In the early morning hours on the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah, a day that marks joy and celebration, Israel was invaded by land, sea, and air and brutally attacked by terrorists from the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. This unprovoked, bloodthirsty assault against both Israeli civilians and military has resulted in more than 900 hundred fatalities to date, thousands of critical injuries, and the abduction of dozens of innocent hostages into Gaza.
No one was spared as women, children, the disabled, and the elderly were among those targeted for torture and cold-blooded murder. This massacre and act of unbridled barbarism, was deliberately planned to occur during a sacred time, catching many Israelis either on their way to synagogue or at home with their families. The situation remains volatile, with Israel's northern and southern borders under threat.
It's during these challenging times that the Jewish world must come together in solidarity. We stand united in our support for Israel and the brave men and women defending its borders and its people. As World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder stated, "The entire Jewish diaspora stands in unwavering support of Israel and its valiant security forces."
Belgian Federation of Jewish Organizations
Board of Deputies of British Jews
Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (Canada)
Executive Council of Australian Jewry
Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece
The Central Jewish Council of Greece expresses the undivided support of Greek Jewry to the State and the people of Israel who received murderous attacks by the terrorists of Hamas.
Fifty years after the Yom Kippur War, Israel is defending itself against a widespread onslaught of murderous Islamists who are targeting the lives and safety of Israeli citizens in their own homes in an attempt to make their stated goal of wiping the Jewish state off the map come true. They will not succeed!
Israeli citizens and soldiers face this attack unitedly and we Greek Jews stand by them and express our solidarity with the families of the dozens of people who were killed or injured by the killers of Hamas.
We stand with Israel!
Federation of Jewish Communities in Czech Republic
The Federation of Jewish Communities in Czech Republic released the following statement:
Since Saturday morning, we have all been closely following the situation in Israel with great sadness and concern. We think of all the people of Israel and hope for their safety. We express our deepest condolences to the families of those murdered by Hamas and wish the thousands of injured a speedy recovery. We are disgusted by the unprecedented barbaric invasion of Israeli territory, when the terrorist movement Hamas murdered hundreds of civilians, including children, and then forcibly abducted others to Gaza.
Israeli citizens were mass and brutally executed and raped as the terrorists went from house to house. Gaza, under the rule of Hamas, is a terrorist territory that is not allowed to receive funds from democratic states. This "aid" allows Hamas to devote all its resources to its main goal of destroying the Jewish state and killing Jews. As the chairman of the European Jewish Congress, A. Muzikant, stated: "There is not one terrorist Hamas and one humanitarian Hamas, one political and one military. There is a single terrorist organization that rules the entire territory of Gaza, a de facto state dedicated to the destruction of Israel.”
Am Israel Chai - The People of Israel Live!
Federation of Jewish Communities in Hungary (MAZSIHISZ)
The Federation of Jewish Communities in Hungary (MAZSIHISZ) issued the following statement:
The Federation of Jewish Communities in Hungary (MAZSIHISZ) condemns the unprovoked attack launched by the terrorists who rule the Gaza Strip this morning against peaceful civilians celebrating the last day of Shabbat and Sukkot, killing more than 100 innocent people, injuring hundreds, and taking hostages in violation of all human and international standard.
On behalf of the entire Hungarian Jewry, Mazsihisz assures its full solidarity to all residents of the State of Israel, especially those women and men who, as members of the Israeli army and security forces, risk their own lives to protect their homes, their families, their children, the homeland of the Jewish people, and its capital, Jerusalem .
Mazsihisz agrees with the statement of the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade condemning the terrorist attack and calls on the Government of Hungary to provide all possible diplomatic, economic and other bilateral and international assistance to Israel so that it can continue its self-defense fight as effectively as possible.
On behalf of Mazshisz, we ask all our compatriots with good feelings to pray for all those whose lives, families, and homes are in danger in Israel even at this moment.
Federation of Jewish Communities in Romania (Federaţia Comunităţilor Evreieşti Din România)
The Federation of Jewish Communities in Romania issued the following statement.
The State of Israel will win every time in the face of terror and those who try to destroy it.
A coalition of criminal, terrorist organizations is once again trying to erase the State of Israel from existence. They will fail and pay the cost for these actions. At this moment, the State of Israel is fighting for each of us and not just for its defense. Over 5,000 rockets have been fired from Gaza this morning alone, along with an attempted ground invasion.
