US deploys additional missile systems to Middle East as Israel, Hamas exchange fire
The U.S. Military is deploying further missile systems to the Middle East this weekend as Israel and Hamas continue to exchange fire. The conflict is nearing the end of its first month, with at least 1,400 Israelis dead at the hands of Hamas' October 7 attack. Meanwhile, Hamas-run Palestinian authorities say thousands have died in Gaza.
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The Israeli Defense Forces and Israeli Securities Authority announced that Israeli forces have struck more than 320 Hamas military targets in the Gaza Strip within the past day.
"Over the past day, the IDF continued to strike terror infrastructure and military targets in the Gaza Strip," the IDF and ISA said in a statement. "Following ISA and IDF intelligence, the terror targets struck included tunnels containing Hamas terrorists, dozens of operational command centers, some of which concealed Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists, military compounds, and observation posts."
"Furthermore, the IDF struck targets that posed a threat to forces in the area surrounding the Gaza Strip who are preparing for ground operations, including dozens of mortar shell and anti-tank missile launch posts," the statement continued. "Overnight, an IDF tank thwarted a number of terrorist cells, including an anti-tank missile cell."
Since Hamas launched its Oct. 7 attack, more than 5,700 people have been killed in Gaza and Israel and thousands more have been wounded.
As of Monday morning, the number of people taken hostage by Hamas has reached 222.
Fox News' Yael Kuriel contributed to this report.
Israeli Idan Rakovsky spoke to Fox News Digital after his brother-in-law, Avidan Tordjman, was killed by Hamas members in the infamous October 7 attacks. He criticized international media — both left-wing and right-wing — for its treatment of the Israel-Hamas war.
"How would the average American, or Canadian, or British, or French — doesn't matter now — How would he or she respond to [an event] 20 times 9/11 in one day?" Rakovsky said of the October 7 attacks by Hamas that left at least 1,400 Israelis killed, with at least 199 others being taken hostage by Hamas into Gaza.
"That's what we're going through right now," Rakovsky said, again comparing the shock and tragedy of the Hamas attacks on Israelis and other citizens at a festival on the Gaza-Israel border to 9/11. "So seeing the coverage outside of Israel is very, very hard," he said.
"I can tell you that we are already used to it, unfortunately," he said. "So it doesn't really bother us anymore. We know that Israel is strong for itself and that we have no one to rely on [but] ourselves. And that's that's fine with us. And that's why we need to be as strong as we can."
Rakovsky responded directly to the media coverage of the Gaza hospital bombing, which has sparked intense debate online as outlets, including CBS and The New York Times, received criticism for suggesting that Israel was to blame.
Fox News' Jeffrey Clark contributed to this report.
Sympathy for Hamas’s war against Israel has been witnessed in some quarters on the streets of Europe and in certain U.S. cities, sparking new debates over what critics have called misguided multiculturalism, failed integration, underfunded police forces and unchecked immigration.
The U.S. and E.U.-designated terrorist movement, Hamas, carried out a massacre of at least 1,400 people in southern Israel on Oct. 7 and kidnapped more than 200 people, including Americans.
Outbreaks of alleged antisemitism targeting Israel unfolded among some pro-Palestinian protesters in London and in Brooklyn, New York, on Saturday as demonstrators chanted the controversial slogan "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free."
An estimated 100,000 demonstrators turned out in London to align themselves with the Palestinian cause - a section of some seemingly in favor of Hamas, whose stated aims are to eradicate Israel and murder Jews.
U.K. Home Secretary Suella Braverman termed the slogan "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free" as antisemitic, noting that the language is "widely understood to call for the destruction of Israel." Braverman’s governmental office is comparable to the U.S. secretary of Homeland Security.
Robert Jenrick, the U.K. immigration minister, took pro-Palestinians to task for chanting "jihad" on the streets of the British capital. He said they are "inciting terrorist violence" by invoking the oft-cited battle cry by radical Islamists.
Fox News' Benjamin Weinthal contributed to this report.
Brendan Smialowski - WPA Pool/Getty Images
President Biden and the leaders of Western allies reiterated support for Israel's right to defend itself on Sunday amid attacks from Hamas terrorists while also urging the Jewish State to protect civilians and follow international humanitarian law.
