Dozens of gunmen from the Islamist militant group Hamas appear to have infiltrated southern Israel in a surprise attack and are currently at large with videos of shooting in the streets.
In response to the attacks, which appear to have caught the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) by surprise, Israel has declared a state of war.
Since this morning, the State of Israel has been at war. Our first objective is to clear out the hostile forces that infiltrated our territory and restore the security and quiet to the communities that have been attacked.
— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) October 7, 2023
Speaking at the beginning of a cabinet meeting, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the country now focuses on three goals:
To clear the impacted areas from militants and restore security
To impose a vast cost on Israel’s enemy
To shore up other areas so that no one would make the mistake of joining the war
“I call on all of Israel’s citizens to unite,” he said, so that the country would reach its aim of winning this war.
Israeli government officials were reported to have already launched a major investigation is being launched as to how Israeli intelligence failed to see this massive and well coordinated Hamas attack coming.
Daniel Hagari, spokesperson for the Israeli defense forces acknowledged that it is possible Israeli forces have yet to take back control of every community where Hamas attacked.
Speaking on Israel’s Channel 12, the spokesperson said there are “difficult hours ahead of us,” he said, adding that the IDF is upping its strikes in Gaza.
At least 40 Israelis killed in Hamas attack
Israel’s channel 12 reports that the death toll has risen to at least 40 and there are 740 people injured.
⚔️Swords of Iron⚔️
The IDF is initiating a large-scale operation to defend Israeli civilians against the combined attack launched against Israel by Hamas this morning. pic.twitter.com/O2fuWjFvNb
“A number of terrorists have infiltrated into Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip,” the military said in a statement, adding that residents in the area surrounding the Gaza Strip had been told to stay in their homes.
“The Israel Defence Forces will defend Israeli civilians and the Hamas terrorist organisation will pay heavy price for its actions,” it said.
7 Israeli communities under Hamas control
“We are at war, and we will win,” Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu says in a message to Israelis.
Israel’s channel 12 is reporting that 280 people are injured in Israel, 30 of them seriously.
The Israeli television channel Reshet 13 reports that Palestinian militants are holding Israelis captive in the southern town of Ofakim.
This is one of the first reports we have from Israeli media on the situation, after widespread claims on social media that Palestinian militants have taken captives.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad has both claimed that they are holding Israeli soldiers hostage.However, a Hamas spokesman told Al Jazeera that “they are not hostages – they are prisoners of war”.
An Israeli military spokesman says Palestinians fired 2,500 rockets at Israel “with infiltrations from paragliders, sea and ground” and added that “thousands of reservists will be called up” in the wake of the earlier rocket attacks on Israel.
I unequivocally condemn the attack carried out by Hamas terrorists against Israel.
It is terrorism in its most despicable form.
Israel has the right to defend itself against such heinous attacks.
Burning vehicles in the Israeli city of Ashkelon following rocket launches from Gaza, 07 October 2023. Rocket barrages were launched from the Gaza Strip early Saturday in a surprise attack claimed by the Islamist movement Hamas. EPA-EFE/ATEF SAFADI
