Operation Swords of Iron: What happened on Day 13?

A US Navy warship traveling near Yemen intercepted multiple projectiles, a US official told Reuters on Thursday. The missiles, according to Israeli media citing the Pentagon, were launched at Israel.

Washington is on heightened alert for activity by Iran-backed groups as regional tensions soar during the Israel-Hamas war.

The official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said there were no injuries and a number of projectiles, including drones, were brought down near the destroyer USS Carney.

Ben-Gurion Airport is operating as scheduled and is open for flights for all airlines, according to the Israel Airports Authority. 

Since the current conflict with Hamas began on October 7, around 205,000 Israelis entered Israel, the authority announced.

It is expected that Thursday will see some 28,300 passengers pass through Ben-Gurion Airport on 186 incoming and outgoing international flights and rescue flights. Of these, approximately 11,900 are incoming passengers.

Israel Airports Authority advises passengers to follow the latest flight schedule on the website of the Airports Authority and at the airlines.

Kathy Hochul, the Democratic Governor of the State of New York, landed in Israel Wednesday evening for a solidarity visit amidst the ongoing war with Hamas in Gaza. 

She arrived the same day as US President Joe Biden, who met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday and announced new measures for humanitarian aid in Gaza while renewing his expressions of support for Israel’s defense, and reiterating his warnings against Iran or its proxies entering the war on other fronts. 

Michael Herzog, Israel’s Ambassador to the United States, met Hochul in Tel Aviv and thanked her for the “visit of solidarity to Israel during these trying times.” 

On her first evening in Israel, Hochul, who as governor represents more than 2 million Jews, met with displaced residents of the southern community of Kfar Aza, which was decimated during Hamas’s terrorist attack on October 7, and with families of those whom the terrorist group has taken hostage in Gaza. 

“Our number one priority,” the governor said on Wednesday during a visit with volunteers at a Leket Israel food bank, “is to make sure we can get those people home who have been taken hostage. That has to be the unifying voice of all civilized nations.” 

New York Governor Kathy Hochul speaks with the Western Wall's rabbi during her visit to the site, October 19, 2023. (credit: THE WESTERN WALL HERITAGE FOUNDATION)

Hochul, others connect October 7 attacks to 9/11

Speaking to volunteers, Hochul connected Israel’s experience in the wake of Hamas’s attack to that of New York after 9/11. “We share that experience with you,” she said, “[and] we stand in solidarity with Israel.

“We defend your right to defend yourself, as we all have a global fight against terrorism, wherever it rears its ugly head.” 

The connection to 9/11 was also drawn explicitly during Hochul’s visit to the Western Wall on Thursday morning. “No one understands the wickedness, the hatred and the evil of these human animals like the residents of New York,” said the Rabbi of the Western Wall and Holy Sites Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, echoing language by Israel’s defense minister in the aftermath of the attack.

“New York residents’ identification with our experience encourages us and demonstrates the understanding of the world in the face of the barbaric act of our enemies,” Rabinowitz added. On behalf of the people of Israel, I want to thank you and the residents of New York for the support."

Governor urged caution upon news of hospital explosion

The governor arrived in Israel in the midst of fury over the explosion at a hospital in Gaza City on Tuesday, caused most likely by an errant rocket fired from Gaza by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist group. Gaza’s Hamas-run Health Ministry claimed that an Israeli air strike had destroyed the hospital, killing 500, a report which was shared by mainstream news outlets such as The New York Times, Reuters, and the Associated Press. Following these reports, protests erupted across the region, and Jordan’s King Abdullah, citing the supposed attack, canceled a meeting with Biden, who returned to the United States immediately after his visit to Israel. 

Hochul, writing on X, wrote that “New York mourns the innocent lives due to the explosion at al-Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza. We await further information from the White House on the explosion’s cause but continue to continue to call for civilians to be protected & humanitarian aid for all impacted by this conflict.” 

New York mourns the innocent lives lost due to the explosion at Al Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza.⁰
We await further information from the White House on the explosion's cause but continue to call for civilians to be protected & humanitarian aid for all impacted by this conflict.

— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) October 18, 2023

Other American officials shared, uncritically, articles citing Hamas’ original claim about the explosion. “Israel just bombed the Baptist hospital,” wrote Palestinian-American Rep. Rashida Tlaib on X, “killing 500.” As of Thursday morning Israel time, the congresswoman had not retracted this claim. Other congresspeople, such as Rep. Ilhan Omar, the only other Muslim woman in Congress and a frequent critic of Israel, initially shared claims of an IDF airstrike, but later clarified that American intelligence had come to a different conclusion. 

Visit comes amid controversial events in New York 

Though the war with Hamas is taking place more than six thousand miles from Hochul’s constituency, her visit follows controversial events within the state itself following Hamas’s attack and Israel’s response to it. 

At a ‘pro-Palestinian’ rally in New York the day after the attack, demonstrators celebrated the kidnapping of Israeli civilians. Meanwhile, several thousand mostly protestors turned out for a rally in solidarity with the Jewish state. Amidst similar dueling protests, New York City’s Columbia University closed its campus to those not affiliated with the school for the first time in the university’s history. 

A speech by New York City Mayor Eric Adams in support of Israel was widely shared on social media, and the Mayor was also criticized in local media following a Zoom call with Palestinian-American leaders in the city.

Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf announced in a speech on Wednesday at the Scottish National Party (SNP) conference that Scotland was ready to accept Palestinian refugees from Gaza.

Yousaf used his position as keynote speaker to accuse the UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman of using “dog-whistle language” that appealed to extremists.

“At the Tory conference, the UK Home Secretary warned about what she described as a ‘hurricane’ of migrants coming to the UK, and other Western, countries.  

“When I hear that dog-whistle language it makes me shudder. It makes me resolve to work even harder for independence - so that Scotland’s immigration policies are decided here in Scotland - never ever again by extremist Westminster politicians.” 

Announcing Scotland’s plans to absorb Palestinians 

“In the past, people in Scotland and across the UK have opened our hearts and our homes to welcome those from Syria, Ukraine and many other countries. Conference, we must do so again,” Yousaf announced to the SNP conference.

The daughter of Palestinian woman Raghda Abu Marasa, who fled to the southern part of the enclave after Israel's call for more than 1 million civilians in northern Gaza to move south, rides in a car with her family members as they return to their home in Gaza City, citing a lack of refuge elsewhere (credit: REUTERS/MOHAMMED SALEM)

“There are currently one million people displaced within Gaza. Therefore, I’m calling today on the international community to commit to a worldwide refugee program for the people of Gaza.

“I’m calling on the UK Government to take two urgent steps. Firstly, they should begin work on the creation of a refugee resettlement scheme for those in Gaza who want to and are able to leave. When they do so, Scotland is willing to be the first country in the UK to offer safety and sanctuary to those who are caught up in these terrible attacks.”

“Let me be clear, Scotland is ready to play her part. Our hospitals will treat the injured men, women, and children of Gaza where we can.”

Yousaf’s family in Gaza

Yousaf said on October 16 that his wife's parents were fast running out of food and drinking water in Gaza and could die if unable to leave soon.

Yousaf's parents-in-law live in Scotland but were visiting relatives in Gaza when Hamas militants poured into Israel and killed Israeli civilians. 

Yousaf claimed his in-laws Elizabeth and Maged El-Nakla had limited themselves to an egg a day and sips of clean water as they rationed food so there was enough for their grandchildren.

"Their supplies are going to run out very soon. They are down to their last rations ... They are obviously thinking about the kids," he told Reuters in an interview, citing information gleaned from short calls over patchy phone lines.

"If the border is not reopened, and there is no way out, people will die ... My parents (in law) - I don't think I will see them again."

Yousaf, the first Muslim leader of a Western European country in modern times, said Israel had a right to defend itself and expressed "absolute" sympathy for Hamas' victims.

He visited a synagogue in Scotland last week to comfort the family of a Jewish man who died in Israel, telling them: "Your grief is my grief."

Claims Israel is using collective punishment

But he said Israel was imposing an illegal form of collective punishment, and rebuked the British government for giving such robust support to Israel immediately after the attack, without questioning its response.

"There is no doubt that collective punishment is a breach of international law," he said. "I don't know why people are dancing around on that issue. There are rules of engagement."

