DAY 5 OF THE WAR IN GAZA: Emergency Government, Tensions in North and South
Tel Aviv Diary October 11, 2023
The number of confirmed deaths on Saturday has now risen to 1,300, with another 3,000 injured.
Today's significant development was the final agreement to establish an emergency government. While Netanyahu initially delayed the decision for political considerations (attempts to hold onto his coalition), he was eventually compelled by his party members to consent. This agreement mandates the formation of a compact war cabinet comprised of Prime Minister Netanyahu, Defense Minister Galant, and Former Defense Minister Gantz. Additionally, Gadi Eisenkot and Likud Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer will participate in the compact cabinet as observers. The agreement also stipulates that a position will be reserved for Opposition Leader Yair Lapid should he opt to join. Furthermore, MKs Gideon Sa’ar, Chili Tropper, and Yifat Shasha-Biton will be inducted to the emergency government as Ministers without specific portfolios.
Tonight, Netanyahu, Galant and Gantz each addressed the nation on TV. Their messages were all similar … We will destroy Hamas
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A pivotal component of this agreement is that the war cabinet will be entrusted with all decisions related to the ongoing conflict, from potential resolutions to handling hostages. This smaller cabinet, which is scheduled to convene at minimum every 48 hours, will also oversee matters concerning the West Bank. However, all decisions taken by this cabinet must subsequently receive formal approval from the full security cabinet. An additional clause ensures that the government will refrain from other activities during the war. Lastly, the tenure of the Governor of the Bank of Israel will be extended, at least until the war's conclusion. These governmental modifications are slated to be implemented tomorrow.
Earlier today, National Security Minister Ben-Gvir showcased his contentious nature during a speech in Sderot. Ben-Gvir cautioned the impending “Chomat Magen (Defensive Wall) 2.0” and advocated for widespread arming of civilians. His encouragement for Israelis to private citizens to take up arms was an insinuation of potential conflicts between Arab Israelis and Jews in mixed cities. Contrary to Ben-Gvir’s claims, there is currently utterly no indication of Arab Israelis participating in such skirmishes. Many, including their leadership, continue to express shock and condemnation towards Hamas's brutal actions.
Today, witnessed heightened tensions in both the North and South. A Koronet missile targeted an Israeli base in the North, resulting in Israeli casualties. The exact number of fatalities remains undisclosed. Israel retaliated with an air and artillery assault on the missile's launch site. Later in the day, reports surfaced of an unmanned aircraft infiltrating the northern Galil region, prompting an alert for residents from Haifa to the Lebanese border to seek shelter. However, this alert was later determined to be a false alarm.
In the South, a new group of six or seven terrorists landed at Zikim Beach, where they were intercepted and neutralized by an army unit. A separate trio of terrorists was later confronted near Kibbutz Nir Am.
Currently, Israeli forces are gearing up for the subsequent phase of the war: the ground offensive. The Air Force has been relentlessly targeting Gaza. Palestinian sources state that the bombings have resulted in over 1,000 deaths and 3,000 injuries.
More specifics regarding the massive surprise barbaric massacre are coming to light. A particularly tragic incident occurred at Kibbutz Be’eri. Anticipating military assistance, local residents, were met by elite army units. Though these elite units responded promptly, they expected to confront a small Hamas squad. Instead, the soldiers faced a formidable force of 100 Hamas terrorists. Despite the valiant efforts of the responders, they could not withstand the overwhelming numbers and tragically lost their lives.
Two additional developments raised concerns today. Hospitals in the North commenced transferring patients to the center of the country. Concurrently, Ichilov, Tel Aviv's largest hospital, began relocating patients to its underground parking area, for fear of missile attacks from Lebanon. This is a precedent for Ichilov, although Rambam Hospital in the North has taken similar measures in the past.
