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 1,300
The UK Government has announced that it will send Royal Air Force aircraft plus two navy ships (RFA Lyme Bay and RFA Argus) to the eastern Mediterranean in order to support Israel and “offer deterrence and assurance” following Hamas’s deadly attacks on Saturday. The support package will also include surveillance assets, three Merlin helicopters, P8 aircraft, and a company of marines.
The Royal Air Force surveillance aircraft are set to begin patrols Friday “to help partners track emerging threats to regional security”. The Royal Navy task group is set to deploy to the eastern Mediterranean in the coming days “to help mitigate humanitarian crisis”.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “Deployment of our world-class military will support efforts to ensure regional stability and prevent further escalation”.
“We must be unequivocal in making sure the types of horrific scenes we have seen this week will not be repeated”, the Prime Minister added.
“Our military and diplomatic teams across the region will also support international partners to re-establish security and ensure humanitarian aid reaches the thousands of innocent victims of this barbaric attack from Hamas terrorists”.
Defence Secretary, Grant Shapps said: “The monstrous terrorist attacks committed by Hamas in recent days have proven why the UK must support Israel’s absolute right to self-defence and deter malign external interference. No nation should stand alone in the face of such evil and today’s deployment will ensure Israel does not”.
“The Royal Navy Task Group, RAF operations and our wider military support will be an undeniable display of the UK’s resolve to ensure Hamas’s terrorist campaign fails, whilst reminding those who seek to inflame tensions that the forces of freedom stand with the Israeli people”.
The Prime Minister also announced £3 million of extra funding to Community Security Trust (CST) to help the UK Jewish community feel safe. The funds will be used to protect schools, synagogues and other Jewish community buildings.
Community Security Trust has recorded a 400% increase in the prevalence of antisemitic incidents in the UK since Hamas’ terrorist attacks in Israel. It has recorded 139 antisemitic incidents in the last four days.
The announcement came after a roundtable meeting earlier today hosted by the Prime Minister. Attendees of the meeting, “to discuss how to keep the Jewish community safe and policing protests”, included Home Secretary Suella Braverman, Communities Secretary Michael Gove, the Attorney General, police chiefs and CST.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that “this is now the third deadliest terror attack in the world since 1970. The United Kingdom must and will continue to stand in solidarity with Israel”.
“At moments like this, when the Jewish people are under attack in their homeland, Jewish people everywhere can feel less safe”.
“That is why we must do everything in our power to protect Jewish people everywhere in our country. If anything is standing in the way of keeping the Jewish community safe, we will fix it. You have our complete backing”, he added.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman said: “This terrorism is an attack on all of our values. Whenever Israel is attacked, people use legitimate Israeli defensive measures as an excuse to stir up hatred against British Jews. The UK stands unequivocally with Israel”.
“I have been clear with police chiefs in England and Wales that there can be zero tolerance for antisemitism, and that they should act immediately to crackdown on any criminality – both in our streets and online”.
“I have been in close contact with the Community Security Trust whose work helps enhance the security of the British Jewish community. To further support their work, we will be providing them £3 million in funding for additional security guards at Jewish schools, synagogues and in Jewish communities. This is in addition to the £15 million of annual funding provided by the Government.”
In an online video, the Home Secretary said: “All decent people are sickened by the barbaric attacks against the people of Israel. Hamas terrorists massacred civilians, beheaded babies, raped women, and kidnapped the most vulnerable, including Holocaust survivors. This is not resistance. This is not freedom fighting. This is medieval antisemitism”.
“To anyone engaged in the glorification of terror, the harassment of Jewish people or public disorder at protest, I have a simple message. We will track you down and you can expect to face the full force of the law”.
The Government also announced that they will provide UK-sponsored flights “to help British nationals leave Israel”. In a statement on the Government website, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly announced together with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office that “since Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel, UK government officials have been working around the clock in London, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv to support British citizens in the country. A Rapid Deployment Team has also been sent to Israel to bolster the efforts of British consular officials”.
