Note to reader: We wanted to give you a trigger warning on what you may read below. We have chosen, as with every night of these briefings, to not share horrific images, however we want to alert you as sensitively as we can to the reports coming out of Israel.
Death toll in Hamas’ attack reaches over 1,200
British Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly, flew to Israel today and met with the President of Israel, Isaac Herzog, Israel’s Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, and Israeli victims.
In an online statement, James Cleverly said that “we stand with Israel. I’m here in Israel today to show that the UK’s support for the Israeli people is unwavering”. He ended his message in Hebrew “Chazak, Chazak, V’nitchazeik” which translates as ‘Be strong, be strong, and we will strengthen one another’.
The Foreign Secretary is the first foreign minister from the international community to visit Israel since the start of Hamas’ attack “Operation Al-Aqsa Deluge”.
When visiting Ofakim – a town in the South which has been subject to rocket attacks the past four days and was overrun by terrorists on Saturday– and its residents, sirens were sounded warning of an impending rocket strike and the Foreign Secretary had to take shelter. The Foreign Secretary said online that “today I’ve seen a glimpse of what millions experience every day. The threat of Hamas rockets lingers over every Israeli man, woman and child. This is why we are standing shoulder to shoulder with Israel”.
He told Sky News that it was the first time he heard an air raid siren directly “but for the Israelis living in that part of the country, this is not only sometimes a daily occurrence, but many times during the day”.
King Charles III also released a statement this afternoon in support of Israel, “appalled” by Hamas’ “barbaric act of terrorism”. The King also spoke to Israel’s President Isaac Herzog on the phone this afternoon. In an online statement the President “thanked the King for his support for the people of Israel at this difficult time” and said that his words are “great comfort to the people of Israel and the entire Jewish people”.
Kensington Palace also released a statement on behalf of the Prince and Princess of Wales. They said that “the Prince and Princess of Wales are profoundly distressed by the devastating events that have unfolded in the past days”. “The horrors inflicted by Hamas’s terrorist attack upon Israel are appalling; they utterly condemn them.” They are holding “all the victims, their families and their friends in their hearts and minds”.
Over 1,200 Israelis have been confirmed dead, including 170 soldiers by Hamas terrorists since Saturday. Over 3,500 have been injured. At least 17 Britons are feared killed or missing.
British-Israeli, Jake Marlowe, 26, who was working as a security guard outside a music festival near Kibbutz Re’im, was confirmed dead this afternoon.
Irish-Israeli, Kim Damti, 22, who attended the same music festival, was confirmed dead this evening.
The number of hostages taken into Gaza is still unknown, although reportedly over 100-150. 81 families of abducted Israelis have been notified.
It has been reported that Hamas terrorists stole credit cards belonging to murdered Israelis as well as hostages. In a statement the Bank of Israel said: “Due to the security situation, we have seen cases where credit cards and bank account information are being misused…These situations have been dealt with since the outset by professionals at the Bank of Israel”.
Over 5,000 rockets have been launched from Hamas into southern and central Israel since Saturday. Four buildings were hit this morning in the southern city of Sderot, wounding a 40-year-old man. The Barzilai Medical Centre was once again struck (it also suffered a direct hit on Monday), this time damaging the children’s ward. 12 civilians were injured when rockets fell in Ashkelon. Rockets have also been fired by Hezbollah, from Lebanon into northern Israel including an anti-tank missile launched toward a military post adjacent to the community of Arab Al-Aramshe on the Blue Line.
The IDF says it carried out a drone strike against a Hezbollah post in southern Lebanon in response. They also launched artillery strikes against the source of the missile fire.
The Galil Medical Centre in the north of Israel has moved all operations underground in case of increased hostilities.
Although Israel’s border with Gaza is now secure, Palestinian terrorists are still operating within Israel. Yesterday it was reported that 18 Hamas terrorists were killed in seven separate incidents inside Israel’s borders, including three in Ashkelon Tuesday evening. Three were killed near kibbutz Zikim this afternoon. Terrorists are still trying infiltrate Israel through Zikim Beach but have been unsuccessful.
IDF spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said in a press conference today of terrorists trying to infiltrate: “they haven’t crossed the fence in the last two days. The terrorists are killed on the fence”.
“During our counter-attack” starting Saturday, “we drove [Hamas] back to the Strip, except for a few who remained in the area and we are still chasing them”, Hagari added.
This evening, Prime Minister Netanyahu announced a unity government together with Benny Gantz, former IDF Chief of Staff and 21st Minister of Defence. Gadi Eisenkot, former (21st) IDF Chief of Staff, will also be sworn in as Minister. In a televised press conference, Netanyahu said: “We have put aside every other consideration because the fate of our country is at stake. We will work together, shoulder to shoulder, for the citizens of Israel and for the State of Israel”.
“We are fighting with full force on all fronts. We have gone over to the offensive. Every Hamas member is a dead man. Hamas is ISIS, and we will crush and eliminate it just as the world crushed and eliminated ISIS”.
Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, said that “we will wipe Hamas off the face of the earth”.
Gantz said the unity government sends “a clear message to our adversaries and to all Israeli citizens: all of us together are mobilising”.
According to the Hamas-run health Ministry 950 have been killed and 5,000 wounded in Gaza. Over 1,000 Hamas terrorists have been killed within Israel.
Gaza’s power station ran out of energy today after Israel cut power and water supplies to the strip amid a tight blockade.
The Israeli Airforce (IAF) is continuing to strike Hamas targets in the Gaza strip.
Brig. Gen. Omer Tishler, Israeli Air Force Chief of Staff, Brig. Gen. Omer Tishler, said that “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 there is a target”, he added.
The IAF hit more than 80 sites in Beit Hanoun, Gaza this morning, including two bank branches used by Hamas, an underground tunnel, and many war rooms. They also struck a number of Hamas naval targets.
The UK Government continue to share its support including the Ministry of Defence flying the Israeli flag today.
An Israeli flag was torn down from Sheffield Town Hall by a protestor. CFI Officer Miriam Cates MP who is from Sheffield said: “I have lived in Sheffield my whole life and I am sickened and deeply ashamed that there are some in our city who choose to celebrate such horrific violence”. “It is unthinkable that such blatant antisemitism can be publicly perpetrated without consequence in what is supposed to be a City of Sanctuary”, she added.
Chris Green MP and Robert Largan MP both spoke at a vigil for Israel in Manchester this evening.
Mike Freer MP spoke at Hampstead Garden Suburb Synagogue last night. In his address he said that “the support of the Prime Minister and the Government for Israel and Britain’s Jewish community is unwavering”.
“Hamas are not militants they are terrorists. Apologists will argue about human rights. It is not a human right to murder innocents. It is not a human right to slaughter and behead babies. It is not a human right to rape women. It is not a human right to take people hostage. It is not a human right to desecrate the bodies of the murdered”.
During this difficult time please consider donating to Magen David Adom’s urgent appeal https://mdauk.org/
Please also email your MP to share your support with Israel. You can do this via We Believe in Israel: https://tinyurl.com/mr2rcbej
