle.
The IDF has already carried out strikes against more than 2,650 targets across the Gaza Strip since fighting began. Some 1,300 of those targets are multi-story buildings containing Hamas assets, including war rooms where the terror group manages the fighting against Israel. Overnight, the military hit the home of relatives of Mohammad Deif, the Hamas military commander, in Khan Younis, killing the commander’s brother and other family members. See footage here of overnight air attacks and here for the Israeli Navy’s attacks.
According to Hamas sources, some 900 Palestinians – most of them Hamas militants – have been killed in Israeli strikes, in addition to the 1,500 terrorists killed during the initial invasion into Israel on Saturday. According to the UN, 260,000 Gazans have been internally displaced due to the fighting.
Brig. Gen. Omer Tishler, the Israel Air Force’s chief of staff, earlier today said, “We are attacking the Gaza Strip on an unprecedented scale, because what happened here is something that has never happened before. There is an enemy here firing rockets, raiding a civilian population. We are never going back to that…. We do not act like the other side; we do not attack the civilian population. Behind every attack (of ours) there is a (Hamas) target.”
Meanwhile, reports indicate that Hamas’ supply of fuel has now run out and the entire Strip is without regular electricity.
In the country’s north, additional attacks have stoked fears of a second-front opening, this time between Israel and Iranian-backed Hezbollah. Yesterday, some 15 rockets were fired into Israel from Lebanon. Earlier today, the IDF carried out a drone strike against a Hezbollah post in southern Lebanon in response to an anti-tank guided missile attack on an Israeli military post on the border. The IDF also launched artillery strikes against the source of the rocket fire. Last night, rockets were launched from terror forces in Syria towards the Golan Heights. See here for details on the threat of a multi-front war. Haifa’s Rambam Hospital, in preparation for possible conflict in the north, has opened its three-level, fortified, underground hospital wards. Other hospitals are following suit.
Israel’s Minister of Interior announced today that nationwide municipal elections scheduled for October 31 will be delayed by three months due to the war.
International Response
In a live address, US President Joe Biden pledged his country’s unwavering support for Israel, saying, “There are moments in this life, when pure unadulterated evil is unleashed on this world…This is what they mean by human tragedy, an atrocity at an unprecedented scale. It brings to mind the worse rampages of ISIS… Sadly, for the Jewish people it’s not new. This attack has brought to the surface painful memories, scars left by a millennium of antisemitism and genocide of the Jewish people…. In this moment, we must be crystal clear, we stand with Israel.”
Biden also announced that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken would visit Israel tomorrow in an act of solidarity. Yesterday evening, a plane carrying advanced armaments from the US landed at the Nevatim Airbase in southern Israel. This move will facilitate significant military operations and increase preparedness for other scenarios. It has also been confirmed that the US is considering sending a second aircraft carrier to the Eastern Mediterranean, in addition to the USS Gerald Ford and its accompanying fleet of warships and missile ships. See here for a piece on the importance of the US naval support for Israel.
Also yesterday, the leaders of the world’s leading democracies, US, Germany, Britain, France, and Italy issued a joint statement condemning the attacks on Israel by Hamas and expressed their “steadfast and united support” for Israel. “Over the coming days, we will remain united and coordinated, together as allies, and as common friends of Israel, to ensure Israel is able to defend itself, and to ultimately set the conditions for a peaceful and integrated Middle East region,” said the statement by US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Federation Partners on the Ground
The Jewish Agency for Israel
The Jewish Agency for Israel’s Fund for the Victims of Terror has received a $5 million donation from the Breakthrough Foundations established by Israeli philanthropists Julia and Yuri Milner, representing the largest-ever single gift to the Fund. The Fund provides $1,200 grants in the immediate aftermath of an event with victims eligible for long-term rehabilitation grants of up to $6,300 later on
To date, 70 emergency financial aid grants have been distributed and staff have started to visit the evacuated communities in order to assess needs. In the coming days, each such community will be assigned a VOT liaison.
Nearly 1,500 olim have been evacuated from Jewish Agency absorption centers in the south to safer locations elsewhere in Israel. Approximately 30% of Aliyah candidates (outside of Israel) have cancelled or paused their Aliyah process.
Yesterday, 11 elderly Amigour residents were evacuated to the Dead Sea. Tomorrow, in accordance with a governmental request, another 50 will be relocated to Arad. Also, 2,500 food baskets will be distributed to Amigour residents with the help of volunteers.
More than 5,700 Masa Israel Journey Fellows are currently in Israel, and a small number have decided to return home. Those in programs in the South have been relocated to safer locations elsewhere in Israel. Masa is actively connecting Fellows in need of professional support with numerous mental health experts proficient in various languages. Some 40 Fellows are in the process of making Aliyah.
Jewish Agency Shlichim are helping to organize events in their communities, while several who have lost family members or friends have asked to share their stories in their communities before returning home.
The Jewish Agency is collecting videos and other materials about its activities on the ground, which can be accessed here.
World ORT
Yesterday, an update briefing by World ORT on Zoom was hacked by anti-Israel activists, forcing the organizers to end it abruptly. The call was rescheduled for earlier today.
The Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI) is hosting daily webinars sponsored by Jewish Federations and the Jewish Agency. A rotating team of top analysts of Israeli military affairs, the US-Israel relationship, Israel’s political system and the country’s diverse society, will speak every Sunday to Thursday from 11:00 - 11:30 am ET by Zoom. Join here.
Jewish Federations issued a statement on the current fighting.
Our Israel Office, having activated emergency protocols, is working closely with our partners on the ground and is close contact with the Government of Israel and the IDF. We will continue to update as the situation develops.
KEY POINTS
On Day 4 of Israel’s war with Hamas the casualty rate has again risen significantly. Despite several skirmishes in the North, the IDF does not regard the current situation as a multi-front conflict at this stage.
The Home Front
The IDF declared that it has regained control of all cities in the country’s south, and has also secured the entire border fence with Gaza, preventing additional terrorist infiltrations. At the same time, the military warned that some terrorists may remain inside Israel from earlier incursions. On Tuesday afternoon, members of an elite IDF unit killed four terrorists on Zikim Beach. The military says it spotted four armed men and “exchanged fire with the terrorists in the area and eliminated them.” The IDF confirmed that no terrorists have successfully managed to infiltrate into Israel from Gaza since yesterday.
All the Israeli communities adjacent to the Gaza border have been evacuated except for individuals who opted to remain in their homes. Most of the population is now staying either in hotels around the Dead Sea or in the center of the country.
Last night, the IDF located 30 missing people near Kibbutz Ein Hashlosha in the south, three days after the initial attacks. The group of 16 Israelis and 14 Thais, who were all in good health, had been hiding, having run from Hamas gunmen.
In an indication of the scale of the terrorist invasion that took place on Saturday, the bodies of at least 1500 Hamas militants have been found inside Israel.
The Israeli Government last night also confirmed that it knows the names of all those who are being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza and that at least 50 families have been informed. Watch the disturbing testimony of Avital, an Israeli mother who was kidnapped with her neighbor Adi Kaplon-Vital and her two children. Hamas terrorists took Adi to Gaza and gave the children to Avital who was released and is interviewed here. Adi is still being held by Hamas.
Intensive rocket fire continued throughout the day yesterday, but the frequency of attacks dropped overnight. On Tuesday afternoon, significant barrages have been fired at cities in the center of the country, including Tel Aviv and Herzliya.
For a third straight day, millions of Israelis ran to shelters as sirens blared, and schools and many businesses remained shuttered across the country. The Home Front Command advised all Israeli citizens to keep at least 72 hours’ worth of dry food and water in their shelters. Parents of school-aged children have been advised to remove social media apps from their kid’s cell-phones as Hamas is expected to release graphic videos of some of the hostages shortly, in order to avoid additional trauma.
