The October 7th Massacre Lingers On

 Nadene Goldfoot                                       

The aftermath, Israeli volunteer medics reveal never-before-told stories of battling Hamas, rushing to save lives on Oct. 7: ‘Like a scene out of the Walking Dead’

The October 7 attacks were a series of coordinated armed incursions from the blockaded Gaza Strip into the Gaza envelope of southern Israel, carried out by Hamas and several other Palestinian militant groups in 2023, during the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah.  

How an ultra-Orthodox Jew saved 50 Israelis on ‘Black Shabbat’ Here are people hiding under beds??The assault, which took place on Shabbat—the day of rest for the Jewish people—instantly became known among Israelis and the world as “Black Saturday.” On October 7, Trey Yingst was on the ground along the Gaza border and witnessed firsthand the devastation, shock, and deep sorrow that whirled through Israel.

The attacks, which began the ongoing Gaza war, were the first large-scale invasion of Israeli territory since the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. In response, Israel launched a large-scale military operation in Gaza.  .There has been a backlash against Israel for doing so.  

The 2023 attack was so vicious, so bloody, so gory and unbelievable that such things could happen in 2023, that Israel was left stunned.  They had thought that their electric fences had been enough protection and the atmosphere was good at the time.  Palestinians were coming into their homes to work, everything was kol b'seder.

According to an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) report that revised the estimate on the number of attackers, 6,000 Gazans breached the border in 119 locations into Israel, including 3,800 from the elite Nukhba forces and 2,200 civilians and other militants. Additionally, the IDF report estimated 1,000 Gazans fired rockets from the Gaza Strip, bringing the total number of participants on Hamas's side to 7,000.

In total, 1,195 people were killed by the attacks: at least 828 civilians (including 36 children and 71 foreign nationals)and at least 367 members of the security forces. 

364 civilians were killed while they were attending the Nova music festival and many more wounded. About 250 Israeli and non-Israeli civilians and soldiers were taken as hostages to the Gaza Strip. Dozens of cases of rape and sexual assault reportedly occurred, but Hamas officials denied the involvement of their fighters. As of January 26, 2026, all 251 hostages abducted from Israel on October 7, 2023, have been accounted for: 168 were returned alive to Israel throughout the conflict, while the remaining captives were either killed in captivity, rescued deceased, or died during the initial attack. The final body of a hostage was recovered by the IDF on January 26, 2026.

So, Yesterday, May 4th,  the IDF eliminated a Hamas Nukbah commander who had participated in the October 7 massacre, in northern Gaza. The IDF stressed that the terrorist posed an imminent threat to troops operating in the Gaza Strip and was eliminated in a precise aerial strike. The IDF also noted that before the strike, multiple measures were taken to mitigate the risk of harm to civilians, including the use of precise munitions and aerial surveillance. They always have done this before, trying to fight Terrorists and not civilians.  Now they try to pinpoint commanders, etc.  who are on their list.  

The concept that those who attack Israel will face divine retribution, often described as "heavy stone" judgment or severe punishment, is a frequently cited theme in biblical prophecy, particularly in the Book of Zechariah. It highlights a promise of protection for Israel, with a warning that opposing them results in self-destructive consequences.

Resource:

israelAM

AI

https://cbst.org/latest/simchattorah2023/