Today was the twenty-fifth day of Operation Protective Edge and the fourteenth day of ground operations in Gaza.
Five soldiers were killed yesterday in a mortar attack.
Daniel Marash, 22 Omri Tal, 22 Shay Kushnir, 20 Noam Rosenthal,20 Liran Adir,31 Z’L Caídos ayer por Israel y por nosotros Mis hijos
— Spain for Israel (@spain4israel) August 1, 2014
The Tower today covered the kidnapping of Israeli soldier Hadar Goldin and the killing of two other soldiers, ending a planned 72-hour ceasefire that had been agreed to between Israel and Hamas after just an hour and a half.
The Israel Project, which publishes The Tower, hosted a conference call today with Col. Lior Lotan, who provided details about Goldin’s kidnapping.
HEARTBREAKING: Benaya Sarel & Liel Gidoni died in security incident which IDF soldier Hadar Goldin was kidnapped. pic.twitter.com/iLAiQBAkF1
— Israel News Feed (@IsraelHatzolah) August 1, 2014
Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel has added his voice to the growing number of authorities who insist that any ceasefire agreement will not be successful unless it includes disarming Hamas.
Once again, Israel accepted a ceasefire. Once again, Hamas violated it. pic.twitter.com/DqQBMSUTDz
— IDF (@IDFSpokesperson) August 1, 2014
White House officials Josh Earnest and Anthony Blinken criticized Hamas for violating the ceasefire agreement. Earnest termed the kidnapping “barbaric.”
#Hamas Accepted the ‘Truce’ Specifically to Kidnap a Soldier http://t.co/GQcqtmXtxL
— The Israel Project (@israelproject) August 1, 2014
A poll released today by The Israel Project and polling firm Paragon Insights found strong bipartisan support among likely American voters for Israel’s military campaign to destroy Hamas’ terror infrastructure. 65 percent of those surveyed agree that Hamas is a terrorist organization and that Israel “must stop” it.
"Virtually certain that Iran played a large role" in #Hamas kidnapping that blew up ceasefire – @LeeSmithTWS http://t.co/onjjGJqoXD
— Omri Ceren (@cerenomri) August 1, 2014
Earlier this week, ABC News reporter Terry Moran embedded with an Israeli armored unit to inspect a recently discovered terror tunnel. Moran reported that as the unit entered Gaza, one of the tanks saw a terrorist with an anti-tank weapon. However, “[a] school housing refuges was located nearby – too close to engage the threat,” so the commander chose to take a different route.
Cleveland Cavaliers Israeli Head Coach David Blatt: ‘This War is Israel’s Most Justified War I Can Remember’ http://t.co/RaHxJh3o3p
— Andreas Fagerbakke (@afagerbakke) August 1, 2014
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon and U.S. President Barack Obama added their voices to those criticizing Hamas for the kidnapping and killing of Israeli soldiers violating the ceasefire. Ban said that the violation would hurt Hamas’ credibility. Both leaders faulted Hamas for the resulting escalation.
Shabbat Shalom. Our thoughts and prayers are with Israel. pic.twitter.com/S1XSrRwhYz
— ELAL USA (@ELALUSA) August 1, 2014
[Photo: idfnadesk / YouTube ]