Operation Swords of Iron: Here is what happened on days 9-10

Sirens were heard in western Galilee on Sunday afternoon close to the Lebanon border in the towns of Nahariya, Rosh Hanikra, Hanita, Gesher HaZiv, Betzet, and Shlomi.

Hamas in Lebanon took responsibility for the rocket fire.

A spokesperson for the Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya announced they received eight people who had been wounded by the rocket fire.

A suspected terrorist infiltration was reported in Ofakim, southern Israel, on Sunday.

This is a developing story.

The families of the hostages who were taken captive in Gaza in Hamas’ October 7 terrorist attack on Israel have begged for updates on the whereabouts and well-being of their loved ones. 

In a meeting between the families and the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, they appealed to the Israeli government to bring the hostages home and appealed to Hamas to provide necessary medical care to the hostages.

“Families, we are your forum, and this forum was established to take significant actions, long before the state woke up. The negotiating team has issued an immediate demand to establish a humanitarian corridor so that your loved ones can gain access to a doctor and life-saving treatment,” stated the founder and director of the forum, Ronen Tzur.

“However, don’t trust anyone on the other side. We have put pressure on everyone involved in this event to act. We have prepared documentation that accuses them of war crimes and crimes against humanity. These are the same crimes Nazis were charged with and those people need to know that anyone involved in crimes against humanity will end up in a glass cage like Eichmann.”

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum was established only a few hours after the October 7 attacks and abductions and has been working to secure the immediate release of captives taken by Hamas. The forum has brought together hundreds of the families of abducted or missing relatives and thousands of volunteers.

Families of people who are missing or were abducted from Israel by Hamas hold a press conference asking for a humanitarian corridor for the transfer of medicine and humanitarian aid for hostages, in Tel Aviv, Israel, October 14, 2023. (credit: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun)

Approximately 500 first-degree family members whose relatives have been abducted or are missing joined the emotionally charged meeting, where they were given an update about the forum’s activities and progress from both the negotiating team and the legal team. 

A Hamas rocket landed on a home in the southern city of Sderot, which was being evacuated as rockets resumed from the Gaza Strip.

No injuries were reported. Heavy damage was reported to the home, which went up in flames due to the impact. Israel Fire and Rescue Services at the scene put out the fire.

The vast majority of Sderot's 30,000 inhabitants left the city after a week of barrages from the Strip that caused a great deal of damage to homes and a number of civilian casualties.

Mayor: Gov't will fund Sderot residents' stay outside southern city

Mayor Alon Davidi announced on Sunday that the state would fund Sderot residents' stay in hotels for at least the following week, saying that "we will continue to work and raise more funds to facilitate residents' stay outside of the city during the course of the war."

People queue as Israelis are evacuated from the southern town of Sderot, near Israel's border with Gaza, October 15, 2023 (credit: REUTERS/AMIR COHEN)

Sderot resident: Israel is constantly neglecting the South

Leon, a Sderot resident who was evacuated along with his family, lamented the government's "constant neglect" of the South.

"We never interested [the government]. Back in 2014, terrorists were infiltrating using tunnels and nothing was done.

"I felt immense pain during the first days of the war," Leon said. "We don't care about the world, we want to see Gaza wiped out."

Arnold Getayeb/Maariv contributed to this report.

The National Insurance Institute (Bituach Leumi) will send thousands of shekels to Israelis affected by the war immediately, it announced on Sunday.

All civilians injured and hospitalized in hospitals across the country will receive an initial NIS 5,000 payment, with additional payments potentially reaching more than NIS 10,000 on a case-by-case basis.

The institute added that those suffering from anxiety are entitled to 12 meetings of government-funded therapy with a qualified professional.

The world must let Israel defeat "murderous Islamic terrorism" before it reaches others' doorsteps, Foreign Minister Eli Cohen told his French counterpart during the latter's solidarity visit.

Catherine Colonna, who met with Cohen in the southern city of Ashkelon, also met with the parents of Maya, an Israeli kidnapped by Hamas terrorists and taken as a prisoner of war into Gaza.

"The horrible pictures seen by the entire world tell the entire story," Cohen told Colonna. "The world must understand who we are dealing with, the amount of hate and inhumanity of the Hamas terrorist organization."

"These visits are important to us and it shows to the world that Israel cannot allow a terrorist organization to continue threatening Israeli civilians." 

A Hamas rocket landed on a home in the southern city of Sderot, which was being evacuated as rockets resumed from the Gaza Strip.

No injuries were reported. Heavy damage was reported to the home, which went up in flames due to the impact. 

Israel Fire and Rescue Services at the scene put out the fire.

In a candid interview with N12, Yaron Blum, a veteran Israeli intelligence official, emphasized the need for Israel to employ stronger communicative strategies, including the use of "impactful imagery," to depict the serious threats the nation faces. 

Blum, with years of experience as Israel's primary liaison for captured and missing nationals, expressed concern over the world's swift move to new news cycles, observing, "they are already on to the next story." 

Highlighting the growing global protests, he stated, "Here, we have warnings about complacencies and a bolstering of the Israeli security apparatus." As both Mossad and the Shin Bet ramp up their activity in light of these threats, Blum stresses the importance of Israel amplifying its efforts to articulate the events clearly and powerfully to the international community.
 
 
 

The IDF on Sunday created a four-kilometer security zone in northern Israel to keep any civilians who do not live in the area out until further notice.

It said this was necessary after the continued firing of rockets, attempted invasions, and other tension on the northern border.

Further, the IDF said that those within two kilometers of the border should remain in bomb shelters and safe rooms.

Residents of the northern moshav were told to seek shelter immediately. Later, the Kiryat Shmona municipality also told the border city's residents to seek shelter following exchanges of fire on the border

Residents of the nearby kibbutzim of Yiftach, Menara, Maayan Baruch, Misgav Am, Yeron, Bar'am, Tzivon, Dan, Daphna, Snir and Kfar HaGiladi were all told to seek shelter later on Sunday morning. 

This is a developing story.

The United States is offering Americans in Israel and their immediate relatives evacuation by sea from northern Haifa to Cyprus on Tuesday, a US embassy spokesperson said.

The spokesperson was confirming an advisory circulated online on Monday.