October 7, 2026 marks three years since the Hamas-led terrorist attack on Israel. Today, we remember those who never came home, and those who continue to live with profound loss and trauma.

For nearly 30 years, GCMM has served in Israel and among Jewish people. Today, one of the ways we are seeking to bring comfort and the hope of the Gospel to people carrying the wounds of war is through a new trauma recovery book.

Israel, we stand with you.

On October 7, 2023, communities across southern Israel were attacked. People were killed in their homes and at the Supernova music festival, and 251 hostages were taken into Gaza.

Behind every number is a person who was deeply loved. A son or daughter. A husband or wife. A parent. A friend. Someone whose voice and laughter were part of another person’s everyday life.

Three years have passed, but grief does not disappear as the pages of the calendar turn.

As this anniversary is marked, we want to remember those who are grieving and those who survived, even when the attention of much of the world has moved elsewhere.

One of those survivors is Daniel.

Hiding in the Ground, Not Knowing if His Parents Were Alive

Daniel was at the Supernova music festival near Re’im with his girlfriend when the attack began. As the violence unfolded around them, Daniel found a shallow depression in the ground and hid there for hours, waiting and hoping to survive.

But his fear was not only for his own life.

His parents lived nearby in Kibbutz Nahal Oz, another community under attack. Daniel had lost all contact with them. As he lay hidden, unable to reach them or know what was happening, he began to fear that they had been killed.

When he was finally able to escape, he drove through scenes he would never forget before eventually reaching safety in Beersheba.

Then came the news he had scarcely allowed himself to hope for: his family was alive. Attackers had entered his parents’ home, but everyone in the family had survived. It was an extraordinary relief. But relief did not mean the nightmare was over.

In the days that followed, Daniel began attending funerals. Several of his close friends had been killed. He had spent hours wondering whether his parents were still alive. Now he was embracing them again, while saying goodbye to friends he would never see again.

Daniel had survived. His family had survived. But many people he loved had not.

The God His Mother Had Told Him About Became Personal

Through what happened that day, Daniel came away with a deep sense that God had protected his life.

The God his mother had spoken to him about since childhood was no longer only someone he had heard about. In the middle of the most traumatic day of his life, faith became deeply personal.

Gratitude and grief remain side by side in Daniel’s story. Experiencing God’s protection does not erase the pain of losing friends. It does not answer every question that suffering creates.

But it reminds us that even in grief, we can turn toward God.

Psalm 34 tells us that the Lord is close to the brokenhearted. We can come to Him with our sorrow, our questions and the things we still do not understand.

And for those of us walking alongside people who have suffered, this is also a calling: to listen, to make room for grief, and to remain present.

Nearly 30 Years of Ministry in Israel

For almost three decades, GCMM has served in Israel and among Jewish communities through media outreach, ministry partnerships, and practical support for Holocaust survivors and new immigrants to Israel. At the heart of this ministry is a desire to serve people with compassion and to share the hope we have found in Jesus, Israel’s Messiah.

Photo: Vladimir and Pirjo Karttunen have devoted their lives to ministry among Jewish people and continue to play an important role in this work.

Supporting local congregations helps strengthen ministry where people live their daily lives. Television, digital media and personal outreach create opportunities for people to hear about Jesus, ask questions and explore the Christian faith.

Our desire is to meet people with respect, listening carefully to their stories and experiences. The love of Christ is demonstrated not only in what we say, but also in how we walk alongside people who are hurting.

Stories That Can Help Wounded People Heal

GCMM is now preparing trauma recovery resources for Israel, building on a similar initiative developed for people affected by the war in Ukraine. Hebrew and Russian editions are being prepared to help people facing the emotional and spiritual consequences of war, loss and trauma.

As part of this work, personal stories from Israelis are also being gathered. Sharing a painful experience takes courage. But one person’s story can help another realize, perhaps for the first time, that they are not alone. Sometimes another person can put words to something we have been unable to express ourselves. A story can also become the first step toward seeking help, speaking about grief, or beginning to heal.

Daniel’s experience reminds us why this work matters.

Reaching physical safety does not mean that trauma is over. Long after the immediate danger has passed, people still need someone willing to listen. They need community. And they need hope for the next day.

Please pray with us for wisdom as these resources are prepared. Pray for those who are willing to share painful parts of their own stories so that others may be helped. And pray for the people who will eventually receive these books, people whose names and circumstances we may never know.

Bringing Hope Where It Is Needed

Many people around the world have watched events in Israel and wondered what they can do.

We may not be able to sit personally beside every grieving family or meet every person for whom we pray. But together, we can help equip people who are there, serving face to face.

Support for GCMM’s ministry in Israel helps make ongoing media outreach, local ministry partnerships, and trauma recovery resources possible.

Our prayer on this anniversary is for comfort for those who have lost loved ones, strength for survivors, healing for those carrying trauma, and peace for Israel and the wider region.

And we continue to pray that more Jewish people will come to know Jesus as their Messiah and discover in Him a hope that can endure even through life’s darkest days.

Thank you for praying, giving and helping GCMM continue to stand alongside the people of Israel.