Israel: The Holy Land and Timeless Cultures

 10/7/2023 - Jerusalem

From Andrés R. Martínez, New York Times                               Timeline of Saturday’s attacks and Israel’s retaliation (in black) (My additions are in red.)

6:35 a.m. The first sirens warn of incoming rockets in central and southern Israel. 

7:40 a.m. The Israel Defense Forces confirmed that Hamas fighters have crossed from Gaza into southern Israel. 

8:15 a.m. The first sirens go off in Jerusalem, which rarely gets hit by rockets because of the Iron Dome defense system Israel uses. 

8:23 a.m. The scale of the attacks is becoming clear. Hamas has taken hostages in southern Israel and fired wave after wave of rockets. Israel declares a state of alert for war, effectively calling up as many reservists as possible.

9:00 a.m. Our OAT group meets with Arnon, our trip leader (and retired Israeli Army Colonel), in the Dan Panorama Hotel lobby, where we are told not to use the elevators, shelter in place in the basement level, and remain in place until receiving the all clear.

 

 

10:34 a.m. Israel says it has begun its war.

10:46 a.m. Israel fighter jets strike first targets in Gaza

11:35 a.m. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel tells Israelis they are at war.

12:21 p.m. The Israeli military sends troops to southern Israel to reclaim towns taken by Hamas militants. Israel estimates that Hamas has fired at least 2,200 rockets since the first sirens Saturday morning.

1:46 p.m. Israel says it struck 21 buildings that house Hamas military operations.

Overnight: Sirens continue to warn of rockets across Israel.

2:19 a.m. The first phase of the war is near its end, with Israel claiming to have destroyed all the sites used to launch the attacks. 

7:00 a.m. We followed OAT’s directions to board the bus ASAP and head back to the Amman Airport. Tel Aviv (Ben Gurion Airport), our initial departure airport, was under rocket attacks and closed to all incoming and outgoing air traffic.

After several hours, we arrived at the hotel at about 7:00 p.m.

10:00 p.m. I was among the first to leave the hotel and depart from the airport at 1:15 a.m. Monday, Oct. 9th.