Alleging that the agents of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) were involved in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in Canada, an independent blogger, Jennifer Zeng, has said that China’s “purpose was to frame India and creating discord between India and the West”.
She also alleged that it was a part of the CCP’s sinister “Ignition Plan” to disrupt the world in line with Xi Jinping’s military strategy regarding Taiwan.
Jennifer Zeng is a Chinese-born rights activist, and journalist who is currently living in the US.
In a video posted on the social media platform, X, Zeng dubbed the killing of Nijjar as an assassination claiming, “Today shocking revelations about the ‘assassination ‘ of Sikh religious leader, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in Canada have emerged from within the CCP. It is alleged that the ‘assassination’ was carried out by CCP agents.”
On 18 June 2023, Hardeep Nijjar, a designated terrorist in India, was shot and killed in the parking lot of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia.
The independent blogger attributed her allegations to Chinese writer and YouTuber Lao Deng, who according to her, lives in Canada now.
“Lao stated that in early June this year as part of their disruption initiative ‘Ignition Plan’, the CCP Ministry of State Security sent a high-ranking official to Seattle, USA. A secret meeting was held there…The objective was to sabotage relations between India and the West,” Zeng claims in the video posted on X.
“The agents were tasked with assassinating Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the Kkhalistani leader in Canada. Following the meeting, the CCP agents meticulously executed the killing plan,” she claimed.
Explaining their modus operandi, the independent blogger alleges, “On June 18th, the agents armed with silenced guns tracked Nijjar. When the deed was done, they destroyed the dash camera in Nijjar’s Car to erase any evidence. After the crime, the agents fled, they burned their weapons and disguises to destroy all traces. The next day they left Canada in Airplanes.”
She also alleged that the killers even purposely learned Indian-accent English. “Therefore, they purposely spoke in India accent English…In fact, these actions were part of the scheme by CCP secret agent to frame India,” said Zeng.
She also claimed that Lao revealed that the CCP’s ‘ignition plan’ was devised this year after the CCP’s two sessions.
There has been no response to Jennifer Zeng’s allegations, posted in the video on Sunday afternoon (US time) from either the Chinese foreign ministry or the Ministry of External Affairs.
The diplomatic ties between India and Canada soured after the Canadian government expelled a senior Indian diplomat accusing India of playing a role in the killing of a Khalistani separatist leader, Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada.
In the aftermath, India swiftly retaliated by issuing a statement that denied any involvement in the issue and expelled a senior Canadian diplomat. India has outrightly rejected the claims, calling it ‘absurd’ and ‘motivated’.
Amid escalating tensions, India has called for parity in the number of Canadian diplomats in India.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi earlier this month said that Canadian diplomatic presence is much higher in India and they assume “there would be reduction”.
“On discussions on parity, given the much higher presence of diplomats or diplomatic presence here and their interference in our internal matters, we have sought parity in our respective diplomatic presence. Discussions are ongoing to achieve this. Given that Canadian diplomatic presence is higher, we would assume that there would be a reduction,” said MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
As India has strongly condemned the Hamas attack on Israel, with PM Narendra Modi calling it a terror attack, the Muslim students of Aligarh Muslim University came out in support of Hamas today. As per reports, the students of AMU took out a rally on Sunday night (8 October) opposing the retaliatory military action by Israel against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The pro-Palestine Muslim students were chanting Allah-u-Akbar slogans, and carrying placards with slogans against Israel and in support of Palestine. One such placard said, ‘AMU stand with Palestine, Free Palestine, this land is Palestine, not Israel’.
As per media reports, hundreds of students of the university took part in the rally. The students anti-Israel and pro-Palestine slogans, along with Islamic chants like Allah-u-Akbar and la ilaha illallah. They claimed that Israel was doing atrocities on Palestine, and they raised their voice against oppression everywhere in the world.
In the meantime, the death toll in Israel following the multi-front attack by Hamas has crossed 700, as per the latest report by Times of Israel. Over 100 people are still in Hamas custody who were captured near the border and taken to the Gaza Strip by the terrorists, while over 2000 people are receiving treatments at hospitals.
Around 400 people were reportedly killed in Gaza in retaliatory action by Israeli forces, and over 2000 have been injured.
On 7th October (Saturday), Israel came under one of the worst attacks in recent history after dozens of Hamas terrorists infiltrated the Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip. Additionally, Palestinian terrorists also launched massive rocket barrages at southern and central Israel from the Gaza Strip prompting it to declare a ‘state of war’.
The terrorists also held several Israelis hostage including women, children, and the elderly. They have killed several civilians in indiscriminate firing and videos of the incident doing rounds on the internet reveal that they had also paraded women bared and bruised on the streets of Israeli towns.
Following the terrorist attack on Israel, Palestinian Islamic Movement, Hamas claimed responsibility for these attacks. In a rare public statement, the leader of the military wing of Hamas, Mohammed Deif announced 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.
On its part, Israeli forces have started retaliation and are fighting to regain control of areas captured by the Hamas terrorists.
Amidst this, here is a brief overview of everything about this outfit1 Hamas, including its genesis, its supporters, and how it draws funds to attack Israel.
