Israeli hostages now face a terrifying ordeal

THE NUMBERS boggle the mind. At least 600 Israelis were killed in a single day, more than in the previous 19 years of conflict with the Palestinians. Thousands were injured. Hamas, the militant group that controls Gaza, fired some 3,000 rockets at Israel within 24 hours, more than it launched in the first month of their war in 2014. But it is another number, as yet unknown, that may have the greatest impact on how Israel responds to a day of horror.

The Hamas militants who attacked Israel on October 7th also abducted an untold number of Israelis, both civilians and soldiers, and brought them back to Gaza. A few have been identified, either through videos posted to social media or tearful interviews with their families on Israeli television. Many are still unnamed.