Saturday, January 03, 2009

Day 8 of the War, Saturday, January 3, 2009

Day 8 of the Gaza war, Saturday, January 3, 2009 -- Daily sticky post, constantly updated.

More liveblogging at IsraellyCool and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/muqata Keyword #GazaWar

Day 9's post (Sunday, Jan 4, 2009, Israel Standard Time)
can be found at the Day 9 Post
(above)

(photo from Reuters)

Additional New posts from today can be found below this post.

As a general rule we will try and keep operational details to a minimum, that includes troop movements and the exact location of rocket hits. If items are reported in the Main Stream Israeli Media we will report them as well.

12:07 AM Ongoing Rockets at Western Negev Communities.

11:58 PM Rockets launched at Western Negev communities.

11:55 PM My daughter's cellphone just received an automated "Tzav-8, IDF Emergency Draft Notification" for an Reserve Soldier...wrong number.

11:51 PM Reports that all IDF soldier's operating Gaza, had their cellphones confiscated by IDF prior to ground incursion to prevent intelligence leaks (as happened in the Second Lebanon War). Additional reports that IDF is broadacasting interference to all Gaza TV and radio channels.

11:39 PM Israel Channel 10 TV, Raviv Druker reports that people within Israel (and he alludes to Israel's own government) are trying to get foreign pressure put on Israel to stop the IDF's ground offensive.

11:38 PM California's Governer, Arnold Schwarzenegger expresses his support for Israel.

11:28 PM Very Fierce Gunbattles in Zeitun, Gaza between Hamas terrorists and IDF forces.

11:26 PM Mortars land in Western Negev, no damage or injuries.

11:25 PM Mortars on their way to Western Negev.

11:20 PM What Israel's up against.
Aired on Al-Aqsa TV (Hamas/Gaza) - December 30, 2008 - 00:02:52 : Hamas Women Vow to Become 'Martyrdom-Seekers' and Blow themselves Up among 'the Apes and Pigs'.



11:15 PM Navy pounding Gaza.

11:15 PM Rockets land -- no injuries or damage reported.

11:13 PM Multiple Rocket Launches detected towards Western Negev communities.

11:07 PM
City of Be'er Sheva (southern Israel) : No School tomorrow due to ongoing IDF operation in Gaza.

11:03 PM Israeli news sources report of many close range (urban combat) clashes with Hamas. IDF troops continue on, with Hamas casualties rising.

11:00 PM Reports of Rockets landing in Western Negev, no injuries reported. Looks like its going to be a long night for the IDF troops and Israel's civilians.

(image courtesy of www.mererhetoric.com)

10:44 PM Rockets landing in Western Negev region, no reports of injuries -- Emergency Units responding.

10:42 PM Reports from the frontlines in Gaza of over 50 Hamas terrorists killed.

10:20 PM Immediate warnings of possible launches in the coming minutes to Ashdod and Ashkelon.

The Muqata refuses to publish any messages from the Gaza and Hamas websites, which are designed purely for psychological warfare (and are highly unreliable). We stand by our reports and accuracy.

10:15 PM Gaza's primary fuel depot has been hit and is currently ablaze.

10:14 PM IDF HomeCommand special national broadcast on Channel 33 to residents of Israel with directions for behavior in event of rocket attacks. (Going to watch, be back in a few)

10:12 PM Lachish, Western Negev region go on alert for possible rocket launches at them from Gaza in the immediate minutes.

10:01 PM Reports of dozens of Hamas terrorists already killed in first contact gunbattles with IDF ground forces. (Israel Channel 2 TV)

9:57 PM Reports from Israeli sources that the government agreed this afternoon to the additional call up of tens of thousands of IDF reservists, in addition to the previous 9000 from last week.

My uniform, boots and dog-tags are already laid out in my bedroom.

9:54 PM Reports of Israeli Arabs stoning Israeli cars on highway 85 in northern Israel (in response to the IDF war on Gazan terror). Damage reported, no injuries.

9:47 PM CNN reports: Reacting to the [IDF] incursion, chief negotiator for the Palestinian Authority Saeb Erakat said: "What this will do is undermine the peace process."

Thanks Saeb -- if you define "peace process" as the weakening of Israel, then I guess you are correct. If it means stabilizing the Middle East for democracy, them I would have to disagree with your erudite analysis.

9:41 PM Israel's Minister of Defense, Ehud Barak orders total naval embargo on Gaza

9:34 PM Reports that in addition to IDF ground force incursion, the IAF is also hitting additional Gazan targets from the air, and providing air-cover for ground troops.