Hamas: Emerged out of the Muslim Brotherhood in the region
Hamas is an acronym for Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya, which means “Islamic Resistance Movement” in English. It was founded by Sheikh Ahmed Yassin who was a Palestinian cleric. After doing Islamic scholarship in Cairo, he was associated with the local branches of the Muslim Brotherhood. In the 1960s, Yassin preached religious sermons in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Subsequently, in December 1987, Yassin established Hamas as the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood in Gaza. This came in the backdrop of the first intifada – Palestinian attacks against Israel for alleged atrocities in the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem.
Initially, Hamas believed that Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) was a threat to the Muslim Brotherhood so it did everything to ‘counter’ it. In 1988, Hamas published its charter which called for the destruction of Israel and the establishment of an Islamic society in historic Palestine.
Since April 1993, Hamas has been carrying out suicide bombings. The first reported bombing was done five months before PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization) leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin signed the Oslo Accords.
The historic accord led to the establishment of limited self-government for parts of the West Bank and Gaza. A new entity called the Palestinian Authority (PA) was created for this purpose. However, Hamas condemned and tried to derail these developments towards peace. It also condemned the PLO’s and Israel’s recognition of each other.
Later, in 1997, the United States designated Hamas a foreign terrorist organisation as it went on to spearhead violent resistance during the second intifada, in the early 2000s. Hamas’s founder, Yassin was killed by Israeli forces in 2004.
Hamas controls the Gaza Strip since 2006
Apart from the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO), Hamas is the other major outfit in Palestinian territories. Since 2006, the Islamist outfit Hamas has controlled the Gaza Strip. Back then, it defeated its rival political party, Fatah, in elections but after that, there hasn’t been any election in the Palestinian enclave.
It is notable that the Palestine state is divided into two territories, the Werst Bank on the east of Israel, and the Gaza Strip on the west. While Hamas governs Gaza, the governance of the West Bank, the much larger territory bordering Jordan and the Dead Sea apart from Israel, is complicated. While the West Bank is generally under the occupation is Israel, there are a large number of Palestinian enclaves that are under total or partial control of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA).
While anti-Israel sentiments prevail in the entire Palestinian state, this sentiment is strongest in the Gaza Strip, which is under Hamas rule.
Gaza Strip is a 41km-long and 6-12 km-wide territory between Israel, Egypt, and the Mediterranean Sea. It has one of the highest population densities in the world with a population of about 2.3 million people. Israel exercises control over the airspace above Gaza and its coastline, regulating the entry and exit of people and goods through its border crossings. Likewise, Egypt governs the passage of individuals into and out of Gaza through its border.
According to the UN, almost 80% of the Gazans depend on international aid, and about one million people rely on daily food aid. However, it is often reported that millions of foreign aid and funds from like-minded countries were funneled to anti-Israel activities including terror attacks.
In fact, Hamas which is ‘governing’ the Gaza Strip is notorious for launching attacks, and suicide bombings on Israel. Notably, dozens of nations, including Israel, the United States, and the European Union as a bloc, have classified Hamas as a terrorist organisation, particularly its military wing, due to its involvement in suicide bombings and acts of terror directed against Israel.
Organisational structure of Palestians’ Islamist outfit Hamas
Hamas has several bodies that perform various political, military, and social functions. There is an overarching consultative body referred to as the politburo. It operates in exile and sees the ‘General policy’ of the outfit. The grassroots issues in Gaza and the West Bank are seen by the local committees of Hamas. Since June 2021, Gaza’s de facto prime minister is Issam al-Da’alis.
Whereas, Ismail Haniyeh is the political head after he replaced longtime leader Khaled Meshaal in 2017. Since 2020, he along with other Hamas leadership has been operating from Doha in Qatar because Egypt limited his movement into and out of Gaza.
(Image Source – Council for Foreign Relations)
Previously, Syria used to host Hamas leadership, but it had a fallout with Syrian authorities after the Palestinian refugees participated in the 2011 uprising that preceded the Syrian Civil War. Meanwhile, some of the Hamas leadership has an office in Turkey and they reportedly operate from there.
Meanwhile, Yahya Sinwar who served twenty-two years in an Israeli prison for masterminding the abduction and killing of two Israeli soldiers sees ‘day-to-day’ affairs in Gaza. He was released from prison along with more than one thousand Palestinian prisoners in 2011 in exchange for an Israeli soldier held by Hamas terrorists.
Hamas’s military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, is commanded by Marwan Issa and Mohammed Deif. It is important to note that the responsibility for recent terrorist attacks on Israel was taken by Deif stating that Hamas has carried out ‘Operation Al-aqsa storm’.
The founder of Hamas military wing, Salah Shehadeh was assassinated by the Israeli forces in a 2002 air strike.
Hamas operates from Lebanon which is reportedly headed by Saleh al-Arouri. He also took over Hamas’ West Bank leadership after internal elections in 2021. Hamas maintains close ties with Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Benefactors of Hamas
Hamas is a designated terrorist entity and for this reason, it is barred from getting official assistance that the United States and European Union (EU) provide to the PLO in the West Bank. Apart from funding from Palestinian expatriates, private donors in the Persian Gulf, and Islamic charities in the West, Hamas reportedly gets financial and other support from Iran, Turkey, and Qatar among other Islamic nations.
Iran is one of the biggest benefactors of Hamas as it contributes funds, weapons, and training to fight a proxy war against Israel. Iran pumps funds to the tune of $100 million annually to Hamas, PIJ, and other Palestinian outfits designated as terrorist organisations by the United States.
