Black Saturday: An Unfiltered Account of the October 7th Attack on Israel and the War in Gaza

by Trey Yingst

Fox News war correspondent Trey Yingst shares his gripping, firsthand account of the events of October 7, 2023, and the ensuing war, offering riveting insight and fresh facts that clarify the scope and magnitude of this latest and most dramatic outbreak in one of the bloodiest, most nuanced, and longest-standing conflicts in modern history.

On the morning of October 7, 2023, the militant group known as Hamas launched a vicious attack on Israel in the most recent stage of the deeply complicated and decades-long Israel-Palestine conflict. The assault, which took place on Shabbat—the day of rest for the Jewish people—instantly became known among Israelis and the world as “Black Saturday.”

On October 7, Fox News Correspondent Trey Yingst was on the ground along the Gaza border and witnessed firsthand the devastation, shock, and deep sorrow that whirled through Israel. A seasoned journalist who has reported from some of the most dangerous hotspots around the world, including the frontlines in Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, Yingst was just one among many people plunged into the terrifying chaos of that horrific event. In this shocking and eye-opening chronicle, he pieces together the story of that tragic day and reveals how he risked his life searching for answers to essential questions in real time--who within Israel had been attacked; what happened to them; who, potentially, was next--while exploring the impact on both Israelis and Palestinians as a full-scale war ramps up and peace grows more elusive. “We have a responsibility now to account for and record these events—and tell the world the truth,” Yingst writes. “We cannot look away.”

Committed to reporting the whole truth, on both sides of the Israel-Gaza border, Yingst interviewed a range of exclusive contacts to incorporate multiple perspectives. From conversations with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and high-ranking soldiers, to interviews with Senior Hamas official Dr. Bassem Naim and Gazan journalist Nael Ghaboun, to heartbreaking accounts from civilians placed in the crosshairs of the attack and conflict that followed, Yingst takes us inside the newest phase of an old war in which thousands more people—men, women, and children—are suffering.

Combining candor, grit, and veracity, Yingst paints a vivid picture of horrors and violence, matched by acts of courage and humanity that cut through the darkness. A testament to unwavering resilience and tenacity, Black Saturday is the riveting chronicle of one journalist’s experience relentlessly pursuing the truth in the face of terror.

Black Saturday will include a 16-pages of full-color photographs.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, War, Israel, Politics, Memoir, Middle East

338 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2024

Reviews

[Jonathan Meckler · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just like Trump in Charlottesville, apparently Trey Yingst thinks there are "very fine people on both sides".

[vantablack · Rating 1 out of 5]

Full of lies and anti-Islamic rhetoric. What about EVERYTHING prior to October 7? Read into that

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been all about reading books written by journalists and foreign correspondents recently. Their unique firsthand perspectives on the conflicts overseas have brought an element of clarity and understanding that a general historian can't provide as well or as easily. The author's experiences were quite frightening as he reported on the scene, never being completely sure about his own safety. I can usually read just about anything, but I will admit to finding many of the scenes he wrote about and experienced to be very upsetting. These were real lives and realities, which made it even more heartbreaking. My heart goes out to all those on both sides affected by this terrible and tragic situation.

[Cav · Rating 5 out of 5]

"My team and I were riding, late at night, through the lightless Gaza Strip in an open-air army Humvee, wide open to rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) fire from the darkened buildings above, hoping against hope we were going in the direction of the border with Israel. I was wondering what I was doing with my life..."

Black Saturday was an excellent ground-level look at the terrorist attack committed by Hamas in Israel Oct 7, 2023, and the subsequent Israeli military response. The topic is super-polarizing and I sometimes cringe listening to authors politicking about it in their books. Fortunately, this is not a partisan piece, however. More below.

Author Trey Yingst is an American journalist who serves as the chief foreign correspondent for Fox News based in Jerusalem, Israel. Yingst has reported from the Gaza Strip and around the Middle East, appearing on Fox News programs.

Trey Yingst:


The author was on the ground along the Gaza border when the attack took place. This book is his first-hand account of the scene. He reported extensively from the area afterwards, and he talks about what he saw there.

He writes with an energetic and lively style, and this one shouldn't have trouble holding even the finicky reader's attention. In the audio version I have, he also intersplices interview clips and clips of his reporting from the scene at the time. This was a nice touch that I felt worked here.

Yingst drops this quote early on, speaking to the book's namesake:

"Users on X had already started to refer to the day as “Black Saturday,” and the term was being picked up by Israeli media, which also used “Black Shabbat.” Black because it was objectively the darkest day in Israel’s history, the largest surprise attack against the state since its founding. And the fact that it occurred on a Saturday—the one day during the week that Israelis have their guards down—held grave significance for the Jewish people. Sabbath: a day of rest. A day to reflect and spend time with loved ones. A day so important that observant Jews are forbidden to work or travel on that day. Most religious Israelis won’t even turn on a light switch after the sun goes down on Friday night..."

The topic of Israeli/Palestine relations is an absolute shitstorm, and I won't be going into my opinion here, as it is beyond the purview of this review. The author is also careful not to editorialize the book, and presents a matter-of-fact account of what happened. He says:

"So at 5:35 a.m., I put up photos of me with Hamas militants; with Israeli special forces; with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu; and with a former leader of Islamic Jihad. I wrote: Over the past few years, I’ve embedded with both the Israeli military and Hamas fighters. I’ve interviewed leaders from Hamas and Islamic Jihad, as well as the Israeli Prime Minister. This previous reporting is critical for you to understand the context of what is unfolding now.
I wanted to establish my voice with the new audience watching my reports—to have them understand that I take no sides in this conflict. I am not pro-Israel or pro-Palestinian. I am pro-truth. I speak with all sides to get a clear picture of what is unfolding, in any news context."

