mages from the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack and its aftermath are forever seared in the mind of Israel Pochtar. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pochtar, a pastor at Congregation Beit Hallel in the city of Ashdod, Israel, recalled the early-morning sirens that jolted him awake and sent him peering through the windows of his apartment on the 30th floor. He watched rocket after rocket fire from Gaza, 23 miles to the south. Smoke billowed from buildings in nearby Ashkelon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
He turned to social media and saw videos of Hamas terrorists killing Israeli police officers. He thought it was fake news. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Only after seeing news reports of Hamas brutally murdering more than a dozen elderly<\/a> Israelis who had gathered for a trip to the Dead Sea did he comprehend the unfolding horror: 1,200 dead<\/a> and 251 taken hostage, with evidence<\/a> of rape, torture, and entire families burned alive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As he drove one of his sons to a nearby military base to report for duty as part of a massive call-up, he saw fear and confusion in the eyes of soldiers. \u201cNo one was smiling, and no one was making jokes,\u201d Pochtar noted. He prayed for his son, said goodbye, and burst into tears. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Then he began identifying ways his church could serve a fearful and broken population. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Read it all<\/a>.<\/p> Two years after October 7, churches in Israel and Egypt continue to provide food, aid, and a listening ear to those scarred by the Israel-Hamas war.https:\/\/t.co\/VfDE4T2Zn1<\/a><\/p>— Christianity Today (@CTmagazine) October 7, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote>