On 7th October (Saturday), Ofir Libstein, the mayor of Sha’ar HaNegev Regional Council, was killed in the terror attack by the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas on Israel, the Times of Israel reported. The mayor’s office stated that the mayor was killed when he went to defend a town during a “terrorist attack“.
Following his death, Deputy Mayor Yossi Keren will take over the post. This comes hours after Israel came under one of the worst terror attacks in recent history. Israeli security forces have asserted that Hamas has made a ‘grave mistake’ and would have to pay a heavy price for it. It has initiated ‘Operation Iron Swords‘ and launched airstrikes against Hamas hideouts in the Gaza Strip using multiple fighter jets. Reacting to these attacks, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu asserted that Israel is at war.
אנחנו במלחמה. pic.twitter.com/XNM3l7fEQH
— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) October 7, 2023
Earlier in the day, Hamas launched 5,000 rockets at residential areas of Israel along with a ground assault as around 40-50 terrorists are said to have infiltrated the Israeli town of Sderot. Around 4 people have died in these attacks while reports claim that the terrorists have held several Israeli citizens hostage. In some videos doing rounds on the internet, uniformed terrorists in vehicles are seen parading bared bodies of Israeli citizens on the streets raising religious and provocative sloganeering.
As per a report in The Times of Israel, Palestinian terrorists from the Gaza Strip launched massive rocket barrages at southern and central Israel prompting it to declare a ‘state of war’.
The surprise attack came on the Jewish holiday. Footages purportedly from Sderot show armed Palestinians driving trucks and opening indiscriminate fire. In some clips, the assailants are seen holding hand gliders near the Gaza border.
In a statement, the IDF said, “Hamas… which is behind this attack, will bear the results and responsibility for the events. Hamas carried out a combined operation that included firing rockets and a terrorist infiltration into the territory of the State of Israel.”
Following the attacks, the leader of the military wing of Hamas, Mohammed Deif claimed responsibility adding that it has launched a new military operation against Israel. Mohammed Deif added that 5,000 rockets had been fired into Israel early Saturday to begin “Operation Al-Aqsa Storm” and provoked all Palestinians to fight.
It is important to note that Deif’s provocation was delivered in a recording as he has been in hiding after surviving multiple assassination attempts.
As Hamas launched a massive attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip, some mosques in Jerusalem have started inciting Muslims in Israel to fight for Jihad. Videos shared on social media show the loudspeakers installed on the minarets of the mosques being used to mobilise Muslims to fight against the defence forces.
Reportedly the mosques of the Shuafat refugee camp inside the Jerusalem municipality were using their loudspeakers to incite Islamists in Israel to join Hamas terrorists to attack Israelis. Muslims and Palestinians are being asked to rise up and join the Jihad (holy war) against the Israeli Defence Forces and the Israeli Government.