Scotland has a semi-autonomous government, which is in charge of issues such as health and education. Foreign policy is controlled by the British government in London.

"If we do not act as an international community, it will be a significant stain on our conscience for many years to come," said Yousaf, whose wife was born in Dundee to a Palestinian father and Scottish mother. He added that his brother-in-law, who works as a doctor, is having to make decisions about who should be treated, while the hospitals in Gaza run out of body bags.

"They are now having to make that dreadful, horrendous decision about who to treat and who to let die," he said.

IDF spokesperson Brigadier General Daniel Hagari stated on Thursday morning that the families of 203 abductees to the Gaza Strip have been informed.

The IDF also announced that 306 soldiers have been killed since the start of the war.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak landed in Israel on Thursday, a Reuters witness said, beginning a visit in which he will meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog before traveling on to other regional capitals.

Sunak will share his condolences for the loss of life in Israel and Gaza as a result of the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Gaza-based Palestinian Hamas gunmen, his office said, and warn against further escalation of conflict in the region.

President Isaac Herzog will meet today, Thursday, Wednesday, October 19, at 11:00 a.m., with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who is visiting Israel, at the President's House in Jerusalem.

"Every civilian death is a tragedy. And too many lives have been lost following Hamas’ horrific act of terror," Sunak said in a statement ahead of his visit.

He said a deadly blast at a Gaza hospital on Tuesday which killed hundreds of Palestinians should be "a watershed moment for leaders in the region and across the world to come together to avoid further dangerous escalation of conflict," pledging Britain would be at "the forefront of this effort."

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak signs messages and prayers for Israel at a Jewish school in London, Britain October 16, 2023 (credit: Jonathan Buckmaster/Pool via REUTERS)

Sunak will also urge the opening up of a route to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza from Egypt as soon as possible, and to enable British nationals trapped in Gaza to leave.

At least seven British nationals have been killed and at least nine are missing since the attack on Israel, Sunak's spokesperson said on Wednesday.

Cleverly returns to Israel

Alongside Sunak's visit, British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, who visited Israel last week, will travel to Egypt, Turkey and Qatar over the next three days to discuss the conflict and seek a peaceful resolution, his office said.

Britain said the three countries were "vital to international efforts to uphold regional stability, free hostages and allow humanitarian access to Gaza."

Cleverly will meet with senior leaders there to discuss efforts to prevent the conflict spreading, the urgent need to open the Rafah crossing with Egypt to let aid reach those who need it and for Hamas to release hostages, Britain said.

The following is a list of the Israelis who were murdered in the Hamas attack against Israel on October 7:

Major Ofer Yosef Ran, of the Duvdevan unit, killed on October 7th by Hamas (credit: COURTESY OF FAMILY)

MASTER SERGEANT (RES.) ARIE KRAUNIK

MASTER SERGEANT (RES.) ITAY YEHOSHUA

MASTER SERGEANT (RES.) RAN POSLUSHNI

SR.-NCO MEIR ABARGIL

COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR MEIR ABERGEL

MAJOR ELIRAN ABERGEL

NOAM ABRAMOWITZ

CAPT. ADIR ABUDI

SENIOR SERGEANT RONI ABUHARON

ILAY ADANI

SARGEANT ADAM AGMON

STAFF SERGEANT YOGAV AHARON

CORPORAL AMIN AHONDOV

ARYEH AKUNI

OR AKUNI

AMIN AKAL ALKRA’AN

JAWAD IBRAHIM ALKRA’AN

MAHMOUD DIAB ALKRA’AN

MALEK IBRAHIM ALKRA’AN

MARINA ALMABEGOR

ST.-SGT.-MAJ. (RES.) LIRAN ALMOSNINO

LT. NITAI AMAR

PVT. YAM AMAR

DOLEV AMOYEL

Col. Jonathan Steinberg, commanding officer of the Nahal Infantry Brigade (credit: IDF)

