Unimaginable Tragedy and Unfolding War: Israel Mourns and Mobilizes

On October 7, 2023, Israelis faced the unthinkable when Hamas militants breached the Gaza border, carried out a violent rampage, took hundreds of Israelis hostage, and indiscriminately slaughtered at least 1,300 people—mostly civilians, many of them women, children, and elderly. These attacks resulted in the most Jews killed in a single day since the Holocaust. On this week’s episode, IPF Atid Director Shanie Reichman joins Tel Aviv-based journalist Neri Zilber to reflect on the darkest day in Israeli history. They reflect on the atrocities committed by Hamas, Israelis’ collective trauma and shattered sense of security, and how the country could have been so ill-prepared for Saturday’s onslaught. Shanie and Neri touch on the history of Hamas and its ideology, analyze how this moment has reshaped Israeli politics and social dynamics, discuss the ongoing military operation and mobilization, and strive to find hope for peace during these days of despair. In this week’s Koplow Column, Chief Policy Officer Michael Koplow explained how this tragedy shattered Israelis’ sense of security, their leaders’ legacies, and American Jewish politics.In The Forward, Michael Koplow wrote on why Palestinian society and leadership must speak out to condemn the Hamas attack. In The Hill, Michael Koplow detailed how the U.S. should support Israel as the war unfolds. In The Christian Science Monitor, Israel Policy Pod host Neri Zilber unpacked how the shared trauma of this conflict is reshaping Israeli society and driving Israelis to put aside recent differences. In the Financial Times, Neri Zilber discussed the implications of Israel’s new wartime unity government.In Defense Opinion, IPF Atid Coordinator of Chapter Engagement and Strategy Rebecca Mandelbaum and Senior Policy and Communications Associate Alex Lederman co-authored an article on the strategic challenges Israel must consider as it prepares to invade Gaza.Our recent statements: October 7: Israel Policy Forum Outraged by Hamas Attacks, Stands in Support of Israel. Read here. October 10: Israel Policy Forum Commends President Biden for Support of Israel. Read here.October 11: Israel Policy Forum Welcomes Formation of Emergency War Government in Israel. Read here.October 12: In solidarity with Israel, CEO David Halperin offers words of strength, support, and hope for the future. Watch here.Support the show