The Iron Swords War (Updated to 1 p.m., October 19, 2023)
Ground forces carried out targeted raids in the Gaza Strip to locate information about the abducted and missing persons. The Palestinian terrorist organizations continued launching rockets, for the most part in the afternoon and evening after the American president had left the region. Since the beginning of the war, more than 7,000 rockets and mortar shells have been fired at Israel. An analysis indicated that so far about 10% of the launches were unsuccessful and the rockets fell in the Gaza Strip. So far, more than 1,400 civilian and soldier deaths have been reported; 203 civilian and soldier abductees are being held in the Gaza Strip by the terrorist organizations. The Gaza Strip: Sources in the Gaza Strip report a worsening humanitarian situation. Egypt agreed to open the Rafah Crossing for the entrance of a limited number of trucks, but for now the Crossing remains closed. Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) criticized the American position, claiming it was biased in favor of Israel. PIJ spokesman Tareq al-Salami called on the Arab nations to invade the embassies of countries that support Israel, especially the American embassies, and burn them to the ground. The northern sector: Tensions continue mounting on the northern border. Since the afternoon of October 18, 2023, a number of rockets and anti-tank missiles have been launched and shots have been fired at IDF posts along the border. The IDF returned fire and attacked several Hezbollah terrorist targets. Hezbollah reported three deaths. Judea and Samaria: Israeli security forces continued counterterrorism activities, detaining Palestinians suspected of terrorist activity, including senior Hamas operatives. On October 19, 2023, activity focused on the Nur al-Shams refugee camp near Tulkarm. Iran: Senior government officials continue diplomatic contacts with Arab countries. The chief of the Iranian armed forces general staff spoke with the defense ministers of Russia and Qatar. According to reports
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