It is the fourth day since the terrorist organization Hamas launched its attack against southern Israel, leaving more than 900 dead, mostly civilians. Through this post, you can follow updates on the situation in Israel.
Israeli Ministry of National Security arms civilians with 10,000 assault rifles
Itamar Ben Gvir, Israeli minister of national security, ordered the purchase of 10,000 assault rifles to arm Israeli civilian security forces and thus promote self-defense in the most remote rural areas. Ben Gvir communicated this through social media and assured that the weapons will be destined to protect the communities closest to the Gaza Strip.
According to the minister, his department already has 4,000 units of Israeli brand rifles. They will begin to distribute weapons along with helmets, bulletproof vests and other combat equipment for security teams and civilians.
During the attacks against kibbutzim in southern Israel, some were able to repel the terrorists' attacks since they had firearms. The Times of Israel reports how two kibbutz guards killed several Hamas terrorists who entered the perimeter of their community.
הנחתי את המשרד לביטחון לאומי לרכוש למעלה מ 10,000 כלי ירייה! בשלב ראשון ובאופן מיידי נרכשו 4,000 רובי סער ממפעל ישראלי שיחולקו לכיתות הכוננות בדגש על ישובים צמודי גדר/בקו התפר וערים מעורבות - החל מהיום. במקביל רכש המשרד ציוד לחימה נלווה הכולל קסדות ואפודי מגן שיחלקו בעת החתימה על… pic.twitter.com/kXBOD22ojh
— איתמר בן גביר (@itamarbengvir) October 10, 2023
Second U.S. aircraft carrier
The United States could deploy another naval strike group with a second aircraft carrier in the eastern Mediterranean, according to Defense Department sources cited by the Wall Street Journal. This would be a measure to increase the deterrence capacity of the Navy, which already has the naval strike group led by the USS Gerald R. Ford.
According to various defense sources, the second aircraft carrier to reach the coast of Israel could be the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, along with its escort ships. According to the Wall Street Journal, it could be a rotation between Eisenhower and Ford, or that both are simultaneously in the region.
U.S. Defense Officials are reportedly considering the Deployment of a 2nd Carrier Strike Group into the Eastern Mediterranean near Israel; this Group will likely be led by the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) a Nimitz-Class Aircraft Carrier who has already been preparing for a… pic.twitter.com/i1FWxHxtV9
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) October 10, 2023
The European Union confirms that economic aid to Palestine will be maintained
High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell conducted a press conference from Oman to clarify some points about the EU's position regarding the war in Israel. Borrell confirmed that EU economic aid for Palestine will be maintained, contrary to what Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi initially declared Monday.
The European foreign minister confirmed that a review of aid payments has been planned. He assured that this would be a quick review to ensure that no funds were going to Hamas or other terrorist groups. He said he was sure that EU funds were not being used in that way. If not, Borrell promised that fair measures will be taken against those responsible.
In his press conference, Borrell also once again condemned the massacres of Israelis carried out since Saturday by Hamas and recalled that Israel has every right to defend itself within the legal limits of international law.
Israel tries to block funding to Hamas through cryptocurrencies
The Israeli government seized a cryptocurrency wallet that belonged to the terrorist group Hamas, according to Sky News. Alternative financing avenues such as currencies that work through blockchain systems became a serious source of income for the terrorist group. According to Sky News, Hamas could have received tens of millions in recent years through Binance, a portfolio management application for cryptocurrencies.
The total value of the cryptocurrencies seized by authorities is unclear, and it is possible that the militant group continues to receive digital assets from other sources. Hamas asks its militants and the general public to make donations in this way and in others.
Hamas intensive shelling in Ashkelon
After issuing a threat, the terrorist group Hamas launched a wave of missiles against the Israeli city of Ashkelon in the south of the country. The Hamas spokesman warned this Monday that starting at 5 p.m. Tel Aviv time, they would launch a harsh attack and that civilians in the city, located 6 miles from the Gaza Strip, had to be evacuated.
