Today is Saturday, October 7, 2023. Early today, the world was shocked to hear that Israel suffered incalculable loss of life at the hands of Hamas militants who launched a surprise attack against the country this morning. There were reports of thousands of rockets being fired on Israeli sites, killing at least 250 people, with hundreds of others wounded by this sudden assault. Fighting went on throughout the entire day, and a fresh round of rocket attacks hit Tel Aviv and other areas today. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel is “at war” after Gaza militants struck with deadly force against civilians.

In Gaza, at least 232 Palestinians have died and more than 1,600 are wounded, the Palestinian health ministry said. Israel launched air strikes on the territory, while its forces clashed on the ground with Hamas fighters.

Hamas has claimed it has captured dozens of Israelis, including soldiers, and Israeli’s military has acknowledged hostages were taken.

An analysis today from CNN calls this surprise attack Israel’s “Pearl Harbor” moment. The analysis is by Joshua Berlinger and his piece is entitled “A ‘Pearl Harbor’ moment: Why didn’t Israel’s sophisticated border security stop Saturday’s attack?”

The gunmen involved in today’s early-morning invasion came from air, sea, and land. They shot at civilians, took hostages, and forced families to barricade themselves inside, fearing for their lives.

Assailants from Hamas, the Islamist militant group that controls the impoverished and densely populated Gaza Strip, had by nightfall killed hundreds of people and wounded hundreds more.

“Though Israel is no stranger to terorrist attacks, Saturday’s assault was unprecedented – not least because of the lack of warning.” Israel’s military found itself caught off-guard, despite decades in which the country became a technology powerhouse that boasts one of the world’s most impressive armed forces and a premier intelligence agency.

It has been more than 17 years since an Israeli soldier was taken as a prisoner of war in an assault on Israeli territory. And Israel has not seen this kind of infiltration of military bases, towns, and kibbutzim since town-by-town fighting in the 1948 war of independence. One must wonder how a terror group from one of the world’s poorest enclaves manage to launch such a devastating attack?

Jonathan Conricus, a former international spokesman for the Israeli Defense Forces, said, “The entire system failed. It’s not just one component. It’s the entire defense architecture that evidently failed to provide the necessary defense for Israeli civilians.”

Conricus is the person who suggested that this was a “Pearl Harbor” moment for the country. He mentions that “there was reality up until today, and then there will be reality after today.”

Whether by coincidence or design, the attacks came the day after the 50-year anniversary of another unforeseen conflict, when a coalition of Arab states launched a surprise attack against Israel on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, in 1973.

Aron David Miller, a former State Department negotiator on Middle East issues, told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer that Israeli communities near Gaza were “obviously not adequately protected.”

I just don’t think the Israelis saw this coming,” Miller said.

In the meantime, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the country will “return fire of a magnitude that the enemy has not known.” The top official in charge of activities in the Palestinian territories, Major General Ghassan Alian, said that Hamas had “opened the gates of hell.”

The suddenness of this assault against Israel has stunned the world. Now with the war in Ukraine, there is another armed conflict that has to be dealt with. Elliot and I have already reached out to our relatives in Tel Aviv with our concerns for their safety. Tel Aviv was one of the areas that were targeted by the rockets that slammed into residences, killing hundreds.

Amid the unprecedented assault, President Joe Biden said his administration’s support of Israel’s security is “rock solid and unwavering.” At the White House, Biden stated, “Israel has the right to defend itself and people full stop.”

Even as we try to ascertain how such a situation escalated this far in the heart of Israel, it’s crucial that more bloodshed is avoided and that the many hostages taken by Hamas can be safely returned home. It is also too early to determine if Iran had any involvement in the attacks against Israel. Even though several Israeli officials, including President Isaac Herzog, have claimed that Iran assisted with the attacks.

In an update on the catastrophic situation, it’s now reported up to 50 Israelis who were being held hostage by Hamas have been freed, according to an Israeli Defense Forces spokesperson. Officials still believe hostages are being held in Gaza, but an exact number hasn’t been released.

It’s very disturbing to hear this news, especially given the large number of casualties sustained by both sides.

We extend our prayers to all those people who have been affected by this horrific attack.

Stay safe and be well.