The death toll, mainly from the first day of fighting, continued to rise dramatically and has now surpassed 900 victims. Of these, some are Arab and Druze Israelis, at least 11 have US citizenship and 2 are Canadian. In addition, 2 Canadians are among the missing. Citizens from other countries have also been killed, including 12 from Thailand and others from the UK, Germany, France and numerous other nations. (See more about American and Canadian victims here).
As is often mentioned, Israel is a small country where “everyone knows everyone.” As a result, it is rare to find an Israeli who does not know at least one person who has been killed. The country is also physically small, and the sounds of fighting and explosions can be heard by vast swathes of the population, on an almost constant basis
Television stations have been broadcasting news 24 hours a day since early on Saturday morning with no commercial or other breaks. During the news and discussions by military and other experts, the names and photos of those killed scroll down the side of screen. Among the dead are the son of the former Superintendent of Israel’s Fire and Rescue Services, the sister of a prominent TV anchorwoman, the son of a former government minister in Naftali Bennett’s cabinet, the Fire Chief of Kiryat Gat, the Mayor of Sha’ar Hanegev, and people’s friends, neighbors and others. Watch here the extremely difficult footage of a young woman explaining how the terrorists live-streamed the murder of her grandmother on the victim’s own Facebook page.
Above all, Israelis are haunted by the almost incomprehensible images of some 260 youth who were slaughtered at a rave party.
Tragically, six close relatives (four young children and their parents) of Doron Almog, Chairman of the Executive of the Jewish Agency for Israel, were murdered in their home by the terrorists. Almog sent the following message to Jewish communities:
“We are in the midst of a war on the state of Israel. A war that was forced upon us by complete surprise, much like the Yom Kippur war. It is a very complex situation that we have never seen before. In all my years in Israel and in the IDF, I never believed that we would reach such a terrible scenario, in which hundreds of innocent civilians are on the front line, many of them murdered and kidnapped, including babies, children, women and the elderly. We are exposed to videos and pictures that show an unprecedented level of brutality of the enemy.“These are horrific scenes from dark times. Yesterday evening I was informed that six of my family members were murdered in Kfar Gaza: Chen Almog Goldstein, Nadav Goldstein, their daughters: Yam and Agam and their sons: Tal and Gal. The grandfather of the family, Chen's father, Giora Almog who for over 30 years raised generations of children in the kibbutz, just two weeks ago presided over the memorial service for the five members of our family who were murdered at the Maxim Restaurant in Haifa 20 years ago.
“We are facing a long military campaign, the extent and severity of which we still do not know, so I am asking you to stand by our side and as much as you can. The State of Israel is the state of the entire Jewish people. Those in Israel and those in Jewish communities everywhere.
"Our strength is in our unity" is now not just a slogan.
“I see you and your wonderful dedication. The WhatsApps, the phone calls, the messages, the reporting for duty and the solidarity - it is incredibly moving. The sense of shared responsibility, love and togetherness inspire pride and hope.
“Am Yisrael Chai.”
Israeli Response
On Monday morning, Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant imposed a complete siege of Gaza, including cutting electricity to the region. And early Tuesday morning, the IDF called on any Gazan resident who can leave for Egypt to do so. The Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt remains open.
At least 360,000 soldiers have been called up in the largest recruitment of reserve troops in decades. In addition, yesterday the Israeli Air Force airlifted hundreds of troops who were out of the country, in order for them to rejoin their units. The military says C-130 and C-130J heavy transport planes flew to various countries in Europe to bring the off-duty soldiers back to Israel.
