3 senior terror officials reported killed in Gaza; number of Israeli hostages at 203


Hamas political official and a top commander slain in strikes; IDF says can't rule out possibility some terrorists still hiding in Israel; British PM in Israel to show support

By EMANUEL FABIAN, TOI STAFF and AGENCIES
Today, 12:35

Three senior officials in Gaza Strip terror groups were reported killed overnight Wednesday as Israel continued its intense bombing campaign of terror targets in the enclave amid its war with Hamas.

The Israel Defense Forces said an airstrike in the southern Gaza city of Rafah had killed Rafat Abu Hilal, the head of the military wing of Gaza's Popular Resistance Committees terror group, the third-largest terror faction in the Strip after Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

Hamas-affiliated media in Gaza reported that Jamila al-Shanti, the widow of Hamas co-founder Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi, was also killed in an Israeli strike. Al-Shanti in 2021 became the first woman elected to the Hamas political bureau, its highest decision-making body.

Al-Shanti's death brings to four the number of members of Hamas's political bureau killed by Israel in strikes since the October 7 Hamas onslaught that started the war. Zakariya Abu Moammar, the head of the terror group's internal relations, and Jawad Abu Shamala, who managed the terror group's funds, were killed October 10. Osama Mazini, former head of Hamas's Shura Council and a Hamas education minister, was killed on October 16.

Also Thursday, Palestinian media outlets reported that the head of the Palestinian National Security Forces in the Gaza Strip was killed in an Israeli airstrike.

The reports said Jihad Muheisen was killed in a strike on the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood of Gaza City.

LMCane said:

---

Hamas-affiliated media in Gaza reported that Jamila al-Shanti, the widow of Hamas co-founder Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi, was also killed in an Israeli strike.

---

I have been struggling/confused with these death reports this whole time I have been following the war. Just as we learned with the hospital media issue, we can't trust a word that comes out of the Gaza/Hamas side. Is Israel and it's allies actually confirming these deaths on key officials and terrorists? I don't understand why Hamas would want this information to be available to the IDF.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-and-israeli-embassies-hit-with-bomb-threats-in-buenos-aires/

Bomb threats in Argentina

https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/us-military-base-in-southern-syria-attacked-by-drones/

drone attack on US base in Syria. Minor injuries.

Whirligigs said:

---

JayHowdy! said:

---

Cliff.Booth said:

---

I've also been surprised they haven't gone in yet, but I think it is a reminder of their professionalism. It would have been very easy given what Hamas did to roll in quickly just to lay down some hate, but I am guessing their brass and intelligence people knew this type of campaign on the scale it will have to be will need study and preparation and can't be done haphazardly. I believe it starts pretty soon and the systematic nature of the work helps make sense of this two week build up.

---

By professionalism you mean diplomacy. They had to hit the brakes for Biden to make an appearance. I give Israel 24-48 Hrs to go in. The longer they wait, the more moral justification of the operation deteriorates. They must move now or the media takes over.

---

Media has already flipped. It only took a couple of weeks for people to start forgetting about hamas running around sawing babies heads off.

---

This was inevitable and predictable. Anti-Semitism is at an all time high.

10andBOUNCE said:

---

LMCane said:

---

Hamas-affiliated media in Gaza reported that Jamila al-Shanti, the widow of Hamas co-founder Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi, was also killed in an Israeli strike.

---

I have been struggling/confused with these death reports this whole time I have been following the war. Just as we learned with the hospital media issue, we can't trust a word that comes out of the Gaza/Hamas side. Is Israel and it's allies actually confirming these deaths on key officials and terrorists? I don't understand why Hamas would want this information to be available to the IDF.

---

Yeah, if I was Hamas-affiliated media I would have announced with the very first bomb strike that Israel got lucky and killed every important member in Hamas together and they can stop now, haha!

10andBOUNCE said:

---

LMCane said:

---

Hamas-affiliated media in Gaza reported that Jamila al-Shanti, the widow of Hamas co-founder Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi, was also killed in an Israeli strike.

---

I have been struggling/confused with these death reports this whole time I have been following the war. Just as we learned with the hospital media issue, we can't trust a word that comes out of the Gaza/Hamas side. Is Israel and it's allies actually confirming these deaths on key officials and terrorists? I don't understand why Hamas would want this information to be available to the IDF.

---

that's a great point.

my guess is that the IDF is only disclosing who they whack after they have confirmed on their own that they are indeed room temperature.

clearly they have pretty good intel in certain respects about where to attack to take out different leaders

I don't think the IDF listens to anything Hamas says as they know it's all lies and misinformation.

aTmAg said:

---

Agreed. They have to completely destroy Hamas. Any half measures will ensure that the likes of Hezbollah will join all the way in. While the destruction of Hamas will make Iran proxies think twice about suiciding themselves doing Iran's bidding.

---

certainly appears that Hizbullah is planning to join in regardless

Reuters - The Pentagon plans to send the two Iron Dome missile defense systems it had previously purchased from Israel back to that country to defend itself against inbound missiles, a U.S. official and a congressional aide said.
https://t.co/tFAqJmDPaq

— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) October 19, 2023

The Houthi Movement in Yemen has announced a Major Jihadi Mobilization and their Intentions to assist in the Hamas War against Israel. pic.twitter.com/76GFOnytsi

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) October 19, 2023

The Israeli military has a "green light" to move into Gaza whenever it's ready, a member of the country’s security cabinet told ABC News.https://t.co/cT6RyEZQdX pic.twitter.com/nnXz6uOrZw

— Faytuks News Δ (@Faytuks) October 19, 2023

Rossticus said:

---

The Houthi Movement in Yemen has announced a Major Jihadi Mobilization and their Intentions to assist in the Hamas War against Israel. pic.twitter.com/76GFOnytsi

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) October 19, 2023

---

This indicates to me that Iran has decided to dedicate their proxies to this battle. I'd expect 10,000+ rockets firing into northern Israel in the next couple of days.