Biden, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, France President Emmanuel Macron, Germany Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italy Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak released a joint statement Sunday welcoming the release of two hostages by Hamas and calling on remaining hostages to be freed as well.
"The leaders reiterated their support for Israel and its right to defend itself against terrorism and called for adherence to international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians," the statement read. "They welcomed the release of two hostages and called for the immediate release of all remaining hostages. They committed to close coordination to support their nationals in the region, in particular those wishing to leave Gaza."
"The leaders welcomed the announcement of the first humanitarian convoys to reach Palestinians in need in Gaza and committed to continue coordinating with partners in the region to ensure sustained and safe access to food, water, medical care, and other assistance required to meet humanitarian needs," the statement continued. "The leaders committed to continue close diplomatic coordination, including with key partners in the region, to prevent the conflict from spreading, preserve stability in the Middle East, and work toward a political solution and durable peace."
An Israeli soldier walks on a Merkava tank at a position in an undisclosed location on the border with Lebanon on Oct. 22, 2023. (JALAA MAREY/AFP via Getty Images)
More activity took place at Israel's northern border with Lebanon overnight Sunday as tensions escalate with Iran-backed terrorist group Hezbollah.
The IDF said Monday morning that its forces struck four Hezbollah terrorist cells on the Lebanese border and some of the group's infrastructure, including a military compound and an observation post, in Lebanon.
Skirmishes along the Israel-Lebanon border have become more frequent in recent days as many are concerned that a second front with Hezbollah may emerge in Israel’s war with Hamas.
In response to the rising concerns, the U.S. State Department alerted on X, formerly Twitter, Sunday night that American citizens should leave Lebanon immediately due to an "unpredictable security situation."
"U.S. citizens who wish to depart Lebanon should leave now, due to the unpredictable security situation," the post by the department's Bureau of Consular Affairs read. "There are still commercial flights available, but there is reduced capacity."
The State of Israel responded to a social media post by Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg Friday in support of Palestinians.
"The world needs to speak up and call for an immediate ceasefire, justice and freedom for Palestinians and all civilians affected," the 20-year-old posted to X, formerly known as Twitter.
Israel's X account, managed by the Middle Eastern country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, did not mince words as it fired back just over an hour after Thunberg's second version of the tweet.
".@GretaThunberg, Hamas doesn’t use sustainable materials for their rockets which have BUTCHERED innocent Israelis. The victims of the Hamas massacre could have been your friends. Speak up," Israel posted.
Thunberg's original post included a picture of her with three other activists with signs that read, "Free Palestine," "Climate Justice Now," "This Jew Stands With Palestine" and "Stand With Gaza." It was deleted because it included a blue octopus that had a frowning face and was sitting on one of the activists’ legs, which she said she had not realized could be viewed as an antisemitic symbol.
Moments later, Thunberg shared a nearly identical photo – the same four people holding the same four signs – this time with the stuffed animal cut out of the photo.
"The toy in the picture is a tool often used by autistic people as a way to communicate feelings," Thunberg explained.
Fox News' Pilar Arias and Lawrence Richard contributed to this report.
Nathan Posner/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
A former State Department official resigned last week over the Biden administration’s response to the Israel-Hamas war.
Josh Paul, the former director of congressional and public affairs at the department's Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, announced his resignation on Oct. 18 in a two-page letter posted to LinkedIn, stating he couldn’t stay because of a "policy disagreement" with the United States’ "continued lethal assistance to Israel."
"Let me be clear: Hamas' attack on Israel was not just a monstrosity; it was a monstrosity of monstrosities. I also believe that potential escalations by Iran-linked groups such as Hezbollah, or by Iran itself, would be a further cynical exploitation of the existing tragedy. But I believe to the core of my soul that the response Israel is taking, and with it the American support both for that response, and for the status quo of the occupation, will only lead to more and deeper suffering for both the Israeli and the Palestinian people - and is not in the long term American interest," Paul wrote in part.
"This Administration's response - and much of Congress' as well - is an impulsive reaction built on confirmation bias, political convenience, intellectual bankruptcy, and bureaucratic inertia. That is to say, it is immensely disappointing, and entirely unsurprising. Decades of the same approach have shown that security for peace leads to neither security, nor to peace. The fact is, blind support for one side is destructive in the long term to the interests of the people on both sides. I fear we are repeating the same mistakes we have made these past decades, and I decline to be a part of it for longer."
