’Fierce battles’ deep in Gaza * Kidnapped soldier rescued * Arrow downs Eilat-bound missile * PM: Ceasefire would be surrender * ToI on Lebanon border * Yellow Star at UN

[Times of Israel]( [The daily edition]( Tuesday, October 31, 2023 [Israeli troops fight ‘fierce battles’ against Hamas in urban areas deep inside Gaza]( Heavy rocket fire toward central, southern Israel; IDF general to troops: We’ll fight in the alleys, in the tunnels, victory is the only option; 80 aid trucks set to enter Strip [Israel agrees to allow 100 trucks of humanitarian aid into Gaza each day — official]( [ToI podcast / Daily Briefing Oct 31: Day 25 – defense minister describes phases of war]( [Mom of soldier rescued from Gaza: ‘Our prayers are with the hostages and missing’]( Margalit Megidish, whose daughter Ori was freed during ground operation in Strip, expresses gratitude to Shin Bet, IDF and security forces in emotional statement [Kidnapped Israeli soldier is rescued from Gaza in overnight operation, returns home]( [Hamas releases video of 3 hostages; PM blasts it as ‘cruel psychological propaganda’]( [In first, Arrow downs Eilat-bound missile from ‘Red Sea’; Houthis claim UAV attack]( Israeli fighter jets shoot down drones claimed by Iran-backed Yemen group as response to Hamas war; military says ‘no threat or risk to civilians’ Live updates [LIVE: Iran-backed Houthis claim missile, drone attacks on Eilat from Yemen]( Army says fierce battles raging deep inside Gaza * Rockets barrage Tel Aviv, Sharon * General tells troops they will fight in alleys, tunnels, vowing victory over Hamas [Netanyahu dismisses calls for ceasefire, says that would be surrender to Hamas]( Speaking to foreign media, PM rejects idea of resigning, vows war will go on until Hamas defeated; says civilization at stake, invokes Allied war against the Nazis [A 2016 warning drafted by then-defense minister Liberman predicted Hamas onslaught]( Reporter's notebook [On Lebanon’s border, IDF reservists prepare for potential fight against Hezbollah]( The teachers, students, and office workers had to quickly leave jobs and families behind on October 7; they say the focus is on the task at hand, not dwelling on that catrastrophe [IDF hits Hezbollah site, mortar squad amid repeated attacks from Lebanon]( [Erdan tells UN he’ll don yellow Star of David until it condemns Hamas; Yad Vashem fumes]( Provocative pledge to Security Council comes amid growing global frustration with divided UN body, which has not adopted a single resolution on Israel-Hamas [Israel grants visas to UN officials despite pledge to deny them entry]( Top Ops Sam Wineburg [Stop helping Hamas win its disinformation war]( Fake news and lies are flooding your feed — do these 4 things before sharing that powerful war post Shira Pasternak Be'eri [Inside our collective trauma]( Sometimes we don’t recognize ourselves. How will this barbarous incursion affect our souls? Reporter's notebook [‘They burn our souls’: Mother of two hostages returns to Nir Oz for first time]( Hadas Calderon begs the government to bring back her two children and ex-husband, who were kidnapped on October 7, when Hamas terrorists also murdered her mother and niece [In Jerusalem, hundreds of empty beds and cribs bring home enormity of hostage crisis]( [A Harry Potter fan’s murder reverberates from Israel to Boston]( [Day 25 – defense minister describes phases of war]( [listen to the podcast]( [Doug Emhoff meets Jewish leaders as US ups efforts to tackle campus antisemitism]( Second gentleman to be joined by education czar, whose office is conducting visits to colleges across country, as part of declared White House plan to address ‘alarming’ phenomenon [Inside story / ‘Jews not allowed’: As Erdogan praises Hamas, antisemitism rages in Turkey]( [Tennessee lawmakers discuss safety, Israel support at Jewish school that foiled gunman]( From the web [Mapping the massacres: A geovisualization of the Hamas atrocities in Israel on Oct. 