Daily Recap: October 10th, 2023: 17:00

(View live feed of events here)

The Israel Defense Forces completed the initial phase of regaining control over Israeli communities in southern Israel on Monday afternoon, following Hamas’ barbaric attack on Israeli civilians that began on Saturday, October 8th,

• As of this morning (October 10) and as a result of dedicated action from the IDF and Israeli security forces, there is no active large-scale combat taking place within Israel’s borders and the IDF has re-taken control of all towns and communities in southern Israel. IDF forces are deployed in the area and are actively engaged in preventing and neutralizing isolated attacks from terrorists who previously infiltrated into Israel. IDF forces are also dealing with new attempted attacks.
• In order to degrade Hamas’ capabilities to wage war on Israel, the Israeli Air Force expanded its waves of strikes on Monday. Over 2,100 terror targets across Gaza have been targeted in ongoing large-scale sorties in a sustained and forceful response to the Hamas aggression which continued  with barrages of rockets and missiles toward central and southern Israel on Tuesday . These sorties continued throughout Tuesday, expanding to both Rimal and Khan Younis. In addition, two senior Hamas leaders, including Hamas’ Minister of Economy - were killed in IDF strikes.
• On the northern front, a number of terrorists were neutralized through close collaboration between aerial and ground forces. During the encounter, two terrorists were killed and another fled back into Lebanon . In that same encounter, IDF Deputy Brigade Commander Lt. Col. Alim Abdullah fell during the battle. The IDF remains vigilant on all fronts.
• This is the largest military draft in Israeli history, with over three hundred thousand reservists drafted. The IDF is prepared for a sustained and forceful war on the terrorists in the Gaza Strip, while carefully monitoring the north, all with the primary objective of restoring security to the residents of Israel.

The world continues to share its outrage with Hamas’ savagery. Following close coordination between Israel and the United States, CENTCOM has deployed an aircraft carrier group to the region. Senior IDF officers are in regular contact with their American counterparts. 

October 10, 2023: Notes from the IDF Spokesperson to International Media, Lt. Col. Richard Hecht

This has been a grueling 80+ hours, triggered by a carefully planned, barbaric attack on Israeli civilians via land, air and sea. The savagery of these attacks shocked the world and culminated in over 900 Israeli casualties, with many dozen civilians abducted into the Gaza Strip. 

This ISIS-style terrorist attack is unlike any other in our history and demands an historic response. I say this from personal experience. Earlier today, I took about one hundred international journalists to Kfar Azza - one of the communities impacted by the horrific slaughter. This is a small community that will need to come to terms with at least ten of its residents killed. The scenes of chaos, of mayhem and the stench of death will stick with me forever. We are outraged. The world is outraged.

And it must not happen again.

Beginning on Saturday, the IDF responded with determination and resounding force, with aerial attacks on a range of targets in Gaza. We’ve targeted thousands of Hamas sites across Gaza so far but this is still just the beginning, not the end. We are prepared for a sustained campaign that will restore security in the face of this savage barbarism. This holds true regardless of the region, south or north, near or far. This is our home and we will defend it. 

• Lt Col Richard Hecht, IDF Spokesperson to International Media

• Follow Lt. Col. Richard Hecht and the IDF online at

  • Twitter (IDF, Richard)
  • Instagram

Key Stats 

• Rockets fired from Gaza: 4,500
• Over 2,200 terrorist sites attacked within Gaza
• Hundreds of Hamas terrorists have been killed in Israel and dozens have been detained.
• Over 900 Israelis killed, including 124 IDF soldiers. Dozens of Israelis are being held hostage in the Gaza Strip, with fifty having received official confirmation.

• Additional Material

  • Morning briefing from the IDF Spokesperson, BG Daniel Hagari (Hebrew video, translated statement here)
  • Footage of an IDF Spokesperson from Kfar Azza, where a primary Hamas attack on Israeli civilians took place (Instagram video)
  • Operational update of Monday evening events by LTC Jonathan Conricus (video)
  • Footage of IAF strikes in Gaza (Video)