Paul, who worked 11 years for the State Department, told the New York Times "legal guardrails" were failing after Israel cut off water, food, electricity and medicine to Gaza after Hamas terrorists killed 1,400 Israelis and kidnapped hundreds more.
The Biden administration announced a $100 million humanitarian aid package for Palestinians last week and requested roughly $15 billion in aid for Israel from the U.S. Congress.
Fox News' Ashley Carnahan contributed to this report.
An aerial picture shows a damaged building in kibbutz Beeri near the border with Gaza on October 22, 2023, in the aftermath of a Palestinian militant attack on October 7. (Photo by JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images)
Some Hamas terrorists killed during the October 7 attack that marked the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war were carrying instructions about chemical bombs, Israeli officials say.
The instructions were reportedly about cyanide-based chemical bombs, according to Israeli intelligence reviewed by Axios. The information was found on USB devices that the terrorists were carrying.
The USBs were found on the bodies of killed Hamas fighters who invaded Kibbutz Be’eri in Southern Israel when the war began.
Israeli officials have told their embassies that the Hamas terrorists were expected to "conduct attacks in a similar way that ISIS tried to do."
"This finding points to an intention by Hamas to use chemical weapons as part of its terror attack against civilians," Israel reported in a cable to its embassies.
Fox News Digital's Greg Wehner contributed to this report.
This picture taken on October 27, 2020 shows a view of Emirates and Middle East Airlines aircraft on the tarmac at Lebanon's main Beirut International Airport, south of the Lebanese capital. (Photo by THOMAS COEX/AFP via Getty Images)
The U.S. State Department is urging American citizens to leave Lebanon immediately due to an "unpredictable security situation."
The department's Bureau of Consular Affairs posted the update to X, formerly known as Twitter, on Sunday night.
"U.S. citizens who wish to depart Lebanon should leave now, due to the unpredictable security situation," the social media post read. "There are still commercial flights available, but there is reduced capacity."
The post directed readers to various resources, including a crisis intake form and flight options at Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport.
"The Department of State urges U.S. citizens not to travel to Lebanon," an alert on the U.S. Embassy in Lebanon's site read. "We recommend that U.S. citizens in Lebanon make appropriate arrangements to leave the country; commercial options currently remain available."
"We recommend that U.S. citizens who choose not to depart prepare contingency plans for emergency situations," the alert added.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) speaks with reporters in the Senate subway at the U.S. Capitol on September 11, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., criticized Iran for allegedly "giving the green light" to Hamas before the terrorist group began attacking Israel earlier this month.
Speaking from Tel Aviv on Sunday, the Connecticut senator warned Iranian leaders to not involve themselves with Hezbollah, another terrorist group.
"If you're thinking about giving the green light to Hezbollah, as you did to Hamas - don’t," Blumenthal said.
It is still unclear to what extent Iranian officials helped Hamas terrorists plan or carry out their attack against Israel, which began on October 7.
Senior White House official John Kirby has maintained that there is not a "direct link" between Iran and the Hamas attacks against Israel, though Iran funds, trains, and has been linked to the terrorist group in the past.
Kirby, who acts as the National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications, has asserted that the Biden administration has not "turned a blind eye" to Iran's influence.
"We're obviously recognize that there's broad complicity here by the Iranians, I mean, because of the longstanding support to Hamas," Kirby explained on October 11. "Hamas wouldn't have been able to function at all had it not been for propping up by the Iranian regime."
"But we haven't seen any specific evidence that tells us they were wittingly involved in the planning or involved in the resourcing and the training that went into this very complex set of attacks over the weekend," he added.
Fox News's Lucas Tomlinson and Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a press conference in Tel Aviv, on October 17, 2023, after an overnight meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (Photo by JACQUELYN MARTIN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Secretary of State Antony Blinken accused Hamas terrorists of blocking American citizens from leaving Gaza during a Sunday interview as the war in Israel continues.
Blinken appeared on CBS's "Face the Nation" to discuss the latest developments in the war, which began on October 7. Hundreds of thousands of people have fled the northern part of the Gaza Strip amid dangerous conditions.