“The safety of all British nationals in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) continues to be our utmost priority and we urge everyone to continue to follow our travel advice. Those in Israel and the OPTs, including Gaza, are advised to register their presence with the Foreign Office”.
The Foreign Secretary visited Israel yesterday to show solidarity with Israel and her citizens, meeting Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, and Israeli victims. In a video released online this morning, Cleverly said: “I’ve flown here to show solidarity with the people of Israel in response to the brutal terrorist attacks perpetuated by Hamas from Gaza. I have heard some awful stories about the atrocities that have been perpetrated. Israel has a right to defend itself. We support that right. They have a right to recover the people who have been kidnapped and I’m discussing with the Israeli Government what the UK can do to support their peace and security”.
This evening Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “to reaffirm the UK’s steadfast support for Israel following Hamas’ appalling terrorist attack”. The British Prime Minister noted “the true scale and horror of which is only just becoming clear”. He “agreed that Hamas can never again be able to perpetrate atrocities against the Israeli people”. He added that “Hamas has enmeshed itself in the civilian population in Gaza” and it is “important to take all possible measures to protect ordinary Palestinians and facilitate humanitarian aid”.
Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch has today said she is “appalled” that Unite, a leading trade union, has ties with the Palestine Solidarity Campaign. She said: “I am at a loss as to how United can associate itself with a group that espouses views that encourage the antisemitism and violence we are witnessing”.
Science, Innovation and Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan asked the “British tech industry to join us [Government] and support Israel through the horrors it faces”. In a letter to UK tech companies, she called for tech companies to “leverage your resources, capabilities and expertise to assist Israel”. She added: “I know they will want to do everything in their power to keep the Israeli economy open and keep business afloat, especially its vital tech sector”. Earlier this week, the Secretary of State met with social media companies to discuss how they can stop Hamas and its supporters from “using social media to broadcast its heinous crimes to the world”.
Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer condemned the Football Association for not turning Wembley Stadium’s famous arch blue. She said that “I am extremely disappointed by the FA’s decision not to light up the Wembley Stadium arch following last weekend’s horrific terrorist attacks in Israel, and have made my views clear to the FA”. “It is especially disappointing in light of the FA’s bold stance on other terrorist attacks in the recent past. Words and actions matter. The Government is clear: we stand with Israel”.
The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance Troika, to which CFI Parliamentary Chairman (Lords) Rt. Hon. The Lord Pickles is the head of the UK delegation, has also released a statement condemning the terror attacks. It asserted that “IHRA stands united and in solidarity with Israel, one of our Member Countries. We condemn Hamas’s murder of civilians”. It also said: “We hope for the swift recovery of the wounded, the bodies of the dead, and the release of hostages”.
CFI Vice Chair John Howell OBE MP, speaking at the Council of Europe, reflected on experiencing rocket attacks during a visit to Jerusalem and said “Hamas are not the friends of the Palestinian people”. Citing remarks from the late Lord Sacks, the former Chief Rabbi, John said that in the Hebrew language there are two words for ‘strength’: “The first can be found in the strength that you need to win wars, but the second can be found in the courage you need to win peace. Both kinds of strength need to be shown. It cannot be shown by one side only. It needs to be shown by both sides”.
Yesterday, CFI’s Honorary President Lord Polak CBE and CFI Deputy Chairman Jeremy Brier KC together with Lord Wolfson KC, Lord Pannick KC and Lord Grabiner KC wrote to Ofcom and its Chair Lord Grade concerning BBC coverage of Hamas terrorism. They argued that the “BBC has fallen way below the standards expressed in its editorial values”. “In trying to be impartial, the BBC has become partial”, they reasoned. On LBC this evening, Jeremy Brier KC said that “Hamas is a terrorist group just like ISIS and commit atrocities just like ISIS”. “The language we use to describe them is incredibly important because when people are beheading babies… when they are raping innocent teenagers at a peace festival; to describe them as anything other than terrorists is unbelievably crass and offensive, and inaccurate”.
