The author, reflecting on their extensive experience covering Israel and Gaza, admits to misconceptions after a devastating terror attack in Israel, where more Jews were killed in a day than since the Holocaust, emphasizing the brutality of Hamas.

Jodi Rudoren, the Jerusalem bureau chief for The New York Times, is currently reporting on Operation Pillar of Defense from inside Gaza, her first experience covering a war.

Michael Oren, former Israeli ambassador to the U.S. and a historian, draws parallels between the current state of affairs in Israel and critical moments in history, likening the situation to May 1967 or May 1948 due to a multitude of threats including Iran's nuclear ambitions, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, and the civil war in Syria.