Israel Update • October 18, 2023

October 18, 2023

Dear Marketing,

We would like to share the important updates below regarding our community locally and in Israel.

LOCAL UPDATES

Jewish Federations of North America have raised an astonishing $388 million to support Israel in her hour of need, surpassing two thirds of the $500 million campaign announced last week [↗]. Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas (JFGD) is doing its part, and our community has raised over $2.3M. Please help us provide critical funds to Israel and her people by donating here [↗].

Support Israel Now ↗

JFGD is collaborating with the ADL, AJC and Hillels on the University of Texas, Dallas (UTD), and Southern Methodist University (SMU) as separate incidents are causing Jewish students concern and distress - read more here [↗].

Texas Holocaust, Genocide, and Antisemitism Advisory Commissioner Kenny Goldberg, was interviewed last night on local radio where he shared the Federation's message to support Israel and how viewers can help [↗].

Show your public support for Israel and the JFNA national campaign to bring the hostages home safely by wearing a Blue Ribbon or by showing a blue ribbon in your front yard! #BlueRibbonsforIsrael [↗]

JFGD President and CEO Igor Alterman, JFGD Board Member Bobby Gibbs, and Commissioner Kenny Goldberg visited Washington DC joined leadership from dozens of Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) and other Jewish organizations from across the US. Numerous elected and appointed officials shared expressions of support [↗] for Israel and the Jewish community.

Texas flags continue to fly at half-mast [↗] after Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s order last week to honor the lives lost in Israel.

Support Jewish employees at all professional levels by sharing this helpful guide [↗] specifically designed for employers.

For those in Israel looking for help, critical information about the situation on the ground, or other assistance, see this resource page put together by Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA). See also this JFNA information page on requests for personal protective equipment which are circulating and this update regarding volunteering. For full details about the home front and military operations, see this update.

ISRAEL SITUATION UPDATE: Day 12

On day 12 of Israel’s War with Hamas, US President Joe Biden has landed in Israel in a highly significant show of solidarity and support. This is the first ever visit of a sitting US President to the Jewish state during wartime.
Despite Hamas claims of 500 Palestinians killed by an Israeli airstrike on a Gazan hospital, the IDF has presented conclusive evidence that the damage was from a Palestinian Islamic Jihad misfired rocket, and that the hospital itself was not hit. The governments of the US and the UK, among others, have agreed with Israel’s claims.
Israel has established a humanitarian zone in southern Gaza where international aid will be provided for fleeing Palestinians.
Jewish Federations of North America placed a full-page ad in the Jerusalem Post to welcome President Joe Biden to Israel on his mission of solidarity, thanking him profoundly for “his deep and sincere support of Israel during this dark hour.”

GAZA HOSPITAL STRIKE

Last night, international media were reporting that an Israeli airstrike had hit the Al-Ahli Hospital, killing some 500 people. The IDF reiterated that it never targets civilians, and announced it was looking into the allegations but was puzzled because there had been no airstrikes in the area at the time.

Within a few hours, and after careful IDF examination of the issue, a clearer picture emerged, including conclusive proof that the damage was caused by a misfired Palestinian Islamic Jihad rocket. Among the evidence presented by the IDF was the following:

The IDF did not carry out any strikes in the area at the time.
US President Joe Biden told Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, “I am deeply saddened and outraged by the explosion at the hospital in Gaza yesterday. And based on what I’ve seen, it appears it was done by the other team, and not you.”
British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly criticized those in the media who blamed Israel for the Gaza hospital blast, tweeting that “too many jumped to conclusions around the tragic loss of life at Al Ahli hospital. Getting this wrong would put even more lives at risk. Wait for the facts, report them clearly and accurately. Cool heads must prevail.”
Airstrikes leave a distinctive crater where they hit, and no such crater can be found anywhere near the hospital.
Images show that a large fire was caused in the area as a result of the blast (as would be expected from rocket fire), but there is no crater.
There are clear photos of terrorists launching rockets in a cemetery behind the hospital.
It is very common for rockets fired at Israel from Gaza to fall short of their targets and land inside the Strip. Some 450 such “failures” (see here) have been recorded since the start of fighting 11 days ago; and also see here.
Photos clearly show that the misfired rocket landed and caused extensive damage to the hospital’s parking lot as a result of the impact as well as the large amount of rocket fuel that was still in the projectile as it fell short. The rocket did not hit the hospital itself.
IDF radar detected outgoing rocket fire at the same moment the blast at the hospital occurred.
Similarly, video footage shows the rocket fire near the hospital, followed by an explosion. (See here).
An intercepted call between two Hamas officials shortly after the attack explained that Hamas understood it was an Islamic Jihad rocket that had misfired, but apparently decided to take advantage of the situation and launch a global media campaign against Israel. Listen to a recording of the Arabic conversation here and see the translated transcript here.
See photo evidence here presented by the IDF, and see the full IDF briefing here.