9:30 PM Israeli Leftists end their Tel Aviv demonstration against the IDF war on Gazan Terror.
Over a thousand people were demonstrating against the IDF's Operation Cast Lead at Tel Aviv's Rabin Square on Saturday evening. In response, about 600 activists gathered in the same place to show support for the army and for residents of the South.

Witnesses told the Jerusalem Post that many of the demonstrators were wearing Kaffiyehs and waving combined Israeli-Palestinian flags. (JPost)

I don't understand why these people had their anti-IDF demonstration in Tel-Aviv. Wouldn't it be much more appropriate to do it in downtown Ashkelon or Sederot while the Gazans continue to fire rockets at Israel?

9:27 PM Gunfire exchanges between IDF troops and Hamas terrorists in the Beit Hanoun area of Gaza (Beit Hanoun is one of the primary locations that shoots mortars and Qassam rockets at Sederot and the Western Negev towns)

9:24 PM Organized Prayers being said for the welfare of IDF troops in Israel and around the world.

9:17 PM Al-Alksa Gazan TV goes "off-air". Hope their advertisers get a refund...

8:53 PM IDF starts massive military call up of reserve forces, (Emergency Call up #8 (Tzav-8.) (This information permitted by IDF censor). Close to 9000 reserve soldiers permitted to be called up by last week's government decision.

8:45 PM Reports of at least 3 simultaneous IDF ground incursions into Gaza.

8:44 PM Air Raid Sirens in Western Negev

8:42 PM First clash reported between IDF ground forces and Hamas terrorists in Gaza, heavy exchange of gunfire.

8:41 PM IDF Solider critically wounded last week in Nachal Oz, has regained consciousness.

8:38 PM All Israeli News channels reporting ground incursion -- it is still under military censorship to disclose where the incursion has started.



Prayer for the Welfare of Soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces

May He who blessed our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, bless the soldiers
of the Israel Defense Forces who keep guard over our country and cities of
our Lord from the border with Lebanon to the Egyptian desert and from the
Mediterranean Sea to the approach to the Arava, be they on land, air or sea.

May the Almighty deliver us our enemies who arise against us, may the Holy
One, blessed be He, preserve them and save them from all sorrow and peril,
from danger and ill.

May He send blessing and success in all their endeavors, may He deliver to
them those who hate us and crown them with salvation and victory, so that
the saying may be fulfilled through them, "For the Lord, your God, who walks
with you and to fight your enemies for you and to save you", and let us say,
Amen.
8:24 PM Breaking News: Nissim Keinan, reporter for Reshet Bet, Israel Channel B Radio announced that the IDF Ground Offensive into Gaza has commenced. Sending a prayer and good wishes to our IDF forces -- much success and safety.

Graph of death and injuries from Gaza rocket launches (2001 - Sept. 2008) : source: TIP
THIS CHART DOES NOT INCLUDE THE PAST 3 MONTHS



8:06 PM Rocket launched at Sederot misfired, landed and exploded in Gaza. No injuries to Israelis.

Rockets (and Mortars) fired since 2003: Source: TIP



7:5O PM Rocket launched at Sderot.

7:26 PM Rockets falling in Ashdod and Yavneh areas.

6:23 PM Wounded in Netivot from rocket fire earlier.

6:21 PM Israel firing artillery at Gaza for the first time of this war.

6:14 PM Shavuah Tov. Welcome back. Updates will commence soon.


Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

8 comments:

Jill said...

Jameel - I read a tweet referencing the bombing of the American International School in Gaza City - if you come across any backup for this, it would be greatly appreciated.

Anonymous said...

Jill: Jpost has a mention.

ZH#2 said...

God Speed IDF

JusticeForNatalee said...

May God bless and keep Israel safe from harm from the crazed and sick Hamas terrorists. May the brave soldiers of Israel be safe.
God Speed.
I am in the USA. I am from Georgia.
I am with you all always.

Batya said...

I have updates from the south, Netivot and Nitzan on shilohmusings.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

Praying. O mi God. O mi God. O mi God.(Can't think of much more than that to pray.....except, "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.", as the miracles play out moment by moment! Am so glad for this site existing!

sincerely,
Ma Sands
Mpls., MN, U.S.A.

Anonymous said...

God be with you if they call you up. I will be praying for the IDF the God will keep them safe and give them victory.

Commenter Abbi said...

Don't you wish the Guvanator can dress up again like Commando and teach the Pals a lesson?

On the LBC reporter: Ehud Yaari on Channel 2 was a riot. On camera, he said he knows exactly who this guy is, he has his address, he's a resident of E. J-m with a blue id card and during the Lebanon war he sat from a perch in Haifa and reported on Iranian TV where Katyushas were falling. He said this is criminal and he needs to be arrested (again repeating he has his name and address if the army and police need it).

Search the Muqata

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails