Hamas militants launched a fierce attack on Israel, employing a multitude of rockets and deploying dozens of armed individuals into nearby Israeli towns situated close to the Gaza Strip. This unexpected assault transpired on the significant Jewish holiday, Saturday, October 7th, 2023, claiming the lives of hundreds of people. As a direct response to this offensive, Israel declared war against Hamas, preparing to carry out aerial strikes in Gaza and vowing to create an unprecedented “catastrophe”.
Netanyahu emphasized the urgent need for civilian evacuation from Gaza to avoid casualties, as he stated, “We will launch a full-scale assault relentlessly.”
In a recent report, the Associated Press informs that Hamas fired more rockets from Gaza, hitting the Tal Bergman Hospital in the coastal city of Ashkelon, Israel, in the early hours of Sunday. Footage provided by the Barzilai Medical Center shows a large hole in the wall and debris scattered on the ground. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that Hamas has taken a number of individuals as hostages but did not provide an exact figure. According to the Israeli Ministry of Health, at least 200 Israeli civilians have been killed and 1,452 others injured.
Israel’s retaliatory airstrikes in Gaza have become increasingly intense as night falls, resulting in significant explosions that level residential buildings, including a 14-story tower that housed dozens of apartments and Hamas offices in downtown Gaza City. Israeli forces had issued warnings beforehand.
At around 3 AM, the loudspeakers positioned on top of a mosque in Gaza City issued a strong warning to the residents of the nearby apartment building to evacuate immediately. Shortly after, an Israeli airstrike demolished a five-story building in close proximity. The Palestinian Ministry of Health reported a total of 232 Palestinian casualties and 1,697 injured individuals. However, it was not specified where these fatalities occurred or whether the victims included members of Hamas or civilian inhabitants of Gaza.
According to CNN’s report, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared war after Hamas fired a deadly barrage of rockets and sent its troops into Israeli territory. The Israeli military stated that approximately 2,200 rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip towards Israel, while armed groups infiltrated into Israel by land, sea, and paragliding.
Explosions were heard in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and southern Israel. Some of these explosions are likely the interception of rockets entering Israeli territory. The airborne rocket attacks have prompted Israeli citizens to rush and seek shelter underground.
Failure of Israel’s Defense System.
The sudden attack that took place on Saturday is unprecedented in both its scale and scope. It occurred on the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War, when Arab nations launched an assault on Israel during the holiest days in the Jewish calendar.
During a briefing, IDF spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Richard Hecht stated that Israeli forces were engaged in field combat, disclosing various battle locations, including several villages, military bases, and border crossings.
Hecht declined to answer repeated inquiries from journalists regarding whether the IDF had missed any intelligence regarding the occurrence of this attack.
Former international spokesman for the IDF, Jonathan Conricus, labeled the extensive surprise attack as an “Israel’s version of the Pearl Harbor tragedy.”
He further expressed, in a professional manner, that the entire defense system had faltered. It wasn’t merely one component, but the entire framework of defense had been proven inadequate in safeguarding Israeli civilians.
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