A vigil is scheduled to take place in Bel-Air on Sunday evening to honor the victims of Saturday’s devastating attack by Hamas on Israel. The attack has resulted in the loss of hundreds of lives and has triggered a war between Israel and one of its longstanding adversaries. The Vigil for Israel is being co-sponsored by The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles and The Board of Rabbis of Southern California, and it will be held at Stephen Wise Temple at 8 p.m. The temple is located at 15500 Stephen S. Wise Drive, near the San Diego (405) Freeway and Mulholland Drive. The event will be streamed live on wisela.org/Online, and additional information can be found at wise.shulcloud.com/event/LACommunityVigil.
In response to the attack, police agencies in Los Angeles County have increased security and patrols around Jewish and Muslim institutions throughout the county. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Chief Michel Moore acknowledged the situation on X, formerly Twitter, stating that the LAPD would conduct extra patrols in areas where the Jewish and Muslim communities are served to ensure the safety of all individuals. Similar measures have been taken by the Santa Monica Police Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, and the city of Beverly Hills’ Police Department, all of which have increased security and patrols around Jewish institutions.
Leaders from the Southland and across the United States have condemned the attack, and major airlines, including United Airlines, American Airlines, and Delta Air Lines, have temporarily suspended flights to and from the international airport near Tel Aviv.
The attack occurred early on Saturday when Hamas forces launched thousands of rockets into Israel and infiltrated several locations, catching the country off-guard at the end of the weeklong Jewish festival of Sukkot. Israel reported that a second round of rockets was fired on Saturday evening, hitting multiple locations, including Tel Aviv. In addition to casualties, Israel stated that at least 100 of its soldiers and civilians had been taken hostage by Hamas and brought to Gaza.
Israel estimated that over 700 military personnel and citizens had been killed, while several hundred Palestinians had also lost their lives in retaliatory fighting, with thousands more wounded. The timing of the attack, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War, in which Israel was attacked by a coalition of Arab states, has added to the significance of the current situation.
Hamas, founded in 1987, is a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist group that disputes Israel’s right to territory in the West Bank. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared in a televised address on Saturday that Israel is at war and vowed to seek vengeance for the attack.
The Jewish Federation has decried the attacks and expressed its support for Israel. The organization has established an emergency fund to assist the victims, which can be accessed at JewishLA.org/IsraelCrisis.
Perspectives on the ongoing conflict have been shared by various groups. Students for Justice in Palestine at UCLA stressed the importance of understanding the suffering endured by Palestinians under occupation for decades and how resistance is a response to the violence they face. The Washington-based Muslim Public Affairs Council added that to comprehend the situation, one must acknowledge the ongoing occupation in violation of international human rights law that has stripped Palestinians of their basic rights and dignity. They argued that the world’s silence has contributed to the political vacuum that groups like Hamas have capitalized on to justify their violent attacks.
Elected officials have also weighed in on the situation. Rep. Adam Schiff emphasized the severity of the attack by comparing it to the 9/11 terrorist attacks and stating unequivocally that Hamas is a terrorist group responsible for mass murder and kidnapping. Reps. Katie Porter and Barbara Lee echoed Schiff’s sentiments, with Porter calling for immediate action to aid Israel and Lee expressing her condemnation of terrorism and concern for Israeli and Palestinian civilians impacted by the conflict. Rep. Mike Garcia showed support for Israel and affirmed its right to defend itself against Hamas.
President Joe Biden reaffirmed the United States’ support for Israel in a 13-minute speech, asserting that the U.S. stands with Israel and will provide the necessary assistance for its defense.
The U.S. State Department has reported that several U.S. citizens are believed to have been killed in the attacks. U.S. citizens seeking assistance can visit cacms.state.gov/s/crisis-intake or call 888-407-4747 to get in touch with the U.S. Embassy in Israel.
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