This book may not be the best choice for those who are squeamish, as it contains a decent amount of gritty writing about the savagery of the attacks that day. Here is just one small account:

"Hamas gunmen were going door-to-door, systematically executing civilians. In some homes, grenades were thrown into living rooms and bedrooms. In others, children were shot in front of their parents, their bodies disfigured. Terrified residents clung to their bomb shelter doors as militants fired on the handles. When they were unsuccessful at breaching the rooms, Hamas burned houses down, reducing the people inside to ash after they suffocated from the smoke. Those not immediately killed were kidnapped and taken hostage into Gaza."

Yingst also talks about the widescale misery and destruction spread by the Israeli IDF in their retaliatory military response. Thousands of Palestinian civilians have been killed, injured, and/or displaced by this war. And tragically, it continues. As of the writing of this review, October 21st, 2024 - over a year later - not only is the situation not improving, it is drastically escalating...
Let's hope it doesn't keep going, or we could all be sucked into another World War.

********************

Black Saturday is an important historical record. The book was also well written and presented. I would recommend it to anyone interested.
5 stars.

[Mariya · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Black Saturday" is an incredible, horrific, and unflinching first hand account of the tragic events on October 7th and the subsequent war in Gaza. What struck me most were the diverse, personal perspectives Trey captured—civilians, soldiers, medics, and families—all dealing with fear, loss, and impossible life or death choices. Each story is so vividly told that I found myself imagining what I would do in their shoes, making the book feel personal and unsettlingly relatable. It’s not just a chronicle of war; it’s a reminder of the shared humanity on all sides of a conflict.

This book provided a balanced approach—providing context on both the attack and the broader political and humanitarian issues surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. At times, the accounts are hard to read due to their intensity and the gravity. It's an essential read for anyone seeking to understand the complexity of the conflict and its devastating impact on all involved. This is a book that stays with you, forcing reflection long after the final page.

[Cindy H. · Rating 3 out of 5]

As someone who lived through and is still living through Oct 7 and the aftermath this book, for me, did not bring any new revelations nor did I think it properly conveyed the pain, fear, anguish, anxiety, stress and daily struggles facing millions of Israeli citizens. I appreciate and applaud Trey’s tireless coverage and extreme dedication for sharing as many stories as possible and staying neutral in an highly emotional and challenging situation. I was happy to purchase this book and to support Trey as he continues to share with the world the ongoing story.

[Dachokie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was excited about the release of this book as I felt Yingst’s live reporting on the events of October 7 have been thorough and informative. This is an instance where good television reporting doesn’t result in an interesting book.

With insightful on-the-ground coverage from the very beginning of events I really thought Yingst would have provided a much more thorough and uniquely informative account of events as he’s been covering this non-stop almost a year before the book was published. Unfortunately, the “unfiltered account” is more of a hodge-podge story of his reporting duties.

I found the flow rather chaotic and it was often difficult to track the who-what-where of some storylines.

Yingst obviously wanted to maintain a neutral and objective posture and is even-handed in his empathy for innocent victims (Palestinian and Israeli)as well as being critical of the actions of Hamas and even the heavy-handed Israeli response. From this perspective, I feel the book is an example of honest, straightforward reporting. But, in the end, that is what this book is: a recap of his reporting with an extra dose of how he got it done.

Maybe I was hoping an “unfiltered account” would be more of a definitive account of that day in October as even the title alludes to that. In the end, if you’ve watched Yinst’s live reports, you’ve probably got more insight than this book will provide.

[Sam Talkington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Insightful boots on the ground account of Black Saturday in Israel.

I learned a lot about the attack.

“I’m a storyteller not a psychiatrist”

I’ve watched Trey Yingst coverage a lot. Great storytelling of a very complex situation.

I didn’t know over 2 million people live in Gaza. Irony of the people getting attacked are somehow the bad guys?

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trey Yingst is a Fox News reporter who was living and reporting in Tel Aviv on October 7, 2023. This book is his story of, as he says, the first draft of history.

It’s an okay first draft, he doesn’t really try to understand the motivations of either side per se and doesn’t even give a history of how Israel and the Palestinians got where they were on October 6. We pick up at October 7 as if there was no history up to that point. Mr. Yingst’s goal is just to report what happened and try to be fair to both sides.

The book is informative so far as it goes, since Mr. Yingst has ready access to Israel, his coverage of the attack and consequent atrocities, if not exhaustive, is at least representative of the horrors that Hamas perpetrated on that day.

Mr. Yingst doesn’t have as ready access to Gaza, though he does embed with the Israelis and also has some sources there so we get at least a glimpse of how the attack affected the Palestinians.

How one looks at Hamas’ surprise attack and the Israeli response depends largely on one’s sympathies and there seems to be little effort to understand the other side. Is Hamas a nihilistic terror organization driven only by hate, or are they responding to the very heavy hand of Israel in Gaza for the last several decades? (It’s not unjustly been said that Gaza is the world’s largest prison). Is Israel’s response strong and forceful or an effort to literally bomb Gaza back to the Stone Age so they’ll be so intent on just surviving that they cannot misbehave?

