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Photo:
Palestinians celebrate as Israeli tank burns... Oct 7, 2023. Published by IMEMC News

Israeli jet fighters destroyed a Palestine high-rise in western Gaza City with several missiles. The building has approximately 100 residential apartments. Published by IMEMC News

Col. Yonatan Steinberg's funeral yesterday. Credit: Naama Grynbaum Published by Haaretz
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by IMEMC News
Oct 8, 2023

Hamas, the ruling party in Gaza, has launched a major, multi-pronged, surprise attack on Israel – 200 Israelis dead, 900 injured; Israeli forces are now bombing Gaza – 232 Palestinians dead, 1600 injured… Here is a rundown of this unfolding story.
by Kathryn Shihadah

THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY. CHECK BACK FOR UPDATES.

After decades of Israeli occupation and human rights abuses, and after a 20-month-long mass nonviolent effort, Palestinians in Gaza launched a surprise operation against Israel on early Saturday morning. Its scale is unprecedented, involving aerial, sea and ground operations. Israel immediately began bombing Gaza and has turned off electricity to the enclave, leaving most of its two million inhabitants in the dark and hospitals dangerously impacted. There are now 200 Israelis dead, 9000 injured, and an unknown number captured; and 232 Palestinians dead and 1,600 injured.

Israeli forces, partly funded by the $13 million dollars per day that U.S. politicians have voted for them, are one of the world’s most powerful militaries, their weaponry vastly dwarfing Palestinians’. Today’s Palestinian land incursions largely consisted of individuals riding motorcycles and pickup trucks.

Hamas spokesperson Khaled Qadomi told Al Jazeera that the group’s military operation is in “response to all the atrocities the Palestinians have faced over the decades,” and the Hamas deputy chief said the group is engaged “in a battle for freedom.” Hamas military chief Muhammad Deif explained: “We have decided to put an end to all of the occupation’s crimes”; senior Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh indicated that recent provocations at the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem were a major reason for the surprise attack.

Other Israeli provocations include increased violence against Palestinians by illegal Israeli settlers, Israel’s treatment of Palestinian prisoners, and a spike in killings of Palestinians by the Israeli military. The UN has said 2023 is the deadliest year for Palestinians since it started counting fatalities in 2006.

In October alone, Israeli soldiers killed 4 Palestinians (including youth), attacked a Palestinian funeral procession, abducted at least 75 (10 of them children), and shot or otherwise injured at least 100.

Hamas actions have so far included: launching thousands of rockets toward Israel (for background on rockets see this), infiltrating Israel by land, sea, and air, and taking prisoners of war which it hopes to exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Groups broke down the barrier wall that imprisons Gaza and entered several Israeli communities near the border. Fighters have also captured a number of Israeli military vehicles, in addition to the hostages.

After being surprised by the scope of the Palestinian offensive, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced, “Citizens of Israel, we are at war [and will] fight back on a scale and intensity that the enemy has so far not experienced. The enemy will pay an unprecedented price.”

According to Israeli Police Commissioner Yaakov Shabtai, the Israeli military is engaged in “a complex attack in the area around Gaza,” that at the time included 21 active fronts.

In Gaza, Israeli warplanes reportedly destroyed a 5-story residential building, hit a hospital, and targeted an ambulance.

Some media outlets refer to the Palestinian resistance fighters as “terrorists” – but under international law, armed resistance is the right of occupied people.

Critical context
Israel has held the 2 million Palestinians of Gaza under siege since 2007, blocking access to medical supplies, medicine, food, and many other staples. The people of Gaza staged a 20-month nonviolent protest against Israel from March 2018 till the beginning of the Covid pandemic in December 2020 – and were met with Israeli snipers and airstrikes that killed hundreds (NOTE: read about this protest, called the Great March of Return, here).

Mainstream media that describe Israel and Hamas as having fought “multiple wars” since the siege began, fail to contextualize the statement. Over 700,000 Palestinians were ethnically cleansed from their homes and villages in 1948; many of them and their descendants live in refugee camps in Palestine and scattered throughout the Arab world, awaiting their internationally guaranteed right of return. Millions have been under occupation since 1967; human rights organizations like Amnesty International consider Palestinians in the entire region to be living under apartheid rule.

US President Joe Biden has expressed solidarity with Israel and “fully supports Israel’s right to defend itself.

Separately, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who has as history of helping Israel, declared that the US “unequivocally condemns the appalling attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israel, including civilians and civilian communities.”

THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY. CHECK BACK FOR UPDATES.
For a complete list of Palestinians and Israelis killed since 2000, please visit Israel-Palestine Timeline (This is not yet updated with today’s deaths)
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Israel's Dead: Civilians, Soldiers, Emergency Services Personnel Killed in War With Hamas

At least 600 Israeli citizens, soldiers, police officers and firefighters were killed during Hamas' surprise attack on southern Israel. This list will be continually updated

Haaretz
Oct 8, 2023
Updated: Oct 9, 20238:45 am IDT

At least 600 Israelis have been killed since Saturday morning's surprise attack by Hamas, with over 2,000 wounded and dozens of civilians and soldiers being held hostage in Gaza.

Civilians
Hannah Ben-Artzi, a 69-year-old mother of three from Kfar Aviv, was killed by a rocket while trying to open a public shelter for residents who didn't have access to shelters in their homes.

10 Bedouin Israelis, including six children:

Osama Abu Madiyam, 28, from Rahat

Yazan Zakaria Abu-Jama, 5, from Arara

Fatima Altilakat, 35, from Arara

Jawad Ibrahim Alkra'an, 14, from Al-Ba'at

Malek Ibrahim Alkra'an, 15, from Al-Ba'at

Amin Akal Alkra’an, 11, from Al-Ba'at

Mahmoud Diab Alkra’an, 12, from Al-Ba'at

Faiza Abu Sabaakh, 57, from Al-Ba'at

May Zuheir Abu Sabaakh, 13, from Al-Ba'at

Dalia Abu-Madyam, 30, from Rahat

Amit and Yigal Vaks, from Netiv HaAsara

Oren Stern, from Netiv HaAsara

Shlomi and Ayelet Molcho, from Netiv HaAsara

Havik Segal, from Netiv HaAsara

Gil Ta'asa, from Netiv HaAsara

Adi Baharav, from Netiv HaAsara

Tal Keren, from Netiv HaAsara

Ruti, Aryeh and Or Akuni, from Netiv HaAsara

Nurit Berger, from Netiv HaAsara

Mariana Almagor, from Netiv HaAsara

Dani Woveck, from Netiv HaAsara

Ofir Libstein, head of the Sha'ar Hanegev regional council

Marcel Talia, a resident of Kiryat Arba

Lior Asulin, 43, from central Israel

Abed Alrahman Atef Alziadna, 29, from southern Israel

Sivan Elkabetz, From Kfar Azza

Liz Elharar, Holit

Meir Elharar, Holit

Haim Katzman, Holit

Shahar Matthias, Holit

Shlomi Matthias, Holit

Roland Sultan, Holit

Ronit Sultan, Holit

Lily Keizman, Holit

Moshe Ridler, Holit

Petro Bosco, Holit

Tehila Katabi, Holit

Dvir Karp, Re'im

Amit Gabai, Re'im

Yuval Gabai, Re'im

Assaf Feber, Re'im

Shlomi Mattias, Holit

Shachar Mattias, Holit

Meir Elharar, Holit

Liz Elhara, Holit

Lily Keisman, Holit

Rolan Sultan, Holit

Ronit Sultan, Holit

Moshe Ridler, Holit

Petro Bosco, Holit

Tehila Katabi, Holit

Haim Katzman, Holit

Tom Godo, , Kissufim

Gina Smiatich, Kissufim

Ofer Ron, Kissufim

Menucha Hulati, Kissufim

Saar Margolis, Kissufim

Eti Zak, Kissufim

Itay Zak, Kissufim

Sagi Zak, Kissufim

Ofek Arazi, Nir Yitzhak

Yaron Shahar, Nir Yitzhak

Ido Hubera, Sufa

Bernard Cohen, Sufa

Ofir Raz, Sufa

Shlomit Reuven Shishportish, Sufa

Avid Cohen, Sufa

Amichai Wiezen, Kerem Shalom

Yedidya Raziel, Kerem Shalom

Dan Assulin, Mivtachim

Hen Ben-Avi, Mivtachim

Dor Nahum, Mivtachim

Tal Maman, Mivtachim

Gil Avital, Yesha

Lior Ben Yaakov, Yesha

Itay Nahmias, Yesha

Yehuda Kader, Ein Habesor

Avi Fleisher, Magen

Dudi Turgeman, Sde Nitzan

Avi Tzidon, Yevul

Rescue Services
Senior Firefighter Yevgeny Galeski, 34

Battalion Chief Shalom Tzaban, 60

