Netanyahu Tells Israel 'We Are at War' After Unprecedented Hamas Attack

Palestinian Islamist group Hamas launched the biggest attack on Israel in years on Saturday, killing more than 40 people and wounding hundreds in a surprise assault that combined gunmen crossing into Israel with a barrage of rockets fired from Gaza.
Israel said the Iran-backed group had declared war as its army confirmed fighting with militants in several Israeli towns and military bases near Gaza and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to retaliate.

"Our enemy will pay a price the type of which it has never known," he said. "We are in a war and we will win it."

At least 40 Israelis were killed in the attack so far, Israel's ambulance service said. Around 770 Israelis had been wounded, the health ministry said.

The Israeli military said it had responded with air strikes into Gaza, where witnesses reported hearing heavy explosions and multiple dead being carried into hospitals.

The attack marked an unprecedented infiltration into Israel by an unknown number of Hamas gunmen crossing from the Gaza Strip, and the heaviest blow for Israel in the conflict with Palestinians since the suicide bombings of the Second Intifada some two decades ago.

The militant Islamic Jihad group said it had joined the attacks and was holding several Israeli soldiers captive and Hamas social media accounts showed footage of what were said to be Israeli captives being taken alive into Gaza.

The Israeli military has declined to comment on the reports but has not denied them either, saying it would address the reports later.

Israeli broadcaster Reshet 13 TV News said militants were holding Israelis hostage in the town of Ofakim, and that five Palestinian militants had been killed in the town of Sderot and homes had been set on fire.

Israeli media reported gunbattles between bands of Palestinian fighters and security forces in towns in southern Israel. Israel's police chief said there were "21 active scenes" in southern Israel.

In Gaza, people rushed to buy supplies in anticipation of days of conflict ahead. Some evacuated their homes and headed for shelters.

Hamas military commander Mohammad Deif announced the start of the operation in a broadcast on Hamas media, calling on Palestinians everywhere to fight.

"This is the day of the greatest battle to end the last occupation on earth," he said, adding that 5,000 rockets had been launched.

Israel and Hamas fought a 10-day war in 2021.

'PLEASE SEND HELP'

Speaking to Israel N12 News by phone from Nir Oz, a kibbutz near Gaza, a woman identified as Dorin said militants had infiltrated her house and tried to open the bomb shelter where she was hiding.

"They just came in again, please send help," she said. "There are a lot of homes harmed ... My husband is holding the door closed ... They are firing rounds of bullets."

Israeli Defence Minister Gallant said "troops are fighting against the enemy at every location" and authorized the call-up of reservists.

Israeli media reported that gunmen had opened fire on passers-by in Sderot, and footage circulating on social media appeared to show clashes in city streets as well as gunmen in jeeps roaming the countryside.

"We were told there are terrorists inside the kibbutz, we can hear gunfire," a young woman named Dvir, from Beeri Kibbutz, told Israeli Army Radio from her bomb shelter.

BACKDROP OF SURGING VIOLENCE

The escalation comes against a backdrop of surging violence between Israel and Palestinian militants in the West Bank, which together with the Gaza Strip is part of the territories where Palestinians have long sought to establish a state.

It also comes at a time of political upheaval in Israel, which has been riven by deep divisions over moves to overhaul the judiciary, and as Washington works to strike a deal that would normalize ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

The Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah said the operation was a "decisive response to Israel's continued occupation and a message to those seeking normalization with Israel."

An adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei congratulated Palestinian fighters for the attack.

Hamas media displayed videos of what it said were bodies of Israeli soldiers brought into Gaza by fighters, and Palestinian gunmen inside Israeli homes and touring an Israeli town in jeeps reportedly been driven into Israel by the attackers.

Reuters was not immediately able to verify the footage.

Hamas media also circulated video footage apparently showing a destroyed Israeli tank.

In Gaza, the roar of rocket launches could be heard and residents reported armed clashes along the separation fence with Israel, near the southern town of Khan Younis, and said they had seen significant movement of armed fighters.

Palestinians in Gaza were bracing for Israel's response.

"We are afraid," Palestinian woman, Amal Abu Daqqa, told Reuters as she left her house in Khan Younis.

Others in Gaza expressed disbelief at the infiltration into Israel. "It is like a dream. I still can't believe it," said one Gaza shopkeeper.

The attack came a day after Israel marked the 50th anniversary of the 1973 war that brought the country to the verge of catastrophic defeat in a surprise attack by Syria and Egypt.