"To date, at least, Hamas has blocked [U.S. citizens] from leaving, showing once again its total disregard for civilians of any kind who are who are stuck in Gaza," Blinken said.
Host Margaret Brennan also pressed the official on why the U.S. is not advocating for a ceasefire, referencing Israel's airstrikes towards Gaza. Blinken said that he expects "more will follow today and the day after that."
"We want to make sure that we have sustained delivery of food, medicine, water, the things that people need," Blinken explained. "At the same time, I said something a minute ago that we have to remember. Israel has to do everything it can to make sure this doesn't happen again."
"Freezing things in place where they are now would allow Hamas to remain where it is and to repeat what it's done sometime in the future. No country could accept that," he added.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., told Fox News host Shannon Bream that China, Russia and Iran comprise the new "axis of evil" as the wars in Ukraine and Israel continue.
During a "Fox News Sunday" appearance, McConnell asserted that the world is the most endangered its ever been in his lifetime – even more than during the Cold War.
"You have to respond to conditions that actually exist that are a threat to the United States. The Iranians are a threat to us as well. And so, this is an emergency," the Kentucky senator explained. "It’s an emergency that we step up and deal with this axis of evil – China, Russia, Iran – because it’s an immediate threat to the United States."
McConnell then questioned if the United States will take on a leadership role during the tense geopolitical situation.
"The question is, is America going to lead?" McConnell asked. "I think the Biden administration sent the wrong signal and they had the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. I think that was like giving a green light to Putin to go into Ukraine."
"And we see that Iran, principal sponsor of terrorism, sending drones to the Russians and attacking – Hezbollah and in this particular situation, Hamas – attacking the Israelis with drones. So it’s all connected," he added. "You can’t separate out one part of it and say we’re only gonna deal with this. It’s all connected."
Fox News Digital's Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.
departs from the restaurant Egg on October, 22, 2023 in Rehoboth, Delaware. (Photo by Kent Nishimura / AFP via Getty Images)
President Biden spoke with multiple world leaders on Sunday as the war between Israel and Hamas continues in the Middle East.
The White House announced on Sunday that Biden had a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the latest updates about the war. In a statement, the White House said that the leaders "affirmed that there will now be continued flow" of critical assistance into Gaza and agreed to keep in touch.
"The President expressed appreciation for Israel’s support in helping to accommodate the release of two American hostages," the White House said in a statement. "The leaders discussed ongoing efforts to secure the release of all the remaining hostages taken by Hamas – including U.S. citizens – and to provide for safe passage for U.S. citizens and other civilians in Gaza who wish to depart."
Biden also hopped on a group call with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and French President Emmanuel Macron, along with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Hamas began attacking Israel during a surprise terrorist assault on October 7, the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah. At least 1,500 people in Israel have been killed since, and around 212 others were captured and taken to Gaza.
The Hamas-run health ministry estimated that more than 4,600 people have been killed in Gaza so far. The Israeli government says that around 700,000 people in northern Gaza have fled the overcrowded territory.
Hamas left explosive trap inside child's backpack, other boobytraps amid retreat from Oct. 7 attack
Hamas terrorists left many explosive boobytraps in Israel as they retreated back into Gaza from their October 7 attack, Israeli Defense Forces Say.
The IDF shared footage of one such trap on Sunday, this on a child's backpack filled with explosives. The pack would have detonated had someone tried to pick it up, officials said.
"The IDF Yahalom Unit continues to collect explosives and weapons of Hamas terrorists used for the October 7 massacre," the IDF wrote in a statement.fox
"Soldiers discovered a child’s school bag laying in a field. The bag was booby-trapped, containing a remote-activated explosive device—weighing 7 kg," it continued. "Hamas purposefully chose to booby-trap a child's backpack with the hope a well-intentioned civilian would pick it up."
Hamas' October 7 attack killed at least 1,400 Israelis. The IDF has been poised of an invasion of Gaza for more than a week, though they have yet to make the move.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., aggressively shut down a reporter's question regarding Rep. Rashida Tlaib's, D-Mich., alleged anti-semitism on Sunday.
Graham was in Israel alongside a bipartisan group of senators who all expressed their firm support for Israel and its right to defend itself against Hamas. The group delivered a press conference and began taking quesitons when a Newsmax reporter brought up Tlaib's recent anti-Israel comments.