Overnight, the IDF struck more than 200 Hamas targets in Gaza, including a weapons storage site in a mosque, an apartment used by Hamas’ anti-tank guided missile forces, and a high-rise tower used by the terror group. See footage of IDF attacks last night here. Earlier in the evening, the IDF said that it has hit 1,707 targets in Gaza since Saturday, including 475 rocket systems, 73 command centers, 23 strategic infrastructure sites and 22 underground targets.
See here for footage of IDF strikes on Hamas naval terrorist targets, as well as photos of IDF Naval Forces in front of the Gaza Strip coast over the last few days. The IDF also believes says that at least 800 terrorists have been killed in the air strikes on Gaza.
In the country’s north, a small armed group of terrorists crossed the border from Lebanon where a gun battle took place with Israeli forces. An IDF helicopter was deployed during the fight where one Israeli commander was killed, and others injured. Hezbollah denied responsibility for the attack. Some Israeli media is reporting that Israel sent a message to Hezbollah (through France) warning that if they attack Israel, the US will retaliate against them and against Syria’s Assad regime. According to that report, President Biden is preparing the ground for Congressional approval of possible action against Hezbollah.
Last night, Prime Minister Netanyahu addressed the nation and later added remarks in English, which can be viewed here. A short while later, President Isaac Herzog addressed the international community. His remarks can be viewed here. This morning, President Herzog met with President and CEO of Jewish Federations of North America Eric Fingerhut, along with the CEO of UJA Federation New York Eric Goldstein, and Jewish Federations Senior Vice President Rebecca Caspi, to discuss the emergency situation in Israel. In the meeting, President Herzog said, “Israel is under attack and its people are grieving. But the Jewish state has always shown incredible resilience under fire and today is strong, determined and united.” The President specifically mentioned his thanks to global Jewry, “and all the North American Jewish community for standing shoulder to shoulder with Israel in its hour of need.” President Herzog said, “Thank you for all you are doing to speak up, support and defend Israel on the global stage: In the corridors of power, the press, social media and throughout the public arena. We in Israel feel greatly comforted by the fact that the entire Jewish People is with us at this fateful hour.
Israeli media are reporting that all of the major political parties are close to an agreement for a broad emergency national coalition government.
Federation Partners on the Ground
The Israel Trauma Coalition (ITC):
Comments by Taly Levanon, ITC’s CEO:
“We are facing something we never faced before. I’m an old-timer and yet I’ve never seen anything like this,” While some have compared the current war to the surprise Yom Kippur attack that devastated Israel exactly 50 years ago, Levanon says this is worse. “On Yom Kippur, the attack was aimed at the army. This is the first-time civil society has been targeted with the purpose of harming civilians.“The impact, is huge because people are witnessing terrible things they have never witnessed before, not only in real time in their own communities, but also in extremely disturbing footage on social media showing the mistreatment of captives. Adding to everyone’s anxiety is the lack of reliable information about how many Israelis have been kidnapped, and what's happened to them.
“We are all preparing for unprecedented situations – hundreds of funerals, thousands of wounded. Breakdowns in the communication infrastructure are leaving Israelis scrambling to find information about their loved ones, while many wives and children are coping alone due to the national call-up of reserve soldiers.
“We are witnessing tremendous distress among first responders and emergency volunteer teams, especially where infiltrations occurred, and we are receiving requests for help in delivering tragic news [because] many paramedics and police officers have been injured or killed. Although we work with people in the South all the time, you never get used to it. There’s a lot of work ahead of us.”
The people of Israel are currently experiencing a terrible reality, filled with unbearable tragedy and uncertainty. We know that the hearts of our friends in North America are filled with hurt and worry and we know you are eager to step up and assist, because that is what we do at Federation. Jewish Federations’ Israel office is currently looking into volunteer opportunities for those who wish to come help out. We hope to have more information to share with you once initial situation and needs assessments have been made.
Meanwhile, Jewish communities around the world are expressing solidarity and support for Israel. See this article on “The many ways American Jews can help Israel right now.”
