Daily Recap: Hamas - Israel War October 14th, 2023 (17:00)

(View live feed of events here)

Daily Event Overview

Strike on Ali Qadi, a Hamas "Nukhba" commando force, company commander

• • One week into the war with Hamas, the IDF continued to strike a range of terror targets in the Gaza Strip. This included a strike on a senior commander from the Nuhkba forces which led Saturday’s massacres, a strike on Hamas’ head of aerial activities in Gaza City, attacks on a weapons production facility and more. 

   

  • The IDF is collaborating closely with the ISA to ensure that every operative involved in the horrific attacks is held accountable.

   

  • Rocket fire from the Gaza Strip at the Israeli homefront continues, reaching southern and central Israel and as far north as the Lower Galillee. In addition, Hamas terrorists continue to try to attack southern Israel. Last night, two terrorists attempted to infiltrate near Nahal Oz. On Saturday afternoon, a terrorist cell launched an anti-tank missile from the Strip toward Israel. In both cases, the IDF neutralized the terrorists. 

   

  • In an effort to mitigate civilian casualties, the IDF continues to urge residents of the Gaza Strip to move towards southern Gaza. In some cases, Hamas has called on residents and, in some cases, physically prevented them, from doing so.

   

  • The IDF continues to respond to any threat from Lebanon. On Saturday morning, a terrorist squad attempted to infiltrate across the border. The squad was targeted by a UAV. Later Saturday, a barrage was fired from southern Lebanon at IDF positions in the Har Dov area; the IDF returned fire and targeted a terrorist squad which it suspected intended to launch anti-tank missiles against Israeli targets. 

   

  • Overnight, 56 terrorist operatives - including 25 Hamas operatives (and two senior Hamas operatives) - were arrested in Judea and Samaria. During the course of some of these activities, weapons were also confiscated.
    
    

Daily Update from Lt. Col. Richard Hecht

Yesterday I shared thoughts from Shura, the military base meticulously identifying many of the 1,300 Israelis who were murdered, as the staff prepares their bodies for their final journey. I flagged the contrast between a nation that mourns its dead while seeking life and Hamas, a vicious terrorist organization that revels in death as it physically prevents Gaza’s citizens from evacuating ahead of Israeli attacks.

Hamas’ barbaric attacks on partygoers, on families, on children is a threat to all those who value life over death. It must be stopped.

This evil has a face. It, unfortunately, has many faces. The IDF and other security organizations have been scouring footage of Saturday’s events to ensure that every single terrorist involved in these attacks pays the price for the horrors they perpetuated. At least one paid that price last night, in a strike in Gaza on a commander from Hamas’ Nuhkba forces, which played a key role in the raids on Saturday. 

But we must not forget that these attacks aren’t splinter cells. They aren’t isolated events. They are directed by Hamas and that direction has a face too - Yahya Sinwar, who leads Hamas’ activities in the Gaza Strip. And to protect our life, to protect everyone who values life, the IDF will ensure that - today, tomorrow, or at some point in the future - he pays the price too.

Lt. Col. Richard Hecht

Hamas War Data Points (October 14, 2023)

• Over 1,000 terrorists killed

• 265 IDF soldiers confirmed as killed in action

• 120 families updated about abducted kin

Key Links

• Morning briefing from the IDF Spokesperson, BG Hagari. (Hebrew Video)
• Strike Ali Qadi, a company commander of the Hamas "Nukhba" commando force (Video)
• Aerial footage of a drone strike on a terrorist squad attempting to infiltrate along Israel’s northern border (Video)
• Distribution of pamphlets encourage residents of Gaza to move south (Video)

Arena Updates

War on Hamas in Gaza

The IDF continues to strike Hamas terrorist sites throughout the Gaza Strip. Aerial strikes on Saturday continued to focus on Hamas’ military capabilities and leadership. In one specific wave of strikes on Friday, over 30 sites, including many associated with Hamas’ Nuhkba force, were targeted in just minutes, including staging sites for attacks on Israel.

Leveraging intelligence, Israeli strikes also expanded to additional strikes on senior leadership in the Gaza Strip, including an attack on Hamas’ Gaza City aerial systems command and control center and Merad Abu Merad, the head of the unit. 

In another targeted strike on Saturday an IDF aircraft  struck Ali Qadi, a company commander of the Hamas "Nukhba" commando force who was responsible for the October 7th attacks on Israel. Qadi had been arrested in 2005 for the kidnapping and murder of Israeli civilians and was released as part of the Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange. 

To date, over 1,000 Hamas operatives have been found dead in Israel, with their equipment and maps showing that during their attack, they intended to capture and hold ground. The IDF is continuing to prioritize eliminating anyone involved in the attacks and will continue to do so, regardless of how long it takes.

IDF continues to urge Gazan civilians to move south of Wadi Gaza through a variety of channels, including traditional media and digital media, all in Arabic. This aims to provide effective and advance warnings so that civilians can protect themselves by evacuating, seeking shelter, or taking other appropriate action. On Saturday the IDF Spokesperson to the Arab Media also distributed information on two routes through which the IDF recommended civilians evacuate.

On Friday, the IDF entered the territory of the Gaza Strip in a number of localized raids in order to both collect evidence and information about abducted Israelis as well as eliminate threats that could impede IDF activity. 

Defense of Southern Israel

Over one week after Hamas’ Saturday massacre, attacks on the Israeli homefront continue, with long-range rockets from Gaza and ongoing attacks from terrorists squads in the south. In two examples, a terrorist squad was targeted after firing an anti-tank missile into Israel on Saturday afternoon, while another two terrorists were targeted by tank fire early Saturday morning after attempting to infiltrate near Nahal Oz. Some five terrorists had been targeted by the IDF during the day before.

Additional Arenas

Northern Israel

The military is in a state of heightened readiness and will take swift action against attacks on Israel. Sporadic incidents do continue, including artillery fire from southern Lebanon towards IDF forces in the Har Dov area, as well as the identification of a terrorist squad attempting to infiltrate across the border. The squad was targeted early Saturday morning by an IDF UAV (video). Anti-aircraft fire at an IDF UAV was also identified and intercepted.

The prior day, Hezbollah operatives in southern Lebanon opened fire with an anti-tank missile at Israeli forces, who responded with fire.

Earlier that morning, at about 01:15, the IDF Aerial Defense Array intercepted two unidentified targets in northern Israel.

On Friday the IDF declared the area of Metula, the most northern part of Israel, as a closed military zone. IDF forces are deployed and actively monitoring the area. 

Judea and Samaria

The IDF continues to take every action to prevent any attacks on civilians. Since the beginning of the war, over ten terror attacks in Judea and Samaria have been thwarted. In total, following daily activity and in close coordination with the ISA, a total of 280 operatives have been apprehended, including 157 Hamas operatives. Last night, 56 operatives were arrested, including 25 Hamas operatives, two of whom were senior leaders. During these raids, weapons, including pistols and an assault rifle, were confiscated.

The Homefront

The rocket fire, while slower than the dramatic barrages of thousands of rockets on Saturday, October 7, continues, including rockets fired towards population centers like Sderot, Ashkelon,. Rehovot and even central and northern Israel, with a salvo fired at northern Israel on Friday afternoon. Over 5,500 rockets have been fired at Israel. 

Another seven families of IDF soldiers killed in action were notified today, bringing the total number of families notified to 265. A full list of fallen IDF soldiers is available here (Hebrew).

As of this morning, 120 families have been notified that their loved ones were abducted.

Previous versions of the Hamas - Israel 2023 War daily recap can be seen here.