Abominable and horrifying hatred aimed at innocent people, on this Shabbat day that also marks the Simchat Torah holiday. The time has come for the whole world to wake up and realize what Hamas and Palestinian terrorism are all about. The time has come for real condemnation, and for actions to replace words and some fantasy.
We will never give in to violence and extremism. We will not be intimidated, we will not be threatened by anyone and we will certainly not live our lives in fear again.
The Federation of Jewish Communities in Romania is with the State of Israel and every victim of these criminal actions, but above all we are in solidarity with all those who are fighting in these moments to defend Jews and democracy around the world.
Tehi Medinat Israel!
Federation of Jewish Communities of Serbia (Savez Jevrejskih Opština Srbije)
Union of Jewish Municipalities of Serbia president Aleksandar Albahar issued the following statement:
Today's attack by the terrorist organization Hamas, with a rocket attack from the Gaza Strip which then resulted in the infiltration of terrorists into Israeli territory, we condemn in the strongest terms as an act of violence and terrorism.
The Israeli government has declared a state of emergency!
According to reports received from the European Jewish Congress, the level of preparedness has been raised to the highest level and all Jewish communities have been informed.
Terrorism, regardless of its motivations or excuses, has no justification and is an unacceptable violation of basic human rights and international norms. Our position is to promote peace, dialogue and understanding among people, and terrorist acts are contrary to all these values.
The Israeli people deserve to live in peace and security, just like any other people in the world. We express our deep solidarity with the victims of this attack and their families, and hope that such acts of terrorism will stop and peace will be restored in the region.
Jewish Central Council (Judiska Centralrådet) (Sweden)
Richard Mühlrad, chairman of the Jewish congregation in Stockholm, issued the following statement:
Israel has been attacked by Hamas from Gaza during the morning. The fighting has continued throughout the day. More than 100 Israelis have been killed, up to 1,000 injured and, according to information, roughly 50 have been kidnapped and taken to Gaza as hostages.
We Jews in Sweden are of course strongly affected by these events. We feel sadness, despair, fear and worry. And wish for a quick end to the fighting.
The Jewish community, JSS (Jewish Security Organization) and the Crisis Group are closely following developments and we are continuously updated. Discussions are ongoing regarding manifestations of solidarity, collections, measures that may affect the parish's activities in the near future, etc. We aim to keep you continuously informed on the website and in the parish's social channels.
Jewish Community of Lithuania
The Jewish Community of Lithunania released the following statement:
Hamas in Gaza has launched what they hope will spark a new, general Palestinian intifida against the state of Israel in the West Bank and Jerusalem as well. Over 300 Israelis including security forces but a majority of civilians have been killed inside Israel, about 1,600 people have been wounded and around 52 soldiers and civilians have been taken prisoner and taken into Gaza, including at least one UK citizen. Palestinian sources claim over 750 hostages have been taken into Gaza from Israel. In Ashkelon near the border with Gaza a synagogue and hospital were struck by Palestinian rockets.
The invasion began on Saturday with thousands of rockets sent into Israel from Gaza, with a few volleys now coming from Hezbollah locations inside Lebanon targeting northern Israel. Israel responded with aerial bombardment of selected sites inside Gaza City. Hamas reported more than 256 dead and 1,700 wounded in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas claimed the sneak attack was in response to Israeli attacks and provocations at the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, a message which has resonated in the Islamic world with spontaneous pro-Palestinian protests erupting in Turkey, Iran and other countries. Military strategists say Israel is facing what is perhaps a three- or four-front war: Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon and a potential attempt by Syria to retake the Golan Heights. Israel’s prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu has declared a state of war against Hamas, and indicated it might be a long war. The Israeli defense minister said the coming hostilities will be ruthless and will degrade Hamas’s military capability forever.
Jewish Confederation of Ukraine
The Jewish Confederation of Ukraine released the following statement:
The Jewish Confederation of Ukraine is shocked and outraged by the brutal attack by Hamas terrorists on Israel on the morning of October 7, 2023.
We, the Jews of Ukraine, declare a strong protest against the brutal actions of Arab terrorists. Today, on the holiday of Simhat Torah and Shemini Atzeret - the holiday of the Torah - when the whole world rejoices at the end of reading the Book of Life - our Holly Torah, and mark Happiness, the Blessing of the Lord for a good and successful 5784 year, we call on the whole world to rise up against the Arab Hamas terrorists who are killing the civilian population of Israel.
For more than thirty years, the long-suffering courageous people of Israel had not seen such cruelty.
Ukrainian Jews declare their support for the people of Israel and Ukrainian refugees in Israel.