"I heard every single one of you voicing your support for Israel fervently, stridently," the reporter said. "But it starts at home, and I'd like to ask any Democrat senator here that would like to speak to Rashida Tlaib--She still has a tweet up condemning Israel for a hospital attack--"
"Stop," Graham then says firmly into the mic.
"It's not a--. It's a fair question, Senator Graham," the reporter protests.
"No, stop," Graham repeats. "We are here together, not to talk about the problems at home, which are many. I've got my own view of what to say."
"It's a fair question, senator," the reporter repeats.
"You're not gonna screw this up," Graham says. "Get this guy out of here."
The pair continued to talk over one another for several moments before moving on the the next reporter.
Israel's government security service has created a new unit devoted to hunting down and eliminating all members of Hamas who played a role in the October 7 assault on Israel.
Israel's government security service has created a new unit devoted to hunting down and eliminating all members of Hamas who played a role in the October 7 assault on Israel.
The service, Shin Bet, has named the new unit Nili, an acronym in Hebrew for "The Eternity of Israel Will Not Lie," according to the Jerusalem Post. The force is specifically targeted against a Hamas force known as Nukhba or "Elite." The Nukhba reportedly infiltrated Israel on October 7 and conducted mass killings at civilian and IDF outposts before returning to Gaza.
The unit comprises both intelligence officials and field operators, and it will reportedly function separately from Shin Bet's other units.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has refered to Hamas as "bloody monsters" and has vowed to destroy them. The IDF appears poised for a ground invasion of Gaza, but no order has come down to move forward.
The IDF has already carried out strikes killing roughly half a dozen senior Hamas leaders. An airstrike Sunday morning killed Hamas' deputy commander of its rocket array, according to Israel.
Israeli military apologizes after tank fires on Egyptian position
The Israeli Defense Forces apologized to Egypt after one of its tanks fired on an Egyptian position, causing unknown damage.
The IDF says the tank "accidentally fired" Sunday morning an hit the Egyption outpost near the border area of Kerem Shalom, which lies at the intersection of the Israeli, Egyptian and Gaza Strip borders.
"A short while ago, an IDF tank accidentally fired and hit an Egyptian post adjacent to the border in the area of Kerem Shalom. The incident is being investigated and the details are under review," the IDF statement read.
"The IDF expresses sorrow regarding the incident," it added.
A bipartisan group of U.S. senators reemphasized their support for Israel's war agaisnt Hamas during a trip on Sunday.
Led by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., the Senators met with Israeli officials and were shown footage of Hamas' unprecedented October 7 assault on Isreal, which left at least 1,400 people dead. Each of them spoke in turn following their meetings with Israeli officials and the families of hostages taken by Hamas.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said he had rarely seen a group of U.S. senators so "moved" and "inspired" than he did Sunday morning. He assured Israel that it has his full support in its war against Hamas terrorists.
He went on to offer his support for the Palestinian people, who he says are also victims of Hamas.
Each of the senators also offered a warning to Iran not to intervene in the conflict, either directly or through its terrorist proxies like Hezbollah.
Second convoy of aid has entered Gaza, Egyptian media says
A convoy of 17 trucks crossed the Egyptian border into Gaza carrying aid for civilians amid Israel's war against Hamas on Sunday, according to Egyptian state media.
The convoy would be the second aid package to arrive in Gaza since Israel imposed a blockade on the region. Israeli first announced last week that it would allow Egypt to deliver supplies.
The report comes as the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees says it will run out of fuel in Gaza by Wednesday. It is unclear whether the 2nd convoy carried any fuel, as the first did not.
Israel has appeared poised for an invasion of Gaza for more than a week, but no order has come down to begin a ground operation.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
Bill Maher mocks Ivy League schools for ‘indoctrination’ and anti-Israel hate
HBO host Bill Maher skewered America’s Ivy League universities Friday night, accusing them of being hotbeds of "indoctrination" after many student groups have been hammering Israel in the wake of Hamas’ deadly attack against that country.
Citing antisemitic rallies and statements cropping up in academia following the attack, the "Real Time with Bill Maher" host advised that young people should avoid attending these schools.
