The death toll in in Israel from the Hamas rocket attack rose to over 100, The Times of Israel reported on Saturday citing medical officials. In addition to this, around 1000 people were injured. According to the Health Ministry, 908 injured people have been hospitalised.
The number of casualties is certain to rise further as reports are updated. Israeli citizens died and suffered injuries in both rocket attacks and attacks by Hamas terrorists who infiltrated Southern Israel in large numbers, breaching the heavily guarded border.
This comes after a barrage of rockets slammed into southern and central Israel after Hamas launched a “surprise attack” on Saturday morning. Terror cells from the Gaza group have infiltrated a number of communities in the south of the country.
Hamas has also claimed to have kidnapped five IDF soldiers, however, IDF has not yet spoken on this. Hamas deputy chief Saleh al-Arouri told Al Jazeera that the group has captured “a big number” of Israelis. He added that “senior officers” are among them. Mohammed Deif, the Hamas terror commander has called for an all-out attack on Israel.
Several videos of Hamas terrorists kidnapping Israelis and parading them on the roads of Gaza have appeared on social media. In one video they were seen parading the body of dead woman, striped to her undergarments, paraded on a vehicle amid the chants of Allah hu Akbar.
In the first reaction to the ‘surprise attack’, PM Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel “is at war”, further asserting that they will “win it”.
“We are at war, not in an operation or in rounds, but at war. This morning, Hamas launched a murderous surprise attack against the State of Israel and its citizens. We have been in this since the early morning hours. I convened the heads of the security establishment and ordered, first of all, to clear out the communities that have been infiltrated by terrorists. This currently is being carried out,” Netanyahu said in a video statement.
Meanwhile, several world leaders have condemned the ghastly attack on Israel by Hamas terrorists.
Israel has already declared a state of war in the country after infiltration by Hamas fighters and missile attacks from Gaza.
The Israel Defence Forces launched operation ‘Iron Swords’ in response to Hamas’s surprise attack on Israel, the Times of Israel reported. IDF is striking Hamas targets in Gaza.
The Israeli military is fighting Hamas terrorists in different locations in Southern Israel near the border with the Gaza Strip, including the towns of Kfar Aza, Sderot, Sufa, Nahal Oz, Magen, Be’eri and the Re’im military base, according to The Times of Israel.
