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Daily Mail
24-04-2025
- Daily Mail
Remains found after father-of-four savaged by shark as AI images of 'anti-Semitic beasts' spark fury
Remains have been found after a father-of-four was mauled to death by a shark in northwest Israel, officials have said. The chilling attack, which took place near Olga Beach, Hadera, on Monday, prompted a major search and rescue operation. 'Help' and 'they're biting me' were among the man's final words as he was seen thrashing around with his arms in the air before being dragged out to sea. The event has since stirred controversy as AI images of 'anti-Semitic sharks' depicted Hamas bandanas began to circulate. People have joked online that it was the 'anti-Semitic shark' who would 'fight to total victory'. Two of the images being shared show a shark wearing a green Hamas bandana or keffiyeh with the caption 'the warrior in the Abu-shark force', with the predator also being dubbed the 'al-Qassam shark' in reference to Hamas's al-Qassam brigade. A third is a fake picture of former IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari next to a shark, which was posted with the caption claiming that Hagari threatened retaliation against the animal and announced that the incident resulted in only 'minor injuries'. The posts have caused fury in Israel, with local media saying that the savage shark attack on Monday was used to incite 'anti-Semitic hatred'. Deputy Fire Chief Doron Almashali said: 'After a day and a half of intensive effort, we have found what appears to be part of the missing person. Naturally, these findings must undergo thorough examinations by the Israel Police and the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute.' Almashali added: 'We will continue working to confirm that we have indeed found the missing individual. We conducted our search pattern based on careful analysis of underwater currents, and it was precisely in that area where the remains were discovered.' He added that fire service 'sincerely hope we have indeed found the diver who was attacked by the sharks.' Israel Police said: 'As you can see, we are now on the second day of searching. We are sparing absolutely no resources. The Police Commissioner has instructed us to deploy all available forces to assist with the search effort. 'Several findings have been sent for examination, and we are awaiting the results. Our primary goal is to bring closure to the family. We will continue our efforts until we locate the missing person.' A friend of the deceased said: 'I warned him not to go into the sea, and then I received the bitter news.' What is left of the man's body has been transferred to the National Center of Forensic Medicine in Tel Aviv for identification and examination. This beach area is said to be well-used among swimmers and surfers, who play with sharks' fins and throw fish for them to eat. However, according to the JNS, swimming in the water off Olga Beach is prohibited. An eyewitness said that the man's haunting last words were: 'I'm bitten, I'm bitten,' as he waved his hands in the air.' Speaking to Channel 12 News, they said: 'After a few minutes, sharks bit him - and suddenly he disappeared.' Videos shared on social media show other beach-goers, including children, standing in the water and marvelling at the sharks as they swam around their legs just moments before the man was attacked. Some holidaymakers coming to the area to see the sharks would even grab them by their tails and beat them with an oar, according to the chairwoman of the Israeli Shark Association. The Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel has reacted to the shark attack by saying that it called on the state four years ago to regulate behaviour. It said: 'Every winter, a unique phenomenon occurs in Israel in which sharks and rays gather at the outlet of the warm waters of the power stations. 'In the case of such a fascinating and public-attracting phenomenon, it would be appropriate to take conservation and safety measures for the public, but over the years, chaos has developed in the area. 'I started recording and saw they were sharks. They got within 164 to 328ft of the shoreline, which caused panic among swimmers. 'Still, some tried to approach them despite the lifeguard's clear orders to get out of the water. The sharks moved from south to north, did a sort of 'dance', and eventually disappeared.' Shark attacks in the Mediterranean are extremely rare, with only 50 recorded since 1900, and only 11 being fatal. The man is believed to have been attacked by at least three sharks. Following the incident, police have closed Olga Beach to swimmers until further notice.