However, during the Syrian civil war, Iran and Hamas had a brief fallout with each other.
Qatar also provides hundreds of millions of dollars in assistance to Gaza through Hamas. However, foreign aid generally reaches Gaza via the PA and UN agencies.
Earlier, Hamas amassed funds to the tune of $12 million per month from taxes on Egyptian goods imported or smuggled into Gaza through tunnels. Gaza shares a 12 km long border with Egypt on its south. However, in 2013, Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi assumed power. Since then, Cairo has ended Hamas’s operation as it asserts that Hamas is an extension of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Afterwards, the Egyptian military closed down the majority of tunnels that were crossing into its territory. This action took place during their campaign against a faction affiliated with the self-declared Islamic State on their side of the border, within the Sinai Peninsula.
Additionally, Turkey is another backer of the Hamas particularly after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan rose to power in 2002. Though it claims that it backs Hamas only politically, Ankara has been accused of funding Hamas’s terrorism, including through aid diverted from the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency.
Hamas vis-a-vis Palestinian Authority
Hamas has been in control of Gaza since Israel’s withdrawal from the territory in 2005. In the subsequent year, Hamas got a majority of seats in the PA’s legislative body and established a government. It is claimed that Palestinians believed that Fatah’s leadership had become corrupt during its tenure within the PLO and had achieved limited progress in Palestinian-Israeli negotiations which resulted in Hamas getting the majority, after which it has never conducted an election. Since 2006, Palestinians have not voted for a legislature, nor for a president since 2008.
However, Fatah rejected the outcome of the elections and the party ousted Hamas from power in the West Bank. While in Gaza, Hamas hunted down Fatah’s militias to extend its authoritative control.
In theory, Hamas follows the Sharia-based Palestinian Basic Law, as does the PA. However, Hamas is notorious for implementing an extreme version of Sharia, including controlling how women dress and enforcing gender segregation in public during the early years of its rule.
It has repressed media, civilian activism on social media, the political opposition, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in Gaza who argue that more focus should be diverted towards the welfare of Gazans than launching terror attacks on Israel.
Hamas carries out recurrent terror attacks on Israel
Hamas has been firing a spree of rockets and mortars into Israel after it took over Gaza. Iranian security officials admitted that Tehran provided some of these weapons. However, after getting training from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and proxies, Hamas has been building its own missiles as well.
Additionally, Hamas has been dropping hundreds of balloons laden with inflammatory substances and explosives, along with rockets on Israeli territories causing indiscriminate death and destruction to civilians. Israel has responded fiercely and unsparingly against the continued provocation, with persistent airstrikes and tank fires on locations described by it as Gaza’s military infrastructure installations.
Hamas has also launched incursions into Israeli territory, and it is responsible for numerous terrorist attacks including the recent one which is still ongoing. One of the most infamous incidents occurred in 2006 when they kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. In exchange for Shalit’s release, Israel released more than a thousand Palestinian prisoners, including Sinwar. Additionally, in 2014, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hamas of abducting and killing three Israeli teenagers in the West Bank.
Ever since the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas launched a deadly attack on Israel on Saturday (7th October) leaving hundreds dead, several videos have surfaced online from various countries wherein Palestinian supporters are seen celebrating Hamas’s offensive. Such celebrations were seen across the globe, including the UK, Germany, Canada, Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Lebanon.
On social media, videos emerged of people in London cheering the attack on Israel while wielding Palestinian flags.
Countdown presenter Rachel Riley taking to X said that she witnessed people with Palestinian flags celebrating the Hamas onslaught against Israel. “I just passed two cars in West London driving with Palestinian flags flying from each window, bouncing up and down in their cars, seemingly celebrating like they were having a party. Make no mistake, this is a dangerous and terrifying time for all Jews around the world,” Riley posted.
I just passed two cars in West London driving with Palestinian flags flying from each window, bouncing up and down in their cars, seemingly celebrating like they were having a party.
Make no mistake, this is a dangerous and terrifying time for all Jews around the world.
In another X post, Rachel Riley shared a video of Palestine supporters cheering and celebrating in London. “People have been brutally murdered, kidnapped and there are people in London dancing,” Riley posted on Saturday.
Acton, half an hour ago.
Popped into a cafe for some baklava with the kids and our Ukrainian friends.
People have been brutally murdered, kidnapped and there are people in London dancing.
Britain First Party leader Paul Golding shared a video of some people in London showing ‘solidarity’ with Palestine as he wrote, “Welcome to London, where terrorists are celebrated.”
In the wake of the incidents of pro-Palestine celebrations in London despite the fact that the UK Prime Minister has condemned the terrorist attacks in Israel and expressed solidarity with the nation, the Metropolitan Police has on Sunday issued a statement saying that it will ‘balance’ the right to protest and will avert any disruption to the people of London.
“We are aware of a number of incidents, including those that have been shared on social media, in relation to the ongoing conflict in Israel and [at] the border with Gaza. “We are aware that the ongoing conflict may lead to protests over the coming days. We will ensure that an appropriate policing plan is in place in order to balance the right to protest against any disruption to Londoners,” the police statement read.
Radicals affiliated with the Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network gathered in the Berlin-Neukölln district and distributed sweets to celebrate Hamas’s attack on Israel. Notably, the Samidoun group has a history of organising gatherings glorifying Palestinian terrorism.