7]( Site by site, interactive map traces horrors that unfolded after terrorists burst through border fence, attacked communities, army positions, music festival; gives details of victims [Those We Are Missing]( [The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown]( [Read Here]( [Intelligence Ministry ‘concept paper’ proposes transferring Gazans to Egypt’s Sinai]( Prime Minister’s Office plays down document as hypothetical, non-binding, though Netanyahu reported to be lobbying EU governments to pressure Egypt to take in refugees [PA’s premier says Ramallah won’t take over Gaza without plan that includes West Bank]( [Ex-Fatah strongman Dahlan calls for postwar democracy in Gaza, including Hamas]( [IDF demolishes West Bank home of exiled senior Hamas official Saleh al-Arouri]( Deputy chief of terror group’s political bureau also leads its military wing in the West Bank; IDF banner left on rubble of destroyed building declares ‘Hamas=Islamic State’ [3 Arab Israelis suspected of planning Islamic State ‘terror activity’]( Analysis [How Qatar became a potentially indispensable hostage mediator in Israel-Hamas war]( Under Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the tiny nation with massive riches has placed itself in a position where it can talk to Israel with the Palestinians’ benefits in mind [Thai foreign minister travels to Qatar, Egypt for talks on hostages held by Hamas]( [In rare rebuke, top Russian rabbi calls antisemitic airport riot ‘eternal disgrace’]( As more details emerge on who was on mob-targeted plane and what they went through, Boruch Gorin criticizes state authorities in Dagestan for failing to prevent attempted lynching [Moscow Jews say they’re unsurprised by antisemitic riot at Dagestan airport]( [Russia blames antisemitic airport riot on Ukraine, West; US: It resembled ‘pogroms’]( [In Europe, soaring antisemitism popularizes a new invention: The camouflaged mezuzah]( Disguised to resemble an alarm sensor, Camozuzah is brainchild of Ireland-based Chabad rabbi; it’s increased adoption underlines surge in hostility to Jews amid Israel-Hamas war [Those We Have Lost]( [Those We Have Lost]( [Civilians and soldiers who have fallen since Oct. 7]( [Read Here]( [As rockets pound Israel, some ships bound for Ashdod divert to Haifa port in north]( The rerouting, plus truck driver shortage, could delay delivery of cargo to final destinations; ‘war risk’ premium added by insurance firms will raise prices, says industry expert [Analysis / Israel’s economy bounced back after previous Hamas wars, but this one may take longer]( [Israel’s war spurs thousands of Haredi Israelis to volunteer, cook and serve in the IDF]( Though they often eschew the military due to strict religious observance, many ultra-Orthodox are starting to believe the current battle is an existential one for the Jewish nation More Headlines [Off-duty IDF soldier arrested on suspicion of shooting dead Palestinian olive farmer]( [Artforum staff resign to protest editor’s firing over anti-Israel letter]( [Imam of US mosque with ties to 9/11 attackers denies October 7 Hamas atrocities]( [Illinois man pleads not guilty in murder of 6-year-old Palestinian-American boy]( [Report: Elon Musk speaks to Shin Bet chief on supplying internet to Gaza]( [US forces have been attacked 23 times in Iraq, Syria since Hamas assault on Israel]( [In a shift, US Democrats are focusing their Jewish campaign on Israel policy]( [El Al stops flying over Oman as war-time precaution, prolonging journey to East Asia]( [CNN’s Jake Tapper pans Marjorie Taylor Greene for ‘political’ use of antisemitism]( [Watchdog: Shelling that killed videographer ‘explicitly targeted’ Lebanon journalists]( [The daily edition]( [facebook]( [twitter]( [instagram]( [View in browser]( [Contact support](mailto:support@timesofisrael.com) [Advertise with us](mailto:advertise@timesofisrael.com) Were you forwarded this email? 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