Israeli law students are reporting for JURIST on law-related developments in and affecting Israel. This dispatch is from Tamar Silam, a law student in the Buchmann Faculty of Law at Tel Aviv University.  

Imagine waking up to a morning marred by ceaseless blaring sirens. Yesterday morning at 6:30 AM, the ominous echoes of rocket explosions pierced the tranquility as Hamas launched a massive attack on Israel. What initially appeared as a usual attack from Gaza soon metamorphosed into every citizen’s darkest nightmare. By 7:35 AM, terrorist units had infiltrated Israeli territory, driving vehicles and motorcycles on a chilling rampage through southern Israeli cities, ruthlessly targeting the innocent civilians along their path. Moving from door to door, they slaughtered citizens they passed. They forcefully broke into civilians’ homes, taking hostages and callously extinguishing the lives of families, sparing no one—men, women, babies, or the elderly. Some of these terror units even drove to a festive gathering, indiscriminately opening fire on all they encountered.

In the aftermath of this terrifying onslaught, parents were left frantically searching for their children, uncertain if they were alive or not. The situation took an even grimmer turn as the Hamas terror units continued to lurk within Israel, concealed within urban areas and relentlessly pursuing their campaign of civilian carnage.

And unfortunately, it gets worse. The terror units of Hamas are still in Israel, hiding in the cities and trying to murder more and more civilians, filming and distributing some of their horrible actions. Over 600 people have been brutally murdered, with more than 2,000 injured so far.

This is the harrowing reality unfolding in Israel at this very moment. The perpetrators behind these barbaric acts have branded themselves as “The Freedom Warriors,” a grotesque misnomer given the countless videos that depict their celebrations amidst the dead bodies of Israeli citizens, including elderly women and children.

The citizens of Israel awoke to the morning’s sirens, frantically seeking shelter with a mere 15 seconds to spare before the bombs struck. Over 4,000 missiles were launched from Gaza into Israel, with civilians as their primary target. Tragically, lives were lost, including those of children, and entire families were shattered.

Presently, in Israel, a sense of frustration and helplessness permeates the atmosphere as people grapple with the gravity of the situation. They are confronted by the horrible photos and videos flooding the internet, distributed by Hamas members who subject their captives, including defenseless children and the elderly, to unspeakable horrors.

In the midst of a holiday, during what should have been a joyous holiday for the Jewish nation, the unthinkable transpired. Every citizen’s worst nightmare became a grim reality, turning a celebration into a day of mourning.

We do not want death, we do not want war, but we won’t let Hamas fire missiles while we spend days in bomb shelters without fighting back.