Israel in Focus: 7th October and the First Hours of War

Dear Friends,

Welcome to our new series, Israel in Focus—short, clear teachings that bring context and truth to complex moments in Israel’s story. As we just commemorated two years since 7th October 2023, we chose to begin with it. That day—Simchat Torah on the Jewish calendar—is a holy day meant for Torah, joy, and dancing. Instead, at daybreak, Israel awoke to a coordinated, multi-front terrorist assault launched by Hamas and other terror groups from the Gaza Strip.

Around 6:30 a.m., the first waves of rockets screamed into Israeli towns and cities. Within four hours, more than 3,000 rockets had been fired, forcing families into safe rooms and shelters. Under this cover of chaos, between 5,000 and 5,600 terrorists breached Israel’s southern border along a 60-kilometer front. They used tractors to tear through the separation fence, paragliders to leap over it, and arrived heavily armed with RPGs and other weapons.

Twenty-nine towns and kibbutzim came under attack. Among the earliest and hardest-hit locations were the Nova festival near Kibbutz Re’im, Sderot, Kibbutz Nir Oz, Kibbutz Kfar Aza, and Kibbutz Be’eri. At the same time, twelve army positions and bases were targeted to sever communications, slow reinforcements, and leave civilians defenseless.

The result was carnage. Terrorists committed atrocities against humanity—slaughter, rape, burning, destruction, and looting. For long, desperate hours, many Israeli civilians had no one to reach. Police stations and IDF units were also under fire. Families huddled in safe rooms; some were burned alive or murdered where they hid.

In those first hours, the first line of defense was not the military but the local emergency response teams—neighbors and volunteers who ran toward danger to shield their communities. Only after many hours did IDF soldiers break through to the affected areas, fight building by building, and rescue those who were still alive.

Among those ordinary heroes was a man whose story we carry with reverence—a brother-in-law who, by divine timing and sheer selfless courage, saved the lives of his entire extended family.

That morning, as rockets thundered overhead, one family found themselves hiding in a bomb shelter in Ofakim, paralyzed with fear. But outside the door, their beloved brother-in-law, Ariel, was moving. He had seen what was coming. He had gathered weapons, taking it upon himself to defend not only his own home but theirs as well.

At some point, terrorists approached. He was alone—but he stood in their path. He engaged them, firing his weapon, holding them back with nothing but his courage and determination. Because of his stand, the family was able to flee their safe room and run for their lives. Every second he bought with his resistance became a second that carried them further from death. And then, the last bullet. The last breath.

He fell there, outside the shelter he had protected, but because he stood where he did, the rest of the family lived. His actions were not just brave—they were sacred. He laid down his life so that others could rise up and live. That is the kind of love no enemy can destroy.

It was only hours later, after a harrowing escape, that his family learned the truth: he had remained behind. He had faced the enemy alone. And he had done it all to save them.

His is just one of thousands of stories from that dark day—stories of valor, heartbreak, rescue, and loss. But it helps us see the reality behind the headlines: that each statistic is a soul, each tragedy a family.

In the days immediately following, Israel’s south became a landscape of grief and grit—burned homes, shattered windows, abandoned vehicles amid fields of ash. Evacuated families arrived in unfamiliar hotel rooms with little more than the clothes they wore. Children woke to nightmares, flinching at every slam of a door. Parents tried to be strong while making impossible phone calls, waiting for news of loved ones, and navigating a maze of emergency needs.

Here is the stark toll of that day:
• 251 people taken hostage
• 1,697 murdered
• 19,019 injured
• 143,000 evacuated from their homes
• 300,000 reserve soldiers called up

This is where the compassion of God’s people, expressed through practical help, makes all the difference. At Vision for Israel, we mobilized our team and partners to meet urgent needs for the displaced and the bereaved. Working from our logistics centre, The Millennium Centre, we assembled and distributed relief packages with hygiene items, food staples, clothing, bedding, and baby supplies to families who had lost everything. We provided store vouchers so parents could choose essentials with dignity. We supported trauma-care initiatives for children and families, helping them begin the long journey of healing with counseling, safe activities, and tools to process fear and grief.

We also helped equip first responders and community emergency teams with protective gear and essentials, and we assisted evacuees as they resettled—supplying school materials for displaced students, and ongoing food support as the weeks stretched into months. During the fall feasts and beyond, we have been delivering gift cards and comfort items to remind families that they were seen, remembered, and loved.

Your prayers and partnership turned compassion into action. Each box delivered, each gift card placed into a parent’s hands, each hour of trauma support—these are seeds of restoration. When the world seemed to fracture on 7th October the body of Messiah bound up the wounds, one act of mercy at a time.

As we remember 7th October, we ask you to keep praying for the release of the hostages who have been held captive for over 2 years. We also recommit to healing what was shattered—homes, hearts, and hope. If your heart is stirred to stand with Israel in this season of rebuilding, your gift will bring practical help and real comfort to survivors, children, and families still carrying the weight of that day.

Give today to provide urgent aid, trauma care, and long-term support.

Chag Sukkot Same’ach!

With gratitude,
Barry & Batya