Monthly Archives: July 2010

In Response to Rockets, IAF Targets Terror Infrastructure in Gaza, 31 July 2010

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Overnight, the Israel Air Force struck a Hamas-linked terror activity site in the northern Gaza Strip, a weapons-manufacturing warehouse in the central Gaza Strip and a weapons-smuggling tunnel in the southern Gaza Strip.

The attack is in response to the grad rocket that was fired at Israel on Friday morning, July 30th 2010, which hit the city of Ashkelon, causing property damage. Ashkelon is a city with a population of approximately 125,000 residents, is about 10 kilometers away from the Gaza Strip and has suffered casualties from rocket fire in the past.

More than 100 rockets and mortars have been fired at Israeli territory since the beginning of 2010, and over 400 rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel since the end of operation Cast Lead.

The IDF remains committed to protecting the citizens of Israel and will continue to act against terror. The IDF holds Hamas solely responsible for terror emanating from the Gaza Strip.

Photos: Coffins of Fallen IAF Helicopter Crew Leave Romanian Air Base and Arrive at Tel Nof in Israel, 30 July 2010

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Below are photos of members of the Israeli Air Force, along with soldiers of the Military Rabbinate carrying the coffins of the fallen members of the Yasur helicopter crash in the mountains of Romania. The coffins were loaded onto a Boeing plane and landed this morning (30.7.10) at the Tel Nof air base in Israel.

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The video of the memorial service in the Romanian air force base is below:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N50-M71c8KY]

Photos: Arrival of ‘Yasur’ Helicopter Pilots to Israel from Search Mission in Romania, 30 July 2010

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Last night (29.7.10), the pilots who flew Yasur (CH-53) helicopters that participated in the search team to find and evacuate victims of the Yasur helicopter crash arrived back in Israel. They were met by their loved ones as well as well as IDF officials, including the Chief Military Rabbi, Brigadier General Rafi Peretz.

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Video and Photos: IDF Search Team Delegation Leaves Romania for Israel, 29 July 2010

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jbZTVJNgWo]

A number of Yasur (CH-53) helicopters departed from the Romanian crash site to return back to Israel with some of the IDF search team members. The delegation will leave over the course of the next couple of days in a gradual manner. In addition, a Hercules transport plane left Romania to carry remaining equpment left at the scene and refuel the Yasur helicopters on their way back to Israel.

An IAF Boeing airplane has departed Israel for an air force base in Romania in order to return the coffins of the IAF crew who were killed in the helicopter crash.

Below are photos of the delegation members boarding the Hercules aircraft:

Brig. Gen. Ya’akov Shaharabani Speaks About Search Efforts in ‘Yasur’ Helicopter Crash Site, 28 July 2010

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In the video below, Brigadier General Ya’akov Shaharabani speaks about IDF search efforts in finding and recovering the bodies and remains at the crash scene. The region of the crash has harsh topographic and weather conditions, but Shaharabani stated that the mission of the search team would only be completed once all fallen soldiers are brought home for burial. He expresses his condolences and sorrow to all of the bereaved families.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Hqxa-07yjE]

IDF Delegation Lands in Romania to Assist Search and Rescue EffortsIDF Delegation Lands in Romania to Assist Search and Rescue Efforts, 27 July 2010

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TdotFa22eQ]

Footage of the IDF delegation arriving in Romania in order to assist in the search for the soldiers killed in a helicopter crash during a joint Romanian-Israeli military exercise.

An IAF ‘Yasur’ (CH-53) helicopter crashed yesterday during an exercise flight in Romania. On board the helicopter were seven personnel- four pilots, two aerial mechanics and a Romanian Air Force member.

Approximately 80 IDF delegates were sent to Romania to assist in search and rescue efforts. The delegation includes representatives from the IAF, Oketz Canine Unit, Search and Rescue Unit, Rabbinal Corps, Medical Corps, Spokesperson’s Unit.

The IDF delivered an announcement today declaring the passengers of the helicopter to be deceased and forces are currently working to identify the bodies at the site.

IDF forces unload equipment at a Romanian military base.

IDF forces unload equipment at a Romanian military base.

Seven Confirmed Dead in IAF Helicopter Crash in Romania, 27 July 2010

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The IDF recently received official information from Romania confirming seven deaths at the scene of the IAF ‘Yasur’ (CH-53) helicopter crash in Romania.

Representatives from the IDF Rabbinate and the Casualty Identification Center, who arrived with the IDF delegation in Romania this morning, are preparing to arrive at the site in order to verify this information.

IDF officials have informed the families of the information received.

Breakdown of Humanitarian Aid to the Gaza Strip for July 18th-24th, 27 July 2010

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The document below is a detailed breakdown of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip for May 30th- June 5th. The statistics include the amount of trucks and tons of aid imported this past week, as well as which goods were imported into the Strip.

As shown below: 995 trucks/22,526 tons of aid were unloaded at the Israeli crossings in addition to 73 food trucks from the Libyan flotilla (which entered through the Rafah crossing in Egypt)

[scribd id=34927017 key=key-1cx8qhvszct3kuxgs82d mode=list]