The group fulfilled its promise and anti-aircraft warning sirens sounded in the city for several consecutive minutes while an intensive bombardment of Gazan missiles fell against the city.
In the hours following the bombing, several internet users reported damage in the city. Some parked cars were burned. Other projectiles launched from Gaza ended up falling into the sea.
Footage of the rocket launches from Gaza towards Ashkelon at 5pm. pic.twitter.com/ArtIrLEEch
— Aurora Intel (@AuroraIntel) October 10, 2023
The Israeli Air Force claims to have killed several senior Hamas officials
The Israeli armed forces reported Tuesday that their airstrikes had killed several senior Hamas officials in the Gaza Strip. Among those killed in the airstrikes was Yauad abu Smalla, Hamas economy minister. According to the Israeli Army, he was in charge of allocating funds to finance terrorism inside and outside Gaza.
Also reportedly killed was Zakaria Abu Ma'amer, political leader of Hamas and ruler of the Gaza Strip. The deaths of these Hamas leaders are the result of the intense bombing carried out by Israeli forces against Gaza, which increased in force starting Monday.
כלי טיס של חיל-האוויר חיסל הלילה גם את זכריא אבו מעמר, אחד מבכירי הלשכה המדינית של ארגון הטרור חמאס, וראש משרד היחסים הלאומיים בלשכת המדיניות של ארגון הטרור חמאס ברצועה, בתפקידו היה אחראי על קבלת החלטות ברצועה, תפעול קשרי הפנים ותיאום בין הארגונים ברצועה.
— Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) October 10, 2023
Deaths exceed 900 on the Israeli side
Hamas's terrorist war is in its fourth day. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that more than 900 Israelis have been killed and nearly 3,500 injured since the terrorist group began carrying out its attacks. They also assured that around 1,500 Hamas armed soldiers have been found dead within the territory of Israel. On the Palestinian side, authorities estimate the death toll in the Gaza Strip at more than 700.
May their memories be a blessing. pic.twitter.com/rem3LQIR9D
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 10, 2023
Among the Israeli victims, 123 are soldiers, as confirmed by the IDF on X (formerly Twitter). One of them is Lieutenant Colonel Alim Abdallah, deputy commander of the 300th Brigade, who was killed while fighting a group of terrorists who entered Israel from Lebanon.
🥀 🕯️ El Subcomandante de la Brigada 300, el Tte. Cnel. Alim Abdallah, del pueblo Yanuh-Jat, fue asesinado ayer (lunes) cuando se enfrentó con terroristas que se infiltraron a Israel desde el Líbano.
Las FDI envían apoyo y sus más sentidos pésames a su familia.
— FDI (@FDIonline) October 9, 2023
Faced with Hamas threats to kill hostages, among whom are several soldiers and officers, Lieutenant Colonel Richard Hecht, spokesman for the IDF, warned the terrorist group that "if you harm them, things will not improve, and they know,"
Israel intensifies its attacks
The IDF published videos of several of its offensives against its enemies on social media, which have intensified in recent hours against the Gaza Strip, the territory controlled by Hamas. Their aim is "eliminating their terrorist capabilities," as stated to CNN by Gilad Erdan, Israeli ambassador to the United Nations (UN).
WATCH: This armed terrorist squad from Gaza was identified on their way to kill Israeli civilians inside of Israeli territory.
We made sure to stop them before they could attack our civilians. pic.twitter.com/8GpQOAji7z
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 10, 2023
Due to the launch of several missiles by Hamas from the Gaza Strip, anti-aircraft alarms sounded in several areas of Israel, specifically in the south and also in Tel Aviv. Two kibbutzim, Zikim and Ra'im, were targets of the bombings. In another, Be'eri (very close to the Gaza Strip), the bodies of more than 100 people were found.
🚨Sirens sounding in southern Israel🚨
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 10, 2023
On Wednesday morning, Benjamin Netanyahu held a virtual meeting with several high-ranking members of the IDF and senior officials of the Israeli government to evaluate the situation. In his latest public statements, the Israeli prime minister assured that "Hamas will understand that by attacking us it has made a mistake of historic proportions."
