Latest updated estimate of last night’s attendance was 6000!
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Deleted and moved to political thread
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I heard a doctor say that perhaps the best way to get your news for your mental health is via printed news. Visuals affect your brain in a different way.
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Mike Bloomberg offered an option for 100% match of your donation to Magen David Adom if you donate via this secure link:
https://secure.afmda.org/site/Donation2;jsessionid=00000000.app20018a?df_id=2340&mfc_pref=T&2340.donation=form1&s_src=OperationSwordofIron&FURL=UR&NONCE_TOKEN=CAAD801ABA2AFC5E9AAB6DC5883E4AE6
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Relatives from Israel recommended to read news only once a day and continue with daily routine. That is what they do with many currently serving in IDF…
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Interesting you said that, because the same doctor said that she gives herself a time once a day to worry/ruminate/fixate, etc. Like 30 minutes in the morning. And then you get busy and go about your day and get on with life. She recommends not setting the time for the evening as it can affect your sleep.
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That totally makes sense or people can loose mind worrying for the loved ones.
I have not been able to watch the videos. I know that they are important as a means of truly understanding the horror of what happened, but after hearing the screams on the radio news, I was convinced of the fact that it was horrible. I don’t think I can handle seeing it.
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Today’s detailed update from the Jewish Federation of San Diego, very informative. Posted in several blocks due to length.
Here’s the latest update:
- More than 1,200 Israelis killed, including some 170 soldiers
- Over 3,000 Israelis wounded – 480 still hospitalized; 6,000 rockets fired at Israel
- An estimated 150 Israelis being held hostage in Gaza
- National Emergency Government established with Netanyahu and Gantz
- Concern over second front heats up with exchanges across Lebanon border
- Biden pledges unwavering support against “pure unadulterated evil” Hamas wrought; Blinken to visit Israel
- Federations hold 115 solidarity events across North America
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.
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.
He’s out of the country now. Should be home by the weekend.
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I’m supposed to vacation in Egypt this Sunday and I don’t know what to do. We have waited decades for Egypt to feel safe enough to explore and tourism was booming so we spent all year planning this trip. Egypt borders Israel and Gaza and Palestinian refugees are expected to go to Egypt plus foreigners who are fleeing Israel. I hear that the tourist area of Egypt are many miles away from the conflict and are safe but I’m really concerned.
Are you following State department news? I have not been to Egypt. Seems very fluid , day to day.
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Regardless of how long I planned something or how much I paid (I do buy travel insurance) this is one area of the world I’d stay very(!) far from right now.
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Visiting now is not a good idea. There is a lot of unrest in the area and you can’t predict how Egypt will be affected. Friends visited a few years ago during a calm period and felt safe because their hotel was gated and patrolled by private security and they were accompanied by an armed guard in public spaces. Do you have a similar security plan? Still, I wouldn’t visit now. Hopefully, you purchased trip insurance.
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On Department of State website for Egypt :
Arab Republic of Egypt
Travel Advisory
July 13, 2023
Egypt - Level 3: Reconsider Travel
Reconsider travel to Egypt due to terrorism. Exercise increased caution in Egypt due to the Embassy’s limited ability to assist dual national U.S.-Egyptian citizens who are arrested or detained.
Do not travel to:
- The Sinai Peninsula (with the exception of travel to Sharm El-Sheikh by air) due to terrorism.
- The Western Desert due to terrorism.
- Egyptian border areas due to military zones.
Country Summary: Terrorist groups continue plotting attacks in Egypt. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, and have targeted diplomatic facilities, tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, western businesses, restaurants, resorts, and local government facilities. Terrorists have conducted attacks in urban areas, including in Cairo, despite the heavy security presence. Terrorists have targeted religious sites, to include mosques, churches, monasteries, and buses traveling to these locations.
Due to risks to civil aviation operating within or in the vicinity of Egypt, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) and/or a Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR). For more information U.S. citizens should consult the [Federal Aviation Administration’s Prohibitions, Restrictions and Notices]
Local law prohibits protesting or demonstrating without a permit. Being near anti-government protests can draw scrutiny from Egyptian police and security forces. U.S. citizens have been detained for participating in protests and for posting content on social media perceived as critical of Egypt or its allies.
The U.S. Embassy may have a limited ability to provide consular services to dual U.S.-Egyptian citizens. Egyptian law considers dual citizens to be Egyptian citizens.
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In my opinion, the biggest danger would be if traveling in a large group of tourists, especially a large group of identifiably Jewish or Israeli tourists. Just recently, but before the Hamas invasion, an Egyptian policeman shot dead Israeli tourists and their Egyptian guide in Alexandria.
I spent time living in Egypt many years ago, and used to speak the language. Until this recent “lone wolf” attack, I felt that it would be safe to visit if one avoided obvious tour groups and tour buses, and instead traveled as a very small group with a guide. Now I feel that there may be others inspired by this policeman’s actions, since his actions were supported by many there.
You’ll probably be all right, and I don’t know if it will ever be any safer. I do not think that there is any risk of Egypt joining the conflict, nor do I think that there is a risk of civil unrest due to the war in Gaza. No one would flee Israel to Egypt - direct travel has been severely limited by Egypt as part of their chilling of the peace for several decades now, so there are no established routes anymore, other than Taba, by Eilat, and that is too remote to be a logical route. If anyone were trying to get out of Israel if Ben Gurion were closed, they’d probably cross into Jordan and then fly out of Amman. And Egypt is very unlikely to allow even women, children, and the elderly to flee Gaza into Egypt, because they fear the political destabilization that inevitably will follow (look up Black September coup 1970 in Jordan, and the destabilization of Lebanon’s delicate political balance). I don’t think Egypt is going to open the border at all. In any event, all the tourist areas in Egypt are very far from Gaza.
So if you’ve been fearful all along, this is not the time to go. I personally feel that Egypt has been relatively safe for tourism all along, except of course during the Arab Spring uprising, and at times when Islamist terrorist groups have been targeting tourist buses. The antiquities there are well worth seeing; I’ve been saying for the past 40 years that people should go and see them before the inevitable Islamist revolution in Egypt cuts them off forever, same as what has happened in Iran and Afghanistan.
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You cannot even trust armed guards in this situation. I would cancel.
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