At the time of writing, over 1,300 Israeli citizens have been confirmed killed and over 3,500 injured by terror group Hamas since Saturday morning.
The barbarity of Hamas’ massacre keeps unfolding, with pictures of victims of all ages surfacing online.
Israel has so far notified 97 families of people taken hostage by Hamas. The number of hostages taken from Israel is yet to be confirmed although it has been reported that there are more than 100-150 abducted.
Over 5,000 rockets have been launched from Hamas into southern and central Israel since Saturday. Home Front Command chief Maj. Gen. Rafi Milo has said the rocket fire rate has slowed the past couple of days compared to the beginning of Hamas’ attack. “Hamas is managing the fire in a way that is meant for weeks [of fighting], and they dropped to a rate of fire of around 200-400 rockets per day, to allow themselves a very long fight”, he declared.
This evening the new Israeli unity government was sworn in at the Knesset. In Prime Minister Netanyahu’s address, he said that “the pain is so great that sometimes it seems that it is too heavy to bear and the grief is also very heavy. It is felt in every home. To all of the families, we send a loving embrace and heartfelt support”.
“We will not slacken in the effort to bring [abductees] back home. At the same time, we are united in the same great determination against the abhorrent and murderous enemy”.
“MKs, citizens of Israel, our people is among the world’s oldest. During the thousands of years of our existence we have met countless challenges. We have known suffering. We have known pain more than any other people but we never surrendered. Strength of will and endurance are synonyms for the Jewish people. We will also meet this current test, even though it is almost too difficult to bear. The Shabbat of the 7th of October will be etched as a cursed and dark day in the annals of nations. For us, the Jewish people, it is the most harrowing day since the Holocaust”.
A report has surfaced that Israeli intelligence on Friday night before the Hamas attack picked up signs of irregular activity among Hamas operatives in Gaza but did not put military forces on the border on high alert.
The Hamas-run health ministry says over 1,203 killed and 5,769 wounded in the Gaza strip. It remains unknown how many are Hamas terrorists or civilians. Israel has also killed over 1,000 Hamas terrorists inside its borders.
In his first statement since the war started, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said that “the IDF is fighting merciless terrorists who have committed unimaginable acts”. “Yahya Sinwar, the ruler of the Gaza Strip, decided on this horrible attack, and therefore he and the entire system under him are doomed. We will attack them, we will dismantle them, dismantle their system”, he added.
Today the IDF warned residents of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza strip to vacate their home. The leaflets scattered in the northern Gaza Strip read: “To the residents of Beit Lahia, the actions of the terrorist organisation Hamas pushed the IDF forces to act against the terrorist organisation Hamas in the areas where you live. For your safety, you must evacuate your homes immediately. The IDF is not interested in harming you or your family members. Anyone who is near Hamas terrorists or terrorist facilities will put their lives in danger”.
Gaza’s power station ran out of energy yesterday after Israel cut power and water supplies to the strip amid a tight blockade. Israeli Energy Minister Yisrael Katz said that “no electric switch will be turned on, no water rap will be opened, and no fuel truck will enter until the kidnapped Israelis return to their homes”.
There has been a call for aid to be delivered from Egypt to Gaza. Jordan today airlifted humanitarian aid to Sinai, Egypt to be transferred into Gaza. The U.S. has also requested a humanitarian corridor from Gaza through Egypt which Egypt has refused.
Hamas has called for an international day of rage tomorrow. The Jordanian Ministry of Interior put out a statement to its citizens strictly prohibiting gathering and demonstrating in the area of the Jordan Valley and the border with Israel.
Also, in the region, an Iranian passenger plane carrying Iran’s Foreign Minister was forced to turn around when awaiting to land in Syria due to IAF moving to surround the aircraft. Iran’s Foreign Minister later commented that “I will start with a regional tour from Iraq through Syria and then I will arrive in Lebanon to hold consultation meetings with officials”.
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