Nefesh B’Nefesh, in collaboration with Israel’s Ministry of Health and the Israeli Medical Association, is creating a database of international physicians willing to volunteer in Israel during this challenging time. See here for details.
The Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI) is providing daily in-depth and inside analysis, sponsored by Jewish Federations and the Jewish Agency. A rotating team of top analysts of Israeli military affairs, the US-Israel relationship, Israel’s political system and the country’s diverse society, will speak Sunday to Thursday, 11:00 - 11:30a.m. EDT by Zoom. Join here.
Readers can access a Jewish Federations toolkit of resources here, and a Google Drive with short clips and videos as well as raw materials from the war, here.
Jewish Federations issued a statement on the current fighting and held a webinar with reports from the IDF Spokesperson, Jewish Federations’ partners in Israel and others. View a recording here.
Our Israel Office, having activated emergency protocols, is working closely with our partners on the ground, and is close contact with the Government of Israel and the IDF. We will continue to update as the situation develops.
Key Points:
In what many have begun to call Israel’s 9/11 (see the Jerusalem Post’s cover story today) the Jewish state has entered the second day of its war against Hamas. Clearly, the numbers above point to one of the blackest days in the country’s history.
Jewish Federations issued a statement on the current fighting. Several Federations have already scheduled solidarity gatherings. We encourage Federations to organize such gatherings to help build support for Israel in your communities. Here is an outline on how to create an event. For additional help, please contact Alexandra Coffey.
Our Israel Office has activated our emergency protocols, is working closely with our partners on the ground, and is in close contact with the Government of Israel and the IDF. We will continue to update as the situation develops. Funds raised and designated to the Jewish Federations of North America Israel 2023 Emergency Fund will be allocated to the most pressing needs, or distributed as designated by a Federation or donor.
Jewish Federations will hold a webinar with the latest developments today, Sunday, at 12 Noon ET. Register here.
Surprise Attack
Yesterday, on the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah in Israel, at around 6:00am, hundreds of Hamas Palestinian terrorists infiltrated Israel from Gaza, by sea, air and land, tearing down border fences and entering Israeli towns in the region in vehicles and on foot. (See our update from yesterday here).
Dozens of terrorists infiltrated numerous Israeli cities, kibbutzim and towns, and in many cases, went door to door, executing men, women, children and the elderly. Hamas troops drove into as many as 22 locations in southern Israel, including towns and other communities as far as 15 miles from the Gaza border. Many of the victims were young people attending a large outdoor party.
Some 100 civilians are believed to have been captured and taken into the Gaza Strip and are currently being held hostage by Hamas forces. Video footage released by Hamas shows men, women and children being loaded and unloaded from cars and motorcycles, hands bound and looking very scared. The Red Cross and other international bodies have been denied access to the Israeli hostages.
Israeli television and social media have been awash with shocking footage of civilians being taken hostage, including women holding babies in their arms. Similarly, dozens of recordings of calls made by frightened civilians saying they are locked in their rooms and that there are terrorists inside their homes.
Later, Israeli troops entered the areas under attack and numerous fierce battles took place with the armed terrorists. In some cases, stand-offs and gunfights continued until late into the night, including in numerous situations where hostages were being held. Intense battles took place at a police station in Sderot controlled by large number of terrorists that saw severe levels of gunfire; at a major hostage situation in the town of Ofakim; and to free a number of Israelis who were held hostage for hours by Hamas gunmen inside the dining hall at Kibbutz Be’eri. As of the time of writing, the IDF says that these hostages were rescued safely and that it is close to regaining control over all Israeli territory, although searches for terrorists continue.
While most victims’ names have not yet been released, fatalities include numerous Arab Israeli citizens as well as IDF troops, firefighters and police officers. One soldier who fell was the commanding officer of the Nahal Infantry Brigade, Col. Jonathan Steinberg. Another victim was Mayor of Sha’ar Hanegev (the San Diego Federation’s partnership region) Ofir Libstein, who fell in a gun battle defending his town. See more on the victims here.
