The Hamas terrorist attack on Israel was the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust.
This unprecedented and unprovoked attack on Israel, launched during the holidays of Shmini Atzeret and Simchat Torah, was the most significant attack on Israel since the Yom Kippur War 50 years earlier, and the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust ended in 1945.
Hamas infiltrated Israel in order to carry out a series of pogroms, killing over 1,400 Israelis, wounding over 4,500, and kidnapping over 200 civilians and soldiers. When compared to total population, the death toll from the attack is over 13 times that of the September 11th terror attacks on the United States.
In a cruel and murderous rampage, the terrorist group shot entire families in their homes, took civilians hostage, burned down homes, and stalked innocents fleeing for their lives. Holocaust survivors, the elderly, and young children are among the casualties and hostages, as were dozens of Arab Israelis.
The terror group fired over 7,000 rockets toward Israel’s major population centers, breached its borders, and infiltrated its communities.
At a music festival outside of Re’im, near the Gaza border, Hamas massacred at least 260 attendees.
In such a small country, this attack has personally affected the entire population; Every Israeli knows someone who has lost a relative, is missing a friend, or is desperately trying to find a loved one. Nearly everyone has a family member in the reserves.
At least 31 American citizens and six Canadians were killed in the fighting, as were citizens of Ukraine, Thailand, Great Britain, Germany, the Philippines, and other countries. Fourteen Americans and three Canadians are still missing.
Jewish Federations stand in total and complete solidarity with Israel, which has every right to defend itself and protect its citizens.
LIke every country, Israel has the right to defend its sovereignty and its citizens from terrorism, rocket fire, and incursions. Self defense is a human right recognized under international law. Jewish Federations stand behind our Israeli brothers and sisters.
Hundreds of Members of Congress, Governors, and local officials have joined President Biden and leaders from around the world condemning the attacks and supporting Israel.
Hamas is a terrorist organization backed by Iran that explicitly seeks Israel’s destruction—a goal laid out in its charter and reiterated by its leaders—and seeks to rule the entire territory “from the river to the sea.”
Since its formation in 1987, Hamas has consistently stood in the way of peace and acted as a spoiler to achieve a two-state solution. This latest attack serves as a reminder of Hamas's brutal track record of terrorism, human rights violations, and repression.
Purposely killing and kidnapping innocent civilians are war crimes. These are not freedom fighters, they are terrorists.
The United States and European Union classify Hamas as a foreign terrorist organization, alongside groups such as ISIS and Al Qaeda.
In response to the attack, Israel’s cabinet has declared a war to defend its sovereignty and its citizens.
According to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs: “Israel does and will do everything possible to prevent harm to non-involved people, but the terrorist organizations knowingly operate from within the civilian population, committing double war crimes - indiscriminately shooting at civilians, while using the residents of the Gaza Strip as human shields.”
Jewish Federations are responding, working with our core partners to support victims of terror, help rebuild damaged infrastructure, and address the immense levels of trauma caused by this horrific attack.
Jewish Federations’ abiding support through our annual campaigns make it possible for our primary partners The Jewish Agency for Israel, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), and World ORT to respond immediately when emergencies like this take place. Our emergency fund, which has raised over $388 million of its initial $500 million goal, is directing additional resources for this critical moment.
Already, Jewish Federations have allocated over $70 million to 45 organizations providing emergency relief and support in Israel, including the Jewish Agency for Israel, JDC, World ORT, Israel Trauma Coalition, United Hatzalah, Magen David Adom, ZAKA, Barzilai Medical Center, and the Soroka Medical Center.
These funds are being put to a slew of immediate and urgent needs, such as medical care, emergency services, evacuation, transport, housing, supporting victims of terror, trauma relief and psychological support, as well as preparing for medium- and long-term needs.
Jewish Federations have held over 120 solidaritygatherings across North America, sent tens of thousands of messages to elected officials, and engaged thousands of Jewish leaders with updates from the field. We will continue to work across communities and party lines to ensure the strongest possible support for Israel in her hour of need.
The Jewish Agency’s Fund for Victims of Terror (FVOT) is often the first non-medical responder for families and individuals who have been impacted by acts of terror and violence, providing immediate grants to rebuild homes damaged by rocket fire, and providing for long-term rehabilitation and post-trauma care.
The Jewish Agency is part of the government's emergency roundtable and is ensuring the safety of thousands of Olim in dozens of absorption centers, caring for the thousands of residents in Amigour senior housing, and is in touch with the thousands of Masa participants, and participants in the Agency’s pre-army academies and youth villages.
JDC is providing support to those in the line of fire, including elderly, people with disabilities, children and families at risk, and other vulnerable populations adversely impacted during this war and in past conflicts.
