A few hours ago, Hamas launched a surprise attack against Israel (ref. 1). So far some 5000 rockets have been fired into southern and central Israel from Gaza. Uniformed Hamas gunmen have also crossed the border fence at several places, infiltrating areas of southern Israel. Some paraglided across.
There are media reports that Palestinians are in Israeli towns such as Sderot clashing with Israelis. Right now, there are at least 7 sites that are under attack. France 24 and Reuters are showing images of one IDF tank set ablaze (ref. 2).
Israel has declared “a state of war”. The defence minister has mobilised army reservists. And dozens of IDF jets have begun to strike targets in Gaza.
This new battle between Israel and Hamas comes a day after the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War.
Mohammed Deif, a spokesman for Hamas, described this as the start of “Operation Al-Aqsa Floods”. He called for Arab and Islamic nations to join the fight. He also said Muslims should gather in mosques and pray (ref. 3). So there is a spiritual aspect to this.
The mentioning of “floods” is certainly biblical (ref. Isaiah 17:12-14, Revelation 12:15-16, etc).
Woe to the multitude of many people, which make a noise like the noise of the seas; and to the rushing of nations, that make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters! The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind. And behold at eveningtide [the last days before the day of the LORD] trouble; and before the morning [the beginning of the kingdom of God] he is not. This is the portion of them that spoil us, and the lot of them that rob us.
Isaiah 17:12-14
And the serpent cast out of this mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.
Revelation 12:15
Water also points to the beast with 7 heads and 10 horns that comes out of the sea, the forthcoming empire of the Assyrian, also known as the Antichrist.
References:
1. Al Jazeera (7 October 2023), “Palestinian fighters reported in Israel as rockets launched from Gaza”, aljazeera.com
2. France24 (7 October 2023), “Live: Israel says at war after Hamas fires barrages of rockets, militants cross border”, france24.com
3. “Al Jazeera, Operation Al-Aqsa Flood”, youtube.com/watch?v=N74O67NSwKo