As Israel enters a new, dangerous phase in its conflict with Hamas, The Algemeiner is rounding up developments in the region and around the world.

The funeral of Marcel Frielich, one of the seven victims from Kibbutz Beeri, following a deadly infiltration by Hamas gunmen from the Gaza Strip. Photo: Reuters/Rami Amichay

“Soon You Will See Gaza From The Inside,” Defense Minister Tells IDF Troops

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told IDF troops gathered near the border with Gaza that the order to enter the Hamas-run Palestinian enclave would come “soon.”

“You now see Gaza from afar, soon you will see it from the inside,” Gallant told troops of the Givati Brigade. “The order will come.”

In a separate visit, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the troops, “We are going to win with all our might.”

“All of Israel is behind you, and we are going to heavily strike our enemies so that we can achieve victory,” Netanyahu said.

The head of the IDF Southern Command, Maj. Gen. Yaron Finkelman, said the expected ground offensive would be “long and intense.”

“This war was forced on us, with a cruel enemy that harmed us greatly. But we stopped them… we are striking them heavily,” Finkelman said.

Israeli soldiers gathered in a field near the border with Gaza listen to a speech by Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Photo: Reuters/Ronen Zvulun

Israeli Columbia University Professor Calls President a ‘Coward’ for Silence on Pro-Hamas Protests

Columbia University professor Shai Davidai this week gave a thunderous speech before a crowd of students and others gathered on campus, calling the school’s president a “coward” for refusing to condemn Hamas apologists and anti-Israel demonstrations on campus. The Algemeiner‘s Dion Pierre has more.

Exclusive Interview: Israel Envoy to Combat Antisemitism Calls on American Public for Support

Like many Israelis, Israel’s Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism Michal Cotler-Wunsh first became aware that a Hamas assault was underway on Oct. 7, when she was awoken by alarm sirens at 6:30 am warning of incoming rocket fire. Those rockets were cover for an invasion of Israel by more than 2,000 armed terrorists intent on slaughtering as many Jews as they could find.

In an exclusive interview with The Algemeiner, Cotler-Wunsh said that she has now come to the United States to convey the horrors of the worst single-day massacre of Jews since the Holocaust and to let Israel’s supporters in the US know that they also have a role to play in the fight against genocidal terror. The Algemeiner‘s Andrew Bernard has more.

Starbucks Suing Unions for Anti-Israel Social Media Posts That Used Corporate Logo

Starbucks has filed a federal lawsuit in the US alleging trademark infringement against labor unions representing its employees, arguing the groups appropriated the Starbucks logo while making anti-Israel social media posts that have prompted complaints and harmed its brand.

“This is an action concerning the actual and threatened injury to the safety, well-being, operations, and reputation of Starbucks and its employees caused by the defendants’ inflammatory and misleading communications, which have led, among other things, to property damage, threats, and calls for a boycott against Starbucks,” read the complaint filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of Iowa.

“Most notably, and of most urgency to Starbucks, this action concerns defendants’ social media posts in support of violence in Israel starting immediately after reports emerged that Hamas had attacked civilians in Israel,” said the complaint. The Algemeiner‘s Dion Pierre has more.

State Department Official Resigns Over US Support for Israel

An 11-year employee of the US State Department resigned on Wednesday over what he described as America’s “blind support” for Israeli “apartheid.”

Josh Paul, a director of congressional and public affairs in the State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, published his resignation letter on LinkedIn, explaining that he could no longer morally tolerate US arms transfers to Israel. The Algemeiner‘s Andrew Bernard has more.

250 More Bodies Discovered in Israel’s South: Report

The bodies of at least 250 more Israelis have been found near communities along the Gaza border, according to the Kann news channel.

A military officer in charge of finding and removing bodies of Israelis told journalist Hadas Grinberg that the new victims were discovered after an Israeli Air Force plane flew over the area and provided the location of the dead to medical and security teams. The Algemeiner‘s staff has more.

Antisemitic Incidents in Germany Soar by 240 Percent

The number of antisemitic incidents in Germany in the week that followed the Oct. 7 Hamas pogrom in southern Israel increased by an eye-watering 240 percent compared with the same period last year, according to data published by the Federal Association of Antisemitism Research and Information Centers (RIAS), a government funded body, on Thursday.

A full 91 percent of the incidents recorded were rooted in hatred of Israel, RIAS said. The Algemeiner’s Ben Cohen has more.

Julianna Margulies Addresses ‘Insane’ Hollywood Silence on Antisemitism Amid Israel-Hamas War

Actress Julianna Margulies expressed disappointment in Hollywood for not speaking out against antisemitism targeting the Jewish community amid Israel’s war with Hamas, after the Palestinian terror group killed over 1,400 people in Israel earlier this month.

