Cover image via https://jerusalemcenter.ce.byu.edu/

The following is excerpted from a report that was published several days ago by the Deseret News:

All of the students at the BYU Jerusalem Center are safe and accounted for after Hamas attacked Israel on Saturday, according to university statements.

The initial assault and the ensuing battles have killed around 600 people in Israel, according to the Israeli media, and more than 300 people in the Gaza Strip, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. Thousands of others are wounded.

Saturday’s rocket attack by Hamas militants did not target Jerusalem. Missile strikes were centered 40-60 miles away.

“All 94 students at the BYU Jerusalem Center are safe and doing well,” BYU spokeswoman Carri Jenkins said. “They are currently at the Center and will remain there for the time being, as we continue to monitor this situation.

To read the full report, CLICK HERE.

The latest security update from the Jerusalem Center itself is below: 

Tuesday, 10 October 2023

(Posted at 1:30pm Tuesday, Mountain Daylight Time)

Heavy rocket fire hit Ashqelon at 5:00pmTuesday. Simultaneously 14 rockets were fired into the Western Galilee from the Lebanese border, likely by Hamas or Islamic Jihad militants and not Hezbollah. (For the present, Hezbollah appears to have chosen not to get involved.)  Four of the rockets were intercepted and 10 landed in open spaces. The IDF responded with artillery fire into Lebanon. Earlier in the day, rockets were fired from Gaza by Hamas militants at various intervals toward Tel Aviv and towns in central Israel. No rockets were fired toward greater Jerusalem on Tuesday.

The IDF announced that it is holding the bodies of 1500 militants and that it has cut off power, water and food. It has urged Gazans to leave Gaza for Egypt.  Reports of the number of hostages held by Hamas continues to fluctuate between 130 and 150. Foreign nationals are among those being held at sites scattered around Gaza.

There have no reports of violence in Jerusalem.  Most Jerusalemites are staying home; local schools will remain closed for the next two days.

The Jerusalem Center students have been asked to remain at the Center on Wednesday. (Decisions about travel outside of the Center compound are made on a day by day basis.) They continue with scheduled classes.

CLARIFICATION:  The Fall 2023 Program at the Jerusalem Center started with 94 students. One student fractured bones in her foot and needed surgery.  She returned to her home for the surgery before the start of the current violence.  So there are 93 students currently at the Center.  (The number has been variously reported as either 94 or 93; this is the reason.)