You won’t find any attempt to answer these questions in this book, it’s more an “I was there” report.

Which brings me to the books greatest weakness. For some odd reason Mr. Yingst feels compelled to tell us again and again about his many social media followers on various social media platforms, as if that were part of the story. It comes off as kind of weird and somewhat tone deaf to me. I don’t really care about how many social media followers you have or how much they increased after October 7. Does this bear on the story?

It’s still a book worth reading to get a general grasp of the attack and immediate aftermath.

[Twobchelm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trey did a wonderful job of relaying the horrors of October 7, 2023. He gave the reader full details and descriptions of the areas, the bombings and the victims…. Including the good and bad of both sides . War is ugly and the victims are usually the innocent which is always heartbreaking.

[david small · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mixed Messages

I have watched Trey on Fox many times including his early reporting from Oct 7th…I think it is impossible for him to be really neutral.
Iran will never stop attacking Israel ever… until they are somehow stopped. More empathetic toward Palestinians than his host country Israel….might be time to come home

[David Hymas · Rating 2 out of 5]

More a “I was there, look at me” than a solid summary of what happened on Oct. 7. Disappointing.

[Georgia Metz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm really conflicted about this one. Overall impression: I'm glad I read it, but I didn't gain a lot of new insight.

This is a first person account of the beginning of the war in Gaza/Israel, mostly focused on the attacks of October 7 2023 and the initial Israeli bombardments afterwards up to the short ceasefire in November 2023. Trey Yingst is a short form TV news war correspondent, and he writes in that style. Lots of short snippets of "just the facts, ma'am". This means that a published book may not be the best medium for him; as others have said, the book jumps around a lot and it can be hard to follow. Listing the names of places that they drove through and which cities have a red alert issued for incoming rockets doesn't work as well when there isn't a map graphic to show on screen. His writing style is like reading a Tweet thread, which means that this is an accessible read for everyone but it doesn't have a lot of nuance or poetry to it.

This style of reporting is a double-edged sword: on the one hand, it is somewhat refreshing for the reporting to come directly from the horse's mouth in a war that has held a lot of misinformation. Most of the content of this book is "I saw/did not see" or "I heard/did not hear" with the occasional text thread from civilian contacts thrown in. I thought that Yingst reported fairly on what he personally observed while acknowledging that he did not always have the full story.

On the other hand, it meant that there was not a lot of reflection or analysis of the events. If your job is to report on the events of war as they are happening, it seems natural to me that you don't spend a lot of time thinking about the cause of those events or even what effects they might have. I guess what I'm saying is, don't expect this book to have deep insights into the origins or nature of the Israel/Palestine conflict.

Another piece of this book is Yingst's reflections on what life is like as a foreign war correspondent, both in general (he has also done extensive work in Ukraine), and specifically in Israel. I was less interested in this part of the book but some may enjoy his discussions of military embeds, working with satellite links to broadcast news, etc. I was interested to read about how the IDF reviews and censors journalist footage.

Finally, there is the Fox News of it all. Yingst is currently employed by Fox News and in the acknowledgements of the book he thanks every Fox executive by name with their full title in a way that feels very "this book was personally approved by Fox News", although it was published by HarperCollins. The book definitely does have a pro-Israel slant, but honestly I was impressed by the amount of Palestinian perspectives included (judging a book by its cover, I expected no Palestinian perspectives). Yingst himself seems to be fairly compassionate and sympathetic to the Palestinians, while also literally acting as a guest of the IDF.

Final verdict: 3 stars, fairly evenly balanced between positive and negative aspects.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Black Saturday offers an account of the scope and magnitude of day one (10/7/23) of the latest outbreak in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict-one of the longest-standing in modern history. Yingst reflects on his years of preparation for such a moment, writing, “I had prepared for this day for years, hoping it would never come.”

I’ve seen many of Yingst’ live feeds over this last 15 months or so, and always wonder about his safety, and that of war correspondents throughout the years. I was also a journalism/comm major, and I’ve found myself questioning whether I would ever have the courage to take these same risks or if self-preservation would lead me to run the other way. (Um -thought about it- the second one). The author’s dedication to truth and empathy, rather than taking sides, stands out. And in an era where many journalists even lack the opportunity to be on the ground—citizen journalists provide lots of footage to networks —Yingst provides a measured and precise account of his team’s actions during the day’s events, as far as I know probably one of the first published books to do so. You can often hear the tension in his voice in audio, as it is interspersed with clips from the live accounts.

This book offers a valuable learning tool for journalism students, illustrating the grit, empathy, impartiality, and dedication necessary to tell any story—whether it’s a high-stakes war zone or a local school board meeting. Yingst’s ability to balance personal risk with professional responsibility is a testament to his skill and commitment. His career trajectory will undoubtedly remain one to watch for aspiring journalists and seasoned professionals alike.

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely heart wrenching but necessary account of October 7th. I started following Trey on X as soon as the events of October 2023 unfolded and have continued to follow him since. His book is as raw and unfiltered as possible and I think he does even handedly as possible cover the devastation and destruction on Israel and its people while also covering the suffering of the innocent Palestinian people who are not associated with or do not align with Hamas. His book is a good reminder of the absolute tragedy of war as well as the complexities of war that we generally do not think of. There are parts of this book that are very hard to read but I think if you are looking to understand the conflict and hear from both Israeli and Palestinian citizens on their views, it’s extremely helpful and well written.