At the outset of the segment, Maher stated, "As an Ivy League graduate who knows the value of a liberal education, I have one piece of advice for the youth of America: Don’t go to college."
Showing images of Pro-Palestinian/anti-Israel demonstrations at Harvard University, the comedian continued, "And if you absolutely have to go, don’t go to an elite college, because as recent events have shown, it just makes you stupid."
Maher stated that the tragedy in Israel revealed "how higher education has become indoctrination into a stew of bad ideas, among them the simplistic notion that the world is a binary place where everyone is either an oppressor or oppressed, in the case of Israel, oppressors being babies and bubbes."
The host was referring to Palestinian supporters on these campuses that have insisted that the Hamas attack on October 7 was Israel’s fault for oppressing Palestinians.
Israeli forces released footage of their first-ever use of the "Iron Sting" in an operation on Sunday.
Israeli forces released footage of their first-ever use of the "Iron Sting" in an operation on Sunday.
The army used the weapons system in conjuction with the Israeli Air Force, describing it as a "innovative and accurate mortar bomb." The dense urban environments of Gaza and the West Bank ensure that the accuracy of Israel's air strikes is a top priority.
The munition uses both laser and GPS guidance systems to guide toward the target, minimizing the risk of collateral damage.
Israeli forces have conducted thousands of air strikes in Gaza and the West Bank following Hamas' unprecedented attack on October 7.
While the IDF has made clear preparations for a potential ground assault into Gaza, no order to move forward has been given.
Israel hits Hamas compound hidden under mosque in West Bank
The Israeli military took out a militant compound hidden under a mosque in the West Bank early Sunday morning, the IDF announced.
The military says the militants had used the compound beneath the al-Ansar Mosque, in Jenin to coordinate attacks against Israel. It said militants with both Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad had used the facility, Reuters reported.
"Intel was recently received which indicated that the terrorists, (who) were neutralized, were organizing an imminent terror attack," the military said in a statement.
The Palestinian Red Crescent said that one person was killed in the strike and three others were wounded.
Hamas and other terror groups in the region are infamous for placing key command posts and supply caches underneath civilian thoroughfares like mosques, hospitals and schools.
Israel is targeting every terrorist organization based in Gaza, and not simply Hamas, IDF spokesman Jonathan Conricus said Saturday.
Conricus says Israel is targeting "everything related to Hamas combat capabilities," including infrastructure and logistics targets. Israeli operations are including attacks on the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which Conricus described as "smaller, but more radical" than Hamas.
Hamas and PIJ are only two of multiple terrorist organizations operating within Gaza. Conricus says the IDF expects to meet resistance if it moves forward with a ground invasion of Gaza, specifically citing the threat of tunnel systems.
Nevertheless, Conricus said that Hamas are ultimately cowards who routinely hide behind "and under" civilians for protection.
Israeli soldier celebrates wedding days after he's shot and his brother goes missing in action
An Israeli soldier celebrated his wedding little over a week after he was wounded battling Hamas terrorists and his younger brother was declared missing in action.
Amid grief and uncertainty, Yonatan and Galya Tzvi, both 24, tied the knot in a scaled-down ceremony that had been planned months before Hamas terrorists stormed into Israel Oct. 7 and slaughtered more than 1,400 people.
"It was obviously a very bittersweet wedding and there were tears," the groom's father, Rabbi Doron Perez, told Fox News Digital. "But somehow we were able to celebrate, and it was also very happy."
When fighting broke out, Yonatan, a soldier in a paratrooper brigade, was dispatched to Sderot then to an army base in Nahal Oz, less than two miles from the border with Gaza.
Hamas terrorists had breached the security fence and taken over the army base.
Yonatan's 22-year-old brother Daniel, a tank commander, happened to be stationed there when fighting broke out.
"When [Yonatan] went into the base, some of the tanks were missing. He knew where Daniel’s tank was parked, and it wasn't there," Doron said.
The Israeli military should expect high levels of civilian casualties if it plans to move foward with a ground invasion of Gaza in the comind days, Gen. David Petraeus says.
The former CIA director made the comments on Fox News this weekend, saying the task of rooting out Hamas from Gaza will be a difficult one.
