Monitoring Desk: Families and friends of people caught in the Hamas offensive in Israel’s South have posted pictures and phone numbers online in a bid to get in touch with loved ones, reports TPS News Agency from Jerusalem.
News Agency reported that many of those missing were attending a “Nature Party” in the desert near Kibbutz Re’im.
“My nephew Guy Gilboa-Dalal was at the trance [music] festival. We have had no contact with him. Please, anyone who saw him, any information, contact me,” wrote one in a typical social media post, which included a phone number to call.
“Anyone who saw Hadar Prince at the party please get in touch. Dana,” said another.
Still another read, “Urgent! Urgent! Urgent! Friend, please share as much as possible. Bar Lior (nickname: Bar Li) was at the Nova party and contact with him was lost. … Please, anyone with any information about his whereabouts contact us.”
According to the most recent numbers, 250 Israelis have been killed since the fighting began on Saturday morning. The Ministry of Health reported on 1,452 injured who were evacuated to hospitals. The number includes 18 people are fighting for their lives, 267 in critical condition, 636 in mild condition, and 169 are under medical evaluation. Another 16 were treated for anxiety.
In the deadliest Hamas offensive in Israeli history an estimated 1,000 attackers infiltrated Israel on paragliders, by land and by sea. Israelis caught off guard into the night in Sderot and Beeri, near Gaza, and even Ofakim, a distance of 25 km from the Strip. The Israel Defense Forces retaliated with airstrikes on Hamas positions in the Strip and called up reservists.
An estimated 3,000 rockets were also fired, triggering alarms in hundreds of Israeli communities, including Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and central Israel.
Here is a timeline of the day’s events.
6:30 AM – First reports of rocket attacks on Israel. The IDF estimates that 2,500 rockets were launched during the first few hours of the morning.
7:30 AM – First reports of infiltrations into Israel. IDF orders residents of towns to stay near their homes.
8:00 AM – First reports of casualties from rocket attacks and attacks inside Israeli towns along the Gaza border.
8:15 AM – First sirens warning of rockets in Jerusalem
8:20 AM – Reports of Israeli retaliatory strikes in Gaza. Large rocket barrages continue.
10:20 AM – IDF Launches Operation “Iron Swords” and initiates reserve call-ups.
12:00 PM – Home Front Command places restrictions on gatherings and cancels public activities.
12:20 PM – Israel deploys several battalions to the Gaza border. Rocket fire subsides significantly.
5:00 PM – Israel reports death toll of 100 killed 900 injured.
5:30 PM – IDF Spokesman confirms that Hamas has taken civilian and military hostages into Gaza. Israel is fighting at 22 locations. Four army divisions are deployed to the Gaza border.
6:30 PM – Israel strikes two high-rise towers in Gaza housing Hamas assets.
7:15 PM – Israel announces it has killed hundreds of terrorists in Southern Israel and Gaza.
7:30 PM – Israeli Energy Minister Israel Katz announces he has ordered the Israel Electric Company to halt the supply of electricity to Gaza.
8:00 PM – Large rocket barrage strikes central Israel. The casualty count rises to 150 killed and 1,100 wounded.
8:45 PM – Israel raises the announced death toll to 200.
9:20 PM – IDF announces a new wave of airstrikes on Gaza.
0:00 PM – Israeli Defense Minister extends the emergency situation to the entire state of Israel. Previously, it was only within 80 KM from Gaza.
10:15 PM – Israel raises the number of those killed to 250.
11:00 PM – Israel begins a large-scale attack from the sea and air on Gaza.
11:45 PM – The municipality of Netiv HaAsara releases the names of 15 of its residents killed.
