Smoke rises over Gaza City on Oct. 7, 2023 during Israeli air strike. Palestinian militants have begun a “war” against Israel, the country’s defense minister said on October 7 Photo by MAHMUD HAMS/AFP via Getty Images

More than 250 Israelis have been confirmed dead, nearly 1,500 have been hospitalized, and dozens have been kidnapped in a devastating attack that included more than 2,500 rockets and ground invasions into southern Israeli communities.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised to exact “an unprecedented price” from Islamic militants in the Gaza Strip on Saturday morning.

The Times of Israel reported that gun battles were still raging Saturday afternoon inside Israel between soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces and Palestinian fighters, and that Hamas claimed to have abducted a number of Israelis. A day into the deadly assault from Gaza, gunmen remain in “a number of Israeli communities.” According to Haaretz, at least 230 Palestinians were killed and more than 1,700 wounded in either gun battles or airstrikes.

“Citizens of Israel, we are at war,” Netanyahu said in a video statement posted about 11 a.m. Israeli time (4 a.m. ET). “This morning Hamas initiated a murderous surprise attack against the State of Israel and its Citizens.”

The attack from Gaza came almost exactly 50 years after the Syria and Egypt invaded Israel on Oct. 6, 1973 in what became known as the Yom Kippur War. As in that war, Israel’s enemies again used the Jewish calendar against it today, striking on the holiday of Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah, the culmination of the weeklong harvest festival of Sukkot and a three-week holiday period.

President Joe Biden “unequivocally” condemned the attacks on Saturday, and “made clear to Prime Minister Netanyahu that we stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the Government and people of Israel.”

“Israel has a right to defend itself and its people,” added the president. “The United States warns against any other party hostile to Israel seeking advantage in this situation.  My Administration’s support for Israel’s security is rock solid and unwavering.”

While rocket barrages from Gaza are common occurrences, hand-to-hand combat between Israeli soldiers and Gaza militants inside Israeli communities as was reported Saturday morning is rare if not unprecedented. During Israel’s summer-long battle with Gaza militants in 2014, Hamas fighters snuck inside Israel via underground tunnel but were thwarted by air attacks. On Saturday, Haaretz reported that the Israeli police said they were managing “a number of war zones” alongside the IDF, and that there were at least 60 terrorists in 14 locations throughout the country.

“We know about civilians who are barricaded in all kinds of places,” the police commissioner, Kobi Shabtai, said in a statement. “We call on everyone to stay behind closed doors, we will reach everyone in the end. We are moving from one scene to another. There are quite a few terrorists who have been killed in the various scenes. Unfortunately, there are also casualties from our forces and civilians who were nearby.”

Adele Raemer, who lives in a kibbutz near Israel’s border fence with Gaza, was providing regular updates on a Times of Israel blog from her safe room. “My stomach is turning. I hear much shooting, even through the the thick walls of the safe room,” she said. “I need to go to the bathroom, but dare not. I have literally never been this frightened

“I appreciate everyone telling me to stay safe,” she added, “but with terrorists going house to house I honestly do no know how one does that. If you are the praying type, this would be a great time.”

The leaders of political opposition parties and of the protest movement that has roiled Israel throughout the year issued statements of solidarity. The weekly Saturday night protests that have filled the streets of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem with thousands were canceled.

“In days like these there is no opposition and no coalition in Israel,” read a statement from Yair Lapid, Benny Gantz, Avigdor Lieberman and Merav Michaeli, the leaders of the Yesh Atid, National Unity, Yisrael Beiteinu and Labor parties.  They called for retribution against Hamas and its allies, saying “we are united in the face of terrorism.”

The protest organizers called on reservists to report for duty, saying: “We stand with the residents of Israel and give full support to the IDF and the security forces.”

International reactions

In addition to the White House, a broad spectrum of world leaders and international organizations condemned the violence.

“We have faith that order will be restored and terrorists will be defeated,” wrote Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a lengthy statement published to X:

A broad spectrum of Jewish groups published statements in support of the State of Israel.

“J Street stands in solidarity with the Israeli people in this hour of terrible danger, fear and worry,” the liberal pro-Israel organization shared in a statement. “We stand with the Israeli armed forces working furiously to repel this assault, protect Israelis and defeat the terrorist onslaught.”

“The nightmare unfolding across Israel is unprecedented,” read the American Israel Public Affairs Committee press release.

“This ignominious attack on Israel must be met with world condemnation and support for the Jewish state as it defends itself.”

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