Day 8 of the Gaza War 21-Nov-2012

Day 7 of the Gaza War 21-Nov-2012

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Hear every single air raid during the war -- at IDF Public Radio, Gal-Galatz 91.8 FM in Israel or here on the web:  http://rr-d.nsacdn.com/radio/glz/glglzradio/300/200 

See the top of the blog -- www.muqata.com for Thursday's Open thread updates.

1:39 AM (Thursday) Prime Minister Netanyahu's Cease Fire speech

12:12 AM (Thursday) As rockets continue to fall on Israel, the official IDF blog announces the end of Operation Pillars of Defense.

11:18 PM 20 rockets against Israel since cease fire began

11:08 PM 11 year old child hurt in first round of Gazan cease fire missiles

11:01 PM Hamas and Islamic Jihad declare the cease fire to be an Israeli failure.

10:58 PM Nachal Oz, Alumim, Sdot Hanegev, Shaar Hanegev

10:45 PM Iron Dome shoots down post-Cease Fire Rocket

10:36 PM Gan Yavneh, Be’er Tuvia, Gaderot, Chevel Yavneh, Gan Yavneh, Ashdod (post cease fire)

10:05 PM: Dozens of residents of Ashkelon protesting ceasefire

9:59 PM : Red Alert siren in Ashdod, Kiryat Malachi, Be’er Tuvia, Chevel Yavneh, Hof Ashkelon, Yoav

9:58 PM: Red Alert siren in Be’er Tuvia

9:40 PM: Red Alert in Hof Ashkelon and Shaar HaNegev

9:27 PM: Red alerts in Eshkol Region, Chevel Shalom

9:19 PM: Red Alert siren in Sderot

9:18 PM: Red Alert siren in Shaar HaNegev

9:00 PM This picture says it all.  "Cease Fire Starts....Air Raid Sirens in Beer Sheva"

8:59 PM With one minute to go till the ceasefire...see on facebook in Hebrew: Only in Israel will you find a Prime Minister that Talks like Churchill but acts like Chamberlain.

8:59 PM Air Raid Sirens in Beer Sheva....


8:53 PM Eshkol Region Mayor says he will not open schools tomorrow despite "cease fire".

8:47 PM Channel 2 TV Poll about cease fire:

70% against
24% in favor
6% undecided

8:45 PM Air Raid Sirens in Lachish, Ashdod, Ashkelon and Gan Yavneh, Kiryat Melachi.

8:33 PM Ynet reports that a rocket was shot at Israel from Sinai and landed near a community near the border of Israel/Sinai.

8:31 PM Air Raid Sirens in Eshkol region.

8:27 PM Lachish and Ashkelon - Air Raid Sirens.

8:26 PM Drive-by shooting attack at Bus in Gush Etzion near Migdal Oz - no injuries

8:19 PM Air Raid Sirens in Ashdod, Netivot, Beer Sheva.

8:12 PM President Barack Obama spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and commended him for agreeing to the Egyptian ceasefire proposal, the White House said.


8:08 PM No injuries in mortar attack on Metullah.

8:06 PM IDF Homefront command orders everyone in Eshkol region into bomb shelters immediately till further notice.

8:06 PM Mortar shell fired at Israel from Lebanon lands in Metullah.

8:03 PM In the previous rocket attack on Beer Sheva minutes ago, a rocket scored a direct hit on a house in Beer Sheva. No Injuries.

8:01 PM Air Raid Sirens in Ashkelon

7:53 PM Air Raid Siren in Tifrach area.

7:52 PM Air Raid Siren in Beer Sheva!


7:43 PM There will be a joint press conference at 8:30 PM by PM Netanyahu, DM Barak and FM Leiberman.

7:28 PM US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton -- Cease Fire announcement starting now in Cairo.

7:00 PM I'm going grocery shopping people...and will not be updating the blog for at least 2.5 hours.  Should resume by 10 PM at the latest...unless something big happens.  Remember -- if there IS going to be a cease fire, the coming hour is the most dangerous.

6:59 PM Five Israeli vehicles damaged by Palestinian rock throwers on Highway 55 near Azzun. No injuries.

6:57 PM Channel 1's Amnon Abramovitz: Tonight at 8 PM, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will announce the cease fire.

6:12 PM Reports from moments ago that a terrorist was captured in the Modiin area.

6:09 PM Ongoing hunt for terrorists in the Modiin area. Traffic jams throughout Central Israel as police roadblocks are set up everywhere.

5:44 PM From the Elder of Ziyon Blog - How did baby Omar Mishrawi die?



5:38 PM Air Raid Sirens in Shaar HaNegev area.

5:27 PM Roni Daniel - Channel 1 TV Military Correspondent: The Hamas is desperate for a cease fire. Now is the time to hit them harder!

5:08 PM US Embassy to personnel: STAY AT HOME!  I think they have gone a bit overboard.