Gestern fand in der Sonnenallee, in Berlin Neukölln eine angemeldete Kundgebung zur Unterstützung des Widerstands in Palästina statt. Diese wurde von der Polizei angegriffen und mehrere Demonstranten wurden körperlich verletzt. pic.twitter.com/LI9eq4e6AJ
Taking to X on Saturday, the Embassy of Israel in Berlin posted, “Since 6:30 this morning, Hamas terrorists have been indiscriminately murdering Israeli civilians. All Democrats should be absolutely shocked that Samidoun is now celebrating this terror in the middle of Berlin, in the middle of Germany. Samidoun abuses German democracy as a Trojan horse. Words are not enough here! These terrorist supporters must be held accountable using all means of the constitutional state!”
Seit heute Morgen um 6.30 Uhr ermorden Terroristen der Hamas wahllos israelische Zivilisten. Alle Demokraten sollten absolut schockiert sein, dass Samidoun diesen Terror nun mitten in Berlin, mitten in Deutschland, feiert. Samidoun missbraucht als Trojanisches Pferd die deutsche… pic.twitter.com/eoNg1FYMhF
Palestine supporters hit the Canadian streets praising Hamas
After becoming a safe haven for Khalistani terrorists, and honouring a Nazi war veteran, Canada witnessed the celebration over the killing of Israeli people by Hamas. On Toronto’s Roncesvalles Pedestrian Bridge, pro-Palestine banners along with the Palestinian flag were put up on Saturday.
Toronto, Canada – Palestinian supporters waive their flags in support of Hamas terrorists who butchered, raped and kidnapped Jews across Israel.pic.twitter.com/vwbNEfM114
NOW IN TORONTO: Supporters of Hamas raise Palestinian flags at an overpass during an ongoing terror attack that has seen 200 Israeli's dead from executions and bombings so far. pic.twitter.com/P2DyQ9ViPr
— Efrain Flores Monsanto ??? (@realmonsanto) October 7, 2023
Palestinians celebrate in areas across the West Bank
On Saturday evening, Palestinians across the West Bank came to the streets to celebrate Hamas’s deadly attack on Israel, which killed at least 300 Israelis leaving thousands wounded and dozens taken hostage by Hamas.
People, including children, were seen waving Palestinian and Hamas flags, dancing and singing in the streets in key Palestinian cities such as Ramallah, Hebron, Nablus, and Jenin.
It is notable that the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, separated by Israel, form the Palestine state. The Gaza Strip is controlled by Hamas, some parts of the West Bank are governed by Palestinian National Authority, while the rest is under Israeli control.
Lebanon celebrates killings of Israeli civilians
In Lebanon’s Beirut, several bikers were seen waving Hamas and Palestinian flags.
Notably, Lebanon has joined forces with Palestine against Israel and mortar shells were fired towards Israel, as claimed by the Israeli media. The rockets landed near the Lebanon-Israel border in the disputed Mount Dov region. There have been no reports of injuries or property damage.
Iran lights up in celebration as Hamas kills Israeli people
In Iran, people gathered at the Felestin Square in Tehran and lit fireworks in celebration.
Hundreds rally in Felestin square in central Tehran and set off fireworks in celebration of Hamas' "Al-Aqsa Deluge" operation against Israel pic.twitter.com/TokdIdZT9Y
Tehran’s Azadi Square also went in celebration mode with a building lit up in the colours of Palestinian flag and hateful slogans.
الصور المنشورة على وسائل الإعلام تظهر قيام المؤسسات الحكومية في #إيران، أثناء احتفالات في الشوارع بهجوم #حماس العسكري على #إسرائيل، بإنارة ميدان آزادي وسط العاصمة طهران ورفع شعارات باللغة العربية، بالإضافة إلى اسم "فلسطين".https://t.co/ymHkRSvy7fpic.twitter.com/KXQuslfxAI
Notably, Yahya Rahim Safavi, a senior advisor to Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei hailed the terror attacks in Israel as a “proud operation”.
Iranian MPs were reported to have chanted “Down with Israel,” “Down with America,” and “Welcome Palestine” slogans during a parliament session on Saturday.
Today, #Iran’s state-run media broadcasted parliament members rising from their seats to chant “Death to Israel” and “Palestine is victorious, Israel will be destroyed”. pic.twitter.com/UzpYHPJYuS
In Iraq’s Baghdad, a mall was illuminated in Palestinian flag colours and the phrase “Al-Aqsa Deluge,” the name Hamas gave to its attack.
Buildings in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, are decorated with the Palestinian flag and the banner "Al-Aqsa Storm", the name of the current battle by the #Palestinian resistance against the Israeli occupation. pic.twitter.com/PFJwUanbPX
Rallies in favour of Hamas were also held in the Iraqi city of Basra, with individuals driving around carrying banners of local jihadist groups alongside Palestinian flags.
In Turkey, several protesters came together in front of Istanbul’s Fatih mosque. Users on social media were quick to point out that the vast majority of persons present were Arab refugees rather than local citizens.
Israel’s retaliation after Hamas terrorists launched an attack
On October 7th, Hamas terrorists launched thousands of rockets and deployed dozens of terrorists into Israeli cities near the Gaza Strip in an unprecedented terror attack during a major Jewish holiday, killing hundreds. The death toll in the Hamas attack in Israel has reached 600, while around 2000 are injured. On the other hand, around 400 have died and over 2000 people were wounded in Gaza in Israel’s retaliatory action.
Following the nightfall on Saturday, Israel’s retaliatory bombings under Operation Iron Sword in Gaza intensified. This comes after Hamas terrorists infiltrated Israel from Gaza, attacking towns and kibbutzim near the Gaza Strip, killing and injuring a large number of people, many of whom were civilians. Hamas also captured dozens of people and took them to Gaza.
Thousands of missiles were fired from Gaza attacking the south of Israel and places as far distant as Tel Aviv and Jerusalem in an unprecedented offensive that caught Israel off guard as it observed the Jewish festival of Simchat Torah.
Hamas military commander Muhammad Al-Deif called the operation “Al-Aqsa Flood” and said that the assault on Israel was a response to attacks on women, the desecration of the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem and the ongoing siege of Gaza.
Israel’s government has formally declared war on Hamas following the massive terror attack by Hamas terrorists on 7 October. The security cabinet of Israel has voted to put the country officially at war, authorising the government to carry out “significant military activities,” the Prime Minister’s Office announced.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had already said yesterday that the country was at war after Hamas terrorists infiltrated southern Israel through land, water and air along with massive rocket attacks. The high-level security cabinet invoked Clause 40 of Basic Law: The Government, to authorise the govt to declare war. The clause 40 says that the country cannot go to war without a government decision.
The Israel Defence Force (IDF) would now be able to act independently and at its own discretion and report to the relevant national authorities. The 1973 Yom Kippur War marked the last time this Clause 40 was invoked to declare war.
It is notable that while saying that the country was at war, PM Benjamin Netanyahu also asked Palestinians to leave the Gaza Strip ‘now’, indicating that the IDF will launch a full-scale attack on the 41 km long, 6-12 km wide strip boarding Israel, Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea.
Notably, the death toll from the massive assault launched by Hamas on Israeli settlements near Gaza and thousands of rockets fired into Israel is over 600 including dozens of soldiers and police personnel. The Israeli Health Ministry informed that there are now 2,048 wounded people in hospitals among 20 who are in critical condition and 330 who are seriously wounded.
On the other hand, Israeli officials have claimed that hundreds of Hamas terrorists have been killed and many others captured during Operation Iron Sword. The Palestine authorities have confirmed that at least 370 people have been killed and nearly 2,200 injured in Israeli operations, including air raids on Gaza.
Colonel Roi Levy, commander of the special IDF (Israel Defense Forces) Multidimensional unit ‘Refaim’ (Ghost) was murdered on the fateful day of the assault while leading his troops in combat with Hamas terrorists in the southern settlement of Re’im close to Gaza. Colonel Yonatan Steinberg of the Nahal Infantry Brigade, another senior IDF commander was killed on the same day during confrontations with Hamas in the Kerem Shalom region close to the Gaza Strip border.
Levy and Steinberg are among the most senior officers to have been killed in combat in recent memory.” Israel’s Police have recorded 30 policemen dead since the onslaught commenced, and the IDF has officially acknowledged the fatalities of 44 soldiers. Israeli military officials proclaimed that unconfirmed estimates place the number of missing soldiers and citizens at over 750.
Meanwhile, two Israeli tourists were murdered on 8 October when a policeman opened fire on their group in the Egyptian port city of Alexandria. Their Egyptian tour guide was also killed and a third Israeli was moderately injured in the horrifying assault. Israel is sending a military plane to bring back the bodies from Egypt, along with other Israeli survivors of the attack.
Yom Kippur War
The Yom Kippur War known by multiple names such as the Ramadan War, the October War, the 1973 Arab–Israeli War or the Fourth Arab–Israeli War, was an armed conflict fought from October 6 to 25, 1973 between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria. The war began when the Arab coalition jointly launched a surprise attack against Israel on the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur which had occurred during the 10th of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan in that year.
Following the outbreak of hostilities, both the United States and the Soviet Union initiated massive resupply efforts to their respective allies during the war which led to a confrontation between the two nuclear-armed superpowers. The Arab forces were hoping to regain territory lost during the third Arab-Israeli War in 1967. However, Israel emerged victorious and the Arab countries faced humiliating defeat as a consequence of the altercation.
A day after Hamas terrorists stripped a German woman and paraded her dead body on a pickup truck, former Indian Express ‘journalist‘ Irena Akbar came out in defence of the terrorists on Sunday (8th October) morning.
In a tweet, she wrote, “The woman, whose body was being taken in a pick-up truck, has been identified as Shani Louk, a German-Israeli dual citizen who was reportedly attending a music festival. First, this is NOT an etiquette of war in Islam to attack women, and hence this is condemnable.”
The ex-scribe put out a token condemnation over the death of Louk only because ‘attacking women during war’ is supposedly against the tenets of Islam. Then, she proceeded to suggest that the victim was not stripped as she was not ‘fully naked.’
One would have to suspend disbelief to believe what this woman is defending here. But, it is par for the course.
