Violence Erupts on Hamas Day of Rage Backing Jihad in Gaza

Hamas designates Oct. 13 as a day of "general mobilization" to support "jihad-waging Gaza" in Israel and around the world.

The terrorist organization Hamas has declared Friday, Oct. 13, as a day of "general mobilization" to show support for "jihad-waging Gaza" in Israel and worldwide. The Israeli government has issued a warning that this call could lead to attacks on Israelis and Jews, and indeed, violence erupted on Friday.

In a statement translated by the Middle East Media Research Institute, Hamas called upon the Palestinian people, the Arab and Islamic world, and free people across the globe to join them in their cause. They declared Friday as "The Friday of the Al-Aqsa Flood," urging mobilization in the Arab and Islamic world and among free people worldwide.

The statement specifically refers to the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, a site of regular tension between Jews and Muslims. It calls upon the youth to take action against the "Zionist invaders and their settler gangs" in Israel and encourages those outside of Israel to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people.

Robert Greenway, director of the Center for National Defense at The Heritage Foundation, believes that this statement will lead to bloodshed. He describes it as an unambiguous global call to arms that will be heeded.

In response to this call, the Israeli National Security Council and Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a joint statement warning of potential attacks on Israelis and Jews. They stated that it is reasonable to assume that there will be protest events in various countries that may turn violent. They urge Israelis abroad to stay alert, avoid demonstrations and protests, and consult local security forces for information on possible disturbances.

There have already been incidents that support these warnings. Israeli border officers shot and killed four Palestinians who attempted to open the West Bank security barrier by setting off explosives. The Israel Defense Force has also arrested 220 suspected terrorist Palestinians, including 130 affiliated with Hamas, since the recent Hamas attacks in Israel. The Palestinian Authority's health ministry reported that at least 44 West Bank Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers since then.

In addition to the violence in Israel, there have been other incidents around the world. In France, a 20-year-old Chechen migrant on an extremist watchlist allegedly stabbed a teacher to death and injured two others in a suspected terror attack. The attacker reportedly shouted "Allahu Akbar" during the incident. In Beijing, a 53-year-old suspect stabbed a family member of an Israeli diplomat. The motive for the attack remains unknown.

Supporters of Palestine have gathered in large crowds in the Middle East and other parts of the world. Thousands of Iraqis protested in Baghdad, while students at the University of California, Los Angeles, chanted for a rebellion or uprising in support of Palestine. The imam at the Grand Mosque of the Kaaba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, reportedly prayed for the liberation of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Amid heightened Israeli security, Muslims prayed outside the Al-Aqsa Mosque. This comes after Hamas terrorists attacked Israel on the last day of the Jewish festival of Sukkot, the Sabbath day of rest, and the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War. The terrorists killed over 1,200 Israelis, including approximately 250 at a music festival, and kidnapped more than 120 people. The U.S. State Department confirmed that 22 Americans were among the casualties.

Israeli experts have reported that Hamas terrorists targeted civilians at bus stops, on roads, and in their cars. Disturbing photos and videos show Israeli civilians, including women and children, being abducted and taken to Gaza. Some videos even raise concerns of sexual assault or rape. Israeli soldiers have come across beheaded babies in the aftermath of these attacks.

This is an ongoing situation, and further developments will be updated.