Israelis descending upon gun stores in large numbers after Oct 7 attack

Tel Aviv, Israel

Israelis are descending upon gun stores and firearms training centres in record numbers since the October 7 onslaught by Hamas.

Some of them are frustrated with the slow military response while some are horrified by soul-stirring scenes of terror. Now they believe arming themselves might be the best way to ward off any similar terror threat in the future.

As a result, gun stores and shooting ranges are working overtime to keep up with the demand.

Record applications

According to local media reports, a record 150,000 applicants have applied for gun licenses within weeks since Hamas launched attacks on Israel. To put the spike into perspective, during the same period last year, just 42 applicants showed up.

In central Kfar Saba Shooting Range, they were holding just one training course per day, now they’re holding three to four daily. Some centres are hiring more staff to accommodate the massive demand.

Blessing from the government

The trend of buying personal firearms is further fuelled by a recent shift in government policy. So far, issuing gun licenses has been highly restricted in the country, involving an arduous application process which would often take months.

Now, it is a matter of some days, with most of the work done online. The Israeli minister for police, Itamar Ben-Gvir, believes private gun ownership is actually a good thing for internal stability.

Even Prime Minister Netanyahu himself has backed the idea.

The war against Hamas included “encouraging civilians and helping civilians to arm themselves for their self-defence,” he said in a televised speech on Wednesday (Oct 25).

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Personal accounts from some of the survivors of the Oct 7 attack have also led some people to buy firearms.

Some of the survivors said they were able to defend their homes only because they had a gun near to hand. They kept holding on until security forces arrived, after delays of several hours.

Words of caution

While Israelis demonstrate great enthusiasm for purchasing firearms, some anti-gun activists have raised concerns.

They believe making firearms too freely available raises the risk of accidental shootings, murder and suicide.

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“An untrained response in the event of a subjective sense of danger is liable to bring about the needless death of innocents,” said an Israeli advocate group called “Pistol on the Kitchen Table”. 

(With inputs from agencies)