DOCUMENTS FOUND ON THE BODIES OF THE HAMAS TERRORISTS INDICATED THEIR GOAL WAS TO KILL AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE, ATTACK CIVILIAN TARGETS, AND TAKE HOSTAGES

THE LATEST: IDF eliminates key architect of Oct. 7 assault; rocket attack results in serious injury; terrorists launch barrages

IDF raids northern Gaza Strip, repatriates bodies of some Israeli residents taken; multiple arrests of Hamas members in West Bank. Nearly a week after the murderous terrorist attack on the border communities, the deaths on the Israeli side reach 1,300; some 3,000 are injured.

 

Israel Hayom

Oct 14, 2023

 

Flames and smoke billow in Gaza following a retaliatory Israeli airstrike earlier this week

 

Operation Swords of Iron entered its eight day on Saturday as Israel continued to strike Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in the north.

In the north, the skirmishes with Hezbollah continued.  In response to an attack on the border and an infiltration from the air in the Misgav Am region, as well as an attempt to shoot down an Israeli aircraft, Israel fired projectiles on Shiite group's targets.

Widespread attacks across the Strip continued, as did rocket attacks on the Gaza periphery and central Israel. On Friday, an IDF spokesperson reported that military forces conducted ground incursions in the Gaza Strip in an effort to locate missing bodies, among other things, and the mission was successful.

According to US reports, government officials are pressuring Israel to halt the ground entry of IDF forces into the Strip in order to allow the civilian population to evacuate. NBC reported documents found on the bodies of the terrorists, indicating that their goal was to kill as many people as possible, attack civilian targets, and take hostages.

The number of fatalities on the Israeli side murdered by Hamas in the weekend attack has reached 1,300, with over 3,300 wounded. Some 500 bodies have yet to be identified due to the horrific abuse by the terrorists. Sderot rocket casualty succumbs to wounds. IDF announces death of soldier in Hezbollah attack earlier this week.

On Wednesday night, following a meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and State Party leader Benny Gantz, the two agreed to establish an emergency government and a special war cabinet. Netanyahu said, "The people and the leadership are united, we put all other considerations aside," and Gantz added, "Our steadfastness here is a message to our enemies and to the people of Israel."

 

Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023 with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 

 

On Thursda Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken who traveled to Israel to express solidarity on behalf of the Biden administration.

Netanyahu thanked Blinken for the "incredible support for Israel in our war against the barbarians of Hamas," which he said was "another example of America's unequivocal support for Israel ... This is a time, a particular time, a special time, that we all must stand tall, proud and united against evil. Tony, you are taking that stand, America is taking that stand."

"We're here, we're not going anywhere," Blinken promised.