Wednesday, October 18

Over 1,400 lie murdered, over 4,200 are wounded, and at least 200 people have been made captives in Gaza in the wake of the Simchat Torah Massacre. Hamas has released the first video of a hostage, Mia Shem.

As a hospital exploded in the Gaza Strip, major world powers blindly accepted a Hamas narrative and blamed Israel - until incontrovertible proof emerged that it was destroyed by a terrorist rocket.

In the North, the US continues to provide security as Hezbollah attacks continue short of an all-out assault. Israeli communities within 2 kilometers of Lebanon have been evacuated.

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Israel in Mourning: The death toll for the Simchat Torah Massacre has now risen past 1,400 Israelis and foreign nationals, with over 4,200 wounded and at least 200 still held captive in Gaza.

Keren Shem has responded to Hamas's release of a video of her 21-year-old daughter, Mia Shem, whom it holds captive, describing a "roller coaster of emotions." Israel has categorized the footage as psychological warfare.

War in Gaza: The IDF has indicated that the next stage of the conflict may not be a ground offensive into Gaza after all. Visiting Israel, former CIA Director David Petraeus compared an assault on Gaza to the final stages of the War with ISIS, the liberation of Mosul.

A major blast at the Al-Ahli Arabi Baptist Hospital in Gaza City's Zeitoun neighborhood turned out to be the result of a Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) rocket. Before Israel was able to prove PIJ's culpability, many news outlets and foreign powers blindly accepted Hamas's claim that an Israeli airstrike was responsible.

Contemplating the Day After: The IDF said that the final status of the Gaza Strip after a planned ground assault would be a "global issue" for discussion with Israel's cabinet and other countries.

Meanwhile, the United States is reportedly pushing Israel to develop a strategy for Hamas's rule in Gaza being toppled, urging Israel to look ahead to the day after the operation to avoid bogging down in Gaza.

Meanwhile, in the North: As Hezbollah attacks have continued on northern Israeli territory, Israel has warned that if Hezbollah commits an all-out assault, it will be "annihilated."

The White House has discussed a U.S. military response if Hezbollah and Iran attack Israel from a second front. Two U.S. aircraft carriers are currently stationed in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Israel has evacuated all communities within 2 kilometers of the Lebanese border, in an unprecedented move.

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