Gaza [Palestine], October 8: In a tragic turn of events, the Palestinian enclave of Gaza has witnessed a significant loss of life, with at least 232 people killed and 1,790 others wounded on Saturday. This dire situation unfolded following Israel's response to a deadly, multi-pronged attack orchestrated by Hamas forces into Israeli territory, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
The early morning Hamas offensive killed at least 250 in Israel and wounded 1,452.
This escalation in casualties comes in the wake of an audacious assault by the Palestinian group governing the Gaza Strip, marking the largest attack on Israel in years. Hamas launched the offensive by unleashing a barrage of thousands of rockets from the besieged Gaza territory and subsequently infiltrating areas in southern Israel.
Israel's national rescue service reported at least 100 casualties and hundreds wounded, marking it as one of the deadliest attacks in Israel in recent memory. In addition, an unspecified number of Israeli soldiers and civilians were seized and taken into Gaza.
As the situation continued to unfold, Hamas reported ongoing gun battles in numerous areas inside Israel. Israel's Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant, issued a stern warning to Hamas, emphasizing that the group had made a "grave mistake" in launching the attack. The offensive began at 6.30am local time (03.30 GMT) and involved rocket barrages from multiple locations in Gaza, as well as fighters infiltrating Israel through land, sea, and air.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking from military headquarters in Tel Aviv via video message, declared, "Citizens of Israel, we are at war. The enemy will pay an unprecedented price." In response to the attack, Israel's military initiated a series of air raids on Gaza, referred to as "Operation Iron Swords," and Israeli soldiers were engaged in ground fighting in several locations surrounding the besieged Palestinian enclave.
Palestinians living around the Gaza Strip were urged by Israel's military to stay in their homes, with a warning that Hamas would pay a "heavy price for its actions." Reports from Israeli media indicated that Palestinian fighters opened fire on passers-by in the southern town of Sderot, and social media footage depicted uniformed Palestinians engaged in clashes. Another video circulating on social media appeared to show a burning Israeli tank surrounded by jubilant Palestinians. Amidst the chaos, residents of Gaza are grappling with widespread shock and fear. Munir Nasser, a Gaza grocery vendor, expressed astonishment, stating, "We have been as surprised and frightened as the [occupation] since the operation began. We haven't seen footage of Palestinians breaching the occupied towns and villages beyond the barriers like this before."
This violent outbreak follows weeks of escalating tensions along Israel's volatile border with Gaza and months of deadly clashes in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. So far this year, Israeli forces have killed at least 247 Palestinians, while 32 Israelis and two foreign nationals have lost their lives in previous Palestinian attacks.
The United Nations special coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, condemned the "heinous attacks targeting civilians" in Israeli towns and cities near Gaza, emphasizing the need for an immediate cessation of hostilities and protection for civilians.
Hamas, through a statement on the Telegram messaging app, called upon "the resistance fighters in the West Bank" and "our Arab and Islamic nations" to join the fight.
Exiled Hamas leader Saleh Al Arouri asserted that the operation was a response "to the crimes of the occupation," with Palestinian fighters defending their sacred site in occupied East Jerusalem. Lebanon's Hezbollah movement, founded in 1982 to combat the Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon, expressed its solidarity with the Palestinian resistance and closely monitored the situation in Gaza.
Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas, conveyed to fellow Arab countries that Israel could not provide protection despite recent diplomatic rapprochements. He emphasized, "We are on the verge of a great victory and a clear conquest on the Gaza front," pledging to continue the struggle until the liberation of Palestinian lands and prisoners held in Israeli detention.
Source: Qatar Tribune