Operation Swords of Iron: What happened on Day 12?
Close to 4,500 wounded, 1,400 killed • IDF: 199 families of Israeli captives in Gaza have been contacted
Biden: We have no higher priority than freeing the hostages
In 2011, Israel swapped hundreds of prisoners to win the release of one Israeli soldier.
US President Joe Biden pledged to do everything possible to secure the release of over 200 people held hostage by Hamas in Gaza, including some US citizens.
“There is no higher priority than the release and safe return of all these hostages,” Biden said during a one-day solidarity mission to Israel.
Go to the full article >>Israel already needs a plan for the day after it topples Hamas - analysis
What is Israel’s plan and vision for the Gaza Strip the day after?
On US President Joe Biden’s flight to Tel Aviv on Wednesday, National Security spokesperson John Kirby said Biden would be asking Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “some tough questions.”
Among those tough questions were certainly ones about what Israel would do to prevent as many civilian casualties as possible inside Gaza, what Israel would do to prevent a humanitarian crisis, and how Jerusalem planned to respond to Hezbollah provocations in the north.
Go to the full article >>From squabbles to solidarity: US, Israel always have each other’s back - analysis
“Today, I say the US is not going anywhere. We will stand with you," said Biden.
Israel and the US are more like bickering brothers and sisters who occasionally throw punches but always have each other’s back when it counts.
The strength of their relationship was evident on Wednesday when US President Joe Biden stood at the podium and said that his highest priority was releasing hostages from the grips of Hamas terrorists in Gaza.
He said, “Israel is not alone. The US stands with you… And we will ensure that Israel has what it needs to take care of its citizens, defend itself and respond to this attack.”
A meaningful address to Israelis and Americans alike
The president’s remarks carried significant weight, broadcasting a resounding message to the world, including Israel’s adversaries, that harming Israel equates to hurting America.
What stands out is the timing of these statements – numerous speeches on Wednesday and the particularly noteworthy and heartfelt address on October 10 – which transpired just months after some unusually pointed exchanges between Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In March, Biden had told reporters that Netanyahu would not be coming to the White House “in the near term” and expressed his hope that the prime minister would “walk away” from his judicial reform efforts. In response, Netanyahu tweeted a retort, emphasizing that Israel is a “sovereign country” that makes “its decisions by the will of its people and not based on pressures from abroad, including from the best of friends.”
Even though Biden and Netanyahu recently met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, the prime minister has still not visited the White House, and commentators have argued that the relationship between Biden and Netanyahu had become chilly.
Biden’s response to the October 7 attack proved otherwise – the president deeply cares for Israel.
Perhaps he took a card from former US president Barack Obama, for whom Biden served as vice president when a similar tension was evident. Obama characterized Israel’s presence in the West Bank as an “occupation” and vehemently opposed settlement construction. He also pushed for and passed an Iran deal that Israel believed was unsafe.
In defiance, Netanyahu delivered a speech to Congress during which he criticized the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action as “very bad.” The prime minister argued that the agreement would not only fail to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons but would also facilitate the rogue state’s efforts.
Despite this, Obama signed a $38 billion military aid package with Israel – at the time, the single most significant pledge of bilateral military assistance in US history, according to the White House.
As Biden noted many times during his speeches, US President Harry S. Truman made America the first nation to recognize Israel’s sovereignty – only 11 minutes after its creation. Today, in central Israel, Kfar Truman is named after the late president.
Over the years, various presidents have applied pressure on Israel in different ways. Yet, the two nations have consistently stood by each other, akin to siblings who may squabble but unite against a bully.
Regarding pressure, when Israel attacked Egypt in 1956, intending to capture the Suez Canal and oust Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser, President Dwight Eisenhower exerted intense pressure on Israel to withdraw its troops. Eventually, Israel complied.
According to documents published by the US National Security Archive, president John F. Kennedy was concerned about Israel’s nuclear proliferation and pressured Israel to agree to inspections of Dimona by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Israel is still believed to have a nuclear weapons project, but it has never been confirmed.
On the other hand, President Jimmy Carter brokered peace between Egypt and Israel, bringing the countries together for the Camp David Accords. President Donald Trump brokered the Abraham Accords, bringing Israel unprecedented relations with the United Arab Emirates, Morocco and Bahrain.
“Today, I say the US is not going anywhere. We will stand with you… We will walk beside you… The people of Israel live.”
President Joe Biden
Israel has significantly influenced US policy and vice versa, extending beyond the Israel-Palestinian conflict, as both countries comprehend the depth of their interdependence.
Since the Hamas massacre, Biden enhanced the US military force posture in the region to strengthen deterrence against Israel’s enemies. The Department of Defense moved the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group to the Eastern Mediterranean and bolstered its aircraft fighter presence.
“We stand ready to move in additional assets as needed,” Biden said in one speech. “To any country, any organization, anything thinking of taking advantage of the situation, I have one word: Don’t. Don’t. Don’t.”
He said, “Today, I say the US is not going anywhere. We will stand with you… We will walk beside you…
“The people of Israel live.”
Rocket sirens sound in Tel Aviv
Rocket sirens sounded in neighborhoods in Tel Aviv.
Go to the full article >>Pro-Gaza protests in Haifa see three arrested
Israel Police arrested three individuals on Wednesday evening after they tried to demonstrate in solidarity with Gaza in the German Colony in Haifa.
Over 100 police have been deployed to the area.
Go to the full article >>Meta to limit some Facebook comments on Israeli, Palestinian posts
A Meta spokesperson declined to specify how the company defined the region.
Facebook-owner Meta Platforms on Wednesday introduced temporary measures to limit "potentially unwelcome or unwanted comments" on posts about the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Meta said it will change the default setting for people who can comment on new and public Facebook posts created by users "in the region" to only their friends and followers, Meta said in an updated blog post.
A Meta spokesperson declined to specify how the company defined the region. Users can opt-out and change the setting at any time, Meta said.
Go to the full article >>Rocket sirens sound in central Israel
Rocket sirens sounded in communities in the Dan and Shfela regions, including in Tel Aviv, Bat Yam, Holon and Rishon Lezion.
Magen David Adom confirms no injuries were reported.
Go to the full article >>A fourth Austrian-Israeli confirmed dead after Hamas attack, Austria says
One of two Austrian-Israeli dual citizens still missing after the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas has been confirmed dead, Austria's Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday, bringing the total number of Austrian-Israelis killed to four.
"The person in question is a man who was reported missing last week. We still have no verified information on the status of the other missing person," the ministry said in a statement.
Go to the full article >>Rocket sirens sound in central Israel
Rocket sirens sounded in communities in the Dan and Sharon regions, including in Petah Tikva, Ganei Am, Hod Hasharon, and Yarkona.
Go to the full article >>Defense Minister Gallant: 'We will need US support throughout campaign'
At the end of the cabinet meeting which included US President Joe Biden, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated that, "I emphasized to President Biden that is a war without choice, for the future of the State of Israel in the Middle East. It will be a long and difficult war in which we will need US support for Israel throughout the entire campaign.
"In our conversation, I told President Biden that Israel stands at the forefront of the free world, and fights against those who want to destroy the values of freedom and democracy," Gallant said. "Israel's victory in the war is essential for us and for the United States."
Go to the full article >>ISRAEL, HAMAS AT WAR: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- Hamas launched a barrage of rockets on Saturday morning, with thousands of terrorists infiltrating from the Gaza border
- Over 1,400 Israelis and foreign nationals were murdered as of Wednesday afternoon, and more than 4,475 were wounded according to the Health Ministry
- Israel reportedly preparing for a ground invasion of the Gaza Strip
- IDF: 199 families of Israeli captives in Gaza have been contacted