I also commend Trey on the fearlessness and bravery he’s shown covering the war. I appreciated his personal antidotes on the harsh realities he’s faced covering the conflict and his own personal struggles with PTSD. While so many journalists these days should barely have that title, Trey absolutely deserves it. I can’t imagine being so young yet with so much heart and bravery and talent to do what he does.

Highly recommend reading.

[Belle Giordano · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think anyone that has a strong opinion about (or is trying to understand) this conflict should sit down and read this. Trey provides a stark recount of the October 7th aftermath and the early days of the war. He is understanding of both sides, has contacts in Hamas, Palestine, and IDF, and has worked as a journalist for this conflict and region for years. Trey does an incredible job at reminding readers that there can be multiple truths in existence at the same time: Hamas is a terrorist organization that hides behind civilians, Israel has a right to defend itself and also commits atrocities at times, and innocent civilians have suffered the greatest in this war.

A lot of this was hard to stomach and I shed a lot of tears reading about the survivors and victims’ stories, but they are important stories to be told. This conflict is difficult and feels seemingly everlasting. The only way to work towards peace is to talk it out. Even if you are extremely anti-Israel, I recommend reading this book to get a glimpse of the Israeli experience and the carnage that October 7th caused.

[Maddie Littlepage · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yingst offers a unique perspective as a foreign journalist on the ground prior to, during, and following the October 7th attack. Leveraging his connections both in Israel and Gaza, he is able to provide a balanced insight into both the atrocities committed by Hamas and the war and humanitarian crisis since then. Definitely cannot imagine taking the risks Yingst, his team, and all journalists who have covered October 7th and the war since began to ensure these events are reported factually and with empathy.

The story telling itself can feel slightly disorienting and disjointed, perhaps due to the chaos of the war. I did appreciate Yingst’s noting how/when footage had to be reviewed/approved by the IDF and other points about the difficulties of filming an active warzone (other than the getting fired upon part).

[Linda Yezak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not just informative about the Israel-Hamas war, but incredibly informative about the work, worries, and fears of a war correspondent. Never dawned on me that a journalist would have PTSD, but after reading what all Trey went through while reporting on the war from 10/7/23 through 2024, I'm not surprised he suffers from it.

[Glen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good accounting of the events of the Oct 7 events and the terror it brought. That part of the book felt true and compelling. Somewhere along the way I feel the author turned into a bit of an apologist for Hamas. I gave it four stars for the content on the Oct 7 events and the fact it was well written despite his apologist writing later in the book.

[Carol K · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a chilling account of the Hamas massacre of innocent Jews on October 7th. If you’re looking for an objective report on this, with eye witness observations from both Israelis and Palestinians, it is excellent. Tough to read, much like books on the Holocaust are, but important for us to know about and to remember.

[Duncan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good for what it is aka reportage.

[Catherine Lima · Rating 4 out of 5]

A stark reminder of the collateral damage and ugliness of war, with an admirable attempt to remain both truthful and objective.

[Yael Isakov · Rating 4 out of 5]

I cried a lot reading this book. I kept thinking of my family in Israel and feeling so grateful that they weren’t victims of October 7th in the way so many others were. The book is not so well written and mostly focuses on facts, just like a “report” in the news. But I think it was an important read nevertheless.

[Bill Zawrotny · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was hoping to read an in-depth book about October 7. Instead, this is an autobiography of the author framed around the October 7 massacre. I should have guessed that by the cover photo.

The two things that bothered me the most about this book are:

1. The author actually included a sentence informing the readers that he had slept with both Palestinians and Israelis. This was somehow meant to reinforce the point he made 12,000 times in the book: he is reporting from a neutral perspective. But no book about a terrorist massacre should include a sentence about the author's sex life. It's repulsive.

2. The author refers to Hamas terrorists as "militants" and even has the audacity to include a snide comment about how people should look up the definitions of both words before they argue about the terminology. Unfortunately, the author must've misplaced his dictionary.

Overall, this book had the potential to be good had the author simply stuck to the subject. But most of the book is about the author and his attempt to convince the reader that he's a good guy, a good reporter, and has empathy for both sides of the conflict.

I'm sure there are much better books about October 7th out there.

[PinkPumpkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book taught me not to make assumptions.

I picked this book because, frankly, I felt like hitting my head against a brick wall. Stand with Israel! Stand with Palestine! October 7th never happened! The deaths in Gaza never happened! Zionism is evil! Zionism is brilliant! The land belongs to Israelis! The land belongs to Palestinians!

I have never been so utterly fed up of humanity as I have been in the reporting of this war.

And so I was desperately scanning the Internet for somebody who felt the same way as me: not pro-Palestine or pro-Israel, but pro-humanity on both sides. I came across an article from Trey Yingst that I found compassionate and objective, and then discovered he'd written a book.

But...oh, no. Yingst works for Fox News.

Still, it had good reviews, and I was impressed with Yingst's article. So, with some trepidation, I purchased the book.

I got through it in one night.

I was already well-informed of what occurred on October 7th, and so some of those parts I did skim--either because I knew the information, or because it was too upsetting for me to read again. However, I found Yingst's reporting of it to bring into vivid clarity the horror of it. I was pleased that he remained objective throughout: by acknowledging that, yes, the initial reports of 40 beheaded babies were untrue--but this doesn't mean it didn't happen *at all*.