Daily Mail
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Remains found after father-of-four is savaged by shark off an Israeli beach - as trolls' AI images of 'anti-Semitic beasts' spark fury
Remains have been found after a father-of-four was mauled to death by a shark in northwest Israel, officials said. The chilling attack took place near Olga Beach, Hadera, yesterday and prompted a major search and rescue operation. 'Help' and 'they're biting me' were among the man's final words as he thrashed his arms in the air helplessly before being dragged out to sea. The event later stirred controversy as AI images of 'anti-Semitic sharks' were soon circulated that depicted the creatures wearing Hamas bandanas. People joked online that it was the 'anti-Semitic shark' who would 'fight to total victory'. Two of the images showed a shark wearing a green Hamas bandana or keffiyeh with the caption 'the warrior in the Abu-shark force', with the predator also being dubbed the 'al-Qassam shark' in reference to Hamas' al-Qassam brigade. A third was a fake picture of former IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari next to a shark, which was posted with the caption claiming Hagari threatened retaliation against the animal and announced that the incident resulted in only 'minor injuries'. The posts caused fury in Israel, with local media saying the savage shark attack on Monday was used to incite 'anti-Semitic hatred'. Horrifying footage shows the man flailing in the water off the coast of Hadera's Olga Beach on Monday during the bloody attack as the water quickly turned red A statement from Israel Police said: 'As you can see, we are now on the second day of searching. We are sparing absolutely no resources. The Police Commissioner has instructed us to deploy all available forces to assist with the search effort. 'Several findings have been sent for examination, and we are awaiting the results. Our primary goal is to bring closure to the family. We will continue our efforts until we locate the missing person.' Deputy Fire Chief Doron Almashali said: 'After a day and a half of intensive effort, we have found what appears to be part of the missing person. Naturally, these findings must undergo thorough examinations by the Israel Police and the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute. 'We will continue working to confirm that we have indeed found the missing individual. We conducted our search pattern based on careful analysis of underwater currents, and it was precisely in that area where the remains were discovered. He added that fire service 'sincerely hope we have indeed found the diver who was attacked by the sharks.' Horrifying footage shows the man flailing in the water during the bloody attack as it quickly turned red. 'I warned him not to go into the sea, and then I received the bitter news,' his friend said, adding that the married father had entered the water to swim with the sharks. What is left of the man's body has been transferred to the National Center of Forensic Medicine in Tel Aviv for identification and examination. This beach area is said to be well-used among swimmers and surfers, who play with the sharks' fins and throw fish for them to eat. But according to the JNS, swimming in the water off Olga Beach is prohibited. The man's haunting last words have been revealed by an eyewitness, who said he screamed: 'I'm bitten, I'm bitten,' as he waved his hands in the air. 'After a few minutes, sharks bit him - and suddenly he disappeared,' the beachgoer told Channel 12 News. But the man, who was missing and feared dead after the savage attack but whose remains were found a day later, wasn't the only one interested in getting close to the predators off Hadera. Videos shared on social media show other beach-goers, including children, standing in the water and marvelling at the sharks as they swam around their legs just moments before the man was attacked. Some holidaymakers coming to the area to see the sharks would even grab them by their tails and beat them with an oar, according to the chairwoman of the Israeli Shark Association. The association said people actively approaching the predators was 'unreasonable behaviour'. The Hadera Municipality Coastal Department said it was 'conducting searches by jet ski to locate the diver and will continue to update as developments occur'. Rescuers are pictured above searching for the man's remains earlier today The Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel has reacted to the shark attack by saying it called on the state four years ago to regulate behaviour. It said: 'Every winter, a unique phenomenon occurs in Israel in which sharks and rays gather at the outlet of the warm waters of the power stations. 'In the case of such a fascinating and public-attracting phenomenon, it would be appropriate to take conservation and safety measures for the public, but over the years, chaos has developed in the area. 'I started recording and saw they were sharks. They got within 164 to 328ft of the shoreline, which caused panic among swimmers. 'Still, some tried to approach them despite the lifeguard's clear orders to get out of the water. The sharks moved from south to north, did a sort of 'dance', and eventually disappeared.' Shark attacks in the Mediterranean are extremely rare, with 50 recorded since 1900, and only 11 fatal. The man's body had not been found by Monday night so divers continued their search off Hadera's coast early this morning. He is believed to have been attacked by at least three sharks. The Hadera Municipality Coastal Department previously said it was 'conducting searches by jet ski to locate the diver and will continue to update as developments occur'. 'We urge the public traveling in the area to avoid entering the water and contact with the sharks,' it added. Police and rescue workers were deployed to the scene after receiving an emergency call at 3.02pm on Monday. Israel Police said on Monday: 'A short time ago, officers from the Hadera Police Station and the Maritime Police were dispatched to the Hadera stream following reports from citizens who claimed they saw a shark attacking a diver in the water. 'Forces are en route, but no casualties have been located so far.' Footage uploaded to social media showed helicopters scanning the waters for the missing diver.
