November 2, 2023

ITC update: Operation Iron Swords

Day 27
Thursday 2.11.23

Another two Israeli soldiers have been killed in northern Gaza, bringing the total number of deaths in the Gaza Strip to 18.

The IDF has notified the families of 242 hostages that their loved ones are currently being held in the Gaza Strip. The number is not final as the military investigates new information.

In a midnight battle, soldiers from Golani’s Battalion 13 fought off a vicious ambush. The IDF said that troops of the Golani Infantry Brigade led “prolonged battles” against Hamas terrorists who had fired missiles, set off explosive devices, and hurled grenades at the forces.

The IDF commanders caution that this campaign could still last several weeks or even months despite the military progress.

Hezbollah continues to attack Israeli targets near the border, including attempting to launch anti-tank missiles at Zar’it, gunfire at Yiftach, several mortars and anti-tank missiles at Moshav Shtula, and mortars at Shomera. No injuries were reported. Rockets were also fired towards Har Dov and Mount Hermon.

Ashdod, a southern Israeli city, was hit by rockets.

Over 8,500 rockets have been fired towards Israel since October 7th.

This morning, an Israeli man in his 30s was shot and killed near the West Bank town of Bayt Lid.

ITC on the Ground

The Nova outdoor music festival on October 7th, was supposed to be an all-night dance party, celebrating the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. But as dawn broke it became a scene of terror and horror, when Hamas terrorists launched a merciless and large-scale terrorist attack. ITC and one of its partner organization Natal, Amcha, Mahut Israel and others , together with the Ministry of Welfare, the ministry of Health, the Local Council Authority, the National Lottery, and the National Insurance Institute joined forces to formulate an immediate intervention plan for the party survivors.

Program goals are to minimize the consequences of this traumatic event and allow survivors to return to functioning as soon as possible. This inter-sectoral program includes professional intervention for survivors and their families, professional training and guidance for community teams, and assistance in accessing and exercising rights.

The guiding principle in formulating this plan is to ensure a professional therapeutic response as close to the incident as possible, whilst maintaining continuity of treatment and assistance in exercising their rights. Local authorities will continue to provide a response in the local community following the completion of 9 months, of this program.

Emergency teams: ITC is working with its partners to provide targeted assistance to emergency teams from Gaza Envelope communities. On October 7th, these brave men and women fought off terrorists for hours before the army arrived and lost many team members. Rehabilitation will be a long, challenging, and multidimensional process.

In addition to processing the experiences, psychosocial support, nonverbal therapy individual and group accompaniment of the teams, and assistance and support in rebuilding the teams, new officials will be appointed over time.

The process in each settlement will include initial mapping with community representatives and members of the teams who participated in the battles and individual response (face-to-face/telephone meeting) to learn what they went through during the fighting and what the personal and family needs are at this time and together building a long-term intervention process.

Bedouin community

On 7th October 21 Bedouins were killed and 6 abducted. The community is traumatized. Many from Rahat were working in the kibbutzim in the Gaza Envelope. Many in the community are calling it the biggest collective trauma they have ever experienced as a community.

Men of the Ziyadne family during a vigil for the four members of their family kidnapped to Gaza by Hamas, Rahat, October 30 (Eli Katzoffl)

ITC is providing emotional first aid to help people process the experience, addressing especially the many Bedouins who witnessed the Hamas onslaught. We are helping families who have lost loved ones, killed, or kidnapped.  The ITC Bedouin Resilience Center is accompanying each family of kidnapped loved ones, listening to residents, and providing person to person intervention despite the on-going dangers on the ground.

Thanks for all your support. We will keep you updated.

Israel is at War

The toll is heart-wrenching, with hundreds of lives lost, thousands left injured, and a significant number of vulnerable individuals, including women, children, and the elderly, held captive.

The Israel Trauma Coalition (ITC) is working tirelessly providing essential trauma support to affected families, teams, and entire communities. We cannot do this alone. Now, more than ever, we urgently require your support and solidarity to make a meaningful impact and alleviate the suffering of those in need. Your contribution will make a profound difference.

Donations can be made via the following methods:

Direct Bank transfer:
Account name – Israel Trauma Coalition,
Account number – 233 776,
IBAN: IL23 0204 0300 0000 0233 776,
SWIFT: MIZBILIT