CORPORAL EREZ ARIEL

CORPORAL SIVAN SIMCHA ASRAF

CPL. OR AVITAL

ADI BAHARAV

ST.-SGT. SHOHAM BAR

SERGEANT MAJOR ALON BARAD

SERGEANT TOMER BARAK

CAPTAIN YOTAM BEN BASSAT

CORPORAL RAM MEIR BATITO

ST.-SGT.-MAJ. ITAY YEHUDA BAUSI

CORPORAL GUY BAZAK

SERGEANT FIRST CLASS OMRI BELKIN

SR.-ST.-SGT.-MAJ. DENNIS BELKIN

AVIV BEN-DAVID

PETAH BEN-DAVID

ROTEM BEN-DAVID

SERGEANT BARAK BEN-DAVID

YONATAN BEN-DAVID

IDO BINENSTOCK

CORPORAL SHIR BITON

ADVANCED MASTER SERGEANT ALEXEY BORODOVSKY

MASTER SERGEANT AVI BOZAGLU

NURIT BREGEL

BEN BRONSTEIN

SERGEANT YOSEF ITAMAR BROUCHIM

Aharon Chaimov, MDA medic who was killed during Hamas attack (credit: MDA)

MAJOR CHEN BUCHRIS

AHARON CHAIMOV

HADAR MIRIAM COHEN

ITAMAR COHEN

LT. ITAI COHEN

MAJOR TAL COHEN

WARR. OFC. (RES.) AVIAD GAD COHEN

KIM DAMTI

JR DAVIDOV

AWAD MUSA DRAWSHEH

LIEUTENANT (RES.) IDO EDRI

SHLOMO MOSHE EL

FIRST SERGEANT MAJOR DROR ELTON

RAVIT HANA ESSIG

CPL. AMIR EYAL

PRIVATE ILAY EZER

THE KOTZ FAMILY

SERGEANT OMRI NIV FEIRSTEIN

MAJOR GENERAL AMIR FISHER

MAJ.-GEN. ROMAN GANDEL

OMER GAVRA

SERGEANT VALENTIN GENESIA

LT. COL. ELI GINSBERG

SERGEANT ITAY OFEK GLISKO

CORPORAL ADI GRUMAN

SERGEANT YONATAN GUTIN

Andrey Poshibi (credit: POLICE SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)

SERGEANT IDO HAROSH

IDAN HERMAN

SMADAR MOR IDAN

ST.-SGT.-MAJ. ELIOR IFRACH

YAZAN ZAKARIA ABU JAMA

CAPTAIN HADAR KAMA

ADI KAPLON

TEHILA KAPLON

ST.-SGT. DANIEL KASBECHUK

TAL KEREN

CPL. HABIB KIAN

CPL. NATIV KOTZRO

MARTIN KUZMICSAKS

CORPORAL AMIR LAVI

CPL. YAR LEIBOSHOR

SERGEANT BINYAMIN LEV

SGT. YAKIR LEVI

PRIVATE LIOR LEVY

SERGEANT EDEN ALON LEVY

SERGEANT NEVE ELIEZER LEX

OFIR LIBSTEIN

NISSIM LOGSI

CPL. SHIMON LUGASI

ST.-SGT. AVIEL MALEKMO

SECOND LIEUTENANT YOAV MALIEV

DOR MALKA

AMIT MANN

SAHAR MIDANI

AYELET MOLCHO

SHLOMI MOLCHO

Shir Biton (credit: MDA)

SGT. OREL MOSHE

LIEUTENANT OR MOZES

ILLI NACHMAN

OFFICER ROI NAHARI

SENIOR MASTER SERGEANT CHEN NAHMIAS

CAPT. (RES.) ROI NEGRI

PRIVATE NERIA AHARON NEGRI

PRIVATE NAAMA AHARON NUNI,

SUPT. AMIN OCHDANOV

CORPORAL ARIEL OHANA

SERGEANT EVYATAR OHAYON

AMIN OKHUNDOV

CAPTAIN RAZ PEREZ

MAYA PODER

PVT. MIA VIALLOVO POLO

ANDREY POSHIBI

INSP. ANDREI POSHIVEI

SERGEANT NOAH PREIS

CAPTAIN OR YOSEF RAN

MAJOR OFER YOSEF RAN

SERGEANT DVIR HAIM RASSLER

EMILY RAZ

MOSHE YEDIDYA RAZIEL (ROSENBERG)