Daily Mail
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Fury in Israel as trolls post AI images of 'anti-Semitic sharks' wearing Hamas bandanas after man was savagely attacked by beast off Hadera beach
Trolls have caused outrage in Israel by posting AI images of 'anti-Semitic sharks' wearing Hamas bandanas after a man was savagely attacked by a beast off Hadera yesterday. Two of the AI-generated images show a shark wearing a green Hamas bandana or keffiyeh with the caption 'the warrior in the Abu-shark force', with trolls also dubbing the predator the 'al-Qassam shark' in reference to Hamas' al-Qassam brigade. Some of the trolls sharing the pictures said it was 'the anti-Semitic shark' who was 'fight to total victory', Israeli outlet Ynet reports. A third one is a fake picture of former IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari next to a shark, which was posted with the caption claiming Hagari threatened retaliation against the animal and announced that the incident resulted in only 'minor injuries'. The posts have caused fury in Israel, with local media saying the savage shark attack on Monday was used to incite anti-Semitic hatred. The married father, who is missing and feared dead, said he wanted to swim with sharks was savaged off Hadera's Olga Beach. Horrifying footage shows the man flailing in the water during the bloody attack as it quickly turned red. 'I warned him not to go into the sea, and then I received the bitter news,' his friend told Ynet, adding that the married father had entered the water to swim with the sharks. Horrifying footage shows the man flailing in the water off the coast of Hadera's Olga Beach on Monday during the bloody attack as the water quickly turned red The man's haunting last words have been revealed by an eyewitness, who said he screamed: 'I'm bitten, I'm bitten,' as he waved his hands in the air. 'After a few minutes, sharks bit him - and suddenly he disappeared,' the beachgoer told Channel 12 News. But the man, whos is missing and feared dead after the savage attack, wasn't the only one interested in getting close to the predators off Hadera. Videos shared on social media show other beach-goers, including children, standing in the water and marvelling at the sharks as they swam around their legs just moments before the man was attacked. Some holidaymakers coming to the area to see the sharks would even grab them by their tails and beat them with an oar, according to the chairwoman of the Israeli Shark Association. The association said people actively approaching the predators was 'unreasonable behaviour'. The Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel has reacted to the shark attack by saying it called on the state four years ago to regulate behaviour in waters sharks visit. It said: 'Every winter, a unique phenomenon occurs in Israel in which sharks and rays gather at the outlet of the warm waters of the power stations. A man can be seen right next to a shark as it swims by in the shallow waters 'In the case of such a fascinating and public-attracting phenomenon, it would be appropriate to take conservation and safety measures for the public, but over the years, chaos has developed in the area. 'I started recording and saw they were sharks. They got within 164 to 328ft of the shoreline, which caused panic among swimmers. 'Still, some tried to approach them despite the lifeguard's clear orders to get out of the water. The sharks moved from south to north, did a sort of 'dance', and eventually disappeared.' Shark attacks in the Mediterranean are extremely rare, with 50 recorded since 1900, and only 11 fatal. The man's body has not yet been found, with divers continuing their search off Hadera's coast today. He is believed to have been attacked by at least three sharks, Ynet reports. The Hadera Municipality Coastal Department said it was 'conducting searches by jet ski to locate the diver and will continue to update as developments occur'. 'We urge the public traveling in the area to avoid entering the water and contact with the sharks,' it added. Police and rescue workers were deployed to the scene after receiving an emergency call at 3.02pm on Monday, with the police saying in a statement that no casualties had yet been located. Israel Police said: 'A short time ago, officers from the Hadera Police Station and the Maritime Police were dispatched to the Hadera stream following reports from citizens who claimed they saw a shark attacking a diver in the water. 'Forces are en route, but no casualties have been located so far.' Footage uploaded to social media has also shown helicopters scanning the waters for the missing diver.
Arab News
09-03-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Israel military appoints new top spokesman
JERUSALEM: Israel's military on Sunday announced the appointment of a new spokesman to replace Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, who became the face of the country's war effort and is due to step down.A military statement said that the newly sworn-in chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, 'has appointed (Brig. General) Effie Defrin as the IDF spokesperson.'As a tank battalion commander, Defrin 'fought and was wounded in the Second Lebanon War' in 2006, the statement said, adding that he went on to serve in 'key roles,' most recently as head of the International Cooperation predecessor, Hagari, became a household name after the war with Hamas erupted in October 2023, briefing the media and the general public almost daily — and sometimes several times a army announced on Friday that Hagari would be stepping down at the end of his term in to the Israeli media, he had decided to leave the army because the new chief of staff refused him a statements Hagari made during the war triggered criticism from the December, Hagari apologized for publicly criticizing a bill that would protect soldiers who disclose classified information to the prime also prompted a knee-jerk reaction from the government in June when he said that Hamas cannot be eliminated.'To say that we are going to make Hamas disappear is to throw sand in people's eyes,' Hagari told Israel's Channel 13 broadcaster, adding: 'Hamas is an ideology, we cannot eliminate an ideology.'His comments were quickly rebuffed by the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
LBCI
08-03-2025
- Politics
- LBCI
Israel military spokesperson, who was rebuked by defense chiefs, steps down
Israel's chief military spokesperson, one of the main public faces of the war in Gaza who faced criticism from Defense Minister Israel Katz, will step down from his post and retire, the military said Friday. The army said Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, a former special forces officer, would leave at the end of his term and had worked "in a time of one of the most complex wars in Israel's history, in a professional and devoted manner." Israeli media outlets said an expected promotion had been blocked by the new head of the military, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, and Hagari's departure was a consequence of his strained relations with senior ministers. Hagari was officially rebuked by then-army chief Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi in December for overstepping his authority as spokesperson when he criticized a piece of proposed legislation that would decriminalize passing classified military information to the prime minister. Defense Minister Israel Katz said Hagari's comments represented a "complete deviation from his authority." Hagari issued an apology but came under further pressure when Katz criticized Halevi over what he said was a failure to cooperate fully with an inquiry by the State Comptroller into failures during the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas. Israeli media carried comments from Katz's spokesperson criticizing Hagari after the military issued a statement saying it was cooperating with the inquiry. Harari has been a familiar figure on Israeli television screens since the start of the war, delivering regular briefings as well as video statements from Gaza and other locations. Halevi himself stepped down from his command this week after accepting responsibility for the failures around the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas-led gunmen. Reuters
