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Monday, October 9, 2023

10/9 WAKE-UP CALL: War's Nightmare Spreading


Iran Helped Plot Attack on Israel The rapidly intensifying war between Israel and Palestinian militants roared through a second day Sunday, with the Israeli Security Cabinet formally declaring war and the death toll surpassing 1,100 — a figure that may include some Americans.

More than 600 Israelis have been killed since Hamas militants began their assault Saturday on almost two dozen Israeli towns and army bases, ZAKA, a volunteer group that handles human remains after terror attacks, told Israeli media. ZAKA said 250 bodies were found at a music festival near the Gaza border. As of Sunday evening, more than 123,000 people in Gaza were displaced due to fear and concerns about the destruction of their homes, according to the United Nations.

Dozens of Israelis, and apparently some Americans, were taken hostage, officials on both sides said. Palestinian authorities said more than 300 fighters and civilians have been killed by Israeli counterattacks in Gaza. Each side reported thousands of wounded.

The violence began Saturday, when the first of thousands of rockets fired from Gaza pounded parts of southern and central Israel, including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Hamas militants infiltrated Israeli areas near the Gaza border, killing and wounding civilians and Israeli security forces and taking hostages, prompting the Israel military to strike back. 


➤FOUR AMERICANS KILLED IN ISRAEL ATTACKS, WITH DEATH TOLL EXPECTED TO RISE, SOURCES SAY: Four Americans have been killed in the attacks in Israel close to the Gaza border and the death toll is expected to rise, sources familiar with a Sunday briefing to key House committees said. Earlier Sunday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the US was “working overtime” to verify reports of missing and dead Americans after Hamas launched an unprecedented attack against Israel. “We have reports that several Americans were killed. We’re working overtime to verify that. At the same time, there are reports of missing Americans and there again, we’re working to verify those reports,” Blinken told CNN’s Dana Bash on “State of the Union.”


➤CORY BOOKER, STAFF SAFE AFTER SHELTERING IN PLACE IN JERUSALEM WHEN HAMAS ATTACKED ISRAEL: Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and his staff safely departed Israel on Sunday, a day after being forced to shelter in place as Hamas launched a barrage of thousands of rockets in a deadly surprise attack on Israel, a spokesperson for the senator said. "Senator Booker and accompanying staff were in Jerusalem when Hamas launched their attacks against Israel on Saturday, and sheltered in place for their safety," Maya Krishna-Rogers, a spokesperson for Booker, said in a statement. "We are grateful that Senator Booker and our colleagues were able to safely depart Israel earlier today." Booker arrived in Israel on Friday for several days of planned meetings and to visit sites ahead of an Abraham Accords-focused N7 summit on regional economic integration in Tel Aviv, the statement said. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said U.S. officials are working to verify reports that several Americans have been killed and others taken hostage.

Developments:

∎ The Palestinian Islamic Jihad's leader says militants in Gaza are holding dozens of Israeli prisoners. Ziad Nakhaleh said no hostages will be released until all Palestinian prisoners are freed from Israeli jails. Israel’s minister for strategic affairs, Ron Dermer, confirmed to CNN that American citizens were among those taken captive.

∎ Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and all expressed "unqualified support" for Israel's right to defend itself, Netanyahu said.

∎Germany and Britain said they were reevaluating aid packages worth hundreds of millions of dollars that had been earmarked for Palestinian areas.



➤THE BEGINNING: At least 260 people were killed in the “massacre’’ at an Israeli music fest, which included Israeli officers being blown away while acting as human shields and hostages having their legs shot off so they couldn’t run, survivors say. Graphic new images include a photo of scores of dead lying in a tent at the rave, which turned into bloody mayhem after heavily armed Palestinian terrorists paraglided across the Gaza Strip border in Saturday’s early-morning sneak attack on Israel. 

Video showed the unsuspecting crowd earlier dancing to music as the terrorist motorized paragliders could be seen coming down in the distance. The disturbing photos posted online by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs also show people who were gunned down in the street while fleeing the Tribe of Nova music festival near Gaza, while one snapshot captures a bloodied hostage loaded in the back of a Hamas terror vehicle. The number of bodies found at the site amounts to at least 260, CNN reported, citing Israel’s rescue service Zaka “We debated whether or not to share these horrific images, but the world needs to know what we are up against,” the ministry said in a statement. “These aren’t ‘freedom fighters.’ They are Hamas terrorists, but no different than ISIS terrorists,” the Israeli office said of the attackers. “Butchering families, kidnapping grandmothers. Desecrating bodies.”

➤THE $6 BILLION DEAL: FOX News’ Jennifer Griffin tells ‘FOX News Live’ that linking Biden’s Iranian deal, where the U.S. unfroze $6 billion, to the attacks on Israel Saturday is ‘incorrect’ and ‘misleading.’


➤WALGREENS EMPLOYEES PLAN WALKOUT THIS WEEK OVER MISERABLE WORKING CONDITIONS: Hundreds of pharmacists and other employees at one of the country's largest drug store chains could walk out of the job on Monday to protest what they say are increasingly miserable working conditions, according to multiple news reports. "We don't believe that Walgreens is allowing us to give our patients safe care on a daily basis," an organizer of the labor action said.