That also means many more attacks on US bases in the region. I'm guessing we'll see quite a few casualties coming up. Wouldn't be surprised if we have a number of terror attacks in the West on a scale quite larger than Brussels as well.

Para glide Hamas style.

I believe the Russians do have some bases in the area.

CDUB98 said:

---

Quote:

---

and the leaders of Hamas are in Qatar

---

Since Hamas/Palestine is not a country, I believe it is time to insert Seal Team 6 into Qatar and quietly take these guys out.

---

The Israeli Mossad are most likely there already …. Those leaders will get to see 60 virgins soon

12-year-old Harry Potter fan championed by J.K. Rowling found murdered by Hamas


Shared by Israel's X account, story of autistic girl and her grandmother helped world see massacres; pair originally thought captured by terror group in vicious Oct. 7 incursion
By TOI STAFF Today, 4:52 pm

The bodies of Noya Dan, a 12-year-old autistic Israeli girl, and her grandmother Carmela, 80 who were initially believed to have been held hostage by Hamas in Gaza have been found, the Kan public broadcaster reported on Thursday.

On Monday, while Noya's fate was still unknown, Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling retweeted a post highlighting the child's uncertain situation that was initially posted by the State of Israel's official X account.

Rowling wrote, "For obvious reasons, this picture has hit home with me," the author says, adding that kidnapping children is "despicable and wholly unjustifiable," and expressing hope for the release of all captives in Gaza.

In the past 12 days, Noya's voice was broadcast on Israeli media when her mother, Galit, shared her daughter's final voice memos.

"Mom, there was a big boom at the door that scared me," Noya said in Hebrew. "All the windows in Grandma's house were broken at the entrance. Because there was another boom, there are many broken windows. Mommy… I'm scared," she said.

Mother Galit told the Kan public broadcaster this week that "just because she is autistic doesn't mean she doesn't understand. She understands everything."

fullback44 said:

---

CDUB98 said:

---

Quote:

---

and the leaders of Hamas are in Qatar

---

Since Hamas/Palestine is not a country, I believe it is time to insert Seal Team 6 into Qatar and quietly take these guys out.

---

The Israeli Mossad are most likely there already …. Those leaders will get to see 60 virgins soon

---

72 virgins.

and I would think a missile strike from the Israeli Navy may be more likely

to avoid antagonizing the Qataris with having a human hit squad on their territory.

I simply do not see a way these Yemen yahoos can get into Gaza.

NEW: The Pentagon plans to send Israel tens of thousands of 155mm artillery shells that had been designated for Ukraine, three Israeli officials say - Axios https://t.co/L4Ayhfk9W6 pic.twitter.com/J9C2TQXIRQ

— Faytuks News Δ (@Faytuks) October 19, 2023

Yeah. These are already stored in Israel, so it makes sense. With ongoing increases to 155mm production, it's unlikely that this will have any impact on supplies for Ukraine unless things in the ME escalate to an unexpected degree.

I think Israel should be investing in some of the land-based Phalanx guns to take on both aerial and land short range threats that Iron Dome cannot. Had they had a few of these stationed around the kibbutz targets on 10/7, the terrorists would've have gotten very far.




https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phalanx_CIWS

https://asc.army.mil/web/portfolio-item/ms-c-ram_lpws/

Seems like most of the weapons we had stored in Israel that were supposed to or did get sent to Ukraine are heading back. They never should have left so the taxpayers foot the bill for millions for the weapons to essentially not go anywhere.

Sounds like another Iraq/Afghanistan is happening, Iran backing a bunch of jihadist being used as proxies to attack Israel and the west.

We fought in 3 countries but never attacked the countries mainly responsible for 9/11, Iran, Lebanon, and Yemen. The Shia vs Sunni divide is not what it once was in the 70s and 80s, its now largely about money.

At the end of Jack Carr's book The Devil's Hand there is an author's note about the history from 1950s to current day about the ME, pretty good 15-20 minute summary. Actually he discusses the Iran history throughout the book, a lot how the US backed Iran first in the Iran-Iraq war and then started backing Iraq. The US defense industry made a ton of money and it seems like that is what is at the core of the CIA's decisions, money.

Now with Biden asking for $100 billion, makes be weary of our true intentions. Defense stocks are booming right now

EDIT: posted a few above me

Seems like a pretty terrible idea, especially if intended for the US Navy

FireAg said:

---

My gut has told me that Russia worked with Iran to initiate the Hamas attacks, followed by Hezbollah (thus opening two fronts) to force arms shipments to be diverted away from Ukraine and toward Israel...

---

Then they may ultimately have miscalculated and be looking at a short term benefit that regresses into a long term liability for them. Further ramp up of US production capacity and an Israel who has a score to settle.

U.S. Navy Officials have now stated that Interception of Missiles launched from Yemen by the USS Carney occurred last night and that they were not Aimed at the Ship but in a Northward Direction.

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) October 19, 2023