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 and Gaza.
What to Watch and Read Today
- FOLLOW: CFI Instagram and Twitter
- READ: Hamas used toxic substance on Oct. 7
- READ: IDF begins pumping seawater into Hamas tunnels in Gaza
- READ: Ten soldiers killed in Gaza in fighting and deadly ambush
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak: “Hamas must stop launching rockets into Israel and release all the hostages”
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said today that “Hamas must stop launching rockets into Israel and release all the hostages”.
“We continue to do everything we can to ensure that all hostages can return safely to their families, including the British hostages and those with links to the UK”, the Prime Minister said. He added that, “the Foreign Secretary and I are working tirelessly” to bring about the “safe return” of those in Hamas captivity.
“The reports of sexual violence perpetrated by Hamas are deeply shocking”, Sunak stated.
In the Commons today, Women and Equalities Minister Kemi Badenoch said that it is “crucial” for the international community to recognise Hamas’ “atrocities” and “barbarism”. She stated that the she “unequivocally” condemns Hamas use of sexual violence, calling reports of the abuse “extremely distressing”.
“We will make sure that we co-ordinate across Government for a dedicated response on this issue”, she added, committing to engage with partners “including the UN” on the issue – having already “raised the reports of sexual violence attacks on 7 October with UN Women and with the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict”. The Women and Equalities Minister pledged to continue to “impress upon international organisations that the whole world needs to respond to this”.
CFI Parliamentary Vice Chair Rt. Hon. Theresa Villiers MP called the reports of Hamas’ sexual violence committed against Israelis “appalling” and raised “the risk that hostages could have that treatment inflicted on them as well”. She asked if the Prime Minister will raise the issue on the world stage, “so that the international community demands, strongly, humanitarian access to hostages in Gaza”.
Parliamentary Officer Bob Blackman CBE MP said that “hostages who have been released have reported Hamas atrocities, such as being subjected to physical and sexual violence in captivity”, and have been “drugged to make them look happy on videos”, urging the Government to demand that the Red Cross “has access to every single one of the hostages immediately”.
CFI Parliamentary Chair (Lords) Rt. Hon. The Lord Pickles: Gazan aid “hijacked at gunpoint by Hamas”
CFI Parliamentary Chair (Lords) Rt. Hon. The Lord Pickles, said he was “shocked” to watch videos of “aid going into Gaza being hijacked at gunpoint by Hamas”. He condemned Hamas’ “callous disregard for the interests of Palestinians” and called them “bloodstained, child-murdering rapists”.
Rt. Hon. Lord Robathan said that “should Hamas release all the hostages and lay down its weapons”, and should their leaders “flee”, then a “long-term political future for the Palestinians and the Israelis” may be feasible.
Hamas attack example of “barbarism, brutality and inhumanity” – Minister for Trade Policy
Yesterday, in the Labour-led debate on UK arms exports to Israel, Minister for Trade Policy Greg Hands said that it would be a “great injustice to the 1,200 victims of the Hamas terrorist attack on 7 October” to forget how the Israel-Hamas war started. “Barbarism, brutality and inhumanity” are “apt descriptors of Hamas’s wicked acts”, he said.
“Terrorism of this magnitude must be defeated”, he stated. “It is correct that the UK’s defence businesses have a trading relationship with Israel”, the Minister added. “Just 0.02% of Israel’s military imports” derive from the UK. When asked to restate his commitment to Israel, Hands replied that “I do”.
Brendan Clarke-Smith MP said that Hamas’ massacres have “shown the world the true brutal face” of the terror group, and that calls for an arms embargo “against our democratic ally” are “deeply wrong” in the “absence of clear calls for Hamas—the instigator and belligerent in this situation—to surrender unconditionally”.
