DAY 4 OF THE GAZA WAR: Rockets From Gaza, Lebanon and Syria

Tel Aviv Diary October 10, 2023

I had anticipated a relatively quiet day. Our troops were still in preparation mode. Typically, unless there is an emergency, it takes at least two days for newly mobilized troops to be battle-ready. A ground attack seemed a few days away.

However, the serenity of the day in Tel Aviv was abruptly disrupted by the sound of air raid sirens. For the first time during this war, I was not at home when the sirens began. Fortunately, I was near a large underground parking lot, so, despite my initial dismay at being away from home, I was safe. Mere minutes after I returned home, the sirens sounded again. In total, the Tel Aviv area experienced four missile attacks today.

Thankfully, all missiles that might have hit populated areas were intercepted. There were no casualties from this assault. The missile barrage came after the deaths of the Hamas Economic Minister and the Hamas representative for international relations.

Earlier in the day, a missile struck Eshkol region, claiming the lives of two foreign workers. Around 5 pm, Ashkelon experienced a heavy barrage, followed by another at 6 pm, and then a subsequent one later on in the evening. It is estimated that Hamas fired 200 rockets at Ashkelon in those two hours. Thankfully, only one missile made it through. During the initial days of the war, Iron Dome was not fully deployed. Now, that Iron Dome has been properly deployed, its intercept  rate had greatly improved.

Later in the evening, a firefight ensued with a group of terrorists in the industrial zone south of Ashkelon. Three terrorist were killed.  There were additional skirmishes in the Gaza area. All together 16 terrorist were killed today. It’s believed these were terrorists who infiltrated on Saturday and stayed hidden until now. There's no assurance that they were the last group

.Meanwhile, 15 missiles were launched from Lebanon at northern Israel; four missiles were intercepted by Iron Dome, while the remainder landed in open fields. Israeli tanks targeted and destroyed a Hezbollah observation post, which prompted the retaliatory strike by Hezbollah.

Mortars were fired from Syria at the Southern Golan Heights, which all fell in open fields. Israel responded with an air attack on the area.

There was also an attack on army placement near Jenin in the West Bank, two terrorist were killed.

Today, the volunteer organization “Zaka — Identification, Extraction and Rescue” continued its operations in Kibbutz Be’eri. Zaka’s continued work indicates that the figure I mentioned yesterday (i.e., 108 deceased from this one Kibbutz) was not the conclusive count. Zaka and the IDF later entered K’far Aza, a kibbutz with 800 inhabitants. Tragically, considerably over 100 of its residents were found deceased.

On a personal note, the endless sequence of story after story, alternating between superhuman profiles in courage and testimonies of unspeakable horror have been profoundly impactful. I find myself tearing up multiple times a day. It's wildly difficult and fiercely emotional to listen to unthinkable reports of those who have been brutally murdered, along with seemingly impossible tales of those who have been heroically saved. One poignant story involves a couple, both reserve army officers, who hid their twin toddlers and confronted the terrorists. They managed to eliminate seven of the savages before running out of ammunition and succumbing themselves. However, their children did survive.

Another family recounted a harrowing ordeal where terrorists tried to force them out of their home by setting it ablaze. Locked in their safe room with terrorists at their door, the family was forced to endure the heart-wrenching cries of their dog as it perished in the flames.

Each narrative deeply affects me. Television broadcasts are all replete with interviews of parents and relatives who have yet to find their loved ones. Every account detailing the last moment of contact with loved ones is excruciatingly heart-wrenching and these stories continue throughout the entire day. The government's response also seems completely inadequate, as too many individuals report they have not yet been contacted by any official agencies.

A startling detail emerged today: Each Kibbutz has its own security squad. Several months ago, the army reclaimed these security squads’ arsenal of heavy weapons, such as M-16s, and left them with mere pistols to defend their Kibbutzim, asserting there was no longer a need for more substantial firepower.

Meanwhile, thousands of citizen volunteers continue working tirelessly to provide necessities. Today, regrettably, there were multiple instances of trucks filled to their brims with food being turned away from military bases on the orders of Rabbis. Their rationale was that, without a kosher certification, the soldiers couldn't consume the food

President Biden addressed the American people tonight, with his speech broadcast live on Israeli TV and in other parts of the world. Interestingly, I was interviewed on a British news station shortly before his address, and they repeatedly announced their intent to cover President Biden's remarks live.

Biden delivered one of the most supportive speeches ever expressed by an American President regarding Israel. Among his statements, Biden emphasized, “As President, I have no higher priority than the safety of Americans held hostage around the world.” He affirmed, “Like every nation in the world, Israel has the right—and indeed, a duty—to respond to these vicious attacks.” Biden further remarked, “There are moments in life when pure, unadulterated evil is unleashed in this world,” referencing disturbing reports of infants being killed and women subjected to heinous atrocities.

The President reiterated America's unwavering support for Israel and pledged to furnish all necessary aid. Biden also underscored the strategic positioning of the USS Gerald Ford and other naval vessels, sending a message to other nations to abstain from intervening in the developing war. Many hope that Biden's statements of unequivocal support, coupled with the presence of the USS Gerald Ford, will discourage both Hezbollah and Iran from escalating tensions. Full Text

When this conflict began, nearly every foreign airline ceased their flights to Israel. United Airlines executed two final flights, while returning an Israel-bound flight that originated in San Francisco. Their motivation behind these last flights was to evacuate their crew stationed in Tel Aviv. Currently, the only operational flights to and from Israel are on Israeli carriers — primarily El Al, but also Israir and Arkia.

Initially, El Al's controlling shareholders significantly increased prices, but management intervened swiftly to adjust one-way ticket prices to more reasonable rates. Despite their efforts, these Israeli airlines face challenges. Numerous pilots have been summoned to reserve duty, and foreign insurers for several leased planes are contemplating withdrawing their coverage. The Israeli government is projected to furnish ElAl with insurance guarantees in the coming week. The Israeli Air Force also sent Hercules aircraft to Europe to pick up reservist trying to return home to fight.

The economic ramifications of the war remain uncertain, but they are expected to be substantial. The dollar is nearing an exchange rate of 4.0 to the shekel, a shift that will drive up costs. The immediate expense of drafting 360,000 individuals is immense. Potential loss in business revenue is also significant. For the fourth consecutive day, Tel Aviv resembles a ghost town — its streets vacant, most stores shuttered, and only a handful of restaurants in operation. The current atmosphere is palpably different. In contrast with previous skirmishes with Hamas, where Tel Aviv's daily life remained largely unchanged, this war's presence is felt in the streets every single day.