Don’t underestimate the cruelty of the women of the barbaric cult. They are assigned various roles. One is the defence of a murder, the other is grooming in the… pic.twitter.com/ig50LljpwI
— Nivedita Tiwari | निवेदिता तिवारी (@TiwariNivedita) October 8, 2023
“The woman is not fully naked, as parts of her upper & lower body are covered. If you check the Instagram account of Shani Louk (@shanukkk), you would see pictures she posted of herself wearing bikins or other skin-exposing outfits,” Irena Akbar brazened it out.
She claimed that the victim could have been ‘partially naked’ at the time of her killing and not necessarily stripped by Hamas terrorists. “It could be possible that when she was killed, she was wearing a bikini or other skin-exposing garment,” the former Indian Express ‘journalist’ said.
“…I am being factual here, based on evidence from her own Instagram account where she would post pictures of herself in such clothes. So, it cannot be ruled out that Shani (with all due respect to her) was wearing a bikini or other similar garment when she was killed or captured,” she further alleged.
Ex-Indian Express ‘journalist’ defends Hamas
Irena Akbar wrote, “And hence, it is possible that she was NOT stripped by the Hamas militants. However, as Islam prescribes modesty for women and men, and respect for the dead, the militants should have covered her body with a cloth or sheet, and treated it respectfully, or not attack her at all.”
She then resorted to mental gymnastics and asked why people, who hail bikinis as a symbol of ‘freedom’, are raising concerns about seeing a woman’s uncovered body. The ex- Indian Express ‘journalist’ conveniently glossed over the fact that the victim was murdered, stripped and paraded by Hamas terrorists.
“So, let’s be fair before jumping to outrage, or celebration. Also, I have a question for non- Muslims: You often share pictures of bikini- clad Iranian women on beaches before the Islamic Revolution of 1979. You lament that the women were “free and liberated” in Iran before Shariah law was adopted,” Akbar remarked.
“You use the bikini as a symbol of freedom and liberation for Muslim women of Iran, and you contrast that with the hijab, a symbol of “oppression” under Iran’s mandatory hijab law. So, why do you have a problem when Shani Louk was possibly wearing a bikini (when she was sadly captured)?” she brazened out.
“Why do you have a problem when her almost-naked body could be publicly seen? Are you again using a woman’s uncovered body to make a point against Palestinians, and Muslims?” the former ‘scribe’ concluded.
Irena Akbar thanked Coronavirus pandemic, had expressed hate for Dalits
She claimed “If it weren’t for Covid, Indian Muslims would’ve been in detention camps. I’m NOT being grateful for the virus which killed my aunt, sent my dad to the ICU & is causing tragedies across homes. I’m stressing the fact that while fascists were making their plans, God was making His.”
Comments by Irena Akbar
“It’s between the devil & the deep blue sea for IMs. Either die/live in fear of Covid OR die/live in fear of anti-Muslim state violence. At least the former doesn’t specifically target us & the public will eventually question the state. But in latter, the public would rejoice it,” she added.
In February 2020, she asserted that Dalits should never be trusted by the Muslim community. The Islamist claimed that the Dalits were the ‘foot soldiers’ when communal riots broke out in Gujarat in 2002 after a Muslim mob engineered the Godhra train carnage.
Hateful tweets by Irena Akbar
“They did the dirty job of gang-raping and killing Muslims. I have never trusted them. They are ill-treated by their upper-caste Hindu brothers, not by Muslims. We owe them nothing,” she wrote. Irena Akbar also called for boycotts of business establishments run by Hindus.
In Muzaffarpur, Bihar, police officers threw the body of a man who had died in a road accident into the river without taking him to the hospital. The body was disposed of by directly throwing it into the river. The video of the incident went viral on Sunday (8th October).
In the Fakuli area of Muzaffarpur, Bihar, a fatal road accident claimed the life of an unidentified individual on National Highway 22. The individual tragically lost his life after being run over by an unknown truck at the accident site.
Upon arriving at the scene later, the police neither transported the body to a hospital nor conducted a post-mortem examination. Instead, a few police personnel callously lifted the body from the road and, in a highly inhumane manner, tossed it into the river using sticks from atop a bridge.
बिहार पुलिस की शर्मनाक करतूत, सड़क दुर्घटना में मृत शख्स के शव को उठाकर नहर में फेंका.
The actions of the police were captured on the smartphones of onlookers and subsequently went viral on social media. Criticism of the police mounted after the video circulated widely. In the video, it is clearly visible that the bloodied body was disposed of by the police personnel using sticks to push it from the bridge into the river.
After the video went viral, the police retrieved the body late at night and sent it for a post-mortem examination. The police’s initial mishandling of the body and subsequent retrieval were also recorded in another video. The identity of the victim has not been revealed yet.
However, the police claimed that the body was sent for a post-mortem examination, and only parts of the body which were stuck on the road were removed and disposed of in the river. But, the viral video clearly shows a police officer lifting the dead body from its feet, placing it on the railing of the bridge to throw it into the river. Subsequently, another police officer uses a stick to push the body towards the river. Several onlookers can also be seen at the scene in the video.
The district’s Superintendent of Police has stated that police will take action against the guilty police officers following an investigation. Following the viral video, there is a growing demand from the public for strong action against the implicated police officers.
Amid the ongoing Israel-Palestine war following a massive terror attack on Israel by Hamas, Air India announced today (8 October) that its flights to and from Israel will remain suspended till October 14 in view of the war-like situation in Israel.
“Our flights to and from Tel Aviv will remain suspended till 14th October 2023, for the safety of our passengers and crew. Air India will extend all possible support to passengers who have confirmed bookings on any flight during this period,” Tata group owned Air India posted on X.
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT:
Our flights to and from Tel Aviv will remain suspended till 14th October, 2023, for the safety of our passengers and crew. Air India will extend all possible support to passengers who have confirmed bookings on any flight during this period.
Prior to the suspension, Air India operated five flights to Tel Aviv, Israel every week. This covers a flight to and from each of the following days: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. The formal notice of flight suspension till October 14 came one day after the airline stopped all services to Tel Aviv on Saturday (7th October).
This comes as Israel launched Operation Iron Sword against Hamas on 7 October after the Palestinian Islamist terror group launched a massive multi-front attack on Israel. The attack by the Palestinian terrorist group Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya (Islamic Resistance Movement), popularly known by its acronym Hamas, has left more than 600 people dead and over 2000 injured in the Jewish nation in one of the deadliest terror attacks.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised “mighty vengeance for this wicked day” as Israeli air raids pounded Gaza over the course of the night and killed more than 400 Palestinian terrorists as well as destroyed structures, tunnels and the homes of senior Hamas figures in operation ‘Iron Swords’. The crisis could potentially escalate as Israel attacked a Hezbollah militia target in southern Lebanon.
As reported earlier, the Indian embassy in Tel Aviv issued an important advisory on Saturday for Indians in Israel. The Indian authorities advised all Indian nationals in Israel to remain vigilant and observe safety protocols as advised by local authorities.
A case of love jihad including cheating, marriage and abandonment after religious conversion had surfaced in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district. These allegations were levelled by a girl from Madhya Pradesh against a man named Shaukat Pathan, who is said to be a Surankot village in Jammu and Kashmir.
The victim worked as a model in Noida city of Uttar Pradesh. She informed that the accused first lured her into his love trap by pretending to be a Kashmiri Hindu named Sunny and then married her. Afterwards, he disclosed his real identity and forced her to convert. She gave in to his pressure but the accused and his family continued to harass her. He then married a different woman without divorcing her.
The victim has been living in Surankot for the past three and a half years while seeking justice. She has already registered seven cases against him and his family.
On 7th October she told the reporters that she was a model in Noida and the two met during the time. He introduced himself as Sunny and masqueraded as a Kashmiri Hindu. Love blossomed between them and visited the holy shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi in Katra where he pledged to marry her. After they travelled to Kashmir and stayed there for a few days before returning to his native place where he unveiled that he was in fact a Muslim.
He coerced her to embrace Islam, wedded her and started their new life journey in the hamlet of Mohra Bachhai, but after a few days, his whole family began tormenting her. Sometimes, she was pressured to eat non-vegetarian food and other times to cook meat. Now, the offender has married a daughter of his close relative.
She showed the wounds on her body and disclosed that multiple attempts were made to kill her, but she never lost courage. She submitted a case, although the authorities did not take it seriously. She accused her spouse’s brother of being a terrorist and asserted that he was presently in Pakistan. “His brother was involved in the bombings in Jammu’s Narwal this year and Shaukat Pathan was also interrogated. I am wandering for justice. Police should take strict action against the entire family.”
At least nine people were injured after twin blasts rocked the Narwal area of Jammu early this year. Two high-intensity blasts took place within 30 minutes in the vicinity. Terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba was reportedly behind the assault.
Meanwhile, the perpetrator denied all the charges and claimed that she married him of her own free will and already knew about his religious identity. “Now she is blackmailing my family. I have given her five lakh rupees. She has launched seven cases against me and my family members. The police questioned me regarding the Narwal blast, but nothing was proved. My brother has gone to Pakistan since 1997.”
In this matter, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Surankot Abdul Hameed proclaimed, “The girl had registered seven cases out of which challans of six have been presented in the court. Our investigation is ongoing in one case.”
Israel launched Operation Iron Sword against Hamas on 7 October after the Palestinian Islamist terror group launched a massive multi-front attack on Israel. The attack by the Palestinian terrorist group Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya (Islamic Resistance Movement), popularly known by its acronym Hamas, has left more than 600 people dead and over 2000 injured in the Jewish nation in one of the deadliest terror attacks.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised “mighty vengeance for this wicked day” as Israeli air raids pounded Gaza over the course of the night and killed more than 400 Palestinian terrorists as well as destroyed structures, tunnels and the homes of senior Hamas figures in operation ‘Iron Swords’. The crisis could potentially escalate as Israel attacked a Hezbollah militia target in southern Lebanon.
An Israeli military official said that “hundreds of terrorists” had been killed and dozens captured in the Israeli military operations. Earlier Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza said that at least 313 people have been killed and nearly 2,000 wounded in Israeli attacks.
Both sides reported that 24 hours after their offensive in the early hours of 7 October, Hamas insurgents continued to engage Israeli security forces in a number of places in southern Israel as more rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip which set off air raid sirens. A military spokesman stated, “We’re going to be attacking Hamas severely and this is going to be a long, long haul.”
Jets started bombing Gaza again on the morning of 8 October while forces were clearing the area around the blockaded territory including a military base that was overrun on the previous day in the Zikim region.