Clarke-Smith stated that “the UK has long benefited from the Israeli military’s technology”, which “every day” protects “the lives of many British soldiers”. He evidenced “Israeli-made battlefield medical technology, techniques for dealing with suicide bombers, and technology to counter remotely detonated terrorist bombs”, “Israeli drone technology such as the Watchkeeper WK45” in Afghanistan and “the Sky Sabre missile defence system” over the Falklands as assets in regular use by the British Army.
“An arms embargo would jeopardise that invaluable co-operation”, he summated, and raised the UK’s “most robust licence controls” and “relatively small” defence exports to Israel – “just £42 million last year” which are “not used by Israeli forces in Gaza”. An arms embargo on Israel “is harmful and divisive, and must be given no truck”, he concluded, calling on the Minister to restate that commitment.
Hamas used toxic gas to kill Israelis on Oct. 7th
Hamas used toxic gas to kill IDF troops stationed at Nahal Oz on October 7th, according to new reports by Israeli media.
Toxic and flammable gas, causing suffocation and loss of consciousness within minutes, was thrown through the entrance of the surveillance soldiers command centre in the Israeli southern border town. 22 people, including civilians, were taking shelter in the building at the time.
“They set fire to materials that ignited and spread, which contained toxic gases that could cause suffocation in a few minutes or even less than that”, said an officer who was quoted in reports.
Soldiers attempted to put out the flames and plug gaps under doors with damp paper towels, to little effect. Only seven soldiers escaped the fire through a small window in the bathroom, which was smashed open.
15 IDF surveillance soldiers were killed and six more were taken hostage from Nahal Oz on October 7th.
Israel begins pumping seawater into Hamas tunnels
The IDF has begun pumping seawater into Hamas’ tunnels, after seven pumps were installed by the military, according to U.S. officials. Five large pumps, capable of pumping thousands of cubic meters of seawater, were initially fitted north of al-Shati last month.
Israel is understood to be testing whether the tactic will work – it is planned to disable hundreds of miles of Hamas tunnels in Gaza and force its fighters into the open. The tactic is “a good idea, but I won’t comment on its specifics”, according to IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi.
The Egyptian military flooded smuggling tunnels under the Gaza Strip’s southern border in 2015.
Hamas fire at IDF from school
IDF personnel have reported that Hamas operatives opened fire against them in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. The troops also reportedly found Hamas’ underground infrastructure in the vicinity of the school, along with observation posts – which were all destroyed by IAF strikes.
“The troops engaged, waged a battle against the terrorists, and eliminated them”, the IDF stated.
RPGs were launched from the school, together with light arms fire. The troops raided the school complex after the onset of the attack, resulting in several Hamas terrorists being killed by the IDF.
Hamas fired 116 rockets from the humanitarian zone
Hamas fired 116 rockets from the humanitarian zone since its opening on October 18, according to the IDF. 38 of those rockets fell inside Gaza, the others fired toward Israel.
Pro-Hamas vandals graffiti Tomb of Joshua in West Bank
Pro-Hamas vandals have reportedly desecrated the Jewish Holy Site of the Tomb of Joshua, located near the Palestinian village of Kifl Haris.
The tomb was graffitied with antisemitic slogans, scrawling declaring support for the October 7th massacre and the names of several terrorists responsible for murders during the massacre.
The Iran-backed terror group Hamas has been active in the West Bank and has conducted terror attacks following the barbaric events of October 7th.
New polls show West Bank support for Hamas
New polling has revealed that 82% of people in the West Bank supported Hamas’ 7th October attack, according to the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PCPSR).
Houthis continue attack on ships in the Red Sea
The Iran-backed Houthi terror group fired two missiles at the Marshall Islands-flagged Ardmore Encounter, which was carrying Shell MRPL Aviation Fuels & Services jet fuel from Mangalore, India to either Rotterdam or Gavle, in Europe. An American warship shot down a drone during the assault.
“The vessel remains fully operational with no loss of cargo or damage on board”, stated the Ardmore Shipping Corp.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations, which provides maritime warnings across the region, reported an incident in the same area of the Ardmore Encounter, and off the coast of Oman in the Arabian Sea.