YEDIDIYA MOSHE RAZIEL

SARGEANT AVIAD REVLIN

SERGEANT AFIK ROSENTHAL

AMICHAI SHIMON RUBIN

SERGEANT BEN RUBINSTEIN

CORPORAL HALLEL SHLOMO SAADON

FAIZA ABU SABAAKH

MAY ZUHEIR ABU SABAAKH

CORPORAL ILI BAR SADE

MAJOR PELEG SALEM

EMIL SAMOILOV

SARGEANT DANIEL SCHPERVER

CORPORAL SEGEV SCHWARTZ

CPL. KARIN SCHWARTZMANN

CHWEIK SEGAL

CORPORAL URIEL SEGEL

YARON SHAI

MAOR SHALOM

MAJOR MORDECHAI SHAMIR

ALEXEY SHAMKOV

MAJOR IDO YISRAEL SHANI

SERGEANT YARON URI SHAY

INSP. STANISLAV SHEINKMAN

CORPORAL OSHER SHEMAYA

IWARR. OFC. REUVEN SHISHFORTISH

STAFF-SERGEANT MAJOR MOR SHKURI

YITZHAK BAZOKA SHVILI

ISERGEANT NAOR SIBONI

SERGEANT ADAR BEN SIMON

COL. JONATHAN STEINBERG

OREN STERN

DOLEV SUISSA

MAJOR BEKOR SWEID

LIEUTENANT DEKEL SWISA

GIL TA’ASA

CORPORAL ADIR TAHAR

YOSSI TAHAR

SERGEANT TASHGAR TEKA

CORPORAL OFIR TESTA

AVIDAN TURJEMAN

CORPORAL AMIT TZUR

AMIT VEKS

ISRAEL AMICHAI VITZAN

AMIT WAKS

YIGAL WAKS

DANI WEBEK

ROEI WEISER

SERGEANT YUVAL BEN YAAKOV

LIEUTENANT YEFTAH YEBETZ

ITAY YEHOSHUA

PVT. BINYAMIN GAVRIEL YONAH

CORPORAL NATHANIEL YOUNG

CHIEF-INSPECTOR AVI ZIDON

SERGEANT OFIR ZIONI

MAJOR ELI ZISSAR

MANEVA ZIV

MATAN ABERGIL

URIEL ABRAHAM

OREL ABUKATZIRA

KAMEI ACHIEL

MAPAL ADAM

ABD AL-RAHMAN AL-ZIADNA

SUMMER ALTLAKA

SGT. NETA BAR AM

HANAN AMAR

MERCEDES ORIA AMAR

REGEV AMAR

SHIRAT YAM AMAR

JAWAD AMER

NADAV AMIKAM

NEHORAI LEVI AMITAI

AVICHAI AMSALEM

ORI ARAD

DIKLA ARAVA

SGT. OFEK ARBIV

DAN ARIEL

AYELET ARNIN

HANA BEN ARTZI

OFEK ARZI

SHAI ASHRAM

SAHAR ASHUAN

DAN ASSULIN

LIOR ASSULIN

LIOR HADAD ATIAS

LIOR ATON

CHEN BEN AVI

GIL AVITAL

DOR AVITAN

BOAZ AVRAHAM

LAOR AVRAMOV

AMIR AYIL

ORTAL BOBTAS-BEN AYUN

LIOR AZIZOV

YOHAI AZULAI

GIDON BABANI

YEHUDA BACHAR

DROR BAHAT

IDAN BALOY

LEON BAR

YUVAL BAR-ON

AVIV BARAM

ILAY BARAM

SHALEV BARANES

ROI BAREKET

TOMER BAREKET

GABRIEL YISHAI BAREL

ROMI ELI BARNETT

PRIVATE IDAN BARUCH

YOSEF ITAMAR BARUCHIM

S'TAV BARZANI

ORON BAYLIN

DENNIS BELENKY

OR TAASE BEN

MAYA BEN DAVID

ITAY BENJO

BEN BERNSTEIN

ELIYAHU YA'AKOV BERNSTEIN

AMNON BEZALEL

DANIEL BEZGODOV

URIEL BIBI

TAIR BIRA

BNEYAHU BITON

FIRST SGT. NADAV BITON

MAYA BITON

VADIM BLICH

YAKIR BLOCHMAN

NETA BOAZIZ

ADIR BOGALE

LAVI BOHNIK

DORON BOLDES

SOFIA BONGERT

PIETRO BOSCO

INBAR BOYOM

LILI CASEMAN

MAJ. (RES.) DANIEL CASTIEL

SHAKED CHABANI

ROI CHAPEL

CAPTAIN (RES.) ELHANAN MEIR CLEMENZON

AMIT COHEN

AVRAHAM COHEN

AVRAHAM NERIAH COHEN

BERNARD COHEN

DANIEL ASHER COHEN

DANIT COHEN

MOR COHEN

SHILOH COHEN

ABRAHAM GABRIEL CORINNE

AVI DADON

SHALEV DAGAN

DANIEL MOSHE DANINO

AWAD DARAWSHA

AMIT ITZHAK DAVID

BARAK DAVIDI

YARON MORRIS DAYAN

YOHAI DOCHEN

KIM DOKARKER

TOMER DOLEV

ROTEM DOSHI

RACHEL DOV

SHON DOYTESHVILI

MATAN ECKSTEIN