The Israel Trauma Coalition (ITC) is working closely with the IDF’s Home Front Command and local authorities to help address immediate needs and will be sharing a situational assessment shortly.
Suggested Answers to Tough Questions
Are Palestinian civilians being targeted by Israel?
Israel was attacked by one of the most barbaric, immoral, inhuman organizations that the world has ever known - one that vows to wipe the entire country off the face of the earth. Hamas is a group that purposely targets civilians with documented plans to commit horrific atrocities. These plans were implemented and included beheadings, burning people alive, killing dozens of babies, raping women, taking Holocaust survivors and others as captives. This evil organization was elected by the people of Gaza.
Nonetheless, Israel is a humane, law-abiding country, and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reflect those values. Despite the terrible crimes committed, and the unprecedented threats against the Jewish state, Israel is NOT targeting civilians, and is even warning Palestinians before it strikes Hamas’ terror and military targets; losing the element of surprise as the price it must pay for keeping Gazan non-combatants out of harm's way.
Israel has repeatedly warned Gaza’s civilian population to evacuate certain areas to avoid being caught in the violence. Cynically, disturbingly, and once again demonstrating their complete disregard for human life and civilian populations, Hamas has ordered residents not to leave and to stay in place, despite the warnings that Israel has given, potentially condemning some of their own people to die. And now, evidence has emerged of Hamas blocking the safe corridors created by Israel, forcing their own civilian population to remain in the fighting zone and become human shields and propaganda pawns.
Why is Israel cutting off electricity and other supplies to Gaza?
Hamas, elected by the people of Gaza, is the authority in charge of the Strip, and responsible for the well-being of its citizens. Iin the past, the regime has diverted large quantities of provisions and aid for military and terror purposes, while its wealthy leadership has squandered urgent resources for themselves.
For example, we have seen again and again that emergency supplies of much-needed diesel fuel (used to power generators for hospitals, among other purposes) has been redirected to Hamas’ rocket program and other military uses. It should also be noted that in regular times, Israel only supplies 10% of Gaza’s water and 50% of its electricity (a further 25% comes from solar power, and the rest from Egypt and other sources).
Why did Israel order Gazans to evacuate the Northern Gaza Strip?
This war was not inevitable. Hamas—an internationally armed, financed, and trained terrorist organization whose stated purpose is the destruction of Israel—started this war. Israel is taking the necessary steps to keep all its residents safe, no matter their identity.
Hamas, whose stated purpose is the destruction of Israel and murder of Jews, targeted men, women, children, babies and the elderly in the worst massacre in the history of Israel.
Hamas gave no warning to Israel or Israelis before launching its surprise attack.
Hamas has militarized cities and neighborhoods and Gaza, using schools, hospitals and mosques as storehouses for ammunition aimed at destroying Israel.
Hamas places the citizens of Gaza directly in harm’s way, committing war crimes against both Israelis and Palestinians, sometimes killing Palestinians from misfires or rockets that fall short.
Israel, a sovereign nation, has a moral right and obligation to defend itself and protect its citizens from this terrorist entity.
Israel does not target civilians. The IDF warns Gazans in advance of attacks so that citizens can flee.
Despite the IDF’s calls, Hamas has ordered Palestinians to remain in their homes.
Any loss of civilian life is a tragedy whose responsibility lies with Hamas.
The only way to prevent this destruction is for Hamas and other terrorist groups in Gaza to put down their weapons and accept Israel’s right to exist.
Israel has stated that its siege of Gaza will continue until Hamas releases the over 199 hostages it is holding captive. Hamas alone is making the decision to retain the hostages, thus prolonging the siege.
Who was responsible for the blast outside a Gaza hospital?
At around 8PM on Tuesday, reports emerged of an attack outside the Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza with Hamas claiming as many as 500 people killed in the attack.
Within minutes of the attack, media outlets, including large mainstream outlets like CNN, The New York Times and many others released reports suggesting it was the result of an Israeli airstrike, and international condemnation directed at Israel intensified.
After taking the time to investigate, at 11:00 PM the IDF released a statement establishing that Islamic Jihad was responsible for the attack due to a “failed rocket launch.”
The IDF provided video evidence of the scene of the attack indicating that crater impacts which result from Israeli Air Force strikes are not visible anywhere within the hospital campus. The IDF also released recordings intercepted from Hamas operatives as they realize the true source of the attack, as well as photo evidence.
Upon landing in Tel Aviv, President Biden addressed the terrible incident and said that “the other team” is responsible for the attack and not Israel.
Failed rocket launches from Gaza have been the cause of many Palestinian casualties in past rounds of the conflict, with the IDF stating that in the current war as many as 450 rockets have already fallen within Gaza. Terrorism from Gaza does not only harm Israelis, but also Palestinian lives.