"I believe the Israeli Defense Forces are capable of destroying Hamas, but there will be considerable casualties for the Israelies, for innocent civilians, and considerable damage and destruction to civilian infrastructure," Petraeus said.
"It is inevitable that in this kind of very tough, urban fighting that there will be that kind of destruction and that level of civilian casualties," he added.
IDF spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari says Israeli air strikes killed yet another senior member of Hamas overnight Sunday.
IDF spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari says Israeli air strikes killed yet another senior member of Hamas overnight Sunday.
Strikes in the Gaza strip killed dozens of Hamas targets throughout the night, Israel said, including the deputy commander of the group's rocket array. Hamas has fired thousands of rockets into Israel since the conflict began on October 7.
"We are increasing the attacks in the Gaza Strip in order to reduce the threats to our forces in preparation for the next phase of the war,” Hagari said.
“We will go to the next stage under the best conditions for the IDF and in accordance with the decision of the political echelon,” he added.
Hagari did not name the commander.
Israel focused on destroying Hamas despite ceasefire calls: 'No other option'
On a tour of southern Israel aimed at boosting morale among troops preparing for a likely ground operation inside Gaza, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant promised to lead Israel to a decisive victory against Hamas.
"We will be precise and forceful, and we will keep going until we fulfill our mission," Gallant stated.
What exactly that mission is has been clearly echoed throughout Israel’s military ranks up to its political leadership over the last two weeks since an elite unit of the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas launched a surprise attack on southern Israel.
After the murder of 1,400 people, civilians and soldiers and the kidnapping of 210 people, Israel has said it will not stop this war until Hamas, its people and its infrastructure are wiped out.
Voices around the world have begun questioning whether Israel’s response is "proportionate," calling for restraint as the civilian death toll in Gaza rises and demanding a cease-fire before this conflict drags in other, more nefarious, regional players.
But Israelis remain steadfast, believing there is no choice — "It’s either them or us." There is no room in the region for both.
The son of a founding Hamas leader broke his silence on his decision to denounce the terrorist group after he turned on his own family and converted to Christianity when he saw the horrors of the group's reign firsthand.
Mosab Hassan Yousef, who spied in favor of the Israelis and sought asylum in the U.S., spoke out on his decision to leave the life of terror behind during "FOX & Friends."
"I was born at the heart of Hamas leadership… and I know them very well. They don't care for the Palestinian people. They do not regard the human life," Yousef told Brian Kilmeade Thursday.
"I saw their brutality firsthand back in 1996 when I spent about a year and a half in Megiddo Prison… They killed so many Palestinian people at that point, and this is when I decided that I cannot be together with this movement."
"I had to be honest with myself. Even though Hamas gave me advantages…. I was like a prince in that world… but I did not like them," he continued. "I turned against even my own blood… because this is how much I did not like Hamas, and today, 25 years later, they are the rulers of Gaza, and we see what they are capable of doing."
A Christian and former Israel Defense Forces paratrooper said he believes Hamas is not just a danger to Jews, but also to followers of Jesus.
A Christian and former Israel Defense Forces paratrooper said he believes Hamas is not just a danger to Jews, but also to followers of Jesus.
"We think that this is not a war for only Jews against Hamas," Shadi Khaloul said. "It's the fight of light against darkness."
Hamas launched a surprise invasion on Oct. 7, killing 1,400 Israelis, including civilians. Brutal details have come to light in the following days, showing massacres and beheadings of women and children, with Israeli officials describing signs of torture and abuse.
With the Jewish state preparing to send troops into Gaza as part of its resulting war against Hamas, more than 300,000 IDF reservists of all backgrounds had been called up as of Oct. 9, according to Israel's chief military spokesperson Rear-Admiral Daniel Hagari.
Dozens of Hollywood A-listers wrote an open letter addressed to President Biden this week urging him and other world leaders to push for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.
Dozens of Hollywood A-listers wrote an open letter addressed to President Biden this week urging him and other world leaders to push for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.
Celebrities including Academy Award winner Joaquin Phoenix, actress Cate Blanchett, comedian Jon Stewart, and 52 others signed the letter calling for peace between the Israeli and Palestinian people.
