BACKGROUND – TALKING POINTS – ACTIONS – STORIES
Since the horrific Oct.7 massacre that killed thousands and saw hundreds of innocent civilians dragged to Gaza as hostages, Israel remains under constant attack. The world’s only Jewish state is forced to engage with enemies on seven fronts and is still under daily bombardment – with rockets and drones being fired from all directions. Compelled to respond to unprovoked attacks on its borders, Israel has strategically targeted and eliminated Hamas and Hezbollah terrorist leaders and fighters.
Key war objective: Eliminate terrorist leadership responsible for 10/7
Israel’s goals in this defensive war have been removing key leadership, destroying terror infrastructures, disarming fighters and bringing the hostages home. While Hamas launched the war from Gaza, Hezbollah immediately began firing rocket and drone attacks on northern Israel – displacing 60,000 Israelis. Israel now must secure the nation’s borders and so citizens can safely return to their homes. Other militant groups, from the Houthis in Yemen to the sponsor of all terror in the region – Iran – also have attacked Israel.
The recent assassinations of terrorist war lords, Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas Chairman and Hezbollah’s political leader, Hassan Nasrallah, and eliminating the top tiers of both organizations’ leaders, remain paramount war achievements. A critical milestone in Israel’s fight for survival finally has been reached: After a year-long manhunt, Israel has eliminated the chief architect of the brutal 10/7 massacre, Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
Israel intelligence placed Sinwar somewhere in the southern area of Gaza known as Rafah. After a fierce gun battle and tank attack, Sinwar was discovered wounded in an empty building. At the time of his death Mentos mints, 40,000 shekel, an AK-47, a lighter, and a UNRWA employee ID were found on him. He was also wearing a grenade-stocked vest.
Commander and coward, Yahya Sinwar along with his family retreated into an underground Gaza tunnel the night before the 10/7 attack on Israel to stay in upscale accommodations that were set up for a long stay. According to recently released IDF footage, in addition to a fully stocked kitchen, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and a large TV, a safe containing millions of both Israeli shekels and U.S. dollars was found abandoned in haste when it became known that the IDF was approaching. Fleeing for her life, Sinwar’s wife was seen in escape footage carrying a $32,000 Birkin designer handbag. Sinwar operated in complete secrecy underground by constantly moving locations and exclusively using non-digital forms of communication – hand-delivering messages through trusted couriers. Hiding underground for a year, Sinwar had not been seen in public since the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7.
Who was Yahya Sinwar?
After a 22-year Israeli prison sentence on murder charges, Sinwar was released in an exchange of more than 1,000 terrorist prisoners, with Sinwar at the top of the list, for a single kidnapped Israeli soldier. Sinwar carefully studied his enemy while in prison and even became completely fluent in Hebrew. He became a feared terrorist war lord and ruthless enforcer responsible for punishing Palestinians in Gaza who were suspected of spying for Israel, his brutal tactics earned him the nickname: “Butcher of Khan Younis.” He once bragged about forcing a Palestinian man suspected of spying for Israel to bury his own brother alive.
Sinwar eventually climbed to the top ranks of Hamas and became a revered leader who held strong ties with Iran and was a defiant, explosive-tempered architect of strategy and military power. Revealing his complete disregard for the value of Gaza civilian lives, Sinwar’s dentist once asked him: “Tell me, is it worth 10,000 innocent people [in Gaza] to die in order to free 100 [Hamas] prisoners,” Sinwar’s reply was unequivocal, “even 100,000 is worth it.” Sinwar was a fearsome enemy. He maintained allegiance to the guiding principles of Hamas: the destruction of Israel, killing of all Jews and establishment of Islamic law.
Gaza civilians hold mixed feelings about the killing of their leader. Many remain proud of the Hamas chief and revere him in death. A father of two in Gaza proudly declared that he will show it daily to his children and grandchildren and beamed: “This is how heroes die.” Others scorn Sinwar and are relieved he is dead. “I can’t hide my anger at Yahya Sinwar for the scourge of war he brought upon us,” one Gazan told Al-Monitor. “We are stuck in this war that has no end in sight, and whenever things escalate, it is because of leaders who do not think about our future or the fate of future generations.”
With the announcement of Sinwar’s killing, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared: “The score has been settled and evil has been dealt a blow.” He also stated: “Those holding hostages will be spared if they release them, lay down their arms; War can end tomorrow.” The IDF’s chief spokesperson called Sinwar a murderer “who proved to the whole world that Hamas is worse than ISIS,” referring to the Islamic State group.
