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The Israeli public finds itself in grief and shock, but many pledge allegiance to war effort
The Israeli public is in a state of shock and grief a week after Hamas militants launched an unprecedented attack on Israel, killing scores of people in border communities and kidnapping roughly 150 civilians
JERUSALEM (AP) — Normal life in Israel stopped when Hamas attacked on Oct. 7. Now, the country is fiercely focused on three goals: mourning the dead, fighting the Gaza-based militants and rescuing scores of hostages.
Schools across the country are closed. Major streets are nearly empty of traffic. Many shops and businesses are shuttered, with workers called up for reserve duty.
The attack, in which more than 1,400 Israelis lost their lives in a single day, left Israel unmoored, shattering faith about the state’s commitment to its citizens’ defense and the superiority of the country’s army.
High-tech fortifications crumbled within minutes in the face of a force Israelis previously viewed as a ragtag band of terrorists. For the first time since the 1948 war over Israel’s creation, enemies seized Israeli territory — and they dragged at least 199 civilian hostages into Gaza.