NOAM LIEL EFRAYIM

SHIR EILAT

KHALED ELFARAHIN

OREN ELFASI

ARIEL ELIYAHU

SIVAN ELKABETZ

TALEB ELKRA'AN

SGT. MARU ELM

SHLOMO ELIYAHU ELSHICH

SGT. (RES.) MATANYA ELSTER

NOA ENGLANDER

OSAMA ABU ESSA

CHEN EVEN

ASAF FABER

NOA FARAGE

ILAN FIORENTINO

YISHAI FITOUSSI

AVI FLEISCHER

MAYA FODER

VALERIE FRIEDMAN

HADAR FRINTZ

AHARON FRISH

AMIT GABAI

YUVAL GABAI

MOR GABBAI

LIAM BOR GALON

NOA GALZEBERG

VALENTIN (ELI) GANASSIA

ISABELLA GANDELIN

SHIRAN GANON

AVIA GANOT

BRANDON FLORES GARCIA

KINERET GAT

ADIR GAURI

SEFI GENIS

EDEN GEZ

ITAI OFEK GILSKO

NOA GLASBERG

SAGI GOLAN

YONATAN GOLAN

NITZAN GOLDENBERG

SAMTZAO GOLIMA

SHARON GORDENI

VICTORIA GORELOV

SHIR GORGI

AMITAI TZVI GRANOT

AMIT GUETTA

ANTON GURIONOV

ZIV HAJABI

AVIV HAJAJ

YUVAL HALIVNI

DAN BEN HAMO

MICHAEL BEN HAMO

NARKIS HANAD

HEZI HANOM

CAPTAIN SHILOH HAR-EVAN

IDAN HARAMATI

VARDA HARAMATI

ELIYAHU MICHAEL HAROSH

BEN HASID

SHRAGA HASID

YEHOSHUA HATAB

OR BEN HEMO

NARKIS HEND

AVRAHAM HENKIN

AVIYA HEZRONI

GIDI HIEL

CPL. YOTAM HILLEL

SHARON HIRSCH

IDO HOVARA

MENUHA HULATI

LIEL ITACH

MAY ITZHAKI

YUVAL JAFFE

LIEL JARFI

TOM JUDO

STAV KAMCHI

EITAN KAPISHTER

GALIT KARBONA

DVIR KARP

KESHET KASROTI-KALFA

LINOR KEINAN

DINA KEPISHTER

IVGENI KEPISHTER

GILAD KFIR

SEGEV ISRAEL KIJENER

SAVION KIPER

HAVIV KIYAN

EYAL KLEIN

ARIK KRAONIK

SHANI KUPERVESER

AVIV KUTZ

LIVNAT KUTZ

ROTEM KUTZ

YIFTACH KUTZ

YONATAN KUTZ

HILA KYLIN

YULIYA LAMAI

BENYAMIN LAVI

NOAH ELAZAR LAX

DOR LAZIMI

YAEL LEIBUSHOR

GUY GABRIEL LEVI

LIDOR LEVI

NAOR LEVI

SIGAL LEVI

TAL LEVI

ALICIA LEVIN

DANIEL LEVI LODMIR

MARINA LOSAV

NATAN HAI LYAR

ASAMA ABU MADI'AM

SAHAR MAIDANI

STEVEN MAKRECHENKO

AMITI MALICHI

MATAN MALKA

OR MALKA

EDNA MALKAMO

AVIEL MALKOMO

TAL MAMAN

SHAHAR MANSOUR

NORELLE MANZURI

ROYA MANZURI

ITAI MAOR

SOLOMON IBN MARAI

ERIC MARCIANO

ADI MARGALIT

SAAR MARGOLIS

ALEXANDER MASLI

SHAHAR MATHIAS

SHLOMI MATHIAS

DAVID HAIM MEIR

LIDOR MEKAYES

OFIR MELMAN

DOR MENAGEDI

ORI MESIKA

OMRI MICHAELI

LIOR MIMON

DAVID MITTELMAN

ELIRAN MIZRACHI

RAZ MIZRACHI

SGT. OR MIZRACHI

TOMER YAAKOV MIZRACHI

GILAD MOLCHO

SHIREL MOORE

MAJ. GENERAL (RES) ITAI SHLOMO MORENO

ARIEL BEN MOSHE

EDEN DAVID MOSHE

ROI MOSHE

AMIT MOST

NAAMA MUALEM

ILAI BEN MUHA

SHAY SHALOM ELIOR MUTZAFI

BAR LIOR NACKMULI

TOMER NAGAR

ITAI NAHMIAS

DOR NAHUM

AMIR NAIM

MAY NAIM

SHAHAR BEN NAIM

TAMI NAOR-PELEG

ABDELKARIM NASSARA

GAL NAVON

ILKIN NAZROV

EITAN MENACHEM NE'MAN

RAM NEGBI

ROTEM NEIMAN

ADRIAN NETA

CPL. SHOHAM SHLOMO NIDAM

EDEN NIMRI

SHACHAF NISSANI

ADI ODEYA

EDEN OHAYON

ELIAD OHION

MOSHE OHION

AMIT PELED

YARIN MARIE PELED

AVSHALOM YAIR PERETZ

IDO PERETZ

ROI PERI

OREL PESO

DANA PETRENKO

NIR NIKITA POPOV

MOSHE PORAT

ALINA PRAVOSUDOVA