Sergeant Major firefighter Yehuda Marziano, 50

Magen David Adom emergency services
Aharon Haimov, 25

Israel Defense Forces
Sgt. Rotem Dushi, 20, from Shimshit

Col. Yonatan Steinberg, 42, the commander of the Nahal Brigade

Captain Adir Abudi, 23

Captain Yotam Ben-Basat, 24

Staff Sgt. Ofir Tzioni, 21

2nd Lt. Adar Ben-Simon, 20

Sgt. Or Esto, 21

Lt. Col. Sahar Machalof, 36

Sgt. Afik Rozental, 20

2nd Lt. Yanai Kaminka, 20

1st Lt. Or Mozes, 22

Staff Sgt. Omri Niv Fierstein, 20

Cpl. Dvir Lisha, 21

Sgt. Eden Alon-Levy, 19

Staff Sgt. Yuval Ben-Yaakov, 21

Cpl. Guy Bazak, 19

Private Neriya Aharon Negri, 18

Private Naama Boni, 19

1st Lt. Yiftach Yabetz, 23

Staff Sgt. Ido Harush

2nd Lt. Yoav Meliev, 19

Cpl. Nethanel Young, 20

Maj. Chen Buchris, 26

Captain Or Yosef Ran, 29

Cpl. Adi Gruman, 19

Sgt. 1st Class Amir Fisher, 22

Captain (res.) Ido Edri, 24

Col. Roey Yosef Levy, 44

Lt. Col. Yonatan Tzur, 33

Major Avraham Hobelashvili, 26

Sgt. Itai-el Marciano, 20

Pvt. Ofir Davidyan, 18

Capt. Tal Grushka, 25

Capt. Shlomo Ziring, 27

Staff Sgt. Ilay Gamzo, 20

Staff Sgt. Ohad Cohen, 20

Cpl. Itamar Ayish, 19

Maj. Ido Yehoshua, 27

Cpl. Ori Locker, 19

Maj. (res.) Omri Michaeli, 35

Sgt. 1st Class Vitaly Skipkavich, 21

1st. Lt. Shoham Tomer, 23

1st. Lt. Itai Maor, 23

1st. Lt. Rom Shlomi, 23

Cpl. Yaron Zohar, 19

Lt. Col. Eli Ginsburg, 42

Staff Sgt. Naveh Eliazar Lax, 21

Staff Sgt. Tashgar Taka, 21

2nd Lt. Yonatan Gutin, 19

2nd Lt. Nitai Omer, 22

Cpl. Amit Tzur, 19

Staff Sgt. Yosef Itamar Bruchim, 20

Cap. Roey Negri, 28

Maj. Peleg Salem, 30

Sgt. Yaron Uri-Shai, 21

Sgt. Ben Rubinstein, 20

1st. Lt. Itai Cohen, 22

Cpl. Ilar Bar-Sadeh, 19

Staff Sgt. Orel Moshe, 21

Pvt. Lior Levy, 19

Israel Police

Chief Superintendent Ge-ar Davidov, commander of the Rahat Police Station

Chief Superintendent Itzhak Bazuka-Shvili, commander of the Segev Shalom Police Station

Chief Warrant Officer Denis Belenky, 47

Superintendent Vadim Blich

Superintendent Martin Kozmichekis

Chief Inspector Shlomo Moshe El

Chief Inspector Nissim Lugassi

Chief Inspector Amin Ohanadov

Chief Inspector Avraham Henkin

Chief Warrant Officer Denis Belenky, 47

Superintendent Vadim Blich

Superintendent Martin Kozmichekis

Chief Inspector Shlomo Moshe El

Chief Inspector Nissim Lugassi

Chief Inspector Amin Ohanadov

Chief Inspector Stas Sheinkman

Inspector Andrei Poshivi

Inspector Alexei Shamkov

Command Sergeant Major Officer Meir Abragil

Senior Staff Sergeant Major Denis Belkin

Senior Starr Sergeant Major Roman Gendel

Advanced Staff Sergeant Major Dvora Avraham

Sergeant Major Chen Nahmias

Sergeant Major Roman Gendel

Sergeant Major Yehuda Kedar

Sergeant Major Roni Abuharon

Sergeant Major Adir Shlomo

Sergeant Major Yigal Iluz

First Sergeant Major Bar Sivan

First Sergeant Alon Barad

First Sergeant Alexei Borodovsky

First Sergeant Vitaly Karsi

First Sergeant Alec Pozniakov

First Sergeant Malik Karim

First Sergeant Yorai Eliyahu Cohen

Staff Sergeant Major Dror Elton

Master Sergeant Yakov Shlomo Karsninski

Master Sergeant Elior Yifrach

Sergeant First Class Avi Buzaglo

Sergeant First Class Michael Lizmi

Sergeant First Class Shai El Knafo

Staff Sergeant Eliona Astafniko

Cpl. Ravit Hana Assiyag

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