Having read a book on how Sandy Hook conspiracy theories came to be, I'm sad to say that I see the same rhetoric that was used in Sandy Hook now be picked up by the left-wing in order to deny October 7th. In both Sandy Hook and October 7th, some details were incorrect, some, shall we say, exaggerated. In both cases, conspiracy theorists took these exaggerations and used them as a way to insist that not only did the exaggerations not happen, but *nothing* happened.

In both cases, these exaggerations were not malicious: they were the natural consequence of fast-moving situations. Both Sandy Hook and October 7th were so beyond the realm of what human beings can process that even first responders were struggling to keep themselves together. Emotions are heightened; details are lost or accidentally fabricated when information is passed along to multiple people; traumatised first responders may make mistakes in what they are seeing. I am extremely pleased Yingst set the record straight: that some initial reports on October 7th were incorrect; this does not mean it didn't happen at all.

The fact that the left--the political people who once scorned Sandy Hook conspiracies--have become the conspiracy theorists, using the same justifications, reasoning, and excuses--is sad and baffling to witness. But that is a discussion for another day.*

I also picked up this book looking for more information about what the people of Gaza are suffering. As Yingst cannot enter Gaza of his own accord, the book is more tailored to Israeli perspectives, simply because these are the people Yingst is more available to interview. However, what he did report on Gaza, I found to again be compassionate and objective.

Firstly, I liked how Yingst immediately tore apart the narrative that everyone in Palestine supports Hamas. Considering how many Hamas-controversies UNWRA now has to its name, I tensed up when one of Yingst's first Gazan perspectives was from a UNWRA member--but that was, again, me making assumptions. The UNWRA member came across as a perfectly normal person who was saddened about both October 7th and the following bombardment of Gaza. I took this as a reminder not to clump people together in one group, whether it be Palestine, Gaza, or UNWRA itself.

I found the explanations and stories of how Gazan parents struggled to keep their children safe to be difficult. Do they leave with their child(ren) to a border? Do they stay in the house? I cannot imagine making these decisions for my own safety, let alone the safety of your children. Yingst states a few times the Palestinians are living in hell on earth, and it is true. To be cooped into a small patch of land, constantly moving from place to place--that is a nightmare I hope nobody else has to experience.

My favourite part of the book was Yingst stating that he is not Pro-Palestine; he is not Pro-Israel; he is pro-truth. This was made clear when he held off on reporting Israel supposedly bombing a hospital, killing hundreds; and he was correct to be sceptical. At the time of this review, it seems likely the blast was caused by a Hamas rocket landing in the hospital's car park. Of course, this may change with later investigations--Israel may have bombed that hospital after all--but the point is the details surrounding it were too blurry and too many things didn't add up. And so Yingst held back. Unfortunately, many other news sites did not--they ran with it, leading to even further confusion, anger, and distress.

Yingst was correct in his belief that reporters, especially war reporters, have a unique responsibility to take care over their words. They cannot report things unless they are 100% sure it's the truth; if they are not 100% sure, they need to make this clear to their audiences that their report may be incorrect.

And herein lies my lesson on assumptions. I consider myself to be on the left politically (although damn, have they been doing my head in for the past year--actually, leftists often do my head in. I often feel like I'm the character in a film being dragged to the dinner with relatives you hate but feel obliged to get on with due to the fact you're family. Smile, nod politely, and bitch about them as soon as you're back home). Regardless, a reporter for Fox News--scorned and mocked by many of the left-wing--has managed to have more compassion in his little finger than many of the leftist journalists and activists I have seen. He has managed to grasp A) what his job is (don't blatantly lie to your audience to craft a narrative); B) that nobody in this situation has chosen it (yes, even the Israelis and Palestinians you dislike); and C) every innocent life lost is a tragedy (yes, regardless of whose land it actually belongs to).

Am I now a Fox News convert? Haha--no. But it has certainly opened my mind, and having your mind opened is always a good thing. Yes, even if it's to the news channel that's the opposite of your political beliefs.

I would like to thank Trey Yingst for writing this book, and I echo other reviewers in hoping he gets some sort of formal recognition for his bravery in reporting this war.

*For anyone interested, the book is Sandy Hook: An American Tragedy and the Battle for Truth. Aside from being informative on Sandy Hook in general, it really allowed me to understand how conspiracy theorists think. October 7th is too recent for full-on psychological investigations into how its deniers and justifiers operate, and so this book is the next best way to understand what the hell they're on about. Whenever I feel angry about the way people justify or deny October 7th, it helps me to think of what I learnt in this book--and I find that my anger melts away. Instead, I just feel pity for them.

[RICK "SHAQ" GOLDSTEIN · Rating 4 out of 5]

RICK “SHAQ” GOLDSTEIN SAYS: “CITIZENS OF ISRAEL… WE ARE AT WAR!” B.B. NETANYAHU------------------

There is nary a person in the world that is not aware of the affront to human kind… that occurred against the Israeli people on October 7, 2023… by the wretched… detestable… sub-animal… Hamas terrorists… AND… as documented in this book… a number of Palestinian citizens participated as well! TWELVE-HUNDRED… MEN… WOMEN… AND CHILDREN… INCLUDING FORTY-SIX AMERICANS… AND CITIZENS… OF MORE THAN THIRTY COUNTRIES… WERE SLAUGHTERED BY HAMAS… AND TWO-HUNDRED-FIFTY WERE KIDNAPPED!

