On October 6th, 2023, the 50th anniversary of the 1973 Yom Kipper War in which Israel fought against Egypt and Syria, Hamas launched a bloody attack on Jerusalem. One day later, Netanyahu appeared in public to make his first statement since the fighting began, delcaring,
“This is not a so-called military operation, not another round of fighting, but war. Israel is at war.”
In the past few days, Hamas has claimed credit for launching at least 5,000 rockets at crucial Israeli cities like Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. The Israel Defense Forces verified at least 2,200. On the ground, Hamas militants have stormed the Gaza Strip, shooting at Jewish families and taking children and the elderly hostage across the Gaza border.
Over 800 civilians have been slaughtered by Hamas, and the death toll is only growing. Social media have captured the extent of the murders committed by Hamas, such as the tragic case of Shani Louk, a German woman who was robbed, raped, paraded naked, and then killed.
11 Americans have been killed in the conflict, alongside citizens of other nationalities as Hamas continues its indiscriminate onslaught. In a rare turn of events, the Chinese minister has joined sides with America in calling for peace. This comes as China’s Foreign Ministery verifies claims that Chinese nationals in Sderot were killed by Hamas.
Since Israel began its counter-offensive into Gaza, the death toll has risen once again, reaching a staggering 1,300 as hundreds of Palestinians find themselves in a similar predicament to their Jewish neighbors. Gaza has now been placed under “siege” by the Israel Defense Force, which mobilized over 300,000 reservists. In response, Hamas has threatened to kill the 100 or so hostages they have taken.
As the conflict drags on, the death toll on both sides will only rise. It appears that October 6th will gain another significance in Israeli and world history, marking the anniversary of two tragic wars.
Written by Si Kai Feng
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