The sudden attack in Israel early yesterday morning, Saturday, left communities in shock as hundreds were killed and thousands more were injured.

Canadians in Israel say the unprecedented attack launched by Hamas has left civilians scrambling to find their missing family members and shelter from the ongoing rocket fire.

Jis Burk, who is visiting Jerusalem from Toronto to celebrate her wedding and the Jewish holidays, says her celebrations with her family were cut short when they woke up to the sound of alarm sirens.

Burk told CTV News, "It was definitely a whirlwind going from the happiest day of my life to one of the darkest days in the nation's history."

From her accommodation, Burk says she was able to see intercepted rockets as people ran to shelters and blood donation sites were opened to help the injured.

Burk added that the Jewish community is struggling to cope with the events as Saturday is meant to be a joyous day for "Simchat Torah," a religious day celebrating the reading of the end of the annual Torah cycle. Friday also marks the 50th anniversary of the 1973 attack in Israel during the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, Yom Kippur.

Burk stated, "We haven't seen such violence in 50 years."

She continued, "This is what we are trying to reconcile now, the ways in which this feels familiar and shocking to many people and the ways in which this feels unprecedented and extraordinary and extremely frightening."

Freelance journalist Anis Al-Boujdaini, based in Montreal, told CTV that although she is grateful for her safety, her trip from Tel Aviv was canceled, and she won't be able to leave for another two days.

Al-Boujdaini said, "I feel very lucky to be where I am in Tel Aviv where there is shelter, but this morning the sirens woke me up, and I had to hide in the shelters; it was quite an experience for me."

Global Affairs Canada updated its travel advisory on Saturday evening for Canadians in Israel to shelter in place, download alert apps for updated information, remain cautious, and follow local authority orders. The agency also noted that Air Canada has suspended its flights between Tel Aviv and Toronto Pearson International Airport, as well as Montreal's Pierre Elliott Trudeau Airport due to escalating violence.

The agency also advised Canadians in Israel to shelter in place, download alert apps for updated information, remain cautious, and follow local authority orders.

Olivier Marso from Montreal described the scene in Beer Sheva as intense, saying he heard alarm sirens throughout the day warning civilians of incoming rockets.

He said, "As soon as I heard the sirens, it was clear that I had one minute to hide and get to a shelter."

His father, Richard Marso, a former politician in Quebec and advocate for the Jewish community, says he is concerned for the safety of his community and what may unfold in the coming days.

Richard Marso said, "This is just the beginning of a conflict that will be harsh on civilians everywhere, and that is horrifying to me."