On Saturday October 7, 2023, Israel was attacked. I rarely watch or read the news, but that particular morning, I was laying in bed waiting for my turn to take a shower. I decided to go on my CBN news app for something to read. Israel was under attack by a terrorist group and it looked terrible. I knew this was a big deal, but wasn't aware how big. I told Mark about it and we tuned into the news.
Internet Info.... War in Israel For the first time since 1973, Israel is at war. Around dawn on Saturday, Hamas militants launched a surprise attack on Israel. They broke through the barrier between Gaza and Israel, driving trucks to occupy nearby Israeli villages where they killed both soldiers and civilians and took "a significant number" of Israeli hostages, according to the Israeli Defense Force. At the same time, Hamas launched thousands of rockets and an attack by sea. The Israeli military was caught by surprise and took several hours to respond. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu then declared that his country was "at war" and promised "the enemy will pay an unprecedented price." Israel cut power to Gaza, mobilized tens of thousands of reservists, and launched a barrage of missiles. Fighting has continued throughout the weekend, and at least 600 Israelis and 370 Palestinians have died. Hamas is an Islamist militant group that controls the Gaza Strip in Palestine. It is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and has clashed with Israel for years. A spokesperson for Hamas said the attack was because it wanted "the international community to stop atrocities in Gaza, against Palestinian people, and our holy sites." The attack has drawn widespread condemnation from leaders around the globe, including President Biden, who said his administration's support for Israel's security is "rock solid and unwavering." The U.S. is sending some initial military aid, but additional support may be hampered by not currently having a permanent Speaker of the House. 10/11/23 At War The eyes of the world are on Israel. Since Hamas invaded Israel on Saturday, over a thousand Israelis and nearly 900 Palestinians have died. Thousands more have been injured. Israel has launched rockets, cut power and supplies to Gaza, and called up a record 300,000 reserve troops; a ground invasion of Gaza is expected as Israel works to rescue hostages that Hamas is threatening to execute. Yesterday, Israel shot retaliatory fire toward Syria after a Palestinian faction fired three rockets at Israel. On Monday, fighting escalated along the Israel-Lebanon border after Islamic Jihad carried out a series of small attacks. In an address yesterday, President Biden reiterated the U.S.'s support for Israel and confirmed that at least 14 Americans have been killed in the conflict, and nearly two dozen more remain missing. Meanwhile, critics accuse the Biden administration of funding terrorism by unfreezing $6 billion in Iranian funds last month. The White House hasn't confirmed Iran's direct involvement in the conflict, but officials acknowledge Iran's ongoing financial support of Hamas. Across America, vigils and protests show solidarity for Israel and condemn Hamas' attacks, while pro-Palestine protests and a controversial letter co-signed by 33 Harvard student groups "hold the Israeli regime entirely responsible" for regional violence, saying the recent events "did not occur in a vacuum." In Congress, Reps. Tlaib (D-MI) and Bush (D-MO) are facing criticism for calling for the end of American support for Israel's "apartheid system." 10/13/23 Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu said Wednesday the terrorists that invaded Israel had brutally murdered babies and children, burned people alive in their homes, committed acts of sexual assault, and beheaded soldiers. Hamas called the reports "lies." President Biden reported seeing images of slain children but later retracted his statement due to unverified information. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Tel Aviv yesterday, reiterating American support for Israel. He was shown photos of the carnage, which Blinken described as "simply depravity." As of yesterday, Israel reports over 1,200 deaths, and Gaza reports at least 1,500. The U.S. confirmed that at least 27 Americans have been killed. Israeli planes reportedly dropped flyers into Gaza and hacked a Hamas TV channel, sending messages for residents to evacuate and seek shelter ahead of a "complete siege." But Gazans say they have nowhere to run. Gaza's only power plant is out of fuel, its health system is collapsing, and its only non-Israel border (Egypt) is closed. To the north, artillery fire continues at the Israel-Lebanon border, bolstering fears of a second war front, and on social media, a former Hamas leader called for Muslims across the world to protest today in support of Palestine. Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu and opposition party leader Benny Gantz have teamed up to form a unity government, creating a "war management cabinet," and yesterday, in light of Iran's relationship with Hamas, the U.S. and Qatar re-froze Iran's access to $6B that was unfrozen as part of a prisoner swap last month.
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