Ofir Akunis asked why the Chief of staff and the head of intelligence were absent from the meeting and wondered if Halevi was avoiding difficult questions from ministers

After communication systems are destroyed, the IDF is unable to rally its troops to respond; despite desperate calls for help from border area communities under attack, hours pass before forces arrive to battle the terrorists

El Al, Israir and Arkia are operating rescue flights, but the planes are quickly filling up and many Israelis, including IDF soldiers who were on vacation, are left with no way to return to Israel. The ban on regular service soldiers to fly through Arab countries only exacerbates the problem

The first blunder is in intelligence, the second is how the border was breached, the third is the ease with which hostages were taken into Gaza and the fourth blunder is the IDF's slow reaction

The father of 3- and 5-year-old girls lost contact with his family who visited Kibbutz Nir Oz on the border with Gaza, after they informed him that terrorists had infiltrated the house

From New York to Miami and Prague to Baku, historic buildings are lit up to show solidarity with Israel following the Hamas terror attack that has left at least 300 dead

After mortar fire to Har Dov, IDF attacks S. Lebanese targets; rocket fire to south continues in the morning hours while IDF attacks Hamas installations in Gaza; Health Ministry says at least 1,864 wounded since surprise attack, 345 seriously

Residents close to the Israel-Lebanon border urged to evacuate for coming 24 to 48 hours to keep families safe; Kiryat Shmona mayor says citizens in the north are accustomed to tense security situation and have faith in the IDF