Newsmax

From Stuart Greaves:

URGENT PRAYER ALERT FOR ISRAEL today at 4pm Israel time. 9am EST 8am CST, 6PT

The ICEJ urgently calls on Christians worldwide to pray and intercede for the people of Israel as they face a massive surprise infiltration of Hamas terrorist commandoes from Gaza into southern Israel and waves of rocket barrages on the south and center of the country. Judging by early reports and phone videos, dozens if not hundreds of fully armed Hamas commandoes have made it into the Gaza border communities in Sderot and the surrounding farming villages and are shooting civilians and taking hostages. They came in trucks and on motorcycles and overwhelmed IDF soldiers at the border crossings before crossing into Israel, while others flew over the border fence on paragliders. This morning is Simchat Torah, the last of the high holy days, and all Israel was at rest for the Shabbat when sirens were heard all across the southern half of the country warning of rocket barrages from Gaza. The more serious concern now is for all the Israeli communities along the border where terrorists have been shooting and taking hostages, while the IDF was slow to respond to such a massive, well-planned surprise attack. The hostage situations that will likely emerge from these shocking developments could be a painful experience and we urge all Christians to pray for Israel’s deliverance from this tragic situation. The ICEJ just took nearly 700 Christians to these same communities for a solidarity visit two days ago, and all our friends we met there are in serious danger. One of our speakers at that rally has even informed us this morning that it is a "disaster” in the area, so PLEASE PRAY WITH US IN URGENT Global Prayer Gathering TODAY 4PM!:

URGENT PRAYER ALERT FOR ISRAEL today at 4pm Israel time. 9am EST 8am CST, 6PT

Pray for my friends as they say they have a milatry lockdown
Pray for kol mid bar church and all the churches in Israel

URGENT PRAYER ALERT FOR ISRAEL today:

The ICEJ urgently calls on Christians worldwide to pray and intercede for the people of Israel as they face a massive surprise infiltration of Hamas terrorist commandoes from Gaza into southern Israel and waves of rocket barrages on the south and center of the country. Judging by early reports and phone videos, dozens if not hundreds of fully armed Hamas commandoes have made it into the Gaza border communities in Sderot and the surrounding farming villages, shooting civilians and taking hostages.
They came in trucks and motorcycles and overwhelmed IDF soldiers at the border crossings before crossing into Israel, while others flew over the border fence on paragliders.

This morning is Simchat Torah, the last of the high holy days, and all Israel was at rest for the Shabbat when sirens were heard all across the southern half of the country warning of rocket barrages from Gaza. The more serious concern now is for all the Israeli communities along the border where terrorists have been shooting and taking hostages, while the IDF was slow to respond to such a massive, well-planned surprise attack. The hostage situations that will likely emerge from these shocking developments could be a painful experience and we urge all Christians to pray for Israel’s deliverance from this tragic situation.
The ICEJ just took nearly 700 Christians to these same communities for a solidarity visit two days ago, we have been asked to pray for those in the area who are in serious danger. Contacts have informed us this morning that it is a "disaster” in the area, so PLEASE PRAY WITH US IN URGENT Global Prayer for Israel.

IHOP

Israel At War

https://fb.watch/nxgfX1aWkl/?mibextid=TFl8gu

I hear you. Standing with you. These don't appear to be allegorical, symbolical events to me.

This could be the most significant event in any of our lifetimes, something myself and many others have been called false prophets for preaching over the span of almost 20 years (around the time of the early 2000 conflicts).

I hope I'm wrong, but I would highly encourage everyone to brace themselves, this could very rapidly end up on all of our door steps very soon, in the form of Jewish refugees needing our witness and help.

Just last month the current administration shipped military equipment to Palestine and less than a month later we have this 🤔
If you’ve followed this pattern, since taking office in ‘21, the practice of giving both monies and military hardware to both sides has been consistently reported on in the press.
It’s not a matter of if but when this was going to go hot,… especially with the uncertainty regarding the current political climate-

What I’m not sure about is why Netanyahu approved the sale of arms to PA in the first place 🤔
I’ve read the reports in the press but something isn’t right-

//These don't appear to be allegorical, symbolical events to me.//

???

Unfortunately these types of events have been fairly steady over the years.

President Biden just gave the evil Islamic regime of Iran $6 billion, and we know that Iran is one of the chief players in the attacks on Israel by Hamas. Their goal is to destroy Israel and the U.S. A.

Good luck with that.

"The priority of the operation is to protect Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque to stop the plans of the Zionist occupation that aim to Judaize them and to crush all the plans of the Zionist regime to build their alleged Third Temple of Solomon on the ruins of the first mosque for Muslims Al- Aqsa or near it."

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/oct/07/met-increases-patrols-in-london-after-reports-of-israel-attack-celebrations

"Make no mistake, this is a terrifying time for Jews all around the world" -ibid

The church needs to be the church it was saved to be towards Israel, now more than ever; and this cultural charismatic nonsense we allow to pass under the false sense of "grace" towards "brethren who are different then us" is the exact sort of sentimentality and soulish debauchery that will be swept away with the strength of Israel, except unlike Israel, there will be no resurrection of dry bones for an apostate church.

