Universities in Israel delay start of academic year till reserve call-up ends

Tel Aviv [Israel], October 24 : Universities in Israel will delay the start of the academic year until the massive call-up of reserve soldiers ends, but not before December 3, the Committee of University Presidents announced, The Times of Israel reported.
Previously, the semester, which was scheduled to begin on October 15, was delayed until November 5. The call-up of some 360,000 Israel Defence Forces reservists includes thousands of staff and students, according to the committee, cited The Times of Israel report. About 30 per cent of all university students are among those who are now serving.
In the statement, the committee said, "The winter semester will begin in all research universities when those called up for reserve duty begin to be released, but not before December 3, 2023. Before the start of the semester, a two-week advance notice will be given, to prepare for a return to a routine and academic track, and after this studies will commence."
The university system will still aim for a full academic year of two semesters, and the university presidents anticipate that the second semester will continue into the summer, The Times of Israel reported. Universities with foreign student programmes will have the choice to start earlier using distance learning. However, the committee spokesperson said that the decision "is made individually for each institution."
Meanwhile, Israel Defence Forces said that it has struck more than 400 terrorist targets in the past 24 hours. It said that it would continue operating to ensure the safety of innocent civilians.
Taking to X, the IDF stated, "In a wide-scale operation to dismantle Hamas' terrorist capabilities, the IDF struck over 400 terrorist targets in the past 24 hours: Hamas gunmen setting up to fire rockets toward Israel. A Hamas operational tunnel shaft allows terrorists to infiltrate Israel through the sea. Hamas command centres are used by operatives and staging armaments in Mosques. The IDF will continue operating in order to ensure the safety of innocent civilians."
In another post shared on X, IDF wrote, "Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif, Saleh al-Arouri, Ismail Haniyeh and others have the blood of thousands on their hands. We will never forget the Hamas massacre on October 7."
Meanwhile, the IDF Chief of Staff, Lt General Herzi Halevi said that Israel wants to bring Hamas to a state of "full dismantling." He asserted that Israel is well prepared for the ground operations in the south.
Lt General Halevi said, "We want to bring Hamas to a state of full dismantling - its leaders, its military branch and its working mechanisms. That is why we are striking and eliminating high-ranking commanders and members, destroying infrastructure and acting with great determination. The path is a path of unrelenting attacks damaging Hamas everywhere and in every way. We are well prepared for the ground preparations in the south. The Southern Command has quality operational plans."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he along with Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and Israeli Defence Forces Chief of Staff Lt General Herzi Halevi are at the security assessment working together as an "iron fist" to eliminate Hamas.
In a post on X, the Israel Prime Minister's Office released a video that showed Netanyahu, Gallant and Halevi making statements regarding the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
In the video, Netanyahu said, "I am here at a security assessment with Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and IDF Chief of Staff Lt General Herzi Halevi. We are working together as an iron fist for one objective to eliminate Hamas."
"We back each other and we back the IDF - our soldiers and our commanders. I want the citizens of Israel to know something else: We make the decisions here and in the War Cabinet unanimously. We do so with great responsibility. We do so with deep awareness. We are fighting together and we will win together, only together," he added.
While sharing a video on X, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office stated, "Statements by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and IDF Chief of Staff Lt Gen Herzi Halevi, at the start of a security assessment: We are working together as an iron fist for one objective - to eliminate Hamas."