💸POWERBALL: The Powerball jackpot climbed to an estimated $1.55 billion after no one matched the game’s six numbers Saturday and won the giant prize. The numbers drawn Saturday night were: 47, 54, 57, 60, 65 and red Powerball 19. The $1.55 billion prize is for a sole winner who is paid through an annuity, with annual checks over 30 years. Most jackpot winners opt for cash, which for the next drawing Monday night would be an estimated $679.8 million. The jackpot is now the world’s fourth-largest lottery prize after rolling over for 34 consecutive drawings, since the last time someone won the top prize on July 19. That streak trails the record of 41 draws set in 2021 and 2022.

🏈NFL 49ERS 41 COWBOYS 10:   Brock Purdy threw four touchdown passes, three to George Kittle, and the San Francisco 49ers remained unbeaten with a convincing 42-10 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night at Santa Clara, Calif. Kittle tied the 49ers' single-game record for scoring catches by a tight end shared by Bernie Casey (1962) and Vernon Davis (2009). Purdy completed 17 of 24 passes for 252 yards as San Francisco (5-0) won its 15th consecutive regular-season contest. Christian McCaffrey and Jordan Mason rushed for touchdowns and Kyle Juszczyk caught a scoring pass for the 49ers. Fred Warner dominated on defense with an interception, forced fumble, sack and eight tackles as San Francisco won by 18 or more points for the fourth time this season. Dak Prescott was intercepted three times while completing 14 of 24 passes for 153 yards and one touchdown for Dallas (3-2). KaVontae Turpin had a scoring reception for the Cowboys.

🏈NFL SCORES

  • Eagles 23 Rams 14
  • Bears 40 Commanders 20
  • Falcons 21 Texans 19
  • Jags 25 Bills 20
  • Lions 42 Panthers 24
  • Colts 23 Titans 16
  • Dolphins 31 Giants 16
  • Saints 34 Patriots 0
  • Steelers 17 Ravens 10
  • Bengals 34 Cardinals 20
  • Jets 31 Broncos 21
  • Chiefs 27 Vikings 20

➤Tonight: Packers at Raiders 8:15 ABC


🏈PATRIOTS'S BILL BELICHICK AGAIN PULLS MAC JONES IN BIG LOSS: New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones was pulled from a blowout loss for the second week in a row, but coach Bill Belichick said after Sunday's 34-0 defeat to the New Orleans Saints that Jones is still No. 1 on the depth chart. "Yeah," Belichick answered. "There were a lot of problems. It certainly wasn't all on him."

🏈VIKINGS UNSURE OF JUSTIN JEFFERSON'S STATUS AFTER INJURY: Minnesota Vikings superstar wideout Justin Jefferson exited their Sunday game against the Kansas City Chiefs in the fourth quarter. He appeared to slip awkwardly on the turf while trying to make a cut on a route. After the play, he was seen grabbing the back of his hamstring. Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell said that it's "still very early" to project a timetable for Jefferson's recovery, or if he'd miss any time at all, but a hamstring injury for a player at his position can be problematic.

MLB PLAY-OFFS

⚾D-Backs 11 Dodgers 2 The visiting Arizona Diamondbacks made a statement Saturday, using a six-run first inning against Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw to pave the way for an 11-2 victory in Game 1 of the National League Division Series. Gabriel Moreno hit a three-run home run in the first, while Corbin Carroll, Alek Thomas and Tommy Pham all went deep later in the game as the Diamondbacks got off to a dream start in an effort to advance to the NL Championship Series for the first time since 2007. Pham had four hits. Arizona right-hander Merrill Kelly (1-0), who does not have a win in 16 regular-season starts against Los Angeles, went 6 1/3 scoreless innings to earn the postseason victory. He gave up three hits with two walks and five strikeouts. Kershaw (0-1) gave up six runs on six hits with one walk while recording just one out before he was replaced by rookie right-hander Emmet Sheehan after facing eight batters.

⚾Rangers 3, Orioles 2 Josh Jung homered, Evan Carter reached base three times and Texas edged host Baltimore in Game 1 of the American League Division Series. Carter had an RBI double, two walks and a run. The 21-year-old outfielder has reached base safely in 10 of 12 plate appearances this postseason to help Texas win all three games it has played. He became the first player in major league history to record an extra-base hit, walk and run in each of his first three career postseason games. Anthony Santander had a homer, single, walk and scored twice for Baltimore, the top seed in the AL playoffs. The Orioles were 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position.

⚾Astros 6, Twins 4 Yordan Alvarez homered twice while Justin Verlander threw six shutout innings as host Houston beat Minnesota in Game 1 of this ALDS. Alvarez finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs, three runs and a walk as the Astros secured a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five series. Royce Lewis hit his third homer of the postseason for the Twins.

⚾Phillies 3, Braves 0 Seven pitchers combined on a five-hit shutout as Philadelphia blanked host Atlanta in Game 1 of the NLDS. Bryce Harper went 2-for-2 with a homer and two walks for the Phillies, who also beat the Braves in Game 1 of the NLDS last year. Jeff Hoffman (1-0) recorded the final out of the fourth to record the win, while Craig Kimbrel earned a save with a perfect ninth. Atlanta starter Spencer Strider (0-1) allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits in seven innings. He walked two and struck out eight. The Braves went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position.



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