Rockets Fired
With 5000 rockets fired at civilian targets, millions of Israelis ran multiple times to shelters, as explosions were heard across the country, on an ongoing basis, throughout the day. Rocket fire continues today.
The majority of rockets either fell in open areas or were intercepted by the Iron Dome system, but some reached their intended targets, hitting homes, businesses and a hospital. Numerous Israelis were killed and injured in the attacks. See here for footage of a rocket that landed in a populated Tel Aviv street.
Schools are closed throughout the country today, and gatherings of more than 50 people have been banned.
One rocket was fired at Israel by Hezbollah forces from Lebanon. Israel hopes to avoid escalation into a two-front war but this is clearly a concern. Also today, an Egyptian policeman opened fire on a busload of Israeli tourists in Alexandria, killing two Israelis and one local guide, and injuring others.
Israeli Response
Last night Prime Minister Netanyahu addressed the nation on live television, saying, that Israel is experiencing “events never seen before.” He vowed to use all of the IDF’s power to hit Hamas, and warned Gaza civilians to “get out now.” See his full remarks here.
Opposition Leader Yair Lapid has indicated his willingness to join an emergency government, together with National Unity Party leader Benny Gantz. Political discussions are underway. See this opinion piece, “A wounded, weakened Israel is a fiercer one.”
The Israel Defense Forces has initiated a massive call-up of reserve forces (see footage here). The army said four divisions of reservists were being deployed to the Gaza border, joining 35 battalions that were already there. Electricity to the Gaza Strip has been cut.
The IDF hit over 500 targets in numerous air strikes, dropping 16 tons of munitions on terror sites, killing at least 230 people on the ground. Targets hit include 17 military compounds, four headquarters, and four high-rise towers the IDF said were used by Hamas. See here for footage of a strike on multiple terror cells in the area of the security fence in the Gaza Strip over the past day. According to many reports, the IDF is preparing for ground forces to enter the Strip.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that all Israeli citizens around the world who wish to return to Israel should know that Ben Gurion Airport is open for incoming and outgoing flights. Some foreign airlines have canceled flights to Israel.
For those in Israel, the IDF’s Home Front Command has an app that can be downloaded here that gives information, advice and instructions to people on the ground. The site does not work outside of Israel.
International Reactions
Unfortunately, other reactions, as expected, have praised the terrorist attacks:
Federation Partners on the Ground
The American Jewish Joint Dhistribution Committee (JDC):
JDC immediately activated their emergency response team and protocols across Israel. In the south of the country, they have widespread, existing operations and programs providing support to those in the line of fire, including elderly, people with disabilities, children and families at risk, and other vulnerable populations adversely impacted during this war and in past conflicts. They will conduct ongoing assessments of emerging needs and deploy interventions to address them. About fifty JDC staff live in the Southern region, including ten on the border.
The Jewish Agency for Israel:
The Agency’s Fund for Victims of Terror (FVOT) is the first responder in the recovery process of families and individuals who have been impacted by acts of terror and violence, providing immediate grants to assist victims, as needed, within 48 hours of an attack. The Agency estimates that it will need to provide at least 350 short term grants and 750 long term grants.
There are currently 3,856 new olim living in twelve Jewish Agency absorption centers in the region under rocket threat. The overwhelming majority are new olim from Ethiopia, Ukraine and Russia. Yesterday, a rocket landed close enough to the Barnea Absorption center that damage was done to the building and one of the apartments had to be evacuated (that same absorption center had a rocket fall in its parking lot in May of 2021). The Jewish Agency plans to take 2,000 olim from those absorption centers for a five-day respite period to allow residents to sleep through the night without fear of running all night and day to shelters. For those olim who do not want to leave their homes, the Jewish Agency will provide respite activities within the absorption centers for children and teenagers.