President Biden’s speech last night continued to reverberate throughout Israel today. Biden, who was often not taken seriously by many Israelis — today, is probably the most popular American President in Israel’s history
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Saturday's events took a personal turn for me today, when I learned that Alex Danzig, a resident of a kibbutz near the Gaza border, was among the hostages taken by Hamas. Danzig had authored several guidebooks on various regions of Poland. Several years ago, we converted some of his guides into e-books. Additionally, we collaborated with him on our premier Poland app. Alex is a distinguished veteran tour guide, respected and loved in Poland.
Yesterday, I highlighted the challenge of delivering kosher meals to soldiers. The Nearby, HaAchim restaurant, which has been pivotal in sending food to soldiers, worked to successfully receive kosher certification. They collaborated with the Tel Aviv Rabbinate to ‘kasher’ their kitchen. Now, with the aid of numerous volunteers, the restaurant churns out 20,000 meals daily. They have been inundated with volunteers to help cook, clean, and pack. A line of volunteers is always ready to transport these meals to the soldiers. Their requests for donations to purchase raw materials continues
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For those wishing to contribute financially, here are the account details in Israel:
BANK: 12
BRANCH: 170
ACCOUNT #: 680861
Pay To: MAGIC WASPS
Attn: “Haachim”
Organized by IAF veterans of the Apache helicopter squadron
SOME CONTEXT…
To better comprehend the ongoing war, it's crucial to delve into a bit of history, albeit briefly, to place the current events in context, beginning notably with the Oslo Accords.
In 1993, an agreement was finalized between the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) and Israel, which came to be known as the Oslo Accords. As a consequence of this agreement, most of the Gaza Strip and significant Arab-populated cities in the West Bank were transferred to the jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority. The Accords envisioned attainment of a conclusive peace treaty within seven years. Yet, this envisioned agreement was never achieved.
After the assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin (in 1995), Israel faced a series of bombings in Jerusalem, perpetrated by Hamas. This wave of violence convinced many Israelis of the implausibility of peace, leading them to elect the opposition leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, as Prime Minister.
In 1999, Netanyahu’s first tenure was succeeded by Ehud Barak, who endeavored to achieve a lasting peace. Notably, Barak and Yassir Arafat, head of the Palestinian Authority, convened at Camp David in 2000. There, Barak proposed relinquishing almost the entirety of the West Bank. However, the discussions faltered, primarily over two contentious issues: the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their pre-1948 homes (a move Israel believed would essentially create two Palestinian states), and control of the Temple Mount, a site sacred both to Jews and Muslims.
Later in 2000, the subsequent visit by then-opposition leader Ariel Sharon to the Temple Mount was perceived by Palestinians as provocative, leading to the eruption of the Second Intifada. This period was marred by recurrent suicide bombings targeting Israeli public spaces. The tumult eventually resulted in Sharon's election as Prime Minister. In the aftermath of a devastating Passover bombing, Israel undertook the military action of reoccupying major West Bank cities, thereby curtailing the wave of attacks which had claimed over 1,000 Israeli lives.
After this deadly period, Sharon implemented a dual-strategy: constructing a security barrier between Israel and the West Bank, and orchestrating a unilateral withdrawal from Gaza in 2005. Subsequent to Israel's Gaza withdrawal, Hamas, (a Palestinian faction rejecting the earlier PLO-Israel agreements) seized control of Gaza. This initiated a series of intermittent rocket attacks on Israel, leading to four brief wars.
Significant Hamas attacks include the 2008 clash, where Israel resorted to a ground invasion following incessant rocket fire from Hamas, and the 2014 assault wherein Hamas employed tunnels to invade Israel prompting another Israeli ground operation in Gaza. Further Hamas escalations were witnessed in 2018, with border fence protests in Gaza and rocket exchanges, and again in May 2021, with an 11-day rocket exchange.
However, October 7, 2023, marked a somber, sobering turning point. On Shabbat morning, on the holiday of Simchat Torah at 6:30 AM, Hamas launched rockets across Israel and simultaneously deployed substantial forces (over 1,000 terrorists) across the border, inflicting over 1,300 Israeli casualties on that single day. This indescribably tragic day marked the commencement of the Gaza War.