As noted in Variety, their letter stated, "We ask that, as President of the United States, you call for an immediate de-escalation and ceasefire in Gaza and Israel before another life is lost. More than 5,000 people have been killed in the last week and a half – a number any person of conscience knows is catastrophic. We believe all life is sacred, no matter faith or ethnicity and we condemn the killing of Palestinian and Israeli civilians."
The letter continued, "We urge your administration, and all world leaders, to honor all of the lives in the Holy Land and call for and facilitate a ceasefire without delay – an end to the bombing of Gaza, and the safe release of hostages."
Fox News reviewed Israeli footage of a captured Hamas terrorist discussing the group's savage October 7 attack on Israel.
Fox News’ Trey Yingst reported on the video of a Hamas fighter. The terrorist acknowled that in Islam, people are not supposed to kill women, children and the elderly, despite commanders’ orders.
The militant said Hamas members "became animals" when they invaded Southern Israel, killing at least 1,400 people.
Two astronauts aboard the International Space Station told Fox News their view of Earth without borders and living alongside people from other nations has helped them feel a sense of unity, even as the Israel-Hamas war rages.
Two astronauts aboard the International Space Station told Fox News their view of Earth without borders and living alongside people from other nations has helped them feel a sense of unity, even as the Israel-Hamas war rages.
"One of the things we experience up here is a different perspective of the world of our planet," European Space Agency astronaut Andreas Mogensen told Fox News. "A lot of people call it the overview effect."
"We see the Earth as a single planet that we all share together," he continued. "You don't see borders between countries, and so you get an idea that perhaps borders are something artificial."
Though astronauts may not be able to differentiate between different countries from space, territorial border disputes over the Gaza Strip between Palestinians and Israelis have been ongoing for decades. After Hamas — the ruling party in Gaza — invaded Israel and murdered over 1,400 Israelis on Oct. 7, the Jewish nation declared war on the Islamic terrorist group and launched retaliatory strikes.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says he cancel student visas and deport foreign nationals who express support for Hamas in the U.S. if he is elected president.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says he cancel student visas and deport foreign nationals who express support for Hamas in the U.S. if he is elected president.
DeSantis made the comments Friday while speaking at a campaign event in Iowa. The White House hopeful discussed his plans to remove Hamas-supporting foreign nationals attending U.S. colleges and universities from the country as many pro-Palestinian student groups at various institutions across the nation release statements and organize demonstrations endorsing Hamas' largest attack against Israel in decades.
"You see students demonstrating in our country in favor of Hamas," DeSantis said. "Remember, some of them are foreigners."
DeSantis said he will be "canceling your visa, and I’m sending you home" if he wins the presidency in 2024.
Fellow Republican presidential candidate and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott said at the same event in Iowa that, if elected president, he would withhold Pell Grants from universities that failed to eliminate antisemitism on their campuses.
IDF says Hamas is 'killing their own people' with string of Gaza rocket misfires
A steady stream of rocket misfires by Hamas and Islamic Jihad have resulted in the deaths of several Palestinians since the war between Israel and Iran-backed terrorists first began earlier this month, according to one Israeli defense official.
"They are killing their own people," Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman Daniel Hagari said Saturday.
Hagari noted that one-fifth of the rockets that have been fired by Hamas and Islamic Jihad have missed intended targets and landed inside Gaza, killing civilians. That number, Hagari said, amounts to more than 550 rockets.
The comments from Hagari came roughly four days after the al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City was struck by an errant rocket. The blast reportedly left hundreds dead. Hamas initially claimed the hospital was attacked in an Israeli strike; Israel countered after an investigation that it was hit by an errant missile launched by terrorists in Gaza.
The U.S. has plans to deploy further missiles sytems to the Middle East as Israel and Hamas continue to exchange fire this weekend.
The U.S. has plans to deploy further missiles sytems to the Middle East as Israel and Hamas continue to exchange fire this weekend.
The U.S. credited to additional deployments to "escalations" in the region by Iran. Iran and its proxy terrorist group, Hezbollah, have threatened to join the war against Israel for weeks.
The U.S. has pressured them to stay out of the conflict, deploying two air craft carrier groups to the Eastern Mediterranean in a clear threat of full U.S. involvement.
The U.S. has put at least 2,000 troops on high alert in the region, though President Biden says Israel has not requested direct U.S. assistance.
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