There are currently 2,700 residents of Amigour elderly care facilities in Israel's South, in sheltered housing units which makes it possible for them to remain in their homes during rocket attacks from Gaza. However, because of the age of the residents, they must remain in their homes to be close to shelters and cannot leave to procure groceries and other household items. Amigour is providing all of the basic necessities directly to its residents.
The Israel Trauma Coalition (ITC):
Residents of Southern Israel including ITC Resilience center teams have been following the directives of the Home Front Command and remain in their homes. As a result, trauma services are being provided remotely including through hot lines, with therapists taking calls.
ITC says they are preparing for hundreds of families dealing with funerals and thousands of wounded.
Communication problems, with lines down, is exacerbating the problem with people scrambling to find information about their loved ones. With a national call up of reserves, many wives and children have been left alone to cope with the situation. A center has been opened in Ramle to deal with victim’s identifications, and police are calling on families with missing family members to go to their local police stations with photos and DNA samples of their missing relatives.
ITC says they are witnessing tremendous distress among First Responders, and emergency volunteer teams especially in areas where infiltrations occurred. In addition, numerous paramedics have been killed or injured.
World ORT:
Most students at the Kfar Silver Youth Village were home for the holiday and were not in the region. ORT was able to evacuate the village’s remaining Na’ale students and shinshinim and staff to the country’s north. A small number of staff remain in the village to care for the animals.
Dear Colleagues,
As you no doubt have seen in the news, Israel is at war with terrorist groups in Gaza, who have mounted an unprecedented offensive that has already killed at least 40 Israelis and injured hundreds. Jewish Federations of North America are assessing the situation, in close touch with our partners at the Jewish Agency, JDC, and local Federation partners. Eric Fingerhut is in Israel, coordinating with Rebecca Caspi and our Israel office on the response.
In the coming hours, we will send a more comprehensive update to the system, including an announcement for a webinar update to be held tomorrow. We are also developing a toolkit with talking points and social media posts, and working to open a system-wide mailbox to address the significant needs that are developing.
In the meantime, we have released the following statement showing our full solidarity and support of Israel.
Once again, on a holy day of the Jewish calendar, the people of Israel have come under attack. Once again, the brave military forces of the State of Israel are responding and will defend our beloved Jewish state. And once again the Jewish communities of North America stand in total and complete solidarity with our Israeli brethren. We pray for their safety and will do everything we can to ensure the complete and total success of their efforts. And once again the Jewish Federations across North America will act immediately and comprehensively to support our brothers and sisters as they defend Israel.The prayer for the State of Israel we recite in synagogue every week - including this morning - says ונתת שלום בארץ ושמחת עולם ליושביה - “Grant peace in the land and happiness to all its residents.” On this day, which is the holiday of Simchat Torah in Israel - we literally sing and dance with simcha - with happiness. Today is not a day of simcha in Israel, but it is a day of solidarity, determination and utmost seriousness.
Israel will prevail and the Jewish people will stand together as we always so. Am yisrael chai.
The Jewish Agency for Israel
The Jewish Agency for Israel’s Fund for Victims of Terror is providing immediate, critical financial aid to victims and their families. In addition, the Jewish Agency seeks to provide respite for people living in the conflict zone and activities for their children (including 3856 olim living in absorption centers, as well as enhanced security. Additional staffing will support 5000 elderly residents of Amigour in the south, ensuring they have food and other items within their sheltered apartments.
JDC
The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, JDC, is one of Federation’s historic partners, with deep roots and an unshakable connection to the State of Israel. JDC is caring for those who have no-one else to turn to – vulnerable seniors, people with disabilities, children and young adults at risk, families in financial distress, and the unemployed. Jewish Federation emergency support will enable JDC to respond to the unique needs of these special populations.
World ORT
ORT is a global education network driven by Jewish values. They are providing urgent educational and psychological support for students, teachers and their families across Israel.