MAX RABINOV

DVIR RAHAMIM

SHARON RAHMANI

NITZAN RAHUM

DANIEL RASHED

DAVID RATNER

SHILOH RAUCHBERGER

MORIAH RAVIV

IDAN RAZ

SHARON REFAI

SHAY REGEV

URIAH RICARDO

ELI RIF'I

AVIAD RIVLIN

MICHAL ROIMI

YEHONATAN ROM

BAR ROSENSTEIN

IDO ROSENTHAL

NOAM ELIMELECH ROTENBERG

OFEK ROUSSEAU

MATAN ROSENBERG

OLGA NAOMI RUMASHKIN

ALIM SAAD

SHLOMI SABIDIA

MUSA ABU SABILA

TAMAR SAMET

ALEXANDER SAMOYLOV

AVI SASSI

ELAD MICHAEL SASSON

SAHAR SAUDYAN

YONATAN SAVITSKY

NAHORAI SAYED

STAS SCHEINKEMAN

MARK SCHINDEL

ASAF SCHLESINGER

TOMER SEGEV

RAM SELA

DANIEL SHAFERBER

NOAM SHAI

SGT. GALI ROI SHAKOTAI

MOR SHAKURI

ILIA SHAMETZ

MOTI SHAMIR

ALON SHAMLI

URI MORDECHAI SHANI

SHIMON ELROY BEN SHETRIT

BEN SHIMONI

ROM SHLOMI

ADIR SHLOMO

SHIR SHLOMO

YA'AKOV SHMAYA

TOMER SHOHAM

OFIR SHOSHANI

LIAM SHREM

MOSHE SHUVAH

AVI SIDON

GINA SIEMIATYCZE

ARBEL KEDEM SIMANTOV

OMER KEDEM SIMANTOV

SHAHAR KEDEM SIMANTOV

TAMAR KEDEM SIMANTOV

YONATAN (JOHNNY) KEDEM SIMANTOV

GUY SIMCHY

REUBEN SISPORTISH

VITALY SKIPKEVICH

AMIR SKOURI

RUDY SKRISAVSKY

NOAM SLOTKY

YUVAL SOLOMON

BEKOR SUEDE

ROLAN SULTAN

RONIT SULTAN

DOLEV SWISSA

ODEYA SWISSA

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MICHAEL VAKNIN

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DALIA ABU MADIAM MERHAT

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ALIK POZNIAKOV

SHLOMO RASHTNIKOV

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DAVID ROTNER

MAX RUBINOV

ELIM SAAD

TZUR SAIDI

GINA SEMYATICH

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ANAR ELKIM SHAPIRA

BAR SIVAN

MARCEL TALIA

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AVI TZIDON

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NAOMI YEAVETZ

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RAN POSLUSHNI 

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Iran’s regime mobilized its media machine quickly after Hamas claimed an explosion at a hospital in Gaza had led to hundreds of deaths. It is now known, and widely accepted, that the claims of an “attack” or “strike” were disinformation spread by Hamas. It is also believed the number of casualties cited by Hamas was inflated. However, it is also clear that Iranian regime media worked hard to push this narrative in the region to inflame hatred. 

Iran’s media was not the only one working this angle. In Turkey protests were also organized and incitement grew against Israel. It appears that this coordinated effort spanned the region, from Turkey to Iran, Qatar and also to Russia. The goal was to use the incident to increase tensions and to cause protests and escalation.  

Wild comparisons and nonsensical conclusions