//"The priority of the operation is to protect Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque to stop the plans of the Zionist occupation that aim to Judaize them and to crush all the plans of the Zionist regime to build their alleged Third Temple of Solomon on the ruins of the first mosque for Muslims Al- Aqsa or near it."//

I certainly don’t agree with anything Hamas does but how can any Christian want another temple rebuilt? Jesus wanted the temple torn down and in fact saw to it.

Hi TMK,
Whether Jesus wanted the temple to be torn down is not mentioned ,he was just stating fact and wasnt commenting on what he wanted at all.

Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. 2 "Do you see all these things?” he asked. "Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”
Your Qoute
Jesus wanted the temple torn down and in fact saw to it

urs staff

Psalm 83: 1-5, 13-18
Prayer to Frustrate Conspiracy Against Israel
A Song. A Psalm of Asaph.
1Do not keep silent, O God!
Do not hold Your peace,
And do not be still, O God!
2For behold, Your enemies make a tumult;
And those who hate You have lifted up their head.
3They have taken crafty counsel against Your people,
And consulted together against Your sheltered ones.
4They have said, "Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation,
That the name of Israel may be remembered no more.”
5For they have consulted together with one consent;
They form a confederacy against You:

13O my God, make them like the whirling dust,
Like the chaff before the wind!
14As the fire burns the woods,
And as the flame sets the mountains on fire,
15So pursue them with Your tempest,
And frighten them with Your storm.
16Fill their faces with shame,
That they may seek Your name, O Lord.
17Let them be confounded and dismayed forever;
Yes, let them be put to shame and perish,
18That they may know that You, whose name alone is the Lord,
Are the Most High over all the earth.

Staff-

Jesus came in Judgment on Jerusalem in 70 AD, just like God came against Jerusalem via Assyrians and Babylon.

The only temple God wants is the body of Christ.

Please listen to the message by Lance Lambert "The Battle Over Israel”. You will see God’s purpose for Israel and the Church, and why Satan is working overtime to destroy the nation of Israel.

The Battle Over Israel - Lance Lambert

https://youtu.be/M9Oz-hhr0u4?si=C7Uw7WFxsHnUwFvI

I listened to part of Lance Lambert's sermon on the Battle over Israel. I will listen to the rest. I did stop to post this observation and question. First, he likens the suffering of the Jews to the suffering of Christians and concludes since Christian suffering is not about judgement then how can Jewish suffering be about judgment. What seems lacking in his analysis is that the suffering that God brings into two different lives can be the same but have two motives and two different desired or intended results. God brings some suffering in as a judgment for defiance and rebellion. The same suffering can be brought into a Christian's life though and it is designed specifically to correct or train in righteousness. Same suffering like persecution or hate of others. Thus, it is entirely not shocking that God could punish the Jews in judgemnt for rejecting Jesus with the persecution by the Romans and the destruction of Jerusalem while at the same time bring about Roman persecution of Christians and bring about Christian maturity and Christian love as the intended testimony and response.

I don't understand Brother Lamber's confusion on this. Additionally, I'm really shocked that Staff would suggest Jesus didn't intend to judge Israel in the destruction of Israel. First, all judgement has been given to the Son. Second, Jesus tells the Jews to repent or they will suffer the same fate as those Jews who had been crushed by the falling of the tower of Siloam and that the Romans would drink their blood as they had others. Just as Jesus warns Christians in Revelation to come out from Babylon or they would suffer the same plagues as Babylon in judgment. Just as Jesus came to Abraham to announce He would destroy Sodom. Jesus is the judge of the whole earth, the living and the dead and the destruction of Jerusalem, as Todd says, is a judgment by Jesus of an apostate Israel who rejected God's son. Jesus said as much in the parable of the Vineyard owner when He clearly says that those who rejected the vineyard owners' son would be destroyed and the vineyard would be given to the gentiles.

My question is this, how do others see the destruction of Jerusalem as coming from Jesus (through the Romans) ? Is this some kind of eschatology trigger or something? Im really confused if anyone sees it as some random event. Especially as Jesus says he came preaching in the manner of Jonah who preached of coming judgement ( 40 days and maybe a coincidence, Jerusalem 40 years).

"Unfortunately these types of events have been fairly steady over the years."
"It’s not a matter of if but when this was going to go hot,…"

We should try and see the bigger picture in all this.
We can't just come to conclusions based on yesterday's events and News reports.

The great commission of the church hasn't changed
Matthew 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you..

Markus