Jewish people were not only killed… but parents were killed in front of their children… children were killed in front of their parents… children’s heads were cut off… pregnant women had their stomachs slashed open… and had babies pulled out and murdered in front of their parents… babies were executed in ovens…

These Hamas… excretions of the devil… not only raped women… they gang-raped women… and they also RAPED DEAD BODIES! If this wasn’t ghoulish enough… they filmed it and sent it to friends and family alike… bragging about it!

The author of this book… Trey Yingst… was there… real-time reporting these atrocities to the world. This was the worst… and most sickening… attack on Jewish people since the Holocaust!

Yingst… the bug-eyed… ubiquitous… war reporter… like he was previously… in… Ukraine… Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Lebanon… and every other middle-east war zone… was in Israel and Gaza… 24/7… reporting live… while dodging rockets… guns… and shrapnel. Trey adds a small amount of his younger years and how his relationship with his Grandmother growing up… fueled his wanderlust for travel… but who could have guessed… such voluminous travel… would always be shrouded in bullets… bombs and explosions.

To be frank… if you’ve followed this war closely… there’s not a lot of new core information. What actually is … fresh information… and in my view… the real crux of new information… is simply the day to day… hour… to hour… life… of a totally committed… ADDICTED TO THE ACTION AND FEAR OF WAR… LIFESTYLE OF WAR REPORTING. Yingst’s description of his self-identified… non-retractable… yearning for being in the middle of… gruesome… nauseating… destruction of innocent life… by abhorrent soulless… scum… is eerily similar to a colleague… who also works for Fox… Benjamin Hall… who had been brutally wounded and a razor’s edge close to death… who also wrote a book on the subject… and as I have read and reviewed both books… I can only describe them with the same painted brush of observation: THEY ARE BOTH LIKE MOTHS DRAWN TO THE FLAME OF WAR… DEATH… DISMEMBERMENT… AND SIMPLY ONE BOMB… ONE BULLET… ONE PIECE OF SHRAPNEL… FROM DEATH… WITH EVERY TICK OF LIFE'S CLOCK! Yingst freely admits and describes his sizable case of PTSD… yet on they go.

That scenario of life…is the real fresh news reporting… in this tome… everything else… is nothing but recaps of what you have seen on the news ten times a day in the last year.

For readers who come in with pre-made beliefs that Israel remorselessly attacks civilians… you should pay close attention to some of the facts quoted herein by the author:

“MY PHONE LIT UP WITH A MESSAGE FROM SOMEONE I KNOW IN JERUSALEM TELLING ME THAT I SHOULD REPORT THIS: HAMAS WAS OUTSIDE THE BUILDINGS UNDER ISRAELI EVACUATION ORDERS, NOT ALLOWING RESIDENTS TO LEAVE. THE SOURCE SAID THE INFORMATION HAD COME FROM THE U.N. OFF THE RECORD.”
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“I WOULD LATER TALK TO OTHER PALESTINIAN CIVILIANS AND SEE ADDITIONAL REPORTS CONFIRMING THAT DR. NAIM WAS AT BEST UNAWARE OF AND AT WORST LYING ABOUT, THE FACT THAT HAMAS WAS ACTIVELY PREVENTING SOME PEOPLE IN GAZA FROM FLEEING, WHICH WOULD QUICKLY BECOME ONE OF THE MAJOR FRONTS IN THE INFORMATION WAR.”

“A “ROOF KNOCK” IS A RELATIVELY SMALL BOMBING WITH A LIMITED EXPLOSIVE CHARGE, USED TO WARN RESIDENTS THAT A BUILDING IS ABOUT TO BE TARGETED. ACCORDING TO ISRAEL, HAMAS PREVENTED PEOPLE FROM LEAVING THEIR HOMES AFTER ROOF-KNOCK STRIKES WERE CONDUCTED AND EVACUATION ORDERS WERE GIVEN. DRONE VIDEO LATER RELEASED BY THE ISRAELI MILITARY SHOWED HAMAS ALSO BLOCKING ONE OF THE MAIN EVACUATION ARTERIES SOUTHWARD. LATER IN THE MONTH THE ISRAELIS ALSO RELEASED A CALL BETWEEN AN INTELLIGENCE OFFICER AND A GAZAN CIVILIAN TO SHOW WHAT WAS BEING DONE TO BLOCK CIVILIANS.”

***”THIS IS AN IDF OFFICER SPEAKING, “THE OFFICER SAYS. ***IN ORDER TO ENSURE YOUR SAFETY... YOUR PERSONAL SAFETY, I AM ASKING YOU TO URGENTLY GO TOWARD KHAN YOUNIS.”

**WHERE?” ASKS THE GAZAN.

“IN THE DIRECTION OF KHAN YOUNIS, URGENTLY… I DON’T WANT YOU TO PUT YOURSELF AT RISK, WHICH IS WHY I’M TELLING YOU TO GO TOWARD KHAN YOUNIS.”

“ALL THE ROADS ARE BLOCKED.”

“YOUR CURRENT LOCATION IS UNSAFE… WHERE IS THE ROAD BLOCKED?”… “WHO BLOCKED THE ROADS?... “HAMAS?”

“YES.”

