'Shock, disbelief, and disorientation,’ Seattle leaders react to Hamas attack on Israel

Mourners in Seattle gathered Tuesday night at a Capitol Hill synagogue to reflect on the recent surprise attack from Hamas.

“For Israelis and for Jews around the world, we are still in a stage of shock, disbelief, and disorientation that this happened,” said Senior Rabbi Daniel Weiner. “And that this happened to the extent and in the manner that it did that is incredibly reminiscent of some of the darkest days of our not-so-distant history, in terms of the ways in which these atrocities were committed, the number of people that were victims, and that continue to be victims who are held hostage.”

Weiner led the vigil and solidarity event at Temple De Hirsch Sinai that drew an estimated crowd of 1,500. The gathering came just days after Hamas broke through border fences into Israel and launched an unprecedented attack.

Initial estimates are that more than 1,000 armed militants killed at least 700 Israelis and injured more than 2,100 in the initial incursion. As days pass, the number of killed civilians has continued to rise in Israel and in the blockaded Gaza strip. More than 400 Palestinians were killed, and more than 2,300 were injured after the initial military response from Israel. Israel's new unified right-wing government is now vowing to destroy Hamas and appears to be preparing for a full-scale ground offensive into the Gaza Strip.