Israeli Leaders React to Terror Attack on UK Synagogue as Navy Intercepts Pro-Hamas Flotilla

Julie Stahl : Oct 3, 2025
CBN News

"...It's horrifying. Unfortunately, in the last year, we've witnessed a whole load of terror and attacks against the Jewish people." -Josh Aronson, a resident

(Jerusalem, Israel) — [CBN News] Israeli leaders reacted strongly to the terror attack on a British synagogue on Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar, while the Israeli Navy stopped a pro-Hamas flotilla headed for Gaza, and reports emerged that Hamas may be backing away from President Trump's peace plan. (Screengrab image: via CBN News)

As Jewish people prayed in synagogues around the world during Yom Kippur on Wednesday, a terrorist killed two people and seriously wounded four others outside a synagogue in Manchester, UK.

A report from The Associated Press on Friday indicated that a police bullet may have killed one of the synagogue victims.

Andy Burnham, Greater Manchester mayor, stated, "Tonight, our first thoughts are with the families of those people who died, those injured, and those traumatized by this horrific anti-Semitic attack on our Jewish friends and neighbors. We condemn it outright."

Josh Aronson, a resident, described the scene. "I mean, it's horrifying. It's horrifying. Unfortunately, in the last year, we've witnessed a whole load of terror and attacks against the Jewish people," he observed.

Following the ramming and stabbing attack, police immediately tightened security at synagogues throughout the country.

Israeli leaders expressed their grief and said they had long been warning about such threats.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement, "Israel grieves with the Jewish community in the UK after the barbaric terror attack in Manchester. Our hearts are with the families of the murdered, and we pray for the swift recovery of the wounded. As I warned at the UN, weakness in the face of terrorism only brings more terrorism. Only strength and unity can defeat it."

Israeli President Isaac Herzog spoke with the head of the Jewish council in Manchester and revealed that just days earlier, he had written a letter to King Charles.

Herzog wrote on X, "Just a few days ago, I wrote a letter to His Majesty King Charles III, stressing my deep worry and concern over the rise of antisemitism and anti-Israel hatred in the UK, and in other Commonwealth countries, including Australia and Canada. Today's tragic events have sadly demonstrated how real and tangible this threat is, and how imperative it is to act against it with full force and without compromise."

The Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) added in a statement, "The writing was sadly on the wall, when Britain's Prime Minister chooses to 'reward' terror by recognizing a Palestinian state, on the back of the October 7th massacre and despite dozens of hostages still held in captivity. It was only a matter of time before murderous terror would strike Jews on British soil."

While the attack shook Jewish communities in the UK and beyond, Israel's Navy intercepted a flotilla headed for Gaza on Yom Kippur. The pro-Hamas vessels and their crew coming from Europe, were brought into Israel for deportation. They were supposedly bringing aid for the Gaza Palestinians.

Israeli police spokesman Dean Elsdunne gave a tour of one of the ships, noting that there was no aid aboard.

"I'm sure you guys can guess where I am, cause it's pretty much an empty room. That's right, I'm inside one of the vessels, one of the largest vessels to come in this Yom Kippur flotilla. And while we're processing this boat, there's one thing missing guys—all this aid they were supposed to bring into Gaza, which explains one thing to me, I'm sure it explains to you—that when we and multiple other countries offered them to take this aid and bring it to the Gazans, we could facilitate its safe arrival, they flat out rejected it. And now we know why, cause it was never about bringing aid to Gazans, but it was all about the headlines and the social media followings."

Inside Gaza, the war continues as Israel is keeping up its attacks on Hamas, and the IDF said terror organizations in the Gaza Strip are continuing to try to sabotage aid distribution centers by launching projectiles at the sites.

There are conflicting reports about whether or not Hamas intends to agree to President Trump's peace plan, but if they do accept it, they would demand changes—but the US and Israel reportedly won't negotiate. Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here

Julie Stahl is a correspondent for CBN News in the Middle East.