Day 11 of Gaza War:Israel Falsely Accused, Preparation for Biden Visit, Rocket Fire Continues
Tel Aviv Diary October 17, 2023
I want to begin with the significant story of the evening: The falsely reported Israeli attack on a hospital in Gaza. Major media outlets, including The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, promptly reported based on uncorroborated details of this tragedy. The Gaza hospital was indeed hit by a rocket.
The truth is that the Islamic Jihad launched a barrage of rockets from a location near the hospital. In this instance, one rocket malfunctioned, ascending and then descending onto the hospital. There are reports that the rocket’s impact ignited munitions stored at the hospital (something Hamas is known to do). While obviously still heartbreaking, Israel was not responsible for this hardship, and the damage from this erroneous report has already begun. Riots against Israel erupted in various locations around the world.
Israel, like any other nation, has made mistakes in the past. In the era before precision-guided munitions, it might have been conceivable for an errant strike to hit a hospital. However, in this modern age with advanced weaponry, the likelihood of the Air Force committing such an error is extremely minimal. Despite this, the international media jumped to widely disseminate the false narrative spread by Hamas. Arab leaders were equally quick to condemn Israel’s incorrectly reported actions.
If the previous day was relatively calm, today was decidedly turbulent. As of eight o'clock, there were four rocket barrages aimed at Tel Aviv, but only two reached their intended target. The last barrage occurred at 8 p.m. Anticipating an attack around this time, I hurried home. Unfortunately, I slightly miscalculated, so instead of reaching the safety of my apartment building, I found myself in the kitchen of a nearby restaurant. A similar situation unfolded in one of the earlier rocket waves.
In an incident half an hour later, a driver was critically injured after he exited his vehicle to find shelter and accidentally fell into a canal. Notably, many of the injuries reported have not been directly from rocket impacts, but from individuals rushing to find cover.
Today, Rishon LeTzion faced seven separate rocket attacks. Cities such as Ashkelon, Ashdod, and the towns adjacent to Gaza also experienced a significant number of strikes. While Hamas’s bombing campaign persists, Israel has focused on targeting Hamas leaders over the course of the past few days. IDF efforts resulted in the elimination of Hamas’s head of intelligence, its spiritual leader, and today, Ayman Nofal, Commander of Hamas’s central Brigade in Gaza. Nofal played a role in the kidnapping of Gilad Shalit and also prepared Hamas’s strategy for the attacks on several Kibbutzim.
Meanwhile, in the North, Hezbollah continues its efforts to draw Israel into a more significant confrontation. Early in the morning, a group of infiltrators attempted to cross the border, but were neutralized by a UAV before they could enter Israeli territory. Throughout the day, Hezbollah launched five anti-tank missiles targeting various locations: one at a car in Hanita, one at Zalit, one at Margalit, one at Yiftach, and another at a border post. There were casualties on the Israeli side, but the exact number has not yet been disclosed. In response, Israel targeted several Hezbollah positions, resulting in the death of at least two Hezbollah members.
Today, the head of Israeli Military Intelligence admitted that the IDF's intelligence had failed in their preparedness for this war, for which, he took personal responsibility.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited Israel today to express both his and Germany's solidarity with the nation. Scholz emphasized that he represented the entirety of the German populace, including the opposition. The Chancellor stated, “Our history, which encompasses the Holocaust, compels us to defend the State of Israel.” Scholz further commented that “Israel is acting within the confines of international law.” He concluded by asserting that there is no place for antisemitism in contemporary Germany.
As Scholz left Israel there was a rocket attack in the area of Ben Gurion Airport, which forced Scholz to lay on the ground, since there was no secure place nearby.
To date, the Army has informed the families of 302 soldiers of their tragic deaths. In addition, 100,000 residents have been relocated to 230 hotels and bed-and-breakfast establishments in the north and central Israel
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The prevailing question now is: what's next? President Biden is set to arrive tomorrow, and the primary issue regarding which the President seeks clarity is Israel's plan moving forward. To that end, Secretary of State Blinken held discussions with Israel's smaller war cabinet, comprising Gantz, Eisenkot, Netanyahu, and Dermer, until 4 AM. It's believed that a significant point of contention was Israel's willingness to permit humanitarian aid into Gaza. The U.S. administration considers Israel’s willingness to allow the provision of humanitarian aid into Gaza as vital for Israel's international image.
Blinken spent the night at Israel’s Military Headquarters and will accompany President Biden during his visit. The commander of Centcom, General Michael E. Kurilla, has arrived in Israel to engage with the country’s military leaders.
However, the broader question remains: what is Israel’s projected endgame for this war? Regrettably, Israel has yet to finalize a strategy for Gaza's future. Historically, Israel refrained from re-entering Gaza due to concerns about potential Israeli casualties (a concern that, tragically, is no longer as pressing) and the lack of a clear plan for post-conflict governance. Now, a comprehensive strategy is imperative. One thing is certain: Israel does not want to govern Gaza directly. Various alternatives have been proposed, including the deployment of international or Arab forces.
President Biden is scheduled to land at Ben Gurion Airport tomorrow morning at 10:00 AM. He will then proceed to Tel Aviv to meet with Prime Minister Netanyahu and the broader war cabinet. It's hoped that, Israel will have concrete plans to share regarding the post-conflict phase. Following his visit to Israel, President Biden will travel to Jordan to engage with Arab leaders.