Two days later Iran’s regime continued to push this narrative. For instance on Thursday Iran’s Fars News claimed that incident at the hospital was similar to crimes committed by Saddam Hussein. This is a bizarre claim, considering the fact that Saddam’s regime was a major opponent of Israel and even fired missiles at Israel in 1991. However, Iran’s regime also opposed Saddam. So linking Israel to Iraq’s crimes in the 1980s is part of Tehran’s propaganda. Media in Iran also used images of children and graphic images to promote its claim that “1,000” people had been killed at the hospital. There is no evidence of this.  

Tehran clearly believes that message discipline on this can influence the region. However, almost two days after the protests began in places in the region, it appears many countries now agree that the attack never happened in the way Hamas claimed it did.

People take part in a pro-Palestinian protest, after hundreds of Palestinians were killed in a blast at Al-Ahli hospital in Gaza that Israeli and Palestinian officials blamed on each other, in Amman, Jordan, October 18, 2023 (credit: REUTERS/ALAA AL SUKHNI)

Iran also tried to push antisemitic dog whistles in its coverage, calling Israel “demonic” and “bloodthirsty.” Tasnim media showed an image of US President Joe Biden visiting Israel and wearing a yarmulke. This is to try to illustrate the wider narrative from Tehran that portrays the US and Israel as one and the same. Iran has tried to fuel attacks on the US in Iraq and in Lebanon. It is part of a wider attempt to cause anger at the US and Israel. This worked on Wednesday when leaders cancelled meetings with Biden and also worked to fuel protests in Turkey.  

Pro-Iranian media Al-Mayadeen also continued to have manipulative coverage on the hospital incident on Thursday. Clearly the media axis that links Iran to Hamas and Lebanon, Iraq and also other countries, planned to exploit this incident. The continued coverage, which has messaging that is linked to language used by Iran’s leaders, shows a an attempt to skew the regional reporting on the story.  

IDF forces killed Jamila Abdallah Taha al-Shanti, a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council and the first woman in the political bureau of Hamas, according to Hamas radio, Israeli media reported Wednesday. 
 

Shanti, 68, was a founder of Hamas's women's movement and was married to Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi, a Hamas founder and leader, whom the Israeli Air Force killed by Hellfire missile in April 2004. 
 

Some 4,629 Israelis have been wounded since the war with Hamas began on October 7, the Health Ministry announced on Tuesday.

Some 12 are in critical condition; 279 in serious condition; 764 are moderate; 3,188 are mild, with 239 hospitalized for anxiety and a further 145 are under medical evaluation.