President Biden, hearing of Sinwar’s death, announced: “This is a good day for Israel, for the United States, and for the world.” He also commended the IDF for “its excellent operation.” After being an immovable obstacle in every hostage deal negotiation, the elimination of Yahya Sinwar has been widely lauded by both individuals and organizations, like ADL and the AJC, among others. U.S. Sec. of State Blinken remarked that “Sinwar rebuffed efforts by the U.S. and its partners to end the war.”
New phase of war
The death of Sinwar ushers in a new phase of the long war, one still riddled with unknowns. With an escalation in the north and daily Hezbollah attacks from Lebanon, terrorist infiltrations from Jordan, rockets from Yemen and Iraq, ongoing battles with Hamas in Gaza and now two separate Iran ballistic missile barrages from the “head of the snake,” Israel remains in the regional crosshairs of hate. Hezbollah has warned of an ‘escalatory phase’ of its war with Israel using precision-guided missiles. Hamas has threatened a “flood” of suicide bombings – claiming a “flood of martyrdom operations” will drown Israel. Iran vowed the “Axis of Resistance will continue.”
The international community, through the UN Security Council, has repeatedly demanded for Hezbollah to disarm. UN Resolution 1701 which called for a zone in southern Lebanon that is free of armed personnel besides the army of Lebanon was completely ignored by Hezbollah. It set up camp in that zone and has proudly waved Hezbollah flags along the border, claiming its territory. Hezbollah also ignored the 2004 UN Resolution 1559 and the Lebanese Taif Agreement which called for disbanding and disarming all militias. Hezbollah’s aggressive actions openly demonstrate that the terrorist organization has no intention of laying down its arms. In recent weeks, Israel has assassinated Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s most important leader, eliminated three tiers of Hezbollah’s leadership and dismantled its military command while destroying much of its firepower.
Iran, the regime that trains, funds and supplies weapons to its Middle East terrorist factions, fired its second barrage of nearly 200 ballistic missiles at Israel on Oct. 1. This follows an April 2024 direct attack on Israel when Iran launched 170 drones, over 30 cruise missiles and more than 120 ballistic missiles at the Jewish state. Israel developed plans for a counterattack against Iran which were shared with the Pentagon and then allegedly leaked and found on social media. The U.S. is investigating the leak of these highly classified documents during a profoundly sensitive moment in Israel-U.S. relations.
With Israel facing a potential shortage of interceptor missiles amid Iran threats, the U.S. initiated a $5.2 billion aid package to strengthen Israel’s air defenses and sent the THAAD missile defense system which recently arrived and is “in place.” Israel’s response to Iran’s Oct. 1 barrage is expected soon. The additional U.S. defense system is intended to help Israel defend itself from Iran’s retaliation. The U.S. also launched an airstrike on Houthi targets in Yemen with B-2 bombers in an apparent message to Iran.
Hezbollah’s sophisticated, military drones from Iran have emerged as new, dangerous aerial threats to Israel. A drone launched by Hezbollah struck Israeli PM Netanyahu’s Caesarea home in Israel in a failed assassination attempt which the PM called “a bitter mistake” that would not deter him.
Israel’s enemies have only stepped up attacks as Hezbollah fired a salvo of more than 200 rockets at the north over the weekend following Sinwar’s death. The IDF found state-of-the-art Russian arms in Hezbollah bases and after targeting financial command centers in Beirut, discovered a stockpile of $500 million in gold and cash held in a hospital basement to fund Hezbollah’s terror activities. Meanwhile, multiple terrorists disguised as army personnel crossed into Israel from Jordan and opened fire at a Jewish town near the Dead Sea.
This year, Jews celebrating the traditionally joyous holiday of Simchat Torah also are struggling with how to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the deadliest attack on Jews since the Holocaust.
Simchat Torah occurs at the end of the Sukkot, a week-long Jewish holiday. This year, many Israelis are adorning the walls of their sukkah with reminders of the hostages and memorials of fallen soldiers. Sukkot has become “another holiday without them.”
No Israeli can forget the 101 hostages still being held in Gaza, more than one year after terrorists rampaged through Israeli villages and the Nova Music Festival.
Commemorate the anniversary of 10/7 on the Hebrew calendar date
The one-year anniversary of the 10/7 massacre coincides with the 22 day of Tishrei on the Hebrew calendar. It is being commemorated in Israel and around the world with both in-person and online events.
The assassination of Yahya Sinwar registered 3.79 mil. posts online between Oct. 14 and Oct. 21 according to The Foundation to Combat Antisemitism’s Command Center. The conversation garnered 5.33 bil. Many of the posts with the largest reach were posts eulogizing Sinwar – painting him as a hero and a martyr or as a solider fighting Israel.
Data courtesy of the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism, which publishes a weekly newsletter related to its campaign #StandUpToJewishHate 🟦 at https://www.fcas.org/newsletter/
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