“WHERE DID THEY BLOCK THE ROAD?”

“ON SALAH AL-DIN ROUTE.”

“HOW DID THEY BLOCK THE ROAD?”

**************”THEY ARE SIMPLY SENDING EVERYONE BACK HOME*****

************** THEY ARE SHOOTING AT PEOPLE.”**************************

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The one shortcoming in this book… is how often the author puts himself on a pedestal as if he’s G-d’s right hand man… or at the very least… he’s the reincarnation of King Solomon… and he… and he alone… makes assumptions and declarations… on which side is wrong in action after action.

One suggestion to the author… “Hey Trey… get down off the cross… we need the wood!”

[JMarryott23 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Black Saturday is one of the first books published about October 7th. In that sense, it is really crazy to be reading stories of such recent events. But it is not the best or most definitive book that will be made. The scope of this book remains mostly only Trey’s perspective, and often is just sharing information he reported on at the time. If you are looking for new never before seen insight, you are likely to be disappointed. The book is still very readable, even if some of it seems to be Trey patting himself on the back for his bravery and reporting.

As someone who has followed this situation and its aftermath extensively, I am honestly kind of surprised by omissions he leaves out of the book. Trey has friends and sources in both Israel and Gaza, so the book certainly gives insight into both sides and perspectives. He had spent time working and living in Gaza in the mid-2010s. I think that is a good thing overall to add takes from both sides, but it also means he is unlikely to take any sides that would risk losing his sources. He openly states multiple times that he has senior Hamas sources. For those reasons, omissions start to make more sense. They include:

- Hamas was elected in 2006 with nearly 45% of the vote. Fatah came in 2nd place with nearly 42% of the vote. The 3rd place party had 4%. All 3 are terrorist organizations. Hamas is in year 20 of their 4 year term. No poll, even after October 7th, has ever shown that Hamas has a low approval from the Palestinian population, or that they would lose an election held today. Israel offered a $5 million reward to any Palestinian with information on any hostages - none have come forward. Vital context when Trey continues to talk of how the vast majority of Gazans are innocent and Israel is apparently just indiscriminately bombing them.

- The book fails to mention that Israel had a program to help Palestinians by employing them in Israel. More than 150,000 Palestinians would travel to and work in Israel daily. Detailed information down to addresses, names of Residents, and where power lines were located were found on the bodies of Hamas fighters. Where did this information come from if not workers who traveled into Israel? This question isn’t answered by Trey (one of the few journalists present) and in fact isn’t even brought up. I think it’s worth pondering and I think it’s important to know how much, if any, of the information was from those work permits.

- No mention that more than 60,000 Israelis were forcibly displaced from the northern part of Israel since October 7th, due to the threat of Hezbollah. Vital information when relaying the conflict up north.

- Trey speaks up about protecting Gaza journalists many times, which makes sense considering the field he works in. But he fails to add context about how there are no free independent journalists in Gaza - that’s why he’s reporting from Israel and tagging along with the IDF. Gaza reporters are only approved to report at the mercy of Hamas. And indeed, many of them along with UNRWA workers have been proven to be connected to Hamas directly.

- The book does not properly express that the Kibbutzes closest to the border and attacked on October 7th particularly advocated for the rights of Gazans. Hamas did not attack disputed settlements or military stations, but attacked innocent civilians who supported them more than most.

- Trey is quick to be critical of Israel’s response, but like all of those that make this claim, he fails to say what the proper response would be that would satisfy him while leaving Israel safe in the future. There were 250+ hostages, including many who are citizens of countries other than Israel, so what is the proper response?

- The book fails to mention that Palestinians have received upwards of $50 billion dollars in aid over the past 30 years. The book criticizes Israel for their control of a portion of water to Gaza, but fails to mention that Hamas released a stylized video showing the creation of missiles out of water equipment. The book doesn’t give context about how Israel is the only country in history who has been forced to provide food, aid, and jobs to the people they are fighting against. The book doesn’t mention that Israel has been and continues to provide aid to Gaza.

- The book asserts Gazans are stuck and have nowhere to go even if they wanted to. Trey does not mention that no other countries, even the nearby ones who profess support, have taken in a single Palestinian. Just this week Trump expressed hope that the people can willingly go to other countries and have a prosperous future, but the media has argued that they shouldn’t go anywhere. So which is it - are they stuck in an “open-air prison” or do they refuse to leave? Trey says here in a book released months ago that they are stuck here.

[John Ryan · Rating 2 out of 5]

These are tough days, and this is a tough book to read about a horrible war. As one who followed this war daily in the NYT’s and in other media, this book mostly covered areas that were well known. What I found most interesting was Yingst’s experiences as a war correspondent. Having read a book recently on the Ukraine War, I believe it would have been a much stronger book had the author spoken more about his own experiences – more about his concern for safety, for providing balanced reporting when he was given such limited access to Gaza.

Yingst provides glimpse of what he experienced as a war correspondence, a repeat performance after Ukraine. Yingst talk about being under rocket fire, experiencing horrible death and destruction close up, driving through Gaza City with young IDF troops when the once vibrant city was a ghost town.