Security Message for U.S. Citizens
United States Embassy Tel Aviv
November 21, 2012 @ 14:40

Due to the ongoing police hunt for a suspect in the bombing of a Tel Aviv bus, the Embassy has advised its personnel to remain at home until the INP (Israeli National Police) gives an all clear.  American citizens should monitor local news reports for the latest information. (US Embassy Website)

5:05 PM Reports of 3 wounded in rocket attack in the community area near Gaza...no air raid siren sounded prior to the rocket strike.

4:51 PM 5 Minutes ago a rocket landed in the Eshkol region. No damage or injuries reported.

4:50 PM IDF using heavy artillery against targets in Beit Lahiyeh and Nusrayat in the Northern Gaza strip.

4:37 PM Over the past hour, the IDF destroyed another 2 long range rocket launchers in Gaza (Nir Dvori, Channel 2 TV)4:37 PM Over the past hour, the IDF destroyed another 2 long range rocket launchers in Gaza (Nir Dvori, Channel 2 TV)

4:08 PM Israel says to the world: The attack in Tel Aviv this morning will complicate a cease fire.

4:04 PM IDF continues artillery shelling of Gaza according to Palestinian reports.  Israelis in areas adjacent to the Gaza strip are also hearing the explosions coming from Gaza....

3:24 PM Air Raid sirens in Ashkelon

3:14 PM Air Raid Siren in Eshkol region

3:00 PM Arutz Sheva reports of s slight improvement for the woman seriously wounded yesterday in Gush Etzion on the Hussan bypass road near Beitar Illit.

2:55 PM Jubilation in Gaza over the attack in Tel-Aviv today. Music and Koran blaring from mosques and residents are firing in the air in joy.

2:12 PM IDF: Our forces just attacked 3 Hamas terrorists as they tried to launch rockets towards the State of Israel.  This attack is part of the over 100 targeted attacks by the IDF since this morning.

1:58 PM Regarding the earlier update about the 9 Cabinet Ministers meeting -- the meeting will be at 2;30 PM at the Kiriya in Tel Aviv, and was planned before the attack today in Tel Aviv.  Therefore, the original intention was probably to discuss the cease fire...though now it will center more on the Tel Aviv attack.

1:53 PM Rock throwing attack on Modiin - Jerusalem highway 443 near Beit Horon.  Major traffic jam...

1:51 PM Air Raid Sirens in Eshkol region

1:50 PM Air Raid Sirens in Beer Sheva / Negev region

1:46 PM Hamas reports that the Fatah (Abu Mazen/Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian President) faction was responsible for today's attack in Tel Aviv (Channel 2 TV)

1:40 PM Over the past hour, Air Raid sirens continue to be heard in Southern Israel.

1:27 PM The Israel Senior Government Cabinet (9 Ministers) are meeting now.  It is unclear if the purpose of the meeting is to give the green light for a ground incursion, or to accept/negotiate the cease fire.

1:22 PM Trying to make some order in the news.

- In the attack on a bus at 12:02 PM today, 21 people were wounded. 2 are in moderate to serious condition, and the rest are in light condition.

- A suspect was apprehended near the TASE buidling in Ramat Gan. [update: no connection to today's terror attack]

- Police suspect a female terrorist is still at large. [update: 2 suspects are in custody.]

- Reports of additional explosions around Tel Aviv, no no reports of injuries. [updated: no additional explosions took place]

1:06 PM Extremely conflicting reports going on now.  Breaking News: Israeli police are closing the Azrielli Towers.  Reports that a female terrorist has been apprehended.  It will take some time for the picture to become clearer...Reports on Channel Bet Radio of an additional explosion in Tel  Aviv which has not been confirmed.


12:25 PM Initial reports: Terrorist left the bomb on the bus and then left. 

12:18 PM Channel 22 reports 10 lightly wounded on the scene. Reports of additional wounded have already made their way to local hospitals.

12:16 PM All forces moving away from the area, putting on bullet proof vests and helmets due to a serious threat of a secondary explosive device on the bus.

12:14 PM Apparently the bus was empty, or had very few passengers on it.  Only a small number of wounded being treated.

12:13 PM ALL FORCES LEAVING THE BUS AREA  - SERIOUS CONCERN OF SECONDARY EXPLOSIVE DEVICE ON THE BUS.

12:12 PM Concerns of a secondary device in the area of Tel Aviv -- Emergency Medics taking cover, helping wounded quickly evacuate the area.

12:02 PM Report of Bus Explosion in Tel Aviv, King Shaul Street. Mass Casualty Incident Declared by Magen David Adom.

12:32 AM OK people - time for me to go to sleep. Blogging will resume in the morning....see you then.  Wishing a quiet night to Israel, and a prayer for our soldiers.

12:29 AM IDF reports of 25 successful airstrikes on quality targets in the past 30 minutes.

12:05 AM Roundup from Day 7: 181 rockets fired at Israel

12:04 AM Updates coming momentarily....setting up today's blog post.


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