THE HOME FRONT

The IDF reiterated earlier today that it believes there may still be some Hamas terrorists hiding out in the south of Israel, and urged caution to all those in the area. Meanwhile, it has been revealed that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ Palestinian Authority will pay some $3 million to the families of the Hamas terrorists involved in the October 7 massacres. See more here.

Funerals continue for many of the 1400 Israelis killed by Hamas:

Read about one of the victims, 23 year-old Tifferet Lapidot, here.
See this piece about Noa Ben Artzi who described the atrocities first hand, in Washington yesterday.
Here you can read an account by the husband of a woman who is being held hostage in Gaza.
Read here a first-hand retelling of the Hamas attack on Kibbutz Nir Oz.
The Israeli high-tech entrepreneur Eyal Waldman, founder and CEO of Mellanox Technologies, is also a well-known civil society leader. Five years ago, Waldman surprised the technology industry by creating an R&D center in the West Bank, and then two years ago another in the Gaza Strip itself, employing hundreds of Palestinian developers. At the time, he said, “Today we have 25 employees in Gaza. There are talented and smart people out there, economically it pays off. We have good staff… with high motivation, availability and opportunities. And I think it's very important for the two nations to come together. People used to be afraid of each other and didn't talk. But a positive thing is created when people begin to work together and see how tensions decrease and cooperation works. This is good for all sides.” Tragically, on October 7, Hamas murdered Waldman’s daughter Danielle near Kibbutz Reim, less than a mile from where her father opened a Gaza success story.
See new stories of civilian heroes that have emerged from October 7, here.
See here for a list of the names of those murdered that have been released so far, and here for a site in Hebrew with the names and photos of fallen soldiers.

For the fifth straight night, there was no rocket fire from Gaza, but attacks resumed this morning, about thirty minutes before President Biden landed at Ben Gurion Airport. Following last night’s false report that a hospital in Gaza had been hit by Israel, a particularly large barrage of rockets was fired against many cities in the center of the country, including many parts of Tel Aviv.

For infographics with the latest numbers from the conflict, see here.

There has been a gradual return to in-person schooling, with additional schools resuming in safer areas in Israel today. Areas around the Gaza Strip and also near the Lebanese border remain closed military zones, to which entry by civilians is prohibited. See map here.

In the North, Hezbollah continues to try to provoke Israel. Four Israeli soldiers were lightly hurt in an anti-tank guided missile attack from Lebanon early Wednesday morning, in what was the seventh such attack in 24 hours. According to Ofer Bavly, a former Israeli diplomat and now the representative of JUF- the Chicago Jewish Federation in Israel, a deeper Hezbollah involvement in the war would have far-reaching implications. Two US carrier groups are now in the eastern Mediterranean, which constitutes an unprecedented show of American firepower deployed off Israel’s coast. Bavly explains that once President Biden drew a line in the sand and warned third parties not to intervene, Hezbollah must understand that an intensified attack on Israel could lead to an American response which, if deployed, would likely be limited to an air attack, but would be very forceful. According to Bavly, it would then be up to Iran to decide how to react to an American attack on its proxy in Lebanon. See here for more on IDF warnings to Hezbollah about any further escalation.

ISRAELI RESPONSE

Israeli airstrikes against Hamas targets in Gaza continued overnight. Among those terrorists killed were Muhammad Awdallah, the head of the anti-tank guided missile array in Hamas’s Gaza City Brigade, and Akram Hijazi, a Hamas naval forces commander. See video image of the strikes here.

The IDF announced the creation of a humanitarian zone in southern Gaza where international aid will be provided, after days of negotiations with Egypt, the US and others to create a safe zone for fleeing Gazans. The IDF says Palestinians should head to the humanitarian zone which is located in the Al-Mawasi area, close to Khan Younis, where “international humanitarian aid will be provided as needed.” The military published a map of the zone (see here). See the announcement in English and in Arabic.

In a possibly cryptic message earlier today, an IDF spokesperson said that the military was ready to begin the next stage of its war on Hamas, but said that it may not necessarily be the ground invasion that everyone was expecting. See here for an analysis of why the ground campaign may not have begun yet. According to a multitude of reports, motivation among soldiers – both those in the standing army, and those reservists called up for emergency duty – is extremely high. See here for video of IDF forces preparing for battle.

INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE

US President Biden has landed in Israel in a highly significant show of solidarity and support. This is the first ever visit of a sitting US President to the Jewish state during wartime. In his remarks upon arrival, Biden said, “I wanted to be here today for a simple reason: I want the people of Israel and the people of the world to know where the United States stands…. I wanted to personally come and make that clear.” Biden stressed that Hamas “slaughtered” over 1,300 people, “and that’s not hyperbole, just slaughtered… including 31 Americans. They have taken scores of people hostage, including children. You said, Imagine what those children hiding from Hamas were thinking. It’s beyond my comprehension to imagine what they were thinking.” The President concluded with a message to Israelis saying “their courage, their commitment, their bravery is stunning. I’m proud to be here.” See video footage here.

Meanwhile, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was forced to lie down on the tarmac and cover his head as air raid sirens rang out at Ben Gurion Airport just as the leader of Europe’s largest country was boarding a flight to depart Israel. Chancellor Scholz’s entire delegation was forced to get off the plane when the sirens sounded, as per protocol. See video here.

OUR EFFORTS ON THE GROUND

Israelis of all stripes have come together to support soldiers and bolster morale in the country, many sharing inspiring tales.

See here the story of a soldier on the front, watching the birth of his child via livestream.

At least 1,000 yeshiva students have responded to calls from ultra-Orthodox rabbis to enlist. Rabbi Raphael Kroizer, head of the Lemaan Daat Beit Midrash, has publicly called for thousands of yeshiva students to join the military, saying “Our people are in danger… It is incumbent upon us to be there in practice, with true devotion, and to put our lives on the line.”

Israel’s President Isaac Herzog has issued a message of solidarity and thanks to the Jewish communities around the world, which you can read here.

The World Zionist Organization (WZO) has launched a campaign whereby non-Israelis who own homes in Israel can allow those properties to be used by victims who have lost their residences, as well as families evacuated from the south. The WZO will take responsibility to ensure that the properties are returned to their owners in the condition in which they were given. See details here.

The Jewish Agency for Israel

In hospitals nationwide, ITC trained resilience professionals are working around the clock to provide emotional first aid, support, and self-care to their colleagues.

The Bedouin community, especially the tens of thousands of people living in “unrecognized” or unofficial villages, with no system of emergency alerts or shelters, are particularly vulnerable during this war. In one unrecognized village, a family was directly hit by a Hamas rocket and all four members of the family were killed instantly. The number of Bedouins killed during the war stands at 20, of which at least five were from the town of Rahat. ITC and the Bedouin Resilience Center are working to train therapists and teachers in psychosocial care and support working in schools and providing on-line and telephone support. Guidelines in Arabic, culturally adapted for the Bedouin community, have been distributed to all the communities.

Across the board, there is a desperate need to provide targeted training, support, and self-care tools to trauma teams from specific population groups. For example, Ukrainian therapists who made Aliyah within the last 5 years are being trained by ITC to provide psychosocial services to Ukrainian and Russian speakers in Israel.

WORLD ORT

Amos Gofer, CEO of World ORT’s Kfar Silver Youth Village – just a few miles from the Gaza border – recently told his story to audiences on Zoom, of what transpired on October 7.

Thanks to the heroic actions of two bus drivers who were prepared to travel to the village despite the rocket attacks, it was possible to evacuate more than 60 students to safer areas in the north of the country. Thankfully, the vast majority of Kfar Silver’s 1,000-plus students were already off-site for the festival of Simchat Torah.

After the evacuation, only a small number of staff members now remain, ensuring that animals on the village’s farm are looked after and that the security of the village is not compromised.

Although thankfully the students and teachers are now in safer areas, tragically many of them have lost family members and friends in the attacks. It is thought that more than 30 people with ORT links have been killed or kidnapped by terrorists. Of those, a number of Kfar Silver graduates have been killed serving in the IDF.

Jewish Federations of North America

Already, Jewish Federations have allocated $10 million to 20 organizations providing emergency relief and support in Israel, including the Jewish Agency for Israel, JDC, World ORT, Israel Trauma Coalition, United Hatzalah, Magen David Adom, ZAKA, Barzilai Medical Center, and the Soroka Medical Center. These funds are being put to a slew of immediate and urgent needs, such as medical care, emergency services, evacuation, transport, housing, supporting victims of terror, trauma relief and psychological support, as well as preparing for medium- and long-term needs. The announcement follows a gathering of major philanthropists and community leaders in Washington, DC, who also participated in the "Unity in Crisis" event Federations co-hosted alongside the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, AIPAC, AJC, the ADL, among others. See more here.

Jewish Federations of North America placed a full-page ad in the Jerusalem Post to welcome President Joe Biden to Israel on his mission of solidarity, thanking him profoundly for “his deep and sincere support of Israel during this dark hour.”

As many funders struggle to distinguish between the multitudes of organizations looking for important resources, the Jewish Funders Network has produced this important page of guidance.

The Community Mobilization Center is monitoring major developments in Israel and North America related to Israel’s war to defend herself against Hamas, and will rapidly disseminate resources to help mobilize and support our local communities as they work to build and sustain civic and political support for Israel in this conflict. Read the latest communication from the Community Mobilization Center here.

Our Israel Office, having activated emergency protocols, is working closely with our partners on the ground, and is close contact with the Government of Israel and the IDF. We will continue to update as the situation develops.