Psychological impact on Israelis akin to 9/11 :::: Hamas’ biggest attack on Israel, People seen taking shelter behind buildings as Hamas gunmen infiltrated southern Israel

The psychological impact on Israelis has been compared with the shock of 9/11 in America - says Steven Erlanger, The New York Times'

What happens to #I2U2 #Israel, #India, #US, UAE tie up 

Hamas militants seemed well prepared and planned their assault pretty in details. 

Its a full-scale conflict mounted by Hamas and its allies, with rocket barrages and incursions into Israel proper, and with Israelis killed and captured.

 People were seen taking shelter behind buildings and establishments as Hamas gunmen infiltrated southern Israel. 

A major war will possibly disrupt the diplomatic efforts of US President Joe Biden and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu to bring about a Saudi recognition of Israel in return for defense guarantees from the United States.

Thousands of rocket attacks, combined with on-ground fighters and gunmen breached security barriers in Gaza after Hamas Group launched offensives at dawn on Saturday. It was during the Jewish high holiday of Simchat Torah.

At about 6:30 am (local time), the Hamas militants fired a huge barrage of rockets towards southern Israel. Soon after, sirens were audible as far away as Tel Aviv and Beersheba. Hamas took responsibility and said it had fired around 5,000 rockets in the first cache.

A day after the 50th anniversary of the start of the 1973 Yom Kippur war, when Israeli forces were caught off guard by Syrian and Egyptian tank columns, the military appeared once again to have been surprised by a sudden attack. 

Questions surface on intelligence failure 

As Israel reeled from a deadly attack by Hamas militants who broke through barriers around Gaza and roamed at will, killing scores of civilians in Israeli towns, defence chiefs faced growing questions over how the disaster could have happened.

"It looks quite similar to what happened at that time," said retired General Giora Eiland, a former head of Israel's National Security Council. "As we can see it, Israel was completely surprised, by a very well coordinated attack," he told a briefing with reporters.  An army spokesperson said there would be discussions on the intelligence preparation "down the road" but for the moment the focus was on fighting. 

"We'll talk about that when we need to talk about it," he told a briefing with reporters.

At least 480 Israelis and Palestinians dead; Hamas says it has taken many Israeli captives. In response to the unprecedented attack, Israel launched devastating retaliatory strikes, resulting in over 230 casualties in Gaza. 

“We will take mighty vengeance for this wicked day,” PM Benjamin Netanyahu said.

The Hamas militants had reached the city of Sderot. The escalation comes after weeks of heightened tensions along Israel’s volatile border with Gaza, and heavy fighting in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
In Germany, Berlin's Brandenburg Gate illuminated in colours of Israeli flag as sign of solidarity.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is now being pressured to launch a full-scale invasion that Israeli leaders have been avoiding since 2005. 

But it's true, there is another diplomatic fallout. A major war could have unforeseen consequences. 

It would be likely to produce sizable Palestinian casualties — civilians as well as fighters — disrupting the diplomatic efforts of President Joe Biden and Netanyahu to bring about a Saudi recognition of Israel in return for defense guarantees from the United States.