Israeli artillery also reacted to mortar fire from Lebanon on the other side while drone attacks damaged a Hezbollah terrorist base along the country’s northern border, possibly signalling the start of greater hostilities. “We recommend Hezbollah not to come into this and I don’t think they will,” advised Israel’s army spokesperson.
Israeli Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari told reporters the situation at the northern border was calm after the exchange with Hezbollah. But he said fighting with Hamas was still underway in the south and that there were still hostage situations there. Hagari added that “Hundreds” of Hamas militants have been killed and dozens captured by the Israeli forces.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to exact an “unprecedented price” as a startled Israel launched retaliatory airstrikes in Gaza. The gunmen invaded up to 22 areas outside of the Gaza Strip in a shockingly comprehensive attack which encompassed towns and other settlements up to 15 miles (24 km) from the Gaza border. Most of the Hamas terrorists drove through the border, seemingly facing no opposition in what is otherwise one of the most heavily guarded borders, and opened fire on civilians and defence forces. Some terrorists also infiltrated Israel through sea, and at least some took the aerial route using motorised gliders. As Israel’s military struggled to mobilise a response, the assailants shot and killed civilians and troops in several locations.
Gunbattle continued well after nightfall and the infiltrators held hostages in standoffs in two different locations. Israeli forces struggled till the next morning to eventually reclaim the building after the jihadists took control of a police station in a third town. A hospital in the Israeli coastal town of Ashkelon was targeted by rocket fire before dawn on 8 October. Tal Bergman, a senior hospital official disclosed that the hospital had been damaged.
On 8 October, an Israeli military spokesman confirmed that operations were ongoing in eight regions encircling Gaza while the Palestinian Red Crescent alleged that 18 people had died as a result of Israeli airstrikes on two homes in the Beit Hanoun neighbourhood of Gaza. According to Palestinian health officials, 20 children were among the 313 deceased and claimed that around 2,000 individuals had been injured.
Hezbollah released a statement that it had attacked three sites in the north with rockets and artillery including a “radar site” in the Shebaa Farms, a region of land that Lebanon contends has been occupied by Israel since 1967. Israel responded with artillery fire on southern Lebanon, however, no casualties were reported.
According to Palestinian health officials, 20 children were among the 313 deceased. They claimed that around 2,000 individuals had been hurt. The uptick in violence between Israel and the terrorists in the West Bank where a Palestinian authority exercises limited self-rule and is opposed by Hamas which wants to destroy Israel provides the backdrop for the intensification.
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh threatened that the attack that started in Gaza would move to the West Bank and Jerusalem and that Israel has been enforcing a blockade on Gaza for 16 years. “How many times have we warned you that the Palestinian people have been living in refugee camps for 75 years, and you refuse to recognise the rights of our people?”
Following the attack bodies of Israeli residents covered in shattered glass were left sprawled over the streets of Sderot, a city in southern Israel close to Gaza. A man and a woman’s corpses were strewn across the front seats of an automobile. Israelis who were terrified and holed up in safe rooms narrated their predicament on live television over the phone. Senior military officers were among those killed in battle close to Gaza, per the Israeli military.
According to Netanyahu’s office, his security cabinet has approved measures to “for many years” cut off Gaza’s access to electricity, fuel and merchandise along with other measures aimed at weakening Hamas and Islamic Jihad’s military and political capacities. Black smoke, orange lights and sparks from explosions lit up the sky over Gaza and Israeli drones could be heard in the sky.
The catastrophic Palestinian terror attack on Israel by land, sea and air which resulted in an unparalleled number of fatalities and hundreds of injuries has drawn condemnation from nations throughout the world. Leaders from throughout the world, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden have expressed their solidarity and support to Israel.
PM Modi posted, “Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour.”
The Indian embassy in Tel Aviv issued an important advisory for all Indian nationals present in Israel and requested them to “remain vigilant and observe safety protocols as prescribed by local authorities.” Air India has cancelled all flights to and from Tel Aviv till 14 October.
Hamas Attacks Israel
Backed by a barrage of rockets, Hamas terrorists stormed from the blockaded Gaza Strip into surrounding Israeli communities at the crack of dawn on 7 October which ended in the deaths of dozens of citizens and the abduction of others in an unprecedented and deadly surprise assault during the major Jewish holiday of Shemini Atzeret. The hostages were taken to Gaza.
Hamas boasted that its members had fired more than 5,000 missiles at Israel marking the commencement of “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.” The group conveyed its intention to halt what it termed to as Israel’s unaccountable actions and stated, “We declare Operation Al-Aqsa Flood and within the initial 20-minute strike, we fired more than 5,000 rockets.” Firing so many rockets in such a short period overwhelmed the Iron Dome air defence system of Israel, as it can intercept only a limited number of missiles at a time.
The unexpected Hamas onslaught was the largest invasion into Israel and its bloodiest day since Egypt and Syria launched a sudden attack in an effort to seize the lost territory in the Yom Kippur War fifty years ago.
The confrontation might jeopardise the attempts of the United States to mediate a normalisation of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia and endanger Palestinian statehood aspirations and the goals of Iran which is the the primary financial backer of Hamas. Several Muslim nations including Iran and Qutar have supported Hamas and blamed Israel for the attacks, while other Arab nations called for restraints from both sides, choosing to stay silent on the extensive attack on civilians by Hamas terrorists.