The other powerful and disturbing aspect of this book is talking in detail about what the hostages and Jews on the boarder experienced. While this book broke no new ground here, it was riveting how people can be so cruel to others. Listening to police radio accounts of officers pleading for help when none was available, of Jews taking cover until help could come when none was in the area, of signal communications occurring when the person generating the conversation were killed or taken into custody. Equally disturbing was how Palestinians were running for shelter when none existed, how their apartment buildings and hospitals were fired upon, leaving their community in shatters. Powerless, they had limited voice during the war since journalist were mostly shut out and then could only see what the Israeli government would permit.

In the most powerful account of hostages – in this book and in any other media I followed – was about a woman torn from her house after she was trying to hide under a blanket. Four men in military vests held her by gunpoint and took her over the boarder while an Israeli army helicopter hung overhead, giving her a false impression she might be saved. Instead, the crew on the helicopter opened fired, wounding her with shrapnel from the blast. While taking her over the border, she saw her dog being taken separately over to Gaza. When placed in confinement, a man came in speaking Hebrew; he knew her language because he worked in Israel. He would not give his name but insisted the hostages call him haver, friend in Hebrew. He assured them they would be taken good care of since his wife and son were nurses. It was a strange sense of humanity in a place that is often explained with one word: complicated.

As with the book of the Ukraine war, there are unsung heroes mentioned in this book. Alex Plitsas worked on foreign aid to Gaza then tried to get the workers out, just as he had done with Afghans who would have been killed by the Taliban had they not found a way out of that country when the government fell.

If the reader knew nothing about this war, this book might be interesting and informative. Sadly, people who would read this book already know the story, often told in a more powerful and gripping manner.

[Sayied Nishant]

Fox News war correspondent Trey Yingst shares his gripping, firsthand account of the events of October 7, 2023, and the ensuing war, offering riveting insight and fresh facts that clarify the scope and magnitude of this latest and most dramatic outbreak in one of the bloodiest, most nuanced, and longest-standing conflicts in modern history.

On the morning of October 7, 2023, the militant group known as Hamas launched a vicious attack on Israel in the most recent stage of the deeply complicated and decades-long Israel-Palestine conflict. The assault, which took place on Shabbat—the day of rest for the Jewish people—instantly became known among Israelis and the world as “Black Saturday.”

On October 7, Fox News Correspondent Trey Yingst was on the ground along the Gaza border and witnessed firsthand the devastation, shock, and deep sorrow that whirled through Israel. A seasoned journalist who has reported from some of the most dangerous hotspots around the world, including the frontlines in Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, Yingst was just one among many people plunged into the terrifying chaos of that horrific event. In this shocking and eye-opening chronicle, he pieces together the story of that tragic day and reveals how he risked his life searching for answers to essential questions in real time--who within Israel had been attacked; what happened to them; who, potentially, was next--while exploring the impact on both Israelis and Palestinians as a full-scale war ramps up and peace grows more elusive. “We have a responsibility now to account for and record these events—and tell the world the truth,” Yingst writes. “We cannot look away.”

Committed to reporting the whole truth, on both sides of the Israel-Gaza border, Yingst interviewed a range of exclusive contacts to incorporate multiple perspectives. From conversations with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and high-ranking soldiers, to interviews with Senior Hamas official Dr. Bassem Naim and Gazan journalist Nael Ghaboun, to heartbreaking accounts from civilians placed in the crosshairs of the attack and conflict that followed, Yingst takes us inside the newest phase of an old war in which thousands more people—men, women, and children—are suffering.

Combining candor, grit, and veracity, Yingst paints a vivid picture of horrors and violence, matched by acts of courage and humanity that cut through the darkness. A testament to unwavering resilience and tenacity, Black Saturday is the riveting chronicle of one journalist’s experience relentlessly pursuing the truth in the face of terror.

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

I expected bias. My intent on reading the book was to get insight into the “other side” as I’m decidedly pro-Palestinian at this point.

It could have been much much worse, and honestly was better than I thought. While it seems like Yingst has read little of the history of that land and everything is said with an Israeli lens, Yingst reports on the current conditions in Gaza and is critical of how Israel treats Palestinians, but if he truly understood, his defense of them would use different words.

It’s a compelling memoir. To see the things he’s seen, I can barely handle the ugly of the world from the privileged safety of my living room. I cannot imagine having friends and acquaintances on both sides of a war. To choose to put himself in these situations to bring his version of the truth to the world is brave. I wish he saw the reality of Israel because I believe he could be a powerful, articulate voice. I believe he thinks he’s not being biased, I believe he’s a product of his environment.

One of the ways his biases show is that there’s no explanation as to why Hamas is bombing Israel. He’s quick to list what weapons Hamas is using which are big and scary to the average human, but leaves out that Israeli weapons make those look like sticks and clubs in comparison. He speaks of horrible things Hamas did to Israelis like Israelis haven’t been doing comparable things and then some to Palestinians for decades. He puts civilians in quotes when he refers to people Israelis killed. He talks of the hostages Hamas takes but not about how the vast majority of Palestinians have been imprisoned or detained by Israeli forces just in their every day lives. There’s no discussion about why all of these groups and countries have issues with Israel.

I also think of someone is truly subjective, they don’t just include the Israeli names for historic events. I know the Palestinian names so have had to look everything up because my brain thinks in events not dates, so I don’t immediately recognize what he’s referring to.

He clearly takes issue with some of the things Israeli does, but again, there’s little context and even in his issue taking that leaves a biased towards Israel lens. Israel invaded Palestine, and has spent decades ethnically cleansing them. They are bullies controlling the narrative. Their existence based on a house of cards.