The British maritime security company Ambrey said that a speedboat with armed men aboard approached two vessels, a Marshall Islands-flagged chemical tanker and Malta-flagged bulk carrier, reporting an “exchange of fire” with the former – 55 nautical miles off Hodeidah.
Yesterday, Israel deployed a Sa’ar 6-class corvette navy ship to the Red Sea area.
On Monday night, a Houthi missile was fired and hit a Norwegian-flagged tanker in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen.
“Diplomatic solution” to Hezbollah advances
A “diplomatic solution” is close to being reached by Israel, the UK and France, in order to move the Iran-backed terror organisation Hezbollah away from Israel’s northern border, according to reports.
Discussions centred around moving Hezbollah terrorists north of the Litani River, in accordance with international law, and to strengthen the United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon which have so far failed to curb terror activity in south Lebanon.
Islamic Resistance targets U.S. forces
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a coalition of Iran-backed terror groups, has attacked the Ain al-Asad base in western Iraq and a base in the Al-Shaddadi region of northeast Syria via drone and rocket strikes on Monday.
U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said that the terror groups Kataeb Hezbollah and Harakat al-Nujaba, both backed by Iran, were behind a majority of attacks on coalition forces in the region.
U.S. forces have come under repeat attack in recent weeks as it leads an international coalition. There are currently 2,500 U.S. troops in Iraq and 900 in Syria as part of the effort to prevent a resurgence of ISIS. From October 17th, 92 attacks have been recorded by the U.S. across Iraq and Syria.
The Iran-backed Kataeb Hezbollah issued a statement over the weekend, calling the stream of attacks on U.S. assets the “new rules of engagement”, which will continue until every U.S. soldier leaves Iraq.
“The United States reserves the right to act in self-defence against those launching any attack against U.S. personnel”, said the Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani on Friday.
10 IDF soldiers and two senior officers killed in Hamas ambush
10 IDF soldiers, including two senior commanders and multiple officers, were killed on Wednesday in heavy fighting, according to the IDF.
Col. Itzhak Ben Basat, 44, Lt. Col. Tomer Grinberg, 35, Maj. Roei Meldasi, 23, Maj. Moshe Avram Bar On, 23, Cpt. Liel Hayo, 22, Sgt. Achia Daskal, 19, Sgt. Eran Aloni, 19, Maj. Ben Shelly, 26, Sgt. First Class Rom Hecht, 20, and Oriya Yaakov, 19, have been named as those killed.
Nine were killed in a deadly ambush in Shejaiya, northern Gaza. The attack represents one of the most lethal since the IDF began its operation in the enclave.
Another was killed in a separate incident, whilst three others are seriously wounded.
Bodies of Eden Zechariah and IDF Warrant Officer Ziv Dado returned to Israel from Hamas captivity
Israel has recovered the bodies of two Israeli hostages taken by Hamas on October 7th. The bodies of Eden Zechariah and IDF Warrant Officer Ziv Dado underwent an identification procedure by the Institute of Forensic Medicine and Israel Police, medical officials and military rabbis.
“Hamas is holding our people hostage in brutal conditions”, said IDF Spokesperson R.Adm. Daniel Hagari on Tuesday. He also stated that “our hostage rescue mission will continue for as long as necessary until all our hostages are home”.
Master-Sgt. (res.) Gal Meir Eisenkot and Master-Sgt. (res.) Eyal Meir Berkovich were killed during the operation to retrieve the bodies.
“The Red Cross must urgently gain access to our hostages. (…) The taking of hostages is a crime against humanity. Hamas is blocking the Red Cross from visiting the hostages. Hamas is a barbaric terror group. Those who claim to value human life must speak out in every forum, even today, until every hostage is home”, IDF Spokesperson R.Adm. Daniel Hagari added.