At the Variety Hollywood & Antisemitism Summit in Los Angeles on Wednesday, the former star of ER and The Good Wife, who is also Jewish, was asked on stage about why she thinks there is a “deafening silence” from her peers in the Hollywood industry about antisemitism. The Algemeiner‘s Shiryn Ghermezian has more.

Actresses Help Post Signs Across Times Square About Israeli Hostages Taken by Hamas

Jewish-American actress Debra Messing, Israeli pop singer Noa Kirel, and Israeli actress Noa Tishby along with others posted signs across Times Square in New York City that feature images and descriptions of some of the hundreds of Israelis kidnapped by the Hamas terror organization, demanding their immediate return. The Algemeiner‘s Shiryn Ghermezian has more.

‘We Are With Eternity’: Israel’s Capital Remains Resilient Amid War

Following Hamas’ terrorist onslaught earlier this month that claimed the lives of more than 1,400 Israelis, mostly civilians, Israel found itself on a sudden pause. Bars, restaurants, and shops all shuttered as people locked themselves in their homes, not knowing what would come next. In Jerusalem, fears of rogue Hamas terrorists who may have made their way into the city filled the air.

However, these fears quickly subsided, and by last Tuesday, less than 72 hours after the worst terror massacre in Israel’s history, Jerusalem came back to life. By the end of the first week of the war, the streets were once again bustling, with even the Mahane Yehuda market filled with shoppers once more.

Speaking to Jerusalem residents, one can sense the strength in their words. The Algemeiner‘s contributor Troy Fritzhand has more.

San Francisco High School Students March for Hamas

Hundreds of high school students in San Francisco staged a walkout on Wednesday in support of the Hamas war against Israel.

The  students marched along Francisco Street before turning onto Van Ness Avenue and walking toward Bay Street from Galileo High School, the San Francisco Standard reported on Thursday. At the head of the line, a student held the Palestinian flag. Other students chanted, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”

Pay close attention. This is a high school in San Francisco.

Imagine being a Jewish child in this school.

pic.twitter.com/JUcBRSOz58

— Yoni Michanie (@YoniMichanie) October 19, 2023

Al Ahli Hospital Casualties Number: From 500 to “10-50”

The Paris-based AFP news agency has quoted an unnamed European official assessing the number of Palestinian deaths from Tuesday’s explosion in a car park adjacent to the Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza at “between 10 and 50.”

The Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza immediately announced that 500 Palestinians had been killed in what it claimed was an Israeli air strike targeting the hospital. That number was greeted with skepticism by Israeli and western intelligence analysts, while US President Joe Biden confirmed that the reports he had been shown indicated that the cause of the explosion was a missile misfired by Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorists.

https://twitter.com/LePoint/status/1714968013068230783

Vocal Critic of Israeli Military Rebuffs Hamas Claim of Israeli Air Strike on Gaza Hospital

A former Human Rights Watch (HRW) official with a long record of harsh criticism of Israeli military conduct has added his voice to the controversy around the explosion on Tuesday near the Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza City — saying clearly that an Israeli air strike was not responsible.

“Whatever hit the hospital in Gaza, it wasn’t an airstrike,” Marc Garlasco — a former US Defense Department and UN official who previously served as a senior military expert with Human Rights Watch — stated in a post on X/Twitter. The Algemeiner’s Ben Cohen has more.

Antisemitic Americans More Likely to Support Political Violence Than Others, New Study Finds

Antisemitic Americans are more likely to to support violence to achieve their political goals as well as antidemocratic and conspiratorial beliefs compared to the general population, according to a new survey.

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the University of Chicago’s Project on Security and Threats (CPOST) on Thursday released a survey, titled “Antisemitism and Support for Political Violence,” which found a strong correlation between antisemitism, support for political violence, and antidemocratic conspiracy theories on both ends of the political spectrum. The Algemeiner‘s Dion Pierre has more.

Mob Attacks Synagogue in Spanish Territory: Reports

Hundreds of pro-Palestine rioters attacked a synagogue in the Spanish enclave of Melilla in North Africa while worshipers were inside Wednesday evening, according to Spanish media reports.

The rioters shouted “murderous Israel” in front of the Or Zaruah Synagogue and waved Palestinian flags until police dispersed them, a report in the newspaper El Independente said. The Algemeiner‘s staff has more.

Veteran Jewish Voice Actress Fired After Showing Solidarity With Israel, Denouncing Hamas

Voice actress Tara Strong — who has voiced characters in numerous animated shows such as “Rugrats,” “The Fairly Odd Parents” and “The Powerpuff Girls” — was fired from the independent animated series “Boxtown” after writing several posts on social media in support of Israel and against Hamas’ barbaric terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians. The show said, “This decision was due to a trend among Tara’s recent online activity, including posts that promote controversial messages regarding the peoples of Palestine currently being affected by the ongoing Israel-Palestine crisis.” The Algemeiner’s Shiryn Ghermezian has more.

To catch up on Wednesday’s developments in Israel and Gaza, click here.