Over 700 Israelis Murdered, Over 100 Abducted To Gaza, 2,500 Wounded

A horrifying mass terror attack took place on Shabbos morning, leaving over 700 dead, tens abducted and brought to Gaza, and thousands wounded.

Yeshiva World News

At about 6:30 a.m. on Shabbos/Simchas Torah morning, hundreds of terrorists infiltrated into Israel, took over Israeli border communities, including an IDF base, and nearby towns, and murdered hundreds of Jews and injured thousands. At the same time, Hamas terrorists launched thousands of rockets at Israel, including the Tel Aviv and Jerusalem area, killing several Israelis, seriously injuring others, and causing widespread damage.

Terrorists entered dozens of Israeli yishuvim, towns and cities and went door to door firing with automatic weapons, sometimes killing entire families. They also took over 100 hostages, including many women, children, and the elderly. Some of the murdered victims’ bodies were taken hostage as well.

The terrorists captured an IDF base and murdered and took hostage dozens of IDF officers and soldiers and captured tanks and other equipment and brought them into Gaza. In Sderot, terrorists captured the local police station, murdering at least 10 police officers, and opened fire on the streets, murderous numerous civilians. Israeli security forces destroyed the police station overnight to eliminate the terrorists who were holed inside.

As of about 8 p.m. on Sunday evening, it was reported that over 700 Israelis had been murdered and 2,500 wounded, including 20 in critical condition and over 300 in serious condition. Sadly, the death toll is expected to rise. Thirty-four Israel Police and Border Police officers and policemen fell in clashes with the terrorists and at least 57 IDF officers and soldiers were killed, many of whom were only 19 or 20 years old.

Israel’s security cabinet unanimously voted on Motzei Shabbos to declare a war, Operation Iron Swords – a first since the Yom Kippur War in 1973.

As of Sunday morning at 11 a.m., Israeli security forces were still trying to gain control of terrorists in six Israeli communities in the south, including Sderot, Kissufim, Kibbutz Be’eri, Kfar Aza and Zikim. Earlier on Sunday morning, security forces recaptured the Sderot police station, which had been in the hands of terrorists since early Shabbos morning.

In a neis, about 50 Israeli hostages being held in the dining room of Kibbutz Be’eri since Shabbos morning were rescued on Sunday morning by Israeli security forces and the terrorists were eliminated.  About an hour later, Yamam officers eliminated the terrorists holding hostages in Ofakim. Three officers were injured during the clashes.

On Sunday morning, Hezbollah terrorists fired a number of rockets from Lebanon into the Har Dov area of northern Israel. The IDF responded with artillery fire and a drone strike.

About 2,000 young Israelis, including many high school students, who were attending an overnight nature rave at Kibbutz Reim outside Ofakim were caught outside during the incursion and hundreds were gunned down by the terrorists. Terrorists also threw grenades inside the tents where some of the Israelis were sleeping. Some Israelis tried to flee only to be killed after terrorist threw grenades at them or fired into their cars. Others were taken hostage and brought to Gaza. Witnesses saw the terrorists dragging away some of the murdered Israelis’ bodies.

Sadly, the bodies of about 240 of the participants at the rave were found dead later in the day by Israeli security officials. A number of fatalities were tourists from the US and Europe.

As of Motzei Shabbos, Israeli security forces were still trying to subdue terrorists who took hostages in 22 locations. In Ofakim on Motzei Shabbos, at least ten terrorists were inside apartments after murdering residents and taking some hostage. Gun battles ensued between Israeli security forces and the terrorists and some of the security forces were killed. At about 11 p.m. on Motzei Shabbos, a number of Israelis were still being held hostage in the dining room at Kibbutz Be’eri.

One Israeli man from Kibbutz Nir, near the Gaza border, told Channel 12 on Motzei Shabbos that his wife, two small children, and mother-in-law were abducted and taken into the Gaza Strip. An Israeli mother tearfully told Channel 12 that she was on the phone with her 12 and 16-year-old sons as they were abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz into Gaza, causing the TV host to begin crying as well.

It is not yet clear how the IDF  was caught so unprepared by the massive incursion. The video below shows Hamas terrorists driving over the security barrier – with no Israeli security forces in sight.

At the same time as the infiltration, Hamas terrorists launched over 3,500 rockets at Israel, including dozens into Gush Dan and Jerusalem. A new rocket barrage hit the Tel Aviv area on Motzei Shabbos, seriously wounding a number of Israelis, including four people in Tel Aviv, two men in Rishon L’Tzion who were seriously injured, two people in Yavne, and one in Bat Yam.

As of Sunday, rockets continued to be launched at Israel, seriously injuring an Israeli in Sderot, where six buildings were directly hit. A rocket that hit Ashkelon on Sunday evening seriously injured one Israeli and lightly injured five more. Another rocket hit the city’s hospital, Barzilai Medical Center. B’Chasdei Hashem, there were no casualties as the rocket hit a bridge between buildings but there was extensive damage to the buildings.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu announced on Motzei Shabbos that Israel is at war. The IDF launched Operation Swords of Iron and announced a mobilization of reserve soldiers. Israeli security forces were seen on the streets of Jerusalem and inside shuls on Simchas Torah calling up soldiers.

הַרְנִינוּ גוֹיִם עַמּוֹ כִּי דַם עֲבָדָיו יִקּוֹם וְנָקָם יָשִׁיב לְצָרָיו וְכִפֶּר אַדְמָתוֹ עַמּוֹ