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1/It's been 14 hours since Hamas initiated a major surprise attack on Israeli villages, towns, army bases, and Kibbutzim in Israel's south. At least 150 Israelis have been murdered, and dozens abducted to the Gaza Strip by Hamas terrorists.
2/Without a doubt, this represents the gravest security incident since the Yom Kippur war. Many have pointed out the striking similarity in intelligence failures. However, this is definitely not a repeat of 1973.
3/The 2023 war began with an attack on civilians, aiming to murder as many as possible and abduct others, who were hastily taken, beaten, and wounded, to the Gaza Strip.
4/Palestinian outlets have aired harrowing videos of women and children being forcibly taken from their homes at gunpoint.The IDF was caught off guard. A major southern base, near the Gaza border, was occupied by Hamas for at least 10 hours.
5/IDF forces couldn't reach many Israeli villages and Kibbutzim in time, while Hamas carried out their deadly operations.This isn't the Yom Kippur war; it's more akin to an Israeli 9/11. Yet, even that doesn't fully capture the gravity.
6/The primary mission of the Israeli defense apparatus is to protect civilians. Today's events, images, and reports have sown deep distrust and anxiety, even for a nation used to conflict. It's a good time to state the obvious: in 2005, Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip,
7/ evacuating all settlements.Hamas soon took control, establishing a quasi-state under Sharia law. Their recent assault, backed by Iran, aimed to harm as many Israelis as possible. These acts, rooted in radical Islamic fundamentalism, are formally aimed at destroying Israel.
8/Hamas's known cruelty should've made Israel more vigilant. We're witnessing a significant failure resulting in a massive human tragedy to Israelis. Now, there are three focal points:
9/ 1. Can Israel secure the border swiftly and launch a successful counter-offensive, hitting Hamas harder than ever before? This might restore some of Israel's regional deterrence and perhaps compel Hamas to release some Israeli hostages.
10/Terrorists are currently holding Israelis hostage in at least two villages, with situations still unfolding.
A pressing question is whether Israel's government will consider re-occupying the Gaza Strip in response to this aggression. This is definitely on the table now.
A pressing question is whether Israel's government will consider re-occupying the Gaza Strip in response to this aggression. This is definitely on the table now.
11/ 2. All eyes on the North of Israel. Will Hezbollah, perhaps envious of Hamas's success, join the War? Was this assault coordinated with Hezbollah to begin with, marking the onset of a broader, Iran-backed war?
13/ Israeli intelligence had specifically warned of this. My colleague at Yediot Ahronot @YehoshuaYosi reported on July 28 that the IDF's intelligence chief alerted the PM with four urgent letters, suggesting Israel's adversaries perceive it as historically weak.
14/ This perception ties back to the government's ill-fated judicial coup, which sparked the largest protests the country has seen. The overhaul is likely dead and protests paused; fighter pilots and commandos are now reporting for duty in 100%.
15/ 3. Politically, Israel seems poised to form a national unity government. Benny Gantz, the former chief of staff, and Yair Lapid, ex-PM and opposition leader, might join, potentially without specific portfolios.
16/The timing of the attack on Israel is likely linked to Iran's intent to deter Saudi Arabia from normalizing relations with Israel. The alliance of Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas, and I.Jihad has celebrated today, reveling in widespread murder. Now, the ball is in the IDF's court.
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